I agree the timing and communication on this is terrible and my heart goes out to the POC’s who are most likely still putting blood, sweat and tears into preparing this Anomaly for the attendees. Great work guys and girls we all massively appreciate your efforts! <3
Personally I don’t have an issue with paying a fee for Anomalies (especially if they are like Warsaw and Amsterdam) and I’d even consider paying higher but I would expect that a % of the proceeds go to Orga teams for the work they do and the costs they incur and I would feel a lot more comfortable if it was truer so that it was relative to the average local income as suggested above otherwise it seems to be completely unethical.
The expectation from majority of long serving players is that they have always been free why should that change?
Ignoring the fact that Ingress players already give a whole load of mans hours FOC via OPR and setting up and running various events for a moment, If Niantic want to get more money out of their player soon then they need to learn to communicate better. Who wants to spend a lot of money with a company that they don’t have trust in? I’d guess very few people.
On the subject of adding value there are so many things that could be easily added into the ticket cost which would potentially add the extra value that they are seeking to justify this previously unadvertised cost such as swag or even a character code / passcode for example.
I’d be very interested to hear about the decision making process for this as surely someone realised that this would be a very controversial decision to do around the same time as a number of players are already considering retirement due to being forced to use Prime which for some and despite recent leaps in progress is still unplayable.
Hopefully with a bit of thought, planning and attention to what your long-standing and loyal player base is saying this can be rectified but I urge you to act swiftly before it’s too late.
I find it strange and disturbing that neither vanguards or Umbra PoCs were informed, or their inputs taken into consideration, for this enormous change. It tells us that NIA continues to ignore the community, devalues the work and opinion of their volunteers (PoCs and VG), and that this kind of dictatorial attitudes will continue... in the pursuit of the much talked 'Ingress financial sustainability'.
Niantic, I do wonder what it will take for you to understand you have a serious communication problem. I've seen a number of posts recently which indicate you at least recognise a need to improve, and recent changes to OPR emails show you are taking feedback on board, however announcements like this send a very different message, specifically a lack of consultation and planning.
I think it's obvious from the comments within this thread, that no-one begrudges Niantics need to be financially viable. I am also very sure next to none of the player base have any real clue whatsoever of the financial pressures that necessitate these changes.
You are in a unique position, you have customers that actively want to help you find ways to make money, you have an awesome resource in the vanguards at your finger tips as a sounding board, you have this forum as a platform for wider consultation. Yet you make these decisions in isolation, and well you're now seeing the result.
I have already given comment few pages back, but I wanted to give another one... that might get Niantic thinking...
Now if you really want to make money out of this game (which I am still not sure they actually wanted with this last action, my suspicion is that you wanted to get rid of us players, so that they won't need to pay for infrastructure anymore), there is easy solution.
Give/sell us 1 year licence for Redacted. I am sure that at least 50% of players would be willing to pay 15 $/year to be able to keep the old scanner, at least for next year (and if you manage to fix Prime in the meantime, maybe some agents would be willing to switch)...
Now I know that this would require some fixes on Scanner:
make it work with new servers (that are not online yet)
add fast power cubes use (+ near sign like in Prime for consuming PC)
add Boost recharging
allow multiple linking without leaving portal (like in Prime)
and some other changes (like removing G+ references) and little bit of cleanup here and there...
I think this is win-win scenario for you Niantic... You get the money, and we keep the good (Redacted) scanner
First off, I don't mind spending money to pay for a anomaly ticket.
But, I have been playing ingress for a few years and have attended more then a few anomalies, and living in the EU having a credit card is not a commen thing.
Having to beg to use somebody else their credit card just to buy a pack is a hassel. Its been adressed way to many times at NL1331e events over the years already for us to stop begging for alternative payment methods.
To give a personal example: to attend the next series of anomalies I would have to beg a friend to fill in his credit card details into my phone or go to the bank to get a credit card plan just to use for your ticketing service. We simply don't use credit cards, and I'm sure there are many other places facing the same issues.
What makes me sad is seeing the 2$ fee, because there are many payment services that charge less per transaction and offer more payment options.
Local authorities and the council are being advised that the event has been changed to a paid event in Newcastle for the upcoming anomoly. Local police will be shutting it down as the event will burden the city, without addressing the fiscal responsibilities resulting. The main concerns of Newcastle Council will be the clean water reg, security, paramedic tent and fees regarding waste management. Not to mention the fees they are missing out on.
If anyone thinks this is going to blow over, IT IS NOT. Australia takes this stuff seriously. Like, we charged Johnny Depp. What do you think NCC is going to do to you? Just say 'she'll be right ****'? Good luck, you are going to end up regretting this short term
Thanks so much Claudija and to those involved in this write up, great info and ideas brought up.
I would love to see us as players stand together in making our voice heard in making a change. Heck maybe even a boycott of an anomaly (maybe not this one as people have made non refundable payments for flights/accommodation etc.). Then again maybe Nia will have made changes by then, maybe lol.
I have the vacation approved and travel booked. I will reluctantly pay, but I am boycotting the character cards which I usually go all in on. So Niantic will actually get less from me than the would have otherwise.
I fear the day when Niantic would simply pull the plug and turn this thing off. Why bother to pay some respect and gratitude to the thousands who willingly invested their personal resources to make this game what it is and in turn it helped build the foundations of pogo and wu? I guess we're not needed anymore but then I couldn't explain what's the nature of the field tests happening in a few hours. The comic sans guy might be right... should we help niantic with the test? Cheapest UAT ever.
I agree, what more can be said about greed. NAI is making banknote the other step children, ,leaving Cinderella at home look for spare batteries....( You fill in the blanks)....
I totally agree with everything’s said. Well done and well written. Thank you.
niantic please don’t **** this game off, you can make your money and still allow us to have our fun with your game! There are better ways to implement money generation elements in this game.
Between all this pay-to-win **** and raised prices, indifference to cheat reports (Remy and automated/ outsourced help desk), killing the Trusted Reporter program, and shoving the game onto the Unity platform, I'd be surprised if Ingress even survives until the end of 2020. It was a great ride.
Comments
I agree the timing and communication on this is terrible and my heart goes out to the POC’s who are most likely still putting blood, sweat and tears into preparing this Anomaly for the attendees. Great work guys and girls we all massively appreciate your efforts! <3
Personally I don’t have an issue with paying a fee for Anomalies (especially if they are like Warsaw and Amsterdam) and I’d even consider paying higher but I would expect that a % of the proceeds go to Orga teams for the work they do and the costs they incur and I would feel a lot more comfortable if it was truer so that it was relative to the average local income as suggested above otherwise it seems to be completely unethical.
The expectation from majority of long serving players is that they have always been free why should that change?
Ignoring the fact that Ingress players already give a whole load of mans hours FOC via OPR and setting up and running various events for a moment, If Niantic want to get more money out of their player soon then they need to learn to communicate better. Who wants to spend a lot of money with a company that they don’t have trust in? I’d guess very few people.
On the subject of adding value there are so many things that could be easily added into the ticket cost which would potentially add the extra value that they are seeking to justify this previously unadvertised cost such as swag or even a character code / passcode for example.
I’d be very interested to hear about the decision making process for this as surely someone realised that this would be a very controversial decision to do around the same time as a number of players are already considering retirement due to being forced to use Prime which for some and despite recent leaps in progress is still unplayable.
Hopefully with a bit of thought, planning and attention to what your long-standing and loyal player base is saying this can be rectified but I urge you to act swiftly before it’s too late.
Regards,
Carly
Very well written post @Claudija. Thanks
I find it strange and disturbing that neither vanguards or Umbra PoCs were informed, or their inputs taken into consideration, for this enormous change. It tells us that NIA continues to ignore the community, devalues the work and opinion of their volunteers (PoCs and VG), and that this kind of dictatorial attitudes will continue... in the pursuit of the much talked 'Ingress financial sustainability'.
Thank you, @Claudija
Shame on you, Niantic. When will you learn to communicate instead of pulling the rug out from under your player base time and time again?
A great summary @Claudija.
Niantic, I do wonder what it will take for you to understand you have a serious communication problem. I've seen a number of posts recently which indicate you at least recognise a need to improve, and recent changes to OPR emails show you are taking feedback on board, however announcements like this send a very different message, specifically a lack of consultation and planning.
I think it's obvious from the comments within this thread, that no-one begrudges Niantics need to be financially viable. I am also very sure next to none of the player base have any real clue whatsoever of the financial pressures that necessitate these changes.
You are in a unique position, you have customers that actively want to help you find ways to make money, you have an awesome resource in the vanguards at your finger tips as a sounding board, you have this forum as a platform for wider consultation. Yet you make these decisions in isolation, and well you're now seeing the result.
so, what about some feedback from niantic about all this? the playerbase is waiting....
I have already given comment few pages back, but I wanted to give another one... that might get Niantic thinking...
Now if you really want to make money out of this game (which I am still not sure they actually wanted with this last action, my suspicion is that you wanted to get rid of us players, so that they won't need to pay for infrastructure anymore), there is easy solution.
Give/sell us 1 year licence for Redacted. I am sure that at least 50% of players would be willing to pay 15 $/year to be able to keep the old scanner, at least for next year (and if you manage to fix Prime in the meantime, maybe some agents would be willing to switch)...
Now I know that this would require some fixes on Scanner:
I think this is win-win scenario for you Niantic... You get the money, and we keep the good (Redacted) scanner
+1
First off, I don't mind spending money to pay for a anomaly ticket.
But, I have been playing ingress for a few years and have attended more then a few anomalies, and living in the EU having a credit card is not a commen thing.
Having to beg to use somebody else their credit card just to buy a pack is a hassel. Its been adressed way to many times at NL1331e events over the years already for us to stop begging for alternative payment methods.
To give a personal example: to attend the next series of anomalies I would have to beg a friend to fill in his credit card details into my phone or go to the bank to get a credit card plan just to use for your ticketing service. We simply don't use credit cards, and I'm sure there are many other places facing the same issues.
What makes me sad is seeing the 2$ fee, because there are many payment services that charge less per transaction and offer more payment options.
@Claudja find me in Dresden. I will buy you a beer. Thank you very much.
Redacted? I would pay 30!
Me too... I guess you will be drunk 🤣
Local authorities and the council are being advised that the event has been changed to a paid event in Newcastle for the upcoming anomoly. Local police will be shutting it down as the event will burden the city, without addressing the fiscal responsibilities resulting. The main concerns of Newcastle Council will be the clean water reg, security, paramedic tent and fees regarding waste management. Not to mention the fees they are missing out on.
If anyone thinks this is going to blow over, IT IS NOT. Australia takes this stuff seriously. Like, we charged Johnny Depp. What do you think NCC is going to do to you? Just say 'she'll be right ****'? Good luck, you are going to end up regretting this short term
Me and my wife too. You will be sowas vong drunk 🙈😂😍
Thanks so much Claudija and to those involved in this write up, great info and ideas brought up.
I would love to see us as players stand together in making our voice heard in making a change. Heck maybe even a boycott of an anomaly (maybe not this one as people have made non refundable payments for flights/accommodation etc.). Then again maybe Nia will have made changes by then, maybe lol.
We will have beers. That's not even up for discussion. I wasn't drunk at the last anomly.
+1
How do you not understand that Redacted is dead tech?
as a smurf I'm on @claudijas side!!!!
Great post! I 100% agree.
I have the vacation approved and travel booked. I will reluctantly pay, but I am boycotting the character cards which I usually go all in on. So Niantic will actually get less from me than the would have otherwise.
I'm a frog and I'm on your side! XF as it's best 😀
I fear the day when Niantic would simply pull the plug and turn this thing off. Why bother to pay some respect and gratitude to the thousands who willingly invested their personal resources to make this game what it is and in turn it helped build the foundations of pogo and wu? I guess we're not needed anymore but then I couldn't explain what's the nature of the field tests happening in a few hours. The comic sans guy might be right... should we help niantic with the test? Cheapest UAT ever.
The silence is deafening.
Don't be Evil, Niantic.
#boycottUmbra
+1
Agreed and signed.
100% Spot on.
I agree, what more can be said about greed. NAI is making banknote the other step children, ,leaving Cinderella at home look for spare batteries....( You fill in the blanks)....
Confused in Phoenix... @Icom4u
Bump +1
I totally agree with everything’s said. Well done and well written. Thank you.
niantic please don’t **** this game off, you can make your money and still allow us to have our fun with your game! There are better ways to implement money generation elements in this game.
Between all this pay-to-win **** and raised prices, indifference to cheat reports (Remy and automated/ outsourced help desk), killing the Trusted Reporter program, and shoving the game onto the Unity platform, I'd be surprised if Ingress even survives until the end of 2020. It was a great ride.