Analysis: How games are changing the way you pay

It may not be overhauled yet, but it is coming. Anton Wegenast takes a look at how the industry is experimenting with new pay methods.

[Gridloc]

We will soon see its really pay to win.

[HammadTheBeast]

I'm in the beta, and you cannot pay to win this. The high end free items are better than the paid stuff, and people with crap items can take down hig end players if they have the skill. Don't write this off without any info.

[Capt-FuzzyPants]

Yeah I usually do pretty well and i've only used the starter gun. I finally figured out how to use the gun I bought and I bought in mass amounts and I hate it. The gun is crap. I can't kill anyone with.

[Gridloc]

It's still in beta right? That means they can still change anything in the game. Just look at BF3 you can BUY all the locked guns for any class. So that's not pay to win? We will see how everything plays out. But they are not giving a game fully functional for free. I can see one map for free then they can make you buy every other map if you like the game. But when they offer guns and ammo that isn't free that's when it's pay to win. But if the new guns suck who will really spend money on it. BTW I played the beta. Nothing new in the game I haven't already played a hundred times.

[HammadTheBeast]

Actually.... All maps and updates will be free. Only things you can buy are AUR currencies which you can buy boosters (50% more SP for 7 days) or some weapons which run out if you don't use them well. Remember, this is from the guys at EvE online. 11 years, tons of updates, and I haven't payed a cent. And I still dominate.

[Oschino1907]

I agree with your overall view a majority of the time but you constantly post missinformation or info in such a vague way that you really aren't helping to prove your point.

I have noticed this in almost every Dust 514 article for weeks and I have been playing since the last beta.. Just bothersome when one of the most vocal supporters here gets on the trolls for not having info and then posts bad info themselves.

Just from this comment section alone.

-EVE Online has been around just barely over 9 years. Not 11.

-Also not sure if you still have to buy the game itself anymore or not (prob not) but EVE Online is a subscription game charging by the month(s) or by the year. Players also then tend to purchase and use Aurum often on top of that. They get "free" expansions/updates and so will we in a truer sense but mainly to keep up with EVE as we Dust players are tied to their world.

W/Dust 514

-Aurum items chage depending on items in question and level of item. Dropsuits tend to just offer color schemes.

Weapons have a bridge between Standard and Advanced items with slightly more resource usage (cpu/pg), Advanced ones can be accessed early but use a lot of resources and in limited varieties compared to others so not always usefull for everyone. Prototype weapons can also be gotten early and have less variety also but offer Prototype power with the resource usage of an Advanced making highest end Aurum weapons often your best choice once you get to that level over "free" ISK weapons.

Other items/equipment tend to work similar to weapons but some have no variety and all having no bridge between Basic and Advanced with Aurum items just the diff levels of upgrade and resource advantage/dissadvantage like the weapons or varied functions from one another also similar to the weapons.

-Aurum is purchased in 4 tiers, 400 for $2, 1100 for $5, 2500 for $10, 5000 for $20. End up around .4 to .5 cents per Aurum. Aurum can be used to buy unique versions of just about everything sometimes giving slight advantages or dissadvantages depending on your preference and skill. Skill Boosters are sold in 1 (200), 3 (350) and 7 (700)day amounts as of now. 30 day one w/Merc pack.

With so much just not in game yet and this being a beta a lot or a little could change by release or even after but I would expect it all/most to be for the better and for balance.

And just to be clear "...some weapons which run out if you don't use them well.", should be more like... Everytime you spawn you are using a loadout, everything in that loadout is literally being used and lost when you die. As of now militia items (below Standard, bare bones basic for everyone to use as of now regardless of skills/level) are the only infinite items except for 2 of the Merc Pack unique items. Everything else you buy to use is an actual thing in game you buy with Aurum or ISK and lose when you die with it equipped. Heck the game is based upon everyone being cloned versions of soldiers fighting hence why we are "immortal" but all of our gear isn't.

Hope this makes (more) sense.

[Cusmar350]

As to your BF3 point, it would be pay to win if you could unlock all the guns and a 50% damage booster to let you kill everyone all the more quicker. As it stands it's merely a sidegrade, one that people can still pay for if they want, but they'll still be hopelessly inept against an actual player who is better skilled than they are.