Casual players are NOT valued customers

[LaClailus]

Well, Like the OP, I've been here since Beta, Pre-ordered, and my highest is a level 47 (Almost 48) and I have many other toons as well. A level 34 Sorcerer, a level 22 BH, a level 15 IA, Etc.....

So the game that wanted you to run alts and play them all is punishing those that did.

I'm not mad, but I must say I am a tad disappointed. As you can see I could have easily had a level 50 by now if I only played ONE character, but that's not how they designed it. They even encouraged us to play Multiple characters. SO I can see why the OP thinks it's a slap in the face.

 

Thank you...

 

Any I'm not mad either. Disappointing as you said. The game is a blast and I do have fun. I think most of it comes from how they seem to try and give all these quick gimmicks out to try and bribe the consumer to keep sticking around.. I don't need those or want them. I just want a game I can enjoy playing.

[Kindara]

I really feel no sympathy for any player thats been playign since Day 1 and doesnt' ahve atleast 1 50 by now. Even Casuals should have atleast one level 50 after 2 months. My friend and I didn't even play everyday and when we did play it was only 2 or 3 hours a night and with all the bonus xp we thought we were leveling to fast.

 

Even if you only have an hour maybe 2 to play a few times a week you should be gaining xp and money like a fiend.

 

If you only play once a week or once or twice every two weeks your not really casual. Your somewhere under the scale of casual.

 

If your unable to make decent money at any level range...your doing something wrong.

[thomasgallant]

What happened to the game that was touted as being the MMO designed to cater to the casual player...the solo player (and please just leave now if all you're going to reply with is MMO = not solo)

 

I helped in the Beta...I pre-ordered the game...I've been a subscriber since launch. However, I do not have all the time in the world to play the game. So I do not have a character that is level 50. I have several characters of various levels and I am doing my best to enjoy the individual stories and play the game at the pace I want to.

 

The whole VALUED customer bit that came with 1.2. Apparently only folks who reached level 50 are considered a valued customer and are given a FREE month...so I read this as...SCREW YOU to all of our other customers. And you know what...I don't feel like a valued customer...and apparently Bioware/EA agree.

 

All I get is frustrated when all the patches (and the way patches are done absolutely annoys me) are geared toward end game characters and events...they hardly ever fix issues that relate to beginning/middle of game (Datacrons still not able to get due to character model size....???)

 

Here comes 1.2...Legacy. Awesome...no...wait...crap. Only useful if you have a level 50...nope...really only useful if you have multiple level 50s and apparently have a droid on your ship that is printing credits for you. I'm sorry that I can't devote hours to the game ever day so I could have enjoyed the lower cost of the speeder/crystals...again...catered to top level players. Hell...I can barely afford anything now...and don't even get me started on the lovely GTN...prices on there are so over inflated due to the ridiculous economy.

 

At this point in time...I'm not even sure I want to bother getting to level 50 with any of my characters to finish the storyline. It just doesn't feel worth the effort of trudging through.

 

I loved the premise...and I'm sure if it stays going that in a year or three the game will become great...Unfortunately, this non-valued customer probably won't be around.

 

I am a casual player and yet i reached 50 with a character..

[Gungan]

It takes 3 weeks to reach 50 without skipping any content. It takes 1 week if you skip dialogue, datacrons and flashpoints.

 

I find it hard to believe anybody who has time to play a video game hasn't gotten at least one character to 50.

 

I have a fiance and a full time job, plus a wedding to plan. I just got my Sith Juggernaut from 1 to 24 in 4 days. It doesn't take long.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Gungan

[Ruckari]

The 30 days of free online is actually to compensate the fact that 50s wont be having rated warzones this patch

 

it has nothing to do with the fact that they wanted 50s to stay.

[aweymouth]

This is the response I received when i wrote to complain I hit level 50 just shortly after the deadline. What a bunch of crap, they will lose more players then they will retain with this promotion.

 

Greetings ,

 

We would like to thank you for your feedback and rest assured that we will not take it into consideration.

 

However, our end-game content needed improvement and players at level 50 have been feeling that need. This promotion is to show our gratitude in their patience while we worked out some of the core difficulties that were fixed in 1.2.

 

Should you require further assistance with this or any other issue, please do not hesitate to contact us again.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ramil

Star Wars: The Old Republic Customer Service

[Galius]

i remember a guy complaining in the supermarket that a particular good was only beneficial if you would buy a 10 pack. He said he is alone and have no family so he dont need that many.

 

The woman said: this promotion is for a house family.

the men said : but i'm a customer too why cant i benefit from it ?

the woman said : there will be also promotions beneficial for people that live alone, but now its for a family promotion.

 

I stepped on the autobus and saw an older lady 65+ passing the driver without paying. I said to the driver that she didnt pay, he replied : yeah but she is 65+ so she rides for free !

i replied : but i'm only 30, i cant benefit from that promotion, this isnt fair !!!

 

just a selection of real life stuff going on, i could write pages of stuff that is only for X or only for Y , are you new in this world that you dont understand this???????

 

Soooooooo... it makes sense that I (someone that already cancelled) should be considered more valuable as a customer than someone still playing and giving them money as of this time?

 

Your "real world" examples do not fit what is going on here... at all.

[cpiswtor]

This is the response I received when i wrote to complain I hit level 50 just shortly after the deadline. What a bunch of crap, they will lose more players then they will retain with this promotion.

 

The fact that they already have a form response for this means they knew they would get flak for doing it.

[Miyaka]

My mother gets an AARP discount every time she eats at certain restaurants.

This is not fair! They make a menu for people of her age, and now she gets a discount too?

I can't qualify for it! I'm not 60 years old! I'm so casual, it's going to take me 30+ years to get MY discount!!!!

Obviously certain establishments only value SENIOR citizens.

I don't know why I even bother eating there....it's like a slap in the face. That's it! I'm never eating there again, until they are able to get their crap together and PROVE that I am just as valuable as senior citizens by giving me a discount too.

[tekhiun]

I agree with the OP/threadstarter, but from a very different point of view:

 

He complains that Bioware is neglecting "casual-players". I´d bring another argument into the "pot": Bioware is neglecting "deep-players" and obviously favoring casual players and rushers:

 

1) The game gives insane amounts of xp and makes it very fast to level. I would prefer a slower pace.

 

2) People who hit level 50 get a free month. I also have been playing almost since the release, and quite intensely. HOwever, I got 6 characters running - equally - and I am a slow player: I explore each corner, do all the quests. Logically I haven´t hit level 50 until now.

 

No, I am not complaining about me not getting the free month, I am rather worried about the overall philosophy behind Biowares game decisions.

 

I agree

 

 

and to OP, tought nuts to you. A guild mate had a lvl 49 toon the day they announced the promotion and he didnt made a thread to cry about it, just said "oh well". I hope you spend more of your free time in therapy so you can become emotionally mature.

[jinxedargonz]

Sorry, I don't live in my mother's basement and play video games 8 hours a day. I have a job and a fiancee that I kinda like to spend time with. I also like to, you know, roleplay in a roleplaying game and to take time and enjoy the story.

 

Ahhhh and we are back to this. I have a level 50 and a level 44 with a fulltime job, girlfriend and all that too. This game is so easy to hit 50 due to being able to solo, you can spend more time levelling and less looking for people to level with. And I have collected most of the datacubes, spent half a day reading all the lore and done pretty much every quest I could find so don't insult folk who have a level 50 because you are upset about your free month.

[LaurentiusX]

Sorry BW for having a life and not being able to max my alts to lvl 50, now we see who the "valued costumer" is, not the PAYING one, no, the powerlvl bunch, Im NOT saying all 50s a powerlvlers at this point but as someone else pointed out some of us have played since the beginning, we get jack sh*t whilst someone who subbed 2 weeks ago suddenly gets 30 days for Free.

 

I can survive without 30 free days, I can survive without blood money, we All Can BUT It's the PRINCIPLE of the matter that bothers me, BW is telling us we are not "valued enough", not 1337 enough, oh we've payed them every month but if you're main is lvl 49 well then that just not Good Enough. So pis off all non lvl 50, you're worthless peasants, expendable and not worth paying any attention to. Our worth as paying costumers has now been determined, and I'll vote with my wallet from here on out.

[thedomain]

Wow so yeh pretty sure that even as busy as my life is I have a character near 50 probably will be 50 soon and I haven't played for about 2 months. Well good on Bioware offering a gift to people who played consistently for 4 months.

 

Oh and OP it's not anyone's fault but your own that you started so many characters all at once sounds like you probably would be at 50 if you wanted and since you don't want that well too bad Bioware's game they make the rules.

 

HELL YEH to the casual player who doesn't get pissed off at a press releases wording.

[cpiswtor]

Ahhhh and we are back to this. I have a level 50 and a level 44 with a fulltime job, girlfriend and all that too. This game is so easy to hit 50 due to being able to solo, you can spend more time levelling and less looking for people to level with. And I have collected most of the datacubes, spent half a day reading all the lore and done pretty much every quest I could find so don't insult folk who have a level 50 because you are upset about your free month.

 

Did you roleplay?

[temporalvoodoo]

i too am a casual player...and i have 3 50s. i think the issue here is that the OP stated that they have several characters...so in a sense, their problem isn't BW, its that they tried to enjoy all the game at one time instead of focusing on a single character. Tough.

 

AS to the snark and crap that goes on, it s in every game and peple need to complain to feel that they matter. More power to you. Its just another facet of the world feeling that everyone needs to be special and unique. Whatever. If you aren't happy, leave. Its easy. As for people who complain about the complainers, its easier to browse somewhere else instead of posting/reading, but then again, you too would not feel that you matter.

 

In a way, all you want is to be acknowledged. So there. I acknowledge you.

[JamieKirby]

Well, i don't have a level 50, not that i am complaining, i personally find it difficult since no one is crafting anything benefital to anyone below level 50, though i do agree that the prices on those legacy perks are just overkill, they need to lower the prices OR have a level 50 reqiured option on EVERYTHING.

 

Cause i am just fed up with there not being a viable way to make credits in the leveling process, i know level 50s do dailies over and over and over and over again, but the 10-50 just has no credit making possibilities, there was slicing, but lazy and greedy crafters QQ'ed and it got over-nerfed to shut them up.

[arestesian]

Even the most casual gamer ever should have at least one 50 by now, unless for some reason they were just actively avoiding dinging 50 on any character.

 

This isn't the design of the joint strike fighter we're talking about here.

 

Well I will admit I don't have a 50 yet,

Pre-ordered,

subbed from the beginning,

on my third server due to population die offs.

I personally have no problem with giving people who hit end game before BW felt they had enough end game, and who stuck it out with active accounts free time.

 

Calling it a loyalty bonus is a bit of a fist in the metaphorical nuts, but that's just a quibble as I've been seeing some new content with each re-roll, while the 50's have just been waiting.

[TheGreatFrosty]

What happened to the game that was touted as being the MMO designed to cater to the casual player...the solo player (and please just leave now if all you're going to reply with is MMO = not solo)

 

I helped in the Beta...I pre-ordered the game...I've been a subscriber since launch. However, I do not have all the time in the world to play the game. So I do not have a character that is level 50. I have several characters of various levels and I am doing my best to enjoy the individual stories and play the game at the pace I want to.

 

The whole VALUED customer bit that came with 1.2. Apparently only folks who reached level 50 are considered a valued customer and are given a FREE month...so I read this as...SCREW YOU to all of our other customers. And you know what...I don't feel like a valued customer...and apparently Bioware/EA agree.

 

All I get is frustrated when all the patches (and the way patches are done absolutely annoys me) are geared toward end game characters and events...they hardly ever fix issues that relate to beginning/middle of game (Datacrons still not able to get due to character model size....???)

 

Here comes 1.2...Legacy. Awesome...no...wait...crap. Only useful if you have a level 50...nope...really only useful if you have multiple level 50s and apparently have a droid on your ship that is printing credits for you. I'm sorry that I can't devote hours to the game ever day so I could have enjoyed the lower cost of the speeder/crystals...again...catered to top level players. Hell...I can barely afford anything now...and don't even get me started on the lovely GTN...prices on there are so over inflated due to the ridiculous economy.

 

At this point in time...I'm not even sure I want to bother getting to level 50 with any of my characters to finish the storyline. It just doesn't feel worth the effort of trudging through.

 

I loved the premise...and I'm sure if it stays going that in a year or three the game will become great...Unfortunately, this non-valued customer probably won't be around.

 

This game caters far, far too much to casual players - in fact I'd say it's one of the biggest issues.

 

Just look at the legacy system that you cited, everything requires 1-25 legacy level to get. Tbh, that's generous, the only thing worth getting past 15 is the GTN.

 

They've clearly done it to not alienate those who have played little with just one character. Anyone who has played enough to get over legacy level 25 (most people I know) will just have to wait till they see any benefits.

[Kozzmozz]

Soooooooo... it makes sense that I (someone that already cancelled) should be considered more valuable as a customer than someone still playing and giving them money as of this time?

 

Your "real world" examples do not fit what is going on here... at all.

 

newsflash ! I have a subscription with my mobile company ! 3 months later i see they do a promotion and give away free cellphones !!

 

I said : hey i want that free cellphone, i didnt get any when i subbed to your company!

they : well this is a new promotion to attract NEW customers. i'm sorry there was no promotion for you back then.

me : oke then i leave your company if i dont get the free phone?

 

you = correct ?

[Deathnasty]

What happened to the game that was touted as being the MMO designed to cater to the casual player...the solo player (and please just leave now if all you're going to reply with is MMO = not solo)

 

I helped in the Beta...I pre-ordered the game...I've been a subscriber since launch. However, I do not have all the time in the world to play the game. So I do not have a character that is level 50. I have several characters of various levels and I am doing my best to enjoy the individual stories and play the game at the pace I want to.

 

The whole VALUED customer bit that came with 1.2. Apparently only folks who reached level 50 are considered a valued customer and are given a FREE month...so I read this as...SCREW YOU to all of our other customers. And you know what...I don't feel like a valued customer...and apparently Bioware/EA agree.

 

All I get is frustrated when all the patches (and the way patches are done absolutely annoys me) are geared toward end game characters and events...they hardly ever fix issues that relate to beginning/middle of game (Datacrons still not able to get due to character model size....???)

 

Here comes 1.2...Legacy. Awesome...no...wait...crap. Only useful if you have a level 50...nope...really only useful if you have multiple level 50s and apparently have a droid on your ship that is printing credits for you. I'm sorry that I can't devote hours to the game ever day so I could have enjoyed the lower cost of the speeder/crystals...again...catered to top level players. Hell...I can barely afford anything now...and don't even get me started on the lovely GTN...prices on there are so over inflated due to the ridiculous economy.

 

At this point in time...I'm not even sure I want to bother getting to level 50 with any of my characters to finish the storyline. It just doesn't feel worth the effort of trudging through.

 

I loved the premise...and I'm sure if it stays going that in a year or three the game will become great...Unfortunately, this non-valued customer probably won't be around.

 

 

 

you can my 30 days

 

i thought i was casual and i have 3 level 50s, i play 2 times a week now possibly 0 times a week after this minor roll back where i lost the use of 2 level 50s due to being in black hole.

 

 

i can safely say that i will not be using my "free" 30days

[Eranos]

This game is probably the easiest to level to 50 even if you only have 2 hours a week. Its not a sandbox game its not like you can get lost wandering around for hours, everything is narrow the quests are to the point and show up on your mini map! 95% of the content here is doable with ONE person, which is to say SOLO.

What do you want?

Do you want to be given everything without putting forth anything? Its a game, why do you even care? If I were to jump to any of the other MMOs I wouldn't expect to be given the royal treatment for just being there.

The game has 8 character storylines, 2 faction storylines, space battles, and pvp. All this can be done without a guild or god help you a friend.

Again what do you want?

[XenoRuellis]

I think getting 30days free will not do any good for you if you're not playing that much.

[misterjdw]

I have to admit that I do not have a level 50 yet. But it is my fault. I have character ADHD. I simply can not raise a character to higher levels without wondering, "Hmmm, what would it be like to now go THIS route?"

 

I wish there were more Republic players though. I would make one, but not much going on in those lonely planets.

 

I do not care if I get a free month or not. Nor do I care if someone else does. I enjoy the game, so I play it. If at some point I get bored with it, I will move on. Usually a game will keep my interest for about a year, then I just get bored. WoW took a month and I got bored. It is me really.

 

Anyway, not sure why you are actually upset.

[LaClailus]

I agree

 

 

and to OP, tought nuts to you. A guild mate had a lvl 49 toon the day they announced the promotion and he didnt made a thread to cry about it, just said "oh well". I hope you spend more of your free time in therapy so you can become emotionally mature.

 

I'm not crying about it. I was simply making a statement on how what they did came across. I'll repeat...I could care less about the free 30 days. It's simply how it came across.

 

Why is it that forums seems to give folks the thought process that they can just be rude to others because it's "anonymous". Please conform yourself without trying to take jabs at people. Thank you.

[vernar]

Emotions aside, I don't care any more if I got 30 days free or not.

 

For the record, I congratulate all with level 50 characters bonus play time and wish you more such gifts.

 

But the thing I would like Bioware to officialy state is

 

WHY LEVEL 50 CRYTERIA?

 

I guess everyone would like to know Bioware's reasoning for this. Why not other cryteria? Like Chapter 1 finished, class story finished, Valour 50, Legacy whatever.

 

So Bioware, could you please let us know why did you chose this particular cryteria?

 

I think I deserve as much as that being paying customer. Thank you in advance.