Looking for advice from experienced game participants

[The Right Honorable One]

Evening all!

I'm kinda new to all this however my current employment is boring as he'll and narcos has been helping me through the dull and opaque hours that make up my business day.

When I arrived here on the forum to seek out a cartel I was very shocked, to say the least, at what I've read thus far.

I feel somewhat concerned that my hand had already reached for my wallet when I considered before doing so, it may be best to check out what the general consensus is, before actually parting with any money.

I understand that this type of gaming business model can only thrive with paid for players. I noted many, what I would consider fools, spending real cash for in game dollars on free poker games where there is no chance to withdraw any money. Thus the desire to rule seems like the nerve these people like to exploit.

I for one simply enjoy the occasional hour here and there. Would you guys be so kind as to leave some advice on whether or not I should spend a few pennies to further my progress?

Judging by what I've read so far it seemingly would be a mistake but then I may not be getting the full story.

And can anyone tell me why the game owners do not promote this forum. It was pretty tough to find actually.

Thanks so much everyone in advance or your replies. I will be most grateful

 

[Chino]

The choice is up to you to spend or not. The problem is once you start spending the offers increase incrementally and do not go down unless you stop spending for a couple of weeks (Note: people have forgotten we were supposed to be getting a variety of offers but that has stopped). You can enjoy this game without spending but it is no doubt a pay to win structure once you attain higher levels, especially with the amount of resources and time to upgrade structures and training camp items without using gold. In my opinion the last couple of updates have been a complete money grab by FTX. Why would the game owners promote this forum when legitimate solutions offered by players that would benefit all parties FTX, non paying players and premium players are basically ignored.

 

[CRABNUTZ]

Money spent on this game is all relative to ones personal means / entertainment budget. You could spend virtually nothing, and still maintain competitiveness into the 30's and even low 40's. Want to rise through the ranks and someday compete in a top cartel? That will necessitate spending thousands. Want the game to be solely a pastime at work, but still equip yourself with enough tools to clear your map in a reasonable amount of time? Spend $20-50 a month or less, and stop growing around level 45.

 

[Thamer]

Here are some tips:

- If you decide to spend, don't waste the gold on:
* Buying resources
* Unnecessary speedup
* Level 3/5 or less talents
* Chests

- Carefully pick the right talents cause that will impact how to aquire resources fast and easy. (Missiles, Firebombs)

- Skim through the forum threads for valuable tips like this THREAD

 

[lobsterboy]

I spent about $75 CDN / $65 USD early on in the game but only because I felt like FTX deserved my money for what I thought was a well developed game, even if 90% of it was copied from Supercell's Boom Beach. I stopped spending 4 months ago. I am still progressing almost effortlessly but I spend a lot of time planning my next moves, when I have time to clear my map, when to shield, etc. I have 5 kids, a wife who is in law school, and a busy life myself but I still manage to get the job done without spending. I have earned 18,000 honest gold from the offer wall and this is going to keep me in business for some time. I enjoy the game and don't have a lot invested. You will see lots of negative feedback on this forum, mostly from people who have a lot of personal money invested and are beginning to feel like they are being milked. I am not happy with the current state of the game but I enjoy playing and I enjoy wars with the people in my cartel. I never got taken for more than I feel comfortable spending and don't plan to. I take my gaming efforts seriously but, in the end, it is a game and a game that isn't worth much of my hard earned money in it's current state.

 

[Julio]

Everything that has been posted above is good advice. Having started a second account that I consciously limited to a single gold purchase to get an additional builder and a premium sicario (it was $0.99), I can honestly say I have enjoyed playing my second account more than the account that has plenty of gold spent on it. Why? Because at the lower levels, the game encompasses all of the things that made it great without all the crap that is causing it's downfall.

My main account is level 57, my second account is level 33. To compete at the higher levels, you need to spend significant gold to acquire the necessary talents to be a viable player as well as shields to protect your resources for significant upgrades. Most higher players have spent a lot of money to acquire talents, sicarios, resources (via shields), and now the latest debacle - skills. At the lower levels, you can progress in a consistent fashion and compete against other players without spending ANY gold. You can acquire useful talents albeit probably not 5/5 talents and you can settle for talents that are adequate although you might need to fuse sicarios a couple of times and it takes a while to acquire the necessary sicarios to do this.

I have no problem progressing and won't for the foreseeable future. What I find humorous at this point, is that at these lower levels, there is a small percentage of players who have obviously spent hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to create a near perfect base or attack squad with all of the necessary talents, skills, and premium sicarios. I just laugh, press find another, and move on, knowing that these players are doing exactly what FTX wants them to do. Spend a lot of $$$ to be able to trample other players. I went down this path on my first account; with my second one I will progress using my wits not my wallet.

The sad thing is, this is a beautifully designed game that is fun and addictive that is being exploited by FTX for short term gains versus a much more sustainable business model that creates raving fans, favorable reviews, and a broader player base that generates more income for the company.

 

[The Right Honorable One]

Thanks for the insights guys. Do people really spend 1000s on this? That seems unreasonable that the game owners could run such a model. It would seem a far more profitable avenue (to me at least) if they made the game affordable to the masses rather than pray on a few would be big wigs as it were. Money really isn't the issue for me but rather being taken for a fool. It's incredulous to think that they could deem it reasonable that all long term players should have to part with sums that could feed starving families for months and years in 3rd world countries.

Hmmmm I appreciate your detailed replies. Especially the link to the thread provided. I think I will opt out of the pay to play theme and see where it gets me. I can always pass the time with poker though where I am based gambling is illegal so only the free to play kind.

Many thanks and any other comments are welcome. Onwards and upwards chaps

 

[neispavani5]

I am lvl 51 and i havent bought an offer about the same time they introduced skills.
But to play at this lvl and be good, which means that you can clear your map without having to press find other, you need to buy offers.
The developers are making us spend more and more.
And it will be like that in the future.
5/5 talents(bombs, missles) and now flash.
Skills, mainly flashbang and ground defense
And now veteran sicario.
All cost gold...

 

[MrBakoBullyz]

Level 48 & I've spent alot of money probably not as much as others. But I see to compete at level 50 have to spend more $$$...I plan on stopping leveling up once all my squads & Helipad reach level 20...takes too much resources to do so I can only imagine what it would take to level up past level 50...money grab after level 45.

 

[His lordship]

I've been playing the game for 1 year and have spent in the region of £50 - £60. I'm currently level 53 and finca is about to be level 22. If you're patient and think about what you're doing, you can progress and compete.

I haven't bought any gold for a long time, as you can earn enough through the free gold playing other apps, and also from various ways to earn it in the game. After you have sicarios you're happy with, most gold gets spent on shields for upgrades, along with sometimes speeding up crafting gear (the rank 6 and 7 take long time to craft).

As example, the finca upgrade I have just done required a 1 day shield because I timed it to coincide with a war win and clearing my map. Also resist temptation to collect the loot from your trucks when they arrive. Just let it build up during a day.

Use the raid events to collect chests and skillsets. Don't buy them.