Buildings,Storage and Land

[DeletedUser1349]

Have you done any graphic design? Care to ballpark how many man-hours have gone into designing all of the buildings in this game?
I don't hate your idea, it's just a massive undertaking, and if the developers are going to double their budget on any aspect of the game I'd rather have it be in the interface and mechanics portion of the game rather than graphics (which are great already)

As long as we are adding tons of work for inno to do. We also need to be able to rotate 360 degrees around our city with the camera. I won't be picky and demand full 3 dimensional camera up/down though. I'm not THAT picky.

As far as rotating buildings, that would destroy the challenge in the game, so no.

 

[SoggyShorts]

I won't be picky and demand full 3 dimensional camera up/down though. I'm not THAT picky.

Let's just go all the way and get some google streetview for our cities

 

[DeletedUser4587]

Just wait until you get bigger, it makes a HUGE difference.

I am bigger in one of my cities and being able to rotate would still leave some challenge....but I still believe it's about diamond sales. Lack of space = frustration = diamond sales. Just like some of the best culture items are about the diamonds. Let's face it. Inno can say anything they want....but remember, they are in business first and foremost.

 

[SoggyShorts]

.but I still believe it's about diamond sales. Lack of space = frustration = diamond sales.

while i agree that inno must always consider revenues, i dont think many business models use "frustration=$$$$$"

 

[DeletedUser1122]

while i agree that inno must always consider revenues, i dont think many business models use "frustration=$$$$$

A free game business model is something interesting to speculate about.
Let's see....INno has managed to attract America venture capital for the hardware side.
Got users to pay for programing and story development in a bunch of countries.
Has determined that the "valued" (spender) customer is the short term/intermediate player.
Finds it financially beneficial to prune long time players from the game

So How does a free game make big bucks?
Aim the games at specific demographics. I remember a way back when someone who worked could participate in the game.
Well it turns out frustration and nice graphics does carry the day.
Frustrated by slow progress - buy some builders
Frustrated by lack of space buy some expansions
Frustrated by whatever buy something
and you know pensioners don't mind paying a little because they know there is no free ride
Oh well I think its a great concept and if they ever float an IPO in the states I will be interested. I'm thinking the FCF is out of this world.

 

[SoggyShorts]

I suppose there are are many different play styles and personalities when it comes to a FTP game's demographic. Where some see frustration, others see a challenge. It must be quite difficult to balance a game so that

• most find it challenging enough to remain interested
• enough find it just a little too challenging and spend some RL $$ to speed things along
• not too many find it overly challenging and quit
• not too many find it overly easy and get bored/quit

For me, the balance has been perfectly fine so far(other than fighting) that's why I'm still here. Personally I'd never spend money on a game like this, unless they came out with purely cosmetic purchases. I've made that mistake before, and within a week I quickly fell into the "overly easy=bored/quit" category. I'd still spend $ on cosmetic stuff if it existed, just to show my support. The role of free players in "free" games is to inflate the numbers and provide a larger community for the paying players to interact with, and that works for me.

 

[DeletedUser5251]

Let's just go all the way and get some google streetview for our cities

YES, please!

I had to move almost all of my buildings and streets 3 squares to the left today to accommodate residential upgrades. Never mind that it took forever, but the angle and perspective of the buildings makes it so frustrating to find those tiny little squares of street and get them to move. It's a good thing I was already drinking when I started this or might have rage quit in the middle.

 

[DeletedUser6650]

I completely agree that we need the ability to rotate buildings. That option will not change the amount of money the wallet warriors spend on diamonds.

The reason I wanted the buildings to rotate:
to see what the building would look like rotated (of course there would probably be nothing as it was never drawn)
to make room for upgrades
to make room for other buildings

YES, please!

I had to move almost all of my buildings and streets 3 squares to the left today to accommodate residential upgrades. Never mind that it took forever, but the angle and perspective of the buildings makes it so frustrating to find those tiny little squares of street and get them to move. It's a good thing I was already drinking when I started this or might have rage quit in the middle.

I liked your drinking bit. I know that I spend a lot of time being creative just to move things around. Many times selling back streets (which we don't get back what we spent).

 

[DeletedUser4978]

YES, please!

I had to move almost all of my buildings and streets 3 squares to the left today to accommodate residential upgrades. Never mind that it took forever, but the angle and perspective of the buildings makes it so frustrating to find those tiny little squares of street and get them to move. It's a good thing I was already drinking when I started this or might have rage quit in the middle.

I liked your drinking bit. I know that I spend a lot of time being creative just to move things around. Many times selling back streets (which we don't get back what we spent).

If we could put a few buildings in a storage unit while we rearranged our cities when we had to upgrade, we could find those little tiny squares. I also don't like selling streets when we don't get back even a portion of what we've paid. It's one reason I like just the free path...but it sure doesn't look as nice as the other, upgraded streets! Yes, I know the other streets provide some culture so when you sell them, you lose the coins you paid and the culture. When you replace the streets, you pay again for the same street and get back the culture. And where does it tell you that when you are selling a building or a street? I've only learned that through trial and error.

 

[DeletedUser6572]

If they don't want us to have it for free, then how about storage spots for diamonds? Win win. Right?

 

[SoggyShorts]

If they don't want us to have it for free, then how about storage spots for diamonds? Win win. Right?

Those are called "premium expansions"
Personally I just wait until I can time a tech expansion with a world map expansion, and use those 2 for re-arranging everything. That or I wait until I am switching guest races which frees up about 30% of my city.

 

[DeletedUser6572]

Touche' Soggy, touche'!

 

[DeletedUser5278]

Have you done any graphic design? Care to ballpark how many man-hours have gone into designing all of the buildings in this game?
I don't hate your idea, it's just a massive undertaking, and if the developers are going to double their budget on any aspect of the game I'd rather have it be in the interface and mechanics portion of the game rather than graphics (which are great already)

I agree that the developers don't want to make these changes - but disagree that it would be an overwhelming task for them to do so. As it has been noted - the ability to store and rotate buildings is available in other games - so it isn't uncharted territory. Again it comes down to the issue that the developers simply don't wish to do it. They would rather antagonize their players than respond to their desires. In comparison to other consumer product companies who have ongoing focus groups and surveys - and constantly change their products to make customers happy - this chronic attitude by Inno is both perplexing and frustrating.

 

[Ashrem]

They would rather antagonize their players than respond to their desires

Or maybe it's just an integral part of the game-play design, and implementing it would mean re-balancing the whole game?

 

[DeletedUser5278]

Ashrem, I chuckle when I see your comments, because I know you'll always side with the developers over the players. At least you're consistent...!

 

[SoggyShorts]

In comparison to other consumer product companies who have ongoing focus groups and surveys - and constantly change their products to make customers happy - this chronic attitude by Inno is both perplexing and frustrating.

While I don't agree with all(or even most) of the developers choices, on this issue I think they are right.
The "sliding puzzle" aspect of the game is a core mechanic, and while some may find it frustrating, others really enjoy the challenge. All other aspects of the game are pretty simple, but space management is always a challenge, and really the only one that is interesting in the long run.

Trying to move buildings around, and plan an efficient(or pretty) city is the only reason(other than FS chat) that many players have for spending more than 2 minutes at a time in the game. Having storage, or worse, rotating buildings would remove a great part of the game.

There is a reason that buildings change orientation at certain levels of upgrade, it is to make players change the layout of their city. If you could rotate buildings then players would simple set up their city, and just make everything wider as they progress-- no need for any real planning or ingenuity. You'd be removing a dimension of the game.(literally)

I know you'll always side with the developers over the players.

It isn't an issue of "us" vs "them" The developers don't get paid more if they "beat" you. Sometimes not making things easier when players ask is for their own good, whether they know it or not. To use an extreme example, if you asked a player if they wanted a billion diamonds, many would say yes, but how long after they got them would they keep playing? What would be the challenge?

 

[Ashrem]

Ashrem, I chuckle when I see your comments, because I know you'll always side with the developers over the players. At least you're consistent...!

I will side with any human being over another who insults them to make a point. The claim that the developers would "rather antagonize" is intended to paint another human being in a negative light without any knowledge of the facts. It's a cheap shot.

Further, if you actually read all of my posts, there are a number of places where I have criticized game design choices. But that's the difference. I criticize the game I am playing, not the people making it.

 

[DeletedUser6247]

so i would really love to do some of the ideas thrown out in this discussion such as being able to store and rotate buildings it is becoming extremely difficult to organize the city when you don't have room for storage

 

[SoggyShorts]

so i would really love to do some of the ideas thrown out in this discussion such as being able to store and rotate buildings it is becoming extremely difficult to organize the city when you don't have room for storage

Did you read the posts listing the reasons that these shouldn't(and probably will not) be implemented?

 

[DeletedUser6247]

i did however i am constantly having so many issues with storage i get that the rotation would cause a lot more work so that i wouldn't expect but i desperately would love to be able to store buildings just to reorganize my city for each chapter it causes a lot of issues every week for me