ProSiebenSat.1 Games Group FAQ Feedback Thread

[millie]

From MMOfallout.com

"Color me interested. For at least a year now, Sony has slowly escalated the slow moving striptease that is the prospect of a free to play Vanguard. John Smedley has made comments of the Vanguard team hiring new staff, who have begun patching the game and even adding in an updated new player experience, and back in November a user tweeted to John Smedley: “how about making vanguard saga of Heroes ftp… If not just kill the game already,” to which Mr. Smedley responded “stay tuned.”

Sony’s ongoing fiasco with Alaplaya over European hosting may have accidentally produced some juicy tidbits of information. In an IRC discussion, the community manager for Alaplaya may have accidentally let slip that Vanguard is heading free to play:"

With the launch of DC Universe, we will introduce a new in-game currency that is similar to StationCash. It will not be Alaplaya Points. Your Station cash will be converted to our currency and you will be able to use it with EQ2 and Vanguard.

[Veskandar]

Piestro wrote:

Hey folks,

Just wanted to bring the post here to your attention. Quoted  below for convenience.

Thanks,

-Piestro

SOE-Brasse wrote:

Friends,

As we approach the weekend, we wanted to share that we are working on a plan to keep our communities together with the ProSieben deal. Again, we thank you for your patience - we'll provide more information as soon as it is available.

~Brasse

I don't really care about that anymore, we where sold off like slaves, and I will not stand for that

[Duolast]

5 1/2 years invested in my hobby and yesterday I withdrew my card details from all my accounts.  Having bought a 12 month sub for my main account I have many months left on it.

I've made friends all over the world in Ukraine, US, Australia, Sweden, Norway, Singapore and many other places.  If I lose access to that network of friends you lose my subscription, if the servers move to PSS1 you lose my subs, if US players lose access to EU servers you lose my subs.

You are going to rip apart a raid force that existed before I even started playing and decimate a Guild nearly as old as the game.  My main character has 12 months of my life invested in total time played - all for nothing.

If 125 pages of 100% negative feedback hasn't changed your minds, then EQ2 is in its final few months.

Wake up, make the U turn and get the PR machine running (and that does not mean cheap SC).

[Lazier]

I've played Everquest together with my wife for 12 years. First EQ1 and then EQ2. We've bonded with people from all over the world; america, aisa, all over europe. Some of them we've even travelled to meet.

Every time another MMO came out we ended up thinking "meh - nothing has the same depth and sense of community that EQ has", and we were right. You could see it on the player base as well, the tendency was always the same: people always came back to EQ. Not all, but the good ones, and the people we care about.

Now though, we've cancelled all our accounts. This is because

We are not for sale

We do not believe Pro7s have the right motives nor are they mature enough to care for our interests in this game

Our friends are leaving because of this mess

[mippe]

Piestro wrote:

Hey folks,

Just wanted to bring the post here to your attention. Quoted  below for convenience.

Thanks,

-Piestro

SOE-Brasse wrote:

Friends,

As we approach the weekend, we wanted to share that we are working on a plan to keep our communities together with the ProSieben deal. Again, we thank you for your patience - we'll provide more information as soon as it is available.

~Brasse

It's good news that you obviously are listening to the player base - and even better that you are trying to find a solution.

BUT even if you manage to keep the community together with EU players confined to Prosieben this still is not acceptable imo.

I have earlier stated that i have cancelled my 8 year veteran account. This must happen before I reactivate it: (I am taking the liberty to speak for all of us, sorry if anyone doesnt agree, but I interpret the posts above).

• I understand that we already are sold, so the deal can't be cancelled. Solution: Give us free transfer tokens for all ourcharacters. I will never accept the gaming culture of Alaplaya. Ever.
• Transparency. Let us know why you choose/was forced to do this. We are the most important part of your franchise. Involvement and information is the key to future trust, commitment and loyalty.
• Station cash and XPweekends wont sooth us. An open letter that states we are in this together might.

[Rendoir]

Will it be possible to get a refund on - 4 x DoV and 4 x AoD? I bought these expacs expecting to get the 2nd part of DoV (included in the price of DoV) and AoD from SOE and I bought them to play on SOE run servers. Seeing as DoV pt2 will not be released until after the Proseiben switch - a company that I am justifiably not going to allow any personal commerce with due to poor quality and terrible security - then perhaps I could legally push for a refund.

Thats about £300. 

And even if there was just 1000 players effected by this decision who were also able to claim a refund on these 2 expansions that would cost SOE at todays exchange rate, $470,000.

Maybe that would help them decide what to do.

[Rendoir]

Also - is it strictly legal for a service provider to sell (via a deal such as SOE/Pro7) customers details without first alerting them to the fact this might be happening, and offering them a get out period?

I mean, is this an offense, a breach of civil liberties, a breach of consumer regluations or a breach of the data protection act?

Can we sue?

[Calthine]

Impact@Splitpaw wrote:

Can we sue?

I would suspect that SOE's lawyers covered that in our EULA, but you could try.

[Tollymore]

Piestro wrote:

Hey folks,

Just wanted to bring the post here to your attention. Quoted  below for convenience.

Thanks,

-Piestro

SOE-Brasse wrote:

Friends,

As we approach the weekend, we wanted to share that we are working on a plan to keep our communities together with the ProSieben deal. Again, we thank you for your patience - we'll provide more information as soon as it is available.

~Brasse

Piestro,

Thank you for this.

[Rendoir]

Calthine wrote:

Impact@Splitpaw wrote:

Can we sue?

I would suspect that SOE's lawyers covered that in our EULA, but you could try.

I'm sure they tried, but bottom line, I am sure there is somewhere along the way we can make a point. 

The fact is they sold people year long 'contracts' to play, as a service provider, and have effectively sold those contracts on, to a leaky company. The decision has been made, and finalised without contact with their customers.

They also sold content (product) in a half complete state, ie DoV with promised content 'later' included in the price of DoV. Which they are effectively forcing Euro players to opt out of - due to aforementioned 'leakage' within Pro7's security.

I'm hoping there maybe grounds for it somewhere.

At least for a refund. 

[Eroks]

What I would love to know is:

1- When will they lock out our server to transfers?

2- Will we be able to pay Alaplaya Tokens for our new sub?

ATM I don't know what to do and I play since launch. Have 9x 90s and 3x 86s toons that I risk to loose. Want to see my playtime? I can post it if needed. There's a lot of work put into these toons not to mention the people I've been playing over these years and that I may loose.

We deserve at least some answers so we can plan our future in EQ2 the best way we possibly can. We deserve that.

[Rendoir]

Tollymore wrote:

Piestro wrote:

Hey folks,

Just wanted to bring the post here to your attention. Quoted  below for convenience.

Thanks,

-Piestro

SOE-Brasse wrote:

Friends,

As we approach the weekend, we wanted to share that we are working on a plan to keep our communities together with the ProSieben deal. Again, we thank you for your patience - we'll provide more information as soon as it is available.

~Brasse

The problem with this is - yes you guessed it - Pro7. No one wants anything to do with them. Having to deal with that company is a close second to the enforced segregation.

The only way to keep the cash rolling in at the moment is to get rid of pro7 - already there are a lot of customers that won't touch the product - only the removal of pro7 from anything to do with the games could possibly entice those people back, and prevent the loss of countless more.

[Elomort]

John Smedley ‏ @j_smedley

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We are working on a plan to insure we don't split the communities up. More info to follow.

From twitter.... Looks like Mr Smedley can't spell unless he plans to insure against losses and not ensure his customers are torn asunder and segregated.

[dawy]

Oh now they try to do something about keeping us all together i think they've seen cancellation numbers in the last couple of days but frankly until i see things set in stone stating that we're being kept together simply wont believe it.

The simple fact is this non of your current set of subscribers want anything to do with the german company,its not rocket science and until you can work round that tiny fact i feel SOE are going to have problems

[Faylenne]

Piestro wrote:

Hey folks,

Just wanted to bring the post here to your attention. Quoted  below for convenience.

Thanks,

-Piestro

SOE-Brasse wrote:

Friends,

As we approach the weekend, we wanted to share that we are working on a plan to keep our communities together with the ProSieben deal. Again, we thank you for your patience - we'll provide more information as soon as it is available.

~Brasse

Whilst this is good it is almost unblievable that SOE hadn't anticipated the reaction of their customers and their concerns.  Does SOE not have data on the useage of EQ2?  Do they not know that some accounts from the US log onto the EU server and vice versa?  It would be even worse if you did actually know this was happening and still went ahead with the deal without working out what these people would and would not be able to do after the transition.

[ClawsDragonkin]

I've been playing MMO's since EQ1 was released and since 11/04 EQ2 has been my favorite MMO. I've tried many other MMO's but after a few days I've always went back.

Has SOE lost all understanding about why we still play a seven year old game with many other MMO's to chose from? For many of us  it's about the EQ2 community and friends we've made thru the years.

I for one will not continue as a customer if my EU friends are forced behind a wall. The USSR tried that and how did it turn out for them?

SOE, you are not the only MMO out here. WAKE UP. Before you lose everyone.

[Guyver24]

Faylenne@Antonia Bayle wrote:

Whilst this is good it is almost unblievable that SOE hadn't anticipated the reaction of their customers and their concerns.  Does SOE not have data on the useage of EQ2?  Do they not know that some accounts from the US log onto the EU server and vice versa?  It would be even worse if you did actually know this was happening and still went ahead with the deal without working out what these people would and would not be able to do after the transition.

I still think the deal was done by someone, who didn't know what they we're selling, and SOE is actually right now figthing to save their games, and ultimately their jobs...

[Moxicar]

Well me and the miss´s having been talking about buying a new TV for some time. TV is not and have not for many years been something we spend alot of time with/on.

We have do not have a flatscreen TV (yeah i know) the younger generation when visiting remarks/remarked, is that....... the only TV in the house? (its a big lumpy 28inch tv, but we spend about 30 min every day and 1-2 movies on the weekends), we do however have 5 PC/laptops though (where the family spend their time, playing games together and have fun).

So this weekend we are getting our bottoms out to finaly buy a flatscreen TV, ive been looking for some time (more then 6 months) on the net for a TV that looks good, specs and can be wall mounted, ive been looking at a good few Sony TV´s, nice thin frame etc.

I will not be buying a Sony TV (yeah i do know that SOE couldent be bothered if or if not i do so) but after this i will not have that Sony logo laughing at me while i watch a movie, and i dont mind if it costs me more money to buy another brand then Sony.

This way of treating loyal paying customers is not something that should be encouraged.

I had a call from bandwith company, he wanted to sell me a package that would increase my bandwith and i would save 30%. I tried to explain to the young man that ive had the same bandwith company for the last 15 years and that they are stabil and that a loyal customer gets a loyal company (if they are loyal i really dont know lol, ive had 0 reason over the last 15 years to contact them, but i dont have the slightest doubt that they are), the young man sighed more then once during the call.

Well, point... We will not be playing eqnext, we have already canceled the sub´s to eq2, we will not encourage this kind of behaviour, even though as the young man said, its "cheaper", its "better", it will give me extra money in my pocketts.

[dawy]

Calthine wrote:

Impact@Splitpaw wrote:

Can we sue?

I would suspect that SOE's lawyers covered that in our EULA, but you could try.

You're right but at this rate will there be anyone left on the euro servers to start action in the first place?

At this rate i suspect not.

[Seffrid]

Jacra@Valor wrote:

I'd change a few things:

- SOE keeps the existing servers, localization etc in European languages comes from P7 which is no additional work to them

- P7 opens its own servers

- SOE offers transfer for free to its US servers or P7 servers

- new accounts can be made independently of region - but only on US servers or P7 servers, so people can keep playing together but over time the EU servers should amicably be emptied

- money goes according to what server someone plays on, US or P7, but remains one account system - basically SOE gives money to P7 according to the number of players they have

- once the EU servers are empty, they can be closed

Ps: I'm aware that this shared-account system or rather "partial money transfer" is a novum and difficult for accountants. But the problem is that both SOE and P7 need to (and I think do) understand that people are not likely to pay twice but both companies gain from half money and having players be active on both server systems. This is a long time grown community and there is a limited number of raiders, active and long term successful guild leaders etc etc. Cutting them off from one another is hurting both. But building a synergy is helping both as well.

It shouldn't be difficult at all, given that it is exactly what happens at the moment with the All Access subscriptions which are divided up between the different games according to the individual logins.

[Raislisa]

If you pay to play this game SOE should automatically keep the account no matter where you play.

If you buy stuff from the marketplace with card details, SOE should keep the account.

If you buy SOE game cards to fund you account SOE should keep it 

If Alaplaya have game cards in shops and you only ever pay by this method and give no real life details and make a new account, maybe you will safe with PSS1.

[Trevynoae]

Maybe I am plain stupid or have no idea or whatever. Why can other companies do it - but SOE and P7 seem to have a problem?

You could login with whatever account you have! The company you have the account with you pay. Done.

P7S1 promotes their accounts - SOE theirs. Done.

SOE sells SC to a P7S1 accountee? Well - P7S1 gets most of the money. Done.

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[Taany]

Well..

I am the one positive response suggesting we give them a chance and see.

Having looked into this more, and not JUST from reading this thread, is it clear that those who said I am being naive are completely correct.

This company taking over are clearly a nightmare to deal with and have little to no respect for their customers. I expect a certain amount of complaints as, having worked in customer services for a long time myself, I know that some people can never be made happy. However, it's clear to see that the service this company provides is rubbish and more importantly I have no faith in their security.

So, please can you add to your report that the one voice that gave positive feedback has woken up and smelled the coffee.. And adds her voice to the overwhelming objection to this move.

And one final thing that I hadn't quite grasped the implications of.

How can SOE treat the US players so appallingly, forcing them off of the euro servers after so many years establishing themselves and building what should be lifelong friendships. Many of these are in your armed forces, giving years of their lives, and often risking their lives on behalf of your country. Doing this to them is simply shocking and unpatriotic ( and yes I know SOE is foreign owned, but your hearts lie firmly in the US). Every single person involved in this decision should be thoroughly ashamed.

J

[Pariel]

While it looks like they are "listening" I'm not holding my breath, however this many pages of good folk basically saying "No!" ought to make someone sit up and take notice. 

Lets pretend, just for a minute that there are no region locks - I would still like the following questions answered:

1. Will I have to pay PS a sub for my Splitpaw toons and SOE a sub for my Freeport toons? Why would I do that?
2. Supposing the answer to #1 is yes - will there be free server transfers before doomsday so I can get all my toons off Splitpaw.
3. If! (big if) the answer to #1 is no, 1 sub required, then what happens to my re-occuring SC on splitpaw? I dont want it all there, I like to spend on Freeport - but just supposing I want to spend on Splitpaw?
4. What will happen to my US friends who play on Splitpaw - will they be covered in #1? Does unlocking the regions work both ways (which means #2 applies as well)
5. Will the ability still exist to server transfer a toon off Splitpaw to a US server?
6. Will the SOE forums still post updates for EU servers? Sorry, but I will not be patronised by "Hello Kitty" type mods who's forums are made of fluff and bubbles

The most important question is the region lock, but as soon as that is dealt with/confirmed, PLEASE don't go all quiet on us and think you've scored a point. There are loads of questions that NEED answers and need them soon. 

Thanks

[Pariel]

Trevynoae wrote:

Maybe I am plain stupid or have no idea or whatever. Why can other companies do it - but SOE and P7 seem to have a problem?

You could login with whatever account you have! The company you have the account with you pay. Done.

P7S1 promotes their accounts - SOE theirs. Done.

SOE sells SC to a P7S1 accountee? Well - P7S1 gets most of the money. Done.

nvm!

[leuleeh]

Went to clear my card details and suspend my accounts this morning at 09:20 GMT and get this...

We have encountered a system error while processing your request.

Please try again later.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

If you continue to encounter this error, please contact Customer Service at http://support.station.sony.com

What a coincidence.

[Trevynoae]

leuleeh wrote:

Went to clear my card details and suspend my accounts this morning at 09:20 GMT and get this...

We have encountered a system error while processing your request.

Please try again later.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

If you continue to encounter this error, please contact Customer Service at http://support.station.sony.com

What a coincidence.

did you remember that you first have to cancel subs before you can delete card details?

[kahonen]

Impact@Splitpaw wrote:

Tollymore wrote:

Piestro wrote:

Hey folks,

Just wanted to bring the post here to your attention. Quoted  below for convenience.

Thanks,

-Piestro

SOE-Brasse wrote:

Friends,

As we approach the weekend, we wanted to share that we are working on a plan to keep our communities together with the ProSieben deal. Again, we thank you for your patience - we'll provide more information as soon as it is available.

~Brasse

The problem with this is - yes you guessed it - Pro7. No one wants anything to do with them. Having to deal with that company is a close second to the enforced segregation.

The only way to keep the cash rolling in at the moment is to get rid of pro7 - already there are a lot of customers that won't touch the product - only the removal of pro7 from anything to do with the games could possibly entice those people back, and prevent the loss of countless more.

I've no doubt you're right but if it meant keeping my guild together (which is my main concern) I'd be willing to give Pro7 a go.  Game cards are available and you can (for now at least) pay for game subs with them.  OK, I'd lose the 500 SC a month but that is way down my list of concerns. 

The original FAQ said that SOE are retaining control of the servers and will continue to develop the game.  Pro7 have said they are going to produce a SOE specific website and forums.  It does seem to me that all that Pro7 are really doing is collecting our money to pay for the licence they'd bought.  If I can pay them without giving them personal details, I'd be willing to risk the other concerns.

[leuleeh]

I deleted card details first.  I didnt know there was any right or wrong order as before this issue, I had no desire to leave EQ2 at all.

[yadlajoi]

@ cathline and the eula comment. I havent logged on eq2 over a year, theteefore i havent agreed to a possible modified eula stating that SOE can sell my account. I want my account to be left out of the deal since i never agreed to this eula.