The difference between you and me.

I am very frustrated with this update. I feel like we have been sold a bill of goods. I feel like we were promised the world and just given mere trinkets for Manhattan. Now, before Omoi yells at me for being a pessimist again, let me explain why my complaints are legitimate and why others complaints are not.

I am a very optimistic person in general, but I am also very cynical. It is a very weird combination. I have many hopes and I think that puts me squarely in the optimist camp, but I do understand the nature of people and the world and that can cause people to think that I am quite negative and pessimistic. So, that is probably a complete contradiction but it is my general view of life and it works for me.

The problem that I have is that I think that most other people complain too much. I can be long-winded, but I usually have a limit on the number of total complaints I have. I do tend to dwell quite a bit, but that is because of my general feeling of an issue and my inability to let go of an issue.

Anyway, I am dancing around the point. Let's get to the meat of the matter and explain the difference between "your" complaints and mine.

You: The Square Enix Security Token is a rip off!

Me: Look dumbass, you aren't in high school anymore and you can afford the $10 to start with, but that misses the real point. SE has to be losing their ass on these things, but they know that they will save a lot more money on not having to deal with people complaining to them about losing their accounts.

You: Square Enix is RMT for adding the Gob Satchel to the Security Token!

Me: No, just no. First of all, SE is allowed to make money on their game, always have. If you think this is RMT, then stop paying for your account because your definition of illegitimate transactions is so broad that you would include any process for paying for the game, including your account. Second, as I mentioned above, SE is probably losing their ass on these things, the only way they can balance that is by having everyone use them so they can decrease their customer support for lost accounts. The best way to do that is to include an incentive so large that everyone will want it. This is only logical, if you can't accept that then I can't deal with you because you are completely illogical.

You: ZOMG, next they are going to sell E. Bodies!

As for dealing with the ZOMG soon they will be selling E. Bodies! Again, retarded. First of all, they aren't. This is a specific scenario that to external logical analysis makes sense to both the players and SE. They have never sold any gear that makes any kind of difference to in game mechanics. You may say that the Satchel does that, but again I will say that you have to give up logic completely to ignore the fact that in the real world then need to provide an incentive to get these things in the hands of the players.

Ok, now that I have smashed my very own strawmen, lets get down to my complaints, because for the first time in a while I am quite disappointed in the update notes so far. This is especially upsetting considering the fact that it started off so well. The reason it sucks is not because of what is coming or what is missing it is because of the short-term promises that have gone unfulfilled.

Example 1) Summoner Avatars? Seriously, I could give a shit less about SMN Avatars but why promise them and not deliver? I mean it has been forever since they got a new Avatar and they should be getting something. Why mention something that could be available relatively easily and then not deliver? It's not even like you are going to give them something new or devastating that none of their other Avatars don't already have.

Example 2) Northlands? Why hold out on these? We haven't had a decent end-game area added in the game since Wings was released. This is supposed to be our new area, this was supposed to be the high level area that SE had promised in more than one interview. Why not add it now? I have ranted about this before, but seriously, the last interesting thing added to the game was Einherjar. SCNM's were OK but nothing really that important. There are no "large-scale-events" as they like to put it that have been added. When are we getting the Northlands? When are we getting the Walk of Echos?

Now, those are real complaints. Bitching about paying $10 for something you can choose not to use? That is worthless.