"Headsman" Trashing Out the Previous Plat Weapons

[Xaphan Fox]

Lololoollllololoo best analogy evah!

[Ripper McGee]

...Re: a mod saying buying these packs always results in positive result, unlike gambling which can give a negative result, i disagree. Just because you get "something" in return for your money, it does not mean it's always positive. At best, these junk items are a neutral to majority of the people.

100 vegans enter a raffle to win free food for a year. Pays $15 per ticket. As a consolation, non winners are give a hamburger that they can not give nor sell to anyone else. It's either they eat it, or trash it.

Regarding the first statement, it's your responsibility as a consumer to decide how to spend your money. If you're relatively new to the game or simply don't have very many pinks, then the items you get from buying packs--whether you get the item with particle effects or not--can dramatically increase your character stats and effectiveness. Then again, you could buy items from the auction house with in-game gold for the same effect. It's really a matter of time vs. money. I bought some packs when I was much lower in level and they really did help me spec out my build, even with greens!

If you're going into the purchase with the sole idea of obtaining that one specific item--knowing that it's random--then you have nobody to blame but yourself. It's your money and you decided to "waste" it. As an example, I blew $20 the other day trying to get a new legendary. My character is already decked out in all pinks that fit my build and play style. So, in my case, even though I knew I wasn't going to be able to use anything, I spent the money anyway. That was my choice. I take responsibility for it.

Regarding your analogy, it's flawed. Why? Because entering a raffle is not the same as buying a pack of items. With a raffle, there's no guarantee of receiving anything in return. With packs, there is. Kids have been buying bubble-gum packs of trading cards for well over 50 years. I bought trading packs of comic-book character cards when I was a teenager, trying to build that set of special collectors cards. The packs you buy in game are no different. You know you're always going to get something for your purchase. It's your responsibility as a consumer to decide whether or not you're willing to risk what your receive being worth the price. Does your character need some buffing or are you already decked out? Is the juice worth the squeeze? Only you can decide.

All that being said, I would really like to see two ways to purchase the special items:

1) Lower priced packs with a random chance to obtain said item
2) Ability to purchase item directly for a higher set price.

Give more players choices how to spend their money.

[Sky../]

Hi Ripper,
I am at work right now, and sort of just skimmed your reply.

Re your first paragraph, i'll have to admit that i do not know what other items you can get aside from the rares in the pack. I went by the assumption that they are useless, by reading the complaints from other posters. All i see are people saying they're current gears is/are better than what they got.

Re the second paragraph, i agree it is our own responsibility for deciding to buy these random packs. But i am sure you agree if i say "you're forced to buy the packs if you want the best items in game"

Re my analogy, i know raffles don't guarantee you get something, hence i tweaked it with "non winners get a hamburger as a consolation prize".

Re your comparisson to trading cards, it is flawed too. Trading cards CAN be traded and sold. Rare ones CAN potentially return a significant amount of your investment back to you when you sell them. Also, rare cards can e bought from other people who were lucky enough to get them.

[Ripper McGee]

Hi Sky

"Best" is subjective, and there lies the problem. As others have pointed out, one can buy a level 21 item with level 21 stats, but it's not so much more superior to level 20 items that it necessarily makes a difference, especially in a team environment. Yes, technically it's "the best", but does it matter? Even the new 2h aren't necessarily "better" than dual wield 1hs that are already in game. So, nobody is really forced to pay real money to have the "best" items, at least in terms of item usefulness. That being said, one is forced to pay for the "best looking" items, which is perfect for F2P game monetization.

You're correct in that trading cards can be trade or sold in the real world, however, in-game card packs, lockboxes, chests, etc... (depending on the game) were literally designed after the trading card pack model. The reason you can't sell the items is because it leads to corruption of in-game economies, black markets and ways to convert gold to real money.