Glad they added them back just took advantage and upgraded to Voyager Plus. More people to play with, I don't get the negativity. Life has never been fair. Be glad Alpha 2 is close and they are doing what is necessary to make sure its active and worth while, for us and them. We need more positivity in the world.
When it comes to the reputation of Intrepid, I think the "500$ for alpha 1" with the 0's as OMEGALUL comments were far more damaging than whatever is to come if they decide to sell alpha 2 access minus all the cosmetics, embers & game time at a lower price point. Also, they mentioned before ending the sale of pre-order packs that you might have the potential to potentially gain alpha 2 access even after the sale has ended.
Furthermore I think a decreased cost for alpha 2 would be an overall benefit. "60$ for alpha 2" sounds a lot better than "250$ for alpha 2", given that your average viewer doesn't take all of the other valued items into consideration, which is proven by the sentiment from alpha 1 and in this case there wouldn't be any of those valued items regardless.
If I was Intrepid and wanted to please all parties, just allow people to downgrade their 250$ & 500$ pre-order pack purchase to alpha 2 access key, if it comes with a decreased cost. They said they didn't need the money to finish the game, so there shouldn't be a huge problem.
That being said, I doubt people would have similar energy if Intrepid decided to give for example "Twitch drops" for beta access, even though people paid for the pre-order packs that included beta keys.
Hopefully this topic wont get reduced to "Willing to change my opinion for 250$".
Regardless of whether it was intentional or not, customers are going to feel incredibly cheated if they release keys for $100 or less.
They triggered people's FOMO, so they would spend $250 on alpha access (maybe not on purpose, but it still happened). Many of those people don't give a shit about cosmetics or cash-shop currency, so it was basically $160 for Alpha/Beta access. And now they are re-opening sales for cheaper? Absolutely, the community with flame them for milking their customers with scummy FOMO tactics, whether there's any truth to it or not.
They can avoid this easily though, just by offering refunds on the Alpha 2 packs. People that only wanted the Alpha 2 keys can refund and down-size their purchase, and people who are happy to have all the extra fluff in the package can keep it.
They already allow refunds up to 3 months after purchase, apparently? They just need to extend that window until A2 launches in earnest.
Jeah dear Intrepid wants to have MANY Testers of Course : but despite the amazing Number they already reached, they need more for some Reason.
Plus the Existence of People who (lololol?) ask since/AFTER January 17th for an Alpha Two Key, is not going away anytime soon, right ?
So how to get more People Alpha Two Keys who might not have so much Money like the former Buyers or do not "want" to pay as much Money as the People before them ?
Easpeasy. Just make them cheaper. x'D
But the true "Win" for these People - if we want to call it that - is that they get to buy Alpha Two Keys later on in the waiting Time - and did not have to wait for as long as the People who partially already bought them Years before. (^3^)
Allow A1 key holders in and/or move up the Beta Key holders then.
{UPK} United Player Killer - All your loot belongs to us.
If they needed more testers, than just move all A1 Key holders up. Still need more? Beta 2 Key Holders up.
But adding more A2 keys is a slap in the face for many who bought into it via FOMO because we were told there wont be more. granted Im a Kickstarter backer - still kinda hurts and knowing its cheaper - at the very least, UPGRADE or give the original buyers something extra for compensation then.
{UPK} United Player Killer - All your loot belongs to us.
I'll never understand those complaining. The reality is you purchased something from a game that does not exist yet. You have no one to blame but yourself in my opinion.
It would be like me complaining that someone is getting gas cheaper today because I purchased it yesterday, life is not fair. You paid fair market value at the time of your purchase.
I don't often care about these things, but I got the Alpha 2 pack just so I could help test.The FOMO was real. Now they turn around and say, "Hey, we're going to give you access on the cheap."Can't help but be annoyed at best and pissed at worst.Feel like Intrepid is giving us the middle finger here.
I don't often care about these things, but I got the Alpha 2 pack just so I could help test.The FOMO was real. Now they turn around and say, "Hey, we're going to give you access on the cheap."Can't help but be annoyed at best and pissed at worst.Feel like Intrepid is giving us the middle finger here.
I understand the annoyance but that is how free markets work, and to be fair they stated that they may open them back up.
I have learned to be ok with my decision when purchasing anything. I have learned to understand that a company can sell their products at different prices anytime they so wish to. You made the choice to buy when you did, regardless of what tactics the seller may or may not have used to entice you into buying.
I am more irritated with how they sell embers and them not being a 1 to 1 value, doing math to figure out the exact dollar value of an item is rather irritating to me. With that being said I still am responsible for if I purchase them or not.
I am more irritated with how they sell embers and them not being a 1 to 1 value
They kind of are though.
You get 1000 embers for $10 - so an ember costs 1 cent.
From there, they just have bonuses if you buy more at one time.
My main issue with embers and other such currencies is that some companies will put up a $10 pack for 1000 of their currency, but then sell items for 1200.
There should be an option to top up a purchase with the exact amount of embers needed (ie, 1 cent per ember) to finsh off any purchase in a way where there are no embers left in the wallet.
I am more irritated with how they sell embers and them not being a 1 to 1 value
They kind of are though.
You get 1000 embers for $10 - so an ember costs 1 cent.
From there, they just have bonuses if you buy more at one time.
My main issue with embers and other such currencies is that some companies will put up a $10 pack for 1000 of their currency, but then sell items for 1200.
There should be an option to top up a purchase with the exact amount of embers needed (ie, 1 cent per ember) to finsh off any purchase in a way where there are no embers left in the wallet.
Still requires math, and in a game where minors will be spending their allowance, I believe this to be predatory. Like I said consumers responsibility, it is something I just feel should not be legal. At the very least they should show the whole dollar amount at checkout.
The end of alpha 2 sale was advertised for a long time as if it was the last chance.
They created a FOMO feeling and took advantage of it.
While i like this very critical Approach to the whole Topic, i think Ravicus' Answer to your Comment is a very good Point.
Quite a few Times, it was mentioned that Intrepid upgrades and improves it's Technology for the Game every few Months, right ?
And recently i heard them saying for the first Time, that Intrepid "as a Company" was even created in the first Place, to CREATE this improved Technology for MMO's to host massive Numbers of People being able to move in the very same Spots and Areas without huge Lag-Spikes that can even disconnect People from the Servers.
So i don't think it was FOMO. But You can be sure as hell that People are already excited for the Game, when an Alpha Two gets treated as an Object of FOMO.
Ashes is already great in it's own Way, before it is even completed ... ... ...
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
✓ Kinda starting to look for a Guild right now. (German)
In all honesty, who cares, we are all here to support a game that we want to succeed, if you had 250$ to spend on A2 access then you are definitely not short on cash, and if someone that couldn't afford it at that price tag gets the opportunity to play with us then I'm all for it
At the end of the day A2 was never 250$, it was the bundle that made it that price, you will make the money back with game time and the cosmetics, no one held a gun to your head and told you to spend the money, infact intrepid blatantly said not to buy the alpha packs unless you want to support the game.
The more testers the faster we hit a live launch, be happy that this is happening
I am more irritated with how they sell embers and them not being a 1 to 1 value
They kind of are though.
You get 1000 embers for $10 - so an ember costs 1 cent.
From there, they just have bonuses if you buy more at one time.
My main issue with embers and other such currencies is that some companies will put up a $10 pack for 1000 of their currency, but then sell items for 1200.
There should be an option to top up a purchase with the exact amount of embers needed (ie, 1 cent per ember) to finsh off any purchase in a way where there are no embers left in the wallet.
Still requires math, and in a game where minors will be spending their allowance, I believe this to be predatory. Like I said consumers responsibility, it is something I just feel should not be legal. At the very least they should show the whole dollar amount at checkout.
I think some countries are already talking about making this illegal, or already outlawed it? The cosmetic shops need to have real dollar prices and no fake currencies. It's absolutely value obscuring, and takes advantage of the consumer by enticing them with bulk-value currency pricing and setting cosmetic prices slightly higher than any one currency bundle amount.
If I could go back and do it all over again, I would still spend the same amount of money because of the free game time/cash shop $/other non-freehold skins. I would do nothing differently except buy in earlier at the pricier A1 price. Unfortunately, I just didn't know about the game in time to buy A1.
The more people that can test alpha 2, the better for the game. More realistic player numbers help in balancing which in turn will produce a better product.
Those thoughts aside, an alternative to releasing more keys for purchase is to give the content creators some keys to give away. That's a win for Intrepid AND the content creator program. (Note: I am not a content creator, I would have no skin in such a program).
I think selling cheaper access to A2 is very unfair to the people that bought A2 access years ago. Back then the ONLY way to get into A2 was by spending a minimum of 250 dollars. For me, it's close to unacceptable.
I hope they ignore the complaints, there is no logical reason they should even address them from a business standpoint.
I think it was already mentioned in a few replies, but let’s wait and see what the next round of pricing is on the A2 keys and what’s included … before we get too carried away with speculation and how Intrepid should run their business.
I think selling cheaper access to A2 is very unfair to the people that bought A2 access years ago. Back then the ONLY way to get into A2 was by spending a minimum of 250 dollars. For me, it's close to unacceptable.
Good thing it isn't up to you and is instead up to intrepid to run their business.
2 years ago when you bought your pack you were supporting the funding for the game itself and A2 access was simply a perk that came along with that choice.
If you are upset about spending the money then you simply shouldn't have spent it in the first place.
Hey,
I've been a loyal AoC follower for 4 years now. I've watched every livestream and watch all the creators on YouTube and I trust Intrepid studios in their decision-making.
BUT
Selling cheaper access to A2 when A2 is right around the corner is unfair to the people that bought A2 access years ago. Back then the ONLY way to get into A2 was by spending a minimum of 250 dollars. Now they're stripping the package of its skins, Embers and subscription time and start selling just the A2 keys. Many people don't care about the cosmetics that much and would've rather bought just the key, and you can't convince me that Intrepid doesn't realize this.
I understand that game development is unpredictable and that they hadn't anticipated the progress in their server capabilities, but this doesn't force a studio to sell access for a lower price. This move just makes it seem like the original A2 buyers were squeezed to fund the project to where it is now, so that Intrepid can now sell access for a more reasonable price tag.
My suggestion (besides refunds), which I think is reasonable to all parties, is the following: Let new A2 buyers in at a later date.
The 100k+ people that already bought A2 access set foot in Verra at the end of September.
The new buyers join the adventure... a month late? Two weeks late?
It doesn't have to be a significant amount of time, but it would definitely give us older backers a feeling that we've gotten our money's worth out of our larger purchase. We can start molding the world to our heart's content while new buyers have to watch from the sideline for a minute. Intrepid could even do a server wipe before the new A2 buyers get access, if that'd make it more fair to them.
They've said that they'll try to be fair in their pricing, so we'll have to wait and see what the price will be.
All in all I hope Intrepid keeps being an open and honest studio, as this is the first time I've felt disappointed in them, and may it hopefully be the last.
Good thing it isn't up to you and is instead up to intrepid to run their business.
2 years ago when you bought your pack you were supporting the funding for the game itself and A2 access was simply a perk that came along with that choice.
If you are upset about spending the money then you simply shouldn't have spent it in the first place.
Bring as many people as possible into A2!
I spent that money 4 years ago because it was the only way to get access to the game in the foreseeable future. Yes, I also spent it because I wanted to support the company, but that doesn't make it right to strip the package from all its parts except for the key, and then sell it for less money under the guise of; 'but there are no skins included!'. It's just coming across as disingenuous, and I shouldn't have to tell you this.
There is a thread on this already, and Intrepid does not owe you anything. You chose to purchase when you did regardless of the tactics Intrepid may or may not have used.
I hope they ignore the complaints, there is no logical reason they should even address them from a business standpoint.
I think it was already mentioned in a few replies, but let’s wait and see what the next round of pricing is on the A2 keys and what’s included … before we get too carried away with speculation and how Intrepid should run their business.
Fare enough. It was only an opinion. And if it was me I would sell the last pack as it previously was with cosmetics. Even though it will upset people. This is a new IP do not cater to the Loud Minority.
Comments
Furthermore I think a decreased cost for alpha 2 would be an overall benefit. "60$ for alpha 2" sounds a lot better than "250$ for alpha 2", given that your average viewer doesn't take all of the other valued items into consideration, which is proven by the sentiment from alpha 1 and in this case there wouldn't be any of those valued items regardless.
If I was Intrepid and wanted to please all parties, just allow people to downgrade their 250$ & 500$ pre-order pack purchase to alpha 2 access key, if it comes with a decreased cost. They said they didn't need the money to finish the game, so there shouldn't be a huge problem.
That being said, I doubt people would have similar energy if Intrepid decided to give for example "Twitch drops" for beta access, even though people paid for the pre-order packs that included beta keys.
Hopefully this topic wont get reduced to "Willing to change my opinion for 250$".
They triggered people's FOMO, so they would spend $250 on alpha access (maybe not on purpose, but it still happened). Many of those people don't give a shit about cosmetics or cash-shop currency, so it was basically $160 for Alpha/Beta access. And now they are re-opening sales for cheaper? Absolutely, the community with flame them for milking their customers with scummy FOMO tactics, whether there's any truth to it or not.
They can avoid this easily though, just by offering refunds on the Alpha 2 packs. People that only wanted the Alpha 2 keys can refund and down-size their purchase, and people who are happy to have all the extra fluff in the package can keep it.
They already allow refunds up to 3 months after purchase, apparently? They just need to extend that window until A2 launches in earnest.
Allow A1 key holders in and/or move up the Beta Key holders then.
But adding more A2 keys is a slap in the face for many who bought into it via FOMO because we were told there wont be more. granted Im a Kickstarter backer - still kinda hurts and knowing its cheaper - at the very least, UPGRADE or give the original buyers something extra for compensation then.
It would be like me complaining that someone is getting gas cheaper today because I purchased it yesterday, life is not fair. You paid fair market value at the time of your purchase.
I understand the annoyance but that is how free markets work, and to be fair they stated that they may open them back up.
I have learned to be ok with my decision when purchasing anything. I have learned to understand that a company can sell their products at different prices anytime they so wish to. You made the choice to buy when you did, regardless of what tactics the seller may or may not have used to entice you into buying.
You get 1000 embers for $10 - so an ember costs 1 cent.
From there, they just have bonuses if you buy more at one time.
My main issue with embers and other such currencies is that some companies will put up a $10 pack for 1000 of their currency, but then sell items for 1200.
There should be an option to top up a purchase with the exact amount of embers needed (ie, 1 cent per ember) to finsh off any purchase in a way where there are no embers left in the wallet.
Still requires math, and in a game where minors will be spending their allowance, I believe this to be predatory. Like I said consumers responsibility, it is something I just feel should not be legal. At the very least they should show the whole dollar amount at checkout.
We were pretty explicitly told there would be more. About a hundred times Steven said they would sell more keys as needed.
I think yes. Kinda got it like this is as well.
While i like this very critical Approach to the whole Topic, i think Ravicus' Answer to your Comment is a very good Point.
Quite a few Times, it was mentioned that Intrepid upgrades and improves it's Technology for the Game every few Months, right ?
And recently i heard them saying for the first Time, that Intrepid "as a Company" was even created in the first Place, to CREATE this improved Technology for MMO's to host massive Numbers of People being able to move in the very same Spots and Areas without huge Lag-Spikes that can even disconnect People from the Servers.
So i don't think it was FOMO. But You can be sure as hell that People are already excited for the Game, when an Alpha Two gets treated as an Object of FOMO.
Ashes is already great in it's own Way, before it is even completed ... ... ...
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
✓ Kinda starting to look for a Guild right now. (German)
At the end of the day A2 was never 250$, it was the bundle that made it that price, you will make the money back with game time and the cosmetics, no one held a gun to your head and told you to spend the money, infact intrepid blatantly said not to buy the alpha packs unless you want to support the game.
The more testers the faster we hit a live launch, be happy that this is happening
I think some countries are already talking about making this illegal, or already outlawed it? The cosmetic shops need to have real dollar prices and no fake currencies. It's absolutely value obscuring, and takes advantage of the consumer by enticing them with bulk-value currency pricing and setting cosmetic prices slightly higher than any one currency bundle amount.
Amen. 😌👌
✓ Occasional Roleplayer
✓ Kinda starting to look for a Guild right now. (German)
I see myself as a business angel and spend money to make me happy, that's it
The more people that can test alpha 2, the better for the game. More realistic player numbers help in balancing which in turn will produce a better product.
Those thoughts aside, an alternative to releasing more keys for purchase is to give the content creators some keys to give away. That's a win for Intrepid AND the content creator program. (Note: I am not a content creator, I would have no skin in such a program).
I think it was already mentioned in a few replies, but let’s wait and see what the next round of pricing is on the A2 keys and what’s included … before we get too carried away with speculation and how Intrepid should run their business.
Good thing it isn't up to you and is instead up to intrepid to run their business.
2 years ago when you bought your pack you were supporting the funding for the game itself and A2 access was simply a perk that came along with that choice.
If you are upset about spending the money then you simply shouldn't have spent it in the first place.
Bring as many people as possible into A2!
I've been a loyal AoC follower for 4 years now. I've watched every livestream and watch all the creators on YouTube and I trust Intrepid studios in their decision-making.
BUT
Selling cheaper access to A2 when A2 is right around the corner is unfair to the people that bought A2 access years ago. Back then the ONLY way to get into A2 was by spending a minimum of 250 dollars. Now they're stripping the package of its skins, Embers and subscription time and start selling just the A2 keys. Many people don't care about the cosmetics that much and would've rather bought just the key, and you can't convince me that Intrepid doesn't realize this.
I understand that game development is unpredictable and that they hadn't anticipated the progress in their server capabilities, but this doesn't force a studio to sell access for a lower price. This move just makes it seem like the original A2 buyers were squeezed to fund the project to where it is now, so that Intrepid can now sell access for a more reasonable price tag.
My suggestion (besides refunds), which I think is reasonable to all parties, is the following:
Let new A2 buyers in at a later date.
The 100k+ people that already bought A2 access set foot in Verra at the end of September.
The new buyers join the adventure... a month late? Two weeks late?
It doesn't have to be a significant amount of time, but it would definitely give us older backers a feeling that we've gotten our money's worth out of our larger purchase. We can start molding the world to our heart's content while new buyers have to watch from the sideline for a minute. Intrepid could even do a server wipe before the new A2 buyers get access, if that'd make it more fair to them.
They've said that they'll try to be fair in their pricing, so we'll have to wait and see what the price will be.
All in all I hope Intrepid keeps being an open and honest studio, as this is the first time I've felt disappointed in them, and may it hopefully be the last.
Thoughts?
I spent that money 4 years ago because it was the only way to get access to the game in the foreseeable future. Yes, I also spent it because I wanted to support the company, but that doesn't make it right to strip the package from all its parts except for the key, and then sell it for less money under the guise of; 'but there are no skins included!'. It's just coming across as disingenuous, and I shouldn't have to tell you this.
Fare enough. It was only an opinion. And if it was me I would sell the last pack as it previously was with cosmetics. Even though it will upset people. This is a new IP do not cater to the Loud Minority.