Guild Wars 2

Rage.9723:

Well the new business model seems to be focused on maximizing gem sales over new content. If players start leaving then that will be harmful over the long run.

I have been saying that since about 6 months after release of the game. For ‘long term’ I always figured 2 to 3 years. So we will see soon enough. I Also wonder what the new living story will bring and what will come after that because imo only an expansion and for the longer run a turn back to a true B2P model would be able to undo much of the damage already done. While some of the damage done is already irreversible.

Maybe it’s time to move on for me, at least until Anet get back on track. We seem light-years away from a real GvG mode and Guild Halls. That new Sid Meier game will certainly hold my interest for the next 6 months.

lordkrall.7241:

Nevets Crimsonwing.5271:

Just because people still post on the forums doesn’t mean they haven’t quit.

Oh, I know. I just find it funny how they always turn up when it comes to controversial changes and threads like these.

Why funny? These people clearly have a passion for the game or they wouldn’t even bother. I think it’s kind of sad… they want the game to go in a good direction and may even want to give anet money, which is why they stick around despite what are arguably terrible changes.

Anet. Why? Please. Stop doing this already.

PLEASE!

Rage.9723:

Well the new business model seems to be focused on maximizing gem sales over new content. If players start leaving then that will be harmful over the long run.

The thing is, there are a ton of companies who don’t offer an in-game currency to cash shop currency option. And of those companies, only a few make it the more attractive option to obtain said currency. Anet was in the position where the gold to gem conversion rates and implementation were probably the most attractive option for obtaining gems. This change makes it significantly more unattractive and that was probably one of their goals. I’m guessing they anticipated this furor and are waiting to see how far it goes. I think your last statement should read, if a significant number of players start leaving then that would be harmful over the long run. Players leaving over issues is nothing new. It’s all about the numbers.

TBH gem conersion is one of the features I’ve rarely used in the game. But Anet shouldn’t change something that means quality of life ofthe users in behalf of Anet’s own profit. Keep in mind that this is one of the only features for some people to gain access to the gemstore items, some people don’t like using credit cards online, some people don’t have credit cards or just don’t like spending real money in online games. Forcing us to buy minimum 400 gems is not paying attention to your customer needs.

Chalky.8540:

I don’t believe this is an attempt to swindle players out of money – it really doesn’t look like that if you look at the experience of someone giving Anet money for gold right now.

Say I want to buy 800 gems and exchange it to gold, here is the process:

• Buy 800 gems for real money
• Click 100 G
• Click 1G
• Click 1G
• Click 1G
• Click 1G
• Click 1G
• Click 1G
• Click 1G
• Feel sad about the few left over gems that you can’t turn into gold

It’s not exactly streamlined.

You can’t argue that they’ve made this interface bad because it encourages people to pay real money for gold when the experience for them is far far worse under the new UI as well. It’s clearly a case of incompetence and not malice. What ever they were trying to achieve with the new UI, they completely failed and it’s a massive indictment of their QA process that they managed to go live with something this bad.

I buy gems with $ because I value my time > than the price per gem. I usually buy what I want from the store and then convert the leftover gems to gold. The above situation is exactly what is going on.

This doesn’t strike me as a money grab. If it was, then it’s very poorly executed since I’m now less likely to buy gems since it is a hassle now to exchange the leftovers for gold.

This strikes me more as a poorly thought out or QA’d implementation that was designed to simplify the process (I don’t mean that in a derogatory way, oversights happen, it’s part of being human). I have no problem with the set amounts. When Gaile likened this to “shopping experiences”, I believe she was referring to the gem cards in brick & mortar stores. I can’t buy 42 gems at Target, I can buy 1200 for $15 or 2000 for $25, etc. In that context the increments make sense, however there should be an alternate/advanced method to account for these odd amounts of leftover gems, i.e. a slider at the bottom or something to that effect to allow us the freedom to trade exactly the amount of X we want for the exact amount of Y we want.

As it is, I’m stuck with 7 gems that I normally would have just dumped with the rest of the leftovers in one transaction instead of the 5 or 6 that it took with the current system.

Gaile Gray.6029:

• A lot of newer players had trouble with the interface. That doesn’t apply to you, you’re veterans who have been around the conversion block a time or two. But newer players will benefit from the updated system.

So make the main conversion page ~simple~ with an obvious link to the old page, which provided interesting and relevant data about the recent history of the market’s volatility (or lack of, depending), as well as allowing people to enter in custom amounts. Custom conversion amounts are a necessity due to the pricing of items on the gem store. Also, this new theoretically streamlined page is not any less confusing imo, but I am all for a redesign that does not remove features.

Gaile Gray.6029:

• The goal was to make the Gem Store more like other shopping experiences, and if you think about it, there is more of that feel to it now.

I genuinely don’t understand this. Oh god, maybe I’m a confused new player. The “Shopping Experience” is the gem store itself, not the conversion center. See, when I invest money or convert to foreign money, companies/banks usually show me available data on recent stock volatility/exchange rates and how the current rate compares. I’ve never been to a bureau de change/bank/portfolio provider that didn’t let me choose how much to convert/invest, outside of long term investments like bonds where I get a guaranteed return. The difference is that they take a percentage, which I’m sourly surprised GW2 hasn’t started doing.

Gaile Gray.6029:

• You may be surprised to know this (I know I was) but very few people bought gems at smaller denominations than the first one offered in the new system. That’s not to say they never did, nor that there wouldn’t be the desire to do so. But overall, the current options were selected based on player purchases in the past.

What about converting gems to gold? OP of this mashup thread has 1 lonely gem to convert. What you say may be the case for gold->gems, but removing the option for the rare occasions when you need it due to gem store pricing or are too poor to afford anything more feels insulting, like we’re being forced into higher and higher price tiers.

Ishtar.6457:

aerial.7021:

goodness, want to see a new post just press F5.

Just remember Gaile is a person.

so are we, but here we are and look at how they treated us. we are like a bunch of monkeys with no brain who have a lot of $$ to them. so what is your point?

The point is Gaile is not “they”, she is a third party going between the decision makers and the player base. Anyone who abuses her out of their anger at the decision is a scrub. People who flip out on customer service reps who have their hands tied by their superiors are only making themselves look bad and completely shutting down any potential input the player base has access to. You want them to treat you like an intelligent adult, then act like it.

Gaile Gray.6029:

Ok, guys. Some of you are unhappy about this change, I can see that. BUT… quite honestly, most of you are sort of (I hate to use the word) ranting (sorry!) instead of offering suggestions.

I assure you, the team leader told me not 15 minutes ago, they will listen to suggestions.

• Does that mean you get everything you want? Probably not.
• Does that mean you should suggest something? Yes, of course! Because they’re expecting player input.

So you want lower increments? Think it through and present a suggestion! You want XYZ in the interface? Post that idea. You would rather see something else? Post what you think about that other thing. Please don’t get into the whole “I’m going to kick the devs and their little dogs, too” because it’s not doing you or us any good at all.

I’m not here to apologize. I’m here to communicate and right now, the communication is coming in without a whole lot of substance. Over to you for suggestions and constructive input!

Ok, I’ll do my best to stay polite. So, you’re intent was to improve user’s experience but you didn’t thought that removing one of the four primary characteristics of your main currency, his divisibility, would be an issue ? I don’t want to be rude, but I’m not an economist and it seems pretty obvious to me. Of course it’s always easier to say it’s wrong when it’s done. Mistakes can happen….

I can understand you’re not here to apologize (?) but maybe, acknowledge that something is wrong with current implementation would be a start.

Again, I don’t want to be rude but do you really need us to suggest to add at bottom of your new UI, a link to the old UI ? Again, it seems so obvious….

I’m sorry but I wonder how many people are still working on this game, maybe are you are all busy on Africa launch or some kind of other big project. I know you can’t discuss what you are working on, but if only a handfull of dev are actually on GW2 (like the rest of the year) because everyone else is busy elsewhere, we could better understand why such implementation happens….

Nevets Crimsonwing.5271:

Why funny? These people clearly have a passion for the game or they wouldn’t even bother. I think it’s kind of sad… they want the game to go in a good direction and may even want to give anet money, which is why they stick around despite what are arguably terrible changes.

But that is just the thing. They aren’t sticking around. They are coming back as soon as there is a new big thing to hate. When there are no new things to hate on they are very quiet and you more or less never see them post anything at all. But as soon as something controversial turns up they start posting like mad.

The ONLY change the Gem converter needed was to let us input how many gems we wanted and tell us how much gold we needed instead of us putting in how much gold to figure out how many gems we could get.

I SERIOUSLY think their “metrics” they are basing all these changes off of are fan boys of other MMOs that want to see Arena Net fail or outright employees of Arena Net’s competitors trying to bring Arena Net down.

I know businesses have their own “Secret Shoppers” so they can police their employees and policies, BUT I also know that they will use them against their competition.

Yes, I’m saying it…

Arena Net is being TROLLED HARDCORE and they are dancing to the tune and wrecking their game.

ipan.4356:

Anet have revealed themselves to be the villains people like me warned you about.

I’m going back to single player games and mario kart until Star Citizen releases.

What value does your warning, even if it was heeded by some, have to do with anything that would stop this “villainy” from happening?

Tired of people going “Warned you guys” Like it means something to anybody but the person who gave the warning.

That being said, not happy about the gemstore “simplification.” It wont bother me too much, but its gating people that are grinding gold.

They’ve given us a new exchange that is likely to leave customers with leftover gems after a purchase. Folks with leftovers have an incentive to buy more gems and make more purchases. Which leave them with more leftovers…

This isn’t rocket science. Cash for gems already works this way.

Rather than being upfront about it, we’re told this is to help new players. New players with 75 gold?

Swindling is taking money from someone through lies or trickery. Okay, a bit harsh for what’s happening here, but not too far off.

lordkrall.7241:

Nevets Crimsonwing.5271:

Why funny? These people clearly have a passion for the game or they wouldn’t even bother. I think it’s kind of sad… they want the game to go in a good direction and may even want to give anet money, which is why they stick around despite what are arguably terrible changes.

But that is just the thing. They aren’t sticking around. They are coming back as soon as there is a new big thing to hate. When there are no new things to hate on they are very quiet and you more or less never see them post anything at all. But as soon as something controversial turns up they start posting like mad.

Threads like these give players who quit a feeling of solidarity and a platform to voice their concerns which they feel are not being acknowledged.

I thought update with ‘new player experience’ was the worst thing you can do but now you even outdo yourself. It looks like you see all new players as a blind, stupid people who can’t read short and simple phrases or ask around. At the same time you showing your beautiful behind to all those veterans who play ( and pay via gemstore ) GW2.
I know that you can’t admit that new gem exchange system is for you profit, I understand that but please, do not say it was for new players who were “confused with old one”. You just insulting all of us with that statement.
Sure, if you want to increase your income with gem store and those old hallowen weapon raffle, very well but give us in return more than a “ctrl+C ctrl+V” Hallowen event from last year.
If new players are really that stupid – leave new panel but give us possibility to use old exchange system also. I dont think it will be that confusing.
Sorry to say that but since you released GW2 in China, that game is moving in really bad direction. I spent a lot of time and money in GW2. Im not regret it and I dont want nothing in return but please, dont make our game experience harder and dont change things that was good.

Best regards,
Beilen and whole universe

Mr Snotty Pants.3980:

They’ve given us a new exchange that is likely to leave customers with leftover gems after a purchase. Folks with leftovers have an incentive to buy more gems and make more purchases. Which leave them with more leftovers…

This isn’t rocket science. Cash for gems already works this way.

Rather than being upfront about it, we’re told this is to help new players. New players with 75 gold?

Swindling is taking money from someone through lies or trickery. Okay, a bit harsh for what’s happening here, but not too far off.

Were they ever upfront about it when people questioned them on the minimum cash to gem purchase? I don’t think any company that I can think of has explicitly told their consumers that profit is the reason for that sort of system. It’s how companies, on the whole, operate. I’d really like to see any company explain in plain language “We want to encourage you to spend more so we will try to always position you to have leftover currency to spend that encourages you to buy more currency to meet a target price.”

Never bought more than 100 gems at once… This is just horrible news for me.

It obviously is to cater to people who cannot put numbers in the conversion rate boxes and see what currency gets them what equivalent.

Noted, sometimes it was kind of aggravating to not be able to see “how many gems I would get for this amount of gold” and vice versa. That could have been addressed.

What is glaring me in the face is that players that want to exchange gold for gems now have to do it in sets of 400 which heavily gates them from obtaining something that, in the store, costs much less.

Want a key? Grind to 400.

Want a booster? grind to 400.

Want that silly phantom mask that came out that will be gone in two weeks? grind 75 gold or no dice bro.

I mean, they didnt even make any effort to hide it. They could have gone down to exchange rates for 100 and still gotten the same result. Obviously though, they have much more favor on people trading gems to gold. That’s just strikingly apparent now, so claims and arguments of “pay to win/gem shop focused” will have much more weight now.

interesting is, if the players that do exchange gold for gems slow down in buying them and the prices on that UI are influenced by the relative gem pile to the gold pile undergoing conversion, gem prices will go down as gold becomes harder and harder to trade for. This is assuming that those conversion rates are still community influenced though.

Could see gold inflation on the market from this if I’m not having a dunce moment.

A lot of newer players had trouble with the interface. That doesn’t apply to you, you’re veterans who have been around the conversion block a time or two. But newer players will benefit from the updated system.

Who are these people? How was this information collected? When was this data collected? Can we see the results on the information you collected? What was so hard to understand regarding simple math?

The goal was to make the Gem Store more like other shopping experiences, and if you think about it, there is more of that feel to it now.

I don’t understand what you mean by “other shopping experiences”. If I want to buy a pair of shoes for £50, I don’t draw out £100 and store the rest away for another day. I spend £50 because that’s how much I want to spend.

You may be surprised to know this (I know I was) but very few people bought gems at smaller denominations than the first one offered in the new system. That’s not to say they never did, nor that there wouldn’t be the desire to do so. But overall, the current options were selected based on player purchases in the past.

If this is the case, why has the choice been taken out completely? You said it yourself, people did buy smaller increments of gems. People also bought larger numbers. I don’t understand why the choice was made to completely remove the option so we could buy as much or as little as you like.

The team is going to listen to your feedback and, if and when it’s practical and desirable, they can look towards adjusting the new system to better meet your needs

Practical – Now. Desirable – Now.

I am so frustrated at some of the decisions been made recently. I honestly get the impression Anet that you don’t care what the player base wants. All you want is what is in our wallets.

The running joke/excuse that the new player base is too stupid to understand the current mechanics of the game is insulting and tiresome.

There is a running theme of community outcry after nearly each patch. Anet MUST have clocked onto this and I just don’t understand where these decisions are coming from.

Please. I’ve played Guild Wars since Guild Wars 1 first came out and I’m so fed up of these money grabbing decisions. I just don’t understand what your direction is with this game or where it is going… but I suppose if your target is to make lots of money at the expense of us, then your doing a good job about it.

After sleeping on it I have decided not only will I not spend money on gems every pay day, I’m just not even going to log in.

I wonder if Anet has a term fo rthis type of response in the office? Like…they put something dumb into the game without thinking it through, like megaservers, and we have this huge rapid rage response called the RRR…hell, I wonder if thats what they call it.

I wonder if you see some of the higher-ups(I wont name names..just think about it…) walking around the office going "yup, they are raging on the forums. Quite comical..RRR in place. Man we did a good job today. Whats next on our positive addition quest for Guild Wars 2? Hey, grats on that bonus you earned. You met your quota for the year with nonsense updates:.

lordkrall.7241:

Nevets Crimsonwing.5271:

Why funny? These people clearly have a passion for the game or they wouldn’t even bother. I think it’s kind of sad… they want the game to go in a good direction and may even want to give anet money, which is why they stick around despite what are arguably terrible changes.

But that is just the thing. They aren’t sticking around. They are coming back as soon as there is a new big thing to hate. When there are no new things to hate on they are very quiet and you more or less never see them post anything at all. But as soon as something controversial turns up they start posting like mad.

maybe people come back because they think to themselves “let’s see if ANet got it right this time” only to be disappointed time and time again?

Question people. Should we also be lobbying to reduce the amount of gems bought with cash? Why has there been no rage on that subject? Why have we remained complacent on that subject as well? Are there no parallels to be drawn here? Honest question. Where is the rage? Shouldn’t the cash to gems system be on par with the currency conversion system to remain fair and balanced? The more I think about it, the more I realize there are a lot of mental hurdles people have to clear to wrap their head around the logic behind their choices.

There are a couple of things I’ve been wondering about with this change.

1) ANet expected this forum rage result but did the changes because it benefits their bottom line. Ok. I can handle that. It sux but if economics points the way, the company will go down that path and the individual consumers of the gem store products will just have to make their own economic decisions.

2) ANet was completely blindsided by this. And this is the part that puzzles me. Don’t they have game psychologist? Are they so taken by the power point metrics that no one stopped, even for a moment to think about the players that are outside the metrics? When they set the minimum gem store purchase so high that no new player could possibly, remotely, buy them with ingame gold, did no one do the math. Did no one look at those metrics of how many veteran players have at least 70 gold and how many new players, the ones this system is touted to help, how many of them have that much gold? It took me months to get that much and I surely wouldn’t have blown it all on gems, back when I was that poor.

I’m sorry to say this whole thing points to a lack of understanding their players, what they want, how they actually play. The information gained by studying graphs is only Instructive by so much. They need to stop and think, “if I’m a player, and not an ANet employee, how would this change effect me?” It’s hard to believe that no one did this very basic step of walking for a few minutes in their players’ shoes and saying, “guys, maybe there should be the additional option to buy and sell custom quantities because as a new player, as a player who plays casually, as a player who plays for fun and not farming like a crazy person every day to get gold, I don’t have 80 gold to spend if I want to get any gems at all.”

So which is it I wonder? Throwing the gold/gem purchasers under the bus for the sake of the bottom line or lack of understanding the player base?

Jacobbs.9468:

maybe people come back because they think to themselves “let’s see if ANet got it right this time” only to be disappointed time and time again?

Which would suggest that they turned up with every update, and yet they only turn up with updates that have controversial changes.

nightwulf.1986:

Question people. Should we also be lobbying to reduce the amount of gems bought with cash? Why has there been no rage on that subject? Why have we remained complacent on that subject as well? Are there no parallels to be drawn here? Honest question. Where is the rage? Shouldn’t the cash to gems system be on par with the currency conversion system to remain fair and balanced? The more I think about it, the more I realize there are a lot of mental hurdles people have to clear to wrap their head around the logic behind their choices.

Why screw the paying customers for the non paying?

lordkrall.7241:

Jacobbs.9468:

maybe people come back because they think to themselves “let’s see if ANet got it right this time” only to be disappointed time and time again?

Which would suggest that they turned up with every update, and yet they only turn up with updates that have controversial changes.

The past few major updates have had controversial changes.

bloodletting wolf.2837:

nightwulf.1986:

Question people. Should we also be lobbying to reduce the amount of gems bought with cash? Why has there been no rage on that subject? Why have we remained complacent on that subject as well? Are there no parallels to be drawn here? Honest question. Where is the rage? Shouldn’t the cash to gems system be on par with the currency conversion system to remain fair and balanced? The more I think about it, the more I realize there are a lot of mental hurdles people have to clear to wrap their head around the logic behind their choices.

Why screw the paying customers for the non paying?

Forgive me, maybe I wasn’t clear. Should we be asking to make the minimum cash transaction be 100 gems instead of 800 to be more in line with the currency conversion system that we want. That way, people have the option of buying 100 gems with cash or gold. We never had that option in the cash shop and I’m almost certain people have problems with that and yet, the rage here for the gold to gems option is getting the most attention. That disparity in purchasing power gave a ton of weight to the gold to gem option and people were ok with that so long as it meant they could win out. Why aren’t we pushing them just as hard to lower the minimum cash to gem purchase option to 100 gems as well?

nightwulf.1986:

Question people. Should we also be lobbying to reduce the amount of gems bought with cash? Why has there been no rage on that subject? Why have we remained complacent on that subject as well? Are there no parallels to be drawn here? Honest question. Where is the rage? Shouldn’t the cash to gems system be on par with the currency conversion system to remain fair and balanced? The more I think about it, the more I realize there are a lot of mental hurdles people have to clear to wrap their head around the logic behind their choices.

Probably because those prices have been set since release.

I think you could have the actual system and the graphic as a front page for the currency exchange, and keep the old/manual system as an alternative option at the same time.

Doodakoff.5246:

You may be surprised to know this (I know I was) but very few people bought gems at smaller denominations than the first one offered in the new system. That’s not to say they never did, nor that there wouldn’t be the desire to do so. But overall, the current options were selected based on player purchases in the past.

If this is the case, why has the choice been taken out completely? You said it yourself, people did buy smaller increments of gems. People also bought larger numbers. I don’t understand why the choice was made to completely remove the option so we could buy as much or as little as you like.

This. instead of centering the game around what metrics deem the majority, you should make allowances for outlying cases if they exist at all, no matter how improbable they might seem.

The choice to omit 50, 100, or even 200g options from the conversion rate seems more willful than mandatory. I mean, you even have the space to add those rates on the ui. you could have just done it for the sake of balance.

but instead, there is a buy more gems button on the conversion table for people looking to trade gold for gems where a 50, 100, or 200 option could have gone.

I cant buy this, sorry.

Ha… buy. get it? Cause I literally can’t buy it.

lordkrall.7241:

Which would suggest that they turned up with every update, and yet they only turn up with updates that have controversial changes.

You know this for a fact because you are sitting behind each and every individual to witness their gaming habits. Frankly what we don’t need anymore is people trying to police the boards for their own entertainment, and people certainly don’t need to justify their reason for being here to you or anyone else.
This is Anet’s/NCSoft’s debacle let them defend it, personally this feels more and more like NCSoft because Anet has not historically done this type of thing, at least not in my experience.

Hi Gaile,

As a paying customer who routinely spent a minimum of $50 a month in gems, I feel like I just got a giant slap in the face. Not only did anet clearly make this change to make more money, but then you come here with blatant bullkitten lies. Saying this was done to help the “new players” is a horrible lie. It always shows that you have no hang ups about lying to paying costumes. So until the gemstore is fixed, I will no longer be spending any money on the gemstore.

Best regards,
-one less PAYING customer

Gaile Gray.6029:

• The goal was to make the Gem Store more like other shopping experiences, and if you think about it, there is more of that feel to it now.

Other shopping experiences: I bought a new graphics card for $349.00 and I was not forced to buy a gift card for $800.00.

Please do something now to reverse the negative trend developing in your EXISTING player base. Immediate action is required to save the game.

Thank you

Please return really poor design and taste. Let us have the option to make our own conversions along with pre designed ones!!!!!

Guys guys I love you. But no no no you’ve made a huge mistake this time seriously please change it back this is going to end so poorly.

fellyn.5083:

nightwulf.1986:

Question people. Should we also be lobbying to reduce the amount of gems bought with cash? Why has there been no rage on that subject? Why have we remained complacent on that subject as well? Are there no parallels to be drawn here? Honest question. Where is the rage? Shouldn’t the cash to gems system be on par with the currency conversion system to remain fair and balanced? The more I think about it, the more I realize there are a lot of mental hurdles people have to clear to wrap their head around the logic behind their choices.

Probably because those prices have been set since release.

But that shouldn’t matter, at least according to the logic being used by the people here. What matters is whether or not their customers are being forced to spend more than they want or need to, and the cash to gems system epitomizes that philosophy. And yet, we are directing our ire to only one recent changes that further entrenches a philosophy that was already in use for over 2 years. If nothing else, we as consumers glossed over the disparity in purchasing power that the currency conversion system gave us and thought nothing of the logic behind that disparity until now. We are in part to blame for not addressing this disparity sooner because it has come back to bite us.

nightwulf.1986:

Question people. Should we also be lobbying to reduce the amount of gems bought with cash? Why has there been no rage on that subject? Why have we remained complacent on that subject as well? Are there no parallels to be drawn here? Honest question. Where is the rage? Shouldn’t the cash to gems system be on par with the currency conversion system to remain fair and balanced? The more I think about it, the more I realize there are a lot of mental hurdles people have to clear to wrap their head around the logic behind their choices.

You are right in a sense.
We remained complacent about that subject, gem cards work like this, and we didn’t say anything.
I think we let them because we assumed that was in every way done with the intention of making you need more gems every time. We assumed that if you agree to pay with cash, then you would keep on doing it. But you are right, there is some unfairness there.

But that doesn’t mean this change is right, or that we shouldn’t complain now.

Also don’t be mistaken: the one you mention is a bad business practice, the change we talk about now is a shift in the model, in the past, you could agree not to buy those gem cards, because you had options ingame to acquire the same items, now, you have options, but worse options, that’s why we complain.

Astral Projections.7320:

I wonder … Throwing the gold/gem purchasers under the bus for the sake of the bottom line or lack of understanding the player base?

Someone wrote a joke on another site:

Don’t say Gold-to-Gems rate
Say Gold-to-Gems ra*e

Don’t know if it’s over the top or not.

In the UK we don’t have Target, and (as i don’t really buy pc/console games anymore) i’m unaware if any of our retail outlets sell cards for gems. This change is a quintessential “WTF?” moment for me as it brings nothing positive. Go back to the old system, there was nothing wrong with it. If the devs are adamant the new system remains, keep it as an add-on to the old one.

seriously Anet manages to make a monthly subcription to look more reaosnable with MMOs again. good job guys

I’m pretty sure Anet is meeting right now with NCSoft on how to put out the fire. It’s gonna be jarring but OK soon. Again.

For the record, I’m in favor of an “Advanced” button that access the old screen.

While my post about this being an NCSoft/China thing and not an “Anet goofed again” thing was, at best highly speculative, it does pass Hanlon’s Razor: “Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.” Or in this case ignorance since the China Devs aren’t in our loop. Nobody is being a Bad Person but stuff happens ’cuz Life.

Sometimes you have to take the Bull by the tail and face the situation. Anet is not stupid they just have a Bull by the tail.

nightwulf.1986:

I don’t think any company that I can think of has explicitly told their consumers that profit is the reason for that sort of system. It’s how companies, on the whole, operate.

Right, but anet has gone a step further — they’re trying to pass this off as new player experience , which seems far-fetched given the 75g minimum.

You expect companies to not mention the motivation, you don’t expect them to fib…

I don’t buy gems with anything but in game gold, kind of like a self reward system, but with the problems i have have in dungeons & net lag, as well as limited play time, means i do not get vast amounts of gold at one time. i might get 5 a month,,which means to get the smallest amount of gem it will take over a year of game play, that seriously is not in any way a good thing. esp since at one time i could get a new toon in that time, now it looks like it’ll be at least 2 years if i don’t buy anything else, like oh,lets say, mats. this is not a way to keep me playing, its beginning to feel like i am playing farmville, where the only way to get any where is to use Real world money. totally unsatisfying. and while this may be a rant, i dont know how or what to suggest, i can only let you know why i am upset,,,i cant even buy gem cards because i have no store near by to get them. let alone afford them(the cards) my only complaint about the gold to gem before this has been that was the low amount of gems for say 5 gold(it had been stuck at i think 35 gems for 5 gold forever.)

lordkrall.7241:

Mr Snotty Pants.3980:

She’s the public face of what looks like an attempt to swindle folks out of cash. Not an enviable position.

Where do people come up with all this kitten?

I don’t know.
Maybe the same mind set that a blind white knight uses?

Anet – you need to start being a lot more transparent with your customers.

Mr Snotty Pants.3980:

nightwulf.1986:

I don’t think any company that I can think of has explicitly told their consumers that profit is the reason for that sort of system. It’s how companies, on the whole, operate.

Right, but anet has gone a step further — they’re trying to pass this off as new player experience , which seems far-fetched given the 75g minimum.

You expect companies to not mention the motivation, you don’t expect them to fib…

This. I try really hard to think there is good meaning behind most of these updates, but expecting a new player to have 75g when they have a notably intelligent economist on board is just hilarious.

There’s just no way, Anet.

Gaile Gray.6029:

• A lot of newer players had trouble with the interface. That doesn’t apply to you, you’re veterans who have been around the conversion block a time or two. But newer players will benefit from the updated system.

Sounds like an interface problem that should be fixed by changing the interface, not the interface and functionality.

Gaile Gray.6029:

• The goal was to make the Gem Store more like other shopping experiences, and if you think about it, there is more of that feel to it now.

More like microsoft points, which they got sued over? Sure, that’s exactly what it reminds me of.

Gaile Gray.6029:

• You may be surprised to know this (I know I was) but very few people bought gems at smaller denominations than the first one offered in the new system. That’s not to say they never did, nor that there wouldn’t be the desire to do so. But overall, the current options were selected based on player purchases in the past.

Not fair, not cool. Don’t remove functionality just because few people used it.

Gaile Gray.6029:

• The team is going to listen to your feedback and, if and when it’s practical and desirable, they can look towards adjusting the new system to better meet your needs.

If ANet was listening to feedback and totally in control of the situation, I firmly believe this new system would have lasted hours at most. I have a feeling that NCSoft is putting the iron fist on you and forcing this change. If there was some way for you to disclose whether or not that’s happening without causing serious legal issues, that would be awesome. Until then, you’ve got about a trillion rants aimed at ANet which is probably pretty stressful. Sorry about that.

nightwulf.1986:

But that shouldn’t matter, at least according to the logic being used by the people here. What matters is whether or not their customers are being forced to spend more than they want or need to, and the cash to gems system epitomizes that philosophy.

I was aware of it, and annoyed by it, but as others have said — that’s how these businesses are run.

At least you use to have the option of exchanging excess gems for gold. That’s also been impacted by this change.

But really, for me, it’s the new player experience deception that annoys me most.

Completely unacceptable! Its like going to the bakery to buy 4 bread and I can only buy 40. xD
I bought this game, because I like it very much… everything was difrent from other mmorpgs… Playng GW2 was fun!!!
I can’t say this right now…
I’m always leaving and come back to see if they improved the game, but everytime I come back its always more difrent from the one I bought… 2years ago…
Plz… bring back what I bought… I want to give one more opportunity to gw2…
Start for undo this gems update…