What Trion did was made a new special offer for the Collector Edition for some Canadian game store that included the spider mount.
Since all the rest of subscribers cried that it wasn´t fair they didn´t get the chance to get that mount, Trion just made it possible to upgrade the game to that edition so all players could get it.
Originally posted by Rusty715 Just finished playing about four hours, I saw two spider mounts. Did someone at Trion take your old lady away from you or what?
What Trion did was made a new special offer for the Collector Edition for some Canadian game store that included the spider mount.
Since all the rest of subscribers cried that it wasn´t fair they didn´t get the chance to get that mount, Trion just made it possible to upgrade the game to that edition so all players could get it.
As easy as that.
I see it as being the other way around.
They showed the mount in a clip and people freaked out on it. Trion may have thought "well, we could as well sell it then", but taking the direct way into the cash shop is a bit too obvious. So they put it into some canadian gamestore CE first.
How many CE's are they going to release again and again anyway? Why are the items of every newer CE of arguably higher value for the player? I bet that as long as they can sell stuff in their shop, disguised as "CE account upgrades" we will see alot more CEs to come.
Making CE items available for cash is no different from common cash shop handling. Trion just make a little detour by putting them into some CE 2 days before. So technically, you don't "buy stuff"...you upgrade your account.
Big titles are on the horizon, Trion would be stupid to not cash in as much money as they can as long as they can. And what we see them doing here is trying to.
Just finished playing about four hours, I saw two spider mounts. Did someone at Trion take your old lady away from you or what?
Huh?
I dunno. Just figured you have a bone to pick with Trion about something.
And you seem pretty interested in me personally and what I'm interested in...
I'm male and married, but I like a little fun on the side. U? /wink
Poor attempt at deflection. I just find it odd that someone who obviously hates the game, constanty quotes his "buddy" and can report what is being talked about on the hated games forum. But by all means, continue your obsession.
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
Seemed like there were spidey mounts running all over, but maybe since they're new and I've only been playing a few days, I noticed them more. Personally, I have a mount (upgrade from trial - woohoo) and don't need another; also have no need for a banker to pop out every two hours because my bags are that full, nor a tabard I care nothing about. I'm cool with the fluff for exra $$ in any game, as long as it stays fluffy. Go Flyers.
Abigale did say they are looking at ways of making the spindle available in-game...all the people actually paying for the mount have jumped the gun and are only letting themselves in to get pissed once its available in game.
nevermind she said ways to make them available to existin subbers, guess paying was that way.
Yeah, they have to pay ten dollars. I just checked with a buddy still playing. Seems because of the outrage that only Canadians were getting the spider mount, Trion decided to just charge either $10.00 or $14.99 for "upgrades" to get the mount and the banker (which aren't available to veterans or prior CE holders at all). So anyone wanting to get those has no choice but to pay the cash.
Personally I don't think $10 is bad because of the sheer amount of people clamouring and rushing in line to buy the spider. Many of the posts say they couldn't even get through to the upgrade part to place their orders, so looks like Trion is doing gangbusters business for the mount upgrades. I think they probably should have charged $20.. I'm sure they would have gotten it.
A few wouldn't pay.. look at this retard's statment over there. I don't get his attitude:
Tikala
"I just unsubed because of this. Love the game otherwise, but they handed out my collector's edition mount to everyone with that mossy tartagon. Now they put a new mount with a personal banker too into the collector's edition and don't bother retroactively giving it to previous owners. I don't support these kinds of business practices.
So here you have a guy who claims he's completely happy with Rift and playing the game. Now they sell a $10 mount, and he quits a game he supposedly loves. I don't really have the words to describe how incredibly moronic that sounds.
I mean, how is the game now "less fun" because they are charging for a mount he doesn't even have to buy if he doesn't want it? I don't understand his anger at another player paying additional money to support a game that even he likes to play.
If you dont understand why people would be upset about spending any amount of money on a game with a sub then I dont think it can be explained well enough regardless of the amount of words used so, simply put,
People pay a sub for a game. And there are a large number of these people that play Rift because of the fact that the entire game and all items are accessable and obtainable within the game for their sub. Placing items outside of the gameworld and asking payers to pay for them as an extra fee so they can be given to you in the gameworld rubs a large number of people the wrong way. Its the best I can do to explain it to you. Its not a matter of cost as if 10 bucks is going to make or break someone its a matter of principle and where the game is heading.
I'm impressed they're still advertising, generating revenue, and trying to keep the playerbase up. Most of the competitors over the past few years pretty much gave up in the same amount of time.
Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security. I don't Forum PVP. If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident. When I don't understand, I ask. Such is not intended as criticism.
I'm impressed they're still advertising, generating revenue, and trying to keep the playerbase up. Most of the competitors over the past few years pretty much gave up in the same amount of time.
Until they start merging and closing servers im going to take the doom and gloom promottions for what they are.
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
Originally posted by snapfusion If you dont understand why people would be upset about spending any amount of money on a game with a sub then I dont think it can be explained well enough regardless of the amount of words used so, simply put, People pay a sub for a game. And there are a large number of these people that play Rift because of the fact that the entire game and all items are accessable and obtainable within the game for their sub. Placing items outside of the gameworld and asking payers to pay for them as an extra fee so they can be given to you in the gameworld rubs a large number of people the wrong way. Its the best I can do to explain it to you. Its not a matter of cost as if 10 bucks is going to make or break someone its a matter of principle and where the game is heading.
I can understand being upset. That's human nature.
What I can't understand is someone who professes to be perfectly happy with a video game in all respects as far as fun, gameplay, story, graphics, etc since launch. So much so that they resub for another six months in advance.
The game company makes one item for $10 and then that person throws all of that aforementioned fun out of the window and ragequits.
It's almost as if the person is cutting off their nose to spite their face.
Originally posted by jdlamson75 Seemed like there were spidey mounts running all over, but maybe since they're new and I've only been playing a few days, I noticed them more. Personally, I have a mount (upgrade from trial - woohoo) and don't need another; also have no need for a banker to pop out every two hours because my bags are that full, nor a tabard I care nothing about. I'm cool with the fluff for exra $$ in any game, as long as it stays fluffy. Go Flyers.
Thanks, you must be on my old server Threesprings or a similarly good one. That's where a few friends still are and they say they sees ton of spider mounts recently crawling around.
I'm guessing some people on those dead servers aren't seeing many so they assume no one else is (thinking of a guy in this thread actually, lol). By all accounts these spiders are selling like hotcakes because they are even nicer than the Crocards. (I do miss that mount.. felt like a drag racer)
As I said before it seemed to be about 50/50 postwise, then almost overnight everyone is posting they are getting these spider mounts now that they know where they come from ($10 upgrade).
but..yeah, Flyers!
It's all we have left now that the Phillies lost and the Eagles look as if they are thinking of where to spend offseason in January already, lol.
Until they start merging and closing servers im going to take the doom and gloom promottions for what they are.
Merging servers was way overdue month ago and still is, closing servers actually happened.
1. They thought they get around merging by offering free transfers and the playerbase would regulate themself. Didn't turned out that well for most servers for obvious reasons, one of which is lack of players in general (hence the idea of merging servers in first place)
2. Making various emtpy servers "trial servers" while Rift was free for a week and letting the majority of them silently disappear from the server list afterwards because "the given amount of trial servers is not needed atm" may be another of Trion's workarounds, but technically it's still closing servers.
Trion well avoids to do certain things the straight way, it would make the game look less successfull and facts too obvious. They rather approach particular things indirectly.
So they don't close servers, they actually "open (!!) exclusive trial servers to ashure an undisturbed gaming experience for subbed players". Get the drift? Just like they don't sell stuff on an item shop, but they "offer to upgrade your account to another CE version".
PR 101, one thing Trion is admittedly very good at. Everyone talked about the game after "we're not in Azeroth anymore" or just watch the pre-release trailer, it's a great piece of PR. Compare that to the inept BS and lies of Funcom pre AoC or clownish Mythic pre WAR. Trion seem to have given alot of thoughts to how to present things to the people and they know how to sell you server closings and an item shop without you even notice it -making games, they seem to have not thought about so much.
Until they start merging and closing servers im going to take the doom and gloom promottions for what they are.
Merging servers was way overdue month ago and still is, closing servers actually happened.
1. They thought they get around merging by offering free transfers and the playerbase would regulate themself. Didn't turned out that well for most servers for obvious reasons, one of which is lack of players in general (hence the idea of merging servers in first place)
2. Making various emtpy servers "trial servers" while Rift was free for a week and letting the majority of them silently disappear from the server list afterwards because "the given amount of trial servers is not needed atm" may be another of Trion's workarounds, but technically it's still closing servers.
Trion well avoids to do certain things the straight way, it would make the game look less successfull and facts too obvious. They rather approach particular things indirectly.
So they don't close servers, they actually "open (!!) exclusive trial servers to ashure an undisturbed gaming experience for subbed players". Get the drift? Just like they don't sell stuff on an item shop, but they "offer to upgrade your account to another CE version".
PR 101, one thing Trion is admittedly very good at. Everyone talked about the game after "we're not in Azeroth anymore" or just watch the pre-release trailer, it's a great piece of PR. Compare that to the inept BS and lies of Funcom pre AoC or clownish Mythic pre WAR. Trion seem to have given alot of thoughts to how to present things to the people and they know how to sell you server closings and an item shop without you even notice it -making games, they seem to have not thought about so much.
I hadnt heard they removed some servers. (Only been playing about three weeks). I did see trial servers available when I did the free trial but I wasnt restricted to one, so I rolled on a medium pop "regular" server to see how populated it actually was. Honestly the "Your not in Azeroth anymore" statement is what kept me from the game until recently. Just sounded cheezy to me But with the lack of anything else to I did the trial and am still playing. I will play as long as its fun and when its not fun anymore I will stop.
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
Of course Trion is looking at a Cash Shop. They'd be dumb not to.
Did they plan to sell a Canadian CE version, with the intent of putting the extra items in a Cash Shop? Probably not. They created something new (however easy it is to create virtual merchandise), and offered it as enticement to get new players interested in the game. They realized that existing players wanted the items and they figured that just giving the items away to existing players would lessen the perceived value of the Canadian CE items. They were right. Trion would have maybe looked a bit better if they had thought of this before people complained, but the end result is more or less the same.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Originally posted by Rusty715 Originally posted by VoIgore
Originally posted by Rusty715
Until they start merging and closing servers im going to take the doom and gloom promottions for what they are.
Merging servers was way overdue month ago and still is, closing servers actually happened. 1. They thought they get around merging by offering free transfers and the playerbase would regulate themself. Didn't turned out that well for most servers for obvious reasons, one of which is lack of players in general (hence the idea of merging servers in first place) 2. Making various emtpy servers "trial servers" while Rift was free for a week and letting the majority of them silently disappear from the server list afterwards because "the given amount of trial servers is not needed atm" may be another of Trion's workarounds, but technically it's still closing servers. Trion well avoids to do certain things the straight way, it would make the game look less successfull and facts too obvious. They rather approach particular things indirectly. So they don't close servers, they actually "open (!!) exclusive trial servers to ashure an undisturbed gaming experience for subbed players". Get the drift? Just like they don't sell stuff on an item shop, but they "offer to upgrade your account to another CE version". PR 101, one thing Trion is admittedly very good at. Everyone talked about the game after "we're not in Azeroth anymore" or just watch the pre-release trailer, it's a great piece of PR. Compare that to the inept BS and lies of Funcom pre AoC or clownish Mythic pre WAR. Trion seem to have given alot of thoughts to how to present things to the people and they know how to sell you server closings and an item shop without you even notice it -making games, they seem to have not thought about so much. I hadnt heard they removed some servers. (Only been playing about three weeks). I did see trial servers available when I did the free trial but I wasnt restricted to one, so I rolled on a medium pop "regular" server to see how populated it actually was. Honestly the "Your not in Azeroth anymore" statement is what kept me from the game until recently. Just sounded cheezy to me But with the lack of anything else to I did the trial and am still playing. I will play as long as its fun and when its not fun anymore I will stop. Ayup, they've been shuttering servers for awhile, at least up until I left two weeks ago. They dont' really "close" them as much as kick people out and "close them off". This latest thread shows closings still going on as recently as today:
That guy says Trion told him Snarebush is getting the "trial" closure treatment now so they told him to get packing. Gotta feel for that guy; he keeps picking the wrong ones.
The interesting thing is if you look at riftstatus.net and see what Snarebush's pop is at, it would mean Harrow is next and possibly Asphodel since they are pretty much close to what Snare's is.
I didn't look at the others but if "ø 1" is the population cutoff, there's going to be more shutters coming. I think Trion is still making money though because of the new mounts and fire sale cost of longterm subs. They've probably got at least 100k people locked into six month deals.
Coming back to the game after a fairly long break. Actually I don't mind Sub+Cash Shop (as long as it is done like Turbine does it). I have spent a LOT of money in the LOTRO cash shop along with VIP membership. I don't think anything I have bought gives me an unfair advantage. I don't see what the complaint is about this deal. I had the CE from launch and spent $10 for the Ashes CE and don't see how it is a bad thing.
-------------------------------- Currently Playing: Guild Wars 2 and Path of Exile
Coming back to the game after a fairly long break. Actually I don't mind Sub+Cash Shop (as long as it is done like Turbine does it). I have spent a LOT of money in the LOTRO cash shop along with VIP membership. I don't think anything I have bought gives me an unfair advantage. I don't see what the complaint is about this deal. I had the CE from launch and spent $10 for the Ashes CE and don't see how it is a bad thing.
Lack of content development in favor of adding stuff the cash shop is the way Turbine does it. MOM is the first and last true expansion that game has had. Myself, I would rather pay an extra $5 a month or so in sub fees than see more games go the route of LOTRO. But it seems to be the way of things. In the end I dont blame the devs, if people will pay extra for what should have been ingame to start with, then why not?
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
Of course Trion is looking at a Cash Shop. They'd be dumb not to.
I 100% agree with that. Anything to keep the money coming in and the developers developing works for me. It isn't like they are selling items game breaking items. Mounts and Cosmetic items only help their bottom line.
-------------------------------- Currently Playing: Guild Wars 2 and Path of Exile
I know it is inevitable but F2P,cash shops and the development spent on producing more items for the cash shops are seriously ruining the game content development. Sad day that f2p became the most profitable way to make these games and freemium the new catch phrase.
Two threads which talk about Trion's recent "deal".. a Canadian CE edition. Apparently that edition gives players who bought the Canadian edition recently several things which even the Founder's CE Edition at launch didn't give, including a spider mount called a spindrel and a personal banker. The mount was/is prominently advertised in the Ashes of History trailer, which many customers claimed led them to believe the mount was a questible, drop or reputation type item. They found out it was not and only able to be gotten from a purchase.
So, outrage poured out from the original people since beta (and a few others), so much so that Trion is scrambling to close threads popping up about it and trying to consolidate them all in one place.
According to the 'spindrel' thread above Trion's solution was to offer the new Canadian version of CE in it's "upgrade" shop to everyone who purchased a CE prior to this but did not include the things like personal banker, the mount and tabards for an additional $10.00. If someone has the regular edition they can upgrade for $14.99 to receive it all as well.
The people who object claim that this is Trion starting down a "slippery slope" whereby selling more things after in this fashion for straight cash, they are leading up to a cash shop. Others say this is merely Trion testing the waters early to see what the playerbase is willing to pay for as an additional fee if they don't include it in the game and for how much ($10, $15, $20, etc). They feel it's just the beginning of an introduction of "other items" such as Pay to Win later.
My personal feeling after reading both threads and seeing how Trion has handled this leads me to believe that there is some truth to parts of this and this is not just an 'oversight'. Trion already has a cash shop planned for it's company which will operate on a principle of "Trion Credits", but right now that shop is limited to one game, EoN.
If Rift were to be contemplating a shift to FTP for late Summer or Fall of next year (due to increased competition) this would be the perfect barometer to "ease" players into getting used to it. By offering the mount and banker cheaply ($10) instead of just "comping" players who originally bought the other CEs, Trion is gauging how much of a response it gets negative/positive. Right now it appears to be evenly split.
While I personally have no problem with fluff items in any game (WoW, Rift, LOTRO, GW1, etc) being sold and think Trion is well within their rights to run a shop as it's their game, many players say this slippery slope is dangerous.
After reading the links above, do you think Trion is prepping ground for future pay packages of fluff and laying the groundwork for future cash shop plans in Rift, or do you think this was just a stupid business decision made in "error"?
Personally I dont think its either. I think its just the way the Gaming market in general is going. I'm also not even going to blame the companies on this one. Its 100% the players fault. Not only in the MMO genra but every game genra. We as players have allowed these companies to charge more for this or add that for an extra fee. Be it DLC, bonuses for buying at diffrent times, cash shop ontop of subs ect. Its actually verry simple why game companies are doing this. They tried it and players bought it. And keep buying it. They might complain about it....then they go and buy it agian. So if I'm trying to make money and I find an eskimo willing to buy blocks of ice from me why the hell wouldnt I sell it to them?
Originally posted by xenogias Personally I dont think its either. I think its just the way the Gaming market in general is going. I'm also not even going to blame the companies on this one. Its 100% the players fault.
I can't agree with this being 100% the player's fault as you say for the following reasons:
1. Trion featured the Spider mount prominently in their Ashes of History 1.5 video. Up until that, the mounts in Rift have been a running joke of "turtles" with just the murdantix spawn being different. People were chomping at the bit for months about this and Trion knew this.
2. The spider mount was included as part of a "Canadian only CE" when there was no need for a Canadian only CE. The Canadian players were NA, which meant that they already had their own CE.. the NA edition since launch. That edition was already available so why would Trion think Canada needed another CE?
3. When Trion said they would 'investigate' into how to get the mount to everyone else, they came out extremely fast with the $10 option, almost in a day or so. How is that possible? Here is what the thinking was:
Trion exec A: "We hear people want this new spider mount pretty badly and they are angry they aren't getting it because it's only for Canadians."
Trion exec B: "Well, we could tell the devs to either make a long quest where the player gets rewarded with the spider in the end, or we could tell the devs to put the spider mount as a reputation grind where they grind for a month then they get it, or we could tell the devs to put it in with raids/invasions where it will drop RNG style like the Murdantix..
Trion exec C: "..or, we could sell it for $10."
<Trion exec A and B blink hard and smile> "Make it so."
I'm not saying it's bad because fluff doesn't bother me, but to say this is the player's fault when they had no way of getting this mount through any means other than money due to Trion's refusal to make it meaningful game content around it is purely a greed decision.
Seriously, this is like McDonald's showing their McRib on television commercials over and over in New York, then when people go to McD's to get one the employees in the store say "Oh, we never sold that in this store or on this coast... McRibs are only sold on the West Coast."
I know it is inevitable but F2P,cash shops and the development spent on producing more items for the cash shops are seriously ruining the game content development. Sad day that f2p became the most profitable way to make these games and freemium the new catch phrase.
Yup and the so called "freemium" games suffer from the lack of content development just as the full blown F2P do. I guess its what the "modern mmo player" wants. So again, cant blame the devs for taking the players cash.
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
If it has nothing to do with character stats and making anyone OP then whats the problem? I have a feeling those complaining are the ones that want EVERYTHING in the game so play 24/7 and have no job to buy the extra fluff items. Moms basement anyone?
Comments
What Trion did was made a new special offer for the Collector Edition for some Canadian game store that included the spider mount.
Since all the rest of subscribers cried that it wasn´t fair they didn´t get the chance to get that mount, Trion just made it possible to upgrade the game to that edition so all players could get it.
As easy as that.
"TO MICHAEL!"
I dunno. Just figured you have a bone to pick with Trion about something.
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
I'm male and married, but I like a little fun on the side. U? /wink
"TO MICHAEL!"
I see it as being the other way around.
They showed the mount in a clip and people freaked out on it. Trion may have thought "well, we could as well sell it then", but taking the direct way into the cash shop is a bit too obvious. So they put it into some canadian gamestore CE first.
How many CE's are they going to release again and again anyway? Why are the items of every newer CE of arguably higher value for the player? I bet that as long as they can sell stuff in their shop, disguised as "CE account upgrades" we will see alot more CEs to come.
Making CE items available for cash is no different from common cash shop handling. Trion just make a little detour by putting them into some CE 2 days before. So technically, you don't "buy stuff"...you upgrade your account.
Big titles are on the horizon, Trion would be stupid to not cash in as much money as they can as long as they can. And what we see them doing here is trying to.
Poor attempt at deflection. I just find it odd that someone who obviously hates the game, constanty quotes his "buddy" and can report what is being talked about on the hated games forum. But by all means, continue your obsession.
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
Seemed like there were spidey mounts running all over, but maybe since they're new and I've only been playing a few days, I noticed them more. Personally, I have a mount (upgrade from trial - woohoo) and don't need another; also have no need for a banker to pop out every two hours because my bags are that full, nor a tabard I care nothing about. I'm cool with the fluff for exra $$ in any game, as long as it stays fluffy. Go Flyers.
If you dont understand why people would be upset about spending any amount of money on a game with a sub then I dont think it can be explained well enough regardless of the amount of words used so, simply put,
People pay a sub for a game. And there are a large number of these people that play Rift because of the fact that the entire game and all items are accessable and obtainable within the game for their sub. Placing items outside of the gameworld and asking payers to pay for them as an extra fee so they can be given to you in the gameworld rubs a large number of people the wrong way. Its the best I can do to explain it to you. Its not a matter of cost as if 10 bucks is going to make or break someone its a matter of principle and where the game is heading.
I'm impressed they're still advertising, generating revenue, and trying to keep the playerbase up. Most of the competitors over the past few years pretty much gave up in the same amount of time.
Until they start merging and closing servers im going to take the doom and gloom promottions for what they are.
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
What I can't understand is someone who professes to be perfectly happy with a video game in all respects as far as fun, gameplay, story, graphics, etc since launch. So much so that they resub for another six months in advance.
The game company makes one item for $10 and then that person throws all of that aforementioned fun out of the window and ragequits.
It's almost as if the person is cutting off their nose to spite their face.
"TO MICHAEL!"
I'm guessing some people on those dead servers aren't seeing many so they assume no one else is (thinking of a guy in this thread actually, lol). By all accounts these spiders are selling like hotcakes because they are even nicer than the Crocards. (I do miss that mount.. felt like a drag racer)
As I said before it seemed to be about 50/50 postwise, then almost overnight everyone is posting they are getting these spider mounts now that they know where they come from ($10 upgrade).
but..yeah, Flyers!
It's all we have left now that the Phillies lost and the Eagles look as if they are thinking of where to spend offseason in January already, lol.
"TO MICHAEL!"
Merging servers was way overdue month ago and still is, closing servers actually happened.
1. They thought they get around merging by offering free transfers and the playerbase would regulate themself. Didn't turned out that well for most servers for obvious reasons, one of which is lack of players in general (hence the idea of merging servers in first place)
2. Making various emtpy servers "trial servers" while Rift was free for a week and letting the majority of them silently disappear from the server list afterwards because "the given amount of trial servers is not needed atm" may be another of Trion's workarounds, but technically it's still closing servers.
Trion well avoids to do certain things the straight way, it would make the game look less successfull and facts too obvious. They rather approach particular things indirectly.
So they don't close servers, they actually "open (!!) exclusive trial servers to ashure an undisturbed gaming experience for subbed players". Get the drift? Just like they don't sell stuff on an item shop, but they "offer to upgrade your account to another CE version".
PR 101, one thing Trion is admittedly very good at. Everyone talked about the game after "we're not in Azeroth anymore" or just watch the pre-release trailer, it's a great piece of PR. Compare that to the inept BS and lies of Funcom pre AoC or clownish Mythic pre WAR. Trion seem to have given alot of thoughts to how to present things to the people and they know how to sell you server closings and an item shop without you even notice it -making games, they seem to have not thought about so much.
I hadnt heard they removed some servers. (Only been playing about three weeks). I did see trial servers available when I did the free trial but I wasnt restricted to one, so I rolled on a medium pop "regular" server to see how populated it actually was. Honestly the "Your not in Azeroth anymore" statement is what kept me from the game until recently. Just sounded cheezy to me
But with the lack of anything else to I did the trial and am still playing. I will play as long as its fun and when its not fun anymore I will stop.
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
Of course Trion is looking at a Cash Shop. They'd be dumb not to.
Did they plan to sell a Canadian CE version, with the intent of putting the extra items in a Cash Shop? Probably not. They created something new (however easy it is to create virtual merchandise), and offered it as enticement to get new players interested in the game. They realized that existing players wanted the items and they figured that just giving the items away to existing players would lessen the perceived value of the Canadian CE items. They were right. Trion would have maybe looked a bit better if they had thought of this before people complained, but the end result is more or less the same.
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
1. They thought they get around merging by offering free transfers and the playerbase would regulate themself. Didn't turned out that well for most servers for obvious reasons, one of which is lack of players in general (hence the idea of merging servers in first place)
2. Making various emtpy servers "trial servers" while Rift was free for a week and letting the majority of them silently disappear from the server list afterwards because "the given amount of trial servers is not needed atm" may be another of Trion's workarounds, but technically it's still closing servers.
Trion well avoids to do certain things the straight way, it would make the game look less successfull and facts too obvious. They rather approach particular things indirectly.
So they don't close servers, they actually "open (!!) exclusive trial servers to ashure an undisturbed gaming experience for subbed players". Get the drift? Just like they don't sell stuff on an item shop, but they "offer to upgrade your account to another CE version".
PR 101, one thing Trion is admittedly very good at. Everyone talked about the game after "we're not in Azeroth anymore" or just watch the pre-release trailer, it's a great piece of PR. Compare that to the inept BS and lies of Funcom pre AoC or clownish Mythic pre WAR. Trion seem to have given alot of thoughts to how to present things to the people and they know how to sell you server closings and an item shop without you even notice it -making games, they seem to have not thought about so much.
I hadnt heard they removed some servers. (Only been playing about three weeks). I did see trial servers available when I did the free trial but I wasnt restricted to one, so I rolled on a medium pop "regular" server to see how populated it actually was. Honestly the "Your not in Azeroth anymore" statement is what kept me from the game until recently. Just sounded cheezy to me
Ayup, they've been shuttering servers for awhile, at least up until I left two weeks ago. They dont' really "close" them as much as kick people out and "close them off". This latest thread shows closings still going on as recently as today:
So I got to move again...
That guy says Trion told him Snarebush is getting the "trial" closure treatment now so they told him to get packing. Gotta feel for that guy; he keeps picking the wrong ones.
The interesting thing is if you look at riftstatus.net and see what Snarebush's pop is at, it would mean Harrow is next and possibly Asphodel since they are pretty much close to what Snare's is.
I didn't look at the others but if "ø 1" is the population cutoff, there's going to be more shutters coming. I think Trion is still making money though because of the new mounts and fire sale cost of longterm subs. They've probably got at least 100k people locked into six month deals.
"TO MICHAEL!"
Coming back to the game after a fairly long break. Actually I don't mind Sub+Cash Shop (as long as it is done like Turbine does it). I have spent a LOT of money in the LOTRO cash shop along with VIP membership. I don't think anything I have bought gives me an unfair advantage. I don't see what the complaint is about this deal. I had the CE from launch and spent $10 for the Ashes CE and don't see how it is a bad thing.
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Currently Playing: Guild Wars 2 and Path of Exile
Quit: Eden Eternal, Wakfu, DDO, STO, DCUO, Sword 2, Atlantica Online, LOTRO, SWTOR, RIFT, Earthrise, FFXIV, RoM, Allods Online, GA,WAR,CO,V:SoH,POTBS,TR,COH/COV, WOW, DDO,AL, EQ, Eve, L2, AA, Mx0, SWG, SoR, AO, RFO, DAoC, and others.
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www.michaelwhitt.com
Lack of content development in favor of adding stuff the cash shop is the way Turbine does it. MOM is the first and last true expansion that game has had. Myself, I would rather pay an extra $5 a month or so in sub fees than see more games go the route of LOTRO. But it seems to be the way of things. In the end I dont blame the devs, if people will pay extra for what should have been ingame to start with, then why not?
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
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Currently Playing: Guild Wars 2 and Path of Exile
Quit: Eden Eternal, Wakfu, DDO, STO, DCUO, Sword 2, Atlantica Online, LOTRO, SWTOR, RIFT, Earthrise, FFXIV, RoM, Allods Online, GA,WAR,CO,V:SoH,POTBS,TR,COH/COV, WOW, DDO,AL, EQ, Eve, L2, AA, Mx0, SWG, SoR, AO, RFO, DAoC, and others.
www.twitter.com/mlwhitt
www.michaelwhitt.com
I know it is inevitable but F2P,cash shops and the development spent on producing more items for the cash shops are seriously ruining the game content development. Sad day that f2p became the most profitable way to make these games and freemium the new catch phrase.
Personally I dont think its either. I think its just the way the Gaming market in general is going. I'm also not even going to blame the companies on this one. Its 100% the players fault. Not only in the MMO genra but every game genra. We as players have allowed these companies to charge more for this or add that for an extra fee. Be it DLC, bonuses for buying at diffrent times, cash shop ontop of subs ect. Its actually verry simple why game companies are doing this. They tried it and players bought it. And keep buying it. They might complain about it....then they go and buy it agian. So if I'm trying to make money and I find an eskimo willing to buy blocks of ice from me why the hell wouldnt I sell it to them?
1. Trion featured the Spider mount prominently in their Ashes of History 1.5 video. Up until that, the mounts in Rift have been a running joke of "turtles" with just the murdantix spawn being different. People were chomping at the bit for months about this and Trion knew this.
2. The spider mount was included as part of a "Canadian only CE" when there was no need for a Canadian only CE. The Canadian players were NA, which meant that they already had their own CE.. the NA edition since launch. That edition was already available so why would Trion think Canada needed another CE?
3. When Trion said they would 'investigate' into how to get the mount to everyone else, they came out extremely fast with the $10 option, almost in a day or so. How is that possible? Here is what the thinking was:
I'm not saying it's bad because fluff doesn't bother me, but to say this is the player's fault when they had no way of getting this mount through any means other than money due to Trion's refusal to make it meaningful game content around it is purely a greed decision.
Seriously, this is like McDonald's showing their McRib on television commercials over and over in New York, then when people go to McD's to get one the employees in the store say "Oh, we never sold that in this store or on this coast... McRibs are only sold on the West Coast."
"TO MICHAEL!"
i was considering giving this game another shot but after reading this im definitely not going to try rift again.
Yup and the so called "freemium" games suffer from the lack of content development just as the full blown F2P do. I guess its what the "modern mmo player" wants. So again, cant blame the devs for taking the players cash.
Really? This game sucks and Im not having fun? Im going to unsub right now. Thanks for the tip.
If it has nothing to do with character stats and making anyone OP then whats the problem? I have a feeling those complaining are the ones that want EVERYTHING in the game so play 24/7 and have no job to buy the extra fluff items. Moms basement anyone?