The Problem with Gems.

[trackies.]

Far too many items can only be purchased using gems. And gems are nigh impossible to obtain unless you spend an exorbitant amount of real money. Too many of the gem-only items seem far superior to the regular items, and this only encourages me to think that TeamLava is much more concerned with earning a profit than providing for its users.

The most enjoyable part of Restaurant Story is the ability to design & decorate your own restaurant; to make it unique. But when the most colorful/interesting designs are gem-only items, it loses its fun! The variety of the regular items is slim and a quick browse through the community will show that most users are juggling with limited choice.

Furthermore, things like the Magic Chests and the Special Stoves/Grills/Ovens are just so expensive ($12 USD for a Forever Stove?). With that amount of money, I could buy almost twelve apps!

Let me be clear, though: I feel that all of TeamLava's games suffer from this issue. But I find with Restaurant Story, it is the most restricting.

Suggestions:
- Offer gem giveaways now and then. (I remember receiving a generous donation of gems for downloading Farm Story & City Story.)
- Offer special item giveways (like the special stoves or limited edition Halloween items) once users reach certain achievements. Perhaps from reaching the maximum mastery level of a dish!
- Give one or more gems (or items) per food mastery level.
- Allow users to purchase gems using coins.
- Turn Restaurant Story into a PAID app, asking only for a once-off payment.
- Especially keen players can have the option of purchasing a LARGE number of gems (50-100?) for a discounted price.

I really do enjoy this game but I find this to be the greatest setback. There really needs to be a way to earn gems (or do away with them altogether)!

[Unregistered]

I totally agree!

[Unregistered]

Hear, hear! Well said. I completely agree. Fantastic suggestions, too.

[Unregistered]

Agreed .

[Unregistered]

I totally agree!
- Ofrecer regalos joya de vez en cuando. (Yo recuerdo haber recibido una generosa donaci?n de joyas para la descarga de Granja Historia y Historia de la Ciudad.)
- Oferta especial giveways tema (como las estufas especiales o art?culos de edici?n limitada de Halloween) una vez que los usuarios alcanzar ciertos logros. Tal vez llegue al m?ximo nivel de dominio de un plato!
- Dar una o m?s gemas (o art?culos) por nivel de dominio de los alimentos.
- Permitir a los usuarios a comprar joyas con monedas.
- Gire a la historia en un restaurante aplicaci?n PAGADO, pidiendo solamente para el pago de una sola vez.
- Sobre todo los jugadores interesados pueden tener la opci?n de comprar una gran cantidad de joyas (50-100?) A un precio con descuento.

Yo realmente disfrutar de este juego, pero me parece que este es el mayor contratiempo. Realmente tiene que ser una manera de ganar las gemas (o acabar con ellos en total)!

[Unregistered]

Yes to all of the above!!

[Unregistered]

I also agree. Way to many pretty items cost gems, and a lot of gems too!
Also why did you change the orange tables and stools to gems when they used to be bought with coins? Not cool TeamLava!!

[Unregistered]

Yes, agree to all.

[Unregistered]

i agree with you 100% on everything!

one thing i was think that you said was buying gems with ingame money (coins). i find it hard as it is just making money so why not have it where 1gem= 100k-300k (more or less), just using those numbers as an example.

i was also thinking about foods....some foods take DAYS to make...so why not have it to where you cook something thats like 2-3days in the making and for every few handful meals you cook (example: stew takes 2 days to cook...so for every 100 strews you gain 1gem)...i'm just saying as ideas. it has to be hard to gain gems and it will be very challenging and fun :D. And teamlava wont lose money because there are tons of people who dont want to deal with all that and will just buy gems :P

i to would like to get colorful neat wallpapers and floors :)

[Unregistered]

they are not stupid they said is free and they rip u off, they make more money like this fooling people
if u were going to make people paid for all ur items with gems why make the game free? gems to buy coins wtf,
i looking forward for cafe world to come to I phone soon

[Unregistered]

they are not stupid they said is free and they rip u off, they make more money like this fooling people
if u were going to make people paid for all ur items with gems why make the game free? gems to buy coins wtf,
i looking forward for cafe world to come to I phone soon


How is cafe world any different? All the good stuff they're coming out with lately are all bought with cafe cash. Or they'll have it where the tables are bought with cafe cash and the chairs are bought with coins. I use to like redecorating because when the game first came out, it was an equal number cafe cash items and coin items. But now it seems like anything good has to be bought with cafe cash so they too are trying to rip you off every which way.

[ArJunaBug]

I just started playing this 4 days ago. I find it enjoyable and might have even dropped a few dollars to play. In looking around the game I realized there are a lot necessary items that can only be obtained with gems and gems are rare. Even crazier is the cost of the gems. When you convert the cost of items bought with gems to $$$ they are ridiculously priced. I just deleted the app so I don't wind up getting frustrated because there is no way I would spend more than $5-10 total on this game. It was apparent that $5-10 would have been peanuts. I don't know what this Team Lava company is thinking. Do they seriously think this pricing point is going to draw the most profit? I bet the smarter way would be to have a lite version and a $5 full version that requires no additional purchases. This game could go viral and make millions with a structure like that. The current scheme I am sure is drawing in peanuts.

[Unregistered]

Yes, I'd be more than happy to buy the paid version that doesn't require any additional purchases.

[Unregistered]

Suggestions:
- Offer gem giveaways now and then. (I remember receiving a generous donation of gems for downloading Farm Story & City Story.)

Check out Teamlava's Restaurant Story Facebook page. They are actually in the midst of a fun contest in which they are giving away gems.

[Chez Phillipe]

$120 for 580 gems?! Who is going to pay that kind of money?!

[Alyssa grace]

my problem with the gems is that it says I cannot purchase gems (I did one time) the message tells me ... You must purchase the app that this item is for before you can purchase the item. how can I purchase a free app? I resisted the gems for a long time but when then Halloween chest came along I couldn't resist. now I am just frustrated.

[Unregistered]

There are two events now where you can earn free Gems:

1. Question of the Day
2. Restaurant of the Week

:cool:

I still think you're kind of avoiding the overwhelming demand for more accessible (and larger amounts of) gems. And the complaint about the COST of gems.

While I think it's good that you have these events, what about the rest of the other practical suggestions people have offered here?

[Unregistered]

$120 for 580 gems?! Who is going to pay that kind of money?!

You'd be surprised... :| While browsing Restaurant Story's community, I've come across several highly decked out restaurants with just about every single gem item available. I guess some people are die-hard fans!

[Unregistered]

How about the ability to purchase just a couple gems or a few city cash. I have 20 city cash but only need 4 to get the amusement chest.

[Unregistered]

signed, make team lava hear us!

[Unregistered]

I was adding some more tables and orange stools and was shocked to see that they now require gems instead of coins. Why would they change it.? My whole restaurant is done with those orange stools and now I have tables with no seating. I'm going to delete my game. The fun is over for me.

[Scormsby]

Why master after two levels - the levels three and four give you pretty much nothing. Or at least change up the "item" at level four mastery... there are only so many of the same thing you can take. (I haven't gotten to four in Restaurant, that's just from experience in farm and city)
You really do need to look at the actual cost of things - charging 10bucks for one time items is a little crazy. I'd gladly pay 99c for your app if you'd just like to charge everyone...

[Unregistered]

Free app? They are very smart. I would bet they are making lots of money off this "free app"!
It's great fun but I refuse to buy gems as it is daylight robbery. You can buy coins with gems but not vice versa........ Is it just me or does that seem wrong to anyone else? Everything should have gem or equivalent coin price so if you chose to blow all your money on gems you can, but giving everyone else the option to purchase for in game cash. Or give option to purchase gems for coins, if $100,000 costs 100 gems then 100 gems should also be available to purchase for $100,000.
Winning idea but wise up Team Lava on these comments.

[Zlinda]

what happened to my gems? I didnt use them but all but 2 disappeared. Its been 2 days and no recovery.

[LisaDee]

I agree! Gems r too expensive. And what about the people that don't do facebook? R we left out in the cold on getting free gems? I have loads of coins and would buy gems with those if offered. That would be an incentive for some to keep playing just to earn enough to buy gems!

[Unregistered]

I have to say, love Restaurant Story, love Farm Story, hate the fact that u have to use real money to buy gems....these 2 games are my "fun" as a stay home Mom. I just can not justify spending that kind of money on something that isn't real!!....I will NOT buy gems, I will do what I can to earn them, and wish there were other ways to get them...would love to purchase them with game earned coin....oh teamlava, hear our cries!!!!....gems please

[sadic]

you know the middle class people (oh not one any more) politics aside. it takes some of us everything we make, our paychecks just to live. you make great games and fun, enjoyable a chance to forget work and build ur dream whatever your playing farm, restaurant. let us enjoy the games without us spending all of our hard earned money .u need to make money i know but ur making a ****ing. pls don't make game designers like oil co.,insurance, blay blay blay .think about it and help us who play ur games.

[sadic]

sorry i forgot my last line give us some gems.the unregistered above had the best idea to help!!!!! coins for gems 100 gems for 100,000 coins.