They suspended billing from Katrina victims so that they could concentrate on getting their dead parents out of the attic, not so that they could sit around and play the game for free for two years.
They have records of you logging in "hundreds, if not thousands" of times during that period.
So, no matter how bad it was for you down there, you still found the means and certainly the time to log into SWG?
---------------------------------------------- "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb." -- Batman
SOE did this, SOE did that. SOE did NOTHING. Saying and doing are two different things. Two years later my wife and I are still "RECOVERING". SOE used PR to make them look better for their already tarnished reputation for customer service. My wife and I both have charge card bills for 2005 and 2006. No one affected by Katrina received "Free gaming" as SOE PR spun it.
"For the two years that have followed, the accounts of the affected SOE gamers have not been billed ..." I got the service I paid for, which I do not deny, that is not my dispute. My dispute is with SOE and their PR using KATRINA to make them look as if they did something for victims when in reality... they did SQUAT. Weeks after Katrina I regained access to being online and took full advantage of it after dealing with the hellish reality I had to deal with that Katrina forced upon me, my wife and family (pets). I don't want Sony's money. I want Sony to give Katrina Victims, ALL OF THEM. A PUBLIC APPOLOGY FOR USING US, VICTIMS OF KATRINA TO MAKE SOE LOOK BETTER. NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS. IS THAT TOO MUCH TO ASK? Do you think SOE will ever publicly admit to using KATRINA as a PR stunt to brighten their image and risk losing more subscribers?
I highly doubt that. Recovering from Katrina and jumping online to play games go hand in hand...
You may have only had power outage then resumed play... not much for recovery...
You may have come home to a slab, then moved in with relatives that were not affected and played online.
In which, that person is affected and still being charged. No matter how you spin it or twist it or try to turn it... SOE did NOT help Katrina Victims in ANYWAY.
Only stopped billing the account until they played the game again.
I get what you're saying here. You don't like the way SOE used the Katrina disaster to make themselves look like they made a huge humaniarian gesture (e.g. "for the two years that followed, the accounts of the affected SOE gamers have not been billed") when in reality they did not. In reality, they suspended billing until login or the purchase of any new product from them apparently. If that's what they did, that's what their P.R. statement should say. It should not make the general statement that accounts were not billed for a two year period. The issue here as I understand it, is that they have misrepresented themselves again, and this time it happens to relate to an understandably sensitive issue. You don't want free game-time. It sounds like you want SOE to be more honest with people about their activities. I understand. I think what they did to suspend billing until login makes sense, I also think that their P.R. statements should match their actions. It seems that they do not, and I get why this bothers you. You're making sense.
"The post by Sony was very clear in stating that peoples fees would be "suspended" until such time as they were able to play again."
I don't see that. An fyi here, the announcement by SOE that the OP read and refers to does not actually mention anything about fees being suspended until login. This is the first and only announcement about suspended billing that the OP received. Here's a link to the announcement if you want to read it for yourself. It sounds like Katrina victims accounts were not billed for two years, plain and simple. No conditions are expressed.
The complaint is that the gesture sounds much more generous than it actually was. I think the complaint is warranted. I think this was worded very poorly and creates a false impression.
In the summer of 2005 Hurricane Katrina left an incredible wake of destruction across the Gulf Coast of the United States. The damage done by the hurricane was unprecedented and impacted countless lives. In response to the hurricane, SOE suspended billing for over 13,000 players living in the affected areas to give them the time they needed to recover.
For the two years that have followed, the accounts of the affected SOE gamers have not been billed but have been preserved. Beginning on Monday, September 17th, the accounts for these 13,000 SOE gamers will resume the normal billing processes. If you lived in an area affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 please check your account information before September 17th to ensure that everything is accurate and there is no disruption in your ability to play.
Our best wishes go out to all those who were affected by the disaster and we'd like to thank our SOE players for their continued patronage.
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In fact, this announcement doesn't say anything about "until u log in". I can understand why, now, the OP came to the conclusion that he did.
In fact the quote here is;
"For the two years that have followed, the accounts of the affected SOE gamers have not been billed but have been preserved."
In the summer of 2005 Hurricane Katrina left an incredible wake of destruction across the Gulf Coast of the United States. The damage done by the hurricane was unprecedented and impacted countless lives. In response to the hurricane, SOE suspended billing for over 13,000 players living in the affected areas to give them the time they needed to recover. For the two years that have followed, the accounts of the affected SOE gamers have not been billed but have been preserved. Beginning on Monday, September 17th, the accounts for these 13,000 SOE gamers will resume the normal billing processes. If you lived in an area affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 please check your account information before September 17th to ensure that everything is accurate and there is no disruption in your ability to play. Our best wishes go out to all those who were affected by the disaster and we'd like to thank our SOE players for their continued patronage.
Your browser does not support iframes. Iframes are a requirement to see a user's signature.
In fact, this announcement doesn't say anything about "until u log in". I can understand why, now, the OP came to the conclusion that he did.
In fact the quote here is; "For the two years that have followed, the accounts of the affected SOE gamers have not been billed but have been preserved." This is misleading?
It's ridiculous, because lord knows how many tens of thousands of accounts were cancelled in the wake of the NGE, and they were, essentially, "preserved" in the exact same way the Katrina folks were. People asked not to be billed, with no expectation that they'd be able to log in. Katrina folks, however, if they logged in while "Katrina suspended" would resume normal billing.
Well, except for the part where they resumed in game structure maintenance for everyone.
So, now, apparently the Katrina victims must pro-actively cancel their account if they don't want SOE charging their credit or debit cards.
Thiis distinction of GreyPawn is without a difference for anyone who has cancelled their account. The toons are preserved if you cancel, there are no toon purges in SWG if you don't log in after a period. Unless you wipe any of your own toons, deliberately, by filling in the box and specifically saying you want the toon gone, it will be preserved as long as the game is live.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Wow, again with the only seeing what you want to see. Okay, I will try to make this clearer for those of you (Such as ArcAngel3. Sorry, not a personal attack, you did quote a few people including myself and post a few times so I am addressing you personally. No offense) I see several of you people quotingf the RETRACTION post from SOE, which states that for those who have their billing suspended, it will again resume. Absolutely, that is a general statement and would be open to false or bad interpretation had their not been a previous, and more concise posting. I notice none of you are quoting these posts however. SOO, to jog your memory and point out, again, what you are choosing not to see. In posting number 17 of this thread, you will note Horusra provided the information (Quite easily) that the OP says they could not find. Guess it comes down to what you want to find, or deny you found. Whatever the case, THIS link> http://playstation.about.com/b/a/199333.htm?terms=namco+museum is one of the original postings noted by Horus in his post (For those who read something being the SOE hating bile. In his post he also quotes the ORIGINAL post by Sony, rather than the retraction. Read that original post, and how it is worded. Sony DID make a kind gesture, SUSPENDED billing until such time as people could play again. The OP in this case did play. Sony still had the kindness to insure his billing would not be billed for the time he was unable to play and offered him 30 and 60 day extensions. If he did not have the good sense to take it, then that is his own loss. For everyone else saying they do not see the suspension for what it is, please read this link, as well as posting 17 in this thread. I hope for the sake of this community that you are not blind, and can see what you formerly have claimed you do not see.
Wow, again with the only seeing what you want to see. Okay, I will try to make this clearer for those of you (Such as ArcAngel3. Sorry, not a personal attack, you did quote a few people including myself and post a few times so I am addressing you personally. No offense) I see several of you people quotingf the RETRACTION post from SOE, which states that for those who have their billing suspended, it will again resume. Absolutely, that is a general statement and would be open to false or bad interpretation had their not been a previous, and more concise posting. I notice none of you are quoting these posts however. SOO, to jog your memory and point out, again, what you are choosing not to see. In posting number 17 of this thread, you will note Horusra provided the information (Quite easily) that the OP says they could not find. Guess it comes down to what you want to find, or deny you found. Whatever the case, THIS link> http://playstation.about.com/b/a/199333.htm?terms=namco+museum is one of the original postings noted by Horus in his post (For those who read something being the SOE hating bile. In his post he also quotes the ORIGINAL post by Sony, rather than the retraction. Read that original post, and how it is worded. Sony DID make a kind gesture, SUSPENDED billing until such time as people could play again. The OP in this case did play. Sony still had the kindness to insure his billing would not be billed for the time he was unable to play and offered him 30 and 60 day extensions. If he did not have the good sense to take it, then that is his own loss. For everyone else saying they do not see the suspension for what it is, please read this link, as well as posting 17 in this thread. I hope for the sake of this community that you are not blind, and can see what you formerly have claimed you do not see.
Hi Sunder, I appreciate the respectful tone, and I understand what you're saying. I also sympathize with your frustration believe it or not. Also, I don't have a problem with the "original post" that you've referenced. Please notice an important distinction here though: The OP did not see the original post. He stated that clearly I think. The first notification he received about the suspended billing was the GreyPawn post. It is the GreyPawn post that is misleading, not the orignal one you've referenced, that the OP never saw. I believe he also explained that he never saw it because when it was posted, he didn't have access to the game due to problems with power, internet connectivity etc. due to the hurricane.
So, this guy, and many others, read the GreyPawn post, and understood that billing had been suspended for two years, no conditions mentioned. It is this post in particular that the OP and others take issue with. I still submit that GreyPawn's statement was very poorly worded and did not accurately represent the actions of his company. In view of this, I'm still of the opinion that complaints about GreyPawn's post are warranted.
Also, it's not SOE/bile/hate/blindness at work here (though strong emotion can colour perception, and it pays to be mindful of this). I can see the content of the first post, and I appreciate the accuracy of the original message. The issue here is that GreyPawn's statement paints a different picture. He should have just copied and pasted instead of using wording that created a false impression. I think he messed up, and unfortunately the circumstances of the situation he's trying to address are understandably sensitive. Another thing working against him is that his employer has a bad track record when it comes to communicating accurate information to its playerbase. People are now very vigilant when it comes to statements made by SOE. I think SOE rightfully deserves much of the responsibility for the climate of mistrust that now exists.
Perhaps GreyPawn could address the ambiguity of his post, apologize for contributing to any misunderstanding, and be more clear and accurate. Maybe that would be a step in the right direction--just thinking out loud here.
Thank you ArcAngel3. That was perhaps one of the most intelligent and intelligible responses I have seen to what is understandably a sensitive subject, as you mentioned. I will admit (And I think I eluded to the fact in previous posts, tho possibly not due to other matters I was addressing) the latter posting could easily be misconstrued and misunderstood.
I have no problem with people feeling ill about that post, or the sentiments it poorly represented. I have seen enough error on sony's part in other situations to accept that much of the brash feelings toward them are deserved to a great extent. I think my "Problem" comes when the original poster expressed their vehemence and outrage, and were offered the original posts and facts surrounding it, and even after that time the OP carries on about wanting this, and wanting that. I further note that the OP originally stated a desire for full compensation, which was later a want for a written apology for their wrong doing, which then eventually became a post stating something about SOE not helping the poor homeless dogs of the world (The last was an exaggeration on my part, for those who fail to grasp sarcasm) while at the same time posting how throughout the ordeal SOE has been changing their statements of purpose and intent.
To the OP, I reiterate my earlier statement, practice what you preach. Sony has stood behind their original post which has been refused by the OP due to a MISINTERPRATATION of what was, yes, a poorly stated and poorly worded follow up. The follow up does not however change the original good intention of a company, which sadly was not equaled or even attempted by a majority of other corporations, or even individuals. Perhaps everyone, but in particular the OP should accept that Sony did MEAN well. Take what has been offered, and find something better to complain about SOE about. Everyone well knows there are plenty of valid complaints about SOE to latch onto. This one, sadly, is invalid.
Oh, and yes, an apology for the misunderstanding may be appropriate, or at least a peaceful middle ground on the part of the representative who mis-spoke. I am all for peace and good will on earth or whatever. So perhaps that would be a good step on their part. The OP already knows their part in that run for peace. Anyone else who wants to continue on their mission to hate SOE can continue to find fault where there is none (and likely will.)
Comments
Sorry, I gotta side with SOE on this one.
They suspended billing from Katrina victims so that they could concentrate on getting their dead parents out of the attic, not so that they could sit around and play the game for free for two years.
They have records of you logging in "hundreds, if not thousands" of times during that period.
So, no matter how bad it was for you down there, you still found the means and certainly the time to log into SWG?
----------------------------------------------
"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb." -- Batman
SOE did not "give play time." They suspended billing while Katrina victims were getting their lives back in order.
What do you think their implied message was? "We're so sorry you lost your home and all of your family members. Here, play a Jedi."
----------------------------------------------
"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb." -- Batman
I get what you're saying here. You don't like the way SOE used the Katrina disaster to make themselves look like they made a huge humaniarian gesture (e.g. "for the two years that followed, the accounts of the affected SOE gamers have not been billed") when in reality they did not. In reality, they suspended billing until login or the purchase of any new product from them apparently. If that's what they did, that's what their P.R. statement should say. It should not make the general statement that accounts were not billed for a two year period. The issue here as I understand it, is that they have misrepresented themselves again, and this time it happens to relate to an understandably sensitive issue. You don't want free game-time. It sounds like you want SOE to be more honest with people about their activities. I understand. I think what they did to suspend billing until login makes sense, I also think that their P.R. statements should match their actions. It seems that they do not, and I get why this bothers you. You're making sense.
"The post by Sony was very clear in stating that peoples fees would be "suspended" until such time as they were able to play again."
I don't see that. An fyi here, the announcement by SOE that the OP read and refers to does not actually mention anything about fees being suspended until login. This is the first and only announcement about suspended billing that the OP received. Here's a link to the announcement if you want to read it for yourself. It sounds like Katrina victims accounts were not billed for two years, plain and simple. No conditions are expressed.
The complaint is that the gesture sounds much more generous than it actually was. I think the complaint is warranted. I think this was worded very poorly and creates a false impression.
http://forums.station.sony.com/swg/posts/list.m?topic_id=476483
Community Manager
Joined: Jun 26, 2007
Messages: 401
Online
In the summer of 2005 Hurricane Katrina left an incredible wake of destruction across the Gulf Coast of the United States. The damage done by the hurricane was unprecedented and impacted countless lives. In response to the hurricane, SOE suspended billing for over 13,000 players living in the affected areas to give them the time they needed to recover.
For the two years that have followed, the accounts of the affected SOE gamers have not been billed but have been preserved. Beginning on Monday, September 17th, the accounts for these 13,000 SOE gamers will resume the normal billing processes. If you lived in an area affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005 please check your account information before September 17th to ensure that everything is accurate and there is no disruption in your ability to play.
Our best wishes go out to all those who were affected by the disaster and we'd like to thank our SOE players for their continued patronage.
Your browser does not support iframes. Iframes are a requirement to see a user's signature.
In fact, this announcement doesn't say anything about "until u log in". I can understand why, now, the OP came to the conclusion that he did.
In fact the quote here is;
"For the two years that have followed, the accounts of the affected SOE gamers have not been billed but have been preserved."
This is misleading?
Well, except for the part where they resumed in game structure maintenance for everyone.
So, now, apparently the Katrina victims must pro-actively cancel their account if they don't want SOE charging their credit or debit cards.
Thiis distinction of GreyPawn is without a difference for anyone who has cancelled their account. The toons are preserved if you cancel, there are no toon purges in SWG if you don't log in after a period. Unless you wipe any of your own toons, deliberately, by filling in the box and specifically saying you want the toon gone, it will be preserved as long as the game is live.
CH, Jedi, Commando, Smuggler, BH, Scout, Doctor, Chef, BE...yeah, lots of SWG time invested.
Once a denizen of Ahazi
Wow, again with the only seeing what you want to see. Okay, I will try to make this clearer for those of you (Such as ArcAngel3. Sorry, not a personal attack, you did quote a few people including myself and post a few times so I am addressing you personally. No offense) I see several of you people quotingf the RETRACTION post from SOE, which states that for those who have their billing suspended, it will again resume. Absolutely, that is a general statement and would be open to false or bad interpretation had their not been a previous, and more concise posting. I notice none of you are quoting these posts however. SOO, to jog your memory and point out, again, what you are choosing not to see. In posting number 17 of this thread, you will note Horusra provided the information (Quite easily) that the OP says they could not find. Guess it comes down to what you want to find, or deny you found. Whatever the case, THIS link> http://playstation.about.com/b/a/199333.htm?terms=namco+museum is one of the original postings noted by Horus in his post (For those who read something being the SOE hating bile. In his post he also quotes the ORIGINAL post by Sony, rather than the retraction. Read that original post, and how it is worded. Sony DID make a kind gesture, SUSPENDED billing until such time as people could play again. The OP in this case did play. Sony still had the kindness to insure his billing would not be billed for the time he was unable to play and offered him 30 and 60 day extensions. If he did not have the good sense to take it, then that is his own loss. For everyone else saying they do not see the suspension for what it is, please read this link, as well as posting 17 in this thread. I hope for the sake of this community that you are not blind, and can see what you formerly have claimed you do not see.
So, this guy, and many others, read the GreyPawn post, and understood that billing had been suspended for two years, no conditions mentioned. It is this post in particular that the OP and others take issue with. I still submit that GreyPawn's statement was very poorly worded and did not accurately represent the actions of his company. In view of this, I'm still of the opinion that complaints about GreyPawn's post are warranted.
Also, it's not SOE/bile/hate/blindness at work here (though strong emotion can colour perception, and it pays to be mindful of this). I can see the content of the first post, and I appreciate the accuracy of the original message. The issue here is that GreyPawn's statement paints a different picture. He should have just copied and pasted instead of using wording that created a false impression. I think he messed up, and unfortunately the circumstances of the situation he's trying to address are understandably sensitive. Another thing working against him is that his employer has a bad track record when it comes to communicating accurate information to its playerbase. People are now very vigilant when it comes to statements made by SOE. I think SOE rightfully deserves much of the responsibility for the climate of mistrust that now exists.
Perhaps GreyPawn could address the ambiguity of his post, apologize for contributing to any misunderstanding, and be more clear and accurate. Maybe that would be a step in the right direction--just thinking out loud here.
Thank you ArcAngel3. That was perhaps one of the most intelligent and intelligible responses I have seen to what is understandably a sensitive subject, as you mentioned. I will admit (And I think I eluded to the fact in previous posts, tho possibly not due to other matters I was addressing) the latter posting could easily be misconstrued and misunderstood.
I have no problem with people feeling ill about that post, or the sentiments it poorly represented. I have seen enough error on sony's part in other situations to accept that much of the brash feelings toward them are deserved to a great extent. I think my "Problem" comes when the original poster expressed their vehemence and outrage, and were offered the original posts and facts surrounding it, and even after that time the OP carries on about wanting this, and wanting that. I further note that the OP originally stated a desire for full compensation, which was later a want for a written apology for their wrong doing, which then eventually became a post stating something about SOE not helping the poor homeless dogs of the world (The last was an exaggeration on my part, for those who fail to grasp sarcasm) while at the same time posting how throughout the ordeal SOE has been changing their statements of purpose and intent.
To the OP, I reiterate my earlier statement, practice what you preach. Sony has stood behind their original post which has been refused by the OP due to a MISINTERPRATATION of what was, yes, a poorly stated and poorly worded follow up. The follow up does not however change the original good intention of a company, which sadly was not equaled or even attempted by a majority of other corporations, or even individuals. Perhaps everyone, but in particular the OP should accept that Sony did MEAN well. Take what has been offered, and find something better to complain about SOE about. Everyone well knows there are plenty of valid complaints about SOE to latch onto. This one, sadly, is invalid.
Oh, and yes, an apology for the misunderstanding may be appropriate, or at least a peaceful middle ground on the part of the representative who mis-spoke. I am all for peace and good will on earth or whatever. So perhaps that would be a good step on their part. The OP already knows their part in that run for peace. Anyone else who wants to continue on their mission to hate SOE can continue to find fault where there is none (and likely will.)