Guild Wars 2

DarkSpirit.7046:

Unless they convert their free gems into gold and cause all prices to rise by inserting inflation into the economy. Good job!

Because of the way the exchange rates work, if lots of the recipients of free gems did this, there would still be less gold in the economy (because their gold is coming from other players buying gems with gold, minus a transaction fee,) and the players who buy gems with gold will get more gems as the exchange rate improves (however slightly.)

Ineligible players who feel slighted aside, I see no serious downside to this promotion.

Redenaz.8631:

DarkSpirit.7046:

Unless they convert their free gems into gold and cause all prices to rise by inserting inflation into the economy. Good job!

Because of the way the exchange rates work, if lots of the recipients of free gems did this, there would still be less gold in the economy (because their gold is coming from other players buying gems with gold, minus a transaction fee,) and the players who buy gems with gold will get more gems as the exchange rate improves (however slightly.)

Ineligible players who feel slighted aside, I see no serious downside to this promotion.

So you are saying that those leavers deserve to be rewarded more than others who have been supporting ArenaNet all these time?

If you are then you are being a jerk.

DarkSpirit.7046:

mtpelion.4562:

It isn’t presumptuous at all, we know the amount of change because any time gold is converted to gems or gems are converted to gold, the conversion rate changes appropriately.

Yes it is presumptuous because you do not understand what it means when ArenaNet create lots and lots of gems “out of thin air” to be given out to people who may convert them into gold. Then tell us that injecting these extra gold would not impact the economy at all. You also forgot that economic forces that are still in place that are driving up gem prices at the same time.

Furthermore, it doesn’t seem that ArenaNet values their existing customers and the difference in their rewards are shown in obvious gold amount.

People buying gold with Gems does not inject more gold into the economy, in fact it takes some gold out of the economy.

eisberg.2379:

People buying gold with Gems does not inject more gold into the economy, in fact it takes some gold out of the economy.

So that implies ArenaNet should reward leavers more than people who have been supporting them all this while? Yes let’s bring back this discussion shall we?

DarkSpirit.7046:

mtpelion.4562:

It isn’t presumptuous at all, we know the amount of change because any time gold is converted to gems or gems are converted to gold, the conversion rate changes appropriately.

Yes it is presumptuous because you do not understand what it means when ArenaNet create lots and lots of gems “out of thin air” to be given out to people who may convert them into gold. Then tell us that injecting these extra gold would not impact the economy at all. You also forgot that economic forces that are still in place that are driving up gem prices at the same time.

Furthermore, it doesn’t seem that ArenaNet values their existing customers and the difference in their rewards are shown in obvious gold amount.

Other than the initial glut of gems at game launch, all gems that are bought with gold are gems that were originally bought with real life money and converted into gold.

This means that gem prices go up whenever people trade gems for gold (i.e. delete gold from the economy in exchange for gems, causing deflation) and gem prices go down only when people trade gold for gems (i.e. add gold to the economy and put gems on the market).

Since the gem prices are going up, we have proof that more gold is being destroyed than is being added, ergo, the gem conversion is helping the economy by fighting inflation.

DarkSpirit.7046:

eisberg.2379:

People buying gold with Gems does not inject more gold into the economy, in fact it takes some gold out of the economy.

So that implies ArenaNet should reward leavers more than people who have been supporting them all this while?

meh, really don’t care either way. I got to play through content and got rewards and these people will never get.

But the point of my post is to correct your post that I quoted. Gems to Gold does not create more gold into the economy, it actually takes some of it out, and shifts the rest of the gold from one player to another player.

mtpelion.4562:

Since the gem prices are going up, we have proof that more gold is being destroyed than is being added, ergo, the gem conversion is helping the economy by fighting inflation.

So you are saying? That the leavers are more deserving of the gems than people who have been supporting ArenaNet all this while? We should not go OT and diluting this discussion.

This is the main point that I want to address.

DarkSpirit.7046:

mtpelion.4562:

Since the gem prices are going up, we have proof that more gold is being destroyed than is being added, ergo, the gem conversion is helping the economy by fighting inflation.

So you are saying? That the leavers are more deserving of the gems than people who have been supporting ArenaNet all this while? We should not go OT.

I’m saying that giving the leavers 400 gems isn’t going to hurt the game economy, even if they do convert those gems to gold because the amount of gold being converted into gems is many, many times higher.

This is no different than your bank offering a free $100 if you start up a new checking account, but you aren’t eligible because you already use the bank (i.e. you can’t be new because you are already there).

It’s a harmless gimmick to get people to come back to the game. If those 400 gems really mean that much to you, you are more than welcome to stop playing and hope they send you some. Alternately, you could easily amass many times that many gems by playing the game…

mtpelion.4562:

DarkSpirit.7046:

mtpelion.4562:

Since the gem prices are going up, we have proof that more gold is being destroyed than is being added, ergo, the gem conversion is helping the economy by fighting inflation.

So you are saying? That the leavers are more deserving of the gems than people who have been supporting ArenaNet all this while? We should not go OT.

I’m saying that giving the leavers 400 gems isn’t going to hurt the game economy, even if they do convert those gems to gold because the amount of gold being converted into gems is many, many times higher.

This is no different than your bank offering a free $100 if you start up a new checking account, but you aren’t eligible because you already use the bank (i.e. you can’t be new because you are already there).

If my bank were to do that to me, I would change bank and maybe change back to get free money or not change back.

There is an obvious difference in value between 400 gems and an account-bound kite. One side is obviously being rewarded more than the other side. Regardless of how you can justify this, it is going to hurt the players who have been supporting them all this time

DarkSpirit.7046:

mtpelion.4562:

DarkSpirit.7046:

mtpelion.4562:

Since the gem prices are going up, we have proof that more gold is being destroyed than is being added, ergo, the gem conversion is helping the economy by fighting inflation.

So you are saying? That the leavers are more deserving of the gems than people who have been supporting ArenaNet all this while? We should not go OT.

I’m saying that giving the leavers 400 gems isn’t going to hurt the game economy, even if they do convert those gems to gold because the amount of gold being converted into gems is many, many times higher.

This is no different than your bank offering a free $100 if you start up a new checking account, but you aren’t eligible because you already use the bank (i.e. you can’t be new because you are already there).

If my bank were to do that to me, I would change bank and maybe change back to get free money or not change back.

There is an obvious difference in value between 400 gems and an account-bound kite. One side is obviously being rewarded more than the other side. Regardless of how you can justify this, it is going to hurt the players who have been supporting them all this time

The players who have been playing all this time got to play through content and gain rewards that these other returning players will never to get play or earn.

eisberg.2379:

The players who have been playing all this time got to play through content and gain rewards that these other returning players will never to get play or earn.

Those are just rewards for effort spent farming content. Simply leaving the game and doing nothing takes no effort to deserve any reward, especially rewards that are greater than those who have been working hard to acquire.

DarkSpirit.7046:

Redenaz.8631:

DarkSpirit.7046:

Unless they convert their free gems into gold and cause all prices to rise by inserting inflation into the economy. Good job!

Because of the way the exchange rates work, if lots of the recipients of free gems did this, there would still be less gold in the economy (because their gold is coming from other players buying gems with gold, minus a transaction fee,) and the players who buy gems with gold will get more gems as the exchange rate improves (however slightly.)

Ineligible players who feel slighted aside, I see no serious downside to this promotion.

So you are saying that those leavers deserve to be rewarded more than others who have been supporting ArenaNet all these time?

If you are then you are being a jerk.

I’d be careful about using the word “deserve” here. It’s a promotional gimmick. It’s not doled out based on who “deserves” it, has earned it, is worthy of it, etc. When you frame the subject that way, it sounds like they’re a government, not a business. These gems are, at best, “rewards” in a psychological sense, and they’re not distributed based on who “earns” them. They don’t have to be.

As for rewarding long-term players, I think updates and LS rewards have provided me with quite a bit more enjoyment than 400 gems. If it brings players back, great, the world is more populated. If they change it into gold, great, they’ve facilitated a (very minor) improvement in the exchange rate. If they leave it in their spam inbox, nothing changes.

The only reason to be unhappy about this that I can see is a sense of “They got something, I didn’t get that exact thing!” Like it or not, we got other stuff instead.

DarkSpirit.7046:

If my bank were to do that to me, I would change bank and maybe change back to get free money or not change back.

There is an obvious difference in value between 400 gems and an account-bound kite. One side is obviously being rewarded more than the other side. Regardless of how you can justify this, it is going to hurt the players who have been supporting them all this time

Your bank has done that to you, because all banks do that on a very, very regular basis. It is the most common bank gimmick in the world.

If you feel it is worth it to go through the hassle of changing banks for a free $100, then go for it. Likewise, if you feel that not playing the game for several months is worth a potential 400 gems, by all means, stop playing.

You are not being hurt. That is simply false. You are simply coveting the 400 gems.

mtpelion.4562:

DarkSpirit.7046:

If my bank were to do that to me, I would change bank and maybe change back to get free money or not change back.

There is an obvious difference in value between 400 gems and an account-bound kite. One side is obviously being rewarded more than the other side. Regardless of how you can justify this, it is going to hurt the players who have been supporting them all this time

Your bank has done that to you, because all banks do that on a very, very regular basis. It is the most common bank gimmick in the world.

If you feel it is worth it to go through the hassle of changing banks for a free $100, then go for it. Likewise, if you feel that not playing the game for several months is worth a potential 400 gems, by all means, stop playing.

You are not being hurt. That is simply false. You are simply coveting the 400 gems.

They have cheapen the efforts that I have put in to earn my rewards in this game when 400 gems can be easily earned by simply stop playing the game in the first place. I feel betrayed having spent my hard earned money in the cash shop just to buy the same amount of gems.

DarkSpirit.7046:

mtpelion.4562:

DarkSpirit.7046:

If my bank were to do that to me, I would change bank and maybe change back to get free money or not change back.

There is an obvious difference in value between 400 gems and an account-bound kite. One side is obviously being rewarded more than the other side. Regardless of how you can justify this, it is going to hurt the players who have been supporting them all this time

Your bank has done that to you, because all banks do that on a very, very regular basis. It is the most common bank gimmick in the world.

If you feel it is worth it to go through the hassle of changing banks for a free $100, then go for it. Likewise, if you feel that not playing the game for several months is worth a potential 400 gems, by all means, stop playing.

You are not being hurt. That is simply false. You are simply coveting the 400 gems.

They have cheapen the efforts that I have put in to earn my rewards in this game when 400 gems can be easily earned by simply stop playing the game in the first place. I feel betrayed having spent my hard earned money in the cash shop just to buy the same amount of gems.

I was given free Gems from my brother, does that cheapen your efforts? Also, you need to quit using the word “earn”, it is a promotional gimmick, and nothing else. Promotional gimmicks are used very very often in just ton of different things in life, any adult will know this and are not surprised by it at all and generally accept it and understand the reason behind it.

mtpelion.4562:

f you feel that not playing the game for several months is worth a potential 400 gems, by all means, stop playing.

You have a point there. Considering the reward over the amount of effort put in to acquire said reward, nothing beats an inactive account.

eisberg.2379:

I was given free Gems from my brother, does that cheapen your efforts? Also, you need to quit using the word “earn”, it is a promotional gimmick, and nothing else. Promotional gimmicks are used very very often in just ton of different things in life, any adult will know this and are not surprised by it at all and generally accept it and understand the reason behind it.

Why I should stop using the word earn, my hard earned money is still my hard earned and since farming has become like a second job, I can still use that same word.

Just because it is a promotional gimmick doesn’t imply that we all have to like it, there is no law against disliking a promotional gimmick is there?

It’s called an incentive to get a player to come back. Pretty much every MMO does this. I can’t even count the number of free months/$5 months that I’ve gotten in EvE.

No Walking.6349:

It’s called an incentive to get a player to come back. Pretty much every MMO does this. I can’t even count the number of free months/$5 months that I’ve gotten in EvE.

Makes sense, for those of us who dislike this promotional gimmick working against us, we should look into other games.

Look at it another way:

You have been with cellular company A for 5 years. You like this shiney new phone, and you buy it for $100 (with your upgrade credit.)

The next day, they announce that anyone returning to their cellular company after having left for 6 months or more gets this shiney new phone you love for free.

Do you /ragequit your cellular company? Unless you’re terribly unhappy with your cellular service, probably not.

In a sense, this is what ANet is doing. You (generally speaking) have been playing this game regularly for a while and have to buy your 400 gems. Those returning after a hiatus get the 400 gems as an incentive to return.

Gems only affect the economy when people convert them to gold. At an exchange rate of 3g per 100 gems (hypothetically speaking) that is roughly 12g for a returning player. Even if 2000 players return because of this incentive, and they all convert every gem to gold instead of spending the gems in the BLT, it would be roughly 24,000g into the entire game economy. On paper, it sounds like a lot, but I can blow 12g on 2 pieces of decent gear and it’s gone.

To me, it’s just not that big of a thing. I would bet that most people who are actually getting the gem email will look at it with the idea of “Oh, gee…That’ll last me a whole 2 minutes” and then back to normal.

As others have said, it’s a promotional gimmick designed to lure people back into the game. Some will come, some will not, and some who come back will leave again.

As for what I have gained in the time it would have taken ANet to email me 400 gems, being kittened about it just makes no sense.

Ashabhi.1365:

In a sense, this is what ANet is doing. You (generally speaking) have been playing this game regularly for a while and have to buy your 400 gems. Those returning after a hiatus get the 400 gems as an incentive to return.

In that case, I would choose to wait for them to reward me to return.

DarkSpirit.7046:

Ashabhi.1365:

In a sense, this is what ANet is doing. You (generally speaking) have been playing this game regularly for a while and have to buy your 400 gems. Those returning after a hiatus get the 400 gems as an incentive to return.

In that case, I would choose to wait for them to reward me to return.

Ok…

I’m not sure why anyone would be against a game company attempting to increase their revenue through an attempt to increase the size of the player base so as to, potentially, have more money to invest in the game…Unless of course the complaint is being made by someone who is opposed to the idea of the game growing.

DarkSpirit.7046:

Ashabhi.1365:

In a sense, this is what ANet is doing. You (generally speaking) have been playing this game regularly for a while and have to buy your 400 gems. Those returning after a hiatus get the 400 gems as an incentive to return.

In that case, I would choose to wait for them to reward me to return.

i don’t think you have the resistance to do that…..

You ever been in a supermarket, and a parent buys the kid up front a lolly, so then the kid behind you kicks up a fuss and demands his parents buy him one too? Yeah..

It was on reddit. So it MUST be true…

captaincrash.6528:

You ever been in a supermarket, and a parent buys the kid up front a lolly, so then the kid behind you kicks up a fuss and demands his parents buy him one too? Yeah..

On the contrary, I wish they would have given them more like a free legendary if they come back. That would make my point even clearer.

First time I’ve logged into the forums in weeks and I see this. I haven’t logged into the game in much longer. So I had no idea there may be 400 gems waiting for me.

I guess to put out some constructive feedback:

As I mentioned, I didn’t know about the 400 gems. So if I didn’t know, why would I log back on to claim them?

Also…

It will take a lot more than 400 free gems to bring me back. The whole design philosophy of the game, and the way its been managed since launch are what’s driven me off. My guess is the same applies to others. So no, 400 gems won’t bring people like me back. A good quality game that’s fun to play (and not grindy, repetitive, and RNG-annoying) will bring me back. But to be fair, ArenaNet, you’ve had your year. I’m probably never coming back no matter what you do. Why would I? My friends are all gone, too.

But good on you for making the effort. At leastyou’ve finally realize you’ve lost a lot of people fairly permanently.

As for the people unhappy about ArenaNet giving 400 gems to inactive players:

1) It’s probably not going to bring them back.

2) If “but it’s just not fair” is something that will always and forever more be in your vocabulary, go play something else. Then, after some time, you’ll have your 400 free gems, too. Life will then be fair.

azizul.8469:

lol 400gems ? i can get 400gems within 4 hours……

lol just 400 gems? I can get 40.000 gems within 1 hour….

all I need to do is dual wield my credit cards

Shpongle.6025:

azizul.8469:

lol 400gems ? i can get 400gems within 4 hours……

lol just 400 gems? I can get 40.000 gems within 1 hour….

all I need to do is dual wield my credit cards

good on you, rich sir…..

Chuo.4238:

As for the people unhappy about ArenaNet giving 400 gems to inactive players:

1) It’s probably not going to bring them back.

2) If “but it’s just not fair” is something that will always and forever more be in your vocabulary, go play something else. Then, after some time, you’ll have your 400 free gems, too. Life will then be fair.

I would have guessed as much.

Draknar.5748:

“I’m going to stop playing for months and months so that maybe I can get $5.00 worth of gems that can only be spent in a game that I don’t even play.”

Good plan.

+1. I love the comment.