I always knew that the Breeding Event Island was meant to drain all of your gems en masse, but it becomes increasingly aware since the whole "VIP Breeding" event they had. The chance had to have been practically non-existent to get the right dragon from breeding.

The temptation to breed your current dragons for that chance is strong, but don't fall for it. All it does it waste gems. By the time you acquire the dragon you want, you'll be broke again. They make the chance deliberately very low just to encourage you to spend money on gem packs.

Stockpile your gems for more important things if you're just getting into the breeding island. It's not a complete scam-- the dragons are obtainable, I've gotten several from it with tons of persistence and offers-- but it's as close to a scam as you can get.

In addition to that, thanks, Social Point, for Viktor and Viktoria, who aren't even being used during this current event now. I thought they'd be future proof choices, but I think I realized they'll be rarely included in breeding combinations, just to further manipulate people into buying maze coins to get the right dragon from the specific island.

Nuh-uh. Not doing that anymore. It's not worth it.

If they add the chances of getting that dragon, it would be better as we Can decide to breed it or not

@nathan-r said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

Stockpile your gems for more important things if you're just getting into the breeding island. It's not a complete scam-- the dragons are obtainable, I've gotten several from it with tons of persistence and offers-- but it's as close to a scam as you can get.

GREAT advice

I disagree with most of what you said. First, the higher the rarity, the harder they should be to accomplish. As one who purchased VIPs with real money, they should have been very hard to get. But other than them, others have had reasonable chances of success. If you are attempting to get one it should and has been possible. If you trying to empower then yes they should cost. If you are expecting many for free or cheap then that is an unrealistic goal.

I do agree the jokers are not used often enough but I do not think they should be used for every combination.

I dont know what is happening here. While I am checking the breeding island to find out what dragons are there that I dont have... I try to breed these to get one... I see others that spend tons of gems to get several ones to bring one to five stars. I never thought to do that. Might be a good idea because we will need more and more 5 star dragons for arenas in future. But!!!! When players are doing that they should not moan about SP being greedy because odds are to low. These players are greedy too in my opinion.

I am in agreement with @Nathan-R saying to “Stockpile your gems for more important things if you're just getting into the breeding island.”; it is good advice for newer players; if the newer players can accumulate or afford to buy gems, then that’s fine, also.

Personally I’ve had little success with the breeding island events ... only success was way back when I got a Banana dragon ... since then my breeding success from the island has been -0- % so I’ve chosen to avoid most of those offers and definitely do not waste my hard earned gems on it.

@nathan-r Yes, you're right. I think the chances of getting the dragons in breeding events have dropped a lot since the VIP Breeding event. Before that event, I have obtained quite easily many legendary and epic dragons. Now, I tried to obtain the animation(R) and sheep(E) dragons, doing many attemps (many more than i usually do for a success breeding) and nothing...

Well since I need K-Pop and Black Metal for the Rescue I cannot test it so I will have to take your word for it, for now. I will give it a test or two or three once combos come up that do not require dragons that are being used for events.

ty ty @Nynaevelan ... will be interested to see your percent of success rate
(some ice cream and drinks for your wait times: )

@nynaevelan said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

Well since I need K-Pop and Black Metal for the Rescue I cannot test it so I will have to take your word for it, for now. I will give it a test or two or three once combos come up that do not require dragons that are being used for events.

It took me 8 tries to get a Nightnare that is on par with breeding before the VIP event began. It may be one or two over/under. Now testing Macha.

@bettina-löffler said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

When players are doing that they should not moan about SP being greedy because odds are to low. These players are greedy too in my opinion.

No. The majority of players simply cannot afford it because they're simply too young. When entering the game's chat room, I realized I might have been one of the older players. A lot of the game's fans are children. Not all of them, obviously-- I'm an adult-- but a lot of them are.

I could go into the many details I've learned when researching how mobile game developers follow a formula made deliberately to manipulate players into paying money, but something tells me I'd be ignored and dismissed, even with evidence of bad deeds that CEOs commit. Let's just say that there are videos out there of developers talking, without a hint of shame, about tricking young players into spending money by luring and hooking them into obsession and purposefully making them game annoying and challenging so that they become frustrated enough to pay the big bucks.

As for the rate/chance, for me, it's always been insanely low. Like, less than one percent chance. I have had to breed dragons 20+ times just to get one dragon, only to watch my gems get emptied within minutes. This is the breeding event island's entire purpose: to entice you into spending tons of gems for the next gambling opportunity. It's basically a loot box system without an actual box to open.

@nynaevelan said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

I disagree with most of what you said. First, the higher the rarity, the harder they should be to accomplish. As one who purchased VIPs with real money, they should have been very hard to get. But other than them, others have had reasonable chances of success. If you are attempting to get one it should and has been possible. If you trying to empower then yes they should cost. If you are expecting many for free or cheap then that is an unrealistic goal.

I do agree the jokers are not used often enough but I do not think they should be used for every combination.

You can disagree if you like, and I'm glad the chances are reasonable for you, but they haven't been for me. The chance is totally random, so not everyone is going to acquire them at the same rate. You could get it in two tries, sure. That doesn't mean I ever do. It almost always takes 20+ tries, even for non-legendary dragons.

Secondly, no, I am not trying to empower them. I'm just trying to obtain one dragon. I couldn't possibly find the time, or the gems, to obtain multitudes of them for empowering. I couldn't even fathom such a thing.

As for me "expecting them to be free"... technically, no, they're not free, unless you already had thousands of gems at the time of attempting it. If you run out of gems while trying over and over again... you have to buy more. You certainly don't have time to start a new offer on the offerwall to get enough to breed another twenty times. I'm not even talking about the VIP dragons here, I'm talking about R or VR dragons, or sometimes E ones that are apparently being bred at a "reasonable rate" for others. Even those have drained hundreds of my gems.

And no, before anyone makes this baseless assumption-- I'm not using the island "incorrectly."

Again, I'm glad it works out so well for you, but to me, it's just a waste and really not worth it at all. All it has done is cost me way more gems to breed one dragon than that dragon was worth.

@nathan-r so why do you keep using it and more importantly keep throwing hundreds or thousands of gems at it? If you rates are that low then keep your gems, it would be cheaper and guaranteed to wait to buy it on sale or get it in a event. Yes I am sure these are geared to lure people to spend but ultimately if you keep walking into the trap knowing it is a trap then you have yourself to blame not them. This is a company trying to make money, it is their job to do what is best for them. Each individual gamer has a job to do what is best for them, for minors then it is the responsibility of their parent/guardian to ensure they are not buying where they shouldn't be. Yes the rates are random, with some being easier to accomplish than others but based on my experience I use my experience to judge my rates of success and how much I am willing to spend to keep trying. Your one experience does not offset the experience of others.

This reads to me just as one person's rant. As such you need to reevaluate your budgets and stop walking into the trap.

@nynaevelan said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

@nathan-r so why do you keep using it and more importantly keep throwing hundreds or thousands of gems at it? If you rates are that low then keep your gems, it would be cheaper and guaranteed to wait to buy it on sale or get it in a event. Yes I am sure these are geared to lure people to spend but ultimately if you keep walking into the trap knowing it is a trap then you have yourself to blame not them. This is a company trying to make money, it is their job to do what is best for them. Each individual gamer has a job to do what is best for them, for minors then it is the responsibility of their parent/guardian to ensure they are not buying where they shouldn't be. Yes the rates are random, with some being easier to accomplish than others but based on my experience I use my experience to judge my rates of success and how much I am willing to spend to keep trying. Your one experience does not offset the experience of others.

This reads to me just as one person's rant. As such you need to reevaluate your budgets and stop walking into the trap.

So the breeding events are a trap??!!

@nynaevelan
I'm pretty sure I already said in my initial post that I'm not using it anymore, so your advice was taken long before you've given it.

And no, it isn't a rant. It's a concern. It's a warning to other people. That's why I said, "Save your gems for more important things." I'm trying to help others based on my own experiences, and you dismissing my concerns as a "rant" just comes off as defensive and insecure.

No, it is not "my ONE experience." It is multiple experiences.

And by the way, I've also bought VIP dragons. I know you mentioned that earlier, and I just wanted to say that I have no problem spending real money on the game. I have a problem with real money being spent on gambling mechanics.

What interests me most is that my early usage of the island yielded much better results. As time went on, it mysteriously got harder to breed. I wonder why.

On another note, you mentioned that the company needs to make money. I've heard that excuse a lot. I just want to say this: There are other, better ways for a company to make money than introducing deliberately inconvenient mechanics to take advantage of a human's natural impatience. This is just the best way to get very rich off of people. There's profit... and then there's greed. I don't remember the earlier days of DC being so inundated with spending lures. When a company introduces mechanics that take advantage of a person's need to collect, gamble or their desperation to claim something, it's no longer profit. It's seeing the opportunity to earn money from psychological harm.

I'm sorry that I'm so against that sort of thing, but I consider it wrong, and nothing will convince me otherwise. When people get very deep into something, they fail to see the damage it causes, and refuse to give it up, and will even defend everything about it. The sad thing is, I'm very fond of Dragon City's overall design and clever creativity. But as time goes on, I feel too disgusted with their practices to continue interacting with them.

I don't even understand why this is really an issue. Nobody is forcing or even expecting players to use gems during breeding island events. It is completely the player's own choice to speed up breeding or hatching, over and over again. I rarely do so because I am content with whatever I get by chance there. Sure i am disappointed if i don't get the dragon, but they usually come around again some way or another.
Some players are always going on about the game being a money trap, but what they really are complaining about is the cost of purchasing gems. Just use what gems you earn in game play, they add up quicker than you think, and put a limit on what you are willing to spend per event.

@nathan-r For me the breeding island is just like a spin in the race. If I want one of the dragons, I try. If I get it ...ok. If I dont get it... also ok. I got some and I didnt get others. But I never used gems to speed up anything there.

@bettina-löffler said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

@nathan-r For me the breeding island is just like a spin in the race. If I want one of the dragons, I try. If I get it ...ok. If I dont get it... also ok. I got some and I didnt get others. But I never used gems to speed up anything there.

basically my philosophy also @Bettina-Löffler ... am very picky about using gems to speed up anything actually; mostly use them in Heroics to speed up the 8hr fight wait ... occasionally for puzzle event if close and only need a few gems to grab a dragon ... other than that, use gems for expansions to make room for all these dragons

i do understand what @Nathan-R is saying too ... truly there are strong and proven marketing gimmicks and game mechanics that appeal to a player’s wants/desires and, especially, impatience ... something young people and some adults have yet to learn to control.

when I first started playing, the anger and frustration with/in the game was extreme and i questioned and ranted often to Support ... then the realization hit me that many games/developers (DC/SP included) employ these measures ... and that i am/always have been aware of it ... if the game keeps my interest and provides some enjoyment, i keep it ... when it angers/frustrates me enough, i delete it without looking back ... and I have deleted lots ...

so far DC/SP has yet to send me over the edge, yet, when/if it does, it too will be relegated to the “trashed app” area and i’ll be taking my with me ...

just for giggles, had Penguin/Battery and was still able to leave a hatchery open while Supersonic was in its last hours so I hit the “try” button for Glacial in the Breeding Island [ already have it so no emotion (anger/frustration) tied to this one ] ... got a 9hr egg so could be Zombie, Neon, Moose (all of which I have) or Platinum (which I need, fingers crossed ) ... but not a Glacial (11hr breed) ... so still no lucky spin for me and the Breeding Island ...

(btw @Bettina-Löffler ... GREAT analogy re: Breeding Island = lucky spin ... [or not] ... ty ty ty for that image of comparison)

@dragonlove said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

just for giggles, had Penguin/Battery and was still able to leave a hatchery open while Supersonic was in its last hours so I hit the “try” button for Glacial in the Breeding Island [ already have it so no emotion (anger/frustration) tied to this one ] ... got a 9hr egg so could be Zombie, Neon, Moose (all of which I have) or Platinum (which I need, fingers crossed ) ... but not a Glacial (11hr breed) ... so still no lucky spin for me and the Breeding Island ...

(btw @Bettina-Löffler ... GREAT analogy re: Breeding Island = lucky spin ... [or not] ... ty ty ty for that image of comparison)

@Dragonlove I just tried, too. 9 hours. I’ll let you know what I get

This simply illustrates compulsion loops created by dopamine hits. We get dopamine hits when we are “rewarded” - daily gems, task completion, level-ups, etc. We feel control over these things in the game, even if we don’t control them in real life (jobs, school, relationships). Predictable rewards keep us playing (read: daily players) because we get that dopamine hit.

Variable rewards make us addicted. We just know that we will get that VIP dragon on the next try! Those dopamine hits are even better! Besides, we might get that SUPER-cool dragon!

The flip side of those variable rewards comes from the lack of control over them. We enjoy the game, at least partially, because we have control over the events. When we lose that control, we often play harder - or employ other tools, such as gems or money - to get that reward.

This effect has been found to be incredibly strong in teenagers, who NEED to get the highest reward in order to activate that area of the brain. The failure to reach the highest reward can actually result in depression.

Ultimately, it is buyer beware, because smart game designers employ behavioral psychology.

Really great articles and books on this.

@captainmarvel said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

This simply illustrates compulsion loops created by dopamine hits. We get dopamine hits when we are “rewarded” - daily gems, task completion, level-ups, etc. We feel control over these things in the game, even if we don’t control them in real life (jobs, school, relationships). Predictable rewards keep us playing (read: daily players) because we get that dopamine hit.

Variable rewards make us addicted. We just know that we will get that VIP dragon on the next try! Those dopamine hits are even better! Besides, we might get that SUPER-cool dragon!

The flip side of those variable rewards comes from the lack of control over them. We enjoy the game, at least partially, because we have control over the events. When we lose that control, we often play harder - or employ other tools, such as gems or money - to get that reward.

This effect has been found to be incredibly strong in teenagers, who NEED to get the highest reward in order to activate that area of the brain. The failure to reach the highest reward can actually result in depression.

Ultimately, it is buyer beware, because smart game designers employ behavioral psychology.

Really great articles and books on this.

Wow that's a scientific approach

@vikas-nambiar said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

@captainmarvel said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

This simply illustrates compulsion loops created by dopamine hits. We get dopamine hits when we are “rewarded” - daily gems, task completion, level-ups, etc. We feel control over these things in the game, even if we don’t control them in real life (jobs, school, relationships). Predictable rewards keep us playing (read: daily players) because we get that dopamine hit.

Variable rewards make us addicted. We just know that we will get that VIP dragon on the next try! Those dopamine hits are even better! Besides, we might get that SUPER-cool dragon!

The flip side of those variable rewards comes from the lack of control over them. We enjoy the game, at least partially, because we have control over the events. When we lose that control, we often play harder - or employ other tools, such as gems or money - to get that reward.

This effect has been found to be incredibly strong in teenagers, who NEED to get the highest reward in order to activate that area of the brain. The failure to reach the highest reward can actually result in depression.

Ultimately, it is buyer beware, because smart game designers employ behavioral psychology.

Really great articles and books on this.

Wow that's a scientific approach

@vikas-nambiar - Yeah, I’m a bit of a psych nerd. I keep myself current while virtually eating ice cream and drinking wine with @DragonLove

@captainmarvel said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

@vikas-nambiar said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

@captainmarvel said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

This simply illustrates compulsion loops created by dopamine hits. We get dopamine hits when we are “rewarded” - daily gems, task completion, level-ups, etc. We feel control over these things in the game, even if we don’t control them in real life (jobs, school, relationships). Predictable rewards keep us playing (read: daily players) because we get that dopamine hit.

Variable rewards make us addicted. We just know that we will get that VIP dragon on the next try! Those dopamine hits are even better! Besides, we might get that SUPER-cool dragon!

The flip side of those variable rewards comes from the lack of control over them. We enjoy the game, at least partially, because we have control over the events. When we lose that control, we often play harder - or employ other tools, such as gems or money - to get that reward.

This effect has been found to be incredibly strong in teenagers, who NEED to get the highest reward in order to activate that area of the brain. The failure to reach the highest reward can actually result in depression.

Ultimately, it is buyer beware, because smart game designers employ behavioral psychology.

Really great articles and books on this.

Wow that's a scientific approach

@vikas-nambiar - Yeah, I’m a bit of a psych nerd. I keep myself current while virtually eating ice cream and drinking wine with @DragonLove

... am willing to share with any/everyone ... ... adding wine and mebbe some pizza would be fine too ... PAR-TAY!!

@captainmarvel said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

@Dragonlove I just tried, too. 9 hours. I’ll let you know what I get

sadly, no Platinum for me this time ... it’s a Neon ... will hatch it for maze coins then sell it off ...

Well , I already got glacial dragon from breeding. No atomic right now

Besides, shouldn't we discuss it in limited time breedings

@amogh-sai said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

Well , I already got glacial dragon from breeding. No atomic right now

Besides, shouldn't we discuss it in limited time breedings

thought the topic was Breeding Island and success rate with what SP puts on the Island to try ... attempted Penguin/Battery from the Island and got Neon rather than promoted Glacial (which I already had but was trying the Island again just to see if Glacial could be obtained during the promotion for it to be obtainable from the Island).

@dragonlove said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

@amogh-sai said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

Well , I already got glacial dragon from breeding. No atomic right now

Besides, shouldn't we discuss it in limited time breedings

thought the topic was Breeding Island and success rate with what SP puts on the Island to try ... attempted Penguin/Battery from the Island and got Neon rather than promoted Glacial (which I already had but was trying the Island again just to see if Glacial could be obtained during the promotion for it to be obtainable from the Island).

I got a Moose, which I didn’t have. Tried again, but it’s another 9 hour. No love on this breeding event.

@amogh-sai said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

Well , I already got glacial dragon from breeding. No atomic right now

Besides, shouldn't we discuss it in limited time breedings

Since the discussion is about the success or failures of the Breeding Island the topic is on point. Limited Breeding topic would also apply but it is ok to continue here.

@captainmarvel ... was gonna just go with the one try but loaded up again this morning ... look’n at another 9hr result also ... ah, well ... plenty of ice cream left, though

I do not know anyone who has gotten Goalie-T nor Machinery there. Does SP really are that strict on us getting some empowered dragons for semi-free stuff?

@dragonlove Try #2 got me a Zombie ‍️ egg. Just started #3. Another 9 hour

@DragonLove Got Neon this time. One last shot...and it’s a 13 hour Not Glacial

@gemspender

I haven't gotten either of them either. And spent about 300 gems trying.

Thanks @Thomas-B-Settle . Our alliance top members usually use the breeding island to get good-dragons-for-battles. And it used to be able, I still cannot access my game due to the log-in issues but I would have wanted to do Goalie-T or that Atomic that they are doing now.

@gemspender Well, four tries on a relatively low-level Glacial and I got zero. Two neons, a moose and a fluorescent. I’m glad I didn’t spend gems.

@captainmarvel ... my 2nd attempt was Zombie, still no glacial; did not spend gems for anything either

wonder if anyone had success for this one ...

@dragonlove I had success in getting glacial in 2nd try

@amogh-sai Do you think that the parent levels matter? What levels were yours?

WTG @Amogh-Sai ... thanks for letting us know.

both of mine were at L7 ...

I spent almost 1000 gems trying for the last one needed on the pirate event. (Didn't succeed)
(Forget the name at the moment)

My odds seem to have tanked in the last couple of weeks. I used to be able to get any dragon in 200-300 gems at worst.

Actually. I know exactly when odds dropped. It was during the VIP breedings. The odds just don't seem to have been put back to 'normal' since then.

@thomas-b-settle said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

I spent almost 1000 gems trying for the last one needed on the pirate event. (Didn't succeed)
(Forget the name at the moment)

My odds seem to have tanked in the last couple of weeks. I used to be able to get any dragon in 200-300 gems at worst.

I dont understand why ypu spent so many gems. I wouldnt buy a dragon for more than 150 gems. And this dragon was needed only for a quest for food and 10 - imo useless- orbs. You could get around 1.2 M food from the quest. A bit more you can get for 150 gems from the shop.....

@bettina-löffler said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

@thomas-b-settle said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

I spent almost 1000 gems trying for the last one needed on the pirate event. (Didn't succeed)
(Forget the name at the moment)

My odds seem to have tanked in the last couple of weeks. I used to be able to get any dragon in 200-300 gems at worst.

I dont understand why ypu spent so many gems. I wouldnt buy a dragon for more than 150 gems. And this dragon was needed only for a quest for food and 10 - imo useless- orbs. You could get around 1.2 M food from the quest. A bit more you can get for 150 gems from the shop.....

Same here though for me I would pay higher, my threshold is 200 for non legend, 300 for legends. Ironically my threshold for heroics in the race is 250. Hmmm i may need to re-evaluate my thresholds.

personally with the odds as bad as they are in the breeding island, have used -0- gems for those ... unless odds change drastically, will continue this practice ... would rather use my hard earned gems for Heroic Race needs ...

@dragonlove Agreed. I am only on battle 7 of 15 on Lap 14. Looks like I am going to have to blow a lot of gems to get the High Marauder. Glad I didn’t spend them on breedings...

@dragonlove said in Breeding Event Island Just Isn't Worth the Hassle:

personally with the odds as bad as they are in the breeding island, have used -0- gems for those ... unless odds change drastically, will continue this practice ... would rather use my hard earned gems for Heroic Race needs ...

Same here, though i have been able to stick to that since nothing has come along that i want orbs for. But even the VIPs i spent less than 50 gems on. Luckily having such a large collection this island is just a bonus for me, not required. But I also only use it in my gaming accounts but again with no gems.