And a great post Swen,and for the most part you are 100% correct. Sadly in the scheme of WGT I am a "bottom-feeder" scrounging the odd credits I can win or earn via the awesome Video Carousel - every 16 days or so I earn 100 credits. No surveys offered in over two years - sitting on 43 credits, I am certainly not on of the sharks getting their fair share (and the rest) of the spoils.
Of course WGT do their market analysis to come up with a pricing structure - and as a business it is to make maximum profit at a price point that most players are willing to spend. Hence the R1 - but I have to admit, saves a lot of balls being hit in those 5 levels. Actually brilliant marketing, even if players do rush through levels 91-93 using starters balls to get there (ok maybe this was unforeseen - but in business, are we not taught to forsee the unforseen and plan for it?)
Of course the one advantage WGT do have is we cannot simply go to Wal Mart and buy some balls, we have to buy them from WGT, no other options. But whilst we do not have a choice of whom to buy the balls from, we have choice of what type of balls to buy. And this is better than Wal Mart - from WGT we can buy balls that don't even exist (well in truth - nowhere else actually sells pixelated balls) like a slow my swing down ball.
Now whilst you do have choice, I have never said you will score really well with starter balls, but have seen some people who have unbelievable cat like reflexes and still score well. For me (and I too have pretty good hand-eye co-ordination) do pretty well to click before the swing is finished!
But where I disagree is 7 million registered users. Maybe 7 million accounts, many who have never played, many who were curious and left and sadly many who belong to the same person. Yes Multi-accounters - they are not hard to find, lust look at the monthly earners, the RG and monthly free tournament circuits, especially from Hack -Master Tiers, they are rampant.
And thats where I agree Swen, people who are cheating the system, other players and themselves. These players effectively push the prices up for the honest players because we are the ones that has to pay for our choices. AlI can do is enjoy my own game and as long as I continue to enjoy it, I will continue to play. For that reason VEM/deviations is just part and parcel of golf - real or on here.
Personally if I had the option, I would string up these low life by their WGT Balls in the forums - they are shamed in my eyes, why not just name them as well.
EDIT - Ya post vaporised Swen - oh hell or is that a lost ball?