Looks like SOE is trying to blackmail people into buying this game.
In order to participate in the special phase of the EverQuest II beta (tentatively scheduled for Spring 2004), players must have an active EverQuest account throughout the special phase of EverQuest II beta. Players who purchase Lords of EverQuest will find an offer inside the box outlining all of the terms and conditions, as well as complete instructions on how to take advantage of this unprecedented offer.
Beta Spring 2004? Wow! This thing was supposed to have a christmas release!
Being fangoriously devoured by a gelatinous monster.
redfang#1780
""Unprecedented"" is right.
“While American democracy is imperfect, few outside the majority of this court would have thought its flaws included a dearth of corporate money in politics.” - Justice John Paul Stevens
That is G''damn lame.
PSN ID: Haul_N_Oats
Blackmail: Extortion of money or something else of value from a person by the threat of exposing a criminal act or discreditable information. [/i]
So you get 30 days for free in EQ and a shot at the EQ2 beta this spring. I don''t know, seems fine to me.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ― Howard Thurman
Yeah, there''s absolutely nothing wrong with this. It''s a smart marketing move to keep SOE''s titles in the spotlight, as well as promoting new product. It uses their existing player base, and rewards those who''ve been faithful to them. Now, if you couldn''t play EQ2 without having purchased a previous SOE game, I can see how that might ruffle a few feathers, but even then it would just be a blundering move at worst.
This is as much blackmail as raising the price of Warcraft III because it was going to be a popular game was price gouging ... which is to say none at all.
The thing about smart people is they seem like crazy people to dumb people -- Thing I saw on the Internet
Geesh, I try to sensationalize something a bit and get the dictionary thrown at me. Ok I guess it''s more
extortion: Illegal use of one''s official position or powers to obtain property, funds, or patronage.
but I would like to point out that extortion was listed in your definition, and is listed as a synonym for blackmail.
Anyways they don''t seem to have much faith the game will do well at the box office on it''s own merits.
Just thought I would mention that I was not that impressed with Lords of EQ, but I allso was not embarrassed by it. It plays very much like a high quality WC3 clone, in fact I would not be stunned to learn that they licensed the WC3 engine considering how it looks and feels almost identical.
-Griffon
Did Samurai Jack ever get back to the past?
I wonder what the ""special phase"" of the beta is supposed to be? My guess is that it''s probably just a way to show off the ""finished"" product before it ships, you know to get them hooked. ""First taste is always free"" and all that.
I disagree with what you say, and I will deny, to your death, you're right to say it. - Bucky Katt
If you enjoyed the multiplayer of Warcraft 3, go ahead and get Lords of Everquest. If you happen to despise micromanaging your little soldiers and perhaps the most annoying unit acknowledgements known to man, stay away.
I never minded piracy. Anyone who minds about piracy is full of sh*t. Anyone who pirates your game wasn't going to buy it anyway! -Warren Spector
GWJFFL Pro 2010 Champion
I agree that it is pretty lame, for a few reasons. First of all, people who climb on board for something like this should not be part of the beta. MMOs have enough problems with buggy launches without being beta tested by a bunch of fan-boys. If they wanted to pass it off as a special preview of EQ2, that''s fine, but I hope they aren''t expecting to get objective feedback from people who would buy into this.
If anything they should offer the beta to people like me who have never played EQ...maybe that would get us hooked.
"You know, hubbinsd, as much as I don't want to go into library science, I still think you're pretty sexy." -Wordsmythe
This shocks people?
Remember your talking about Verant..
The same company that wanted to charge for their EQ Chat Client....
Aint nothing new about the world order..it's been playing since the day they put George Washington on a quarter
Delivering Truth while the 10% deliver lies.
You know, Captain, every year of my life I grow more and more convinced that the wisest and the best is to fix our attention on the good and the beautiful. If you just take the time to look at it.
Yes, that quote from a MST3K episode makes about much sense as this ""incentive"" plan.
I wish you guys would stop encouraging him.
EvilHomer3k wrote:You are an evil, evil person.
Baron Of Hell wrote:YOU VILLAIN!
I think the crux of the problem is that marketing people are now the ones running all the dam beta''s and they neither grasp nor care what beta''s are for. To the marketing department it''s just a way to sell bundles and raise brand awareness and somhow force people into some monthly serive modle because that is all the industrie wants now.
-Griffon
Did Samurai Jack ever get back to the past?
Just think of how much more ammunition they have when they can dangle the ""this game holds future promise"" carrot in front of us.
Being fangoriously devoured by a gelatinous monster.
redfang#1780
And people still try to bite into that carrot like jackasses (including me).
I disagree with what you say, and I will deny, to your death, you're right to say it. - Bucky Katt
Notice the irony though...
Marketing to your existing customer base that allready pays $15/month for your existing game..
Now your going to spend X amount of dollars in order to recapture that $15 a month???
See the difficulty?
Aint nothing new about the world order..it's been playing since the day they put George Washington on a quarter
Delivering Truth while the 10% deliver lies.
Anyone dumb enough to think they are saving $15 by buying another game that costs $45 deserves what they get. HOWEVER, I do think it is nice of them to give those people who play EQ and buy this game a little something extra for their brand loyalty. It''s just like getting an ""upgrade"" to your toothbrush or toaster and finding a $10 rebate coupon because you bought the last model.
Who wouldn''t want to market to their existing customer base anyway? You''re guaranteed to get some of them to buy the new stuff, because they like the old stuff.
While I agree with everyone that SOE/Verant is all bastards, I think people may be reading a little too much into this offer. Would anyone be complaining if you were guaranteed to beta test UT 2006 if you bought the expansion to UT 2004? (N.B. This is a hypothetical game I''m talkin'' ''bout here.)
I disagree with what you say, and I will deny, to your death, you're right to say it. - Bucky Katt
Your missing the point... while this is fine for most regular games..where of course you would market to your existing base.. but in an MMORPG where you have to invest a much larger chunk of money to get a product off the ground.. does it make much sense to then spend X more dollars to re-capture a revenue stream you allready have captured?
They''re basically stealing from one cash cow to hopefully build a second cash cow...What Sony/Verant should be doing is trying to capture an new customer base with EQ2..
Which is why again I wouldnt be suprised if EQ2 becomes less a sequal and more an addon to EQ.
Is EQ2 a success if by the end of the year EQ2 stands at 250,000 subs and EQ has fallen to 200,000 subs?
hmmm....
Aint nothing new about the world order..it's been playing since the day they put George Washington on a quarter
Delivering Truth while the 10% deliver lies.
Most people I''ve met online play more than one MMORPG. I don''t know how they do it, or why, but they do. Hell, I''ve met people that have multiple accounts for the same game. While I''m sure some of the subsrcibers to EQ will jump ship and head to EQ2, some may stay and pay for both. That''s probably not something they are (or should be) banking on, but it sounds like they are hoping for at least a little of that.
I disagree with what you say, and I will deny, to your death, you're right to say it. - Bucky Katt
No doubt...at one point I had 3 EQ accounts...but again..like you said thats a small amount..
I''m sure a nice chunk will continue to play EQ and play EQ2 all at the same time..
But if your banking on worldwide success on just that alone your in trouble..
Aint nothing new about the world order..it's been playing since the day they put George Washington on a quarter
Delivering Truth while the 10% deliver lies.
I dont think that will happen. Depending on how EQ2 turns out, those that play both may have an easier time getting more friends to play EQ2 that refused to play EQ or dabbled and didnt like it. Of course this is all speculation. EQ2 on the surface seems to be what the hardcore will call ""dumbed down"" and the casuals will call ""user friendly"".
Now AC2''s audience tipped the scales for that game way over into the ""dumbed down"" range and it killed the game.
Being fangoriously devoured by a gelatinous monster.
redfang#1780
You know whats funny? I wish they''d use the LoEQ models for EQ. They wont be as bloated as the Luclin models and they look ten times better than the Original EQ models.
Whens that expansion coming out? You now the one that doesnt cripple a 9800 pro but gives some new style to the bucket head humans for example.
They need a tweener solution in their graphics.
Being fangoriously devoured by a gelatinous monster.
redfang#1780