[Hexus]Nvidia’s F2P in-game cash bundle

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A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
4,902
5
81
PS2 and WOT are pretty good games, especially for the price. Never played Hawken, but the graphics look good.
 
Feb 19, 2009
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I'm playing WoT, but it doesnt give a damn about GPU really unless you have some crap iGPU.. its still single threaded and all the bottleneck on their maps are on the CPU side. I have everything maxed, 8xMSAA and my 7950 is pegged at 60fps and ~30% load.. on some maps its like 40fps and still ~30% GPU load.
 

badb0y

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2010
4,015
30
91
PS2 and WOT are pretty good games, especially for the price. Never played Hawken, but the graphics look good.

I agree those games are terrific for being free.

The bundle basically gives you money to buy shit in game, the games themselves are free to play for anyone.

IMO, I hate this F2P model where people can just pay to get gameplay advantage. I've seen it ruin games like Diablo 3 because every credit card warrior will be better geared than you just because he has the money. On the other hand games like PoE use this model to sell cosmetic stuff which I can support because they don't gives you any gameplay advantage over others.
 
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Grooveriding

Diamond Member
Dec 25, 2008
9,147
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I agree those games are terrific for being free.

The bundle basically gives you money to buy shit in game, the games themselves are free to play for anyone.

IMO, I hate this F2P model where people can just pay to get gameplay advantage. I've seen it ruin games like Diablo 3 because every credit card warrior will be better geared than you just because he has the money. On the other hand games like PoE use this model to sell cosmetic stuff which I can support because they don't gives you any gameplay advantage over others.

It's the future of gaming. Gaming is so much bigger today than it was just 10 years ago. The natural evolution is going to be pay for power, pay for prestige and essentially pay to beat the game. Sad state of affairs.

Going forward more games will be designed around the notion of encouraging in game monetary transactions to complete the game. Diablo 3 is the first major casualty. Blizzard's next unannounced MMO will most certainly be pay for power/pay to win, probably free to download and free to login to with massive in game transactions. Games like Battlefield 3 are doing it by selling you all the unlocks for a fee etc.

More and more games are going to this model and designing themselves around encouraging in game transactions. I think the market is changing as it grows from players who play games for a challenge or adventure to more casual gamers who just want to play through a game with no resistance. Games are made to be accessible and figured out in the first 10 minutes via tutorial these days. Compare Diablo 3 to Diablo 2, the former is an arcade spam game while the latter was an RPG rife with customization and depth.
 
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SPianw

Junior Member
Aug 29, 2009
2
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wait, world of tanks is a 3d vision title now? awesome, last time i played it (long time ago honestly, most of the time i played it was closed beta) it had too many 3d issues to be playable, i'm gonna patch that right now to check it out!

hawken i'm also very excited for (can't wait to see how the oculus experience is..), and all my friends have been playing planetside like crazy, so to be perfectly honest, this is probably my favorite free gamestuff with new graphics card deal i've seen in a long time, (well, actually, that free dirt 3 with an order of a 5770 was pretty slick)


i will admit it is somewhat irrational, there's an "i'd love to get that as a freebie or a christmas gift or something but would have a hard time justifying getting for myself" element factoring into why i like this so much (whereas, say, bioshock infinite is something i'll be playing regardless)
 

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
This creates awareness for World of Tanks and have been meaning to try it out though. Where some see comedy and laughter, World of Tanks may the most popular title in the world, with around 45 million registered players -- that's a ton and very surprised by this.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_of_Tanks

The game is huge in Eastern Europe. You know what else is huge in Eastern Europe? Spending a lot of $ based on popularity of brand names like Nike, Apple, Nvidia, Gucci, Dolce and Gabbana. Smart move, smart move by NV.

I'm playing WoT, but it doesnt give a damn about GPU really unless you have some crap iGPU.. its still single threaded and all the bottleneck on their maps are on the CPU side.

Pretty much unless you are playing at 1600P. The game is very CPU limited.

It's the future of gaming. Gaming is so much bigger today than it was just 10 years ago. The natural evolution is going to be pay for power, pay for prestige and essentially pay to beat the game. Sad state of affairs.

Spot on. Dead Space 3 had something like 11 DLCs on launch day and micro-transactions to complete the game. Although you could get those free.

The future of gaming is going to include even more DLC/Season Passes, repackaging a $60 game into a $60 + $30-40 DLC/Season Pass game or alternative model of Free to Play but to win you'll have to buy a lot of items which ultimately would make the game cost more than $60 or otherwise they would be no point going towards that model unless it made developers more $$.

Good to see some competition in the game bundle space between NV and AMD.
 
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chimaxi83

Diamond Member
May 18, 2003
5,457
63
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Lol, You see these ridiculous "business moves" by an obviously desperate company because they do not have any other options. They have no new technology to overtake anything out there now, and to even move one of their products off the shelves, will give away money to make it happen.

-Keysplayer.

:thumbup:

This is as ridiculous a "business move" as I've seen in recent memory.
 
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SPianw

Junior Member
Aug 29, 2009
2
0
0
^so, noob (to the forums) question, is this just a really facetious/sarcastic community or is this forum actually that bad
(not necessarily the whole forum, but some of it?)

edit: like both of those posters have a fairly large number of posts :/ is it just a matter of filtering out the sillies?
 
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RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
^so, noob (to the forums) question, is this just a really facetious/sarcastic community or is this forum actually that bad
(not necessarily the whole forum, but some of it?)

edit: like both of those posters have a fairly large number of posts :/ is it just a matter of filtering out the sillies?

Keysplayer is an Nvidia focus group member who downplays any advantage AMD might have over his employer. When AMD announced the Never Settle gaming bundles last fall and again the Reloaded bundles this year, he called AMD desperate and sighted this as a pathetic business move to even move any cards. Yet the same poster tripped over himself recommending GTX650Ti with the atrociously optimized console ported AC3 game over a 35% faster HD7850. Now he has nothing to say about his employer's response to match the Never Settle Reloaded bundle with some F2P game bundles.

The other posters are merely pointing out the blatant bias and irony of his posts regarding the Never Settle bundles.
 

notty22

Diamond Member
Jan 1, 2010
3,375
0
0
Lot of irony around here.

Haters are going to hate. The gtx 660 came with Borderlands2 and Batman at launch. Those didn't count, you can't count those costs off the price of the card. And you literally can't of course. The offer sucks/sarcasm.

Nvidia helped put out the free dx11 Crysis 2 patch. It sucked of course/sarcasm. Worst game ever.

Crysis 3 free beta MP- Is Nvidia involved with that? If then---it sucks/ sarcasm.

Pinball machines did this 20 years ago. On your last ball.....
Hey you, do you want to go for the high score....insert another quarter! lol
never liked that!
 

SirPauly

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2009
5,187
1
0
wait, world of tanks is a 3d vision title now? awesome, last time i played it (long time ago honestly, most of the time i played it was closed beta) it had too many 3d issues to be playable, i'm gonna patch that right now to check it out!

hawken i'm also very excited for (can't wait to see how the oculus experience is..), and all my friends have been playing planetside like crazy, so to be perfectly honest, this is probably my favorite free gamestuff with new graphics card deal i've seen in a long time, (well, actually, that free dirt 3 with an order of a 5770 was pretty slick)


i will admit it is somewhat irrational, there's an "i'd love to get that as a freebie or a christmas gift or something but would have a hard time justifying getting for myself" element factoring into why i like this so much (whereas, say, bioshock infinite is something i'll be playing regardless)


WOT rating is excellent for stereoscopy compatibility in the control panel but may be wrong! Also curious about the Oculus Rift.
 

badb0y

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2010
4,015
30
91
Lot of irony around here.

Haters are going to hate. The gtx 660 came with Borderlands2 and Batman at launch. Those didn't count, you can't count those costs off the price of the card. And you literally can't of course. The offer sucks/sarcasm.
That's absolutely incorrect, both Borderlands 2 and Batman AC are universally praised AAA titles. If you can pull up any specific posts to back up your post where people say it doesn't count in purchasing decisions, please do.


Nvidia helped put out the free dx11 Crysis 2 patch. It sucked of course/sarcasm. Worst game ever.

Crysis 2 as a game itself sucked ass. It was an on-rails shooter and boring a fawk. The graphics it launched with weren't that impressive either and the graphics patch was released later on. You know how the saying goes, the first impression is the last impression.

Crysis 3 free beta MP- Is Nvidia involved with that? If then---it sucks/ sarcasm.

Both nVidia and AMD are involved with Crysis 3 just like both were involved in BF3. I have already seen people post that the visuals aren't that superior to Crysis 2 but if the gameplay is good the graphics can take a back seat.

Pinball machines did this 20 years ago. On your last ball.....
Hey you, do you want to go for the high score....insert another quarter! lol
never liked that!
I don't even know what this is referring to or what it means. Are you saying that nVidia offering in game credit for F2P games is as baiting as a pinball machine when you are on your last ball?
 

thilanliyan

Lifer
Jun 21, 2005
12,084
2,281
126
It's an interesting move...

First FPS, then smoothness, and now interest!! So THAT is the yardstick now?!! My nVidia card has more interesting/$ than your AMD card!! So HA!!!

Lol I'm just kidding. Seriously, I'm just kidding...just bored right now. :D
 

Phynaz

Lifer
Mar 13, 2006
10,140
819
126
I think Keys is upset about the spot Nvidia has put him in - here's what he PM'd me:

You are clueless - What an F'ing baby you are.
Who here thinks I'm clueless? I happen to think I've got a pretty good clue. As a matter of fact if you look in the AMD bundle thread I predicted this would happen.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=34583263&postcount=117

Except I didn't know Nvidia's knee jerk reaction to AMD would be so lame.

Well, it just so happens that you're clueless about one of the rules - it is not allowable to post PMs without the sender's permission. If there's a problem with a PM, use the report button at the bottom (just like reporting a post) -Admin DrPizza

Edit: I've been educated by the Doctor ():)
 
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DarkKnightDude

Senior member
Mar 10, 2011
981
44
91
I gotta admit, AMD's game bundle is far better then this F2P nonsense. Only game I like out of the 3 F2P games they listed is Planetside 2 which is half broken and barely uses your cpu. HAWKEN needs more maps before it becomes entertaining.
 

Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
21,219
56
91
I think Keys is upset about the spot Nvidia has put him in - here's what he PM'd me:



Who here thinks I'm clueless? I happen to think I've got a pretty good clue. As a matter of fact if you look in the AMD bundle thread I predicted this would happen.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showpost.php?p=34583263&postcount=117

Except I didn't know Nvidia's knee jerk reaction to AMD would be so lame.

I think you're clueless and really do hate me personally.

For one, you attack ME and my opinion without me even participating in this thread yet. You should have just attacked the subject. It would have been a smarter thing to do.
For the next, you seem to think that Nvidia is as desperate as AMD is. If anything, this is a nice PhysX bundle from NV to promote their tech.
This very well could be a knee jerk to address the incredible bundle AMD offered as well. I don't discount that, but you thought I might I suppose.

Like I said. Clueless.
 

Phynaz

Lifer
Mar 13, 2006
10,140
819
126
I didn't attack you at all Keys. I just quoted something you wrote. That was all, it wasn't even directed to you.

Are you so on edge that you see a direct quote as an attack on you? Maybe, since you are the one that had to resort to name calling. Or is it that you can only be quoted when it makes you appear in a positive light?

I don't know, If I were as emotional about this forum as you appear to be I would take some time off.

Oh, and I don't hate you at all, you're just an an anonymous person on the internet. Why in the world would I put in the emotional energy to hate you?

Let's quote another one of your PM's to me:
I don't like you

Now, have I every said anything like that to you?
 
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Keysplayr

Elite Member
Jan 16, 2003
21,219
56
91
I didn't attack you at all Keys. I just quoted something you wrote. That was all, it wasn't even directed to you.

Are you so on edge that you see a direct quote as an attack on you? Maybe, since you are the one that had to resort to name calling. Or is it that you can only be quoted when it makes you appear in a positive light?

I dunno, If I were as emotional about this forum as you appear to be I would take some time off.

Oh, and I don't hate you at all, you're just an an anonymous person on the internet. Why in the world would I put in the emotional energy to hate you?

Let's quote another one of your PM's to me:


Now, have I every said anything like that to you?

Yes. You just did. Congratulations. And my instincts were apparently correct.
 

3DVagabond

Lifer
Aug 10, 2009
11,951
204
106
Lol, You see these ridiculous "business moves" by an obviously desperate company because they do not have any other options. They have no new technology to overtake anything out there now, and to even move one of their products off the shelves, will give away money to make it happen.

-Keysplayer.

Classic case of foot-in-mouth.
 

RussianSensation

Elite Member
Sep 5, 2003
19,458
765
126
Haters are going to hate. The gtx 660 came with Borderlands2 and Batman at launch. Those didn't count, you can't count those costs off the price of the card. And you literally can't of course. The offer sucks/sarcasm.

Proof? When did anyone of us downplay the value of BL2 and Batman games? Many people here recommended GTX670s over 7970s when those bundles went into effect. Stop making up facts. The only bundle that was downplayed was AC3 because GTX650Ti was going for $150 and get destroyed by 35% by the HD7850. The trade-off for terrible gaming performance long-term wasn't worth the GPU performance downgrade. In the case of AMD bundles, HD7850/7870/HD7950/7970/7970 cards are not behind NV's card by 35%. Therefore, there is no GPU performance trade-off to be made. In many of those cases, the AMD cards are faster and cost less and overclock better.

helped put out the free dx11 Crysis 2 patch. It sucked of course/sarcasm. Worst game ever.

Don't mix and match poor tessellation coding (invisible ocean, concrete barriers) in Crysis 2 and Crytek's inability to deliver on what was supposed to be a graphical slam dunk, and an open-world successor to Crysis 1. Crysis 2 was a let down for many since because of the gameplay and graphics, not because it was a TWIMTPB title. Most people were disappointed by Crysis 2 due to Crytek, not NV.

Crysis 3 free beta MP- Is Nvidia involved with that? If then---it sucks/ sarcasm.

Crysis 3 is now an AMD Gaming Evolved title and people still continue to be disappointined/criticize it for its graphics / required level of GPUs to max out the Beta. No conclusions have been made about SP campaign or the full game however. No one cares if C3 is an AMD GE or a TWIMTPB title. We are judging it solely based on the promises of Crytek and the hype Crytek created for the the game in what it's supposed to deliver PC gaming -- like Crysis 1 or Far Cry did in the past.

It seems you are trying to find NV vs. AMD in every post, which is why your mind tends to gravitate towards seeing bias in nearly every response.

For the next, you seem to think that Nvidia is as desperate as AMD is. If anything,this is a nice PhysX bundle from NV to promote their tech.
This very well could be a knee jerk to address the incredible bundle AMD offered as well. I don't discount that, but you thought I might I suppose.

AMD offering AAA game titles for free is desperate but NV bundling games that promote the proprietary and thus far failed PhysX tech they've been trying to hype up for 6+ years is not desperate? Hilarious. Please, keep the entertainment coming.

Check this on TechReport's website regarding Hawken, post by demalion, upvoted by 50 members!!!

"Wow, some of those PhysX effects look awful to me. Not just for the health power-up, but to the degree it is used the turbulence effects are way overdone everywhere it was highlighted and is a jarring gimmick when it should be doing something more subtle and less cartoonish looking. Also, the excessive debris usage is also very gimmicky and overdone, except for the destruction of a Mech where it makes much more sense, and maybe the debris on landing from a height if it didn't also continue being generated with every step in excessive amounts. I hope this is just something that was turned up to make things obvious for this video and a more critical eye tunes things with a focus on improving the game over pushing the gimmick in your face constantly. :p"

Promoting PhysX and in-game credits in F2P games doesn't match the NSR bundle, sorry. Instead of saying NV isn't desperate, so why would they lower GPU prices or offer great game bundles, you can just admit that NV can sell slower performing, more expensive products, with gimped overclocking features, lower VRAM and worse game bundles because they have a more loyal fan base. It's OK, we already know this since NV's fan base purchased the turds that were GeForce 5 and 7 and managed to make POS FX5200, GTS450/550Ti some of the best selling cards on Amazon! Talk about putting a foot in your mouth after criticizing AMD for being desperate in offering Bioshock Infinite, Crysis 3 and Tomb Raider, you sneak in PhysX as a "nice way for NV to promote their tech...."

Did you ever tell your boss that one day there will be a new generation of gamers born with some ability to reason for themselves rather than buying into the useless marketing gimmicks you keep promoting to us? You should tell NV to target younger Gen Ys or Millennials before they grow a brain. While they are 14-16, they might be gullible enough to buy into the NV marketing drivel that free AAA game bundles are a sign of desperation and F2P game credits and PhysX are ze futurez. Given how open-standard platforms like Google's Android are taking over, NV seems to be desperately playing the outdated proprietary model that has so far failed many companies, including Sony who were desperate on locking everything in as their 'proprietary features.'

BTW, what happened when you were promoting BL2 and AC3 game bundles last year? All those game bundles EVGA threw in with my GTX470s? I guess NV was on the brink of bankruptcy and desperation all those times? Were you nervous that one day you'll have to pay for GPUs just like the rest of us? $900 Titan out of your own pocket??!!! Ouch.
 
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3DVagabond

Lifer
Aug 10, 2009
11,951
204
106
According to AMD zealots, sure I can see that.

Free merchandise is a tried and true way of promoting a product. It's a sales tool that a lot of industries use. Buy a bed and get free linen. Buy a car and get a free option package. You can give someone $150 value without it costing you $150. Some of us just see the irony in the way you carried on about AMD doing it. Phynaz was just taking the piss out of you. Nobody hates you. It's supposed to be funny.