Board Thread:General Discussion/@comment-31087078-20170209031355/@comment-30638141-20170211085110

Chase2000 I can agree a little but also think it's a little by design. I just started hiring friends. I believe it used to cost back when. Now it seems the first visit is free. You can energize a friend after the first time. Do they get the energy? If you hire before midnight, you can't hire again after midnight. The spinner is available after midnight ever if you spin it a few minutes before the hour. Visits clock to being open when you start game or closed. It was suggested not to visit if time shifting, but if the person was visited they are not available tor visits until the next day. They would be idiots not to know who shifts the clock or not. We can tell who does in a day. I am very sure they calculate behavior to cash flow. If one is not too greedy, their friend are reliable, they buy with some regularity, they get others to play through facebook etc. They are worth having as players.

They try different pricing, last challenges offers were I believe, better than the current ones. Some games charge $4.99US for 100 access keys or $1.25 per visit. Things go on sale for 3.33 cents instead of 5 cents every so often. With the huge databases they have, I's sure they tweak the puzzles difficulty to effect how much time the average person takes, how close to finishing they need to be before they use a tool with time running out. How many tries on a puzzle before the player will give up rather than use a tool.

Stores do analysis all the time to determine what items sell together so only one of the two is on sale at any given time. A real statistic (years ago) was diapers and beer tended to be purchased at the same time, which do you put on sale and why? The supposition of why these items are linked were hours of amusement to sleepy statisticians.

I agree that some discretion is advisable. I also think they study behavior, probably even looking at the plethera of forums and make decision based on profits. If they can limit how often to free hire, they can limit other time events as well. They want money, they get it with loyalty, time spent playing effects how often tools etc. are purchased. More time, more money. Always keep them wanting more- limit something. Energy regeneration can be purchased. Almost finishing a puzzle with time running out- tool. Items too hard to find, loose players. I'm sure it is an impressive algorithm, but I am also sure that all elements are part of it. This seems to be the maze us rats, I mean cats are currently enjoying. They want the cats not to go away.