In a way I am confused, some things seem like a rip off,some things IMVU do seem stupid but many other things make sense.
I mean if you look at it as a "game", well most online make you pay for the extras, without the advantage of earning items and credits free, I mean look at Runescape,one of the most boring MMORPGS going and all you do is click click click and give Jagex your cash each month. Waiting forever to get a 99 level unless you have a bot or no life.
IMVU at least let's you do "offers" to earn credits, and well as this site can attest, quite a lot if you do it right.
As for the VIP and AP, being restricted for minors, as a parent and an adult I'm happy with it, of course kids feel ripped off when denied "the naughty stuff" and the reasons IMVU removed a lot and restricted access is because some adults WERE exploiting it. If IMVU kept allowing virtual paedophilia people would be complaining about that instead, or complaining that they brought an AP and VIP, just to be constantly spammed by giggling kids. I for one would be creeped out if me and my GF were cybering with some chick only to find out she was 12. Although I am sure many kids get around such things if they're determined enough. It's why I for one have banned my kids from using such products until they are older. I want them to experience real relationships as they grow up not get hooked on people from 10,000 miles away that say they're 16 and are actually 44 and they probably will never meet in person as many kids these days do.
Though I think maybe they need a "kids pass" so if allowed to use IMVU, the kids can gain access to more age appropriate stuff that may fill there needs and wants.
IMVU after all is a commercial business, the people running the company have family's and financial commitments themselves. They like us want to put food in their mouths.
I mean if we wanted a completely free IMVU and to screw them over IMVU Mafia's wouldn't be charging for giving away stuff they've learnt to h4c|< themselves when they could be just giving it away. People like the original poster wouldn't be giving VIP then take the 5000 credits from the average joe who is as he states in his post "being ripped off", because allowing them to keep the credits would allow them to buy items from IMVU, that I think would further screw IMVU financially even more, correct
It seems a bit hypocritical in all crying foul when technically the person crying it is also exploiting people to a degree for his own persona/financial gain.
Aren't we all as humans after all all looking for a way to line our pockets one way or another?
IMVU needs money to keep going, this in turn provides exploiters/hackers opportunity to exploit the game and make profit themselves,it also means people like devs make money for creating items,which keeps them doing it, etc etc so on and so forth, it's one big food chain.
It may sound good in theory to say "fight the man" "bring down the system" and sound all just and shit, but you have to be realistic and look at the big picture.
Pirates fight the system by ripping games and movies, which in turn gives the companies an excuse to raise prices for legit users, and they give the games and shit away for free.
Runescape and other games have bots, that exploit the games and make you rich, which in turn ruins the experience for legit users and forces the companies to change their games to combat it,which usually again ruins the experience for legit users,but again usually those bots are free. (except for those that package and sell the same damn things)
When pirating, and that is what selling items or accounts etc is, whether a DVD,game or IMVU, it cannot be made to be a noble sounding cause, and shooting the hand that feeds is stupid. You are not saving the world after all.
But yeah I'm all for forcing them to reduce prices and offering better paid deals. But you wipeout their economy you wipe out the game and everything associated with it, thus you wipeout yourself.
Sorry to rant but this is just how I see it personally.
-- Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:16 am --
P.S As for censoring the forums,it's been shown many times on many sites, that when you enter the site of a PRIVATE business, all notions of "freedom of speech" go out the doors. By joining them you agree to the ToS and many sites and games, including giants like Microsoft clearly state, that hey you've agreed to us big brothering you, if you don't like it there's the door.
Legal action there would be a fail, as you've entered into a contract with them of your own free will.
The only possible legal action is on them failing to deliver goods paid for, etc. You'd have a chance there,if you've parted with money, not received the item, and not been refunded for example.
But yeah censorship issues are for for the real world.
