Hmm...

I find all the girls here special, each and every one lifts me "out of this world"! :)

........the so called special cards.......

I think some people are missing the point here.

As @TheEmu has pointed out on a number of occasions, there is nothing special about the cards. They are typically just ordinary cards but of very popular models. I don't think Totem have even claimed that the cards are special as such. It is the event where you can get the cards that is special not the card itself.

We have had two advent calenders which were obviously special events. There was a Black Friday Event - again a special event for the Black Friday weekend. There was a summer sale special event. Even the current debate - the special event was the launch of the Joker cards.

The cards are offered as a bonus for taking part in an associated special event. Of course Totem are going to use cards of popular models to encourage people to take part in the event.

The decision to take part is down to the individual.

Thank you @kaiju for your response.

I'm glad to see that Totem has heard our displeasure and is considering a solution to satisfy its customers.

Also for the sake of transparency, I want to tell you that I got a response from Manue today to my ticket, after 5 days of waiting. I'll tell you what she wrote to me and my answer.

For the rest I'm waiting for Totem solutions, before starting to buy cards again.



Manue Customer Service (7 hours ago)

Hello

Really sorry for the inconvénience caused, I put your ticket/request to our Marketing team

Kind regards

Manue


ComteDracula (an hour ago)

Thank you Manue for your reply. I was beginning to wonder about Totem's seriousness, to try to satisfy its most loyal customers.

I'm still waiting before I buy new cards.

I want to make sure I can own the Tara Rya melena card, and future special event cards.

I'm not asking for charity, I'm willing to pay for these cards.

But I need to know the cost in advance and make sure I buy it.

But please. I don't want any more hazard games for these cards.

I'm a principled person, and against all kinds of "Gambling."

I look forward to your proposals.

I find it a pity to have to write on the forum, to make understand the seriousness of my discontent, this is not my habit. However, without an answer from you, you left me no choice.

Thank you




Merci @kaiju de votre réponse.

Je suis content de voir que Totem a entendu notre mécontentement et songe à une solution pour satisfaire ses clients.

Aussi par soucis de transparence, je veux vous dire que j'ai eu une réponse de Manue aujourd'hui à mon billet, après 5 jours d'attente. Je vous retranscrit ce qu'elle m'a écrit et ma réponse.

Pour le reste je suis en attente des solutions de Totem, avant de recommencer à acheter des cartes.


Manue Customer Service (il y a 7 heures)

Bonjour,

Vraiment désolée pour l'inconvénience causée, J'ai remonté votre ticket/demande à notre équipe Marketing

Cordialement

Manue

ComteDracula (il y a une heure)

Merci Manue de votre réponse. Je commençait à me poser des questions sur le sérieux de Totem, à chercher à satisfaire ses clients les plus fidèles.

J'attend encore avant de faire l'achat de nouvelles cartes.

Je veux être certains de pouvoir posséder la carte de melena Tara Rya, et les futures cartes évènements spéciaux.

Je ne demande pas la charité, je suis prêt à payer pour ces cartes.

Mais je dois savoir à l'avance le coût et être certain d'en faire l'acquisition.

Mais s.v.p. Je ne veux plus de jeux de hazard pour ces cartes.

Je suis quelqu'un de principe, et contre toute sorte de "Gambling".

J'attend impatiemment vos propositions.

Je trouve dommage d'avoir dû écrire sur le forum, pour faire comprendre le sérieux de mon mécontentement, ca rce n'est pas mon habitude. Par contre, sans réponse de votre part, vous ne me laissiez plus le choix.

Merci,

But it's obviously still frustrating when you have no luck. That's why we have decided to work on new means to obtain special event cards NOT based only on luck but as rewards for your LOYALTY.

Judging by this statement, LOYALTY will not be sufficient to get access directly to the so called special cards, luck will still have to do its part.

When you give something the great title of SPECIAL, your client must feel it and must vibrate with it.
You know how much I vibrate with the SPECIAL CARD that I won and that cost me almost $ 50US… .Nothing!…
I found a mockery of bad taste. I would exchange it happily for a 1080p card of my choice.

I also agree that Melena's card has nothing really special apart from the fact it's a Melena's card. In the beginning of Special Event Cards, we've had access to previews like normal cards, to at least get a glimse of what this special card would offer but this is not the case anymore, we have to buy blindly or should I say gamble blindly, hoping to get it and hopping to be surprise by the content.

They made me take English in my first year. After that it was all engineering. It took me 30 years after college to learn to write coherently.

I’ll pay a little extra for a hot girl on roller skates. Better and more different than the usual lingerie were used to on Istripper. Otherwise just another card here. Please stop with the gamble and just put it out there for us to buy. Please listen to your members

C'mon now @7171al71 you're not interested in the new SEC Loyalty Plan

@Kaiju: Based on what you expose ... If a SPECIAL EVENT CARD, has the same format as the others, the same resolution of video and photos. It was not filmed differently ... What makes it Special? The whim of your company?

There is no added value in such a letter ... it is a mockery of people.

When you give something the great title of SPECIAL, your client must feel it and must vibrate with it.
You know how much I vibrate with the SPECIAL CARD that I won and that cost me almost $ 50US… .Nothing!…
I found a mockery of bad taste. I would exchange it happily for a 1080p card of my choice.
Your analogy with the MAGIC Letters ... a shame. I illustrate a few RARE letters of those, the economic value in the market is very high. Because they have an exceptional quality, they are handcrafted, a print finish from another world and the illustration I made for them I made and painted with my fingers without using brushes or pencils on a canvas of 2mts x 1mts .... That is Special !! !!

This is pathetic! and I decide to retire as an active user, I value myself as a person, this has no more weight than a pop-corn package

Thank you for the update Kaiju.

Since I've been working with probability and statistics for about 50 years and programming for about 55, calculating the overall probabilities from those questions is very straight-forward for me.

I think that anyone who offers a game of chance should inform the players of the way it works in enough detail that they could determine the odds.

Yes. Ethics is very subjective. All I can speak to are mine.

do you think for a min th@ their going ta do some like th@

I think they should.

This week's game is a good example. How many choices appear on each of the 4 wheels? Are each of these choices equally likely? Is each wheel independent of the others? Regardless of whether this is legally gambling, providing these answers is ethically correct.

@Spangle

So done a couple of spins for a laughBut on one of them I got 2 leaves but I'm sure it only gave me 4 credits...

That is 100% correct.
It cost 1 credit to spin, and on that spin you won 5.
if you started with 10 credits...

10 -1 to spin leaves 9 credits.
9 Credits Plus the 5 won = 14 credits

Net Gain 4 credits.

In your account history, it would show 4 credits added.
totem doesn't track the spent credits,
probably because it would fill up the History with all the single and double credits spent.
Only the Credits Added/ Wins, and Cards added are tracked.

SOLVED

I scrolled through this thread and found out i was pointing to the directory where my cards resided . I learned that I actually needed to point it towards the Appdata folder ...
sorry man, my bad. I'm going to have fun using your awesome program:)

@stefnev1
Yes, but it doesn't explain why it doesn't appear in the history, as a negative number like when I buy a card. The answer is probably because it would make too many entries, but there must be a way to display the total of credits spent while we are in the game page for example.

@Carbo
You can see your credits in the upper side of the GUI, so you can easily calculate how much you spent.

Power users that don't gamble should be allowed to buy cards that istripper deems as worth more.Just set a price.

L'équipe de IStripper semblait être fait de passionnés, à l'écoute des membres.
Parmi ceux ci semble s'être infiltré des spécialistes en marketing, ou seul la valeur de l'argent compte.

Exactement mon point de vue en tant que membre depuis le tout début de iStripper (VirtuaGirl).

The Istripper team now have good marketing people that think of new ways to attract new members who may be ***** to all the casino games we see on I Stripper now. Ok to them, but the special cards we can’t buy need to stop.

If they want gambling games, so be it, but don't use games as the only way to get exclusive cards. They could sell them at a reasonably higher price and those who like to gamble could take a chance to get them at a potentially lower price.

I think that’s starting to get just a bit on the side of personal *****. Looks like ya’ll need to step back for a moment and take a break.

Hi All,

We understand that some of you are frustrated because of the "special events" cards and we hear you.

The truth is that Totem always had in mind to create "rare" cards (It probably has something to do with the fact that the founders are Magic players;)). Among the 7 special event cards we have released so far, 4 come from pre-orders or advent calendars and 3 were added on the occasion of a scratch ticket promotion.

We had already heard your claims with the first Special Event cards we had released. This is why we have decided to create the Joker card, to give you more chances to get the special event cards. And it worked ! 50 of you have earned this joker card and were able to get Melena's special card if they hadn't won it when scratching.

But it's obviously still frustrating when you have no luck. That's why we have decided to work on new means to obtain special event cards NOT based only on luck but as rewards for your LOYALTY.

We'll keep posted on this by the end of the year.

I'm the idiot

I won'ts be disagreeing with thems words.

& yes, I've looked your porfile not very good is all i'll say!!!

yes, I've looked @your profiile two average to not bad!!

And who is yous to be making the judgings of peoples profiles?

Talking about account history, all credits and cards that we won are there but there's no trace of the credits we spent in those games. It's like they don't want us to realize how much money we've lost. Why ??

Je hais tout ces petits jeux que je dois jouer si je veux avoir une chance de gagner une "carte spéciale".
Avec 3322 cartes, j'ai aussi dépensé un assez gros montant d'argent sur IStripper (encore plus avec la faible valeur du dollar canadien).
J'ai encore participé à un jeu sans intérêt, car j'adore Melena.
Je l'ai fait à contre coeur.
J'ai fini par gagner la carte, après avoir dépensé un montant élevé, plus de 700 crédit ($100), plus les crédits gagnés et redépensés, nombreux pour être addictif, et continuer à jouer.
Après, je m'en voulais tellement, et je m'en veux encore.
Bien sure, j'ai gagné d'autres cartes, avec cette argent dépensé, mais que je ne choisissais pas, et plusieurs sans intérêt pour moi.
Suite à ce jeu, je m'en veux terriblement.

Penser à IStripper, j'éprouve de moins en moins de plaisir, et un gout amer me remonte dans la bouche.
L'équipe de IStripper semblait être fait de passionnés, à l'écoute des membres.
Parmi ceux ci semble s'être infiltré des spécialistes en marketing, ou seul la valeur de l'argent compte.
Avec la multiplication des jeux (probablement illégaux), et surtout des cartes spéciales qu'on ne peut acheter, ça vaudrait dire que cette façon de faire apporte assez d'argent pour ne pas entendre la grogne des anciens membres et collectionneurs, qui vous supportent depuis bien des *****ées.

Ça fait plusieurs mois que je me demande si la fin de ma collection approche. Ça fait plusieurs mois que j'achète des cartes plus par habitude que par réel plaisir, malgré toutes les belles femmes découvertes par l'équipe. Aurais-je atteint le point de non retour?


I dislike a lot all these games we see every week on Istripper now, even more when this is the only way to « win » a « special » card.
I have 3322 cards, so i spend a good amount of money on Virtuagirl, deskbabes, and Istripper, even more with the low value of the Canadian dollar these few years.
I participate in the last game, again, to win the card, since i love Melena, but i did it against my will.
I win the card, after spending more than 700 credits ($100), plus all the credit i won and spend again.
Now, i ***** myself, and thinking of Istripper, it feel like i have a bad taste coming in my mouth.
The Istripper team now have good marketing people that think of new ways to attract new members who may be ***** to all the casino games we see on I Stripper now. Ok to them, but the special cards we can’t buy need to stop.

The last few months, i buy cards…by habitude. The fun isn’t there. Every week, i see these discusting games, and, every now and then, these special card. I ***** it. Maybe it’s finally time to say that my collection is completed. Thinking………

realisticialy, Totem can't post the odds for every single person

There is no need. Totem can post the algorithm used. That isn't hard. It's in the program.

Already, at least two of Totem's 1,732 Trustpilot reviews (number current as of this morning) concern these gambling games:
from Canada: https://www.trustpilot.com/users/5d7f77875c40bda1906c265d
from Germany: https://www.trustpilot.com/users/5d86422707d9525730f7a829

The existence of these gambling games isn't my issue here, even though I don't like them.
My issue is misrepresentation of the outcome in this particular game.
I haven't left a Trustpilot review yet.

@Caskstrength wrote in another thread:

I am really frustrated not to have had any opportunity to acquire this card, Especially so, that I stupidly tried 😒. After spending a good bit of credits on these scratch cards I eventually managed to win a special event card, but not Melena's. A mistake I won't be doing again.

If Totem doesn't fix this misrepresentation, I'll be in the same boat.

@Wyldanimal wrote:

Is crystal clear it will any one of the cards Shown

I agree. "You win any of these" ≠ "You win whichever one I choose to give you."

Consider this parallel, real-life offer: "Let's play a game. I have a deck of cards. I'll let you play for $5 a draw. If you draw an Ace, you can have one of these watches, right here. Moreover, to sweeten the pot a little (and to keep you playing), for every face card you draw, you can have one of these trinkets (which I will give you at random)."

The implication of specifying "random" with one outcome, while not specifying "random" with the other, is that what one wins with the first outcome is a *selection* among the prizes being offered.

Not a randomly assigned watch, but any of the watches.
Not a randomly assigned special event card, but any of the special events cards.

Pulling a stunt like this online gets a dissatisfied customer.
Pulling a stunt like this in real life would get a knuckle sandwich.

@Dorsai6

In the last couple of years I have seen various games of chance used to help sell cars, chocolate, beer, softdrinks, fast food meals, proper resturant meals, hotel rooms, foreign hollidays, groceries, newspapers, magazines, houses and "adult" products. I assume that there were a lot more, but as I don't participate in those games I have not been looking out for them.

With respect to the games of chance I do not understand why Totem are singled out for using what is a very common, and apparently effective, business practice.

I'm not sure they are all that common. Perhaps I am simply ignoring them, but I don't shop much. Totem's cards are one of the few products other than groceries that I buy on a regular basis.

So done a couple of spins for a laugh

But on one of them I got 2 leaves but I'm sure it only gave me 4 credits...

@iPseudo - We as customers do not have access to the data and can only express opinions as to whether we think that Totem's behaviour will have a negative impact on their business (i.e. on their profits).

What we do know is that Totem have access to their sales data and can actually see the effects. They continue to make the offers that other claim will (not might, but will) be detrimental. If Totem are seeing a negative effect (as the others claim that they should be seeing) then it is,in my opinion, exceedingly unlikely that they would keep on with the practices as they are doing.

We can also argue from the experience of other businesses that indulge in similar practices and seem to think that they benefit from them. Why would Totem be any different.

Finally, I do not dispute that Totem will lose a few customers, what I do dispute is that this will have a significant effect.

I'm curious. Is your basis for engaging in that dispute a faith in Totem's business acumen, or lack of faith in it?

I would argue that people who claim that Totem is on track to lose them as a customer are in a better position to know the truth of that statement than anyone else, even if they can't quite muster the will to follow through.

@iPseudo - if you look back on the various posts in the various threads addressing this topic you will find that other posters have indeed repeatedly claimed that Totem will lose business due to these practices. It is that claim, and only, that claim, that I am disputing. There may well be other, perhaps equally effective, alternatives but if these are introduced it is likely that they will be in addition to those currently used.

As someone has pointed out recently, Totem state on a webpage devoted to their affiliates program that on average new customers are retained for 5 months. Rex has also previously stated that Totem were getting roughly equal business from long term collectors and new customers. This suggests that the "natural wastage" of short term customers each month will be much bigger than the number of long term customers who have been pissed off enough by the games to stop buying. I can't imagine that the existance of the games or the exclusive special event cards will put off many new customers.

I don't think anyone seriously questions whether these methods work, the question is whether or not less exploitative methods could be more profitable.

@iPseudo - What I routinely point out is that people claim that these practices ARE harming Totem but that these claims all made with no evidence. What evidence there is is that these practices work for others, can be expected to work for Totem and that Totem have the data to know whether they work or not.

@TheEmu

With respect to the games of chance I do not understand why Totem are singled out for using what is a very common, and apparently effective, business practice. I don't particularly like them - especially those that are explicitly presented as gambling - but have absolutely no expectation that they will stop because something like 0.01% (probably less) of customers *****.

You routinely point out the futility of objecting to Totem's business practices here, yet would now advocate for objections to other companies being made here?

If you feel that Totem is being singled out, perhaps that is because these are Totem's forums.

As I've mentioned once before, introducing cards which can only be obtained by filling a potentially bottomless hole with money is simply exploitative.

The site for their affiliate program states "Highly Addictive - Average retention on iStripper is 5 months" so maybe they've calculated that serving up this sort of thing to long term *****... er, members is more profitable than encouraging more customers to stick around longer than 5 months.

Here's a Question.
If a member has a full Collection. Call them a Whale .
How Much Does that Whale Spend in a Year to buy every card released that year?

Also,

Totem pays out 60% to their Affiliates and Only keeps 40% for the Business
how much does The Business keep a year from one of us Whales ?

and How Many Whales are there?

You Might be very surprised if you answer these questions...

you don't need to post the numbers here..
Just do it for your own knowledge...

Good point...One other thing to think about is granted even though it's mainly a Desktop application is the future of said application. Not trying to be negative here at all just remember when I initially signed up when it was VirtuaGirl2 and VirtuaGirlHD, It was a subscription based model. What sort of plans or ideas to help the site and business grow from where it is. Only reason I say this is just recently redownloaded the application again. Though since then I see they've added VR to the mix.

In example forming partnerships with certain other Adult Entertainment sites. For instance Playboy Plus offers a modified version of the application and has Playboy where iStripper is supposed to be. I assume it's like this for other affiliates as well. Though do those affiliates also create their own content and could possibly help create / add more additional cards with their models or is strictly content that Totem produces. Just a wild rambling thought.

@1VGconvert

I agree, I was really only pointing out that no matter what solution is proposed there will be some who don't like it.

With respect to the games of chance I do not understand why Totem are singled out for using what is a very common, and apparently effective, business practice. I don't particularly like them - especially those that are explicitly presented as gambling - but have absolutely no expectation that they will stop because something like 0.01% (probably less) of customers *****.

...and give Totem a chance to explain itself, if they obviously want to.

They may only explain themselves to the silent majority, in a universal language. Hush now. ;)

Curious, I see here many people who offer suggestions for solutions to the problem raised, and I have not yet seen any intervention from a member of the Totem team, to tell us how they see this situation and explain to us clearly their gait.

Is their strategy to wait for there to be a breathlessness, hoping that people will move on, until the next crisis, which will be inevitable, if nothing changes?

I don't think it's very serious.

By the way I didn't ask anyone to make an embargo with Totem. Everyone is free to think and act.

The sole purpose of this thread is to share my frustration and give Totem a chance to explain itself, if they obviously want to.

In the hope that a satisfactory solution will arise, and will settle once and for all the subject special event cards impossible to obtain, without a clearly defined path beforehand, which will ensure the obtaining of this card.


Curieux, je vois ici plein de personnes qui offrent des suggestions de solutions pour le problème soulevé, et je n'ai pas encore vu aucune intervention d'un membre de l'équipe de Totem, pour nous dire comment eux voit cette situation et nous expliquer clairement leur démarche.

Est-ce que leur stratégie est d'attendre qu'il y est un essoufflement, en espérant que les gens passent à autre chose, jusqu'à la prochaine crise, qui sera inévitable, si rien ne change ?

Je trouve que cela ne fait pas très sérieux.

En passant je n'ai demandé à personne de faire un embargo auprès de Totem. Chacun est libre de ses pensées et de ses actes..

Ce fil de discussion a comme seul but de partager ma frustration et de donner une chance à Totem de s'expliquer, s'ils le désirent évidemment.

Dans l'espoir qu'une solution satisfaisante surgira, et règlera une fois pour toute le sujet des cartes évènement spéciaux impossibles à se procurer, sans un chemin clairement défini au préalable, qui assurera l'obtention de cette carte.

The development of another tier, quadruple diamond or some other specialized title, issued to anyone that obtains a minimum of 4,000 cards should be considered as a possible resolution. Issue 1 random SEC as a reward for this accomplishment, & allow the purchase of all SEC's at whatever premimum price that is established by TOTEM to the 4 diamond members. A lot of members would have so much incentive to get that 4th diamond that the additional bulk sales should offset any possible losses from issuing the free card. This would satisfy the collectors, motivate new & old purchasers, & provide a clear path to the acquisition of these cards without gambling, for both those who are opposed to it & for the unlucky. I happen to fall squarely into the unlucky category. Those that may not want or might not have the means to gain a 4,000 card collection could continue to enjoy the games of chance if desired.

Agree, a new level is something I have been thinking about to suggest now when we are severel with over 4000 cards. And this could be a really good thing to include in a 4000+ level.

Edit;
4420 cards at this moment.

And I think this is the wrong topic to say that I did earn more credit than it cost me to get the latest SEC...

The development of another tier, quadruple diamond or some other specialized title, issued to anyone that obtains a minimum of 4,000 cards should be considered as a possible resolution. Issue 1 random SEC as a reward for this accomplishment, & allow the purchase of all SEC's at whatever premium price that is established by TOTEM to the 4 diamond members. A lot of members would have so much incentive to get that 4th diamond that the additional bulk sales should offset any possible losses from issuing the free card. This would satisfy the collectors, motivate new & old purchasers, & provide a clear path to the acquisition of these cards without gambling, for both those who are opposed to it & for the unlucky. I happen to fall squarely into the unlucky category. Those that may not want or might not have the means to gain a 4,000 card collection could continue to enjoy the games of chance if desired.

This would be rather sensible idea for Totem to consider. But rather than having a defined numbers of shows to own, the limit could be set in percentage of the available shows offered for sale. For example, if you own at least 75% of the cards available for sale, you could get access to the SEC at whatever price.

It could also combine an age limit so that the card is not accessible until through this until it gets "old". That might be tricky to code in the software, but I'm sure it can be done.

I feel like we just handed out the stick to be beaten with...

I should also say I won't be boycotting Totem. I enjoy and want to continue to support it. I am just dissapointed about this situation.

It's no secret here on these forums that I too am frustrated at not being able to get a SEC, without spending a ton of money, but some members are suggesting paying like 350-500 credits for the card as an alternative. I would gladly pay more than a normal card costs but up to 500 credits? Thats crazy from my standpoint. I have no knowledge of Totem's operational costs but as a 3diamond member I would gladly pay 3-4 times the amt. of a normal card. That to me is reasonable. I appreciate this site immensely as a very unique product, but come on guys and gals I'm just a working guy paying the bills too. I don't have a money tree in my backyard. My 2c

The development of another tier, quadruple diamond or some other specialized title, issued to anyone that obtains a minimum of 4,000 cards should be considered as a possible resolution. Issue 1 random SEC as a reward for this accomplishment, & allow the purchase of all SEC's at whatever premimum price that is established by TOTEM to the 4 diamond members. A lot of members would have so much incentive to get that 4th diamond that the additional bulk sales should offset any possible losses from issuing the free card. This would satisfy the collectors, motivate new & old purchasers, & provide a clear path to the acquisition of these cards without gambling, for both those who are opposed to it & for the unlucky. I happen to fall squarely into the unlucky category. Those that may not want or might not have the means to gain a 4,000 card collection could continue to enjoy the games of chance if desired.

@TheEmu

That only means that Totem hasn't found the best solution and not that there isn't one that's workable for all. However the games of chance approach is certainly not the way.

@1VGconvert

The Buy Ahead Option in the form of an Advent Calendar and a couple of similar offers was how the Special Event Cards were originally offered. This led to a few quite vociferous protests about that being the only way to obtain those cards. Presumably at least partly as a result of those criticisms Totem added another way to obtain them - this only led to even more protests.

I have posted of my issues with the "gamble to acquire" approach in other threads. I won't particpate in that approach so I'm shut off from four cards for now.

I also prefer the buy ahead option to guarantee a special card. Yes it is buying blind, but I'm willing to trust in Totem's intention to provide me with quality shows. I think in recent years they've justified that trust. So I would support this method to positively effect their monthly revenues. I'd support this even if the special card was at a premium price in the buy ahead amount. For example, no discount applied based on cards purchased status or even an addition beyond regular full credit cost. Perhaps the repsonse to this approach would justify reasons for more special cards to be offered.

Just provide an equitable way of obtaining current and future special event cards.

@Rex has stated that in such a case an unlocked version of the software would be made available to allow you to continue to use your cards.

That would be ideal, but all this would have to be done on the willingness of those in power at that moment.

@Number6

I agree with your Thoughts..

If they want to continue with the games of chance with SECs perhaps Totem should offer the current SEC card for the game either for sale at say 350 credits or you can take your chance with the Scratchcards. The sale would only last as long as the promotion (1 week). The Card would then be retired permanently from sale and become a chance win in future games.

Just my thoughts.