Important Informations

[karthago]

Sorry, but if its a small company they probably will do no better in keeping updates. SOE would be a downfall and if that was the case I would sadly not sign up for Ryzom. (after the SWG bust)

A larger company would be able to put a lot more money into the game and better updates. Although, to counteract what I said for a small company...I may be wrong about it and if its a small unknown company they may do a good job.

[tr808]

just pray it isnt k2 networks.......... ill advice u to check the forum of their mmorpg Knight Online....... just pray it isnt them....

[soulsnatcher]

I'm troubled to discover today that the "important information" posted by "Marjo" is being held up by in-game CSRs as the most information players can expect to get, yet it's somewhat vague and barely 400 words long. I've spoken to several other Ryzom players and each seem to have a different interpretation of it. Any attempt by us to get basic official clarification (about pre-existing subscriptions etc) in-game were met with repetition of the "notice" verbatim and strong worded demands that no such questions be asked in the "universe" channel. I'm not a veteran player of this game but I imagine that, had I been a paying customer for over a year and received such a terse response from my CSR and in-game community, I wouldn't be pleased in the slightest.

It's only natural to expect that players will have questions (especially those of us who are relatively new to the game), and that they will turn to in-game Q&A chat channels and their CSRs for answers to those questions. This community and its CSRs simply cannot expect so many concerned players to NOT broach this subject live in-game. It's completely unreasonable. After all, the "universe" channel is for questions and answers about the game. What questions could possibly pertain more to the game than its "new" subscription parameters? People used to routinely ask what the level cap is on the island in Q&A. This time people are simply asking what the *new* limitations are and looking for clarification. Why are those questions being met with such anger and refusals?

Unfortunately I've today witnessed little more than flippant accusations and frustration directed at anyone who broaches the subject in-game. CSRs demand that any questions be taken to the forum and effectively let the community verbally lash anyone who doesn't. Yet the forums themselves show signs of extreme moderation/deletions. As a result it seems there's been very little clarification or discussion of this most important of topics here. (I can only wonder if this posting will make it to the forums at all - for this reason it will also be emailed to the company).

Altogether, these managerial approaches seem like the perfect recipe for instilling mistrust and bad blood in customer relations and it's sadly very similar to the recent approach taken by two major MMOs during their own financial collapses and subsequent take-overs. I think I speak for many players who had hoped Ryzom might replace their former collapsed MMOs (lots of NGE refugees in Ryzom) when I say that I'm somewhat disappointed. I expected more from Ryzom and it's community. Thankfully, I've not yet invested too much of my hope, time or money in this game and so I won't feel too much regret in now canceling my two accounts, "free" as they now may be.

The in-game CSR didn't care, but in case anyone's interested.

-"All existing subscribed accounts created before 3pm GMT will be turned into free account..." could mean many different things since it does not clarify the difference between a "trial" free account and a "free account" as is being referenced here. So in effect it could mean all paying players are now on par with "free trial" players and even those ready to head to the mainland can't. It could mean nothing changes and you can still go to mainland from island if you were subscribed before, and the entire account is simply free until someone says otherwise. It could even mean something else entirely that hasn't been specified here.

To add "...with 1 month of free access" only makes it more unclear. After all, what's the point in offering a "free month" to people who have just been given a "free account"? Free is free. You can't offer "more" free than free. I suppose one can only guess that what is actually meant is that players will not be charged for this passed month? Or perhaps the next month? Again, imprecise phrasing and no available clarification.

The line "It will not be possible to pay to subscribe to a full Ryzom account anymore." is also far too final and imprecise. That could mean anything from forever to a few days. Again, it's unclear and no clarification is offered. It seems even adding "Until further notice..." (which would imply a shorter period) is too much to ask.

The line "You will still be able to create a Free Trial account, but at the moment there will be no possibility to upgrade your account and go to mainland." doesn't address those people who were paying customers and had yet to go to the mainland. Are they now stuck on the island? If everyone is given a "free account" as stated before, then why differentiate between trial and paying players at all? Why not then let everyone simply go to mainland? And what exactly is the point in playing Ryzom at all if one can't progress to the mainland indefinitely? Adding the line -"As a result we've removed the level cap for the Free Trial to give players in the Ruins of Silan much more to achieve in the meantime." implies that no one can progress to mainland any longer, even those players who were paying. Still, that's not entirely clear.

And really, I've only scratched the surface. There are players who have even more interpretations of the above "important information" and even more complex questions regarding their subscription. Sadly, they'll likely get the same refusals and stonewalling we encountered while trying to get answers to these questions from an in-game CSR. In fact, when we were told to not ask these questions in-game via the universe channel, and said we would then contact the company directly instead, the CSR seemed to grow annoyed, warned us to not "bombard" the company with useless emails, and that the company would give us no more information than Marjo's "important information" posting. Nice attitude there (for the non-English speaking, that's sarcasm). Treating your players with suspicion, as if they're you're enemy. That seems rather un-Ryzom like and will make it even easier for us to move on. Some of us have danced this MMO tango before and aren't eager to dance it again.

I'm going to respond to this as I couldn't see more misinterpretation or just plain wrong "facts" in a post if I tried. So hopefully this will give you some clarification.

Yes the CSRs in game have been bombarded with Tells and general chat regarding this announcement. From previous experience it is policy that they can only say what the official statement says and no more. If they uttered one single word outside of the official statement then we would have people running to the forums posting about how they have an exclusive statement from their favourite CSR and start getting people into trouble. Don't argue, this has happened before so we know it would be bound to happen in a situation like this. The CSRs in game know no more than what has been stated. If players choose to interpret it in a way that is different to how it was said in the news piece and spread that as "the truth" then that is up to them.

This is not a question of mistrust or turning on your player base. This is purely because there is no more information we can give you right now no matter how hard you push for it. We are trying to help players with genuine in game issues at the same time as fielding a dozen questions from people asking for information we don't have - hence it would make more sense to do it here so that more people can read the same answer.

The in-game CSR didn't care? I would take issue with that statement, as would the entire team, especially the ones for which this happens to be their job. Not caring about that? Yeah right. You ask for dates and timings, if we had them they would have been in the news piece, which is why it stated that this would be resolved shortly. We can't give you information that isn't known yet. When we know it, you will. That's how it's always worked here.

And as for these forums showing signs of mass deletions and heavy moderation? Well I'm just going to have to point out that this is completely wrong to the point where it's almost funny. Not sure what you're trying to do with that comment as there has been nothing even approaching that. That's not our style, never has been, never will be. A few posts were moved to more appropriate forums, like technical support or account support - but that is just standard. Your mass deletions? Sorry, didn't happen. Not sure what forums you saw that happen in.

The upshot is this. All the information we have is in the news piece. When we get more, you will get more. Until then there is nothing more we can add because there is nothing more to add until things start to get resolved. I know how frustrating it is when you want to know everything that is going on, but that is the nature of these kind of ongoing negotiations, sometimes they just take a little time. Just let what happens, happen.

Keep the faith
Souls

[acridiel]

Thank you Souls, but Agent Mulder will still not be satisfied, I´m sure

*salutes*
Acridiel

[ruhen]

Respect Souls, think I feel from your post you're post your kinda worried too... :/

We all should play the lotery this week, we got more chance someone wins then

[arfindel]

Sorry, but if its a small company they probably will do no better in keeping updates. SOE would be a downfall and if that was the case I would sadly not sign up for Ryzom. (after the SWG bust)

A larger company would be able to put a lot more money into the game and better updates. Although, to counteract what I said for a small company...I may be wrong about it and if its a small unknown company they may do a good job.

I am one who came here right after NGE came to life in SWG. Actually starting the next day. Our guild scout considered this place a good home and I just followed his advice.

Having in mind the effects NGE had on the player base and business, having in mind what Ryzom is, I would give the Nevrax team a chance even if SoR would have been sold to SOE (and I am taking here SOE as teh worst imaginned buyer).

And this is why: SWG was/is transformed in a game for the huge regular, young aged, fast-easy-fast receipe public. It was their expressed intent to transform it in a money bringer business. At the origin SWG was ment to work for both people liking complex and easy games, but it proved to be hard if not impossible to keep such a mixed payer base. Ryzom on the other side is quite the opposite of what SWG went to: complex story, sand box game, mature audience, hard game for young unpatient ones.

SWG-WoW type games are obviously immediate money bringers. Ryzom-pre-CU SWG type games are long term investment waiting for the player base to grow into a signifficant customer mass.

If SOE has learnt anything out of losing almost half a million accounts in possibly the shortest time in business history, then they would like to keep an easy-fast-easy game and a long term investment. No worries for the SOE funds, their money don't come a lot from our pockets but from the huge corporation.

So whoever would be the buyer I would trust their will to handle a short term money bringer WoW receipe together with a long term money eater complex game. Untill facts prove it otherwise at least.

On the other hand - given the manner in which SoR has been built, proving real loving hand for detail and complexity - I would trust the selling conditions that Nevrax is still able to accept or not.

While worried about the future, let this future first revel itself to give it further (and proper) judgement.

[mugendo]

I am giving Ryzom a chance to settle and judge the new owners by their actions. With the exception of Sony, who have an ongoing record of player manipulation, misinformation (lies to the layperson), backtracking of promises, bait and switch marketing, publicly critisized the PAYING PLAYERS (take note sony ...your customers), mass removal and dumbing down of established and intergal features of a game...and promising to return them as "future enhancements" (vastly inferior in application)..
So I can say with certainty from my point of view "SONY WILL RECIEVE NO MONEY OR SUPPORT FROM ME"... I will drop Ryzom like a hot potato as soon as I see any connection to Sony.

EDIT - a lot of players from galaxies are here...the players sony do not want, I hope that will feature heavily in their decision to get involved in Ryzom

[dakhound]

chances of SoE buying ryzom..........................not much imo

[fiach]

Well who ever buys it, unless they REALLY screw it up so badly that it becomes totally unplayable, I'll be here

I really want to leech up to 250 with DA, so I guess I'll be awhile

[quakebr]

To any company that is going to buy Ryzom, i have just 1 thing to say : DON'T TOUCH THE SKILL BASED SYSTEM.