In-app purchases, do you?

Mena · 22-06-2017 12:45PM

Scumlord, I know exactly how they do it, and support it. It's how business run, creating user personas and targeting them. No complaints from me, they found exactly what I wanted I went in eyes wide open.

And no worries SB

Your point is 100% valid. 1800 is 1800.

osarusan · 22-06-2017 12:48PM

Paid for the pro version of a couple of apps for the kids - a jigsaw + colouring one, and a spelling one. Cost was between €1 and €2 each time. That's it.

I play some games on my tablet and you could advance through the levels very quickly if you paid money, but I'll never do it.

pawrick · 22-06-2017 12:54PM

As much as I like playing these games i refuse to pay in to them. Most have a shelf life of a couple of years before the next big one comes along and the community moves or you find yourself threading water to maintain the earlier gains from buy buying your way in as new add ons etc are brought out to extract more money. The relentless gauging put me right off all of these in the same way that some pc game makers are taking the p*ss with DLC these days.

ScumLord · 22-06-2017 12:54PM

Mena wrote: »

Scumlord, I know exactly how they do it, and support it.

It's your money and all but I don't think you should be supportive of it, it's all really underhanded selling techniques. It's like being supportive of con men and saying it's the victim's fault for being conned.

I wouldn't support them on principle, they break down human behaviour and take advantage of it. It's a predatory move, like the kind of tools we would have used against other animals to kill them for food.

I don't think those kind of companies deserve your money. Supporting them just gives them the ability to go after more people, and while you may be able to afford it others can't and these companies will use your money to get better at taking advantage of those other people and won't care if they're ruining some people lives in the process.

They've sold you a product that's probably not worth a fiver and got €1800 out of you for it. That's a con, you should be pissed off about it.

citytillidie · 22-06-2017 12:55PM

If the game i want to play has adverts i will turn off the data/wifi to play it until my lives are gone then leave it to refill for free.

In app purchases are almost as bad as DLC. I will not buy them if i have already paid for the app. I may pay a small fee to turn off the ads if the game did not have lives or energy. New Star Soccer used to be good when you could get decent things with in game money. They have since updated that now to use real money instead of in game money to buy things so playing it less than I used to.

lawred2 · 22-06-2017 12:56PM

Mena wrote: »

This will probably be seen as a thinly veiled 'look how much money I have' thread with a bunch of judgemental comments (probably deserved tbh!) but here goes.

What's the most you've spent on in-app purchases for your phone/tablet?

I'm pretty addicted to a certain game and have become pretty competitive, part of a large online community etc. Doing pretty well however this morning I decided to check just what it's costing me. So far, in June, I've spent €1800.00.

Pretty stupid when you think about it. Though I don't regret it I will likely slow down as frankly, there's better things to spend cash on than pixels (I think).

So, how much do you spend (if any), in this way? Am I totally out of whack with reality or are there other really stupid people like me out there?

I have never spent one cent on such sh!t.

LLMMLL · 22-06-2017 12:58PM

Why do you get satisfaction from coming 3rd in a game that sounds like basically a grindfest? And you didn't even grind. You paid to skip it. It's like me buying an Olympic gold medal and thinking I'm the top sprinter in the world.

sbsquarepants · 22-06-2017 01:09PM

I'm not into games at all, but I have real trouble in understanding the logic here. You're actually paying all this money to basically not have to bother actually playing the game in the first place?
Sorry mena, this just gets madder and madder!:)

Mr. CooL ICE · 22-06-2017 01:12PM

I've bought some apps and games that have gotten regular use but have ads, such as a guitar tuner apps. I really don't mind paying a modest fee of something like €1.99 for something that will get used regularly. But the pay-to-win model of some games really pisses me off.

I've dabbled in app development but have not tried to monetise them as I was looking to build up a CV portfolio.

PandaPoo · 22-06-2017 01:20PM

Spent around €50 on a game recently. Felt like such an idiot after.

But then again the zoo isn't gonna run itself!!!

animaal · 22-06-2017 01:26PM

I spend money on applications for PC and phone, but I decide up-front if I think they're worthwhile and good value (to me!). For that reason, I avoid any product that requires ongoing payment.

With "pay to play", when you start on day one, how can you make an informed decision on value for money? OP, being honest, on day one would you have chosen that game if you knew how much it would end up costing you? Or might you have instead selected a AAA title that costs €50 up-front, without ongoing costs?

Spending that much on a game isn't in itself a bad thing. If you can look back and feel that you received €1800 worth of enjoyment from it, then it's not a waste. But if you think you'd have been happier with a €50 game, plus a foreign holiday (for example), then you can alter your approach to these decisions in the future.

r93kaey5p2izun · 22-06-2017 01:34PM

I've never heard of in app purchases so I'm obviously not the target market. I can't imagine spending that amount of money on anything non essential other than a holiday maybe. I've paid for one app for work and that's it. I don't think I'd pay for an app for entertainment.

jamesthepeach · 22-06-2017 01:35PM

I will buy an app or a game.
But if it requires any payment after the initial purchase of it, they can fvuk off.
Would never pay for extras in a game.

wes · 22-06-2017 01:52PM

Wow :eek:, and I taught console gaming was expensive.

I play a lot of games, and have bought DLC/expansions, but the only time I have come close to what the OP has spent is when buying a new games console, accessories and a couple of games, but still no where near that price.

Always taught freemium games were bull. Rather pay upfront for a game, and not have to deal with micro transactions, but there even seeping into full prices games now :mad:. I know game developers have to make money, but if I pay full price, they shouldn't be asking for more money, unless its decent sized DLC or an expansion.

22-06-2017 03:15PM

These games with IAP's at the high-end of development budgets, like the game the OP is into have psychologists employed to build in cues, triggers and reward systems that appeal to humans. cunning stuff.

frozenfrozen · 22-06-2017 03:28PM

can you post proof.

Not that I don't trust you but this is the internet

ScumLord · 22-06-2017 03:31PM

frozenfrozen wrote: »

can you post proof.

Not that I don't trust you but this is the internet

He came here looking for help with his crippling addiction. Deep down he knew we'd throw down an intervention, that's why he asked about it in after hours. He doesn't need to prove himself, I can see his pain.

Mena · 22-06-2017 03:59PM

ScumLord wrote: »

frozenfrozen wrote: »

can you post proof.

Not that I don't trust you but this is the internet

He came here looking for help with his crippling addiction. Deep down he knew we'd throw down an intervention, that's why he asked about it in after hours. He doesn't need to prove himself, I can see his pain.

I don't think so but hey, maybe you're right and this should be in PI

As for proof, I cba. I'd need to blackout all the details on the credit card statement. Sonwith that what you will.

It's been an interesting read though. I probably shouldn't have posted the actual figure and the discussion would have gone a slightly different route.

frozenfrozen · 22-06-2017 04:02PM

ah well you know the saying tits proof or GTFO so that's the end of that

Yourself isit · 23-06-2017 01:05AM

Mena wrote: »

I don't think so but hey, maybe you're right and this should be in PI

As for proof, I cba. I'd need to blackout all the details on the credit card statement. Sonwith that what you will.

It's been an interesting read though. I probably shouldn't have posted the actual figure and the discussion would have gone a slightly different route.

Yes.

I paid $10 total max on IAP for a football game where I got more funds to buy better football players. You can grind your way to the top division but I couldn't be arsed.

Don't regret that because I'm still playing the game. The original funds allowed me to be self sufficient as I make game money now from winning. Would have paid more a few years ago on a console.

I do regret paying (just once) to speed things up on simcity mobile though. That game is designed to be crippled after a while. Eventually things slow down unless your continue to pay.

I hate that form of in app purchases. Eventually I abandon them. If a recall the game you played is like that.

23-06-2017 05:29AM

Never, should be outlawed. I'd rather pay a little more for the game and then be done with it and then just play....
Upgrading versions of the same game, no problem with that...

pickarooney · 23-06-2017 06:00AM

Mena wrote: »

Have we removed Multi Quotes? Can't find them and don't want to reply to everything individually.
On the addiction topic, over the space of a year it's been roughly 2.2 grand, so around 183 a month on average, however the bulk of that was in June due to an event I wanted to compete in. I don't view it as an addiction and at the end of the day, its only money (yes, I'm fortunate enough and worked hard enough that I can say this).
As for time spent on the game someone raised, it's probably around an hour or two a day all told, when you add it all up. So again, nothing excessive.
There was also a question on prizes. Yes I got a massive leg up (3rd globally in arena matches) but no, there's no physical prize other than nerd glee.
There are a few guilds out there that require proof of over $20k spent before entry so 1800 is not a lot by comparison in this realm (though sorry, that's just super nuts). And to be clear it's not 1800 a month, it's that over 2 years (bulk of it in June).
Someone asked if I am retarded (guess that word will get censored) - I guess that depends on your point of view. It's not a lot of money for me so from my perspective it's fine (though I am now struggling with the decision to go that route - 1800 is 1800). I am more curious to see if any others out there are the same but it seems likely very few (here at least).
As to how it's spent - it's a game of time or money. Take time to get to where you need to be, or pay to shortcut. I chose to shortcut and the 1800 saved me around 6 months effort.
I doubt i'd do it again soon, events like these come around roughly every 6 months and it's the first time I committed. I may do so in the next one again, who knows.
Thanks for all the candid feedback though, it's interesting reading.

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In-app purchases, do you?

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