Which is quite appropriate, as I was doing some navel gazing earlier when looking in the GW2 microtransaction shop. And I want to buy a world-megaphone - so that I may be the first to say something witty about Chuck Norris to the entire server.
Now, let's make a rhyme with the word "orange." OP - you start.
The value you acquire translate into power. The time you skipped, translate into progression. Progression is power.
In the end, anything that is sold on CASH SHOPS that POTENTIALLY allows players to SKIP a portion of TIME AND EFFORT in the game to PROGRESS, ends up giving them a chronologically power advantage over others.
I tried to condens the most significant things you said into a few lines OP, and the above is what I considered the center meat of your post.
I disagree wholeheartedly. Why? Because there is no such things as "chronologically power advantage".
Try saying it out loud, and hear how silly it sounds. Chronologically refers to events in sequence over time. So the term chronological power is nonsense.
All that you have in your argument is that people can reach the end before others. But here is the holy grail of Guild Wars - It doesn't matter. They don't care. They allow you to be lvl 80 after having played no more than 10 minutes if you want to. They buff you up in PvP from the get go. Why?
Because the game is not about reaching lvl 80. That is pointless. There is no competition between the players in the realm of PvE. It's set up as the whole server is friends. So all there is left is preference.
The game was designed to be enjoyed a certain way, but a certain amount of players, have different playstyles that accomadate the use of rushing through the game, skipping the meat of the game. These people should be allowed to do that for a fee. It's an extra luxury, just like extra character slots, more bank space and so on.
These things does not constitute pay-to-win.
All getting to lvl 20 is. Or getting to lvl 80, is finishing the tutorial. That's all it is. The developers felt that it was stupid to go with the current MMO model, were every game changes at end game. The entire game is end game. That's what the scaling, and side kicking is all about.
You can buy all the things In the store you want. As soon as we pvp you don't have an edge over me. That's the end of it. It can't be pay to win, because you are not winning over anyone by paying.
What you are talking about is like referencing people who use cheat codes because they cant beat a single player game, as winning. For most people the fun of the game is doing the entire game, and playing it from start to finish. But not everyone. Everyone is different.
uhm actually lots of people have countered it repeatedly. Your OP makes sense only to people who have no idea about GW2 or when related to other games. Your point is moot. There is a button to become instant max level for free. ALL POWERFUL....
I tried to condens the most significant things you said into a few lines OP.........
snipped for length.
It isn't about reaching end level that makes it P2W, but normally what players can do at end level. In GW2 you can buy siege weapons with gold, and your ability to earn gold at level 80 will probably be superior than that at level 20. This true for all MMOs.
I know people like to use GW1 as an example, but it isn't an MMO, and from what I understand doesn't contain anything but skill packs that can be earned easily with a moderate amount of play time.
I tried to condens the most significant things you said into a few lines OP.........
snipped for length.
It isn't about reaching end level that makes it P2W, but normally what players can do at end level. In GW2 you can buy siege weapons with gold, and your ability to earn gold at level 80 will probably be superior than that at level 20. This true for all MMOs.
I know people like to use GW1 as an example, but it isn't an MMO, and from what I understand doesn't contain anything but skill packs that can be earned easily with a moderate amount of play time.
Not saying GW1 is a MMO is a poor excuse to try not to make it relevant.
Regarding siege weapons, that won't be a problem. Even if it was they would just add karma requirement to each purchase.
You do know that you loot blueprints of other players and mobs all the time right? It won't be a problem, and if it was it was easily fixed.
Also, WvW is inherently imbalanced by design so don't sweat it and have fun!
Which is quite appropriate, as I was doing some navel gazing earlier when looking in the GW2 microtransaction shop. And I want to buy a world-megaphone - so that I may be the first to say something witty about Chuck Norris to the entire server.
Now, let's make a rhyme with the word "orange." OP - you start.
Oh Oh! Can I play?
Umm.....
Ummm
"Doorhinge" do I win do I win?
guy came in today, dressed all in black.
he said he was a writer.
i said he had the briefcase for it.
he said it was genuine leather.
i said so were my shoes.
he said he was working on his best poem ever.
i asked if it was also his first.
he asked if i knew a word which rhymed with orange.
i said fairuza balk.
he said fairuza didn’t rhyme with orange, no matter how i tried.
he was obviously an amateur poet. any real poet would know that oranges are nice. and any poet who knew that, would also know that fairuza is nice. given that oranges are nice, and fairuza is nice, if not nicer, it is therefore only logical that they rhyme.
Not saying GW1 is a MMO is a poor excuse to try not to make it relevant.
Why is GW2 so different than GW1 cash shop? If the game genre didn't matter, then shouldn't they have the exact same items? A developer is going to build ( monetize ) an MMO differently, than a CO-OP RPG.
Regarding siege weapons, that won't be a problem. Even if it was they would just add karma requirement to each purchase.
Good point. We should just ignore the ability of players to earn gold and karma with gems.
Alex I'll take Dollars to gems to gold conversion for 500 gems please. Influence can be bought with gold. Cash shop does not belong in a game you paid for. I can't wait to see the next generation of games with such brilliant defenders of the money grabbers on the job. I can see DLC everything, nothing in the game that costs $60 for a box purchase and all around defense of johw it doesn't effect the game in 2 years tops.
People will find a way to bitch about anything on MMORPG.com if the game isnt either a WoW clone or a FFA gankfest Sandbox with minimal and boring content.
Its sad that a game comes along and trys to innovate something unique and gets alot of good hype but the first negative thing that comes out people decide to make a mountain over a molehill.
Playing: GW2 Waiting on: TESO Next Flop: Planetside 2 Best MMO of all time: Asheron's Call - The first company to recreate AC will be the next greatest MMO.
People will find a way to bitch about anything on MMORPG.com if the game isnt either a WoW clone or a FFA gankfest Sandbox with minimal and boring content.
Its sad that a game comes along and trys to innovate something unique and gets alot of good hype but the first negative thing that comes out people decide to make a mountain over a molehill.
P2W business model isn't a " negatvie thing ". It literally changes the way the game is being developed. I could agree with you if it was just a game mechanic, but it isn't.
GW2 isn't being developed for players to be fun, but fun if you use the cash shop.
Not saying GW1 is a MMO is a poor excuse to try not to make it relevant.
Why is GW2 so different than GW1 cash shop? If the game genre didn't matter, then shouldn't they have the exact same items? A developer is going to build ( monetize ) an MMO differently, than a CO-OP RPG.
I don't even know what you are saying. It's like your defeating your own points. GW2 is build different for various reasons I won't go into here. Regardless it does not take away from their track record. Unlocking all those skills in GW1 took literally hundreds of hours. So I don't see how it's relevance is not applicable just because the product has changed. It's still "time skipping" not power.
And that's the end of that, as they say.
Regarding siege weapons, that won't be a problem. Even if it was they would just add karma requirement to each purchase.
Good point. We should just ignore the ability of players to earn gold and karma with gems.
*sigh* The game was not created to have a even playing field. It's unfair. You get boosts when your faction has WvW favor. You get boosts when your in a guild. You get boosts from various NPC. It doesn't matter. It's not unfair. Stop being insecure and go kick ass instead.
Did you read the comments below his video? It was made before the CS was leaked.
I really don't see the point of arguing against these leaks that are bound to change a lot. It changes nothing. As there is no pay 2 win. Whatever is in that cash shop takes nothing away from everyone else.
People will find a way to bitch about anything on MMORPG.com if the game isnt either a WoW clone or a FFA gankfest Sandbox with minimal and boring content.
Its sad that a game comes along and trys to innovate something unique and gets alot of good hype but the first negative thing that comes out people decide to make a mountain over a molehill.
P2W business model isn't a " negatvie thing ". It literally changes the way the game is being developed. I could agree with you if it was just a game mechanic, but it isn't.
GW2 isn't being developed for players to be fun, but fun if you use the cash shop.
This is were you lose your credibility. Saying something as silly as this simply laughable.
It constitutes that people would think it would be fun to rush through the game. The game is created to have the pace they are set for the use without these things. There is no monthly fee they are dependant on. They gain nothing on having the majority who will not touch this shop, have a bad experience, as they wont be back for DLC and expansions.
But you seem to be past the point of reason, having made your own version of reality. You have already decided for yourself that using the cash shop is the way the game is most fun, which I think is silly. On the contary, I would say that most people would cheat themselves of the game by doing that. It's not even an issue as any player who is hooked up with someone higher levelled can skip to their level instantaniously, thus making level ranges redudant if so need be.
Heh , we call that having fear of being out-owned. What I mean is that MMO's these days are all about solo play , so if someone is able to solo a certain dungeon then that person will hog most of the players to play with. Why join someone with a rusted Civic when you can join someone with a new V8 Mustang?
People fail to realise how much a cash shop destroys a community in a MMO , but ya'll keep supporting them cash shops anyways. If you think GW2 will be the next holy grail , your way off your mark.
People think it's cool to put money on virtual goods to be the "best" player , but in the end ,you end with having fake friends that only use you. The days where you had to grind your ass off to prove yourself are way behind us , just put a few hundreds on a MMO and you'll be more popular then Justin Bieber , with no skills like Bieber.
Regarding siege weapons, that won't be a problem. Even if it was they would just add karma requirement to each purchase.
Good point. We should just ignore the ability of players to earn gold and karma with gems.
Explain this point to me?
How are people earning gold and KARMA through the use of Gems?
A nice detailed Flow Chart will do.
I'll wait here for you, till your finished.
/sit
Magic Find Boost = 10% higher chance for rare drops = more gold if you sell drops directly to NPCs.
Karma Boost = 20% more Karma for the duration of the boost. Does this need to be explained?
Gems can be traded directly for gold from other players.
Loot Bags = More drops which can probably be vendored to NPCs (agruably a waste, as you'll probably get better value from a gem to gold trade).
Full on demand repair = Reduces gold sink of having to repair your gear. More gold for the player to hang onto.
Any player can get those things from the store without using any money, and they can get those boosts from various different means - Like joining a guild with that perk, getting boost from NPC, having WvW favor.
The only difference is that they can get them faster. By how much faster we wont know because the economy is not running. And since players are not competing against each other in the world, that doesn't really matter.
And as for WvW... Since it's so unbalanced in it's very design I see no reason to care about that. That will be such a crazy zerg-lol fest that some silly little boosts will barely make a dent in the grand scheme of the mists. (assumption!)
Heh , we call that having fear of being out-owned. What I mean is that MMO's these days are all about solo play , so if someone is able to solo a certain dungeon then that person will hog most of the players to play with. Why join someone with a rusted Civic when you can join someone with a new V8 Mustang?
People fail to realise how much a cash shop destroys a community in a MMO , but ya'll keep supporting them cash shops anyways. If you think GW2 will be the next holy grail , your way off your mark.
People think it's cool to put money on virtual goods to be the "best" player , but in the end ,you end with having fake friends that only use you. The days where you had to grind your ass off to prove yourself are way behind us , just put a few hundreds on a MMO and you'll be more popular then Justin Bieber , with no skills like Bieber.
Your car examples is about some weird form of materialistic wealth. I can only tell you that elitism is a syndrom that is thriving in any subscription based MMO. I don't play Pay 2 win MMOs (or other games for that matter) but we have seen recent examples TF2 and League of Legends on how to do it right.
What I mean is that MMO's these days are all about solo play , so if someone is able to solo a certain dungeon then that person will hog most of the players to play with.
You realise that GW2 scales players to content right? And that explorable dungeons are rock hard mode? Nobody is going to be soloing dungeons in GW2. These dungeons are designed to be difficult for a full group. If it happens to be a level 35 dungeon and the players are all level 80, they're scaled down to 35 to keep the difficulty level applicable.
Heh , we call that having fear of being out-owned. What I mean is that MMO's these days are all about solo play , so if someone is able to solo a certain dungeon then that person will hog most of the players to play with. Why join someone with a rusted Civic when you can join someone with a new V8 Mustang?
People fail to realise how much a cash shop destroys a community in a MMO , but ya'll keep supporting them cash shops anyways. If you think GW2 will be the next holy grail , your way off your mark.
People think it's cool to put money on virtual goods to be the "best" player , but in the end ,you end with having fake friends that only use you. The days where you had to grind your ass off to prove yourself are way behind us , just put a few hundreds on a MMO and you'll be more popular then Justin Bieber , with no skills like Bieber.
Your car examples is about some weird form of materialistic wealth. I can only tell you that elitism is a syndrom that is thriving in any subscription based MMO. I don't play Pay 2 win MMOs (or other games for that matter) but we have seen recent examples TF2 and League of Legends on how to do it right.
This is were you lose your credibility. Saying something as silly as this simply laughable.
It isn't laughable. It is just business. There isn't a single P2W player that would say the game they are currently playing is more fun not using the cash shop.
It constitutes that people would think it would be fun to rush through the game. The game is created to have the pace they are set for the use without these things. There is no monthly fee they are dependant on. They gain nothing on having the majority who will not touch this shop, have a bad experience, as they wont be back for DLC and expansions.
They mostly certainly do gain by not keeping people that don't pay for items around. A dead server with paying customers is better than a full server with few paying customers. Why do you think the P2W payment model is so attractive? It doesn't matter how full the server is as long as the paying customers stay happy. That isn't difficult as long as developers give them advantages over others.
Heh , we call that having fear of being out-owned. What I mean is that MMO's these days are all about solo play , so if someone is able to solo a certain dungeon then that person will hog most of the players to play with. Why join someone with a rusted Civic when you can join someone with a new V8 Mustang?
People fail to realise how much a cash shop destroys a community in a MMO , but ya'll keep supporting them cash shops anyways. If you think GW2 will be the next holy grail , your way off your mark.
People think it's cool to put money on virtual goods to be the "best" player , but in the end ,you end with having fake friends that only use you. The days where you had to grind your ass off to prove yourself are way behind us , just put a few hundreds on a MMO and you'll be more popular then Justin Bieber , with no skills like Bieber.
Your car examples is about some weird form of materialistic wealth. I can only tell you that elitism is a syndrom that is thriving in any subscription based MMO. I don't play Pay 2 win MMOs (or other games for that matter) but we have seen recent examples TF2 and League of Legends on how to do it right.
How much does Tf2 and LoL cost to buy?
What do you think?
But that's besides the point. the context was cash shop. f2p or b2p is unimportant homie:)
They mostly certainly do gain by not keeping people that don't pay for items around. A dead server with paying customers is better than a full server with few paying customers. Why do you think the P2W payment model is so attractive? It doesn't matter how full the server is as long as the paying customers stay happy. That isn't difficult as long as developers give them advantages over others.
Remember, that the business model is still campaigns, not the cash shop mainly. I think it's between 1 and 10% who will ever engage in a Cash Shop. So retention is not cash shop or subscription, its making a satisfying product that makes people want to buy the next product. and thats a good thing. because arenanets success is only as good as the last campaign they made.
didnt like Factions? Well good because you could skip it (thus voting with your wallet) and Anet could fix the problems in the next one. you werent forced or gimped by not buying it! They kept their word on that.
And I havent seen a developer be so straight and fair in all my years of online RPGing.
They mostly certainly do gain by not keeping people that don't pay for items around. A dead server with paying customers is better than a full server with few paying customers. Why do you think the P2W payment model is so attractive? It doesn't matter how full the server is as long as the paying customers stay happy. That isn't difficult as long as developers give them advantages over others.
Remember, that the business model is still campaigns, not the cash shop mainly. I think it's between 1 and 10% who will ever engage in a Cash Shop. So retention is not cash shop or subscription, its making a satisfying product that makes people want to buy the next product. and thats a good thing. because arenanets success is only as good as the last campaign they made.
didnt like Factions? Well good because you could skip it (thus voting with your wallet) and Anet could fix the problems in the next one. you werent forced or gimped by not buying it! They kept their word on that.
And I havent seen a developer be so straight and fair in all my years of online RPGing.
That may have been the way it was in gw1 but that games cash shop was tacked on. This games cash shop was integrated into the game from the ground up they did not design the cash shop directly into the game for it not to be a major part of their business model.
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMEONE WHO LEVELS FASTER OR CLEARS CONTENT FASTER THAN YOU REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE USING A BOOST OR NOT.
There is no Rat Race here folks, you can get the same weapons as everyone else can, some might get them before you do... that doesnt make it unfair, thats just the way of the world, online and offline.
Also, the gold arguement is so thin... Who cares whether someone can buy more blueprints in WvW than some other guy... they still need build it. And guess what, that blueprint someone just bought and built - I looted it off a player I just killed, and saved myself X amount of gold.
It is actually disheartening how many people are unable to think logically (or objectively) about this subject.
"The problem with quotes from the Internet is that it's almost impossible to validate their authenticity." - Abraham Lincoln
Comments
Oh Oh! Can I play?
Umm.....
Ummm
"Doorhinge" do I win do I win?
I tried to condens the most significant things you said into a few lines OP, and the above is what I considered the center meat of your post.
I disagree wholeheartedly. Why? Because there is no such things as "chronologically power advantage".
Try saying it out loud, and hear how silly it sounds. Chronologically refers to events in sequence over time. So the term chronological power is nonsense.
All that you have in your argument is that people can reach the end before others. But here is the holy grail of Guild Wars - It doesn't matter. They don't care. They allow you to be lvl 80 after having played no more than 10 minutes if you want to. They buff you up in PvP from the get go. Why?
Because the game is not about reaching lvl 80. That is pointless. There is no competition between the players in the realm of PvE. It's set up as the whole server is friends. So all there is left is preference.
The game was designed to be enjoyed a certain way, but a certain amount of players, have different playstyles that accomadate the use of rushing through the game, skipping the meat of the game. These people should be allowed to do that for a fee. It's an extra luxury, just like extra character slots, more bank space and so on.
These things does not constitute pay-to-win.
All getting to lvl 20 is. Or getting to lvl 80, is finishing the tutorial. That's all it is. The developers felt that it was stupid to go with the current MMO model, were every game changes at end game. The entire game is end game. That's what the scaling, and side kicking is all about.
You can buy all the things In the store you want. As soon as we pvp you don't have an edge over me. That's the end of it. It can't be pay to win, because you are not winning over anyone by paying.
What you are talking about is like referencing people who use cheat codes because they cant beat a single player game, as winning. For most people the fun of the game is doing the entire game, and playing it from start to finish. But not everyone. Everyone is different.
uhm actually lots of people have countered it repeatedly. Your OP makes sense only to people who have no idea about GW2 or when related to other games. Your point is moot. There is a button to become instant max level for free. ALL POWERFUL....
It isn't about reaching end level that makes it P2W, but normally what players can do at end level. In GW2 you can buy siege weapons with gold, and your ability to earn gold at level 80 will probably be superior than that at level 20. This true for all MMOs.
I know people like to use GW1 as an example, but it isn't an MMO, and from what I understand doesn't contain anything but skill packs that can be earned easily with a moderate amount of play time.
Not saying GW1 is a MMO is a poor excuse to try not to make it relevant.
Regarding siege weapons, that won't be a problem. Even if it was they would just add karma requirement to each purchase.
You do know that you loot blueprints of other players and mobs all the time right? It won't be a problem, and if it was it was easily fixed.
Also, WvW is inherently imbalanced by design so don't sweat it and have fun!
see this also: Good video from Wooden Potatoes explaining why the cash shop is great: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEknPR-l-is&feature=related
guy came in today, dressed all in black.
he said he was a writer.
i said he had the briefcase for it.
he said it was genuine leather.
i said so were my shoes.
he said he was working on his best poem ever.
i asked if it was also his first.
he asked if i knew a word which rhymed with orange.
i said fairuza balk.
he said fairuza didn’t rhyme with orange, no matter how i tried.
he was obviously an amateur poet. any real poet would know that oranges are nice. and any poet who knew that, would also know that fairuza is nice. given that oranges are nice, and fairuza is nice, if not nicer, it is therefore only logical that they rhyme.
Explain this point to me?
How are people earning gold and KARMA through the use of Gems?
A nice detailed Flow Chart will do.
I'll wait here for you, till your finished.
/sit
"The problem with quotes from the Internet is that it's almost impossible to validate their authenticity." - Abraham Lincoln
Alex I'll take Dollars to gems to gold conversion for 500 gems please. Influence can be bought with gold. Cash shop does not belong in a game you paid for. I can't wait to see the next generation of games with such brilliant defenders of the money grabbers on the job. I can see DLC everything, nothing in the game that costs $60 for a box purchase and all around defense of johw it doesn't effect the game in 2 years tops.
No need for a flow chart.
1. Link a paypal, google, visa, mastercard, etc. to your Anet account.
2. Buy Gems
3. Earn Gold or Karma for Gems.
Magic Find Boost = 10% higher chance for rare drops = more gold if you sell drops directly to NPCs.
Karma Boost = 20% more Karma for the duration of the boost. Does this need to be explained?
Gems can be traded directly for gold from other players.
Loot Bags = More drops which can probably be vendored to NPCs (agruably a waste, as you'll probably get better value from a gem to gold trade).
Full on demand repair = Reduces gold sink of having to repair your gear. More gold for the player to hang onto.
People will find a way to bitch about anything on MMORPG.com if the game isnt either a WoW clone or a FFA gankfest Sandbox with minimal and boring content.
Its sad that a game comes along and trys to innovate something unique and gets alot of good hype but the first negative thing that comes out people decide to make a mountain over a molehill.
Everything you need to know about Elder Scrolls Online
Playing: GW2
Waiting on: TESO
Next Flop: Planetside 2
Best MMO of all time: Asheron's Call - The first company to recreate AC will be the next greatest MMO.
P2W business model isn't a " negatvie thing ". It literally changes the way the game is being developed. I could agree with you if it was just a game mechanic, but it isn't.
GW2 isn't being developed for players to be fun, but fun if you use the cash shop.
This is were you lose your credibility. Saying something as silly as this simply laughable.
It constitutes that people would think it would be fun to rush through the game. The game is created to have the pace they are set for the use without these things. There is no monthly fee they are dependant on. They gain nothing on having the majority who will not touch this shop, have a bad experience, as they wont be back for DLC and expansions.
But you seem to be past the point of reason, having made your own version of reality. You have already decided for yourself that using the cash shop is the way the game is most fun, which I think is silly. On the contary, I would say that most people would cheat themselves of the game by doing that. It's not even an issue as any player who is hooked up with someone higher levelled can skip to their level instantaniously, thus making level ranges redudant if so need be.
Heh , we call that having fear of being out-owned. What I mean is that MMO's these days are all about solo play , so if someone is able to solo a certain dungeon then that person will hog most of the players to play with. Why join someone with a rusted Civic when you can join someone with a new V8 Mustang?
People fail to realise how much a cash shop destroys a community in a MMO , but ya'll keep supporting them cash shops anyways. If you think GW2 will be the next holy grail , your way off your mark.
People think it's cool to put money on virtual goods to be the "best" player , but in the end ,you end with having fake friends that only use you. The days where you had to grind your ass off to prove yourself are way behind us , just put a few hundreds on a MMO and you'll be more popular then Justin Bieber , with no skills like Bieber.
Any player can get those things from the store without using any money, and they can get those boosts from various different means - Like joining a guild with that perk, getting boost from NPC, having WvW favor.
The only difference is that they can get them faster. By how much faster we wont know because the economy is not running. And since players are not competing against each other in the world, that doesn't really matter.
And as for WvW... Since it's so unbalanced in it's very design I see no reason to care about that. That will be such a crazy zerg-lol fest that some silly little boosts will barely make a dent in the grand scheme of the mists. (assumption!)
Your car examples is about some weird form of materialistic wealth. I can only tell you that elitism is a syndrom that is thriving in any subscription based MMO. I don't play Pay 2 win MMOs (or other games for that matter) but we have seen recent examples TF2 and League of Legends on how to do it right.
You realise that GW2 scales players to content right? And that explorable dungeons are rock hard mode? Nobody is going to be soloing dungeons in GW2. These dungeons are designed to be difficult for a full group. If it happens to be a level 35 dungeon and the players are all level 80, they're scaled down to 35 to keep the difficulty level applicable.
How much does Tf2 and LoL cost to buy?
What do you think?
But that's besides the point. the context was cash shop. f2p or b2p is unimportant homie:)
Remember, that the business model is still campaigns, not the cash shop mainly. I think it's between 1 and 10% who will ever engage in a Cash Shop. So retention is not cash shop or subscription, its making a satisfying product that makes people want to buy the next product. and thats a good thing. because arenanets success is only as good as the last campaign they made.
didnt like Factions? Well good because you could skip it (thus voting with your wallet) and Anet could fix the problems in the next one. you werent forced or gimped by not buying it! They kept their word on that.
And I havent seen a developer be so straight and fair in all my years of online RPGing.
That may have been the way it was in gw1 but that games cash shop was tacked on. This games cash shop was integrated into the game from the ground up they did not design the cash shop directly into the game for it not to be a major part of their business model.
These arguements are so dumb...
THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SOMEONE WHO LEVELS FASTER OR CLEARS CONTENT FASTER THAN YOU REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE USING A BOOST OR NOT.
There is no Rat Race here folks, you can get the same weapons as everyone else can, some might get them before you do... that doesnt make it unfair, thats just the way of the world, online and offline.
Also, the gold arguement is so thin... Who cares whether someone can buy more blueprints in WvW than some other guy... they still need build it. And guess what, that blueprint someone just bought and built - I looted it off a player I just killed, and saved myself X amount of gold.
It is actually disheartening how many people are unable to think logically (or objectively) about this subject.
"The problem with quotes from the Internet is that it's almost impossible to validate their authenticity." - Abraham Lincoln