Why?! For all that is FAIR... WHY?!!!!

[FloppyEardBunny]

<p>$39.99</p><p>for an expansion.... I 've been playing this game since day one and I've forked over every month my fair pittance but this is getting sad.  40 bucks and I can buy the entire fraggin game again which includes all the parts I already have!!  I dont want those parts I just want the new expansion that doesnt take up multiple CD's and manuals.  I just want a fair price for an expansion not for another whole [Removed for Content] game!!</p><p>I'm done rant session over.  </p><p> And yes I'm entitled to rant I was in SWG from the beginning as well.</p>

[DragonMaster2385]

Odds are that you will be able to digital download for a cheaper price since it doesn't come with the base game and the other expansions.  All expansions are priced that much.  Think about all the time that goes into developing that content.  Welcome to the wonderfull world of gaming.

[Josgar]

Who said life was fair? Its part of their marketing... and you will probabbly see that all of their expansions bundled like this in the future... Every game does this pretty much: EQ2, EQ1, FFXI, DAOC, SWG, EQOA, the COH COV combo pack, guildwars had a collection, and more.

[StoneySilen]

Actually according to SOE your not paying for EQ2, DOF or KOS.  They are thrown in for free in the retail box (plus the free pets so you will buy the retail box) so the expansion of just EOF is 39.99.  They upped the price to 39.99 and extended the development to 1 year (from 6 months) to make the expansions bigger.  So in reality if they had kept it at 29.99 and had 2 of them a year, then you would pay $60 a year in expansions rather than only $40. So your actually saving money!

[Thormiel]

Previous expansions are thrown in to make it easier and cheaper for new players to join in. If they make the new players look and pay for each expansion individually I don't think they would get many new players. The game now has what, 3 expansions with a 4th incoming? Imagine EQ1 and its numerous expansions. Also, how likely do you think a retailer would want to stock the original game and then each expansion separately? With all the MMOGs on the market, the retailers would soon have all their shelf space taken up by MMOGs and their expansions.

[StoneySilen]

<cite>Thormiel wrote:</cite><blockquote>With all the MMOGs on the market, the retailers would soon have all their shelf space taken up by MMOGs and their expansions. </blockquote> What's wrong with that? <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[ke'la]

<cite>FloppyEardBunny wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>$39.99</p><p>for an expansion.... I 've been playing this game since day one and I've forked over every month my fair pittance but this is getting sad.  40 bucks and I can buy the entire fraggin game again which includes all the parts I already have!!  I dont want those parts I just want the new expansion that doesnt take up multiple CD's and manuals.  I just want a fair price for an expansion not for another whole [Removed for Content] game!!</p><p>I'm done rant session over.  </p><p> And yes I'm entitled to rant I was in SWG from the beginning as well.</p></blockquote> Because thats the going rate of MMO expantions with a min 1 year of devlopment time. Heck with WoW if you buy retail you pay 39.99 and don't get the base game.

[Zard]

<p>What does "fair" have to do with it? SOE is a business that has investors that expect a return, employees that expect a paycheck, suppliers that expect to be paid, etc. Do you feel it would be fair to deny them their expectations to be reimbursed just because you are unhappy with the cost of their product?</p><p>EQ ][ is a game, a discretional purchase intended for the sole purpose of entertainment. It is not required to survive, enhance the quality of your life or anything beyond something to do when you are bored. It is completely optional. You do not have to buy it.</p><p><b>Congratulations, OP, I hereby nominate you for <span style="font-size: medium"><span style="color: #ff9966">Whiner of the Month</span></span>!  Good luck, the competition is expected to be fierce! <img src="/smilies/e8a506dc4ad763aca51bec4ca7dc8560.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></b></p>

[Winter]

<cite>FloppyEardBunny wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>$39.99</p><p>for an expansion.... I 've been playing this game since day one and I've forked over every month my fair pittance but this is getting sad.  40 bucks and I can buy the entire fraggin game again which includes all the parts I already have!!  I dont want those parts I just want the new expansion that doesnt take up multiple CD's and manuals.  I just want a fair price for an expansion not for another whole [Removed for Content] game!!</p><p>I'm done rant session over.  </p><p> And yes I'm entitled to rant I was in SWG from the beginning as well.</p></blockquote><span style="font-size: medium; color: #ff66ff; font-family: comic sans ms,sand">The amount of time and work spent on an expansion is extensive and, outside of the basic engine already being built, I imagine as time consuming as development on some entire games if not moreso. They've got a ton of costs they have to cover... and devs, artists, etc with mouths to feed. It may sound unreasonable but, trust me, it's not.</span>

[Norrsken]

<cite>Winter wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>FloppyEardBunny wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>$39.99</p><p>for an expansion.... I 've been playing this game since day one and I've forked over every month my fair pittance but this is getting sad.  40 bucks and I can buy the entire fraggin game again which includes all the parts I already have!!  I dont want those parts I just want the new expansion that doesnt take up multiple CD's and manuals.  I just want a fair price for an expansion not for another whole [Removed for Content] game!!</p><p>I'm done rant session over.  </p><p> And yes I'm entitled to rant I was in SWG from the beginning as well.</p></blockquote><span style="font-size: medium; font-family: comic sans ms,sand"><span style="color: #ff66ff">The amount of time and work spent on an expansion is extensive and, outside of the basic engine already being built, I imagine as time consuming as development on some entire games if not moreso. They've got a ton of costs they have to cover... and devs, artists, etc with mouths to feed. It may sound unreasonable but, trust me, it's not.</span></span> </blockquote>Yah, I think people would be quite surprised if they found out what it costs to make a game. And as a hint, .5 - 1 million per year in development isnt a very high number.

[Hukklebuk]

<cite>FloppyEardBunny wrote:</cite><blockquote> <p> I'm entitled </p></blockquote>entitlement......   /shakes head

[Sassinak]

Shadows of Luclin cost $29.99 in 2001.  With inflation, that is $35.28 in today dollars.  Not far off from what we are paying for the next expansion.

[Lornick]

Auric@Oasis wrote: <blockquote><p><b>Congratulations, OP, I hereby nominate you for <span style="font-size: medium"><span style="color: #ff9966">Whiner of the Month</span></span>!  Good luck, the competition is expected to be fierce! <img src="/smilies/e8a506dc4ad763aca51bec4ca7dc8560.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></b></p></blockquote>lol to that "competition is expected to be fierce" bit.  It's funny because it's true!

[Lanalia]

<p>Just imagine all of us who played EQ1 for years. I spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on expansions during my several-year tenure. Now you can buy the entire set of game + expansions (minus maybe the last 1 or 2) for $20.</p><p>You pay $39.99 to play the game NOW, not to wait 2 years. If you don't want to pay it now to play it now, then just wait a year or so then buy it when it's free with the expansion pack. <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p>

[StoneySilen]

<cite>Lanalia wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Just imagine all of us who played EQ1 for years. I spent hundreds and hundreds of dollars on expansions during my several-year tenure. Now you can buy the entire set of game + expansions (minus maybe the last 1 or 2) for $20.</p></blockquote>The latest incarnation includes all expansions released to date for $20. (Anniversary Edition)

[Darsat]

Well im not griping about the cost, and I have 7 accounts <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />.  Looks like this xpack will be worth every penny too.

[Terayon]

DUR its not fair.. then again what IS fair? heh I remember when Ultima Online was $9.99. Then it went up to $14, same thing with SOE all access, used to be a bargain now.. its making single player games look more appetizing for my money.

[FiveFootStep]

<cite>Darsat wrote:</cite><blockquote>Well im not griping about the cost, and I have 7 accounts <img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />.  Looks like this xpack will be worth every penny too.</blockquote>I only have one, you should give me one of yours imo~ Share the welth <img src="/smilies/69934afc394145350659cd7add244ca9.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />

[KennyG]

Ulvhamne@Nagafen wrote: <blockquote>Yah, I think people would be quite surprised if they found out what it costs to make a game. And as a hint, .5 - 1 million per year in development isnt a very high number. </blockquote> LOL you don't work in Software development do you?  1 million would buy you about 6-12 developers for a year.  That's not your office space, servers, or even your developers work stations.  I work for a small software company and we have about 75 developers.  Our product is no where near on the scale of a full scale game and we aren't in the expensive market of Callifornia where SOE's dev team likely is.  A moderately experienced developer is going to cost a company 125K a year in salary and bennefits.  That's 8 for your 1 million figure.  This game is likely $20-$25m or more for a year of development.

[FloppyEardBunny]

<p>THANKS FOR THE AWARD!!</p><p>I read all the posts and the nice thing is you all have the same feeling as I do.  If it was cheaper you would be elated.  By the by I checked the price of the digital download and yes its the same price.  Now why is that?  There is no box, manual or disc so why the price duplication?  The only thing needed is the FTP server they have the files stored on which I'm sure they have since paid off a thousand times over.  I understand and agree that the people behind the scenes need to get paid, I'm all for that.  Now for a few things....  You are paying for the previous game/expansions.  Its yet another thing they put in the box so guess what, it ups the cost.  Yes I do understand that it done that way so they can get more subscribers, wonderful marketing tactic.  As for those thay play the "Don't like it don't play," card.  Really now come on.  If I didn't like it I wouldnt have posted.  Its a moot point as I was in SWG for the NGE this proves that I like being screwed by the man.  However, I do think that SOE makes a good game.  All thumbs up from me.  I didnt particularly care for EQ1, Loved SWG (pre NGE), Like EQ2 some of thier others are good as well.  I tried the WOW experience it was laking in the long run.  We can't get away from the price we have to pay to play.  My bottom line is this, let me narrow down my gripe.  $39.99 for a store bought item and the same price for the digital download is not right.  Even if it was a five or ten dollar difference it would make the cost for what you are getting more worth it in my eyes.</p><p>Terayon... I miss the days of 9.99 Ultima Online.  Long live Chesapeake Server.  Felucia ruled.</p><p>I want a plaque now.  </p><p>end of line</p>

[ke'la]

<cite>FloppyEardBunny wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>THANKS FOR THE AWARD!!</p><p>I read all the posts and the nice thing is you all have the same feeling as I do.  If it was cheaper you would be elated.  By the by I checked the price of the digital download and yes its the same price.  Now why is that?  There is no box, manual or disc so why the price duplication?  The only thing needed is the FTP server they have the files stored on which I'm sure they have since paid off a thousand times over.  I understand and agree that the people behind the scenes need to get paid, I'm all for that.  Now for a few things....  You are paying for the previous game/expansions.  Its yet another thing they put in the box so guess what, it ups the cost.  Yes I do understand that it done that way so they can get more subscribers, wonderful marketing tactic.  As for those thay play the "Don't like it don't play," card.  Really now come on.  If I didn't like it I wouldnt have posted.  Its a moot point as I was in SWG for the NGE this proves that I like being screwed by the man.  However, I do think that SOE makes a good game.  All thumbs up from me.  I didnt particularly care for EQ1, Loved SWG (pre NGE), Like EQ2 some of thier others are good as well.  I tried the WOW experience it was laking in the long run.  We can't get away from the price we have to pay to play.  My bottom line is this, let me narrow down my gripe.  $39.99 for a store bought item and the same price for the digital download is not right.  Even if it was a five or ten dollar difference it would make the cost for what you are getting more worth it in my eyes.</p><p>Terayon... I miss the days of 9.99 Ultima Online.  Long live Chesapeake Server.  Felucia ruled.</p><p>I want a plaque now.  </p><p>end of line</p></blockquote><p>Why is it not right to have to pay the same price for something that is EXSACTLY THE SAME as what you get in the store, I am sorry but an Empty box and a glorified coaster does not add any VALUE to the iteam I am buying, the TOTAL value of what I am buying is really that Number on the sticker in the box. Your getting the Number from D2D via Email I am getting in glued to the inside of a box, the VALUE is the same therefor the PRICE is the same.</p><p>BTW, if you look at the Dev time that is put into EoF and now RoK and compair that to the Dev time of DoF and KoS, and then look at the Dollars per Month of Dev time SoE is getting out of each expaintion, you will accually see that EoF and RoK are a better VALUE then either DoF or KoS, eventhough they where both cheaper. Oh and to your coment about them adding expaintions into the game and that is what cause the price to increase then explain why a) there are now 4 not 3 Expaintions in the next release and no price increase, and B) why KoS included the Base game(no DoF) without raising its price over DoF... huh maybe its not the added expantions(that accually don't cost SoE a Dime to add in as they have already been paid for) maybe its the fact that both EoF and RoK have had atleast TWICE the amount of Dev time(wich means TWICE the amount of money) Spent on them that either KoS or DoF did, yeah instead of it being TWICE the price(almost $60) its only $10.00 more.</p>

[MerleApAmber]

by the by, if you ever have a complete hard drive fault and can't get the up-to-date client off that sad piece of ~, don't have a back up drive, or recent dvd copy of same; you'll be [I cannot control my vocabulary] (I can too; and the word is d am n thank you auto censor) happy to have a recent game stack from SOE to hand... down load times on a fast net connect can still be a bear if the servers access ports are stream mizering.

[KBern]

<p>LOL</p><p>Maybe if you are really good, Meemaw or Peepaw will buy it for you.</p>

[Zard]

<cite>FloppyEardBunny wrote:</cite><blockquote>I miss the days of 9.99 Ultima Online.</blockquote>EQ1 was originally $9.89 a month. Why such a strange number? It was developed by 989 Studios which, I believe, later became Verant.

[LordPazuzu]

<p>The system isn't designed to be fair.  It's designed to generate profit.</p>

[dawy]

Yup lifes not fair prices come down and you have to live with it i know i do mainly becuase i'm happy to pay for the new content to see it on the opening day and spend the next few months exploring it.

[Vanisher123]

<p>You know whats not fair? The fact that everyplace i went when i played EQ1 has either sunk, exploded, or in some way for form been wiped from the face of Norrath. Thats not fair <img src="/smilies/1cfd6e2a9a2c0cf8e74b49b35e2e46c7.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>(unless the weird tower near the Isk's home city is still there, anyone know?)</p>

[Wildmage]

<cite>Vanisher123 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>You know whats not fair? The fact that everyplace i went when i played EQ1 has either sunk, exploded, or in some way for form been wiped from the face of Norrath. Thats not fair <img src="/smilies/1cfd6e2a9a2c0cf8e74b49b35e2e46c7.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>(unless the weird tower near the Isk's home city is still there, anyone know?)</p></blockquote>My home town got taken over by clockworks

[LordPazuzu]

At least you know what happened to your hometown....  I'd really love to know the fate of Paineel.

[Davalin]

Considering how much I have spent on hardware.  Even with several accounts $40 is nothing.

[Shankalot]

<cite>Vanisher123 wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>You know whats not fair? The fact that everyplace i went when i played EQ1 has either sunk, exploded, or in some way for form been wiped from the face of Norrath. Thats not fair <img src="/smilies/1cfd6e2a9a2c0cf8e74b49b35e2e46c7.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>(unless the weird tower near the Isk's home city is still there, anyone know?)</p></blockquote><p> you sir offend me, "wierd tower" HA! and yes kurns is still standing and field of bone looks incrediblt svank. also some new stuff there and its dark all u need to do is search around a small bit like o i dunno, say maybe the headline on eq2players</p><p>=D</p>

[Tomanak]

ke'la wrote: <blockquote><p>Why is it not right to have to pay the same price for something that is EXSACTLY THE SAME as what you get in the store, I am sorry but an Empty box and <b>a glorified coaster does not add any VALUE to the iteam I am buying,</b> the TOTAL value of what I am buying is really that Number on the sticker in the box. Your getting the Number from D2D via Email I am getting in glued to the inside of a box, the VALUE is the same therefor the PRICE is the same.</p></blockquote><p> While I agree that what you are actually paying for is the Serial number to flag your account for the new expansion, I disagree that the CD/DVD is adds no value. Having the DVDS the last time I FDISKed saved me countless hours of download time as my DVD-ROM installs faster than my cable connection downloads <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>Either way Im going for the direct download, not because I dont think the DVD has no value, but because the chances of actually getting the DVD on release date are pretty low.</p>

[Leatherneck]

I'm still rather confused as to what part of this is unfair.

[Grakkan]

<cite>FloppyEardBunny wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>$39.99</p><p>for an expansion.... I 've been playing this game since day one and I've forked over every month my fair pittance but this is getting sad.  40 bucks and I can buy the entire fraggin game again which includes all the parts I already have!!  I dont want those parts I just want the new expansion that doesnt take up multiple CD's and manuals.  I just want a fair price for an expansion not for another whole [Removed for Content] game!!</p><p>I'm done rant session over.  </p><p> And yes I'm entitled to rant I was in SWG from the beginning as well.</p></blockquote><p>So don't buy it...</p><p> I understand that $39.99 goes to pay for the developers and everything else that makes this game what it is...be happy to support it and quit griping. </p>

[ke'la]

Sugota@Butcherblock wrote: <blockquote>ke'la wrote: <blockquote><p>Why is it not right to have to pay the same price for something that is EXSACTLY THE SAME as what you get in the store, I am sorry but an Empty box and <b>a glorified coaster does not add any VALUE to the iteam I am buying,</b> the TOTAL value of what I am buying is really that Number on the sticker in the box. Your getting the Number from D2D via Email I am getting in glued to the inside of a box, the VALUE is the same therefor the PRICE is the same.</p></blockquote><p> While I agree that what you are actually paying for is the Serial number to flag your account for the new expansion, I disagree that the CD/DVD is adds no value. Having the DVDS the last time I FDISKed saved me countless hours of download time as my DVD-ROM installs faster than my cable connection downloads <img src="/smilies/3b63d1616c5dfcf29f8a7a031aaa7cad.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" /></p><p>Either way Im going for the direct download, not because I dont think the DVD has no value, but because the chances of actually getting the DVD on release date are pretty low.</p></blockquote><p>Really? where do you get it from? I usually go to my local EBgames for pre-orders like this and its always there on launch day, and though I do get the disk I don't accually "install" it as generally the patch server is up long befor the play servers are, wich gives me plenty of time to DL the game via the patcher.</p>