Impericus Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 A SPECIAL GIFT FOR OUR LEVEL 50 PLAYERS – 30 DAYS OF PLAY TIME ON US! As a thanks for being one of our most valued players, every active account with a Level 50 character as of April 12th, 2012 at 12:00PM CDT / 5:00PM GMT, will receive thirty (30) days of game time** in appreciation for your support and loyalty. Really? I have to say this was a very poor way to do this. Getting a level 50 is what makes a valued player? So if I bought the game a week ago, space-barred through the dialogue, did not even finish act one but smashed through the content without even noticing it and got to 50 I would be valued? But if I pre-ordered, played and PAID since head start, enjoyed the dialogue and loved the storyline of all of my characters but decided to spread my limited time around to enjoy all of the stories, I am not valuable? Don't get me wrong, I am happy for those of you who have been here from the beginning and have a level 50 and got the free game time. I just think there were many more appropriate ways for Bioware to decide who their loyal customers are. Its not like I could not have had a 50 or 3 if I had wanted to, or even if I had been given a heads up that this was in the works. Even so, I don't think I would have been happy that this was the method they chose for measuring their "valued" customer. I'm not much for ranting, but I really can't believe this was handled this way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muanthuun Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 So even though I have subscribed since day 1 but do not have a 50, I am not to be rewarded with free game time? Really BW? Why alienate people such as myself, who took the time to level all the classes and acs to some respectable level? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jandi Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 So a company doesn't give you a 15$ gift card and you get mad and come to troll the forums... If you weren't 50 by now, you didn't care about the RWZ as you didn't make it a priority to take part in it. If you haven't made it to 50 despite your best efforts, you aren't a long-time customer. If you haven't had 150h hours, which is roughly what it takes to reach 50 if you play without rushing or skipping convos since launch, you wouldn't have had any use out of the RWZ in the first place. It's refreshing to see a company finally actually acknowledge their CORE playerbase. Good on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daibakuha Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I never debated that generalized point. That "generalized point" is the only point I was attempting to make. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exccw Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 For the most part, I'm indifferent about the whole thing. I'm a CE Pre-Order(er), I've been involved with SWTOR since August/September 2011, with 6 months left on the clock. I don't have a 50 because I play slowly, yet I'm still paying up front anyway. The phrasing of the press release is frustrating, and I can't help but feel a bit disappointed by their presentation. At the same time, I know that in the end I still have time to play through anyway, so all it would do is tack on another 30 days to my 6 months I have stacked up. It's only reasonable because it patronizes you, right? I agree with your argument. If they wanted to avoid the marketing and PR nightmare, they shouldn't have defined their most loyal players as those with lvl 50s; they could've rephrased that or left that equation out altogether, rather than essentially slapping those that have stuck around with the game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freyar Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 (edited) So a company doesn't give you a 15$ gift card and you get mad and come to troll the forums... If you weren't 50 by now, you didn't care about the RWZ as you didn't make it a priority to take part in it. If you haven't made it to 50 despite your best efforts, you aren't a long-time customer. If you haven't had 150h hours, which is roughly what it takes to reach 50 if you play without rushing or skipping convos since launch, you wouldn't have had any use out of the RWZ in the first place. It's refreshing to see a company finally actually acknowledge their CORE playerbase. Good on them. People who "barrel through" content are by no means a "core playerbase", especially for a game so heavily weighted to PvE content and designs. I agree with your argument. If they wanted to avoid the marketing and PR nightmare, they shouldn't have defined their most loyal players as those with lvl 50s; they could've rephrased that or left that equation out altogether, rather than essentially slapping those that have stuck around with the game. They could have been honest about it. "We're having trouble getting Rated Warzones up and running. As a result, we're offering 30 days free to people who are patiently waiting for it to show up." That I'd be fine with. It's the "You're one of our most valued customers" line that causes this problem, and it's pretty much a case of PR trumping truthfulness which is resulting in such frustration. Edited April 13, 2012 by Freyar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jett-Rinn Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 (edited) Apparantly some of us are just not valued customers... I have taken my sweet time with this game, ive leveled several alts and my highest alt is lvl 44, but im guessing im just not a valued customer since i dont have a lvl 50 toon yet. i guess its just to keep those "theres no endgame" customers from unsubbing until they can placate them... I think though that is where Bioware is missing the boat. They have been trying to placate them with gifts free time a guild summit where they paid for most of them to come to Austin...and they hate BioWare anyway and will until BioWare gives them exclusive content that gives gear head and shoulders above anything that's available and the hate will resume as soon as they blow through that. BioWare needs to focus more I think on those customers that could give two figs about the end game; that is more interested in the journey because those are the player that will be here when the new has worn off. The problem is most of the devs are hardcore endgame players....so they are kinda out of touch with the core demographic of the game so they keep holding onto the legs of the Hardcores yelling please don't leave us....and in doing so there pissing off everyone else. I don't think the 30 days is a big deal really. but I do think BioWare needs to look at who is actually supporting them and return the favor. Edited April 13, 2012 by Jett-Rinn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemmingjay Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Indeed, forum posters are a minority of the overall population. While being a small cross section they are a pretty good indicator of the opinions and attitudes of the larger group as a whole. A dozen ticked off people here may represent 5,000 or 50,000 and we have no way of knowing how many people the whole group is anyway. The important part to note is that enough of the population was offended by the program that we have 110 plus pages of conversation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korusus Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 That "generalized point" is the only point I was attempting to make. I applaud you, I'm amazed anyone is still replying to you at all in this thread. Maybe they'll just stop. Anyway, obviously nothing is going to be done about this overnight. I would not be surprised to see an update on it in the near future though. This is far from over I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daibakuha Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 (edited) 109 pages in 6 hours of people who feel rather alienated doesn't scream 'Minority' to me. It screams 'valid concern'. Anyway, whatever. Bury your head in the sand and may the force be with you. People on the forums are not indicative of everyone playing the game, nor is this many pages in 6 hours indicative of the size of the protest. Many have come here just to say 1.2 is awesome, and not all who post are here complaining about the 30 days for free. Edited April 13, 2012 by daibakuha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zerosaint Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Forum posters as a whole are a minority of the community. It holds true for almost any online game regardless of it's design. I have no intention of debating this with you. Truth is neither of us know the demographic of this forum. If you don't understand why the free month to current level 50's- and then referring to them as most valued is a bad decision I don't think anything I say will change your mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cargot Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 This is mostly whining. If you went to McDonalds and bought a biscuit and the next guy in line won one. would you be pissed? Well you were gonna buy one anyway..so ****. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jandi Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 People who "barrel through" content are by no means a "core playerbase", especially for a game so heavily weighted to PvE content and designs. Way to not read what other people say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smartalectwo Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 If I disappoint someone, and then try to make it up to them by giving them a gift and telling them they're pretty awesome... I'm not calling you less awesome by doing it. Am I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exccw Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 That "generalized point" is the only point I was attempting to make. Good, then stick with your stereotype. Which is a fallacy as well, I might add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan_McMan Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I got Diablo 3, a mount and an invite to Pandaria Beta for staying subscribed to WoW... Yeah, but it's WoW... and you had to pay for it... Yuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Qoojo Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 I agree with your argument. If they wanted to avoid the marketing and PR nightmare, they shouldn't have defined their most loyal players as those with lvl 50s; they could've rephrased that or left that equation out altogether, rather than essentially slapping those that have stuck around with the game. That wording is really a big screw you, "As a thanks for being one of our most valued players". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telaan Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Implying you whiners aren't just an incredibly small minority of forum posters. Dude, give it up. I have 2 50s, I got a free month, and I agree with those who didn't. BWs sole reason for giving a free month to the 50s was to try and stop the hemmorrhaging of lvl 50 players due to dead servers that result in: playing with the same 20 peoplehaving 10+ minute WZ queuesbeing unable to find a FP let alone an Ops grouphaving a completely dead GTN as well as this game: having no World PvPan over-reliance on repetitive and boring daily/weekly grindshaving various other issues big and small that are compounded by..... dead servers with no server transfers in the forseeable future. Did I mention that yet? Being snide and whining about whiners is worn out. BW should give everyone a free month or no one.....period. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daibakuha Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Good, then stick with your stereotype. Which is a fallacy as well, I might add. That Kotaku is bad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIVIsectVI Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 So a company doesn't give you a 15$ gift card and you get mad and come to troll the forums... If you weren't 50 by now, you didn't care about the RWZ as you didn't make it a priority to take part in it. If you haven't made it to 50 despite your best efforts, you aren't a long-time customer. If you haven't had 150h hours, which is roughly what it takes to reach 50 if you play without rushing or skipping convos since launch, you wouldn't have had any use out of the RWZ in the first place. It's refreshing to see a company finally actually acknowledge their CORE playerbase. Good on them. People's valid complaints now equals trolling the forums? That's a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hemmingjay Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 People on the forums are not indicative of everyone playing the game, nor is this many pages in 6 hours indicative of the size of the protest. Many have come here just to say 1.2 is awesome, and not all who post are here complaining about the 30 days for free. my point is that this post is a cross section of the population and MOST of the comments have been a negative response. I assume many people who don't care or are not offended are not represented here because they are playing or getting on with their lives. Conversely, many people who WERE offended never posted here because they don't know about this thread, or their other comments were deleted or they just quit and walked away altogether. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jandi Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 People on the forums are not indicative of everyone playing the game, nor is this many pages in 6 hours indicative of the size of the protest. Many have come here just to say 1.2 is awesome, and not all who post are here complaining about the 30 days for free. You forgot add that out of those 100+ pages, probably half are made by same people arguing and repeating their complains over and over again. There there there those who troll threads like these and don't actually care at all. The there are those who try to talk to the complainers to make them chill out. Stating 100 pages as if every post within is another person is just silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddballEasyEight Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Wait, so really, if someone joined last week and powerplayed their way to level 50 (its possible as we all know) THEY would be a valued customer and get a free 30 day gift... Whilst someone like me who pre-ordered the game, got the digital deluxe addon, bought 6 months of subscription immediately (despite being unemployed and near broke) but only have a level 44 character as my highest due to playing with many alts, dont count as valuable? admit it Bioware... you didnt think this one through did you? you should have gone for something like "everyone who pre-ordered" or "everyone with an account active since XXX" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freyar Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 Indeed, forum posters are a minority of the overall population. While being a small cross section they are a pretty good indicator of the opinions and attitudes of the larger group as a whole. A dozen ticked off people here may represent 5,000 or 50,000 and we have no way of knowing how many people the whole group is anyway. The important part to note is that enough of the population was offended by the program that we have 110 plus pages of conversation. People typically get loud when they feel they have a grievance or are in some way unhappy with the service. It happens with MMOs, it happens with my business. I get far more negative calls than I do positive calls despite having a decent local reputation with my customers. People inherently don't say much when things go right because "It should be that way anyway." I have no intention of debating this with you. Truth is neither of us know the demographic of this forum. If you don't understand why the free month to current level 50's- and then referring to them as most valued is a bad decision I don't think anything I say will change your mind. Please read my previous responses. You'd see I agree with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beranzen Posted April 13, 2012 Share Posted April 13, 2012 This is one of the few times I'll side with the people upset. i love the patch, and what it brought, but at the very least everyone who was here and is still here from day 1 deserves that same reward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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