Open Episodes & Bonus Weeks - Extended!

Discussion in 'Announcements' started by Mepps, Mar 18, 2020.

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  1. Mepps Sr. Community Manager

    [IMG]

    UPDATE: Open Episodes has been extended through May 11, 2020!

    In the real world, the next few weeks are likely going to be difficult, perhaps scary, definitely isolating. Here at Dimensional Ink, we can't fundamentally change that - even with all the capes and cowls in the world - but we can do our small part.

    We know DCUO can be a way to escape or distract from hard times, and we know playing can be a great way to stay connected with friends from the comfort and safety of our own homes.

    For the team, there is an elevated sense of meaning and passion about what we do right now. If we can make anyone's next few weeks easier, that's important to us on an entirely different level.

    That's why we remain (safely) hard at work on our upcoming episode (Birds of Prey), so you can enjoy it as soon as possible, and that's why we're rolling out bonus WEEKS for the foreseeable future.

    Take a break, log in, have fun - and stay safe.


    OPEN EPISODES

    First up, we invite everyone to come play all of our storylines and content with Open Episodes. All players will have free access through Episode 35: Metal Part I (with increased loot lockout times) from March 19, 2020, through at least April 15, 2020 May 11, 2020.

    Wherever you might be in the game, with whatever content you own, you can log in and be a Super Hero without worrying about real-world costs.

    Remember, also, that our latest episode's event versions are always accessible to everyone for free, so yes, the entire game is here waiting for you.


    BONUS WEEKS

    No more bonus weekends! Starting tomorrow, we're pulling out all the stops, adding to our previous plans, and converting every bonus weekend into bonus WEEKS.

    We can't share everything yet because we're still working on the details, but check back here for the latest information as we go.

    For now, know that we're kicking things off with a bonus currency weekend!
    • Bonus Week One: March 19-25, 2020
      • Bonus (Double) Source Marks and Episode-specific currency rewards.
    • Bonus Week Two: March 26-April 1, 2020
      • Bonus (Double) Thanagarian Marks & New Rewards (Metal Part II)
      • Spring Sale
    • Bonus Week Three: April 2-8, 2020
      • 5x Stabilizer Fragments (daily instance)
    • Bonus Week Four: April 9-15, 2020
      • Double Artifact XP
    • Bonus Week Five: April 23-29, 2020
      • Increased Member Discount
    Open Episodes begin March 19, 2020, and end May 11, 2020. Excludes Episode 36: Metal Part II and Episode 37: Birds of Prey.
    • Like x 48
  2. Eve YouTuber

    This is awesome and Mad respect to the Dev team!!!
    • Like x 14
  3. Sephiroth New Player

    Oh, so you guys listened to the players plea? This is wonderful! Thank you!
    • Like x 6
  4. Brother Allen Loyal Player

    Well, thank you for the Open Episodes for the community but for me personally, I will just sit back and wait till double XP weekend. Once that happens I will throw some money and time to DInk, until then I'll just sit back, chill, and play other games as Metal Part II has kind of run its course at this point.
  5. Sleepy Healer Steadfast Player

    U mean bonus xp week? :p
    • Like x 2
  6. TechLouis New Player

    This is great thanks
    • Like x 1
  7. Lantern_AdamK4 Committed Player

    Thanks for the update!
  8. Lantern_AdamK4 Committed Player

    Anyone who thinks the Devs don’t hear the players and don’t care are full of sh**. This is big. They deserve major props for this.
    • Like x 1
  9. SugarHoneyIcedTeaMix Well-Known Player

    The pvp community would like a word.

    To the dev's thx. Good on yall to give your community something during these spooky times. Might actually update dc to see if my friends are playing now
  10. Brit Loyal Player

    As a subscriber who already has access to all Episodes, it's great to see that all the FTP players can receive free access for what I'm paying money for.

    Again, I will repeat my previous position. If Open Episodes are going to give away a paid feature for free, while the subscribers are still actively paying for what is being given away for free because we aren't given advance notice to drop our subs before this, then could it include something for subscribers to reward us for paying for a subscription for something that you're giving away for free.

    I feel like I went through the drive-through at McDonalds, paid $7 for a value meal, and then the person after me pays $1 for a sandwich gets told "Fries and Drinks are free for all customers!", even though I was charged for them and didn't have my price reduced to correspond with this.
    • Like x 13
  11. MrSàndman New Player


    I share everything you wrote
    • Like x 2
  12. gemii Dedicated Player

    recommendation*

    give the subs a free NTH metal xp cache gift with a decent amount of xp inside it
    • Like x 4
  13. Littlejaytee16 Committed Player

    Ah.... I was wondering why there was in influx of low CR players in the game just earlier today. Now I know.
  14. Irvynnge Loyal Player

    you know what, man? nah. I don't mind. I understand why you're a bit peeved, course I do, &, honestly, I'd probably be a little cheesed off, meself, if it was any other time, but not right now. this is a good thing they've done, & I applaud them for it.
    • Like x 7
  15. StealthBlue Loyal Player

    Your subscription pays for more than just content access. Also, anyone not subscribed or owning the episode has increased loot lockouts as part of it being free. Mepps doesn't detail the increased loot lockouts, but I believe daily resets for subscribers/owners are on a 3 day lockout for those getting access for free.

    As a reminder, the membership benefits are as follows (all prices in US dollars):
    • access to all DLC Packs (worth $195 Plus $10 ~3 months for episode access, note member looses access to unpurchased episodes at end of sub)
    • 150 Free Replay Badges Monthly (worth $5)
    • Unlimited Prometheum Lockbox Unlocks (worth $1 per opened lockbox which drop every 1-2hrs for members, 1-4hrs for premium, can easily get more than 15 lockboxes in a month. note diminishing returns, large pool of items so it is eventually hard to find a new style, though compound omegas are always a loot choice)
    • Unlimited in-game currency (worth ~$20, based on 4 x 7 day unlimited escrow, though you don't need access to all your cash all the time)
    • More Inventory Slots (worth $12 for 3 rows of inventory, note member looses access at end of sub and those are additional rows on top of what can be purchased)
    • Free daily Vault Access (worth ~$16, based on cost of 20 vault tickets, diminishing returns on styles, though provides Nth metal, some ingame cash, a source mark, and occasionally seasonal base items)
    • Form a League (intangible benefit, a member needs to create the league but anyone can be made the leader)
    • 14 Additional character slots (this is a total of 16 slots, premium has 6 total. worth ~$50 for difference in number of available character slots, though many people do not play with more than a handful of characters. Note, members must deactivate up to 10 characters on loss of sub and will not have access to those characters without buying character slots or renewing membership. also members can have up to 32 characters, premiums can only have 22 )
    • 20 Broker slots (worth ~$4, note member looses access to unpurchased broker slots at end of sub, these additional slots are on top of what can be purchased)
    • 36 Additional Bank slots (worth ~$16, note member looses access to unpurchased bank slots, these additional slots are on top of what can be purchased)
    • Trade items and cash (no direct method to determine worth)
    • 6 fragments from stabilizer event (12 per 30 days, premium get 8 so this is worth $4 compared to premium, free only get 6 so this is worth $6 compared to free players)
    • 10% discount in the marketplace (worth depends on amount spent in marketplace)
    • 500 loyalty points/daybreak cash (worth $5)
    • access to layer system (worth $5, note member looses ability to move an existing larger layer and use of the mainframe unlocks on loss of sub)
    • access to utility belt system (worth $5, note member looses ability to equip a utility belt on loss of sub, and will only have access to 1 trinket/sidekick/backup/orbital/pet at a time)
    • access to shield weapon (worth $5, note member looses ability to create a new character/respec an existing character to shield weapon at loss of sub, though they can continue to play characters created during membership with the shield weapon)
    • access to all powers (worth $35, note member looses ability to create a new character/respec an existing character to unpurchased powers at loss of sub, though they can continue to play characters with those unpurchased powers that were created/respeced during membership )
    The three I've highlighted alone cost the same amount as membership if you pay month to month, and there are discounts for getting longer memberships.

    A better comparison would be that you bought 4 value meals for the price of 3, and the person behind you was told they could have a couple of fries every other day.
    • Like x 11
  16. Tabby Belle Well-Known Player

    Kudos and respect to the DCUO Team for giving people who may be stuck at home more access to the game, so that they can have a little bit of an extra escape from the troubled time we're currently living in. Your thoughtfulness and kindness is super appreciated.

    I remember we spoke about this before when they did open episodes during the Anniversary Event. But this time, they're doing it because a lot of people are being put under "Shelter at Home" or "Shelter in Place" orders by their county governments. All non-essential workplaces (grocery stores, healthcare, etc), and all the schools, have been closed down. A lot of people are stuck at home, and have nothing to do. At least DCUO's team is doing something to help alleviate the boredom and monotony for the people affected.

    They're doing this as a charity for others in a time of disaster, and you're complaining about the less fortunate getting some access to what we normally pay for? Heartless.
    • Like x 8
  17. zZzTorrOzZz Committed Player

    Definitely stuck in the house so this is a huge...well, bonus! ;)

    Thanks everyone at DC this rocks! :):p
  18. Captain1Dynamo Committed Player

    ' (with increased loot lockout times) '



    What's up with this?
  19. Brit Loyal Player



    I didn't ask for them to not do something nice for those in need. I didn't even say that we should be refunded, so that some of us aren't being billed for stuff that other people get for free. I politely said that, if they want to do something nice for the people, then do something nice for ALL the people. There are subscribers who live in these quarantine areas as well, and it stinks to get charged money for something that everybody else gets for free.

    It doesn't matter though. I just went ahead and cancelled all 5 of the Legendary Subscriptions I maintain. Now me and my kids can finally stop giving the game money, and instead be treated as good as the FTP players are. I can find something else to do with my $75/month.
    • Like x 5
  20. Littlejaytee16 Committed Player

    As a subscribing player on the Nintendo Switch US server, I don't mind this event at all. Anything that brings in new players to cue up for older multiplayer instances and populate open world areas is fine with me. Even better, perhaps some of them will decide to stick around after all this is over.

    Instead of having the Dev team cook up something to appease the subscribers during these uncertain times, I'd rather they just buckle down and focus on getting the next episode fine tuned ready to go as soon as possible. This way we'll all have something that we (free, premium and legendary members) can enjoy together.
    • Like x 3
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