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Gaians Against Change

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This is a guild that is against some of the "unacceptable" changes Gaia makes to it's site that ruins it for users.

Tags: Gaians, against, change, unwanted, annoying

Cash shop and Aquarium

I used Gaia for 3 years straight. (2004 vet)

[Emotional Hobocore]

Magical Loiterer

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Posted: Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:42 am

It was an everyday thing for me, I looked forward to coming, all the way up until like 2007. Then, I don't know if it was due to how fast Gaia was growing or a change is business policy, but it slowly became obsessed with making us spend cash on the site, which was fine because at the time I was already donating and it was small.

However, when I started seeing the influx of Evolutionary Items, combined with the decline of quality in the Monthly items, I knew something was changing. Slowly it seemed the site was making the shift I was afraid it was, the donations just weren't enough. Like I said, it's not the evil "man" trying to squeeze us for money, it was Gaia growing too fast and now having investors who wanted to see a major profit (MTV sponsorship for example) This was a sign things were changing.

Well, if that wasn't bad enough, they shut down our Moderator started group dedicated to helping new Gaians learning the ropes which had operated no problem since 2003. Leaving them uneducated and unaware of how the site worked. Which I blame for the drop in quality of most posters.

Anyways, this is a long rant and I'll sum it up. Gaia has isolated it's older user base with it's constant desire to grow and evolve beyond just a web forum. Which would of been fine if they wouldn't of basically gone "OK older users, you served your time, we don't need you anymore."

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 1:40 am

I've also been here since 2004, but had 1 year pause or something. I just forgot to log in *drop*
Came back in 2006 I think it was, and it was already hard to navigate, since everything was like scrambled eggs. But even in 2006, it was still better than now.

The first sponsor quests were fun, we had to work a little for our free items. I just wish they'd had better sponsors, like more Anime titles instead of movies like G.I. Joe... I mean, come on...

The EI's are neat though, I really like most of them. I've also got nothing against the cash shop, every company has to evolve, and thus need more money than the collectibles can give them. That they lack quality now is not new, but still very sad. Very few of the newer ones are actually useful with more than 1 outfit. I like new hairstyles and eyes the most, they can be used with everything, and do not need to be bought several times for a whole outfit.
I dislike the zOMG! and aquarium shops though, it should not me a must to have cash, just to use the features the site has to offer. I never spent 1 single cash coin in those shops, since they are not worth supporting.

Anyway... It's not Gaias fault that they are growing so fast, it's the users that sign up all the time. We can't really blame any of them for making the site bigger. But, I do think Gaia could care more for the users, not nessesarily the older ones, but all users, also those without cash.

About a year ago, one of my friends here made her friend sign up, but she quit again after a short while, because she felt like everything cost money here, and she was not willing to pay, not did she even have the money to do so. It's the first impression new users get: Gaia wants money.

Ranchi

Tasty Target

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hanaze_ako

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Posted: Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:22 am

Agree with Ranchi. I mean, even EMOTIONS are a CS item?! WTF?

The thing about "old" Gaia was, there's something in it that made all of us "older" users go "ooooh" when we saw it. Now, its $$$ that we see everywhere.

Point being, even if your main goal IS making money, you still shouldn't be too obvious about it.

Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 1:16 pm

Aggreed, I'm an '05er. It's not nearly as addicting.

The new toolbar takes longer to open up.And if your on an old computer, it lags it. Gaia shouldn't blame the people with the older comps, maybe they can't afford a new one! Gaia used to be about fun, friends, and NOT money. Now it's obvious that's what thhey want. The sponsors don't help either, they are kinda amusing sometimes, but they need to stop. Honestly. They need to ask for OUR opinions BEFORE making changes, gaia, don't fix what isn't broken.

tributo di amori

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FlareKitsune

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Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 3:08 pm

That's why I have BetterGaia. So I don't have to look at that horrible blue toolbar, it's purple. The better one.

I think they did this to compete with Neopets. Maybe.

Posted: Sun Aug 16, 2009 2:14 pm

Some kids are very young and dont know what there doing so they use there parents credit cards to buy cash or gold for Gaia. The offers Gaia has gave my computer a virus and my mom had to buy and $80.00 software to get rid of it. I want old Gaia back.