86 replies to this topic

[Ibrandul Mike]

Ok, because it is used in arguments over and over (besides Tier and times in the game), I have a few questions.

What is the common definition of a whale (NOT the animal!)?
Is it a certain amount spent in a specific time? (If so which timeframe and which amount)
Is it a certain amount spent in total?
Is there even a consens for the definition?

I just want opinions with a bit of an explanation of the why.
Please refrain from attacking others and talking them down.

So what is a whale for you

Edit:
As far as possible please don't quote other opinions. Even if you don't intend to, that can start a fight especially if the person thinks you are dissecting their post. Everyone has his the right to have his or her own opinion and this thread is here to show them. And because I am interested in opinions

The short discussion because of a quote and the following answer of the quoted person is still in the topic and will stay. It is a good point to show, why people might feel angered but it still added information.
In this regard thanks to both of you that it didn't went further!

On a side note: Criticism of PGI is not a problem. As long as it is to say why you are no longer a whale or that for example whales don't "care" and the critique is in a constructive, not personal way (otherwise it would be against the CoC ). Just wanted to add that


Thanks for all the answers so far!
It is enlightening and I hope more answers will be given!

Edited by Ibrandul Mike, 17 August 2016 - 11:02 PM.

[Dee Eight]

I am a whale... 1k in 8.5 months, including $300 in MCs in the past 3 weeks (which also got me about 150 caches, and 30 or so mech bays, plus another 5 bays from cache opens). Mind you this is nothing compared to my bicycle collection, or what I spent on the mechwarrior clix game, or on M:TG before I gave it up, or on paintball gear. Hell I bought a mountain bike last month that I changed a third of the parts on the moment I got it home, and and which cost 2/3 as much as my last car purchase. I still have to pick my upgrade add-ons for the Linebacker and MAD-IIC packs before they get delivered, and what with oh four more months of pre-orders coming this year I'm sure I'm pass $1500 by NYE.

Edited by Dee Eight, 17 August 2016 - 04:30 PM.

[Revis Volek]

Ibrandul Mike, on 17 August 2016 - 04:23 PM, said:

Ok, because it is used in arguments over and over (besides Tier and times in the game), I have a few questions.

What is the common definition of a whale (NOT the animal!)?
Is it a certain amount spent in a specific time? (If so which timeframe and which amount)
Is it a certain amount spent in total?
Is there even a consens for the definition?

I just want opinions with a bit of an explanation of the why.
Please refrain from attacking others and talking them down.

So what is a whale for you?

I'd say i am an extinct whale...


I threw hundreds of dollars at PGI over the course of years when the game was fun, but its boring and stale now and the mech of the month pokemech chase has really burned me out. The only meta in this game anymore is buying the newest most overquirked mech and being p2w for a few months before the nerfs come out.

a whale IMO is someone who pays lots of money, not just one or two mech packs a year but constant cash being put forth to PGI.

[Dee Eight]

Revis Volek, on 17 August 2016 - 04:29 PM, said:

a whale IMO is someone who pays lots of money, not just one or two mech packs a year but constant cash being put forth to PGI.

I've bought MC during each MC sale promotion, converted XP to GXP with each double-xp event, and have pre-ordered everything from Kodiak to MAD-IIC except for the phoenix hawk (and regret not at least getting its basic pack since the early adoption perks included a seismic module).

[Imperius]

I used to buy all top tier packs, I bought 2 gold mechs, and I'm at about $2500 spent on MWO and 4 or 5 mech packs behind on support because reasons already well known.

I'd say if you've spent about $500 a year

[RisTanA]

Whales pay 4000 USD for the 8 golden clan mech chassis.

This game takes your money like TV evangelists take money from the bible belt.

Edited by RisTanA, 17 August 2016 - 04:39 PM.

[Kirkland Langue]

Top spending, throughout the life of the product, over multiple accounts.

So what if you spent $100 last week? If another player spent $10,000 5 years ago, that second player is the whale in the room.

[Dee Eight]

Quote

$300 dollars in MC? For what?

For whatever I wish to use them on. And that's just the last 2 MC deals... I already crunched the math in another thread...I'm at $650 in MC since Jan 6th.

Quote

You realize your buying power is ruined the minute you change your money to MC right? Unless you need mechbays or something...

Yes. I've given seminars effectively in buying mech packs thru the web store to folks asking why the Kodiaks weren't in the assault mech sale. I am not interested in buying earlier mech packs to get faction colors and patterns for the dismal mech options offered.

Quote

KDK pack for $35 (3 mechs plus hero add on) or $32 dollars in MC for just the HERO KDK?

Actually once they get a sale for them, the KDK-3 and SB combined, even at 35% discount and using MC at the best bundle price of $99.95 (250MC per dollar) its still 86 cents more expensive to buy the two alone without mech bays, premium time, or cockpit items than it is to get the $35 basic pack + hero deal.

Quote

I hope you really like those caches (worst items in the game, its better to just buy cbills and buy the items you want) or really need a crap load of mech bays or something. Just dont waste you money on MC, its not worth it.

I have enjoyed them greatly. I will waste my money on anything I wish to waste it on.

Edited by Ibrandul Mike, 17 August 2016 - 05:09 PM.
Redacted. Everything on topic with the questions answered and traces of the asking person removed.

[Bud Crue]

I think being a whale is not just about money spent, but state of mind. A whale buys whatever PGI is selling, both literally and figuratively. A white knight with more money than common sense if you will. A whale is willing to give PGI the benefit of the doubt despite all emprical evidence to the contrary and back up that faith with cash.

One may be a whale for some period of time, but eventually the redundancy of the game, the ham-fisted way PGI present's itself and its decisions, Russ's attitude or something else eventually turns most whales into indifferent fish. That is: one who is willing to keep swimming in the sea we call MWO, but one who has ceased being excited about PGI, the game or spending serious money on either.

[MoonUnitBeta]

Whale
Noun
1. Has a Big Sack full of no money. It's empty because it was spent all on the game, but will have plenty more next paycheck to pay bills.
2. Person who has a disposable income that is freely spent.
3. Spends more than the average customer.
4. Has credit card number memorized because taking it out so often gets annoying.

Envious person: "Whoa, this is a whale. You can tell because he has over 230 mechs and they were all bought with money."

Chump #1: "He doesn't even buy premium time, but always has it active? How?"
Chump #2: "He's a whale, that's why. Early adopter rewards, and every mech pack."

Edited by MoonUnitBeta, 17 August 2016 - 04:51 PM.

[Ibrandul Mike]

Wow... I think the don't talk people down please working till post [REDACTED] is... a record.

I am really interested in opinions and so far I got a few. So do me the favor and stop nagging. Everyone has his own opinion here. And you don't need to bash others opinions.

And this is no pissing contest either. I don't care if someone spent 1 million and another 20$.

Thanks everyone so far who answered

Edited by Ibrandul Mike, 17 August 2016 - 05:10 PM.
Post in question is gone. Statement stays

[El Bandito]

The game's been out for 4 years already, so I personally think that someone who had spent at least 800 USD total, or 200 per year, is considered a whale.

[Davegt27]

[Ibrandul Mike]

[mod]Cleanup done.
Keep the fight out of this thread please.
This should stay informative.
Thanks!
[/mod]

[Imperius]

Anything over $100 (Average price for AAA and the season pass) for the product you're a whale I guess. Because honestly with what we have been given we still don't have the basics of a AAA game, and I can't fault people for not buying in. Our nostalgia was taken advantage of plain and simple. I used to mindlessly throw money at this game. Now after 4 years and having next to nothing I've wanted in the game show up I'm starting to tell myself not to do it.

Damn you Alex! You're without a doubt one of the best things to happen to BATTLETECH! Your art has made BATTLETECH great again!

[Escef]

I'm probably a whale. Phoenix Overlord. Top tier Clan Waves 1, 2, and 3. Top tier Resistance 1 & 2. Top tier Origins. Everything from the Urbanmech, Marauder, Warhammer, and Archer packs. Collectors + 1 Hero for Phoenix Hawk, Huntsman, and Marauder IIC. Collectors Cyclops pack... I think the basic Kodiak pack was gifted to me and I upgraded it to Collectors + hero... Viper & Rifleman basic packs were gifted to me.

I'd consider a whale anyone that spends over $180 a year, I guess. I mean, back in the day $15/month was the standard for many MMOs, so anything above and beyond that probably should qualify.

[Imperius]

MoonUnitBeta, on 17 August 2016 - 04:45 PM, said:

Whale
Noun
1. Has a Big Sack full of no money. It's empty because it was spent all on the game, but will have plenty more next paycheck to pay bills.
2. Person who has a disposable income that is freely spent.
3. Spends more than the average customer.
4. Has credit card number memorized because taking it out so often gets annoying.

Envious person: "Whoa, this is a whale. You can tell because he has over 230 mechs and they were all bought with money."

Chump #1: "He doesn't even buy premium time, but always has it active? How?"
Chump #2: "He's a whale, that's why. Early adopter rewards, and every mech pack."

QFT I have 1007 days of premium time still 32,000 MC left $94,000,000 C-bills I rarely play and haven't since Feb I'm waiting for mechwarrior to be great again.

[ScarecrowES]

I think the classic definition of a whale being a person who spends more money than the average customer and who spends that money more freely with less specific regard to value. These are people who tend to bring more money to the table than most, and are willing to part with it for less provocation than most.

I don't think it's necessarily about the exact amount of money spent. I WOULD peg a dollar amount at some number well in excess of the actual value of the game, so $200 annually is not a terrible figure to center on. But I think more accurately it's a state of mind.

A whale will buy the latest mech pack for no greater reason than because it's been offered to him, without any real thought as to the cost of that pack or whether he really wants that particular mech, while a basic customer would likely be more discerning. This is what leads whales to spend more.

[xX PUG Xx]

I would say I am or at least have been a whale, purchasing every top level pack since the Founders (not Gold 'Mechs though) until the Phoenix Hawk. This has taken me to around 295ish 'Mechs and I don't even want to think of how much MC has been purchased *

However with the state of FP as it is I swore off buying more..........and then saw the Cyclops and decided to treat myself (it was my birthday). So yeah..... I would say a "whale" is someone that easily succumbs to the visual delights of 'Mech por..... propoganda and supplies PGI with a healthy injection of cash from time to time. In my own case it is in the hope that FP will one day be close to what was envisioned 4 years ago

*I did succumb to my curiosity and went through my profile. Needless to say, although I won't embarass myself by listing how much I've spent on MC, it has made concrete the decision to purchase no more. As for 'Mech packs I can't say I regret their purchase as these are the basis for the fun i've had playing the game for the last 4 years.

Unfortunately this little excercise has forced me to come to a decision: I will not spend any further substantial amounts of cash on this game unless there is some form of action plan and a reasonable timeframe attached regarding further development of Faction Play. I have almost zero interest in playing "rinse'n'repeat" Quick Play and without a healthy dose of work, Faction Play cannot hope to draw in enough players to make it viable.

I sincerely hope PGI can deliver on the potential that MWO has to be a truly great MechWarrior title.

Edited by xX PUG Xx, 17 August 2016 - 08:21 PM.

[InspectorG]

I'm a whale...pilot.

I've spent what I thought was a lot, until I saw this thread.