[Suggestion] Subscription/Micro Transaction Revision: Loot Boxes

Some of my most fond shooter moments took place in Planetside 2.

In a moment of nostalgia, I decided to see how the game was doing so I jumped into the chaotic battlefield.

Planetside 2 has some of the biggest FPS battles in any game ever. They are intense, and exciting.

There is far more upgrades and weapons than in games like Battlefield or Call of Duty, though much harder to unlock unless the player has money.

Issue with Battlefield and Call of Duty games is the battles are limited to only 64 people.

With Planetside, there could be thousands, with three factions instead of just two.

Though, a very annoying feature of this game is the need to constantly advertise to player.

I wish I could play the game without having to be reminded how poor I am.

There's a reason I'm playing a Free-To-Play game.

If I get money, I'll go to the store, then you can advertise to me.

Where most Free-To-Play models have gone to a Loot Box system, which makes more money and is friendly to poor players, Planetside 2 is still behind the times.

Daybreak games appears to be their own worst enemy, I wish this was not so.

If they were to add Loot Boxes, all players would be able to unlock every customization item eventually, though players who buy Loot Boxes would get customization far faster.

Overwatch is a perfect example of this model.

On a similar note, subscribers have a huge advantage over other players by being able earn certs and experience much faster than non-subscribers.

This is the reason the game sometimes feels Pay-To-Win rather than Free-To-Play.

I feel subscriptions should have advantages of Instant Queues, easy Vehicle Access, Instant Drops, and weekly Loot Boxes, rather than level & equipment advantages.

Another problem is the spam spawning of vehicles, or vehicle ramming by low level players and people who just don't care.

The issue with this is possible server lag caused by said spamming. Not to mention it really breaks the immersion.

Being rammed by another vehicle constantly in the spawn area can lag someone out of the game, it's happened to me.

Subscribers I feel tend to be more respectful, and are not the ones being the vehicle trolls.

To stop this, greatly reduce the vehicle points generated for non-subscribers, and allow subscribers to gain vehicle points rapidly, allowing them to almost always be in a vehicle if they choose.

This would balance the gap between subscribers, and non-subscribers, while encouraging more money to be obtained and staying away from Pay-To-Win.

Is having constant vehicles revoked if you're a non-subscriber, like I am, rather unfortunate? Absolutely.

Would you trade that for reasonable leveling/upgrades and less vehicle trolls? I would in a heartbeat.

If Loot Boxes were added with a revision of their Subscription/Micro-Transaction methods or even a graphics update was implemented, I would play again, because the game is still fairly solid.

Nothing scratches that Planetside-itch like Planetside 2.

TL-DR

• Please add Loot Boxes to replace Micro-Transactions
• Allow all items to be unlocked via Free-To-Play methods
• Revise the Subscription methods to make the foot soldier experience more balanced.
  
  Also I would pay for a modern graphics update package. $30 would be reasonable, seeing as the people whom would want the graphics update, probably have money.
  Release one package for everyone.
  If a second one were to eventually be released, make the first one free, and charge for the second, so on and so forth.
  This would keep the game alive years beyond it's release.

P.S.

For the Loot Boxes, there should be a separate progress bar/leveling system, dedicated to the Loot Boxes.
The XP for each level would stay the same, allowing for a consistent flow of Loot Boxes.
Let's call this Loot Experience

Subscribers would have an experience bonus to Loot Experience, though not the regular experience, allowing for balanced gameplay, and a steady revenue stream.

Please add mud and excretions to the game DBC, let us not chose what we want, let us get random rubbish we don't care for

The only way to stop being reminded of how poor you are is to stop playing a free to play game, or take advantage of the subscription model. You could also get a source of income outside of the game but that's a bit more extreme of a solution.

The Depot does have "Loot Boxes" in the form that we call Bundles that cna be purchased. You are also under no obligation to unlock one thing or anything, though there are certain avenues of reward acquisition such as alert victories. Technically, no matter how horrendous you feel it, implant packs are essentially "Loot Boxes" in form.

Based on the argument you are presenting, you are equating winning to physical acquisition of trinkets, which is not the case. You don't win more because you have armor that glows in the dark. (Veteran players would argue that's a greater liability!) While seldom a weapon is released that causes an absurd rustling of the playerbase, those should be considered as flukes of the development team only, to be drop in efficiency at some later date. There is no such thing as "level advantage." You die to the same number of bullets at BR30 as you do BR60. If there is such a thing as "equipment advantage," it vanish into the sinkhole called time or can be absolved near instantly with an indulgence that you claim not to have. An "experience advantage" does exist, and it is a formidable opponent, but it comes through time and effort and can not be purchased; but, it can be mitigated through observation and mimickry.

Your "vehicles for subscribers" idea is so horrendous that I'm not even going to touch it through a dial-up connection. (I don't have a dial-up connection.)

1. Its like that, unless I'm missing an item somewhere that can't be purchased without a cert....

2. What do you mean? Elaborate.

For example, NS-15M2 Black.

To which I would recommend the basic NS-15M2 with certs, and Black Flames with DBC if the part where it was black matters that much.

That would be a hard pass for me, even with the items I have bought I don't buy the black/gold variants. However that's just camo/looks. I suppose technically it could dismiss my statement though it would be done comically.

Edit - Maybe OP meant camo in overall?

Lootboxes is one of the most recent ways that has made gaming worse. The way companies monetize and gate content behind RNG and money spenditure is a puke stain followed by diahrea and gangreen extract that should never have been invented. Try this: drag your teeth across a chalkboard, that experience is more enjoyable than what Lootboxes are doing to gaming.

All that aside, I didnt read your exact lootbox proposal. It might have some merit, but I can tell you two things right off the bat: the devs (or the suits behind them) will never go for your exact idea, and PS2's current system is going to be far better.
PS2's system is one of the best F2P systems I've ever played. The advertisements is minimal and unobtrusive, mostly hidden at the edges in ways that fit the HUD style. There are no leveling restrictions to buying weapons, an AP gun for your tank doesnt need a particular level and if you got the certs, its yours to buy. You also have no restrictions to how to earn it, you can earn certs with reviving and buy an aircraft gun with it. Also things like entire vehicles are available right off the bat and dont require unlocking. Can you unlock everything well enough to be competitive right off the bat? No, but if you focus you can quickly get a vehicle or class upgrades far enough to be fully competitive, and even vanilla you are well capable of supporting your faction by letting someone else take the brunt of the attack.
The biggest difference between a newb and a pro is their experience, as in the infantry fights most people start with the weapons are for the most part side-grades, with only a few weapons that are less balanced and offer a somewhat higher power vs the skill to operate them.

Locking untradeable content behind RNG is a cancer that should've never become a thing.

It's what happens when you listen to marketers in place of your game designers. Short-term profit over consumer satisfaction.

Hmm, taking personal shots already?

Maybe I do have ways of earning income, hence why I have power.
Maybe I'm disabled and can't earn enough income to pay for needless items on a game.

Think maybe you could be a bit nicer rather than suggesting, "GT FO peasent."
Just reminds me of another reason I don't play this game.

I love Planetside 2, I want to play Planetside 2. However in it's current condition I cannot.

Force-Multipliers are Vehicles.
Drastically reducing access to them, while drastically increasing access to them to another group, results in a severe difference of power.

As in, you want to reduce the ability to use vehicles for non-subscribers, which are force-multipliers, and prevent subscribers from not having a force-multiplier at all times.

"Low Level" I assume refers to BR, IE battle-ranks, which aren't a measure of anything.
You can have a BR 1, that is actually a BR 120 on a new account.
Or a BR 34, that is better than a BR 120, since one farmed, one did not.
Not to mention the difference between 120's can be severe.

As in, Levels are meaningless, Vehicles are force-multipliers not just "travel machines"
And Loot-boxes let alone with RNG can burn in the depths of hell.

Loot Boxes are what happens when Game Designers are innovative enough to allow players who pay and who don't pay, to be on the same skill level, and still gain money.

Doesn't have to be untradeable.
A model similar to Playerunknown Battlegrounds could be implemented.
This would allow players to trade their own collectables, and create a RNG.

There would be other methods of gaining the Loot Boxes other than money, such as just playing the game.
People who pay would get far more Loot Boxes.
Loot Boxes were a necessity that was created to keep Free-To-Play games from becoming Pay-To-Win, while allowing for a steady stream of income.

Planetside 2 has become too Pay-To-Win.
The fact that certain guns are locked behind a paywall is evidence of this.

Currently the people who pay have far to large of an advantage over non-subscribers, driving non-subscribers away.
Problem with driving non-subscribers away is that they are the future subscribers, so be nice to them.
Adding Loot Boxes would completely fix that, and breathe new life into the game.
Anything in game other than very special skins, should be able to be earned through playing the game.
Great thing about Loot Boxes too, is that there will always be another to buy.
With the current model, once that helm or armor has been purchased, no reason to buy another.
However with Loot Boxes, they will go on forever, fueling the company with enough money to make a better game.

Players with enough money (some are probably on this thread) can buy their way to a fully geared character.
This is just wrong.
I have spent money on this company before but I refuse to support this process.

With a RNG system such as Loot Boxes, being able to buy your way to victory would be a thing of the past.
Some could still accomplish this, though luck would be involved, not just $1000.

I want a more solid experience.
I have always believed vehicles were far too easy to get for everyone.

So greatly reduce that number for non-subscribers, basically leave it the same for subscribers.
Not talking about all vehicles either, just the ones with a ton of weapons that ruin other player's days.
Adjust the Vehicle resource rate for subscribers I feel is one of the elements that could be adjusted, without causing great harm to another faction.

Also there is no reason Free-To-Players should have that much access to content that can crash the server, or just ruin a large amount of player's days.
Only those that pay should have that responsibility.
Non-subscribers would still have access to vehicles ideally, just not the ability to always be in one.

As someone who is not paying, I am saying that.

The only guns actually behind a pay-wall, are those with a different skin & identical stats.

Loot boxes of RNGesus.. are already in, as that's the implant system.
Which ***** anyone & everyone.

"It's okay, you got screwed, You can always buy another to get the very required item"
Ala Battlefront..

Certs in PS2 can not be bought.
Everything that retains to combat outside of Different tools \ weapons, all of which are also available for certs if not identical-skinned versions, also costs certs only.
IE all upgrades cost certs.
Certs can not be bought.

A Chaingun AE, and Chaingun are identical past a surface skin.
The former is special & restricted, the Later is available for certs.
Subscribers at best have an increased nanite rate, and a better cert cap.
They aren't at different power-levels at all.

With RNG loot-boxes, you could spend 5 grand, and get the same identical object every single time.
Or spend 5 bucks and get exactly what you want.
These loot-boxes actually make it Pay-to-win, given only the rich can afford the RNG process effectively.
Presently, no amount of money can be spent to give you certs directly at whatever number you want.

Loot-Boxes & your other ideas, would actually make it Pay-to-win.

A more solid experience.
That guy who is a sub can lose the MBT 107 times, the guy without a sub can lose it once.
So Solid.

So let the Subs have the vehicles to absurdity, that ruin other people's days, and reduce everyone else to cherish the singular vehicles they get.
This LITERALLY makes it pay-to-win, as the paying customer has the most access to the force-multipliers, and does not have to care about losses - while their non-paying opponent can not even match them in nanites.

They can't crash the server..
Responsibility... to not **** everyone, with the superior amount of Force-multipliers..

As someone who isn't paying, you want to give Subscribers the power to be god over the non-paying by removing their ability to not be squished by a Subscriber.

You do realize, your ideas are to bring Pay-to-win into a solid form right?
Any Sub would be able to out-spend any Free-to-play in firepower with your changes by virtue of paying.
Any Sub would be able to afford the lotto machine.
Any Sub would dominate anyone else whom isn't.

At present, Sub or not, you die like the rest, or conquer like the rest.
It is skill, knowledge, and use, rather than money paid.
You'd basically **** that.

This is the problem, you are under the assumption RNG Loot Boxes would contain needed items...

That's what needs to be changed, anything needed to perform better, should never be behind a paywall.
Anything that makes you look more spiffy, should be in a RNG Loot Box.

Don't project. I'm following the course of your points.
You said you don't want to feel poor; but, you play PlanetSide 2 for the reason of it being free to play, suggesting the "affordability" factor. It's only the most straightforward means of improving morale within the realms of practicality (seriously, dem devs) and frugality.

You can't tell someone to just "get over" a feeling of destitution. That's discourteous.

What's holding you back?

If the Loot Boxes just contain cosmetics, then where exactly do these nonessential sidegrade weapons come from?

What else would it contain?
Certs? Only affordable by the Subs.. given everyone else would be paying with certs.
Guns? RNG or 1k certs with selection... Only worth the risk to someone not using certs.
Upgrades? Same issue.

Cosmetics? We already have this capability. The one thing that isn't impacting the game.
So no one would risk RNG to do so, if they weren't rolling in certs or cash.

Who would buy the Loot box if it didn't have something valuable?
No one bright.

Not to mention, the Implant Boxes are RNG Loot boxes.
They are hell for everyone.

I'm gonna address one thing alone as you have been answered properly on other subjects, but haven't gotten the answers YOU wanted, so you continue your meaningless chanting.

Pay attention now..

PLANETSIDE 2.... IS....NOT....UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES...... WHAT SO ***** EVER.... PAY2WIN.....

I've been a poor student that grinded BR1 to BR120 non subbed. I have EXACTLY the same guns and gear as people who blow 1000s of dollars on this game.
Pay2Win is about spending money to get BETTER gear than people who don't break out their creditcards. There is not one single gun a Vanu playing(my main is VS BR120) paying customer can buy that is BETTER than what I've purchased through Certs. NONE....

It would contain things to make you Reaver look awesome, visual armor for your Engineer. Not actual armor, just the one that changes your appearance.
Things like that.

That's why I referenced Overwatch up there.
Implementing a Loot Box system similar to Battlefield would be suicide for Planetside 2 in my opinion.

Overwatch, Heroes of the Storm, and Playerunknown Battlegrounds are the examples Planetside 2 should model themselves after.