Forum ads

[Navarre]

Yeah, I get both the Zoosk and the IMVU ads a lot. I presume I'd have to pay for either though?

[Alisha Mynx]

Yeah, I get both the Zoosk and the IMVU ads a lot. I presume I'd have to pay for either though?

I know next to nothing about Zoosk, but I assume you probably do have to pay.

IMVU has a free option with a few limitations on things to do but it isn't as bad as it sounds.  They have prepaid cards to get either subs or in-world cash (and come with bonuses you wouldn't get using credit or debit cards), but you don't NEED them.  You get 2,000 in-game cash when you sign up and there are a ton of free offers (most aren't worth it but they usually have a few "Watch this commercial" things that give a bit that adds up after watching a few) so you'd be able to get yourself out of the "Newbie look" pretty quickly either way.  They have a bunch of pre-made avatars to choose from when you register and you also get a decent little selection of clothes and items to start with, so the 2,000 in-game cash could get you a pretty decent start for your own look.  I'd suggest starting with skin and hair if you don't like the starter ones since they are the priciest and the things you'll most likely use most.

[Damascus]

No thanks on that front, I don't want to spend more time picking out an outfit for my online avatar than I do for myself.  And I absolutely refuse to pay for any kind of online microtransaction for clothes or crap like that.  It's not real and if I can pull that crap through my computer and wear it myself I will not pay for it.  It's like people spending real world money on Mafia Wars or Farmville, I mean seriously.  Maybe I'm biased since I have small kids and no money.

[Navarre]

Yeah, I don't want to spend my money on virtual encounters when the real ones are so much more fun. That would do me about as much good as clicking on the DeVry girl in the ad.

Major Spoilers Forum is free and very entertaining. I'm hoping to make a donation after I pay my taxes...if I have anything left after that.

[Alisha Mynx]

It's like people spending real world money on Mafia Wars or Farmville, I mean seriously.  Maybe I'm biased since I have small kids and no money.

Well I did say you start off with a bit of FREE cash, so you don't really have to spend any of your real money.

Also...   Not at all like Farmville.  Your clothes won't disappear because you didn't log in at just the right time to water them.   

There are only a few games I'll pay microtransactions for.  I don't have much money either, so it's rare when I do, but my rationalization is usually the game itself has a free option I use so the $5 or $10 I spend on it gives me something to keep me coming back and being entertained with it for a while.  Like with IMVU, I signed up during a special offer and got double what I paid for, then a bonus after a month.  With EQ2X (the free to play version of EQ2), I spent $15 (the same as one month sub) to unlock my preferred race and a class that I can play for free whenever I like instead of being stuck only being allowed to play for 30 days then being "locked" again (I don't play daily, so it's a better investment in the long term over the $15 monthly sub).

But really, it's just all entertainment.  It's not that much different than renting a movie or paying to go out to see a movie.  But it all boils down in the end to how happy you are with it. 

[Navarre]

But really, it's just all entertainment.  It's not that much different than renting a movie or paying to go out to see a movie.  But it all boils down in the end to how happy you are with it. 

Very true. Almost all of us spend some money on some form of entertainment.

For a couple of years I spent nothing on entertainment. Not a dime. I didn't have the dime to spare.

But then things got slightly better and I felt justified in spending the $10 a month on NetFlix. That has given me a lot of enjoyment as I finally got to see shows like Lost and many movies I couldn't see otherwise.

[Damascus]

I see your point, I do spend money on Netflix and the occasional rented movie at the store, which is ultimately not a purchase that I get to keep (usually).  I guess my hang-up with micro-transactions is most evident with console games like for the PS3 or the Xbox 360, I just paid $50-60 dollars for a game and they put a whole slew of micro-transactions available on the Marketplace.  If you wanted those things in the game, then put the damn things in there in the first place, or just do a free upload and put it in that way.  I don't want to buy a $60.00 game and then pay an additional $20-30 bucks just for extra options that should have been in the game anyway.  I'm fine if it's been months later and a full size (or at least a really decent sized) expansion is released online and you can just download it, much like Elder Scrolls: Oblivion's Shivering Isles and Dragon Age's expansion.  I at least feel like I'm getting something out of the deal there, unlike buying some freakin' horse armor.

[Navarre]

Stephen (or whomever knows), I've been clicking on these ads, letting it load the page it leads to, then closing.

Is that practice helping the forum in any way or am I just wearing down my mouse button?

[Web.Metz]

I usually have AdBlocker running at all times. For MajorSpoilers.com, I turned it off.

[schleicher12000]

You clicking the ads doesn't help the forums specifically, but rather all of Major Spoilers, and those that fund the running of the site who routinely dive deep into their private monies to make everything happen.

[Navarre]

In other words, I'm doing my part? Then, you're welcome!   

Seriously, thanks for answering that. I had every hope and intention of making a sizable donation to Major Spoilers as soon as my taxes were done. But you've read the Taxes thread and saw how that turned out.

But I'll keep clicking on ads.

I'm sorry I can't do more financially right now. I hope my over-active participation counts for something until my dollar bills add up again.

[Alisha Mynx]

I found Aywas by an ad on the main MS page.  Been having a LOT of fun with that.  I showed Navarre some of my pets, and I'm trying to find someone to make customs for me (I have no Photoshop skills whatsoever). 

I think it's become my new addiction for the time being, ha!