I've been reading all the posts in this topic as they've been happening. Thanks to Hylis for trying to explain all this.
Sadly though, I still don't really understand the reason behind all of this. I understand how it works. But I'm still left with the question of "Why?"
I don't understand why we need EPs in the first place. I mean inflation is bad in real life. But why is it bad in-game? And, is it even real?
I never experienced any problem with Coppers in TMUF. I never saw anyone over-charging for stuff on their ManiaLinks. And if I had, I just wouldn't have bought from them. Simple as that. The prices I paid for skins in 2008 on MLs were roughly the same as the prices I still see on MLs now.
What was wrong with the way Coppers were used and distributed in TMUF? Why does this new system have to be implemented? Was the monetary system in TMUF abused? Was it that Coppers lost their value over time because there were too many? I don't really think the abundance of Coppers caused much, if any, lack of value. If anything was to blame for a lack of value in Coppers, it was that you could get most anything that you wanted for free. Car skins, tracks, etc... via the use of 3rd party sites.
For the most part, the only thing I paid for with Coppers the last few years in TMUF was Nadeo services. Ladder servers, buddy slots, maniahome subscription, maniateam, etc.
That's all changed in ManiaPlanet though. I've started using Planets on player's MLs to buy lots of car skins from ManiaLinks. Plus, with the advent of Packs I now pay for content that is included in track and replay files... skins and mods.
Hylis is always asking us to express our feelings about things and not try to provide the answers or fixes ourselves. So I'm going to provide some of my feelings about this topic of Planet to EP conversion.
I think the problem I'm having with this system of converting Planets to EPs is that EPs are still perceived to be completely worthless. So instead of the conversion of Planets to EPs feeling like putting money in a bank... it feels more like those Planets were taken by force and flushed down the toilet. It feels like this is done only to ensure that I don't get too rich. Maybe it's not the purpose of the system, but it's how I feel when it happens. And I still get that gut feeling, even after reading all the replies in this topic.
So what will EPs actually be used for? How do they directly benefit me? I understand we'll possibly be able to convert some back to Planets someday? But then why convert them to EPs in the first place? EPs must have a tangible benefit to me beyond seeing who has the most.
Maybe some of these are "questions for later" as Hylis often likes to say.
I only fear that later will be too late.
If I were more involved these days I'd be even more upset about this. As it is, I feel a sort of vicarious pain for other members of the community. It can be very distressing and demotivating to suddenly lose some of the Planets that you're holding onto for your clan or for yourself. You might be planning to use these Planets for various events or server upgrades. And then you suddenly start losing them as they get converted to EPs. And this starts recurring every month. It doesn't take a genius to see that you'll eventually lose nearly all your Planets when they are converted to EPs. Okay, maybe not all your Planets, but enough to make a serious dent.
This is enough to demotivate me from ever thinking to use them as a prize for events ever again. And if I hosted a ManiaLink, the Planets I make from that ManiaLink will eventually get mostly converted to EPs. So why should I keep my ManiaLink open? What incentive do I have if the Planets I make from selling things on it are converted into EPs which I can't use for anything? What about ManiaLotto and things like that? What incentive do I have to win Planets if they are just going to be converted and become unusable to me?
I mean, I will personally keep playing because I enjoy the actual feeling of driving and building tracks. It's at the core of why I play TM.
But this matter with Planets and EPs is an unneeded distraction. It feels overly complicated and unfair. Perhaps we should just let it happen and trust that it'll all work out in the end. That doesn't seem to be in our nature though.
It feels as though Nadeo is trying to discourage activity in the game. I know it's not true. I mean, that's absolutely ridiculous. I know that's obviously not the goal. But I can't shake that feeling when I look at how Planets and EPs are currently handled.
Maybe the plans for the future see the use of EPs for many things. I don't know. But I only hope it's not too late and I hope that I don't lose too many of my fellow players in the interim.
Thanks for letting me express my feelings about this.
Now I can go back to ignoring this issue and waiting for Valley.
