What the update has brought forth...

[Zeus]

Figured since SL players are involved in this too, I'd repost it here.

I didn't know where to post this, but I figured that you couldn't go wrong with Pocket Legends General Discussion.


It's December 16th! Update day! Everybody is in high spirits for the campaigns! Then, the dreaded news is announced: Platinum per instance, when regarding the holiday campaigns for both SL and PL.

Star Legends/Pocket Legends:


Important Details:

• Star Legends receives a new campaign pack: Planet Voleria.
• Star Legends receives the update for their holiday campaign.
• Holiday campaign is announced to be paid per instance.

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Pros [For STS]:

• New campaign is announced, thus lightening the complaints from SL players regarding the platinum per instance.
• Money is rolling in.
• People are amazed by the creativity of Voleria.

Cons [For STS]:

• Due to the platinum per instance, players have lost their trust in STS as a company.
• People at Pocket Legends are insulted because all of the creativity seems to be heading to the SL department.
• People begin to boycott platinum purchases
• Much drama on the forums. Rants are not handled very well.
• Many veterans/contributors to the game are quitting.
• The platinum per instance was likely detrimental, as people would have likely spent more if they didn't feel like they were forced to.

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Pros [For Players]:

• For Pocket Legends, people are ecstatic about the new items for Christmas, even if the stats remained the same.
• For Star Legends, players are ecstatic about Planet Voleria.

Cons [For Players]:

• Regarding both games, players are beginning to take notice to the rise in platinum prices. For one reason only: Platinum per Instance.
• Players are getting banned/getting infractions for voicing their opinions.
• Posts are stifled, even if they may contain rage but have LOTS of constructive criticism.
• Players feel as if they need to be forced to pay platinum.
• Players feel more like they are a statistic rather than an actual customer.

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Aftermath:

• Spacetime Studios developers are not taking the proper approach to appease the masses. Telling your LOYAL customers to leave the game or that you as a company need money to fund the game is NOT an valid excuse. Why? If the campaigns had INNOVATION like VOLERIA possesses, many people would be fine paying platinum prices.

• Nickel and Dime-ing Players is NOT the way to go. "Packs" would be appreciated. The "Carnival" ride/ticket system is NOT the approach to make. IMO, it's one of the most outrageous marketing decisions a business can make, especially in a game such as an MMO.

• Players are enraged that their posts are being stifled. STS, this is NOT the time to make them even more angry. Yes, the feedback hurts or creates a lot of drama, but people need to vent. Let them, as long as they are respectful in their ranting. If you delete their post, all their hard-work and passion into that post is gone. To what ends? To save you a little face? It's detrimental: Players as a community would view it as a sign of weakness for not being able to face the music.

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What We Did Wrong:


What We Did Wrong [Players]:

• This game is their property. In the TOS, it specifically states that you are LICENSING a piece of software that they, the developers, can make changes to for whichever reason they so desire. Thus, riots are not right. That's like going onto somebody's private property or house and graffitting their house. It's disrespectful. THIS IS THEIR PRIVATE PROPERTY.

• If we didn't like the changes they went with, we shouldn't have bought platinum. In this day and age, money speaks A LOT louder than words. How do we know this? Take a look at AT&T. When they had exclusivity on the iPhone and people were moaning about the horrible coverages, what did AT&T do? NOTHING. When the iPhone's exclusivity contract ended, what did AT&T do? They released a new and improved network. Their LTE 4G network which promised better coverage and data speeds.

• Analyzing their posts to the extreme. It's the holidays, even the developers are people. Thus, they feel the heat too. I sure would not like to be the person wanting to deal with tons of angry people. Thus, take it a bit easy and don't over dramatize things. STS has fixed things for us in the past, they will now as well.

What They Did Wrong [SpaceTime Studios]:

• STS, we are your customers, thus we deserve a little respect, that is if you want us to buy platinum. Deleting our posts/locking threads/making COLD PR statements is not the way to go. It's like getting slapped in the face. With all due respect, we deserve better than that. We, the loyal players, stick with you through the rough and harsh times along with the good times. Why? We care about the game. Deleting our VALID thoughts and opinions is not the way to go, even if you do not agree with the player. A prime example of this is Pharycde. Many of his posts were deleted, even some that were completely constructive. What's the deal with that? WhoisThis is yet another example. One of the MOST respectful and passionate players I have seen in the game, yet he receives an infraction/black mark for in the developers view, twisting the statements of the developers.

• Charging us for HOLIDAY content. STS, in just about any MMO, holidays are for getting together and giving. Even Macy's or big organizations give HUGE SALES on their items. It's about the community spirit. Have you guys lost sight about that?

• Cold PR Statements. I'm sorry, but if you noticed in politics, when you are a public figure, you need to watch your wording. What does this mean? Learn to deliver statements that appease the masses but still benefit you. It's called compromise. This IS NOT a place where you bring your emotions and biased approach into it.

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How To Fix It [My Biased Opinion]:

• In order to show that you guys are still in the holiday spirit, give Christmas Eve and Christmas as freebie days for the campaigns. Charging platinum per instance was actually detrimental, because players did not spend platinum on elixirs then. Maybe doing this would actually BOOST elixir sales.

• Making a SINCERE public statement. An apology can go a long way. It shows that even as a business, you can still admit immoral and ethically questionable actions.

• Bring back the INNOVATION. SL has been getting the innovation, yet more players play PL. Thus, isn't PL the cash cow? Why is SL getting the creative campaigns then? Show both customers that you care. Don't make the PL side feel like they are funding SL.

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That's all my thoughts for now. I may add to this post should I feel need be.

Please, developers, it's a plea from me. Do not lock this thread. Just try to read it and understand what we're getting at.

Disclaimer: I know that I have done many of the things I have stated, but after calming down and reflecting, this is what I think and how I think we can solve this dilemma.

[Anishavie]

I agree to this post

Voleria is a very good campaign. But the winter festivals pay per instance thing is absurd
Good thing I run on tap joy budgets(close break for me). I mean it is a winter festival it's not like only people who have money can celebrate the winter festival. It's only temporary so why not make it free

The Christmas update should be a time where EVERYBODY can have fun not just the people with plat

[Nightarcher]

STS is expanding. Their games are getting more publicity, and the scale of their responsibilities is growing larger. The pressure to create original content in SL and to release DL soon is enormous, and they're definitely working hard.

The downside? With expansion comes less ability to address individual members/groups of the community and their concerns and feedback. It's something we're seeing more and more of, and something we will just have to deal with. The devs probably won't comment in this thread even if they do see it. They aren't becoming evil; prioritizing is very difficult with all the pressure put on you by all affected parties, even moreso than the tasks themselves. :)

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Summary: It's inevitable. It's not the result (mostly) of players' or devs' mistakes. We just have to deal with it. :)

[LADYHADASSA]

A very well written post three thumbs up there are indeed two sides to every situation,

To add one other area...

Players have never stopped complaining and begging for changes there seems to never be a group of happy people, the result... Players GOT what they complained and begged for back months ago it was paying for the maps.. STS. Changed it and now here is the aftermath....

STS you allowed players to change your stratagy in every way but the result of those temper tantrums was increased negative behavior.. Do that with your children at home and i can promise unruly unthankful homes...STS have made
promises to players that NEVER where followed threw the littlemthings that mattered to make all a little happy, pvp took a hard hit, with equipment stat changes gear is still not all corrected.. The foundershelms handed out a promise to include a few more players brought people in forums to an up roar.. Vet helms promised but never given... Sudden gear stat changes after people spent their cash to buy items.. Keeping words equels integrity.. Integrity keeps happy people.. Trust is important with major changes such as christmas inform your gamers before this occurs.. We had warning about GCD though people did not like it.. They stayed...

Players stop stop stop acting like ungratful kids when every change comes forth sts listened to all those complaints changed the game due to temper tantrums due to never being happy. I love this community and am the first person to find a bright side... But each side has made their beds and this is the nasty result. So many original players, teachers, guides etc are gone.. Since the changes.. Its sad..

I can see both sides of all of this I have to agree with this paymper instance as being to much.. My house has spent oooodles of rl money in this game, hours upon oh my hours playing teaching, giving, helping new players, giving things away, talking players out of leaving, helping solve issues that keep peeps from having a good time. We love to laugh and have a good time.. Our home is one of the few that can purchase plat as we do, sooooo many young kids CANT pl is full of tweens and teens my house could purchase several x hoxes games and subscriptions to live inclusive of updates for what has been spent here.. So some have voiced valid complaints in mature manners,.. If all the stores in my area stopped responding personaly to their biggest customers they would go out of buisness..

In the end no one is happy due to respect being the bottom line issue. I applaud those of you who have voiced your thoughts with maturity. Job well done ..

Though i am not impressed with the pay per instance, or the fact that lvl 15-25-35 etc where left out of the maps ( being a duel player this has made pvp
Layers mad once again) the new weapons are creative nice job, i still have to laugh that everyone who has pj's has their rear end exposed cute touch.

I would love to see a resolution to this uproar.. I hate to see my friends list becoming a memorial wall.

( to those of you who rant on grammer and spelling...pffft... I save that for never ending term papers, im not editing my i pad handy work or spelling, I am in fact very educated but im in a game Im supposed to have fun, not deal with making sure I cross my T's , I hate spell check on i pad so that is out of the question, a majority of time i end up on forum at late or early hours sleep deprivation or coffee dep. Can be to blame!! Lol! My honest rant for a pet peeve I have in forum... And yep i like. Extended periods at end of statments..... )

On another note is everyone so self absorbed in the I ME MY factor that they can NOT help with the Christmas give away? Player nominations.. Etc.. Come on all it is CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!

[Rodvik]

Guess I'll give my two cents on this matter and be constructive about it, since I'm normally clowning (due to the residuals of being bored half the time).

I just would like to start with that I'm pretty easily satisfied. My biggest issue with this game was from a few months ago, with the release of Slouch-O Productions, when I personally felt the game was getting too kiddie, and losing its "mature" vibe. Star Legends was starting to develop the same vibe as Pocket Legends, might I add this is why I didn't really get into PL was because I thought it felt too kiddie, and I made a long constructive post and to my surprize many agreed, some disagreed, but thats life. In the long run, I would like to think my post and the comments preceding for other dedicated players influenced STS in some shape, way, or form, in steering the game into its own direction, or should I say a "mature" direction, which I honestly think the masses of the players that play this game are "older" and would prefer a more mature vibe.

Has STS delivered? The past two content patches IMO have been amazing. They've had a "mature" feel to them and IMO things with a more mature vibe to them look "cooler". The content in Shipyard was great besides the commando set...lol, but even the Commando set had a "Mad Max" vibe to it. Now with the release of Voleria I couldn't be any happier with how the content turned out.


Anyways that's a bit off topic but lets get back to a lot of what has/is being argued in this post.


Due to the platinum per instance, players have lost their trust in STS as a company.

I honestly don't see where you're going with this? From the short time that I did try PL out, each instance, before they changed it, costed Platinum to play. I don't think there were THAT many complaints in the past, but I could be wrong, wrong to the point where there were a lot of complaints that STS decided to make the content free and refund the Platinum to those that had purchased it in the past. I think thats a pretty valiant thing to do. Why would you lose trust in your company over that? So with the release of the Holiday Winter Content they are sort of going back to the old ways. Its a mere 2 Platinum Per Instance. No where does that ring "I CAN'T ENJOY THE HOLIDAY CONTENT" anywhere. Enjoying the Holiday Content, assuming you can't purchase platinum, requires you to install a simple app and deleting it after. Which yields you 2-5 platinum. Obviously by those clicking on their free platinum offers STS makes money, but we aren't the only ones that have to eat. So they make .10 to .25 cents on your one app install, at least it was free for that person to "The New Holiday Content".

What if they did offer a "One Time Buy" for the Holiday Content, that costed 10-15 platinum to enjoy. Then we complicate things to the point where those people that were willing to install one app now have to install 5 and now they aren't willing to do that. Now what happens, its even harder for the masses to enjoy the holiday content. I think in the long run the people that are affected by the 2 platinum per instance budget are the ones that expect to go in there and farm pinks and vanities in hopes to benefit themselves. Pretty selfish if you ask me, but then again this is just a matter of opinion. =)

The instance isnt ALL that anyways, 2 platinum to experience it one time isn't asking for much.



People at Pocket Legends are insulted because all of the creativity seems to be heading to the SL department.

When PL recieved its content update, I had the opportunity to go back and Ebalere power leveled me from like level 20-30 or 35, I don't remember. I don't know the name of the instances (cause I don't play anymore). But I got to experience an Ice Level and a Swamp Level, and I was highly amazed by the "creativity" and "beauty" of these levels. So I can't really see what you mean by this. I was actually hoping they would incorporate something of the sort in the future for SL. Though you might be talking about the newer content in PL which I haven't experienced. I don't know how Mount Fang looks but I suppose if you made this above content, it's no where near as extravegant as Voleria is.


People begin to boycott platinum purchases

Not much to say here. Only reason I haven't purchased more is because I still have a lot left over from my last purchase.


Much drama on the forums. Rants are not handled very well.

There's always going to be someone complaining, this game could be PERFECT but there would always be someone that's not satisfied. Welcome to human nature. Why do you think I post half of the posts that I post on the forums now, because 90% of them are whiners who are not satisfied with something or people who want attention for reaching level cap (whichI have no problem congratulating for their hard efforts). I figured I'd doctor up some photos and post random bogus stuff to make people laugh, because that's what this community is unfortunately missing, SOME LAUGHTER! All it is is complaining, complaining, complaining. And 90% of the crap people complaining about is not even worth complaining about. That doesn't go to say that some of the complaints that are constructively argued aren't good valid points.


Many veterans/contributors to the game are quitting.

Sadly this is true, but I wouldn't put all the blame on STS for this. Guild Management Issues have lead and ended up to the departure of many great players as well.


Players are getting banned/getting infractions for voicing their opinions.
Can't comment on this too much either, as I do not know what happened, but with what I opened up with earlier, I voiced my opinion constructively and I also had that "concerned and displeased" tone within my post, yet STS still read and listened to what I had to say. Sam even ended up changing my title because it was so direct. I doubt STS totally ignores the posts that are made, and I doubt they just randomly go off and delete a post because they feel threatened. They more than likely have their reasons.


The platinum per instance was likely detrimental, as people would have likely spent more if they didn't feel like they were forced to. [QUOTE]
[QUOTE] Players feel as if they need to be forced to pay platinum.

People are going to spend their Platinum how they feel regardless of the limitations. If someone really wants to experience something they are going to pay for it regardless, ex: RIVET. As your comment does hold some valid true behind it, as people might have spent more if they didn't feel like they wre forced to. STS no where has MADE any of us, FORCEFULLY purchase any of their products. We do that out of our own free will. As you might feel 2 platinum is too much for an instance, like I stated above, you don't have to pay a dime for it if you complete one of the free offers. Which once again boils down to STS is a Company and have to make a profit somewhere to actually keep this game free to us. I think what everyone forgets in the long run that the majority of this game IS FREE. They unfortunately expect EVERYTHING to be FREE.


Sorry if I've upset anyone with my reply to this post, these are just my own opinions.

Thanks
-Rodvik

[Samhayne]

Hey guys,

Good posts, but we'd prefer to keep the discussion in one place. Here's Apollo's post in the PL forums. Thanks for your constructive input!

http://www.spacetimestudios.com/showthread.php?45838-What-the-new-update-has-brought-forth...