(image stolen from reddit)
I get that there have been hackers who have exploited the shared camera memories to glitch through whole realms at a time (they aren't even efficient - an in game friend who was carrying me used them a few times, and you have to repeat each at least 3 times to get all the candles lit, it's without a doubt faster to just run it), but surely they can tell the difference between those and the ones that just open a door, and address the hackers' "exploits" without removing a feature that they created and enabled and have allowed to exist for so long it has become essential to solo players.
The fact that they've removed the camera memories but not the chibi fall tells you they're not actually bothered at all about players taking shortcuts, as long as they've spent currency to be able to do it, and as long as it doesn't help others who you aren't carrying or who don't happen to have the mask/spell/will to be tiny.
So this is entirely about removing community driven support that exclusively helps solo players make the grind a teeny tiny bit easier, at zero cost or harm to TGC (the 5-30 minutes you have to wait for other players to help literally gains them nothing), and when there are numerous and frequent game breaking bugs and issues that they aren't addressing because they're not accidentally making playing easier.
My biggest takeaway from TGC's behaviour is that I'm so fucking glad I never gave them any money, and it ensures that I never will, because if I had, I'd be so upset at how they function (or don't) it might have been enough for me to quit completely.
Vent over
I like your conclusion!
I can't change the fact that I've given TGC money in the past, but I'll use this one "bug fix" (one of frankly many player-hostile decisions that came before it) now to never buy anything TGC related again, unless they change course.
I'm just tired of them nerfing or straight up eliminating ways to collect candles that are simply different, be that through glitching, solo-candlerunning, or sitting at a campfire, without even giving a hint of a reason or data as to why that truly protects the gaming experience.
I realize that there are good and bad exploits. However, I also realize that there are good reasons and just straight up greed. Until TGC picks a side I'll assume that it's the latter. I'm a free-to-play player from here on out and hell, my wallet will even thank me for it :P
I appreciate the validation lol
I just updated my game, and the memories are still there for now, I wasn't sure at first because for the first time in forever there were 3 players already at the telekinesis door so I didn't need to use one, but I also had a preview of what's potentially to come at the 4 player door on 2nd floor - 3 of us again, but this time we waited around for 20+ minutes just getting increasingly frustrated that no one is coming to help, people doing crying and moping and faceplanting emotes, no joy or relationship building or anything positive, just frustration. Eventually the server split and I ended up alone so I used a shared memory, but honestly, if it ends up like that every time you need to get the door, unless you're the 4th to arrive, people are just going to skip it (or chibi past the waiting people, making everyone even angrier), which means less help for those who don't want to skip, and again, nothing positive..
I really really hope they decide to only remove the hacked glitches, those where a 3rd party program is used to jump you all over a map, and leave those that use the existing game mechanics, but I'm not holding my breath..
Either way, welcome to the free-to-play dark side, we have a marshmallow roasting stand (not really, those things were expensive! π)
U guys also have some "crippling depression after an expensive item wasn't worth it" on your side?π₯Ίππ
Oh no ππ
I'm almost glad I didn't stick around too long the first time I started playing, because I don't know that I would have been able to resist temptation all that time, but since I started up again earlier this year I've been really good about applying my overthinking to making sure I only buy what I really want lol. But I might have to get back to you on this.. π
Which items weren't worth it for you?
I also dropped the game pretty quickly the first time, why didn't that work for me as well?? (β―Β° β‘Β°οΌ β―οΈ΅ β»ββ»
Atleast all that overthinking has an upside! Although I now have a pretty good deterrent too for when the next IAP items drop, it being that while I love Sky, I dislike TGC's attitude even more and it'd be weird for me to fund that.
The items that I regret buying are:
It's of course all subjective, I've bought 10 IAP's in total (incl. season passes) if that means anything.
Haha, believe me, if I could share my over thinking (and it's occasional positive results), I would! π
I think of all the purchases you mention, the only one I might have been tempted by is the Aurora cape, but more for how it looks than what it does (going to a 9000+ people concert during anniversary was really cool, but then also seeing it with like 300 people, I can absolutely see what you mean about it being eerie), but I can see why you bought them in the first place, they all offer access to limited areas, which is a big temptation! I recently saw the days of love IAP cape I think it was, and I would have had to make a conscious effort not to buy that (I can't help it, I like transparent and glittery things lol, also the cat hood/mask I think from days of mischief?).
I'm almost glad I found out about TGC's attitudes relatively early on in my return to the game, it really does help as a deterrent lol