Friday with Means - July 1st, 2011 - Happy Canada Day!

[Siahanor]

Let me give you an example of something.

I work for a local cable provider. They have promotions that go on now and then to try and get new customers. These promotions are not available to current subscribers because the cable provider doesn't need to get these customers: they have them already. It's called marketing. Sure people complain that they might not qualify for these promotions because it's only in place for getting new customers but that's the way of business.

I just call my cable provider, remind them how long I've been a customer, and they give me the current new discount. That's good business and one reason why I still use them.

[Hanavald]

I'm not sure what you are complaining about, active subscribers have a very good loyality programs, you get Funcom Points for your active subscriptions, as well as Veteran points.

There certainly are sure some things to complain about with how far in recent years Funcom went to grab more customer money. Namely having ingame advertising and monthly subscription, as well as Item Shop, when most games out there are either free to play with Item Shop OR subscription based, but not both.

But lack of rewards for loyal customers isn't one of them.

[Ekarona]

Let me give you an example of something.

I work for a local cable provider. They have promotions that go on now and then to try and get new customers. These promotions are not available to current subscribers because the cable provider doesn't need to get these customers: they have them already. It's called marketing. Sure people complain that they might not qualify for these promotions because it's only in place for getting new customers but that's the way of business.

Still, free month and such are somewhat viable. But heckler pet, no, it's far too limited time for those persons who don't know the drill and cancell sub before birthday.

Now, I see now reason why it can't run for half-year or such. Maybe even to next time...

[Kavius0110]

From the accounts page, for 6 or 12 month subscription upgrades:

Why does Funcom continue upsetting more of the actively paying long-term subscribers by giving more freebies to cancelled or short-term subscribers (up to 44 days of FREE subtime for subscribing, plus the FREE Heckler of Celebration Pet if they subscribe for 6-12 months), insulting those that already dedicate themselves to the game for six to twelve months (many with multiple accounts) from getting the heck pet without coughing up another $60-$100 per account for accounts that might not expire for another 3-11 months. It is even worse for our long-term EU subscribers.

Just an FYI, I am a 12 month at a time subscriber and when my account came due this month, I got the pet as well, just for paying for my new year. So, while I agree it would probably be nice to allow this or similar for everyones next normal pay cycle, it prolly won't happen. Just like someone else said about cable/phone/cell companies, I doubt it will happen.

[Tazalanche]

I'm not sure what you are complaining about, active subscribers have a very good loyality programs, you get Funcom Points for your active subscriptions, as well as Veteran points.

There certainly are sure some things to complain about with how far in recent years Funcom went to grab more customer money. Namely having ingame advertising and monthly subscription, as well as Item Shop, when most games out there are either free to play with Item Shop OR subscription based, but not both.

But lack of rewards for loyal customers isn't one of them.

Those are not rewards for loyal customers. Those are rewards for any paying customers... active or returning.

At this point, I see this situation going in the same money grabbing direction as the fiasco of last year's obsidian personal mech, which was included in a 12 month subscription or $30 from the accounts page. At least last year they listened to the complaints and removed the "limited time only" restriction. They made it available for 12 month subscription upgrades/renewals through at least the end of the year. I'm not sure of the date when that offer actually expired because I had already renewed all of my accounts by the end of the year.


On those mentioning cable company offers, that might be semi-valid for the subscription time a returning player gets, it doesn't apply for the heckler pet. Also, like Siahanor mentioned, if you want whatever the cable company promotion is, you can usually just call & threaten to cancel your subscription to get the promotion. Funcom is so used to threats of cancellation being followed through, making that threat seems to have no effect... as our current population clearly shows.

[Regarok]

I just thought about something. If the mission IDs are attached to the character who pulls it, then maybe it could be possible to find out who pulled the mission that crashed the server. So... how about a special ingame T-Shirt for the guy who pulled the mission with something like "I pull missions that crash the server" written to it?

[Hanavald]

Those are not rewards for loyal customers. Those are rewards for any paying customers... active or returning.

Thats just wrong. The longer you are loyal customer , the longer you keep your account active, the longer subscription plans you choose, the bigger rewards you get. So yes, the most loyal customers, get the most.

[Obtena]

I just call my cable provider, remind them how long I've been a customer, and they give me the current new discount. That's good business and one reason why I still use them.

Lucky for your cable provider, they have competition to do that for you. No one else but FC runs AO servers so their market is captive. The businesses are completely different. Of course that's not to say that FC should treat customers badly, but the differentiating question here is what do you do if your cable provider treats you like crap and you want cable? You find another one. What happens if FC treats you like crap and you want to play AO? There isn't another option here.

If a company provides a unique product or server and you want it, most people will go to great lengths to get it, even if it means they endure some negative aspects of the provider. Maybe FC isn't always above board with their communications and their administration of the game has something to be desired as well but I don't think it's accurate for people to say the treat customers badly. I don't think that's being honest.

[Namiru]

I just thought about something. If the mission IDs are attached to the character who pulls it, then maybe it could be possible to find out who pulled the mission that crashed the server. So... how about a special ingame T-Shirt for the guy who pulled the mission with something like "I pull missions that crash the server" written to it?

'Twas me. I confess. I was rolling nanos on my fixer and killed Atlantean.

Well, I don't know that for sure, but....I'll happily take the blame if a free shirt is involved. :P

[aiwass777]

4.4 billion missions... I think that I personally blitzed 2 percent of those in my time with AO.

Lol.

[Gunfytr]

The honorable thing to do would be to just give it to any account with an active 6-12 month subscription that does not expire before the July 31st deadline.

^^ this

[Snakebite]

The only thing that annoyed me about the pet was that I increased my subscription by 3 months a couple of days before I got the offer E-Mail...
Had I got it earlier, I'd have subscribed for 6 months instead lol.

[Crowena]

Ready made Proff specific implants stopping at lvl125 may be a little outdated also.
I can't see that adding lvl150 lvl175 and lvl200 ready made implants wouldn't diminish gameplay to any measurable extent.

Also adding higher QL basic implants to the implant terminals again isn't going to impact on the 'enjoyment' of the game.

The fr00bs have it hard enough as it is, allowing them to be prey to those of us with full accounts who are targeting them, selling specific QLs of implants and clusters just seems cruel.
It's hard enough to make money as a fr00b in any case without having to give it to paid players in exchange for something that is a pain to roll youself but is sold to you by someone with dedicated blitzing characters.

The way I see it those higher level implants are a way for froobs to make some credits. Froobs spend a lot more time around mobs that drop implants, in missions where you can find implants in chests and as reward. To me it would seem that it would be froobs that would be hurt most if those implants became available from shops.