In game upgrades for a fee
Published on February 24, 2012 By StumpMan In Personal Computing

Wanted to get something off my chest. These 'Micropayments'. Seems you can't download an app now or find any 'free' game that doesn't have a $10-50 micropayment tied to it. I think it is a ripoff and a slap in the face to traditional gamers. Gone are the days where skill and practice get you by in a game. All you need is a big enough wallet and you can buy your way successfully. That doesn't make you a good gamer.

I guess I am nostalgic to when demos or free games actually had a few levels that you could play and then offered up at the end 'Get the full version for $xx'. Nowadays when I see something wanting me to advance to the next level by purchasing my way there, I delete the game. I don't want to be told 'Oh you would be soo much better in our solid bronze armor for $20, and the envy of all in your gold plated armor, for just $50 now.'

Things like that make me long for the games of old. Where is Commander Keen? Where is Roger Wilco? Where is BJ Blascowitz?

(Grumpy old man speech over, now get off my lawn!)

 


Comments
on Feb 24, 2012

Wanted to get something off my chest. These 'Micropayments'. Seems you can't download an app now or find any 'free' game that doesn't have a $10-50 micropayment tied to it.

Well, there is plenty of free games who don't need any "Micropayments' :

- open source game : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_open_source_games

- commercial games released as freeware : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_commercial_games_released_as_freeware

- freeware : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freeware_games

I don't post a list of shareware games because plenty of them ask money after some time or use the "micropayments" that you have so much...

Some will say that open source game are crap but it is mainly due to people downloading beta releases... the devs stage is a lot more long in open source that in commercial software because there is no financial reason who push them to release in a timely manner and it is usualy a hobby for them ( who mean a few hours working on it each week )...

By example, a good alternative for the microsoft flight simulator can be found at http://www.flightgear.org/ ... development was started in 1997... last stable release is only a few days old... almost 15 year work but the actual result ( work is not yet fully done ) is great... i have become a pro at crashing plane but at least, i can take-off now...

below, a ingame video :