Sign up for the Perfect World Pack Boycott!!

XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur
XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur Posts: 8 Arc User
edited June 2010 in Cash Shop Huddle
Dear fellow Perfect World players,

This thread is a petition to the PWE developers to let them know that we, as consumers, do have a voice that need to be heeded. I realize that this thread might be a little lengthy, but for the sake of the game that we all love, please bear with me.

I've been playing this game since the beginning of Lost City. I remember leveling by questing, group grinding, and zhenning. It was long and tedious to get to lvl 90, but I had a real sense of accomplishment when I did get there. Of course, nowadays lvl 90 presents a much different image, and I'll admit that I have succumbed to the temptation of packs/tokens/oracles/hypers myself and have created 5 other 90+ characters since that time...but all of them put together doesn't measure up to the love I feel for my first character.

Another thing I've noticed is that people become more hostile as the packs basically provided us with similar if not identical gears. Back in the old days, while conflict still existed, people worked together on a much more frequent basis to do things that are now considered a waste of time due to the easy leveling and gear acquisition. There just seem to be so much flame wherever you look, whether it's on world chat or on forum. It may be envy, or just a need to stand out, but I feel that if we were back to a simpler time where a little diversity was actually possible, we can be happier with ourselves and others.

Many players have quit over time, some for personal reasons, but many, many more due to the decline of the game. Personally, I love this game, and have spent thousands of dollars trying to maintain my love for it. However, recently I have come to the realization that throwing money in the game won't be able to help anymore. It won't keep my friends from leaving, the community from dwindling, and the hate from elevating. So I decided to do something about it.

Of course this isn't the first time that complaints about packs were written on forums. And nothing has, or will be done. The PWE developers don't turn to player forums for their business decisions, they study charts. Profit charts. The ones looking at forums are us, the player database, and the mods that they hire just to make sure that things don't get too out of hand.

So, how can we get to them? This is where this thread comes in. By signing on to this thread with the following pledge "I pledge to refrain from another purchase of packs in any form", you are helping create a dent in the profit chart that the developers use to analyze their business decision. Please sign up. If we are successful, at first developers will try to elevate profit by introducing more sales. But if we are strong, and keep our pact, they will realize that they risk losing this source of profit, and cater more to our demands. I realize that it is a hard struggle because it is a long one, and we won't see results right away. But, if you feel at all I do, sign up, help us keep the game that we love.

And please, if you do not feel like signing up, of course it is totally voluntary. I just ask that you dont post your adverse opinion here. Please, please don't turn this into a flame thread.
Post edited by XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur on
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Comments

  • XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur
    XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur Posts: 8 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I'll be the first

    "I pledge to refrain from another purchase of packs in any form"
  • Pressa - Heavens Tear
    Pressa - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,287 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    No I put my veto for this boycott. b:shutup I stand on the side of the fence that likes tokens and doesn't care that other people don't wanna put the same amount of effort to get money as they used to get levels.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • LloydAsplund - Sanctuary
    LloydAsplund - Sanctuary Posts: 3,899 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I do hope you know that it isnt going to work. The only reason why PWE pumps pack sales is because they actually work. People buy these packs. People love these packs. More and more people are buying these packs. Does PWE really care if people that never/rarely buys packs boycott them? No, not at all. The people that influence PWE's sales control what they sell. As long as people love these packs, it aint going to change. And as of right now, there are way more pack-lovers than haters.
    I was early taught to work as well as play,
    My life has been one long, happy holiday;
    Full of work and full of play-
    I dropped the worry on the way-
    And God was good to me everyday.
  • Murasame - Lost City
    Murasame - Lost City Posts: 5 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I quit this game a long time ago but obviously I'm still attached enough to it to check the forums. I do feel disappointed that this game has gone as low as it has, and tbh I've lost most if not all hopes for it to recover. But this thread might have a faint chance of working....hell it's worth a shot.

    "I pledge to refrain from purchasing packs of any form"
  • Pervera - Lost City
    Pervera - Lost City Posts: 137 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I ageree with OP but for me it doesnt matter since almost all decent ppl I came here with and I've meet here has quit already. lol
  • XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur
    XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur Posts: 8 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I do hope you know that it isnt going to work. The only reason why PWE pumps pack sales is because they actually work. People buy these packs. People love these packs. More and more people are buying these packs. Does PWE really care if people that never/rarely buys packs boycott them? No, not at all. The people that influence PWE's sales control what they sell. As long as people love these packs, it aint going to change. And as of right now, there are way more pack-lovers than haters.

    All great movements started with ppl believing it wouldn't work. But I really can't think of a better way to do this, can you? I'm sure that there are more ppl like us out there than you think, and I hope to reach them. Like your signature says, don't declare things impossible too early.
  • Pressa - Heavens Tear
    Pressa - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,287 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    Except for the fact um....................... people have done this before................... and it didn't work the last 5 times why would it work this time? People hated the packs worse then then they do now. Why would it work now the more people like them?
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • Reshanta - Sanctuary
    Reshanta - Sanctuary Posts: 350 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I have 775 tokens of luck from god knows how many packs bought... really, this is not that big of deal. Some people have just got extremely lucky.

    I bought some hypers, and plan to buy more..but it's not the XP I'm after. It's the spirit. I'm not too crazy about leveling fast, but I don't like being behind on skills either. I see the 12x spirit(the option I pick) to be a good way to afford skills.

    I guess that makes me a full fledged cashshopper. I don't know how you get gear from it, and I tried oracles, but the mobs are over camped. Besides, I STILL prefer grinding over anything, as long as it doesn't **** me off.

    I can understand how some can get envious over others getting things at a faster rate..
    Lonely man with a big heart.
  • Lesthar - Heavens Tear
    Lesthar - Heavens Tear Posts: 3,045 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I understand that the game changed.
    It used to be an epic game, and now it is 'buy your stuff to get strong'. It is a shortcut to victory that should not let people brag when they reach a high level.

    As for me, I never bought a pack and I will not buy any, and I am fine about that.
    You don't need my pledge, as de facto I hate gambling.
    Maintenance time. Please choose a line:
    - When is it over? OMG I need my fix!! *super spazzing*
    - Fix the damn bugs, dammit! I'm so angry! I'll quit!!
    - New codes out there? I like free stuff~ *wink*
    - When will we get new content? QQ
    - Will we get sales? I got a ton of gold to spend.
    - I'm bored, I'll create a useless thread to annoy Opkorock.
    - *Incessant poking on Sweetiebot* Fun~
  • Esnemyl - Dreamweaver
    Esnemyl - Dreamweaver Posts: 3,079 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I never bought a pack and I will not buy any.

    ^this +1

    I have a small motto that i go by when using the cash shop for anythign other then fash:
    "No likey or needy, no buyey"
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]<3 by Silvy
    Reborn ditzy archer with a serious oreo addiction =3

    '...cuz my IQ is just above what is required to function as a human' - tsumaru2
  • Alasen - Heavens Tear
    Alasen - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,874 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    Good lord... you've spent thousands of dollars on this? Les say it's "just" 2 grand, that's 133 months of a pay to play game. damn... lmao

    on another note... I've gotten 10 cards here and there.... i'll get something i need, and get like 5 packs or 10. If i get lucky great, otherwise i got some tokens.. lol Havent' got lucky yet.... >.< But that's just like once a month.. if even.
  • XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur
    XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur Posts: 8 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I don't mind spending money if I have fun. I even spend money to gear up my close friends so they wouldn't leave (they objected of course but I gave it anyway). But it has gotten to a point that more and more people are quitting and it's frustrating to watch. It's hard to enjoy a mmorpg when you don't have people to have fun with...I just hope that something can be done to make the game enjoyable for people again.
  • WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary
    WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary Posts: 1,686 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    Let's say your boycott works and people pledge to stop buying Packs:

    1) Gold prices start dropping, while Token prices start climbing.

    2) Suddenly, somebody gets the bright idea that they can buy Gold, buy Packs, get Tokens, make stuff with the Tokens, and sell that stuff to the very same people who are pledging to stop buying Packs.

    3) Prices shift right back to where they were before and PWI sells just as many Packs, except all the people who pledged to stop buying Packs just handed over a ton of money to the people who capitalized on selling to the pledge-makers.

    So if you want your pledge to work, you'll need to also add the following:

    "I pledge not to buy anything from any other player that may have been acquired through Packs"

    Ah, but that still won't be enough, since the profits can be laundered. For example, somebody can sell TT mats and not even realize the buyer is getting their money from Pack related sales, so we'll also have to add this:

    "I pledge not to buy anything from any other player who may have earned their money from selling to a player who sold items that may have been acquired through Packs"

    And at that point you've basically pledged to never buy anything from any other player. If you're sincere, and you're willing to make that pledge, then I respect your commitment to take your own beliefs seriously.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    PWI Merchanting Guides: warrenwolfy.wordpress.com
  • NightRage - Raging Tide
    NightRage - Raging Tide Posts: 1,582 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    And that's why you're still level 14 b:chuckle
  • Pervera - Lost City
    Pervera - Lost City Posts: 137 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    And at that point you've basically pledged to never buy anything from any other player. If you're sincere, and you're willing to make that pledge, then I respect your commitment to take your own beliefs seriously.

    It's easier than you think, I'm doing it successfuly by simply not even having game installed. I'm sure many others did the same.
  • Vasilisk - Harshlands
    Vasilisk - Harshlands Posts: 208 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    CS's not care that someone spent month and month or real life for farming and now QQ about cash shoppers. This world is not fairness.
    Better go QQ about horrible network lags atm.
  • _Bloody_Fox_ - Sanctuary
    _Bloody_Fox_ - Sanctuary Posts: 993 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I completely agree with you on this.
    I myself NEVER buy any packs and i probably never will.
    The problem is people are far too greedy and will buy them to sell just for the coins so yeah there isnt much you can do about it. In the end it all boils down to how to make the most coins... or money. lol.

    You don't need my pledge as i stated i already NEVER buy them xD
    Facebook.com/foxi187
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • LloydAsplund - Sanctuary
    LloydAsplund - Sanctuary Posts: 3,899 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    Yes, because PWE really cares about the people that havent been playing for months already (myself included).
    I was early taught to work as well as play,
    My life has been one long, happy holiday;
    Full of work and full of play-
    I dropped the worry on the way-
    And God was good to me everyday.
  • Golassic - Harshlands
    Golassic - Harshlands Posts: 143 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    Yes, because PWE really cares about the people that havent been playing for months already (myself included).

    after a 3 weeks ill have my 16 anniversary ^_^
    Useing ↑ in Forsaken World forum too

    NightRage, WaffleChan, MistaBwanden, SoIar, WraithTanker, BeingHope, Zanyru won't be forgotten~!

    RedsRose,Boogiepanda,NiightmareXz,Airyll u guys said everything that i wanned to say =] b:victory[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur
    XXLoLiPoPsXx - Archosaur Posts: 8 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    The aim of this pact is to make a noticeable drop in sales enough that PWE developer realize that something need to be done to make their game profitable again. I have no problem with ppl buying gold in game to buy stuff with, but what PWE is really concerned is the amount of credit cards swiped per month. That is what I want to reduce.
  • Golassic - Harshlands
    Golassic - Harshlands Posts: 143 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    Let's say your boycott works and people pledge to stop buying Packs:

    1) Gold prices start dropping, while Token prices start climbing.

    2) Suddenly, somebody gets the bright idea that they can buy Gold, buy Packs, get Tokens, make stuff with the Tokens, and sell that stuff to the very same people who are pledging to stop buying Packs.

    3) Prices shift right back to where they were before and PWI sells just as many Packs, except all the people who pledged to stop buying Packs just handed over a ton of money to the people who capitalized on selling to the pledge-makers.

    So if you want your pledge to work, you'll need to also add the following:

    "I pledge not to buy anything from any other player that may have been acquired through Packs"

    Ah, but that still won't be enough, since the profits can be laundered. For example, somebody can sell TT mats and not even realize the buyer is getting their money from Pack related sales, so we'll also have to add this:

    "I pledge not to buy anything from any other player who may have earned their money from selling to a player who sold items that may have been acquired through Packs"

    And at that point you've basically pledged to never buy anything from any other player. If you're sincere, and you're willing to make that pledge, then I respect your commitment to take your own beliefs seriously.

    so i have to buy stuff only from npcs and farm mats for armor (not buy em) :O
    (bye bye TT armor T_T)
    Useing ↑ in Forsaken World forum too

    NightRage, WaffleChan, MistaBwanden, SoIar, WraithTanker, BeingHope, Zanyru won't be forgotten~!

    RedsRose,Boogiepanda,NiightmareXz,Airyll u guys said everything that i wanned to say =] b:victory[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • LloydAsplund - Sanctuary
    LloydAsplund - Sanctuary Posts: 3,899 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    You dont understand do you?

    People LOVE the packs. They dont hate them. Thats why they buy em and PWE keeps selling them. Those who hate the packs are a minority, not a majority.
    I was early taught to work as well as play,
    My life has been one long, happy holiday;
    Full of work and full of play-
    I dropped the worry on the way-
    And God was good to me everyday.
  • WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary
    WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary Posts: 1,686 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    It's easier than you think, I'm doing it successfuly by simply not even having game installed. I'm sure many others did the same.
    I completely agree, actually. I've always supported the idea that if the game isn't fun, no matter what the reason, uninstall it and move on. It's just a video game, after all.

    PWI takes notice when they see less people playing, less people installing, and less people charging Zen. However, a boycott on buying Packs that accomplishes none of these things only makes the in-game merchants richer.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    PWI Merchanting Guides: warrenwolfy.wordpress.com
  • Darksylph - Heavens Tear
    Darksylph - Heavens Tear Posts: 1,816 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    I do hope you know that it isnt going to work. The only reason why PWE pumps pack sales is because they actually work. People buy these packs. People love these packs. More and more people are buying these packs. Does PWE really care if people that never/rarely buys packs boycott them? No, not at all. The people that influence PWE's sales control what they sell. As long as people love these packs, it aint going to change. And as of right now, there are way more pack-lovers than haters.

    Actually there are alot more pack haters then lovers, your analysis is highly flawed, however so is the OPs as well.

    There's actually a rather low percentage who buy packs. The problem is, they buy ALOT of packs. Its similar to the real world where only 5% of the people hold 95% of the wealth. Yes there's alot of people who buy a few packs, but that maybe totals 5% of pack sales. 95% of pack sales come from very few people with alot of in game wealth. They use zen thats purchased with in-game coin at the Auction House, and cycle through the packs open loads of them, selling what they find, turning it over for a profit, and then they re-invest in more packs. There's no way a petition is going to make those people stop using their primary means of money-making.

    Also this is a disconnect between who's actually buying the zen (paying real life money) and those buying the packs. A much greater number charge zen, in smaller quanitities, and sell it so they can have some in game money. These are the people who's money goes to buying the packs, but they arent buying themselves. Its the above-mentioned group of people using this zen from the Auction House that use this zen to buy packs. So the zen buyers can sign this petition to not buy packs all they want, it wont matter, they're still funding the pack sales unwittingly.

    So there's unfortunately no way to stop this cycle unless you manage to somehow convince the small group of wealthy people of the 1st paragraph to no longer continue the cycle of pack for coin profit cycle. And the chances of that are somewhere between zero and none.

    p.s. I know the figures of "5%"/"95%" is an invented figure, you dont have to call me on it. The group is a small proportion of people compared to the overall total players. I'd wager its actually even smaller, closer to 1%/99%, but yes, i dont have figures to back it up and gave it some room for doubt. I was merely giving a figurative figure.
  • Longknife - Harshlands
    Longknife - Harshlands Posts: 4,843 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    Dear fellow Perfect World players,



    I has a post.




    So lemme get this straight....


    You claim to prefer a time before Hyper EXP, oracles and tokens, because then leveling meant something.

    You admit to using all of the above ever since they were released.

    You blame the developers for your actions.
















    WAT




    Then get some god damn discipline. I'm level 86 and I've yet to use any of those (bought tokens from players but not from the Cash shop). Of course the devs will release items that bring in profit. If you can't resist them, then ok, do your boycott as a pledge not to use them again. But do it as a pledge TO YOURSELF. Don't blame the devs cause you can't help yourself.
    I <3 AGOREY
  • ThanosQRt - Dreamweaver
    ThanosQRt - Dreamweaver Posts: 2,457 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    You dont understand do you?

    People LOVE the packs. They dont hate them. Thats why they buy em and PWE keeps selling them. Those who hate the packs are a minority, not a majority.

    theoretically you should mention something about buying power (each person can vote for every cent he spends so the opinion of a 1k$ person is as important as the opinion of a 1000 1$ people)
    sad? not at all, this is how it works everywhere

    and yes, i love packs too
    when the tiger packs were back I was sooo excited^^

    to the OP: i didnt want to post in your thread in the begining but since everyone ignored your request I felt like expressing my views too. btw, why dont you make a poll?
  • LloydAsplund - Sanctuary
    LloydAsplund - Sanctuary Posts: 3,899 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    Actually there are alot more pack haters then lovers, your analysis is highly flawed, however so is the OPs as well.

    There's actually a rather low percentage who buy packs. The problem is, they buy ALOT of packs. Its similar to the real world where only 5% of the people hold 95% of the wealth. Yes there's alot of people who buy a few packs, but that maybe totals 5% of pack sales. 95% of pack sales come from very few people with alot of in game wealth. They use zen thats purchased with in-game coin at the Auction House, and cycle through the packs open loads of them, selling what they find, turning it over for a profit, and then they re-invest in more packs. There's no way a petition is going to make those people stop using their primary means of money-making.

    Also this is a disconnect between who's actually buying the zen (paying real life money) and those buying the packs. A much greater number charge zen, in smaller quanitities, and sell it so they can have some in game money. These are the people who's money goes to buying the packs, but they arent buying themselves. Its the above-mentioned group of people using this zen from the Auction House that use this zen to buy packs. So the zen buyers can sign this petition to not buy packs all they want, it wont matter, they're still funding the pack sales unwittingly.

    So there's unfortunately no way to stop this cycle unless you manage to somehow convince the small group of wealthy people of the 1st paragraph to no longer continue the cycle of pack for coin profit cycle. And the chances of that are somewhere between zero and none.

    p.s. I know the figures of "5%"/"95%" is an invented figure, you dont have to call me on it. The group is a small proportion of people compared to the overall total players. I'd wager its actually even smaller, closer to 1%/99%, but yes, i dont have figures to back it up and gave it some room for doubt. I was merely giving a figurative figure.

    So basically... people love the packs. Let me rephrase that then... More packs are being sold, not more people are buying packs. Its not like the merchants dont love em as well. I was one of the haters in the beginning. Then soon afterwards, I accepted the fact that they were here to stay. It was at that point when I started to easily make millions in profit via these packs. I still stand by the fact that there are many more pack-lovers than pack-haters.
    I was early taught to work as well as play,
    My life has been one long, happy holiday;
    Full of work and full of play-
    I dropped the worry on the way-
    And God was good to me everyday.
  • Kupuntu - Sanctuary
    Kupuntu - Sanctuary Posts: 3,008 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    There's actually a rather low percentage who buy packs. The problem is, they buy ALOT of packs. Its similar to the real world where only 5% of the people hold 95% of the wealth. Yes there's alot of people who buy a few packs, but that maybe totals 5% of pack sales. 95% of pack sales come from very few people with alot of in game wealth. They use zen thats purchased with in-game coin at the Auction House, and cycle through the packs open loads of them, selling what they find, turning it over for a profit, and then they re-invest in more packs. There's no way a petition is going to make those people stop using their primary means of money-making.

    There was a better way to make money with packs than opening them. No matter how many packs you get, you can easily lose money if you get on an unlucky streak. Instead, people just bought 50 packs with 45 gold and sold those for as much as packs were worth if you bought those with 1 gold each.
    100% F2P player. Started PW: March 2007, Quit PW: March 2011.
    pwcalc.com/e7016929e7b204ae "Pure axe" 8k HP multipath BM, last one of my kind.
  • Partypooper - Harshlands
    Partypooper - Harshlands Posts: 329 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    all your pack are belong to us 70bff581.gif
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=763662
    Vote for Onions!
  • WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary
    WarrenWolfy - Sanctuary Posts: 1,686 Arc User
    edited June 2010
    The aim of this pact is to make a noticeable drop in sales enough that PWE developer realize that something need to be done to make their game profitable again. I have no problem with ppl buying gold in game to buy stuff with, but what PWE is really concerned is the amount of credit cards swiped per month. That is what I want to reduce.
    Well then why single out Packs?

    If you want to declare a boycott, then boycott the game, uninstall it, and move on.

    But if you keep playing the game then you are supporting the game. F2P games base their business model on attracting a large group of non-paying players that entices paying players to beat by paying money. By playing without paying you're still supporting the entire system.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    PWI Merchanting Guides: warrenwolfy.wordpress.com