I still will say Bioware needs to learn to write. Maybe a course in Business 101 or Effective Business Communication Writing and Speaking would be helpful for them in the future.

You don't use the word appreciation for compensation , simple as that.

They need to learn this and maybe just maybe this would not have happened.

The expansion going free to subscribers is great the wording on the cartel coins sloppy work.

My *opinion*:

Those who bought the expansion early have gotten their money's worth. You have paid to have access to content that others didn't unless they themselves had paid too. You have been using that content over a period of time (those that pre-ordered have had the longest use) and thus you have received your money's worth.

The cartel coins are ONLY being given to customers that have purchased the expansion in the last month. These customers have arguably been treated the most unfairly as they may not feel they have received their money's worth (if I had known the expansion would be free in a month I'd have probably waited and not paid for it). Therefore, the cartel coins are being given to compensate them.

It seems the only mistake here was to award the loyal customers with a mere title (I do agree that is lame btw). I personally believe it would have been better to not have given those customers anything. Nevertheless many of the complaints here are unjustified. You have not been left out of pocket.

*Afterthought*

Having been a console gamer for years, I've become accustomed to paying for expansion packs, usually multiplayer maps, and then discovering months later that the content was now free. However, I never complained. The way I see it is that I paid to have early access to it. This has been common practise throughout the games industry for quite some times.

I'm sure this has been expressed many times, but why are people who pre-ordered and have been with the game since launch, like myself being punished for having bought the expansion early and supporting this game as quickly as we can! Seems very very unacceptable.

Being punished?

"Supporting the game"? You've being paying to *play* the game.

I'm sure this has been expressed many times, but why are people who pre-ordered and have been with the game since launch, like myself being punished for having bought the expansion early and supporting this game as quickly as we can! Seems very very unacceptable.

How are you being punished? You got your holostatue, title, and pet for pre-ordering. Now you are receiving a title, pet and speeder. You got 500 CC's a couple of months ago as a subscriber perk. You get 500-650 monthly as a subscriber. You got several thousand coins, a tauntaun pet, and a party jawa in the F2P transition. You pay for this game because it's fun. At least, that's my assumption.

How were you punished again?

How are you being punished? You got your holostatue, title, and pet for pre-ordering. Now you are receiving a title, pet and speeder. You got 500 CC's a couple of months ago as a subscriber perk. You get 500-650 monthly as a subscriber. You got several thousand coins, a tauntaun pet, and a party jawa in the F2P transition. You pay for this game because it's fun. At least, that's my assumption.

 

How were you punished again?

Withholding rewards may not be punishment, but to those on the receiving end it feels that way. Also, a subscriber that held out until last week to buy the expansion also got the same monthly and one time CC perks, so I don't see how reminding people about them is in any way relevant to the current issue being discussed.

Withholding rewards may not be punishment, but to those on the receiving end it feels that way. Also, a subscriber that held out until last week to buy the expansion also got the same monthly and one time CC perks, so I don't see how reminding people about them is in any way relevant to the current issue being discussed.

The issue is that some people don't like the fact that a few people are getting CCs for buying the xpac late. I get it. But I think it's silly and I honestly can't even understand why people "punished". Io pre-ordered this game and the xpac too, I paid for it because I am enjoy the service, I understand that they're going to put out incentives for new people, and a refund of sorts for people toward the end of the xpac's run after everyone else has played it for 6 months.

The issue is that some people don't like the fact that a few people are getting CCs for buying the xpac late. I get it. But I think it's silly and I honestly can't even understand why people "punished". Io pre-ordered this game and the xpac too, I paid for it because I am enjoy the service, I understand that they're going to put out incentives for new people, and a refund of sorts for people toward the end of the xpac's run after everyone else has played it for 6 months.

I fully agree with you. People who ordered early should not have rewards withheld, and I think that BW is wrong for doing so. My explanation of the difference between withholding rewards and punishment was only meant as a response the previous post. In any case BW has definitely stepped in another huge pile of poodoo by putting together their two tiered appreciation schedule for those of us who bought the expansion, and now, unfortunately, we are the ones that have to live with it.

I'm going to move one of my recent response from another thread and add it to this thread.

You know this thread just gave me an idea. Bioware could give all the subs an extra 1050CC(current and new subs) and then every sub will feel satisfied. If that doesn't work then I'm thinking it will at least reduce the complaints.

I'd feel even more special if I they added another zero and gave me a lifetime free sub. After all, it doesn't *cost* them anything.

What is your guild brewing anyway? Can I have some?

What is your guild brewing anyway? Can I have some?

Sure!

I think a lot of these complaints could be avoided if two things happen.

1st:

"Players who have already purchased Rise of the Hutt Cartel and are an active Subscriber on September 12, 2013 at 4:00AM PDT / 11:00AM GMT will receive a new title, “The Risen,” via in-game mail on or before September 25, 2013 as our appreciation for the purchase."

Anyone who purchased RotHC AFTER August 10th (People receiving the "refund" cartel coins) should not receive the title. If the title is supposed to "make it up" to people who are upset, then shouldn't it be a special item to them instead of an extra bonus for people just purchasing it?

2nd:

It's something different then a title! Because the Expansion pack offers access to Makeb, I think instead of the title "The Risen" people should receive a Golden Fury pet (Toborro's Courtyard Operation Boss) that shoots your enemies while it's with you (Doesn't damage or change outward appearance, just a little droid shooting people occasionally.)

This way people get something that's actually cool (And I think it'd be wanted), it would be extremely unique (It fires a harmless laser) and it would be for the people who already purchased it, not the people getting cartel coins.

Everybody is happy then.

I fully agree with you. People who ordered early should not have rewards withheld, and I think that BW is wrong for doing so. My explanation of the difference between withholding rewards and punishment was only meant as a response the previous post. In any case BW has definitely stepped in another huge pile of poodoo by putting together their two tiered appreciation schedule for those of us who bought the expansion, and now, unfortunately, we are the ones that have to live with it.

They stepped in the pile of poodoo when they had their PR and/or marketing team spin the communication about their attempt to dissuade people who bought RotHC in the 30 days prior to the price change from requesting a cash refund.

It's not really customer appreciation.

They should have realized that most players would not see through the marketing-speak and that most of those would feel slighted as a result.

Can't wait for an official response to this thread...

Please take out "subscriber benefit," unless subscribers who own RotHC already get the CC too in the end. Some ARE NOT more equal than others

...or hell change it to Legal Obligation Benefit to make it less of a BS deal.

Can't wait for an official response to this thread...

 

Please take out "subscriber benefit," unless subscribers who own RotHC already get the CC too in the end. Some ARE NOT more equal than others

 

...or hell change it to Legal Obligation Benefit to make it less of a BS deal.

I seriously doubt they're coming back into this thread lol. Eric has already apologized once this week for poor communication and while he might be "always watching" there are only so many swords a man can fall on. It's a PR blunder, no question, but they are going to try to ignore it and hope it goes away. Plan Ostrich is in full effect.

I just hope they learn from it (which is equally doubtful).

It's always good to see Bioware releasing controversial topics on a Friday before they head home.

Guessing they love to kick back and have a beer over the weekend watching the community argue with itself.

So what Bioware is saying is "Don't buy our products on release, because we'll be giving it away roughly 6 months later."

I re-subbed on Aug 8th. Imagine how pissed I am. I didn't even get to play the expansion and I'm only getting the title.

i pre-ordered to show my support to bioware, haven't played a single second of the content yet... resubbed yesterday so i miss out on the title as well xD

They stepped in the pile of poodoo when they had their PR and/or marketing team spin the communication about their attempt to dissuade people who bought RotHC in the 30 days prior to the price change from requesting a cash refund.

 

It's not really customer appreciation.

 

They should have realized that most players would not see through the marketing-speak and that most of those would feel slighted as a result.

I understand your point. You do not think that they actually appreciate anyone for having bought the expansion, and they are simply using the cartel coins as a sort of bribe to get people who could otherwise request refunds not to. In other words, you are saying that they don't appreciate long term subscribers that bought the expansion less than those that recently bought it, but instead, you think that they really don't appreciate any of us at all.

Now I don't know if you are right, or if you are wrong. However, I think that they should be the ones to tell us how much they appreciate our purchases, and as it stands right now they have, and their two tiered appreciation scheme demonstrates to me that they appreciate recent adopters more than early adopters, and I still think that they are wrong to do so.

Just to cast my vote;

I agree with what people have been saying. I pre-ordered the expansion way-back-when, I've been a subscriber from day 1, there should be something more than just a title. While asking for a refund may be expecting too much, those of us who paid money for the expansion should at least get the price equivalent in cartel coins.

Let this be a lesson to subscribers, don't buy the expansions. We'll most likely get them anyway.

I understand your point. You do not think that they actually appreciate anyone for having bought the expansion, and they are simply using the cartel coins as a sort of bribe to get people who could otherwise request refunds not to. In other words, you are saying that they don't appreciate long term subscribers that bought the expansion less than those that recently bought it, but instead, you think that they really don't appreciate any of us at all.

 

Now I don't know if you are right, or if you are wrong. However, I think that they should be the ones to tell us how much they appreciate our purchases, and as it stands right now they have, and their two tiered appreciation scheme demonstrates to me that they appreciate recent adopters more than early adopters, and I still think that they are wrong to do so.

Then you misunderstand my point. I haven't suggested whether or not they appreciate people buying the expansion between its release date and 30 days ago.

My only point is that the cartel coin "in-store credit" is to dissuade anyone who bought within the 30 day "cash refund window" not to ask for the cash refund and not actually any sort of token of appreciation beyond appreciation of those same people not asking for a cash refund.

Now if you think they DO appreciate people who purchased, why do you think they appreciate people who've recently purchased more than those who pre-ordered or purchased earlier?

Why do you think they appreciate people who purchased 31 days ago a whole lot less than those who purchased 29 days ago?

Just to cast my vote;

I agree with what people have been saying. I pre-ordered the expansion way-back-when, I've been a subscriber from day 1, there should be something more than just a title. While asking for a refund may be expecting too much, those of us who paid money for the expansion should at least get the price equivalent in cartel coins.

 

Let this be a lesson to subscribers, don't buy the expansions. We'll most likely get them anyway.

title, speeder, AND A pet. on-top of the pre-order items you got from the expansion AND the early access AND the current 5 months of access that others have not had.

MORE?