I was scammed. That gave me an idea for future gifting events.

Mobile_P0tat0 · December 2021

Could just shut down global for the event and that would eliminate the majority of scamming

ChaosMax1012 · December 2021

Mobile_P0tat0 said:
Could just shut down global for the event and that would eliminate the majority of scamming

That’s a great solution. Recruiting wouldn’t matter since they can’t participate anyway if they join a new alliance.

Maltyo9 · December 2021

BitterSteel said:

Maltyo9 said:
While I agree that this situation sucks for the OP and their alliance mates that got scammed, this is easily avoidable even when trading with people that you "know."

When someone posts in chat that they have x number GGCs to trade, I'm not sending to them until I've received the promised amount. After all, they were the one initiating the exchange in the first place.
What’s to stop someone see a person put “trade x number of GGCs” in a chat, agree to it, let them send first because they initiated the exchange in the first place, and then not send anything back?

Completely agree with your point.

Someone could do just that, but I believe that as soon as that happened, everyone in that alliance would know straightaway what happened, and it likely wouldn't happen again.

Unfortunately at this point, we're all just talking about the same situation happening in different ways.

At the end of the day, we just have to trust who we're sending a "gift" to, and hoping that it is reciprocated accordingly.

However, I do appreciate the OP's idea on implementing a trading system to insure people don't run into that situation, but as others have said, it seems difficult to implement and not very cost-effective for Kabam.

GroundedWisdom · December 2021

The problem is, trading is an elective activity. The point of the Event is to reward people for sending gifts to others. If we do decide to trade, that's a personal agreement. Not one of the game design. If we're trusting strangers, we're taking that risk ourselves. Kabam can't guarantee people will be honest.

AverageDesi · December 2021

GroundedWisdom said:
The problem is, trading is an elective activity. The point of the Event is to reward people for sending gifts to others. If we do decide to trade, that's a personal agreement. Not one of the game design. If we're trusting strangers, we're taking that risk ourselves. Kabam can't guarantee people will be honest.

Yeah. Like imagine if we could implement a system that counters that

ShadowKing01 · December 2021

https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2012188#Comment_2012188
Either great minds think alike or you just re-wrote my post. lol

DNA3000 · December 2021

OGAvenger said:
While I don’t really agree with this incursion-like trading set up because I too think you should only gift with people you trust…the real con is the people in here saying “it is a gifting event not a trading event” 😂😂

Guys….come on. Everyone trades during this event. And now I know I say that and there will be few little rando’s pop up saying “nah man I just gifted everyone in my alliance 100 GGC’s each dude” but like…99% of the community trades gifts, so your 1% generosity doesn’t really mean much in the grand scheme of things

Actually, it is a gifting event, and there is a difference between a gifting event that most players use as a trading event and an actual trading event implemented with actual trades which might be important. Most people trade primarily with people they know, or think they know, and most trades aren't frauds in part for this reason. This means the gifting event is an engagement tool for the game: it encourages players to get to know other players.

Engagement is one of the primary motivators for game design features. While not everyone uses the gifting event entirely in this way, the vast majority of players probably do. Even the whales generally trade with each other to some degree. If you're not in an alliance and you don't have any friends in-game, gifting is a little bit of a scary proposition because you have no idea if you can trust the other person. But while that causes some bad side effects, I suspect the primary effect is to encourage people to make friends. And players who have friends in game are typically more engaged players. They are more likely to push in content to keep up with their friends, more likely to become more involved with alliances, and even more likely to eventually convert into a spender on the game.

All those things would be significantly weakened if the gifting event was converted into a straight up trading event. When you take the risk completely away, you also take away most of the advantages of having a stronger circle of in-game friends, and eliminate an avenue of enhancing engagement. And conversely, every trade you make with someone is an opportunity for them to cheat you. Every time they don't, you build more trust with those people. Take the risk away, and you take this opportunity to build stronger relationships away as well.

I suspect this is why the gifting event was designed as a gifting event in the first place. A gifting event that players turn into a trading event is an engagement tool. A trading event that the players use as a trading event is not, or at least it is much weaker of one. The devs can always change their minds, but this might be a hurdle to converting the gifting event into a trading event with a direct trading system.

To put it another way, the work we do to turn the gifting event into a trading event might be work the devs want us to do, and in fact are encouraging us to do by having a gifting event in the first place.

GroundedWisdom · December 2021

AverageDesi said:

GroundedWisdom said:
The problem is, trading is an elective activity. The point of the Event is to reward people for sending gifts to others. If we do decide to trade, that's a personal agreement. Not one of the game design. If we're trusting strangers, we're taking that risk ourselves. Kabam can't guarantee people will be honest.
Yeah. Like imagine if we could implement a system that counters that

Counters what? People trusting total strangers? I trade with people I know. Not random people.

Alado1977 · December 2021

@ShadowKing01 I didn’t see your post before (my search skills in the forum could use a revamp too). But yes, credit is due. It’s the same idea.

SummonerNR · December 2021

ShadowKing01 said:
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2012188#Comment_2012188
Either great minds think alike or you just re-wrote my post. lol

As well as numerous other posts suggesting the same thing.
And likewise in previous years too.

I too am getting tired of just hearing the standard reply… “it is Gifting event, not a Trading event”.

That's just sort of like saying.. “well it is that way because it was made that way”.

It would open up a lot more socialization, and making new friends, outside of just your alliance or already established friendships.

You wouldn’t be forced to do ONLY-TRADING. But it would be another tool available to use to broaden your social circle, result in better Incursions in future from newly-trusted friends, etc. by being able to do “verified” Holiday Trading with others that you otherwise wouldn’t give the time of day to.

psp742 · December 2021

Only trade one GGC at a time.. if they don't gift back.. don't send them more until they send you equal value gift.. that way if they don't gift you back.. you lose only 300units and not more.. same with your other alliance mates.. one GGC at a time.. unless you know each other and have been together in alliance a longer time.

ChaosMax1012 · December 2021

GroundedWisdom said:
The problem is, trading is an elective activity. The point of the Event is to reward people for sending gifts to others. If we do decide to trade, that's a personal agreement. Not one of the game design. If we're trusting strangers, we're taking that risk ourselves. Kabam can't guarantee people will be honest.

Couldn’t have said it any better. Some may not like judging by the disagrees but this is just the way this event is. If anything the dishonesty affects newer players as they tend to be more, naive per say? Into doing these trades with “scammers”. But in the end, the point of gifting is to earn the milestones. You may not maximize your rewards by just gifting instead of trading, but nonetheless that’s not the point of this event. It’s Christmas time. Gonna get mad at someone if you gave them a gift and they don’t return anything back in real life? No because they appreciate it and it was an act of selflessness. I know that morality doesn’t apply to this game as the people receiving will probably forget about you the next day, but in this case you’re still receiving milestones for GIVING to another player, which is all this event cares about. You don’t earn milestones from RECEIVING. So those that “scam” you will have to trade to get the better rewards anyway. Disagree as you please, I ain’t a fan of supposed scamming either but just be careful with how you either trade or gift to prevent this.

ChaosMax1012 · December 2021

I do wonder if people read the text before pressing a button though. It amazes me.

Piviot · December 2021

Piviot · December 2021

ChaosMax1012 said:

GroundedWisdom said:
The problem is, trading is an elective activity. The point of the Event is to reward people for sending gifts to others. If we do decide to trade, that's a personal agreement. Not one of the game design. If we're trusting strangers, we're taking that risk ourselves. Kabam can't guarantee people will be honest.
Couldn’t have said it any better. Some may not like judging by the disagrees but this is just the way this event is. If anything the dishonesty affects newer players as they tend to be more, naive per say? Into doing these trades with “scammers”. But in the end, the point of gifting is to earn the milestones. You may not maximize your rewards by just gifting instead of trading, but nonetheless that’s not the point of this event. It’s Christmas time. Gonna get mad at someone if you gave them a gift and they don’t return anything back in real life? No because they appreciate it and it was an act of selflessness. I know that morality doesn’t apply to this game as the people receiving will probably forget about you the next day, but in this case you’re still receiving milestones for GIVING to another player, which is all this event cares about. You don’t earn milestones from RECEIVING. So those that “scam” you will have to trade to get the better rewards anyway. Disagree as you please, I ain’t a fan of supposed scamming either but just be careful with how you either trade or gift to prevent this.

If ppl are scamming for the ggc they not caring for the milestones

Cause they gonna either get kicked before or they gonna leave by themselves

Dontsellthem · December 2021

Your idea gave me an idea…the long con!!!! 😈

OGAvenger · December 2021

DNA3000 said:

OGAvenger said:
While I don’t really agree with this incursion-like trading set up because I too think you should only gift with people you trust…the real con is the people in here saying “it is a gifting event not a trading event” 😂😂

Guys….come on. Everyone trades during this event. And now I know I say that and there will be few little rando’s pop up saying “nah man I just gifted everyone in my alliance 100 GGC’s each dude” but like…99% of the community trades gifts, so your 1% generosity doesn’t really mean much in the grand scheme of things
Actually, it is a gifting event, and there is a difference between a gifting event that most players use as a trading event and an actual trading event implemented with actual trades which might be important. Most people trade primarily with people they know, or think they know, and most trades aren't frauds in part for this reason. This means the gifting event is an engagement tool for the game: it encourages players to get to know other players.

Engagement is one of the primary motivators for game design features. While not everyone uses the gifting event entirely in this way, the vast majority of players probably do. Even the whales generally trade with each other to some degree. If you're not in an alliance and you don't have any friends in-game, gifting is a little bit of a scary proposition because you have no idea if you can trust the other person. But while that causes some bad side effects, I suspect the primary effect is to encourage people to make friends. And players who have friends in game are typically more engaged players. They are more likely to push in content to keep up with their friends, more likely to become more involved with alliances, and even more likely to eventually convert into a spender on the game.

All those things would be significantly weakened if the gifting event was converted into a straight up trading event. When you take the risk completely away, you also take away most of the advantages of having a stronger circle of in-game friends, and eliminate an avenue of enhancing engagement. And conversely, every trade you make with someone is an opportunity for them to cheat you. Every time they don't, you build more trust with those people. Take the risk away, and you take this opportunity to build stronger relationships away as well.

I suspect this is why the gifting event was designed as a gifting event in the first place. A gifting event that players turn into a trading event is an engagement tool. A trading event that the players use as a trading event is not, or at least it is much weaker of one. The devs can always change their minds, but this might be a hurdle to converting the gifting event into a trading event with a direct trading system.

To put it another way, the work we do to turn the gifting event into a trading event might be work the devs want us to do, and in fact are encouraging us to do by having a gifting event in the first place.

Pretty sure Kabam mainly uses the gifting event to make money. But sure we’ll go with have the new player community make friends idea

pseudosane · December 2021

lmao, "it is a gifting event, not a trading event." is the biggest pile of hogwash ive heard.
Totally, lets go with the random proper noun Kabam designated for this money event.
sure, people are dropping 20-30k dollars to "gift "others with their total generosity. Out of the goodness of their golden hearts.
Sure, kabam made a counter and point system for alliance and individual to show how generous and friendly they are by gifting stuff
gimme a break.

GOTG · December 2021

If Kabam just wanted this event as "gifting" they would not give out price for top gifting players. Because it encourages people to treat it as "trading" and get "benefit" from it.

So no, Kabam does not see it as "gifting event" no matter its name, or may be they saw it like that just in the very first year, but not now, they are seeing it as an oppotunity to milk the community.

Like Uber, in theory its a sharing service, but in fact its a taxi company. Dont be naive or lie yourself.

GroundedWisdom · December 2021

I mean, we can argue semantics and ulterior motives until the cows come home, but it's a Gifting Event. They don't reward trading, they reward Gifting. Players are doing what Players do, and trying to maximize their payout. Which isn't a fault, it's how people have devised maximum benefit. That doesn't mean it's Kabam's fault when people learn a hard lesson. We see the same thing happen when Alliance Members are trusted prematurely and they boot a bunch of people. It's an in-house issue. It's not a Barter Event. It's a Gifting Event.

AverageDesi · December 2021

Same energy

solopolo · December 2021

ItsDamien said:

There will always be scammers, in game and in real life. There will always be bad actors who will take advantage of a situation without thought of the repercussions that it has on another person. But it is what it is. The best anyone can do is take precautions to ensure they don’t fall victim. Once burned, twice cautious.

Gonna have to say, this in particular is some pretty bad logic.

"Scammers will always exist, therefore we shouldn't do anything to minimize the damage, and if you get hit, that's your fault." That sounds like a perfect reason to implement countermeasures more than anything. And no, kabam was fully aware this was going to become a trading event the instant it was put out. We as players are just as hungry for profit as they as a company are, and they're very much aware of it. The only reason it's labeled as a gifting event is for flavor.

You can't say "the best anyone can do" when what's being proposed is quite literally a better solution in every way than what's currently being done.

solopolo · December 2021

@DNA3000 problem I have with that take is, I don't see anyone making friends simply because a trade went well. Personally at least, having someone actually send gifts back rather than take them and run isn't telling me they're great friends, it's telling me they're enough of a decent human being to not want to ruin other people's experience. And I'm sure this is also the case for a whole lot of people.

Also, regardless of whether or not they implement a proper trading system, you'll still have benefits to trading within your alliance. Trading with someone inside your alliance will always yield double the event points that trading with anyone else would.

OGAvenger · December 2021

GroundedWisdom said:
I mean, we can argue semantics and ulterior motives until the cows come home, but it's a Gifting Event. They don't reward trading, they reward Gifting. Players are doing what Players do, and trying to maximize their payout. Which isn't a fault, it's how people have devised maximum benefit. That doesn't mean it's Kabam's fault when people learn a hard lesson. We see the same thing happen when Alliance Members are trusted prematurely and they boot a bunch of people. It's an in-house issue. It's not a Barter Event. It's a Gifting Event.

They actually 100% reward trading. If I trade 5 GGC’s with someone in my alliance we get 15,000 + 15,000 = 30,000 points toward the Alliance Gifting rewards. However, if I gift my alliance mate 5 GGC’s out of the kindness of my heart then we only get 15k points. So we actually get double the reward to trade within the alliance

DestinyPolo · December 2021

ShadowKing01 said:
https://forums.playcontestofchampions.com/en/discussion/comment/2012188#Comment_2012188
Either great minds think alike or you just re-wrote my post. lol

Lmao u can’t say that when your post was literally posted a few days after mine on the issue 😂

DestinyPolo · December 2021

Anyway I think the premise of the trade doesn’t matter - I mean in the end of the day it could simply be called a ‘gift-swap’ if we are being so petty on the issue of gift v trade. As for implementation - if you take the stance that you shouldn’t implement something because it may cause ‘issues’, Nothing would ever be implemented into any game. Everything takes risks - things can go wrong with anything. I mean MCOC is an incredibly complex game - they are surely capable of implementing a simple trading (or gift swap 🙄) system and to argue against that is disrespectful to the game makers. Ask yourself why has this issue appeared on the forums several times now? It’s because people are fed up of scammers, it’s because people want extra security around their units. The only reason for anyone to argue against such an idea is if they wish to scam themselves. There is NO other reason to be against it and being petty on the definition of a gift v trade only shows your true colours.
However I would like to hear a moderators take on the issue - there is only so many posts on an issue that you can ignore until they have to respond.

rockykoston · December 2021

Alado1977 said:
He had several trades at the “same” time. It was all done in 5 to 10 minutes. That’s why I’ve said it was a long con, built throughout a year. Enough reputation in the alliance as a solid player to grant him a margin of time. Clearly this wasn’t the first time doing it.

Still.

I've had ppl ask for maximum of 10-15 GGCs at a given time and even then they're only able to trade 3-4 with another person.

If your alliance members were so eager to send him more than that, then it's just recklessness.

I've been in my alliance for 3 years and I still don't trust some of them and always trade in quantities of 3.

Dude17 · January 2022

DestinyPolo said:
Anyway I think the premise of the trade doesn’t matter - I mean in the end of the day it could simply be called a ‘gift-swap’ if we are being so petty on the issue of gift v trade.

Agreed. At work we have an annual gift-exchange during X'mas. Everyone expects you to gift if you are participating. Kabam would make a lot more $$$, if they implemented a solution like OP mentioned, in addition to the option to freely gift if a player so chooses.

In my first year playing the game, I didn't spend any units because I didn't know anyone long enough to trust them to do a swap. I know a few people this year who did not particpate at all because they didn't know anyone well & didn't want to be the first person to send. If there was an in-game system in place to swap gifts, Kabam would have made a bunch more money & reduce scamming at the same time.

Alternatively, allow us to buy more of those 10-pack ggcs...problem solved.

GroundedWisdom · January 2022

OGAvenger said:

GroundedWisdom said:
I mean, we can argue semantics and ulterior motives until the cows come home, but it's a Gifting Event. They don't reward trading, they reward Gifting. Players are doing what Players do, and trying to maximize their payout. Which isn't a fault, it's how people have devised maximum benefit. That doesn't mean it's Kabam's fault when people learn a hard lesson. We see the same thing happen when Alliance Members are trusted prematurely and they boot a bunch of people. It's an in-house issue. It's not a Barter Event. It's a Gifting Event.
They actually 100% reward trading. If I trade 5 GGC’s with someone in my alliance we get 15,000 + 15,000 = 30,000 points toward the Alliance Gifting rewards. However, if I gift my alliance mate 5 GGC’s out of the kindness of my heart then we only get 15k points. So we actually get double the reward to trade within the alliance

They reward Gifting. People earn Points for sending Gifts. The exchange is not necessary at all.

ChaosMax1012 · January 2022

GroundedWisdom said:

OGAvenger said:

GroundedWisdom said:
I mean, we can argue semantics and ulterior motives until the cows come home, but it's a Gifting Event. They don't reward trading, they reward Gifting. Players are doing what Players do, and trying to maximize their payout. Which isn't a fault, it's how people have devised maximum benefit. That doesn't mean it's Kabam's fault when people learn a hard lesson. We see the same thing happen when Alliance Members are trusted prematurely and they boot a bunch of people. It's an in-house issue. It's not a Barter Event. It's a Gifting Event.
They actually 100% reward trading. If I trade 5 GGC’s with someone in my alliance we get 15,000 + 15,000 = 30,000 points toward the Alliance Gifting rewards. However, if I gift my alliance mate 5 GGC’s out of the kindness of my heart then we only get 15k points. So we actually get double the reward to trade within the alliance
They reward Gifting. People earn Points for sending Gifts. The exchange is not necessary at all.

I don’t think people care to understand if it means less rewards. Just leave em be tbh, you’re correct but people only care bout maximizing rewards opposed to the actual event itself.

I was scammed. That gave me an idea for future gifting events.

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