
Post by
YourMomSA2 | 2025-01-24 | 23:20:36
With the race almost over, I wanted to share some updated thoughts on this topic...
PERFORMANCE IN VENDEE:
-I don't think consumables mattered much at all in Vendee. Particularly for the top few boats. They had an outstanding race and should be congratulated accordingly. Consumables were irrelevant in their results.
-In the thickest parts of the fleet, consumables may have mattered a little... But not a lot. In a long race like this, the consumables don't matter much.
-I am not as good at this game as I used to be. When I was #1, there were fewer tools available (routers, dashboard, quality polars, etc). I was good back then partly because I was figuring out things on my own beyond what was available in tools. Now the tools available to everyone are better than what I can do on my own, and I am not enthusiastic about learning multiple routers, etc. I used to calculate polar crossovers myself in Excel. Now there are excellent tools available for everyone that are better than what I was doing. Additionally, I'm just not as motivated to work hard at it as I used to be. I still enjoy racing, but I'm no longer at the top level.
GENERAL IMPORTANCE OF CONSUMABLES AND RELATED OPTIONS:
-The stamina-related options they've added (beanbag, etc) reduce the importance of stamina, and therefore also the value of consumables.
-The net effect of this, though, is that it makes it that much harder to compete without a Full Pack. We're being pushed more and more toward "buy a full pack, or just play for fun".
-In a long mostly offshore race like Vendee, with a Full Pack, the impact of consumables is minor, and it is possible to ignore them and still do very well and to win without using them.
-However, in short coastal races like C600, where many maneuvers must be executed in rapid succession, the consumables will be critically important. This is somewhat mitigated by the limits on how often consumables may be used, but using consumables often, and being strategic about the timing of their usage, will be keys to such races.
HOW I FEEL ABOUT CONSUMABLES (if anyone cares):
-I still feel they are awful for the integrity of the game. I detest pay-to-win games, and I don't want to play such games. I only entered Vendee at all because I was fortunate enough to get a partner code for a free full pack.
-I firmly believe VR is damaging their product by offering the consumables as an option. I like the game when everyone buying a Full Pack was competing equally. I also liked that people who earned enough Credits to be able to buy all of the relevant options for a race could compete equally against the Full Pack boats. Now... All competitors can buy incremental gains by buying consumables. To me, that's a major problem.
HOW I FEEL ABOUT PLAYERS USING CONSUMABLES (if anyone cares):
-I'm fine with it. I used them myself during Vendee. Mostly coffee. Mostly toward the end.
-Multiple people have suggested to me that they feel this is inconsistent. I guess they feel that users who dislike the consumables should refuse to use them. And perhaps some people feel that players who use the consumables should be viewed negatively. I disagree. As far as I'm concerned:
---The problem with the existence of consumables is a problem with VR's game design decisions. That has nothing to do with the users who use them.
---Users should play to maximize their performance within the rules of the game. They shouldn't handicap themselves to make a point.
---Therefore, I see it as a choice to either race with consumables despite not liking them, or not race at all. Personally, I don't see much point in paying for a full pack if I'm unwilling to use the conumables.
-I hate it when players are angry with other players for things that are actually VR flaws.
-I don't like boycotts either. People should make their own decisions and do what they want to do. VR is running a business. If they produce a product that more people will pay for, they'll make more money. If they produce a product that people won't pay for, they won't. That's fine, but I think it should be driven by the quality of the product.
MY PLANS
-I'm mostly going back into retirement after Vendee. I don't like playing the game with consumables. Hopefully VR will eventually re-think that decision. If they don't, they'll lose money from players like me, who used to buy 20+ full packs per year and aren't doing that anymore. Will they gain enough to offset that from other users, paying for credits to buy consumables? I doubt it, but it's their business and they can make their own business decisions.
-I might occasionally still enter races where I feel consumables aren't important. Reverse Odyssey is an example of something I might decide to do. But I won't do races like C600, even though those are some of my favorite races. I don't want to have to think about whether or not to buy consumables, when to use them, and so on.
-It's possible I might occasionally enter random races without paying for a full pack or any options, just to help my team get 10 finishers. In such cases, I'll just be playing for fun to help my team and earn a handful of credits. Of course I won't be spending on consumables in such races.