The ninja lore packs are okay! The most complaint reasons you complainers come up with is: You get these spells for doing nothing! o: we're all gonna die, there are 3 new spells in the game, we're all dead!!!! Help!
Really, working for hours and getting money to pay off for crowns isn't any work at all? Are you kidding me? What do you think we work for, toys?! People use their efforts, time, and care to save up money then buy these packs.
Another complaint was: This is a gamble, this will teach kids to gamble! Seriously, I laughed when I read this. You were obviously all badly educated to say this. A gamble is: To bet on an uncertain outcome, as of a contest. To play a game of chance for stakes. To take a risk in the hope of gaining an advantage or a benefit.
These were prior examples, but to bet, keep that word in your mind. Bet. Do you bet your money for something? You don't say this: I'll bet this amount of money to get this prize. A much stronger example of the definition of gambling: To put up as a stake in gambling; wager. You don't wager. KI said that you have to give a certain amount of crowns for a chance to get this item. It's not a contest! You're not betting your money on someone! You're not risking at high stakes! What's so bad about a business creating a gamble anyway? Did KI force you to get the hoards? Are they have to have items? They don't have the best gear: Waterworks gear does! Keep that in your mind! Alright, this question will defeat all purposes of your complaints, no matter what: If you were in a business needing money to create a new world and buying more data memory space to entertain the players of a game and your business made a chance to win something for the game, would you stop them? Would you say no, let the new world come in another couple of months? Would you tell them that this will teach kids about gambling? Especially if your business was in need. There have to be some new "hot" items/events in the game or everybody will quit. If wizard101 was still at the level max of 40, and never to be changed, would you quit? My answer would be a yes. Kingsisle has to keep up the "hot" items or not many people will be willing to pay for the old ones.Things get old you know. Now, with people buying subscriptions, they won't have to pay in let's say, a year. They renew that, paying KI with their credit card once a year. You have all lost the point of wizard101. I know you do care about your kids, but I'm saying this, I'm (kind of????) a kid, and I'm not saying this is a gamble. I'm very smart at school, so don't just think only because I'm (kind of) a kid you'll think that I'm not as smart as you and you won't think this post is meaningful. But not once have I asked my mother or my father about getting these new hoard packs. Not once! Take this advice from a (kind of[you get the point]) kid, that kids aren't just going to beg for these items unless they're proven to be good. Unless they're proven to be the best.
It's too funny how you think that kids are so dim-witted. Know that kids reading your posts on how kids are going to beg for the packs don't appreciate what you're saying. Trust me, those posts get me mad. It's like saying that a kid is a greedy animal that just wants and wants and wants. Well, if that's your reason, then stop, because kids really don't appreciate it. Thanks for reading, and hopefully this will stop your lame reasons of complaints. :? People really shouldn't be like that.
Well, you are obviously more grown up than the average (kind of) kid, but to kids who simply do not know any better, well, the concept of money, it may just seem like a new toy thing to want to have. And will approach parents for it.
I like the maturity you represent in your post. And I am sure we never called you dim-witted. Every complaint has it's valid reason of thinking, I am sure, and is more a way of conveying feelings than anything else.
I have read many posts about "gambling" ever since the release of the Ninja Lore pack, but stayed away from most "gambling" topics. Whether or not this is direct gambling is irrelevant. Whether or not this is an actual bet or not, is also, irrelevant.
This is a FORM of gambling. I kind of lottery. Even though I myself do not coin packs gambling. I don't even have a word for it other than "buying packs." It seems to me, that this was called out as gambling, or a form of gambling, because it requires the user to invest cash for a "chance" of a valued digital "prize." Hence, I think that this was only called "gambling" because it was provoking some very negative reactions and this whole thing needed a name to name it what seemed appropriate to the situation.
Before I continue, I would like to make clear that my perspective (and yes, I'm a parent of four children) is that the packs are an opportunity to teach a life lesson to my children and therefore I don't have any problem with the risk based nature of these packs. That being said, however, to many (probably even most) these packs are gambling. It really depends on what you are trying to receive when you plunk down your 399 crowns. If you are expecting 7 items and legitimately don't care what those items are then it is only a purchase and not a gamble. If you are only purchasing this pack with the hope of possibly obtaining a specific item, then you are wagering 399 crowns against seven shots at said item which fits perfectly the definition of gambling.
These packs do not fit the definition of gambling in a sense which would require government regulation. After all, you technically purchased crowns for the ultimate purpose of entertainment, not specifically packs. Even if you were purchasing these packs directly, you are still receiving what was advertised in the product which is 7 items. By contrast, there is no tangible product from the lotto should your ticket not be the winning one. More simply put, the packs are low stakes gambling whereas regulated gambling is higher stakes. Either way you look at it, both of these games ultimately are selling you entertainment. Wizard sells you digital entertainment and lotto sells you entertainment in the form of spending time thinking about what you might do should you happen to win.
From my perspective, living is a gamble. When you buy a house, you gamble that you will continue to be gainfully employed long enough to pay for it. When you get married, you gamble that the other person is as committed to it as you are. Living is a risk. In my opinion, the pragmatic approach is to learn how to manage risk. That's why these packs and previous ones don't really bother me from a standpoint of gambling. It is something I can use to teach my kids how to determine their tolerance for risk and how to manage risks in order to stay within their personal tolerance. Its really no different than investment planning.
Now, approaching this as a customer, I have seen few (if any) items in previous packs I was really interested in. I would be happy to spend crowns directly on those specific items, but I in no way care about the other stuff. Therefore, I wish KI would actually sell the items outside of the packs, even if there was some sort of delay as I personally refuse to squander my entertainment budget on a chance at the one or two items I want. I do not personally enjoy gambling whether it be low stakes packs or high stakes Las Vegas style poker. Now onto my final issue as a customer...
The Ninja Lore Pack trained spells...
I have a problem with these spells because they break previously established notions about how you build a wizard. I have no problem with pets, crowns gear, crafted gear, or treasure cards as they are all items. Items can be bought, crafted, or otherwise discovered. Trained spells, on the other hand, have always previously represented some sort of game based symbolic learning whether it be a spell quest, in school lesson, or seeking out another trainer when you have the opportunity (training points) to learn from others. Being able to simply purchase spells of a category that was supposed to represent (or so I thought) gained knowledge undermines the integrity of the game for me as a player. More importantly, it sets a precedent (should this pack be successful) of more undermining in the future.
Ultimately, this new precedent leads to a game I don't want to play anymore. I have had my ups and downs with wizzy, but I'm afraid that this represents another in a steady line of downs (as of late). I'm not so arrogant as to think that I represent the masses so I'm certainly not going to come on here telling KI to change their ways or they'll go under. For all I know, they're heading the right way financially. All I can say is that I have previously been a loyal customer, the kind that has maintained memberships for 4 people that have contributed easily more than an additional $200 - $300 in crowns ($120 personally) over almost 2 years. I talked up the game (word of mouth advertising) to almost everyone I met for the first year, though, (like my satisfaction as a customer) not so much recently. Perhaps I am alone in caring about this issue, perhaps I am not. I guess that's a gamble KI will have to take if they continue in this direction.
I have defended KI on this issue, however, with some thought and consideration, I find myself wondering.
What if Simplify or Elucidate were spells that were given in packs, would I feel the same then?
Of course, the spells in the packs could be offered in the game sometime, so a lot of these rants might be a bit premature.
Yes, I know a lot of people would be mad if the spells were offered for a specific crown price, but that would be due to a lack of patience. If you can't be patient, then you have to spend more. If you are patient, you earn the savings.
None the less, like Gtarhannon states, some things should be offered in the crown shops, such as some of the gear or wands, especially after the packs have been out for so long. It shows that patience is a virtue and allows the straight out purchase of entertainment rather than having to rely on a game of chance.
I do think, with the voices on this matter, it would be in KI's best interest to be careful on future endeavors in this area, they seem to be walking a very fine line.
