OPEN LETTER Concerning GTN Items being Deleted by Mail System

[RichardKester]

Hello,

 

I apologize if this is not the proper channel to send this through, but I wanted to give more direct feedback to a ticket I submitted in the game. I recently sent a question about the items sent in GTN mail being deleted after a short absence from the game. I completely understand your inability to reverse what happened because the game was designed to delete messages after 30 days. However, this seems incredibly poor design.

 

It is frustrating that these objects were deleted (a fairly significant number across multiple characters), especially because most of them were acquired from Cartel Packs which I obtained directly from Coins I purchased with actual US Dollars. Because I cannot confirm that I will not need to take another extended break from the game, my only decision in the future is to never buy another Cartel Pack (because I cannot guarantee that I will be able to sell items on the GTN that I did not want without risk of them being deleted permanently). Granted, I am not a huge spender, but have spent a decent amount of money on Coins.

 

I just wanted your team to be aware about how this design decision has completely turned me off to this system and I hope that in the future this problem will be addressed. In the meantime, I will not be purchasing coins. Thank you for your time.

[DOHboy]

Hello,

 

I apologize if this is not the proper channel to send this through, but I wanted to give more direct feedback to a ticket I submitted in the game. I recently sent a question about the items sent in GTN mail being deleted after a short absence from the game. I completely understand your inability to reverse what happened because the game was designed to delete messages after 30 days. However, this seems incredibly poor design.

 

It is frustrating that these objects were deleted (a fairly significant number across multiple characters), especially because most of them were acquired from Cartel Packs which I obtained directly from Coins I purchased with actual US Dollars. Because I cannot confirm that I will not need to take another extended break from the game, my only decision in the future is to never buy another Cartel Pack (because I cannot guarantee that I will be able to sell items on the GTN that I did not want without risk of them being deleted permanently). Granted, I am not a huge spender, but have spent a decent amount of money on Coins.

 

I just wanted your team to be aware about how this design decision has completely turned me off to this system and I hope that in the future this problem will be addressed. In the meantime, I will not be purchasing coins. Thank you for your time.

 

well it sucks but nothing that they can do about it. Simple as that. At best if you can predict taking a long break pull stuff off the gtn. otherwise people can use it to bypass storage by sending it to alts and never checking their mail.

 

i guess it could have automatically added itself to the cargo hold and only sent mail if full and just sent you a letter with the credits and note saying didnt sell.

 

you are not the first, nor will you be the last.

[RichardKester]

Yeah, there's no real way to win. I completely understand why there is a time limit on items in a Mailbox.

 

However, It seems like maybe there's a way to make an exception for GTN related items (especially because there is a maximum allowed to be put on sale). The whole problem becomes a much larger issue because I somewhat directly spent real money on those items.

 

I'm frustrated, but I'll get over it. I've spent money on dumber things than this. But they won't be getting any more from me unless this changes.

[Callaron]

I'd rather see a cap on the number of mails you can have, similar to Aion.

Or they could even increase the mail duration for subs.

[JumperPenn]

well it sucks but nothing that they can do about it. Simple as that. At best if you can predict taking a long break pull stuff off the gtn. otherwise people can use it to bypass storage by sending it to alts and never checking their mail.

 

i guess it could have automatically added itself to the cargo hold and only sent mail if full and just sent you a letter with the credits and note saying didnt sell.

 

you are not the first, nor will you be the last.

 

Agreed, but I think at best as a QOL 'fix' have the items be moved to inventory *if* there's space or extend the mail life by some time but nothing more than maybe another 30 days, if moved to inventory generate a mail message saying it was moved that would expire in 30 days or whatever. I just don't think the game should be hanging onto all the stuff we put 'out there' because we as players can't be bothered to manage our wheeling and dealings.

 

Just the way games are you have to deal with your character's activities if you are going to put stuff outside the 'safe' places of your inventory, cargohold, or legacy cargohold.

 

Sorry for people who have RL issues that take them away from the game suddenly or whatever but if something in your life disrupts your ability to play a game then losing some digital stuffs is the least of your problems.

[Rafaman]

So, that is the nicest open letter I have ever seen in these forums. Usually, the vitriol accompanying open letters makes it impossible, at least for me, to be sympathetic. Nice job OP. I hope BW does in fact review this and takes another look at your case.

 

But I don't understand one thing. Did BW tell you they couldn't do it because the items were deleted? I ask what may seem obvious because I believe they have extensive log files and could easily find out what was deleted. As such, although it may be a manual process, I would think they could send you some if not all the items.

 

Such an action would garner a lot of good will here I think.

[branmakmuffin]

Hello,

 

I apologize if this is not the proper channel to send this through, but I wanted to give more direct feedback to a ticket I submitted in the game. I recently sent a question about the items sent in GTN mail being deleted after a short absence from the game. I completely understand your inability to reverse what happened because the game was designed to delete messages after 30 days. However, this seems incredibly poor design.

30 days it not a "short absence." If some RL event forced you to be away from the game for 30+ days, then lost swag in a computer game is hardly a major concern. If you chose not to log in for 30+ days, that was your decision.

[Jerba]

Mail is not intended as a way to circumvent inventory limits. Therefore, mail has to be auto-deleted or else players would just store dozens of items via mail.

It's your own fault if you were gone that long for the mail to be deleted, no need to have it fixed.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Jerba

[branmakmuffin]

Mail is not intended as a way to circumvent inventory limits. Therefore, mail has to be deleted or else players would just store dozens of items via mail.

It's your own fault if you were gone that long for the mail to be deleted, no need to have it fixed.

Yeah, if there is any advance warning more than a couple of days, the OP could have logged in, canceled any GTN sales and cleared his mail box.

[Sindariel]

Yeah, if there is any advance warning more than a couple of days, the OP could have logged in, canceled any GTN sales and cleared his mail box.

 

GTN listings last for 2 days max, standard is 1 day...

If he puts his stuff on the GTN knowing this and then still doesn't come back for more than 30 days, than it's his own fault.

 

Working as intended.

Edited June 12, 2015 by Sindariel

[Drake_Hound]

You just moved up in Affection gain LOL

See that is the way to address issue. and you kept really calm consider I had a similar problem we all did.\

 

So awesomely done, maybe the gamemaster who has powers (very few left)

Can cut you some slack. but I highly doubt it.

 

Still awesome post

[Tahana]

30 days it not a "short absence." If some RL event forced you to be away from the game for 30+ days, then lost swag in a computer game is hardly a major concern. If you chose not to log in for 30+ days, that was your decision.

 

GTN listings last for 2 days max, standard is 1 day...

If he puts his stuff on the GTN knowing this and then still doesn't come back for more than 30 days, than it's his own fault.

 

Working as intended.

 

I agree with these.. I know there are real life emergencies, heck I've just gone through a recent one myself with the passing of my 92 year old mother.. But 30 days is a long time to not go.. Doh I should handle that and then take whatever leave you need to take.

[AdrianDmitruk]

It would be a nice QoL improvement for the game to generate an inactivity warning that specifies that mail with items attached is about to expire--and on which server.

 

I've lost a couple items this way, even though I'm an active player, because I spend almost all my time on a single server. Meanwhile, my alt on a distant server has cartel market items expire even though I could've logged into said server to collect the mail no problem. A quick message sent to e-mail of record would have sufficed.

 

Then again, I'd also be fine with 90 day GTN listings like EVE Online--limited selling slots on GTN are enough of a limitation I think.

 

Was that my own fault? Sure, which is why I didn't complain when it happened, even though it sucked. But there are entire industries built upon engineering out human error from existence, or at least trying to. (Why do you think you're about as likely to get struck by lightning as die in a plane crash, for example?)

[TravelersWay]

30 days it not a "short absence." If some RL event forced you to be away from the game for 30+ days, then lost swag in a computer game is hardly a major concern. If you chose not to log in for 30+ days, that was your decision.

 

This.

 

Sending an e-mail notification about expiring mails is just not a practical use of resources. Ultimately, like ensuring you don't overspend on an item in the GTN, it is the player's responsibility to keep track of their transactions and log into the game to retrieve their e-mails.

 

Certainly, if these items are CM bought, I would initiate a ticket to see if BW could return them, but in no way should I expect it, or be disappointed in BW if they do not or can not return those items. Thirty days is more than enough time to check in game mail on numerous characters.

[DarthOvertone]

Yeah, there's no real way to win. I completely understand why there is a time limit on items in a Mailbox.

 

I agree that there should be a time limit and it makes perfect sense. However, the time limit is currently too short. I was recently out of the country for over a month with no access to the game, still paid my sub during that time, but when I returned I didn't receive any of the emails for sold or unsold merchandise that I had left on the GTN. The limit is what, thirty days? Should be 60-90 days in my opinion.