Old Buildings No Longer Available

ephphoneapps wrote:

Worm32 wrote:


Edit: And by the way, almost all video games have exclusive content (usually in the form of preorders), but even that becomes available to everyone else at a later date. It is extremely rare that a video game has major content unavailable to people just because of the time they started playing the game. People need to drop the elitist "I was here first, so you can't have any" mentality around here. It's not the way it's done in video games, period.

you should learn what "limited time only" means.

A lot of the content that was offered and no longer available was for an event, tied down to a major holiday. Halloween will be the first of such holidays to be repeated. So for all we know, every single item that was offered last year may be instantly available for purchase, including the episode tie-ins.

Also, I wouldn't say it's "major functionality" either. It was a shop, 3 characters with NO function, 1 actual tasked character, and 3 other main buildings, only one of which adds to the overall rating. So that being said it's nothing that is critical to the game progress, you are not required to have any of these characters or buildings to continue playing.

It's more like purchasing that bonus pack. You don't need it to play.

ephphoneapps wrote:

Worm32 wrote:


Edit: And by the way, almost all video games have exclusive content (usually in the form of preorders), but even that becomes available to everyone else at a later date. It is extremely rare that a video game has major content unavailable to people just because of the time they started playing the game. People need to drop the elitist "I was here first, so you can't have any" mentality around here. It's not the way it's done in video games, period.

you should learn what "limited time only" means.

I am very aware of that term. And you should learn that a lot of "limited time only" in video games, is given to all players at a later date. And if it isn't, then it isn't major game content, limiting you from large portions of the game. It is usually a skin or weapon that does not effect the gameplay at all.

You can download this game FOR FREE and progress all the way through FOR FREE. None of the premium (I.e. donut costing items) are required to progress. The whole point is that if you WANT TO you can pay for premium content and/or speed up tasks.

I choose to buy donuts occasionally because I love the game. Ihave played since june. There are games for my console that I paid £40 for that I was bored with in less than a month. I have not averaged anything like £40 per month on tsto and still look forward to playing every sjngle day! Do the math!

It's true. I wish I knew about this game earlier. I would have loved all that cool free stuff that is no longer available but I have to console myself that I have cool free stuff that new comers may never have.

enjoy the game don't let what might have been eat you alive (unless you add barbeque sauce :))

Worm32 wrote:

ephphoneapps wrote:

Worm32 wrote:


Edit: And by the way, almost all video games have exclusive content (usually in the form of preorders), but even that becomes available to everyone else at a later date. It is extremely rare that a video game has major content unavailable to people just because of the time they started playing the game. People need to drop the elitist "I was here first, so you can't have any" mentality around here. It's not the way it's done in video games, period.

you should learn what "limited time only" means.

I am very aware of that term. And you should learn that a lot of "limited time only" in video games, is given to all players at a later date. And if it isn't, then it isn't major game content, limiting you from large portions of the game. It is usually a skin or weapon that does not effect the gameplay at all.

I outlined what it was. I don't think any premium, and/or limited content that was or IS available is not considered "major game content". Majority of it is available for purchase with donuts if you missed the holiday. The few things not purchasable today are a few buildings that just give less than $1000 a day, which in the scope of things is incredibly minor amount of game cash. It's not like there's a donut tree that was offered and taken away.

Last Halloween was a number of pumpkin decorations, dead trees associated with Halloween. So you can see why this is not available currently. Also, there are the iconic cemeteries, the super collider (episode tie in), and the house of evil. The characters were a Krusty doll (has no function), Bart Raven (has no function), Burns Monster (has no function), Mayan God (has no function), Kang (only major task giving character - already 'speculatively' to be confirmed to return), and a skin (which you said is basically worthless) for the church (doesn't provide any enhancements to earnings).

tiger10036778 wrote:
You can download this game FOR FREE and progress all the way through FOR FREE. None of the premium (I.e. donut costing items) are required to progress. The whole point is that if you WANT TO you can pay for premium content and/or speed up tasks.

I choose to buy donuts occasionally because I love the game. Ihave played since june. There are games for my console that I paid £40 for that I was bored with in less than a month. I have not averaged anything like £40 per month on tsto and still look forward to playing every sjngle day! Do the math!

I totally understand what you mean, and to each his own on what they do with their money. But I just want someone to explain how EA can charge $100 (almost double a console game) for in game currency that won't even get you everything in the game. If you want a math equation, take the amount of programming and level of graphics and gameplay for a $60 console game, and compare it to the amount of programming, graphics, gameplay of TSTO for $100, and tell me how it's justified. Please someone tell me. And not just "people will pay it so they do it", a real thought out explanation of EA's philosophy on their prices.........other than greed of course.

I started playing in late May and I don't feel I'm being penalized. I'm the youngest in my family and my parents stopped getting Christmas presents for all of us at the same time which means I got less years getting gifts than everyone else and I still don't feel penalized, that's just the way it is.

Worm32 wrote:

tiger10036778 wrote:
You can download this game FOR FREE and progress all the way through FOR FREE. None of the premium (I.e. donut costing items) are required to progress. The whole point is that if you WANT TO you can pay for premium content and/or speed up tasks.

I choose to buy donuts occasionally because I love the game. Ihave played since june. There are games for my console that I paid £40 for that I was bored with in less than a month. I have not averaged anything like £40 per month on tsto and still look forward to playing every sjngle day! Do the math!

I totally understand what you mean, and to each his own on what they do with their money. But I just want someone to explain how EA can charge $100 (almost double a console game) for in game currency that won't even get you everything in the game. If you want a math equation, take the amount of programming and level of graphics and gameplay for a $60 console game, and compare it to the amount of programming, graphics, gameplay of TSTO for $100, and tell me how it's justified. Please someone tell me. And not just "people will pay it so they do it", a real thought out explanation of EA's philosophy on their prices.........other than greed of course.

I think if you need the answer to your question, perhaps you should look at the development teams. The $60 game probably has easily over a hundred people working on it (programmers, TESTERS, marketing people, etc). Did you see the credits?

Now compare that to TSTO, it is likely easily half of that, if not a more like a 1/4 the size (or maybe even less than 20 people), I really have no idea, but I can't imagine it has the same size team. These are programmers, and designers and they need to be paid just like the developers/designers of the $60 game. TSTO also is mostly "free" meaning the vast majority of users won't end up purchasing content on the game (more of a minority on this forum though). And those that do option for the $20 or less packages since $100 or $50 is a lot just for a good chunk of premium items. Again, none of the premium items are required to play and many can just get a few items and be completely happy.

GamerGD3 wrote:

Worm32 wrote:

tiger10036778 wrote:
You can download this game FOR FREE and progress all the way through FOR FREE. None of the premium (I.e. donut costing items) are required to progress. The whole point is that if you WANT TO you can pay for premium content and/or speed up tasks.

I choose to buy donuts occasionally because I love the game. Ihave played since june. There are games for my console that I paid £40 for that I was bored with in less than a month. I have not averaged anything like £40 per month on tsto and still look forward to playing every sjngle day! Do the math!

I totally understand what you mean, and to each his own on what they do with their money. But I just want someone to explain how EA can charge $100 (almost double a console game) for in game currency that won't even get you everything in the game. If you want a math equation, take the amount of programming and level of graphics and gameplay for a $60 console game, and compare it to the amount of programming, graphics, gameplay of TSTO for $100, and tell me how it's justified. Please someone tell me. And not just "people will pay it so they do it", a real thought out explanation of EA's philosophy on their prices.........other than greed of course.

I think if you need the answer to your question, perhaps you should look at the development teams. The $60 game probably has easily over a hundred people working on it (programmers, TESTERS, marketing people, etc). Did you see the credits?

Now compare that to TSTO, it is likely easily half of that, if not a more like a 1/4 the size (or maybe even less than 20 people), I really have no idea, but I can't imagine it has the same size team. These are programmers, and designers and they need to be paid just like the developers/designers of the $60 game. TSTO also is mostly "free" meaning the vast majority of users won't end up purchasing content on the game (more of a minority on this forum though). And those that do option for the $20 or less packages since $100 or $50 is a lot just for a good chunk of premium items. Again, none of the premium items are required to play and many can just get a few items and be completely happy.

Thank you. An actual reply that makes some sense. Although you have a valid idea on how it may work, I still have to disagree. Google how much money EA has made on TSTO since launch. I'll save you the trouble, it's $50 million. So are you telling me that small dev team saw any portion of that? No, they got paid the same amount that any other dev for any other game received. The other $49,750,000 went straight into EA's pocket for a game that takes probably 1/5 of the amount of work as one of their other titles. It's greed, plain and simple, no one just wants to admit it.

Edit:spelling

Worm32 wrote:

GamerGD3 wrote:

Worm32 wrote:

tiger10036778 wrote:
You can download this game FOR FREE and progress all the way through FOR FREE. None of the premium (I.e. donut costing items) are required to progress. The whole point is that if you WANT TO you can pay for premium content and/or speed up tasks.

I choose to buy donuts occasionally because I love the game. Ihave played since june. There are games for my console that I paid £40 for that I was bored with in less than a month. I have not averaged anything like £40 per month on tsto and still look forward to playing every sjngle day! Do the math!

I totally understand what you mean, and to each his own on what they do with their money. But I just want someone to explain how EA can charge $100 (almost double a console game) for in game currency that won't even get you everything in the game. If you want a math equation, take the amount of programming and level of graphics and gameplay for a $60 console game, and compare it to the amount of programming, graphics, gameplay of TSTO for $100, and tell me how it's justified. Please someone tell me. And not just "people will pay it so they do it", a real thought out explanation of EA's philosophy on their prices.........other than greed of course.

I think if you need the answer to your question, perhaps you should look at the development teams. The $60 game probably has easily over a hundred people working on it (programmers, TESTERS, marketing people, etc). Did you see the credits?

Now compare that to TSTO, it is likely easily half of that, if not a more like a 1/4 the size (or maybe even less than 20 people), I really have no idea, but I can't imagine it has the same size team. These are programmers, and designers and they need to be paid just like the developers/designers of the $60 game. TSTO also is mostly "free" meaning the vast majority of users won't end up purchasing content on the game (more of a minority on this forum though). And those that do option for the $20 or less packages since $100 or $50 is a lot just for a good chunk of premium items. Again, none of the premium items are required to play and many can just get a few items and be completely happy.

Thank you. An actual reply that makes some sense. Although you have a valid idea on how it may work, I still have to disagree. Google how much money EA has made on TSTO since launch. I'll save you the trouble, it's $50 million. So are you telling me that small dev team saw any portion of that? No, they got paid the same amount that any other dev for any other game received. The other $49,750,000 went straight into EA's pocket for a game that takes probably 1/5 of the amount of work as one of their other titles. It's greed, plain and simple, no one just wants to admit it.

Edit:spelling

Costs are a funny thing though, there's other things like building costs/maintenance, research and development of new games/content, and all sorts of things. Companies of this size also distribute earnings to cover other departments. EA also makes console games at $60. Now what happens when a game cost $100,000,000 to make, and the sales of said game was only $20,000,000? That other cost has to come out of somewhere else. EA is not immune to flops of $60 games.

EA made FIFA 2013 for the Wii U. I think it only had somewhere around 600k in units sold, and at $60 a pop, around 36,000,000. I'm sure the development cost was probably a lot higher than that considering all the licensing fees, and costs of the people involved. A lot of these games need over a million units sold to break even from what I've read. So it just doesn't sit and not applied elsewhere within the company. EA needs profits to stay open and continue game development. Game development is expensive. With this flop on the Wii U, they are already not bringing Madden 25 and other notable sports games to the Wii U due to the audience. So they already ate those development costs and those need to be covered as a whole.