/Ultra-cynic mode on :
A lot of large gaming houses these days employ psychologists (who should be struck off by their professional bodies, IMO) to advise on how best to
extract cash from engage players. I've spent a long time talking to players of online games, and reading about online gaming philosophies and strategies, too, ever since what is now called the 'Freemium' revenue model was introduced in the early 2000s, and I know that
most players are initially / forever unaware of how any game's mechanics work, let alone how to score highly, sometimes extremely so, in competitive events like FAs
without spending money. So both new and most long-term players, many of whom don't [even want to] know much about game mechanics or funding models, usually just assume that a LOT of money must be being spent to reach the top rankings, and/or even that the winning teams may be using software cheats, since the very top scores are often way beyond most players at any level of experience.
Result? Since most people lack the ability [and dishonesty] to attempt to use software cheats, some players who believe they'll be in with a chance by spending a bit really DO buy those cash 'Badge Packs' Inno sells during every FA, and/or pay Diamonds for Badges, under the (mistaken, unless they're Rockefeller's descendants) impression that they can thereby get into the top spots. Gotta get those psychs earning their crust, you know, and Inno's probably tired of hearing variations on : "Sunk cost fallacy, sunk time fallacy, peer pressure, er, completionism, hmm, how about FOMO? Team loyalty?... er, er... rinse & repeat...?". It's all pretty old hat, these days, but the competitive motive remains king, through methods old or new.
There's a reason why Inno keeps Elvenar's game mechanics SO obscure (2020 Combat Formula, anyone?)... and it's not 'industrial confidentiality', as we Forum-ites were once told by a former Mod, IIRC. After all, almost all financially successful mobile games use the same tactics now, if not near enough the same code, too, in many cases. It's really only the graphical style which [sometimes] varies - and that's where Elvenar shines, of course.
It's ALL about the money, not the gameplay. And new in-and-out players are the new cash cows in mobile gaming, even above moderate long-time routine spenders. The 'whales' of old are now an endangered species; but the
impression persists that they're still the top dogs, as they once were.
... /UC mode off.
Be that as it may : many congratulations to
@HappyRose and
@BlueBlou on the January FA result... I watched in awe as you blitzed it! Amazing. And I'm well aware that even with a couple of 'Bracelet & Coin Cities' in the FS, whether full-time or otherwise, it's a tremendous
team effort!
