OP-ED: On Difficulty and such things.

1. Evolution of a game.
   Let me start with a preface here.   Any longer running online game tends to fall into this cycle.
   
   As games evolve people come and go, this is the nature of things.   Those that have been around a while often times will not recognize their beloved game after a couple generations.
   
   Older players often remember the "simpler times" (mind you older players could be any of the generations of the game, and could be recounting different levels as their "simpler time"). Often new content/features/changes will drive out long-time players that are "fed up" with the changes.   This in turn makes more room for the newbies,   ones who are indoctrinated into the current state of things.  As time goes on the newbies fall somewhere into the old-timer cycle.
   
   I think we are seeing this over and over,  in relation to Battle Pirates in the time I  have been playing there have been a ton of changes (retrofits added, ton's of hulls,  a few dominant technology cycles etc..)  I still only have a few decent fleets as I will not coin them.  But this has left me behind the 8-ball for most raids(build a set for the raids, by the time it's done they change up the "working" strategies and it is obsolete).
   
   This cycle will not change, as it is what game companies do to keep relevant.  Older players will always be frustrated with the new stuff,   new players will feel overwhelmed trying to get all the stuff the "older guys" have.
   
2. Difficulty will show the real coiners (Follow the money)
   This goes without saying I guess...  I was frustrated this raid seeing all the people that were oblivious to the current cost to be successful.  People bragging in comms about significant others being upset with the credit card bill,  as if this was a good thing..  This was just to aquire the technology from the raid, not even to build it.
   
   The increasing difficulty, and reduction of the point payout these past few raids has pushed people...   The "whale" coiners are going all out and spending like it doesn't matter.  While people with budgets are squeezed for every penny.   What I am seeing is these whales are contributing so much every time things get harder Kixeye see's this as a win and continues on.  Why should they do any different?  Don't get me wrong I appreciate being able to play the game,   and these guys enable me to do so.
   
   But are they getting to big for their business?
   
   There is no doubt they are earning a pretty penny as the result of their games.  But where is the money going?  From what we're seeing with the Greta issue (and doublespeak) it is not going into ensuring things are resolved BEFORE the user base finds it.
   
3. If you Create it they will coinThis has been proven every month... I'd be interested to see the stats on how many people coin the new tech during the raid/event.. There are always people hitting bases with brand new fleets, or refitting weapons onto existing hulls.  This does add up and is a real cost to the player, and a massive profit boost for Kixeye.  (And the reason they won't skip a raid...)
   
4. How to get change
   It has been said over and over (even by robot),  if you want to see changes do not participate in the mess that is being created.
   The answer is simple
   Stop PAYING them to make things harder for you...
   
   • Stop coining ever more difficult raids no matter how shiny the pixels are
   • Stop coining the ever-increasing repair bill for ships
   • Stop coining new tech as soon as it hits your blueprint list..


5. Why it will never work
   People are addicted to video games...  This is a known fact and it is exploited by companies all around the world.   Can't say it's all their fault as most people would do this given the opportunity.  But even though Logic dictates something,  doesn't mean us emotional creatures will actually pay attention.
   Those that want the best stuff will continue to pay for it, even though it is fleeting and can be taken away at any given moment (Via ban's,  or stat changes after the fact..).  
   
6. Right to leave
   We have made our bed ... and must sleep in it.   We have encouraged and fostered the current environment of the game.   Routinely people complain on the forums and get ignored..  This will not change as they know the majority of players never grace the forums with their presence.  Those that do however are often ill-behaved, or troll.   And as I saw a mod post previously  everyone has a right to leave if they don't like it (http://meatballwiki.org/wiki/RightToLeave).
   
   The consensus is "if you don't like it, then move on.".
   
7. Final ThoughtsWe as a player base are being boiled alive as time goes on,  cycles of stronger tech then stronger targets permeate.  There is some balance there(as people creaming dredges with the new hull/weapon shows)  but getting through the muck to get there is the issue.  People tend not to care about the future as much as the right now.
   
   It does not seem like the game is growing as much as they would like (I see ton's of people who have quit by lvl 5  in various sectors I have been in).  The current scheme seems to be taxing yourself into prosperity.    How much can you raise the cost of playing(for the whales who support the game) before they walk away.   Numerous friends I have encountered have stopped playing, and I am sad to see them go.   The question in my mind is how much longer will I be able to take it?  I almost walked away with these dredge fleet changes.

Thoughts/Comments/Questions feel free to post in the comments section