Time to reconsider

[DeletedUser3098]

I have played here since 2011 (actually, 2010 on a beta). I have seen many changes (and been reminded of those "good old days" via the Grepolis Facebook feed) over these years. Change always occurs, partly for technical corrections, partly for evolution and moreso for financial benefit. Recent "improvements" (as in the last few years) have focused on "gold" empowerment. Inno, our benevolent game provider, has proceeded to monetize this game. To wit, purchase of gold "coins" provides players with a monetary advantage over other players in any given world.

This monetization is further aggravated by players who enter a new world, trading resources for gold, which is available to all of their main playing worlds on the same server. Fueled by "gold". different behaviors appear, and these alternate behaviors change the play of the game.

The game has become "gold" driven.

I recently entered a new world (Dyme, on the .us servers). The game progressed similarly to prior worlds, though a number of players and alliances displayed very unusual growth. This can be done by playing 24/7, but even so, the only explanation is the massive use of "gold". Use of gold for resources (gold trading), use of gold for construction (instant completion) and use of gold for recruiting (instant recruiting completion) has led to the "golden rule".

The "golden rule" is "those that have the gold make the rules".

I will give a specific example:

On 12/21/2017, at 21:29:28 (.us server, EST), one of my cities was attacked by a player who, after only 12 days on the .us server, had 8 cities, the largest of 13000+ points.

Further, the attack came from a non-primary city with:

25 Erinys, 132 LS, 86 FT and a CS

For a player to reach this growth can only have been empowered by massive use of gold. Use of gold has dramatically changed this game, to its detriment,

The usage of gold is exacerbated by the appearance of "contests" (to wit, the Tyche "Advent Calendar"), awarding enormous and out-of-scale rewards (such as Errinys and Manticores) which substantially further empower gold players.

Dyme will end early, as has been the fate of a number of recent worlds. Gold purchases have changed this game, and not for the betterment. The monetization of this game has reduced the appeal of playing Grepolis.

I, frankly, do not expect any constructive changes to come from this post. I do expect to not purchase gold, nor play in any world that provides gold trading, instant completion or any other gold-driven emolument.

Regards.

 

[DeletedUser5524]

Play it smart and hold out and most of the time those players don't last into the server. Its annoying but you eventually get used to it.

 

[DeletedUser4951]

Well yeah Dyme will end early but that's not because of gold. There's not nearly enough teams joining to really add a meaningful dynamic.

 

[DeletedUser15602]

Gold becomes a lot less important(unless you have nearly unlimited amounts of it) after the first few weeks of a server, when autocompleting buildings becomes less effective because your 14th city doesn't *really* need those academy levels golded out.

I like the current system because as someone who doesn't spend a dime on this game, I can be competitive with everyone else through trading resources for gold. Maybe I don't hold too much of a torch to the very top spenders, who can drop absurd amounts of gold on the game to a point where it's just wasting money for a ton of very small advantages(and in the end proving nothing because they just buy their wins), but some players just aren't able to be overcome by yourself, and that's not a huge deal to me, because they are very few in number.

Before they added gold trading into the game, it was a REAL struggle as a free to play player. Not having any of the premium advisors hurt a bunch, and not being able to use gold to get at least lower build times hurt as well, not to mention events.

I never understand why players who don't spend money on the game would ever want to go back to those days.

 

[DeletedUser5524]

I agree tbwolf. Before hand though you could fill out surveys though for gold and some of them you were able to repeat for quick and easy gold haha

 

[DeletedUser15602]

I agree tbwolf. Before hand though you could fill out surveys though for gold and some of them you were able to repeat for quick and easy gold haha

I completely forgot about the offer wall lol, surprised they got rid of it tbh.

 

[DeletedUser4951]

Honestly my only complaint on gold right now is that I liked cut times better. There's situations where i'm working on limited time but don't exactly need things done instantly. I also used more gold after city one when cut times were on.

 

[DeletedUser13443]

Well yeah Dyme will end early but that's not because of gold. There's not nearly enough teams joining to really add a meaningful dynamic.

There are not enough teams because Grepo is the only business that says,"Hey we listen to our customers", when in reality they really don't. How many players have been screaming 4-4 world? Next world released will be revolt world, and I will be looking to see if they actually listened to what scores of players have asked for.
Perhaps they should go back to the way it used to be, where you could only half the time of building and troops with 25 gold, not complete it.Remember those days? I also agree, way too many events. 3-4 a year max, without nurfed buffs.