Downtime Notice: Wednesday, January 4th 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Eastern (-5 GMT)

[Zavier]

The end of the Gold Rolls with the end of 2022 is expected and in-line with our previous messaging. We know you enjoyed this benefit for the past year, and we remain committed to making sure our VIP benefits remain great. We're always looking for ways to add value to our VIP benefit and once we have more to share we will let you know.

So be it!

[Antheal]

...we remain committed to making sure our VIP benefits remain great. We're always looking for ways to add value to our VIP benefit and once we have more to share we will let you know.

Well this reads exactly like deflecting corporate BS-speak without any actual information, details, or providing any evidence for your statement.

[Alternative]

You guys just need to be a little bit more passionate!

[Anurakh]

People have been complaining for a long time that VIP subscription has little value. SSG finds a perk that almost everyone seems to like and doesn't cost development time (Daily gold says). Withdraws it when the trial period ends without adding new perks.

You're within your rights, SSG, but it's not exactly the wisest business move. You should listen better to your customers; VIPs have long been unhappy with the value of the subscription. You can't just design for gameplay. A business like this requires updating other areas as well, listening to the feelings of your customers. Do you even know that many people consider VIP a detriment rather than an advantage, because VIPs are left out of many sales? How come after 16 years you still haven't fixed that VIP can't to buy things from their subscription? Don't you appreciate the customers who could buy vip occasionally, that there are many of those?

There are many things that you let get old without updating. VIP is one of those things. Another is the new player retention model: DDO is the game with the worst retention of new players I know of and it's because it's still anchored in premises that have been outdated for years (and yes, open elite shouldn't be a VIP perk, but something for everyone, it's 2023! VIP needs better perks than that). Another thing that is too old is the past lives model without catch-up mechanisms: you can't add more and more PLs without helping new players and alts, devs! Another very dated system is storage, with obsolete and annoying things like TR cache, lack of cosmetic storage, as well as alchemical (time to implement a bta accessible system to store our pots, scrolls, cookies, tomes and such!). A btc to bta item pass has been needed for years. The market and the DDO store have been missing things for centuries that could give you good benefits, starting with bundles of old expansions and starter packs, and continuing with things that veterans like (even expanding the list of wishes!) and a cosmetic display system that it works (do you know how long it has been broken?).

How about making fewer unnecessary changes to the gameplay and instead updating all that outdated stuff? You will gain more goodwill from your customers.

[Loromir]

What happened to Tolero?

Ditto....where is Amanda?

[Nugaot]

The end of the Gold Rolls with the end of 2022 is expected and in-line with our previous messaging. We know you enjoyed this benefit for the past year, and we remain committed to making sure our VIP benefits remain great. We're always looking for ways to add value to our VIP benefit and once we have more to share we will let you know.

Dude, are you...okay? Blink twice if you need help.

[Lamassut]

Curious. I know a lot of people who subscribed just for the daily dice, even though the list of gold rewards leaves a lot to be desired (from my own experience I can say it's more of a hoax than anything else) But people seemed to like the gold rolls , so it seems weird to remove a perk that has turned out to be beneficial for increasing subscriptions.

Oh well. I've been saying for years that SSG needs a marketing expert. Or at least one person with common sense in charge of the sales department…

[Tarinia]

The end of the Gold Rolls with the end of 2022 is expected and in-line with our previous messaging. We know you enjoyed this benefit for the past year, and we remain committed to making sure our VIP benefits remain great. We're always looking for ways to add value to our VIP benefit and once we have more to share we will let you know.

Hi Cordovan,

I really not often tell something about doing mistakes on SSI side, but
1. not seeing any producers letter, where future of VIPs is a main theme (in fact should there not be a producer letter every few month- where it is?)
2. knowing by yourself, that your VIP treatment is not very VIPlike
3. letting many years gone by without bringing a solution
4. making a promise to give VIPs something else if gold roll end and not doing it

is really a way to push VIPs away if nothing else.
I would think about it again, if I would be your producer. I love DDO but perhaps beeing Non VIP is also a good alternativ till you give us something better.

Thanks
Tarinia

[Bjond]

is really a way to push VIPs away

I'm often fairly critical of SSG, but on this one I find it hard to fathom why anyone cares about the gold/silver rolls. The XP stones are kinda nice when stockpiled, but hardly worth a login. The other items are almost universally junk I just pitch over the side. IMHO, the problem with the VIP feature set is that some are insulting (such as access to customer support .. uh, lol?) and extra access isn't extra to a player that has been racking up "free" DDO points and using them to buy packs, races, etc (ie. many long term players).

So, yeah, y'all are right about there not being much draw to entice people into VIP, but the presence or absence of daily golds isn't going to change that.

[ccd1977]

I'm often fairly critical of SSG, but on this one I find it hard to fathom why anyone cares about the gold/silver rolls. The XP stones are kinda nice when stockpiled, but hardly worth a login. The other items are almost universally junk I just pitch over the side. IMHO, the problem with the VIP feature set is that some are insulting (such as access to customer support .. uh, lol?) and extra access isn't extra to a player that has been racking up "free" DDO points and using them to buy packs, races, etc (ie. many long term players).

So, yeah, y'all are right about there not being much draw to entice people into VIP, but the presence or absence of daily golds isn't going to change that.

The Exp rewards are nice and allows you to get a little head start but what does it for me...the nostalgia! The first thing we are doing is rolling dice. Its a D&D feel and it gets you going, feels good and gives a nice experience to the game. Now its just blah, silver rolls always suck.

[Epicsoul]

The end of the Gold Rolls with the end of 2022 is expected and in-line with our previous messaging. We know you enjoyed this benefit for the past year, and we remain committed to making sure our VIP benefits remain great. We're always looking for ways to add value to our VIP benefit and once we have more to share we will let you know.

This doesn't help. "We're always looking for ways to add value to our VIP benefit" doesn't sound promising. I expected something much more concrete at this point. I hope this post is inaccurate and tone deaf of where SSG is in the process of announcing a new VIP package. If you're really still in the "we're always looking for ways" phase, consider me disappointed in SSGs continued failures.

[Glorious]

The end of the Gold Rolls with the end of 2022 is expected and in-line with our previous messaging. We know you enjoyed this benefit for the past year, and we remain committed to making sure our VIP benefits remain great. We're always looking for ways to add value to our VIP benefit and once we have more to share we will let you know.

I have to say that this is rather disappointing. if you go back through my post history you should be able to see a consistent, dev supporter, a person who often calls out those who are criticizing the game for various issues over the years.

This is the first time I am frustrated enough to post the opposite. You can't tell a community of people who continually pay every month that their money and gameplay has value to you and then not do something about it. I totally agree Cordovan, the end date for the gold rolls has been communicated and known - but also was the commitment that something was coming to replace it to make VIP worthwhile. Looking back on my Points purchases and VIP subscription I would bet that me, my husband and at least one of our friends is close to "Whale" status - we have been playing this game off and on since Beta, it is our primary source of engagement with my husbands best friend, other friends as well - as well as having huge entertainment value for us.

This attitude of "hey you knew this was ending, and oops we don't have a solve, but we are trying to come up with one" is kind of ridiculous. Let's just say that in my business, if I was selling my products to a retailer, and for 10 months I had given them extra trade funding that allowed for a decreased price on an item and then took it away with no new program - well my product would no longer be in Distribution on their shelves.

Now I am a bit of a DDO optimist - and making SSG is just having some New Years fun and in the release notes a reveal is coming - and if that's the case then YAY! So I hope you guys pull this usual big time vocal SSG/DDO supporter from the brink of finding somewhere else to direct the few hundred dollars I have spent on this game in the last year alone.

[Stimulus]

to making sure our VIP benefits remain great.

"Remain."

O.o

[TitusOvid]

Y'all keep looking because you've got no other ideas. None. Y'all have had how long since VIP became a thing to come up with something new? That was in 2009, if I'm not mistaken - 13 years? Nothing happened with VIP at all until this Gold Roll idea came along mid last year - and guess what? People. Liked. Having. It. So, naturally, y'all killed it before announcing the What Next.

You had a good idea, this was it, and could have decided to keep it rolling. But, as seems to be on-brand, y'all just decided to kill it without any replacement. This is really bad decision making, and bad decision making is why I've decided to stop giving SSG my money. Is that worth it, SSG? A good trade? Because after years of bad decision making - I've already hit my limit and called off my VIP. My money is now happily flowing elsewhere - and it's going to take a lot to get it back. For years I paid as a Thank You to y'all for making this game. Now it's gone. I would keep lecturing but I know it's just going to fall on deaf ears. Maybe this pair of posts will be the ones that finally gets me forum banned - lord knows I'm also sick of being polite and biting my tongue and y'all really hate blunt criticism. And that's another layer of the rotten parfait that helped me hit "cancel" on my account page. I'm likewise done trying to just joke my way through this.

Sincerely,
An angry and fed-up former VIP and SSG supporter.

Wow, I love it. +1

This is what happens all over the game. SSG doesn't gain new payers and is losing loyal ones. Great strategy.

Cheers,
Titus.

[Ralatar]

Well, returning beta player (2006). Given what I'm seeing, it looks like SSG could care less about keeping paying customers. Seems like most game developers have developed the 'we don't care if you give us money' mentality. Guess SSG can keep this going on their own dime, so best of luck to them.

[longsdale]

funny. my two cents: this goldroll is just digital one click away from caring. im not VIP but why not letting this going on? it hurts no one, it doesn't involve any bugs and its just going on the sideways. even the economy isnt touched by that (proof me wrong). most games have a daily rewards. it keeps players playing. and in all its just digital. you could flood the daily reward with 100 healpots for everyone. no one would care and it wouldnt have influence on economy. (maybe the moneymaking economy on the itemshop. why we need to pay for spellpoints again if every game drops that for free and in mass?)

[FixBows]

Another guarantee, besides SSG treating their customers poorly, is that SSG will not comment on this, put their hands over their eyes / ears and hope it goes away.

[FixBows]

That's okay, because the vast majority of this thread sounds like a bunch of children crying over things not going their way. Which is typical of 95% of the people on the forums here.

More like adults understanding their hard-earned money is now being devalued further with VIP in this game. Yes, there is complaining, but it is well earned from SSG. They have had ample time to figure out VIP and there is nothing to show for it. They have made multiple statements that they would do something and yet the ONLY thing that was done positively has ended and their unfulfilled promise is the only thing that remains.

[Edyil]

Cordovan,

I would like to just say that the point of holding a Subscription base it to ensure, at almost any cost, that they remain happy and loyal. THEY are the constant that allows for new content, upgrades and special events. There is no circumstance that exists which calls for action that reduces the Sub base. None. Now mods and tweaks might be needed to balance within the realm of subscription users. But, overall, the job of every employee is to ensure that the subscription base remain content. In return the company, and directly its employees, get paid.

Having said that - Why not just modify a very enjoyable little feature? A friend of mine and I compare our dice almost every single day. And almost every single day, that bastage beats me!! He definitely has loaded dice! But you see what I'm saying right? It's fun! Especially when I get a higher roll....

I would like to know which part of it is soooooo OP that it has to go. I don't see it. It has almost no impact on our gameplay. Since we level together, the other day we both ended a dungeon needed about 2kexp. So we both used the equivalent of 3k DD gems and leveled. Is that OP part? Really?

Enough of that. Solutions - Why not just make DD have a critical threat range based on consecutive years of subscription (max 10).

DD Crit Threat range -
Year of consecutive subs / Threat range
0 / None
1 / 100
2 / 99-100
3 / 98-100
4 / 97-100
5 / 96-100
6 / 95-100
7 / 94-100
8 / 93-100
9 / 92-100
10 / 91-100

On DD Crit
Roll DD again and include all the things you think are OP in this roll. Have them weighted, of course, but the weights would be significantly more applicable to protect those OP items that need to go (for some reason I don't understand).

Our three subs are coming up this month as well. I don't understand the benefits I'm getting. I mean that with all honesty. I'm a returned player (3 month sub in Oct) and I don't know what I'm getting. Maybe think about doing things in game that highlight (literally highlight or make gold or make glow or put a golden VIP next to it on or on it) VIP benies in game so we know and appreciate what we have. Is there a VIP buff icon which I can hover/inspect and see what I get?

[MaeveTuohy]

Ditto....where is Amanda?

Her one and only communication suggested more communication. Things were looking up. They are looking back down again.

Also, I am not really typing this message because the forums were brought down permanently in December.