New PlayNC Game Time Cards Are Great!
By
Acanous_Quietus,
Posted on: 2008-02-28 15:34 in CoH and CoV General Discussions
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Today, I got one of the new PlayNC time cards. I grabbed a quarter and opened the DVD case. Found the card on a cardboard back, popped it off, turned it over, and lo and behold! There was nothing to scratch off! It was easy to read (though the font was a little small), and easy to enter.
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Urgh. I don't like this change, as it makes it *much* harder to tell if the code has or has not been compromised.
Don't buy timecards on eBay?
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Don't buy anything on eBay?
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fixed. Buyers Beware.
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Too bad they're not POSA (point-of-sale activated) cards instead of yet one more thing wrapped in extraneous packaging. A DVD case, really?
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Some great feedback in this thread, I will certainly point our folks towards this discussion.
Ex
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Too bad they're not POSA (point-of-sale activated) cards instead of yet one more thing wrapped in extraneous packaging. A DVD case, really?
--NT
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Agreed. Think of the environment people!
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I suspect that the DVD case packaging is mostly for the retailer's convenience, as it's the same size as all those other DVD cases that sit on the shelves and easily compatible with the store's DVD security measures.
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I suspect that the DVD case packaging is mostly for the retailer's convenience, as it's the same size as all those other DVD cases that sit on the shelves and easily compatible with the store's DVD security measures.
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Not to mention it'd probably make it easier to spot as well.
Not having to scrape that silver crud off will be nice. Though I wonder if they've stopped putting Auto Assault trial codes in with em and replacing it with maybe...Tabula Rasa? *hinthint*
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Don't buy timecards on eBay?
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It's not eBay.
Some stores don't return opened software to the vendors for disposal - they rewrap*. Even MMOs. I could see some stupid numbskull doing this for the time cards.
We had a big thing when City of Heroes first came out - centered around Best Buy and duplicate codes.
*One forumite even mentioned losing out $50 or so because the store just took the box and rewrapped it - not even looking at the discs inside - which were DVD-Rs. You should always open software in store if possible.
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Some stores don't return opened software to the vendors for disposal - they rewrap*. Even MMOs. I could see some stupid numbskull doing this for the time cards.
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One of the local stores had a huge problem awhile back with one of their employees removing time cards, using the codes, then putting them back in the box for them to be sold. They had to institute a policy to check the boxes at the register to ensure the card hadn't been tampered with before the customer left, since they were unreturnable.
I liked using the time cards, but they became very very hard to find around where I live. Finally, I had to give up and go to paying with my credit card. Not that big a deal, I know.
But I also have a friend that doesn't have a credit card that he can use. He finds the time cards as he can, but sometimes he has to let his account lapse due to lack of time cards. This is a bad thing.
Why is it Wal Mart got an EXCLUSIVE on the GvE pack for a long time, and yet only carried/carries WoW time cards? It makes me feel like CoX players got a bit... shafted. Add that to every other place carrying WoW time cards but not NC Soft time cards, and it just leaves a bad feeling.
What was worse, was when the person at the counter at EB Games told my friend that he could just go to EB Games's ONLINE store and buy the time cards there. Really wanted to remove that one from the gene pool before he breeds....
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The last time I had to use a game time card for my account, they were only available in the red CoV-style box. Those cards were a PAIN to use, because the silver part you were supposed to scratch off to get your code would instead smear your code 99 times out of 100, leaving you guessing as to what, exactly the code was. You were better off just peeling off the entire thingy that was covering the code. If you didn't have fingernails or a good, sharp edge, it was a pain to get under it. Not fun.
Today, I got one of the new PlayNC time cards. I grabbed a quarter and opened the DVD case. Found the card on a cardboard back, popped it off, turned it over, and lo and behold! There was nothing to scratch off! It was easy to read (though the font was a little small), and easy to enter.
Lighthouse, Ex Libris, could one (or even both) of you pass on my compliments and thanks to whoever designed the new card? It's a SUPERIOR improvement, and now I'll no longer be hesitant to pick up a card when I need one. 
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Agreed. I've had a lot of financial trouble the last year or so. Divorce, bank account closures, etc. Having the time cards available has been awesome. Huge thanks to the folks that put those together and I also really appreciate not having to scratch the silver stuff off the code. Most of my change goes into a Coinstar or Coinmaster machine. hehe
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The original "Scratch n Pray" cards were a PITA. Having used several timecards in the past, I am glad to know of this improvement. I use my credit card now, but occasionally still need a timecard. It makes a great gift for friends who play. (yeah, cheesy, but it's true.)
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I use timecards as my main source of paying for the game (I didn't have a credit card when I started playing, and even though I have a pre-paid one now it's still easier for me to use timecards), and the biggest thing is that the so-called "game shops" like GameStop and EB Games (or as I like to call them, the "console stores") only sell them online... so with shipping and such, it's much more expensive than going to the store. I have to go to a Best Buy that is 12 miles away and hope they are in stock (which they haven't lately) because I can't buy one from the GameStop which is a half mile down the road.
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I like the new scratchless timecards. It was a pleastant surprise.
While sort of on the same topic, sort of not, I hate the new PlayNC cards. Here in Australia (not sure whether it is everywhere, but more so around where I live), the old cards were better, I could pick up a CoH/CoV/Auto Assault 60 day time card for $25AU at EB Games. Ever since they changed over to the PlayNC time cards, I have been using a credit card, because there's no way I will pay $30 for a 30 day time card. Yes, I said a 30 day time card. When they first swapped over to them, and found out the price, I laughed at the poor guy I spoke to on the phone.
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Some great feedback in this thread, I will certainly point our folks towards this discussion.
Ex
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Thanks, Ex!
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Not having to scrape that silver crud off will be nice. Though I wonder if they've stopped putting Auto Assault trial codes in with em and replacing it with maybe...Tabula Rasa? *hinthint*
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I just looked through the booklet that was included, and there are no trial codes of any kind. 
Meanwhile, reading what others have said, I guess I'm pretty lucky that one of my local EB Games had the cards. The one right beside where I work was supposed to have gotten a shipment in at the start of this week, but it seems they never arrived...
I first saw them at Best Buy on Black Friday, so I knew at least one place in town carried them, even if it was on the other side of town. I was thinking that it was going to come down to them, or having to buy one online, and wait for it to be shipped to me.
And finally, I totally agree that it's retaded Wal*Mart carries CoH/CoV: GvE, Guild Wars, AND Tabula Rasa, but not PlayNC Time Cards...
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I realize this is kind of off the subject, but I fund my account with a Visa gift card. I buy them at the local mall. I highly recommend it. I pay a couple of dollar fee for buying them, but if you load it enough for multiple months it works out great. They're also very secure.
Should we really have reminded a bunch of people who like to play villains that the new time cards are not POSA?
I used to use timecards to pay for the game, but this one time when I bought one, it turned out that it had already been opened, with the silver part clearly scratched out, hoping that maybe the culprit didn't enter the code due to a last minute change of heart, I entered the code to reactivate my account, but it obviously didnt work
Lucky for me, the store I bought it from replaced it free of charge. I was surprised that they did, since there was no way for them of knowing if I actually used it or not. Needless to say, I use credit cards now...
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I use pre-paid credit cards now anyway, time cards are so overpriced here like everything else.
Eventually importing will drive prices down... eventually...
Honestly, who STEALS a City of Heroes time code? I mean, I could see the WoW populace doing that, but CoH? People, WTF?
I'm gonna assume it's RMT behind it. I'd hope none of my gaming buddies steal the game, that's just plain stupid.
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Nah, RMT uses trials.
The last time I had to use a game time card for my account, they were only available in the red CoV-style box. Those cards were a PAIN to use, because the silver part you were supposed to scratch off to get your code would instead smear your code 99 times out of 100, leaving you guessing as to what, exactly the code was. You were better off just peeling off the entire thingy that was covering the code. If you didn't have fingernails or a good, sharp edge, it was a pain to get under it. Not fun.
Today, I got one of the new PlayNC time cards. I grabbed a quarter and opened the DVD case. Found the card on a cardboard back, popped it off, turned it over, and lo and behold! There was nothing to scratch off! It was easy to read (though the font was a little small), and easy to enter.
Lighthouse, Ex Libris, could one (or even both) of you pass on my compliments and thanks to whoever designed the new card? It's a SUPERIOR improvement, and now I'll no longer be hesitant to pick up a card when I need one.
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