land too expensive?

[Guest]

Hey all. I wanted to give my 2 cents (since that is about all we all can afford in EA LAnd) on this topic. Last night I spent prolly 3 hours in game and worked the entire time on making money. 3 hrs gone and I barely made 1500 bucks. I was one of the lucky ones who bought a piece of land for about 300 bucks and have it built up a bit. Now i see it is work 12k. Pretty much pricing has gotten out of control yet the payouts are not equaling out. It cannot be expected that a new sim could afford a lot 1 for many weeks. And if most of you are like me, I am very hessitent to bring a newbie onto my lot as a roomie (Sorry, too may bad memories). So for people who are established from the beginning, we have most of what we need before pricing got out of hand. Now? I haven't looked recently, but it was alot more money.

Demand = Cost. I can understand that. But at the same time, give the sims a chance to make more money to afford stuff when it is in demand.

 

[imported_CherryBomb]

By itself, I think dynamic pricing and payouts is actually pretty cool. Where it crashes and burns is where it collides with a balanced economy or cash-in/cash-out. To keep the economy balanced, payouts have to go low enough that noone will farm them. If they go that low, typical players won't even bother with them. Noone will want to purchase Simoleons just to pay for food, repairs and such, so the drains will have to go, too. That's what I mean when I say it "won't work."

CherryBomb

 

[Guest]

I totally agree. It won't work how it is currently set up. I read in another post somewhere that her husband has over 200k in EA Land already. People can pool money but it affects the rest of us if they don't spend it and "horde" it for themselves.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

By itself, I think dynamic pricing and payouts is actually pretty cool. Where it crashes and burns is where it collides with a balanced economy or cash-in/cash-out. To keep the economy balanced, payouts have to go low enough that noone will farm them. If they go that low, typical players won't even bother with them. Noone will want to purchase Simoleons just to pay for food, repairs and such, so the drains will have to go, too. That's what I mean when I say it "won't work."

CherryBomb

[/ QUOTE ]
Since we don't (in RL) have anything equivalent to cash-in/cash-out, there is no way to determine what effect it will have on an actual economy, and certainly not TSOs 'pretend' economy, until we actually experience it.
The myth is that we have dynamic pricing/payouts now, but we don't.
What we have is a manual manipulation (price fixing by the devs) to try to forestall (so they say) the botting. This is supposed to be temporary.
Once we have the 'real' dynamics added (if ever) then we will be able to determine, with far more accuracy, what it will do to the game.

My personal feeling is that a good balance can be acheived by simply setting all prices and payouts to, roughly, 10% of TSO, while setting the simoleon exchange rate to, roughly, double what it is now, and make it subject to 'dynamic' pricing as well.
This would allow peeps to make a decent living IG, while allowing those who are willing to work and sacrifice, the opportunity of buying and selling simoleons.

But.... even if "double" is not the right rate for cash-in/cash-out, I can assure you that a 'balance' point exists that makes it worthwhile.

 

[Guest]

But how many people will quit the game out of frustration over not being able to afford to do anything. I have been in houses begging for tips because they can't cook food since they are broke.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

But how many people will quit the game out of frustration over not being able to afford to do anything. I have been in houses begging for tips because they can't cook food since they are broke.

[/ QUOTE ]

..exactly! that's why this game should be fun and SOMEWHAT challenging.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

But how many people will quit the game out of frustration over not being able to afford to do anything. I have been in houses begging for tips because they can't cook food since they are broke.

[/ QUOTE ]
If they were to implement something like this, then a sims purchasing power would be about the same as TSO.
But.... that's the problem (and why ppl are frustrated) - the devs are taking their own sweet time resolving this situation.

 

[Guest]

Ok so i think the answer we all came up is everyone has 2 choices right now. (1) Grin and bare it until it is finally fixed or (2) Quit and come back later and pray it is fixed... lol

So far I'll stick with (1). If nothing changes in the near future... I hold the right to change my mind

 

[Guest]

By the way... I feel the same way as most. I outright refuse to pay for simoleans. What is the point? How is it different than buying from somone on e-bay? Oh wait... the money is going to TSO and EA... now i get it

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>


Ok so i think the answer we all came up is everyone has 2 choices right now. (1) Grin and bare it until it is finally fixed or (2) Quit and come back later and pray it is fixed... lol

So far I'll stick with (1). If nothing changes in the near future... I hold the right to change my mind

[/ QUOTE ]

Ill stick to 1 too. Why? coz im a loyal customer to this game and anything that has to do with the word "sims" , since the age of 9. I just love it, with all my friends too, it's fun ... however, this is discouraging to many people and would cause them to leave, we dont want to scare new people off, we want them to stay.

 

[Guest]

Well, then i think it is up to use veterens to take newbies under our wings and help them out as much as we can. We have to show that yes, this is not going to be easy but we will be there to help. This means taking newbies by the hand and helping them. Hey, anyone interested in opening a welcome house to help teach newbies? I have land I can donate and whoever is interested in helping keep the game going can become a roomie. Let me know.

 

[vapd3317]

<blockquote><hr>

I totally agree. It won't work how it is currently set up. I read in another post somewhere that her husband has over 200k in EA Land already. People can pool money but it affects the rest of us if they don't spend it and "horde" it for themselves.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh I see...so once again a statement is made that we should play the game for others and not for ourselves? I should spend my money to make EVERYONE ELSE happy? NOT !!

I came into this game refusing to be dependant on others and set my goals on skilling the first two days and then doing nothing else but building my bank account. I worked hard to get financially well off in EAland and spent my simoleons frugally, by shopping for the deals. I didn't waste my money on uselesss custom content, nor cater to the masses by hosting a skill/money/services lot. I maintained a private residence to avoid the pitfalls the "social butterflys" suffer from by running out of money to feed visitors. I even go to my own residence to green up should I ever find myself at a skill/money house.

I now have everything I need or want for my size 8 lot, fully furnished, and will continue to "horde" my cash as it grows everyday. So instead of placing blame on those us who are the "HAVES, for spoiling the game for those that are the "HAVE NOTS" because we "horde" our money, how about re-directing that aggression towards setting your own goals???

A persons lack of in-game financial planning does not constitute an emergency on MY part to flood the games economy with my simoleons.

And on Christams day when some shabby little chap is seen walking under my bedroom window, I'll toss him a couple bucks to go buy a damn Christmas goose. But he better pay me back.

 

[Guest]

Vap,
You are absolutely right when you say you don't have to spend your money on anything you don't want. But the fact is this... this game is now based on a cash in/cash out system. The less money being spent, the less the payouts to everyone on a whole will be. Never did i say people who were doing this was wrong. How you play this game is up to you.

 

[imported_Shirl1211]

<blockquote><hr>

I totally agree. It won't work how it is currently set up. I read in another post somewhere that her husband has over 200k in EA Land already. People can pool money but it affects the rest of us if they don't spend it and "horde" it for themselves.

[/ QUOTE ]


Well the point you have failed to understand is this, if my husband can be successful while working 60+ RL hours a week then why can't others? It doesn't take a trip to the ATM or a rocket scientist to achieve these things. I am not going to work at making money and spend it on useless things that I don't need. You call it hording, I call it success. I have a home, skills and a substantial amount of simoleans and it didn't roll in on the bullet train. It was earned. If people resent the fact that people can actually make a go of it in this town then maybe they should take a step backwards and see what they may be doing wrong. I am not playing this game for someone elses success !!

I have no plans to ever use the ATM so I am not setting my in game goals towards cash in/cashout.

 

[Guest]

Ok. I think everyone is misunderstanding what I meant. I should not have said "hording". Everyone has their own personal goals. My personal goal is to have a house and be sucessful someday there. It is not about getting all this money. I did that in AV and lost it to the merger. I applaud you guys for making so much and doing your goals in game. That is what makes this game fun. Everyone can do whatever they want.

 

[imported_Shirl1211]

<blockquote><hr>

Ok. I think everyone is misunderstanding what I meant. I should not have said "hording". Everyone has their own personal goals. My personal goal is to have a house and be sucessful someday there. It is not about getting all this money. I did that in AV and lost it to the merger. I applaud you guys for making so much and doing your goals in game. That is what makes this game fun. Everyone can do whatever they want.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sorry too if I sounded harsh. I have been reading more and more about sims helping other sims and I just wanted to say, I have helped many sims that I had never even met before furnish thier homes and when the city 1st opened I bought 3 different lots *Since I have multiple accounts*. My husband loves to build so we worked hard and he built some real nice houses. One of those homes is being used by a young lady I met one day that wanted a store to sell her CC but couldnt afford it after prices went up. I changed the category for her and made her a roomie with build permissions and told her have fun. I don't even go there. As far as i'm concerned she has a free lease indefinitely.

 

[vapd3317]

Duncan, I have been flamed far too many times for not possessing the mind set of "help others at your own expense because it's good for the game". We all have different game play desires and they have and will always conflict with others as to what is the "right way" to play. Sure, I help others, I tell them to help themselves by skilling and then going to make money whether with job objects or career tracks, but I WILL NOT provide guidance or assistance for those that won't help themselves first.

I apologize if my earlier response was a bit hostile and wish you the best of luck with finding success. It's possible, for everyone, all they have to do is apply themselves.

 

[Guest]

Listen. I never meant to offend you guys. What we are talking about is a very touchy topic now. I think what makes it so much worse is this whole cash in/cash out system. For those who don't spend it just to spend, others may look differently at you. Me? I could care less. It's a game and I play it that way. In a game like this where it is getting more and more difficult to make money, people will do whatever they can to make money. I say get a job or skill your cooking skill and jam until you have enough. I have seen many who are looking for a free handout. I say no way and make it like the rest of us.

Yeah you two were a bit hostile but I have a feeling you have been told "Well, what about the rest of us?" type stuff before. I wasn't meaning it as an attack against you guys making money and doing what you want. I personally was talking more about the people who make it and then sell it on e-bay or something. Well, that is in the old days right? Thanks for understanding where I was coming from. Hope to see you guys in game.

By the way... can I borrow some cash? lmfao...

 

[imported_Shirl1211]

<blockquote><hr>

Listen. I never meant to offend you guys. What we are talking about is a very touchy topic now. I think what makes it so much worse is this whole cash in/cash out system. For those who don't spend it just to spend, others may look differently at you. Me? I could care less. It's a game and I play it that way. In a game like this where it is getting more and more difficult to make money, people will do whatever they can to make money. I say get a job or skill your cooking skill and jam until you have enough. I have seen many who are looking for a free handout. I say no way and make it like the rest of us.

Yeah you two were a bit hostile but I have a feeling you have been told "Well, what about the rest of us?" type stuff before. I wasn't meaning it as an attack against you guys making money and doing what you want. I personally was talking more about the people who make it and then sell it on e-bay or something. Well, that is in the old days right? Thanks for understanding where I was coming from. Hope to see you guys in game.

By the way... can I borrow some cash? lmfao...

[/ QUOTE ]

Thank you for the that post Duncan and seriously speaking, if I can help you or anyone here, just ask. If I have it extra, I give it. I smuggled alot of items in on the Bullet Train that is free to those who can use it. P.S. Shhhhh, I don't want customs hunting me down . lol

 

[Guest]

I won't tell if you won't tell. My AV sim has a crap load of stuff. hehehehe

 

[imported_Gracie Nito]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

I totally agree. It won't work how it is currently set up. I read in another post somewhere that her husband has over 200k in EA Land already. People can pool money but it affects the rest of us if they don't spend it and "horde" it for themselves.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh I see...so once again a statement is made that we should play the game for others and not for ourselves? I should spend my money to make EVERYONE ELSE happy? NOT !!

I came into this game refusing to be dependant on others and set my goals on skilling the first two days and then doing nothing else but building my bank account. I worked hard to get financially well off in EAland and spent my simoleons frugally, by shopping for the deals. I didn't waste my money on uselesss custom content, nor cater to the masses by hosting a skill/money/services lot. I maintained a private residence to avoid the pitfalls the "social butterflys" suffer from by running out of money to feed visitors. I even go to my own residence to green up should I ever find myself at a skill/money house.

I now have everything I need or want for my size 8 lot, fully furnished, and will continue to "horde" my cash as it grows everyday. So instead of placing blame on those us who are the "HAVES, for spoiling the game for those that are the "HAVE NOTS" because we "horde" our money, how about re-directing that aggression towards setting your own goals???

A persons lack of in-game financial planning does not constitute an emergency on MY part to flood the games economy with my simoleons.

And on Christams day when some shabby little chap is seen walking under my bedroom window, I'll toss him a couple bucks to go buy a damn Christmas goose. But he better pay me back.

[/ QUOTE ]


Bravo!!!!!

Who is John Galt?

 

[imported_CherryBomb]

<blockquote><hr>

I came into this game refusing to be dependant on others and set my goals on skilling the first two days and then doing nothing else but building my bank account. I worked hard to get financially well off in EAland and spent my simoleons frugally, by shopping for the deals. I didn't waste my money on uselesss custom content, nor cater to the masses by hosting a skill/money/services lot. I maintained a private residence to avoid the pitfalls the "social butterflys" suffer from by running out of money to feed visitors. I even go to my own residence to green up should I ever find myself at a skill/money house.

I now have everything I need or want for my size 8 lot, fully furnished, and will continue to "horde" my cash as it grows everyday. So instead of placing blame on those us who are the "HAVES, for spoiling the game for those that are the "HAVE NOTS" because we "horde" our money, how about re-directing that aggression towards setting your own goals???

[/ QUOTE ]

That was kinda my point. In a balanced economy, this is precisely what you would NOT be able to do.

CherryBomb

 

[Guest]

Just hitting reply...

Well this thread seems to have turned into people defending what they have and how easy it was to get it. I have kind of established myself fairly well in EA Land as well. I have a decent property and close to 200k. The difference is in with the way I look at that. I feel I am lucky to have got in there when it was much easier than it is now. We have to consider what it would be like for a player to come into EA Land and try to make a go of things right now. Looking at all the possible ways of making simoleans in the game as it is now, I would say the best each sim could aim for is about 800 simoleans an hour. At that rate it would take months for a player to be able to establish themselves in the game the way we were able to do in just a few weeks. Especially when the cheap imports run out in the stores and stores have to start charging at the rate EA sells for. If I was a player coming into the game now, I think I would feel cheated. To give a bit of advise to new players, If it was me joining now I think I would concentrate on buying items from the stores while they are going so cheap. Things like pizza machines and other items that may cost you much more in the future.

 

[imported_Dali Dalinza]

<blockquote><hr>

Just hitting reply...

Well this thread seems to have turned into people defending what they have and how easy it was to get it. I have kind of established myself fairly well in EA Land as well. I have a decent property and close to 200k. The difference is in with the way I look at that. I feel I am lucky to have got in there when it was much easier than it is now. We have to consider what it would be like for a player to come into EA Land and try to make a go of things right now. Looking at all the possible ways of making simoleans in the game as it is now, I would say the best each sim could aim for is about 800 simoleans an hour. At that rate it would take months for a player to be able to establish themselves in the game the way we were able to do in just a few weeks. Especially when the cheap imports run out in the stores and stores have to start charging at the rate EA sells for. If I was a player coming into the game now, I think I would feel cheated. To give a bit of advise to new players, If it was me joining now I think I would concentrate on buying items from the stores while they are going so cheap. Things like pizza machines and other items that may cost you much more in the future.

[/ QUOTE ]

I have a feeling that the market in EA Land will soon be glutted with cheap merchandise, if my production city sims are any indication. I packed up as much as I could for the move, and I really doubt I'll have much use for all the stuff myself. Big garage sale coming soon, LOL.

And, multiply that by everyone else who is moving their established sims to EA Land.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Things like pizza machines and other items that may cost you much more in the future.

[/ QUOTE ]

No, not necessary since as prices increase (a lot) up to a certain point, people would find it very expensive and less potential customers will be ABLE to buy it, reducing demand and thus the prices go down again. Prices are down, more ppl can afford it so more demand and they will go back up ...etc. This is how it suppose to happen, but maybe not. I meant that there should be some kind of control on how much the prices increase or decrease, they should only be in range, for this is very discouraging for new or even old players to start their own houses and businesses .. its meant to be fun and somewhat challenging, not only challenging. Its not all about the work.

 

[Guest]

Bah, building pricing have been gone up as well again. Pillars,trees and stuff have multiplied a few times...it's so annoying. I keep saying again. A pizza machine has influence in the way the game is played. Building is just for fun, it has no effect on room score, efficient greening or how much money someone makes. Therefore KEEP IT CHEAP!!!

If they indeed dynamically price based on how much money the sims population has and people are hoarding, then instead, they should dynamically price based upon the money flow instead: the total amount used in transactions from player to player or player to game and vice versa.

 

[imported_Gracie Nito]

Building costs are a money drain. Pizza machines are a money faucet. In order for payouts or faucets to go up on money objects the money pool must be filled by a money drain. If there is less building going on, then building costs will rise in order to drain money into the money payout pools.

 

[Inge Jones]

The pizza machines pay out well for those poeple who use them, but I don't suppose in total they pay out much. It's not easy to set up a session. First you have to gather 4 people who are in the mood to play and are willing to play with you. Then you all have to green. And then IME something goes wrong just as you begin, like someone loses their connection, or someone's list messages are not reaching the leader, or I have even had a team member dash off mid-round when three better-skilled people wanted a fourth! That meant I could not actually play on that day.

So for those people who have established pizza groups and pre-arranged sessions it's probably a great earner, but it's not something just anyone can do, in practice, even if they want to. I have only managed one session in spite of frequenting pizza places and trying to play. I also wanted to play code, but again no one wants to play when I am available.

Anyway, whining aside lol, I am just saying the high-payout objects are probably not putting as much money out in total as you might think. I reckon most of it in total comes from something like the robot factory.

 

[imported_remflyer]

<blockquote><hr>

Prices of land in EA-Land are around 9-10k ... they are wwayy too expensive! They are not even sided by any water or anything, just a normal land in the middle of nowhere..

.. shouldnt it be like subsidized or controlled - somehow?

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes I also think the land has become too expensive too fast. I believe that the devs are just artificially raising the prices like they did in TC3 and they are causing inflation. They are using land as a major money drain.

Also there should be a flow of simoleans both in and out of the game. We were told we would have cash out. I see EA selling players simoleans for real life cash but they have yet to pay out to the players. Will they ever? Some players will hold on to their money until they can cash out so we are waiting for EA to implement this. Until EA does this I see no way the economy can be balanced.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Building costs are a money drain. Pizza machines are a money faucet. In order for payouts or faucets to go up on money objects the money pool must be filled by a money drain. If there is less building going on, then building costs will rise in order to drain money into the money payout pools.

[/ QUOTE ]
You are right, in that is the way it is supposed to work.
But you are forgetting that they have put "dynamic" pricing/payouts on hold whilst they sort out the botting issue - all numbers are set manually according to what the devs feel is 'best'.

 

[imported_Gracie Nito]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Building costs are a money drain. Pizza machines are a money faucet. In order for payouts or faucets to go up on money objects the money pool must be filled by a money drain. If there is less building going on, then building costs will rise in order to drain money into the money payout pools.

[/ QUOTE ]
You are right, in that is the way it is supposed to work.
But you are forgetting that they have put "dynamic" pricing/payouts on hold whilst they sort out the botting issue - all numbers are set manually according to what the devs feel is 'best'.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. Right now adjustments are being made manually. However, I believe they want this process to be more automated than even we do and in time it will be.

 

[Guest]

NOIP
On the subject of land prices - I checked out the land in the newly merged DC.
Real estate is a liiiiiiiiiiiiiiitle pricey.

Islands are going for more than a mil.
Peninsulas for half a mil.

Sticker shock prevented me from checking the other types of lots.

 

[Guest]

I guess Dragon's Cove is going to be the upper high-class Beverly Hills of EA-Land...

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Building costs are a money drain. Pizza machines are a money faucet. In order for payouts or faucets to go up on money objects the money pool must be filled by a money drain. If there is less building going on, then building costs will rise in order to drain money into the money payout pools.

[/ QUOTE ]

I would say, if there's less building going on, they should make building cheaper so more people are inclined to build. If my tv-set doesn't sell, it would be silly to make it more expensive.