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View Full Version : I am so upset about the blatant and obnoxious gem traps



km56422
01-19-15, 08:47 PM
I love this game. I LOVE it. That's why this is so upsetting.

I don't know if it's due to my fat-finger syndrome or my phone's screen losing sensitivity (it's about a year old now), but I started off this morning with 47 gems. Now I have 11, and I DIDN'T INTENTIONALLY SPEND ANY OF THEM. Because the game takes so much memory, it's consistently a split second behind my finger, and if I'm not excruciatingly careful, I can easily accidentally hit "speed up" on any of my buildings or animals or crops or plants, even though I am a patient soul and would never choose to "speed up" anything...part of the challenge, and therefore fun, of the game is having to wait for things to come to completion.

I had 15 gems five minutes ago. I was completing the goal where you have to plant 5 plants around Ivy's house site. I planted 3, went back to hit "Plant" again, and somehow, even though my finger was only slightly to the right of "Plant" and nowhere near "Skip (for 4 gems)," a check mark planted itself next to the goal, and my gem count went from 15 to 11.

I am so frustrated with this. I have been a Teamlava customer for a year now and have spent quite a bit of money (I'm talking the largest gem package at a time) on my other account between Restaurant Story, Bakery Story, and Pet Shop Story. I know that my post will make no difference, that Teamlava will continue to intentionally screw over their loyal paying customers, but I need to vent to a community who will understand my woes.

I probably won't stop playing because I enjoy the games too much, but I will never again spend a dollar on gems. I'm sick of losing them because I hit the wrong button.

Please don't get me wrong. Again, I love the games. Love them. They're well developed and challenging and beautifully designed and I can spend all day on them if I'm not careful. But this malicious gem trap business just to squeeze an unintentional dollar's worth out of your customers at a time is not just an unethical business practice, it's a good way to alienate your long-term customers who would probably spend much more money on these games if they weren't afraid of being swindled out of their hard-earned cash.

And I do understand that these wonderful games are otherwise free, and I am thankful for that. But there are a number of people who spend a lot of money here.

There is a middle ground: Offer a premium account option (monthly fee) with NO GEM TRAPS.

/end diatribe. Apologies if this was an inappropriate rant, but I'm sure some of you, at least, can relate.

idrispad
01-20-15, 12:15 AM
Don't bother complaining about it as TL don't care. Only the players care.

I've played other games where they bowed to player pressure and added in a confirmation button so higher is absolutely no reason at all it can't be added here. Other games have also refunded in game currency as a good will gesture but there so a no hint of similar good will here.

jbfps116
01-20-15, 12:31 AM
I feel your pain. I've gone through some sad gem losses but I've learned from them. I now almost never lose gems I'm so careful... in fact I accidentally sold my 80000 magic mirror for like 16000!! I was so mad but at least I can buy it back again. when you're editing, be VERY VERY careful not so sell things that can NEVER be gotten again!!!
I have a policy of never keeping gems on hand, use them as soon as I get them, but lately I've had around 300 gems for a long time and haven't lost any... idk, good luck to everyone

jopik
01-20-15, 05:09 PM
Welcome to the Gem Trap Cub :((((((((((((((

EBJW
01-20-15, 10:44 PM
It frustrates lots of players..... :(
And it's a reason why many refuse to pay for gems.

2 tips, hopefully they'll help in some occassions (they do help me):
- zoom in
- when you see you accidently hit the gem-button click as fast as you can on the edit-button (bottom right). That stops all actions at once.

chaben7
01-21-15, 04:46 PM
I've also fallen into this gem trap and what I now do is go into edit mode when moving round my kingdom which does seem to help. I play BS and RS and in both these games they ask if you want to spend the gems when you tap my mistake SO WHY TL CAN'T YOU DO IT IN CASTLE STORY. Sorry for shouting but it is frustrating and I will never buy gems until this is fixed

Seriously700
01-21-15, 06:11 PM
It amazes me that it is a viable business model to repeatedly play 'gotcha' on your customers, leaving them feeling swindled. But I am definitely guilty of enabling that business model. Even after getting very badly burned in a gem trap, I returned to buying gems again after a couple of months of stewing about it. Since getting badly burned a second time, I have now joined the ranks of those who have vowed not to spend a penny more on Team Lava games until they either implement a gem confirmation button, or at least implement a customer service policy that reverses these inadvertent purchases.

[S8] Elsa
01-22-15, 10:37 AM
Thank you for sharing your feedback. If you have a question about your account, please email support@teamlava.com.