It wouldn't necessarily put you against them though. It could make them your teammate.
Positive spin: the fact that Activision has a patent on this means other publishers can't do the same thing
Positive spin: the fact that Activision has a patent on this means other publishers can't do the same thing
Positive spin: the fact that Activision has a patent on this means other publishers can't do the same thing
I think this is a difficult thing to prove. Unless a developer comes out and says this is the algorithm we created for this very scheme, I have a tough time believing it.
In Cod (or at least the last couple) each new DLC introduces new weapons for buyers but they can only be obtained through supply drops.
Essentially triple dipping. Buy the game, buy the season pass, buy (or earn) loot creates to get the items you already paid for in the season pass.
I've experienced instances in Black Ops 3 of playing against players who have these weapons (sometimes really powerful weapons) that I don't have access to because I'm not a season pass holder, even on base game maps. Which in turn, means I'll never buy another CoD game again till they change this.
Applying current machine learning techniques to stuff like this was the natural step for games as a service.
Game design is all about tricking the player to feel stuff so when you mix that with micro transactions you get this. Parts of the game made just to make you want to buy stuff and you are unaware of that most of the time. But the message still gets to you.
This is found all over advertising and web services. Its how the world runs today and this big companies will use whatever they can to make money.
So in theory all those purely cosmetic gotcha game items could be pay to win as they'll match you with lower level/new players.
I'm not sure what word best describes this. But I really don't like this.
I think this is a difficult thing to prove. Unless a developer comes out and says this is the algorithm we created for this very scheme, I have a tough time believing it.
"For instance, the microtransaction engine may match a more expert/marquee player with a junior player to encourage the junior player to make game-related purchases of items possessed/used by the marquee player. A junior player may wish to emulate the marquee player by obtaining weapons or other items used by the marquee player."
"In a particular example, the junior player may wish to become an expert sniper in a game (e.g., as determined from the player profile)," according to the patent. "The microtransaction engine may match the junior player with a player that is a highly skilled sniper in the game. In this manner, the junior player may be encouraged to make game-related purchases such as a rifle or other item used by the marquee player. "
Micro transactions are cosmetics a majority of the time and Destiny as an example has several interludes in PvP where you can admire them.But then you wouldn't likely notice what gear they're using, right? Usually that info is surfaced to you in your death screen "killed by ___ with ___".
You should have finished reading the article before naming the topic as such. The article doesnt explicitly say this is what Activision does. Merely that they filed a patent for the practice. Article mentions that they reached out and would like to hear back from
Wait.. does this mean COSMETIC micro-transactions can become Pay-2-Win because you will get matched against more junior (and thus inexperienced) players more often? Or if it's "match WITH", as in same team, does this mean cosmetics can be Pay-2-Lose?
That's insanely scummy, but are they actually going to implement it? Or will it remain nothing but a patent, like MCDONALD'S!!!
The part about deliberately matching players with those above their skill level seems very risky. I think the data has shown that players don't like getting destroyed, and it can make them drop a game pretty quick.
However, making your store highlight items that better players were using seems like it could work. It's just changing the matchmaking algorithm itself that seems dangerous.
Positive spin: the fact that Activision has a patent on this means other publishers can't do the same thing
In Cod (or at least the last couple) each new DLC introduces new weapons for buyers but they can only be obtained through supply drops.
Essentially triple dipping. Buy the game, buy the season pass, buy (or earn) loot creates to get the items you already paid for in the season pass.
I've experienced instances in Black Ops 3 of playing against players who have these weapons (sometimes really powerful weapons) that I don't have access to because I'm not a season pass holder, even on base game maps. Which in turn, means I'll never buy another CoD game again till they change this.
Fuck microtransactions and to be quite honest, fuck the weak willed simpletons that perpetuate them.
MCDONALDS!!!
Article title is misleading as it makes it sound like Activision already does this. It should be more like How Activision Plans to use Matchmaking Tricks...
Article title is misleading as it makes it sound like Activision already does this. It should be more like ”How Activision Plans to use Matchmaking Tricks..."
Activision was granted a patent this month for a system it uses to convince people in multiplayer games to purchase items for a game through microtransactions.
The "System and method for driving microtransactions in multiplayer video games" was filed in 2015, but granted on October 17th, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
A system like that is downright psychological exploitation.
Advertising in general is light years beyond this and has been for decades
Advertising in general is light years beyond this and has been for decades
Oh you motherfuckers.
Exactly the kind of underhanded bullshit made possible with online microtransactions.
First paragraph:
Advertising in general is light years beyond this and has been for decades
A system like that is downright psychological exploitation.
Pretty much. People not even blinking an eye at the amount of ads we get served nowadays is a testament to this.
I know. And it is too. But I don't pay for advertising.
When I constantly lose matches to a super skilled player, it doesn't make me want to take a look at what they're using. It makes me want to stop playing.
I get their logic, but I don't know that it really works the way they think it does.
Article title is misleading as it makes it sound like Activision already does this. It should be more like ”How Activision Plans to use Matchmaking Tricks..."
But yeah, I'm glad I don't plan on playing any CoD or Destiny games that may use this anytime soon.
This doesn't sound like something I've ever noticed. Maybe it shows up in Call of Duty more often?