New, playing on iPad... my two cents worth...

[briguynv]

Just started playing recently, a couple weeks ago or so... and before finding this forum, I was disappointed how hard it is to find neighbors. I add all the ones that come up automatically on the 'add' tab... none EVER approve, I have over 100 'waiting'... I even added some from Facebook, still no responses on most, only a few approved, and 1 invited me somehow, maybe from the add tab, cuz I didn't share my ID or anything yet. I see now there are some 'add me' threads here... I might consider that at some point, because so far I still only have 5 neighbors, 1 being the permanent game one, and only 1 of my nbrs regularly gifts me. And, that's one more flaw... without a message wall or something, I don't have a clue what gift they might need, and no way to ask them for a specific item. That's a bad thing. Many games I've played that has neighbor/friend interactions, especially with gifts, we have the ability to post messages to each other in game. So for now, I don't know if I even want to add more nbrs... have to see if I really want to keep playing.

I also read something about free "bucks" using special codes, yet I don't see a way to enter those on my ipad... seems unfair to offer these to "some" players/devices, but not all. So far, the only way I've earned "bucks" is leveling up, as far as I can tell... that takes a LONG time at the slow rate of earning coins & xp.

Most importantly & most frustrating, is the high costs, slow earning rate, and storage limits. I was frustrated about some of these things, went looking for answers and found this forum and read the "questions from players" section, and was truly shocked at one response. About storing buildings... developers say "we can't imagine anyone wanting to store them, just sell it & buy it again later." WHAT?? So for one example, I paid 350 coins for one business... I sell it and only get 35 coins, then have to buy it for 350 again?? Or worse, pay 4000 for a hangar, sell for 400, pay 4000 again when I have room? Or pay 12,000 for a plane, sell for 1200 and pay 12,000 again? And you don't understand why people would want to store them???
Personally, I just now needed to build the flight school... realizing it needs to be on the "city" side (frustrating, since it's airline related, I figured it would be the airport side, and I HAD space for it saved), but having NO free space on the city side, I was forced to sell a 2x2 business, at a MAJOR loss, and that's also lost income that I NEED to earn coins quicker! I had no choice but to sell and that stinks because so far at the coin earning rate, it will take me weeks or more to earn enough to expand once again.
Which brings me to my next problem... the expansion prices are astronomical!! Heck it took me 2-3 days of playing constantly (more than I should have) just to earn the $8000 coins to get the flight school, now I'll be broke again. But forget adding hangars and planes and runways to do tasks (I have 2 pages of tasks that I can't complete), no room on the airport side, again cuz the expansions are too much! I have paid coins for 2 expansions, and I already used up 10 "bucks" to expand once, and don't have enough bucks for another... and it's SO early in the game, yet my next expansion costs a whopping 50,000 coins!! That will take me forever to earn at the rate so far! At the least, each time I pay that kind of high money, I should get 1 expansion on the city side AND 1 on the airport side, not either or for that high price. I'm terrified to see the next cost... since it jumped from 10,000 way up to 50,000, next might be 500,000... but even 100,000 is way too high! After 10,000 it should have been like 15,000 or 20,000, then 25k or 30k, etc.., not jumped from 10k to 50k, that's a huge jump! And sorry, until I really "know" if I truly like a game enough, I won't spend a dime to buy coins or bucks... I need to KNOW I'm gonna love it & keep playing before I do that... and so far, I'm beginning to doubt that. Between the really high costs of some things, the super extremely slow rate of earning coins (getting 1-20 coins at a time takes forever to rack any decent amount up) and not being able to store buildings (which also makes it easier to rearrange things in the town if you need or choose to)... those are pretty big negatives for me so far. The biggest though is the high cost and slow rate to earn. I shouldn't have to sit & play non-stop for 5 hours at a time just to earn a few thousand coins.

So I really don't get the thought process behind some of the gameplay on this one (especially the stunned response to storage), and there are numerous parts that are pretty disappointing... so not sure if I'll stick with this one or not yet... if these types of issues were fixed, I'd be happy to stick around, and maybe even buy some coin or buck packs or something... but not the way it is right now, it would be a waste of my real money, because it's too easily lost on the game flaws. :-( Just my two cents worth... and I'm sad really... I was in the airline industry for many years, and have been trying to find a cool "airline" related game, and hoped this would be the one... but so far, it's not living up to my hopes.

 

[Melanie]

Did you check out a game called 'Tetris'? After reading your rant about Airport City, I am pretty sure that Tetris would be way more suitable. It is free, addictive and loads of fun.

Have a nice day

 

[briguynv]

Wow Melanie, thanks so much for such an unwelcoming & pointless response... guess I won't be looking to invite you to be a friend in the game.

My "rant" as you called it was compiled of legitimate issues and complaints... yes in great detail, as I don't like to be vague... and I'm entitled to that opinion and free to share it with the developers... I think they would want to know what people find problematic. And I'm sure I'm not the only one to feel this way... but maybe the only one with the nerve to bring them all up, who knows... according to you, it sounds like nobody ever complains about this perfect game. I thought maybe some might disagree with me, but I didn't expect quite this level of unfriendliness & sarcasm... I didn't realize I couldn't voice my concerns & disappointments to the developers & other players.
I like the idea behind the game, and I'd like to enjoy it more... but I was simply pointing out some flaws preventing it from being great! Oh and If you think that was a rant, you might be surprised to see something I write when I really get riled up about something truly important!

And I'm so happy that you find Tetris such 'loads of fun', personally I think it's as boring as can be! But if you enjoy it so much, have at it! Oh and PS, this game is "free" to play also as far as I know... unless you're saying it's required to pay to actually 'enjoy' & play it fully... that would be a shame.

 

[Franzmannn]

No - you're wrong when you believe that nobody complains..... right would be - everybody complains but nobody cares. The only thing they care about is earning money and therefore they put the hurdles way up. I would be surprised if anybody from Airport City reads your comments but I'm pretty sure that you will never receive an answer - as anybody else here in this forum - LOL

 

[Cartwright4]

My "rant" as you called it was compiled of legitimate issues and complaints... yes in great detail, as I don't like to be vague... and I'm entitled to that opinion and free to share it with the developers...

This site has nothing to do with the developers

 

[Melanie]

1.) If you have a valid complaint, write to the support staff of GI. This here is a gamers forum, not a GI Forum.
2.) You downloaded and played the game for free. Do you really feel you have a right to complain? You did not pay a penny. Don't like it? Don't play it.
3.) "maybe even buy some coin" Everything you complain about can be sorted with enough coins. You can either play the game to obtain or buy the coins. Why would you buy any coins if the game would be in such a way that you don't need them.
4.) of course they want to earn money. They have programers, offices, computers etc. to pay. It is called a 'Freemium' game. You can either take your time to play it or use real money as a short cut. that is the whole idea. Nothing unusual. Of course, GI will not make it too easy for us players as they want to 'push' us to buy coins with real money. Surprised?
5.) Your posting also shows that you have not yet got the 'grip' of the game, the strategies etc. Maybe collect some more informations (by reading postibgs here for example) to learn how to play the game. ( i wonder why you feel the need to buy/sell planes in a rate that upsets you, just as a example) then you would also know that this is not a game for one day or two. it will take you month sometimes to get where you want.

hope that helps, have a nice day

 

[Aero]

Dude,

All the stuff you talked about, we all had the same stuff in the beginning.
We offcourse also didnt liked it, but thats that, nothing you can change about it.
If you dont like it, delete the game and find a game what is more for you.

Peace out.

 

[Aero]

Oh and for the expansions, it goes from:
50k
100k
200k
400k
800k

So goodluck :-D

 

[Blackcloud]

Oh and for the expansions, it goes from:
50k
100k
200k
400k
800k

So goodluck :-D

I thought there were more than that as I swear I was tapping away for two weeks to pay 250k, after that it jumped again and I purchased cash during the 300% offers to solely buy land.
briguynv as Melanie said you have the same comments that possibly we all have had. I completely agree and support what Melanie wrote and I understand if I do want to continue to play this game I will need to pay up some more to expand the land. Or I can say I have had enough and walk away. It is up to me and also up to the developers to continue to expand the game to keep the players interested and willing to pay. Or the game will stop and slowly die.

 

[Ron]

AC is not a game to play very quickly. It needs time to build, like all of us we did before!, just read post of others, go on facebook page, ask with your code to become your neighbour. Ofcourse sometimes when I visit a neighbour I see a huge airfield. Then I say to myself wauw..beautifull, I want that too. I can realize that, just buy a visa prepaid card..and put 100 euro and voila!

Everybody has its own way to play this fantastic game, but for me it is as real as it gets! So I take my time, fly my planes, and collect items and try to make higher and higher, and build my own airfield as I WANT. I agree what Melanie says.

Enjoy your weekend all

 

[briguynv]

No - you're wrong when you believe that nobody complains..... right would be - everybody complains but nobody cares. The only thing they care about is earning money and therefore they put the hurdles way up. I would be surprised if anybody from Airport City reads your comments but I'm pretty sure that you will never receive an answer - as anybody else here in this forum - LOL

I was actually being sarcastic with the part about being the "only" one... being that it seemed Melanie got so upset with me for complaining about what I feel are flaws, and acting as if I was the only one ever to do so. I didn't actually think I was the only one who ever complained about this stuff lol. It just felt that way from her reaction.

Most other games I play, they have mods/reps in the forums who DO read people's posts, and those mods work with the developers/company, to pass info back & forth, including sharing updates & info with players on the forums, and passing on issues & complaints, or bugs and errors that players report to the developers ... since the one thread I read was called "Developers answer your questions" I figured that happened here as well... but based on these responses, I guess not, which is also disappointing. I would think they would want to communicate with their players like many other games that I've played. Guess I'll have to send an email to them instead. Thx.

This site has nothing to do with the developers

See the second part of my response above to Franzmannn

1.) If you have a valid complaint, write to the support staff of GI. This here is a gamers forum, not a GI Forum.
2.) You downloaded and played the game for free. Do you really feel you have a right to complain? You did not pay a penny. Don't like it? Don't play it.
3.) "maybe even buy some coin" Everything you complain about can be sorted with enough coins. You can either play the game to obtain or buy the coins. Why would you buy any coins if the game would be in such a way that you don't need them.
4.) of course they want to earn money. They have programers, offices, computers etc. to pay. It is called a 'Freemium' game. You can either take your time to play it or use real money as a short cut. that is the whole idea. Nothing unusual. Of course, GI will not make it too easy for us players as they want to 'push' us to buy coins with real money. Surprised?
5.) Your posting also shows that you have not yet got the 'grip' of the game, the strategies etc. Maybe collect some more informations (by reading postibgs here for example) to learn how to play the game. ( i wonder why you feel the need to buy/sell planes in a rate that upsets you, just as a example) then you would also know that this is not a game for one day or two. it will take you month sometimes to get where you want.

hope that helps, have a nice day

1) See the last part of my response to Franzmannn above. Oh and on other "gamers" forums I am on, players still talk about issues, flaws, bugs, errors and complaints with EACH OTHER, sharing thoughts, etc... even if there is nobody from the company. Excuse me for thinking that would be "okay" here too... so sorry for upsetting you... well, okay I'm not really sorry... I do feel bad that you got so bent out of shape by my voicing my complaints, cuz that's just sad that it bothers you personally so much.

2) Yes, even with free games, we have a right to complain about flaws & issues that affect play & enjoyment... that's the only way they know what needs to be addressed, IF they even care. Some game developers do, some don't. Many times addressing problems is the best way to keep players interested enough to pay for premium content! And yes, we also have a right to complain because they ARE asking for money from me... they are almost making it impossible to play without spending money, which is the one thing certain mobile game developers do that infuriates me more. I'd rather spend $20-30 to buy a game outright that includes everything, then be intimidated or pushed into spending a few bucks here, a few there, over & over. Many other similar games, when the developers get feedback, they make changes that improve the game, which gets players to keep playing and draws in new players. So yeah, first I'd like to see if they have any interest in fixing before I just quit & give up. I don't quit as easily as you do apparently. As I said, I like the idea of this game, so I'd like to believe it will get better... but sadly I may be wrong... if I am, after I've given it enough of a chance, enough time, then I will quit... but maybe I'll be surprised, and it will improve, and then I could keep playing. But either way, I DO have the right to voice my concerns! You certainly have the right to complain as well even on free games... or you are also free to not voice complaints if that's what you choose to do... I choose not to keep quiet.

3)... umm... I don't even understand this part or know what you were even trying to say here, so I'm not sure how to respond to it.

4 & 5) Yes I know they want to earn money, and I play MANY "freemium" games... and I believe I "get the grip" of the game... but not the rationale behind their decision to make it so difficult to get going in the beginning... because MOST games start off pretty easy & build up numerous 'parts/levels/etc' & progress quickly, to draw players in, grab their attention, make them want to play more & more and KEEP them interested... where the first few expansions, tasks, etc are EASILY obtained, don't cost as much, etc, make you really like the game and really get into it and feel like you are getting somewhere... and then once you get a little higher & deeper in the game, THEN it starts increasing & getting much harder as each level goes up. By then, you're drawn in much more, you have something invested and enjoy it enough to WANT to pay extra for things like bucks, you want to keep playing, you have a "need" to keep going because you're already so invested. Sadly, this game hit very hard at the very beginning with high costs, yet it takes a long time to earn, so it's hard to stay interested or get invested. I WANT it to be better, i want to be "into it" completely, but so far they are losing my interest by making the start so hard. Most good games don't do that in the very beginning, it makes it too slow & drags on for new players, they get bored too easily, as I am beginning to do. They need to draw us in first, let us build up some, and THEN hit us with the expensive stuff. I will never "buy" into freemium games like this immediately, before I know if I really want to keep playing it. I can't afford to do that with every game I try. I wait until I am 'invested', and by then, I want to keep going so bad, I feel better about buying into it... they have drawn me in enough, and made it good enough that I want to 'invest' in their continuing such a great game. So far, I'm not feeling that with this one... but I wish I was.
I never said I expected to play the whole game in a day or two... but the first few expansions to really be able to START playing shouldn't take weeks & weeks & weeks or months... it should let me build up to a decent level in the first week or two, to draw me in... heck, if it plays at this same slow building rate all the way, then the highest "levels" would take YEARS to complete at this level of progress. It's supposed to increase in difficulty slowly over time, not start off extremely difficult & slow. It's just much slower & more difficult to progress than it needs to be in the beginning! That's understandable at higher levels, but not in the very beginning. And you said, sometimes it will take a month... maybe in the higher levels & tasks, but not at the very beginning, it shouldn't.
One other frustrating part about the "difficulty" very early on that I'm now learning is needing parts to complete buildings... my fuel center, I upgraded it 3 days ago... but it need parts to complete it, I already had some of them luckily, but need 4 more still. It says I can get them flying to Goa... I have literally made over 200-300 flights to Goa, but have not gotten ONE part since it finished building. Why does it need to be SO difficult this early on? Later in the game, I get it, but not this early! Now I learn there is the same issue on the flight school, I need special parts flying to Malta... how many flights will that take? 2,000 or more? It's just more difficult than it needs to be so early in the gameplay, plain & simple.
Your "wonder" about buying/selling planes. I'll explain it again using a different example, okay... I increased enough to get a bigger plane/hanger, and had many, many, many tasks to go along with that bigger plane. I didn't have enough space for a new hangar/plane, and since they don't allow storage, I had no choice but to sell one of the lower ones. Then a day later, I get new tasks that require that smaller plane/hangar. So I HAD to sell at a major loss, and then had to make room again & buy again at the full cost. That is a negative!! I had already explained why I had to do it with a business, which should have been a similar enough example to the planes, so I'm not sure why you were so confused by that.

They should allow storage, plain and simple. In fact, in storage now, it even has a place for "residences"... yet there is no way to insert them in there... but there should be a way, for both houses and all other buildings. I play another game that didn't have storage for some time, and the players all complained repeatedly... the developers added storage finally, so we didn't have to sell everything to make room, to rearrange, etc!

So yeah, I have complaints about the game (oooh yes, even about a "free" game, wow), and I think it needs tweaked to be much better. But wow, I didn't expect to get such a defensive response to my complaints. You must really love this game to defend it so vehemently and to get so upset by anyone who has a bad thing to say about it.

Oh and for the expansions, it goes from:
50k
100k
200k
400k
800k

So goodluck :-D

Thank you, the most helpful response by far! You actually provided some useful info, and I genuinely appreciate it! It's still too high in my opinion for so early on, but not as bad as I was expecting. I really thought it would jump from 50k to 100k then to 500k then to 1mil.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

On a side note, more confusion. Opening the game today, it said an update is available. I clicked to "update" it... it takes me to iTunes, where it says "already installed"... I go to the updates page, it says "all apps up to date." I open the game again, still says an update is available. So which is it? Up to date or new update available? Makes no sense!

 

[briguynv]

AC is not a game to play very quickly. It needs time to build, like all of us we did before!, just read post of others, go on facebook page, ask with your code to become your neighbour. Ofcourse sometimes when I visit a neighbour I see a huge airfield. Then I say to myself wauw..beautifull, I want that too. I can realize that, just buy a visa prepaid card..and put 100 euro and voila!

Everybody has its own way to play this fantastic game, but for me it is as real as it gets! So I take my time, fly my planes, and collect items and try to make higher and higher, and build my own airfield as I WANT. I agree what Melanie says.

Enjoy your weekend all

I understand it's not a "quick" game overall, very few are and they shouldn't be quick, you'd finish & be done & bored... but the very beginning shouldn't be quite this slow & difficult... it should build up and then with each level you increase, it takes longer & longer, giving you incentive to play... but so far, the beginning is too slow, too difficult to accomplish anything, too hard to progress or get anywhere, it's starting to bore me because it takes so long to do anything... I can't even complete any tasks anymore... not a single one, they all need things I don't have room for or can't afford to buy, and at this rate, it will be well over a month before I can even start 1 task, much less get to the rest. That's too hard too early... obviously some of you don't feel that way, but I do.

All I am saying is the start shouldn't be this slow & difficult... later on, yes... but not this early.

And umm... 100 euros? All on one game?? No way! That's about $131 for me in the US... even spending just $100 US... I can't afford even close to that, and even if I could afford it, I wouldn't. Plus as I said, I wouldn't even consider spending any money on a game this early on, one that I'm still unsure about... especially being disappointed so far. But even on games I have played a long time, I'd NEVER spend anywhere near $100 on a mobile game... I have more important things to spend my money on. I might spend $20-30 on a good game once in a while, but never $100. I'd rather go buy a game for $20-50, and never have to spend another dime. I'd never spend hundreds like some people do, and I'll never understand people who do spend that on these types of games. Sorry.

As for being "fantastic"... I'm happy for you that you feel that way, and glad you enjoy it, but so far it's less than fantastic in my opinion... and sadly I'm beginning to think I will never get to that level of enjoyment after reading all of these responses.

Thanks.

 

[Blackcloud]

Thank you for your comprehensive answers briguynv.
Your comments reflect what many think and is clearly a weakness of GI in managing this game, unfortunately I doubt they will ever address this.
IMO I did not think early in this game was too difficult, once I understood the mechanics, which was not straight forward eg. the importance of Stars and that it takes more than just money to complete buildings, that to get the flight items for one destination involves flying to the destination before it first.
There is a user guide to the game created by posters on this site on another thread.
I notice that your are playing this on an iDevice, which means you do not even get the weekend codes for free coins and cash :huh:
I think this will mean that you will leave this game soon as it really will not meet your expectations.
For airline simulation games, I found the best was a PC game Airline Simulation, until they stuffed up new editions by poor quality testing effectively releasing beta versions, but that company took advice given to it by players so they improved the game. I suggest you have a look for it, however you cannot of course play that on an iDevice.

 

[Melanie]

So, back to Tetris? :angel:

 

[Franzmannn]

... nasty Melanie ;-)

 

[Melanie]

Just abusing the privilege of being young and cute.....

 

[briguynv]

Thank you for your comprehensive answers briguynv.
Your comments reflect what many think and is clearly a weakness of GI in managing this game, unfortunately I doubt they will ever address this.
IMO I did not think early in this game was too difficult, once I understood the mechanics, which was not straight forward eg. the importance of Stars and that it takes more than just money to complete buildings, that to get the flight items for one destination involves flying to the destination before it first.
There is a user guide to the game created by posters on this site on another thread.
I notice that your are playing this on an iDevice, which means you do not even get the weekend codes for free coins and cash :huh:
I think this will mean that you will leave this game soon as it really will not meet your expectations.
For airline simulation games, I found the best was a PC game Airline Simulation, until they stuffed up new editions by poor quality testing effectively releasing beta versions, but that company took advice given to it by players so they improved the game. I suggest you have a look for it, however you cannot of course play that on an iDevice.

Thanks for your post, although it's discouraging... but I guess I kind of expected that with my experience so far. But I kept hoping.

I am curious about something you mentioned... "that to get the flight items for one destination involves flying to the destination before it first." ... I found the guide before even posting anything here, and also read many other posts as well, and didn't see anything about that anywhere... can you please explain what you mean by this? Are you talking about items to build things like the Fuel Station? The items for that, I need to fly to Goa... but I've completed hundreds & hundreds of flights to Goa, and gotten none of the parts I need. And adding new friends wouldn't really help for these items, as they aren't giftable either. But are you saying I have to do a flight to Bali first, THEN Goa, and I'll get the part easier? That's confusing because I also need parts for Flight School... which is Malta. Yet I've flown Goa and then Malta, and still didn't get any parts I needed. Also for the tower, I need parts from Bali, and there is no flight "before" it, so I think I misunderstood that part. So are the parts this hard to get? Does it really take days/weeks to get each part?

I keep hoping it will get better... but I'm getting pretty discouraged... almost 4 days of non-stop playing and no progress... TONS of flights for parts that I don't get, I already have 2 or 3 stars on Bali, Goa & Malta, yet I can't get the parts I need, so I guess the stars don't help that. I didn't even see the stars at first, but even after I did, they don't seem to be helping with this need. So it's just frustrating, as I am pretty much "stuck"... I can't expand, I can't add planes/flights, I can't add houses or businesses... and at the moment, it feels as though I'll be stuck in this groove for weeks at least... that's what I mean by too slow or difficult so early on, because I literally can't do anything except fly planes out & accept them in... nothing else, I can't add anything, upgrade or build anything, complete any tasks, etc. I feel like I am playing & playing, but getting nowhere, no progress, my coins don't even seem to be building up... so again, no progress. I don't get how people do this... unless they spend a bunch of real money I guess, which I am unwilling to do this early. So unless something changes and some progress is made soon, I fear you may be right about it not meeting my expectations.

 

[Aero]

Oh and the 800k expansion is the last in coins, after that u need 20 green to expand...

 

[Melanie]

Oh and the 800k expansion is the last in coins, after that u need 20 green to expand...

20 Greens???? :s Where is my Tetris????

 

[Blackcloud]

Hi briguynv
What I meant was to get the flight item for certain destinations you will need to make a flight another that will get you the item, eg. Goa will provide the Powerful Transmitter, most of the time (I really do hate it when it does not).
Regarding the parts for the completion of buildings, you are very correct hundreds of flights to complete it, often a hundred before an item drops.
It could just be me but I swear 4 updates ago GI tightened the item drop ratio, where you seem to get items on "Very Seldom" dropping at least once every 10 missions now it just seems to be very rare (1:100 ratio). NB I made this up.
I am cynical and believe that this was done deliberately so frustrated gamers will use their Airport cash to buy the missing items, of course that will mean you eventually will need to pay real cash to GI to continue the game. I believe there was a flagrant attempt when the Defrosters needed for the "Flight Catering Facility" disappeared from the destinations list, and the gifting list, which meant you had to pay 6 green cash for it and to inform you you will need more than one as the long haul flights will each require a meal, one every 12 hours generated, for each flight. Thankfully this has been reversed, after many Facebook complaints and messages to GI. Instead they keep one item for the hotel as non-giftable or impossible to get and then have the fuel station, which I always use, items non-giftable and extremely hard to get.
My advice, do not worry about specifically finishing the regular quests the items will eventually come, the special event quests are worth it IMO, and focus on gaining enough coins for the purchase of land expansions and plan what you are going to put there very carefully. Oh another bit of advice, go through the collections list, especially the ones needed for the "Sky Captain" set and see what items are outstanding from the destinations you can reach before you sell and upgrade your aircraft. I kept flying to Egypt to get the Hieroglyphs before I bought the Delta (they were training flights for the Delta crew in my mind ), bonus was I have heaps of Airconditioners for the Flight Catering Facility and Duty Free Shop.
Otherwise delete the game and play Tetris :angel: