Greetings

     I've been playing MMO's for roughly 9 years.  At first, I would always buy the game when it was on the store shelves.  but after a few lemons, I began to exercise better caution.  Now Only way I'll buy a game subscription is if it has a Free Trial.

My oppinions on how the Game companies feel bout free trials.

     Is it just me or do you feel that the players who use these services are treated like thier "second rate"?  I mean here I am patiently awaiting for Conan to be finished with the updates and I have roughly 6 hours to go.  Not to mention that I have cable.  and my UL/DL speeds are rather descent. 

     Before AoC, I went over to take a look at LOTR and low and behold thier free trial service has been faulty for a While now.  I mean come on!  If your gonna offer a free trial, then at the very least check on it once a day, or here's a thought.  Listen to your Forum Posters. 

     Before all this, I downloaded SWG(mind you this is not when the game was at it's hight) and after talking with the support staff and numerous mirror sites later, roughly 3 days later, the game was up and running.  prolly 3 months after that, I had no problems Downloading EQ2 or Vanguard, it just took roughly 12 hours a game.

     To me, Gameing Companies should give a lil more love and Bandwith to the free trial area/market.  Though I didn't stay with any of these games, roughly each game got between 2-6 months of gaming from me and at an average of 14.00 that's 28.00 to 84.00 dollars that they wouldn't have unless they did have a Free trial

Anyhoo, Rant off and Happy Gaming 

I don't get the 'second rate' thing especially when you bring up LOTRO. Not only do you have access to the forums and several avenues for downloading the client, but they send you anywhere from 2-6 emails (depending on when/if you log in after registering) during the trial period with links to all of their information and support options, as well as buttons for signing up and accessing account management.

So your problem was that AOC took too long to patch and you had trouble installing LOTRO? I don't see where 'second rate' support comes into play there.

Originally posted by LynxJSA

 

I don't get the 'second rate' thing especially when you bring up LOTRO. Not only do you have access to the forums and several avenues for downloading the client, but they send you anywhere from 2-6 emails (depending on when/if you log in after registering) during the trial period with links to all of their information and support options, as well as buttons for signing up and accessing account management.

So your problem was that AOC took too long to patch and you had trouble installing LOTRO? I don't see where 'second rate' support comes into play there.

second rate = below first rate; as in sub-standard.

AoC = http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/191/view/forums/thread/244482/free-trial-is-down.html

LOTR = http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/view/forums/thread/244147/Free-trial-still-exist.html

hope this helps to explain a lil better  :)

(edit: posted same url Doh!)

Mainly they just dont care much for the free trailers, and alot of MMOs take a while before putting out a free trail which is a big mistake on their part I believe. I really dont see how hard it is to have a 14 day free trail up and running the same time as the game is released, and it would deff get the games alot more business that way, no one wants to commit to an MMO monthly subscription fee without knowing what they are getting into, but I guess thats how companys get more money from you.

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Originally posted by joojoo1975

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Originally posted by LynxJSA

 
I don't get the 'second rate' thing especially when you bring up LOTRO. Not only do you have access to the forums and several avenues for downloading the client, but they send you anywhere from 2-6 emails (depending on when/if you log in after registering) during the trial period with links to all of their information and support options, as well as buttons for signing up and accessing account management.
So your problem was that AOC took too long to patch and you had trouble installing LOTRO? I don't see where 'second rate' support comes into play there.

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second rate = below first rate; as in sub-standard.
AoC = http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/191/view/forums/thread/244482/free-trial-is-down.html
LOTR = http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/view/forums/thread/244147/Free-trial-still-exist.html
 
hope this helps to explain a lil better  :)
 
 
(edit: posted same url Doh!)

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You didnt explain at all. As in, your explanation was second rate.

I can understand knocking a game that you were able to play, but to knock a game you hadnt even played yet??

I disagree. Never had a problem with a free trial. (except long downloads, but that's a problem on my end) Some have their limits though, but they have their reasons, like preventing gold sellers from spamming from trial accounts or powerlevelers breezing through the content in those 14 days. (Can't imagine that, but i've heard of such things done)

Originally posted by logangregor

 

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Originally posted by joojoo1975

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Originally posted by LynxJSA

 

 
I don't get the 'second rate' thing especially when you bring up LOTRO. Not only do you have access to the forums and several avenues for downloading the client, but they send you anywhere from 2-6 emails (depending on when/if you log in after registering) during the trial period with links to all of their information and support options, as well as buttons for signing up and accessing account management.
So your problem was that AOC took too long to patch and you had trouble installing LOTRO? I don't see where 'second rate' support comes into play there.

---

 

 
second rate = below first rate; as in sub-standard.
AoC = http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/191/view/forums/thread/244482/free-trial-is-down.html
LOTR = http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/45/view/forums/thread/244147/Free-trial-still-exist.html
 
hope this helps to explain a lil better  :)
 
 
(edit: posted same url Doh!)

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You didnt explain at all. As in, your explanation was second rate.

I can understand knocking a game that you were able to play, but to knock a game you hadnt even played yet??

(sigh)

friend.  your own answer confirms my origional post.

I'm upset with the way they(gaming companies) treat players who want to use thier free trial before commiting to the game.  in the threads I have provided, you would see that others have similiar views as the origional poster, or you would see others voicing thier own dismay which also falls into line with the origional poster.  I'm not knocking the game itself, i'm knocking the fact that Gameing companies do not give much thought to thier "free trial" market.

As for your post?  "to knock a game you hadnt even played yet??" is Exactly what I'm talking about.  I haven't played it yet because I cannot either get the Patcher to continue to DL or, as in the case of LOTR the site for the registration for a free trial is faulty. 

Hope this explains it a lil better :)

Originally posted by Dalgor

Mainly they just dont care much for the free trailers...

That statement makes no sense at all. They aren't offering you a trial just for the hell of it. The purpose of the trial is so that you say "Hey, this is cool! I'm going to join!" In that light, the trials are of significant priority and importance to these companies.

Can I ask what you think the purpose of a trial for an MMO is?

Originally posted by LynxJSA

Originally posted by Dalgor

Mainly they just dont care much for the free trailers...

 

That statement makes no sense at all. They aren't offering you a trial just for the hell of it. The purpose of the trial is so that you say "Hey, this is cool! I'm going to join!" In that light, the trials are of significant priority and importance to these companies.

 

Can I ask what you think the purpose of a trial for an MMO is?

 

 

Unless I miss my mark he's complaining about two issues:

#1: A company that offers a free trial is, for whatever reason, not allowing sign ups for the trial.  According to the description, it appears to be some sort of error that hasn't been corrected.  However, instead of contacting the company he complains on a forum with no relationship to the company.  Others report the same problem, but are unable to post on the official forums (lacking a trial account).  Unless someone left facts out, no one has (in the discussions listed) realized you can e-mail or call instead of post on a forum.  Waiting further details.

#2: A company that offers a free trial has allowed sign ups but apparently has issues with downloading and installing the game.  Appears as if the problem is related to the issue of having to download a large file, install it, then update it with another long download and install process.  I believe the assumption made is that other MMORPGs, or paid accounts on the current one in question, don't have this issue.

Originally posted by Nessin

Originally posted by LynxJSA

Originally posted by Dalgor

Mainly they just dont care much for the free trailers...

 

That statement makes no sense at all. They aren't offering you a trial just for the hell of it. The purpose of the trial is so that you say "Hey, this is cool! I'm going to join!" In that light, the trials are of significant priority and importance to these companies.

 

Can I ask what you think the purpose of a trial for an MMO is?

 

 

Unless I miss my mark he's complaining about two issues:

#1: A company that offers a free trial is, for whatever reason, not allowing sign ups for the trial.  According to the description, it appears to be some sort of error that hasn't been corrected.  However, instead of contacting the company he complains on a forum with no relationship to the company.  Others report the same problem, but are unable to post on the official forums (lacking a trial account).  Unless someone left facts out, no one has (in the discussions listed) realized you can e-mail or call instead of post on a forum.  Waiting further details.

#2: A company that offers a free trial has allowed sign ups but apparently has issues with downloading and installing the game.  Appears as if the problem is related to the issue of having to download a large file, install it, then update it with another long download and install process.  I believe the assumption made is that other MMORPGs, or paid accounts on the current one in question, don't have this issue.

#1 that's basically correct, but in the fact that since you are trying to register for the free trial, but can't because the trial website is in fact faulty.  You cannot post on the forums.  and as for the email, when you see registered users posting on the forums about above said problem, what good will it avail to send said company an email.  if they don't bother(as apperent by not fixing site after forum users report problem roughly 3+ days ago) reading forums, what stock will they put in an email by somebody not even paying for the game.

#2 the fact that said download took roughly over 16+ hours total(give or take an hour or two) to only be stopped at the final phase of loading game because the patching screen continues to go unresponsive.  the issue isn't that players are having problems(they are playing the game, but one wonders how many of players actually bought AoC first, instead of trying to download free trial first), it's the fact that the path they tell me to take is Frought with danger( that is in fact what companies do to prospective players with a free trial.  "Hey try our game for Free, just nevermind your gonna keep your comp on for 16+ hours, and there is a possibility that it may not even work at all). . . so to speak :)

Originally posted by joojoo1975

 

#1 that's basically correct, but in the fact that since you are trying to register for the free trial, but can't because the trial website is in fact faulty.  You cannot post on the forums.  and as for the email, when you see registered users posting on the forums about above said problem, what good will it avail to send said company an email.  if they don't bother(as apperent by not fixing site after forum users report problem roughly 3+ days ago) reading forums, what stock will they put in an email by somebody not even paying for the game.

#2 the fact that said download took roughly over 16+ hours total(give or take an hour or two) to only be stopped at the final phase of loading game because the patching screen continues to go unresponsive.  the issue isn't that players are having problems(they are playing the game, but one wonders how many of players actually bought AoC first, instead of trying to download free trial first), it's the fact that the path they tell me to take is Frought with danger( that is in fact what companies do to prospective players with a free trial.  "Hey try our game for Free, just nevermind your gonna keep your comp on for 16+ hours, and there is a possibility that it may not even work at all). . . so to speak :)

#1: Whose to say they aren't working on the problem?  It could be they're having difficulty tracking down the source, or correcting whatever the issue is.  Maybe the people who post on their official forums got over-looked.  We are, after all, only human.  Mistakes like that can happen.  Until you contact the company (or find an official response on the forums) you have no clue what is going on and are complaining about an issue which may be in the works to resolve.

#2: Again... Most MMORPGs are this way, free trail or otherwise.  What do you expect?  It may not be right, and it may cut into your trial time, but that doesn't change the fact that it is something you have to deal with with almost any MMO.

I understand now.

For all I know they have some marketing geek teamed up with a finance guy---Just immagine, 2 guys, boardroom, big pie chart, "Weve found that only 1.2 percent of our subscribers come from free trials so I suggest................"

I mean doesnt it usually come down to money anyways?