The Shadow Odyssey Pre-Order Starts Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Djeorge wrote:

That is correct.
- Kirstie

Thank you for responding Kirstie.
I'm not going to worry about pre-ordering now; the mount really is all I was worried about.
Djeorge.

ok everyone, ready for the stupid questions? Here we go.
Stupid question 1 - I have never ordered the digital download before. Will this download automatically or do I need to enter any kind of code key (if I do when do I get it)
Stupid question 2 - When will the new download start? With this being such a large download I was wondering if any of the download would be released early so the entire download isn't being performed on launch day.
Ok, I warned you they were stupid questions. If anyone has any answers and is willing to take pitty on me please let me know.
Thanks!

Necthana@The Bazaar wrote:

Not supid at all!
If you order the digital download through your Station Account (the one EQ2 is on for you) it's all automagical. Your account is flagged, no key.
Some files have started downloading in the background. The release day timeline doesn't show when the files will be available, but I wouldn't even start trying until 6am pacific.

Thanks for the response Calthine. It really is appreciated.

Well I at least now I have read the forums and have a heap of email addys to send angry emails too about the disgusting treatment of getting screwed by the retail box debacle.

Has SoE been able to figure a way for us peeps that are unable to get the box to get the Mount?

I personally dont give a flying free kick about the box or anything else. Just give us a way to be able to buy a retail box key online and the problem will go away rather then your players.

What was the point of getting all your players (ME) to return if you are not interested in them.

Let me make it very clear, all you need to do is make the mounts available to us, it is easily done, so easy in fact that I am surprised it hasn't been done already.

I wont be sitting online in EQ2 on release day watching everyone run around with their new mounts, being invited to raid with my guild and having to turn them down. I play EQ2 for entertainment, to wind done from work ect ect....If I wanted to be depressed during my down time I would watch the news.

I think some peeps in SoE marketing department (and yes the buck stops with them) need to be sacked or re educated this is the second time they have messed up, missing out on the opportunity to bring in new players with an expansion, what a waste.
The world is going through an ecomonic crisis and it will be dog eat dog among the MMO business's as many peeps start cancelling subs becuase being an entainment expense it will be the first to go. When SoE is scrambling around trying to save itself from droping profits, I hope the new CEO will trawl through the many forum post such as this to see where they failed, where they lost customers rather then stealing them back from WoW. SoE has been lucky enough to be in a position where there was plenty of money to go around but that is gunna change and it is going to be these kind of screw ups (not just this one) that will result in job loses and of coarse the people who will be losing thier jobs aren't the ones that made the dumb easily fixed decsions. Strong leadership is required at SoE and it just isn't there.
I would like to thank the many peeps who have offered to help the Aussie player out. I can't thank you enough, only in EQ community would you find such a great bunch of peeps. People like you are why we play this game.
Tessa.
*walks away sulking with soap box and lap top under her arm to make more angry emails*

MonkeyBobNz wrote:

Right. Ryan Hodder of RedAnt has "annoyed" me no end.
Despite his statement of "dont hesitate to contact me should you wish to discuss further" he refuses to answer emails or return calls.
I only wanted a simple question answered: Was he aware of the retail bonus available on this item before the decision was made to not distribute to AUS and NZ. Its a yes or no answer.
If anyone else wants to try to get answers out of him, then go ahead:
Ryan Hodder
Product Manager
MAIN PH: +61 (0)2 9842 4300
DIRECT PH: +61 (0)2 9842 4337
WWW.RED-ANT.COM.AU

MonkeyBobNz wrote:

Well, wouldn't you know it, I just had a nice conversation with Mr Hodder.
Basically, they knew about the retail bonus, but the decision was made "by people higher than me (Ryan)" not to bring it in.
So, SoE tries to encourage retail bonus, but then the distributor screws them over.
I think its time to get new distributors, SoE.

MonkeyBob,
Is he from SoE side of things or just the distributor? Just want to know who I am talking too so I know which part of this saga I can blame....I mean inquire about lol. And a big thanks for finding one of the decsion makers to talk to. Mayhap if they are targeted rather then making thier underlings deal with it, he will move on this stupidity.
Thanks, Tessa..

read the update......So did he say who this...higher than me was?

CyranoDK wrote:

Yes and by comparision while i wait for the expansion to arrive some random time after release and wonder why any one who plays eq outside the US seems to be treated like they have leprosy i get a lovley email about another expansion being released those who shall not be named are offering me free play time and a free expansion

May be the numbers outside the US simply arent regarded as important by SOE and they dont give a toss if they piss of australians and newzealanders.

Just so you know they are doing the same thing to Turbine And Codemasters also with refusing to sell the Collectors Edition and regular boxes also in New Zealand and Austrailia. So the distributors are refusing to sell PC Games with a downloadable version.

Chantress@Antonia Bayle wrote:

He's from RedAnt - the Australian and New Zealand distributor.
I asked him if he knew how many people would be affected by this - he said yes, that part of his job was to monitor the forums of the games. (Hi Ryan! /waves)
No, he didn't say who the "higher ups" were - and honestly, he was fairly apologetic about the whole thing. he understands that the gamers got shafted - there is just nothing he can do about it.

irish wrote:

Well, thats an interesting take on things. I guess they fail to understand that, by its very nature, a MMORPG will have to be downloadable. Are the distributors going to send out free update CD's every week for every MMORPG they sell?
Didn't think so.

Powers wrote:

Which is one major reason I have MUCH interest in this expansion

Tyrranos@Splitpaw wrote:

I think the answer is fairly obvious to anyone vaguely corporate:
Christmas. Retail boxes on shelves mean walk by impulse purchases by parents and relatives who dont know what Timmy/Johnny/Sally etc really wants. In general they will default to buying WoW because thats all thats on the shelf, not because they honestly feel it has superior technical merits. Retail boxes are free advertising, where it counts, and where the largest number of new subscribers MIGHT come from. Preaching to the choir via digital download saves money upfront but wont solve the long term death spiral EQ2 seems to be going through.
If the retail box didnt have a gimmick that was truly cool, people wouldnt clamor for it. If in ANY way they made the coolest item available by digital download the reported "tens, nay Hundreds! of Thousands! of subscribers calmoring to buy retail boxes" would dwindle by a factor of at least ten. Now that I live pretty darn far from the USA, it's not an option to go 20-30 miles and hassle with retail. But hey, Fry's Electronics MIGHT have had it, if they thought a lot of people would buy it. HOW will they know if there's ANY interest in SOE EQ2 add-ons? They have zero experience with the product; it's been only something an afficianado even knows about. WoW is available in every cell phone brick and mortar distributor in EAST EUROPE! (we know Credit Cards exist; just nobody uses them here, its cash and carry only here.) I think I've seen 3 people play from Bulgaria; but as I am an American passport holder and played EQ1 for 7 years before coming here I knew what I wanted. I couldn't buy it (EQ2 release on DVD) until I found it at a store in the UK, which seemed happy to sell as "nobody buys it anymore". Glad business travel took me there, as that was a three year wait for me to leave Bulgaria. This was maybe 4 years ago.
I know nobody HERE likes the retail mess. BUT, I can say with some certainty SOE realizes they HAVE to make retail DESIRE their game, which in turn means having some marketing numbers of people BUYING the game IN RETAIL channels. Direct Distribution == 0 walkby sales. Retail sales == free (well, actually NOTHING is "free", retail space costs up front spiff money or from the back discounts to the disti/retailer), but anyway RECURRING advertising at point of sale. THIS is why they can't offer a magic fix to allow downloading as a quick fix. Its a quick fix but a death spiral long term. In medical terms, the patient is in a bad way but COULD be resuscitated. SOE the junior entity of a large multunational has to answer to corporate why they cant much break even let alone make net profit for the stock holders; failure to get retail boxes in front of ANY potential new audience will mean all 2000 or so forum posters are happy and all the servers strangely barren. Know what I mean? 20K-60K daily users for Eve sounds cool, until you estimate costs of making say an EQ III, with multi-million dollar runtime rendering engine on client side and some impressive costs for *reliable* internet bandwidth. At the corporate side, they can either play ball or punt. But the one option that isnt an option is to just fold and remove the retail box. Anything this close (8 hrs from game time) is too late. But they MUST put retail boxes where newbs and their parents/spouses/relatives can find them. That's the whole idea of November releases...
Sorry if its darned inconvenient. I'm outside the US. There is no way in heck I can get it retail. But I'm all for keeping the dang USA servers ALIVE next year. They closed my Darathar. I went to Naggy (Nagafen PVP). But when Naggy closes, THEN I'm in a bear of a situation. The retail bear is less an issue than keeping the servers fully populated. Aus/NZ have a much better chance of getting solved than South-East Europe, although maybe I'll see something in Greece or Italy next year. But ONLY if the numbers in US make retail EQ2 look worth carrying. Otherwise it ties up floor space that could have gone to WoW, which has real point of sale marketing. Do I like WOW? I'd want to play with my younger brother -- BUT WoW here can ONLY roll toons on Europe Servers. Game Cards here for WoW are Europe only servers. So... don't think WoW is perfect from a marketing stance. They have numbers, but EQ2 has the technical edge. But if EQ2 doesnt make sales, corporate will have these guys commit seppuku for honor's sake.
It's not the answer you want, just the one you need to hear.
Saami with 2 "a"s, woodworker et al
Nagafen

Kiara wrote:

*grumbles... On both the DD and retail, the LoN Painting in once claim only