Discussion: Two New Referral Programs!
By
Aggelakis,
Posted on: 2007-11-29 13:07 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
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Question: Does this free time count towards veteran time. I know the free days you get from buying the game don't count. So do these?
Because if it doesn't I would rather just send them a personal email to get them back and pay for my time so I can get my goodies sooner. 
Thanks
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Does this free time count toward veteran time? The answer is yes.
Ex
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To further clarify for the person you're responding to here, Ex, yes, the free month that you get from purchasing the game does indeed count towards Veteran Reward time. Not sure where he'd get the idea that it doesn't.
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Well like I said in my original post. Time you get from buying a retail box of the game doesn't count. So I was under the impression that any time given for free wouldn't count as well. But thanks for the explanation. I appreciate it!
I just invited a friend from another game. Thanks Ex.
*Hug*
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Question: Does this free time count towards veteran time. I know the free days you get from buying the game don't count. So do these?
Because if it doesn't I would rather just send them a personal email to get them back and pay for my time so I can get my goodies sooner.
Thanks
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Does this free time count toward veteran time? The answer is yes.
Ex
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To further clarify for the person you're responding to here, Ex, yes, the free month that you get from purchasing the game does indeed count towards Veteran Reward time. Not sure where he'd get the idea that it doesn't.
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Well like I said in my original post. Time you get from buying a retail box of the game doesn't count. So I was under the impression that any time given for free wouldn't count as well. But thanks for the explanation. I appreciate it!
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Time from retail boxes DOES count. The one month you get free when you buy a boxed copy DOES get counted for vet rewards. If it hasn't counted for you, your account might be bugged.
In my account info, I have two extra months of time on my vet rewards that are not paid -- the free months I got for the CoH and CoV retail boxes.
Hmm, I told my son I11 was coming soon. So he renewed his subscription so he would have Thanksgiving holiday to play as well as Christmas break.
Did I miss out because he renewed too soon?
Bioblast- Metabolically Enhanced Flying Energy Projector
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Well like I said in my original post. Time you get from buying a retail box of the game doesn't count.
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YES.
IT.
DOES.
I am at 24 months of played time, as of October 4th. I got my 24 month badge on October 4th. And that's with three Retail Box purchases (COH, COV, and COV-DVD).
If those three free months from those three Retail Box purchases had not counted, then as of October 4th, I would only have had the 21-month Veteran Badge.
Here, look at this. Notice how my Veteran's Reward time is "2 years, 2 months" ... yet my Paid time is "1 year, 11 months" ...? Yep, that's right, my Vet time is 3 months longer than my Paid time.
Next badge comes, for me, on January 4th. It'll be my 27 month badge; at that point, "Total Paid Time" will say 2 years, and "Veteran Rewards Time" will say 2 years 3 months.
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Question: Does this free time count towards veteran time. I know the free days you get from buying the game don't count. So do these?
Because if it doesn't I would rather just send them a personal email to get them back and pay for my time so I can get my goodies sooner.
Thanks
[/ QUOTE ]
Does this free time count toward veteran time? The answer is yes.
Ex
[/ QUOTE ]
To further clarify for the person you're responding to here, Ex, yes, the free month that you get from purchasing the game does indeed count towards Veteran Reward time. Not sure where he'd get the idea that it doesn't.
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Well like I said in my original post. Time you get from buying a retail box of the game doesn't count. So I was under the impression that any time given for free wouldn't count as well. But thanks for the explanation. I appreciate it!
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Since there have been several people point out that you're incorrect in your assumption that free months from retail boxes doesn't count towards vet time, I won't do that (unless I just did 
), but I would like to ask why you think that. It was discussed at length when Veteran Rewards were first announced, and several people in this thread have pointed out that the free time *does* count. Why do you still think it doesn't?
This might be a bit OT, but does this mean that they won't be doing mass 2 week re-activations of expired accounts like they've done the past few issues?
I have a few friends that want to come back and try out some of the new stuff, but honestly aren't sure if they're gonna want to start playing (and paying) again. Was there an issue with the prior re-activations I'm not aware of? Or did they just decide this was a more profitable way to go, as well as weed out those that are content to just play for free for 2 weeks every couple of months?
is the referral working properly?
I have sent out two, one last friday (11/30) and one this morning, and it seems that neither recipient is recieving the invitation. The emails work, not being blocked by a spam filter (the second was to my own alternate address to try and send the code myself)
Is there another way to get a code for them?
Edit: Nevermind, second one showed up about an hour later..... 
I sent one to my cusin he has been inactive for about 3 moths. He got the email and the code, the code didn't take, it siad something along the lines of code is not for creating a new account. He ended up reavtiveating his account with out useing the code, but probably won't do it again because he feels the prmo didn't work and he deals with prmo's a lot a his work so he takes it a little sirius, not sure it we did it right but Im no fool and he is PC whiz we bolth read and fallowed the directions of the prmo and got the same result the code didn't work we both paly from the same house not sure if that has anything to do with it. Im pretty sure that Im out of luck now because he allready acctiveted the accout.
BOOOOOOOOOOO
Oh well maybe next christmass.
The reactivation codes are not working. I was inactive, and received a referral code from my (active) friend. The email specifically states, "Your friend, XXXXXXXXX, has sent you a Reactivation Credit Serial Code. If you decide to reactivate your City of Heroes or City of Villains account, you will split 30 days of FREE game time!".
So I go to the site, login with my account, use the serial, and get the message, "The supplied serial code is valid, but it can not be used to create a new account and it can not be applied to any accounts you already have."
So I'm reading the referral program's FAQ (http://www.plaync.com/us/support/doc_6352.html?prod=67), and it says AFTER I enter my new billing information, I'll be invited to enter the code. So I enter a game-time card, then go to "upgrade", enter the referral code, and BLAM!, I get the same error (The supplied serial code is valid, but it can not be used to create a new account and it can not be applied to any accounts you already have.)
DID ANYONE ACTUALLY TEST THIS PROGRAM, OR THE INSTRUCTIONS?
I'd like to know how my friend & I can split our 30 days. Please tell me who to contact, thanks.
-- Cornelius
Contact support here.
I have sent e-mails to eight friends asking them to consider returning to CoH/CoV.
All declined and asked not to be sent referral e-mails, for various reasons, most of which overlap.
Their reasons, and the number of people who felt the same way, are listed below:
1. Enhancement Diversification: Unanimous. The respondents' examination of the new Crafting abilities did not convince them this feature was an improvement over simply allowing players to commit to a theme-design for their
characters as they envisioned them. Eight (8) refusals;
2. Travel Power Suppression Still in Effect: Six (6) refusals. Believe it or not, folks, it's not just me. ;
3. Cathedral of Pain Trial Still Not Operational: Unanimous. All eight (8) feel that this is a symptom of a continued, conscious choice by management to ignore many in-game problems hoping they will go away;
4. "The game is just all combat, all the time": Four (4) refusals. I can't fully agree with this one; most comics are "just all combat", but I do concede that there is room for mission content of a more cerebral nature: Puzzle-solving,
random mission triggers like glowies in the Zone maps or on-the-street citizen-rescues that open mini-story arcs and so forth. Even so I list it here to give a complete account.
5. Prestige: Unanimous. All eight felt that Prestige was "grossly unfair" to long-time players, who had been promised SG Bases starting in Issue 2. When those bases finally went live, these loyal customers were told the Influence they had been saving for months - some for over a year - was, essentially, worthless. Again, this was regarded as a symptom of contempt for long-time subscribers in favor of appeasing newcomers. (Two respondents also voiced continued resentment that SG and VG bases lack anything "super" in their character; that instead of
being helicopter carriers or submarines or orbiting space stations or offshore oil platforms, they are still just holes in the ground.)
6. Still No Vehicles: Two (2) refusals. Very low on my list of priorities, but these two respondents were adamant in wanting their [Your-Hero's-Name-Here]-mobiles, jets or motorcycles (As an aside, all respondents wanted to see Rocket Packs as an integral costume choice for flyers, but I pointed out that was potentially a Costume Recipe issue.);
7. Alignments: Three (3) refusals. These respondents resent being forced to play a Scrapper in a heroic mold, a Brute as a villain, and so forth. They contend - and I agree - that actions and story arc choices should determine a player's "alignment", and that the division of player ATs into "good" and "evil" is an obsolete PvP contention that should be phased out, at which point they will reconsider returning to the game;
8. Game's Emphasis Toward PvP: Unanimous. This should be clarified; none of the eight respondents felt PvP should be eliminated, only that the game was being unduly influenced by a desire to pander to PvP'ers in the most unimaginative ways, i.e., allowing those players who value min-max'ing (AKA "munchkins") over strong tactical play to determine how the in-game powers get tweaked. This was seen as allowing the game to degenerate into one of "perfect design" instead of achieving its potential of rewarding intelligent play; as a result, this led directly to the subject of...
9. Power Nerfing: Unanimous. All eight (8) agreed that weakening an ability to accommodate a player segment who could not be bothered to find a way to deal with the creative use of that ability by innovative players was "dumbing down
the game" pure and simple.
It was interesting that no one declined on the basis of any lack of content; rather, that was an area everyone I contacted was excited about. Most of these players had left before the Second Rikti Invasion, and all were excited about the "new and improved Rikti", additional TFs and Co-Op Zone, as well as the new Orobouros content. However, the consensus was that even the best possible content would be ruined by the negative impact on play presented by the conditions listed in their replies.
The "XP Smoothing" feature I told them about in follow-up e-mails was also considered irrelevant by all eight former players. As summed up by "Ace351" (the player who first brought me into CoH in May of 2004), "I don't mind staying at the same level for a while if the game is still fun. If it were up to me, they wouldn't even have levels, we'd just get more powers to start and then be allowed to improve them over time. THAT'S a super hero! The way it is now, we're just playing Elves and Dwarves in spandex."
Anyway, that's how eight former CoH/CoV players felt. For my part, despite the fact that I agree with all of the above reasons for declining to return, I'm still here.
But I cannot, in good conscience, invite any new players to the game until these matters are resolved and the promise the game once held is restored to it.
Dasher
HELP SAVE THIS GAME!
If we can save this game, I promise I will never complain about Travel Power Suppression again! You have my word on it!
"The customer is always right."
1. People who are still bitter about ED and can't see how Inventions effectively "reverses" it are just too consumed by their own bitterness to see it. Get over it. Seriously. Get over it.
2. Travel power suppression is necessary to keep people from trivializing PvE content.
3. Cathedral of Pain. Well they've got a point here. Can't argue on promised content that isn't delivered.
4. Just combat. So is every other MMO out there.
5. Prestige. They've got a point here, too. Prestige is terrible, and bases are worse. The twin devils of Prestige and bases turned Supergroups into Prestige farms rather than the social clubs they should be.
6. Vehicles. Did you tell them about the Bruiser's motorcycle? lol Seriously though, what purpose would vehicles serve given the travel powers in this game? Steeds serve a purpose in games where travel sucks. In this game, it doesn't and they don't.
7. Alignments. The day this becomes City of Metas rather than City of Heroes and City of Villains is a day I hope never comes. Terrible, imbalancing, ruinous idea.
8. This game emphasizes PvP? They're just flat wrong here. It emphasizes PvE and PvP is nearly all but ignored.
9. Creative power use by innovative players? Exploits, they mean. Give me a break on this one. If a power is broken or imbalancing, it should be nerfed for the good of the game.
The best comics are still 10�!
My City of Heroes Blog Freedom Feature Article: "Going Rageless?"
If you only read one guide this year, make it this one.
Super Reflexes: the Golden Fox of power sets!
WARNING: I bold names.
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1. People who are still bitter about ED and can't see how Inventions effectively "reverses" it are just too consumed by their own bitterness to see it. Get over it. Seriously. Get over it.
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WRONG!!! The invention system was *partial* compensation for ED and the GDN, it did not in anyway reverse any of that stuff. You still hit a cap and any points where you go over are still minor at best. The only time it goes over the caps is when folks get extreme with the +acc and +recharge all out the whazoo, and even then there are caps on that stuff so it doesnt matter as much.
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2. Travel power suppression is necessary to keep people from trivializing PvE content.
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They do this now with other things. Certain pl maps come to mind. Travel power suppression makes no sense in pve especially in a super hero game.
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7. Alignments. The day this becomes City of Metas rather than City of Heroes and City of Villains is a day I hope never comes. Terrible, imbalancing, ruinous idea.
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This isnt a terrible idea, we need to be able to experience all the content with any AT. I do think they need to fix a few balance issues when that does happen because many ATs will make other ATs redundant.
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8. This game emphasizes PvP? They're just flat wrong here. It emphasizes PvE and PvP is nearly all but ignored.
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I would say the bulk of the nerfs we got post issue 4 were pvp related very few had any justification for them to change how things were in pve. Namely the phase shift change, if you cant click on a glowie while it is up and you can still be killed by hami then why do we even have the auto-shut off still on phase shift?
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9. Creative power use by innovative players? Exploits, they mean. Give me a break on this one. If a power is broken or imbalancing, it should be nerfed for the good of the game.
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Nerfing was never really the answer, in some cases like the smoke grenade nerf those needed to happen but for the most part they should have just tweaked the critter AI and buff the critter stats instead. That way the players dont feel that the devs took something away from the players eventhough the net result is about the same.
Bump and Grind Bane/SoA
Kenja No Ishi Earth/Empathy Controller
Legendary Sannin Ninja/Pain Mastermind
Entoxicated Ninja/PSN Mastermind
Ninja Ryukenden Kat/WP Scrapper
Hellish Thoughts Fire/PSI Dominator
Thank You Devs for Merits!!!!
You know, thinking some more about this, I think this promotion would be a lot more effective if, rather than giving you 15 days credit, it just made the initial month 50% off (while still giving the currently playing friend the credit). If a person quit the game and isn't sure if they'll like it coming back, how much of an incentive is it to say, "Well, if you stick around for 30 days, we'll give you an extra 15!" when that person isn't even sure if they'll last a full week.
A discount, on the other hand, is something they get a benefit out of regardless, which might be something a lot more ex-players might be willing to take advantage of. If they don't stick around the whole month, hey, they didn't have to pay full price. It might mean less money for NCSoft depending upon if the person goes past the initial month or not, but if it gets enough people to come back, even temporarily, that'll largely offset the difference. (ie If only 15% of people are interested in the current offer, and 25% are interested in my suggestion, NCSoft makes more money despite the deal giving a slightly bigger discount.)