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compendium ward-and taunt treasure unlocked

Valve releases stretch goal rewards in timely fashion, but nothing much else. Probably because of Source 2 right?

With more stretch goals achieved, Valve is releasing the rewards almost the same day the goals are met. The mentality towards stretch goals is different for Valve; they are looking at stretch goals as community rewards for those who chip into the compendium, rather than as content they are obligated to fulfil later. This builds community trust for Valve and sets the example for future tournaments to follow, namely DAC, which still has unfulfilled stretch goals.

Unfulfilled rewards 4 months down the road don’t help your consumer trust you more

This year’s compendium potentially nets you a whooping 18 items if you just buy it straight up. This is a step forward compared to last year’s which required you to earn levels first before getting more items, this year’s just gives it to you up front. Valve’s standard for stretch goals now mean that any contributor, big or small, can see the reward. This is much unlike previous compendiums – you were required to have the matching compendium level to get the stretch goal reward. It is now how many rewards you can get, rather than whether you paid enough to enjoy a share of what the community has pooled into the prize pool.

A new standard – Don’t expect any other compendium to use levels to gate your entitlement for stretch goal rewards – Valve makes it clear that all supporters, big or small, deserve a minimal reward in return if stretch goals are achieved.

Personally, this makes me very happy that each consumer is being recognized and thus rewarded, however minimally. The problem still remains however that there are no other ways to earn compendium levels reliably other than buying them. This is worrying because it turns the impression of Compendium levels into a cash grab, and no one wants to play a game when they feel they are compelled to buy something to “keep up” with everyone else.

The Compendium has to be “interactive” as well, rather than simply being an expensive gachapon simulator.

Although I can say that for 10 dollars, the compendium is value for money, it is nothing else but that. There is currently little to no interaction regarding the game and the compendium to tell you that Ti 5 is around the corner. This is odd, since Ti 4 introduced so hero challenges in the compendium which affected games so much that you could not help but realize people were playing by their compendiums. Even if it sucked, it at least made you feel like you were interacting with the compendium, and that Ti 4 was indeed coming.

I found the spaced out levels for earning the rewards fully pretty irksome as well; Valve is obviously looking toward the paying customer way above the playing customer. This mirrors Planet Side two’s credit/cash system, whereby it was ludicrously difficult to “earn” a gun rather than simply buying one. At least give the f2players a chance, instead of cutting them off entirely from padding out their limited inventories. They paid too, no matter how much or how less. Valve should at least maintain the same fair attitude they have towards giving access to achieved stretch goals as is towards earning more of them.

You can follow me on twitter @TheFreakofnatur and email me at [email protected]. Until next time!

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