I really have trouble mustering sympathy for you folks that have to have at least one of literally everything that has come out to date.
From Day One in my town, I've had to pass on super-cool things that I can't afford. I'll still be doing it for years to come, no doubt; but I don't fault EA for this.
I've bought donuts before, and I likely will again; but the concept of buying EVERYTHING this game has to offer is alien to me. For those of you that are just now hitting a paywall after playing faithfully for years: join the club.
I do understand the concept of maintaining a robust collection of goodies, and it must REALLY suck to have to finally pass on something; but as someone who has had to pass on 90%+ of the premium content offered to me, it's just another day of Tapped Out!. To call EA out and say that they're money-grubbin' is silly from my perspective - especially if you're saying (as you in fact did say, OP) that this is a recent development.
i have played almost towards the beginning and have almost gotten all the premium stuff until this flood of new items came this year. my thought is if you have to think about whether or not you can afford an item you should not buy it. in the end this is a game, a very good one
Sorry for "digging up" my topic so late... but anyway, to answer a few questions:
I'm level 101, I've been playing since last summer, and I make my free donuts from the railyard, the Maggie mini game, neighbour visits, daily tasks... and sending off that silly rocket as often as possible to collect trash. BUT this is not actually about ME ME ME, and was certainly not an attempt to get "sympathy". Obviously I have spent plenty of cash on the game, so I get that it is a business, and that my donut purchases are what keeps the game running.
This is an observation, and like I said constructive critisism, that is not just based on MY gaming experience, but on how it might affect others - and the game itself. Like I said - I have the time to finish an event without helpful stuff (although I've noticed my progress is very slow), but what about someone with very little free time?
Someone suggested using my donuts more wisely... well, that's easy to say if you've been playing for years, and don't have years of characters to unlock. I have focused ONLY on unlocking characters (with or without buildings), and some selected stuff to help with events. The only exception to that was Halloween, where I did collect everything. But - it's never been an issue until now to balance event items and purchasing old content.
Keep in mind that there are collections of characters - that some of us might have been trying to complete, but if we know we can't get the complete set anyway before time runs out - oh well, who cares about that one character I could afford that wasn't really that cool.
Look at it this way. Like I said, I will now be more likely to hoard donuts, and for example, in this event I know I am not going to have time to get "complete sets" of premium stuff and event-helping items... which means now I won't bother at all, because superheroes are not really my thing, so I'm just going to wait and see what event that will follow this one, so I won't miss out on potentially cooler stuff. Maybe I'll just save up for Halloween, and then I won't have to spend that much real cash when the time comes.
Do you see my point? I've always understood the need for premium stuff, and I WILL still support the game... but with the increased need for donuts to keep up, I am going to drop the collections, drop the event-helping items, and not nescesarily even unlock all characters anymore either - the result: I will still have fun with the game, but I will be spending less money on the game, because of a business tactic that is supposed to make me spend MORE.
My post was not really so much about my personal experience with the game (which is still great), as it was a general observation on how it might affect other players, and how a strategy to make money to keep the game running could possibly have the opposite effect.
It's your choice to when and if you want to buy something premium. The game doesn't revolve around your timetable. That's like spending money in real life only to find the following week something cooler is on the market and now you can't afford it. Tough, grow up, don't be a baby.
You fail to see it is not about me. I enjoy the game as much as I always did.I just won't be collecting characters like I previously have. And in this case, I am choosing to WAIT for that "something cooler".
It is about players with less time than me - and about premium players getting more "picky" with their purchases, when the business strategy is obviously meant to make us spend more.
I completely agree with gozerfreak... During the chili event I really wanted Space Coyote, but since it was just a small event I knew something bigger is coming really soon (which it did) and I didn't buy anything. Now that I see how much of a hassle this event is I will not be spending ANYTHING before Halloween, since that's always my favorite event (Unless there's a character I'm absolutely obsessed with).
Do you see the problem?
If players can expect new event to start right after the previous one they'll get much more careful with donuts. "Hmm this thing here is kinda nice but the next one is right around the corner, what if it has something I REALLY want?"
Of course there are people who will buy everything no matter what it costs, but they're a minority. Those who previously bought everything since it was less frequent get tired. Impulse buying is based on time limits and offers - because they're rare. If you give a new offer every day consumers get numb and lose interest.
I'm sorry the game isn't tailored to your specific needs, but that's no one's problem but yours. It's not "unfair" or "greed."
I didn't write that, actually... but again, this has nothing to do with MY needs. I was simply using myself as an exanple, just as MayDaysGames did a little earlier.
It's simple math:
If players are getting more "cheap" with their donuts, because of the amount of back-to-back, time limited premium items, and not wanting to miss out on something REALLY cool - they spend less cash, which means less cash to keep the game running.
Also - once the "completionists" can't afford to be just that, and sticks to buying the particularly cool characters or whatever... less money is being spent.
So: make event premium content available during the whole event, and don't then follow it right away with a mini-event that ends a day before payday - make MORE money.
It's got nothing to do with me personally, but I think we can all agree that the game needs premium players to continue. This is simply constructive critisism, as when debating any other aspects of the game, and nothing to throw a tantrum over. I'm expressing a concern that the game will make less money the way things are done right now, and people are attacking me for attacking EA LOL
Oh well... maybe trying to express myself in a language that isn't my own is part of the problem.
I think the point has been made and the view expressed, even if not all agree or follow. If it is shared by a larger proportion of players and does in fact result in a decrease, we will see EA respond accordingly.
For me, it's likely going to bring me back to increasing my spending. The free-premium gave me a taste of buying whatever I wanted, when I wanted without much thought. Much easier to buy a few scratchers here and there than spend forever buying and selling KEMs. I'm trying to stay strong though
All of us will see when future events hit. For now, this is just a thread with someone expressing one viewpoint - none of us have the data or know the outcome.
It was one thing when 90% of the premium items available in the store were permanent and the limited time items were a now-and-then thing. We would occasionally see something in a friend's town that not too many people had. But now that it's going to be 100% of the items past Level 60, it seems better to at least still have them within the realm of possibility.
I wish they would at least keep the event items available forever ... it could be a separate category in the "store", and they could jack up the price after the event. So during the event it would say "Limited Time At This Price" and then after the event it would be more costly, but still available for purchase.
I know that there is no possible amount of price-increase that would appease those few players who can't stand the idea of someone having access to an item without having "worked hard" playing the event. Apparently some people think this is doing something noble with their free time. They must work up a sweat tappetty-tap-tapping with their finger on a cartoon screen. (Maybe I'm doing it wrong. ) Guess we'll just have to listen to them whine about it.
Replies
From Day One in my town, I've had to pass on super-cool things that I can't afford. I'll still be doing it for years to come, no doubt; but I don't fault EA for this.
I've bought donuts before, and I likely will again; but the concept of buying EVERYTHING this game has to offer is alien to me. For those of you that are just now hitting a paywall after playing faithfully for years: join the club.
I do understand the concept of maintaining a robust collection of goodies, and it must REALLY suck to have to finally pass on something; but as someone who has had to pass on 90%+ of the premium content offered to me, it's just another day of Tapped Out!. To call EA out and say that they're money-grubbin' is silly from my perspective - especially if you're saying (as you in fact did say, OP) that this is a recent development.
<Scoff!>
I'm level 101, I've been playing since last summer, and I make my free donuts from the railyard, the Maggie mini game, neighbour visits, daily tasks... and sending off that silly rocket as often as possible to collect trash. BUT this is not actually about ME ME ME, and was certainly not an attempt to get "sympathy". Obviously I have spent plenty of cash on the game, so I get that it is a business, and that my donut purchases are what keeps the game running.
This is an observation, and like I said constructive critisism, that is not just based on MY gaming experience, but on how it might affect others - and the game itself. Like I said - I have the time to finish an event without helpful stuff (although I've noticed my progress is very slow), but what about someone with very little free time?
Someone suggested using my donuts more wisely... well, that's easy to say if you've been playing for years, and don't have years of characters to unlock. I have focused ONLY on unlocking characters (with or without buildings), and some selected stuff to help with events. The only exception to that was Halloween, where I did collect everything. But - it's never been an issue until now to balance event items and purchasing old content.
Keep in mind that there are collections of characters - that some of us might have been trying to complete, but if we know we can't get the complete set anyway before time runs out - oh well, who cares about that one character I could afford that wasn't really that cool.
Look at it this way. Like I said, I will now be more likely to hoard donuts, and for example, in this event I know I am not going to have time to get "complete sets" of premium stuff and event-helping items... which means now I won't bother at all, because superheroes are not really my thing, so I'm just going to wait and see what event that will follow this one, so I won't miss out on potentially cooler stuff. Maybe I'll just save up for Halloween, and then I won't have to spend that much real cash when the time comes.
Do you see my point? I've always understood the need for premium stuff, and I WILL still support the game... but with the increased need for donuts to keep up, I am going to drop the collections, drop the event-helping items, and not nescesarily even unlock all characters anymore either - the result: I will still have fun with the game, but I will be spending less money on the game, because of a business tactic that is supposed to make me spend MORE.
My post was not really so much about my personal experience with the game (which is still great), as it was a general observation on how it might affect other players, and how a strategy to make money to keep the game running could possibly have the opposite effect.
It's your choice to when and if you want to buy something premium. The game doesn't revolve around your timetable. That's like spending money in real life only to find the following week something cooler is on the market and now you can't afford it. Tough, grow up, don't be a baby.
It is about players with less time than me - and about premium players getting more "picky" with their purchases, when the business strategy is obviously meant to make us spend more.
Do you see the problem?
If players can expect new event to start right after the previous one they'll get much more careful with donuts. "Hmm this thing here is kinda nice but the next one is right around the corner, what if it has something I REALLY want?"
Of course there are people who will buy everything no matter what it costs, but they're a minority. Those who previously bought everything since it was less frequent get tired. Impulse buying is based on time limits and offers - because they're rare. If you give a new offer every day consumers get numb and lose interest.
And lest we forget:
Just joking. EA is awesome.
I'm sorry the game isn't tailored to your specific needs, but that's no one's problem but yours. It's not "unfair" or "greed."
I didn't write that, actually... but again, this has nothing to do with MY needs. I was simply using myself as an exanple, just as MayDaysGames did a little earlier.
It's simple math:
If players are getting more "cheap" with their donuts, because of the amount of back-to-back, time limited premium items, and not wanting to miss out on something REALLY cool - they spend less cash, which means less cash to keep the game running.
Also - once the "completionists" can't afford to be just that, and sticks to buying the particularly cool characters or whatever... less money is being spent.
So: make event premium content available during the whole event, and don't then follow it right away with a mini-event that ends a day before payday - make MORE money.
It's got nothing to do with me personally, but I think we can all agree that the game needs premium players to continue. This is simply constructive critisism, as when debating any other aspects of the game, and nothing to throw a tantrum over. I'm expressing a concern that the game will make less money the way things are done right now, and people are attacking me for attacking EA LOL
Oh well... maybe trying to express myself in a language that isn't my own is part of the problem.
For me, it's likely going to bring me back to increasing my spending. The free-premium gave me a taste of buying whatever I wanted, when I wanted without much thought. Much easier to buy a few scratchers here and there than spend forever buying and selling KEMs. I'm trying to stay strong though
All of us will see when future events hit. For now, this is just a thread with someone expressing one viewpoint - none of us have the data or know the outcome.
I wish they would at least keep the event items available forever ... it could be a separate category in the "store", and they could jack up the price after the event. So during the event it would say "Limited Time At This Price" and then after the event it would be more costly, but still available for purchase.
I know that there is no possible amount of price-increase that would appease those few players who can't stand the idea of someone having access to an item without having "worked hard" playing the event. Apparently some people think this is doing something noble with their free time. They must work up a sweat tappetty-tap-tapping with their finger on a cartoon screen. (Maybe I'm doing it wrong. ) Guess we'll just have to listen to them whine about it.
And your source? Seems like an awful lot of new content for a dying game.
bobbythesponge = troll = banned (2015) = NotDepressed = troll = banned (2016) = bobbythesponge2 = troll