Stability. Do we expect It Too Much From Funzio?

[G Wiz]

Hi, thanks for reading.

I'm G Wiz filling in for LFizzle who's car broke down outside of San Francisco.

Today's topic involves the issue of stability in the realm of Crime City and in the real world of Funzio. Recent reports over the last few months have indicated that civil unrest is rampant among(st?) player's of Crime City.

Claims have involved hackers, cheaters, spiked gold prices for crates and an increasing number of disgruntled users who have "failed to get the 10th item, yet again".

We were able to get a response from Mark on this situation as he was leaving his penthouse where he was quoted, saying "Crime City is not some kind of box game...it changes over time". He then shoved one of our camera men.

Shortly thereafter, a pvp event was released. Coincidence?

So the question remains, do you feel as though we expect too much stability from a game that has change at its core of functionality? What loyalty does funzio owe it's users?

I'm G wiz signing out.

*pretends to write something on paper, then shuffles them around to kill time as camera pans out*

[mnju_03]

Good night San Diego and go F%$& Yourself....

[Dravak]

Truth is this is the first userbase , that does inform eachother ingame about things , as well as on the forum .

Sure maybe the user base isn't as big as the inflated figures shows l but the Userbase is more then profitable .
Notice a lot still refuse to buy the new crate prices , while they would have happily bought everyweek some crates.
The casual group were prepared to spent money , not much but still they were prepared , the whole crate price increase and other dubious methods .

Is what causing a rift between community and company , both in game as well as on the forums .
The case is that marketing is simply not up to date of maintaining what in the past was important .
Loyalty , Honesty and Intergrety , even if a lot of things were manipulations of those words .
Atleast they were kept behind the curtains , but hell who can blaim a game company .
When news , governments and other organisations are doing the same thing .

It is up to the consumer like with this week , to show they can hold off on gold purchases untill sales .
If sales is not forth coming , then no purchase at all ..
Sadly a general boycott of this product is for almost all people impossible , simply put they are too attached to emotional value or air .
And too addicted , if none goldspenders are willing to tapjoy there way to spending gold .
You know they are hooked and addicted , so all reason aside only one staying sober in this game .
Ain't on the forums , so G Wiz . doubt your post will make much difference .


I really hope they can give us more communication , even if all communication are worthless , it atleast releases tension .

wow too much again :p

[Babytway]

G wiz do you have a weather report?

[G Wiz]

Is what causing a rift between community and company , both in game as well as on the forums .
The case is that marketing is simply not up to date of maintaining what in the past was important .
Loyalty , Honesty and Intergrety , even if a lot of things were manipulations of those words .
Atleast they were kept behind the curtains , but hell who can blaim a game company .
When news , governments and other organisations are doing the same thing .

It is up to the consumer like with this week , to show they can hold off on gold purchases untill sales .
If sales is not forth coming , then no purchase at all ..
Sadly a general boycott of this product is for almost all people impossible , simply put they are too attached to emotional value or air .
Thank you for your insightful thoughts. I agree with this right here.

[G Wiz]

G wiz do you have a weather report?And now we're gonna switch over to Ali with the weather...Ali?

"It gone rain"

Thanks Ali.

Well babytway looks like it might rain, so you better grab your umbrella.

[BOS]

And now we're gonna switch over to Ali with the weather...Ali?

"It gone rain"

Thanks Ali.

Well babytway looks like it might rain, so you better grab your umbrella.

Why does Snoop Dog have an umbrella? Fo Drizzle

[Jamievs]

As new player I've found that prices are pretty high. I’ve considered to buy gold once then figured: 750 gold for a car (Quattro)? That is €40! That's insane. For that price I can buy a whole game. Why would I spent so much money on, off the top of my head, 200 attack? 500 gold for a Mansion? That is ~€30-35. It’s a bit over the top if you ask me.

On the events part: I’ve opened ~18 crates of whatever per day (got 9/10 on almost every event and 8/10 last event). This is by far encouraging me to spend gold on it. It’s encouraging me to quit the game. I don’t mean this is a “whine”, but as how I experience the game as a newcomer. What’s the point of participating when there are people around that can build 30% faster and 30% cheaper? That get + attack skill or 65% faster energy regen? Once you start behind you’ll only be further and further behind.

Just my two pennies :)

[Jill]

@ G Wiz - thought provoking thread, like it..... Shame about the weather lol

@ Dravak - +10 The forum has lost really good players who's input within this forum is greatly missed and with you going another one is added to the ever growing list, wish you would reconsider but I kinda realise you have made up your mind. You'll be missed for your insight and level headed approach to all threads that need a stable response. :(

[Babytway]

LMAO great thread to wake up to G, made my morning coffee enjoyable

[G Wiz]

As new player I've found that prices are pretty high. I’ve considered to buy gold once then figured: 750 gold for a car (Quattro)? That is €40! That's insane. For that price I can buy a whole game. Why would I spent so much money on, off the top of my head, 200 attack? 500 gold for a Mansion? That is ~€30-35. It’s a bit over the top if you ask me.

On the events part: I’ve opened ~18 crates of whatever per day (got 9/10 on almost every event and 8/10 last event). This is by far encouraging me to spend gold on it. It’s encouraging me to quit the game. I don’t mean this is a “whine”, but as how I experience the game as a newcomer. What’s the point of participating when there are people around that can build 30% faster and 30% cheaper? That get + attack skill or 65% faster energy regen? Once you start behind you’ll only be further and further behind.

Just my two pennies :)Coming from a new player, I think this is very meaningful. Now granted some of the things you've mentioned have been somewhat stable like the mansion price, despite it being a bit costly. Furthermore, they have placed it early on in the levels which might cause unsuspecting players to buy, not knowing a rock church or rock cafe costs less and performs better.

It sucks that everyone can play by a different set of rules now because of certain items, but the chances are that they paid a lot to get it. Does that make it fair? Maybe-maybe not.


@ G Wiz - thought provoking thread, like it..... Shame about the weather lolThank you...For 229 gold you can reset the weather if you'd like :)


LMAO great thread to wake up to G, made my morning coffee enjoyable "Yes, I did it".

[Dorian Gray]

lol Very entertaining thread G. :cool:

[The Billionaire]

Yet another truthful thread that somebody at Funzio should be taking note of along with all the previous ones. A couple of adjustments to the game and get rid of the hackers, cheaters, spiked gold prices for crates and the increasing number of disgruntled users who have "failed to get the 10th item, yet again" and it would be a 10/10 game. Instead they've got a very frustrated customerbase, a forum which contains so many brilliant idea's and knowledge which Funzio choose too barely communicate with.

I just wish the goldfather at Funzio was listening to his customerbase because i've seen so much valueable input on this forum that it could turn an addictive game into a highly addictive game. A happy customerbase will spend alot more money on gold than an unhappy and extorted customerbase.

Maybe the goldfather has had his time and now lacks the business knowledge needed to survive in the City of Crime.

Maybe it's time for him to fall

Mafia up! I'm going to put my Throwing Claw and Stun Grenade in my bag, put on my Elite Police Armor and grab my Blackout RPG, exit my Level 5 Loft and get into my Green Extreme where i will enter the 'Funzio Tower of Gold' into my sat nav. Upon arrival at my destination i will let rip with my Blackout RPG whilst standing in my green extreme and see how Funzio like the power of the 10th items. After failing to scratch the $210m tower of gold i will return to my loft and continue the forum fight against the company known as Funzio.

[Ramshutu]

Okay, im going to try and not sound like Obama here....

Online games have to change. Without it, you can win, and the way to earn cash in a business, is to make people think that they are winning, but always have room to improve.

Without change, things become boring, and the original draw of the game is no longer enough to keep the hardcore players active. You will occasionally get turnover, with new hardcore gamers, but the aim is to keep as many of the customers you have, rather than to have high attrition and hope you can replace them. All it takes is one dodgy update, or some new game to come out for this to happen.

Not being funny, but CC is pretty new in the grand scheme of things. Mudflation hasn't happened, and will need to for things to keep going. Events will continue, new ones will come along and better rewards and improved gameplay will be provided. Each step allowing stats of everyone to get higher quicker.

I would expect the level and/or mafia cap to be raised, and new even higher RP items to be introduced at the top levels. But new items doesn't eliminate the fact that the core "hook" of the game is not enough to necessarily hook people for a very long time. Events, new stuff and interesting adventures are what it takes to retain people who may end up figuring out how pointless the 'end game' really is, simply because when you get there there is nothing left to do!

This is not a bad thing, although I think the problem is that Funzio is concentrating on features, without focusing too much on overall balance. That can be even more damaging than general Mudflation, because the issues will only present themselves in months not instantly.

[G Wiz]

Its definately going to be hard to please everyone with a game like this, no doubt!

According to the above post, there will come a time when there is simply nothing left to do...Funzio's job, I guess, would be to prolong the game as long as possible.

Nice contribution!

[mothergoose]

I also have to agree with Jamievs. Spending that much money on a single item just does not make sense to me, even if I had the money to spend on it, especially in a volitile and unstable game. I think prices are too high and wait times are too long and that is why there are so many cheaters. We live in an ADD world where everything has to have an immediate impact or we get bored and move on. Funzio realizes this and marks the prices so high that it has an immediate impact to their bottom line. The have to capitalize on the intial investment of a player and not wait for the long term benefits of hardcore players.

I have to say that, yes, the game should evolve, but not at the risk of losing stability or resulting in the only way to enjoy this game is by cheating. Unfortunately I have see too many companies go the way of the dodo with practices that Funzio is adopting.

[Plux]

Ebay has millions upon millions of people "wasting money" to "Win" a bid. If you place value upon something, pricing becomes irrelevant.

[xclusiv]

you cant please everybody.

[Ghost818]

Don't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to. The philosophy of the Men In Black.

[G Wiz]

Ebay has millions upon millions of people "wasting money" to "Win" a bid. If you place value upon something, pricing becomes irrelevant.I like this. It gives purpose to something that might have otherwise had none

[Nicholost]

I agree with what that Obama-like character from the UK said (Ramshutu).

To add to that, Funzio is going through some massive changes internally right now as a result of being bought by GREE. Employees' roles, company policies, company procedures, and even employees are changing. Once the dust settles there, we will see changes to the game. They could be positive; new event ideas, balance in favor of the end-user to improve moral and reduce attrition, a more favorable pricing structure to promote more frequent purchases, etc. Or, they could be negative; pretty much the opposite of what I mentioned plus additional events that feel like dirty money grabs. Either way, even more changes are going to occur because of the change in ownership, guaranteed. Companies don't buy other companies because they make money and then just sit back and let the dollars roll in. They buy them because they want them to make more money. Unless the Android kids start dropping enough coin to satisfy GREE's need for a good ROI, we're probably going to see changes that encourage gold purchases even more.

As a side note to this discussion, I have a suspicion that the original plan for these events was not to run them weekly, but more like monthly or so; a frequency much less than they are now. However, I'll bet Funzio knew they were being considered for a buyout and increased the frequency to bolster sales and improve their growth curve, which helped them look more appealing to the potential buyer (GREE). I say this based on two things: 1) Offering a game-modifier every week isn't sustainable because you'll eventually run out of new modifiers, and 2) the timing seems about right. Companies don't walk in and buy another company same day. It takes weeks... about as many weeks as we've had events, to investigate a company, negotiate a price, workup a contract, and make the purchase.

[G Wiz]

Absolutely right Nicholost. Everything is pretty much up in the air, as was confirmed by LFizzle, so it leaves us guessing more than we're used to (aside from the truth behind skill points).

We might not even realize it, but all of our combined efforts to give advice and make spreadsheets probably has an expiration date on them, which means that we have to change along with the game and I think thats what a lot of us are finding hard to do!

[Ghost818]

Absolutely right Nicholost. Everything is pretty much up in the air, as was confirmed by LFizzle, so it leaves us guessing more than we're used to (aside from the truth behind skill points).

We might not even realize it, but all of our combined efforts to give advice and make spreadsheets probably has an expiration date on them, which means that we have to change along with the game and I think thats what a lot of us are finding hard to do!
Words from the souls right there.

Not only is changing hard, but actually accepting these changes is the hard part ( the phase I have been in for a month now) hence my absence.

[G Wiz]

Words from the souls right there.

Not only is changing hard, but actually accepting these changes is the hard part ( the phase I have been in for a month now) hence my absence.

Yea bro there is definately some re-aligning going on here...I feel you on your time away