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$15 per month to help beta test Saga

bhugbhug Member UncommonPosts: 944

06.05.25

Since SoE will be running the Vanguard:Saga of Heroes servers in retail this October or November, and SoE will be handling the selection soon of the Saga beta testers and running the Saga beta server through the ? EQ test server, not sure if there is a EQ2 or swg test server...

And to access the SoE test server one has to have an "active subscription" (read, gota be paying $ as an ongoing subscriber.) That means any hoping to beta test Saga will have to pay SoE $14.99 or 24.99 monthly to access that beta Saga server.

SoE is doing the same with the upcoming EQ "progressive" server The Combine next month (june,) one has to have an "active subscription" to even apply to beta test Combine too.

Thought posted this earlier, but it seems to have been deleted.

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Comments

  • dragonacedragonace Member UncommonPosts: 1,185


    Originally posted by bhug

    06.05.25
    Since SoE will be running the Vanguard:Saga of Heroes servers in retail this October or November, and SoE will be handling the selection soon of the Saga beta testers and running the Saga beta server through the ? EQ test server, not sure if there is a EQ2 or swg test server...What?  Hmm... better tell that to the current Beta Testers.  Sigil is handling the Beta - not SoE.  It isn't running through any EQ test server.  Not yet anyway, and nothing saying it will on the Vanguard site.

    And to access the SoE test server one has to have an "active subscription" (read, gota be paying $ as an ongoing subscriber.) That means any hoping to beta test Saga will have to pay SoE $14.99 or 24.99 monthly to access that beta Saga server.
    Heh, o.k. Way to make an incredible leap there.  But since that isn't the case now (current Beta 2 testers) and they haven't mentioned anything of the sort on the Vanguards site - exactly where are you getting this info? 

    SoE is doing the same with the upcoming EQ "progressive" server The Combine next month (june,) one has to have an "active subscription" to even apply to beta test Combine too.Yeah, o.k. fine.  But that has nothing to do with Vanguard.  Perhaps you meant to post this in the EQ forum?  If you do have any links of articles, by all means share them.  Would be interested in reading up on it.  Thanks. 

    Thought posted this earlier, but it seems to have been deleted.


  • bhugbhug Member UncommonPosts: 944

    06.05.25

    1.Originally posted by Jon Grande - Vice President, Sigil Games Online
    "Yes - you will be able to subscribe just to Vanguard, as well as getting a Station Pass."

    2. Station Access™ , the low-price, all-in-one subscription for Sony Online Entertainment gamers!
    We will be increasing our Station Access subscription rate in June. Effective June 1, 2006, the new monthly subscription rate will be $24.99/month, up $3.00 from its current price $21.99/month.
    What about future games?
    A: SOE may, at its discretion, add future content to the Station Access subscription.

    Does the Station Access subscription include the games themselves?
    B: No. You must have purchased the game software with a valid account key for each game/expansion you wish to play. If you sign an account up for Station Access service but you have only bought EverQuest and PlanetSide, that account will not be able to play EverQuest Online Adventures unless and until you go buy a copy of EverQuest Online Adventures.

    Am I allowed to play multiple games at the same time (e.g. run PlanetSide on one machine or in one window, EverQuest on another machine or in another window, both on the same account) on a Station Access account?
    C: No.

    What is a Station Access subscription?
    D:SOE has changed the name of the SOE All Access subscription to Station Access. Please note that we are currently working on updating our website to reflect the new name so you may still come across the former name Station Access.

    Station Pass is for people who want to play our Station games Cosmic Rift, Infantry and Tanarus. It costs 6.95 per month. To activate Station Pass go here .
    current subscription rates through SOE: $14.99 per month (EQ, Matrix Online, EQ2, swg each,) $12.99 (EQ Online Adventures, Planetside, each,) $6.95 (for all three Cosmic Rift, Infantry Online, Cosmic Rift.)
    Station Access Subscription: $24.99 per Month (Station access will allow you to play all of the games listed above for one low price, providing that they are all on the same Station Name.) Saga will be added to this blanket offer.

    "We get paid based on how much the game is played, if it's played on the Station pass." (likely mis spoken, should have said Station Access, the station pass is a $6.95 plan for just three lesser games.) "If a person has the pass, but spends 100% of his time playing Vanguard, then we get all of that money, minus a small royalty to SOE." link1

    .....

    3. beta:

    SOE "will make sure our beta runs the way it needs to, that our game is widely marketed, and that our game is available all over, in all channels.
    That is SOE's role in this new partnership with them. Sigil remains Sigil, able to focus now moreso on what we do best -- design, implement, conduct betas, build community, and market."

    Within the current Beta2.5 and another 10,000 to 15,000 testers through the now not applicable MS beta selecton process, soon there must be more servers (EQ beta started with 1 server, then five, then completed EQ beta with eleven servers and 10s of thousands of testers. It seems likely if more than 100 testers are showing up many more beta servers will be added.
    And since SOE will be providing the hardware for servers, it will be part of the beta process to make sure there are no code problems with Saga within SOE's servers, plus since SOE will be doing the billing SOE certainly will want to make sure they can deal with the 100s of THOUSANDS wanting to log-in to Saga when it retails, and SOE will have to compile info on relative stability vs number of servers it must provide. Another aspect to iron out in the beta process. Plus the patching/updating process must be established as problem free, so we that log in for the first time will not have our systems all crashing and have to be assured we have to "update our drivers or restart our computers."
    All the actual server stuff has to be through SOE, and you imagine SOE will not have anything to do with the beta? Or the compilation of customer/subscription information? That is a big part of why Sigil outsourced to SOE as the co-producer and distributor, so Sigil did not have to bleed off resources to deal with that and instead could devote everything to the actual game.

    That brings to the topic $15/month to beta test Saga, since it will be through SOE's servers, and to access those servers one must have an "active subscription" with SOE ($14.99 or $24.99 per month.) And if the beta3 and beta4 run past five months (Mr McQuaid assured us it would retail in 2006, winter even, that means Oct, Nov or December... seven months and 7x $15 = $105 subscription to beta test, and still have to buy the retail DVD, another $40 or $50 coming out of our pockets. Not to mention the $1000 or so to tweek the computer to enjoy this MMO we have been waiting for five years.)

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  • VengefulVengeful Member Posts: 473


    Originally posted by bhug

    06.05.25
    Since SoE will be running the Vanguard:Saga of Heroes servers in retail this October or November, and SoE will be handling the selection soon of the Saga beta testers and running the Saga beta server through the ? EQ test server, not sure if there is a EQ2 or swg test server...
    And to access the SoE test server one has to have an "active subscription" (read, gota be paying $ as an ongoing subscriber.) That means any hoping to beta test Saga will have to pay SoE $14.99 or 24.99 monthly to access that beta Saga server.
    SoE is doing the same with the upcoming EQ "progressive" server The Combine next month (june,) one has to have an "active subscription" to even apply to beta test Combine too.
    Thought posted this earlier, but it seems to have been deleted.


    Dude, you posted this earlier this morning and the thread was deleted because it's utter bullshit. Game companies do not let non subscribers test material for an already published and subscribed game. They DO let non-paying beta testers test an unpublished game for free.

    That is how it works
    That is how it has always worked
    That is how it will work with the Vanguard:SoH beta

    You weren't allowed to play on the EQ Progressive server without an active account, because EQ HAS BEEN OUT FOR 10 FLIPPEN YEARS!!!!!!!!

    If you try to log onto WoW, EvE, DDO, LineageII or any other MMO's test server, you won't get in without an active subscription.

    Please stop posting before your stupidity begins spreading thoughout the rest of this forum like some sort of infectious disease.

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  • herculeshercules Member UncommonPosts: 4,924


    Originally posted by Vengeful

    Originally posted by bhug

    06.05.25
    Since SoE will be running the Vanguard:Saga of Heroes servers in retail this October or November, and SoE will be handling the selection soon of the Saga beta testers and running the Saga beta server through the ? EQ test server, not sure if there is a EQ2 or swg test server...
    And to access the SoE test server one has to have an "active subscription" (read, gota be paying $ as an ongoing subscriber.) That means any hoping to beta test Saga will have to pay SoE $14.99 or 24.99 monthly to access that beta Saga server.
    SoE is doing the same with the upcoming EQ "progressive" server The Combine next month (june,) one has to have an "active subscription" to even apply to beta test Combine too.
    Thought posted this earlier, but it seems to have been deleted.

    Dude, you posted this earlier this morning and the thread was deleted because it's utter bullshit. Game companies do not let non subscribers test material for an already published and subscribed game. They DO let non-paying beta testers test an unpublished game for free.

    That is how it works
    That is how it has always worked
    That is how it will work with the Vanguard:SoH beta

    You weren't allowed to play on the EQ Progressive server without an active account, because EQ HAS BEEN OUT FOR 10 FLIPPEN YEARS!!!!!!!!

    If you try to log onto WoW, EvE, DDO, LineageII or any other MMO's test server, you won't get in without an active subscription.

    Please stop posting before your stupidity begins spreading thoughout the rest of this forum like some sort of infectious disease.


    EQ2 is 7 years old actually hehe.

    But honstly i dunno anything about all this .I have betaed EQ1 and did not have an active sub.I was in EQ2 beta like forever(got in with second batch of friend& family thing) and at that time had no active SoE sub.

    So this kind of strange to me.

  • bhugbhug Member UncommonPosts: 944

    06.05.26

    1. SoE will be providing and managing retail servers for V:SoH before the end of this year.
    2. SoE will also be involved in the beta process for Sigil.
    3. Curently through the EQ log-in process, SoE places the beta servers in the seperate from live servers system where one accesses those 'beta' servers (Combine, ect [possibly Saga,]) through the testeverquest.exe patch server.
    4. To access that EQ test server one needs an "active subscription," one needs a $14.99 EQ or $24.99 Station Access ongoing subscription . If Saga will similarly (beta content) be through the test server cluster (EQ or EQ2 or swg) then one must already be a paying subscriber to SoE to access said test server and through that test server access the Saga beta server.
    5. It seems Sigil VP Grande is under the impression just being subscribed to the $6.95 Station Pass will get one access to Vanguard in SoE. i suspect one needs either the $24.99 Station access or single title (likely $14.99) V:SoH subscription, it is not like SoE to go cheap and lump the V:SoH title in with the Cosmic Rift, Tanarus and Infantry lesser games.

    6. So far Sigil is somewhat keeping mum about the extent SoE will be involved in the Saga beta process. Certainly since MS is now out of the Saga beta process, and in the future since SoE will be providing the retail servers and billing for V:SoH for Sigil, it is not too far a stretch that SoE will be involved with the 10s of THOUSANDS in the Saga beta3 and beta4 stages, and that number of testers will require multible beta servers, just like EQbeta had eleven beta servers.

    7. If it turns out SoE will be hosting the Saga beta in the future and charges to access their servers and the longest Saga beta3 runs five or more months, then that can be six or seven monthly subscription charges just to help beta test Saga, AND after that then the expected V:SoH DVD + subscription when it finally goes retail.

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  • herculeshercules Member UncommonPosts: 4,924

    Can you be bothered to post a tangible link to all this.

    All the clickables you shown say totally different things to what you written.

    Atm it seems all you are doing is posting rubbish.

  • VengefulVengeful Member Posts: 473


    Originally posted by hercules

    Can you be bothered to post a tangible link to all this.
    All the clickables you shown say totally different things to what you written.
    Atm it seems all you are doing is posting rubbish.



    What he is doing is confusing the difference between a Game's Beta Server and a Published Game's Patch/Update/Expansion Test Server. Beta Servers you don't pay for, but are invited to unless it is an Open Beta. Patch/Update/Expansion Test Servers you need to be subscribed to the game whose Patch/Update/Expansion is being tested.

    The assertion that this guy is making is absurd, and everyone would do well to completely disregard this thread. He posted it Yesterday morning and it got deleted because it's the daftest claim that's been made on these forums yet. It should be deleted again, but has yet to be done.

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  • VengefulVengeful Member Posts: 473


    Originally posted by bhug

    06.05.26

    1. SoE will be providing and managing retail servers for V:SoH before the end of this year.

    True.


    2. SoE will also be involved in the beta process for Sigil.

    True


    3. Curently through the EQ log-in process, SoE places the beta servers in the seperate from live servers system where one accesses those 'beta' servers (Combine, ect [possibly Saga,]) through the testeverquest.exe patch server.

    True and False. Yes, the EQ Patch Test servers are accessed through the 'testeverquest.exe patch server'. But V:SOH is not EQ and won't share those servers, not to mention the EQ Patch Test and the Vanguard Beta serve two seperate functions.


    4. To access that EQ test server one needs an "active subscription," one needs a $14.99 EQ or $24.99 Station Access ongoing subscription .

    True

    If Saga will similarly (beta content) be through the test server cluster (EQ or EQ2 or swg) then one must already be a paying subscriber to SoE to access said test server and through that test server access the Saga beta server.

    This is where you Jump the Shark. If you would have paid attention during the SWG/EQ2/Matrix Online beta's. Nobody had to pay for those beta tests. Yet it has ALWAYS been that the EQ Patch Tests required a subscription.


    5. It seems Sigil VP Grande is under the impression just being subscribed to the $6.95 Station Pass will get one access to Vanguard in SoE. i suspect one needs either the $24.99 Station access or single title (likely $14.99) V:SoH subscription, it is not like SoE to go cheap and lump the V:SoH title in with the Cosmic Rift, Tanarus and Infantry lesser games.

    The link you posted does not support your conclusion, which thusly has no support. What your link suggests is that you can either log into Vanguard with the $24.99 Station Access Pass or the $14.99 Base subscription (Station Pass for Vanguard).

    6. So far Sigil is somewhat keeping mum about the extent SoE will be involved in the Saga beta process. Certainly since MS is now out of the Saga beta process, and in the future since SoE will be providing the retail servers and billing for V:SoH for Sigil, it is not too far a stretch that SoE will be involved with the 10s of THOUSANDS in the Saga beta3 and beta4 stages, and that number of testers will require multible beta servers, just like EQbeta had eleven beta servers.

    Possibly True. Not even you, O' Seer of Seers, can predict the future. Though I'm not sure what this has to do with anything.

    7. If it turns out SoE will be hosting the Saga beta in the future and charges to access their servers and the longest Saga beta3 runs five or more months, then that can be six or seven monthly subscription charges just to help beta test Saga, AND after that then the expected V:SoH DVD + subscription when it finally goes retail.

    Yes, I suppose that is possibly true, IF SOE was able to set the price for Vanguard and do whatever it wanted with the Beta/Sales/Subscriptions, which it can't.


    In conclusion. You make baby Jesus cry. Nobody is paying for the Beta of an unreleased game.

    kthxbai

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  • holifeetholifeet Member Posts: 532


    Originally posted by bhug

    06.05.25
    Since SoE will be running the Vanguard:Saga of Heroes servers in retail this October or November, and SoE will be handling the selection soon of the Saga beta testers and running the Saga beta server through the ? EQ test server, not sure if there is a EQ2 or swg test server...
    And to access the SoE test server one has to have an "active subscription" (read, gota be paying $ as an ongoing subscriber.) That means any hoping to beta test Saga will have to pay SoE $14.99 or 24.99 monthly to access that beta Saga server.
    SoE is doing the same with the upcoming EQ "progressive" server The Combine next month (june,) one has to have an "active subscription" to even apply to beta test Combine too.
    Thought posted this earlier, but it seems to have been deleted.


    You did post it earlier but you posted rubbish that was not in any way true. I reported your post and asked for it to be deleted on those grounds. If anyone happened to believe you it would be damaging to Vanguard.

    Actually I'm not sure if the mods just didn't understand my request and deleted my posts. If they did then doh! I hope they're not advocating that this may be true.

    I am curious because I tried to report bhug's post and got a message that I already had.

    All hail the Pixel, for it is glorious Orange!
    .
  • ShaydeShayde Member Posts: 4,529


    Originally posted by Vengeful

    Originally posted by bhug

    06.05.26


    4. To access that EQ test server one needs an "active subscription," one needs a $14.99 EQ or $24.99 Station Access ongoing subscription .
    True
    If Saga will similarly (beta content) be through the test server cluster (EQ or EQ2 or swg) then one must already be a paying subscriber to SoE to access said test server and through that test server access the Saga beta server.
    This is where you Jump the Shark. If you would have paid attention during the SWG/EQ2/Matrix Online beta's. Nobody had to pay for those beta tests. Yet it has ALWAYS been that the EQ Patch Tests required a subscription.

    Actually, not to nitpick, but you can't beta ANY of the SWG, MxO or EQ patches without an ACTIVE account to their games. No active subscriptions = no beta. I know, I betaed SWG and MxO. Hell, they never had an open beta of SWG.

    I don't believe you'll have to pay to beta Vanguard until after release. That would be pure foolishness.

    But then again, SWG went back to alpha and they're paying for that... so in the world of $OE anything's possible.

    But highly unlikely.

    Shayde - SWG (dead)
    Proud member of the Cabal.
    image

    imageimage
    It sounds great, so great in fact, I pitty those who canceled :( - Some deluded SWG fanboi who pities me.
    I don't like it when you say things. - A Vanguard fan who does too.
    09f911029d74e35bd84156c5635688c0

  • n2soonersn2sooners Member UncommonPosts: 926


    Originally posted by Shayde

    Originally posted by Vengeful

    Originally posted by bhug

    06.05.26


    4. To access that EQ test server one needs an "active subscription," one needs a $14.99 EQ or $24.99 Station Access ongoing subscription .
    True
    If Saga will similarly (beta content) be through the test server cluster (EQ or EQ2 or swg) then one must already be a paying subscriber to SoE to access said test server and through that test server access the Saga beta server.
    This is where you Jump the Shark. If you would have paid attention during the SWG/EQ2/Matrix Online beta's. Nobody had to pay for those beta tests. Yet it has ALWAYS been that the EQ Patch Tests required a subscription.

    Actually, not to nitpick, but you can't beta ANY of the SWG, MxO or EQ patches without an ACTIVE account to their games. No active subscriptions = no beta. I know, I betaed SWG and MxO. Hell, they never had an open beta of SWG.

    I don't believe you'll have to pay to beta Vanguard until after release. That would be pure foolishness.

    But then again, SWG went back to alpha and they're paying for that... so in the world of $OE anything's possible.

    But highly unlikely.


    You didn't need a subscription to EQ to beta test EQ. You didn't need a subscription to EQ or SWG to beta test SWG, and they didn't beta test SWG on the EQ servers. You didn't need a subscription to EQ or SWG or EQ2 to beta test EQ2, and they didn't beta test EQ2 on the EQ or SWG servers...... See a patern here?

    BTW, not to nitpick your non-nitpick, but they did have a free trial and open beta test to the previous EQ2 expansion.

    image image

  • ShaydeShayde Member Posts: 4,529


    Originally posted by n2sooners

    Originally posted by Shayde

    Originally posted by Vengeful

    Originally posted by bhug

    06.05.26


    4. To access that EQ test server one needs an "active subscription," one needs a $14.99 EQ or $24.99 Station Access ongoing subscription .
    True
    If Saga will similarly (beta content) be through the test server cluster (EQ or EQ2 or swg) then one must already be a paying subscriber to SoE to access said test server and through that test server access the Saga beta server.
    This is where you Jump the Shark. If you would have paid attention during the SWG/EQ2/Matrix Online beta's. Nobody had to pay for those beta tests. Yet it has ALWAYS been that the EQ Patch Tests required a subscription.

    Actually, not to nitpick, but you can't beta ANY of the SWG, MxO or EQ patches without an ACTIVE account to their games. No active subscriptions = no beta. I know, I betaed SWG and MxO. Hell, they never had an open beta of SWG.

    I don't believe you'll have to pay to beta Vanguard until after release. That would be pure foolishness.

    But then again, SWG went back to alpha and they're paying for that... so in the world of $OE anything's possible.

    But highly unlikely.


    You didn't need a subscription to EQ to beta test EQ. You didn't need a subscription to EQ or SWG to beta test SWG, and they didn't beta test SWG on the EQ servers. You didn't need a subscription to EQ or SWG or EQ2 to beta test EQ2, and they didn't beta test EQ2 on the EQ or SWG servers...... See a patern here?

    BTW, not to nitpick your non-nitpick, but they did have a free trial and open beta test to the previous EQ2 expansion.


    Look, when I betatested for both SWG and MxO they required a VALID SUBSCRIPTION to even apply for said beta for said expansion. They didn't let ONE non-paid person in. I even tried to beta MxO's CU and no dice.

    But as I said before, I doubt they'd charge for this game's beta, since nobody is actually subscribed yet.

    Shayde - SWG (dead)
    Proud member of the Cabal.
    image

    imageimage
    It sounds great, so great in fact, I pitty those who canceled :( - Some deluded SWG fanboi who pities me.
    I don't like it when you say things. - A Vanguard fan who does too.
    09f911029d74e35bd84156c5635688c0

  • n2soonersn2sooners Member UncommonPosts: 926
    You may have beta tested expansions, but not the game. There is no required subscription to beta test the game because there are no subscriptions until AFTER beta. And, as I pointed out, there has even been at least one case where no paid subscription was needed to test a Sony expansion (the last EQ2 expansion).

    But this is all pointless anyway. Sony isn't running the beta test, Sigil is. Sony will just be providing the hardware much like MS is at the moment.


    image image

  • VengefulVengeful Member Posts: 473


    Originally posted by Shayde

    Originally posted by n2sooners

    Originally posted by Shayde

    Originally posted by Vengeful

    Originally posted by bhug

    06.05.26


    4. To access that EQ test server one needs an "active subscription," one needs a $14.99 EQ or $24.99 Station Access ongoing subscription .
    True
    If Saga will similarly (beta content) be through the test server cluster (EQ or EQ2 or swg) then one must already be a paying subscriber to SoE to access said test server and through that test server access the Saga beta server.
    This is where you Jump the Shark. If you would have paid attention during the SWG/EQ2/Matrix Online beta's. Nobody had to pay for those beta tests. Yet it has ALWAYS been that the EQ Patch Tests required a subscription.

    Actually, not to nitpick, but you can't beta ANY of the SWG, MxO or EQ patches without an ACTIVE account to their games. No active subscriptions = no beta. I know, I betaed SWG and MxO. Hell, they never had an open beta of SWG.

    I don't believe you'll have to pay to beta Vanguard until after release. That would be pure foolishness.

    But then again, SWG went back to alpha and they're paying for that... so in the world of $OE anything's possible.

    But highly unlikely.


    You didn't need a subscription to EQ to beta test EQ. You didn't need a subscription to EQ or SWG to beta test SWG, and they didn't beta test SWG on the EQ servers. You didn't need a subscription to EQ or SWG or EQ2 to beta test EQ2, and they didn't beta test EQ2 on the EQ or SWG servers...... See a patern here?

    BTW, not to nitpick your non-nitpick, but they did have a free trial and open beta test to the previous EQ2 expansion.


    Look, when I betatested for both SWG and MxO they required a VALID SUBSCRIPTION to even apply for said beta for said expansion. They didn't let ONE non-paid person in. I even tried to beta MxO's CU and no dice.

    But as I said before, I doubt they'd charge for this game's beta, since nobody is actually subscribed yet.


    You need to read the posts again.

    GAME BETA $$$????? NO

    EXPANSION/PATCH BETA $$$$?????? YES

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  • CopelandCopeland Member Posts: 1,955

    I have an all access soe pass so i hope i do get to beta Vanguard eventually :)

    I'm also hoping Vanguard is included in the all access pass.

  • SpiritofGameSpiritofGame Member UncommonPosts: 1,332


    Originally posted by Copeland

    I have an all access soe pass so i hope i do get to beta Vanguard eventually :)
    I'm also hoping Vanguard is included in the all access pass.



    Yep, agree with that.

    ~ Ancient Membership ~

  • KraptorKraptor Member Posts: 359

    Lots of confusion going on here...:)

    As others said above me, you dont need to pay to betatest Vangauard. You didnt have to pay to beta EQ2. You had to have an acc and sub to beta an EXPANSION of EQ2. So again you dotn have to pay. I think you are confusing lots of things here. You probably need to have a station account(not the stationpass just a regular acc which is free) to beta Vanguard cause this is how they handle accounts, but this is FREE

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