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BS with the Veteran Rewards
JonathJCen
Member UncommonPosts: 202
The issue I have with the veteran reward system has to mainly do with the Wings.
I played back in beta for both CoH and CoV, and I played a total of 4 months in live. The reason I gave them for my return was that they had a lack of items I desired for my character. Wings being one of them...
Bottom line, I'm not quite pleased with the idea of me having to pay for 12 months before I can actualy get the character consept I want. If it was an unlockable item, that's cool and fair and great, but essentualy making me pay a crapload of money and waiting a whole year before I can have the character I want, total BS.
I know the idea of veteran rewards is to give people something they feel they earned, which I think the badges and tittles cover quite well. Along with what they COULD have done with allowing you to edit how your powers look (as in instead of posing one way while shooting fireballs, you can borrow the model animation from another power to give it more of a custom feel). But Something so big that we've only been asking for since beta which should have been part of the main game like capes, is a bit of a kick in the jewels. Like a feast with no utensals. By the time I'd get them, I'd be pretty board with the game
Anyways, just my two cents *shrugs*
I played back in beta for both CoH and CoV, and I played a total of 4 months in live. The reason I gave them for my return was that they had a lack of items I desired for my character. Wings being one of them...
Bottom line, I'm not quite pleased with the idea of me having to pay for 12 months before I can actualy get the character consept I want. If it was an unlockable item, that's cool and fair and great, but essentualy making me pay a crapload of money and waiting a whole year before I can have the character I want, total BS.
I know the idea of veteran rewards is to give people something they feel they earned, which I think the badges and tittles cover quite well. Along with what they COULD have done with allowing you to edit how your powers look (as in instead of posing one way while shooting fireballs, you can borrow the model animation from another power to give it more of a custom feel). But Something so big that we've only been asking for since beta which should have been part of the main game like capes, is a bit of a kick in the jewels. Like a feast with no utensals. By the time I'd get them, I'd be pretty board with the game
Anyways, just my two cents *shrugs*
Comments
You know what else is BS? Somebody who played the game and quit wanting the same stuff that the loyal customers get who've been around the whole time. The veteran rewards are for...veterans. If they were for everyone, they'd be called the Newb rewards.
Top Ten Most Misused Words/Phrases in MMO Industry...
Hmm, yeah I think every MMO newbie usually learns that lesson the hard way.
In regard to wings I personally think thats really crappy of Cryptic/NCSoft to only give it to 15 month subscribers. on the other hand, I guess they merely are trying to encourage ppl to maintain their subscriptions. In the end, I think it was a really biased decision. CoX one redeeming quality (amongst 2-3 other strong points) was the strong character creation. This is really one of the best MMOs for character creation if not the best
They really need to just focus on maintain ALL of their subscribers and try to add good content everyone can enjoy.
I still haven't learned that lesson but that is because Tabula Rasa, Gods & Heroes(really excited about this one), Stargate Worlds or Star Trek Online have not been released yet. G&H was supposed to be very near release at this time but now I've found out it's pushed out to 1st quarter of 2007. As soon as one of those hits, I can finally regulate myself to playing CoX only one month after each new Issue then switching to something else.* Too bad DDO let me down or I could have played it instead within the 5-7 months(referring to I7 & I8) between Issue releases.
*of course assuming they don't let me down like DDO.
I still haven't learned that lesson but that is because Tabula Rasa, Gods & Heroes(really excited about this one), Stargate Worlds or Star Trek Online have not been released yet. G&H was supposed to be very near release at this time but now I've found out it's pushed out to 1st quarter of 2007. As soon as one of those hits, I can finally regulate myself to playing CoX only one month after each new Issue then switching to something else.* Too bad DDO let me down or I could have played it instead within the 5-7 months(referring to I7 & I8) between Issue releases.
*of course assuming they don't let me down like DDO.
You should give Neverwinter nights 2 a try if you havent already. It's bout back my love for single player adventures. However, soon people will hopefully start up some persistant worlds (MMOish type gameplay hosted by DMs). I think this will keep me busy til a good next gen MMO comes out. Funny your list of expected MMOs differ from mine. I look forward to fury, warhammer, conan, and spellborn. but I guess I'll give almsot any new MMO a try except star trek, yuck
Apparently wings were supposed to be one of the big things in the invention system that was supposed to be in I8. When it didn't make it into I8 they kinda felt they should put wings in somewhere given all the hype they had for the things and thus ... vet reward wings were added.
Or that's what they say anyway.
There's supposedly several more styles of wings that characters will be able to get once I9 comes out, but that's a ways away and all.
I don't know that badges and titles would really be a good for vet rewards myself. In that case it'd be more of a 'who cares' sort of thing than anything else. Whee, another month another badge, ho-hum. Now if the badge is tied to getting something for your character, but not something that's overpowered or the like that's another thing entirely. As it stands, none of the vet rewards are big enough that I'd be upset not getting them or keep my account open just so I could try it. On the other hand, they're nifty enough additions that it'll definately be spiffy when/if I reach them.
That's just me though.
This issue isn't about wings, I guarantee that had they shown trenchcoats in the video, trenchcoat in the ad and said trenchcoats were the 15 month reward people would complain they couldn't have a trenchcoat. This is about people whining that I will be getting something they won't and they want it too.
It is a veteran reward, granting me a bonus for my long time playing the game. If I go to a coffee shop and get my 11th bagel free, don't demand a free one yourself. I paid for the first 10 and they are rewarding me for my loyal business.
Btw, I'm up to 21 month reward myself and grats to those that have more you earned it.
thought it was a great Idea. I was real happy I got a trench coat...
and I am almost to the 6 month marker too.
I will admit, I was alittle disappointed that I couldn't get wings...
Or the kilt yet... But I will get there soon. There has to be some sort
of reward for your loyal customers.
While I don't totally agree with the execution of the new plans, I
certainatly agree with the idea. At least they are trying to make their
player base happy. They do a much better job then other MMOs I have
played and learned the hard way not to trust.
Good post.
I'm not sure why CoX is getting the brunt of the "Veteran Rewards Suck" posts. Many MMO offer Veteran Rewards, not just CoX. But people seem to get really pissed off about the wings, especially since yes, they will be available to everyone down the road.
Me? I've had an active account for 27 months, and I'm being rewarded for my loyalty. I think that's awesome. The OP could've easily gotten wings, and his little concept character would be flapping with the rest of us.
----------------------------------------------
"Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb." -- Batman
Thats enough to get the only Vet costume piece I actually want, Trenchcoats.
Ding! Ding! We have a winner!
SWG taught me the same exact lesson.
There is an old saying -- "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." I was sucked into the promised content malarkey once. Never again.
The sad part is, if a lot more gamers would learn the same lesson you did, we'd have a lot less of this kind of behavior on the part of game designers. But most gamers keep just putting up with being treated like this, so the designers have no incentive to stop.
C
Here's the problems though.
1) They only now decided to tell us that they're giving rewards for time paid. (not played, paid mind you) This means that anyone who took a break from CoX didn't know they were going to be missing out on this stuff. It's rather stupid and annoying. Anyone who canceled their subscription for any amount of time is now permanently gimped in character creation in comparison with people who have been subscribed all the time. This isn't rewarding people who paid every month since the game started, it's punishing people who didn't pay for a game that they felt wasn't worth the money at the time. They can never get the time back, even if they wanted to.
I understand people wanting to be elite, but that's not really what the devs are worried about. How do I know? That brings me to my second point.
2) Preorders are now getting shafted. That's right. Anyone who preordered the game got a special and unique graphic to add to their run power. It was a status symbol to show that not only had you been there from the beginning but you were a "hardcore" or "big supporter" of the game from before it was even released. These prestige powers would make you stand out, to show that you've been dedicated and to give that extra little bit of flash that the newer players wonder about. Now, they mean nothing. They're being given to everyone who paid for 12 months. It's a shame and a travesty.
The rewards program is the worst thing ever to happen to CoX.
"Because it's easier to nitpick something than to be constructive." -roach5000
"Anyone who canceled their subscription for any amount of time is now permanently gimped in character creation..."
I had a nice chuckle at that. There's a reason why the rewards are only astesic! And you are not gimped, the rewards are tiered, you'll get them when you hit your 15 months mark!
Yeah, it would of been nice if they told us. I'm in the same boat with you for not having wings. In fact, I would of subscribed to CoH earlier if I'd had a credit or gamecard availible to me. But it's not that big of a deal. I mean, wings are kind of impressibe, did you really expect to be able to just make a character with them? If everyone could have them, it would ruin the effect.
The reason why prestiges are becoming common is because they're so old that few people have them and the ones that do don't seem to care about them much. Not to mention that they are being replaced. Again, it's noth the best decision ever but you really can't argue that it's that terrible.
I don't get how you can argue that wings should be availible to everyone because of character concept but Prestige Sprints shouldn't ever be availible. Maybe I want to make an electricity character who sparks when he runs? Now I'll be able to in a few months. Thank you Rewards Program
As long as the players aren't missing on stats or gameplay, I think it is definitely an acceptable compromise.
Would you rather have them give stats? Or exclusives zones? Harmless graphics is fine...and if you want to earn it, keep your subscribtion. You ain't missing anything gameplay-wise.
- "If I understand you well, you are telling me until next time. " - Ren
Distortion what I mean by the fact that people are 'gimped' from character generation, is that they will never have as many options as someone who has paid the whole way through. This is assuming that they keep veteran rewards going past the 3 year mark of course.
For example, I have approximately 1 year on my account right now. I will never be able to have as many options on my character as someone who has 2 years. If they extend veteran rewards past 3 years, then by the time I get the 3 year reward, the other guy will have the 4 year reward. Thus he will always have the advantage over me (especially considering that some of the rewards now come with extra powers) and I will never be able to make up that time unless they put a cap on the veteran rewards.
The problem, Distortion0, is that you use the same flawed argument that the devs are using. In regard to wings, you say "If everyone could have them, it would ruin the effect." but then you go on to say that everyone should be able to have the prestige sprints.
I want them to either give all rewards to everyone, or make all rewards exclusive. Not take away the exclusivity of some rewards, and then make other rewards exclusive.
"Because it's easier to nitpick something than to be constructive." -roach5000
I'm the first to say that Cryptic is not good at delicate design balance.
That said, consider the difficulty of coming up with rewards. Whatever you pick, you're going to get complaints of two varieties:
1. It's horrible that I have to wait X months to get reward Y! Everyone should have it now!
2. I've played for X months and all I get is Y? It sucks, who would want that?
(And entertainingly, sometimes you get both complaints simultaneously from the same person.)
Personally there are rewards I wish I had that are so far off I have no realistic expectation of getting them (currently I play about 1 out of every 2-3 months). And there are things I've earned that I can't imagine using. But looking around I think they've cut the balance reasonably well.
Wings specifically:
Well firstly, it's 15 months. (Which yes I understand you may have meant "12 months more", I just wanted to be clear for anyone else.)
Secondly, I genuinely don't understand that psychographic. How much play would wings actually add to you? I can understand "Day 1: My character has wings - awesome!" "Day 3: I'm flying around with wings, it's so cool!" But "Day 20: Wow, look at my wings!" "Day 50: I have, um, wings - hooray for me!" ???
It seems to me if the game isn't playable w/o that graphic, it won't keep you for very long with it. Does it transform boring gameplay into fun? I just can't see that extra character concept taking a person from "not playing" to "playing indefinitely."
OTOH, if you're enjoying the game as-is enough to play for 15 months, you don't need something to transform gameplay. But a new character concept could give a new tweak, adding nuance to an already enjoyed game.
It seems like a reasonable choice to me.
I just have to say: they are not trenchcoats. They are waiter jackets with butt-capes. When moving forward quickly it's a reasonable approximation but standing still they look pretty silly.1. False advertising. It's not a trenchcoat!
2. Three years players have been asking for these. What they told us back then was that it would take a long time because of animation mapping - which is completely true. However, all this time later, to get a slapdash answer that didn't require much work and could have been done ages ago: that's just insulting.
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I am constantly hearing people complain about not being able to get wings since they have not played CoH long enough to receive them. First I would have to say that in a way I am glad they had decided to make these items in the veteran awards based on time spent in the game. I have characters on every server, including the test server, and the day that issue 8 went live on the test server the center of Atlas Park was crammed full of people with wings even if they couldn't fly... since you actually need to have a flying skill of some kind to actually get the wings to flap. Luckily for the majority of us on the test server, we have been playing long enough that we had reached level 50 on some character on another server and were able to create Peacebringers which have fly at level 1. Enough about that...
Secondly, if they were to release all the items to every player on the server there would be nothing but bird people on all the servers. Having the items rewarded due to time served is a way to reward the players that have been faithful to the game... staying when times were slow or when, for some unexplained reason, the DEV's made an adjustment to the game and nerfed players and powers.
Yes, I too was one of the players that did the beta testing on CoH and if I didn't abandon my account I would have all the items right now. But I only just returned a bit over a year and a half ago, so that when the veteran awards come available I will not be able to have them all... and I was really looking forward to my samurai suit. Oh well, so I will have to wait awhile longer. I don't mind the wait since the game is full of interesting people as well as a good game play. Alot of people complain about getting bored of these MMORPG games are the ones that are not grasping the concept. MMORPG's are made for multiple players.... these players are from all around the world. Don't just play these types of games just for the game... play these type of games for the human interaction between players.. the friendships.. the humor that only real dialog between real people can bring.
The Veteran Rewards only offer two wing types - Demon and Angel (?) - while the Invention system said to come out in I9 will contain seven (?) wing types - Demon, Angel, Fairy, Insect, Bat, Cherub and Burning.
The difference will be that if you don't have the Veteran Reward wings, you won't be able to create a character at lvl 1 with wings.