Construction Cost Reduction Discussion Thread

[DeletedUser]

While there hasn't been as much activity on the issue, it looks like the idea is also getting slammed on the EN forums. I particularly like an excerpt from one post, "May I take a moment to remind InnoGames of it's pledge, to maintain a level playing field between paying and non-paying players."

 

[DeletedUser2039]

Exactly. It really isn't equal at all because gold is activated at all...but then again we can only ask for so much. I guess we will just have to adapt with whatever they decide...

 

[DeletedUser2569]

I'm not quite sure what feature you are talking about being tested on beta... But the feature to lower the building cost is currently being tested on the Beta...
I don't know how people there feel about it since i joined beta a few days ago...
All i know is that you can grow a lot faster than before...

 

[DeletedUser]

I started playing Grepolis for the first time on the US server in July 2012. I took the time and effort to learn the game (thus far) and enjoy playing it. It this is implemented, I will likely not be playing for much longer. The olympics are enough of an unnecessary advantage for unskilled players who can buy victory without solidifying it for them with this dumbed down premium feature. Might as well get rid of cats and quakes, as walls will likely stay at 25 too.

 

[DeletedUser]

I had the opportunity to have a chat with the devs this morning about this feature. Here is what they had to say about it, and I agree with them wholeheartedly.

We realize there is displeasure about our new premium feature, the Construction Cost Reduction. On one hand I understand that you see the balance of the game in danger, on the other hand I would like to explain our decision to introduce this feature.

It is not our intention to ignore the 'Grepolis United' project. Your feedback is still valuable input to us! But the meaning of 'Grepolis United' was foremost to deliver a more transparent development process and to give you more insight on the things we are working on. That's why the Construction Cost Reduction was already mentioned in the roadmap 2013. Of course we want to pull you closer to the development itself, that's why there will be monthly feature polls soon that give you the opportunity to vote on the features you would like to see in the game first.

It cannot be the goal of 'Grepolis United' to cut all premium features due to opinions from the community, because from a player’s point of view, no premium feature would be welcomed (which makes sense to me). But still, the competition in the online game industry is tough; many games introduce premium advantages that would definitely have distorting effects on Grepolis. However, we as a team and company have several costs that need to be covered in order to further develop Grepolis:
- A large team of developers
- Overlapping departments like marketing, administration, quality assurance etc.
- Community managers for all markets
- Costs in the department of marketing, as any game needs a steady flow of new players
- Server supply and service
- As well as smaller positions

The online market is changing and thus the free-2-play model is constantly evolving as well. That doesn't mean that we like all these changes in the industry, neither that they would be suitable for Grepolis. But rest assured that we heavily discuss each new premium feature and think about possible balance issues. We, as a company, have to sustain a healthy balance between features that have been suggested by you – our community – and features that keep the game attractive for new players, features that provide excitement and fun for existing players, and of course, premium features that help us to cover the above mentioned costs. Without all these options Grepolis couldn't exist.

Finally, I would like to say that we closely watch the progression of our premium features and if we see that the balance is shifted in an unbearable manner we will make adjustments, of course!

 

[DeletedUser]

It is now clear to many of us that Grep. management feels itself above the players desires which is why we will be having a meeting tonight including some of the top premium users within the grep community over the past few years on this server and others. We have a private membership of over three hundred players that currently participate in Grepolis. We have moved as a group before from other MMO games and it appears as though we will be packing our bags again! MMO Kings has capitalized on your obvious disrespect for us and has happily reached out to us with alternative options! It is going to be voted on tonight but it appears as though grep will be losing a mass amount of experienced players in the coming days!

We wish you all the best of luck but we are certain this is the beginning of the end for Grepolis as we know it! It is funny how history repeats itself!!! Arrogant management and developers always seem to ruin it for everyone!

-Tis

 

[DeletedUser]

I spend money for gold for premium features. But the point is this is supposed to be a strategy game, and the new feature gives the advantage to spending mass amounts of money over strategic play. But I guess any online or RL strategy requires mass amounts of money to succeed. Spend spend spend to win. That's the way of the world, no?

 

[DeletedUser308]

It cannot be the goal of 'Grepolis United' to cut all premium features due to opinions from the community, because from a player’s point of view, no premium feature would be welcomed (which makes sense to me). But still, the competition in the online game industry is tough; many games introduce premium advantages that would definitely have distorting effects on Grepolis. However, we as a team and company have several costs that need to be covered in order to further develop Grepolis:
- A large team of developers
- Overlapping departments like marketing, administration, quality assurance etc.
- Community managers for all markets
- Costs in the department of marketing, as any game needs a steady flow of new players
- Server supply and service
- As well as smaller positions

We don't reject every premium feature. But it's clear from that reply you guys are only interested in your money. We're not rejecting this feature for out of selfishness, but to keep this game competitive and keep people interested in it. Because as soon as this is implemented I bet lot's of people will leave.

 

[DeletedUser]

Very good idea !!! I'm a GOLDER and I love this idea !

 

[DeletedUser2039]

I am fine with Grepo making their money...BUT throw off the balance of the game and it is no longer a fun game. The strategy involved is most of what this game is based on, obviously no battle scenes or other exciting things grace its presence often, so when you take that away and benefit the players that can pay for winning, you will of coarse ruin the game. I don't see how you can argue against that...my question is: instead of continuing development on these kind of ideas, can you broaden your outlook past premium features and ask yourself how else can you make money?

 

[DeletedUser2725]

Game Balance

I agree with my fellow gamers that this new initiative of construction cost reduction will further upset the balance of the game. However, I think there are ways that grepolis can help level the playing field. That is let resources take on some of the functions of gold. For example, if you want to build a group of light ships faster and don't have the gold to speed it up, you could spend 25% more in the cost of resources to cut down the time. This feature would help those who don't have the financial resources to compete, and it would reward their skill in acquiring cities and maxing out resources.

 

[W4RR10R]

In the latter part of the game, this feature will not make much difference, but at the start of the game, when players are just starting off, this would be a HUGE advantage in favour of all the gold whores, and they would have a mass advantage over the non-premium players but if some kind of cap could be implemented that would even out the playing fields more? Maybe one building per day?

 

[DeletedUser906]

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I have spent some time playing this game in the free mode and the premium mode. I have to say I like the premiums that are currently offered. With that said, I consider carefully each time I click a button to use a premium. Even with premium use, one of my most powerful tools for acquiring resources is simply farming my villages every five minutes and raiding other players. With those extra resources, and the premium feature allowing me to cut building time, I can build my cities up quickly enough.

I don't think that any serious player would consider using the new resource premium very often, if at all, simply because its effect will not gain them as much as its cost. I don't see myself using it at all.

I think that experienced players and alliances will be able to judge when a new player, or even another experienced player is using that new feature, or even depending on it, and thus will take every effort to wipe that player off the map before they can get very strong and threatening. I know I will be keeping my eyes open for this. And I believe the developers will keep their eyes on this development as it progresses, as they stated above. Hopefully they will adjust the cost to make it even more prohibitive as the game goes on, thus maintaining the balance of 'the force'.

thisisgrepolis​

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[DeletedUser2039]

I'm not positive that would exactly balance things out. You have to look at it like there are two sides. Payers and non-payers. What they are doing is giving power to payers. I think we can all agree on that. The problem is, they can not simply give power to the non-payers. Your idea suggests giving power to all players, not changing the balance whatsoever. It is near impossible to single out giving power to just non-payers, but very easy to give more to those that pay. I mean the incentive is because they pay! This then goes back to the balance issue and how updates are favoring those who pay to get more out of them.

 

[DeletedUser]

I am a payer but am really bummed. Currently there are limits to what you can accomplish with gold, providing balance. It's obvious GrepoMgmt will implement this feature despite the effect it will have on the community and long-term membership. The sad thing is it all comes down to greed - not having to do anything but keep up on this game and hang out on the company yacht isn't good enough for our GrepoTeam. Yes, we bought them a company yacht and currently provide enough revenue they could do it again.

 

[DeletedUser]

I disagree with everyone. Yes it does give gold player a little advantage, but does not throw the game off balance. If you read and looked at it closely you would see that you can only cut the cost by 25% and it sounds like you can only use it once per build. So a player can't cut it till it was really cheap. Only taking off 25% is not that bad. If it was like the cutting of the time. where you could use it multiple times then it would throw the game off.

 

[DeletedUser]

Sounds to me like typical economics. Consumers love FREE stuff... Businesses want to be profitable... somewhere they meet in the middle... anyone take that class?

All I hear is a bunch of consumers wanting their free stuff (some whining I might add). The company has said they have bills to pay (according to the quote above).. they can't pay them and grow the game giving out free stuff for too long.

I am sure the company wants to keep "balance" in the game -its in their best interest. And frankly, since anyone can choose to pay, then they have achieved that. It's not about free vs pay to play... its about consumers getting a product they enjoy and the company staying viable to continue to provide that product!

The trivial threats of mass exodus... so what? childish imo... be gone already or dial 911! Others will fill your shoes or the company will move into other development games. Its the world we live in now... suck you in with free stuff, then make you pay for it! We don't know that by now?

I like customers who appreciate the product and services that someone has put their hard effort into providing for them and not whine when the company gives them an option to pay for enhanced services.. sheesh!

Obviously not many business people playing this game.

 

[DeletedUser906]

[/CENTER]

Qualtar makes a good point ... "I am sure the company wants to keep "balance" in the game -its in their best interest. And frankly, since anyone can choose to pay, then they have achieved that. It's not about free vs pay to play... its about consumers getting a product they enjoy and the company staying viable to continue to provide that product!"

As I said before, I can see myself using this feature very rarely, if at all.

thisisgrepolis

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[DeletedUser]

It was fun while it lasted.

This thread is for posting feedback, and discussing the Construction Cost Reduction feature planned to be introduced to Grepolis in an upcoming update.

Please keep it civil, and constructive. This thread will be used by the developers to directly gauge users opinions on this feature.

I understand very clearly what's going on. I knew when I saw the TV advertisements. I have spent a good deal of time and more money then I really wanted to and then to have things change mid world, seems like the wrong way to treat people. In the new worlds, I say do whatever you want. In the old, changes should be limited. I for one will not continue if this change goes into effect, which is unfair to my alliance and to me. When I bought gold in the first place it was because I came into the world late and thought I was a little behind, but giving this advantage is too much. From the looks of things you will be losing more people than just me if this goes into effect. Americans expect to get what they paid for and changing things after people have put money and their time into it, is just wrong. I didn't quit before because I was out for revenge in tactfulness . . . knowing that others have an unfair advantage over me because they are willing to spend more than me . . . that is not a win I'd be proud of and I'm not going to get into a match of money over a game. You'd probably get a better response by charging everyone a one time fee at the beginning and then going from there. It's a great game and a great concept. As of March 28th, I'll be waiting to see if this goes into effect and if it does I'll be reclaiming every dollar I have put in with Paypal, because you changed the game and that changes the product I paid for. This payer and player will be done.

 

[DeletedUser]

1st time post.

I felt this so important, I finally am posting rather than just reading.

Premium features are great. I understand Grepo's need of income to keep the game "free". Going about it this way hurts the game and may certainly limit my participation in the future.

I enjoy this game so much that I continue to invite new players and help them get their feet wet.

If gold is how to win, then the "powers that be" need to continue to offer alternative ways to earn gold. In the time I've played (about 7 months) I've seen the free offers under the "earn gold" section steadily reduce. These offers are often stagnant, as well, for weeks at a time. Grepo still gets paid for these commercials so they can continue to operate. Even though I've often never received my earned gold, I've had little recourse, this is incredibly frustrating!

Giving players the option to "earn gold" as "easily" as buying it will at least provide some balance to the pay-to-play aspect.

I'm so excited for the hero quest concept. If this hero quest requires gold that I can not earn, I will most likely quit the game because it would be a buy-a-victory concept.

Please Grepo reconsider the premium features and gold ideas to keep the playing field BALANCED!

Guys, thanks for your great posts continue the awesome work.