Why the mineral prize boxes aren't actually bad
Wed, 12/02/2015 - 15:14
I don't mean to be a cheerleader, because I've argued quite a bit for them to change these boxes in some way- players obviously don't value them the same way they value boxes like say, the stranger box. I even wrote a forum topic as to what OOO could do about it, giving them what is hopefully constructive criticism.
First, the prize boxes are a good way for the game to make money in general. Someone pays.. to look cool for donating to the game. Doing so does not effect the game in any other negative ways, and that, is golden.
These prize boxes in general however tend to be reskinned, which causes a great deal of commotion, but what people fail to realize is that they don't have to even consider buying half of them. You want less prize boxes? Well here you go. Now there's a real prize box once a month and the background noise of the mineral boxes. Maybe you don't like ruby, because it doesn't fit your color at all.. well that's fine now, because there are 11 other colors for you to choose from, should you choose to partake.
Another common concern is that prize boxes aren't content and people need content so that the game doesn't feel dead 100% of the time. This is logical, and for the most part true- content updates would be wonderful. The untrue part of it however is that prize boxes, especially these prize boxes that are simply recoloured, don't typically interfere with the creation of content. If anything, these sorts of prize boxes speed up content by creating more promotions better suited for a wider grouping of players (more colors over time), along with less work for developers, artists, everyone.
So please, try to be more understanding.
Wed, 12/02/2015 - 15:52
#2
Mhmm.
Lack of good doesn't equate to bad, but from the voices of some, you'd assume the game was dead for years. "Good" also is very subjective - with many players saying the free elevators helped the game while others say the forge is terrible and we have to go back to 2011.
Gem prize boxes aren't bad, and since they're lost their "excitement" it means that we sort of have a "neutral" 2 weeks every month, and that's nice. After the promo train got rolling I really haven't felt a true break outside of reoccurring events, but with the gem boxes I feel like the train is actually making stops occasionally before heading to the next place. It's nice, really.
Wed, 12/02/2015 - 17:01
#3
Why whats happening is bad
I've just jumped into this discussion recently so forgive me if I'm out of line at times.
The prize boxes are a dangerous way to make money in general, Spiral Knights is an incredible concept as well as game with much potential to be found, everything from the combat to the story, but spiral knight's popularity has slowly decreased over the years.
Why?
Because the last 10+ updates were prize boxes and separately recycled events. I, along with many others, are willing to pay money for updates that change the way we play, it could be new dungeon bosses in the clockworks, or new abilities and pets, but I'm not going to fork over five bucks for a prize box every "update" as we say. You can tell people to just not buy the prize boxes, which is fine, but what does that become? It becomes a dead update, another dry-spell for the non-payers as well as the people who are not interested in how they look. Many of my friends left this game promising that they will come back when a serious update catches their eye. They haven't been back since then, and it's gotten to the point where they may never come back even if there is an interesting update, they've left and become interlocked with other games, forgetting about spiral knights and their guild mates.
This train is taking stops to a destination that an increasing number of players don't want to go to, so their getting on different trains.
Spiral Knights seems to be a slowly dying game, which scares me. If a new game with similar mechanics, game-play, and style, which also advocates frequent or large updates comes to the scene, spiral knights won't be able to keep up.
Wed, 12/02/2015 - 17:03
#4
These boxes can't be bad in
These boxes can't be bad in any possible way; they fund the game thanks to the players willing to pay for them; as for those who don't, well, life goes on, nothing to worry about.
Wed, 12/02/2015 - 17:30
#5
My main concern with these
Six-From-Syrup you make a good argument with the post I made earlier, but I respectfully disagree with you.
My main concern with these boxes is that very little to no effort goes into them. and that most of the recolors dont look different enough from other recolors Ive seen in the past. (example being just how much citrine costumes look like regal costumes only slightly brighter) If they want to make birthstone stuff i dont have much against it, Its just the sad fact that these things very clearly show the lazyness behind them. If there was even 1 unique thing per box that would at least be something to look forward to. Otherwise little to noone's going to buy them because they're just so uninteresting
Wed, 12/02/2015 - 18:15
#6
The same amount of effort went into creating the original aura etc. as went into making anything else. The snipe/stranger promo? There were only like 2-3 new assets in that, same as the jewel boxes. The difference is that the jewel box promo is constant and continuously there. Think of it as one really long promo, rather than 12 normal sized ones.
Wed, 12/02/2015 - 17:59
#7
@Six-From-Syrup
not exactly, the only new asset in the mineral boxes are the actual stones themselves which are swapped out from the previous ones in the floating jewels and aura. past that its all just a simple recolor you could do in Gimp.
As of the stranger boxes (be it like most other boxes they had allot of styles/varients off of eachother) they still added at least 3 new things. The head-pirch thing, the hat, and the robe. which isnt admittingly allot, but it's still more than what can be said about the mineral boxes, which still in my opinion, look very lazy.
These boxes require a negligible amount of work by Three Rings. And they add a negligible amount of value to the game for most players. Therefore they are neutral. They are neither good nor bad.
People complain because they don't want neutral. They want good. They want to see progress, not just lack of regress.