I'm actually quite sad that i paid for this product. I have a few issues that could not have been realized in the trial hour. The first, is the lack of interaction with the characters. Saying "well, it isn't the sims" seems to be the big response i get when i bring that up, so i'll drop it.

The second is the store. The problem with the store only updating every 10-12 hours is that to a certain extent, you don't even really need to play the game. When i let the game be for 7 hours while i slept, both my people had gained 2 career levels on their own. When i am playing the game, i'm really not doing anything - as there really isn't much to do - so once/twice a day i'll turn it on for maybe an hour to do whatever chores/puzzles can be done based on what's in the store. How is this considered fun?

I was looking for a game i could PLAY. Something to DO. not just a screen saver.

Don't you look for collectibles?

Don't you want the trophies?

I have bought many games only to discover that I was like 5 minutes from the game ending or learned that I didn't like the concept after the trial; but, I never went on to a game developer's website to express my disgruntledness.

There are many of us who PLAY the LDW virtual games and truly like them and the concept and find things to DO. Maybe you should stick with the game concepts that appeal to you.

Did you click on support where there was an option for a refund ... I think.

From all the customer queries I've seen on this forum, the support has been quick & flawless. I think it would have been better to contact them privately before starting a thread. They might have been able to help you.

Regarding the game, the LDW games are the only ones that hold my interest months on end. I've bought other fast games that seem more interesting at the start, but then get quite repetitive after a while and I never play them.

Everyone likes something different. 1 hour trials, or even 30 minutes are the normal thing, so I don't think you can fault them for that. Maybe reading a review before buying might be better so you know what the game is about.

I don't want a refund, I want a change. :-) I love this company; I’ve never not wanted to support them financially. I've purchased every game they've made for PC and for iPhone. I'm not new to the company, I’ve been playing their games for years.

I just... Feel there could be more to it than this. I am almost done the collections, and as for trophies - well, the ones that I actually need to be present for are almost all done too, the others they are doing on their own.

I’m also not complaining about there being a trial hour - I play bigfishgames, and real arcade, like most of the people here. I understand an hour is usual - I enjoyed my time in the hour. In the first hour, there was a lot of activity.

I can't say I’m really thrilled with the attitude I get from "maybe you should read a review". I'm sorry if you are offended, but I’ve seen a LOT of people mixed into other threads complaining about parts of the game. I have every right to vent my frustrations AND hope the creators see it AND let other people who feel the same way know "yes, others agree with you". I was not rude, I was not out of line.

Secondly, by posting here on the forums, the creators see how their users feel about things. For better, or for worse. As someone who makes games {granted a different sort of game} I welcome even the most upset player sharing their opinions - because it is feed back. The use of the word disgruntled as my subject was the ONLY thing I did wrong in this.

Well, people do have different things they look for in a game. My wife would never play this because it is too slow for her. I can appreciate this. I just have a different mindset. I am sorry to hear the Pixiestix is not happy with the game. I am not sure if I agree that the game mechanics couldn't be figured out in the first hour of play, but that's ok too.

The store issues can be a bit annoying, especially when you are waiting for a particular item to show up. As this may be a pain in some ways, it seems to be based off of the store mechanics in Plant Tycoon. Things only appear after waiting. This, on the other hand offers a bit of anticipation. Waiting for that item to show up, and once it does show up, you are greatly satisfied when you can fix/upgrade items.

As Quickstorm said, and has been mentioned in some of the other game forums here, there are the collectibles to search for. There are also illness to cure, food to buy, and a whole list of 100 trophies to gain. Looking through that list, you can find the things that can make the game interesting. There are somethings you can achieve just by knowing what they are. Some, you may have to wait for an event to come along before performing an action to get a particular trophy.

Trying to figure out how to solve household issues adds a challenge. All the things that can go wrong in the house can be fixed. It is just a matter of knowing how and where to go to fix them. If you try something and it doesn't work, then you obviously need to rethink the strategy again. This can be a thinking game if you let it be. Trying to solve the problems that arise, to me, is more fun than looking for the answer in the forum, unless I am completely lost and have tried several things. Even at that, I usually look for the hints and not the solution.

So, even though Pixiestix voiced a complaint, that is what the forums are for. Not just for the praise but for the complaints too. It will ultimately help LDW to make bigger and better games in the future. Look at this game (VF). They payed attention to what people were saying about the VV line. People wanted a family tree.... done. They wanted marriages and only parents to have kids... done. They wanted mothers to do more than just walk around with a baby in tow... done. They wanted a section to make notes on their people... done.

So even though Pixiestix doesn't like the game, I will say that their comments were made in a tactful way and not necessarily hostile. It is the hostile comments that will be deleted for sure.

I'm not offended. Why would I be? I didn't make the game, just bought & am enjoying it. If you're not, that's fine. My suggestion of reading a review is they can often tell you more about a game long term than a 1 hour trial.

I don't see much difference in game play to the VV series, so I'm not sure what you were expecting.

Well said, Gamey.

I like this game, it's a question of taste.

But I liked a lot Pixiest message who put his finger in the weakest point of the game, and I do agree with him.

The game is too slow, you need to wait for a lot of things.

Firts of all the store, way tooooo long.

And secondly you wait for things to happen, sink to leak, fire etc ...

Just looking for collectibles is not enough.

I believe his message is one of the best for the developper of LDW as suggestions.

Hey there, Pixie.

I can relate to how aggravating it is to feel attacked by posting your thoughts and feelings in forums only to be made to feel as if your opinions are absurd and should never be said.

I hate forums. All forums, not just on this site.
Either one..you get attacked for telling your own truthful feelings.
Two..people post irrelevant responses to the subject. Such as:
What do you think of that new fish game?

Response:
It's called New Fish Game!
(See how it does not answer anything? Someone just needed to be technical.)
(Which is not the case here, just expressing what I have noticed in forums.)

I must say that I am quite impressed by Gamemastr.
I found that response informative, relevant, and civilized.

Pixie, as a VV fan, I am also disappointed in Virtual Families.
I am still playing it, but it is not as good as our beloved villager games that we have become accustomed to.

I got bored and I now have 4 different families going. I am hoping that the more people I have, the more interesting it will become.

Thanks for posting this thread.

As usual, I think it's just about what you're looking for and how you challenge yourself.

Honestly, some people...myself included...can't really just sit and play the game for hours. So being able to check in from time to time is nice for me.

I think if I were to play a game that needed constant attention, I wouldn't do so well.

So far, the game suits me because I can check in for a short time several times a day but not be required to focus so much attention to game play.