(edit under post in a nutshell - this is not directed at/against DEVS)
man they have been doing it for soo long. this game was, and still has the potential to be great. its solid and holds up on its own and (before they chopped it all out) had some of the best, most unique multiplayer/co op mechanics i have seen in an mmo in a long while. ie fast paced, arcade style jump in co op with item share and heart res leading to some of the best, most entertaining situations/ experiences a group knights could share/triumph over. it generated so much comradery and accomplishment that THAT and the combat alone made the game worth playing with or without friends (since you could make so many new game buddies after suffering through double arenas with a few bars between the few)
now its just seemingly down hill? like they plan on riding it into the dirt while wringing every last dollar they can before its smashed. promo after promo after promo, rather than just giving back ANYTHING, a small chunk of content to offset the cash grabs ffs. if they would even just take a couple steps back into the past they would get so much more out of this money wise (if thats all that matters to them) not to mention the game could go well beyond expectations, in the game as a whole as well as monetary value. theyre losing so many players (BIG PLAYERS)and big numbers) and its because they are just choking the game out with cash grabs, the hardest to swallow was the removal of item sharing and heart res. just so that players are more likely to die/ end up in the clockworks without sparks and end up buying them mid dungeon, not counting out of dungeon or the CE to get them (all money for them) just a means to promote real cash currency :( ) to lose a gameplay mechanic just to possibly/slightly increase demand for cash currency is so wrong. the game lost a lot when that left. it took away a good piece of the core co op mechanics and removed aspects of the gameplay that were unique to those mechanics, the game, not to mention the mmo genre overall.
i dont know what else to say since it really doesn't matter, since anyone that cares either has no say/no one to say it to that can make a difference. otherwise all thats left in sk are mostly new waves of players that dont know what they are missing/ havn't realized yet or the people on the receiving end dont care one way or another.
its just a huge bummer to see such a great gem, much loved by many, being treated so poorly and used to death for all the wrong reasons. its also funny knowing that its probably the worst way to make money off of something while such a better options exists for both sides. as being a gem (to say the least), they could put very little in and get a WHOLE LOT in return money wise, not only from the regulars/loyal players but the new waves that flock to unique games that shine. with very little effort to keep playerbase happy/ coming back, or not bailing completely at the least they could get more than what they want/expect and at the same time spare the games life in the process so the people who are in it as a labor of love (not just gamer/players)ie nick) dont have to look away every time they see where the game is currently or where it might be headed.
i guess im done ranting/being sad at a game that used to be a bit more for some friends and i. but if you have any similar feelings feel free to be annoyed/jaded with me whenever, heh.
and for some similar sentiments about some sadly/badly removed parts of the game among other cries for help about the greed slowly killing this game and turning into another generic ftp. check out some older posts and feel free to comment. these are just my opinions and some of my past guildies so if you dont feel the same way, that is great and welcome, just post your opinion in response and leave any flame/ fire elsewhere. this is a post of mourning (or it will be if things keep up) im just not in the mood for a troll fight :p
http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/100806
http://forums.spiralknights.com/en/node/100418
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----THIS PART IS OPTIONAL unless you are a first time reader and tend to skip comments (originally in the comments further below, this is just an attempt to clarify) or possibly? you are one who has troubles reading words in their intended order or just tend to jump to conclusions about things before you see them as a whole, or just dont think a lot about what you are reading/saying before you post, in which case not only will this not help, but you didn't get here anyway. also if after reading below (if needed) you want to know a bit more about where im coming from and for the most part, why? please check out the two links under op. also worth a look if ANY of this resonates
after you read all of the lines above, or every other line as many seem to do it seems in search of kindling and nothing else, i figure i should put this response under the OP since there seemed to be misunderstandings
---first of all, i didn't use the word "devloper" once in my post. not even my two other relevant/linked posts from long ago, were devs smeared in ANY negative way. when i say 'they' i dont necessarily mean DEVS and ONLY the developers. whoevers tying hands, overruling whats actually good for the game is who im talking about and thats why i didn't point fingers specifically because who knows whats going on, im sure some of the devs are just as sad to have to push out a twisted version of their love as we are. (if it might be news, DEVS rarely get to play god with their games)
@Tenkii, i saw that post very shortly after posting this, but it changes nothing. though it was a good chunk of this particular post, Content isn't what irks me and many others so much as the very unsubtle, game changing cash grabs that breaks my heart and as stated above took enough (good) away that me and others actually enjoy the game less, have FUN (big part of games) less, experience unique things less (as in ONLY in SK), want to play less. changing co op mechanics to promote minor cash grab mechs is just painful to see and when its done for pennies on the dollar i cant say i agree with it being "because someone knows best" at least not in this case, you dont even have to believe me the results are plain. also, on the other note of content, if that did happen to be my biggest issue (not that its nothing) a no show with an apology is a no show. and before that brand new apology/promo update, when was the last major? how many all together? and how long has SK been out of the gate. and no shit promos are easier to put out than full fledged content... but a game cant, and this one WONT survive by adding more and more side junk/ minor things to play with in the place of the actual game we came for initially.. these are just thoughts, but seriously? i doubt many people started playing and invested so much time just to be able to keep playing 3d Gaia Online (aka just a forum with avatar to dress/monetize)
again, all of this is just what i know me and frankly many others feel. its not a matter of blame, no ones pointing fingers, at least not from my circle. its a matter of, what? sadness? labor of love loss, something great and unique getting tainted giving it that familiar hit of whats all in the things we came here to avoid. this is no more than an attempt to tell others i/we know also (at the very least) like this same game as we do, enough to spend time with it/ with friends in it and telling them we are bummed, not surprisingly about some things. its not that OMG SK IS DEAD AND GONE AND F"D bail. its just there is a LOT of people who think some wrong turns have been made, enough to where when they were made a few more times, people started losing faith and actually bailing, and remaining worry that it could turn into something fatal if it remains.
i love how people on such high horses know so much more than people that are stating OPINIONS, that they still use high school lvl name calling even after they have all points completely fly over their heads. i guess they're so awesome, its just not demeaning to them at all.
i dont really know what else to say other than, i suppose i expected better, compare and think before you speak i guess? (ie maybe double check what you read? smell a few misunderstandings). no one is trying to start a fight or derail threads. (at least i hope not) only in genuine concern, again as a labor of love did we post this to begin with, aimed at other players that enjoy the game alot. not only to share concern, help generate a response (because people do listen to their players, we can effect the 'they') and also to learn more and pool knowledge, or hell even a possible change back to things that weren't broken but fixed (there are some that arent just petty) but fuck, if i thought THAT was shooting for the stars before i posted, after seeing whats left in the community, via some of those responses... aiming for dirt seems as risky.
Again if you have something nonconstructive, negative or just feel like flaming, by all means, go for it since no one can stop you, you have nothing better to do or whatever the case may be. i just dont understand unfiltered, lacking in thought, hostile responses to random, possibly wannabe friends with common interests.
though if you dig it, i hope you have as much fun as me and mine used to here
I am with you man. I made the same exact post a few hours before you. Good to see you have the same feelings. It drives me batty that you and I and many others can see what going wrong and how to fix it but the developers, are so clueless. They must be looking at these numbers and going its not even worth saving. Tis a shame when all it needed was some support and it would have lasted and grew so much larger. What a waste of such a unique game.