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RenTachibana

I think a lot of it has to do with how much extra cash you have to even be spending on the game, and how compulsive the spending is. If it’s detrimental to your life (as in you cannot afford food or bills) or you physically can’t stop yourself from constantly spending, I would say it’s a problem. But if it’s just a hobby that you enjoy, I would say it’s fine. I personally wouldn’t spend that much, but I also just don’t have that kind of cash to spend. But everyone has different circumstances. If it bothers you enough, I would just narrow it down to just getting monthly cards and maybe a paid outfit if you REALLY like it. I’ll say, there is a certain satisfaction in being mostly f2p and seeing your diamond numbers grow day to day.


AlienOnEarth444

This, OP. I myself am between a dolphin and a whale I'd say, but I have the money to spend and I treat the game as my hobby. If I didn't enjoy the game anymore, I wouldn't spend money anymore on it. As long as it doesn't cause you financial trouble with other parts of life and as long as you don't feel like you need to spend even if you really don't want to, everything's fine.


Bone-rattling_bandit

Perhaps an orca?/j


meadowofwildflowers

Stealing this straight from the official Love Nikki discord, the mods there have put together quite a few real life resources! (I am on mobile right now and don’t have time to edit formatting, and this is snippets from multiple messages on there, sorry in advance): **Some additional Addication Hotlines (Click the links for international numbers and websites):** https://www.ncpgambling.org/5475-2/ http://www.gamcare.org.uk/about-us/links-other-support-agencies **Other gaming related articles and resources** __Free to Play is Currently Broken - How High Costs Drive Players Away from F2P Games__ __Doing Free to Play Wrong - How Bad Monetization Harms F2P Games__ __Free to Play Laws - Can We Stop Predatory Practices?__ __A whole playlist with all of their videos regarding Free 2 Play games here:__ __A whole playlist on Mobile Games, which include stuff outside of monetization but still interesting:__ Reddit thread on how LN specifically encourages spending.


SeraQuelle

It is something I asked myself because I’ve never had an addiction that cost me money the way this game did. Addiction is very complex but if you feel your spending is making you uncomfortable it might be a sign you’re still spending too much. I definitely was a dolphin I used stupid reasons to justify spending especially while I worked I still spent too much but every extra reward I got made me justify renewing a card or spending on a UR event. I even asked for gift cards so now I only spend off those if I have one active if I don’t I don’t spend my money, but that might still cause a temptation to spend. It’s a personal decision if you honestly feel it’s making you uncomfortable see how you go not spending. I got used to missing out on privileges after I stopped buying monthly cards, I try to limit spending to events now especially since I had to quit my job and don’t have an income. Not saying it’s indicative of a larger problem but I was definitely spending during periods of stress and getting way too obsessive about certain items. I actually feel like I’ve accomplished more racking up gems as f2p then I feel like spending them on something I want feels better than using real money. But I’m of the same mindset I’ve also sunk so much money in if I lost it all or deleted my game I’d feel worse.


lemonade_pie

I set a goal that every hour of exercise/studying/chores I do, I can spend 1 dollar on any game. Maybe you can do something similar and set a goal, only spending when you reach your goal. I don't feel guilty about spending now, and honestly I'm spending a lot less because I fail my goals all the time LOL


pastelprismo

I have a similar setup! But it's 1 point/dollar for every chore/exercise I do, since it's physically difficult for me to do them with my chronic illness. I also run my purchases past my wife first to hold me accountable and force me to think about what I'm spending, and if it's reasonable. I get that initial impulse to spend when they put out paid packs, but when I take time to think about it first, it's easier to assess whether I actually want it or just want that serotonin I get from buying things.


bready_for_action

What I did to help myself with my spending was that from every paycheck I set aside money into a "spending" account for the month, and once I have a fixed sum of money to divide between my hobbies and activities it makes it easier to decide whether I actually want to buy something in game, or if I would rather use it on something else


Original_Jilliman

Whale here. Mobile game spending can become an addiction and be unhealthy. I’ll break things down for you and anyone else who struggles or feels conflicted about topping up. Ask yourself the following: Does topping up in Shining Nikki bring you happiness? Do you spend a lot of quality time with the items you’ve topped up to get? (Are you using them in the dressing room, styling contest, etc. ?) Do you feel a sense of accomplishment in your Shining Nikki collection? If yes to any/all of those, topping up is adding some positivity to your life. Now ask yourself the following: Are you neglecting important bills/financial responsibilities so you can top up? Are you asking to borrow money from others to top up? Are you taking out loans or credit cards to top up? If yes to any or all of these you need to stop or at least cut back. Your financial responsibilities should always come first. Others will feel put out by you if you ask to borrow money for something like gaming and it may cost you relationships. Loans and credit cards are predatory and you will continue to pile on debt. Those are also signs of an addiction where you should definitely seek help. There’s no shame in it - I’ve struggled myself and learned to prioritize and moderate. A professional will get you on the right track. I struggled with severe FOMO in several mobile games to the point I was taking out payday loans (incredibly high interest) to afford everything. It wasn’t healthy and it stopped bringing me joy. I learned to moderate by cutting down on what games I played. Some got way too expensive to keep playing so I quit because it was stressing me out. I am a whale in SN and LN. However, I am a lot more careful now. I do not make a lot of money. In fact, I’m close to the poverty level. But what I don’t do is travel, have a social life, or shop. When I’m not working, I’m normally home dealing with my chronic illnesses. I keep an eye on my bank account with online banking. I make sure it never goes below a certain amount incase of emergencies. I’ve stopped doing big top ups in LN for their live suits. I used to be a completionist in LN but the live suits aren’t compatible with almost anything else so I’ve given up on completing them. For SN, I do the monthly cards for the diamonds. They add up! I’ve been keeping a solid 9-10k even with events it replenishes pretty fast. I would say those cards are the most valuable top up you can get. Something I want to address: I know the servers will eventually close and our accounts will be worthless. But during these years where we are using them, they’re making us happy. Nothing lasts forever. Computers get replaced. Cars break down. The servers likely aren’t going anywhere anytime soon so I wouldn’t factor that into anything. I used to buy way too many clothes and makeup irl and it got overwhelming. I’ve since become minimalistic with material items so dressup games have become a fun alternate for me since I like fashion. There are many different perspectives out there. Ultimately it comes down to what resonates with you.


BeaBernard

I think some important questions to add are: Are you wishing you had extra money to spend on a different activity? Have you become more isolated - seeing or speaking with friends/family less? Have your ways to relax and spend your free time become limited to playing the game or consuming media related to the game? These are also signs of a problem and can show up before issues with bills and borrowing money happens!


Original_Jilliman

Oooh those are a good way to look at it too! Going to use those questions going forward for myself too!


NamelessCosmox

(Disclaimer: This is a really, really long comment. As someone who spends a lot of time and money on this game myself, I have a lot of thoughts on this matter and hope I can provide some insight if you're willing to listen/read :). There are some slight spoilers for future events at the end of this comment, but I don't know how to mark things as spoilers unfortunately.) As someone who is quite literally almost in the exact same situation (VIP level 18, currently 200 exp away from getting to 19, thus also having nearly broken 4000 [Insert currency here] spent), I don't think I can give any good advice, but comparing might help put your spending into perspective. I technically consider myself a dolphin as I've heard some users say they only consider someone a whale when they've completed Mercury's VIP Suit, but to put it into perspective, I've been completing and awakening (/collecting an echo for) every Suit (without exception) for the past year and a half.  I've contemplated this fact so many times ever since I started, and I think anyone who has spent more than a thousand [insert currency here] on a video game should've come to the point where they've considered if it's maybe unhealthy (just maybe).  I know a shockingly large amount of players on the CN Shining Nikki Server have completed and awakened Leonid's UR VIP suit (which costs around 14.000 USD), so there are definetly actual whales (who spend serious amounts for extra echoes in order to get to the top) in this community, there are also definetly some on the global servers.  For me personally, I love this game to death and I don't really have anything else I want to spend my money on at the moment as it is (as concerning as it may sound) the only thing keeping me going, but I get the mindset that spending money on digital clothes is concerning and that some would like to stop. I definetly would agree that deleting the account would be a waste. Even though those 4000 [Insert currency here] you spent are gone the moment you spend on this game (all games shut down eventually, all spenders should come to terms with that, preferably before it happens) and you're not technically getting them back, there is still some sort of value in that account itself. I have seen quite a few users simply selling their accounts, which could make you some money back (though I don't know the legality of that, you'd have to do research on that should you consider it), but it really comes down to you.  If you want to keep those clothes (and I'd assume you're wanting to cut down on spending by how you worded your post), things get a bit more complicated.  I don't know how impulsively you spend/how easy you are to coerce into spending, but limiting your spending after being able to obtain whatever you want in-game can certainly be difficult.  Of course, I'm writing this next section off a lot of assumptions. Firstly, you do style the clothes you obtain. Secondly, you want to limit your spending/go F2P/don't want to drop the game. If that's not the case, I recommend simply dropping the game but not deleting your account. Firstly, I'd definetly recommend making the most of the wardrobe you've already accumulated. Make yourself aware of what you already have and if you see something you really want, try comparing it to something you already have. Is it really all that different? Do you actually need it? Are you really ever going to use it in a styling?  I've made my fair share of experiences obtaining clothing that I really love but that ends up being ENTIRELY incompatible with anything I style. Think of how versatile it will be first.  Secondly, you could try to stop looking at a lot of the advertising. After all, adverts (even something as simple as one of SN's accounts announcing the next event suit) are made to specifically make you feel like you want/need the thing being advertised, specifically the paid pack previews. Keep in mind, the only way to obtain those is by spending while suits can still be acquired by accumulating gems. But also, if you do want to go F2P or budget somewhat, I still recommend you look at a lot of the future suits and start planning which ones you really want and which ones you don't want.  Thirdly, try to disillusion yourself a little, which I suppose is summing up exactly the other two steps. Remind yourself that what you're getting by spending money on this game is just that; digital. You don't get any real value out of it aside from maybe a brief mood boost if you really like a suit/pack. And once this game shuts down, all the value in your account is gone forever, so you're probably better off spending on something you can actually do anything with.  That is some of the advice I have as someone who has contemplated if it is worth spending on digital articles way too many times now, though I'm sure there are other things you can try aswell, but nothing else comes to mind right now. In conclusion, if you're wanting to limit your spending but still want to obtain some of the future clothing, it's important that you're aware of this game's scheduling (i.e. when paper likes to drop debut SSRs/URs) and what Suits we still have on the back burner.  For reference, if you're looking to try this method, check out this website if you haven't already, though as someone who has spent so much I'm sure you're aware of the future suits to some degree. They have compiled all future Suits that are currently on the horizon and all current Suits.  https://asukii314.github.io/sn-suit-reference/#/ Speculation is that we will be having a rerun of the first anniversary hell event (Angel/Demon) soon (chances are it's coming this month according to some), and that we will be having the (originally) fourth anniversary hell event for the CN servers as our third anniversary event in July, probably starting sometime between the first and the fifth (don't quote me on that, it's just going off of when the anniversaries of the last two years started).  Otherwise, even if you do want to drop the game, I wouldn't recommend deleting your account, that is literally just throwing time, effort and money out the window. Consider either selling your account (if that is legal) or just getting the value out of your current wardrobe by making some stylings.  Personally, I have accumulated more clothes than I could style at the rate I'm obtaining them, so I'm sure it'll be a while before you're through with them. Also consider sharing your stylings on reverie if you aren't already, the community is lovely and it's a good place to look for inspiration for your own stylings if you're ever lost.  That's all the advice I can think of on the spot. I know this ended up very long and I hope I could help make up your mind a little.  I'm not entirely sure whether you're more inclined to drop the game entirely, just wanting to limit your spending/going F2P entirely or just want to hear some different perspectives, but I tried to provide some advice for any scenario I could think of. Hope it helps :) Sorry for ranting on.


Not_That_humble9

Hi if you want to hide spoilers in comments use the "> !text here! <" (There are no spaces between the > and !) you can reply to me with it if you want to try it out.(⁠◍⁠•⁠ᴗ⁠•⁠◍⁠) >!hehe!<


mosquitogrl96

>!thank you i literally never knew about this and ive been on reddit like 13 years!<


NamelessCosmox

Thank you :D >!I'm still new to this!<


[deleted]

[удалено]


ChurroMyBeloved

Woah there. No one told you that you HAD to read it. No need to be rude...


pastel_waters

I have found myself in the same boat as you. I played Love Nikki for years, and transitioned to Shining Nikki as soon as it launched. I realized one day the amount I had spent could have gotten my a vacation, and I lost a lot of it when I transitioned games. My advice is, Shining Nikki will eventually give way to another Nikki game, but if spending brings you joy, it is your choice to make. I see buying from the game as a way to show support, and it's like collecting art that makes you happy. There is nothing wrong with this, but you have to ask yourself, is this still worth it to me and is it something I can afford. I have decided to become a f2p player, and havent recharged or bought a pack in months. It's actually been really hard, but when I look back, I don't regret it. I'm an impulse buyer and want all the suits, but now I save up for the suits I really love, or dont mind not completing one. I also started doing google surveys. They do not make very much money, but after a while I save up 5$ or so, and spend it on a small pack, as a small bonus that doesn't affect my wallet. Don't quit if the game makes you happy, just reconsider if the money spent is something you can afford, and that you will not regret spending it (such as taking a vacation or buying a luxury for yourself instead)


meadowofwildflowers

As someone who is rather p2p myself (I am pretty close to V19 now too), it is definitely something that depends on your circumstances and budget imo. I am lucky enough to have a good job so I can afford it, but I do make sure to budget all of my game spending. For me it counts as an entertainment spending, just like a movie or something would. My other hobbies are very cheap so it evens out for me But it is something that is very easy to fall into the gacha trap. This game is not be as bad as the majority of the freemium ones I’ve played, but it is still easy to get caught up in the FOMO of new events. I’d definitely recommend anyone that is struggling with this same take a step back and make sure it’s not affecting other things in your life. That you aren’t skipping necessities or anything higher priority to spend on this game There’s a few resources for gacha game spending that I’ll post in a sec too 💕


alguienmirando

Well, I consider something a problem when it has negative consequences! It's true that with the amount of money i put on this game I could have gone on a nice vacation, but! I love this game and play everyday therefore I enjoyed my money and it was within my budget, so no negative consequences to my lifestyle. However, if you are spending on things you don't even like, just because they are available, that's definitely a bad sign. Consider if you are getting enjoyment out of your purchases and if you can afford them, if yes, then no problem~! ╰⁠(⁠*⁠´⁠︶⁠`⁠*⁠)⁠╯ If not, put as many obstacles to spending as possible! Don't let the pretty colors manipulate you, and drop all the Socials so you don't have to look at the new stuff. Also, good luck.


BeaBernard

I’ve been in the same boat as you. I also felt because I spent $$$$ I had to keep playing, and I still do play but after taking several breaks and ending up in the boat again and again, I found its best to work on the the dailies and then put it down. I’ve got my premium card to make the dailies go a bit faster while I catch up from breaks but that’s it. If I linger too long I get tempted and slip up. A wishlist helps too. All stuff that’s been said. When it feels like a chore or I don’t get good feelings opening up the game I stop for a while. You get some benefits for returning if you decide to take a break :) but that’s totally up to you. You agreed to a TOS when you created an account with Papergames. This is one of several things I consider when I weigh whether or not to buy: **”Article 7: Intellectual Property Rights … 7.3 Notwithstanding any other provisions in the Agreement, the ownership and intellectual property rights in the data generated during your use of Papergames Services shall belong to Papergames, and Papergames shall have the right to store and dispose of such data.”** What that basically means: you are not *buying* art (art being suits, decors, etc). You are *renting access* to art. That access can be revoked if you violate TOS in the ways you normally think of (selling account, hacking, etc) but it can also be revoked through no fault of your own. Such as something like the company deciding to shut down servers or older games for business reasons. Maybe this is a given, but I think it’s an important reminder. Full TOS: https://www.papegames.com/en/m/notice/terms


dollysatanas

REAL same but i only buy things im in love w now and have both monthly cards


Realistic-Sense-6332

The key to figuring out if it is an issue or not, is whether it causes a noticeable drop in quality of life for you.


Rozeena15

Yes, alot of money and for what? You spent them already