Why I (almost) bought gold
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by Rigour6
I've never done it before, but the last promotional deal was a pretty attractive one at first blush, there was a lot in that pack for 10 Euros, and I wavered. So maybe my high falutin' ideals were really just BS, and it turns out we already have established what I've been all along, and have only been haggling over the price.
There were a number of rationales I could have used to buy in:
- It was only 10 Euros and, despite how much diapers cost, I probably could afford it.
I certainly have spent more money on worse things in the past.
- I've been playing for three and half years. I could just send them some money to say thanks.
There was also a rationale I considered and rejecte😛
- I could do some good with that 75 gold and those rockets, etc.
Fact is, as I've said ad nauseum, there's no real point to either the economic or military module in this game (I don't do much politically but I'd be shocked if it wasn't even worse). Also, given the way they've set up, there actually isn't much I could do, even with 75 gold. Such is the sandcastle world in which we elive.
There were a couple of rationale i considered for NOT buying the gol😛
- I could preserve my moral purity as never having sold out. Give me a break, it's a game. It's not wrong to buy gold if it's worth it to you. The people who provide this game have to eat, too.
- This deal looks like a desperate attempt to cash out before the fatality event, a virtual death spasm if you will.
But I finally settled on a reason for not buying, and with that my decision was made:
- If I actually paid to play this game, I am not sure I would enjoy it. I think no matter how much I'd paid, I would no longer be able to tolerate a bunch of things which I currently am prepared to tolerate as a free player.
Put it this way, this is a free sandwich and you get what you pay for.
If I was at a restaurant and the waiter brought me this sandwich, I'd send it back.
So in a way, I made the decision not to buy gold as a way of preserving my enjoyment of this game. Because when I pay for something, I expect some value for money, and if three and half years here hasn't shown me that value, I don't think some really good deal has much chance of changing my mind.
So why am I still here? Because of the community, and because tomorrow is another day. There have been big changes made in the past - there could be more in the future. The 5th anniversary of the game is just around the corner. Who knows what they'll come up with? Evolution is not an even or linear process.
Maybe tomorrow will be the change that ushers in a new golden age of playability and excitement.
I'm not saying I'm holding my breath but:
We live in hope.
N x NE Volume 10, Number 1
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Comments
Exactly.Preserving moral purity is what matters.
I say screw that game where u have to pay so u could play.
well written!! We're about the same age and i never bought golds either.. but it reflects to our strenght sadly : )
~hyuu~
What stopped myself from taking advantage of the promotion (before my deeper thoughts and feelings kicked in): the thought of my mom getting my credit card bill and questioning me about this obscure 10 euros spent online.
Very well written!!! I am shouting so others can enjoy. Great job.
V&S
Very well written. I took advantage of the offer only to get rid of the CAPTCHAs. The rest was gravy.
Great article really makes me want to keep playing to become a memorable part of the community you so hopefully describe, despite the arguments and political problems in eMerica today. Voted and Subbed
Fatality event?
voted
Great article.
I also SURVIVED the Supply Pack!!! 😃
Dont waste REAL MONEY on a GAME!
A game suppose to be FUN, regardless of your pockets...
I also SURVIVED the Supply Pack!!! x2
And it was so very, very tempting. I may have gotten there by different paths but our logics were very similar.
Truthfully, three years ago I would have probably made the purchase. But then at that time I still thought certain modules were worthwhile.
Nothing wrong with spending money on the game. Like the author said, admins have to eat too. That being said... I have never spent money on here, but I do accept donations.
voted
@Dbsndust: probably deserves a full article, but quickly here: If you understand game theory and what is happening here, the game has for a longtime been on a non-sustainable path. The admins have done occasional partial resets, but none have substantially altered that fact. Even their ability to do partial resets becomes more and more circumscribed over time, both by the previous resets and the aging player base. Sooner or later, there has to be some form of a "hard reset".
The hardest of the "hard resets" possible is a fatality event, in which the game is shut down. This has occurred in a substantial number of online games (e.g., Shadowbane). This game presumably has much lower maintenance costs and is unlikely to become graphically obsolete, but the problems exist outside of those factors.
V+S
I haven't bought Gold in over a year, simply because there seemed no direct benefit to it. But an extra 3 Loyalty Points for 20k storage at a discount was too much to pass up.
My rationale: I might have just wasted my money but the utility I will gain from extra storage will make my gameplay a bit less frustrating. hope that by investing a bit of cash that my feelings don't get too invested in expecting more from the game.That would be a mistake : )
Bought a hotdog=junkfood indulgence