Thank Grog It’s Firday!!
Dear EA,
I did my best. Even though we get nothing out of this one-sided relationship with you (no money, no donuts, no credit for our work), we continue to hope and support the future of TSTO. I made an attempt to bring “reasonable minds” to the fore, and come up with some solutions that would help you do a better job of maintaining and fixings some of the game issues we face. However, the reception of my “chip in $1.99 for every 500 farmed donuts” concept fell a bit flat. People understood the problems created by taking for free what others pay for (at least some understood), but most said, “when you fix it, I might start paying!!”
OK then.
So, I am going to propose something that makes a lot more sense to me. Something that really cuts across all sorts of players…but mostly the “Super Players” who log in repeatedly, have huge towns, and are the largest drain on the server resources.
It’s not that unusual…especially in the face of successful franchises like Netflix and Amazon Prime. It’s one, short, solution…
Create a TSTO Premium Benefits account.
OK. Hold on! Hold on! Hear me out!
As we have determined, there is a very specific type of user/player who really plays the game not so much “to get the next bright shiny thing,” but to actually design with the items we win/buy. I have never understood the kind of player who simply grinds their fingers off, in order to maximize earning, and increase bonuses, and earn boatloads of free donuts from farming, and then does nothing substantive with their earnings.
It’s like a smoker who smokes more, but enjoys it less, the more they smoke.
But, for me…and for many players…design and the FREEDOM to design, is what keeps us playing.
There are more and more of us who are coming out from under our “designer bubbles” to complain that both Item Limits, and the “New Land Tokens” are restrictive and killing the game for us. I am right up against those limits (though admittedly still have loads of land left to buy with game cash).
But, it was the knowledge that Ebron (remember Ebron? The designing gold standard?)…who had one of the best, most amazing deigns ever, decided to NUKE, rather than keep cannibalizing large chunks of her work. I noticed one day that she had “mini-nuked” a huge portion right in the middle of her town. And today, just saw that she had indeed SUPER NUKED her Springfield, while I was doing a round of neighbor visits. My heart sank. So much amazing work…gone.
I don’t know if this is an act of bravery, protest, or desperation. Perhaps a combination of all three. Or maybe, she just likes designing so much, that the restrictions drove her to a “clean start” due to the limitations. But, I know I can’t/won’t be doing that. I love certain parts of my design. After almost 6 years of designing…there are aspects that feel like “home.” Sure…you can trash a house, and re-do it. But, it is never the same. Ever. No matter what HGTV tells you.
And, I have to ask, as long as I have your attention, is YOUR idea of a “great Springfield” that of the “Other Springfield” that I see in my list of neighbors? If so…I guess Item Limits make sense. Because this is a seriously lazy design…bland…meh…boring.
This is the kind of town that would never worry about Item Limits. Whoever it is that made it…can do better. And YOU can do better EA! All it takes is a little effort, some creativity and some money to pay for the programming.
So………………….
What I am proposing is a Premium Plan that offers two things.
1. No more Item Limits
2. Unlimited Land (up to whatever is released by the EA “GridMasters” as it’s released).
That’s all. It’s pretty simple. Kind of like instituting term limits for congress, and eliminating lobbying donations from special interests. But, I digress…
For those two things, I’d be more than happy to pay a Premium Subscription of $99 a year. Heck….I’d even pay $120 a year…like Amazon Prime or Netflix.
And I KNOW people would gobble it up…and add real bottom line dollars to your coffers. It would allow you, EA, the creator of the game, and all of it’s current Fustercluck of issues, to invest some resources into the game again.
Please. Think about it. I don’t even want a cut of the action, even if it is my idea! It will just allow me to start enjoying the game again.
Respectfully Yours,
Patric (AKA Crankyoldguy)