NS2 Reinforced Shadow - Shadow Fade DLC
jackichan101
England Join Date: 2014-01-15 Member: 193155Members, Reinforced - Shadow
England Join Date: 2014-01-15 Member: 193155Members, Reinforced - Shadow
Hi all,
I've been off for a while, and I was semi active before I took a long break of just over a year. I only have a mere 300 hours played, which to many of you, is nothing at all. I recently got back into the game and noticed there were a few new DLCs available.
I, sadly, was not one of the original NS1 players, but first heard of NS2 around August 2012, and was around 16 at the time. I saved and saved, and bought the game soon after it came out, and keenly kept track of updates. When the reinforcement program was announced, I, thankfully, had some money saved, and decided to invest in the Shadow Badge, one of the perks of which was the Shadow lifeform skins. $75 is a whole lot of money when you're 16.
Now that a bit of the boring back story is out of the way, I've come back to NS2 to find there is a Shadow Fade skin, and have heard no mention of this being given to current Shadow Badge-holders. I am a bit disappointed that I'm now expected to pay another £5, for something that should have been given under the perk of "Shadow Lifeform Skins". What I am more disappointed at is that all of the Shadow lifeform skins are also on the market now, which really detracts from the value I thought I was getting.
I understand that the reinforcement program was mostly to help Unknown Worlds studio out, and have no qualms over the price I paid. But the perks I got, I no longer feel as if they are really perks, now they're so cheaply available on the store.
Really, I just want to know what the thought was behind these two moves, and I know many of you are likely to just label me as some entitled, under appreciative, so and so. And maybe you're right. I just felt like I should share my thoughts.
TLDR; Grumpy over DLC and market-shared skins
Nora
I've been off for a while, and I was semi active before I took a long break of just over a year. I only have a mere 300 hours played, which to many of you, is nothing at all. I recently got back into the game and noticed there were a few new DLCs available.
I, sadly, was not one of the original NS1 players, but first heard of NS2 around August 2012, and was around 16 at the time. I saved and saved, and bought the game soon after it came out, and keenly kept track of updates. When the reinforcement program was announced, I, thankfully, had some money saved, and decided to invest in the Shadow Badge, one of the perks of which was the Shadow lifeform skins. $75 is a whole lot of money when you're 16.
Now that a bit of the boring back story is out of the way, I've come back to NS2 to find there is a Shadow Fade skin, and have heard no mention of this being given to current Shadow Badge-holders. I am a bit disappointed that I'm now expected to pay another £5, for something that should have been given under the perk of "Shadow Lifeform Skins". What I am more disappointed at is that all of the Shadow lifeform skins are also on the market now, which really detracts from the value I thought I was getting.
I understand that the reinforcement program was mostly to help Unknown Worlds studio out, and have no qualms over the price I paid. But the perks I got, I no longer feel as if they are really perks, now they're so cheaply available on the store.
Really, I just want to know what the thought was behind these two moves, and I know many of you are likely to just label me as some entitled, under appreciative, so and so. And maybe you're right. I just felt like I should share my thoughts.
TLDR; Grumpy over DLC and market-shared skins
Nora
Comments
I just saw the DLC list it as available and was like whaaa. Oops!
I think my other point still stands (for now)
There are many people who felt, and probably still feel like you, but this topic has run it's course. The final line being UWE never officially said the shadow skins would only ever be available in this pack.
http://unknownworlds.com/ns2/future-reinforcement-program/
Hugh said on 2 or more occasions that the shadow skins will be never available again. In news blog posts. I even linked them in one of the previous topics about this issue.
I know that it was being worked on in the past, but can't tell about the current state.
I would assume that since the game is pushing the limits of 32bit exe, any plans for new skins would be put on hold for the 64bit exe.
In game they wouldn't even be able to see the items that other 64 bit users have, too.
Which is silly to account for, given that it's only 1.5% of all steam clients.. even if that number is slightly higher for NS2.
People go bonkers when their potato can no longer run the product they purchased years ago, even if its receiving constant updates.
You mean, because it is receiving updates. Things don't break for no reason. And just because you are IT savvy doesn't mean that others are too. I imagine many people don't even know what 32 bit and 64 bit are. Your lack of empathy is what is inexplicable.
At some point, you are going to have to leave those users behind. Its just more palatable if its a new product rather than an existing product. Its great that UWE isn't going to abandon them, but I really don't see the point of casually insulting them.
And no, it's not even IT savvy in the least to be *using* 64 bit, as evidenced by those usage statistics I provided... ?
But even if it were for some reason: welcome to PC gaming!
Where you need to read and understand minimum system requirements on a store page, and diagnose any driver or app compatibility issues etc etc.
There are knowledge basics required to gaming on a PC. Always has been, always will.
Also, I feel like me helping people in the technical support forums for the past 5 years sort of blows your whole character attack out of the water.
But nice attempt at vilifying me again over stating the obvious in an inconsequential manner. You haven't stopped reaching for months now, always trying to point fingers.. aren't you getting tired of playing the us vs them game?
As Aeglos said, it is not necessarily bad to leave some people behind so that the rest may progress. But there is no reason to malign them for having old hardware. I didn't see any backlash against 64-bit items from those who wouldn't be able to use them, so pre-emptively calling their response "bonkers" doesn't make you look good here.
Some went bonkers and were not understanding. That's not a maligned or hyperbolic description, it's just stating what happened.
People were notably upset that their 14 year old OS could no longer play the software they paid for because it was still being developed / receiving updates.
(which is actually covered legally by steam's user agreement)
I get it.. I do.. you paid for a product years ago and still want to run it.
But at the same time, PC gaming historically has always been about updating your system in order to play the game you want. The hardware industry is fueled by that.
Things change, (even Valve dropped xp support for DOTA2) and thus I never really understand the mentality behind being surprised or outraged over it... but I am not maligning them.
At worst, you could say I am poking fun at at that 1.5% by calling their system a potato while insisting they upgrade to technology that's been commercially standardized for 15 years and can only benefit them...
Otherwise you'll have to freeze the game's current art for them and maintain both x64/x86 versions, not to mention maintaining the old version could prevent any potential cosmetic systems revamps or graphical updates down the line.
My apologies to the OP for participating in derailing as well.
Carry on.
-ironhorse
Tbh this doesn't help at all, other than getting maybe 35$ back, sure there's a limited amount of them but other than the shadow gorge and elite marine armor they really aren't worth anything, the entire making shadow skins buyable leaves nothing but a sour taste in my mouth
- Presence and advertisement? That train has departed 2 years ago.
- Many new players? I doubt that.
- Cash? Not much if any at all.
- More shadow skins present ingame? Not many and probably only for a short while. (Shadow tiers that stopped playing and sold skins)
- Happy players? Unlikely, as the previously faithful NS2 players had bought Shadow skin for 75$.
- Respect and reputation? Lost
Just seems like a bit of a let down.
I didn't have the money to preorder the game, and as such I missed out on that nice black armour. It's something I quite wanted, the ' I was there' effect. But it was a limited thing, and I don't expect to ever get it now. The same goes for the shadow skins. I expected it be a limited thing, and it was even said that it would be. I guess there's nothing to do about it now, but I was somewhat curious how other members felt.
Someone clearly doesn't read UWE posts or casually forgets them. The reason there is now paid full-time development of NS2 is because NS2 is still making more than enough money to pay for the development team. UWE didn't discover this until they were able to get their steam sales info broken down, they previously didn't think it was making money either.
It is obviously still more than paying for itself (and one must assume have increased), as UWE would have canned, rather than extended the teams run otherwise.
I know you know this history, but I am just going to recall it for accuracy's sake and for others:
People had been asking for a way to donate to UWE for multiple years in a row (esp. after constellation was discontinued), even before launch or for free large content updates post launch (Gorgeous) that were costing the company a lot of money when not seeing a return.
So after spending 55k+ on another large content update, they created this elaborate multi tiered donation system where you could donate what you wanted.
UWE publicly said in forum posts as well as blogs, and even on the donation page itself that "AS A THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT" and help in recovering *some* of the costs of the multiple years of post launch free content, you would be given perks like badges or skins per each level.
They didn't just want to open a paypal donation page and leave it at that.
They didn't say "Hey this skin is $35, and this one is $75" on an online store because that would be asinine and foolish for any customer to spend money on.
It was a voluntary donation you gave to say thanks for the years of continued free support and content, and they wanted to say thanks back by doing what they could : providing you with shiny perks.
They even tracked the donations publicly in comparison to the money they spent on just that one update so people could see how their money helped.
It's sad to me to consider that there's a chance that there would have been less drama or disgruntled reactions over the years if they simply opened up a donation page without any perks or rewards.
The only thing that gets under my skin more than voluntary donations as being seen simply as entitled skin purchases post facto... are the users who love to claim that all those donations went to Subnautica.. which is laughable it is so inaccurate.
For one, UWE didn't even recoup the costs of that one content update from all the donations - let alone prior updates, or even ones that followed it (like eclipse) - and in truth, Subnautica didn't need to use an ounce of said donation money anyways. But people get weird when it comes to reviewing how they spent their money in the past, clearly.
Now what's pssing me off is that some time after there were assurances made - or atleast making it very much seem that way - that the skins are exclusive and would not be available again in atleast two posts signed by Hugh.
I don't want to dig into the rest but the world championship had it's own crowdfunding and it was awesome so shush
Yeah, instead of just opening a donation page they said "You get to donate to us, we give you exclusive cosmetic goodies". Then they made those "exclusive" goodies available to everyone else, in a way that creates further income. I'm sure you can see how that might annoy some people?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all for voluntary donations and doing it for the cause and all that, and I did in fact buy the shadow tier because I got the game essentially for free and had played hundreds of hours at that point, feeling the need to give something back; and I don't regret a single dollar of it. But it would still have been nice if UWE had kept their part of the promise entirely, you know? It can make you feel a little devalued as a "customer" if the goal posts change like that.
Also I actually don't care about this all that much, but it does rub me the wrong way a little, and I feel the need to point this out.
SN wasn't a backup plan.. it was their next game that they wanted to make and had been prototyping/developing at the same time.
Also, what Ford said.. WC had its own backing, and the reinforced donations were not used for it.
I understand the part that pisses you off, and to be fair, they aren't selling the shadow skins or the shadow tier (or any tier for that matter) anymore. They are selling a NEW shadow fade, that wasn't previously available and if you already are a shadow tier owner you got that for free... which all sounds pretty fair to me.
I get that the real source of contention is that users can sell their content to others, but technically UWE didn't violate what they said.. they still don't sell any of those tiers or the things that were exclusive to them.
There is no devaluing of the items because no more are being produced. It is entirely on the end user if they wish to sell their own content to another.
... That all being said, I also get that this technicality may still rub people the wrong way, however.