Sun Jul 04, 2004 5:13 pm
Ha, reading through this topic has only made me even more happy that I outgrew playing Neopets a long time ago.
I still get on the site to use the lab ray (I'm one of those who zaps pets til they're painted then puts them in the pound) and get on the boards sometimes (though it pains me to see the rampant stupidity that goes on there), but the actual game of raising Neopoints and all of that stuff has completely been erased from my list of things that are important in life.
I agree with shroomy when she said that spending twelve hours in front of a website and being that addicted is enormously unhealthy. It's just like someone who watches television twelve hours a day or plays with their X Box twelve hours a day.
People allow Neopets to become such an obsession that they forget that it is JUST a WEBSITE and that those neopoints aren't real money, those pets aren't real animals, you're not actually beating someone up in the battledome, and you're not actually going on a valiant quest for a faerie queen. It's just a game, and it worries me when I see people who feel the need to spend hours upon hours upon hours of their life obsessively in front of their computer on the site.
So yes, I will agree that Neopets has its problems but complaining about something that you get to do for free is a waste of time. I personally think they could have (and maybe even should have) turned it into a pay site ages ago.
Can you imagine the turmoil that would cause?
And no, I didn't intend on insulting anyone who does spend most of their waking hours on Neopets. It's your life, and you're free to do what you want with it. But just like you have the right to say that there's nothing wrong with that kind of behavior, others such as myself are allowed to have a differing opinion.
I still get on the site to use the lab ray (I'm one of those who zaps pets til they're painted then puts them in the pound) and get on the boards sometimes (though it pains me to see the rampant stupidity that goes on there), but the actual game of raising Neopoints and all of that stuff has completely been erased from my list of things that are important in life.
I agree with shroomy when she said that spending twelve hours in front of a website and being that addicted is enormously unhealthy. It's just like someone who watches television twelve hours a day or plays with their X Box twelve hours a day.
People allow Neopets to become such an obsession that they forget that it is JUST a WEBSITE and that those neopoints aren't real money, those pets aren't real animals, you're not actually beating someone up in the battledome, and you're not actually going on a valiant quest for a faerie queen. It's just a game, and it worries me when I see people who feel the need to spend hours upon hours upon hours of their life obsessively in front of their computer on the site.
So yes, I will agree that Neopets has its problems but complaining about something that you get to do for free is a waste of time. I personally think they could have (and maybe even should have) turned it into a pay site ages ago.
Can you imagine the turmoil that would cause?
And no, I didn't intend on insulting anyone who does spend most of their waking hours on Neopets. It's your life, and you're free to do what you want with it. But just like you have the right to say that there's nothing wrong with that kind of behavior, others such as myself are allowed to have a differing opinion.
Sun Jul 04, 2004 11:43 pm
angelinabee wrote:So yes, I will agree that Neopets has its problems but complaining about something that you get to do for free is a waste of time. I personally think they could have (and maybe even should have) turned it into a pay site ages ago.
Can you imagine the turmoil that would cause?
Oh, but doing that would lose them their players, sadly. Plus, this opens up a whole new can of worms - One of which would be still about customer service. Me, I spend maybe 5 hours on the game site, most of which is while I'm working on my site, because without breaks, my brain would rot. Usually, I play pyramids or something that doesn't require much attention.
But, hey, it's just a game. I'd rather be playing CoH, which I lpay when I'm just goofing off.
I can actually meet people and chat with them once in a while.. Kind of like here
Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:03 am
Shroomy, once again, thank you for posting. It does sound like you are being overworked, anyone who has to put in a 12 hour work day (I've been there many times myself) obviously does not have an easy job. And I appreciate the time you've taken to post.
I do agree that spending 12 hours playing Neo or any other game is a bit much. I've gone through my total obsession time, spending up to 7 or 8 hours at a time on the site. I don't anymore. Sometimes I'm only on an account for 10 minutes - long enough to feed, play with my pets, get my interest and check in with my guild. And some of that is due to the problems I have with my hands these days...
But, I honestly think I would spend more time on the site (not the amount I used to - I'm just not that "addicted" anymore) if there weren't so many problems. We have constant maintenance pages, the glitches that keep on coming and are not addressed either before or after the fact. People are being unfairly frozen/warned for things they have not done. No, I'm not sitting at their computer watching them, but some of these things just don't add up. Add the autobots, the report happy people with access to the report this message all over, and well, you end up with unhappy people.
Then there is, as Mystique mentioned, the level of actual tension amongst the members of the site. It didn't used to be like this. Yes, most of us knew where to draw the line when it came to posting on the boards, etc. but we still helped each other and anyone we could and had fun and got to relax and forget the 'real world' while doing it -- and yes, there have always been the "bad eggs" - scammers, art thieves, beggers, etc. But there's alot more of the latter and alot less of the former.
Elsakoo's point is also excellent. This has become almost a vicious cycle between the members and the people who write/enforce the "rules". We understand and most want! a set of complete, understandable rules that we can abide by. And most of us understand that it's the relative few who refuse to follow the rules that make having even more rules put in place. However, and I don't know if you can somehow pass this on and get someone in the position to change this understand: We do not have a complete and full Terms and Conditions and we need one.
Like the multiple account rule. Most of us still don't know 100% what is and is not allowed. I know there's a good article here on PPT about multi accounts, but if you write to support asking a question on this, you may just get a completely different answer than that person, or 5 other people. So, someone ends up frozen for breaking a rule that is so vague that Support doesn't even fully understand it in order to give us a concrete answer.
And we really shouldn't have to be taking up Support's time with writing asking certain things. They should be listed, one under the other of every single thing allowed and not allowed - including the infamous "unwritten" rules. In real life, between having vague rules, conflicting answers from the people who should know (but aren't apparently being told) and the unwritten rules, being frozen would be something akin to entrapment. A complete, better T&C? More time for the overworked Support staff to deal with real issues/problems - like getting frozen account reports looked into thoroughly and unfairly frozen people unfrozen in a timely manner; game/tp/auction/neohome/bd glitches looked into and the problem/glitch passed on to the appropriate people and fixed, again in a timely manner. And less arguments on the boards, etc. when people claim something isn't a rule because it's not written or not written out fully.
Sorry for this, I have worked in customer service; I've worked with the public in different jobs; and I have worked in the legal field for many years. I am used to seeing and expect to see when a legal document is written, full and complete disclosure of that document, which the T&C claims to be.
So I'm not trying to bash you in any way whatsoever. I realize that none of this is your area and I appreciate what it is you do. Plus I'm totally jealous and in awe of anyone artistic. Even if I did complain about the new Kougra
As I said, I don't know who you could possibly talk to, but if there is any way to pass on how frustrated, confused, unhappy and yes, angry so many of us are these days. We DO love the site, otherwise we wouldn't complain - we'd just leave. We would like to see the site continue to grow and thrive in a positive way with happy staff and members. That is why we "jump in" when someone like you does post. We sometimes feel it is the only way we are ever heard by anyone at all.
I do agree that spending 12 hours playing Neo or any other game is a bit much. I've gone through my total obsession time, spending up to 7 or 8 hours at a time on the site. I don't anymore. Sometimes I'm only on an account for 10 minutes - long enough to feed, play with my pets, get my interest and check in with my guild. And some of that is due to the problems I have with my hands these days...
But, I honestly think I would spend more time on the site (not the amount I used to - I'm just not that "addicted" anymore) if there weren't so many problems. We have constant maintenance pages, the glitches that keep on coming and are not addressed either before or after the fact. People are being unfairly frozen/warned for things they have not done. No, I'm not sitting at their computer watching them, but some of these things just don't add up. Add the autobots, the report happy people with access to the report this message all over, and well, you end up with unhappy people.
Then there is, as Mystique mentioned, the level of actual tension amongst the members of the site. It didn't used to be like this. Yes, most of us knew where to draw the line when it came to posting on the boards, etc. but we still helped each other and anyone we could and had fun and got to relax and forget the 'real world' while doing it -- and yes, there have always been the "bad eggs" - scammers, art thieves, beggers, etc. But there's alot more of the latter and alot less of the former.
Elsakoo's point is also excellent. This has become almost a vicious cycle between the members and the people who write/enforce the "rules". We understand and most want! a set of complete, understandable rules that we can abide by. And most of us understand that it's the relative few who refuse to follow the rules that make having even more rules put in place. However, and I don't know if you can somehow pass this on and get someone in the position to change this understand: We do not have a complete and full Terms and Conditions and we need one.
Like the multiple account rule. Most of us still don't know 100% what is and is not allowed. I know there's a good article here on PPT about multi accounts, but if you write to support asking a question on this, you may just get a completely different answer than that person, or 5 other people. So, someone ends up frozen for breaking a rule that is so vague that Support doesn't even fully understand it in order to give us a concrete answer.
And we really shouldn't have to be taking up Support's time with writing asking certain things. They should be listed, one under the other of every single thing allowed and not allowed - including the infamous "unwritten" rules. In real life, between having vague rules, conflicting answers from the people who should know (but aren't apparently being told) and the unwritten rules, being frozen would be something akin to entrapment. A complete, better T&C? More time for the overworked Support staff to deal with real issues/problems - like getting frozen account reports looked into thoroughly and unfairly frozen people unfrozen in a timely manner; game/tp/auction/neohome/bd glitches looked into and the problem/glitch passed on to the appropriate people and fixed, again in a timely manner. And less arguments on the boards, etc. when people claim something isn't a rule because it's not written or not written out fully.
Sorry for this, I have worked in customer service; I've worked with the public in different jobs; and I have worked in the legal field for many years. I am used to seeing and expect to see when a legal document is written, full and complete disclosure of that document, which the T&C claims to be.
So I'm not trying to bash you in any way whatsoever. I realize that none of this is your area and I appreciate what it is you do. Plus I'm totally jealous and in awe of anyone artistic. Even if I did complain about the new Kougra
As I said, I don't know who you could possibly talk to, but if there is any way to pass on how frustrated, confused, unhappy and yes, angry so many of us are these days. We DO love the site, otherwise we wouldn't complain - we'd just leave. We would like to see the site continue to grow and thrive in a positive way with happy staff and members. That is why we "jump in" when someone like you does post. We sometimes feel it is the only way we are ever heard by anyone at all.
Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:14 am
well, some of us play games to pass time, some play their games with a certain goal in mind and some simply play to win. that's why this argument would never reach a conclusion because we are all on different frequency. that's why you get uber rich neopets players with super pets and players with only 2+m over 2 years like my cousin's mother-in-law. she is an elderly lady who basically logs in every day to do freebies and play a bit of game. if her account gets frozen, i am sure she can take it easy. if i am like her, i can sure take it easy too, coz she plays the site purely for passing time. 2m np is a side-product to her coz even if it gets glitched away, it doesn't affect her objective. as for me, i have experienced both feelings b4, as a competitive player and a casual one so i can say, it has nothing to do with having a life or not. some neomillionaires don't necessary spend 12 hours per day to be that rich; they are just more focused on their goals and thus more resourceful. they do still have a life but they also want their enjoyment to be undisrupted WHEN they are playing.
Mon Jul 05, 2004 12:26 am
Mystique wrote:well, some of us play games to pass time, some play their games with a certain goal in mind and some simply play to win. that's why this argument would never reach a conclusion because we are all on different frequency. that's why you get uber rich neopets players with super pets and players with only 2+m over 2 years like my cousin's mother-in-law. she is an elderly lady who basically logs in every day to do freebies and play a bit of game. if her account gets frozen, i am sure she can take it easy. if i am like her, i can sure take it easy too, coz she plays the site purely for passing time. 2m np is a side-product to her coz even if it gets glitched away, it doesn't affect her objective. as for me, i have experienced both feelings b4, as a competitive player and a casual one so i can say, it has nothing to do with having a life or not. some neomillionaires don't necessary spend 12 hours per day to be that rich; they are just more focused on their goals and thus more resourceful. they do still have a life but they also want their enjoyment to be undisrupted WHEN they are playing.
Mystique, I agree 110%! Especially with the undisrupted enjoyment part. As I said in my post, I do think I'd spend more time than I presently am on the site if I wasn't confronted with all the glitches and maintenance pages - that red pteri, refresh, 502, 590, 404 error pages are all too regular lately.
I guess also I don't have a real goal or motivation at the moment, as most of the items for my gallery that I really want are retired or just ub. Don't have a million+ for just a rainbow evil fuzzle, let alone everything else (dusty magic broom, etc.).
And I can't play games with my hands the way they are anymore, I'm using my voice program to "type" here.
Yes, I use my shop on my main account, but I've been losing things lately -- things are bought, shows up in history, but no np, so I'm out a couple hundred thousand at the moment. So I haven't been stocking it lately.
Come fall when many people are back in school during the day? I will probably get back into being on the site longer, maybe try one or two games even if it means taking a couple hours rest between games for my hands. We shall see!
Mon Jul 05, 2004 8:31 pm
I'm disappointed with neopets' policies and their responses or rather the lack of it. Their policy is guilty until proven innocent and without having your rights being read or any trials, your pets are thrown into the freezing dungeons. Some of you are lucky enough to get an automated mail, I don’t even get one.
I was allegedly using the autobuyer program. If not of ppt, I wouldn’t even know what I’ve been charged with. * Hugs ppt * Needless to say, I’m fighting to get it back. 4 years of stuffs down the drain in just a blink of an eye. I’m happy for TNT for taking a more serious look into such things, but at the same time I have my doubts on how they go about doing it. I’m a perfect example. With all the glitches and errors, why they are confident that the freezing is flawless is beyond me.
As I read an article of ppt where people encountered rude monitors, I just get more depressed. Is this the way they treat customers? By accusing them of being a liar and “resorted to name calling and accusations”? I’d been in the service industry before and anyone speaking like that to a customer would have been fired on the spot. If you report that your credit card number had been stolen and huge amounts credited to it, the bank wouldn’t accuse you of being a liar, instead they show concern. (Can anyone who knows who the rude monitors are PM me? So I can avoid them. Thanks)
Neopets is supposed to be fun, and used to be until scammers, cheats and hackers came along. TNT retaliated by freezing and imposing stricter rules and some bystanders got burnt as a result. It’s a vicious cycle. The root of these problems is actually these cheats and hackers. They caused this community to evolve into one filled with mistrust and suspicions. However, TNT is not completely off the hook either.
Their callous response in dealing with glitches shocked me. I only just know that there was a glitch whereby they show the email and your password. If it had not been reported here, I wouldn’t even have a clue. I know that they don’t want to cause widespread paranoid, but they also have a responsibility to their users to alert them to take measures and precautions.
Some may say “get over it”, but as Morningstar said we paid with our time. Personally, I’m very much attached to my neopet. I never thought that we will be separated… I should have continued on my long break from neopets. 4 years of law-abiding and this is where it gets me….
I was allegedly using the autobuyer program. If not of ppt, I wouldn’t even know what I’ve been charged with. * Hugs ppt * Needless to say, I’m fighting to get it back. 4 years of stuffs down the drain in just a blink of an eye. I’m happy for TNT for taking a more serious look into such things, but at the same time I have my doubts on how they go about doing it. I’m a perfect example. With all the glitches and errors, why they are confident that the freezing is flawless is beyond me.
As I read an article of ppt where people encountered rude monitors, I just get more depressed. Is this the way they treat customers? By accusing them of being a liar and “resorted to name calling and accusations”? I’d been in the service industry before and anyone speaking like that to a customer would have been fired on the spot. If you report that your credit card number had been stolen and huge amounts credited to it, the bank wouldn’t accuse you of being a liar, instead they show concern. (Can anyone who knows who the rude monitors are PM me? So I can avoid them. Thanks)
Neopets is supposed to be fun, and used to be until scammers, cheats and hackers came along. TNT retaliated by freezing and imposing stricter rules and some bystanders got burnt as a result. It’s a vicious cycle. The root of these problems is actually these cheats and hackers. They caused this community to evolve into one filled with mistrust and suspicions. However, TNT is not completely off the hook either.
Their callous response in dealing with glitches shocked me. I only just know that there was a glitch whereby they show the email and your password. If it had not been reported here, I wouldn’t even have a clue. I know that they don’t want to cause widespread paranoid, but they also have a responsibility to their users to alert them to take measures and precautions.
Some may say “get over it”, but as Morningstar said we paid with our time. Personally, I’m very much attached to my neopet. I never thought that we will be separated… I should have continued on my long break from neopets. 4 years of law-abiding and this is where it gets me….
Mon Jul 05, 2004 9:18 pm
I can't complain, I've never been frozen in almost 4 years, just don't do anything that makes you look suspicious and don't even talk to scammers
Mon Jul 05, 2004 9:22 pm
Arka wrote:My opinion is that we play for free. I don't feel that we have a right to demand anything.
We can request, politely.
I aggree with this. People treat neopets as if they pay for it. I've been on for I think 50 months now and I haven't had any problems. I do get replys and often times personal ones from the staff.
I reckon a lot of people make statements about running the neopets buisness as if they have ran a similar one before. I just think it a little presumptuous to assume it's as easy as gettting new staff, or getting rid of sponsors/merchandise.
dbzlabrat wrote:We can play free, granted, but the fact is - we are paying them. Every pageview is another fraction of a cent added to their paychecks. And for this we should be respected more. Some of us waste over 12 hours a day everyday at ungodly hours on neopets. Then after years of this get frozen.
I think I have the right to complain.
You talk as if they are all millionares. Do you ever consider the cost for hosting and server maintenance of such a big website? It costs enough to pay for a small sites hosting ect.
I noticed you edited your post but still there lies the problem. If someone sent me an abusive/unpolite email at work I'm most likely to bin it. I loath rudeness and most people including neo staff do...
12 hours on neopets?
About the point skullsplitter made about spending a lot of time on the site. Yes you do need to spend a lot of time to get far but in moderation. I'd not let it take over to be honest.
Sorry to dig but I didn't notice this post untill today and wanted to reply to some things, Don't get mad!
Just read this:
ahoteinrun wrote:I remember reading somewhere that a year or two ago neopets income was I believe at least like 7 million dollars, and that was a couple years ago. THey're probably making twice that. And what about that big mcdonalds promotion? That had to earn them a lot of money!
Until you're in the company, looking at the books, and you have an insiders knowledge of whats going on, you don't have an argument. Because you don't have the information to back yourself up. Newspapers, and magazines can say a lot of things, but that doesn't make them true.
ahoteinrun has hit the nail on the head. Most of what I hear on here about neopets is completely made up. Just rumours. I can see why Shroomy wanted to come and clear things up. And so she should...