Hey everyone. I am sure everyone has now read the news article and voted in the poll for whether rare items should be released or not. I searched to see if anyone has posted about this, and didn't find anything.

My personal opinion is this. There has always been rare items in vmk ever since it started around a year ago. The people who aquired them either:

1. Bought it when on sale. (ex. green flips)
2. Went on a trip to recieve. (ex. stitch hat)
3. Traded a whole lot of rare to get the item.
4. Got lucky and one in a host game or recieved by another matter.

People who recieved green flips were the one's who were playing vmk first. People who recieved stitch hat spent alot of money to go to DLR, stay in a hotel, and recieve it. Then there are people who worked very very extremely hard to come up with enough rare stuff to satisfy people's taste in trades.

If the rare items were released it would cause alot of grief to these players, some resulting in quitting vmk no doubt. The 50% and above that voted it should be released again were probably, mostly new vmk players and others who just wish they can have the rare items. Most don't even try to get the rare item, by building up a trade or wasting hours away trying to win in host games. The 11% that voted for them not to be released were some of the few players that worked hard to recieve the item and if they were released, example green flips, just ONCE people would go crazy buying hundreds of pairs. If this ever happened, they wouldn't be rare anymore! Most people only want them so they can be special and have them. If there is no rare items to try and get, then there would be hardly anymore trading, and no challenge.

Now, don't get me wrong there are many people who have tried to get the rare items and failed by being scammed, and other reasons. I too kind of lean toward letting them be released again just for the joy of having it, but then all my hard work to get them would be worthless. All those trades people have done to get the items, money spent to get a stitch hat would be a loss, worthless.

I feel like there is more to be said, but I can't think of it right now, so I'll just end it here.


Don't get mad at me for voicing my opinion. I just really wanted to get it out. Just to let everyone know, I don't have 1 rare item.(stitch, sparrow, flips, inferno...)

~Swim~

Well said and I completely agree. I wrote a very similar post on the same topic about 20 minutes ago.. ;)

I just don't think the people who voted for rare items to always be on sale are completely thinking it through. If they were always on sale, they wouldn't be rare, and I can promise you that your interest in them would plummit. There's a very good and very obvious reason why people are offering trade box after trade box for Green Flips and not, for example, the Pink Hat. It's not because people have always gone crazy for anything green and flip-like, it's because it's rare. You take away that "tag" and you take away the demand and the interest. I don't want to play a game where you can simply buy anything you want. That's boring. There's no challenge in that, there's no fun in collecting what anyone can get. If they were ever to do anything so foolish, I wouldn't play any more. And I don't think I'm alone on that..

i picked the releases once a year one but i didn't mean on items like green flips or anything just like some fun items. but definately keep the green flops rare.

I agree 100%

i worked hard to get things like my Sparrow suit, HOST game pins, magic, furniture, ect. and i gave up alot and some of my most prized things to get them. if VMK released these things i would be extremely upset :(

Here is my opinion, they have already done what they are polling about. they re-release items all the time. I was really upset when they re-released both the gold dress and the sorcerer hat, the submarine and lion pin. i had traded alot of stuff to aquire these items and felt like I had been cheated at the time. That being said it is not a bad thing if they re-release rare items. Why should select players get to be special or better than others. the demands of some players for these 'rare' items are often overly greedy and honestly i do not think this is re-inforcing the values of disney. I do not think quest items, or pay to receive items should ever be for sale in the game but other items that were either winnable in the game or on sale should be. I have been playing VMK now for over a year and I have to say that as hard as I have worked to aquire the items that I have, I do not think it is unfair for other players to have the same opportunities.

Yea, I recently sent a letter to vmk about the issue. I mean come on how can we have "rare" items if the keep being re-released?

My vote was for once or twice a year. And here are my reasons:

1) One of the goals of VMK is to attract new players and keep them playing. If they see a lot of stuff that is rare and unattainable they may get discouraged. They should have an opportunity, despite being new, to obtain these items.

2) Releasing once or twice a year would make these ridiculus trades from occuring. I have a concern when someone is offering a whole roomful of tems for one pin - the chances of something going wrong are high (how many times have you dc in a trade?)

3) Staff only items are staff only. We'll never have a chance to get green flips or ears and that is OK.

4) Players should be rewarded by playing consistantly. Every day. Although I see several players walking around with multiples of the 'Host Only' pins, as much as I tried over the weekend, I never so much as got in the queue. It was frustrating to the extreme. 4000 players online, one room open for 15 players with a queue that holds 50, and over half of the people on my friends list 'Not in Any Room' meaning they were trying to get in too. How did people get in so often, whenothers could not even find the door?

5) If items were slowly reduced in cost, it would give everyone a chance. Example: The new Tron Lightcycle pin this week is Host exclusive. If you want to be among the first to get this pin, spend your time in line. Can't get in or lose the game? Then wait until Friday when it goes on sale for 2000 credits. Start saving! Too much, you say? then wait until the next Friday when it reduces to 1000 credits, or the next when it is 500. Need one right now? Then you may have to make a big trade, but know that if you wait a while you won't have to give up as much.

After the Stitch promotion ends, give it exclusivity for a couple months to a half year (what is the expiration on the cards? September 30, 2006) and then offer it as a special prize in a quest. Would everyone have a Stitch hat? If they play regularly, yes. Would those who have it now be upset? If they made a very large trade to get it, yes, but what if they knew just by playing often they would also have a chance to get the hat in the future?

In other words, if you want something *now*, you will have to pay for it. Your cost is for an exclusivity that has a limited time. But all good things come to those who wait - and play every day!

Sure... I want all rare items to be released, but what's the use for people who worked hard for it an got them fairly and then they're on sale. I think we should keep them rare and maybe release them for host events or something.

i won a magic mirror and popcorn pin in a cute or boot game, didnt have to pay once!!

eventually they will have to rerelease all items in VMK because they will get so rare nobody will be able to trade for them. I agree the should rerelease items once a year. But lets says that in three weeks they have red crates for sale again. But have them like 2,000 credits and have them out for that day or weekend only, which will let people get them but still will keep them rare enough

Although I can sympathize with the "keep it rare" perspective, here is my take on it.

First, let me say that I have been playing since late Beta. Not early enough to have gotten Inferno during the "parade". Not having had the foresight to buy green flips, green teacup, etc.

I started out buying/trading for things simply because I liked how they looked. I traded away most of my first set of park quest items for buyables. Couldn't understand why everyone got all excited about the Golden Show Designer Collection, when it was exactly the same as what you could buy in the Emporium; only a different color.

My collection of "beta" (both re-released and not) is pretty small, compared to many players. I started collecting blue Leota tables long ago because they looked great in my restaurant. When the blue beta was re-released, I was surprised, but happy that everyone could buy that color. Was it valuable for trading purposes before? Sure. But only because other players had to ask for "rare" in exchange for their own "rare" discontinued items.

The fact is, nobody would have to scramble to collect rare things to trade for what they really want, if VMK items were not manipulated the way they are. I for one would not mind buying things simply because I like them. And I would be quite happy if I never had to waste another hour trying to get into a host game, in order to get something that just as easily could have been put on sale. (Talk about a warped idea of what constitutes "fun" in VMK!)

I also think there tends to be gulf between those of us who have been playing long enough to end up with lots of interesting stuff, rooms, etc. and players who are either new, or play on a much simpler level. I know some of this is inevitable, but I still regret it.


i also would not mind having to buy things! i'm very tired of wasting time trying to get into host games! i will finally get in queue and then dc - then finally get into room and dc - and over and over! very frustrating! i remember when bat magic came out - they announced that it was going to be 10,000 credits and only on sale for one weekend. that gave ppl time to get some credits together and had it out for only one weekend.

green flips...well, i think those should stay rare - just my opinion!

I always thought there should be an antique shop in vmk like the disneyanna shop on main street. The items won't be cheep and you will really really have to earn them, but at least you will have a chance to have a piece of each item in vmk. I think it is not right for the new players to not be able to get the items they see it makes it not fun. You can't trade for rare bc you don't have rare or you can't get into hosts it makes it very frustrating and no fun. I am not saying this to be unfair to those who have been around and done trades but even in real life there are ways to obtain old items. I think they should release them at least once a year or maybe even twice, but for only a weekend or something to at least give the new players a chance at the item and it will still be rare because it won't be cheap and it won't be released for a long time again but will still give the new players a chance to obtain items and have fun also like the "older" players get to have with their items, this is a kids game and they would like to be excited and have items to play with also, not just be discouraged at seeing everything they can't have that is to much like real life this is supposed to be about Disney and fun and magic so give them a way to play the game and have fun and able to enjoy items just like everyone else.

i also would not mind having to buy things! i'm very tired of wasting time trying to get into host games! i will finally get in queue and then dc - then finally get into room and dc - and over and over! very frustrating! i remember when bat magic came out - they announced that it was going to be 10,000 credits and only on sale for one weekend. that gave ppl time to get some credits together and had it out for only one weekend.

green flips...well, i think those should stay rare - just my opinion!

And if in October they make the same announcement, then all those players who have joined since last halloween will get a chance for Bat Magic. And costumes, old and new. Those who have had the Jack Sparrow costume have benifited by wearing it during pirates month, but if it came out as a costume to buy for Halloween, great! Every day in the real world, new products come out and some rush to buy them at high prices. Later, the quality has improved and the cost has come down. Were the first buyers cheated? No, they were able to have and use their purchase before many others, so they got their benefit for buying early. The only problem is buying something at high price one day and then the next it is very much reduced. We should have been told, for instance, "Get your Quest Generator on sale before they are gone!" (remember when they did that with the Ned shirts?)

Now, I like surprises. But I don't like the surprise of playing for several hours one day, and then finding out the next that I missed something. Yavn's news on the VMK Community Letter is much appreciated. Lets just try to take a little of the anxiety and frustration out of the game.

There have been a lot of great posts in this thread with a lot of great ideas. I feel strongly that a lot of rare should be issued again. However, not everything should be available in the game for sale/quest. Certain items such as in-park quests and in-park promotions (i.e., stitch set, gold ears, etc) should not be released. People paid real money, sometimes thousands and thousands of $'s to actually obtain these items by actually attending the parks. Silly people or good marketing incentive by VMK/Disney? If VMK issued them in the game, I think it would be a terrible customer service issue to their actual paying customers.

Ok, so you can't get to a park. Understandable. You can still trade for them in the game. Yea, expensive; but it can be done. We all started out as poor guests. Many many players have never been to parks yet have worked up to having uber rare things. It takes persistence and luck but each of us is given that same oportunity.

Now a word on green flips, green bag pants and green boy/girl staff shirts. Rumors have been flying that if and when staff get a new uniform, these items will be released. The question is when? A week? A month? A year? 5 years? You just have to ask yourself, are you willing to take that risk?

Last summer, people were trading a lot of rare for the blue sorceror hat. (trade boxes full). How many people got slapped and lost when it came back out? The same for the submarine pin and the orange tomorrowland pin 8/9 (when it came back out in host quests.).

Personally, I hate trading and only do it when there is something I really want. But, it's also a huge aspect that helps to keep vmk fun and entertaining.

The 50% and above that voted it should be released again were probably, mostly new vmk players and others who just wish they can have the rare items.

I voted rare stuff should be released again. I'm not new ;) But i don't really care any more about rareness, i think that is looks like is more important :) If you chose for best guest room, would you choose a fantasic looking room that the owner can be proud of, all made of buyables.. over an empty looking room that has one red crate and one pink tiki in?
I know which i'd choose ;)

Some stuff is nice to be kept rare, but i don't mind as much as i used to.

I voted rare stuff should be released again. I'm not new ;) But i don't really care any more about rareness, i think that is looks like is more important :) If you chose for best guest room, would you choose a fantasic looking room that the owner can be proud of, all made of buyables.. over an empty looking room that has one red crate and one pink tiki in?
I know which i'd choose ;)

Some stuff is nice to be kept rare, but i don't mind as much as i used to.

Totally Agreed. The more items that are available the better one's room can be.

if with the cases of the staff green costumes, besides the ears, they can be given out in a random drawing, such as maybe a ride-a-thon. that ways the really rare items are given out, but not enough to make it so that it is available to everyone

I voted rare stuff should be released again. I'm not new ;) But i don't really care any more about rareness, i think that is looks like is more important :) If you chose for best guest room, would you choose a fantasic looking room that the owner can be proud of, all made of buyables.. over an empty looking room that has one red crate and one pink tiki in?
I know which i'd choose ;)

Some stuff is nice to be kept rare, but i don't mind as much as i used to.

Well, I was not saying that ALL who voted that are new. I know there are plenty that have other reasons. :)

My opinion is, they should at least sell it for 1 day for those who was NOT there in beta. Therefore not able to purchase the items. BUT..for those who did trade all of those valuable items for these, they will sell again :D
But you did pay a lot.

I say just give us who weren't here in beta a chance ;)


~Tb :mickeymo:

But people spend a lot of time on here getting things just because they are rare. I have a lot of rare things but I think that the game would be a lot more personable if you could buy the things you like. People want certain things because they are rare, If nothing was rare they would be forced to decorate their rooms with imagination, and actually think up fun costume combinations instead of stitch hat with sparrow jacket and 8 infernos. I love that things are rare, but i don't like the pompousness of people who are so flashy.

It's amusing to me that some people are angry at the players who have voted to keep rare items rare, as if we are the ones who created this system to begin with and as if we're simply doing it out of greed. The reason we have voted this way is to keep a challenging aspect in the game. And if you think that removing this aspect would be a positive for the future of VMK, I have to say you're quite mistaken. I've said it many a time, and I'll probably say it many more, but VMK is an advertisement. That's why we can play it for free, because they are generating money from it. How are they generating money from it? Well it certainly isn't the credits we pay for those lovely brown crates at Ned's. It has to do with inspiring people to want things that have no monetary value or physical worth. The only way to do that is by creating emotional worth. Disney has created emotional worth by helping to inspire feelings of envy and inadequacy. It may sound a little cyncial, but you need look no further than the message that pops up every time you enter a new code:

"You'll be the envy of the kingdom..".

If they couldn't count on people competing to own rare and sought after pixels then there wouldn't be an urgency to visit the parks and pay any money for them. And I think everyone agrees on a certain level that VMK is here to generate cash.

I agree that "greed" is not an attractive trait, but I'd like to point out that just because someone wants to keep their rare items rare doesn't necessarily make them greedy. I'm someone who has a Stitch Hat, Sparrow Suit, and a few Infernos, but I ritualistically hand out items like Fireworks, Tron Cabinets, and Teleportation to strangers all the time. Let's compare this situation to the loads and loads of limited edition items that Disney has released and will continue to release in real life. Once they've all been purchased and that line of merchandise is retired, it usually stays that way. Disney keeps their "promise", if you will, to the people who purchased these items; the people who paid good money and who shopped early. Would it be right to call these people greedy because they don't want to see their investments devalued by a re-release? Of course not. The same applies to this game. There are all kinds of players on VMK: Nice ones, rude ones, generous ones, greedy ones, both casual and obsessed. But if there weren't enough people that DID put importance into items, regardless of their personality, I don't believe the game would be profitable and therefore, it would cease to exist.

VMK has a tough job, like Yavn himself has recently said. They're dealing with the battle between seasoned veterans who don't want their hard work to be for nothing and new players who want immediate access to special costumes and prizes. This is of course compounded by the fact that many of the new players are children, who (no offense) are traditionally a little less patient and not willing to put in the necessary time to collect the items through trades. VMK has to try and please both parties, and that's not an easy task. I personally think they'll be smart enough to keep certain items rare; they've already recognized the possibility of oversaturating the market and yanked Inferno for the rest of the year. I do believe that certain magic pins and costumes should be re-released from time to time, but I don't think it should be more than once a year. This will keep enough of these items in rotation, and if someone really wants one, they will always have the oppurtunity to trade for them. However, to release Green Flips would just be silly, as would releasing the Stitch Hat, which many people spent hundreds if not thousands to obtain by booking a Disneyland vacation and staying in a Disneyland Hotel. VMK needs to keep their "promise" to these people by keeping the requirements the same, otherwise they will surely upset and alienate a large part of their demographic.

In conclusion, I just realized nobody is going to read all of this. :rolleyes:

I read that whole thing WOW!!!