There is a saying. If something looks like a duck, acts like a duck and sounds like a duck, it is a duck.
Now on tokens:
1)Does it look like a purchase?
Yes, because you always get tokens in exchange. There is no precedent that tokens were promised and later refused in exchange for real money. So let's not go theoretical what could be done, because it never was done.
2) Does it acts like a purchase?
Yes, because you get something in return which gives you advantage over the other players in the game. Just as any MMO with microtransaction works.
3) Does it "sounds" like a purchase (in this case: what is the main motivation of the "donator")?
Yes, because 99% of the players send the money so they can get tokens for it.
4) Does it look like a donation?
No, because it expressly says that you will get tokens for every USD you send.
5) Does it acts like a donation?
No, because you get something which gives you an advantage in the game.
6) Does it "sounds" like a donation?
No, not at all, because the main motivation is not charity but getting something in return.
Let me say, I have no issue with calling it donation. It is necessary so this project can live on, otherwise the authorities would shut PWO down in no time. But please, at least among us let's not be pharisaicals and hypocrites and let's admit it: the whole token system is nothing else than microtransaction and the devs have no other choice but keeping it that way, otherwise. Why do we have to do the whole farce and galanty show and act like it would be anything else but what it is? PURCHASE. Which is enforced even more by the fact, that there is no bookkeeping about the incomes. If it truly would be a donation, there should be a "donation meter" or something which indicates how much money the game needs to remain up and running in every month or year. But here players donate hundreds of dollars on a daily basis, and we don't know what happens to that money, but most likely there is always a surplus compared to the monthly cost of the server. What happens to that money? Nobody knows but Xan who is almost never around... Well... Let me not say anything more about this one right now.
If the devs would ever chose not to distribute tokens for real money any more, it truly would be donation, but I don't think it would happen in the near future.
Jinji said:
Should we choose to suspend giving out Tokens for any reason, or refuse to gift tokens for a particular transaction, this is perfectly within our rights as the receipt of the Tokens was never a contractual obligation.
Thanks, I think I understood the threat. Of course, it wasn't a threat 8)
CheckeredZebra said:
Zebby you still didn't give any good reason why would you play with peoples' money, time, and effort spent on this game. Those newcomers who always demand a reset are almost always try to support their case with the argument that they can't compete with the veterans who have this and that insanely valuable Pokes and how unfair it is. I think it's nothing else but jealousy. They know the way to get money and Pokemon, so why don't they do that? Why do they want to ruin others' hard work instead?
And I never ever said that any member of the current staff would be in this project for the money. Not that I know of at least.
For the record: I am NOT a veteran with many very valuable Pokemon (not with market value anyway, but with sentimental value - to me
), nor a massive donator who spends regularly serious money on PWO.
