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Shadow of Mordors true ending - Grinding or Lootboxes

Maximus P

Member
And I suggest not supporting games that pull this shit. Contrary to popular belief: you don't need to support AAA bullshit to enjoy gaming. I find it amazing how some people's eyes widen in disbelief when someone even hints at avoiding AAA games.

"But but but how?!"

Easily, my friend.

Come on now, this isnt just AAA games, I only used them as examples of other games that would have to be avoided.

I could say that you shouldnt visit you mobile phones app store either. Mobile gaming is the king of microtransactions.It isnt just AAA games that look at other avenues for extra income.

I just don't think this game solely should be avoided as some sort of scape goat for what the industry has become.
 

Lanrutcon

Member
call of duty, overwatch, league of legends, heroes of the storm, dota 2, gta, fifa, forza, battlefront 2, PUBG...

...I mean all the biggest games, currently in the world, have a form of lootbox.

So

Uh

And I play none of those and still have a backlog from this year only that I won't be able to finish before 2018. Don't act like there aren't enough games to play that don't pull lootbox bullshit.
 
And I play none of those and still have a backlog from this year only that I won't be able to finish before 2018. Don't act like there aren't enough games to play that don't pull lootbox bullshit.

At the same time, don't act like games that do use loot boxes are completely awful and not worth playing?
 

cormack12

Gold Member
Thought the first game was interesting but got really dull. They haven't lost my money because I wasn't likely to buy this anyway, but that's disgusting. Sounds like a tacked on 'f2p' mobile game at the end.

Publishers are trying to get devs to lock players into an ecosystem. It's not going to work. There are too many other games to play. Same with open worlds. Running through massive empty fields is ok the first time and discovering/exploring. But in terms of replayability, it's like they're not even bothered. Hook them once and get them to stay in there as long as possible so they grow to get bored of the game or get addicted.

Sports games like PES/FIFA/NBA etc. are now all about virtual currency and levelling while the underlying games really have long standing issues that are making such small steps of improvement. Now we have this shite from an action game. Multiplayer FPS are all about unlocking items and XP with copy/paste campaigns, most without even co-op. RNG is rife as well. All of these affect the gameplay. Same as the decision to switch a game to more 'open world' from a more focused linear direction.

I guess I'm just bitter. We're living in an age where all the little mechanics and subsystems are better than they've ever been, graphics and lighting are outstanding yet they're mostly wrapped in an empty husk of enjoyment. And the player is forced to peel back more and more shells to get to the actual enjoyment.

I remember growing up and thinking wouldn't it be cool if I could do this in a game, wouldn't it be cool if I could have more players with me, wouldn't it be cool to see the environment react to damage etc. Not once did I think, I wish I could push up for hours and run through empty fields, I wish I had to earn stuff in this game doing things I'd rather not be doing.

So this can join the pile of games that I will never play. Not even pick up when it hits a low price point. Because what I've just read disinterests me extremely.



Disclaimer: That's not saying certain games don't do RNG or replayability well. Take Diablo 3. Immensely replayable and the end game is basically a grind.
Even Destiny 2, I let the dust settle after the initial outcry to see how bad it was. I've never paid for anything and I fully accept it affects the endgame but ultimately it's quick action and replayable, but doesn't try and trap me. There are only a few ways to level up near the end so when I've done them I don't feel like the payoff of the grind has not been worth the rewards.
 

Hjod

Banned
That's weird, who would have thought the game would somehow get grindy when they added loot boxes 🤔.
 

oti

Banned
That's weird, who would have thought the game would somehow get grindy when they added loot boxes 🤔.
Apparently the entire grind is located after the ending to get the true ending. So you can play through the game without any grind just fine.
 
Thank god Arkham games are over and won't be tainted with this WB obsession of lootboxes.

They could always they re-release these games in yet another collection or just update with a patch and add lootboxes, like it happened with CoD4 and Two Worlds 2. Better not give them ideas, though.
 

d9b

Banned
€69.99 is the price they ask for this game (standard edition) in GameStop Ireland (that's $78).
WB can fuck off. Hopefully game will be bomba, together with all the other games using this scummy f2p BS in fully (over)priced product.
 

oti

Banned
Microtransactions or mad grind for the true ending
Or five sounds of searching "Shadow of War true ending YouTube". I get why some people don't want to do that, but I don't care about unlocking true endings in general. I watch them on YouTube and just move on.
 
At the same time, don't act like games that do use loot boxes are completely awful and not worth playing?

It's true, though. There are enough excellent games out there with perfectly acceptable business models that nobody ever has to buy a full-priced game with a loot box economy. It absolutely isn't worth supporting these practices; you're only ensuring they'll get worse and worse.
 

Hjod

Banned
Apparently the entire grind is located after the ending to get the true ending. So you can play through the game without any grind just fine.

So I need to grind to get the true ending, or buy RNG boxes to get better Orcs to speed it up.

I'm not suprised at all. I'm passing on this game. I don't mind if people buy this and enjoy it, but I can't support rng loot boxes in a SP game, I just can't.

I don't want a freemium experience in a 60$ SP game.
 

grmlin

Member
At the same time, don't act like games that do use loot boxes are completely awful and not worth playing?

You either stay to your principles or you don't and have to live with the result.

For me, Lootboxes and F2P mechanics affecting gameplay have no place in full price singleplayer games. The only thing left is not to buy it, it's that easy.
Sadly I grew up in a completely different gaming world and most people today don't give a shit.
 

Renekton

Member
Or five sounds of searching "Shadow of War true ending YouTube". I get why some people don't want to do that, but I don't care about unlocking true endings in general. I watch them on YouTube and just move on.
Right, so youtube the cutscenes instead of playing the game I bought.
 

m_dorian

Member
Apparently the entire grind is located after the ending to get the true ending. So you can play through the game without any grind just fine.
\
So there are two games, the Shadow of War game and the True Ending SoW with grind.
We are in such luck to buy 2 games at the price of one...
 

oti

Banned
So I need to grind to get the true ending, or buy RNG boxes to get better Orcs to speed it up.

I'm not suprised at all. I'm passing on this game. I don't mind if people buy this and enjoy it, but I can't support rng loot boxes in a SP game, I just can't.

I don't want a freemium experience in a 60$ SP game.

If you care that much about the true ending after the regular ending and you don't want to look it up on YouTube, yes. Better skip it. There are tons of other great games out anyway.
 

JTCx

Member
lmao fuck this game. I will be saving my $60.

Thanks.

Whats disturbing is the amount of people who are trying to justify this shit.

"But but in RPGS you grind, so its ok!"

Dont act like the devs didnt purposely bloat this game to sway you into buying these scam boxes. lul.

Fuck off WB.
 

oti

Banned
Right, so youtube the cutscenes instead of playing the game I bought.

If you're hell bent on playing to get the true ending, sure. You are playing the game you bought to the regular ending without any need of loot boxes is the general consensus of the reviews.

I just don't care. I didn't do everything to get the true ending in Kingdom Hearts or Assassin's Creed. I just enjoy the game and look up the stupid cutscene afterwards, which most likely is not worth getting hung up over anyway.
 

watdaeff4

Member
Or five sounds of searching "Shadow of War true ending YouTube". I get why some people don't want to do that, but I don't care about unlocking true endings in general. I watch them on YouTube and just move on.

I did that for Arkham Knight. And frankly....for me....I'm very glad I did as I would have been pissed if I went through the Riddler grind.
 

Hjod

Banned
If you care that much about the true ending after the regular ending and you don't want to look it up on YouTube, yes. Better skip it. There are tons of other great games out anyway.

I don't really care about the true ending, I care about game design being negatively affected by loot boxes. I loved the first game, so it sucks, but I got my principles.

But everybody is free to do what they want :).
 
Or five sounds of searching "Shadow of War true ending YouTube". I get why some people don't want to do that, but I don't care about unlocking true endings in general. I watch them on YouTube and just move on.

First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

Before you decry me for using something like this, as insenstive, no I don';t think microtransactions are as bad as literal holocaust, I am using poem, because of it's basic message being incredibly fitting.

Sure, you aren;t obligated to care if they locked a feature you don't care about behind this disgusting wall. But you don't get to complain then, when they lock something you love behind lootboxes.
 

Renekton

Member
If you're hell bent on playing to get the true ending, sure. You are playing the game you bought to the regular ending without any need of loot boxes is the general consensus of the reviews.
Yeah but still you gotta agree that purposely making the true ending mad grindy to bait microtransactions is pretty sketch.
 
You either stay to your principles or you don't and have to live with the result.

For me, Lootboxes and F2P mechanics affecting gameplay have no place in full price singleplayer games. The only thing left is not to buy it, it's that easy.
Sadly I grew up in a completely different gaming world and most people today don't give a shit.

*Shrug*

I've played League of legends before and after they added loot boxes, and that game had an unquestionably ridiculous grind to get to a 'competitive' state as a player.

That's why I'm fine with this type of implementation. As long as the game is fun, and as long as they don't lock things out completely behind loot boxes, it's fine.
 

oti

Banned
I did that for Arkham Knight. And frankly....for me....I'm very glad I did as I would have been pissed if I went through the Riddler grind.
Same. I could invest my time in other games instead.
I don't really care about the true ending, I care about game design being negatively affected by loot boxes. I loved the first game, so it sucks, but I got my principles.

But everybody is free to do what they want :).
Sure, do what you think is correct. :)
Before you decry me for using something like this, as insenstive, no I don';t think microtransactions are as bad as literal holocaust, I am using poem, because of it's basic message being incredibly fitting.

Sure, you aren;t obligated to care if they locked a feature you don't care about behind this disgusting wall. But you don't get to complain then, when they lock something you love behind lootboxes.
No, Hentailover. A poem about the Holocaust has no place in a conversation about stupid loot boxes in a stupid video game. Wtf.

Yeah but still you gotta agree that purposely making the true ending mad grindy to bait microtransactions is pretty sketch.

100%. It's the attempt to get whales to spend tons of money. That's always awful.
 

grmlin

Member
*Shrug*

I've played League of legends before and after they added loot boxes, and that game had an unquestionably ridiculous grind to get to a 'competitive' state as a player.

That's why I'm fine with this type of implementation. As long as the game is fun, and as long as they don't lock things out completely behind loot boxes, it's fine.

LoL costs 60€ and is a SP game? I didn't know that.

I play World of Warships and spent more money on it than I'm willing to admit. BUT, this is a frigging f2p game and I accepted the business model because I had a great time with it. Thats a completely different beast.
 
LoL costs 60€ and is a SP game? I didn't know that.

I play World of Warships and spent more money on it than I'm willing to admit. BUT, this is a frigging f2p game and I accepted the business model because I had a great time with it. Thats a completely different beast.

It's ok to spend a shitload of money on an F2P game with grinding aspects, while it's not ok to spend 60 dollars on a game, decide not spend a shitload of money on loot boxes, and instead choose to grind out something that's doable with time?

...Surely you see the irony in that? I've spent more on League of Legends than I have on any game this generation. And that game is free.

At the same time, if I get wardor, I know for a fact I'm not gonna buy boxes, and if it's a fun game, then I'll grind out the true ending.

Like...there is an irony to be had here, that one is ok and one isn't. Loot boxes suck, yes, but let's not believe we're a part of a morale high ground when it comes to predatory practices. You've spent money on World of Warships, I've spent loads of money on League of Legends, probably more so than we'd put in any other game.

As long as the game is fun, that's fine.

Now, where I take a stand is Clash Royale tactics of locking progression behind chests. IE, Battlefront 2 seems to be going down that route.

To reiterate, if the reviews are true, Wardors progression isn't completely locked behind chests. You can choose to grind it out in what it sounds to not be an impossible grind. Whilst games like Clash Royale, League of Legends, Battlefront 2(From what we've seen), progression is locked behind chests or behind an amazingly huge grind that seems impossible to surmount the longer the game exists.

WAIT

SOMEBODY USED A POEM ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST TO EQUATE THIS LOOT BOX SITUATION

OH LORDY

OH MY LORD

THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT
 

legend166

Member
Just a reminder, video game publishers are collectively making billions of dollars in profit per year while crying poor and claiming the only way they could scrounge together enough cash to continue making games is to bring the mobile gaming paradigm to console gaming.

Here's what the major publicly traded companies made last financial year.

EA: $967 million
Activision-Blizzard: $966 million
Ubisoft: $656 million
Take Two: $67 million*
Bandai Namco: $388 million
Square Enix: $176 million
Paradox: $29 million
Konami: $221 million
Sega Sammy: $238 million
Capcom: $70 million
THQ Nordic: $8 million

But keep defending dodgy business practices!
 

Alfredo_V

Neo Member
How unstrategic to say it's the "true ending". Why not say it's a alternative or extra ending instead, bad use of words here.
 
Or five sounds of searching "Shadow of War true ending YouTube". I get why some people don't want to do that, but I don't care about unlocking true endings in general. I watch them on YouTube and just move on.
Or how about being able to access the content of the game you bought for $60 in a reasonable timeframe?
 
Here's what the major publicly traded companies made last financial year.

God, they're barely scraping by! I can see how it's my duty as a brick-in-the-wall, worker bee consumer drowning in student debt to help them out however I can. Someone bring me my wallet.
 

shimon

Member
I wonder if they really delayed the game to quickly add this horrendous market system. Some reviewers said it looks like it was added last minute.
 
Or how about being able to access the content of the game you bought for $60 in a reasonable timeframe?

hmmmm

"This game better give me every inch of content in a reasonable timeframe"

boy

Let me tell you about FFX and unlocking/seeing all the content..or Persona 4 and getting all the social links to max..or the Silent HIll series that requires you to replay the game multiple times in specific ways in order to see all the endings...etc

The point is, games requiring multiple playthroughs/grinding/doing tedious shit to see all the content isn't anything new.
 
God, they're barely scraping by! I can see how it's my duty as a brick-in-the-wall, worker bee consumer drowning in student debt to help them out however I can. Someone bring me my wallet.
These poor almost bankrupt companies can't even pay taxes or they will go under I gotta grab my bag of gold to save these billion dollar company's
hmmmm

"This game better give me every inch of content in a reasonable timeframe"

boy

Let me tell you about FFX and unlocking/seeing all the content..or Persona 4 and getting all the social links to max..or the Silent HIll series that requires you to replay the game multiple times in specific ways in order to see all the endings...etc

The point is, games requiring multiple playthroughs/grinding/doing tedious shit to see all the content isn't anything new.
Persona 4 or silent Hill don't lock content behind absurd grinds that you can pay to skip.
 

grmlin

Member
It's ok to spend a shitload of money on an F2P game with grinding aspects, while it's not ok to spend 60 dollars on a game, decide not spend a shitload of money on loot boxes, and instead choose to grind out something that's doable with time?

...Surely you see the irony in that? I've spent more on League of Legends than I have on any game this generation. And that game is free.

At the same time, if I get wardor, I know for a fact I'm not gonna buy boxes, and if it's a fun game, then I'll grind out the true ending.

Like...there is an irony to be had here, that one is ok and one isn't. Loot boxes suck, yes, but let's not believe we're a part of a morale high ground when it comes to predatory practices. You've spent money on World of Warships, I've spent loads of money on League of Legends, probably more so than we'd put in any other game.

As long as the game is fun, that's fine.

Now, where I take a stand is Clash Royale tactics of locking progression behind chests. IE, Battlefront 2 seems to be going down that route.

To reiterate, if the reviews are true, Wardors progression isn't completely locked behind chests. You can choose to grind it out in what it sounds to not be an impossible grind. Whilst games like Clash Royale, League of Legends, Battlefront 2(From what we've seen), progression is locked behind chests or behind an amazingly huge grind that seems impossible to surmount the longer the game exists.

WAIT

SOMEBODY USED A POEM ABOUT THE HOLOCAUST TO EQUATE THIS LOOT BOX SITUATION

OH LORDY

OH MY LORD

THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT

I completely understand your point, but it will get worse and worse with every new game.

A f2p game like World of Tanks, World of Warships or Warframe constantly evolve, they get new content all the time.
It's a service that needs to be paid.

This game here is pay once and thats what you get. thats different, if you don't see it, well, have fun playing it :)
 

EmryX

Neo Member
Loot boxes in a Lord of the Rings game ?
Need loot boxes to not be a pain in the ass to finish the game ?

Well fuck you Warner Bros, not buying.
 

oti

Banned
Or how about being able to access the content of the game you bought for $60 in a reasonable timeframe?

That would be optimal. But again, I don't care enough about a cutscene to grind my way through the endgame if I could just look it up on YouTube.

I get this is conversation about principles and that's fine. For me, I have come to terms with annoyances such as the grind as long as I can enjoy my time with it and have fun. If you want to do the grind, do the grind. If you want to spend money for stupid loot boxes with garbage digital goods, it's your money. I've got my own time and money budgets to allocate the way I find optimal. If companies don't provide an optimal package for me, that's fine. I can optimise it myself by just enjoying the campaign and look up the cutscene.

It's not perfect but I don't expect every game to be optimal for my needs. That's for me personally. On the macro level, loot boxes won't go away as long as people purchase them and the government doesn't regulate them. I've come to terms with that.
 
I completely understand your point, but it will get worse and worse with every new game.

A f2p game like World of Tanks, World of Warships or Warframe constantly evolve, they get new content all the time.
It's a service that needs to be paid.

This game here is pay once and thats what you get. thats different, if you don't see it, well, have fun playing it :)

Yeah but, loot boxes aren't required to get to the ending? Games like World of Tanks/Warships or Warframe, sometimes have an immense grind before you can even see higher levels of play or get to play with different suits/tanks/ships, that it becomes easier to just buy it.

For Wardor, it seems like if people choose to go do the true ending, they can speed it up with boxes, or they can grind it out. Grinding isn't new to video games. It didn't start with loot boxes. It's always been a facet of certain games. And that's fine.

Now, where I would stamp my foot, is if they locked different fortresses to loot boxes, or they cut the game up and required you to buy loot boxes or do an immense grind in order to get to different sections of the game. But from the sounds of it, the whole game is playable just fine without them. There is a bonus ending at the end, and that's gotten after a grind. And that's fine to be honest, since at that point you've seen all of the game except the last ending..
 
That would be optimal. But again, I don't care enough about a cutscene to grind my way through the endgame if I could just look it up on YouTube.

I get this is conversation about principles and that's fine. For me, I have come to terms with annoyances such as the grind as long as I can enjoy my time with it and have fun. If you want to do the grind, do the grind. If you want to spend money for stupid loot boxes with garbage digital goods, it's your money. I've got my own time and money budgets to allocate the way I find optimal. If companies don't provide an optimal package for me, that's fine. I can optimise it myself by just enjoying the campaign and look up the cutscene.

It's not perfect but I don't expect every game to be optimal for my needs. That's for me personally. On the macro level, loot boxes won't go away as long as people purchase them and the government doesn't regulate them. I've come to terms with that.
If your apathetic about the issue then why are you here? I mean no disrespect but if you genuinely don't care about the issue I don't understand why you would defend shitty policies, policies you have said are annoying.
 
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