The ROI on buying gems

The return on investment on buying gems continues to diminish. I for one will no longer buy anymore gems. I am tired of getting crappy items for my money. Do you really thing I want 5 more of each low level crappy items, that I can not or will have to in turn break and sell for my money.

What do you think I expect for a $100.00 dollars. which is a top of the line game at best buy. I expect allot more than I have received, this game is becoming a bad slot machine, meaning it never pays off to buy gems.

And to the haters do what you do... I understand.

I currently have the following frags, not including items: wpns common: 40/uncommon 136/rare 77/epic 30 and one GL.

Armour: common 65/ uncommon 172/ rare 59/ epic 38/ gl 3.

artifacts: common 5  / uncommon 29/  rare 4

banner: common  47/ uncommon 132 / rare 93   / epic 48

do you really think i want more common/ uncommon/ rare items for my money.

come on.

I honestly have no idea what you are really complaining about?

no one spends real money to buy common/ uncommon frags/ items, especially 100 a pop.

I have so man low level frags from breaking the crappy common/ uncommon items after buying gems.

Then buy the 350 Gem chest?
Its far better value, that is clear.

I don't think people generally bother with buying the Bronze chest.

FYI, I don't think the chest contents or gem cost has changed at all in the past few patches. I don't think its changed at all since I've started playing.

soulthief wrote:

The return on investment on buying gems continues to diminish. I for one will no longer buy anymore gems. I am tired of getting crappy items for my money. Do you really thing I want 5 more of each low level crappy items, that I can not or will have to in turn break and sell for my money.

What do you think I expect for a $100.00 dollars. which is a top of the line game at best buy. I expect allot more than I have received, this game is becoming a bad slot machine, meaning it never pays off to buy gems.

soulthief wrote:

I currently have the following frags, not including items: wpns common: 40/uncommon 136/rare 77/epic 30 and one GL.

Armour: common 65/ uncommon 172/ rare 59/ epic 38/ gl 3.

artifacts: common 5  / uncommon 29/  rare 4

banner: common  47/ uncommon 132 / rare 93   / epic 48

do you really think i want more common/ uncommon/ rare items for my money.

come on.

A difficult subject

First of all, the return on investment for gems & resources was too high in the past and was unbalancing the game (You could get like 700+ resources per gem with a high level warehouse), and has now been adjusted towards a flat rate of 300 resources per gem irrespective of warehouse (this helps new players a lot, who got less than 300 resources per gem in the past with low level warehouse).

Some people think 300 resources per gem is still too high and still unbalancing the game (i.e.: by me among others) ...  which may very well still be the case ... another difficult subject.

I do agree the return of investment for gems would benefit by being  very significantly improved for initial buyers of gems.

I previously wrote on October 4th, 2013 in Gem prices for resources

Joyce wrote:

However, from the far more important, psychological, point of view, it will likely feel like punishment to players -- and thus not a wise idea.

You can, however, achieve many of the same goal with discounts.  Example:

• Say, once a week, you can buy up to 50% of your warehouse resources at 80% discount (once, or twice, or thrice?)
  
  
• This will achieve the same affect (avoid flooding) .... and be far less likely to feel as punishment to players.
  
  
• Also it will let people who want to support the game with a small amount of money get a reasonable "thank you" back (i.e.: a reasonable number of resources, but not enough to skew the economy)
  

Generally, people accept the concept of special offers, discounts & the normal  higher rate -- far better --- than a rate that keeps going up (even though, of course, mathemtically, its the same result).

To expand on the above:

• I believe a lot more special offers to initial buyers of gems would be an excellent idea (like the Dragon Slayer idea);
  
• For example, for your first 50 gem purchase ever, you can get a really good epic item as a reward (but not tradable! to avoid abuse)'
  
• Then, say when you reach 200 gems ... you get a really good godlike item as a reward
  
• Also you can make special offers per week.
  

Overall the idea is to add significant benefits for initial buyers of gems; while not increasing the benefits for people that buy a lot of gems.

This I believe will help the return on investment for initial buyers without unbalancing the game (though again, for people purchasing a lot of gems, the game may need even more balancing than it has already received -- though Vanity purchases is also a good idea on how to reward players without unbalancing the game).

I personally wanted to take the time to say thank you to the both of you for your post. I helps allot to get someone else s perspective.