The value of your time

[Bob69bob]

Anyone who has played this game for more than a few years will have exhausted 1000s of hours creating their virtual cities. The bigger or more developed their worlds are, the more time has been spent - or a significant amount of cash. There are some features that simply don’t exist in some cities if real money hasn’t been spent or areas of advantage or growth that are simply less developed for players unwilling to part with their hard earned cash*.

The time you started playing also has its pros and cons. There aren’t as many pros, but there are a few (eg. lower land cost at the very top levels is now capped at 180 greens, the drop rates of the only 3 important launch fuel items is now balanced much better, faster planes are now available thru liveries without having to pay cash or find a spot in the corrupted top 100 alliance system).
The cons of starting late are generally based on things that GI have deemed unprofitable or bugs that were/are used to advantage for long periods. The golden dice/planetarium bug was a gold mine for players and set them up with years of fuel, resources and gold tokens which still fill some players warehouses which had no 100 limit at the time. Items like CBM create massive profit drops so are no longer sold, but those that have them can spend their gold tokens and generate 1000s of greenies at no cost. Gold tokens had little use for a long time until GI actually listened (a rare occurrence) and introduced auto collect buildings and more hangar expansions. The prices were exorbitant but people paid. It was slow to start, but became extremely popular to the point where profit took precedence and their purchase price was switched to greens (ie.real money) and gold tokens were, once again, significantly devalued.

There are many other complaints that can be made about GI and the changes they’ve made in the name of profit*. All in all, I can’t complain too much because it has captivated me for over 5 years and I continue to play and get relatively cheap entertainment from it. This thread wasn‘t created to discuss the errors of GI present or past or their right to run a business at a profit and make decisions about changes to ensure it continues to make money. The topic I’m bringing up is based around the fact that the older a game is, the more likely it is to have gained from advantages that will never be available to any game being created now. These advantages, on top of the 1000s of hours invested playing and cash (if) invested, puts these games at a significantly higher value. GI has no interest in supporting these games because they know that there’s little profit in it for them. As a result, I’ve witnessed the greatest rate in exodus of players since I began playing. These top end games are quickly disappearing into a virtual black hole.

The question I have, and I don‘t need the lectures on company fine print, does anyone know if any of these games have been sold on to a newer player, impatiently looking to jump ahead? If it has happened, I’m very curious as to how the value of sale was determined. There’s no doubt that any sale would be extremely undervalued, but I wonder where the two parties would find a price that be agreeable enough to proceed with the deal?

*I have no issue with any company trying to make profits. Without profits, there is no reason exist and the product would cease to exist. I understand that many players downloaded the game in understanding that it was free and they have no obligation to spend anything. Very little in life is free, so my mind boggles at the fact these people believe that it’s their right to complain when mistakes are made or decisions are made to ensure the company continues to exist. Be happy that you got something for nothing. If you want any power of input, invest in the game you can’t put down and have derived so much entertainment playing. Otherwise, bugger off and play solitaire or minesweeper.

 

[Chloe11111]

As many know, I quit and came back. Started in 2012, quit in 2016 and started a new game early in 2020 - pre-pandemic.

I knew what I was getting back into - free-to-play, upsell for faster progress. But I also knew that I wanted to go back to playing - my lifestyle just allowed it now.

I proved in the first 6 months of restarting this game that it's possible to get quite far quite quickly with the right strategy and some dedication ... and without spending money.

When the pandemic went beyond the first 2 weeks, I found myself with cash that I would have used for entertainment before so I turned it into a subscription in the game and a budget for playing. Which took my game to the next level. It was a choice I made along with a recognition that "without profits, there is no reason to exist". And I'm happy to support the improvements (waiting for the improvements) of the game I enjoy playing so much.

Getting back to your question after going down the rabbit hole, I don't even have a guess on the value.

 

[Дима (gift)]

I've never heard such a pathetic excuse for wasting time. I'm amused when I hear that in a free game, players don't have the right to complain. Why are you willing to justify all the sh*t that goes on in this game with this argument?
I don't know what the actual cost of selling this product to a new player is. But I am convinced that the $120 price tag for a bonus that lasts 24 hours is a scam.
In addition, the company violates the user's rights every day, because it does not disclose the drop rate of bonuses, collections, liveries, maps, buildings and other items. Is this a game? This is a casino. The numerous bugs that crop up every update don't pull on that price tag. Developers don't listen to players anymore. And you, Bobby, trying to smooth the corners.
I get the impression that you have never played other games and you don't know any alternatives.

In this case, I don't understand your message.
"my mind boggles at the fact these people believe that it’s their right to complain when mistakes are made or decisions are made to ensure the company continues to exist...Otherwise, bugger off and play solitaire or minesweeper."

It sounds like an excuse. Who hit you Bobby? Who dared to ask about your Bobby alliance?

Guys you have to remember if someone says that you have to be satisfied with poor service for a high price, then you know that in front of you is Pied Piper of Hamelin. He drags you to the bottom.

 

[Madge59230]

I've never heard such a pathetic excuse for wasting time. I'm amused when I hear that in a free game, players don't have the right to complain. Why are you willing to justify all the sh*t that goes on in this game with this argument?
I don't know what the actual cost of selling this product to a new player is. But I am convinced that the $120 price tag for a bonus that lasts 24 hours is a scam.
In addition, the company violates the user's rights every day, because it does not disclose the drop rate of bonuses, collections, liveries, maps, buildings and other items. Is this a game? This is a casino. The numerous bugs that crop up every update don't pull on that price tag. Developers don't listen to players anymore. And you, Bobby, trying to smooth the corners.
I get the impression that you have never played other games and you don't know any alternatives.

In this case, I don't understand your message.
"my mind boggles at the fact these people believe that it’s their right to complain when mistakes are made or decisions are made to ensure the company continues to exist...Otherwise, bugger off and play solitaire or minesweeper."

It sounds like an excuse. Who hit you Bobby? Who dared to ask about your Bobby alliance?

View attachment 63897

Guys you have to remember if someone says that you have to be satisfied with poor service for a high price, then you know that in front of you is Pied Piper of Hamelin. He drags you to the bottom.

Every single passenger that was flown was saved via visa square and flown with fuel from numerous rings. As well as alarm clock, family ticket, weather vane and jet pack. It’s the first time ANT has had several people hitting 1M. It was planned and saved for. Not in the same class as those who do it week in week out, within hours of reset on a Monday. I hit my 1M on Saturday after a week of flying. Throwing mud? None will stick here. Really a bit sad.

 

[Bob69bob]

I've never heard such a pathetic excuse for wasting time. I'm amused when I hear that in a free game, players don't have the right to complain. Why are you willing to justify all the sh*t that goes on in this game with this argument?

Clutching at straws? I’m curious - for the amount of bitching you do, why are you still playing? I can assure you, I am no huge fan of GI and the way they’ve operated. I can guarantee that I’ve submitted more tickets and complaints than you have and I’ve been one of the few in a chat group of alliance leaders (no longer) who stood up and called out the cheating going on amongst the top tier, week in, week out.
I completely understand the vitriol that gets thrown at GI. I’ve done it many times myself. Twist my words as you please, but I still stand by the statement that anyone who plays the game for many years and hasn’t contributed a penny to its development has very little to complain about. What are these ‘user‘s rights” being abused that you claim to exist for someone who has not entered a contract (except to agree to terms that the software owner has spelled out)? Whinging and whining about how hard they’ve been done by because GI has stopped the weekly greenies handout. Frankly, I think that move is a huge mistake and will force players out (especially those that won’t spend). It’s also a pretty crappy move in general, simply from a P.R. perspective. I also fully endorse those that have stopped spending money in protest to the crap service that is provided.

I’m also at the end of my tether with what GI is doing and has done. They won’t fix the cheating, won’t expand the game and they’ve completely destroyed the way events are played. Not a single thing impacts the leaderboards except the 3 daily tasks which aren’t random and are doctored to burn huge amounts of resources. Collections are irrelevant. The events are all old and riddled with bugs, mostly associated with content from the times they were run before they were butchered for this new format. The greed from sales has them pumping out a new event within days of the previous one ending and no time or money is spent testing the code. I have spent money on my game and I’m also pi$$ed off.

Now, the reason that I asked if there was a value to older games is because I’ve just about had enough. I was curious to see if there was any value in me trying to recover even a small portion of the investment that I’ve made. Has anyone else actually done it? Yes, I know it’s not allowed but I also agree that they haven’t operated in good faith so why should the people, that are frustrated to the point of leaving the game, show any commitment to the developer?

Maybe you should pull your head out of your arse and bite your tongue before assuming you have any idea what the post is about before using it to vent, once again, about the developers you despise so much and the game that drives you nuts. But then again, your biggest annoyance is within, knowing that with all your frustration you don’t have the strength to talk the talk and simply walk. Still playing, still bitching. Minesweeper doesn’t have many bugs (as fas as I know). It used to be free?

 

[Дима (gift)]

Every single passenger that was flown was saved via visa square and flown with fuel from numerous rings. As well as alarm clock, family ticket, weather vane and jet pack. It’s the first time ANT has had several people hitting 1M. It was planned and saved for. Not in the same class as those who do it week in week out, within hours of reset on a Monday. I hit my 1M on Saturday after a week of flying. Throwing mud? None will stick here. Really a bit sad.

It's amazing that you're still trying to shift the focus to the passengers. Everyone has access to facebook, and everyone has already read the instructions for how you do this stuff.
I will not deny myself the opportunity to quote your position again
"Otherwise, bugger off and play solitaire or minesweeper"

 

[flyhores]

I am playing while watching Dow Jones, Nasdaq and forex.

 

[Davescharf]

It's amazing that you're still trying to shift the focus to the passengers. Everyone has access to facebook, and everyone has already read the instructions for how you do this stuff.
I will not deny myself the opportunity to quote your position again
"Otherwise, bugger off and play solitaire or minesweeper"

Let me get this right…You’re accusing an alliance who regularly is Top20 as cheaters based on a single week’s push to try and get a Top10?

That’s an insult to the 14 people in the alliance who flew personal best passenger counts that week. Passengers are easy to get when you have silver coins, magic squares and visa centers…it’s all the fuel we saved through rings and launch parties that allowed us to do it.

Save your vitriol for the groups ahead of us that magically added 3 million passengers in under a day. There are no more than 20 alliances that regularly do that in a full week.

 

[Stupor-Duck aka Cassandra]

Not taking sides with anyone whether they've invested time, or money.

But yes I do understand the frustrations of a player, who has invested their hard earned income to expand, acquire, and some, may have helped others along the way.

An example that pops up within the 1st 3 levels is the stone castles. Right away, a player is pushed into spending money. And some do. I have, because neighbors came in search of crests, though it might be weeks before they can fly elsewhere for others. Not only that but castles yield many passengers, so did blue villas, which eventually changed names and colors.

Like Bob, I too have filed many many tickets, been accused of time traveling, cheating, I was punished personally for a month for something I did.
When I returned, it only made me focus more on not my personal satisfaction, but to help everyone else.
Unlike some, unless my neighbor list is maxxed out, I never decline a request. Yes I have heard some only have or had neighbors who are level 80, or other perks one may get through visits.

One of the largest things GI did to me, was when they intro'd a second reserve hangar and just as I finished construction, the devs or whomever changed that as well, and unlike some I lost both reserve hangars in that process.

Again I got screwed. And yes I have spoken loudly to some through my nearly ten years of flight time. I too have been an alliance leader, though I had always considered Knight Fliers a family owned alliance.

Personal struggles that would make some of you cringe, to hear about them, and when some complained I lashed out, a few times.

But honesty when most look at my city layout, though my ID has changed some of you know who I truly am.

Anyone albeit those who play freely or who pay for extras still have the right to gripe. Because without gripes, without complaints, how else will GI and the devs know what might be bugging out? Bugs affect everyone on all levels.

As for putting a cost a sale price, none of you could afford what I have invested, time and money

 

[Bob69bob]

As for putting a cost a sale price, none of you could afford what I have invested, time and money

Many players would say the same. It’s not about recovering the cost of the game - that’s impossible. Nobody would pay it. My guess is that you’d be lucky to even get 10%. The question relates to value. As some would say, everything is for sale. If you made the decision to quit the game, you have 4 options…
a) save it for a rainy day (not for me- if I manage to escape, there will be no looking back 🏃🏼),
b) give the game away ie. transfer it to someone else,
c) send the game to the twilight zone and burn the codes (what a waste 😩), or
d) sell your code
If your decision was to sell (players come and go with wads of cash to burn so I’m sure offers would be made for the right city), I wonder where the two parties would find common ground and do a deal. The buyer has far more strength in negotiation than the player looking to quit. The amount decided to get the handshake done is the “value” at that moment.

 

[Stupor-Duck aka Cassandra]

Many players would say the same. It’s not about recovering the cost of the game - that’s impossible. Nobody would pay it. My guess is that you’d be lucky to even get 10%. The question relates to value. As some would say, everything is for sale. If you made the decision to quit the game, you have 4 options…
a) save it for a rainy day (not for me- if I manage to escape, there will be no looking back 🏃🏼),
b) give the game away ie. transfer it to someone else,
c) send the game to the twilight zone and burn the codes (what a waste 😩), or
d) sell your code
If your decision was to sell (players come and go with wads of cash to burn so I’m sure offers would be made for the right city), I wonder where the two parties would find common ground and do a deal. The buyer has far more strength in negotiation than the player looking to quit. The amount decided to get the handshake done is the “value” at that moment.

You know really if I too decided to walk away, it would probably kill me. Really I mean. Some of what I mentioned about personal issues and that I was hard on some players, It's not because I was hard on others near to myself and my child. It is because of things here now, apart from my playing AC talking with others still, and my daughter lol playing roblox or fortnight, the gaming world, that friendship is all we have now. In my last 17 years, I have not seen those who actually do care. The night my mom passed away, nearly 12 years now, I nearly died that very same weekend with a perforated colon. My baby brother, lol not a baby anymore, died of lung cancer in 2017 a week after my birthday. My good friend and fiance, almost two years later. And still because of my own health issues I could not be there. So AC is all I have really to keep my sanity right now. If I found a way to travel back east and again be with family; I would give up my game to anyone, if they had some way to help me fly home for real this time and not through some sim type game.