Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
My e-mail to Fallen Earth after buying it. (and a follow up advisement)
Omasu
Member Posts: 51
Hello Fallen Earth / Icarus Games,
Earlier today I purchased your game Fallen Earth from Direct2Drive.com for
49.99. I enjoy the genre and the setting, and the story line sounds
intriguing. Screenshots look nice, promotional videos show some cool scenes
... sure, I'll buy it. Looks compelling.
I'm now curious who I need to talk to in order to get a refund. When a
company charges 50 dollars for a new release game, especially an mmo, you
assume some inherent truths about it. For example, if a game is 50 dollars,
you assume, it was produced by a legit *gaming* studio, and that it is held
at the same standards of current industry quality. Some studios try their
hand at making an online game for the first time out and market the product
price-point as 50 dollars and free to play. OR the game is free and you can
purchase upgrades through an innovative virtual product system.
Here are some more things you grow to expect as a gamer when playing a NEW
game ...
- The controls would be familiar, or better yet, innovative in comparison to
past games ... after all this is the NEWEST game on the market right now.
Surely it should be at least up to the standard of the games released before
it, or better. I was wrong.
- The graphics would be supportive and adaptive to higher end gaming cards.
The system requirements make it sounds like it takes a decent rig to play
it. I was wrong again. I quickly loaded up Half-Life 2, a game released in
November of 2004 ... almost 5 years ago. Graphics, controls, gameplay, all
were 4 to 5x better. If I was handed both games and someone was to ask which
one was made first, I would undoubtedly say your title Fallen Earth.
While the game does appear to have an immense amount of depth, storyline,
and character content, people play these type of games for the action.
ESPECIALLY, first person shooter games. It needs to be fast paced, easy to
move around, and adapt. If you've never played it take a moment and try
Shadowrun. A game for both PC and Xbox360 - even though the game didn't do
very well in the consumer market, it was inherently fluid, easy to run,
play, jump, shoot, activate abilities, and switch between weapons.
That is what your game should feel like while operating it.
Instead I feel like I'm driving in a glass box.
Checking into your company I see that many of the same elements used in your
"TradeShow Walkthrough" and "PowerU" videos are used here. I can only assume
that your company began doing initiatives such as these, and then reused
many of the same engines and assets that you have built over time. You
cannot use virtual world elements that are found in pieces of online
software such as SecondLife and use them in a video game for a 50.00 retail
price. As an interactive marketer I cannot believe that I failed to see this
game as it really is. I now understand why you are the only new release game
on Direct2Drive that does not have a marketing video ... simply a slideshow
of pictures handpicked from your assets.
Let me tell you, I have played many, many mmo's. This game .... that you
have released for beta play, and are about to open the flood gates for ...
is not worth anywhere near the same amount that other studios are charging
for their newly released products. This game is entirely reminiscent of
Everquest 1 as far as game quality. Which would be fine, if this was 1998.
(To the readers of this letter, it is my strict advisement that you do not go anywhere near this game. I never received a refund for my purchase, even asking for it merely 2 hours after buying it. You see, as I stated in my email to them, they are a virtual world company. (See IcarusStudios.com) Not in the Atari / Blizzard / EA / Bioware / Sony (insert prominent game studio here) / type of way ... no, in a Second Life type of way. Now lets take second life and give them guns. The architecture simply does not support it. You can add as much content and shitty text as you'd like, and its still going to be a polished loaf. Now, lets charge just as much as the other game studios are charging ... thereby labelling this game as the same tier of quality ... it's really not. If you don't believe me, please try it for yourself ... and while you're in the mood of throwing money away - please toss some my way ... after all, I have been recently scammed out of 50.00.)
Disclaimer: I told them that I would post this if I didn't receive a refund. Consider it my public service to keep the rest of the world from being as pissed off as I am.
Comments
Caveat Emptor. They are under no obligation to give you your money back. Every purchase, of anything, is a risk. I'm not defending the quality of Fallen Earth. Having been in the closed beta, I have been very clear on these forums that combat and graphics were subpar. If you researched the game, including players' opinions, and still chose to purchase and see for yourself, well it is always a risk. If you did no research, you have no one to blame but yourself.
Something doesn't seem right about the timing here. You played it in beta, then pre-ordered, then decided it sucked 2 hours later.
Better timing would be that you pre-ordered it, then decided you would rather buy Aion, then decided to make up a bunch of complaints to get your money back.
Just a guess
I would read this through again to see if I missed something, but really i don't care.
Trevor Goodchild - Traveler - Crafing/Pistols
Sapo Loco - Rifle/Melee
I ordered this game last Thursday from Direct2Drive. With their pre-order purchase it allowed you to play immediately during their Beta. edit: Also, I didn't buy Aion.
The game works, you bought it...soo sorry, not really their problem that you think it sucks.
Now if it just plain didn't work at all or you were one of those whose specific hardware setup made the game unplayable (despite being well over their specs) then you would have a legitimate cause to ask for a refund....but "sorry, I just don't like your game" really doesn't cut it as a valid reason to ask for a refund...
Companies release bad games all the time, that's kind of why people read reviews, play demos and hang out on websites like this one....so they minimize the number of times they go "doh!, I just bought a p.o.s. game".
Funny that you should mention those two.
I was playing the tutorial and when my was low on bullets I instinctively hit R to reload. The controls were intuitive enough that I was able to pickup gameplay simply by doing what was intuitively common to the style of combat they were offering, which is a shooter/action type game.
I also found the graphics pretty good and playability, even when FRAPSing was at smooth framerates on my AMD5200+ 8800GTS 320M rig.
Sorry to hear you've had the opposite experience.
- RPG Quiz - can you get all 25 right?
- FPS Quiz - how well do you know your shooters?
Yes, the game "works" if you want to use the term loosely. However, lets say I pay for a new Lexus, and lets say it's the same price as a BMW, Audi, Infinity, or similar. When I receive my car, it is a 1998 Lexus with high miles, and I just paid the same price ... and my payments are the same.
"Sorry, I just don't like your game" was not my issue.
"Sorry, your game is not worth anywhere near what I paid for it - or what I pay for new release games" was.
1 -- The universe is infinite...««««««« I am not sure about this one
2 -- Human stupidity is infinite...
So you believe the game to be on the same level with the other titles that are being released right now ?
Apologies if I don't get excited about a reload button in the innovative category.
actually quite a few of the combat orientated keys are right in line with the design of my zboard.
- bummer you are so peeved, its a decent game imo.
Yeah dude...not their problem. Its the risk you take EVERY time you buy a product without having used it first (not just games, every single product you buy)
Originally posted by Scagweed22
is it the graphics? the repetativenesses? i mean what is the point? you could be so much more productive in real life
Real life brings repetition and pointlessness too. The only thing real life offers is Great graphics. Its kinda expensive too and way to dependent on the cash shop. Totally pay to win as well. No thank you. Ill stick to my games.
Take a test drive.. it's called beta. you had your chance to test drive the game and you brought it... end of
I did the test drive and uninstalled it after ten mins
Quoting you from another forum thread.
Then later you go on to say in a different thread "Just got my horse from D2D, level 9 here I come !" ... and you still bought the game.
Welcome to our universe. You've obviously made a solid home here.
I'll go ahead and say this, and it will be harsh but it's true. I used to buy a lot of mmo's most of them turned out to be crap, yes I wasted a lot of money. Now a days if your going to play mmo's you should consider getting a flieplanet account, they give beta access to most mmo's which saves me about 200 bucks a year in games. Also never preorder things from direct to drive sources they tend to screw you over in the long run just my thoughts. All mmo's are a risk, you either find a way to beta them or spend like 60 bucks a year for some third party membership that offers beta's or do the research before hand.
This all stems from people pre-ordering games to play in beta. They pre-order only to try the beta with plans that they can cancel their pre-order. When they cant, we get posts like this.
I have no problem in you guys trying this, but when you get caught on it dont come crying on the forums, because what YOUR doing is WRONG.
Waiting for:EQ-Next, ArcheAge (not so much anymore)
Now Playing: N/A
Worst MMO: FFXIV
Favorite MMO: FFXI
Even in local retail shops you dont get a refund on videos game once you opened the box and play it.
And yeah, just try returning and pre-order box from Best Buy for $5.00.
No offense OP, but learn to read before you buy from now on.
your analogy would work, if we are buy a car but we are not, what you described in the OP and to this analogy just does not work together. You may think it is not worth what you paid for it, but that is your fault not the developers as they are charging what they feel it is worth.
lets use your analogy
say you buy a car for 25k and then a week later you find the same car for 15k, whose fault is that for not researching more before buying?
Like many people have been saying here on MMORPG.com and on every thread about refunds call your credit card company and say you are not pleased with the product and that is not what was advertised, also send an email with your key and account to D2D so they can sort it out with the company in whichever manner they see fit,
to me that is just outright lying, what about fe is not what was advertised?
here is what is advertised at D2D for FE
•First Person Shooter/Role Playing Game Hybrid: Combine the accuracy of FPS combat with the depth and customization of RPG character advancement.
•Classless Advancement: Utilize the robust skill-based system to build characters with multiple stats, skills, mutation paths, tradeskills and factions.
•Massive Real-Time Crafting System: Make 95 percent of in-game items—vehicles, consumables, weapons, armor and more—while scavenging and harvesting.
•Unique Faction Systems: Ally with or rally against six factions to determine how the post-apocalyptic world is rebuilt.
•Multiple Game Play Modes: Experience multiple types of game play including crafting, exploration, vehicle combat and scavenging in both solo and group play.
•Vast Explorable World: Put survival instincts to the test while experiencing 70 towns with more than 5,500 missions spread over 1,000 square kilometers of zoneless territory.
•Tactical Player vs. Player: Battle in one of the open PvP zones or wage war with the factions to claim control of towns.
all of those above, FE had in Open beta, the truth is he just didn't like the game for what it was and now regrets buying it, Could have simply got a key through Fileplanet (you did not have to be a paying subscriber) and got into OB without even buying it. This is what i've done, i've yet to preorder as i wanted tot hink about it more, but i'm more than likely going to.
The point is, this game is not worth anywhere near 50.00 + the monthly, and you won't be able to find that out unless you play it. Or someone tells you. Well, I'm telling you. I don't really care about getting my money back, and yes I understand that all sales were stated final. However, as I said in my letter to them, if you pay the same price for two [games, cars, computers, hookers, whatever] they should be comperable. Period. Standard market entry / point of sale protocol.
If the game was free, you'll go into it with a grain of salt. "This could very well suck, I'm getting what I pay for." This is where the product may be higher value than your investment. We're talking value here. Not my opinion of value. The flip side of this coin is where your value is in your favor. "Wow, I'm blown away. I will get months of playtime out of my investment." These examples are both called a consumer positive product valuation.
A consumer negative product valuation, like gambling or hookers for example, is one where you say "where the eff did my money go." It's a short, quick, experience of being pissed off that you just wiped your ass with your investment.
If I buy two new release movies for the same price. One is high def, great action, dolby surround sound, high caliber actors, maybe some booby scenes - and the other movie features a 3 toed sloth trying to use an etch-a-sketch, in black and white. I get home, I watch both films. I go back to the store and slap the clerk in the mouth.
not to split hairs, beat dead horses, or start a flaming parade for myself...but...
that's the loosest usage of the term 'open pvp' ive ever seen.
i think the game is fun, playable, and is what it is...im buying it...but it doesnt have at all what i consider to be open pvp, yet.
your analogy would work, if we are buy a car but we are not, what you described in the OP and to this analogy just does not work together. You may think it is not worth what you paid for it, but that is your fault not the developers as they are charging what they feel it is worth.
lets use your analogy
say you buy a car for 25k and then a week later you find the same car for 15k, whose fault is that for not researching more before buying?
Thats a price-point reduction ... which I did not fall victim to. Yes, that would be my own fault for not "finding a sale" or whatever. That has really nothing to do with our current situation, as the game has not dropped in price. However, if I wanted to sell my product key for example, for 15$ to someone - they would be getting a fair deal. NOT a GOOD deal, where the scale is in their favor, a fair deal ... as this game is worth about 15$ - new release - market entry.
I thought this was a joke from the Op initially, then grew progressively more amazed that he was serious....
First, I played Fallen Earth in the open Beta for free, did not need to preorder, nor would I throw down $50 on an MMO that I did not either have a chance to try out first or have a high degree of confidence in (which, for the record, includes Champions Online which I bought on opening day without any prior beta experience, and have been quite happy with).
The controls were set a bit oddly at first, but curiously, the game embraces a feature that was devised years ago for most computer games, in which you can go in to the options screen and customize the controls to your satisfaction. You ought to try it some time. Admittedly, the game is a bit liek Tabula Rasa, in which you may find moving from a "combat view" to a "exploeration view" to be disconcerting...or not....I never had an issue with this style of control, but I know of other people who hate it, so I grant that you might have a valid issue with that component of the interface. However, it's a preference issue, not a design issue, I feel, given that I know just as many people, myself included, who find it perfectly intuitive. And in fact I found a lot about Fallen Earth's interface that I liked, and preferred over other MMOs.
The graphics in Fallen Earth are fine. I would have been pissed if they had catered this game exclusively to the minority of gamers out there with dual SLI rigged 9800 GTX cards in their $2000 custom built PCs. I have an average computer, with a single 8800 GTX card that performs fine in a game like Age of Conan, and I found Fallen Earth looked pretty good with only a few hitches. On the other hand, it is inferior to its closest competitor, the non MMO Fallout 3, which looks much better. Compared to most other MMOs, though, I'd say its squarely in the middle of the pack.
Fallen Earth is not a FPS, but it is an MMO with some FPS-like approaches. It does not play quite as smoothly as , say, the late Tabula Rasa did, and I noticed a consistent glitch with creature animations in the beta, in which the creatures would be attacking but the animation would "freeze." Naturally, this is a beta, so I reported it. If I subsequently read reviews when the game is released that it is still glitchy with animations, I'll consider that a bad sign. In fact, little things like this are why I prefer to wait until after release on a game that shows evidence of flaws in beta....I want to see if they actually got fixed or not. If Fallen Earth had shown no such glitches in the beta, I might have been impressed enough to put down a pre-order, but I was not.
Anyway, I'm not diving in to Fallen Earth primarily because, in the end, as I was running around the wasteland I felt something was "missing" and I at last realized that what I really wanted to play was a game full of deep and immersive atmosphere, namely Fallout 3, and not just another MMO with the trappings of a post-apocalyptic setting draped overthe same old formula, in which I was one of countless other survivors running around like chickens with their heads cut off bitching about life, pvping, and lvevel grinding....and so I have decided to hold off on FE until I am thoroughly done with Fallout 3 and feel up to experimenting with this one. Beside which, I suspect that the game has too many minor issues at this time for a clean release, and suspect that will hurt it in the first couple of months, maybe enough to see this game drop in price or even go free to play down the road, unfortunately....a shame, because I really do want to play an MMO in this genre.
As for wanting a refund on the game.....well, lets just say that I simply don't buy from D2D, gamersgate or Steam unless I know I absolutely want what I am getting. As a rule, I don't put $50 down on anthing that isn't a sure bet, or which I haven't fully scoped out. Thankfully, that is exactly what I did with the open beta, and so I can only hope you will avoid this mistake in the future and not preorder something sight unseen without a lot to go on. Also, I should point out that I don't think the makers of FE are who would offer you a refund, but rather D2D itself. Not that they should.....you haven't even played the final product yet.....but just saying, your inquiries ought to go to the actual retailer.
Finally, with regards to your afterword: next time you want to preorder something, send that $50 to me, first, and I'll load up the free beta for you and let you know how it is, then let you know if your money is well-spent or not....
EDIT: Actually, since you only preordered, I see no reason that D2D couldn't offer a refund on this. There ought to be a method of cancelling the key codes you were given, thereby insuring you have no product, and they can then refund your money. So if D2D doesn't give you a refund, I'd be interested to know.
Current MMOs: Rift, GW2, Defiance
Blog: http://realmsofchirak.blogspot.com (old school tabletop gaming and more)
Thats CC fraud. If the CC company finds out what players are doing and wishes to persue them you will lose in court.
Waiting for:EQ-Next, ArcheAge (not so much anymore)
Now Playing: N/A
Worst MMO: FFXIV
Favorite MMO: FFXI
again, nice "OPINION" in all but does not mean it is a fact, there are plenty that think it is worth it and would recommend it to others, i'm still on the fence myself but i think the price is worth it either way i decide. My decision is not based on price but based on do i really want to go to a new mmo at this time. As far as price goes and not finding out until after you buy it that is how all products are, you buy a car for 25k, or buy a surround sound system for 500 are a game for 50 dollars, in the end if you are not satisfied with said product it is natural to feel the price was not worth it afterwards this is called "REGRET".
yes you don't like the game, move on and try something else that you are satisfied with. As per your warning to others most of us are smart enough to research instead of jumping in with no idea. there will be some that preordered like you just to get into ob but there is more that went the FREE fileplanet route to try out OB before making decision, and then there are even more that will just wait for reviews.