Honestly, I don't think the animated avatars should be allowed. They take too much time to load and could put certain people under risk of seizure. Plus, they are just generally unpleasant.
Now that they are in the game how would you propose HCS get rid of them and how would HCS compensate players who have them / paid fsp for them ? Big headache...no?
There is also the bigger picture here which unfortunately you do not have the foresight to see. The animated avitar is a new marketplace and has opened another avenue for players to make some FSP. With this being the case there may well be some players who have decided to stay with FS rather than quit as they are now able to make some much needed FSP because they can create and sell animated avi's.
Player retention is a good thing.....right?
To the first paragraph, you hit it on the nail when you said that it was my opinion. It was only a thought. I'm not calling a witch hunt out on animated avatars. I just generally don't like them.
To the second paragraph, this "marketplace" you speak of is actually quite a farce. It's taking away business from honest avatar makers who spends loads of time on their art. They sell them for around 3-10 FSP, which is quite reasonable for the work involved. But, these animated avatar makers sell theirs for.. I've seen it range from 25 to 50 FSP. Which is ridiculous. Half the time, they are a moving text slap. Ask anyone from the Graphics community how long it would take to make one.
Third, yes it is. But, earning FSP does not entail player retention. Its the community and content that matters.
Trust me, I spent tons of time making the Mentor System along with Zukira. That's what helps player retention.
/end rant.
Thank you for your reply, please allow me the courtesy to respond.
You say you are not calling for a *witch hunt* on animated avitars yet you suggested that they shouldn't be allowed. So what would you call it? You could try....Extermination.
Basically what you are calling for is a form of censorship on something that has no need to be censored unlike some bio's I could mention.....
So the creator's of animated avitars aren't honest, why? Have they found a sneaky animated avitar creator way of conning players out of FSP that I didn't know about? Taking business away from the static avitar maker is not dishonest its merely competition, the book Economics for Beginners may help you understand this.
If you don't like the product or the price is to high.....guess what, you don't need to buy it!
Finally, how do you know what does and does not entail player retention. How very naive you are to think that community and content is all that matters.
Q. "Hi there, heard you were quitting the game just wanted to let you know we have a great community and content want to stay?"
A. " No, can't afford too."
Q. "Hi there, heard you were quitting the game, want me to show you how to create *good* quality animated avitars so you can sell em and earn FSP to help your character?"
A. "Wow that be awesome, your the greatest wil72, I'm staying with FS."
I never said "earning FSP entails player retention. I made the suggestion that earning FSP would definitely help retain players I never suggested it guaranteed it. Yes FS is a game but players still live in the real world. Well at least I hope so.