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[Aria Jenneth]

Having now read the "leak" in full, I have to say that (1) I do think it's real, if this hasn't been 100% confirmed yet, and (2) this does, in fact, piss me off.

It mostly pisses me off because CCP knew going into this mess that it had a credibility problem, and yet apparently had no qualms about lying its collective head off.

The micro/macro-transactions thing bothers me anyway, a little; it taints the game with wholly "meta" influence. But that's always been there: if it wasn't a debit card, it was a spy.

Hrm. Not good. And I particularly don't like the confirmation that gameplay-affecting items are planned to be for sale in both Eve and DUST.

Just exactly how much it pisses me off, I'll need to think about for a bit.

That, and how quick I am to take a corporation's word (and I'm already enormously anti-corporate) for jack shit.

[Myyona]

Aria, did you notice that while the newsletter talks about the sale of non-vanity virtual goods that could influence game play in space these have not (yet?) been introduced to the game. On the contrary, the NEX store which is implemented does not comply with the message in the newsletter about how the cost of virtual goods should not be ridiculously high.

I would not get too worked up about a brainstorm session within CCP.

[Aria Jenneth]

Aria, did you notice that while the newsletter talks about the sale of non-vanity virtual goods that could influence game play in space these have not (yet?) been introduced to the game. On the contrary, the NEX store which is implemented does not comply with the message in the newsletter about how the cost of virtual goods should not be ridiculously high.

I would not get too worked up about a brainstorm session within CCP.

Nor would I, but having read it I no longer buy that this is a brainstorm. It's a newsletter functionally declaring current corporate direction and policy.

Right at the beginning, you've got the introductory bit of philosophy, setting the stage. Then you've got the debate: the ruling view (virtual goods: yes!) and  the dissent (virtual goods: no! At least no substantive ones).

Any sense of neutrality on the issue on the part of CCP itself is run straight into the turf by the next three articles. The first details plans for Eve, potentially including ships and ammo, with no discussion of whether these are to be "substantive" purchases or just vanity items. The second goes into DUST, and states plans to add a bit of "chlorine" to make us want to "buy goggles"-- that is, to give a substantive advantage to purchasers that will drive us to buy. The third discusses WoD, and is utterly unequivocal about the substantive nature of the purchases on offer.

While they're being businesslike and sensible about all of this (I detect much corporate-ness, but little of the arrogance others perceive), that is the last thing I want from them on this particular issue. More vision, less calculation, if you please.

I'm a lawyer. While I am presently impoverished, that will not always be the case. But even when I can and do pull down $400 an hour working a criminal case the way my mentor can, I will STILL not want to play the kind of game where I can load the freaking dice-- even marginally-- by throwing RL money at the problem.

Ever since DUST was announced, I've hardly been able to wait-- at least to try it out. I've got this great character I was planning on making, and was even considering retiring Aria if things went particularly well. But now that I know CCP is planning on making me pay for my victories in cash?

Fuck. That. Shit.

Give me subscriptions any day.

[Wanoah]

Further evidence of the Great CCP Sell Out that has been going on for years now. It is really quite upsetting to see what was a great little company evolve into rank corporate whores on a par with Ubisoft. For me, the alrm bells started ringing as soon as some shitehawk fine gentleman of unquestionable moral fortitude started blithering on about monetizing the IP. As soon as you get people blithely spouting hideous arsespeak words like monetize, you know you are fucked, unless those people are hastily marginalised or hoofed out the door in short order. When they weasel their way into fairly senior and influential positions, then you know that the company has sold its soul. They are no longer creating products that they are passionate about; they are devising ways to extract as much money from their customers as possible. That is always creative death: let the accountants make the game and you get a shit game that looks good on the balance sheet for a while.

[Aria Jenneth]

Maybe.

In any case, I'll wait to see CCP's response to all this before I do anything drastic. Seleene described this as a "perfect storm" of player rage, and while I think the "Incarna" portion of that is a tempest in a teapot next to the rage over the MT leak, I certainly am feeling wrath and sadness enough to drive a departure.

Have to see whether they pull a quick U-turn on the substantive MT's. If they don't....

God, I would miss this game.

Fundamentally, I think CCP has just lost track of what kind of people are attracted to Eve. It's acting like we're basically no different from the fans of those Korean "freemium" MMO's cited in the leaked "Fearless."

[GoGo Yubari]

Having now read the "leak" in full, I have to say that (1) I do think it's real, if this hasn't been 100% confirmed yet, and (2) this does, in fact, piss me off.

Yeah, despite not liking the Incarna expansion from the first glimpses of what we'd actually be getting, I was still very much on CCP's side. One expansion that fails to impress me is nothing in comparison to them having made what I think is the best sandbox MMO out there. Even the macro-transactions don't cause my world to shift, except in bouts of laughter.

The leaked document and the ideas/language therein however changed things. That and what it says about the folks who quit the CSM in disgust. I fear there has been even worse stuff coming based on their comments.

With all that, I've come to realize a painful truth about CCP's business model. The true problem is that CCP don't really need any particular set of players in their sandbox. They can easily exchange us for a set of players who are more willing to spend money for what they are selling as long as they can get people rolling in. Unfortunately, the selling of in-game advantage (special ammo, skill points, etc) and the like is going to be a factor in enticing just those particular newbies into the game. This is why for the first time even I'm thinking the Eve I knew might be dying on us - and I'm usually the one to take a positive outlook on this game's future.

[Akrasjel Lanate]

Selling faction standings?

NO