Yeah I don't really get the people who don't like MC3 just because the multiplayer has IAPs. I've used none and I'm on 65 level Besides, it's easy to collect coins in it. Well same for me. The hyped Nova 2, kind of a disappointment. I played campaign for a while and got bored. Opened multiplayer and it was dull compared to Modern Combat series. Maybe I'm just more of a war game fan rather than halo game fan Yeah MC3 was done a lot better than MC2, but tbh, I was expecting a little more. I hope if they ever release Modern Combat 4, they'll use better engine(not UE, I agree, takes ages to load and is full of crashes and bugs). I don't get your anger against IAPs... Sure I like DLC iap more, but what's the matter with IAPs if they're executed right? Same Well at least for the MC part.
Exactly ! The problem is some people have such blinkered vision they see the word IAP and then comes a 40 line post about why they hate the game and will never ever buy from that dev again (but they havent even tried it !) IAP's in games such as Bullet Time and Smash Cops is fine, its more a modern way of 'cheating' (In the old days you had lines of code you had to type in or 'pokes' which poked the memory of the game so you could cheat and add more lives). When IAP's are done wrong then yes they are very bad but i wouldnt lump in every single IAP game together. When done right IAP's are fine. Take Zombie Gunship, i was playing that game a lot, wanted a quick 'getahead' so i bought some IAP's just to get the guns working better, plus as i've said before if i've paid 69p for a game i'm quite happy buying some IAP's as often its a way to say 'thanks' to the dev. I mean people again dont realise that for 69p (99c) some of the games are superb, great value for money but i'm happy giving them a bit extra. The way i think is the game will do better, more chance of a sequel or the devs doing another great game. Nowadays everyone expects a game for 69p with 10000 levels and continous updates ! The interview with Gameloft was pretty good, again if they called it Dungeon Hunter Arena i think a lot of people wouldnt have had an issue but to destroy a great franchise and change it the way they did was appalling. He seemed to hint there will be some non-IAP games coming from Gameloft. If 'suddenly' Dungeon Hunter 4 came out at $4.99 with 'minor' IAP's and it wasnt arena based that would be great. But people have to calm down when they see IAP's, when done right they're not obtrusive at all, when done bad then yes it really is bad and ruins the game. But freemium isnt killing iOS gaming, its cheapskates. People who constantly wait for games to be free, support the devs and buy games ! There'll be no need for freemium if we did that.
That's exactly what I was saying. I differentiated between IAP and DLC. I welcome devs charging money to unlock extra levels and better weapons.
It's obvious, based on this interview, that the UE3 can't be used for real games with the current bunch of IOS devices .(well maybe ipad2 and iphone s can run it somewhat decently) . Gameloft developers seem to be strugling with the engine and that's why i think their WW2 fps (can't remember the name) was cancelled and we have yet, a year after epic's presentation , to see a proper game running on it (and when i say proper game i mean a game like modern combat 3 or shadowgun ) . No wonder things like afterlife are MIA , a full seven months after the alpha footage was posted on youtube , with no release date in sight .
As long as IAP isn't implemented into multiplayer, doesn't make me do OTT grinding, or isn't an IAP currency (mithril in Star Warfare), I don't too much mind it. However, these things are usually implemented into games and it's annoying. Plus, if I want to cheat, I'll expose a flaw in the game. The only game I've ever used cheat codes for on console was GTA. Even developers don't like IAP when it comes to puristic gameplay. I'm right there with them and the other players that dislike it. Unfortunately, this is the way of iOS.
The type of IAP that everybody dislikes is the exact type of IAP that Gameloft uses, and abuses, relentlessly and shamelessly. Their Freemium releases are crammed full of consumable purchases. Even when it's not that, they'll charge you $5 or more for a single in game weapon, or a car, or a horse or whatever. People says it's not bad if implemented properly or fairly, but Gameloft has never implemented it properly or fairly. They could, using this model, easily squeeze $20-100 out of people for what would have previously been a $7 game. It's like a pyrimid scheme or a ponzi scheme. It only takes advantage of certain types of susceptible/vulnerable people. That type of person doesn't hang out at Touch Arcade. That doesn't change the fact that what they are doing is unethical. This model is dishonest. It's only intention is to fleece as much money out of a certain type of person as it can get. It's like people who going around running schemes to defraud money out of the elderly. Some people are easily taken advantage of, but that doesn't make it right. If Gameloft's intentions were pure, they'd give away lite versions of their games, and then charge a single price for the full unlock. They have done that a few times in the past, but that's not what this is about. They have also abused Freemium pricing in multiplayer games, which really is the worst sin of all. Just look at the free+ version of Brothers In Arms. Shameless. Utterly, utterly shameless. Items cost coins. Coins cost money. Hence, items are not priced by the exact amount of money they cost. The actual price of items is diguised by coins. It's intentionally misleading. It's a consumer sham. It should be recognized as such. It should be made illegal, by the US government at least. This practice should be outlawed.
World War 2 game made with Unreal Engine? I thought it was based in Cold War time and more specifically to Vietnam War?
Didn't mean to make you lower your pennyloafers, pops well at least you know my thoughts on Gameloft. I'm still working on organizing an angry torch-and-pitchfork mob to ambush their sweatshops. You in or what, b'y?
Good article, thanks for posting. Seems like a freemium asphalt is inevitable based on his statement "But, there are some genres that make sense for the freemium model - racing games make sense, because you can buy more cars to go faster, for instance." RIP asphalt
I am willing to give Gameloft the benefit of the doubt for now. There have been enough games by them that I have enjoyed and after reading the interview, i am feeling good about what they have in store for 2012. They release 30 plus games a year and if they have already come to some conclusions about their experiments and plan to continue with freemium (+IAP), they should do fine. Looking forward to NOVA 3, Eternal Legacy 2(?), Sacred Odyssey 2(?), Asphalt 7, Shadow Guardian 2(?) and more Modern Combat.
lol im still not buying their games... Just wait till MC4 and NOVA 3 go freemium and stuff. Plus indie devs deserve money way more. Paid $0.99 for Puzzlejuice and its better than DH3 for free.
Best posting so far and right on, you're obviously one of the few smart guys who 'gets it' and understands what the problem is with that freemium crap. Then...sadly....there are those like Madman100, who, unfortunately, are the exact opposite. Just to name an example. Anyway, just wanted to applaude for that great posting. regards
Gonzague De Vallois, that name is weird The only game from Gameloft I have is Asphalt 6. And it is still fun.
Haha.. Let me be clear: I don't support or purchase those types of IAP, but I recognize why GL makes them. Freemium is a proven business model that works whether you like it or not. To say it's a scam or should be banned by the government..... yeah ok, that's gonna happen. First of all, why would the government get involved in the sales practices of a private business, unnafilliated with government in any way. Second, why would the government ban a business model that works... The fact is, TONS of people play these games. You don't have to like it. You don't have to play it. You won't be "swindled" if you don't.
I agree with you to a point, as always. You're correct in the essence that it shouldn't be banned by the gov or that it's a scam, but honestly I can't stand freemium. I think the problem is that people don't know what a premium game is like. Lots of people I know think the iPhone doesn't have any games outside of the Temple Run, Angry Birds, Tiny Wings, etc. The problem I've noticed is most people don't realize it's out there, premium apps never get the exposure they need to succeed. This happens with Gameloft too at times. They realize "Ding! Freemium apps are gonna be seen by a lot more people because they aren't as hardcore and awesome as our other games and will thus get more exposure.". The iOS market, like a lot of markets, is ALL about exposure. Personally I think freemium sucks because rarely do they make a good game and then make it freemium, but rather make a weak game and then make it freemium.
