12 years ago

The Daily reward system is a bit broken...

FluidEmotion wrote:
I think it is a bit broken in a negative way. The main reason is because the mystery box has a very poor pay out. Before the complainers begin to harass this thread, which at this point resembles alot of other threads, hear me out. I actually like the fact that you can get hedges, parking lots and that kind of crap. This is the single reason one would be very happy the few times something good comes along.

Now, what I have an issue with, is that I think you should get more of the "crap" items. For a new player, those could be useful, as a new player don't have that much in-game cash to spend on decorations. And as it is, the pay out in the mystery boxes is usually so low, that the $1000 in-game dollars you get from day four is a better bonus. Sometimes the $750 from day three, and on occasion even the $500 from day two, is better than what you actually get in the mystery box.

I think you should atleast be guaranteed to get some in-game prize that exceeds the $1000 dollar prize of day four. Instead of 1, or sometimes 3 parking lot(s), why not get 10? Instead of three hedges (which would actually be worth about $1000), why not get 10 of those too. And get rid of those lousy pay-outs of $500 dollars and such. Jack them up with perhaps an extra zero.

What I want, is for those "bad" prizes, to become just a tad better. Atleast you'd feel you get a progress in in-game value. As it is now, I could just as well have taken the day four prize twice, instead of a mystery box. I am usually always low on in-game cash, and an extra 1000 is usually always better than the crap I get (even if that mean I pass my chance of perhaps getting something worthwhile). It would be an easy matter for EA to jack up the minimum pay-out from mystery boxes a little bit, and it wouldn't hurt the game at all.

The only issue I can see with this, is that EA would possibly have to give out more money to those that buy in-game cash with donuts, to match an increase in the value of mystery boxes. But those in-game cash are so overpriced anyway, that if anything, maybe a few more people would actually consider spending donuts on in-game cash, if EA gave out a bit more for donuts spent.

Anyway, to sum this up. I think the minimum value from the mystery boxes should be better. Atleast so that when you get a mystery box from playing five days in a row, you would know the box will always be more valuable than the money prizes from the four other days. Might be other people disagree here...?

PS.: I guess someone will make a point about me complaining on free stuff. Don't get me wrong, I really appreaciate that EA actually gives away a bonus to loyal players. But this bonus is a double-egded sword for the playerbase. It is after all a way too hook us to the game, and to do it just alittle bit more difficult to quit playing. And the ultimate prize for playing regularly is the mystery box. Therefore I feel the bottom prizes should atleast be better than the other regular prizes. This is all.

"What took u longer mate, typing all that or waiting to get something 'good' out of a Mystery Box?!" :twisted: :mrgreen:

ladyak47
12 years ago
Actually, I've never got anything good from that daily reward thingy (lemon tree was nice tho). The mistery box always had trees, fences... Until yesterday, that it had 30 donuts! It made me so happy :D
KMEO
12 years ago
FluidEmotion wrote:
mwdalton wrote:
It'd be better if they changed it to a Homer Buddha, instead! :D

Not gonna happen, though :cry:

Since you are guaranteed a premium item, I don't have too much difficulties understanding that asking for a Homer Buddha every fifth day is a bit much. But they could jack up the odds of getting Buddhas from a mystery box. That shouldn't be too bad. Though the most important thing is to jack up the value of the "worst" prizes from a mystery box. As it is, I would never pay 6 donuts for one, and I wouldn't advice anyone else to do so either. The possibility of getting even 6 donuts worth of value back, is very low.

As nice as that sounds, the premium items wouldn't be so much of a "premium" if everyone just gets it regularly on a 5-day basis. In addition, everyone's cash percentage earned from having premiums every 5 days would just keep going up and up, which I don't think EA wants to do. Furthermore, there wouldn't be an incentive to buy the lower costing premiums if you can just get it every 5 days or so, and EA doesn't want anything that's associated with "Loss of Revenue" on it.

I like this idea as much as the next person, but on a different perspective, I can see hey we'll never see that change.
fluidemotion
12 years ago
I'm actually a bit sad that people on a forum comment in a thread without even bothering to read the OP's posts. It's very clear that alot of people on this forum doesn't bother reading too much it seems. I'll try to sum up my long posts in three paragraphs:

What I am trying to argue for in this thread is the actual importance for jacking up the in-game value of the lowest prizes from the mystery boxes. And I discuss that this is important because new players, which one could arguably say is the user which mystery boxes are intended for, should get something useful that feels valuable almost every time (ideally). This effect could also be attained without the need of giving out premium items (which is almost guaranteed that EA won't do).

You will get closer to this ideal, if the lowest prizes from a mystery box is atleast worth more than what you get in in-game money rewards for playing the other four days in a row. If EA are going to keep parking lots, hedges and fences as the lowest prizes, give us atleast 10 of each or something. This way the in-game value will be alot better.

I'd like to see that EA gets rid of those very small cash pay outs, and make it possible that to get either in-game cash, or items worth up towards $10.000 from a mystery box. And furthermore I have tried to discuss that what would have been a good idea, to make a mystery box feel unique more often, would be to also give away former limited only items, for instance like the vending machine and the devil donut cart. Newer players that missed out on these items would even perhaps treasure them, as they would real premium items. And older players would perhaps like getting something like this better than the usual parking lot, hedges and fences.
fluidemotion
12 years ago
cl891 wrote:
I see your point and your logic, OP, and it's a very well thought out argument and one I agree with. One alternative that I'd suggest is that on day five - mystery box day- the game could offer you the choice of either a cash sum greater than day four or the option to gamble it on the mystery box. This way if you get a mediocre prize from the box it's less of a kick in the teeth because there was the option of taking a guaranteed cash alternative.

Yes, if they won't up the lowest prizes this is the fastest and easiest solution, and it wouldn't be too bad either. But if they do as I suggested, I think that even long time players would be pleased more often. Some currently high-level players has also lost out on limited only non-premium items they would like. If the mystery box would be a way to receive some of those items, it would feel more special even though it doesn't give out premiums more often. Doing this, and increasing the money prizes and the amount of hedges, parking lots and picket fences, and I think they have done a great job with improving the mystery box. As it is, it's just plain underwhelming most of the time.

By the way, nice to see someone agree :) I don't think anyone really disagrees, as it will make mystery boxes better. But too many people in here, are all about getting premium items more often and more donuts. This will probably not happen, the only thing EA might do is slightly increase the odds of getting premiums.
tiha24
12 years ago
Well thought out post OP and I agree about the increased quantity of decorations being a nice idea and would make the mystery box a little bit less of a letdown compared to day 4's value. That said, I think a big intrinsic part of the mystery box's value is the gamble and hope of something good. And given the number of gamble items, I think EA puts a high value on that hope itself (whether it's realised or not) so the 'booby prizes'arent something tthey've bothered dwelling on.

I actually got SVT in my first ever mystery box, but thought that was a normal part of the tutorial and the initial hook to get you excited by the boxes... until I joined the forum.
fluidemotion
12 years ago
@Tiha24: I get that EA want us to be excited about the mystery box. But I am fairly certain someone out there has never really gotten something remotely good since they started playing. By increasing the worst prizes, or even tweak some of them to be former limited non-premium items. EA would go along way towards renewing the exitement of the mystery box for longtime players, and largely increasing the joy for a new player (even though not getting a premium item).

As it is, you loose interest in the mystery box quite fast. I think this is a bit counterproductive in regards to what EA actually wants for accomplish by offering a box every fifth day...
beeblebrox900
12 years ago
Like the idea of old items being prizes. Being an android player I missed out on a good few. We can only dream. Dont know exactly when I gave up caring about the misery box (I did have the prizes in my sig for a bit of a larf) but it probably stopped being a motivator second time it came around.
fluidemotion
12 years ago
@missmoleman: Thanks :)

By the way, does anyone know if there is a way to reach EA with suggestions to this game? I guess no one from EA reads this forum, but might be one could send them suggestions in a way? The thread KyleCollins444 have kept reasonably updated has alot of nice ideas I would love to see incorporated into the game. Otherwise a revamp of this mystery box would also be good.
Mitcheeelll
12 years ago
Well I got a gazebo out of mine today so pretty happy. I was just gonna build a park as well. When I have more land of course :-)
fluidemotion
12 years ago
Mitcheeelll wrote:
Well I got a gazebo out of mine today so pretty happy. I was just gonna build a park as well. When I have more land of course :-)

This is exactly what I am getting at. A little bit better low-end-prizes and people would generally be quite a bit more happy with what they get from the mystery box. I can only hope someone from EA (from the creative apartment perhaps) working on improving the Simpsons Tapped Out read this thread, and KyleCollins444 compiled ideas thread...

(Here is the webadress for the other thread: http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/9509677.page).