@Nodocchi

I understand your argument just fine, it's a False Dichotomy which is a Fallacy.....bad logic.

You're saying Allunova has to pick one, either lower CE prices or DLC by real money because you're saying you can't have one without the other.

1. Allunova doesn't have to only pick one, he/she can choose both or neither too.
2. There is more than two options. What if they have the DLC purchasable with CE and also release a new accessory with an energy pack at the same time. What if they release the DLC with an energy pack while you can get the DLC with CE too. What if they do something else none of us has thought of.
3. You make too many assumptions. CE prices may go up, it may not....who's to say people won't start buying more CE packs. Who's to say the energy pack special that came out before the DLC won't offset the demand? Who's to say people won't start selling their stockpile of CE for crowns seeing the demand for CE going up. And who's to say people who would have decided to use CE to craft something to 5* will decide to instead use that CE for the DLC and forget about that 5* item because some item in the DLC was better. Etc. Etc.

No I understand your argument clearly, and it's incorrect.

@Lordnamechange

I'm tired of seeing the argument that it's only $4 and it's not a lot of money.

A. It's not the amount of money, it's the principle behind it that has most people upset
B. Even if it was about the amount of money that's a value judgement, different for everybody
C. $4 isn't really worth it if you consider I got games like Dead Space 1, Dead Space 2, Fallout New Vegas for $5 each. I'm sure there's plenty of other games that goes for $5 that vastly out-worth the DLC too. But of course this is a value judgement.

From my point of view the clockworks have design problems, at the moment each of the 4 runs has a boss, Ok, so perhaps you can have a T1 and a T3 boss however that still only provides access for one new boss. It also causes problems for people trying to get "Dauntless Delver" the more the clockworks is over run with bosses. So by adding missions it allows the addition of many new bosses. The mission system also allows for longer (in levels) boss run, which allows for better story telling. This way allows for many new bosses to be added. So mission provide direct access to bosses.... this however is leveling the playing field, newer players who do not have great guilds or a network of players, were having problems getting a game (or used a stepping stones by soloing when they were near a boss), this allowed for more experenced players to out perform them. This move allows them equal access to higher crown levels.

When you consider a shadow key costs 1800ce (but can be shared by 4), The "DLC" is priced very similarly but can be repeated an infinite amount of time (do it more than 4 times you are in "profit"). Personally, I am much happier making a one of payment than pay per try of the shadow lairs. As this allows me to try (and fail) as much as I like.

The new content while accessible to new players is however aimed at end game players, most end games players have enough CE so they are burn it on fashion items. If the new content had been available via a CE purchase could well have resulted, in very little new money coming into the game, which would be bad for 3 rings and bad for the future of this game. This way someone has to buy the pack with new dollars. Steam trading allows people wanting to be F2P to still have access to it, and I believe Nick said they were looking into the DLC packs being giftable. My only surprise was how little CE traders were asking for the expansion packs, which almost makes me wish I had not used real money to buy my own.

While we could argue if 1-2 hours of new game play is worth 4 dollars, I look at the insane amount of total hours I have spent on Spiral knights and think (relatively small amount) of money I have put into the game has given me great entertainment, I have in the past paid 50 bucks for a new game only to put it down after 1 hours of playing and never look at it again, against that picture SK is great value for money.

lmao if you play any online mmorpg that is free to play you get given the option to donate to get further in the game quicker or more powerful weapons, all of them survive on donations! why should this one be any different? if you don't want to pay then don't! but if you're not prepared to pay don't whine when you miss out on something good!!