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lock box debate


kooffee

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so it is true swtor is joining sto in the lockbox debate? some investigation's have already started regarding the issue of this grey area of gambling. wouldn't swtor be shooting itself in the foot?

the amount of bad press and general nasty taste of sto should of been enough to put them off surely?

 

going f2p so soon from going retail is already a sign of a major flop, but going down the lockbox road is surely just to take advantage of short term playability with a mindset of "rob them quick before they leave"

 

what happened to the mindset of "give them content and they won't want to leave" ?

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what exactly are you refering to?

 

is it that u will be able to buy armor in the CS?

 

Lock Boxes, are loot drops with random chance items inside that could either be that top level purple piece you are looking for, or something like say, a common medpac.

 

THe box drops off of any mobs, doesn't even have to be elite or anything, HOWEVER you must buy the key to the box off the real money store.

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going f2p so soon from going retail is already a sign of a major flop, but going down the lockbox road is surely just to take advantage of short term playability with a mindset of "rob them quick before they leave"

 

From going retail? You still have to buy the game. And you can still pay a subscription and have very little change. the f2p is honestly a lot more like an extended trial.... And the lockbox thing is still speculation. They have been making it clear that you can't get anything end-game competitive with Cartel Coins. It will all be cosmetic or leveling stuff. But If you could buy boxes that have random things in them, so what? Don't buy them.

Edited by chuixupu
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But If you could buy boxes that have random things in them, so what? Don't buy them.

 

u can buy boxes with random things in them for real money, most gambling websites do that type of game. however they are controlled by law game odd's and age limits, and so far this game doesn't require age verification and it even saves card information, ideal for your child to run up a bill? ideal to expose them to the thrill of gambling? if like others say and nothing been decided, then now is the time to debate it.

 

if lock boxes do come, the general trend if random fluff + super rare items, people are going to gamble money in a chance for that super rare item, regardless what random fluff is added. i've never understood that side of the argument, a fruit machine may give a prize of 0.20 but its still the 15.00 you aim for and play for.

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As long as they don't put anything in the boxes that cannot be gotten any other way it should be fine. If they follow STO's example and have items that can only ever be found in Lock Boxes it will be bad.

 

I for one have never been lucky. That's why I play games that require more skill and persistence than luck. If they put things in the game that only reward the lucky, I am outta here.

 

:cool:

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so it is true swtor is joining sto in the lockbox debate? some investigation's have already started regarding the issue of this grey area of gambling. wouldn't swtor be shooting itself in the foot?

the amount of bad press and general nasty taste of sto should of been enough to put them off surely?

 

going f2p so soon from going retail is already a sign of a major flop, but going down the lockbox road is surely just to take advantage of short term playability with a mindset of "rob them quick before they leave"

 

what happened to the mindset of "give them content and they won't want to leave" ?

 

 

I'm pretty sure they should be against EU gambling law (without the game being licenced as such).

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u can buy boxes with random things in them for real money, most gambling websites do that type of game. however they are controlled by law game odd's and age limits, and so far this game doesn't require age verification and it even saves card information, ideal for your child to run up a bill? ideal to expose them to the thrill of gambling? if like others say and nothing been decided, then now is the time to debate it.

 

I know a lot of parents dealing with this kind of thing in other games, even if it's not a "gambling" situation, you have to monitor your kids when it comes to micro transactions. That's being a parent and teaching your kids to be responsible. Again, since this is all speculation, it's hard to debate it. Maybe there will be an age verification/parental controls when this system gets put in place. There are things similar to this in GW2 also, but I've felt no motivation to pursue them. The boxes just sit in my bank.

 

This also reminds me of those machines where you pick up stuffed animals with a claw. Those machines are programmed to miss for so many times. So those machines are kind of gambling in a sense. Yet they are legal. :/

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ideal for your child to run up a bill? ideal to expose them to the thrill of gambling?

 

Well, this game exposes people to the thrill of torturing and killing... Gambling is pretty tame, compared.

 

As a parent, I had to deal with microtransactions starting around the time my kid was five or six. It's a big area of online safety and education. It's by no means unique to this game.

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Lock Boxes, are loot drops with random chance items inside that could either be that top level purple piece you are looking for, or something like say, a common medpac.

 

THe box drops off of any mobs, doesn't even have to be elite or anything, HOWEVER you must buy the key to the box off the real money store.

 

You don't have to though. In sto people can get keys on the exchange too, spending no real money.

Also, the items from lockboxes are sold on the exchange, so again, there's no need to spend real money. I keep seeing so many people say how easy it is to earn credits in this game, so buying lockbox items from the GTN should be easy enough.

Edited by utio
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As long as they don't put anything in the boxes that cannot be gotten any other way it should be fine. If they follow STO's example and have items that can only ever be found in Lock Boxes it will be bad.

 

I for one have never been lucky. That's why I play games that require more skill and persistence than luck. If they put things in the game that only reward the lucky, I am outta here.

 

:cool:

 

So you don't play STO anymore?

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So you don't play STO anymore?

 

Nope, and I have a Lifetime sub.

 

I keep checking back now and then to see if they've changed at all, but every time I do I see another awesome item that can only be found in those damnable Lock Boxes.

 

:(

Edited by Blackavaar
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My involvement with that game has dropped dramatically now that I'm back on TOR, cause seriously, making ok money casually in this game is WAY easier. Hell, getting a drop for something to sell in STO is a miracle half the time. And yeah, cruddy lockbox luck there too. So lets pray anything from lockboxes in TOR if they do it is also obtainable another way, even if that way involves having a sub-which I plan on keeping.
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You don't have to though. In sto people can get keys on the exchange too, spending no real money.

Also, the items from lockboxes are sold on the exchange, so again, there's no need to spend real money. I keep seeing so many people say how easy it is to earn credits in this game, so buying lockbox items from the GTN should be easy enough.

 

the odds on main items are so low, the other payment system is nothing than a charade possibly in

place just to aid with loophole in laws.

 

the other area of concern though is if this is being done to benefit the game and us etc etc, then why don't these company's release information on the winning odds if it was a casino it would be a requirement and a gester of good faith

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the odds on main items are so low, the other payment system is nothing than a charade possibly in

place just to aid with loophole in laws.

 

the other area of concern though is if this is being done to benefit the game and us etc etc, then why don't these company's release information on the winning odds if it was a casino it would be a requirement and a gester of good faith

 

I think it's fair to say the odds are low. It's up to the individual to choose to take a chance, or not.

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Didn't they already state that the gambling boxes will NOT have any end game gear in it? I'm sure that the top level of gear that will be in the gambling boxes is the previous tier of gear. It's still good enough to get people playing more difficult content, but it will keep the hardcore crowd happy.

 

As many dev's at Bioware have stated, this game is NOT going pay 2 win. You will be allowed to purchase many vanity items and mid-tier gear from the cash shop, but you will not be allowed to purchase the latest and greatest from the cash shop. That makes me happy because my feeling is that people would just grind out the mid-tier gear in literally 2 or 3 days anyway. The only thing they're hurting by purchasing that mid-tier gear is their own wallet.

 

At the very most, I foresee people being able to twink out low level alts using the cash shop. But, even that is ok in my opinion because it will take the "grind" away from leveling and just allow you to enjoy the story.

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GW2 has lockboxes. People end up with something like 130 Black Lion Chestts to 3-4 Black Lion Keys, which are conveniently purchasable on the Trading Post (double clicking the chest will send you to the store).

 

Yep.

 

separately......

 

Apparently that is sancioned and OK in GW2, LoTRO, etc and not for this game when it goes freemium. The hypocrisy of double standards in the forum by some (not all, some) is still amazing.

 

Nobody forces anyone to purchase keys. Heck in LoTRO, I sold the boxes as I am simply not into gambling in an MMO. It's not why I am playing an MMO.

 

Besides, it's a non-issue as there is zero evidence that anything in a lock box cannot also be obtained in game via drops, GTN, etc.

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Enjoying or not enjoying a game is not the topic.

So, a rated T for TEEN game like GW2 needs that their main audience (kids and teenagers) need "control" not to gamble? Let´s see what the ESRB and parents will say about this.

 

Like others pointed out, it's no different from the need to monitor yours kids in any mobile gaming that has microtransations, and there are tons of them. The lockboxes are less like gambling and more like buying collectible card packs in hopes that you might get that one super rare card or special item in it. Or buying coke bottles that has the winning cap. You're paying for something you know you'll get, but there's a chance something extra is there.

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If we end up with lock boxes or bags, I hope SWTOR is watching what works and what does not. I am one of the people that complained about the lock boxes in STO and how much I hate them. Every time there is a new set of boxes, though I will try but I will not spend real world money. I buy the keys off the exchange there. I don't keep trying. I limit myself.

 

When they first started, the stuff in there was crappy, but they have learned and started putting stuff in there that people need or wanted in addition to a chance at a ship. The last two sets they have stuff in there that most people want and I have not seen the drops as bad as they used to be too.

 

I really hope though that SWTOR does not go this direction. Offer the bags or boxes in the cartel store rather than putting them in game as drop is what I hope they do if they bring them in with f2p.

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