Honestly, the hackers can have my account.  No need to reset my password.  At least I'll know that the STO lifetime sub I bought would be getting some use.  I still kick myself for buying that one without playing it first.

Just when you think the "create a new account and post some advertisment about the game" marketing attempts are over...

Originally posted by ariboersma

he is writing an article.. it is his job to be unbiased... .

I dont know if I honestly believe this.  I have never seen a games magazine give a negative preview.  I have seen a few negative points mentioned but almost universally they are positive and make you want to play the game.  The trouble is, gamer magazines make money from advertising and game companies advertise.  You dont want to make a company mad by being honest that you hated their game in the preview because then they wont invite you to the next game to preview and they might not advertise in your magazine as much.

Originally posted by ilives

Im not sure I agree.

There seems to be a few VERY creative MO supporters,  sadly they seem to spend too much time here;).  Its too bad every event seems to end in scandal, exploitation or just major disappointment.  How hard could it be? We're talking event for only a few dozen players. Very sad indeed

You do realize that the official MO forums are heavily moderated and many good ideas end up being deleted right?

Originally posted by username509

 

The very idea that SV is in financial trouble is wrong.  The numbers they release from time to time are just that, numbers.   

 

 

Are you actually saying that the numbers reported by SV to the government dont mean anything?  I think the American automobile and banking industries felt the same way a few years back. 

"TOR may well be the end of EA or at least bring it to the brink of bankruptcy  "

You make me laugh.  EA is huge and has a big stable of games.  Some investors might have left when ToR didnt turn out as big as WOW and offer the huge returned they were expecting but EA is far from dead or even bankrupt.  I'm not saying that ToR is doing well or even half as well as EA had hoped, I'm just saying its not the nail in EA's coffin you think it is.

Originally posted by pifias

My question is. Would you have tried to level a toon to level 50 if BW would have announced a month earlier that all accounts with at least one level 50 toon would get a free month? We could prob agree that it wouldn't have matter because you play several different games unlike many of us, play once every week, roleplay and take your time.

I agree you are no less of a valued costumer than me just because I stick to one game and level my toons to endgame. Almost all MMOs I have played reward their players in some way or another. I know for a fact you could level a toon to 50 in SWTOR in a week and he/she is not more of a valued costumer than I am who played since day 1. I guess it would of been more adecuate to choose words like "veteran" and give the veteran reward of a free month, but then some other guy would have posted something about it.

But back to my question. Would you have leveled your toon to 50 with prior notice?

Best regards.

The situation you describe actually gives me the choice to make and does not put that choice in Biowares hands.  My issue is that Bioware made the choice for me and did not give it to me to make.  I can not answer your question honestly since it did not happen.  It could have made for some fun times with my group to hear about this and screw around for 30 days and have a competition to get to 50 but then again we could of all just said F-it.  Either way the choice would have been ours to make.

I think we all agree this promotion was handled poorly by Bioware.  If Bioware had said, "With the release of 1.2 we plan to reward all customers who have a level 50 toon at the end of May with 30 days of gametime."  None of us would be here right now.

People say we had a choice and we chose NOT to get to level 50 and get a reward.  in order to make a choice, you have to know the consequences.  A person who never smoked, ate right and exercised but still got cancer did not MAKE A CHOICE to get cancer.  This whole argument that not leveling to 50 somehow earned us the right to be second class customers is ridiculous. 

I urge you to post on any forums you are involved with and email any publications you have contact information for about how you feel about this situation and the way Bioware has treated its PAYING customers. 

I play once every week or two with some friends, at least I used to before all this.  We roleplay and take our time.  I make a good living and currently sub to several different games so unlike many of you who only play one primary MMO my enjoyment from the game comes a bit differently.  So you are saying it is fair to single me out since I didnt play as much as you?  How is that an honest and fair way for a company to evaluate its customers? 

You guys pushing the level 50 thing are basing your argument that there was some achievement to be unlocked at 50 by everyone.  I am not having an issue with all the cool gear that level 50's get and I dont.  I made a choice NOT to get to 50 yet and not get that gear.  I didnt get to make a choice about getting free game time.  I didnt get an email from Bioware telling me I was a valued customer.  Would it be fair if Bioware gave everyone on one server free gametime due to its low population?  Your arguement could then be, "you had the choice to play on that server".  Your argument doesnt hold.  For a company to just come out and say this player is worth more to us than another and judge it strictly by play style is unfair. 

Would it be fair for Bioware to give extras for paying more for different versions of the game like CE?  Yes, everyone would know from the beginning that buying the lesser version gives you less.  I on the other hand paid for the CE and I subbed from day one.  What makes me less valuable to Bioware as a customer?  Where was my prior knowledge that my choice to level slowly and enjoy the game in my own way would make me a less valued member than a guy who paid less for his game 30 days ago, rushed through his content on one char and then complained on the official forums for a week about the lack of content?

Tanner, do me a favor and drop your sub today, just for a few days and then you can pick it back up.  Every little bit helps get the message across to Bioware.

Thanks

Originally posted by ksan24

Dropping your sub means nothing to them because obviosly for you not to have hit 50 on 1 character by now, you are not the audience they care about or are even looking for.  Nowhere in your rambling remarks did you say anything that resembled an intelligent statement.  Everyone who has read it is now dumber for doing so.  I award you no points, and may god have mercy on your soul.

Thanks for your insightful and intelligent post.  I appreciate you clearing things up for me and explaining that Bioware does not care about me even though I paid as much or more to them than others who may have leveled a char to 50.  It makes perfect business sense to me now.  I am so happy you took the time to post.  Thank you. 

Originally posted by headphones

that's not quite an adequate usage of "bombastic" but still, it's nice to see someone trying to extend their vocabulary and i'm all for that.

of COURSE they're trying not to lose their shirts.

here's another word to look up while you're looking up "bombastic"; business.

 

Lets look up "NGE".  I think you will find that chasing a hypothetical group of subbers versus caring for your current subbers is bad for...  what was that word you used???  Oh yeah "business".  If someone was unhappy with the game at level 50 and was looking to quit soon, the free 30 days just gave them free time to do all the content in 1.2 and then leave.  Strangely, that sounds bad for "business".  Am I using that word correctly?  Maybe I have yet to grasp the meaning of that word.  I guess me and my mates can discuss it some evening now that we all cancelled our ToR subscriptions.

Originally posted by headphones

my issue is the bunch who jump in and figure this is an insult to them because they want free time, too. and why's that other guy getting free time? i mean, really. it's that level of entitlement and lack of actual understanding of WHY these decisions get made which kills games quicker than anything else. sure, the game's pretty half-assed and held together with gaffa tape, but that doesn't mean ea/bw aren't trying to hold it together anyway.

it's actually MORE amusing when you consider most games pander to the under-capped players by giving them faster levelling, or whatever makes things easier for them. the one time a game offers compensation to those who made it to the endgame and found nothing to do is the one time everyone gets all whiny.

 

Two neighbors buy the same Ford Focus, they both pay the exact same amount of money.  Neighbor A drives 100k miles in 4 years while Neighbor B drives 50k miles.  Ford announces that Neighbor A gets a new set of tires and a new paintjob for their car but Neighbor B does not qualify because they drove their car less.  Is that a good business decision?

Two neighbors buy a 2008 Ford Focus, Neighbor A buys a used one in 2010 for $10,000 less than Neighbor B who bought his new in 2008 .  Neighbor A drives 100k miles in 2 years while Neighbor B drives 50k miles in 4 years.  Ford announces that Neighbor A gets a new set of tires and a new paintjob for their car but Neighbor B does not qualify because they drove their car less.  Is that a good business decision? 

All the arguments here in favor of this decision assume something was earned by those that got to level 50.  There was no competition to get to level 50, there was no warning of a penalty for not getting to level 50.  It is just a poor decision based on losing customers and it is the exact same kind of thinking that SOE had when they implemented the NGE.  They are chasing a hypothetical playerbase in the hopes that 1.2 will make them stay while ignoring the loyal players who have paid since day one.  I got news for you, any level 50 player who was seriously thinking of leaving will work through the new 1.2 content in their free month and be gone regardless of this terrible promotion.

I still urge anyone not happy with this promotion to drop your sub for a week as a sign of your unhappyness.  No one is asking you to walk away like a baby, I am just asking to show a sign of your support and drop a sub for a week while you play some other game. 

Originally posted by JoeyMMO

 If you haven't hit 50 by now then you're still levelling and probably enjoying the ride. Once you hit 50 the game becomes shallow. It's the 50's they want to give a free month because frankly there isn't much there to entertain them. If you haven't hit 50 yet on at least one character, then you don't really have all that much reason to complain in the first place.

While I can understand your feelings, you really should get over it. The first 50's took about 4 to 5 days to do it. If after 4 months you're still not there, then you're strolling along really casually en not minding paying the sub. What's your problem? If you think you're not getting your moneys worth then simply quit, if you don't, then stop complaining because other people have more spare time than you.

So because I was taking it slow and enjoying the game I dont deserve a reward given to other players simply due to my chosen playstyle?  I should just let Bioware email all the level 50's and tell them how valuable and loyal they are and give them a free gift of play time and I should just be happy that I can pay the same amount as them and not enjoy the same benefits? 

Its like Ford saying if you have a car thats 5 year old or less that has over 100k of miles on it, you get a free new engine but you other people who didnt drive your car enough get nothing. 

I also find your post to be confusing, in the same paragraph you say "I can understand your feelings" and then you say "whats your problem".  How can you understand my feelings if you dont know what the problem is? 

The complaint thread on the official forum is 168 pages right now.  I urge any current subscriber who does not have a level 50 and is disappointed in being singled out due to playstyle to drop their sub today.  Between the dropped subs and the level of bad PR that Bioware will get over the next two days, maybe it will be enough for Bioware to see that we are just as valuable as other customers. 

OP,

Let your wallet do the talking and drop your subscription today. 

Originally posted by Cthulhu23

No offense, but if you haven't hit 50 by now, you kinda are less of a player.  I have a friend who only gets to play about an hour and a half a night, and he's got a 50. He only gets to play about 10 hours per week.  

Bioware is doing something that is unheard of with this free month, and yet there are still people whining about it because they (inexpicably) couldn't focus enough to do something that can be done without much effort.   

I would recommend you go play GW2, where achievement and progression mean nothing.  

This will be my favorite post for a long time.  I am less of a player because I pay the exact same amount of money but play a bit less than others.  You have solved the whole issue!  Thank you very much for your insightful words of wisdom.  I will call Bioware and apologize now that you have made it clear I am less of a player and deserve less than others based on my playstyle.  Maybe later I can get lucky and they will give bonuses only to people who play Chiss and then I will be a more valuable player.

Originally posted by evilastro

Even if you were only spending 4 hours a week you should still have a 50 already. I mean, you would have to actively try not to level, which is difficult to do since there isnt much to do aside from combat.

It only takes about 30-40 hours to get a character to 50 (if you took your time, I personally found it much quicker after my first character by just grinding flashpoints) and the game has been out for like 4 months now.

Throwing in the 'real life' card is a bit lame too. I work and only get 10-12 hours a week or so for gaming, and I still managed to get 4 level 50s before I quit 2 months after launch. As others have said, if you havent been stuck at level 50 with nothing to do, the promotion isnt really for you anyway.

No where was I told if I got a char to level 50 I would get a free month.  Bioware just jumped up and said "Hey, we dont value your $15 a month like we do the $15 we get from others".  Seriously, how is my choice of playstyle less worth than yours because you hit 50?  If this was announced and people were given 30 days to hit 50, I'd be ok since I actually had a shot but thats not what happened. 

I didnt have a choice.  I did not do anything wrong.  I paid the same amount of money as others.  Why should I be singled out?

Originally posted by marinrider

I dont feel like its that big of an issue. They are not getting something that you can't get.  Its only $15 afterall.  On top of that, Bioware is trying to bring back old players to bolster the population and all your doing is trying to hurt that.

You achieve nothing with this (not like it would get that large of a following anyway).

 

What your doing is childish. I dont care if you play slow and didnt get to 50. Whining about how someone is getting a month sub that you are not getting is immature.  Now if they were getting something that is impossible for you to get then I understand. 

Can you please explain to me how I can get the free $15 without getting a char to level 50 today?