darkSpyro

Quote: Doomslicer

Would you rather have them release a game every 5 years, like some franchises. I personally like having a franchise that regularly updates. Might skip a game or two until they start getting more unique though.

I respect your desire to skip games that are too samey – but why on earth would you skip Swap Force when it looks genuinely different (as opposed to Giants, which was clearly evolution rather than revolution)?

Quote: zookinator

I am already losing interest in the series, mostly because I want to move on to other things to spend my money on. Once I get the main set of Swap-Force figures, I am done with the series, period. Unless the seriously lower the prices, I am not buying an other games for Skylanders.

See, I’ll be happy to buy many, many more games for my Skylanders… and less Skylanders for my games. I have 22 characters and no desire to buy more – but I’m super happy to have new places to take them.

Swap Force does seem genuinely unique. I am super excited for it.

Me too. The 'movement gates' will make me get a Swap Force character or two, but more than anything else I'm just looking forward to seeing my small collection take on new life in the new game.

Quote: Tel Prydain

Quote: Doomslicer

Would you rather have them release a game every 5 years, like some franchises. I personally like having a franchise that regularly updates. Might skip a game or two until they start getting more unique though.

I respect your desire to skip games that are too samey – but why on earth would you skip Swap Force when it looks genuinely different (as opposed to Giants, which was clearly evolution rather than revolution)?

Quote: zookinator

I am already losing interest in the series, mostly because I want to move on to other things to spend my money on. Once I get the main set of Swap-Force figures, I am done with the series, period. Unless the seriously lower the prices, I am not buying an other games for Skylanders.

See, I’ll be happy to buy many, many more games for my Skylanders… and less Skylanders for my games. I have 22 characters and no desire to buy more – but I’m super happy to have new places to take them.

I didn't say I'd skip SF. I intend to get it (if I can get my hands on it, which is another matter entirely). But if Skylanders 4 is just swappable sidekicks, I'll probably pass, or just buy the game disk

Quote: Partajeesus

This is the thing that I don't understand. Why some people seem to have only two choices? It's a) buy the game and all the characters or b) don't buy anything.
If the game is good then why you don't just buy the starter pack or portal owners pack or whatever and play the game using your old skylanders? Why is that so impossible to do?

It's same as saying "I won't buy new tomb raider, crysis, dead space, god of war or whatever just because I don't want to buy all the dlc" You don't have to buy everything and you can still enjoy the game. I love SSA and SG but I only buy characters that I like and want and I propably buy starter pack for swap force if it includes few characters like giants did compared to portal owners pack.
If the game is really good I might buy more but if it isn't I already have 25 skylanders to play with so I can't see any problem here.
But that's just me.

1. There's no "portal owners" pack for Swap Force, you have to buy a starter pack.
2. Buying the next installment of Skylanders and only using old characters is not even what the series is about. The series is about the figures first and foremost, the game is an afterthought (that might be harsh because it's a simple storyline that was probably drafted in an hour but more time was spent on the design of the characters who will be figures than the story and that is my point). Unlike the game examples you have stated, the Skylanders series thrives on the new characters being introduced. It would not have surpassed 5milli without them.
3. Picking and choosing character isn't exactly cheap. Even just getting half of the total figures released can end up costing you around 200$. And that is even including deals!

All in all, Skylanders is an adorable franchise that is proving to not have enough "bang" for the "buck" regardless of whether or not you're buying them all or just a few more. I get it's a kids game but it ultimately has poor replay value considering the main campaigns of the current and previous games could be fully completed done with 8 characters. The fact Swap Force is reporting that it'll have the same amount of playtime as Giants isn't good news for a consumer. Giants wasn't very long and you only needed 8 to complete it. Swap Force now adds the swap ability which means that 8 more are added to the full completion line-up yet it's going to be the same length as Giants? Yikes!

I don't think I will even get swap force, but if I do I am out of my mind. But who knows.

Quote: Tel Prydain

See, I’ll be happy to buy many, many more games for my Skylanders… and less Skylanders for my games. I have 22 characters and no desire to buy more – but I’m super happy to have new places to take them.

Very well said, but that's not going to work for Activision...I'm guessing if everyone had that mentality they would consider the release a "failure" and dump the series. Personally, I like the game but also the toy collecting aspect as well--however 50+ is way overboard. They should stick it to 32 characters every release and if they must 4 repose and 4 lightcore. IMO lightcore isn't working out---as everything I've seen has been lame on execution AND you can't use a wow pow. The only purpose repose should serve is to provide a vehicle for someone to buy a figure who has jumped onto the series late. It should not be used to cripple a game's features if you have a previous version of the toy. Let the gamers use their previous characters (continue to add value in reposes in other ways other than level locks). Collectors will have to have all versions anyway so they are covered---those who want some of the character features might opt to get a repose.

In general I wish Activision would communicate how older toys not in new releases can be obtained--it's only fair right? --kinda unfair to lock content on a game you bought AND not provide a vehicle for the person to unlock it. Activision is keeping the scalpers alive by not following up on SSA stock like Boomer, Dino Rang, etc which adds more salt to the wound.

Quote: Hexin_Wishes

All in all, Skylanders is an adorable franchise that is proving to not have enough "bang" for the "buck" regardless of whether or not you're buying them all or just a few more. I get it's a kids game but it ultimately has poor replay value considering the main campaigns of the current and previous games could be fully completed done with 8 characters. The fact Swap Force is reporting that it'll have the same amount of playtime as Giants isn't good news for a consumer. Giants wasn't very long and you only needed 8 to complete it. Swap Force now adds the swap ability which means that 8 more are added to the full completion line-up yet it's going to be the same length as Giants? Yikes!

Imagine the kind of grinding you would have to do with SSF over SG. That's madness...OCD type of madness...not my idea of "bang" for my buck.

Yeah, that's my point. They are scaling waaaayyyy more on the toy side and not offering up someone who might want to buy them all a reason to do so in the current model. Frankly, they would do themselves and the fans a better service by simply making this a bi-annual release to get more game content features and concentrate on quality and to justify those who want more characters a reason to do so (despite it being a kid's game--don't let that fool you--there's plenty of adults with money loving the game and the collecting aspect). Heck in this model you could justify 60+ characters if there was additional adventure content unlocked for each character. The game can be stretched out over 18 months with no problem.

Can we introduce branching in the game that can impact levels? Heck 8 bit console games could do this. Something--anything---to keep the adventure fresh--putting a new character on the portal isn't cutting it. Story changes depending on how long certain characters or elements are used? Level unlocks, decision points---tons of options here.

Quote: Hexin_Wishes

1. There's no "portal owners" pack for Swap Force, you have to buy a starter pack.
2. Buying the next instalment of Skylanders and only using old characters is not even what the series is about. The series is about the figures first and foremost, the game is an afterthought (that might be harsh because it's a simple storyline that was probably drafted in an hour but more time was spent on the design of the characters who will be figures than the story and that is my point). Unlike the game examples you have stated, the Skylanders series thrives on the new characters being introduced. It would not have surpassed 5milli without them.
3. Picking and choosing character isn't exactly cheap. Even just getting half of the total figures released can end up costing you around 200$. And that is even including deals!

1. Here the difference between the Portal Pack and Starter Pack was less than a single Skylander. Not a much for two extra Skylanders and a new portal. Assuming that Swap Force is in the same price range I’m happy with that (and actually, it’s no more than CoD costs over here).

2. It’s really what the series is about… for you. Meanwhile, I had plenty of fun bringing my SSA team into Giants and playing the game with them.
Also, don’t sell the game short. For a kid/family orientated game, there is plenty there for older gamers – hunting out every treasure and item wasn’t a cakewalk, and nightmare mode (if you reset your characters first) is quite a challenge too.
My favourite genre of game is old school RPGs where you couldn’t do everything in one playthrough – instead you build your character and tried to use its skills to surmount any challenges you encountered. I treat building my small Skylander force the same way –make a small, elite team and then try to tackle any issues using their skills in imaginative ways.

3. You can have plenty of fun and beat either game using only the pack-in figures. The game is as expensive or cheap as you make it.

Quote: GhostRoaster

Very well said, but that's not going to work for Activision...I'm guessing if everyone had that mentality they would consider the release a "failure" and dump the series.

Yes and no – The presence and number of collectors definitely helps encourage Activision justify additional content. But it’s not like the majority of Skylanders players are avid collectors, most will just be owned by kids who own a handful of random figures brought by well-meaning relatives.
It’s also worth noting that Activision itself doesn’t necessarily benefit from some of the crazier collecting habits – they make their money when selling to shops, they don’t make any extra from scalpers reselling a massive mark-ups or hard-to-find figures. Hell, if a figure is hard to find, Activision is losing out on sales.

Quote: Tel Prydain

1. Here the difference between the Portal Pack and Starter Pack was less than a single Skylander. Not a much for two extra Skylanders and a new portal. Assuming that Swap Force is in the same price range I’m happy with that (and actually, it’s no more than CoD costs over here).

2. It’s really what the series is about… for you. Meanwhile, I had plenty of fun bringing my SSA team into Giants and playing the game with them.
Also, don’t sell the game short. For a kid/family orientated game, there is plenty there for older gamers – hunting out every treasure and item wasn’t a cakewalk, and nightmare mode (if you reset your characters first) is quite a challenge too.
My favourite genre of game is old school RPGs where you couldn’t do everything in one playthrough – instead you build your character and tried to use its skills to surmount any challenges you encountered. I treat building my small Skylander force the same way –make a small, elite team and then try to tackle any issues using their skills in imaginative ways.

3. You can have plenty of fun and beat either game using only the pack-in figures. The game is as expensive or cheap as you make it.

1. What did you even write? I'm just letting you know there is no "portal owners pack" for SwapForce.
2. Sorry to burst your bubble but you're wrong. The figures (primarily, new) are exactly what the series is about and how they plan on growing and making a profit. It was never "just a game" like Tomb Raider or whatever you claimed. It was a figurine series that had the ability to be played in a virtual world. Wasn't the big selling point of the series that the "Toys come to life!"?
2.5. I don't apologize for telling the truth. The target demographic is children. Even when they say "adults" in these interviews, they usually follow it up with "playing with their children".
As an "older" gamer, there is nothing rewarding about the game coming off of quality games like Arkham Asylum/City. Even Pokemon games have a deeper mythos and longer playtime and it's basically been the same game for the past three (soon to be four) generations! Meanwhile, in Skylands, I could play the levels without even looking at the screen (and I actually have when playing with the kids lol). Also, hunting down the treasures and items are not difficult at all. During my first playthrough of Giants, I got the third star on the majority of the levels (and I don't repeat levels during my first playthrough). And why would I bother resetting my figures (i.e. an UNNECESSARY way to extend the "fun" of this game you claim is full of it) for Nightmare Mode? Even using new characters on my nightmare mode playthrough, I've found that it is easier when the characters are at level 1. Honestly, I only ever have trouble in nightmare mode when they reached level 5.
Oh, and one more thing, what issues are there in Skylanders? The most difficult thing was the onslaught of enemies in Chapter 16! And I'm talking about in Hard mode (I'm taking it slowly with Nightmare mode because I can't be bothered)!
3. That wasn't even the point of my response. Fact is, if you only want to complete the main storyline you still have to shell out more money than a regular game. Right now Amazon has the starter packs for 39.99 but even then, adding 50$ extra for the rest of the elements needed to fully access all areas in game, it comes out to 89.99, and that's all without tax (and/or shipping). So while, yes, you could have "oodles of fun" with just the starter pack characters, you're missing a good portion of content related to the main storyline only.

Quote: Tel Prydain

Quote: GhostRoaster

Very well said, but that's not going to work for Activision...I'm guessing if everyone had that mentality they would consider the release a "failure" and dump the series.

Yes and no – The presence and number of collectors definitely helps encourage Activision justify additional content. But it’s not like the majority of Skylanders players are avid collectors, most will just be owned by kids who own a handful of random figures brought by well-meaning relatives.
It’s also worth noting that Activision itself doesn’t necessarily benefit from some of the crazier collecting habits – they make their money when selling to shops, they don’t make any extra from scalpers reselling a massive mark-ups or hard-to-find figures. Hell, if a figure is hard to find, Activision is losing out on sales.

If Activision doesn't see a positive return (because the truth is, if figures aren't being sold, the store won't be asking for more) on those figures, the series will die. Can you really be that naive about the nature of the business and the purpose of the series? Money is what it's all about now. It's a brand and a brand needs to sell it's merchandise to thrive. The figurines count far more than do for say Pokemon or whatever collectible stuff the kids are into these days!

As I said before, they didn't get to the $5 Mill mark without those figures selling so if the figures no longer sell the return will be so far below expectation and thus Skylanders will be over.