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Topic: Strike 1 and an early Christmas present for Microtaxation haters

Posts 1 to 20 of 21

themcnoisy

Hi everyone, happy Christmas and apple have just added this little silver lining to the lootbox guidelines;

Apps offering “loot boxes” or other mechanisms that provide randomized virtual items for purchase must disclose the odds of receiving each type of item to customers prior to purchase.

Okay okay, so its not the win of having a maximum small stake per day I was hoping for, or the dismantling of the whole process. But hey we have to start somewhere.

Now we need Sony to do the same.

Edited on by themcnoisy

Forum Best Game of All Time Awards

PS3 Megathread 2019: The Last of Us
Multiplat 2018: Horizon Zero Dawn
Nintendo 2017: Super Mario Bros 3
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PSN: mc_noisy

Tasuki

@get2sammyb It's in China, been that way for awhile now.

I think the next time I buy a sticker pack, I am going to demand that the cashier tell me my odds of certain stickers before I buy it.

RetiredPush Square Moderator and all around retro gamer.

My Backlog

PSN: Tasuki3711

themcnoisy

@Tasuki :/

I was thinking about this today funnily enough.

My eldest son used to collect football stickers and put them in a book and completed one and nearly finished another before going off them. He doesnt collect stickers anymore as he decided it was a waste of his pocket money.

Forum Best Game of All Time Awards

PS3 Megathread 2019: The Last of Us
Multiplat 2018: Horizon Zero Dawn
Nintendo 2017: Super Mario Bros 3
Playstation 2016: Uncharted 2
Multiplat 2015: Final Fantasy 7

PSN: mc_noisy

Fight_Teza_Fight

Given mobile gaming started all this, it does make sense that they would be the first to take action.
Surprised nevertheless. Never really thought about Apple stepping in.

It remains to be seen whether the other platform holders will also step up. I remember reading a report that Sony makes a fair bit on these microtransactions from third party games.

Lives, Lived, Will Live.
Dies, Died, Will Die.
If we could perceive time for what it really was,
What reason would Grammar Professors have to get out of bed?- Robert & Rosalind Lutece

Rudy_Manchego

This is great news for consumers because it gives transparency and will help keep devs and publishers a bit more honest. I think this should be rolled out to consoles. At least, if someone does buy a loot box or whatever then they can see how likely they are to get what they want and make a more informed decision?

@Tasuki I could be wrong as it has been years since I collected cards but I think card makers do let everyone know the ratio of special cards to normal cards (as in if you buy 100 cards you can expect one special or something). Also, some forms of gambling in the UK have to print the odds of winning in situation where the outcome is known by the gambling company.

@ Fight_Teza_Fight I think you are right that Sony et al makes money off of these transactions but I think it is a little like the ratings board set up in the early 1990's. Sega didn't want it because they were the main makers of teen/adult games but they pushed forward and worked with others to get a ratings classification so they could then absolve themselves of responsibility. I could see Sony saying their position is that they want the odds published but then it is up to publishers how they implement them.

Now I may be an idiot, but there's one thing I am not sir, and that sir, is an idiot

PSN: Rudy_Manchego | Twitter:

themcnoisy

@get2sammyb knowing the odds puts people off buying them. Funnily the game Im playing right now has the odds listed. The odds of recieving a usable player (black is best, gold second best) via microtransactions in PES lite are variable but sit around 17-21%. Working it out it costs roughly a tenner for a gold player and fifty quid for a black ball player.

Edited on by themcnoisy

Forum Best Game of All Time Awards

PS3 Megathread 2019: The Last of Us
Multiplat 2018: Horizon Zero Dawn
Nintendo 2017: Super Mario Bros 3
Playstation 2016: Uncharted 2
Multiplat 2015: Final Fantasy 7

PSN: mc_noisy

LieutenantFatman

Well, it's a move in the right direction at least. I will be interested to see which company is the first to be caught lying about odds. And what the punishment will be for them doing that.

LieutenantFatman

Fight_Teza_Fight

@Rudy_Manchego True. It just a companies responsibility for the most part is towards their share holders.
Profits always need to go up, or questions will be asked.
With reports of Andrew House being forced out in favour of micro transaction embracing John Kodera I could see Sony being more reluctant to change their policies.

You're right on card ratios. A lot of them already provide the odds. Yu-Gi-Oh! for one provides the odds on each type of rarity card in every booster pack they put out.

Lives, Lived, Will Live.
Dies, Died, Will Die.
If we could perceive time for what it really was,
What reason would Grammar Professors have to get out of bed?- Robert & Rosalind Lutece

themcnoisy

@LieutenantFatman the app gets pulled off the apple store. Apple in many ways have a perfect business model of building a platform and taking no responsibility for the content as long as it fulfills really basic criteria. Its why this move is big. Ive read all the terms and conditions and I think everyone should.

@Rudy_Manchego Yeah I hope the net gets tighter. Im so glad EA have messed up so badly with swbf2. Lololololol.

@Fight_Teza_Fight The problem with the economy is its ran away with itself. Venture capatalists and investors who care less than nothing about computer games are involved in buying and selling shares in the companies. The same people with all the power will pull the companies apart eventually, but by then will be well gone to destroy another industry. I actually left a company who changed their overall slogan from what was in essence "delivering the best service possible to our customers and staff" to "delivering the best possible financial results to impress our shareholders whilst not annoying our customers and staff enough to leave". It wasnt written like that but I read it as such.

Forum Best Game of All Time Awards

PS3 Megathread 2019: The Last of Us
Multiplat 2018: Horizon Zero Dawn
Nintendo 2017: Super Mario Bros 3
Playstation 2016: Uncharted 2
Multiplat 2015: Final Fantasy 7

PSN: mc_noisy

Kidfried

@Tasuki I know your stance on micro transaction and how you see no problem in them. And you've defended those standpoints I think rather well in previous debates et cetera. However, I don't see (from your standpoint) any problem with this kind of ruling?

What's the problem with this type of rule? They don't restrict publishers and devs in any way and to those that play these games and have no problem paying for mtx, it grants them some extra info intoon what they're buying into. No matter how you think about micro transactions, it seems like everybody is winning.

Kidfried

Tasuki

@Kidfried Honestly I just think that this whole thing is out of control and it's just another way of the government sticking it's nose where it don't belong all because people don't accept self responsibility or know how to watch their kids.

RetiredPush Square Moderator and all around retro gamer.

My Backlog

PSN: Tasuki3711

Kidfried

@Tasuki But this is Apple, not a government. And it's providing a service for its users on its own platform, without restricting anyone from anything.

Kidfried

WiiWareWave

@Tasuki There has to be some kind of regulation unless you want to pay per level in all of your games in the future. Honestly microtransactions may well cost us hundreds or thousands per game for a full experience in the future if this isn't nipped in the bud...

Owner of http://www.WiiWareWave.com

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themcnoisy

@Tasuki "because people don't accept self responsibility or know how to watch their kids."

I dont think Im speaking for myself when I say it would be nice to have the ability to switch them off for the safety of my kids. All my kids devices and my router has safety settings yet loot boxes get a free pass. I think they are damaging, so why cant I turn them off? My 9 and 12 year olds dont play 15 or 18 rated games and I believe the mechanics at play in loot boxes require a certain level of education and/or age to understand better. Wherever you agree or not is irrelevant as I believe my kids should not be playing with them.

You work like most of us here and none of us can watch our kids 24/7. How is it possible when my kids finish at 3:30 and I finish at 8pm to monitor their online activity constantly? Its not. Many other parents are in similar positions so we need the capability to switch them off.

Forum Best Game of All Time Awards

PS3 Megathread 2019: The Last of Us
Multiplat 2018: Horizon Zero Dawn
Nintendo 2017: Super Mario Bros 3
Playstation 2016: Uncharted 2
Multiplat 2015: Final Fantasy 7

PSN: mc_noisy

kyleforrester87

It's funny because I completely understand Tasuki's argument but then I also get where everyone else is coming from.

I want to say more but I've had a bunch of beers and frankly I'm drunk so I'll leave it at merry Christmas you sons of b1tches, you're all absolute crackers!

kyleforrester87

PSN: WigSplitter1987

themcnoisy

@kyleforrester87 Im too busy making sure my kids arent opening lootboxes to have fun. Have a good one bro Merry Christmas!

Forum Best Game of All Time Awards

PS3 Megathread 2019: The Last of Us
Multiplat 2018: Horizon Zero Dawn
Nintendo 2017: Super Mario Bros 3
Playstation 2016: Uncharted 2
Multiplat 2015: Final Fantasy 7

PSN: mc_noisy

themcnoisy

@kyleforrester87 Haha, I watched alot of Red Dwarf but cant remember that episode. Reverse world and the toaster episode are classics and legion is a good one too. I might actually watch them again.

Forum Best Game of All Time Awards

PS3 Megathread 2019: The Last of Us
Multiplat 2018: Horizon Zero Dawn
Nintendo 2017: Super Mario Bros 3
Playstation 2016: Uncharted 2
Multiplat 2015: Final Fantasy 7

PSN: mc_noisy

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