Comments on: LOOT’s Portable Radios, and Why the Price is Fair

By: Gary160974

Gary160974 — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 01:06:07 +0000

A good deal is only a good deal when perceived to be, Ive seen ex display products sell in a closing down sale for more than a brand new one did a week before hand, because people thought closing down sale must be a deal. In a world where I can thousands of radio stations on the net for free, I can get music on You Tube. Other social medias are so far advanced compared to home selling internet radio players with 900 channels for a dollar or less, You Tube music players for a dollar or less, so if its on You Tube I can listen to it and so can my friends. The major difference is that the Loot radios feel more robust and better quality, which because its virtual is a bit weird I know. But 900 channels and no updates means eventually you could end up with 900 channels of white noise, you tube player is good but hard work to get a string of songs together. But should there be budget versions that have none of the glitz of lids opening menu systems and 60 channels why not have a basic player, not like the free radio but perhaps just a picture of a radio station logo, no heads up, no menus just a few channels that you have scroll through to get channel you want.

By: Kassadee Marie

Kassadee Marie — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:25:33 +0000

I really hate it when adults say things like that. Where are we kids supposed to get $50.00? I get one $50.00 PSN card for my birthday every year and that’s it.

By: Kid Fleetfoot

Kid Fleetfoot — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 17:00:25 +0000

Hey, thanks Dr_Do-Little!!! On the LOOT TV Yacht your instructions work. What I did before was click on Free Music instead of using the right arrow.

And on the radios besides the Jukebox, I found the 50s 60s music with the Elvis picture listed under ROCK two or three spaces over to the right. I don’t think it was there before but if it was it wouldn’t be the first time I was wrong.

Dr_Do-Little, ya done a lot.

I am a much happier camper now, for sure. You’ll win an award from me but sorry to say my awards are all in the garage and I can’t get to them until WInter is over. Thanks again!

By: Dr_Do-Little

Dr_Do-Little — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 10:51:23 +0000

Yep. Slots requirement magicaly lowered to 16. Price advertisement at highest acceptable price and “bargain” on release day…

You thought them well Master Norse.

By: Dr_Do-Little

Dr_Do-Little — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 10:42:35 +0000

Look like they just changed the navigation.
up/down to free music, right arrow to radio IO, hit X, hit X again. and there are our old stations

By: KrazyFace

KrazyFace — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 08:41:31 +0000

I wailed like a small child about their tactical decision to remove the stations from the built-in TVs, obviously to drive up sales of the portables. But after checking the spaces, and seeing they put back a channel I figured that was a sorta fair enough move. Then I heard they’d dropped the price for the bundle pack. These things, coupled with the fact I have this weird love for 40’s-50’s American decor, made me buy that bundle pretty quick. Also, you’ve made another good point Norse; I do like having my friends in my spaces to entertain, weird how my RL nature is so easily adopted by Home sometimes…

By: MsLiZa

MsLiZa — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:26:15 +0000

Just read on the Forum that the radio only uses 16 slots (compared to 25 for the TV’s?). That’s a little better than 20+ but I’m still not sure that I’d use it. It’s a shame that they can’t solve the proximity issue and allow the radio to be audible throughout the spaces.

By: MsLiZa

MsLiZa — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 03:17:23 +0000

The price of the radios seems fair enough. The main deterrent keeping me from buying one is the lack of space in any of my apartments for active items requiring 20+ memory slots. I like to furnish my spaces with lots of items and the active items just don’t fit. It’s not a complaint, just a matter of priority.

As the article states, it’s no longer 2008 or 2009. At that time, I would have jumped at the chance to buy a radio from Loot. These days, I barely use my personal apartments, and entertain guests rarely. I would have been satisfied just having the radio option in my Sunset Yacht and Hollywood Hills spaces. If I’m reading Kid_Fleetfoot’s post correctly, it sounds like those radios only receive a single free station now? That development is very disappointing since those EOD’s never used up any furniture slots within the spaces. Oh well, I’ll just continue to play my own music over the stereo while I use Home. It sounds better anyway and I can pick the music exactly as I please.

Even though I probably would not use one, I’m sure that many people will love the Loot radios. They are a very nice feature for many users.

By: Godzprototype

Godzprototype — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 00:00:22 +0000

You know this is what I would spend 50 bucks on honestly! Thank you LOOT for making this happen. I love music, and I am very glad to have this in all of my personal spaces!!
You guys get it. I have to tweet something now. Thank you LOOT!!!

By: Kid Fleetfoot

Kid Fleetfoot — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 23:43:05 +0000

I had no problem with the original price.
However I am upset and angry that unlike the LOOT Yacht TV/Radio the only one of the radios that plays 50s/60s music is the Jukebox and that station is not even listed in the list of stations. It plays automatically with an option to change it to other stations.
There is only one radio station on the LOOT Yacht now, the Billboard Top 100 which is on the Free Radio offered so people can judge how much of a space the radio covers.
The Jukebox works well in the Silent Hill Diner btw and would in the GZ Diner if I had enough space. Maybe I can find some.

In short, price OK as was and as is, but not happy as to radios not all having early rock music except for Jukebox.

Off to the forums to see what people are saying.

By: SealWyf_

SealWyf_ — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:57:19 +0000

Perception of a fair price for anything is very, very subjective.

I’m currently fretting over needing to drop another $20 into the Casino, because my recent sessions have been extremely lossy. This despite the fact that it will be only my third $20 buy-in, the previous $20 netted almost two million chips total win, and $20 in a real casino lasts approximately thirty seconds.

I accept that, economically, I am an irrational animal. Watching my subjective reactions to price and value is one of the grand entertainments of Home.

By: NorseGamer

NorseGamer — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:22:13 +0000

This story was rushed to print specifically because of the impending price changes, and it’s a fascinating lesson for the community to study.

At first glance, it appears the prices have been reduced. But in return, the most popular radio variant — the jukebox — is now only accessible via bundle.

Thus, as a result, the forum users are placated because they feel they were heard (which will drive up their engagement levels for a while), and LOOT still maintains a good chance of hitting the revenue targets that were budgeted into the pro forma, albeit via a different route. It’s an absolutely brilliant move on their part.

I love this virtual economy.

By: Kassadee Marie

Kassadee Marie — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:32:40 +0000

Oh, thanks forum people. You just cost me about $5 since all I wanted was the jukebox.

By: SealWyf_

SealWyf_ — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 16:03:37 +0000

The new prices feel more fair to me. I’m not sure why $14.99 feels so much less than $19.99, but it does. And making the jukebox exclusive to the bundle is smart marketing — if I could have only one radio, that’s the one I would go for, with the reel-to-reel being my second choice. At this point, the bundle is the only obvious way to go.

MotherShip 16 is getting a jukebox tonight!

By: Burbie52

Burbie52 — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 14:54:58 +0000

They changed the prices already. It is $14.99 to get the nine pieces, but it is also the only way to get the jukebox version. All of the one piece are $6.99 except for the reel to reel which is $8.99.

By: Burbie52

Burbie52 — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:15:32 +0000

I will be in the store to buy one of these as soon as they open their doors, no question. As a club owner I feel like it is a must have for parties. and I though I love to DJ this will give me a break if I want to just have fun instead of wasting my index finger on the R2 button. I doubt I will invest in the bundle as I really have no need for all of them, but that Jukebox is a must have for me, I have been waiting anxiously for a long time for this to appear.
Great read as always Norse and also as always you make a heck of a lot of sense.
The naysayers on the forums seem to forget that developers have families to support too.