Why is there no customization feaures for free players

Discussion in 'PlanetSide 2 Gameplay Discussion' started by wetto, Aug 23, 2015.

  1. IronMouse

    While I agree that the company needs to profit for such a great game, which I already supported in my previous posts, and I myself have spent money on this game, I don't believe that free players are parasites. They are not. They populate the game, which makes it fun for all of us, paying members included, to play.

    Without them, the game would be empty and even people who pay cash now, wouldn't invest in an empty game anymore.
    • Up x 2
  2. iSpank

    Because they don't need to, cosmetics doesn't affects the game play, you can unlock everything else with certs, some cosmetics by completing directives, running and maintaining servers are expensive you know.

    I am a free player, but customer support still refunded my certs and experience when my cousin mistakenly deleted my account. this itself speaks that in Planetside2 free and paying players are treated equally.
    • Up x 1
  3. Jeslis


    I'd like to take a sec to respond to some of your questions... starting with : "What vehicles can't you use right out of the gate?"
    1. The harasser.
    Why? - The basilisk harasser is the weakest cert pinata in the game. The intended anti INFANTRY harasssers (PPA/Mara/Canist) can kill it faster.
    Fix - Make the Halberd the Default, or allow both the Halberd and the Basilisk to be unlocked by default.
    2. The Lightening
    Why? The Viper is an extremely difficult gun to use correctly.. due to the HE nerf of ol', it doesn't excel in its anti infantry spam niche.. and its a free kill to any HEAT (or god forbid, AP like most tanks are) Lightening or MBT.

    I'd also like to add the flash to this list, simply because its... lets call it *driving style* (compared to tanks/sundy/harasser) is very.. weird... It lacks the umph you'd expect (torq?) from an ATV... and the enforced camera angle (due to the gun mount?) makes it extremely awkward to drive.
    BUT
    I understand you can't exactly buff it, or the stealth fury flashes will rain supreme.
    Is there any way you can unlock the camera (like the driver of a harasser), if there is no gun equipped?

    There is a *slight* argument against the default MBT being *use[able] right out of the gate*.. and the ONLY reason I say this is due to the basilisk secondary gun.
    In all my time tanking/driving around... I will rarely see anyone gun for a basilisk secondary seat.... Meaning that they are, in effect, cannon fodder for any 2/2 tank out there (you know, the ones rocking a Halberd, or ESAV such as Enforcer/Vulc/Saron)
    Unfortunately there isn't a middle ground weapon... The halberd being default for harasser makes sense due to its nature of staying afar//not up close... but not for the MBTs.
  4. Campagne

    No, I'm afraid it's not just criticism. There is a think, solid, clear line between abuse and criticism, and that I'm afraid, was abuse.

    My statements (minus my very first one) were not abusive at all!
  5. Alan Kalane

    I think you all misunderstand Campagne.

    He doesn't complain about not having everything for free, he's making a very valid statement about the flaws of the F2P model:

    - In the F2P model the game earns through buing the in-game items and membership subscriptions (used to buy in-game items) so the devs focus on making new, shiny stuff for the players to buy instead of focusing on the game mechanics. The game mechanics do not directly increase their income and as such it's not worth investing more time than necessary in improving them.

    In the P2P model on the other hand the game earns only through the monthly subscription that is required to play the game. As such the number of players directly translates to the income the game makes. X * More players = X * more income. So, in order to earn money the devs have to focus on the game mechanics and other features requested by the players to make them stay and keep their subscription. That's why PS1 still has superior metagame compared to PS2 and PS2 has so many guns and cosmetics 99% of the players will never even try 50% of them (Whales only).
    • Up x 2
  6. Dgross

    I'm afraid you can't even tell the difference between abuse and criticism.

    I understood him perfectly. Here's a summary:

    Fact 1: He thinks DBG not offering cosmetics for free players somehow = greed?
    Fact 2: There are cosmetics for free players. You get them through directives. It takes longer, but it's still free.
    Fact 3: They offer plenty for free, as was pointed out to him. His account, playing on their servers, earning every weapon in the game, and every major content patch are all FREE, aka you don't pay ANYTHING to access any of it.
    The ONLY thing you must pay real money for are cosmetics.

    But, according to him, DBG charging money for this stuff is greedy?
    He then goes on to say that cosmetic stuff is a load of gimmicks and if everyone was forced to pay to play this game, we would somehow magically have more content.

    Fact 4: The F2P model makes more money then the subscription model, because players are more apt to impulse buy small purchases instead of one lump sum every month.
    Fact 5: The F2P model of PS2 isn't a paywall or a pay2win model. Every item in game that directly affects game play (weapons, weapon attachments) can be bought with certs, earned for FREE.

    So no, I understand him perfectly well. He's just wrong about his assumptions and his misconception that a F2P model = greed.
    PS2 is one of the most balanced F2P games I've ever seen, and yet he feels that what DBG offers him isn't enough as a free player.

    The cherry on top is he thinks this is abuse.
    • Up x 3
  7. Raysen

    You do actually have an abusing behavior towards other members of the forum.

    And back on topic, there isn't still a single worth answer to the initial question. So far allowing a basic customization to free player isn't a "We can't" but just a "We won't", which isn't really helping players to relax.

    Do you believe adding a simple basic choice for all players will kill your game? Because unless you think so, both paying and free players should have nothing about receiving some gimmick for having spent time in the game.
  8. Dgross

    You have an incredibly naïve behavior towards everyone that tries to explain the mechanics of a F2P model to you.
    They did offer free players cosmetic items....through directives.

    Don't want to spend the time? Then you pay for immediate enjoyment. That's how this works.
  9. Raysen

    You are just being rude and unhelpful, rather insulting other players instead of actually showing some friendly behavior.

    As said different times, Directives are special reward which still requires players specific gameplays not everyone might be able to achieve.

    The only disappointing thing is the game offering a HUGE choice of customization by money and not a single piece for certs.

    What I really don't understand is why you must be so blind. People are asking "Why can't we have some skin or bonus to unlock freely" and your constant answer is "You can do directives". Can you see how you are not even answering the main question?
  10. Foxirus

    Because SOMEONE has to be the generic looking cannon fodder while the rest of us storm in looking like badass commandos who get stuff done. That just happens to be the free players.
  11. Pelojian

    The prices for most cosmetics aren't even that high and they are even lower if you are patient for what you want to go on discount and if they don't discount what you specifically want wait till their infantry-only, vehicle-only or Christmas sales to buy things.

    Anyone remember when most helmets were 1000SC? now they are selling for 250-999DBG, remember when camos always cost ether 500SC or 1000SC? and now they are selling some for 89DBG upto 999DBG.

    If you want something specific or you only want pieces of a bundle, ether wait for a sale or double SC event and buy some SC.

    DBG has a wide range of cosmetics of varying price ranges. if your unwilling to put in $5 or $10 every once and a while for cosmetics you've no right to complain that most cosmetics are bought and not free in a ftp game.

    Who doesn't have $5 or $10 laying around they can put into a game they enjoy?

    May i suggest you try everquest 2 it's ftp like PS2, has a TLE pvp server and has plenty of free items that you can loot to put on appearance or buy with ingame coin or tokens that are earned through gameplay rather then opening your wallet. just like ps2 though some people will buy some cosmetic item off the marketplace they like.

    F2P exists to draw in customers with no commitment required and those that enjoy themselves and appropriate the game will sink money into the game to support it's development and keep playing.

    Those that don't give DBG money support DBG anyway because they are providing entertainment and targets to those that do pay.
  12. ColonelChingles

    Players already have free simple basic cosmetic choices.

    You can choose whether you want to be male or female. Not only is this a visual cosmetic, but it also customizes your in-game voice too!
    You can choose whether you want to be Caucasian, Hispanic, African, or Asian.

    Players get that for spending absolutely no time in the game, apart from creating a character. And that is plenty enough free cosmetic choice. Anything else, and they should have to pay.
  13. RadarX


    You and I are going to differ on the definition of "use."
    • Up x 3
  14. Pelojian

    Equipment doesn't mean anything if the user doesn't use skill or their brains. a skilled player can make something which is perceived poorly, powerful just by using it smartly.

    a viper lightning may be disadvantaged against an MBT, but if the MBT driver doesn't know what they are doing and the viper lightning drive does then they can win against the MBT sometimes.

    viper is a infantry suppression and kill weapon opposed to HEAT and HE which are reasonably good at AV and can OHK infantry and kill them with indirect fire.
  15. WR3CK

    RadarX any response on the playstation 4 weapons that you have to buy?
  16. RadarX


    I responded to that earlier in the thread.
  17. AlterEgo

    Solution? Let people customize their soldiers' faces. Camos are there for people who pay for the game; as a F2Player, I don't want camos, I just want to play:confused:
  18. Ronin Oni

    You can still USE them right out the gate, and Basilisk Harasser is MUCH better vs most other vehicle targets. The AI guns you mention don't even tickle armor.

    Basilisks are highly under-rated. They're not as fun and exciting, but are completely viable and have gunned friends Bassies to great effect many times.

    I also still use the Viper lightning on occasion despite having both HEAT and AP purchased with SC on all accounts. It's my AI focused lightning build, HEAT is my balanced load, and AP for wolf-pack tank hunting.

    Also, any of these can be "upgraded" with other weapons for very reasonable cert investment. The only thing that's expensive is upgrading EVERYTHING.

    Any new player can easily focus and cert out a couple classes and single vehicle of choice fairly well (no last rank cert slots, as they have terrible diminishing returns) by BR20ish
  19. Alan Kalane

    Yeah, it earns more money only for the money it earned to be spent on H1Z1 and more cosmetics. Why not on finishing at least one phase 2 or 3 project? Cuz it's not worth it. The players don't pay you for such things, they pay you for guns & cosmetics. So why not make an NS Striker 1.0? Everybody knows it was OP so people are gonnah buy it. Nobody asked for it? Well, too bad. Gimme money.
  20. Campagne

    Examples of your abuse "criticism."