Crash Team Racing Nitro-Fueled (June 21st, 2019)

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

9 minutes ago, Your Vest Friend said:

Those people are wrong then. Like I said, I saw a bundle of him with Zam and Zem. It appeared three times during the Nitro Grand Prix.

You sure you're not thinking of the "CNK Characters" cosmetic character icon bundle? If it was in one of the smaller slots rather than where the larger bundles usually are, that's probably what it was.

Anyway, on the bright side to Activision's skulduggery, they've at least fully confirmed Brio, Nina, and Moe now. (I wonder if they'll be spooping it up in October.)

[SonicWind]

DAMMIT, Activision. Welp, there goes my optimism. You can't keep greed out of your heads for one minute, can you?

I'm still playing the game, but I'm sure as hell not buying into their microtransactions crap.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

30 minutes ago, Your Vest Friend said:

Those people are wrong then. Like I said, I saw a bundle of him with Zam and Zem. It appeared three times during the Nitro Grand Prix. 

I think you're referring to the Stickers pack bit, which is cosmetic. Especially since literally no one else has reported such a bundle. 

1 hour ago, Jango said:

That's a reality in literally every online game. Pretty sure you know that.

No it isn't. I don't see why you're so determined to defend the business practices of greedy companies like Activision,  but the reality is that a competent/legit company actually gets these sort of problems ironed out.

52 minutes ago, Sean said:

https://blog.activision.com/crash-bandicoot/2019-07/Get-Ready-to-Go-Prehistoric-The-Back-N-Time-Grand-Prix-is-coming-to-Crash-Team-Racing-Nitro-Fueled-on-August-2nd

Welp,  that's officially another thing that TSR has over this game.

22 minutes ago, CC14 of Doom said:

they've at least fully confirmed Brio, Nina, and Moe now

Where???? Don't see any sign of that.

[NegaMix]

I honestly haven't been keeping up with game recently, thanks to the online multiplayer ranging from lackluster to outright infuriating. The single-player content's fine, but not enough to keep me from playing other games right now.

But if micro-transactions are on the way, then I think I'm done with this game. Doesn't help that the upcoming Grand Prix is completely uninteresting to me, and I don't think even Spyro is gonna be enough to keep my interest.

8 minutes ago, Jovahexeon Ogilvie Maurice said:

I think you're referring the Stickers bit. Especially since literally no one else has reported such a thing.

No, there was definitely a bundle containing N.Trance, Zem and Zam. I've seen it pop up a few times in my Pit Stop after purchasing some characters.

[TheOcelot]

1 hour ago, Jango said:

Here's some gameplay... Without music? Level looks awesome tho', better than Twilight Tour IMO:

Oh my God, the baby characters only have a voice modulator, that's kinda lazy hahaha Funny neverthless.

I like the design of the new track. Different routes,  twist and turns, lots of boost pads and plenty of areas where you can make-up time. Looks fun. Looks a lot better than Twilight Tour which I find rather dull.

As for the mictro-transaction bullshit. Sadly was inevitable. Activison ain't gonna get another penny out of me.

Has anyone received the Champion kart (for finishing within 5%)? I haven't received it yet.

[Graystripe2000]

The press release said the coins bundles are “purchasable from their game console stores”. They may be referring to the PSN, Xbox Store and Switch eShop, instead of in-game.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

14 minutes ago, TheOcelot said:

Has anyone received the Champion kart (for finishing within 5%)? I haven't received it yet.

Nope. I haven't gotten mine either.

[Jango]

39 minutes ago, Jovahexeon Ogilvie Maurice said:

No it isn't. I don't see why you're so determined to defend the business practices of greedy companies like Activision,  but the reality is that a competent/legit company actually gets these sort of problems ironed out.

Yes, it is. You surely isn't familiar with online gaming for what I see. How is the company responsible for players disconnecting online? Lag and loading times are issues to any online game, unless this is your first time playing online, which I doubt, I wonder why you keep acting surprised. See how long it took to games like Red Dead Redemption 2 fix their online servers. I gotta handle to you, some complaints are valid like the Pit Stop rotation and low Wumpa Coins reward rate offline, but the video you shared? There's nothing wrong there.

So, microtransactions are in, but unlocking things by playing the game is still a thing. What's the problem I'm not seeing here? Honestly curious. If anything, here's an easy and quicker option for those complaining about not having enough coins to buy an item they want when it's available. The "when" being the only downside. If they change that, I wonder what would be the next complaint. "-Now anyone can buy everything right way using their mom's credit card and I'm forced to look at it online!".

[Echidna Adventurer CC14]

39 minutes ago, Jovahexeon Ogilvie Maurice said:

Where???? Don't see any sign of that.

Bottom of the blog post that dropped the microtransaction bomb:

A peek at what’s next

Now that you know all that’s coming with CTR’s mad dash into the past with the Back N. Time Grand Prix, we also want to give a little glimpse into what the future holds. It’s no secret that Spyro is crashing the Crash Bandicoot party in Grand Prix Season 3 (and we can’t wait to give you the full details on his season as we get closer to it).

But we’re also excited to let fans know that they can expect more of their favorite characters from the Crash Bandicoot universe to join in on the Nitro-Fueled fun in the seasons after. Get ready for characters like N. Brio, Nina Cortex, and Komodo Moe to start shredding up the racetrack soon!

 

[Ryannumber1gamer]

1 minute ago, Jango said:

So, microtransactions are in, but unlocking things by playing the game is still a thing. What's the problem I'm not seeing here? Honestly curious. If anything, here's an easy and quicker option for those complaining about not having enough coins to buy an item they want when it's available. The "when" being the only downside. If they change that, I wonder what would be the next complaint. "-Now anyone can buy everything right way using their mom's credit card and I'm forced to look at it online!".

How do you not see the problem? Let me put it this way - you see every single thing that this game has been getting shit for since launch in terms of unlockables - including - rate of grinding wumpa coins, overpriced items, the atrocious pit-stop rotation, and the atrocious bonus hours online, all of that was added for the sole purpose of making the game a completely boring slog so that you will be tempted over and over again to shell out more cash for the microtransactions.

This is why the pit stop is the way it is, as is Grand Prix exclusives. Because when you see that item in the shop, and you have no more bonus hours to grind out coins quickly, you're going to sit there, tempted to buy Activision's bullshit coin packs to get the item you want now instead of waiting and possibly missing it. That's the design at play here, to screw around with your mind and tempt you to pay up.

But if you really want me to take you on with this point, and want to now defend Activision and/or Beenox literally ruining the gameplay experience to fit in their microtransactions - here's why it's a problem - the game and it's grind is now a monotonous, boring, and frustrating wait to get an item you want. The game itself is hindered due to how much grinding you have to do to get just a few collectables. Everything regarding unlockables is now revealed to be in support of a terrible microtransaction. The awful Pit Stop layout trying to entice you to spend money so you can get an item before it's out of rotation, the long grind to get enough coins even to buy one item that tries to entice you further with the idea of "it's easier".

That's the core idea behind this little scheme. The game itself has to suffer by making the game much more boring to play so that you'll be tempted to buy the coins because "it's easier". That's the whole point. The game spreads out it's wumpa coin rate to be as low as possible, and to make it that it takes forever to unlock items at a decent rate, so that you'll say "it's easier and less frustrating than grinding for it". 

In fact, if you ever need to use the justification of "it means less having to play the game in order to unlock something", that just shows a staggering problem in of itself with how the game is designed.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

On 7/30/2019 at 12:45 PM, Jango said:

Yes, it is. You surely isn't familiar with online gaming for what I see. How is the company responsible for players disconnecting online?

It seems you misunderstood the problem established in the first place again.

The problem obviously isn't just players disconnecting. It's the shoddy network code. And it seems like this company's priorities were seeped more in micro transactions than actually ironing those out as players requested. 

On 7/30/2019 at 12:45 PM, Jango said:

So, microtransactions are in, but unlocking things by playing the game is still a thing. What's the problem I'm not seeing here? 

You mean aside from the fact that they purposely made a grindy system that puts people who don't want to pay through the wringer? That instead of addressing those issues raised now they'll just point to this microtransactions system as the supposed "answer"?

I recall you way ago, actually saying you critiqued the notable issues,  but your current stance has well contradicted that notion.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

11 minutes ago, Jovahexeon Ogilvie Maurice said:

You mean aside from the fact that they purposely made a grindy system that puts people who don't want to pay through the wringer? That instead of address those issues raised now they'll just point to this microtransactions system as the supposed "answer"?

I recall you way ago, actually saying you critiqued the notable issues,  but your current stance has well contradicted that notion.

Let's not forget the fact that they've been changing things for the worse post-launch, offline coins received a massive nerf and don't fall under weekend bonus anymore.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

15 hours ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

What infuriates me the most about this is that the functionality is already literally present in game. If you buy any of the GP limited stuff, like karts, or costumes, it will automatically cycle through into the next item, which is usually just a regular base game item. 

Ugh.  Tell me about it. It's like how stuff from the Pit stop or even stuff supposedly exclusive to the Oxide Edition, still seem functioning on the default edition of the game.

Rather frustrating and almost seems taunting. 

[Wraith]

24 minutes ago, Jango said:

 

So, microtransactions are in, but unlocking things by playing the game is still a thing. What's the problem I'm not seeing here? Honestly curious. If anything, here's an easy and quicker option for those complaining about not having enough coins to buy an item they want when it's available. The "when" being the only downside. If they change that, I wonder what would be the next complaint. "-Now anyone can buy everything right way using their mom's credit card and I'm forced to look at it online!".

artificially creating a problem with your $60 premium release and then charging extra to fix it instead of just fixing it is a textbook example of trying to exploit your user base. 

Activision has been enforcing mtx post launch to avoid dealing with bad press for a little while now. It deserves to be called out for what it is: manipulative and exploitative.

[Jango]

23 minutes ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

How do you not see the problem? Let me put it this way - you see every single thing that this game has been getting shit for since launch in terms of unlockables - including - rate of grinding wumpa coins, overpriced items, the atrocious pit-stop rotation, and the atrocious bonus hours online, all of that was added for the sole purpose of making the game a completely boring slog so that you will be tempted over and over again to shell out more cash for the microtransactions.

This is why the pit stop is the way it is, as is Grand Prix exclusives. Because when you see that item in the shop, and you have no more bonus hours to grind out coins quickly, you're going to sit there, tempted to buy Activision's bullshit coin packs to get the item you want now instead of waiting and possibly missing it. That's the design at play here, to screw around with your mind and tempt you to pay up.

But if you really want me to take you on with this point, and want to now defend Activision and/or Beenox literally ruining the gameplay experience to fit in their microtransactions - here's why it's a problem - the game and it's grind is now a monotonous, boring, and frustrating wait to get an item you want. The game itself is hindered due to how much grinding you have to do to get just a few collectables. Everything regarding unlockables is now revealed to be in support of a terrible microtransaction. The awful Pit Stop layout trying to entice you to spend money so you can get an item before it's out of rotation, the long grind to get enough coins even to buy one item that tries to entice you further with the idea of "it's easier".

That's the core idea behind this little scheme. The game itself has to suffer by making the game much more boring to play so that you'll be tempted to buy the coins because "it's easier". That's the whole point. The game spreads out it's wumpa coin rate to be as low as possible, and to make it that it takes forever to unlock items at a decent rate, so that you'll say "it's easier and less frustrating than grinding for it". 

In fact, if you ever need to use the justification of "it means less having to play the game in order to unlock something", that just shows a staggering problem in of itself with how the game is designed.

So you're saying is: (example): if I get my wallet and spend my own real life money to buy a princess Coco skin because I'm mentally weak and/or have a sadistic anxiety for immediate completionism, that's not my fault? What you say it's a bad design choice may be true only for some people, perhaps most people indeed. You have your point, it's fine. You gave me the answer I've asked for, thank you

I'll keep playing the game and unlocking stuff at my own pace during the weekends kicking online butts during wumpa time without spending a cent of my hard earned money. Again, like I said many times, the only downside I see is the rotation system, which sucks for sure. I'm sorry if the whole system bothers you that much tho', but there's nothing much we can do about it. IIRC, you were fully aware of that possibility even before the first GP because yeah, it's sadly an Activision game... 

[Tornado]

4 minutes ago, Jango said:

Again, like I said many times, the only downside I see is that the microtransactions don't allow Crash's head to come out of the screen and wrap tightly around my penis.

Anything else, or are we done blowing major corporations for shitty business practices just because of the name in the title?

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

11 minutes ago, Jango said:

Again, like I said many times, the only downside I see is the rotation system, which sucks for sure.

Actually, you also said you'd be against them nerfing coin rates. Which they did. But you seem to be all fine and peachy with them being predatory now.

Heck, you also said that them adding microtransactions would get your criticism. That clearly wasn't the case.

Now you're trying to defend them clearly not giving a rat's rear about legit network problems on the side,  in addition to them making things worse.

[Jango]

4 minutes ago, Tornado said:

Anything else, or are we done blowing major corporations for shitty business practices just because of the name in the title?

Wait, then I guess we didn't bought the same game after all! I'm sorry for the confusion everyone  

It sucks that it came down to this, microtransactions are a sad reality, for big and small games... 

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

20 minutes ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

Let's not forget the fact that they've been changing things for the worse post-launch, offline coins received a massive nerf and don't fall under weekend bonus anymore.

It's overall a predatory and hostile means of getting more "playtime " out of players and a means of them supposedly keeping the game alive. Either charging players or making the game their part-time jobs.

[Ryannumber1gamer]

10 minutes ago, Jango said:

So you're saying is: (example): if I get my wallet and spend my own real life money to buy a princess Coco skin because I'm mentally weak and/or have a sadistic anxiety for immediate completionism, that's not my fault? 

When triple AAA game companies manipulate and intentionally fester on that kind of thing, no it isn't your fault. 

Not only is that just an idiotic strawman, but you saying that is basically like saying it's the fault of Problem Gamblers, or hell, children if they're enticed into this shit. No, it isn't their fault, because these greedy shits intentionally prey upon them and stack their games to be like that to play on people's problems. If you want an actual video that shows how damaging this shit is - 

Let me spell it out to make this as clear as possible - these companies intentionally do this shit to mentally manipulate and prey upon people with problems in order to make more and more money. Problem Gamblers and children especially are susceptible to this, because the former have a problem, and the latter don't know any better. So what, do you want to tell me it's their fault that these companies are literally pulling out every dirty trick they can to get as much money from them as possible?

Not to mention the number of stories that have arisen in the years following these practices. Kids being bullied in schools for not having special cosmetics in games, gamblers who were trying to deal with their problems turning to games for help, only for games to begin feeding on their problems for more money, multiple stories of children overspending in these games because they had no idea what they were doing and didn't know they were spending real money. 

So no, frankly, don't even begin trying to give me this whole spiel about "it's our fault for having problems with this or that". Fucking no. These companies do not deserve blame-shifting for their predatory bullshit.

[Jovahexeon Jax Joranvexeon]

On 7/30/2019 at 1:31 PM, Jango said:

It sucks that it came down to this, microtransactions are a sad reality, for big and small games... 

Huh. That's funny. I don't see them in big games like Smash or Mario Kart. Or small games either, whatever you mean by that. Sure,  yeah, they're common in mobile games and/or games made by the likes of EA or Activsion, but they're more the example that's not recommended to follow.

Heck, I don't see them in most console games not made for a cheap buck normally.

What do you even mean with "reality" if it's clearly not what you think it means?

[Jango]

1 minute ago, Jovahexeon Ogilvie Maurice said:

Actually, you also said you'd be against them nerfing coin rates. Which they did. But you seem to be all fine and peachy with them being predatory now.

Heck, you also said that them adding microtransactions would get your criticism. That clearly wasn't the case.

Now you're trying to defend them clearly not giving a rat's rear about legit network problems on the side,  in addition to them making things worse.

I said I would IF the microtransactions became the ONLY way to buy stuff. Wait, they nerfed the Wumpa Coins again?

As for the network problems, I had very little (and my internet speed is balls). But if they exist, they should fix it, of course.

[Sonictrainer]

You know what would also be nice?

If you could use any Decal on any Kart.

[Jango]

1 minute ago, Jovahexeon Ogilvie Maurice said:

Huh. That's funny. I don't seem them in big games like Smash or Mario Kart. Heck, I don't see them in most console games not made for a cheap buck normally.

What do you even mean with "reality" if it's clearly joy what you think it means?

Nintendo isn't the only company in the world, you know. Uncharted 4 have it. GTA V have. Red Dead 2 have it. These are big, award winning games that have microtransactions. And it's even worse in those examples because the microtransaction itens actually give an advantage over other players, they're not just cosmetics like CTR.

[DabigRG]

2 hours ago, Ryannumber1gamer said:

It's like that this game was intentionally designed with bullshit grinding in order to give incentive for purchasing coins, and this bullshit design was added into the game to begin with, and Activision was attempting to get good PR points by not adding microtransactions from the beginning, only to add them later when everyone already bought the game.

Activision's officially shoved a Crash game with their microtransaction bullshit, what a quick way to ruin someone's day Acti.

Oh, wait, is that what' that's talking about?