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So, where's the fun? (part I) |
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I'm seriously beginning to question the intent of this website as of late. I don't know if anyone else has taken the time to notice (or is of age to even understand) how corrupted this website has become. I'm not talking about shitty RPers or an infestation of text-talking n00bs, that's going to be a problem on forum sites regardless. And it's not something that can be helped, addressed, or corrected. However, the fact is that Gaia Online just isn't about having fun anymore. Even the new banner just says we're here to "meet people, share stuff, play games" etc. So, what happened to having fun on this website? This was supposed to be a medium for escaping our own mundane lives and getting some joy. As it is, this website is becoming a prime example of our own world translated to the internet.
This site isn't about meeting people (though some might question if it ever was, as the money system has been around since the beginning). It's about getting some form of currency so that you can make your avatar look "cool". Personal expression, sure, it's a good cause, but not at the expense of others as it currently is. The stores only carry a general amount of items (new ones added on ocassion, but they've been pretty lame for the most part), and the affordability just means that everyone is going to have them, and doubles of avatars is inevitable. Therefore, we get "rare" items to help us gain an advantage over our fellow man. Though I'm beginning to question just how "rare" these items are. Inflation has made the majority of the desirable, and truly rare, items out of reach for the general populus. Unless we do some shrewd dealing, we're not going to come up with the millions of gold needed to obtain a devil's tale or horns. However, the influx of massive amounts of donation letters is only going to result in surplus amounts of a product that really has no hope for inflation (though, for some reason, the prices go up for no rhyme or reason).
So I see a very disheartening trend with the site. The reason they don't stop inflation is because, with prices as they are, people are more likely to just donate the five dollars to get the items for the month than try and save up enough money for them on the market. They act like they disapprove of the inflation, they try to be sympathetic when they reply to complaints of it, but it's always the same thing: "we can't do anything about it." That's a bold-faced lie and a load of bullshit. They made the site, they control the site, and they make the rules of the site. If they had any inclination to help the decent people who are members on this site, they'd instate a ceiling for inflation and ban those who obviously try to take advantage of the system. But they won't do that. The reason is simple: greed. The mroe prices go up, the more actual money flows into their bank accounts. I wager that they take in about 4000 dollars a month on donation items alone, and possibly the same amount on gift credits (which should be usable in the marketplace, that evens the playing field) and merchandise. Gaia is not a non-profit website.
But that brings up a question as to what the money is going to. Paying for the hosting? I think they've bought their own servers for hosting, so it's not costing them anything but the electric bill. Bettering the website, perhaps? So far I've seen two site re-designs (both of which shittier than the last) maybe a few lame items in the stores, a pointless town system, and new starter clothes. I highly doubt all that money is going to that. maybe a very small fraction does. Maybe if they really cared, they'd put the money into fixing the glitches that riddle this website and fulfilling their, as of now, empty promises for new systems. Get off your asses, Gaia Admins and Mods, you've got the power to make this site worth coming to again. Why don't you start doing your jobs.
The new starter outfits and housing supplies? Well, what happened to the medieval fantasy theme that made this website so appealing? The idea of peasants clothing to start off was much more incentive to go out and start posting so you could shed those ratty clothes and becomes an accepted part of this site. Now you get a whole wardrobe to start you off, and none of it is of the quality that it's worth. People don't have much incentive to try to make their avatars look better when the starter outfits look fine anyway.
Keeping on the topic of clothes, why is it all of a sudden Gaia's goal to turn the lot of us into cross-dressers? What's the point of making all of the clothes unisex? I don't see a need for the brownie-girl skirts or halter-tops. Yet another waste of money on a pointless "upgrade" meant to better our experience.
I'm definitely starting to ramble at this point, so before I lose the interest of any readers of my journal entirely, I shall retire the end of this rant to another entry.
(to be continued...)
Current Mood: Philosophical/Pissed off (not a good combo)
Current Tunes: I, uh, left my iPod upstairs...
 Narcoleptic Insomniac · Mon Jul 31, 2006 @ 07:58pm · 7 Comments |
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