A different kind of "Not gonna spend" thread

General Discussion
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No, this is not a rage quit or a gripe about summoning odds or gacha.

I was browsing through some old threads on the forum the other day, and found an old post by @KLinMayhem regarding stopping spending on the game, and why he had decided to switch from spending a lot to going VC2P. It started me wondering. I took a look at the total I’ve spent in this game since I started playing 2 and a half years ago, and thought about what I’ve gotten out of it. The results kind of took me by surprise.

While I don’t have an addictive personality, I’ve spent enough on E&P in 29+ months to have bought a good used car. The majority of my entertainment budget has gone to Google Play.

Those spending habits have gotten me a roster full of heroes that it will take me another 29+ months to level. I have all of the TC20 4* and 5*, and all the 3* I want. I have all the Atlantis 3* and 4*, and most of the 5*. I have more than 2/3 of the event heroes and I’m only missing 1 HotM since I started spending (Miki). I can comfortably complete any content the game has to offer, I generally get 4-6 one shot kills against 4200+ teams in war, I sit in diamond arena for raids, I routinely climb into the top 100 while attacking, and have hit #1 global on multiple occasions.

Then I started looking at what has kept me playing E&P when there are so many other games out there clamoring for attention (and $$$). I asked myself why I keep coming back. The answers all came down to two things: the mental challenges involved in the game (team selection, board manipulation, etc) and even more, the people I’ve “met” through the game, in my alliance and on the forum. That is where the real value is found, at least for me.

Armed with these realizations, 2 things have become obvious to me:

  1. I don’t need to keep spending to keep enjoying the game, the company of my alliance mates, and the forum.
  2. I’m at the point of diminishing returns (well past it, honestly) for spending. At this point, a new hero is unlikely to give a significant boost to my roster. It will be small, incremental nudges at best. And the chances of pulling a hero I don’t already have are infinitesimal.

So based on this realization, I’m going to join the ranks of the C2P. I’ll keep VIP for the loot tickets. I may buy the occasional $1.99 deal, but I’m done with chasing every shiny new hero. If one pops up, it will be even more special.

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Welcome, welcome :hugs:

Here’s to low-stress:high-entertainment gaming.

Please let us know which car you buy with the savings :grin:

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Fingers crossed

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I said a good used car, @originaldaveo . I currently drive a 2013 Jetta, and I’d like to give it to my daughter when she graduates from university next year. By then, I’ll have saved enough for a large down payment on a car of my choice just from not spending on E&P.

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I believe I’m at the same point. I’ve been playing almost 3 years but only been paying for half the time. I’m seriously unlucky with summoning so I’ve never bought gems specifically trying for a particular hero. I’d rather buy a much needed ascension item.

I’m more picky now about which offers I’ll buy. I’m currently thinking of saving up my gems and doing a 30 pull every couple of months.

I’m not unhappy with the money I’ve spent on the game. It’s given me (and continues to give) several hours of enjoyment every day. For me, i think its because my husband also plays, and pays. The game is part of our everyday chat - how our alliances mates are doing in the game and in real life, how we did in war or the titan, etc.

The game is all consuming if you’re a very active player and it would take an exceptionally tolerant spouse if they weren’t enjoying it too :grin:

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I was surprised at my spending and I’m in the same spot. Still, I think it’s worth it when I break it down by month (or even weekend out).

I think people who buy $3 coffee twice a day don’t realize they’re spending over $2,000 per year on a drink they could make at home for much less.

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What I said and what I’ve chosen to spend since then are very different things.

/punches self in the face

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I generally stick with VIP and deals where gems are half-a-cent each vs. a full cent. So Atlantis deal is $1.99 for 400 gems. I take it. I like loot ticket deals, too. They’re handy for leveling.

I think the area we should worry more about is personal health. Get sleep and exercise and after that, spending here instead of a couple nights out SAVES you money. And the introverts rejoiced!

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I’m a data guy by trade. I calculate the expected value of a summons. In a spreadsheet, I first multiply the amount I’d be willing to pay for each available hero by the probability of getting that hero. Then I sum all those products up. If the total isn’t more than the cost of the gems, then I don’t pull. These days it takes an exceptional HOTM to make it worthwhile for me, and I stop pulling as soon as I get it.

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/kicks @KLinMayhem in the butt because that’s what friends are for

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LOL Good intentions often die on the barren slopes of harsh reality

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Ha! @KLinMayhem, I’ve also recently “tried” to become VC2P…yeah but I just wanted Telluria and had a few extra bucks…smacks face into wall

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Every time a new shiny legend pops out, your serotonin level beats any good sense, even thogh most of the time it goes like this:

It’s definitely this “I need that hero feeling” which keeps me going. If I think about it, I know that I don’t need any hero, but… :innocent:

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Meanwhile, somewhere in Finland, a product manager and game designer are monitoring data reports of their VIP customers dramatically slowing down their spend. They look to each other. ‘Time for a new feature that requires building a new type of roster consisting of only heroes that haven’t come out yet’ (insert evil cackle)

Back near your home town, recently hopefully used car salesmen don’t understand why they suddenly feel very melancholy. Something in the air?

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this video of yours just makes me feel bad lol There is nothing about it that I was happy to see. Please fix it, maybe 2 fewer Nashgar, 1 less Obakan, and replace them with a Heimdall, Fenrir and a couple Telluria.

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I like the coffee analogy… although it is a bit dearer here! I have used it myself. As a small spender (VIP and tiny special Atlantis , event deals) I always spend less than a couple of cups of coffee per week on average

But… coming up to 3 years in the game, I know that adds up to quite a sum. I’m am not doing the accounting because what I spend is cheap for the time spent and enjoyment I get. It is certainly better value than my expensive gym membership I use rarely!

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I am also very much in this category. I used to buy all the $1.99 challenge/Atlantis deals along with VIP and a few of the special bundles and pop-up deals.

I’m limiting myself to VIP, Path of Valor, and possibly a costume deal. I’m thinking costumes will at least add value to the heroes I do have instead of chasing heroes I am unlikely to get (and receive dupes along the way). Season 3 heroes look nice, but I’m not willing to get more Quinti and Groots trying to summon them.

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:slight_smile: :rofl: :slight_smile: :rofl: :slight_smile: :rofl:

Don’t feed that after midnight!

Happy gaming.

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Very thoughtful post @NPNKY. Thank you.

I recently did a roster “scrub” and was astonished to find that I have collected over 60 5* heroes. Only 15 are fully leveled. ( I do think I’ve had extraordinary luck with my pulls, but I don’t have data to back that up.) And when I look at the $ spent, I’m at peace.

This game has given me much in terms of mental stimulation and challenge. I’ve met wonderful people and learned so much from other players and this forum. So, so worth the $$.

And that said, I’m also ready to settle into a C2P status for a good while. I want to level up my roster and continue to revel in the nuances of this game (while simultaneously staving off early onset Alzheimer’s, I’m convinced!) :blush:

It’s refreshing to not hear a rant associated with a “I’m gonna spend less” post. I think the game devs have a good pulse on players, balancing the income needed to support and develop the game with player interest and engagement. And at the end of the day, we all need to take accountability for what we invest in this game…be it time, energy, money or otherwise.

Peace out.

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Even as f2p/vc2p I have a backlog of 5* at 1-1 that I need mats for and probably a year or more to get maxed.

You really don’t need to spend on the game at all if you have patience.

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