Quote Originally Posted by Ballie View Post
There is one thing that might belong here is that the Virtue panel does have an accelerate link to the store and the hobbit presents thread on BR has detailed a virtue accelerator tome as a possible reward.

It's a little cheesy to say no VXP in the store, but stretching all credibility having an accelerator for purchase. Like no rep purchasable in the store yet we all end up having to use rep accelerators in new content else we are all woefully short on rep by the end of the quest lines. Creating this huge gap in fixed VXP sources for new players, more grooming the new player into this pay mentality?

Time we call our main health stat Hit Points along with SSG. The correct term perhaps inducing uncomfortable self reflection?
Agreed. Again proof in my opinion how Micro-transactions, lootboxes etc change game design so it affects everyone, even those that tries to "ignore/filter" out lootboxes or not buy things from the store. Even those that will support the store for other things like vault, storage etc, but will not support game boosters etc. Evereyone gets affected when game is designed to be more grindy, slower progress, less rewarding loot drops, daily locks etc, simply all in an attempt to push people to the store to by-pass all that. The aim is to make it so tideous to play, with the goal that we go to the store to solve it. It doesn't matter how many pink glasses You try to put on, or live in denial. This is a fact that it affects us all.

The initial excuse to sell certan things in store was that it's convenience there for those that have jobs, real life etc and can not play 24/7, so they can keep up. But nowdays even those that play more or less 24/7 can barely keep up anymore. The grind and artificial blocks has gotten to a point that if You do not pay extra the games has become so tideous and boring that it is not fun anymore. Even to the point where it starts to cost way too much fro many if add it all together. That goes for LoTRO and alot of other games too. Countless articles and videos from gamers out there with witness and tales of experiencing just that. It's the cancer that in short term might bring in a revenue but slowly rots gaming design from within until more and more will find gaming no fun anymore and maybe get other hobbies and interests. So in the long run it's killing gaming, not saving it.