Okay, I've seen plenty of these around. Lost of people griping, bitching and moaning about the Energy, how "grindy" it makes the game, how its a "money pit" and makes the game less accessible to those who can't finance it. Sure, it sucks to have to spend Crystal Energy to make gear (what sucks is that you need to pay Energy AND Crowns, but that's just me), operate the elevator, revive, open treasure room, etc...
This game is another kind of animal. Now, I've made some terrible money choices with MMO's but least here you GET SOMETHING FOR ALL THE CRAP! Want to know some REAL money traps? Why don't you play:
- Yu-Gi-Oh Online
- Alteil
- Urban Rivals
I've played all of those. While some seemed like I could get behind them at first (Alteil, YGO Online) they were really money vacuum traps which made me want to sell my accounts on them if legally able. Urban Rivals is also one of those, though offset by the fact I could sell the cards, but that's another place, another time.
Yes, it does seem very ludicrous that you not only have to buy the recipe, find the materials, level up another gear to prep it for the crafting process (God help you if you detest said gear) and then having to pay out both Crowns and Energy to get your hands on something, but the game does need a way to keep you invested in it. I'm not saying its the best system in the world, but I can see why its in place and why it works, and I've barely been here a week!
If I could afford it, I'd gladly drop in $50 in the game in one go. It would be the first time I made a large purchase in a game that I wouldn't feel bit me in the ass! Energy is versatile...it could get you ANYTHING! Yes, the prices can be insane, but in this case (and to quote Gorden Gecko) "greed is good!" It moves the game, it reinforces ambition, makes things possible and can be controlled by the market (if people can't move stuff, but want to make a profit there greed will get them to eventually move the price down, or someone else greed could get them to undercut someone to give you the stuff at a better price).
Also, we need something to keep us from breaking the game in half.
Time to book a ticket to the moon.