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I purchased an unfinished game
OldManFunk
Member Posts: 894
I bought the Guild Wars 2 prepurchase yesterday knowing that the game was not completely finished and the cash shop items had not been finalized... and I thought I'd share why I've done this despite never having ever preordered a game before.
How many MMOs change after you purchase them? All of them do, and most change in very drastic ways over the years. Buying a finished MMO doesn't guarantee that the game won't change for the worse at any given time.
How many cash shops change over time? I'm not aware of any game with a cash shop that doesn't add, remove or modify the items that they sell through the cash shop over time.
Given the numerous Guild Wars 2 beta videos that are out there I am confident that Guild Wars 2 is not just playable but has more polish than some recent final releases have had despite being incomplete. I'm not afraid of a Vanguard repeat. Even more, since Guild Wars 2 has no monthly fee the only way for them to keep making money off the game is to make the game so fun that I want to keep coming back to buy expansions and cash shop items. This isn't a problem for me.
Given Arenanet's reputation with Guild Wars and knowing that players can trade in-game gold for cash shop gems, I am not concerned with future cash shop items. If the cash shop items ruin the game then I'll stop playing... until the problem is addressed. The game has no monthly fee. I'm not out anything if I decide to play some other game. It's not like I'll have a subscription burning while I stew over unpopular changes to the game. This isn't a problem for me.
If you're not sure about the game or the cash shop then don't prepurchase it. It's not like they're going to run out of digital copies after the game is released. Wait and see. I'm sure that other people who have prepurchased, like me, will be posting game reviews after each beta weekend all the way up to and after the game's release.
I don't think that prepurchasing an unfinished game usually makes sense but it did for me this time. I'd probably prepurchase diablo 3 (in fact, didn't people already do this by signing up for blizzard's annual pass thing?) since blizzard is fairly reputable, but I can't think of any other games that I'd do this for off the top of my head.
Comments
Thank you.
A sensible and very well written post that fully explains why some of us prepurchased, without attacking or trying to induce drama left and right.
Well played!
We dont need casuals in our games!!! Errm... Well we DO need casuals to fund and populate our games - But the games should be all about "hardcore" because: We dont need casuals in our games!!!
(repeat ad infinitum)
I don't think anyone believe that there is not a risk in any pre-order/pre-purchase.
Of course there is a risk when you buy something site unseen.
If you are OK with that risk and believe, based on available information, that it is worth the risk - than for you it is worth the risk.
If you are NOT ok with that risk, you probably shouldn't pre-order/purchase.
The risk-takers get special reward (in game items, beta access) for taking that risk.
Those who don't take the risk and choose to wait and see will not get the special rewards the risk takers get.
It's amazing people don't understand this very simple thing.
MMOs have been doing this for years.
Nice post OP.
Well said OP.
People had no problems shelling out $150 for Diablo 3 which technically it is an unfinished game since it is still in beta but yet whiners complain about people buying from ArenaNet under the same circumstances. Sound hipocritical to me or maybe they are just jealous that Blizzard isn't the only mmo developer with a great reputation for making good games.
Grim Dawn, the next great action rpg!
http://www.grimdawn.com/
There's a difference in adding content later and adding promised content later. How many games are shipping without systems these days such as PvP? It's pathetic.
"Censorship is never over for those who have experienced it. It is a brand on the imagination that affects the individual who has suffered it, forever." - Noam Chomsky
I can't think of any other product that asks you to pay now, for a product later. Why would you buy something without being able to see it, when you can just wait until it releases, then see it as it is, and then buy it?
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2025: 48 years on the Net.
You are still going off of available information to make your decision.
Pre-order just gets a few bonus perks for the risk you take.
It's just like making a deposit or a down payment.
Also, when you go to a new restaurant you have never been to do you know you will like the food?
No, you have to go off of available information - reviews, word of mouth, etc.
After all, what's life without a little risk?
Trying new things, taking risks, yeah sometimes you will get burned.
Reality 101.
Some people know they are going to buy it no matter what. Why not buy it now and get a few perks?
But they bring you the entire meal!
C'mon Spock, you know game developers are half-a$$ing release so stop the pretend. I know you like GW2 and all but lets be honest about it, pretty much ALL developers are half-a$$ing these days.
Look at Blizzard for crying out loud, releasing without PvP? This has now become acceptable? Pathetic I say.
"Censorship is never over for those who have experienced it. It is a brand on the imagination that affects the individual who has suffered it, forever." - Noam Chomsky
I don't think the restaurant is a good example. I never pay for food before I get to see it, do you? I would never go to a new cafe, and pay for a meal, before it is even built.I guess it does make sense, if you were planning to buy anyway, to pre-purchase to get the perks. But no-one should ever be able to back out of that.
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2025: 48 years on the Net.
But they bring you the entire meal!
C'mon Spock, you know game developers are half-a$$ing release so stop the pretend. I know you like GW2 and all but lets be honest about it, pretty much ALL developers are half-a$$ing these days.
Look at Blizzard for crying out loud, releasing without PvP? This has now become acceptable? Pathetic I say.
Sometimes they don't bring out the entire meal. Sometimes the food is burnt. Sometimes they added extra onion instead of making it with no onion.These things can be fixed and you can still enjoy your meal.
If the same restaurant keeps making mistakes like this, you probably won't go and eat there anymore. It's in their best interest to not keep making mistakes.
And just like in gaming, if you really, really don't like it you can get a refund - but of course you can't finish the meal and then ask for a refund!
I don't think the restaurant is a good example. I never pay for food before I get to see it, do you? I would never go to a new cafe, and pay for a meal, before it is even built.I guess it does make sense, if you were planning to buy anyway, to pre-purchase to get the perks. But no-one should ever be able to back out of that.
"Never pay for food before I get to see it""Pay for a meal before it is even built."
Apparently you've never been to a sit down restaurant?
The lack of release date was enough to keep me away but may the buyer beware and if they do launch soon, enjoy the perks for the risk's taken.
Um, if they don't bring out the entire meal they better go get it or I ain't payin'. And if it's crappy, I ain't payin'.
I never thought I'd say this but, you're starting sound a lot like a fanboi. Where is your common sense on this issue? How can you defend half-a$$ game releases, regardless of who's game it is and what title?
How about a little honesty Spock? Wouldn't that be logical?
"Censorship is never over for those who have experienced it. It is a brand on the imagination that affects the individual who has suffered it, forever." - Noam Chomsky
But they bring you the entire meal!
C'mon Spock, you know game developers are half-a$$ing release so stop the pretend. I know you like GW2 and all but lets be honest about it, pretty much ALL developers are half-a$$ing these days.
Look at Blizzard for crying out loud, releasing without PvP? This has now become acceptable? Pathetic I say.
Sometimes they don't bring out the entire meal. Sometimes the food is burnt. Sometimes they added extra onion instead of making it with no onion. These things can be fixed and you can still enjoy your meal. If the same restaurant keeps making mistakes like this, you probably won't go and eat there anymore. It's in their best interest to not keep making mistakes. And just like in gaming, if you really, really don't like it you can get a refund - but of course you can't finish the meal and then ask for a refund!Um, if they don't bring out the entire meal they better go get it or I ain't payin'. And if it's crappy, I ain't payin'.
I never thought I'd say this but, you're starting sound a lot like a fanboi. Where is your common sense on this issue? How can you defend half-a$$ game releases, regardless of who's game it is and what title?
How about a little honesty Spock? Wouldn't that be logical?
You said it exactly. If it is THAT bad you ask for a refund - but not after you've already eaten the entire meal. Why are we disagreeing we are saying the same thing!It's your fault.
I'm not defending any company (or restaurant) I am defending common sense.
I don't think the restaurant is a good example. I never pay for food before I get to see it, do you? I would never go to a new cafe, and pay for a meal, before it is even built.I guess it does make sense, if you were planning to buy anyway, to pre-purchase to get the perks. But no-one should ever be able to back out of that.
"Never pay for food before I get to see it""Pay for a meal before it is even built."
Apparently you've never been to a sit down restaurant?
What? Where do you live that you have to pay before you get your food? I have never done that. You live where restaurants charge before they start cooking? Where is that? :PEvery sit-down restaurant that I have been in, around the world, always serves you the food, and THEN gives you the check.
The only other business that I can think of that charges you before delivering a product is the airlines.
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2025: 48 years on the Net.
I don't think the restaurant is a good example. I never pay for food before I get to see it, do you? I would never go to a new cafe, and pay for a meal, before it is even built.I guess it does make sense, if you were planning to buy anyway, to pre-purchase to get the perks. But no-one should ever be able to back out of that.
"Never pay for food before I get to see it""Pay for a meal before it is even built."
Apparently you've never been to a sit down restaurant?
What? Where do you live that you have to pay before you get your food? I have never done that. You live where restaurants charge before they start cooking? Where is that? :PEvery sit-down restaurant that I have been in, around the world, always serves you the food, and THEN gives you the check.
The only other business that I can think of that charges you before delivering a product is the airlines.
Making an order is making a commitment to paying. That is why it is called a refund.Refusing to pay if what you ordered is crap is the same thing - unless you've already eaten then meal.
I don't think the restaurant is a good example. I never pay for food before I get to see it, do you? I would never go to a new cafe, and pay for a meal, before it is even built.I guess it does make sense, if you were planning to buy anyway, to pre-purchase to get the perks. But no-one should ever be able to back out of that.
"Never pay for food before I get to see it""Pay for a meal before it is even built."
Apparently you've never been to a sit down restaurant?
What? Where do you live that you have to pay before you get your food? I have never done that. You live where restaurants charge before they start cooking? Where is that? :PEvery sit-down restaurant that I have been in, around the world, always serves you the food, and THEN gives you the check.
The only other business that I can think of that charges you before delivering a product is the airlines.
Making an order is making a commitment to paying. That is why it is called a refund.Refusing to pay if what you ordered is crap is the same thing - unless you've already eaten then meal.
The difference, then, is that the restaurant actually collects money after you have ordered, and eaten the meal. The pre-purchase game company gets your money NOW, and you can then ask for it back if you don't like the product.No restaurant will refuse to give you food until AFTER you have paid for it. Not a good analogy.
I will accept that if you were going to buy anyway, it can make sense to buy early to get some benefits. Based on your assessment of the risks involved and the benefits to be gained.
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2025: 48 years on the Net.
This isn't exactly true, at this junction there's still a lot of information held under the blanket of an NDA. At launch this will no longer be the case, well.. actually.. in a few weeks it will no longer be the case.While you still have nothing but available information, there's no information that can be held back.All of the cards have been laid out on the table.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
The fact that Blizzard can sell a game in development through the monthly subs of another of their games and still make a profit speaks volumes. The myth that monthly subs are a requirement for companies to create quality games is busted!
Blizzard and Bioware are (have been) in effect gauging their player base.
This isn't exactly true, at this junction there's still a lot of information held under the blanket of an NDA. At launch this will no longer be the case, well.. actually.. in a few weeks it will no longer be the case.While you still have nothing but available information, there's no information that can be held back.All of the cards have been laid out on the table.
And a restaurant won't tell you the recipe for their secret sauce
Why? Because I enjoy the features it currently has and figure the rest will take care of themselves eventually."True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Because we're not saying the same thing Spock. You don't buy a Happy Meal from McDonald's knowing that they're going to get you your fries next week.
Geez...
"Censorship is never over for those who have experienced it. It is a brand on the imagination that affects the individual who has suffered it, forever." - Noam Chomsky