Major Gold Coins Conflict and Scam..

[Associated1992]

I have spent over 300 United States Currency on this game. This will get me about 50,000 Gold Coins. You can get a little extra if you use Kongregate.

I just recently found out that people from other countries spend way less and get WAY more. Not just a little bit more but, an EXTREME amount.

In Brasil, 139,00 Brazilian currency will get them 48,400 gold coins. That is only 77 US dollars!

So, People who have pent the same amount of money as me just, in a different country can get nearly 150k Gold Coins while i'm stuck with 50k!
This is totally bull crap. I think that ALL people who have spent money on this game should get the same amount as everyone else.

You can't take it away from the BR so I demand you GIVE me what I paid for. What everyone else paid for.

Then change the price of GC for BR Currency to match that of the US Currency... or at least in the same ball park!

 

[Signas]

Really....

 

[Mattisx]

Oh wow....

I kind of feel discriminated against x.x

 

[Sentior]

This seems kind of normal with most games, there are different price classes for different countries. So countries listed as 'rich' tend to have to pay more..

 

[Mattisx]

Oh, as long as discrimination is normal, then it's ok.

 

[jbobaf1]

so since this is going on to where other players in other countries received what looks like 3 times as much, are we going to see some form of compensation for it. Now i now see how some of the Spanish players can use potions like candy in this game, the truth shall set you free.

 

[Verimtor]

This is not discrimination, it´s the opposite. People in different countries have different purchasing power, the local prices are adjusted to it. In other words: the prices are nearly the same in all countries taking the local purchasing power into account. Why are we doing this? Because we do not want to discriminate people from countries with low purchasing power.

If you have a look at the prices in different countries for e.g. Coke, McDonalds, Apple, Volkswagen or EA products you will find out that local price adjustment is a very common practice.

Want to learn more about it?

There is a great Wikipedia article describing the so called “Big_Mac_Index” which is used to find the right price balance to avoid discrimination:

Wikipedia Big_Mac-Index

 

[Mattisx]

http://www.priceoftravel.com/2364/cheapest-countries-to-buy-apple-products/

According to this - Price comparison of Apple products in the cities which sell them for the lowest prices. A city in Brazil apparently has more purchasing power than one might assume.

Setting the prices so the majority of a low income populace can afford your ingame gold is fine, but I'm willing to bet it's the higher class who's spending their time playing a computer game.


Edit:
Even in the link you posted, after the currency conversion, the burger cost in Brazil is HIGHER than the cost in America. What are you trying to tell me? Brazil seems to have a similar cost of living to Sweden.

 

[Associated1992]

So, you'll come in here and give us 1 answer 'The Big Mac Index' which actually says that we are correct, and say that it's all okay?


Brasil isn't an extremely poor country and, the people playing the games are not the poorest of people. And, they are not the most wealthy.
We're not talking about the countries as a whole, this is a demographic of computer/internet gamers.

You're giving people with nearly the same opportunity in the real world an unequal opportunity in-game. and, it shows!


In Brasil the big mac is 5$, in the US the big mac is 3$

You're charging the US 3$ for gold coins, and giving them to brasil for .75$! That doesn't quite add up.

 

[Verimtor]

As a lot of questions were asked regarding the price plans, here are some additional information:

It´s always a big challenge to handle people equal. A lot of different aspects have to be taken into account. Some aspects are obvious for everyone, some are not. Some are very individual, some are very general. The hard and naked truth is that we will never find a price plan that handles everyone individually in his personal situation. But we are trying hard to find the best balance.

Regarding Brazil:

We understand that the prices in BR might be seen as too low for some people coming from wealth countries, especially as we all know that even the poorest country has a rich upper class which is much richer than the average people from a rich country.

But even though Brazil has a rich upper class

• the GDP per capital in Brazil is 4 times lower than it is in US.
• the average budget for teenager and people in their twenties in Brazil is 7 times lower than in US.
• it is much more difficult for the average Brazil player to make an online payment, etc. etc.

We love Brazil and the players from Brazil as much as we love US players. Both have a different style to play which is a real asset for all of us. Up to 20% of our players are coming from Brazil and nearly the same amount from the US. We are trying our best to find the right price plan for both and will do some changes and add more options soon.

@ Mattisx: sales prices for Apple computers are not most expensive in BR because BR is wealthier than other countries, it´s because of the enormous import taxes in BR. The price before import tax is much lower than in the US.

@ Associated1992: local price adjustments are not limited to non digital goods. Have a look at itunes or Amazon prices in different countries. We are not selling Burgers, we are not bind to the international beef prices so that we do not have the same price adjustment as the Bif-Mac-Index. We can do a much more accurate price adjustment. And we do. The example was just chosen to show everyone that local price adjustments are very common.

Wiki on GDP per capita

 

[Associated1992]

Vermitor, So yes that makes sense..

But, the players in BR who are spending money truely are at a big advantage. You can tell when you're in-game and in battle with them.

 

[jbobaf1]

you can see that yes wealthy countries players come from do pot but nowhere i mean nowhere at consistent as we see in our southern neighbors. They guys can pot for weeks on end. I can spend 50 bucks a month on this game a be lucky if my gold coins lasted 2 or 3 days of constant potting for 30 minute fights 1 hour fights etc. its crazy.

 

[jbobaf1]

the problem is that they give them more dino coins for far less money. How about give them the same amount of dino coins but at a rate that would be similar to what a us player would get compared to yearly income in each, so if say a wealthy country makes 3 for every 1 dollar in another then that country would only have to pay 65 cents for the first tier and as you go up tiers accordingly, not 48500 dino coins which can last any player in these countries a lifetime longer than what we could possibly get in return for far more money we have to spend

 

[Danger]

Why not just trade your US dollars into Reals and buy gold that way if what you say is true? Heck, as long as the process of exchanging currencies doesn't cost you more than 20% of your funds, you'll save money.

Also, what about other currencies? Are there better deals available than buying gold via Reals?

 

[Associated1992]

The only way that is possible is to use a proxy that comes from Brazil. You're not given the option to buy gold with BR currency if you do not live in BR.

Also, that's illegal.

 

[Jacsor]

lol living in Denmark and because i play from Kongregate i can only pay with US Dollars.

 

[Mattisx]

• the average budget for teenager and people in their twenties in Brazil is 7 times lower than in US.

Would you mind providing factual support for this statement? I can make unsupported statements all day.

• the average teenager in Brazil can't afford a computer. Those that do, have budgets many times greater than the average American.

 

[jbobaf1]

the developers just need to play the game with a budge of about 20 to 30 dollars a month in countries like ours, to get a true grasp of how bad it is int he game. Then they will actually understand ,they dont seem to believe us or anything we say.

 

[mjprogue]

I get the need for a different price structure in different countries...I really do...but the current setup is just not fair. Leaving any other country out of it...the costs in the US are so high for what you get that you have to be either a fool or stinking rich to buy disposable items.

I am by no means wealthy, but I have a good job and wouldn't hesitate to drop 20-30 bucks a month on a game I love...and I believe that that amount of money is pretty decent for someone to put into a FTP game when you consider sub games will typically run you half that.

So instead of disposables...I just dumped probably $400 into dinos and guns (and yea I got ripped off cause many of those dropped in price shortly after I bought them) so now I have the permanent clause on alot of my stuff...which is good because as with the pots, the degrading clothes are ridiculously expensive in terms of US dollars. At least the horribly overpriced ones I bought a few months ago won't degrade on me cause no way would I buy any now.

Now I never need to spend another dime on this game...which is fine since there is nothing in the game worth spending my money on anymore. Is the pot unbalance ridiculous and frustrating? Yea...Ivan drives me crazy with it...but at least I know hes spending his money (little though it is) while it costs me nothing whatsoever to rez...nor does he get any benefit whatsoever for killing me.

 

[nalthraxus]

u guys all talk about brasil and america mainly well heres a better example for you all im from new zealand i have to pay MOrE per coin than an american because my currency is only worth 0.75 of a dollar to a nz dollar so i have to pay more per gold coin than a us citizen and get LESS than a brazillian plus my country is just about on the same earning tear as theres so take that to the bank and EXPLAIN IT!

o and like everyone else ive seen them literally pot endlessy one brak holding off 20 players killing them all one bye one and winning the fight and then get this WE get told off for trying to grief them.Who won the fight they did we simply got sick of getting our arses handed to us tried to kill the potters and omg we still lost and whats worst we were the one who got punished bye a gm who made very vague and threatening remarks

 

[SkyLander]

This is not discrimination, it´s the opposite. People in different countries have different purchasing power, the local prices are adjusted to it. In other words: the prices are nearly the same in all countries taking the local purchasing power into account. Why are we doing this? Because we do not want to discriminate people from countries with low purchasing power.

If you have a look at the prices in different countries for e.g. Coke, McDonalds, Apple, Volkswagen or EA products you will find out that local price adjustment is a very common practice.

Want to learn more about it?

There is a great Wikipedia article describing the so called “Big_Mac_Index” which is used to find the right price balance to avoid discrimination:

Wikipedia Big_Mac-Index

Thank you very much to be done understand, most of the English community.
Prices are fair, but Americans do not understand that not everything revolves around the USD.

 

[Associated1992]

It's funny that you're assuming that all Americans think that Everything revolves around the USD. Not once did any of the Americans, that have posted about this problem, say that 'Everything revolves around the USD', so i'm wondering where you came to that conclusion.

Specifically, I was comparing USD and BRL. In this case, Everything revolves around Gold Coins and their prices. I understand what you mean, but I think you're wrong. The prices are not correct and fair to the average PLAYER. Sure you can say that it's based on the spending power of the average Brazilian or American. But, The average Brazilian or even American is not capable of playing this game and/or spending money on it.

I have seen multiple players from Brazil that have bought 1-20 Dinos and Guns. There are guys on America_2 that are level 10 with a level 19-20 Dinos AND guns and maxed Techs/implants and it's no coincidence that they're from Brazil.

Buying 1-20 on anything (Dino Dollars, Upgrade Kits and all) for an American player would be nearly impossible. And, I have yet to see 1 US player that has done so and I don't think it's just a coincidence.

Thank you very much to be done understand, most of the English community.

 

[Associated1992]

Now BR players are bidding 10k-100k! on potions in the auction house simply because they can afford so much gold coins that they can afford to bid like this just so we can't have any at all.

 

[Ultracarnex]

Possible solution? Reset all servers, put all who bought coins down to 3000 coins and make the buying price equal. Let's see them what they'll do in the auctions now

EDIT: On second thought, there's still gold to play with so scrap this fidgie.

 

[djg5014]

Well all i would like to say is instead of basing your prices on outside resources, take a look at the game itself. Take a look at the margins in the game and Gold Coin usage in the game. I know several non-american players that pay gold to level up their dino and don't quest at all. Those are the same people with endless backpacks and warehouses to hold their huge amounts of potions purchased with gold coin. I know not one american that has done this, not one. Its sickening that a level 20 dino has a tough battle against a level 15 simple because they can pot like no tomorrow, and if you get 2 level 20's that are potting, it is literally an endless battle and comes down to a battle of the wallet. Its just a suggestion, but as i previously stated instead of looking outside of the game for an answer to price equity, take a look at the game itself, and disparity between players. That would be a far more accurate way to establish a pricing system.

 

[Ultracarnex]

OK, people. Here you go.

In-game currency vs. Food & Real-life stuff
In-game currency: You can live without it
Food & Real-life stuff: You can't live without it [food]

Hey, as long as you can afford a computer, it already means you can actually buy gold.

Conclusion
Food & Real-life stuff: Need to take buying power to take into account for price
In-game currency: You don't

 

[SkyLander]

Just noticing the Associated main post.
It's funny how he refers to 77 USD, just like a "nothing". While in the currency of my country, 77 USD is a good amount of money, you would spend like a crazy wallet warrior.
This is how you realize the relationship USD-other currencies, and how hard it is to get them. (That's why many people go to work in U.S.)
Besides we must consider something, in all countries there will always be rich people, or very vitiates you do not mind to spend and spend and that's not refer to for that single person the whole country's economy suits him / her.

 

[Associated1992]

It was relative, SkyLander.

77 dollars in relation to 300 dollars. There is a LARGE difference there. That was what the only was about. Not that 77 dollars is nothing to Americans. 77 dollars is a large amount of cash.


It doesn't matter how you try to argue it, SkyLander. We can tell in game. When players say they have over a million Dino Dollars and are bidding 10-100k per bid on the auction house, when we can barely afford to buy enough DD to upgrade 1 dinosaur?

Sure, you can say it's just rich people. But when you have 10 americans that have a hard time buying enough Dino Dollars to upgrade a single dinosaur, against 10 Brazilian players who have spent and are continuing to spend enough to upgrade multiple dinosaurs to level 20 with only gold coins AND buy the dino dollars AND buy millions of dino dollars to out bid all of the non-gold coin buying players.... YOU CAN TELL IT IS UNBALANCED.

And, it's not only 10. There are countless Latino Players that are buying massive amount of Gold Coins. There is not 1 single English player that I have spoken to that comes close to their Coin Purchases.

You are obviously biased. You are obviously Latino. And, I am sure you're probably just like the ones that are causing problems over here on Am-1 and Am-2.

This is what we're Not comparing:
Dilma Rousseff vs. Homeless man on the streets of New York with a computer and internet.
Bill Gates vs. 10 year old Brazilian kid who lives in the sewer and feeds off rats with a computer and internet.

We are comparing the Player to the Player.

 

[Sentior]

I don't get the big deal about it. Yes, you can buy stuff cheaper in other countries - but that goes for most products. Sure, if they have a good job, and a good income, they can afford to buy loads of gold - but with a low paying job here, i could buy a lot as well, if i was willing to spend.

Taking living costs and such into consideration is rather unneccesary - I don't know howmuch the average American makes, but i think the average american would not have much trouble if they decided to spend a few hundred on this game. Sure, someone like that player buying gold from Brazil gets more gold for thesame amount of USD - but there are plenty of rich Americans too.

I personally have not seen an American player who bought their way up - which is mostly because there aren't many players willing to pay that much - nor many Americans on the European servers. I have noticed that brazilian players take bids a lot of the time, but often it is not too high.

I have seen a few players from other countries who've bought their way up - oddly, no brazilians yet. And even if they use a lot of potions, if you do as well you can still take them down (if done properly, and if you also have potions).

 

[SkyLander]

LOL you are missing the objectivity completely Associated.
I'm being objective and i'm not belong to any group of warriors wallet, since I'm not rich or mad, to be spending $ 100 usd per week. And I repeat, I know both free users, Latinos and Brazilians who do not even have the Plus and I have American friends who have made improvements instantly bought 100k of DD.
And just as I know that players who spend all day potions both American and non Americans. And in the same way Americans they spent +10k for 5 supplies.
So I repeat, you believe me that for a person with overheads and medium socioeconomic lifestyle, those prices are not quite "cheap" as you think.
I need to be crazy to spend 300 USD, but you did, you'd think the abysmal desbalance over there? From a player who spends about 12 usd, one who spends 300? I rather think so these grounds here, is to be at the same level as other countries wallet warriors.