I think it's easier for those without a goal, y'know? The main goal I've been seeing is to get the highest TP dog ever and get tons of money and be rich out of trialing. I mean, I don't get much out of trialing, but I'm living happily with selling things.<br /><br /><br />After about two months of playing I stopped getting my money out of the games section, exception of the Riddler(I get some of my items from that thing). I chose to sell CS Pets I didn't need or want for bones or money, and my best friend on Ala is my best customer. I'm not a millionaire; I'm just little old me.<br /><br /><i>I see merit to both sides of this debate, but I have to agree that luxury items are meant to be just that. If they are easy to obtain, they lose their value as luxury items.</i><br /><br /><br />This is very much true; I support this. I never got my SC's without working for it; the others should just do the same.<br /><br /><i>Companions are not necessary for game play. By your line of logic, a scholar collar is necessary for game play. This is simply not the case. Yes, it makes training easier, but it doesn't hamper your ability to play to not have these items. </i><br /><br /><br />It will NEVER be necessary to play the game with an SC; it's just some sort of power-up, if an avid gamer wants to call it. But it will be required(sort of) on a dog that you want quickly maxed to be ready for trials and breedings, especially for non-immortal dogs. But yes, there are other ways to max your dogs; just that you have to spend a little more than usual. Maxing a dog with an SC is cheaper in the long run than having that dog maxed, though.<br /><br /><br />Sorry if it's quite long; I just wanted to speak my mind.

Just for everyone who complains they don't get enough money from trialing ;<br /> On my side account I have quite a few maxed dogs that I breed often, these dogs are <i>never</i> trialed and I honestly don't think I've trialed once before in my life here on Ala. I just breed and sell dogs, I'm not hurting for cash in any way - although I'm not even close to being able to afford items when they go up - my side is even upgraded. Most of my dogs on there are between 400-1000 tp, because I can't stand training dogs anymore then that! They still sell & I've never donated to Ala once/<br /> <br /> On top of not trialing and having low tp dogs this account is (obviously) a <i>non-profit</i> rescue, I often buy dogs for $1k + vaccinate them ($250) + feed them (eh maybe $250 max) = $1500 per dog that comes in my kennel, not counting costs for any illnesses and any dogs that I feel the need to buy even if they are higher than $1k. I then sell these dogs for 600-900 that's <i>losing</i> at least $600 and max $900 per dog, a lot of dogs come through my kennel.<br /> <br /> Point is, all I do is breed dogs and maybe sell some items on only <i>one</i> account and I'm still happily thriving.

---

Yall have inspired an experiment. My side has no perks, I'm going to train my current 1k dog on there w/o a perk or a collar and see how long it takes!

Buying maxed dogs (which are surprisingly cheap) and paying others to train for you is also always an option. There is not one, single way to play this game. That's the fun of it! It can take ingenuity to dream up ways around and over obstacles. Making everything easy-peasy makes for a boring game, in my opinion.

I have barely trialed in my 17months playing Ala and I am in no way hurting for money.<br /> <br /> If you don't feel you can train dogs quick enough w/o a SC buy low TP dogs, train them, breed them, sell the offspring, save your ala cash rinse and repeat!

---

Yes, of course, people could train dogs back then. But the dogs back then didn't have TP in the thousands or even higher hundreds, did they?<br /> <br /> If you want to stand even a chance with trials, you need very high TP dogs, and if you want to train those dogs before they keel over and die, or before they get too old when the age restriction is added, you basically need the collar and companions. <br /> <br /> Again, they may not be required for gameplay, but you will not get far without them.

---

The one problem, though, is that in order to consistently earn money from trials, you have to have a 300+ TP dog that's been at least 60% maxed... and that's if you have really good strategy. When I joined, it took forever to max a 200+ TP dog and I had gotten one to around 60%. She was a major income source for my kennels. Now, a dog with her TP and training would barely break even under a newbie's care. I actually was worried she would die of old age or I would go bankrupt before she was maxed, but then I learned to choose wisely what trials she was entered in after she hit roughly 60% done.<br /> Yes, playing games does earn you money, but only up to a certain point. I have no idea how long it would have taken to get my pits just to the level they're at now without my luxuries. The thing is, I'm not a newbie and I have luxuries, and my dogs are just starting to support me again now that I actually have the extras. (I took a year-long hiatus, so the TP and Ala cash inflation was a big shocker for me when I came back.)

I never yell, I highly suggest they do so though so that their puppies turn out with higher TP than their parents. Like I said i raised dogs w/o a SC for months before it came out. And i maxed every single dog i owned/bred.

If you want to play second - or third - fiddle then it doesn't hinder you, no. In which case we need to stop yelling at newbies max their dogs.

I've been playing Ala for longer than the scholar collar and the companions have been around and I trained dogs back then too. We were able to train dogs back then. They are not a necessity they are all lucturies that make the game easier, not having them does not hinder play you just have to make different choices.