Bones13 said:The plethora of “vanity” items, pets, mounts, and outfits, arose during the advent of free to play gaming. This allowed the micro-transactions that supportedthose games. These would also help support a subscription based game, perhaps with fewer players.
having some degree of available “fluff” obtainable, from the company (in game, or web store) would be useful for the following
1) allows support of the game (ongoing cost, and new development)
2) perhaps attract and keep new players
3) there are RPers who would want to be very discriminating about appearanc, itemization, and pet/mounts
I do think that a group/raid leader should have a toggle to turn vanity stuff off to improve gameplay in serious sessions.
Do keep in mind that EQ was the first graphical MMO when it came out. Computer graphics, and cooling were all quite poor at the time. My original game box had to be opened, with a box fan blowing on the MB and graphics card to prevent the game freezing up. Vanity gear would not have been possible back then. Absolutely avoiding all customization will certainly turn off a lot of today’s gamers. While I’m of EQ beta vintage, I do want this game to succeed for the long haul. We will need more players than just us old farts. If you are truly insistent on playing only the old game, perhaps EQ99 is still for you. They are already promising The game play style of old, with modernization of everything else. i want them to make a game that survives.
technically Meridian 59 was the first graphical MMO. Followed by Ultima Online. Then Everquest.
Vanity pets and other cosmetics typically serve no purpose in terms of gameplay and are usually just a way for companies to push micro transactions. I’m not interested in any of it.
Luckily VR has no cash shop so I’m hoping there will also be no cosmetic or vanity items. If there are then I’m hoping they are successful in implementing a feature where I can toggle those features off.
Olympeus said:Vanity pets and other cosmetics typically serve no purpose in terms of gameplay and are usually just a way for companies to push micro transactions. I’m not interested in any of it.
Luckily VR has no cash shop so I’m hoping there will also be no cosmetic or vanity items. If there are then I’m hoping they are successful in implementing a feature where I can toggle those features off.
I'm not going to go digging up the quotes, sorry, but it is my understanding that there may well be a cash shop, but not for anything that will effect your 'gameplay', ie. no pay-to-win. Also, it has been hinted that there will be some kind of cosmetics system, but that you can toggle it off.
Who would buy cosmetics that some or most people simply won't see? I guess *some* would, but *shrug* I wish VR wouldn't waste the effort even if it does make a little money.
Personally, I prefer they don't have any of that - if there was a cosmetics system that I would want to use (like the wardrobe system in LOTRO where you can 'store' and reuse items you have actually adventured in) I'd like it, but if it can be toggled off, it would be utterly pointless to me.
Targeting through a miriad of pixel pets has been an issue in the past for me actually.
I also agree with the person who mentioned the sound emotes, or fire dripping in bank off a mount, the pitter patter of a thousand invisible things...
If they were a common thing, it would certainly detract from the unique pet classes (summoner, necro*, sham wolf, dru fox)....