[urgent] this site really is actually dying

[נוריאל]

Someone else on a thread about C$ inflation described it well—the site "coddles" rare-chasing, older, and dedicated trading users. Rereleasing of store pets is decried as "unfair" to those who paid real money when the entire concept of Chicken Smoothie is "unfair." Unreleases are unfair, Dec. 18 is unfair, outcomes are unfair, store pets are unfair. What about those who pay real money to get C$ only to realize that C$ has been inflated to hell and back, making it so that you have to buy the highest amount available in the top-up section multiple times over to get a non pet? What about those who paid 5 bucks to get a set of store pets in the old days, only to realize that pet is being resold at multiple times its USD value?

If it's unfair, why don't we apply the "unfair" argument to everything else? Or is this to keep things rare enough to satisfy hardcore players in the rarity game, but far enough so that casual players have zero chance of obtaining it without joining hardcore ranks?

I personally think that CS needs a big update. Whether it be at the cost of a big summer event, I think that's okay for the long-term. It's something CS needs to survive. I understand if this is harsh. But I do think CS needs a lot of change. Because I want to see it living. Not surviving; living.

I full-heartedly agree! A pet that could be obtained for less than 5$ USD at the beginning of the game now goes for a value of OVER THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS ( 300$ )! That's absolutely ridiculous. It is completely unfair, in every sense of the word. Do people realize that their greed - and yes, that's what this 'well we bought it originally. letting newer players have it would be unfair ^_^' attitude is - is actively driving people away? Maybe you don't care, considering you're sitting on & milking 300$ worth of 'demand', but I am honestly at my wit's end with this site. I have been a player since 2009, and it's just so hostile and unfun now. What's the point in trying when I will never be able to obtain the things I want?

[Kiesen]

Someone else on a thread about C$ inflation described it well—the site "coddles" rare-chasing, older, and dedicated trading users. Rereleasing of store pets is decried as "unfair" to those who paid real money when the entire concept of Chicken Smoothie is "unfair." Unreleases are unfair, Dec. 18 is unfair, outcomes are unfair, store pets are unfair. What about those who pay real money to get C$ only to realize that C$ has been inflated to hell and back, making it so that you have to buy the highest amount available in the top-up section multiple times over to get a non pet? What about those who paid 5 bucks to get a set of store pets in the old days, only to realize that pet is being resold at multiple times its USD value?

If it's unfair, why don't we apply the "unfair" argument to everything else? Or is this to keep things rare enough to satisfy hardcore players in the rarity game, but far enough so that casual players have zero chance of obtaining it without joining hardcore ranks?

I personally think that CS needs a big update. Whether it be at the cost of a big summer event, I think that's okay for the long-term. It's something CS needs to survive. I understand if this is harsh. But I do think CS needs a lot of change. Because I want to see it living. Not surviving; living.

I full-heartedly agree! A pet that could be obtained for less than 5$ USD at the beginning of the game now goes for a value of OVER THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS ( 300$ )! That's absolutely ridiculous. It is completely unfair, in every sense of the word. Do people realize that their greed - and yes, that's what this 'well we bought it originally. letting newer players have it would be unfair ^_^' attitude is - is actively driving people away? Maybe you don't care, considering you're sitting on & milking 300$ worth of 'demand', but I am honestly at my wit's end with this site. I have been a player since 2009, and it's just so hostile and unfun now. What's the point in trying when I will never be able to obtain the things I want?

Even with December 18th, CS is somewhat behind compared to most other games when it comes to its rarest/most valuable items, which is kind of odd considering that the scope of what you can do with pets/items is so limited in comparison.

Take for example Flight Rising, which anyone in the pet sim world is familiar with. Every week they have raffles and while the prizes can be rather mundane at times, every so often there's a chance at getting some of the rarest items on the site, including items only given to Kickstarter supporters. Usually it's only one of these items being put back into circulation, but it's something shoving the economy forward, and something that encourages users to come back at least once a week, or even every day to get currency to buy more entries.

Then there's Alacrity, a dog simulator, which would give users an item on their birthday that once interacted with would produce a random rare item, including ones people paid money for in the past.

And even outside of the pet sim world, World of Warcraft implemented a system 10 years ago to reduce inflation of their currency (gold) that puts extremely rare or now impossible to get items up for auction, where the currency is then taken out of circulation in return for players getting desirable things. Said items often include prizes from prize cards from their now defunct trading card game, which people desperate enough can still find on eBay ranging from $15 to $10,000.

Sure, all of these examples have their flaws. Like people already in possession of rare items being able to obtain more or those with more money and time being able to up their chances. That shouldn't discount the good they do.

I'd like to see CS implement their own iteration of something like in these examples because December 18th only does so much.

[Faybell]

Honestly I don’t get the people who don’t want store pets/items to get rereleases. Like a lot of good those rare pets will do you if the website goes under. They’ll still have extra value to some for being a “true date”.

Edit: on other threads I’ve seen some suggest making pets that look similar to old store pets. Wonder if that could work as a compromise? Do store pets count towards complete collections for the archive? If they do I feel like they shouldn’t.

I feel like the trade system needs a re-work. Part of what makes trading so frustrating is trying to find people who have the specific pet you want for trade. I wish we had a search system so you can see where all the pets are in open groups.

Or make user shops so people have to move the pets that are actually for trade there? I dunno I’m just tired of going through the effort of finding pets I need and them being NFT because people can’t be bothered to lock their groups.

[×Seven of Nine×]

Believe me when we ALL say we want rereleased store pets.
It's just that they CANT be rereleased. It's like... In their selling agreement or whatever.
You know, limited edition. Once gone, is gone.

Chicken smoothie has every right to not rerelease then ever again and if they sold them with the promise of never releasing them again and they want to keep that promise, then they have that right.

[CHINARIZING]

Believe me when we ALL say we want rereleased store pets.
It's just that they CANT be rereleased. It's like... In their selling agreement or whatever.
You know, limited edition. Once gone, is gone.

Chicken smoothie has every right to not rerelease then ever again and if they sold them with the promise of never releasing them again and they want to keep that promise, then they have that right.

It is their right. It's not something us lot agree with, and it won't be our fault if it ends up contributing to the demise of the economy lol

[Pixje]

Honestly I don’t get the people who don’t want store pets/items to get rereleases. Like a lot of good those rare pets will do you if the website goes under. They’ll still have extra value to some for being a “true date”.

Edit: on other threads I’ve seen some suggest making pets that look similar to old store pets. Wonder if that could work as a compromise? Do store pets count towards complete collections for the archive? If they do I feel like they shouldn’t.

I feel like the trade system needs a re-work. Part of what makes trading so frustrating is trying to find people who have the specific pet you want for trade. I wish we had a search system so you can see where all the pets are in open groups.

Or make user shops so people have to move the pets that are actually for trade there? I dunno I’m just tired of going through the effort of finding pets I need and them being NFT because people can’t be bothered to lock their groups.

it makes buying the storepets more enticing and it is rewarding to have them cuz theyre harder to get, i wouldnt want them to be re-released

[Kouriander]

it makes buying the storepets more enticing and it is rewarding to have them cuz theyre harder to get, i wouldnt want them to be re-released

I definitely second this. It wouldn't really be fair to re-release exclusive pets that people might have specifically spent their actual money wanting to get. I rarely buy C$, and when I do it's usually only for store pets that I REALLY want to obtain or to get (cheap) old rares from users. Re-releasing store pets would just devalue them greatly to those that do care about value.

As for the other arguments here though, I do agree. Collecting pets on this site has become a chore and the asking prices for virtual pets on a website essentially made for children is kind of outlandish. When I joined in 2018 it was a lot easier even then to obtain dream/wishlist pets without needing to literally PAY people for them. I personally don't care about hoarding rares or extreme values, Hell I don't even know what a non or a list even is, lmao. I just agree that a lot of things could use an overhaul as a means of attracting new users and making things easier for them.

[Faybell]

It’s not like I don’t see the argument for not re-releasing them but I feel like something needs to be adjusted regarding store pets. It feels like they’re part of what’s killing the trade economy.

[Kouriander]

Something definitely could be adjusted or at least done differently. Releasing them in a different fashion would make things more interesting, for example.

[tokyogrxce]

It’s not like I don’t see the argument for not re-releasing them but I feel like something needs to be adjusted regarding store pets. It feels like they’re part of what’s killing the trade economy. :/

i def agree with this. i just found this thread and i have been thinking about all these things everyone is talking about for a while now. i’m glad i found this thread because i love this game so much and i don’t want it to die out. i have spent so much time effort and literal real dollars into this game.
i think a big part is like said before a few times, it is literally almost impossible for new players to start up on this game now. their needs to be like a new comers package or something lol.
And i myself get anxiety sending trades now. i send trades that i know are fair, but people are so rude and so nit picky with things. and some people are very nice yes, but you can never tell who’s gonna be nice and who isn’t.
also what is even going on with store pets??? like does anyone know??? i went on a hiatus for like a year and i come back and store pets go up in price and go down in rarity??