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Persons who paid the $10 and bought the extra box, get the special rewards which the box contains.
Persons who did not pay the $10 and did not buy the extra box, do not get the special rewards which the box contains.
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Not to hijack, but: you got charged extra for the preorder box? My Gamestop charged $5 and applied that towards CoV when I bought it.
J
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Neither Cryptic nor NCSoft have any control precisely when stores put CoV on shelves. Stores understand that the CoV servers officially go up on Oct. 31st...but they can decide to put the game on shelves before then.
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One potential problem that I see is apparently Best Buy has no intention of putting the boxes out until Wednesday, Nov. 2nd. For people who didn't pre-order, this is not a problem at all, if they purchase the full retail version at Best Buy they will be able to play immediately (barring the unforeseen of course) however, for people who preordered the game, if they don't get their box (and serial key) until 11/02 then they will end up being locked out for 2 days, correct? Hopefully if this does happen then people will learn to stop shopping at Worst Buy, but it's never fun to learn lessons the hard way like that.
Is there anything NCSoft can do to force them to put the game out On Time instead of 2 days late?
Judging by the siuations in this thread, it sounds to me like there are a bunch of stores, or in some cases, store chains, that are not following the launch instructions for this game, or misunderstood them.
Whatever the scenario is, NCSoft hasn't done anything wrong here. They offer the Beta access to preorders, allow those preorders early access, and launched the game a few days later.
IN THIS CASE, stop blaming NCSoft for this mess. Put the blame on the people who deserve it this time.
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And to add:
I worked at Gamestop for two years, so I saw my fair share of game launches. Never, not ONCE, was a big game released on a Monday. Why? Because thats marketing SUICIDE.
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You must have been the worst employee ever, you haven't learned anything in all that time.
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Nobody wants to buy games on a Monday. Not a soul. Mondays are deadsville. Mondays are school nights and work nights. Go company in its right mind would release an entertainment product on a Monday. But thats niether here nor there.
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I'm trying to imagine a world in which you could possibly be more wrong, the two MAJOR components of the entertainment industry (music and movies) release their retail products (CDs and DVDs) on Tuesday as a rule. What I learned working in retail is that people will spend money any day they have it, what changes is where they're likely to spend it, on weekends people like to go out, on weekdays, they like to stay in. Movie rentals, DVD sales, and lo and behold, Video Game sales are oftentimes stronger on weekdays (as long as you factor out christmas and summer break, those two time periods just skew the data all to hell). So, yeah, you're totally wrong, in this dimension and the next.
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The game is available for people who reserved it. Last I checked, reserve can also be interpreted as a "pre-order" because I'm ordering the game before it comes out and putting money down on it.
PlayNC was aware that the (hilariously ill-chosen) launch date was being broken. They have done what to save themselves the possible unhappy customers?
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You keep harking on the date as ill-chosen and "the worst". Actually the absolute worst date to launch a game would either be September 11th or on the anniversary of the assassination of Arch-Duke Ferdinand. And honestly, for City of Heroes, I could probably put some positive spin on the 9/11 angle. Not for CoV, tho. THat's just poor taste. Halloween is a great date for CoV.
Casual gamers probably aren't going to buy the game this weekend. Casual gamers shouls have lives involving costume parties, trick-or-treating with their kids, and possibly alcohol. NCSoft doesn't need blockbuster sales on Monday. They may not even want them until friday or later. Right now the people playing are the dedicated die-hards like me. I put down all $50 over 6 weeks ago after doing the research to find which store in my area has the best track record for getting games in on the release date. (EB Games on Grant and Swan, they rock, Best Buy is garbage in case you were wondering). We're more patient with patches, bugs, etc. Stuff that will most likely be fixed within a week or so.
So, I'm sorry that you were confused and are feeling left out by missing 48 hours of game time and will have to deal with more lag on Monday in Mercy Isle than I did, but it doesn't look like posting things here is likely to change anything.
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Because there's this industry called the "retail" industry, that allowed me to reserve the game even when it was first announced. I find it convenient to use, because unlike purchasing things online, I get to go out of my apartment and interact with actual human beings, who can answer questions and deal immediatly with any problems or issues that may arise.
So you're saying that its the retail industry's fault that they launched the game early, and not at all playNC's fault for locking the game out for anyone other than pre-order customers. Just sit back and imagine right now how many kids got this game on Friday from their local EB or GameStop or (fill in here) and got it home, only to find themselves locked out because they weren't a Super Special member? Think of the customers PlayNC is losing!
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it's very straightforward.
the Pre-Order package is what contains the 2 day head start as well as some other stuff like a cd w/ art, map, & helmet.
the Pre-Order package was designed to have people buy the game before release. which means they have money for longer which means they have more time to grow that money & consequently it becomes more than if you were to otherwise purchase it later. it's also guaranteed income.
very similar to how rebates work.
it sounds like you ordered the game through a third party before the pre-order package was available. so you didnt get it, therefore you didnt get the 2 day head start.
your mistake was not ordering through an outlet which sold (& would have changed/shipped your order -> preorder)
if you can post in this thread you can read the front page. there are clear instructions on inputting your pre-order code to upgrade your current CoH account. then you launch CoH and that's it your in CoV.
much ado about nothing. 
What it comes down to is they didn't put the info in the right place which would be the place where you upgrade your account. There should have been instructions posted there so that you knew exactly what they wanted you to do.
Actually, what it comes down to is the retailer offering the game two days before launch. It's not NC Soft the OP should be mad at, it's the store. Any box that ISN'T a pre-order package on shevles now is being put on shelves BEFORE THE LAUNCH DATE. Give them heck about it. As I've stated in another post, this "Idiots R(backwards) We" crud has to stop. Be mad at the retailer for pulling this kind of B.S., it's the kind of stunt that alienates customers. The OP even said he's indulging in the CE goodies, which means it is definitely the final retail product. Send a polite PM to whichever redname that can help (there's at least two...) about this situation (please note: short and POLITE. Don't take out anger at the retailer on the rednames, they get enough crap), and get your retailer on the phone. Then make sure you get the manager (the person in charge of such decisions). Then give them flames from the very depths of Hades. Show them we villains don't take any crap! 
You make a couple of points here...but it's not about paying attention. The OP apparantley just walked in and bought the product, with no-one to tell him he wouldn't be able to access it until launch. That's a flaw in the retailer. If it's about providing customers that kind of courtesy, then there needs to be that information A) In a big poster practically on top of the product B) A sales rep type guy (or even just the electronic section guy) there to tell anyone who even shows moderate interest in the game that information or C) Something posted at all the registers. The release date being good or not is entirely up to debate, however
I believe we have actually posted Sheboygan to death.
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You make a couple of points here...but it's not about paying attention. The OP apparantley just walked in and bought the product, with no-one to tell him he wouldn't be able to access it until launch. That's a flaw in the retailer. If it's about providing customers that kind of courtesy, then there needs to be that information A) In a big poster practically on top of the product B) A sales rep type guy (or even just the electronic section guy) there to tell anyone who even shows moderate interest in the game that information or C) Something posted at all the registers. The release date being good or not is entirely up to debate, however
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this is true. he's not mentioning what store (from what i read. im not reading all 9 pages lol). but if it was retail, brick & mortar; and they gave him the retail box, but not the pre-order box (even though he says he pre-ordered a year ago). that is where the blame should squarely lie.
but if he ordered from an outlet which didnt carry the official pre-order package, then the blame lies on himself.
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I believe we have actually posted Sheboygan to death.
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Not bad for the "internet community hive-mind".
Um, I'll admit, "tldr" for the rest of the posts...But, I just want to say that if you are one of the few that bought CoV early without pre-order (and don't own CoH, *raises hand*), you can still play CoH with those nifty 14-Day-Trial sheets.
I plugged mine in last night and played. Yeah, it's not CoV and you have to SAVE people instead of HURTING them...But, it's a nice little warm-up and a good way to learn the nuances of the engine.
Just throwing that out there.
Not sure if this has been mentioned yet....
But yesterday around 1:30 PM EST, I went to my local Best Buy and what do I see, about 10 Pre-Order boxes on the shelf. So I pick one up and go home, upgrade my account, and boom I'm in.
So, If you didn't Pre-Order like they wanted you to, there is still hope.
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I believe we have actually posted Sheboygan to death.
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Fourteen pages so far. If posts were stones, he really would be dead. Let's beat him up some more, though... just for giggles.
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You make a couple of points here...but it's not about paying attention. The OP apparantley just walked in and bought the product, with no-one to tell him he wouldn't be able to access it until launch. That's a flaw in the retailer. If it's about providing customers that kind of courtesy, then there needs to be that information A) In a big poster practically on top of the product B) A sales rep type guy (or even just the electronic section guy) there to tell anyone who even shows moderate interest in the game that information or C) Something posted at all the registers. The release date being good or not is entirely up to debate, however
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Stores shouldn't have to walk up to every customer and police everything they buy and have to tell them everything....the large customer base would make that rather hard....but customers should ask questions if unsure. And, is this a big title that stores would have stuff plastered everywhere about it...no...I never see stuff plastered about MMORPGs. The information was available on the games website, the pre-order box had information...Customers need to research their purchases...I am not a child and I should be able to make informed decisions...and I feel that allot of people are capable of doing that...Hope its true....
Well, I am going to leave this post with a quote from The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
" Vogon Captain: People of Earth your attention please. This is Prostectic Vogon Jeltz of the Galactic Hyperspace Planet Council. As you no doubt will be aware, the plans for the development of the outlying regions of the western spiral arm of the galaxy require the building of a hyperspace express route through your star system and, regrettably, your planet is one of those scheduled for demolition. The process will take slightly less than two of your Earth minutes thank you very much.
Crowd roars
Vogon captain: Theres no point in acting all surprised about it. All the planning charts and demolition orders have been on display at your local planning department in Alpha Centauri for 50 of your Earth years so youve had plenty of time to lodge any formal complaints and its far too late to start making a fuss about it now.
Crowd roars louder.
Vogon captain: What do you mean youve never been to Alpha Centauri? Oh for heaven sake mankind its only 4 light years away you know.! Im sorry but if you cant be bothered to take an interest in local affairs thats your own regard. Energize the demolition beams! God I dont know
apathetic bloody planet, Ive no sympathy at all
Earth is destroyed "
You lost me after this phrase...
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And to add:
I worked at Gamestop for two years...
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Instead of explaining what's wrong with this post, I'll let you fume. A good angry fit is healthy once in a while.
But wasn't it worth it? 
Ya know I went to EB Games on Friday, picked up my copy, came home, tried my code and it gave me the error (this code will not work to upgrade til 10/31 blah blah blah..). So what did I do? I sure didn't cry about it. I called up EB Games and told them that they didnt give me a pre-order box and that I could come in and get one now. Problem solved.
Oh and Sheboygan.. you from Wisconsin?
5 stars - best thread I've read in ages.
(Technically I bought CoV quite a few weeks ago, thats when the money left my bank account. Doesn't that mean I should have had access back then?)
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Oh and Sheboygan.. you from Wisconsin?
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Either that or he's from Michigan and doesn't know how to spell Cheboygan.
/em adding absolutely nothing of value to the thread at this point
Yes, it was worth it. It's always worth seeing someone who isn't me getting shouted at on a board for a change. I get hollered at a lot. That and very gimpy characters are sort of my thing... unfortunately.
Can everyone just get along PLEASE!!! 
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Neither Cryptic nor NCSoft have any control precisely when stores put CoV on shelves. Stores understand that the CoV servers officially go up on Oct. 31st...but they can decide to put the game on shelves before then.
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Then Cryptic and NCSoft need new lawyers. I worked for Wal-Mart in electronics for several years, and when we got product in it had a release to floor date for ALL software, music, and games. If we put it on the floor early we were liable to suit, and could lose permission to carry any merchandise from said company in the future as well as litigation if they chose for poor customer service. Sorry States, but this is probably the dumbest statement I've ever heard you make.
That's not debt, those are my "fury bonus points"--Stahlkopf
MOST amazing Brute engineer goes to: Ultrawatt. His SS/Fire farm build is SMASH!
Congrats to Black Assassin! Won 100,000,000 INF for building most survivable NRG/NRG Blaster
Sorry, double post. Pls remove
That's not debt, those are my "fury bonus points"--Stahlkopf
MOST amazing Brute engineer goes to: Ultrawatt. His SS/Fire farm build is SMASH!
Congrats to Black Assassin! Won 100,000,000 INF for building most survivable NRG/NRG Blaster
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Neither Cryptic nor NCSoft have any control precisely when stores put CoV on shelves. Stores understand that the CoV servers officially go up on Oct. 31st...but they can decide to put the game on shelves before then.
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PC Software producers are just as able to setup a hard street date as a book, movie, or music producer... And most retailers will follow hard street dates... Ever notice how most movies are released on a Tuesday?
Let's Dance!
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You, Sheboygan, need to accept the responsibility for your failure to learn the details of this marketing promotion and stop trying to find someone else to blame.
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/seconded
This right here is ultimately where the problem started. Someone not reading the material that was freely available to all. It's an all to common problem where people start doing business with a company, but fail to read up on everything. Then they start crying when things didn't go the way they thought they should.
At my job, I deal with people like this every day. People who assumed they know how things work, only to be told that their wrong, and that the correct answer had already been made available to them.
Believe me, I spent the days between the beta ending and the head start reading and re-reading every post and instruction about getting the game installed and setup to start playing at 12:01 am cst. I wanted to make absolutely sure I had done everything correct, and then got the real suprise when I was able to get in 10 minutes early (jump started the head start).