So De Wants Suggestions, Just Not About All The Problems?

[Nomad76]

So what I've been told is that the "diagetic" ui is here to stay, but I'm supposed to offer suggestions beyond that.

 

No.  I've had enough.  Every major UI overhaul has made it worse.  Every time it gets clunkier and dumber, and DE goes acting like they're all so concerned about player feedback when they just ignored it.  I'll repeat it again, player feedback has been to undo the changes that were made, and initially, to DE's credit, they did... some of it.  But then they go and make the changes again that they just undid.  This isn't about player feedback or pretending that this game is a beta when it's really been in full release mode for perhaps a year now.  This is about developer ego.

 

The GUI is slow and clunky.  Every revision sees more layers of menus added requiring more and more keypresses to do the same things we've always been doing.  It is the embodiment of style over substance.  DE has been told these things before, and they've ignored them before, so why are they even pretending to be interested in any feedback that isn't saying "heck of a job"?  When I'm told that I just have to assume that the major problems are here to stay I'm not seeing much of a willingness to listen to feedback.

 

I mean look at the players offering their support for it.  There's no reasons offered for why the new changes are any good, just "I like it".  "oooh shiny".  Or "you guys just don't like change".  No, it's not that we don't like change, it's that there are specific reasons why these changes make the interface less optimal, and every time we explain why and every time we get ignored and insulted.

 

I will respond to a point that was made in my other thread that got locked before I ever got a chance to read it again.  Console players have said that they're not happy with the UI either.  I can totally see that, actually.  I wasn't really looking at it from the perspective of a console player, I was just assuming that the changes had to have some use for somebody.  But now that I'm trying to imagine using this god awful GUI with a controller I can see that it's even worse for them.  If I think having to mouse over every single mod to see what it does is bad, how bad must it be to use a controller to do it?

 

Honestly I was trying to sympathize with DE there.  I assumed that there had to be some practical reason to do what they're doing.  But apparently I was wrong.  This is all about ego now.

 

I guess it's all downhill from here.  For me update 14 will be the point at which the game started going wrong.  As far as I can tell the worst of the changes are fixed in stone and it's only getting worse from here.  I've been officially told that I just have to assume that they're all staying, and instead I'm asked for ways to polish the surface of the whole thing up instead.  When the fundamentals are that bad no amount of polish will help.  I just want an interface that lets me quickly and efficiently get what I need done.  Not one that adds layer after layer of menus instead of making more functions readily available, and puts delays in between every menu to make the whole process take even longer still.   DE clearly insists on making all those elements part of their UI concept.  So there's nothing else to say, really.  If I'm going to continue playing this game, I'll be doing it while cursing my way through the menu system that acts as a speed bump between missions.

[vaugahn]

I mean look at the players offering their support for it.  There's no reasons offered for why the new changes are any good, just "I like it".  "oooh shiny".  Or "you guys just don't like change".  No, it's not that we don't like change, it's that there are specific reasons why these changes make the interface less optimal, and every time we explain why and every time we get ignored and insulted.

 

It's almost like you forgot opinions exist.

[BrotherIcarus]

Ready to take that tinfoil hat of? 

 

Simply put I like the new UI it is better from an immersion point of view. 

 

But I do think there is should be a quick UI for people who do want to get into the game quickly and I can only guess one is in the works that fits the new design but is as quick as the older ones. Why do i think this? Because it was stated in a devstream that it was going to happen. 

 

But at the end of the day you need to remember this game is not made for you, it is a labour of love for DE and is their game, if they like something it stays if they don't like something it goes sure they take player feedback into account but they still have the final say and to be honest most people are completely fine with this as long as it does not start to effect actual game play. 

[Maou]

Naah, I like the current UI now, Immersion is everything for me.

 

Sure, It might be abit buggy but its not like its going to stay that way forever.

[CandyDragon]

Naah, I like the current UI now, Immersion is everything for me.

 

Sure, It might be abit buggy but its not like its going to stay that way forever.

This cake may taste horrible now, but one day another cake will be made that tastes better.

That's more or less the argument you present.

 

The UI isn't that immersive when you break it down.

Half the elements rotate away from both the viewer and the warframe. Destroying suspension of disbelief that the warframe is utilizing it. While also making the User have to strain and work the UI to get a proper view of things.

The glaring sin is that the second thing I see upon my journey into said immersion is that there is a giant cash shop panel.

 

Not even discrete about it anymore just a giant "hello tenno there is a sale today" greeting you at your immediate right.

Kinda pulls you further away from the "mysterious space ninja vibe"

 

There are a lot of things they've done to improve, but so much of it seems done for the wrong reasons.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Nariala

[Xriborg]

It feels like DE hired a UI guy who drinks tons of coffee and can't stop fiddling with things. What is this, the fourth major UI overhaul?

 

All I have to say is, if you're doing it that many times, you're doing something wrong.

[Kylecrafts]

There's no point in having a Beta phase, and having Beta-testers (us), if you don't listen to their feedback.

[Loswaith]

Ready to take that tinfoil hat of? 

...

Not really a good way to start and expect anyone to take your response seriously.

 

 

...  Simply put I like the new UI it is better from an immersion point of view.  ...

Why is it better and more immersive? (I'm actually curious about the why, because for me its actually worse) just saying it is explains nothing.  The for the UI crowed rarely explain it (i could count on one hand the posts that I have seen do) yet many of those that counter to the UI style go into great deal about whats wrong with it and even offer sugestions to fixing it.

For many players though the immersion is only offered from the ship, the UI itself offers little to none at all (and in some cases breaks the immersion instead). 

Lets face it Immersion is something Warframe in general is lacking on the whole, but a game doesnt need to be immersive to be fun (I'm sure anyone can think of heaps of games where this is the case).  The gameplay itself (missions) arent that immersive anyway (even though thats the bigest potential to have it), they can be exceptionally fun though.  Expecting to get the game as a whole to be more immersive by a UI before the gameplay itself is about as effective as trying to milk a cat (sure you will get milk, but other ways are easier, more effective and end up tasting better).

They would gain excessively more immersion if they added some story and/or cohesive lore than a questionably "immersive" UI, which I'm faily sure we can all agree on.  The newbie experience is a good taste of some of that immersion that could be offered (and even that has room to improve), and that was from playing missions not playing with a UI.

 

 

....

But I do think there is should be a quick UI for people who do want to get into the game quickly and I can only guess one is in the works that fits the new design but is as quick as the older ones. Why do i think this? Because it was stated in a devstream that it was going to happen. 

...

This is really want many players want when they mention wanting the previous UI.  Unfortunatly there has been no change, ideas or WIP comments about any changes towards that endeavour and plenty of comments mentioning "that we arent going back to an older UI style so deal with it", or "what we have is ok for us", or simply brushed off.

DE have said plenty of things are going to happen, we have yet to see many of them or get any information on the current status of them besides "they are on the list".

 

 

...

But at the end of the day you need to remember this game is not made for you, it is a labour of love for DE and is their game, if they like something it stays if they don't like something it goes sure they take player feedback into account but they still have the final say and to be honest most people are completely fine with this as long as it does not start to effect actual game play. 

If DE is making a game just for themselves then its a bit much asking people to pay them for that game they are making just for them, especially when we are helping them by testing it as well.

By accepting money and services (testing) from the players they are implying they are making a game for customers as well and not just for themselves, because they are "paying" us with the game.

The big part is the UI has effected gameplay because it now takes longer to get into the gameplay (the missions/places where you play as a tenno/warframe, using a UI isnt seen as gameplay in this kind of game).  It could be just 2 seconds per mission like many profess (2 seconds is likely the best case scenario and much longer in actual practice) but multiply that by 1000s of missions and thats a long time of not being in the gameplay.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Loswaith

[vaugahn]

Why is it better and more immersive? (I'm actually curious about the why, because for me its actually worse) just saying it is explains nothing.  The for the UI crowed rarely explain it (i could count on one hand the posts that I have seen do) yet many of those that counter to the UI style go into great deal about whats wrong with it and even offer sugestions to fixing it.

 

Immersion is a tricky subject. Basically, it's making the player feel like they're actually doing something. To quote: "it is assumed to mean simply that the user feels like they are part of the simulated 'universe'"

 

The problem is, it's almost entirely subjective. Some features are universally regarded as immersive, but even then they may not be immersive for everyone. Some people can get immersed with just a simple animated loading screen, and others still won't feel immersed in a massive seamless open-world game. There are also people who require a first-person view to feel immersed, which is a common argument I see here against diegetic menus.

 

For me, the ship is what's important. The menus are an afterthought. The ship makes me feel like I'm in the warframe universe, not just picking levels off a menu. The diegetics are part of this, however. If the menus were just connected to the ship via a button it would feel a bit strange in my opinion, but the seamless change from menu to ship really increases the quality of my experience. The new solar map ring also feels better to me, as it's anchored in the world instead of floating in space. Same with the arsenal.

 

This doesn't mean that there are no problems though. All those things are nice, and I'd gladly trade a button here or there for them, but some things just get in the way of the game. The biggest offender right now is the wiggling menus and bad frame placement. I like seeing the frame there, that's cool. It just needs to be pushed back a little, and the menus need to be fixed in place. 

[StinkyPygmy]

Just because you don't like the new UI OP doesn't mean other people don't.

I love it. It functions well (bugs not withstanding), looks nice and is very immersive. A few things I'd change here and there but overall its on the right track IMO.

Also, the forums aren't representative of even a small fraction of the community, so there is that.

I get that for players always in a rush to get things done its is a bit slower, but that doesn't seem like a game killing issue.

Regardless DE isn't ignoring feedback and if listened to every single piece of feedback the players have, we would end up with some sort of amalgamated mutant of a game with bits and pieces pulled from everywhere. Sometimes its a case of DE putting their foot down because it is their vision after all. Feedback is great and plenty of changes have been made based on player feedback. Its just the forum community keeps expecting to get everything their way and thus endlessly disappointed and bitter when DE just flat denies the request. I've seen a fair amount of positive threads about it as well. Its just people tend to post more when they have something to complain about then when they have something they like.

 

I guess it just would be the forums if people weren't jumping at shadows and being bitter and angry.

In most case for reasons they aren't even 100% sure of.

Edited August 31, 2014 by StinkyPygmy

[Wahooo]

Immersion?

 

You can have your Warframe in the side of the screen and do a better job of functionality.  I really don't see the immersion improvement, but I also don't understand getting all that into role play.

 

To me if the benefit of the new UI is immersion it still doesn't excuse everything about it that is god awful from both an aesthetic and functionality standpoint. 

 

Look at the threads.  Most of the time a major change like the UI (like the first change about a year ago) people flooded the forums for a week or two then it died down.  This has been going for a month and it isn't just "I hate it give me old stuff back" , though yeah there are some of those.  There are major problems that borderline ruin the game and here we are a many weeks after the change and there are still multiple threads a day offering REAL feedback and suggestions on all of the things we don't like about it, and ways to change it.

 

If you honestly like this new UI and find it usable, then it probably doesn't matter what they put up there you will be ok.  Disagreeing with the threads where people are offering suggestions on how to fix it is actually kinda counter productive.

 

I'd like it if they changed it.  I might start playing again.

[Loswaith]

...

For me, the ship is what's important. The menus are an afterthought. The ship makes me feel like I'm in the warframe universe, not just picking levels off a menu. The diegetics are part of this, however. If the menus were just connected to the ship via a button it would feel a bit strange in my opinion, but the seamless change from menu to ship really increases the quality of my experience. The new solar map ring also feels better to me, as it's anchored in the world instead of floating in space. Same with the arsenal.

...

Firstly thanks for the info.

 

Fair enough though the Ship isnt the UI under any circumstances (it's simply a backdrop), I totally understand how people can see the ship was a more immersive choice (for me it is  less immersive because I now have no choice where my Tenno/warframe could be with the holographic UI around them, and that choice is more immersive because I get some input in that decision, I also feel less part of my own team and more just some random one even if it is pre-organised).

 

Previously you have even said you didnt know why tenno were floating in space with the old UI, so it seems really counter that the string of pearls style planets feels more immersive to you as its actually less visually descriptive as to what they are (but the  thats your choice).  Especially when your primary interaction with the ring is actually behind your warframe.

 

None of this however explains why the UI is actually better as a UI (since thats the point of a UI improvement), just that you prefer it.  Borderlands 2 actually has what I would consider a good diegetic UI because you dont even really notice it is trying to be one.

 

I guess thats the big break between us is for me the ship isnt whats important (and liekly the big divide in the issue), it's the menus being efficient, functional and quick to get into the 'immersive' gameplay.

Edited August 31, 2014 by Loswaith

[vaugahn]

Previously you have even said you didnt know why tenno were floating in space with the old UI, so it seems really counter that the string of pearls style planets feels more immersive to you as its actually less visually descriptive as to what they are (but the  thats your choice).  Especially when your primary interaction with the ring is actually behind your warframe.

 

None of this however explains why the UI is actually better as a UI (since thats the point of a UI improvement), just that you prefer it.  Borderlands 2 actually has what I would consider a good diegetic UI because you dont even really notice it is trying to be one.

 

I guess thats the big break between us is for me the ship isnt whats important (and liekly the big divide in the issue), it's the menus being efficient, functional and quick to get into the 'immersive' gameplay.

 

The ring is a physical location and your tenno is interacting with it. It's a physical object or a location in the world, that's what I meant by that. As I mentioned in that post, some people don't require a first person view to be immersed.

 

And if we're talking about the menus themselves, without discussing diegetics or the ship or anything, that's a different topic.

 

The menus are a mixed bag. Some of them are fine, some of them aren't. The mods menu is essentially unchanged, it's just a scrolling screen filled with mods and a sort bar at the top, there's not really much there that needs any sort of work. The new foundry is debatable. There's nothing technically wrong with it, and it actually manages to get more stuff on screen and be slightly more efficient than the old one, but I think the big buttons may put some people off. It's also a little hard to read certain things on it, though I think that's an issue with the way the text is rendered than the actual menu. The navigation menu is the same thing, it's mixed. The planet ring currently offers the exact same level of functionality as the old solar system, just presented in a different order. The level select thing with the segments is problematic though, as progression is unclear and segments can be blocked by the planet. The biggest offender right now is the ESC menu, that thing is just terrible. It's too nested, and it's often not entirely obvious where things are located on it. It needs to either be entirely un-nested, or allow us to select sub-tabs after mousing over the main one.

 

The new mods screen is also a bit subjective. Obviously there are colorblind support issues there (I myself am colorblind, fortunately I still have an easy time distinguishing between the colors they used), those need the most immediate attention. If you mainly used the mod dioramas for identification you're also in a bit of a bad spot. However I've found that the new cards actually are an upgrade compared to the old ones. They present more information at-a-glance, and take up less room on the screen when closed. The vertical layout is a bit clumsy though, and while I see why they did it I do not like it. However, that's a matter of taste I think. The biggest problem in the new mods interface is the actions button, it's entirely unnecessary and those functions would be better off placed to the side somewhere. I'd say move them to where the hint box is, and put the hints somewhere else.

 

Edit: sorry for the wall of text...tl;dr there's good and bad in the new UI

Edited August 31, 2014 by vaugahn

[KuroAka]

I would like for the mob UI to not be the most frustrating, confusing thing ever. What was so wrong with being able to select a mob, hit fuse and simply scroll through the mods use the ones you wanted with out having to go through 5 other screens? What is the point of having the mods all in its own place and not just apart of the normal warframe equipment? There is also no way to see what mods you have equipped on other weapons and frames. They are all just there and its not till you get the prompt that the mod is already equipped can you know. Since this UI update I have pretty much stopped playing warframe. The fast transitions of screens, the tilting of window elements and just trying to find anything gives me a headache so fast. I understand what DE is trying to do. But it just doesn't seem to be working. When you make a UI that keeps a player from playing a game because it gives you a headache that is not good/intelligent game design at all.

Make the UI simple and clean, easy to use like it was. Why move away from that and make something that may look flashy but makes no logical sense. And only overly complicates the game.   

[Kaian-a-coel]

-WALL OF TEXT-

Edit: sorry for the wall of text...tl;dr there's good and bad in the new UI

I'm amused. Your first reflex to a thread complaining loudly about the new UI was to defend the opposed opinion, and to say that you actually like it because it's immersive. But when pressed for arguments, you actually admit having the exact same problems with the UI.

Of course there's good and bad things about the new UI, there's good and bad in everything. When I read your first messages in this thread I thought we were opposed, but with that last one I realized that we have the same ruking opinions.

I have no idea of how representative of the new UI defenders your view is, but it's funny to see that the answers to "do you like the new UI?" are not "no" and "yes" but "no" and "yes, but...".

[vaugahn]

I'm amused. Your first reflex to a thread complaining loudly about the new UI was to defend the opposed opinion, and to say that you actually like it because it's immersive. But when pressed for arguments, you actually admit having the exact same problems with the UI.

Of course there's good and bad things about the new UI, there's good and bad in everything. When I read your first messages in this thread I thought we were opposed, but with that last one I realized that we have the same ruking opinions.

I have no idea of how representative of the new UI defenders your view is, but it's funny to see that the answers to "do you like the new UI?" are not "no" and "yes" but "no" and "yes, but...".

 

Except I think the good far outshines the bad, and the OP is having a ridiculous knee-jerk reaction. I also wasn't really being pressed for arguments either, and if you notice you'll see that I think more than half of the new menus have improvements on the old ones, on top of the immersion factor. I rarely argue with people who have valid, well-reasoned complaints. Sadly there are quite few of those.

 

Edit: try not to turn this into "he likes the UI and he still has complaints! UI is terrible!", that's not really the case

Edited August 31, 2014 by vaugahn

[Kaian-a-coel]

Except I think the good far outshines the bad, and the OP is having a ridiculous knee-jerk reaction. I also wasn't really being pressed for arguments either, and if you notice you'll see that I think more than half of the new menus have improvements on the old ones, on top of the immersion factor. I rarely argue with people who have valid, well-reasoned complaints. Sadly there are quite few of those.

 

Edit: try not to turn this into "he likes the UI and he still has complaints! UI is terrible!", that's not really the case

I do agree that OP is being overly antagonistic. That the good outshine the bad is just an opinion however. For you it does, for other what's bad overshadows the good because they don't have the same priorities.

 

As for your opinion on the menus, it's basically "mods is basically unchanged, foundry is debatable but OK, for the starmap the circular system view is neither an improvement nor a downgrade, but the planetary view suck. And the ESC menu is horrible."

I fail to see where more than half are improved, even by your own words. Only one you admit is improved is the foundry, and even there it's "debatable" and "slightly more efficient" only. (and I have yet to see people complain about it specifically). The other menus you say are "unchanged" or "offer the exact same functionality", or "problematic" if they're not "the biggest offender".

 

So no, I fail to notice where you say than more than half the menus have improvements on the old ones.

[Dhiib]

imagine the "good ol'" mod interface now. mod number tripled. no duplicates stack. have fun scrolling through 1043 reach, 2813 well of life, 921 slash dash, 281 piercing hit, 623 redirection, 812 redirection sentinel, 1123 regen,....

Edited August 31, 2014 by Dhiib

[vaugahn]

I do agree that OP is being overly antagonistic. That the good outshine the bad is just an opinion however. For you it does, for other what's bad overshadows the good because they don't have the same priorities.

 

As for your opinion on the menus, it's basically "mods is basically unchanged, foundry is debatable but OK, for the starmap the circular system view is neither an improvement nor a downgrade, but the planetary view suck. And the ESC menu is horrible."

I fail to see where more than half are improved, even by your own words. Only one you admit is improved is the foundry, and even there it's "debatable" and "slightly more efficient" only. (and I have yet to see people complain about it specifically). The other menus you say are "unchanged" or "offer the exact same functionality", or "problematic" if they're not "the biggest offender".

 

So no, I fail to notice where you say than more than half the menus have improvements on the old ones.

 

Add immersion and better looks on top of everything. That's an improvement even on the ones where base functionality hasn't changed, no? Also, I think that the new mods screen is an upgrade. And for the foundry, the thing that's debatable is the looks of it.

 

Anyways, it's a bit pointless to go back and forth over this, as we're just arguing about what I did or didn't say. It's also entirely subjective as to whether you think overall there's been an improvement or not, as you mentioned. This leads us to a bit of a dead end, as it boils everyone's argument down to "I just like it" or "I just don't like it". It's a bit hard to quantify feedback on something like this.

Edited August 31, 2014 by vaugahn

[Methanoid]

It's almost like you forgot opinions exist.

we have a toggle switch for all the new changes that not all people like?

[Methanoid]

Simply put I like the new UI it is better from an immersion point of view. 

but this supposed immersion isnt a universally accepted static addition that everyone likes.

 

personally im less immersed by a lot of recent changes, your more immersed by a lot of recent changes, simply quoting the changes as "immersive" is just a personal opinion which isnt shared by all, good functionality tho is often accepted by all and yet we keep seeing function/form being sacrificed for shiney shiney stuff under the pretense of "moving forward" and "immersion".

 

i dont feel that blindly accepting these changes is a good thing, were all giving feedback but it should be apparant to many by now that feedback that largely agrees with the current direction taken is the only feedback getting any serious response and any largely negative feedback that insists the recent changes are a step back are ignored and those ppl just get flamed by fanboys/yes men.

[Methanoid]

imagine the "good ol'" mod interface now. mod number tripled. no duplicates stack. have fun scrolling through 1043 reach, 2813 well of life, 921 slash dash, 281 piercing hit, 623 redirection, 812 redirection sentinel, 1123 regen,....

and yet they could have just improved on that instead of just making it pretty and visually more annoying to some.

[Methanoid]

I'm amused. Your first reflex to a thread complaining loudly about the new UI was to defend the opposed opinion, and to say that you actually like it because it's immersive. But when pressed for arguments, you actually admit having the exact same problems with the UI.

Of course there's good and bad things about the new UI, there's good and bad in everything. When I read your first messages in this thread I thought we were opposed, but with that last one I realized that we have the same ruking opinions.

I have no idea of how representative of the new UI defenders your view is, but it's funny to see that the answers to "do you like the new UI?" are not "no" and "yes" but "no" and "yes, but...".

^ this.

[Methanoid]

1) The menus are a mixed bag. Some of them are fine, some of them aren't.

 

2) The planet ring currently offers the exact same level of functionality as the old solar system, just presented in a different order.

 

3) The level select thing with the segments is problematic though, as progression is unclear and segments can be blocked by the planet.

 

4) The biggest offender right now is the ESC menu, that thing is just terrible. It's too nested, and it's often not entirely obvious where things are located on it. It needs to either be entirely un-nested, or allow us to select sub-tabs after mousing over the main one.

 

5) The new mods screen is also a bit subjective. Obviously there are colorblind support issues there (I myself am colorblind, fortunately I still have an easy time distinguishing between the colors they used), those need the most immediate attention. If you mainly used the mod dioramas for identification you're also in a bit of a bad spot.

 

6) However I've found that the new cards actually are an upgrade compared to the old ones. They present more information at-a-glance, and take up less room on the screen when closed. The vertical layout is a bit clumsy though, and while I see why they did it I do not like it.

 

7) However, that's a matter of taste I think. The biggest problem in the new mods interface is the actions button, it's entirely unnecessary and those functions would be better off placed to the side somewhere. I'd say move them to where the hint box is, and put the hints somewhere else.

 

1) so you dont like them?

 

2) so the upgrade is less immersive than what we had previous?

 

3) again yes, its far worse than what we had previously

 

4) menus are indeed terrible, a lot have said so, esp ones like me that have no use for the shiney/glam/pointless ship and just want to do things quickly and efficiently.  (pointless in my case as i dont want or need "immersion" in a walkaround menu which i dont need)

 

5) i see like other people you dont seem to like this part or changes either

 

6) dont they only provide more info IF you mouse over them, "at a glance" without mousing over their actually far worse information wise.

 

7) and you dont like that either

 

as Kaian-a-coel mentioned, you dont seem to like quite a lot of the changes, even to you it should be apparant theres no way a lot of the things we dislike and some of the things youve listed will ever be changed to be useful or U13'alike meaning were left with the pretty/dumbed down option, some of the changes required are too severe and would require floating back to a U13 approach which has been completely ruled out.

 

so what can be done?  pretty much nothing, just voice our opinions which we should know by now will have no effect whatsoever, but i suppose its at least its a place we can vent.

[BrotherIcarus]

If DE is making a game just for themselves then its a bit much asking people to pay them for that game they are making just for them, especially when we are helping them by testing it as well.

By accepting money and services (testing) from the players they are implying they are making a game for customers as well and not just for themselves, because they are "paying" us with the game.

The big part is the UI has effected gameplay because it now takes longer to get into the gameplay (the missions/places where you play as a tenno/warframe, using a UI isnt seen as gameplay in this kind of game).  It could be just 2 seconds per mission like many profess (2 seconds is likely the best case scenario and much longer in actual practice) but multiply that by 1000s of missions and thats a long time of not being in the gameplay.

But they are not asking for money it is free, everything in the game that matters is free. Just because you paid does not mean you had to.