"Neopets Has Always Been And Will Always Be A
Free Site!"
Written by Lisa Humphrey (CatWhisper1)
"Neopets has always been and will always be a free site!"
Those words always make me think of a sign that says "Free Kittens". At first,
you tend to think it's a great thing and why wouldn't you think so. Free is
always good, or so we've been led to believe. I'd like to share some analogies
and facts about free things that may help you to realize that while it's a noble
thing to keep Neopets free, it may not necessarily be in the best interest of
the Neopets team nor Neopians in general. Please take a moment and consider the
following information and see if you draw the same conclusions I did.
I used to be happy when I saw a sign that had "Free Kittens" written on it. Most
people think that it is a noble gesture to give away kittens because they really
just need a good home. This leads to a question. Is offering those kittens for
free any insurance that they will end up in a good home? Most people would say
yes, because there are many people that can't afford to pay for a kitten yet
they would be wonderful owners. So, the general concensus is that by offering
them for free you are looking out for the best interests of the animal. However,
this is NOT the case.
I learned several years ago the danger of offering kittens for free. I had a cat
named Teagra who had 5 kittens. I loved those kittens, and it was hard to give
them up. I took the time to speak with "Friends of Cats" and the SPCA, and asked
them how I could ensure that the kittens would end up in a good home. Their
answer surprised me. While I suggested that I should offer them to people for
free, they told me that I should NOT do so. This came as a shock to me, because
I had always believed that the right thing to do was to offer them free. What I
learned though, shocked me and surely will shock you also. Rather than being
told that I should give the kittens away for free, I was told that I should
charge people for them. That was a foreign statement to me. It seemed like it
was the wrong thing to do. However, I was told several things that straightened
out my thinking on the matter. The things I was told about why I should charge
people for a kitten relate to Neopia in that these are truly the same reasons
why there should be a charge for certain aspects of the Neopets site. These
reasons will be expounded upon in the remainder of this article.
PROBLEM 1: Free is NOT always better!!
As previously mentioned, at first glance offering things for free seems like the
right thing to do especially kittens and in this case, Neopets. However, when
you offer kittens for free, you�re taking a risk of which you may not be aware.
According to the SPCA, people who own snakes seek out free kittens. They don�t
do this because they want a playmate for their snake. They do this to provide
them as food for their snake. While I agree the snake has to eat just like any
other animal, there is more to consider than just the fact that the kitten
you�re trying to find a good home for will be a meal for someone�s snake.
From what I understand, the snake owners think �Why go to the pet store and pay
for a rat when you can get a kitten for free.� They take home these free kittens
which you think may be going to a good home, and cut off their paws and feed the
kitten to the snake. Now, I don�t know about you, but that presents a nasty
picture in my head. The point really is that you�re really doing the kitten any
favors by offering it for free. As a matter of fact, quite the opposite; you�re
bringing it to it�s death. At the very least, you�re leaving it wide open for
that to happen.
There are many Neopets users who tend to look for ways to kill the game for
everyone. They will break into people�s accounts, and use autobuyers, cheat at
games, etc. In essence, they take advantage of the availability to make the game
miserable for others. Therefore, I submit that if certain aspects of the site
were NOT free or even if Neopets was completely a pay site these things would be
less likely to take place. It�s free!! Similar to the kittens I mentioned, the
availability is there.
It is a noble idea that you don�t want anyone to have an unfair advantage over
others. I am quite sure it is your belief that it is in the best interests of
Neopians that you keep the site free. However, because of the fact that Neopets
is a �Free� site, the scammers already have an unfair advantage over all of us.
Most of the time, the ones who are honest are the ones who are suffering. So,
the question remains, whose best interests is it truly in, to keep the site
free, Neopians or Scammers? It is my belief it�s in the best interests of the
scammers. Thus, it is my suggestion is that there should be a charge for certain
aspects of the site.
PROBLEM 2: People tend to appreciate things if they have to pay for it!
Have you ever noticed how kids tend to be more careless with your things? The
reason for this is because they didn�t pay for it. Also, if you consider the
kittens I mentioned previously, it is a proven fact that if a person pays for a
pet they are more likely to keep the pet. If for no other reason, they do this
because they have invested money in it. Most people do not like the thought of
flushing their hard earned money down the toilet.
It is an obvious fact that many people on Neopets do not appreciate their
accounts. Perhaps this is because they do not have to pay for them. I tend to
appreciate my accounts because of the hard work I have put into them. However,
sometimes hard work isn�t enough; especially for kids.
If Neopets was a pay site who would be stupid enough to put their account in
jeopardy? It certainly would cut down on the number of frozen accounts.
Especially if you could not use the same Credit card number to start a new
account after it�s been frozen. Also, if you pay for your account, and get a
total of 5 accounts including main and 4 sub-accounts, how many people would be
willing to pay for another 5 accounts?
I know it is wonderful that you have so many accounts on Neopets, but many of
these are the same people using multiple accounts. I�m sure you also know there
are many who create more than the 5 accounts they are allowed.
I have been going to the pound and picking up pets to put in our guild�s
adoption agency and I have seen upwards of 25-50 pets all bearing the marks of
being from the same person, that appear to be released daily. It looks to me
like the person has 25 or more accounts, and releases pets in alphabetical
order; a different letter combination each day. Most likely it is a child that
is doing it. If Neopets were a pay site this would most likely NOT happen,
because this child�s parents would not pay for him/her to have that many
accounts.
What about autobuyers and things of that sort? It is my belief that being
required to pay for Neopets would lessen this problem also. I don�t believe they
would be willing to risk the account they paid for, in order to use a cheat
device. If a person was foolish enough to do so, you would have more information
that could be blocked. Because there would be a fee, people would have to
register their name, address, and credit card number, all of which could be
blocked if they were frozen.
Could charging people really be a solution?
My answer to that question is an emphatic YES!
As previously mentioned, we now know that people appreciate things they have to
pay for, more so than things that are free. We�ve discussed the fact that the
site being free may seem to be in the best interests of Neopians, but it�s truly
in the best interests of scammers. So, how is it that paying for the site or
aspects of it would help to solve the problems caused by scammers, and those who
truly do not appreciate Neopets?
It is my belief that charging for Neopets would equalize things and show the
true economy in Neopia. We did get to see that for a while when there weren�t
any autobuyers on the site. While they were gone, Neopia thrived. Control needs
to be taken away from those who scam, cheat, autobuy, etc. and be given back to
Neopia. As long as Neopets is free, that won�t happen.
Myself, and I�m sure many other Neopians would agree that the security of our
accounts as well as the actual enjoyment of the game is more important than the
site remaining free. I am a person who enjoys restocking. I don�t enjoy it
simply because I want to make tons of Neopoints. If that were the case, I would
be NeoRich by now and I am not. Rather, I enjoy the challenge of restocking. To
me, it is like a game in itself. I feel that autobuyers ruin the fun of the game
for me by taking away the challenge. I want that challenge back. Losing the
challenge of something I consider to be the most fun game on Neopets has made me
think of giving up at times, and quitting altogether. However, I decided to
write this article instead. I am but one, but how many more might there be who
feel as I do? I feel it would be a relief to pay for Neopets. Perhaps if you
looked at it objectively, you would feel the same way also.
SHOPS
From a restocker�s position, you have to keep coming up with new ways to thwart
autobuyers. You have tried an alpha-numeric code, and now a graphic code. They
have gotten around these after a short time. I�m sure they will do the same with
future solutions. However, if they had to pay to play, they would be less likely
to do so. If their account got frozen for autobuying, you could prevent them
from being able to open a new account. Everyone knows you can go and get a new
email address rather easily and also free. Although a new credit card, If you
keep asking your credit card company over and over again for a new card, they
would tend to get suspicious.
If it�s a kid, the parent is not likely going to allow their child to keep
opening new accounts for which they have to keep submitting new credit card
numbers. Therefore, I submit that restocking should be something that would be
under the pay section. Perhaps important things like maybe the Neopian food shop
and grooming supplies should be allowed to not be under the pay plan, but I
would think there should be a way to make it so you have to be on the pay plan
to get the more rare items. Since these are the ones the autobuyer users are
always after. I honestly think that all of Neopets should be made a pay site,
because of what I stated above. However, I�m just suggesting things I can think
of that should be changed or limited in some way, to make it a safer happier
place for all Neopians.
Another thing to consider is that this would also cut down on the amount of
people who would try to use multiple accounts in which to shop. Because if a
person pays for an account that comes with 5 names (1 main and 4 sub), I�m sure
they won�t want to pay for another account just to restock in it.
GAMES
What about games? There are people who hog up the high score board month after
month; perhaps by using bots, perhaps by just being good at a certain game.
While it�s nice that they should be able to show off their great score, It is my
belief that they should not be allowed to have the top spots month after month,
preventing others from being able to get trophies. I believe each person should
only be allowed to be on the trophy board until they reach a gold trophy. Then
they should not be allowed on their again for a while. Perhaps even doing
something like what has been done with the Neopian times Trophy and the kadoatie
trophy. Putting the number of times they�ve won that trophy there; but it should
be limited. If they�ve gotten a gold trophy, they shouldn�t be allowed to get on
that board again for a couple months or their name should drop off the board and
they should have to retry the next month. Even the book, avatar and gourmet
awards should be done like that, because the same people have been at the top.
In a case like that, where the number of items just keeps going up, they should
have to retire after they reach gold, and be given something. Perhaps they
should be given an avatar or something when they are retired from the board.
It�s hard to try to get up to the top when the number keeps increasing, and
those in the top spots just increase with it. It doesn�t give anyone else a
chance. So very few ever get those trophies.
PETS
As I stated previously, people tend to appreciate things they have to pay for
more so than things they get for free. Therefore, It is my belief that creating
a Neopet should cost people neopoints. Perhaps it would cut down on the amount
of people who are creating pets just for the purpose of abandoning them, which
is something I already previously mentioned. I know the Neoteam is in opposition
to allowing people to sell pets, and I do understand it to a degree. Once again,
I think of real pets. There are breeds that people willingly pay for, because
they want a certain breed with a certain temperament, etc. People pay large sums
for them, because of their rarity. Once again, I used to think it was unethical,
but have come to have a different viewpoint, because I know that people who pay
that much for a pet, wouldn�t get rid of it all too soon. However, that is not
my concern and it is your rules and as such should be observed and followed. My
concern is cutting down on the creating of pets just to abandon them. Perhaps if
Neopians received their initial pet free and had to pay to create any further
pets, it would cut down on the amount of pets that are purposely abandoned.
Neopians would then need to think if they really want to spend the neopoints on
a pet they are going to just abandon. Thus the pound wouldn�t be quite so full.
The Solution includes you!
Of course, a true solution would call for more responsibility on your part when
it comes to freezing accounts. Sometimes when you try to have a rule for every
conceivable wrong, it becomes more burdensome than anything. It becomes too easy
to make a wrong move and hence end up with consequences that may have happened
by accident or ignorance that once learned, would and could be corrected.
Smaller infractions should have smaller consequences while larger infractions
should have larger consequences. While I think the temporary freezings you
implemented are a good and beneficial thing. I think there should be more of
that, and less of the permanent freezings. Permanent freezing should only be a
last resort. It�s like the difference between being put in prison and being put
to death in a figurative sense. People need chances to learn from their
mistakes. Since there are a lot of kids on Neopets, and you are geared toward
children, you need to keep in mind that kids are very good at making mistakes
and they learn not the first time, and not necessarily the 5th time. They learn
by repetition.
Also, if we had to pay for our accounts, then that may require that you actually
let us use the accounts and subaccounts fully, as long as it�s in harmony with
the game. But this would also mean that if you did something on one account, it
would be linked so you could not go ahead and do it on the sub-accounts. But
perhaps you could choose which account you want to work in that day, without
getting frozen for it. I, for one, would like to have the ability to choose
which account I want to work in that day. Like, if I want to work on getting
more neggs for my negg gallery, I�d like to be able to shop in that account for
that day and therefore do all my dailies in that one account. But if I were to
do that now, I would be frozen. So, we are allowed 5 names, but not really
allowed to use them. It�s like with one hand you�ve given while with the other
hand you take it away. I think if there was a way to link our accounts, such as
paying for our account, if we could choose the account we want to work in, it
would be beneficial to all Neopians.
Please keep in mind these are only my opinions, and you�re obviously not
required to consider nor implement them. However, I have thought long and hard
about this because I think Neopets is a wonderful place for kids and adults to
play and I�d like it to continue to be enjoyable. However, lately it hasn�t
been, because of all the scams, cheats and autobuyers. I have enjoyed Neopets
for over 3 years now, and would like to continue, to do so. But I have found
myself drifting away from Neopets and spending more time elsewhere because it�s
a battle to just be able to enjoy myself. It�s not very enjoyable playing a game
where the scammers and cheaters seem to be winning and getting an unfair
advantage over us.
In Summary, it is my belief that the control needs to be taken away from the
scammers, autobuyers and cheaters and be given back to all Neopians. Neopia
needs to be a place where kids can come and enjoy themselves and have a secure
and fun game to play. It is also my belief that by making Neopets a pay site you
would be making Neopia the best place it can possibly be and providing that
safe, fun place for both kids and adults and that all Neopians will be able to
enjoy themselves the way the site was meant to be. Finally, I further believe
that the unfair advantage that scammers, autobuyers, and cheaters have will be
eliminated or at the least drastically reduced if you make Neopets a pay site.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this. I certainly hope you will
consider all that I have pointed out. All I ask is that you take it into
consideration, and if you see some sense in it then perhaps someday soon Neopets
will then be �FREE!!� In ways it has not been, in a very long time.
Lisa Humphrey
CatWhisper1
Neopets Departments