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date: Sun, 14 Aug 2005 19:10:03 -0700,
group: microsoft.public.games.zone.asherons_call
back
Re: Rejoining
On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 10:19:55 -0700, "Peter Duniho"
wrote:
>Reading some of the other AC forums (like, on their web site for example) it
>seems that migrating the account is something you shouldn't do until you've
>got a copy of the new version in hand and are ready to sign up. It seems
>that if you don't migrate as part of installation of the new expansion,
>you'll miss out on the extra 30 days (for a total of 60 days) free.
>
>This isn't stated unambiguously, and might not be something to worry about.
>But better safe than sorry IMHO. There are a number of posts from people
>who were unable to get the extra 30 days free because they migrated at the
>"wrong" time (though in all of the cases I read, they not only migrated,
>they were active on the Turbine account for awhile before stopping).
The only way to get the bonus month for a returning customer is to be
a newly migrated account. So, yes, there are a number of people who
migrated at the "wrong" time because Turbine was pushing their billing
system. From what I have seen the wrong time was because they did it
before the expansion was done and not because of any strict adherance
to doing it as you buy it. But I don't read the tech / billing help
pages much anymore because of the 6 minute post timer that I can
better use in the general forum.
The reason I reccomend doing it even if you have a slight chance of
returning is fairly simple. Right now with 3 fairly common pieces of
information people could get your characters and you'll never see them
again. For example, I know both the world and name of the character
that George played. The only piece of information I would need is
that of his zone handle. Had we been the chatty types I would have
likely had that too. So the choice is either to migrate and
potentially lose a free month or not migrate and potentially lose your
characters.
Then again if you don't migrate and they get hijacked you are still
out the bonus month so I think the reward is slightly in favor doing
it now and taking your chance that the billing system will recognize
you as a returning player. Given how desperate Turbine has been
behaving recently they might just give you the free month if you are
qualifed for it but the system didn't flag you for it.
Now is still the best time to try AC again. Not much has changed and
it's likely that the reasons you quit are still very much present but
if hope beats experience you'll not likely find a better time. That's
not only the best marketing of AC I can summon it's more than Turbine
does.
JJC
date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 11:57:00 -0700
author: John J. Case Johnjcase@casepropertiesdotnet
Re: Rejoining
"John J. Case" <Johnjcase@casepropertiesdotnet> wrote in message
news:3917g15ntff6ahc4es9mohfsudbfun25pu@4ax.com...
> [...]
> The reason I reccomend doing it even if you have a slight chance of
> returning is fairly simple. Right now with 3 fairly common pieces of
> information people could get your characters and you'll never see them
> again. For example, I know both the world and name of the character
> that George played. The only piece of information I would need is
> that of his zone handle.
Ack. They don't require you to know your Zone password? Especially given
that I can remember people in the Zone dev chats (where you use your Zone
ID) disclosing their world and character names, that sure seems like a bad
idea. I haven't checked, but I'll bet those chats are still archived on the
Web somewhere.
Given that, sure...if you really care about your characters and it's
important to keep them, I guess better to migrate now than later.
Have they changed the number of character slots? Or are you still limited
to five per world?
> [...]
> Now is still the best time to try AC again. Not much has changed and
> it's likely that the reasons you quit are still very much present but
> if hope beats experience you'll not likely find a better time. That's
> not only the best marketing of AC I can summon it's more than Turbine
> does.
One thing I'm still curious about is the "new" graphics engine. In a
previous post, you implied it wasn't all that great, but I didn't really
understand that reply very well. Can you elaborate?
I still think AC has been one of the best online RPGs, certainly is the best
I've played (which aren't that many, and I haven't tried WoW). But the one
thing I really appreciated about AC2 was the major graphics upgrade (even if
they did screw the pooch on performance issues, it sure looked nice). It'd
be shame if the AC graphics are still as dated as they were already seeming
three years ago.
Pete
date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 17:26:38 -0700
author: Peter Duniho
Re: Rejoining
On Wed, 17 Aug 2005 17:26:38 -0700, "Peter Duniho"
wrote:
>Ack. They don't require you to know your Zone password?
No. I'll lay odds that Microsoft was unwilling or unable to share it
with them so they went with what information they had. As Turbine
said when these flaws were pointed out, it was this way or no way.
>Have they changed the number of character slots? Or are you still limited
>to five per world?
We are up to seven with ToD. Non ToD is limited to 6.
>One thing I'm still curious about is the "new" graphics engine. In a
>previous post, you implied it wasn't all that great, but I didn't really
>understand that reply very well. Can you elaborate?
The new graphics are underwhelming. There was a very good reason you
never saw pub on before and after drawings. It wasn't all that
improved. They say that there is alot of backend changes that the
players don't see that will allow them to do things they were unable
to do before. Such things include multiple global chats (without word
if they are monitored) and, well, other things except mounts and
capes.
>I still think AC has been one of the best online RPGs, certainly is the best
>I've played (which aren't that many, and I haven't tried WoW). But the one
>thing I really appreciated about AC2 was the major graphics upgrade (even if
>they did screw the pooch on performance issues, it sure looked nice). It'd
>be shame if the AC graphics are still as dated as they were already seeming
>three years ago.
The expansion was smoke and mirrors only lacking the smoke and using
mirror fragments. It added nothing new for the player. Sure, you got
accurate levels but we already knew what those levels were and it's
not like my main plays any different showing 192 levels than he did
showing 126 levels with the experience of a 192er. The augmentations
just give you a way to spend the massive amount of experience they
award, and then doubled on certain weekends, but I wouldn't qualify
that as new. My original review gave the expansion a 3 out of 10.
I'd upgrade it to a 4 out of 10.
The next few months will be interesting. They seem to be paying some
attention to the way I play and we can only see how long that lasts
but I'm pushing for all the change I can get out of it while it's
heading in that direction. With Ibn leaving as the lead CS flack it's
a toss up what will happen. I guess we will find out if his
lackluster performance was him or the company. I fear it was the
latter.
I'll stand by my original assessment, the reasons you or anyone else
quit playing are likely still there no matter what they were. They
did get the Vitae penaty right 'tho. Costs just enough to avoid dying
but not enough so that it makes me want to cry.
JJC
date: Wed, 17 Aug 2005 22:10:22 -0700
author: John J. Case Johnjcase@casepropertiesdotnet
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