Anyway this was my rather pessimistic response;
Jiang Ryudo
Small amounts of gold are easy, earning a large chunk takes time. With the current rate of inflation it feels like even the smallest wish is a hard quest (unless it's a store item, then you've got all the time in the world.)
Most people are unsympathetic because they've been here a while and gotten a few of the items people long for at far better prices (I got my Ninja Headband for 85k, I thought back then it was pricy... I also got my Kitsune Mask for 50k, which I also thought was pricy....)
I feel for newer members, everything on Gaia these days feels impossible to get without a good knowledge of the MP (Playing the MP), having great artistic talent or posessing the real-life cash to purchase Cash Shop goods / MC's.
All in all, I think it's far harder to earn gold just by 'playing the game'.
So I do sympathise with you, OP, I really do but sadly more gold would just = more inflation so really asking for more gold isnt' going to make the problems any better. The only thing that could improve the current madness is increasing supplies of limited edition items and as we all know Gaia won't do that because of the blasted Decided Issues. I wouldn't mind but a lot of the other stuff from Gaia's past has been dropped like a bad habit, but the willingness to promote the limited edition culture means that for once Gaia will stick to a facet of its past like flies on s**t.
I would prefer for Gaia to re-release really old event items and MC's but I know I'm wasting my time by being so open about that desire, so I'll say no more on it.
The bottom line is; more gold won't solve the problem. The only people on Gaia with the power to improve the current prices in the MP are those at the top; the Gaia Staff (probably more likely the CEO himself). Only they could destroy this supply-demand tension and for the sakes of profit, they won't do it.
Most people are unsympathetic because they've been here a while and gotten a few of the items people long for at far better prices (I got my Ninja Headband for 85k, I thought back then it was pricy... I also got my Kitsune Mask for 50k, which I also thought was pricy....)
I feel for newer members, everything on Gaia these days feels impossible to get without a good knowledge of the MP (Playing the MP), having great artistic talent or posessing the real-life cash to purchase Cash Shop goods / MC's.
All in all, I think it's far harder to earn gold just by 'playing the game'.
So I do sympathise with you, OP, I really do but sadly more gold would just = more inflation so really asking for more gold isnt' going to make the problems any better. The only thing that could improve the current madness is increasing supplies of limited edition items and as we all know Gaia won't do that because of the blasted Decided Issues. I wouldn't mind but a lot of the other stuff from Gaia's past has been dropped like a bad habit, but the willingness to promote the limited edition culture means that for once Gaia will stick to a facet of its past like flies on s**t.
I would prefer for Gaia to re-release really old event items and MC's but I know I'm wasting my time by being so open about that desire, so I'll say no more on it.
The bottom line is; more gold won't solve the problem. The only people on Gaia with the power to improve the current prices in the MP are those at the top; the Gaia Staff (probably more likely the CEO himself). Only they could destroy this supply-demand tension and for the sakes of profit, they won't do it.
But as I typed each sentence, new thoughts came to mind and in the end I had reached the conclusion that Gaia has becoming (or at least lately seems to be) nothing more than a money hungry whore, draining the money of users like a bottle of cheap booze.
I know that's a horrible and graphic image of the current Gaia, but I feel like it's generally true. The main things Gaia tells us about are ways to give it more publicity (label maker, mischief makers, those appearances on shows), EI's (the weekly EI update and the constant new additions of new EI's to the cash shop and at high prices lately too) and of course the MC's that come out monthly with their predictible hints.
That's not to mention all the promotional stuff that involves sponsorships (Skittles, MTV, Kung-Fu Panda to name a few).
I feel like Gaia is so money-hungry these days and yes I know it's true. Gaia has to be money-hungry. That's the job of any business but you know... I joined Gaia in 2005 (more like 2006 really) and at that time it didn't feel so business-y. Sure there were MC's (well, Donation Items) and Gaia made a big fuss over them.
But it was never this bad (was it?)
I feel like these days the only thing Gaia really wants from me is my obedience (so I don't get banned) and my cash.
Another example smacked me in the face yesterday; the Pink Skull PJ Pants are back in the Gaia Store but they were originally $25, now they're $30. Sure it's $5 increase; that's hardly the earth but... isn't $30 for a pair of pants (and digipants) a bit luxurious? Isn't it totally frivilous and over the top? I mean sure $10 for an urn or a moon is silly... and sure for $30 I get a real-pair of pants (that prob cost $10 at the most to make).
I just feel it's another example of money-hungry Gaia.
The original reason for this was my reflection on the current state of Gaia and how so much has changed. So many traditions have been tossed asside in the name of a new 'teen hangout' image. Yet the "DI's" (decided issues) remain, frustratingly, the same and ever-present. Sure Lanzer talks about re-releasing and auctioning off the items of banned accounts but... is any of it true and asside from mass-rerelease what good would any other measure do?
But then I find myself sympathising with users that parted with $2.50 to buy the original item under the understanding that it was for that month only. Did they have to really save up to buy a few letters for them / friends? Also the people that came after that spent loads of money to aquire those rare MC's...
It wouldn't be fair to re-release the old MC's and yet.. Gaia doesn't feel very fair lately. Well that's my feeling at least.
Anyway, I'm not going to rant any further about my own regrets that I wasn't here in 2003... xd I really wish I had been here in 2003!!! gonk
~Ji
Community Member