Manual: How to get rid of a VIP

[Ruestikus]

...nice move Turbine:) ..u just explain me with all that PRE-Order around here... i was stupid all the time i spent money while beeing VIP?

since... the game released...

Wasnt it... like.. VIP get the Packs for Free.. as long they are VIP? (if not beeing in a SUB downgrade to Premium)

...so u just explain me... i have to pay additional to the monthly (using 3Month myself) fee...
for Quests?


VIP´s also buy stuff in the shop...sure..but for QUESTS? o0


Hey, WOW ... its like in WOW ...why dont u sell the rights on the game to Blizzard?

"World of Warcraft Lost 600k Subscribers" may, 2011
http://www.curse.com/news/world-of-warcraft-news/16238-world-of-warcraft-subscriber-base-currently-at-11

"World of Warcraft has Lost 1.1 Million Players so Far in 2011" 2011
http://www.vgchartz.com/article/88433/world-of-warcraft-has-lost-11-million-players-so-far-in-2011/


"World of Warcraft lost 800,000 more subscribers last quarter: has the end begun? " last quarter 2011
http://www.geek.com/articles/games/world-of-warcraft-lost-800000-more-subscribers-last-quarter-has-the-end-begun-2011119/



...honestly iam upset... and i bet many others are also...

why do u kick us befor our kneels?

Did u calculate..what might happen if u loose lotta Subscribers?
U earn enuff money just by F2P and premium?
u think all VIP stay in the game,after this kick-ass?

then let us know u dont want VIP´s anymore..and we would understand maybe...


if u do not find another solution that for... trust me u will loose many people...

from the hardcorebase...also players who played from the F2P-Model on...and at least new players also...






so... in faithful awaitings u overhaul your NEW methods to get money (loose playerbase)

[Matuse]

TL;DR: I haven't paid any attention to the expansion updates or the forums for the last 3 years and especially the last month, and now I am upset at finding out information that has been known by everyone else for a long time.

[Qaliya]

Turbine has been clear from the start that the expansion pack would not be covered by VIP membership.

That said, since the only way to get all the pre-order content is to get the $80 pack, and that pack includes 2000 TP and a bunch of adventure packs, and it also gives you access to an 11,000 TP pack for $60...

The smartest move for anyone on VIP right now is to pay $140 for the Collector's Edition and 11k TP, and cancel VIP membership.

Turbine has shown time and again that they do not really value their subscribers, and this seals the deal. They don't want you to be VIP, so oblige them. You'll save money in the long run, and no longer have to be disappointed the next time they pull some cheap-o marketing gimmick.

[Demaril]

actually if you have the patience to wait 2 months and buy the quest and epic destiny thingy ViPs get the rest for free anyway its 6 months to august save your 500tps a month and yo ucan nearly buy the 2 things you dont get anyway

[Thrudh]

The smartest move for anyone on VIP right now is to pay $140 for the Collector's Edition and 11k TP, and cancel VIP membership.

Yeah, that will show them! Give them $140 right now and teach them a lesson!

:)

(Seriously though, there's nothing wrong with choosing to go premium).

[whomhead]

...so u just explain me...

Am I the only one who read the OP in the voice of Ricky Ricardo?

"Turbine... you got some s'plainin' ta do!!"

[HernandoCortez]

I'm glad I was VIP for only one month, shortly after I've started playing. I've spent more money than if I paid for a subscription all this time but I still think VIP isn't good at all.

[Gremmlynn]

I get a kick out of those who complain they have the opportunity to buy the expansion. Because if Turbine did things their way, it most likely wouldn't have been financially viable to spend what resources they did to develop it.

It's simple really. We either have the chance to pay extra for the expansion or we don't have the expansion period. Included with VIP likely isn't even a viable option for them.

[voxson5]

Chances are that they make more money from the f2p micro-transactions (proven results) then from VIP subs

[Gremmlynn]

Chances are that they make more money from the f2p micro-transactions (proven results) then from VIP subsOr figure they could make even more by eliminating the competing option. The existence of VIP, at least without raising the rates on it, limits how much "non-expansion" content they can afford to develop simply by providing a high water mark for expected income for that content (i.e. if everyone goes VIP because it's a better all around deal due to accelerated content development, how much that brings in dictates how much can be spent to accelerate that development. Take away VIP and each piece of content can pay for itself, thus allowing a theoretical limitless amount of content to be developed and sold as their income becomes tied to how much content they sell rather than a set amount based on number of customers and subscription rates. Using both just makes it a juggling act to stay ahead of the curve as to of which may be best at any time).

[MaximumCharisma]

Yeah, that will show them! Give them $140 right now and teach them a lesson!

:)

(Seriously though, there's nothing wrong with choosing to go premium).

this...i will be cancelling mine

[ainmosni]

when do we get the panda race in ddo?

i cant wait!


(lol hahahahahaha wow has a freaking kung fu panda race)

[Sweyn]

I've spent more money than if I paid for a subscription all this time but I still think VIP isn't good at all.

If you've spent more money overall for the same stuff, how is VIP not better?

[Ausdoerrt]

Meh, I don't know what the fuss is about. It's one thing when they try to sell stuff that ViPs should get for free without bending out of shape (yes, Arti, I'm still upset about that). It's another when it's a full-blown expansion that we've been told for ages will be outside the existing subscription plans, and looking at the amount of work being done, I'd say it's completely justified.

When I noticed the thread I was alarmed at first, but then I checked it over and $30 is EXACTLY what I expected for the expansion. And you still get druid with your ViP subscription - I'm guessing thanks to the massive outrage over Arti. Heck, you even get the challenge pack I don't really care for, but someone else might.

So I'm not sure what's with all the DOOOOM. Nobody's making anyone buy the $80+ "collector's" editions either, from the looks of it they come with a bunch of completely useless stuff unless you have seisures over getting the highest XP/sec. Because, outside of learning tomes, all the CE gets you is a bunch of useless cosmetic pets and questionably useful equipment (both of which might be possible to obtain through gameplay), as well as a bunch of old pack you'd already have access to as a ViP.


So hey, silly thing to say on the forums, but let's be resonable, ne?



Don't you mean "fewer" periods? Darn those glass houses.

Fewer periods? You might wanna see a doctor about that :P

[herzkos]

If you've spent more money overall for the same stuff, how is VIP not better?

short term VIP is a better deal than premium.
long term that situation reverses.
Because, once you buy a pack/race/class it stays bought (unless bugged) while a VIP has to keep renting
it. The only way turbine could make VIP a better long term deal than premium is by putting out
enough content /month or cycle so that a premium would have to pay the equivalent of the subscription
just to keep up.

[Vengeance777]

If you've spent more money overall for the same stuff, how is VIP not better?

His account owns the content now. If an unexpected event happens and he can't afford 15 dollars a month his access to the content doesn't disappear in a month he can't pay. That's why I prefer premium personally.

In the months I have extra money I can buy points and get stuff. I'm not locked in to paying monthly and don't have to add 15 dollars to my monthly budget.

VIP is renting. Premium is buying. Premium is a lifetime membership, VIP is a club pass. If you plan to play long term your way better off going premium especially if you saved up your VIP points. You can buy most of the content on sale and with points bundles for the price of a year subscription. If your play is sporadic where you play for a month then don't but come back for a while, you plan to try other games for long periods of time and may stop playing DDO your better off going VIP. The expansion pack and its point bundle is the perfect opportunity for a lot of VIPs to swap to premium.

The only thing I miss that VIPS get is the ability to file in game tickets, rest can be bought with points.

As for the expansion pack costing VIPs money, this has always been the trend with MMOs and most PC games. Expansion packs have always cost extra. Want a map pack for Halo it costs you even if you subscribe to Xbox live. WOW, Lotro, Guild Wars Expansions all cost extra even to subscribers. This is nothing new and is the way game companies work. Expansions cost a lot of money to develop, this is the way companies recoup the development money.

[Schwarzie]

OP, can you show me ONE MMO where a expansion was free?

[HernandoCortez]

His account owns the content now. If an unexpected event happens and he can't afford 15 dollars a month his access to the content doesn't disappear in a month he can't pay. That's why I prefer premium personally.

In the months I have extra money I can buy points and get stuff. I'm not locked in to paying monthly and don't have to add 15 dollars to my monthly budget.

VIP is renting. Premium is buying. Premium is a lifetime membership, VIP is a club pass. If you plan to play long term your way better off going premium especially if you saved up your VIP points. You can buy most of the content on sale and with points bundles for the price of a year subscription. If your play is sporadic where you play for a month then don't but come back for a while, you plan to try other games for long periods of time and may stop playing DDO your better off going VIP. The expansion pack and its point bundle is the perfect opportunity for a lot of VIPs to swap to premium.

The only thing I miss that VIPS get is the ability to file in game tickets, rest can be bought with points.

As for the expansion pack costing VIPs money, this has always been the trend with MMOs and most PC games. Expansion packs have always cost extra. Want a map pack for Halo it costs you even if you subscribe to Xbox live. WOW, Lotro, Guild Wars Expansions all cost extra even to subscribers. This is nothing new and is the way game companies work. Expansions cost a lot of money to develop, this is the way companies recoup the development money.

My thought exactly. Couldn't have explained it better. Thanks. :D

Besides that I was expecting to pay $60 for MotU, $80 sounded a bit harsh on my wallet but I made the purchase anyways. Have too many toons to feed with precious extra xp. :D

[Dartwick]

op, can you show me one mmo where a expansion was free?

eve

[Cyr]

when do we get the panda race in ddo?

i cant wait!


(lol hahahahahaha wow has a freaking kung fu panda race)

Didn't you know that they were considering holding off the expansion until they could get the panda form working for druids?

[Darkrok]

Didn't you know that they were considering holding off the expansion until they could get the panda form working for druids?

Those Pandas almost made me consider going back to WoW a bit. Then again I've got two 7-year-old boys so they like that kind of stuff. :)

[Morlen]

Yeah, that will show them! Give them $140 right now and teach them a lesson!

:)

(Seriously though, there's nothing wrong with choosing to go premium).

The sad thing is, that seems to be the business model right now. :( I may have paid $800+ for this game over the last 6 years, but that doesn't seem to mean much. They want more money in larger sums, and they want it now.

I don't mind paying a monthly fee. I enjoy the game and want to see it continue. As much as it makes SENSE to switch to premium and start buying packs, I just don't want to go from having already spent that $800+ to giving them another $80 now then start paying for all of the packs/character slots/ect that I would want when playing premium.

[yawumpus]

The only thing I miss that VIPS get is the ability to file in game tickets, rest can be bought with points.


The "open on hard/elite" thing was big when it was just hard, huge when it went to elite, and possibly a deal killer with the bravery bonus. And of course when it went in all you heard was the incessant whining about waiting a month for artificer.

What is great about premium (and DDO as an f2p game in general) is that you can take a break from it and come back without dropping/resubscribing. Just that returning premium players can play everything they left, while VIPs will have to resub to do much more than run another lap around the houses.

[Vint]

The sad thing is, that seems to be the business model right now. :( I may have paid $800+ for this game over the last 6 years, but that doesn't seem to mean much. They want more money in larger sums, and they want it now.

I don't mind paying a monthly fee. I enjoy the game and want to see it continue. As much as it makes SENSE to switch to premium and start buying packs, I just don't want to go from having already spent that $800+ to giving them another $80 now then start paying for all of the packs/character slots/ect that I would want when playing premium.

If you plan on playing another year+ spend $130. It is a big chunk at once, but you will come out ahead in the long run.

[Ryiah]

OP, can you show me ONE MMO where a expansion was free?

I assume you're only counting subscription MMOs. Because Perfect World just recently had an expansion. Being a F2P MMO, all their expansions are free. :p

Edit: Should have read the second page. Eve was a very good example.

[SpagEddy]

The sad thing is, that seems to be the business model right now. :( I may have paid $800+ for this game over the last 6 years, but that doesn't seem to mean much. They want more money in larger sums, and they want it now.

I don't mind paying a monthly fee. I enjoy the game and want to see it continue. As much as it makes SENSE to switch to premium and start buying packs, I just don't want to go from having already spent that $800+ to giving them another $80 now then start paying for all of the packs/character slots/ect that I would want when playing premium.

Two things:

1. If you grab the incredible 11k TP for $60 offered with the expansion and spend it judiciously, you could forever own the content you've spent $800 renting over the last six years plus every bonus item being offered for $140. No need to spend another dime until DDO ends unless you choose to grab more content, for what you've spent to rent for the last year. If you don't want to wait until packs/races go on sale for 20-50% off, you can drop another $60 for 11k more.

2. If you pay $30 and remain VIP, you will lose absolutely nothing and have full access to the premium expansion.

No one is forcing you to do anything, $30 is a low price for an expansion pack even in games with a strictly p2p model, and the current point bundles have made the option of going Premium easier without diminishing the value of VIP for those who prefer to rent.

You have exactly nothing to complain about.

[Qaliya]

I may have paid $800+ for this game over the last 6 years, but that doesn't seem to mean much.


No, it doesn't. VIP doesn't stand for "very important person". It stands for "cash cow" in some yet-undiscovered language. :)

Turbine could have and should have provided a pre-order option suited to VIPs. Instead, they ignored us. And hey, why not -- most people won't complain, and those who do get attacked as "whiners". It's all good for them.



As much as it makes SENSE to switch to premium and start buying packs, I just don't want to go from having already spent that $800+ to giving them another $80 now then start paying for all of the packs/character slots/ect that I would want when playing premium.

This attitude is understandable, but is an example of the sunk cost fallacy. The money you've spent in the past is gone -- all that matters is what is the best option going forward.

To use an analogy, suppose you go out with a friend to a movie. You spend $20 on tickets, sit down in the theater and the movie sucks. The tickets are non-refundable. Do you force yourself to spend two hours on a movie you hate just to justify the $20 you can't get back? If so, then instead of being out $20, you're out $20 and two hours.

Same here. You may have spent $800 in the past, but if going premium will provide you with better value over the next two years, then do that. And it will.

[TimethiefXVI]

It just feels like getting kicked in the nuts for beeing VIP. Especially if you didnt count each penny you gave to Turbine, at least having a long term subscribtion shows kinda loyality. And i think THIS is the actual point.
As custumer you stood loyal, swallowed some bitter pills in the past and now its just another kick towards "Turbine tells you: 'leave pls' ".
The advantages of beeing VIP are pretty limeted over long term, make it worth smth again.

[IWZincedge]

Public Service Announcement:


1. While participating on the Community Sites, you must respect the rights of others to participate in the community. To this end you may not harass, defraud, threaten or cause distress and/or unwanted attention to other members or Turbine staff. This includes, but is not limited to:


Name-calling or other insults
Posting or commenting with the intent of provoking ("trolling") another user or users
Flaming another user for their spelling or grammar
Bringing disagreements with someone into unrelated threads or blog posts/comments
Creating a thread, post, or comment on any of the Community Sites that calls out another player(s) for their actions in the game

[Lazarus8]

If you've spent more money overall for the same stuff, how is VIP not better?

^^^ You keep everything you bought, VIP is renting content ^^^

[SpagEddy]

It just feels like getting kicked in the nuts for beeing VIP. Especially if you didnt count each penny you gave to Turbine, at least having a long term subscribtion shows kinda loyality. And i think THIS is the actual point.
As custumer you stood loyal, swallowed some bitter pills in the past and now its just another kick towards "Turbine tells you: 'leave pls' ".
The advantages of beeing VIP are pretty limeted over long term, make it worth smth again.

With all due respect, how does being a VIP show "loyalty"? Did someone who paid for their first month of VIP six months ago, or last month, build the same debt of "loyalty", or are you also demanding an infinitely tiered reward program with bonuses based on the amount of "loyalty" you've demonstrated since launch?

You purchased access to a monthly service on a monthly basis. Presuming that access was not denied to you (and please don't sacrifice your dignity to whine about some day in 2007 when the servers were down for seven hours), you got what you paid for month-to-month and accrued exactly as many enduring privileges as the contract said you would: zero.

In fact, the logic that a monthly deal made several times eventually bestows a debt of loyalty could just as easily be flipped to say that since Turbine has so loyally provided this service for so long, you should be paying a little extra. SWTOR just launched a couple months ago and their customers are already paying $15 a month; since DDO has been loyal to you for much longer than that, you're basically kicking them in the teeth by not voluntarily giving them $20, aren't you?

Of course that logic is nonsense, just like its opposite.

Between companions, xp bonuses, a free pet, points, items, etc., any of these deals are incredible compared to anything ever offered by Turbine in the past. Sure, I made a little frowny face when I saw that the bundle includes 7 packs I purchased in the last month (d'oh), but I didn't start creating some convoluted theory of entitlement as an excuse to cling to that frowny face and try to pretend it was a fairness issue. I did the math and realized that not only were the things I didn't already have well worth the price, but between the discounts I'd gotten on the points and on the packs, I'd spent about $12 on those packs. Meh.

You're not even upset that someone got something you didn't, you're upset because you both got something, but you didn't need it.

:P

[voodoogroves]

when do we get the panda race in ddo?

i cant wait!


(lol hahahahahaha wow has a freaking kung fu panda race)

Will it improve the drop rate of epic scrolls? If so, sign me up.

[Stormanne]

This petulant need for emotional validation, these VIPs crying themselves to sleep because Turbine didn't go far enough to tell them how special they are would be hilarious if it weren't so pathetic. You're not even upset that someone got something you didn't, you're upset because you both got something, but you didn't need it. Cry me a river.
:P

And taking a superior attitude is just as petulant. But, it's easy to take that attitude, though. Especially when with each content release, the so called "VIPs" are being relegated more and more to second class citizenship. All the while, premiums get more and more.

Me, I'd personally be happy if instead of the adventure packs I don't need, and same for the premiums who already have the packs, they allow a substitute of an additional 1,000 TP.

[Ungood]

since the only way to get all the pre-order content is to get the $80 pack, and that pack includes 2000 TP and a bunch of adventure packs, and it also gives you access to an 11,000 TP pack for $60...

The smartest move for anyone on VIP right now is to pay $140 for the Collector's Edition and 11k TP, and cancel VIP membership.

Dollars and sense wise this is a very good deal to be honest and I would encourage anyone who plans to convert from VIP to Premium, that the time is now to take advantage of this offer. It really is worth it.

To give a Break Down of what you get for 80 Dollars:

Basic Package:
MOTUD
Epic Destinies
Druid
Additional Challenge Pack
Vet Status - 4
Vet Status - 7
Greater Tome (1 Per Server, Up to 8)
Lesser Tome (unlimited)

This at bare minimum, At the very least, meaning if you only one 2 toons total, one server, and that was it.

This basic Set up is worth No less then: 11,260 TP

Includes Epic Pack: Valued at: 2000 TP

Heroic Pack Valued at: 1900 TP

Bonus 2000 TP Included

For a Total Value of No less then: 17,160 TP,

And that does Not Include the Price of: all the pets, and other fancy things, that would add quite a bit more to the overall cost of this deal:

On a average deal, would cost you: $170 and you still would not get all of it.

Best deal would still cost you: $116

This plan also offers the current best deal on Turbine Points of 1$ nets you 183 Turbine Points, The Previous best deal, of a 60 dollar pack with double bonus points was $1 nets you 147 TP.

I want to express again, if you were planning to convert from VIP to Premium. This is an ideal time to make that conversion.

Find out more at: Converting From VIP to Premium (http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=338050).

[DrNuegebauer]

why do u kick us befor our kneels?


Yes. This is a very good question.

[SpagEddy]

And taking a superior attitude is just as petulant. But, it's easy to take that attitude, though. Especially when with each content release, the so called "VIPs" are being relegated more and more to second class citizenship. All the while, premiums get more and more.

Me, I'd personally be happy if instead of the adventure packs I don't need, and same for the premiums who already have the packs, they allow a substitute of an additional 1,000 TP.

Alas, petulant is one of those tricky words with a specific meaning, but I get it. Calling whining whining and pointing out that it's childish is a presumption of superiority. Kinda like thinking you're "very important" because you rented those words for $15 a month.

"Second class citizenship" how? Because you got a little free content you can keep even if you forego your subscription at some point?

And what do Premiums get "more" of with this deal? Everybody who gets the deal gets exactly the same thing, whether you can imagine ever using it or not. The handful of packs makes Premium a more acceptable option for anyone (including you), but doesn't require anyone to abandon VIP.

"So-called" VIP indeed. I hate to break it to you, but "VIP" is a marketing term for purchased privileges, used because marketers know some people are simple-minded enough to believe that the use of the words means they're actually very important.

Subscribing to Playboy magazine will not make you a playboy, it will get you twelve magazines. Likewise, paying $15 a month for a subscription called 'VIP" will not make you a VIP, it will get you thirty days of unlimited access to pre-expansion DDO. I've always considered that a fair deal.

Good luck shaking them down for 1000TP. Of course, since that would cost about $7, isn't that a rather low wage for hours of railing against the injustice of the deal?

:rolleyes:

[Ruestikus]

...the thing is, i am that sick because i´ve been in the meaning, to stay VIP all the time may be a good deal...

AND i kept beeing a VIP, in the meaning stuff will be free all the time.
(except for the renting fee ,monthly fee)

but now i have too see i got fooled and i feel like i was...

many players i know swapped to Premium, which has been smart.

I did not, for the reasons i wrote above.

I also wanted to show up, that the deals are not really fitting to a VIP.
IMHO new players got the greatest benefit from preOrdering,
followed by Premium-Players

we, as VIP, got the most less benefit from the packages,compared in all.

so if Turbine does not turn a bit and makes it more reasonable to buy the expansion (or free) to VIP

myself and trust me ,many people will leave that game behind to dive into new MMO-Experiences in other games...


in germany we say:

Another mothers also have beautiful daughters...


so,maybe Turbine finds a solution ...

[WirelessJoe]

I may have a problem with VIPs not getting access to new content. My regular $/month payment basically sponsored all the development and releases of previous adventure packs (or whatever they're called) as they came out, and everyone was happy. But now that I don't have access to the new content, I'm basically paying the same $/month to support old content that I'm not sure will be expanded in the future like it used to be. If most or all of the developer effort is going into the new content that I don't have access to, I should at least be getting a discount because I'm not benefiting from the new content.

If I had a monthly membership to a gym and they added new equipment that I didn't have access to without making a larger payment AND said they weren't going to maintain the old equipment any more, I'd end my membership.

Since I pay for 3 months at a time, I'm thinking of quitting now and gambling on Diablo being released before my sub runs out.

[Vormaerin]

.
AND i kept beeing a VIP, in the meaning stuff will be free all the time.
(except for the renting fee ,monthly fee)


so,maybe Turbine finds a solution ...

Not going to happen. Expansion packs in LotRO, which are a regular occurrence, are in addition to your subscription. But you can pay for them out of your 500/month TP.

If you don't want to spend any additional money on the expansion, just save your monthly points between now and August. Then you can buy the adventures that way.

Turbine is still releasing regular Updates (U13 now, U14 in August, perhaps U15 by christmas?) that are part of the VIP benefits.

If Turbine starts converting a significant part of their annual content in "expansion packs", that will be an issue. But we have no evidence of that. Certainly, they aren't going to be able to keep selling these "collector's edition" type expansions. How many times can you give away infinite tomes, after all?

[Hendrik]

...the thing is, i am that sick because i´ve been in the meaning, to stay VIP all the time may be a good deal...

AND i kept beeing a VIP, in the meaning stuff will be free all the time.
(except for the renting fee ,monthly fee)

but now i have too see i got fooled and i feel like i was...

many players i know swapped to Premium, which has been smart.

I did not, for the reasons i wrote above.

I also wanted to show up, that the deals are not really fitting to a VIP.
IMHO new players got the greatest benefit from preOrdering,
followed by Premium-Players

we, as VIP, got the most less benefit from the packages,compared in all.

so if Turbine does not turn a bit and makes it more reasonable to buy the expansion (or free) to VIP

myself and trust me ,many people will leave that game behind to dive into new MMO-Experiences in other games...


in germany we say:

Another mothers also have beautiful daughters...


so,maybe Turbine finds a solution ...

Here is your solution; if you don't want to shell out the $30USD for the expansion, DON'T!

You still get Druid and Challenges for FREE.

The expansion is NOT REQUIRED but OPTIONAL. Not to mention sometime in August you can open with TP. So there is your solution to not spend any more money but your sub fees, you just have to two months to play them. Save your TP until August and low and behold, it's FREE.

This is not rocket science....

[Uska]

Sorry I still think its a pretty good value even for VIP's all games have expansion packs at some point if the game survives long enough and even lifetime subs have to buy it I do wish maybe they had a little different pricing scheme avail people who intended to stay vip and had no use for packs but heck the learning tomes alone are a huge value.

[Chai]

Yeah, that will show them! Give them $140 right now and teach them a lesson!

:)

(Seriously though, there's nothing wrong with choosing to go premium).

Yeah thats what I was thinking.

Intead:

Buy the 80 dollar pack (yeah give them 80 dollars and teach them a lesson!! :p)

Stay VIP and TR alot next year. Each 100 favor = 25 points. Playing elite quests racks up that favor quick. You also get 500 points per month for VIP.

Spend NONE of these points on fluff. Save em up.

Once you get to about 10k points or so, switch to premium the next time the VIP contract cycles.

Many people believe that switching to premium through all the nerd rage is somehow done out of spite but its really not. Its done to satisfy the end user who now benefits more from premium than from VIP.

The ONE reason to stay VIP is so that you dont have to manage all your content, remember what you can and cant run, etc. Its not a matter of saving more or being more bennificial, its a matter of convenience. Everyone who deosnt mind managing all their content should be premium.

They are even nipping at the heals of this - by making people pay for content.

[cdbd3rd]

when do we get the panda race in ddo?

i cant wait!


(lol hahahahahaha wow has a freaking kung fu panda race)


Don't laugh too hard - I almost downloaded a trial just so I could play that race. :p

[Hendrik]

Sorry I still think its a pretty good value even for VIP's all games have expansion packs at some point if the game survives long enough and even lifetime subs have to buy it I do wish maybe they had a little different pricing scheme avail people who intended to stay vip and had no use for packs but heck the learning tomes alone are a huge value.

Not to mention for many years have we been asking for an Expansion!?


I will agree, wish there was a bit more variance in the the three bundles.

[Stormanne]

Alas, petulant is one of those tricky words with a specific meaning, but I get it. Calling whining whining and pointing out that it's childish is a presumption of superiority. Kinda like thinking you're "very important" because you rented those words for $15 a month.

"Second class citizenship" how? Because you got a little free content you can keep even if you forego your subscription at some point? The melodrama of the phrase fit well with the self righteous tone of your post that I was quoting.

And what do Premiums get "more" of with this deal? Everybody who gets the deal gets exactly the same thing, whether you can imagine ever using it or not. The handful of packs makes Premium a more acceptable option for anyone (including you), but doesn't require anyone to abandon VIP. Premiums get more value out of the deal than subscribers or people who've previously purchased the content. Not everyone likes the idea of paying for one item twice, even if it is a minimal part of the deal.

"So-called" VIP indeed. I hate to break it to you, but "VIP" is a marketing term for purchased privileges, used because marketers know some people are simple-minded enough to believe that the use of the words means they're actually very important.

Subscribing to Playboy magazine will not make you a playboy, it will get you twelve magazines. Likewise, paying $15 a month for a subscription called 'VIP" will not make you a VIP, it will get you thirty days of unlimited access to pre-expansion DDO. I've always considered that a fair deal. Agree to the point that VIP is a misnomer and the reason that I've started using subscriber instead.

Good luck shaking them down for 1000TP. Of course, since that would cost about $7, isn't that a rather low wage for hours of railing against the injustice of the deal? Good luck not coming off like a self righteous prat.

:rolleyes:

You are right about the term VIP, though it is Turbines term in regards to the game, it does indeed set up false expectations. Therefore, for me, I'll use subscribers from now on.

So, asking for an $80 package of the pre-order that is as fully beneficial for the subscribers (and premiums that already have the content included in the package, mind you) is asking for too much? It seems absurd to me that Turbine wouldn't have a pre-order package with all the bells and whistles of the current Collectors Edition, but tailored to the customers who have subscriptions or previously purchased content. One size does not fit all!

[Ruestikus]

...meanwhile im gone...but gonna see what will happen...


...the offers do not fit me,so i did decide..like i had to....

and..the comparison to Lotro is awesome :p ..isnt it Turbine also? xD

[MownDown]

just a couple things for the OP

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-twUCEfzrDk

and my response...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVKxTKljoo8&feature=related

[Razcar]

^^^ You keep everything you bought, VIP is renting content ^^^
We are all renting content. Believing anything else is self-deception.

You buy a house. You buy a car. Then you can sell it. Or insure it. And keep it forever. You cannot sell your DDO TP-bought Shared Bank. You cannot insure your DDO loot. And when Turbine closes down the servers one day, all you will have is a couple of screen shots and memories. That's all you will "keep". Just like a VIP will.

[goblean]

...meanwhile im gone...but gonna see what will happen...

...the offers do not fit me,so i did decide..like i had to....

and..the comparison to Lotro is awesome :p ..isnt it Turbine also? xD

Throw moar dots, moar dots, moar dots! . . . K stop dots

[Riggs]

The sad thing is, that seems to be the business model right now. :( I may have paid $800+ for this game over the last 6 years, but that doesn't seem to mean much. They want more money in larger sums, and they want it now.

I don't mind paying a monthly fee. I enjoy the game and want to see it continue. As much as it makes SENSE to switch to premium and start buying packs, I just don't want to go from having already spent that $800+ to giving them another $80 now then start paying for all of the packs/character slots/ect that I would want when playing premium.

Ding ding.

All the nay sayers "Just pay your a VIP freeloader" completely miss this none-too-subtle point - esp with two accounts, some people have spent well over $1000 since the game came out.

Dont mind paying for an expansion - but its the fact that all the bonus goodies are completely geared to a new player and a VIP gets less content for their $80 than a newer or premium person gets.

And saying "Just buy all the content you have already been paying for monthly for 6 years" is really inane.

All a lot of people want is a pre-order package that is priced in a way that reflects VIPs too. Like "Hey thanks for playing and paying for 6 years, here is a package that doesnt force you to buy content you already are paying for just to get the bonus items".

[Hafeal]

All a lot of people want is a pre-order package that is priced in a way that reflects VIPs too. Like "Hey thanks for playing and paying for 6 years, here is a package that doesnt force you to buy content you already are paying for just to get the bonus items".

Annnnnnd, start holding your breath now.


:)

[ainmosni]

Don't laugh too hard - I almost downloaded a trial just so I could play that race. :p

Tera Online looks to be a much better game than WoW, has combat mechanics that resemble ddo, and is much more beautiful- and has a panda race.

Freaking expensive though, and extremely..... well, hmm. how can i put this in a way that's not offensive? :|

it's a cool game, but it's Korean MMO community cool.

an actual, playable race from tera online:

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/167/2/a/TERA_Online_9_by_Mizeraj.png

/tangent

[Riggs]

Tera Online looks to be a much better game than WoW, has combat mechanics that resemble ddo, and is much more beautiful- and has a panda race.

Freaking expensive though, and extremely..... well, hmm. how can i put this in a way that's not offensive? :|

it's a cool game, but it's Korean MMO community cool.

an actual, playable race from tera online:

/tangent

Those are some cool looking fights. And monsters.

[HernandoCortez]

How to get rid of a VIP: shoot them an arrow in their knees! :D

[ainmosni]

How to get rid of a VIP: shoot them an arrow in their knees! :D

i used to be an adventurer like you, but then i farmed 1750 favor on Ghallanda.

[HernandoCortez]

i used to be an adventurer like you, but then i farmed 1750 favor on Ghallanda.

+1 for the LOL :D

[gerardIII]

enough content /month or cycle so that a premium would have to pay the equivalent of the subscription
just to keep up.

There is so much new content I barely started doing the new quests from U9+.

I haven't even done just once the new free U13 quests.

[azmodeus1]

http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/167/2/a/TERA_Online_9_by_Mizeraj.png


DDO should implement $kanks as thier next race ^^

[TekkenDevil]

FYI Druids and the new quests are still free to VIP's.

[Kromize]

If you've spent more money overall for the same stuff, how is VIP not better?

He didn't spend it on the same stuff overall, unless he just started playing,

In the long run, VIP will be infinitely more expensive than premium. It's smarter to buy the content straight up and then you don't have to worry about your sub running out and not being able to do anything...

Now we just need to wait for turbine to figure out how to add a subscription method that's worth the price....

[DDOisFree]

Firstly, WoW doesn't have a FTP option, at least not one that gets you access to the full game like DDO.

Secondly, turbine reports on their income / player base ratios have shown that FTP with cash shop generates much more revenue for them, because they gain a much larger FTP player base making purchases in the cash store.

Thirdly this isn't a new quest pack that's being released, its a full expansion. I'm not aware of any other game including ones with fees where subscribers get full expansions for free. If its like Lotro, you should be able to stock up your 500 points per month and buy it from the cash store after it gets released.

The value in the pre order offer is in the free tomes and nothing else. Stop kidding yourself that being a subscriber makes you more important than a premium player, it doesn't. If you don't like it then use your brain and swap from VIP to premium, I don't understand how anyone still thinks that being VIP is the better option for DDO.