2014 Membership Update - News from Smed!

... to SOE's cash flow.

I imagine you have to account for unspent SC as a liability for accounting purposes. Just like frequent flier miles or credit card points. You seem to be missing that people are paying for something and the accruing SC was part of the deal when they signed up.

Even for games that aren't available on consoles. We must make everything equally bad. I gotcha.

I didn't buy a station pass because I didn't want a station pass. I have the time to enjoy one game thoroughly (on 5 gold accounts). You can check this, those accounts are now cancelled as I posted on the previous thread.

It seems obvious from the threads and talk in game that most of your customers don't want this. I doubt that matters.

Parting thought: Take a look at how many subscriptions are actually cancelled in the 60 days following your "added value" notice.

It seems like the main problem you are trying to address is the players that do not play. Why don't you guys stop the free monthly SC for those who haven't logged in for awhile, like the players who went from gold to silver. Their stuff is back in the bank or in parcel. Those items are still there though. When someone comes back to play, they can resubscribe to regain the SC? I'm thinking the SC that I actually did pay real money for..you are going to make me lose that? Even if there was nothing I didn't really need or want at the moment? Why were you even giving out free SC anyway? Just make them available for us to buy, when we want something we will get it. Why penalize everyone, for what only some people do? I do NOT play all the other games, have been playing EQ since 1999. And when you guys made it not available for the 2 year plan, i've had to reup for the 1 year for 3 accounts. It seems like a no win situation for some of us.

Does this mean Europeans will now be able to get all titles through SOE and not the german company?

I generally don't go running off to third-party sites to see what's on Smed's mind. If he had something to say to the players of his flagship game, he would post here, but seems he does not.

I generally don't go running off to third-party sites to see what's on Smed's mind. If he had something to say to the players of his flagship game, he would post here, but seems he does not.

My point to Piestro exactly, Tobynn.

He has not even bothered to address the EQ issue and I could give two hoots about other games and PS3 and PS4 players.

I don't post very often.

I like the idea of one item per month up to 2k and I will use it every month on my two gold accounts.

Everyone stay safe.

I still prefer the 500/month, and I am one of the SC hoarders with multiple accounts that didn't log on much (except recently). sure I have accounts with 12,200sc built up on them.. still nothing I want to buy in the marketplace.. Because honestly I think its all overpriced, and I could care less about the visual junk in Everquest.

In games like Planetside the purchases are actually worth it.. Get better weapons and armor since they are pay to win style games, but EQ is not (thankfully).

But I still want to stockpile my sc for when I start another game in the future (maybe EQN). It would be nice to start up and have 50k or more station cash for upgrades.

Three Things.
1. Using a third party site to have us read more, is a horrible way to spread the word about a change. You should simply have posted here. We come here for information because its supposed to be reliable information. Like many other people I refuse to click links in forums.
2. What happens to my yearly subscription that goes until August. I had savings plans, not unlike other people, to save the cash until i could afford a nice big guild hall/zone writ.
3. Access to more games is not going to make me want to play them. I play eq because I like eq. I have no desire to invest time in other games, or I would have switched away from Sony to blizzard back during the years of enchanter nerfs. Additional game access has no value for a lot of us.

It would make more sense to discontinue the promised 500 station cash when our (Monthly/Yearly) subscriptions end. Instead, this has generated tons of bad feelings and lowered the player-base EQ loyalty faction.

That's obviously john smead and Brad wilxcox style of doing things. Notice how john uses " Jaded " to categorize negatively people who might disagree with him.
I think honestly we all should start writing letters to SOE corporate headquarters to bring these problems to their attention

Actually aren't there consumer protection laws about this ? Might be worth looking into. Nothing else seems to work !

I too cringed when I read the word Jaded. Thanks for that guys, why on earth would loyal players of your game be jaded anyway? ummmm... no don't answer that, those of us who are jaded know exactly why.

First of all, I am not thrilled at being told to go look at another game's third party discussion boards to get word on what is going on with this situation.

Is he going to come here and explain how this applies to EQ or PS2 the only favored child at the moment?

That said, there is a rather simple solution to this, which is something SOE should have considered a long time ago. The situation calls for a two tier system.

The top tier would equate to SC (SCA) and be a correlation to real life currency units. It would also be possible to utilize funds in this for any program in the enterprise. It would mainly be utilized to purchase things like game time or expansions. (Things SOE wont let us use SC for anymore anyways.)

The second lower tier would be the commonly used tier of currency within the game itself and would have no direct correlation to any real world currency. This tier (SCB) would contain all your potions, mounts, SOE made house items, bags, bundles, etc. The 500 SCB a month would be granted at this level.

The top tier funds would be used to purchase the lower tier funds, but as already noted, gold accounts would already be getting the free 500 lower tier SC. This would also be a one way conversion.

This setup would allow SOE to divorce the standard holdings/stockpiles from their real world accounting ledgers and still allow players to utilize the free SC in the manner they desire. Instead of providing specials for the SCA funding levels with game card redemption rates, they could just periodically provide a bonus to the conversion rate between SCA to SCB.

From what I gathered from the Reddit Thread - Sony does not currently payout anything for player studio items paid for with free SC. Am I correct in what I read?

Do the player studio creator's know about this?

The question I find most relavent is will we be able to use ALL of the 2000 SC or just buy ONE item? I have been looking for a definative answer to that question, but only find vague answers.
If it can all be used, then it is great. Otherwise not so much. Still 2000 is 4 times 500.

It's a problem to accrue SC...in other words, your sub isn't enough, we need you to spend more of your cash for bright shiny shizz...and, you're right, I only play EQ1. I don't want/need/desire to play any of your other game or anyone elses games for that matter. I'm glad this works out for those who do want to take advantage of this offering, but it is ZERO benefit to me.

Darazag asked:

The question I find most relavent is will we be able to use ALL of the 2000 SC or just buy ONE item? I have been looking for a definative answer to that question, but only find vague answers.
If it can all be used, then it is great. Otherwise not so much. Still 2000 is 4 times 500.


One item out of Sony's choice of items that it will be applicable for and any difference - as in if you buy a 1k item you lose the other 1k. It is a no change back deal.

No SC is being reset.

So wait...I pay for my sub with SOE game cards bought from Gamestop. I have never received any SC for my sub. ever. Does everyone else get SC from a gamecard sub? Do I not qualify? What the hell!!!

Desperate Measures Smedley ( The Big Gnome)>)
I only play EQ and find that I really do not want to support Planetside or whatever game you have OR are you trying to make a competition for Bitcoin?
Zarie

my only real beef with the new change is just the fact that its from what I read 2000 SC on 1 item. ya ya I know im being greedy here, its better then 500 month, but id rather divide up what I get how I choose, then be given a lot free on 1 thing. Choices allways make people happy.