Originally posted by safwd

Originally posted by Guillermo197

Originally posted by safwd

Cash shops are lame and yes they probably did sneak it in because they wanted to milk the expansion.

But check out Playerauctions and i think still EBay. People have ALWAYS been able to buy items for real cash, this is nothing new. Why is it so much worse when the actual company that made the game is getting a piece of the pie?

 

If I wanted to play a game with Microtransaction model I would go play a FREE 2 Play Asian game.

We are talking about a PAY 2 Play game here. A game that has going on for over 4 years now!

They have a loyal playerbase that has stick with them through tick and thin through these years and always said they didn't want to see an Item Mall in the game.

They protested against Station Exchange and thats why it was done on seperate servers.

John Smedly said to calm the people down and not mass quiting already back then, that they would NEVER do it on the existing Non-Exchange servers in EverQuest 2!

And here we are today!

Nothing further to add.

Cheers

So the main issue here is that they lied. Ok, thats true, they did lie. And if that lie means you are giving up the game then that is your right.
 

But, it is a huge jump to say that "ya there is only fluff on there now but soon all great items are only going to be sold at the shop". That would be the stupidest thing in the world for SOE to do. Who is going to play a game where you can ONLY get the best items by buying them?

SOE is trying to make some more money off their game not completely destroy it. If SOE is stupid enough to go to the extreme that you are invisioning then they deserve to have their game die. I dont think they are but perhaps your right.

Why would you be surprised if they added the good stuff on the shop? SOE has a history of doing the worst decisions ever with no regret. I think by now everyone should know that SOE is very capable of nailing it's own coffin.

SOE is tanking, and about to go under. Add it up. You heard it here, first.

Originally posted by gracefield 

No, hang on OP, you're absolutely right, this isn't a F2P game, it's Everquest II, it's much better than a F2P game.  So, there is now an item mall in the game, so bloody what? So far, the items you can buy are fairly tame to say the least, nothing that's going to rock anybody's world and give them a huge, unfair advantage over anyone else. 

If people don't want to use the thing, then don't use it but it's hardly worth all this righteous indignation. As someone else said, if people want to use RL money to enhance their play, they can go and buy Plat or get items from Ebay and they've always been able to do that.

Station Cash is lame and its money-grabbing, but until they start selling real, game critical items in there, it's hardly worth all this fuss.

Have you ever once known SOE/Smed to not push things so far past the limits that it did not outrage the community?  Has he ever kept his word?  Does he even listen to the players anymore?

Is this really worth giving SOE the benefit of the doubt and pretend they will only sell fluff items?  Was the way it was presented dirty and underhanded?  Did they completely blind side the community without even the slightest bit of information? 

This is the same exact method of operation that SOE has been using since before players boycotted the EQ1 expansion and caused the infamous player summit. [where they again promised to start listening to the players]

Honestly, why wait for SOE to get around to making station cash worse or sell things you don't want?   The fact that it exists and the person running it has time and time again trampled over the desires of his customer base to implement something that he thinks will lead to riches.  It will happen, we all know it.  What possible reason could the be to wait?  

It isn't like he didn't just screw up again by disrespecting players without even talking to them about this before forcing it upon the Everquest franchise and now he is somehow going to change his ways. 

It is in John Smedleys nature to reach into your wallets regardless of the outcome to your playing experience.   This man cannot help but manage by looking at the bottom line of a spread sheet. 

Originally posted by Guillermo197

I just appealed to their Billing departement:

Greetings,

I have endured the NGE debacle with Star Wars Galaxies and have been pretty much angry for a long time.

With EverQuest 2 I have given SOE a second chance. Hoping they would have learned from their mistakes not to screw over your paying customers like what was done with the NGE update on SWG.

I have been a loyal customer of EverQuest 2 over the years, bought all expansions, etc.

And now you guys push the Station Cash through our troats without warning nor prior notification?!!

If I would have known this would be coming I would NEVER have bought The Shadow Odyssey expansion!

This is outragious and pretty much feels like a NGE dejavu!

So I demand a full refund of my TSO expansion purchase ASAP!

And to back up my claim I enclosed a statement by John Smedly (CEO of SOE) some time ago about RMT features and EverQuest 2!

-

You can try filing a complaint with the better business bureau.  I've heard people have gotten good results against Sonys actions from them including refunds.

Originally posted by Moirae

Oh get over it. Its not a scam, its greed, and its not as though they're the only ones to do it.

Oh so because others are guilty of the same, it's okay?  If Johny kicks a puppy it's ok for me to do so too?

No it isn't.

May seem like an overreaction but think of the impact of what this will have on people's gaming experience over time. Projecting into the near future, EQ2 now resembles a game I want very little to do with or waste my time in.

I play the game, to play the game, no buy cute items that I expect to get from actively playing the game as an extra bonus when I've already dished out money for the base game, it's expansions and a monthly fee on top of it.

IF they are serious about this, they are going to give us discounts on monthly fees, charge 5$ a month and I'm happy, Otherwise abolish this nonsense.  You have to remember this started slowly, adventure packs which were largely unpopular. Making people pay extra for eq2 character website features, Legends of Norrath card game, and now the grand culmination; cash shops. If I wanted to be on the exchange servers, that's where I would have rolled.

Good step on making it f2p because now there will be even less people around.

"This isn't an experiment and we aren't going free to play."   Smedley .

Originally posted by krenalor

You can bet eventually the best items will be buyable only from the cash shop! I will see you all in WoW  where we would stone Smedley in seconds. As for the one who accepts this, wtf is wrong with you? Smed bold faced lied and it's okay? You are really sick to continue paying for a game with a bold faced liar in charge.

Don't let the door hit your Azz on the way out.

Not going to miss you at all.

Are you playing on a server that is real cash enabled?

Naggy is safe because it will not be there.

Read then cry...ohhh wait, read then you will see nothing is changing on the best server!!

I cannot say I didnt see t his coming a while ago.  First off..Smedly has lied to players for years so anything he says,.,...i take with a grain of salt.  Ive learned over the years anything he says will not happen..usually does within a year.

As for the Cash shop...a large number of games are converting to using microtransactions.  Guild Wars is one of the more sucessful Free to Play games..where you buy the game and there is no monthly fee.  They have an online store where you can buy extra character slots, pvp skill unlocks and from time to time, discounts on other "chapters".  It  has only ever offered weapons one time and that was a commerative set that was average statted weapons with nice skins.  NC Soft has a few other Free to play games that do offer game enchancing items for a real world fee.  The big difference is that those games are also Free 2 Play where EQ2 isnt.  So this appears to be just another way to milk more money out of players and catering to power players.  If SOE truely wanted to take full advantage of microtransactions, then EQ2 should be converted to a F2P game  or a $4.99 a month game.

Bottom line is...if you dont like the shops you got two choices...cancel your account and go looking for something else that will eventually also include a cash shop..or just play and not use the shop.

WoW is now charging 15 buck for what cost us in EQ2 5 gold...

MMO's charge ppl 40 bucks on top of the normal cost of an expansion/game for a mount and fluff... so im guessing thats affecting your game play too? Because the only way you are going to get it is if you pay money above and beyond the normal cost of the game/expansion. And doesnt matter how good of a player you are.. or how long you have been playing... you want it you have to pay extra for it.

Whats the diff with the above and this... only diff is this fluff is here full time and not just with an expansion pack.

I dont agree with it but SoE is a company... companies are out to make money.

And SOE is not the first and im sure wont be the last company to say one thing and then do another.

Ok again..... Cash SHop are not all evil... They can be done right and be very tasteful. Only an idiot judges something soley based on a concept... It can be done different ways then putting items you cant get in the game.... YOu could toss up harder to get items on there for the more casual players or what have you that done have near as much time to play. People only seem to care about themselves in these situations... Yes the company can make more money but it doesnt mean they will not add in better in game items or wont have items you can already get iwth some work or what have you. For the love of god please stop judging the microtransaction system as evil before you know how the system will work when its fully implemented..

Originally posted by Smilex0311

Cancelled my account yesterday.  I been playing for 3.5 yrs.  This station cash was the last straw for me.

The only hard feelings I have is how this all was diabolically released after the expansion. 

The goal of a corporation is to make money; no arguement there.  But I do wish they would have given a heads up or notice before this crap was sprung on us.   A new low for SOE... grats on the epic fail.

The only thing I really liked about EQ2 was the ingame pizza ordering, that was godlike. I think all games should do it.

Originally posted by linadragon

Ok again..... Cash SHop are not all evil... They can be done right and be very tasteful. Only an idiot judges something soley based on a concept... It can be done different ways then putting items you cant get in the game.... YOu could toss up harder to get items on there for the more casual players or what have you that done have near as much time to play. People only seem to care about themselves in these situations... Yes the company can make more money but it doesnt mean they will not add in better in game items or wont have items you can already get iwth some work or what have you. For the love of god please stop judging the microtransaction system as evil before you know how the system will work when its fully implemented..

No but its in extremely bad taste to the players to introduce it without any forwarning, "ANY INSIGHT" They just shove it in the communities face. SOE has the money to provide content, they are just milking the cow, people already know this and still play there games because they are fun, but for alot of people this was just like milking the cows baby daughter... Thats what ive gotton from all this. Its exactly like the SWG ingame cardgame, nobody wanted it, yet its there.

They just dont learn from there mistakes, and have completely overlooked the meaning of a good MMORPG. Which is to have an online game where players can enjoy themselves. Of course we know they want money, but its just too damn greedy obvious the way they stick there ass in our face asking for stripper money.

Originally posted by gracefield

Originally posted by Guillermo197

Originally posted by safwd

Cash shops are lame and yes they probably did sneak it in because they wanted to milk the expansion.

But check out Playerauctions and i think still EBay. People have ALWAYS been able to buy items for real cash, this is nothing new. Why is it so much worse when the actual company that made the game is getting a piece of the pie?

 

If I wanted to play a game with Microtransaction model I would go play a FREE 2 Play Asian game.

We are talking about a PAY 2 Play game here. A game that has going on for over 4 years now!

They have a loyal playerbase that has stick with them through tick and thin through these years and always said they didn't want to see an Item Mall in the game.

They protested against Station Exchange and thats why it was done on seperate servers.

John Smedly said to calm the people down and not mass quiting already back then, that they would NEVER do it on the existing Non-Exchange servers in EverQuest 2!

And here we are today!

Nothing further to add.

Cheers

 

No, hang on OP, you're absolutely right, this isn't a F2P game, it's Everquest II, it's much better than a F2P game.  So, there is now an item mall in the game, so bloody what? So far, the items you can buy are fairly tame to say the least, nothing that's going to rock anybody's world and give them a huge, unfair advantage over anyone else. 

If people don't want to use the thing, then don't use it but it's hardly worth all this righteous indignation. As someone else said, if people want to use RL money to enhance their play, they can go and buy Plat or get items from Ebay and they've always been able to do that.

Station Cash is lame and its money-grabbing, but until they start selling real, game critical items in there, it's hardly worth all this fusY

Yer What a great idea let's all just wait till it's totally stuff's up the game completely and then complain about it, I'm sure they will listen to us then and get rid of it as fast as possible for us, I hear there nice that way, great thinking, give us more idea's like that one please, 10/10!
 

Originally posted by linadragon

Ok again..... Cash SHop are not all evil... They can be done right and be very tasteful. Only an idiot judges something soley based on a concept... It can be done different ways then putting items you cant get in the game.... YOu could toss up harder to get items on there for the more casual players or what have you that done have near as much time to play. People only seem to care about themselves in these situations... Yes the company can make more money but it doesnt mean they will not add in better in game items or wont have items you can already get iwth some work or what have you. For the love of god please stop judging the microtransaction system as evil before you know how the system will work when its fully implemented..

Anyone claiming item malls aren't evil either doesn't understand how it can (and does) affects the game play (especially double XP/AA pots); or partaking in it and/or it's hand-in-hand partner gold farming/buying -- which means they're seriously biased in their opinion.

There's no "good" way for it to be implimented without turning the game beyond just those working to get their gear, to those not wanting too but will BUY it. Excuses "that it's already there" doesn't excuse that it's still wrong.

Games are suppose to test the mettle of a player. They exist to be challenging. When the game is no more than an online mall with "fluff" as entertainment, it's also no longer a game -- it's a dressing room of people showing off styles.

EQ2 isn't Myspace. EQ2 isn't Facebook. EQ2 isn't Youtube. It's a MMO, and MMOs are videogames.

---

Originally posted by Daffid011
You can try filing a complaint with the better business bureau.  I've heard people have gotten good results against Sonys actions from them including refunds.

---

Thank you for the tip, as I couldn't use what I bought TSO for (the mount, that was too small for my character to ride, as it wouldn't scale to size). Paid $39 for the game itself ($10 for next day air shipping), and couldn't even use the game itself, as it's made for groups and level 80 characters (even for tradeskillers). They promised it would have level 50 content, but they didn't tell folks the content was designed for those decked out with the BEST legendary gear in the game to play the instances (learned of this after release on the SoE forum).

Hate bait and switch sales.

Originally posted by linadragon

Ok again..... Cash SHop are not all evil... They can be done right and be very tasteful. Only an idiot judges something soley based on a concept... It can be done different ways then putting items you cant get in the game.... YOu could toss up harder to get items on there for the more casual players or what have you that done have near as much time to play. People only seem to care about themselves in these situations... Yes the company can make more money but it doesnt mean they will not add in better in game items or wont have items you can already get iwth some work or what have you. For the love of god please stop judging the microtransaction system as evil before you know how the system will work when its fully implemented..

I know how micro transaction systems work. That's why we all insta canceled and never return to any SOE game anymore. Simple as that.

It wasn't just the cash shop. It was far more of an issue HOW and the WAY they did it!

Maybe you all are of the small group of hardcore raiders that don't care about fluff items. Fine. Each to their own.

I know that a very large part of the playerbase, especially the big roleplay community does VALUE all these fluff items!

People who have asked for more fluff items, more event quests to obtain them to be implemented INGAME.

Instead they got the Legends of Norrath dumped on them. But people mumbled, protested a bit, but somehow accepted it as boosterpacks dropped ingame, somewhat justifying that this way all loot card stuff was obtainable by playing the game. Altho reality is ofcourse that your chance was almost ZERO.

And now they secretly and fully tactless right after the expansion, they shoved the Cash Shop right through our throats!

So for all those people (again especially the RP community) this was a big slap in their face.

So yes, people play the game for fun... and for many that fun was obtaining and collecting FLUFF to make their character look unique and decorate their ingame houses.

People that don't give a single toss about RAID gear!

So for those people, they are from now on forced to use the Cash Shop to obtain new fluff!

SOE isn't stupid. They know  a very large part of the EQ2 playerbase value FLUFF items a great deal and so try to grab more of your money.

Because if you all PRO-cash shop lovers would be right and NO ONE would give a toss about FLUFF, then SOE would have no reason to push this system through our throats! Now would they.

Think about that, before judging us. We know what SOE is capable of and darn well know where all this is heading.

And I give you all about 6 months to a year before you people also come here with angry voices when SOE starts putting in some REAL stuff in the Cash Shop.

Have a nice day.

I may have mentioned this but the timing of this move boggles..with TSO bringing back group only play to the game quite a few of the casuals who would use this service are moving on..like i say its hard to see the way SOE work sometimes.

---

Originally posted by Guillermo197
And I give you all about 6 months to a year before you people also come here with angry voices when SOE starts putting in some REAL stuff in the Cash Shop.

---

It wouldn't matter, since the same folks who "don't care" are the same types that will buy those "mythical updates", and gear.

Sony knows as long as the fluff players want more fluff, they'll encourage giving them it -- at a price.

Classic nickel and diming, and the population will eat it up like $4 cups of Starbucks coffee.

Saddest part in all of this development will no longer be about the game itself (game mechanics; functionality; quality set design [so folks don't fall through buildings, etc.]), resources will be dedicated to this (for now fluff).

No one will be happy, not even those roleplayers. As once the game play suffers there's no real use to play the game, as only so long will people walk and run around with fluff by themselves (the motivation to shows off goes out the window when it's about 100 people dressing for each other).

In game design the main priority is always, always, always game play. Once that's lost to all the wants (as there's many wants in a game, but no company has the resources -- even WoW -- to design for it all), put a fork in the franchise, it's cooked.

The MEMEMEness of MMOs will be it's very downfall. Too many not understanding game development, but expecting companies to pull out magic rabbits somehow (ah, more fluff!).

Originally posted by Guillermo197
[...]

2. They waited a couple weeks after the TSO expansion launch. Make sure they sell as much as possible.

[...]

 

Cheers

I thought about this too. I didnt buy this expansion cose I was already out of this game but It looked for me like this too. Scam, dont talking about this station cash feature until they sold a lot of copies of the shadow odissey looks like a scam to me. They knew really well what they were aup to.

I doubt they will reimburs you your money but you can alway "vote with your wallet" and leave the game asap.

Originally posted by alakram

Originally posted by Guillermo197
[...]

2. They waited a couple weeks after the TSO expansion launch. Make sure they sell as much as possible.

[...]

 

Cheers

 

I thought about this too. I didnt buy this expansion cose I was already out of this game but It looked for me like this too. Scam, dont talking about this station cash feature until they sold a lot of copies of the shadow odissey looks like a scam to me. They knew really well what they were aup to.

I doubt they will reimburs you your money but you can alway "vote with your wallet" and leave the game asap.

I already did that. That letter to SOE Billing was more like a strong statement. As I know those greedy bastards don't reimburs a dime. EVER!

Cheers

Originally posted by Moirae

Oh get over it. Its not a scam, its greed, and its not as though they're the only ones to do it.

actually it is a scam

they waited until right after the expansion to change the game

its called bait and switch, which is qualified as fraud.

You know, this may actually be a problem and it may actually be a scam, but i bet at least half the people on here bitching dont even play EQ2.

You could make a thread that stated "OMG SOE just turned the sun in EQ2 Blue those bastards!!!!"
And you would get pages of people on the thread bashing SOE for turning the sun blue.
"Man, first they ruined SWG with the NGE and now they turn the sun BLUE, SOE are evil money hungry bastards who dont care about the player base and we should all boycott, or Sue, ya, lets Sue!"

Its fun to yell at SOE.

Originally posted by safwd

Its fun to yell at SOE.

 

Undeniably the most irrefutable thing said in this thread.

Originally posted by Squal'Zell

Originally posted by Moirae

Oh get over it. Its not a scam, its greed, and its not as though they're the only ones to do it.

 

actually it is a scam

they waited until right after the expansion to change the game

its called bait and switch, which is qualified as fraud.

rofl.. No, its called greed that you people are taking way too damned seriously.