Loooooong post from lurker incoming. Apologies in advance.
I started playing KKH waaaaay back in July 2014 after I read that famous Jezebel article. Over the years, I've taken two very long breaks from the game, but have always been drawn back by how much fun it is to play. In September 2018, I started playing again on my old secondary account (lost my first account) and was legitimately shocked by how expensive things have become—and how many features have been neglected in favour of a relentless focus on clothes, clothes, clothes.
I recognize I might be in the minority on this, but what I loved about the game wasn't the clothes; it was that it presented players with a fully-realized world filled with fun quests that were helped or hindered by your friends, allies, enemies and romantic prospects. The writing was always self-aware, and remarkable for its pithiness, wit and humour. The characters were unique and distinct, too—Simon's perennial sweet cluelessness, Maria's unswerving loyalty and anger issues, Willow's destructive narcissism, and the romantically bland, but appealing elusiveness of Cassio. The clothes were great because they were an awesome (and deserved) reward for completing tasks. Not the only goal.
But this game is increasingly becoming Covet Fashion with a Kim Kardashian skin. There have been many days where I've thought, "if I wanted to play Covet, I'd be playing Covet."
I don't like the SYS events. At all. I like Trendsetters even less. The only reason I participate at all is because of FOMO and because I might net a k-star or an energy bolt if I vote for enough rounds. But this entire event brings out the absolute worst in me. Everyone is my competition. The hands-on-their-hips smiley pose of the dolls ahead/behind me looks like a gloating sneer. I get stressed. Sometimes I buy tickets. And sometimes I win. But win or lose, I can't even dress my dolls in the TS prizes because they don't have happy memories. I don't think "I really nailed that last TS!"; they are a series of "that's the time I lost to the doll who bought 16 tickets on the last day", "that's the outfit I won after I beat the doll who submitted outfits like a blind man firing an AK-47" moments. So why play at all? FOMO.
And now that I've seen hacked games with unlimited SYS tickets on FB, I'm very frustrated and disappointed. If there is a hack going around, the situation isn't going to get better. More legitimate games will get shut out of prizes and more cheaters will have more of *everything* than legit players ever will. Before, hacked games were stealing from Glu. And despite knowing that their shenanigans meant that paying players were, in effect, subsidizing their behaviour, it felt less real to me. But now they are stealing from us too, in ways we can actually see. It feels pretty real now. Their win means they've prevented a legal player from getting items that are in very limited supply. If Glu cannot guarantee that Trendsetters is—and will remain—hack-proof, then I hope they will reconsider how the prizes are awarded.
Here's what I'd like to see:
1100 pt Earnable Threshold, 1300 pt Trendsetter Threshold Keep the regular 1100 earnable threshold for the first four SYS prizes, then award the full set of TS prizes if you reach 1300. This makes it achievable to get everything for free if your looks are good enough. And if you can't achieve it for free, then you can buy tickets to help push you to 1300 pts.
If Glu wants more SYS/TS, give us more storylines, more locations, more houses, more businesses, more achievements. I'm a gold VIP, buy the SMCs, play SYS and buy SYS tickets (even though I dislike the entire thing intensely). I play the game as Glu wants me to—unhacked, and dumping loads of $$ into it. I would be a lot more supportive of SYS and TS if Glu would at least *pretend* to be dedicating some resources into maintaining/improving the Quality of Life aspects of the game. At this point, the game feels like a restaurant that opened up a gambling den in the basement and all the food is rotting in the fridge upstairs. For example, "Real Run Ins 8" was the max achievement when I stopped playing the game in 2016.
We give KKH a lot of our time, energy and love. I'd like to see some—not all, but SOME—of it returned with a few QoL improvements that show Glu's loyalty to players and more importantly, to their original vision of a fun, addictive, positive and utterly unique gaming experience.
I understand Glu is a business, not a charity, and that the game can only continue if they can generate enough revenue to keep it going. But if you give us a little, we will give you a lot more in return—more money, more time, more appreciation. At least, I will.
If anyone made it to the end of this long-ass post, thanks! (And I'm sorry it was so long).
Thank you for coming forward. It's hard taking the step from observer to participant. Thank you, and Welcome, even though you're not new, it's the first time we're speaking. so Hi!
Thanks for sharing, you made some excellent points. Glu is always working to shut down games not in compliance. And they are also always working to develo new aspects of the game for us. Again, welcome.
If you are having trouble DO NOT UNINSTALL THE GAME! 🦋Purple Headed ♊+ 🥥 Chick Playing iOS & Android 🦋 I Am NOT a Glu Employee 🌟If you want my attention please send a dm 💜Vats 💜#VipKalinda
Comments
I started playing KKH waaaaay back in July 2014 after I read that famous Jezebel article. Over the years, I've taken two very long breaks from the game, but have always been drawn back by how much fun it is to play. In September 2018, I started playing again on my old secondary account (lost my first account) and was legitimately shocked by how expensive things have become—and how many features have been neglected in favour of a relentless focus on clothes, clothes, clothes.
I recognize I might be in the minority on this, but what I loved about the game wasn't the clothes; it was that it presented players with a fully-realized world filled with fun quests that were helped or hindered by your friends, allies, enemies and romantic prospects. The writing was always self-aware, and remarkable for its pithiness, wit and humour. The characters were unique and distinct, too—Simon's perennial sweet cluelessness, Maria's unswerving loyalty and anger issues, Willow's destructive narcissism, and the romantically bland, but appealing elusiveness of Cassio. The clothes were great because they were an awesome (and deserved) reward for completing tasks. Not the only goal.
But this game is increasingly becoming Covet Fashion with a Kim Kardashian skin. There have been many days where I've thought, "if I wanted to play Covet, I'd be playing Covet."
I don't like the SYS events. At all. I like Trendsetters even less. The only reason I participate at all is because of FOMO and because I might net a k-star or an energy bolt if I vote for enough rounds. But this entire event brings out the absolute worst in me. Everyone is my competition. The hands-on-their-hips smiley pose of the dolls ahead/behind me looks like a gloating sneer. I get stressed. Sometimes I buy tickets. And sometimes I win. But win or lose, I can't even dress my dolls in the TS prizes because they don't have happy memories. I don't think "I really nailed that last TS!"; they are a series of "that's the time I lost to the doll who bought 16 tickets on the last day", "that's the outfit I won after I beat the doll who submitted outfits like a blind man firing an AK-47" moments. So why play at all? FOMO.
And now that I've seen hacked games with unlimited SYS tickets on FB, I'm very frustrated and disappointed. If there is a hack going around, the situation isn't going to get better. More legitimate games will get shut out of prizes and more cheaters will have more of *everything* than legit players ever will. Before, hacked games were stealing from Glu. And despite knowing that their shenanigans meant that paying players were, in effect, subsidizing their behaviour, it felt less real to me. But now they are stealing from us too, in ways we can actually see. It feels pretty real now. Their win means they've prevented a legal player from getting items that are in very limited supply. If Glu cannot guarantee that Trendsetters is—and will remain—hack-proof, then I hope they will reconsider how the prizes are awarded.
Here's what I'd like to see:
1100 pt Earnable Threshold, 1300 pt Trendsetter Threshold
Keep the regular 1100 earnable threshold for the first four SYS prizes, then award the full set of TS prizes if you reach 1300. This makes it achievable to get everything for free if your looks are good enough. And if you can't achieve it for free, then you can buy tickets to help push you to 1300 pts.
If Glu wants more SYS/TS, give us more storylines, more locations, more houses, more businesses, more achievements.
I'm a gold VIP, buy the SMCs, play SYS and buy SYS tickets (even though I dislike the entire thing intensely). I play the game as Glu wants me to—unhacked, and dumping loads of $$ into it. I would be a lot more supportive of SYS and TS if Glu would at least *pretend* to be dedicating some resources into maintaining/improving the Quality of Life aspects of the game. At this point, the game feels like a restaurant that opened up a gambling den in the basement and all the food is rotting in the fridge upstairs. For example, "Real Run Ins 8" was the max achievement when I stopped playing the game in 2016.
We give KKH a lot of our time, energy and love. I'd like to see some—not all, but SOME—of it returned with a few QoL improvements that show Glu's loyalty to players and more importantly, to their original vision of a fun, addictive, positive and utterly unique gaming experience.
I understand Glu is a business, not a charity, and that the game can only continue if they can generate enough revenue to keep it going. But if you give us a little, we will give you a lot more in return—more money, more time, more appreciation. At least, I will.
If anyone made it to the end of this long-ass post, thanks! (And I'm sorry it was so long).
🦋Purple Headed ♊+ 🥥 Chick Playing iOS & Android 🦋
I Am NOT a Glu Employee
🌟If you want my attention please send a dm
💜Vats
💜#VipKalinda