AGREED!!! Though the thing is, most portable console games are indeed made by a team of devs who's jobs are making games. Most apple store games however, aren't. Simple apps made by ppl with jobs in hopes of earning extra income by selling crap that nobody actually buys. Though the benefit of this flood of crappy apps brings heavy competition and as customers, we ultimately get to pay less even for apps that are supposed to worth 2-5 times their admission price. Parody: since when did you have to pay for junk? Answer: APP STORE!!!
I guess you summed up the reason for this thread pretty well - the mods and admins here don't want to allow this forum to accumulate useless posts in game threads. A reader should not have to skim over them looking for game impressions. Do they add to the substance of the game? And leaving one, well, absurdity begets absurdity. Look at this thread as an example. I have seen forums like that too and who wants to waste time sifting through the good posts with the crap posts? So yes, people care about the posts but not in the way you think. They care about what they contribute to the forum discussion - nothing. And it is that attention to content that separates this forum from any other. You say you merely voiced your opinion about Final Fantasy. Then you say everyone else comes here to rebut every post, well isn't that what you are doing as well? I suppose if you need a sounding box this is the place to do it though. Just like the kijib thread has its regulars, so will this one it appears. The bottom line that you have to understand is there really are no "legitimate" price complaints - even your Final Fantasy argument is not legitimate. I am sure if you spoke face to face with a Square Enix representative they will have legitimate reasons for pricing it as they did. If it is only that game you have a problem with, perhaps you can start a dialogue with someone who might be able to address your concerns here: http://support.na.square-enix.com/ Otherwise, the amount of posts you have in this thread daily suggest it is not that game alone you take umbrage with and you have some other agenda. This thread has become so much more entertaining as the puffed up "expert" economists argue using words I bet they found on Spark Notes and use them out of context. Better than LOL cats any day.
No. In fact, this whole thread is a casting for Believe me, Midian, backtothis, Dukester and all other jury members are having a hard time. All contestants are fantastic, nobody can decide who will be the next one thrown out.
This is one of the most naive statements I have heard in these forums yet. You think that every game is justifiably priced and there is no need to ever question it? Jesus, I hope you never go to a used car lot. Pure fantasy. I appreciate the link, but FF3 is a thing of the past, I have accepted it. I truly am surprised they haven't dropped the price though, but perhaps they fear backlash. Now, if Chrono Trigger debuts at $16, then I'll need that link again. As for you evaluation of my contributions to this thread, I'll admit that a large percent of my total posts since I joined are here; I am engaged in this discussion and having this thread show up over and over makes me want to check in. But am I here just to argue with immovable objects like you? Nah, I love just reading through people's posts and seeing what they have to say. So I am not sure what you mean, questioning that I have some ulterior motive? It's you whose motive is questionable. You clearly dismiss any price complaint, while I support the notion that complaints can be legitimate. My motive is very open ended, yours is absolute, and when you think in black and white, logic can begin to take a backseat. I'm not sure if this is a shot at me, as I plainly can't stand economics as a profession. A barb at college boy Backtothis?
Definitely not you - definitely not a handful of people that actually know what they are talking about. As for who I meant, well if they have to wonder, then it probably IS directed at them. @NateDogg - your dissecting of my post sentence by sentence just proves my point. I didn't post to get into an exchange with you - much like I dismissed your last dissection of a post I made in this thread. But comparing iOS games to a used car?? See, that is just so illogical that you can't debate it. At least compare apples to apples would ya? Not an American vs. a Native Greek shopping in the Plaka in Athens.
"Participate"? In what? This trainwreck of a thread? I can't think of anything more pointless. No, I am here strictly for the mocking, bro. I can't resist mocking those who take themselves sooooo seriously, and also think they have all the answers. Right now, that appears to be you on both counts. Thus, I mock. It's simple, really.
If mocking is what you do, keep at it. I hadn't even noticed though. You're kinda the little brother of the group who agrees with everything his big brothers say.
LOL, way to dance around your own accusation. So price complaints are legitimate in other facets of life, but not iOS gaming. I got ya, clear as mud! New England, you are here to net-fight, because you don't even acknowledge that this topic is arguable. You are just like the guy who is here to mock apparently. I disagree with Backtothis and MidianGTX on some pricing issues, but I understand their points and I think our conversations have transitioned to what could be considered respectful. Not so much with you, your little brother and Paula, for which I have clearly given up. But if you want to make an effort to turn this into a respectful discussion, I'm game!
So that's why you respond to every one of my posts? Of course you've noticed. You'll have to try harder than that, junior.
You truly have reading comprehension issues. I hadn't noticed you were trying to mock me! LOL at "junior." I'm torn, are you the little brother or some crotchety old man.
No not here to argue at all actually. Made some observations that I did not expect to get cut to slivers letter by letter. Last I checked people are entitled to that. You have an uncanny way of sucking people in to a discussion they really and truly want to stay out of. Maybe it is your sarcastic tone. Maybe it is your disrespect. Whatever it is, it prompted me to reply even though the better part of me really didn't want to. But I would ask you to keep to context. Yes, and I mean apples to apples. It is too easy to try to "haggle" a price on the app store because the developers are too approachable. Indies are here on the forums, appear at conferences and gaming shows like PAX and PAX East. They are so desperate to "make it" that if a rallying cry to cut prices is made, chances are they will do it. Programs like FAAD and others that have slogans - ask for more quality games like (__________) to go free - don't help the situation. But the big guys, the Square Enix's of the world are just not here and you would have to go find them to voice your concerns. Maybe they read these forums, maybe they don't - but they surely watch the top grossing charts, the top sales charts, etc. Vote with your feet as they say. Might be the only way to get their attention. And who do THEY send to those conferences? Interns, low level employees, perhaps a guest appearance by a writer or artist to sign some posters, but by and large the most important people who do the business end of things are not there either. Indies rubbing elbows with interns - such is the way of the dichotomous gaming industry. So yes, while you are correct there MAY be some "legitimate" iOS price discussions, they would not necessarily apply to the big guns that can do what they please - and will, just because they can. But again, just because a developer is accessible to comments, praise, and criticism does not mean the consumer should devalue their work by asking for price cuts, freebies, sales, etc. What I would want most is for everyone to treat the app store like they would a packaged game. Would you walk into Best Buy, or GameStop, or any other video game retailer and stomp your feet demanding a price drop? I would not think so. Why? Because the developer is not sitting right in front of you. They set prices and you either pay or walk away and wait for a sale. I would say the same should go with iOS games - pay or wait for a sale. Prices plunge in the app store so quickly that sales are inevitable and so if you can wait, surely the price will drop. And this is the sad reality - sad because many hard working, creative developers have given up developing games for the iOS platforms because it is too cut throat and the pressure to go free or 99 cents is too great. I actually know a few, and have seen others in these forums just stop developing because of this. We will never see anything new and creative if this mentality continues. Reward those that deserve to be rewarded and avoid those that don't. Cream always rises to the top as they say. If that means I do not acknowledge this is an "arguable topic" so be it. And of course, when I gave you the support link to Square Enix you backed right off that - referring to some time in the future where you MIGHT voice your concern in a way that might actually get some response. So you can argue all you want with the forum members, but that is not going to change the price of some games. Where you really need to express yourself is to those that might have a hand in changing them. Haggling is an acceptable form of sales in the Plaka in Greece for Native Greeks (in case you didn't understand my example, since you snipped it) but most Americans would have no clue about that. Haggling is acceptable in many areas of commerce but trying to haggle an iOS game when you could not haggle a console or handheld game simply shows entitlement. In order for the app store to become strong and viable for the struggling developer then the haggling has to stop. Respect for the developers and their work will enable them to produce more and better titles in the future. If no one bought Final Fantasy at that price I am positive Square Enix would have heard the cry loud and clear. But since it was pretty high for a respectable amount of time, I bet Square Enix is thinking they did ok. So nice edit there to try and salvage yourself, but name calling and the like just won't do anything for the discussion other than making people angry and rubbing nails on members' emotional chalkboard. That's the start of the net-fights you accuse others of engaging in.
You responded again! You know, at this point I think I'm going to have to ask you to stop stalking all my posts. Don't make me get a moderator!
