BW has a bunch of new promotions coming up, one of which is this one:

Story So Far Promotion.

The short version of the rules state:

WHO: Knights of the Fallen Empire Players

WHAT: Play through Chapter 13 “Profit and Plunder”

WHEN: 5 Winners awarded with the Zakuul Knight Armor Set and Zakuul Dropship Mount on May 10, 15, 20, 25, 30

The longer, more detailed rules state:

How to Enter: Visit the Promotion Web site at http://www.swtor.com/may-the-fourth/story and sign in with your SWTOR account and read and accept the Official Rules. Then, log into Star Wars: The Old Republic (“SWTOR”) – Knights of the Fallen Empire (“KOTFE”) and complete Chapters 1-13, through Chapter 13 “Profit and Plunder” during the Promotion Period.

The "promotion period" is listed further down that page and includes specific dates in May.

So my question is: To be eligible, are you required to run a character through chapters 1-13 during one of the weekly promotional periods? In other words, are characters that have already completed chap 1-12 ineligible? The phrasing makes it sound like only characters newly starting the KOTFE storyline are eligible, and that they have to complete all 13 chapters during one of the promotional weeks. So having a character that has already completed any of the chapters before May 3rd makes that character ineligible.

Am I getting that correct? Want to make sure I understand the rules!

Smells to me like maybe they feel some trepidation over the number of eligible characters or even players who aren't having anything to do with KotFE.

Could be true since in my case I am holding off playing it until All of the chapters are included. I just don't play anything where my entertainment could be put on hold until a next chapter gets released. Another aspect seems to be that with every patch that is put out as of late tends to break an aspect of the game that previously was functioning ok . I would really hate to see my class story and "choice" put in jeopardy because of it so I am not taking the chance.

I have a few characters who are in KotFE (not all caught up to the current chapter, some are sitting at needing to do 10 or 11 or 12 next) and I have other characters who have not started it yet (not out of lack of interest, just because I intend to finish SoR / Ziost with them before starting KotFE with them).

If it calls for chapter 13 alone, cool, my marauder is already ready to go and my operative, commando , and scoundrel aren't far behind. If it calls for a full run of 1-13 within one of those windows, well... I think my sage was the next one I have closest to being ready to start it? Could scramble to make sure that he'll be ready to go...

Could be true since in my case I am holding off playing it until All of the chapters are included. I just don't play anything where my entertainment could be put on hold until a next chapter gets released. Another aspect seems to be that with every patch that is put out as of late tends to break an aspect of the game that previously was functioning ok . I would really hate to see my class story and "choice" put in jeopardy because of it so I am not taking the change.

"Not taking the chance" describes my entire experience with KotFE. Noticing 8/10 ship droids missing on launch and then broken romances/courting gifts while organizing the mess that comp gear mails and crafting mat conversion made of my cargo made me hold off initially. Then ship droid customs went missing, then HK customs went missing and events broke/failed to launch, then several companions using other companions voices, and so on and so on (like the shampoo commercial).

A complete lack of confidence in the work, or even the existence of a QA department has completely put me off inflicting KotFE on any of my existing characters.

If you're worried you won't be eligible because you've already started KOTFE, are adamantly opposed to playing through it, or simply won't have a chance to play much during May, then just take the alternative method of entering:

Alternatively, you may also enter by sending an e-mail to swtorsubmissions@swtor.com with the subject line “Story So Far Promotion” and the following SWTOR account information in the body of the e-mail: SWTOR Display Name, Email Address, First Name, Last Name.

If you're worried you won't be eligible because you've already started KOTFE, are adamantly opposed to playing through it, or simply won't have a chance to play much during May, then just take the alternative method of entering:

 

Alternatively, you may also enter by sending an e-mail to swtorsubmissions@swtor.com with the subject line “Story So Far Promotion” and the following SWTOR account information in the body of the e-mail: SWTOR Display Name, Email Address, First Name, Last Name.

That's a workaround for technical difficulties in signing up through the webpage. It does not bypass the need to participate in the actual conditions of the drawing (playing the chapter(s) during the time specified). Signing up is just a prerequisite for them to look at your account later to check if you've played the content.

That's a workaround for technical difficulties in signing up through the webpage. It does not bypass the need to participate in the actual conditions of the drawing (playing the chapter(s) during the time specified). Signing up is just a prerequisite for them to look at your account later to check if you've played the content.

That's unlikely, it looks like a pretty standard "Free Method" alternative that they need to have in order to avoid potentially being classified as an illegal lottery - which is also why they have a "No Purchase Necessary" disclaimer right at the top of the official rules.

If playing through the content was a requirement in both cases, then a "purchase" (i.e. a May subscription) would be necessary, and they'd risk legal complications. That's also why the "Read and Accept the Official Rules" and "Play through Chapter 13" requirements are both in the same paragraph in §2, while the "Email Us" alternative is a separate paragraph from both.

(For a look at the fairly amusing approach that Canadian law takes to avoiding being classified as an illegal lottery, note this fun little line in §5 that they also had to have in the contest rules: "If any potential winner is a Canadian resident he/she will be required to answer a time limited skill testing question without assistance of any kind whether mechanical or otherwise, in order to be eligible to receive a prize." They make you answer a math question to remove the 'chosen by random chance' prong of being labeled a lottery. ... Yeah, laws are weird sometimes.)

And what about this:

The Old Republic™ - Knights of the Fallen Empire and is open only to legal residents of Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada (excluding Quebec), Chile, China, including Taiwan, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, the United States (including the District of Columbia)

Why? Why is it necessary to exclude everyone else? The country right across the river from mine is eligible, mine isn't... kinda sad, you know.

And what about this:

 

 

Why? Why is it necessary to exclude everyone else? The country right across the river from mine is eligible, mine isn't... kinda sad, you know.

Most likely, same reason they allow email entries and have that skills test for canadians. Laws concerning contests like this.

The country right across the river from mine is eligible, mine isn't... kinda sad, you know.

The Rhine ? I know that feel.

I assume the legal bods at EA dictate what countries laws prohibit even none physical rewards, if in doubt I don't think EA would risk a lawsuit from a country.

Some countries would just block EA from doing business there if EA broke their laws and regulations.

Of course, none of that matters, right? As long as certain players get their chance to win or their opportunity for incoherent rage, it's not like being able to actually play the game matters... evidently...

Some countries would just block EA from doing business there if EA broke their laws and regulations.

 

Of course, none of that matters, right? As long as certain players get their chance to win or their opportunity for incoherent rage, it's not like being able to actually play the game matters... evidently...

Well if some countries would block EA doing business with them then these players would no longer be able to play the game anyway right? for the sake of a none physical reward why risk potentially not being able to play a game at all?

That's a workaround for technical difficulties in signing up through the webpage. It does not bypass the need to participate in the actual conditions of the drawing (playing the chapter(s) during the time specified). Signing up is just a prerequisite for them to look at your account later to check if you've played the content.

alternatively

Hmm, seems to be a completely separate method of entering the promotion to me.

Well if some countries would block EA doing business with them then these players would no longer be able to play the game anyway right? for the sake of a none physical reward why risk potentially not being able to play a game at all?

That was pretty much my point, hidden under all that sarcasm.

(Not a great morning so far...)

Ah, the internet. Ever a bastion of well-reasoned and respectful discussion.

Yeah... not sure what people think they're going to accomplish with comments like that.

That was pretty much my point, hidden under all that sarcasm.

 

(Not a great morning so far...)

Sorry max, I missed the sarcasm my brain has evidently checked out for the week and gone on to the bank holiday a little early.

Good question!

 

The answer is that you only need to complete Chapter 13 during one of the listed periods, not 1-13. I believe it is worded that way since you will have needed to complete 1-12 anyway to complete 13. Hope that clears up any confusion.

 

-eric

Thanks for the clarification, Eric!

I'm kind of confussed exactly what we're supposed to do. Take a video while we play through chapter 13 and email it to SWTOR? Take screen caps? Or just play and see if you're picked a winner? I have 11 toons I take through each KotFE chapter every month.

I'd be playing the chapters whether there was a contest or not, but the way to submit confuses me.

That's a workaround for technical difficulties in signing up through the webpage. It does not bypass the need to participate in the actual conditions of the drawing (playing the chapter(s) during the time specified). Signing up is just a prerequisite for them to look at your account later to check if you've played the content.

I doubt it.

Generally, by law, any sort of contest that has a "random drawn winner" factor to selecting the winner has to be offered with a secondary method to play, which does not require buying anything. I find it odd that this would apply to a virtual contest for virtual content inside a virtual game. Then again.. laws do vary by state so maybe this was just the legal team being conservative and avoiding any possible issue in any state or country. With this many players playing the game... certainly someone would be bent and want to file a law suit over something/anything/anytime.

Complete Chapter 13 during one of the drawing periods... that completed 13, at the end of each 5 day period.

-eric

Does this mean that if you complete Chapter 13 by the 10th you're only eligible for the drawing for the 10th, or does completing the chapter make you eligible for all the drawings after you've completed chapter?