It's human nature (and proven many times in many studies) that when someone spends a lot of money on something they will enjoy it far more. This is the silly way we function and f2p game makers are catching on and taking advantage of the many studies people are doing on this subject.
It's exactly the same as someone that spends $250 on a bottle of wine and thinks it's the best wine he ever had, then change the label and give them the same bottle for .50c and they say it's terrible.
While some people may do what you suggest, the opposite is true as well.
As others have mentioned. I bought a collectors edition for ESO and SWTOR and regretted both purchases after quitting within a week or two based on gameplay that simply was not enjoyable to me.
With Archeage though my biggest problem after about a month is that i'm having to increase my exercise regimen because of all the long hours i'm sitting on my butt playing the game every day.
Some people do have a tendency to bias their opinion based on the amount of money they have spent. But i'd have to see some data on how likely that is to occur with an MMO before I could say it is fair to just write off people's opinions over it.
AA has a lot of stuff about it that MMOs just aren't doing lately. Things that ESO, SWTOR, and GW2 never even tried to do. It could be that we just love it for giving us content most developers have refused to give us.
Originally posted by Jimmydean I have also noticed that everyone that has paid $150 for an alpha seems to love this game. If I was duped into paying $150 for a piece of bread, it would probably the best darn piece of bread I ever had too. There is a reason this game continues to fail miserably in every region it is released in. I'll let you pay the $150 to figure it out.
The game failed recently due to a huge update in Asia that altered a lot of the things people loved about the game. Trion has enough control over their version of ArcheAge that they can avoid as much of that as they want. Trion's version isn't the same one that tanked.
Having said that, just about every game to come out for the past 5+ years as been total garbage for me, and I've quit most of them withing 30 days of buying them. I'm a couple months into AA now, and haven't scratched the surface. Haven't had this much fun since Star Wars Galaxies.
Call me when something better comes along, and we'll talk. The current offerings from other developers are a joke.
It's human nature (and proven many times in many studies) that when someone spends a lot of money on something they will enjoy it far more. This is the silly way we function and f2p game makers are catching on and taking advantage of the many studies people are doing on this subject.
It's exactly the same as someone that spends $250 on a bottle of wine and thinks it's the best wine he ever had, then change the label and give them the same bottle for .50c and they say it's terrible.
I'd like to see those "studies" you are talking about.
If they exist, I'd be willing to bet the people who let money bias their opinion also had no idea what they were talking about in the first place. I am a red wine drinker, and I've had absolutely shit bottles of expensive wine. In fact, I don't even bother buying them much any more. It's a lot more fun to look for good bottles in the 20-30 range, for me, and I judge them by taste.
When it comes to MMO games, I've played so many, that I have context from which to judge such games. I haven't even thought twice about the money I spent on this game. I knew I was rolling the dice going in, and if the game sucked for me, I would have quit like I have so many times in the past.
In other words, if I had spent $150 on this game and it sucked, I would have been more upset about the lost potential for a fun game, than I would the $150.
I paid the $150 as well, I am only level 17, but the questing is boring and atrocious. I do however hear the game only really becomes fun at about level 30, we shall see. So far it is run here, run there, kill x and kill y and the story is not really interesting. I am however excited to try the crafting/building/pvp, that will make or break the game for me.
Originally posted by vixen2 I paid the $150 as well, I am only level 17, but the questing is boring and atrocious. I do however hear the game only really becomes fun at about level 30, we shall see. So far it is run here, run there, kill x and kill y and the story is not really interesting. I am however excited to try the crafting/building/pvp, that will make or break the game for me.
If you follow the quests as your main source of leveling/rewards and if you don't like this type of "questing" (such as it is) then you will not like this game.
I feel that this game is about the crafting, the open world, the crime system, pvp, trading, and possibly the sieges.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
Archage is a sandbox, with classic sandbox at its core - trade, craft, pvp, consume resources- and a bit of pve at the side to try to hook in pve players. Absolutely insane to pay 150 for a sandbox if that's not exactly what you want IMO. (insane paying 150 in any situation IMO lol)
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Originally posted by Blackaftermath and am loving every minute of it. I dont get to play it all the time, I am married and have 2 kids....but I did the beta for WS, ESO, and played SWTOR, GW2, FFXIV and Neverwinter heavily. This game blows them all away in my opinion and its not even close. I love the open world, farming, crafting, boating, exploration and most of all intense pvp.
One month down the road for me, hit level 50 only yesterday and am still heavily enjoying the game. Kinda sad now that it's down for maintenance though. Haven't played any MMO since I quit Lineage II as intensively as I'm playing AA at the moment...
I've been playing for almost a month now, and I still have little idea what I'm doing , or how many of the game's mechanics really work.
This is a good thing. Mean's going into the 2nd month, I'm still excited to see what there is to learn and explore, and even though I'm building a throw away character, in a first for me, I look at is as a valuable learning experience that will help improve my go live experience.
Also, it's a heck of a lot of fun..... and I rarely use that word.
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Originally posted by Blackaftermath and am loving every minute of it. I dont get to play it all the time, I am married and have 2 kids....but I did the beta for WS, ESO, and played SWTOR, GW2, FFXIV and Neverwinter heavily. This game blows them all away in my opinion and its not even close. I love the open world, farming, crafting, boating, exploration and most of all intense pvp.
One month down the road for me, hit level 50 only yesterday and am still heavily enjoying the game. Kinda sad now that it's down for maintenance though. Haven't played any MMO since I quit Lineage II as intensively as I'm playing AA at the moment...
Same here for me, since Star Wars Galaxies, which I played for years. Out of the myriad of games I've tried since SWG, I've played most of them for 30-45 days at most and that far in I was forcing myself to log in. The only exception was WoW, which I played through to 70 on one toon, around the time BC came out.
I've been playing for almost a month now, and I still have little idea what I'm doing , or how many of the game's mechanics really work.
This is a good thing. Mean's going into the 2nd month, I'm still excited to see what there is to learn and explore, and even though I'm building a throw away character, in a first for me, I look at is as a valuable learning experience that will help improve my go live experience.
Also, it's a heck of a lot of fun..... and I rarely use that word.
In addition, I said hello to you in chat and even whispered you and you ignored me.
*runs out of room crying ...*
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
I've been playing for almost a month now, and I still have little idea what I'm doing , or how many of the game's mechanics really work.
This is a good thing. Mean's going into the 2nd month, I'm still excited to see what there is to learn and explore, and even though I'm building a throw away character, in a first for me, I look at is as a valuable learning experience that will help improve my go live experience.
Also, it's a heck of a lot of fun..... and I rarely use that word.
Yeah, still 'learning' the game here as well, and like you, having a heck of a lot of fun. I dare say even more than in Lineage II by now.
Today we (our guild) started pirating the enemy faction in Ynystere. Every incoming trader was our target while we were only with a small group (7 or 8). We made a lot of packs there and even a fully loaded merchant ship o_O Good profit there for us while having tons of tun!
[EDIT]
Oh yeah, yesterday finally hit the level cap and AA is actually the first MMORPG I've hit it, which says a lot for me...
$150 and you get nothing for it. This is nothing new (con) its been going on before we were born. Its a GAME no more no less.
Lol I've read some try to explain it like "I understand most dont have this kind of money to spend" as if its some millionaire club. You need to flip this. Where MOST are wise enough to not touch this.. some will.
Please..you can do this with ANY mmo. Just spend (pick your amount) and get IN GAME ITEMS! Yes minus the 3 free months wow. Some call this pay to win not so true here yet you bought gold a $75 value! WOW..what a deal!
The game is not finished and you PAY NOW to play. I am sorry but this is not a wise move.
I can't believe how many people keep scrambling to declare this as paying $150 for alpha access. That is only part of what that founder pack offers. Why do people pay more for any Collector's Edition for any game? Because you get more. Why is it so hard for people to understand, $150 is not just alpha access. People are just pissed cause they aren't playing, thats what it seems like to me.
Collectors additions typically come packaged with physical items, overpriced statues in many if not most cases as well as a $60 game, it's different than paying 150 for virtual items and access to a game that would otherwise be f2p.
you could buy most of that stuff post launch, or pay for premium access, the selling factor is most certainly access to the game.
You can look at it how you want and spend what you want, yet don't try and pass this off as anything more than selling it because they know people will buy it for that access.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
I would never pay $150, $250 or whatever the price for things like statues and physical maps or any other little trinket that sits on my desk or hangs on my wall. If I cannot use it in the game, if it is not in the game then I've no use for it. The 150 I paid for this game gives me quite a bit in game:
Cost:$150
List of what I get:
1. Alpha and Beta Access - Giving me a chance to flesh out my start for release.
2. 11,250 cash shop credits ($75 Worth) - Half my investment right here.
3. 4 Day head start - This gives me plenty of time to get my home setup, my gardens growing and more.
4. Title: Trailblazer + the lesser titles - These give me bonus's to all my stats from the start
5. 90 Day patron status: This also costs money so for however much a month is and that adds to the 150 I paid.
6. 6 Daru chests: These are kinda like random lockboxes, not exactly my favorite but its something to add to the 150 investment.
7. 10 Evenstones - These let you break down magic gear for dusts, can buy them in game cheap during alpha so meh.
8. 10 Hereafter stones - These let you use your travel book to open portals to recently visited locations. Helpful.
9. Glass Phoenix Glider - You get a basic glider shortly into the game but anything special like this is craftable but very difficult to gain materials to make them.
10. Desert Assassin Platemail - It claims to be an "outfit" and if it is like most of the fancy costume outfits in the game then it is very difficult to craft in game due to needed skill and materials. So, worth it - Add that to my $150 investment.
11. Custom Crest In-game: Do any other games even do this? and no this isn't a crest made from in game symbols and pictures this is something actually put into the game by you made by you with the only limit I am aware of is the size that will show up on anything you have that has a spot for a crest including your ships sails. How cool is that? so another bit of an investment for me from my $150!
12. 10 pet healing potions: Right now you can talk to a stablehand to heal pets and I think can make these in game but quite handy out in the field with your combat pets when they go down. Also want to mention that certain world bosses can actually be caught and turned into combat pets, cool eh? not as powerful as the world boss version but still sweet!
13. Founders Cloak: Create & upload an image to make a cloak all your own (with +3 to all stats!) again does any other game do this? I'm not sure but certainly a nice bonus - Another bit off that $150 I payed!
So we have 13 items in total. A combination of unique items, lesser items, in game currency, titles and usables in game plus alpha access for $150 so whats the problem? I think maybe alpha access cost me what? $10? $20? if that and yes possibly most of these things will more than likely be in the game for purchase at release and I could get them after release but hey why wait for later what I can be enjoying right now right?
If I could just buy it later in game and would plan to then why bitch about it? If you cannot afford the 150 then that is unfortunate but please do not come here complaining that its way overpriced even with the stuff you get? I mean really, which would I prefer... a $150 investment with all in game items or over $200 for some "Box" with little statues, maps, stickers and a few in game pets?
I would never pay $150, $250 or whatever the price for things like statues and physical maps or any other little trinket that sits on my desk or hangs on my wall. If I cannot use it in the game, if it is not in the game then I've no use for it. The 150 I paid for this game gives me quite a bit in game:
Cost:$150
List of what I get:
1. Alpha and Beta Access - Giving me a chance to flesh out my start for release.
2. 11,250 cash shop credits ($75 Worth) - Half my investment right here.
3. 4 Day head start - This gives me plenty of time to get my home setup, my gardens growing and more.
4. Title: Trailblazer + the lesser titles - These give me bonus's to all my stats from the start
5. 90 Day patron status: This also costs money so for however much a month is and that adds to the 150 I paid.
6. 6 Daru chests: These are kinda like random lockboxes, not exactly my favorite but its something to add to the 150 investment.
7. 10 Evenstones - These let you break down magic gear for dusts, can buy them in game cheap during alpha so meh.
8. 10 Hereafter stones - These let you use your travel book to open portals to recently visited locations. Helpful.
9. Glass Phoenix Glider - You get a basic glider shortly into the game but anything special like this is craftable but very difficult to gain materials to make them.
10. Desert Assassin Platemail - It claims to be an "outfit" and if it is like most of the fancy costume outfits in the game then it is very difficult to craft in game due to needed skill and materials. So, worth it - Add that to my $150 investment.
11. Custom Crest In-game: Do any other games even do this? and no this isn't a crest made from in game symbols and pictures this is something actually put into the game by you made by you with the only limit I am aware of is the size that will show up on anything you have that has a spot for a crest including your ships sails. How cool is that? so another bit of an investment for me from my $150!
12. 10 pet healing potions: Right now you can talk to a stablehand to heal pets and I think can make these in game but quite handy out in the field with your combat pets when they go down. Also want to mention that certain world bosses can actually be caught and turned into combat pets, cool eh? not as powerful as the world boss version but still sweet!
13. Founders Cloak: Create & upload an image to make a cloak all your own (with +3 to all stats!) again does any other game do this? I'm not sure but certainly a nice bonus - Another bit off that $150 I payed!
So we have 13 items in total. A combination of unique items, lesser items, in game currency, titles and usables in game plus alpha access for $150 so whats the problem? I think maybe alpha access cost me what? $10? $20? if that and yes possibly most of these things will more than likely be in the game for purchase at release and I could get them after release but hey why wait for later what I can be enjoying right now right?
If I could just buy it later in game and would plan to then why bitch about it? If you cannot afford the 150 then that is unfortunate but please do not come here complaining that its way overpriced even with the stuff you get? I mean really, which would I prefer... a $150 investment with all in game items or over $200 for some "Box" with little statues, maps, stickers and a few in game pets?
I know what you get, thing is that's not the main point of selling in this manner. You could buy that stuff at anytime after launch, but you can't play now unless you're willing to pay for all of that other stuff.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
I would never pay $150, $250 or whatever the price for things like statues and physical maps or any other little trinket that sits on my desk or hangs on my wall. If I cannot use it in the game, if it is not in the game then I've no use for it. The 150 I paid for this game gives me quite a bit in game:
Cost:$150
List of what I get:
1. Alpha and Beta Access - Giving me a chance to flesh out my start for release.
2. 11,250 cash shop credits ($75 Worth) - Half my investment right here.
3. 4 Day head start - This gives me plenty of time to get my home setup, my gardens growing and more.
4. Title: Trailblazer + the lesser titles - These give me bonus's to all my stats from the start
5. 90 Day patron status: This also costs money so for however much a month is and that adds to the 150 I paid.
6. 6 Daru chests: These are kinda like random lockboxes, not exactly my favorite but its something to add to the 150 investment.
7. 10 Evenstones - These let you break down magic gear for dusts, can buy them in game cheap during alpha so meh.
8. 10 Hereafter stones - These let you use your travel book to open portals to recently visited locations. Helpful.
9. Glass Phoenix Glider - You get a basic glider shortly into the game but anything special like this is craftable but very difficult to gain materials to make them.
10. Desert Assassin Platemail - It claims to be an "outfit" and if it is like most of the fancy costume outfits in the game then it is very difficult to craft in game due to needed skill and materials. So, worth it - Add that to my $150 investment.
11. Custom Crest In-game: Do any other games even do this? and no this isn't a crest made from in game symbols and pictures this is something actually put into the game by you made by you with the only limit I am aware of is the size that will show up on anything you have that has a spot for a crest including your ships sails. How cool is that? so another bit of an investment for me from my $150!
12. 10 pet healing potions: Right now you can talk to a stablehand to heal pets and I think can make these in game but quite handy out in the field with your combat pets when they go down. Also want to mention that certain world bosses can actually be caught and turned into combat pets, cool eh? not as powerful as the world boss version but still sweet!
13. Founders Cloak: Create & upload an image to make a cloak all your own (with +3 to all stats!) again does any other game do this? I'm not sure but certainly a nice bonus - Another bit off that $150 I payed!
So we have 13 items in total. A combination of unique items, lesser items, in game currency, titles and usables in game plus alpha access for $150 so whats the problem? I think maybe alpha access cost me what? $10? $20? if that and yes possibly most of these things will more than likely be in the game for purchase at release and I could get them after release but hey why wait for later what I can be enjoying right now right?
If I could just buy it later in game and would plan to then why bitch about it? If you cannot afford the 150 then that is unfortunate but please do not come here complaining that its way overpriced even with the stuff you get? I mean really, which would I prefer... a $150 investment with all in game items or over $200 for some "Box" with little statues, maps, stickers and a few in game pets?
I know what you get, thing is that's not the main point of selling in this manner. You could buy that stuff at anytime after launch, but you can't play now unless you're willing to pay for all of that other stuff.
You could possibly buy that stuff anytime after launch. Maybe. And even then it will probably cost more...a lot more. And as pointed out a hundred times. Most people didn't buy the game now JUST for alpha access. They bought it for all the other goodies. I bought the game and really not playing it a whole lot. And likely won't until it matters at release.
And why hack so much on AA? Everquest Landmark is doing the same thing. Shroud of the Avatar is doing the same thing. ESO basically did the same thing. And many other titles in development are doing the same thing. It is the new thing for these gaming companies to do that. Pre order or support the game by a certain date and pay a certain amount. You get Alpha or Beta access.
You could have played then if you were selected, there were quite a few who did play and didn't have to pay and there were even giveaways on some of the streams players did. However yes it is a new thing that companies "offer" early access for money and why not? they paid to bring it here, they paid to host it, to have it translated and westernized so why wouldn't they want to try to recoop some of their costs knowing that many would be happy to pay that much?
If you can afford it now and /will/would/ pay as much later for the same thing then why not now and play now? that is my feeling.
Comments
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buyer's_remorse
While some people may do what you suggest, the opposite is true as well.
As others have mentioned. I bought a collectors edition for ESO and SWTOR and regretted both purchases after quitting within a week or two based on gameplay that simply was not enjoyable to me.
With Archeage though my biggest problem after about a month is that i'm having to increase my exercise regimen because of all the long hours i'm sitting on my butt playing the game every day.
Some people do have a tendency to bias their opinion based on the amount of money they have spent. But i'd have to see some data on how likely that is to occur with an MMO before I could say it is fair to just write off people's opinions over it.
AA has a lot of stuff about it that MMOs just aren't doing lately. Things that ESO, SWTOR, and GW2 never even tried to do. It could be that we just love it for giving us content most developers have refused to give us.
The game failed recently due to a huge update in Asia that altered a lot of the things people loved about the game. Trion has enough control over their version of ArcheAge that they can avoid as much of that as they want. Trion's version isn't the same one that tanked.
Having said that, just about every game to come out for the past 5+ years as been total garbage for me, and I've quit most of them withing 30 days of buying them. I'm a couple months into AA now, and haven't scratched the surface. Haven't had this much fun since Star Wars Galaxies.
Call me when something better comes along, and we'll talk. The current offerings from other developers are a joke.
I'd like to see those "studies" you are talking about.
If they exist, I'd be willing to bet the people who let money bias their opinion also had no idea what they were talking about in the first place. I am a red wine drinker, and I've had absolutely shit bottles of expensive wine. In fact, I don't even bother buying them much any more. It's a lot more fun to look for good bottles in the 20-30 range, for me, and I judge them by taste.
When it comes to MMO games, I've played so many, that I have context from which to judge such games. I haven't even thought twice about the money I spent on this game. I knew I was rolling the dice going in, and if the game sucked for me, I would have quit like I have so many times in the past.
In other words, if I had spent $150 on this game and it sucked, I would have been more upset about the lost potential for a fun game, than I would the $150.
If you follow the quests as your main source of leveling/rewards and if you don't like this type of "questing" (such as it is) then you will not like this game.
I feel that this game is about the crafting, the open world, the crime system, pvp, trading, and possibly the sieges.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
rpg/mmorg history: Dun Darach>Bloodwych>Bards Tale 1-3>Eye of the beholder > Might and Magic 2,3,5 > FFVII> Baldur's Gate 1, 2 > Planescape Torment >Morrowind > WOW > oblivion > LOTR > Guild Wars (1900hrs elementalist) Vanguard. > GW2(1000 elementalist), Wildstar
Now playing GW2, AOW 3, ESO, LOTR, Elite D
One month down the road for me, hit level 50 only yesterday and am still heavily enjoying the game. Kinda sad now that it's down for maintenance though. Haven't played any MMO since I quit Lineage II as intensively as I'm playing AA at the moment...
I've been playing for almost a month now, and I still have little idea what I'm doing , or how many of the game's mechanics really work.
This is a good thing. Mean's going into the 2nd month, I'm still excited to see what there is to learn and explore, and even though I'm building a throw away character, in a first for me, I look at is as a valuable learning experience that will help improve my go live experience.
Also, it's a heck of a lot of fun..... and I rarely use that word.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon
Same here for me, since Star Wars Galaxies, which I played for years. Out of the myriad of games I've tried since SWG, I've played most of them for 30-45 days at most and that far in I was forcing myself to log in. The only exception was WoW, which I played through to 70 on one toon, around the time BC came out.
In addition, I said hello to you in chat and even whispered you and you ignored me.
*runs out of room crying ...*
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
Yeah, still 'learning' the game here as well, and like you, having a heck of a lot of fun. I dare say even more than in Lineage II by now.
Today we (our guild) started pirating the enemy faction in Ynystere. Every incoming trader was our target while we were only with a small group (7 or 8). We made a lot of packs there and even a fully loaded merchant ship o_O Good profit there for us while having tons of tun!
[EDIT]
Oh yeah, yesterday finally hit the level cap and AA is actually the first MMORPG I've hit it, which says a lot for me...
Collectors additions typically come packaged with physical items, overpriced statues in many if not most cases as well as a $60 game, it's different than paying 150 for virtual items and access to a game that would otherwise be f2p.
you could buy most of that stuff post launch, or pay for premium access, the selling factor is most certainly access to the game.
You can look at it how you want and spend what you want, yet don't try and pass this off as anything more than selling it because they know people will buy it for that access.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
I would never pay $150, $250 or whatever the price for things like statues and physical maps or any other little trinket that sits on my desk or hangs on my wall. If I cannot use it in the game, if it is not in the game then I've no use for it. The 150 I paid for this game gives me quite a bit in game:
Cost:$150
List of what I get:
1. Alpha and Beta Access - Giving me a chance to flesh out my start for release.
2. 11,250 cash shop credits ($75 Worth) - Half my investment right here.
3. 4 Day head start - This gives me plenty of time to get my home setup, my gardens growing and more.
4. Title: Trailblazer + the lesser titles - These give me bonus's to all my stats from the start
5. 90 Day patron status: This also costs money so for however much a month is and that adds to the 150 I paid.
6. 6 Daru chests: These are kinda like random lockboxes, not exactly my favorite but its something to add to the 150 investment.
7. 10 Evenstones - These let you break down magic gear for dusts, can buy them in game cheap during alpha so meh.
8. 10 Hereafter stones - These let you use your travel book to open portals to recently visited locations. Helpful.
9. Glass Phoenix Glider - You get a basic glider shortly into the game but anything special like this is craftable but very difficult to gain materials to make them.
10. Desert Assassin Platemail - It claims to be an "outfit" and if it is like most of the fancy costume outfits in the game then it is very difficult to craft in game due to needed skill and materials. So, worth it - Add that to my $150 investment.
11. Custom Crest In-game: Do any other games even do this? and no this isn't a crest made from in game symbols and pictures this is something actually put into the game by you made by you with the only limit I am aware of is the size that will show up on anything you have that has a spot for a crest including your ships sails. How cool is that? so another bit of an investment for me from my $150!
12. 10 pet healing potions: Right now you can talk to a stablehand to heal pets and I think can make these in game but quite handy out in the field with your combat pets when they go down. Also want to mention that certain world bosses can actually be caught and turned into combat pets, cool eh? not as powerful as the world boss version but still sweet!
13. Founders Cloak: Create & upload an image to make a cloak all your own (with +3 to all stats!) again does any other game do this? I'm not sure but certainly a nice bonus - Another bit off that $150 I payed!
So we have 13 items in total. A combination of unique items, lesser items, in game currency, titles and usables in game plus alpha access for $150 so whats the problem? I think maybe alpha access cost me what? $10? $20? if that and yes possibly most of these things will more than likely be in the game for purchase at release and I could get them after release but hey why wait for later what I can be enjoying right now right?
If I could just buy it later in game and would plan to then why bitch about it? If you cannot afford the 150 then that is unfortunate but please do not come here complaining that its way overpriced even with the stuff you get? I mean really, which would I prefer... a $150 investment with all in game items or over $200 for some "Box" with little statues, maps, stickers and a few in game pets?
I know what you get, thing is that's not the main point of selling in this manner. You could buy that stuff at anytime after launch, but you can't play now unless you're willing to pay for all of that other stuff.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
You could possibly buy that stuff anytime after launch. Maybe. And even then it will probably cost more...a lot more. And as pointed out a hundred times. Most people didn't buy the game now JUST for alpha access. They bought it for all the other goodies. I bought the game and really not playing it a whole lot. And likely won't until it matters at release.
And why hack so much on AA? Everquest Landmark is doing the same thing. Shroud of the Avatar is doing the same thing. ESO basically did the same thing. And many other titles in development are doing the same thing. It is the new thing for these gaming companies to do that. Pre order or support the game by a certain date and pay a certain amount. You get Alpha or Beta access.
You could have played then if you were selected, there were quite a few who did play and didn't have to pay and there were even giveaways on some of the streams players did. However yes it is a new thing that companies "offer" early access for money and why not? they paid to bring it here, they paid to host it, to have it translated and westernized so why wouldn't they want to try to recoop some of their costs knowing that many would be happy to pay that much?
If you can afford it now and /will/would/ pay as much later for the same thing then why not now and play now? that is my feeling.