Akvod on 16 June 2010
This isn't meant to be an article. I just fucking ranted for a few minutes, and this is what I'll got. I might polish this post up later, especially when people criticize me, or ask for clarification/expansions.
http://twitter.com/Demize99/status/15880913326
Is a dev not entitled to the sweat of his brow? No says the gamer! It should all be free!
Alan Kertz
This twitter post is in response to the backlash of loyal Bad Company 2 players who complain that they're being ripped off by the Specat DLC (what was it? $4-6 for a few re-skins/color swaps, bugged up menu, shitty and easy ass trophies, awards, and the ability to actually get the bronze star award that we couldn't fucking get [and now can't get unless you buy the DLC), the ridiculously priced $10 Onslaught DLC, the recently announced Vietnam DLC (probably gonna charge it, even though it's pretty much gonna use the current jungle graphics and objects and just add new skins for soldiers and guns), and the absolute underwhelming "benefit" we got from the VIP code.
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Yes, Demize99, EA, DICE, and all the producers in the world are absolutely entitled to the brow of their sweat.
I'll like to interupt here to clarify that I say FUCK YOU pirates. I'm not saying I'm a saint, but at the very least I don't try to dress up my selfish actions as some kind of act of retribution or fairness. Nobody is entitled to anything, but the sweat of their own brow. If you belive a product is not worth the price YOU'RE NOT FORCED TO BUY IT. If you are the ones whose marginal benefit is below the market price, you simply don't spend your money on it, but on something that IS worth your money.
But that also transitions into my next point.
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WE are ALSO entitled to our SWEAT. WE are ALSO entitled to our LABOR. And finally and most importantly WE are ALSO entitled to our MIND.
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I should have listened to my good friend KylieDog when he warned me about the Specat DLC.
As you see here, I thought that the value I would be getting from the DLC was at least worth the price. However, what I actually got upon getting it was below what I would have actually paid for. Therefore, I had lost my money. Why? Because I could have spent my money on something that'll at least give me back my value, or better, give me a surplus.
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I have LOST my work. My fucking hours digging for my dad for a few measly bucks was WASTED.I just had fucking fraud commited on me. I lost my hours, I lost the blisters on my hand, I lost the right to my money, therefore my labor, therefore my body, making me a SLAVE.
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That it why I am going to act rationally and be distrustful of DICE. I'm not calling for a boycott. Boycotts are stupid because it can be irrational in one aspect (without considering externalities). If you can buy something and get that value back, or more, then it is rational to just buy it.
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What I'm saying is that now my previously inflated expectations are lowered, and rightfully so. DICE has fucking put out a brilliant game, but plagued with unnecessary choices for the consoles (not giving basic features on the PC, just so that they can give the ILLUSION that they're giving more to the PC, not less to the console. Absolutely NO reason why simple things like server selection, or at the very fucking least, squad selection, could not be included. PC users are only being fooled if they think DICE is giving them something extra. All they did was take stuff away from consoles), LAG, removal of base protection (a feature that was in BF: 1943), etc.
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I'm not going to have inflated values for their products. I'm going to use my MIND, and not fucking touch the fire again. I'm not going to just hand over my SWEAT, my LABOR, my MONEY, and my MIND over to them with every product they announce. I'm going to actually consider:
Is this worth the money?
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Is ten dollars, REALLY worth the money for Onslaught mode? Is 5 dollars, REALLY worth some skin changes? Is Vietnam DLC REALLY worth the announced price? Is Medal of Honor, REALLY worth pre-ordering, given the information that's out now?
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We have to be smart consumers. All of us.
Corporations are fucking playing off of our loyalty, and we are just fucking playing into their hands. DICE has changed. They're not the same reliable devs as they once were. Don't fucking buy into the Kevin Buttler speech, and declare yourselves "gamers", blow the war horn, and pump your fists in pride.
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You're an individual, you're [insert your name]. Don't fucking become a PS3 fanboy, Xbox fanboy, Nintendo fanboy, etc.
Buy things NOT on loyalty or hype, but on selfish and rational reasons. Don't automatically buy things, but take your time and wait. Wait for your friends to get it. Wait for reviews after the inital release. Wait for demos. Play it at someone else's house. Or if you can't wait, at least get as much information as you can.
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The more information you have, the better informed your purchase is, and the less likely you'll get ripped off, and the more benefit you'll get from your purchases.
THE ONLY ONES WE SHOULD HAVE TO SERVE ARE OURSELVES.
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You worked hard for your money, and if you didn't then whoever did worked hard so that you can enjoy yourself. Don't dissapoint them and make their hours of work in vain because of a poor purchase. Don't fuck yourselves over by being ripped off.
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From now on I ask everyone to be selfish and to be rational. Before you make that purchase, ask yourselves WHY?
I am interested in buying inFamous 2, because of the plethora of reasons why I liked inFamous, Sucker Punch seems to be a reliable dev, they seemed self conscious and forward minded in their Game Informer interview. And you know what? I'm STILL not convinced yet. I am excited, I'm even rooting Sucker Punch on, but until I get more information, I won't hand them my money YET.
