The New New New Xbox Experience Halo4 Dash

[egparadigm]

I think I find the paid-for gamerpics more annoying that avatar content. Having been used to using forums for years, most of which allow you to upload a picture of your choice, I found it a bit insulting to be asked to pay for a half-decent picture of 60x60 pixels (or however small they are).

I think the avatar content kind of makes sense. Some people love things like Tamagotchi and The Sims, and this is really an extension of that. But, I have to say I find the whole thing a bit cynical. First you have a ridiculous currency with remainders hanging around and then you need something to spend those points on.

I don't think it's entirely unreasonable for people to moralise (or perhaps rationalise) about this sort of thing, as Malc is doing. But people are equally entitled to argue that it's worth the money to them and say "don't make me feel guilty for spending my money how I see fit".

[spagmasterswift]

Is there any L4D avatar clothing up yet?

*runs away*

[Brats]

But how long will that enjoyment from the animation last for you? You will not care about it or even realise it happening after a very short space of time.

As for your daughter enjoying it, I wonder how much enjoyement she'd get from it if you told her to pay £4 of her own pocket money for it?

£4 (although the item cost £2.50 actually) to her is two week's pocket money, so no she probably wouldn't buy it. Value is also about opportunity cost (i.e. what you give up to purchase that item). Obviously by spending a few quid, I'm not giving much up.

And yes, over time we will both be bored of the item. That's not the point though. If we bought everything based on longevity, we'd never do anything like go on a fairground ride or put money in an arcade.

It's just a frivolous item I bought on a whim. It was cheap enough that I didn't worry whether I would be enjoying it in a month's time. I just thought 'That looks cool. My nipper will like that' and so I bought it.

I think sometimes we can all over-analyse this stuff.

[Malc]

sorry I got the pricing wrong. the points system confuses me. I just heard somewhere that one particular piece of content cost about £4

As for going on a fair ground ride or playing an arcade machine, at least there is some level of interaction with what you're doing and makes you want to go back to it after a while. Whereas an animation will be lost in a big black hole somewhere and completely forgotten.

Anyway, I certainly understand your points and reasons as to why you bought avatar content. And I hope you understand some of what i've said.

Let's leave it at that or we'll start going round in circles if we haven't already.

[Jebus]

I want to buy the pom-poms and play as my avatar in Halo 3 and Gears of War 2 and run around hitting them with my pom-poms saying "Oooh sillly" and REALLY get the repressed homophobes ranting and hot under the collar.

Make it happen Microsoft.

Pom-poms.

[Brats]

There's Pom Poms?!?

Where's me wallet!

[Jebus]

They are a lovely purpley pink too. I *really* want an avatar game out now so I can grief people (homosexually) in it.

[Spatial]

Is homosexually even a word?

[Jebus]

I'm disappointed in you Spatial.

http://www.yourdictionary.com/homosexually

[fuse]

I don't think it's entirely unreasonable for people to moralise (or perhaps rationalise) about this sort of thing, as Malc is doing. But people are equally entitled to argue that it's worth the money to them and say "don't make me feel guilty for spending my money how I see fit".

Agree with your post as a whole but on this paragraph I don't even think this covers exactly how I've read some of the posts - literally demanding people that they MUST NOT purchase this avatat. Like it or not it's a bit off trying to tell people how they should or shouldn't spend their cash.

[Spatial]

I'm disappointed in you Spatial.

http://www.yourdictionary.com/homosexually

God bless the Queens English and all who sail up her.

[Lebowski]

What it boils down to is that there are a certain bunch of people that like to personalize things, whether it be putting bits of molded plastic on there cars, buying little collecable toys for there desk, or nice pieces of artwork to hang on their wall everyone loves having something unique.

Gamepics, avator clothing and themes are a way to do this with your xbox. With games like 1vs100 a kingdom for keflings and the upcoming avator racing game i think it makes these purchases even more viable.

[importaku]

I wasn't really bothered about the whole avatar things, that was until i heard you can get pom poms.

YEAAAAAY time to buy some microsoft points

I do think it's a bit **** though others telling people what you should & shouldnt spend your money on, in the end you earned it so you can decide weither to waste it or not on whatever you want.

[Jebus]

God bless the Queens English and all who sail up her.

S'more like it!

Seriously though, the arguement on this stuff will run and run. People who don't see the value will try and complain and coerce other people into NOT buying it because they believe it will fuel MS to make more "****e" for the "idiots" to "lap up". The people who do like it, will see it for what it it is, something fun they can choose to buy or not buy.

Really not something I feel like getting worked up by, I'm sure the people (on here at least) who buy avatar stuff for 320MS points etc are aware of the fact that 320MS is nearly halfway to buying something like Splosion Man.

It shouldn't be a shock anyway, MS said a while ago that the last of the "free avatar content" would be arriving soon, which it did, so the next step was obviously "paid for content"...and, as should be obvious, you don't have to use it or buy it!

Spending money is always about what the "products" worth to the individual spending the money is. You can't tell someone not to buy something because it's "****e", one man's ****e is another mans gold.

To be honest, if this paid for content means we get a "The One" who is a male in full drag with the pom-poms and doing the "ride the pony" motion then ****, this can only be a good thing.

[Malc]

Agree with your post as a whole but on this paragraph I don't even think this covers exactly how I've read some of the posts - literally demanding people that they MUST NOT purchase this avatat. Like it or not it's a bit off trying to tell people how they should or shouldn't spend their cash.

It's hard to establish tone using only visual communication. Me saying I 'beg' people to not buy it shouldn't have been taken seriously. Admittedly the word I used was harsh, but you really wouldn't expect me to get down on my hands and knees begging over this did you?

Just because I did not actively state the obvious 'it's your money, you can do what you want' doesn't mean i'm implying the opposite. I have said that my quarrel is not with the people buying it, but with Microsoft charging for it.

I didn't expect a huge debate on this, even I feel myself has over-analyzed this Avatat stuff.