How rockstar is (cleverly) scamming us

[Syndicate XII]

I actually think this update is brilliant. Put out a 2 part update where everything is high-end and luxurious to get all the people with hacked money to spend it.

 

it's working.

[TH3 S3LL0UT]

the small bank in paleto bay in story mode paying a ton of money, BUT THE LARGEST BANK IN LOS SANTOS IN ONLINE PAYS 1,250,000 ON HARD?!?!?!

 

 

I have to agree there. R* doesn't really explain why a small hillbilly bank holds more money than a big, expensive looking bank.

Edited July 9, 2015 by TH3 S3LL0UT

[Kaiju Blue]

 

the small bank in paleto bay in story mode paying a ton of money, BUT THE LARGEST BANK IN LOS SANTOS IN ONLINE PAYS 1,250,000 ON HARD?!?!?!

 

 

I have to agree there. R* doesn't really explain why a small hillbilly bank holds more money than a big, expensive looking bank.

 

They do, actually. The explanation is that pretty much all of the Blaine County police force accepts massive bribes from the people who make drugs up there, and deposit them in the Paleto Bay bank. Or something along those lines.

Edited July 9, 2015 by Kaiju Blue

[Nutduster]

Who cares what the story explanation is. The real answer is that they're never going to give you tens of millions in one go in Online because the whole point of playing it is to keep making money. That's the spine of the game and what keeps people invested in it. Single player can afford to make you insanely rich on one mission because there always comes a point where you stop playing single player - or start over again with no money.

[OfficialTwiggz]

I actually think this update is brilliant. Put out a 2 part update where everything is high-end and luxurious to get all the people with hacked money to spend it.

 

it's working.

Compared to what i, and many other players have....having your top selling vehicle as $2.2 million doesn't even scratch the surface of my wallet.

 

And the clothes are meh. Give me a mansion for $100 million, then we'll maybe talk about spending money lol

[GTA_dog]

I'm not being scammed. I bought the game for $60 and haven't spent a penny more.

 

Only to spend all of that money on a few car upgrades

 

 

Do contact missions. You can get $100k an hour at LEAST.

Only to spend $50k on turbo and 100% armor. That's an hour's pay spent in less than 5 minutes.

 

Makeup: $1k to $5k, costs around $20 IRL

A pair of jeans: $500+, costs maybe $100+ for designer jeans IRL, or reliable jeans for $45 IRL

Window tint: $1k to $5k, costs $200 for a sedan IRL.

 

If I lived in LS on Online, I'd be living in the streets just like all of the pedestrians.

Edited July 9, 2015 by GTA_dog

[Delminator]

People with no time = a working some one = money in the bank.

Money needs to be spent..

lol never bought a shark card and never will..

[LogScottWood]

Seems to be a bit of confusion here between a business plan and a scam.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Log

[AgentExeider]

 

People are still seeing Updates as presents from Santa Claus, instead of basically something to make you buy Cash Card.

 

lol.

Maybe that's because the majority of us have never bought a cash card, yet continue to receive free updates?

 

lol.

 

 

 

I've spent 149.99 on the game in 2013 and another 54.99 back in April. That's a total of 204.98 I've spent on the game which is actually a lot of money for me. I don't feel scammed at all though. I paid for the game and I got the game. I like the game so I bought it again. Free Online, DLC's and updates are extras, and considering that almost every dev releases day one paid DLC nowadays we're actually lucky to get not one but 13 FREE DLC's so far.

 

I have the ability to pretend that Cash Cards don't exist. I've never bought a cash card and, honestly, I don't care if they are there. People can buy what they want with their money and it's apparently contributing towards the free DLC's so that's good. It's either grind or pay and if you want my opinion - grind. Takes more time but is more fun and far more rewarding unless you're lazy. If you feel scammed, that's your problem. Others don't feel scammed so you shouldn't make them feel so.

I wish people would stop calling the DLCs free though, it's not like R* gives them to us out of the kindness of their hearts, they are paid for, by someone(IE Cash Card buyers), maybe not you personally, but they aren't truly free in the truest sense of the word.

 

When you receive something and don't pay for it, it's free. We receive the DLC without paying for it. It's free.

 

Understand now?

Yes I do, which means you're a freeloading mooch. In effect a leech sucking on R*'s lifeblood and contributing nothing in return.

[Kafonix]

It's wrong if you think that you owe the company anything.

I feel scammed if I get a product I paid for and the company made billions from and this very product still wants to suck the money out of me. I don't demand free stuff, but I want a product that is... well a product, not another selling machine.

 

You wouldn't buy a dishwasher that charges you for every dish.

[TheKingChivas]

 

 

 

I've spent 149.99 on the game in 2013 and another 54.99 back in April. That's a total of 204.98 I've spent on the game which is actually a lot of money for me. I don't feel scammed at all though. I paid for the game and I got the game. I like the game so I bought it again. Free Online, DLC's and updates are extras, and considering that almost every dev releases day one paid DLC nowadays we're actually lucky to get not one but 13 FREE DLC's so far.

 

I have the ability to pretend that Cash Cards don't exist. I've never bought a cash card and, honestly, I don't care if they are there. People can buy what they want with their money and it's apparently contributing towards the free DLC's so that's good. It's either grind or pay and if you want my opinion - grind. Takes more time but is more fun and far more rewarding unless you're lazy. If you feel scammed, that's your problem. Others don't feel scammed so you shouldn't make them feel so.

I wish people would stop calling the DLCs free though, it's not like R* gives them to us out of the kindness of their hearts, they are paid for, by someone(IE Cash Card buyers), maybe not you personally, but they aren't truly free in the truest sense of the word.

 

When you receive something and don't pay for it, it's free. We receive the DLC without paying for it. It's free.

 

Understand now?

Yes I do, which means you're a freeloading mooch. In effect a leech sucking on R*'s lifeblood and contributing nothing in return.

 

 

Silly, silly boy...I purchased the game. That's all you're required to do. By your reasoning, I'd be a mooch for buying a coffee then using the free sugar and milk instead of buying a bag of sugar and carton of milk. Someone pays for that sugar and milk, you know.

 

As for contributing...in addition to buying the game (twice, in fact, as I smartly upgraded to PS4), I play it. I help keep game lobbies full, as opposed the the glitch squad whose only purpose is usually free roam wars (and we all know how much this community loves that!) That's all the contribution anyone HAS to make.

 

Any more misguided thoughts you need corrected?

Edited July 10, 2015 by TheKingChivas

[gepi]

It's wrong if you think that you owe the company anything.

I feel scammed if I get a product I paid for and the company made billions from and this very product still wants to suck the money out of me. I don't demand free stuff, but I want a product that is... well a product, not another selling machine.

 

You wouldn't buy a dishwasher that charges you for every dish.

 

If they provided the detergents and maintenance without any extra costs, i might.

[AgentExeider]

As I awoke at 5:00 am this morning, it suddenly dawned on me, exactly what it is about the "status quo" supporters that rubs me the wrong way. And I think I finnally can put it into words. And to clearify I'm talking to the "It's Free DLC, because I haven't paid a cent for it." "Rockstar has got to make money, they are capitalists" "I haven't paid one cent into shark cards" "Cash Cards are optional" blah blah blah.

 

You are all a bunch of self righteous, hypocritical, freeloading mooches

 

These are the people who rail against anyone trying to start commentary about the current state of the game by calling people "Entitled" and engaging in straw man arguements by stating that these people want "everything handed to them on a silver platter."

 

These are also the people who justify R*'s actions as "well this is capitalism and they are out to make a profit."

 

These people are self righteous because they see themselves as better because they DON'T complain, as if staying silent and agreeing with the status quo is an act of valor. People who don't complain when things don't go there way, but also rail against anyone who doesn't hold this philosophy, attempting to silence anyone who has a disagreeable position to their point of view.

 

Now while normally, I can attribute this to "it's the internet" and could ignore it. I have realized that the very justifications as to why those that complain need to accept things, are the very things that they themselves also don't accept. Ironically these are also the people who consider themselves the "true blue fans" of R* and GTA.

 

So allow me to retort, Yes we understand that Rockstar is a company who seeks profits, and that we live in a capitalist society, yet you people obviously don't really believe in that other wise you would buy cash cards to support R*.

 

The fact that you don't buy cash cards means not only are you not contributing to the situation, but you are in fact taking away, you COST R* money. money that has to be recouped by other methods, part of which is by your fellow player who DOES buy cash cards to support those that do not. How fair is that, that your fellow player is paying for YOUR gaming because you refuse to contribute???

 

You are enjoying content that you have not paid for, and being true believers in capitalism this shouldn't stand, you would go out of your way to pay for this stuff because after all, we live in a captialist society where we pay for things that we want.

 

So you believe in capitalism enough to use it as a cudgel to shut people up, but not enough to actually contribute to the situation. Hmmm.....especially since your "TRUE" fans of GTA and R*, but you have no problem in taking everything they offer for free.

 

And of course these are the same people who say that the $60+ we paid doesn't count because that was for GTA V not Online.

 

And yes, cash cards ARE optional, which means you as the freeloader have CHOSEN NOT to support R* by buying one, yes you are true blue fans alright.

 

I have now come to the conclusion that between the supposed "Entitled, who want everything handed to them on a silver platter" and the "self righteous, hypocritical, freeloading mooches." The latter group are more of a detriment to GTA, R* and this whole situation then the former.

 

And yes, I understand there are some actual "entitled, R* owes me everything" people out there, but I also know that there are alot of people who simply want a balanced, bug free, fun game and good product and are willing to champion that cause who get tossed into that pit of "entitled" because they dared open their mouth.

 

I mean taking a look at the state of the game, OBVIOUSLY this strategy that R* has done, clearly hasn't worked out the way they thought it would be, which is why update after update they are fixing FUN things, putting in things to buy they cost on average MORE and MORE money in a vain effort to heavily encourage (read: force) people to buy cash cards, with hackers around every corner, bugs and disconnections galore, and a content drought the equivelent of the dust bowl. Clearly this business model is only marginally succesful, IE. just enough to keep gas in the tank.

 

Now whether this was intended from the begining or has simply evolved over time, is a matter of debate that i'm sure could rage on for several hundred pages, and probably has on these forums. But I digress from this.

 

Simply put, If you don't buy cash cards, you're a freeloader, a mooch, you have no right to complain, nor place yourself above anyone who actually wants to see things change, if you do, you're being self-rightous. You don't contribute anything and in fact are a cost-center for R* and your fellow players, while at the same time using justfications of capitalism and profit motive as an excuse for why things are way they are and why they shouldn't change, while not paying your fair share yourself, which makes you a hypocrite. Of course you don't want things to change your getting all of the benefits without actually paying for them. Who WOULD want things to change under such a system?

 

Now obviously if you're a purchaser of cash cards, I was not talking to you, you DO contribute and therefore have valid points to make, this post was for the moochers.

 

 

 

 

I've spent 149.99 on the game in 2013 and another 54.99 back in April. That's a total of 204.98 I've spent on the game which is actually a lot of money for me. I don't feel scammed at all though. I paid for the game and I got the game. I like the game so I bought it again. Free Online, DLC's and updates are extras, and considering that almost every dev releases day one paid DLC nowadays we're actually lucky to get not one but 13 FREE DLC's so far.

I have the ability to pretend that Cash Cards don't exist. I've never bought a cash card and, honestly, I don't care if they are there. People can buy what they want with their money and it's apparently contributing towards the free DLC's so that's good. It's either grind or pay and if you want my opinion - grind. Takes more time but is more fun and far more rewarding unless you're lazy. If you feel scammed, that's your problem. Others don't feel scammed so you shouldn't make them feel so.

I wish people would stop calling the DLCs free though, it's not like R* gives them to us out of the kindness of their hearts, they are paid for, by someone(IE Cash Card buyers), maybe not you personally, but they aren't truly free in the truest sense of the word.

When you receive something and don't pay for it, it's free. We receive the DLC without paying for it. It's free.

Understand now?

Yes I do, which means you're a freeloading mooch. In effect a leech sucking on R*'s lifeblood and contributing nothing in return.

 

 

Silly, silly boy...I purchased the game. That's all you're required to do. By your reasoning, I'd be a mooch for buying a coffee then using the free sugar and milk instead of buying a bag of sugar and carton of milk. Someone pays for that sugar and milk, you know.

 

As for contributing...in addition to buying the game (twice, in fact, as I smartly upgraded to PS4), I play it. I help keep game lobbies full, as opposed the the glitch squad whose only purpose is usually free roam wars (and we all know how much this community loves that!) That's all the contribution anyone HAS to make.

 

Any more misguided thoughts you need corrected?

 

 

actually using the logic I often hear, purchasing the game gets you GTA V, you paid for the single player, which you got, Online was the freebie R* gaves us.

 

Simply playing the game does NOT make R* money, it in fact costs them money, so no you're NOT contributing, they are a capitalistic company out to make a profit after all. So buy them cash cards.

 

and you acting like a self rightous douche only further proves my point. TY

Edited July 10, 2015 by AgentExeider

[aaronBLUEeyes]

Didn't even read OP, try to use paragraph structure instead of one massive blob of text that nobody wants to read.

[blacknambala]

*facepalm* This argument again. I just can't even begin to comprehend the mass stupidity and frankly illogical arguments that are bandied about, with regards to this.

 

Microtransactions are here stay. Deal with it.

Edited July 10, 2015 by blacknambala

[paulmgrath]

 

Imo R* made billions profit through loyal gamers who bought game if they wanted to enforce a subscription model, which is similar to reguarly buying cash cards then they should bring online to other subscription based games levels. Fix bugs, connectivity and performance would be a start followed hopefully by the creator tool

Edited July 10, 2015 by paulmgrath

[AgentExeider]

*facepalm* This argument again. I just can't even begin to comprehend the mass stupidity and frankly illogical arguments that are bandied about, with regards to this.

 

I completely agree.

Imo R* made billions profit through loyal gamers who bought game if they wanted to enforce a subscription model, which is similar to reguarly buying cash cards then they should bring online to other subscription based games levels. Fix bugs, connectivity and performance would be a start followed hopefully by the creator tool

 

now see, this is something I could get behind, it would be fair and equitable for both R* and the community.

 

Likes to both of you...

Edited July 10, 2015 by AgentExeider

[blacknambala]

 

*facepalm* This argument again. I just can't even begin to comprehend the mass stupidity and frankly illogical arguments that are bandied about, with regards to this.

I completely agree.

Imo R* made billions profit through loyal gamers who bought game if they wanted to enforce a subscription model, which is similar to reguarly buying cash cards then they should bring online to other subscription based games levels. Fix bugs, connectivity and performance would be a start followed hopefully by the creator tool

now see, this is something I could get behind, it would be fair and equitable for both R* and the community.

 

Likes to both of you...

Reminds of another dense forum user that kept harping on about how flithy shark cards were, a week ago.

 

Here was my reply -

 

***I give just one where microtransactions ruined one game in it's entirety. Dead Space 3.

 

Dead Space 3 BREAKS the immersion in half every time a message pops up at the work bench saying "you can buy more resources on Xbox Live!". The curtain is yanked back, the wizard is exposed, you're sucked out of the experience, and you're reminded that not only is it just a game, but they want to remind you constantly that they want your money.

 

Does GTA V do that ? Of course not. They respect the gamers enough to be up front about the costs ie - Shark Cards. And the beauty of it is you don't need to buy them. Nor are you obligated to. At least they broke the mold by combining more of the art and less of the business.

 

Too many games that rely on heavy microtransactions don't and bludgeon them into games with the grace of a drunk elephant.

 

There are better, smarter ways to try and milk your players. Make them WANT to give you money, not FORCE them to.

 

I think GTA V got the balance right. And it's an awesome timesink. What better way to pass the time ?***

Edited July 10, 2015 by blacknambala

[TheKingChivas]

 

Simply playing the game does NOT make R* money, it in fact costs them money, so no you're NOT contributing, they are a capitalistic company out to make a profit after all. So buy them cash cards.

 

and you acting like a self rightous douche only further proves my point. TY

 

The $120 Rockstar got out of me for the game says otherwise, sir, and I only sound like a douche if you're as misguided as you are.

 

Keep them tears flowin', kids.

[rlr149]

Heists are actually completely useless since you get more or less the same payout doing missions... Expecially if you are playing with randoms.

you mean....... theres more than one way to play!!!

 

mind = blown.

[AgentExeider]

 

 

Simply playing the game does NOT make R* money, it in fact costs them money, so no you're NOT contributing, they are a capitalistic company out to make a profit after all. So buy them cash cards.

 

and you acting like a self rightous douche only further proves my point. TY

 

The $120 Rockstar got out of me for the game says otherwise, sir, and I only sound like a douche if you're as misguided as you are.

 

Keep them tears flowin', kids.

 

 

I'm only going by the logic I see on the forums by these people (btw, if you're not one of them or fitting into the catagory i'm talking about, then I apologize), they make the arguement ALL time time to the "entitled" folks that when they purchased the game, that money was going to purchase the single player experiance ONLY, and that online was a freebie and that they are entitled to nothing.

 

So by that logic, ONLY purchasing cash cards means you are contributing financially to R* and therefore have a right to complain.

 

I however respectfully disagree with the top paragraph logic, I think when you shell out $60 for a game let alone $120, that entitles you to a complete experiance..... oh damn, I used that word entitled again....

 

there is no misguidance at all, I'm simply using their own logic against them, keep in mind these are people who usually in the middle of railing against the "entitled" say "I don't see a problem, I haven't paid one cent for the content, it's all free" and wear that like a badge of honor and think that doesn't completely render their arguement invalid.

Edited July 10, 2015 by AgentExeider

[TheKingChivas]

All the same, you're basically excusing the ones who complain about cash cards yet don't purchase them or glitch.

 

I see where you're going, but I think it's a bit shaky how you're getting there.

[AgentExeider]

All the same, you're basically excusing the ones who complain about cash cards yet don't purchase them or glitch.

 

I see where you're going, but I think it's a bit shaky how you're getting there.

 

I'm saying is when you really think about it, those that don't purchase cash cards have no more a leg to stand on then the ones complaining about cash cards, what irks me is that they have this false superiority about it.

 

The only people who have every right to complain, yet don't are the ones who actually purchase cash cards.

 

 

my overall solution to the problem: subscription model, everybody pays, R* gets a steady cash flow from a larger group of people, meaning individual cost can be kept low, and everybody gets access to ALL the content they want, no segregation of the community, no paying individually for DLC, games get proper QA and with that hackers get kicked the f*ck out, economy gets balanced, servers get the maintenance they need, DLC comes out more regular and more qualitative, and more importantly, you get a better quality of players, people who actually want to play not troll/hack/etc

 

I mean seriously, it would fix SO many problems.

Edited July 10, 2015 by AgentExeider

[GTAVNoob]

I only paid once for the game. No scamming at all.

[invinciblejets]

Opening you're a goof.

Play destiny that's a scam if there is one.

Edited July 10, 2015 by invinciblejets

[Starsky83]

It's wrong if you think that you owe the company anything.

I feel scammed if I get a product I paid for and the company made billions from and this very product still wants to suck the money out of me. I don't demand free stuff, but I want a product that is... well a product, not another selling machine.

 

You wouldn't buy a dishwasher that charges you for every dish.

Im sorry but your not comparing apples with apples. Also you did get a product. So firstly, your money paid for a game which came complete with two modes being Story and gta online. Now stop, I can already see your tiny brain getting all sh*tty at me. So did the game play when you bought it for both of those modes? If yes then you got what you paid for. Then you get given FREE updates. Its is free as its up to you as to if you buy something and how you will 'pay' for it. Therefore its free because you have the option to either not buy anything or use gta money earned by playing the game thus no real irl money was exchanged, therefore by its very nature is free. Or buy cash cards ie spending real money.

 

Now to you trying to sound clever and instead looking like an uneducated fool.

 

A dishwasher is the most stupid item you could have chosen to compare this to but Ill run with it. You buy your dishwasher and use it. Thats like you buying GTA and playing it. Then it would be like the dishwasher company giving you upgrades to the dishwasher and saying you can either not use the upgrades (making them free but not in use ie upgrades are stored away for you) you could do some advertising for the company by holding demostrations at your house (time spent like grinding so it still free) or you pay us in cash for these upgrades.

 

Thats comparing apples with apples. Whereas what your implying in your dishwasher comparison is that everytime you start up GTA you have to pay to play it.

 

So in both GTA and the dishwasher the updates/upgrade cost money to produce. Not only in materials but in overheads too (if you dont know what overheads are, which I suspect you dont as anyone who does can already see R* side to this. Google it) However both R* and the dishwasher company are putting all their eggs into one basket in hoping that they get a percentage of people that will buy cashcards/pay cash.

Edited July 10, 2015 by Starsky83

[ten-a-penny]

You can do a heist once in SP.

 

You can do heists repeatedly online.

 

/thread

This.

Also making cash in SP is f*cking hard outside Heists. Whereas in MP doing Diamonds Are For Trevor alone twice can net you 23k at least.

[swooshboy]

 

All the same, you're basically excusing the ones who complain about cash cards yet don't purchase them or glitch.

 

I see where you're going, but I think it's a bit shaky how you're getting there.

 

I'm saying is when you really think about it, those that don't purchase cash cards have no more a leg to stand on then the ones complaining about cash cards, what irks me is that they have this false superiority about it.

 

The only people who have every right to complain, yet don't are the ones who actually purchase cash cards.

 

 

my overall solution to the problem: subscription model, everybody pays, R* gets a steady cash flow from a larger group of people, meaning individual cost can be kept low, and everybody gets access to ALL the content they want, no segregation of the community, no paying individually for DLC, games get proper QA and with that hackers get kicked the f*ck out, economy gets balanced, servers get the maintenance they need, DLC comes out more regular and more qualitative, and more importantly, you get a better quality of players, people who actually want to play not troll/hack/etc

 

I mean seriously, it would fix SO many problems.

 

 

So instead of the current system, where only those who actually want to spend their real money on in-game money do so...you would rather everyone having to spend their real money on subsidising content?

 

R* have said that they specifically chose the current system as no one HAS to buy cash cards - they are not essential for the experience - and they enable them to deliver the updates / DLC for free to all users.

 

You obviously somehow know that this method is not really working for them - "Clearly this business model is only marginally succesful, IE. just enough to keep gas in the tank" despite them choosing to continue with it.

 

You also seem to think that everyone paying the subscription would give them access to ALL the content they want - as if magically people would stop bitching about the latest content just because they are paying for it. Surely this would make the bitching worse?? People manage to moan about free content - god only knows how incensed they will be when they are having to pay for it (whether they like the content or not).

 

I also don't see how having a bit more money would enable R* to get rid of all the hackers and glitchers - if it was easy to do they would have done it already.

 

The QA is valid to a point - but even with a huge influx of money they could not get enough QA testers to mimic what happens when an update goes live to millions of people around the world.

 

Your final point about the subscription model ensuring a better quality of player is also laughable. Am sure there are plenty of people who have bought shark cards who are as happy to troll as the next person. Other games that feature paid for DLC are not immune to trolls etc, so no reason to think that thedse people would suddenly abandon GTA.

Edited July 10, 2015 by swooshboy

[Semaj 2JZ♢]

There is no scam with GTAO. There is nothing you can't get by just playing the game. Just because R* assigned a monetary value to it's cash system, some kids feel that makes it so.

 

However, there is nothing forced on anyone and cash cards will not grant you access to things that F2P players can't.

 

Until R* tries to sell things that you can't get by just playing, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT.

[ReaperCrew]

You scammed the time I wasted reading this sh*t.