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**Deviator** · 06-02-2008, 02:54 PM

Zacatac
Expert Trader

Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 666

i knew the devil would try to lure me back into the game one day... bah! lol

seems like a good time to renew i guess... although playing WoW and AoC now it might take a bit more than this to make me stay... will see.

**BuzWeaver** · 06-02-2008, 09:13 PM

Just awesome! I saw this today as I was pursuing the MMORPG site. I'm very excited about returning to Norrath, its been a long time. As an old schooler its always nice to have these little promotions that allow us to return to the game, especially when its free!

I'm downloading the client now. I think its been two years since I've posted here in the forums.

**Zaltak** · 06-03-2008, 10:35 AM

WB ppl Flippy Darkpaw awaits lol:-)

**Phantasy** · 06-03-2008, 02:16 PM

Originally posted by BuzWeaver View Post

Just awesome! I saw this today as I was pursuing the MMORPG site. I'm very excited about returning to Norrath, its been a long time. As an old schooler its always nice to have these little promotions that allow us to return to the game, especially when its free!

I'm downloading the client now. I think its been two years since I've posted here in the forums.

Welcome back to the game! I'm glad they're doing this for people, really miss a lot of old friends who have moved on. A lot has changed, and it takes some getting used to, but the communities are still there.

**BuzWeaver** · 06-04-2008, 07:14 AM

Thanks guys/gals, I have to admit I feel a little overwhelmed and that's not even thinking about Trade Skills yet, LOL. Perhaps this promotion will have a good turn out. I downloaded the EQII client last night so I'll pay a visit over there too.

**Bonzz** · 06-07-2008, 10:29 AM

Promo

I, for one, am very glad to see Sony doing a promotion, at last.

However, as usual, Sony mamaged to once again create controversy by not fully thinking things thru.

As an exisitng player, however, I do not get the free stuff. And having seen the free in-game stuff linked, I have no desire for it anyway.

I say this because there is some discontent among existing (paying) players as to why free stuff is being given to people who abandoned the game and those who stayed get nada (a slap in the face).

The biggest controversy (from in-game chatter) is that they are being given every-expansion-ever for FREE, if they sign up again (become a paying player).

I have to admit, after paying $40 for the last expansion (and I needed only that expansion, not all the past ones included in it), even I am a but put off by this one.

However, I understand that this is possibly a necessary evil to retain the interest of those who come back to test the waters and possibly keep them here.

Which, in the long run, benefits us all with a more populous player base.

Still... Sony needs to understand that customer satisfaction is how you keep business, not customer gouging (how good of a product and at what minimal cost for long-term-viability as opposed to how can we turn a faster and bigger short-term-profit).

To keep the "excitement" down all they had to do was allow the /claim items to every account across the board. Too simple, I guess.

As for the costly expansions... most of us loyal paying customers do NOT need every previous expansion, so why are we being forced to buy a $40 version of the game?

The obvious answer is sell the $40 version on stores with prominent displays in the form of posters, larger boxes and/or cardboard stand-ups (ever notice WoW and others are always prominent on game shelfs in stores and EQ you have to dig around for... if its there at all?).

The biggest victims of these prices are the boxers. They are forced to buy MULTIPLE copies (one for each account)! Why not allow one copy of the game serve for multiple accounts, so long as the accounts are all under the same persons name/info? After all, they ARE paying a monthly fee for each account!

Meanwhile, have a digital download only version (or option) for current and paying players for cheap ($10 to $20 at most). Gouging us for $40 because it "includes all expansions" is BS and we players know it. Especially when you turn around in short order and sell it for $20 (or was it $10?) and then later give it away for free.

Enough of my diatribe, LOL.

In closing, I still applaud the promo, even if I have concerns about how it was done and how they still do business.

Now if we can just get them to somehow counter that "free access" fiasco... where they essentially threw away a ton of content and allowed the High School teams to play on the same field as the Major Leaguers.... but that's another story, LOL.

**Roanne** · 06-07-2008, 12:32 PM

I would argue your concepts of "customer satisfaction" and "customer gouging" aren't well thought through. The truth is if customers aren't satisfied, they wont opt in (which is what a monthly subscription fee amounts to).

An ideal definition of the two probably isn't fair though. No one is 100% satisfied but the enjoyment we get compared to the cost is fair in my opinion. Obviously there are many players who were not satisfied and left for various reasons. The game is a huge time sink if you want to feel like you're progressing and some people just don't have enough.

People also love a bargain. If someone left because he felt there were too many barriers to progression, a promotion like this might lore him back. Nothing in this promotion is good enough to tip the balance against the long standing "loyal" customers. Unfortunately, the advantage is temporary and its unlikely most of the returning players will stay long. People who respond to gimmicks are fickle and will be gone again when the next greatest thing ever pops up somewhere else or those perceived advantages melt away.

The game is definitely in trouble if you define it from its historical design. EQ cannot stay the game it was and survive. In my experience, EQ is becoming more and more a solo game outside of raiding. There is a prominent "bring-your-group" attitude among the circles I experience. People would rather stick to their limited fellowships (and who can blame them with the advantages it offers over the historical group model) or multibox 2-6 character groups played by 1-3 different people instead of making room for the new guy.

Unfortunately, the game is developed with a group game expectation and thats probably for the best. I don't know the answers to save EQ in the long. Give the loyal players what they want is probably the best choice but they don't even all agree on what that is. There has been a steady hemorrhage of players germinated from overconfidence of no competition when the game sold itself regardless of how it was administered and developed.

Those days are gone. I perceive a predominant lack in attention to detail and no policy of accountability when mistakes are made. That may be more or less the truth, but in the sphere of customer relationships perception is reality.

Of course all generalities have exception; that's what makes them generalities. As long as people care enough about the game to complain about it, we're okay. It means they still care. Its when the voices fall silent and people walk away you have to worry because there's no apologizing for the inconvenience then. . .

**Prexis** · 06-09-2008, 01:45 AM

As far as the All-in-One packs go for $40 (can even be found for $30 if you shop around). Thats going to be $40 per year now to stay up to date on expansions versus what used to be $60 a year per account. And that was regardless of the size of the expansion, they were the same price. I am glad to be paying less now per year to buy the expansion packs.

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