Removing a stigma for new players

Suggestions
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Microtransactions are in video games. How they are implemented is very important. I feel that Boundless handles these things fairly well.

Problem

That said, the stigma around “loot boxes” can damage a new player’s first impression of the game when they are opening feat/journal/level/plot boxes.

Even if it didn’t cost money to get cubits and open them, the apperence that it imprints will still sting the player. Sure, a person could look at thing objectively and understand how things work, but gaming is a huge market and most players don’t want to take the time to do that.

I’ve seen too many reviews of the game with thier playtime under an hour stating how they don’t want lootbox/pay2win mechanics.

Solution…?

I think the first step to removing this barrier for entry is changing how these systems are represented.

Things that can be done is removing the opening animation of theses boxes. Sure we all know you can instantly open it, but a new player might not, they’ll be “forced” to watch the “lootbox” animation they’ve grown to hate in other games.

Even further you could make them not look like boxes at all, of course it would take consideration to figure out a good way to make these changes, but I feel removing this “p2w lootbox” stigma is very important for gaining population of the game.

I’m not saying the system itself needs to change, but that how it is represented (especially to new players) can make or break thier decision to stick with the game.

Conclusion

A person staying in the game is almost as important as them buying the game, because the more people playing, the more others will want to get in on the game, and so forth.

What do you people think? How did you feel when you first started playing the game? What are your opinions now?

Let’s discuss!

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With how many times this has been brought up. And no word of possible change or any change to begin with I doubt it’ll change.

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It never bothered me. Pretty much every game I play has some sort of gift/loot/reward gift box that I get for some reason or another & I like getting them.

I am aware it bothers a lot of people though.

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Presentation! I said much the same a few months ago. A new player isn"t aware of the things an advanced player is. They only know what the game shows/tells them. Most often they base that on past experiences. In most, if not all, games today there is some kind of “lootbox” situation. So, simply removing the animation and making it a click here to collect x reward isnt necessarily the solution. That’s a tedium and usually implemented in rpg. Maybe having those rewards automatically gained could be a better approach. A little light show, and boom yoyve levelled up, or just boom youve completed x objective and received these rewards for youre efforts.

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I have a theory on this.

I feel like the devs are aware of this, but Square Enix sees the numbers and papers about how doing things this way encourages people to buy them, so they insist the devs keep it this way, therefore not allowing the devs to speak out about this.

I could be wrong, but prove it to me devs~

Yes! They are designed to be enjoyable to get and open, that’s what makes them sell! However, when you have other companies creating a stigma around these, you are doing more harm than good to the game’s population, and them in turn, profits.

I like this idea as well, though you do want them to be aware of what they even did to get the reward, however that is a problem that is present even now. Somtimes I’ll get a box and not even know what I did to do it, sure it has a title and I can use that title to research what it was, but I’m getting off topic now.

I think they have all these non-plot related boxes in order to normalize the experience, so that it’s not too out of place when you go plot shopping, but again, I feel that causes more harm than good.

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This^^

And this^^
The problem with this second bit isnt only presentation though, its more about knowledge. If you dont know that mining y amount of rock grants x objective, then flashing “strangly worded objective completed” informs me of nothing except that i did a thing.

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I agree. That’s why I :point_down: . I want whatever is best for the future of the game.

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You can’t buy boxes in Boundless :woman_shrugging:
Edit to add…but the cubits arrive in a crate so…ugh lol

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For instance, “To mine ore not to mine” is an objective, though which ore i need to mine is unclear unless i look at the objective itself. In most cases youve been mining for a while and boom objective completed go grab your lootbox and continue mining. Hopefully, youll complete another objective later.

All that being said, there is a list of objectives in one of the menus, so that you CAN see exactly what you must accomplish and its related rewards. And is a thing in most other games. Kill x amount of critters get x reward, travel to x location complete quest, receive x reward. Talk to x npc, learn new thing, receive x reward etc.

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Right, you spend money to get currency to then buy them. But I know what you mean lol

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Right, though clarity is another issue, not the stigma of loot boxes. One step at a time haha

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So, we say the presentation is the issue, not steps required. Why do i need an animated loot window to collect rewards, when ive already completed the objective? Just give me my rewards! I did the thing already, no more hoops! Is it the p2w deal or is it something else? The satisfaction(to me) isnt opening the box, its the reward inside the box. Take classic zelda games as an example. In the snes game a link to the past, you open a chest boom item received, in newer versions like ocarina of time, theres an animation of link opening the box then holding up the item triumphantly. Are we building suspense for a reason? Or just wasting time to make the game longer?

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Psychological studies (even some by EA) show that the flashy, suspense filled animations of loot boxes being opened generate happiness in users, making them enjoy doing these things, that’s why slot machines take a while to slow down, it’s part of the appeal.

Funny thing in Boundless, your reward isn’t randomized, which is good, but also makes the animation pointless, only making it seem more like a “gamblebox” that people have a stigma over.

I’m not saying players shouldn’t feel rewarded for completing a feat, but I feel the system needs to be redesigned, starting with the removal of the animation.

#removeTheAnimation

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Can we #blamejeff if this isn’t changed? @Jeffrotheswell :joy:

Also, #wewantpants…still
Sorry, i get a little carried away…

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& #wherestheumbris

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From the very first time they were introduced many people Including myself have said how tacky they are and give the wrong impression but it has never been commented on by a Dev so there’s probably very little chance they will ever change no matter how many people say the same thing … the only redeeming feature is the instant open option which bypasses the cheap gambling style graphics of hitting some sort of non existent jackpot.

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When were they added? I’m sure looking at the date that they were added and the gaming environment at the time could lead to interesting reason as to why they were.

This is obviously a Square Enix decision given the dev’s silence, so the question is, what can us, the actual residents of this voxel universe do about it?

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To be honest I can’t remember exactly, I think it was when 1.0 officially released (I’m sure someone will soon correct me if I’m wrong) … when I get some time I’ll look through my past posts as I commented on the same thing.

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That sounds about right. It was right around the time they announced cubits, and the SEC partnership iirc.

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Does other Sqaure games do this?