You know at first I didnt care about the packs. Dragon's Hoard came out and I was fine with it. Other MMOS have gashapon items too. I didn't really like the fact that common found reagents were in the pack but nonetheless I defended it. KI began to release pack after pack but did I complain? Not one bit.
But then THIS comes out, the ability to learn permanent spells from packs.
Why KI?
As any myth wizard who uses treasure cards knows, Ninja Pigs is a life saver in Dragonspyre. Of course the problem with treasure cards is that you'll eventually run out and have to run to the Bazaar. Quite frankly I'd be overjoyed at the ability to actually learn Ninja Pigs, a pretty powerful myth spell among others. Unfortunately I can't agree with this pack idea. These are spells, you know those things we use to fight with? All wizards should be able to obtain spells equally. Some wizards don't have access to crowns and for regular hoard packs I can understand those are wants.You don't really need a new mount that takes up a huge portion of your screen or some gear with a unique design. Spells on the other hand are vital and when only certain wizards with their parent's credit card (unless you actually work for your Crowns, kudos to you) can obtain certain spells we know we have a problem.
Considering the success of these packs I understand why KI keeps putting them out but if this pack has success (which it more than likely will) KI will continue to put these pack only spells out and it'll be a huge pain to get these for your individual wizard (especially considering you can get spells for other schools).
This is a family game, I play with my wife and kids. I devote a good chunk of my time to helping around Central and contributing to the game in what little way I can. When someone asks me what my hobbies are, I like to tell them that I play a family friendly game and help staff a major fansite for it. I like to recommend this game to people who may be interested, but I can no longer do that in good conscience.
This is not some little oversight on KI's part, and it is not accidental. The effects of intermittent reinforcement on psychological addiction are well documented, and most notable for their use in gambling establishments where people routinely ruin their lives in hopes of hitting it big. This is the exact same thing that is being pushed on children and parents by the hoard packs with increasing regularity and emphasis, and it is absolutely wrong.
Can you deny that the Raven Hoard wands are the best available in game? Or deny that players begged for these Ninja Lore spells for years? They're being placed and advertised as rare drops as a way to entice CHILDREN into frittering their cash away on these packs in a gambling situation, and it has been effective. I can think of several complaint threads by upset children who dropped 60-80k crowns on hoard packs and never got what they wanted.
I can't call that a family friendly environment when the company is actively seeking to victimize my kids if I let them play, and it certainly isn't the kind of company I signed up to work on a fan site for. I can't let my kids play it, much less proudly tell others that I support this behavior.
I am seriously considering closing the door on this game for myself and my family. I'm absolutely certain that it is becoming less and less a healthy environment to let them play and learn in.
If there is anywhere in this game that someone should put their foot down and scream "Enough!", this is it.
I agree. This week's pack has been a shocker for me. I still can't believe that KI is now opening the door to buying your way through the game. This goes against everything I loved about this game (it seemed to teach kids the value of hard work, for example). I am also reconsidering my commitment to playing, and, perhaps more significantly, letting my son play. I am so disappointed, and can only wonder (with trepidation) what the next packs will bring. These recent decisions represent short-term profits at the expense of long-term player loyalty. Not good business, from where I stand.
You all having these irrational issues with these packs is what is ruining the Message boards. Think about it, is it really ruinining the game? Are these spells really Must Haves? If you dont have it, the game is over, no point? Get a grip. Either spend the money or dont, buy the tc versions if you dont want to spend the cash.
You all having these irrational issues with these packs is what is ruining the Message boards. Think about it, is it really ruinining the game? Are these spells really Must Haves? If you dont have it, the game is over, no point? Get a grip. Either spend the money or dont, buy the tc versions if you dont want to spend the cash.
Similarly, if you don't like these posts, don't read them. Thereby saving your forum experience from ruination.
I must agree with the original post that this new pack counters what this game brings to the table. I teaches kids how to learn hard work ad dedication, as well as many other things. Darthjt is correct these packs/spells are not life or death but are ruining the game by corupting the system of hard work to earn our spells and gear. I personally try to avoid games that make thinks able to be earned through money. It is not only not fair to those who cant afford them but to the people that chose not to get them and are out play because someone else did. Lastly they just came out with the last pack why do this so soon?
Does it really matter if KI is getting people to 'buy their way through the game'? Guess what? That's what some games usually do. Does it really matter if you can get the cards that you WANT from a pack that you BOUGHT? No it really doesn't because if that is the way people want to spend their money, then alright, let them do that. But buying these permanent cards WILL NOT make them transcended. I understand why you think that, but does it really make the game not have the 'hard work' part anymore?
Let's say a level 10 buys that one pack and gets a lot of permanent spells. So what? It won't make him transcended. She/he will have to work really hard to still get to transcended, or at least grandmaster.
Think AT LEAST 5 minutes about what you're going to say before you post LOL. Just kidding about that. But, really. Did you actually think about it?
You sure did type a lot about it, but I'm not sure about that.
You all having these irrational issues with these packs is what is ruining the Message boards. Think about it, is it really ruinining the game? Are these spells really Must Haves? If you dont have it, the game is over, no point? Get a grip. Either spend the money or dont, buy the tc versions if you dont want to spend the cash.
Completely out to lunch. A Balance wizard can't go to library or bazaar and "buy" the new Balance Samoorai spell card in treasure card form.
Furthermore, treasure cards cannot be made infinite through reshuffle nor enchanted with gargantuan or colossal.
I agree.. If they're going to require us to buy packs for permanent spells then the fam and I are going to move on to something else. We came to this game to get away from that sort of stuff
Sure wish I had the Ninja Pigs for my Myth wizard, currently using a hat I must of won somewhere with another wizard, with that spell attached and am surely going to miss it when I have to get better gear. Yes I can buy or do have a ton of the treasure cards but it's not the same really since I don't like to have to pack my sideboard with one spell only.
I have bought many packs for my grandson but only one for myself, we got very little value out of all we purchased, lets just say he had tons of trees around his palace, so don't do that any more - he has since moved on from the game, probably partly due to my lack of funding all these packs he only got disappointment from.
I've been playing this game for almost two years, and I've never once heard anybody complain about another wizard being too powerful in PvE. It's always a PvP issue.
We've seen the Crowns complaint many times before: Crowns equipment, Crowns pets and petdfood packs, Crowns potions, Crowns henchmen, Crowns retraining, Crowns potions, Crowns whatever else.
The bottom line is this: There's no way KingsIsle can pay the bills and show a profit with a $10 per month base subscription and no item mall (Crowns). Without revenue from Crowns, or from in-game advertising to subscribers, they'll have to raise the subscription price, probably to 150% or even double what it now is.
The question that those who think Crowns are unfair want to ask is this: Which of these two options is more appealing to you (disregarding discounts, which would have to be pro-rated one way or the other):
1) Pay $15-20 per month for the game, and everybody gets treated equally and has equal access to everything in the game?
2) Pay $10 per month and allow those who want to shell out the extra cash get more "toys"?
I would venture that the vast majority of us will choose #2.
Another consideration is that a lot of players don't have the time and/or inclination to spend hours of drudgery when it's easier to fork over some dough and make wizard life easier (i.e. the Ascendant Staff for Level 1). If the shortcuts weren't available, they wouldn't play. While that may please the purists, it doesn't thrill KingsIsle, because that means they lose customers and thus revenue. None of that is new to MMORPG's.
Honestly, I wouldn't mind a bit if KingsIsle offered level 70 (or various leveled) accounts, quest-completions, or whatever else for X number of Crowns. I don't PvP, so it has no effect on me. Level 70's are commonplace. A few more aren't going to make a difference.
I just don't see the issue here, unless it's PvP-related. If somebody wants to shortcut things with Crowns items or have all the coolest gadgets, abilities, etc., with Crowns items, then let them. Those of us who want to do it the hard way can still do it that way.
You know at first I didnt care about the packs. Dragon's Hoard came out and I was fine with it. Other MMOS have gashapon items too. I didn't really like the fact that common found reagents were in the pack but nonetheless I defended it. KI began to release pack after pack but did I complain? Not one bit.
But then THIS comes out, the ability to learn permanent spells from packs.
Why KI?
As any myth wizard who uses treasure cards knows, Ninja Pigs is a life saver in Dragonspyre. Of course the problem with treasure cards is that you'll eventually run out and have to run to the Bazaar. Quite frankly I'd be overjoyed at the ability to actually learn Ninja Pigs, a pretty powerful myth spell among others. Unfortunately I can't agree with this pack idea. These are spells, you know those things we use to fight with? All wizards should be able to obtain spells equally. Some wizards don't have access to crowns and for regular hoard packs I can understand those are wants.You don't really need a new mount that takes up a huge portion of your screen or some gear with a unique design. Spells on the other hand are vital and when only certain wizards with their parent's credit card (unless you actually work for your Crowns, kudos to you) can obtain certain spells we know we have a problem.
Considering the success of these packs I understand why KI keeps putting them out but if this pack has success (which it more than likely will) KI will continue to put these pack only spells out and it'll be a huge pain to get these for your individual wizard (especially considering you can get spells for other schools).
This is a family game, I play with my wife and kids. I devote a good chunk of my time to helping around Central and contributing to the game in what little way I can. When someone asks me what my hobbies are, I like to tell them that I play a family friendly game and help staff a major fansite for it. I like to recommend this game to people who may be interested, but I can no longer do that in good conscience.
This is not some little oversight on KI's part, and it is not accidental. The effects of intermittent reinforcement on psychological addiction are well documented, and most notable for their use in gambling establishments where people routinely ruin their lives in hopes of hitting it big. This is the exact same thing that is being pushed on children and parents by the hoard packs with increasing regularity and emphasis, and it is absolutely wrong.
Can you deny that the Raven Hoard wands are the best available in game? Or deny that players begged for these Ninja Lore spells for years? They're being placed and advertised as rare drops as a way to entice CHILDREN into frittering their cash away on these packs in a gambling situation, and it has been effective. I can think of several complaint threads by upset children who dropped 60-80k crowns on hoard packs and never got what they wanted.
I can't call that a family friendly environment when the company is actively seeking to victimize my kids if I let them play, and it certainly isn't the kind of company I signed up to work on a fan site for. I can't let my kids play it, much less proudly tell others that I support this behavior.
I am seriously considering closing the door on this game for myself and my family. I'm absolutely certain that it is becoming less and less a healthy environment to let them play and learn in.
If there is anywhere in this game that someone should put their foot down and scream "Enough!", this is it.
Ok, well I'm a kid but I don't agree. You take it like its a must have to continue the game. Its not. If you don't want them, or don't like them, leave the fun to people who do.
You all having these irrational issues with these packs is what is ruining the Message boards. Think about it, is it really ruinining the game? Are these spells really Must Haves? If you dont have it, the game is over, no point? Get a grip. Either spend the money or dont, buy the tc versions if you dont want to spend the cash.
You must either be a Storm, Fire, Death, or an Ice wizard. You don't care because you are not presented with new permanent spells.
The POINT is, you now have to pay in order to COMPLETE your character.
Subscribers no longer pay to play, but pay to grow their character on top of it. Whether the spell is a must have or makes or brakes a game is irrelevant. The fact that it is something you have to buy with cash IS. I am a Myth wizard. My Myth wizard is forever incomplete and missing a spell until I pay cash.
As a matter of fact, I did. LOTS of it. I am even amazed at how much I spent. I spent less on getting Blood Raven, and even less than that on getting full outfit from Nightmare pack. I did NOT get the Myth spell. I got the Life spell, but that is not of my school to begin with, and that does certainly not complete my Myth wizard.
I don't mind spending a little money on packs. I don't mind at all. But I do mind if I have to spend LOTS and LOTS of money on something that completes my character. Yea, Myth wizard could have been considered complete. but that was only until a new permanent Myth spell as developed. Regardless of what rank that spell is.
I've been playing this game for almost two years, and I've never once heard anybody complain about another wizard being too powerful in PvE. It's always a PvP issue.
We've seen the Crowns complaint many times before: Crowns equipment, Crowns pets and petdfood packs, Crowns potions, Crowns henchmen, Crowns retraining, Crowns potions, Crowns whatever else.
The bottom line is this: There's no way KingsIsle can pay the bills and show a profit with a $10 per month base subscription and no item mall (Crowns). Without revenue from Crowns, or from in-game advertising to subscribers, they'll have to raise the subscription price, probably to 150% or even double what it now is.
The question that those who think Crowns are unfair want to ask is this: Which of these two options is more appealing to you (disregarding discounts, which would have to be pro-rated one way or the other):
1) Pay $15-20 per month for the game, and everybody gets treated equally and has equal access to everything in the game?
2) Pay $10 per month and allow those who want to shell out the extra cash get more "toys"?
I would venture that the vast majority of us will choose #2.
Another consideration is that a lot of players don't have the time and/or inclination to spend hours of drudgery when it's easier to fork over some dough and make wizard life easier (i.e. the Ascendant Staff for Level 1). If the shortcuts weren't available, they wouldn't play. While that may please the purists, it doesn't thrill KingsIsle, because that means they lose customers and thus revenue. None of that is new to MMORPG's.
Honestly, I wouldn't mind a bit if KingsIsle offered level 70 (or various leveled) accounts, quest-completions, or whatever else for X number of Crowns. I don't PvP, so it has no effect on me. Level 70's are commonplace. A few more aren't going to make a difference.
I just don't see the issue here, unless it's PvP-related. If somebody wants to shortcut things with Crowns items or have all the coolest gadgets, abilities, etc., with Crowns items, then let them. Those of us who want to do it the hard way can still do it that way.
i don't see a problem with the new packs..not every one who plays wizard 101 is children after all. and while children have an abundance of time to level up and get all the rare things some of us have jobs,and we need that ability to give a little money to get a little ahead. plus you act as if a wizard using paid for spells is taking things directly from your pocket. all the bosses will still be there, all the monsters and all the free resources. the paid for spells don't; change what they sell in shops, or what drops or prizes you get for completing goals. just stay out of the pvp torments and you'll never even notice.that is unless someone helping you has one, and then is that really so bad? personally i never use the pvp torment. i hold all pvp fights privately in my house:)
You all having these irrational issues with these packs is what is ruining the Message boards. Think about it, is it really ruinining the game? Are these spells really Must Haves? If you dont have it, the game is over, no point? Get a grip. Either spend the money or dont, buy the tc versions if you dont want to spend the cash.
Completely out to lunch. A Balance wizard can't go to library or bazaar and "buy" the new Balance Samoorai spell card in treasure card form.
Furthermore, treasure cards cannot be made infinite through reshuffle nor enchanted with gargantuan or colossal.
Nobody should have to pay extra money for spells.
Completely unacceptable, KI. Fix it period
No, a Balance wizard certainly wouldn't find a Samoorai spell in the library or bazaar, but what they could find is Judgement. Judgement is a much better spell damage-pipwise.
No one said that you have to pay extra money, it's not like KI is going to threaten you to buy the pack or ban your account. This is a given choice to each wizard among the spiral, you're not buying your way through the game, it's 3 spells. Just 3 spells you can obtain, not 1 million.
You all having these irrational issues with these packs is what is ruining the Message boards. Think about it, is it really ruinining the game? Are these spells really Must Haves? If you dont have it, the game is over, no point? Get a grip. Either spend the money or dont, buy the tc versions if you dont want to spend the cash.
You must either be a Storm, Fire, Death, or an Ice wizard. You don't care because you are not presented with new permanent spells.
The POINT is, you now have to pay in order to COMPLETE your character.
Subscribers no longer pay to play, but pay to grow their character on top of it. Whether the spell is a must have or makes or brakes a game is irrelevant. The fact that it is something you have to buy with cash IS. I am a Myth wizard. My Myth wizard is forever incomplete and missing a spell until I pay cash.
As a matter of fact, I did. LOTS of it. I am even amazed at how much I spent. I spent less on getting Blood Raven, and even less than that on getting full outfit from Nightmare pack. I did NOT get the Myth spell. I got the Life spell, but that is not of my school to begin with, and that does certainly not complete my Myth wizard.
I don't mind spending a little money on packs. I don't mind at all. But I do mind if I have to spend LOTS and LOTS of money on something that completes my character. Yea, Myth wizard could have been considered complete. but that was only until a new permanent Myth spell as developed. Regardless of what rank that spell is.
I actually have 1 Balance, 2 Myth, 2 Life, 1 Storm, 2 Ice, 2 Fire, 2 Death and most are Transcended.
I understand perfectly what is going on and that your complain is a personal feel of not being complete. It is Personal. A Choice.
You should see Wizard101Central.com, the mods over there were closing threads because us central people made so much. I think Hoard Packs should stop and KI should spend more time on improving the game.
You all having these irrational issues with these packs is what is ruining the Message boards. Think about it, is it really ruinining the game? Are these spells really Must Haves? If you dont have it, the game is over, no point? Get a grip. Either spend the money or dont, buy the tc versions if you dont want to spend the cash.
It's not the spells themselves, but rather the concept that you can get permanent spells, only by crowns, in the store. By itself, this isn't that bad, but it paves the way to far worse things, such as paying for certain quests even if you are a member, having gear only available in the Crowns shop (without it dropping anywhere), having an entire school of magic available only for Crowns...
What's worrying people is that long, winding road to elite crowns players, where you either have to invest hundreds of dollars to stand a fighting chance, or quit the game. Right now? This is obviously not the case. Could it become so? I personally think it could, based on the way KI is going these last few years. If we don't complain, who knows where this game will end up.
personally, I believe whoever came out with learning spells in packs should be fired immediately, that is purely about greed and angers most all the players... this needs to stop and those who are promoting this form of gambling should be done away with
I am TIRED of all these games getting us to buy our way through the game. These new spells are only available through something you have to pay with real money. I am tired of KI tring to make the 'cool' things. If it gets worse just know I wont be playing Ever again.
I couldn't agree 
