well let's see. Like you I started out in the time where it players rarely bumped my glows. And like ranchi and azndreams have pointed out earlier on. It's actually tank owners having to bump their own glows.
What I can advice is this:
Since you joined in lots of tank threads and guilds it is also good to drop by and play through each one of them. When you see tanks glowing bump them 3 -5 times if you can. Make a list of all those threads you made and religiously play/bump them too. Like azndreams have pointed out earlier on. When tank owners sees this they tend to return the favor by playing and bumping your tank when it glows.
It works and does wonders believe me.
And again they are right. Advertise alot. ADVERTISE ALOT!!! I mean it.
smile Take note of your glow times and try to bump them whenever possible. Even better ask a close friend to do this for you. For those close friends of mine, I do this. I have they account username/password and I check their glow time. I have a alarm clock ready for each of the glows. > u <
For an easier method. I'll add some calculations:
Let's say you buy your dolphins for no more than 100k ea. x 17 = 1,700,000 gold
Now to get back all those gold revenues and make some gold what you need to do is.
Take care at least 5 of your glows. Now, it maybe crazy or not easy at first. But you must set your alarm clock for ea. of those glows.
I do this everytime. And it's worth it. I currently have 4 tanks that I own. Mermaids, dolphins, Mermaids + Dolphins and monster tanks.
For pure dolphins. To break even, you need to take care at least of 5 of its glows. And you need to get at least 25 players (or more) Assuming that ea. one of those players got 500 gold, which is the average a player can get from a glow if he is not a good bg player. (I get 8oo - 1500gold a game from dolhpins x 300% = x amount). plus the additional 2,500 gold. You get 15ooo gold in that particular glow. Then if you take care of its 5 glows.
15ooo x 5 = 75,000
(x 7 times a week)
75,ooo x 7 = 525,ooo
(x4 weeks or 28 days)
525,ooo x 4 weeks = 2,1oo,ooo
Any other game you get is already part of your earning.
In actuality, based from my dolphin tank performance. I get 20 - 30+k if I don't take care of the glows, hence bump it. If I take care of the glows 5 times of more. I earn 60 - 100k plus.
There's my short (?) breakdown. Good luck