Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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2869 days, 19 hours, 3 minutes ago

I introduced some (4) friends to .NU so we could play a game together. After a month thier initial premium accounts expired but apparently the monitization process doesnt grandfather for existing games? Now they have to make the decision to pony up more money to continue playing in a game they already paid for. If youre premium when you start the game you should let them finish the game as premuim but not start new games until they renew. It's a pretty shady business practice to link every turn in every game to the account premium status.

2869 days, 17 hours, 24 minutes ago

jobo

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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While I think a model where you pay pr game would be better, a model where you get premium rights for any game started while having a premium account would be ripe for abuse.

You could simply pay for a single month when joining a game, and then play your 9-12 month game without paying anything further.

There are pro's and con's to each model I guess, but as far as I see it, nothing has been hidden with this model - it was known up front that you could only increase tech beyond tech 7 while you have a premium account.

Regards

2869 days, 17 hours, 19 minutes ago

turssi

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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Yeah, you need to have your premium membership active the moment you upgrade your starbase tech.

So no, you can't buy just one month and start a 8 month game with the premium tech levels available to you every turn during the whole time.

2869 days, 13 hours, 14 minutes ago

daniel payne

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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Fine. This needs to be spelled out at the payment screen.

2869 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes ago

koros

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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Agreed that it should have been part of the discription for premium. I have 4 friends playing the game now that are now that may not continue the game because this WAS NOT spelled out. They "purchased" the game they were playing in and now they've learned that they will have to purchase more. Bait and Switch is a con.

As far as turssi's comment, thats a silly model. Since when have you played a "1" month game that had more than 2 people in it.

2869 days, 10 hours, 28 minutes ago

veldan

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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Okay, Bait and Switch? I hate the fact that Joshua decided to go with a monthly membership, but he's not trying to swindle anyone. So, I looked at the registration page, and I'm a little puzzled... so here it is.
Premium Member Symbol

Upgrade to Premium Membership!

Ability to raise starbase tech levels past 7
Access to "Inner Quadrant" games with special add-ons, features, team play and private games
Play against other premium members for better games with less dropped players
Eligibility to play in championship matches and win prizes!

To get immediate access use the payment form below:
Register for 1 month for $3.00
Register for 3 months for $8.00 ($2.67/month)
Register for 12 months for $30.00 ($2.50/month)
Register for 24 months for $54.00 ($2.25/month)

____________________________________________________________________________
I don't see anything hinting that the subscription is anything but time based. If you have any other information that could shed some light on your friends confusion, please do and I'm sure Joshua will rectify it.

Here's the link to the page, if you have a link to different page that your friends used to sign up that would be of great help to shed some light on this bait and switch you are talking about. If the sign up page is indeed misleading, it would be helpful to point out exactly what is misleading.

I'm not arguing that the model isn't silly, because I personally believe it is, and hope Joshua will change it one day. But I don't see any misrepresentation on his part of what exactly is being purchased based off of that page.

2869 days, 6 hours, 41 minutes ago

mjs68508

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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koros,

All games are free on vgap.nu. What you pay for is the ability to upgrade up to tech 10. You paid for 1 month and you were able to upgrade for 1 month. It is quite clear.

You look kind of silly saying, "We didn't read the rules of what we were paying for and now we are not getting what we dreamed we should get. It is fraud not to give me my dreams."

2869 days, 2 hours, 23 minutes ago

sakawa

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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Koros I think it was very clear. It is like if you get a special pass to the VIP area of a discotheque/bar/pub or wherever once expired you are not allow to get in at that area any more as long as you do not renew it.

I am playing just one game right now and I will benefit myself for pay per game but at the same time I understand that in order the site to be viable may be this is not possible at all which it is fine. That´s the way that´s the way, ok.

Since you are 5, counting you, you could always contact Joshua and ask him for a month extra in case you guys get a year subscription all of you. Give it a go. In any case if you really guys enjoy the game 30$ it is not that much a year. A few beers, a couple of cinemas & popcorns and done. ;-)

You could always bet between you. The losers pay the winners subscriptions. ;-)

2869 days, 0 hours, 59 minutes ago

pobs

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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Unbelievable..

.............After a month thier initial premium accounts expired.............

Tha'ts because they paid for 1 month.

..........but apparently the monitization process doesnt grandfather for existing games?..............

Struggling to think of anything that does in life?

Pay 1 months rent.. live in house until it falls down?

Pay for night in pub/club/cinema, go back next week and its free?

Pay for 12 month warranty for PC, car, anything, expect it to last for the life of the item?

.....pony up more money to continue playing in a game they already paid for......

Paid for 1 month.

..... If youre premium when you start the game you should let them finish the game as premuim.............

They are letting you finish the game. most online games would not even allow you to continue once you stop subscribing.

......It's a pretty shady business practice to link every turn in every game to the account premium status......

Bullshit. Yet another person looking for something for nothing and then whining when they had to pay for a service just like the rest of us do. No sensible person (used to paying for services) would have interpreted the word in this way.

2868 days, 18 hours, 34 minutes ago

space cowboy

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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I misunderstood this as well. It is not an issue to pay for me and I understand why it is done the way it is, but I feel players should be told specifically that when the premium membership expires the games they are currently playing will be affected. The way it is now could be misunderstood and I feel some players could end up annoyed...and nobody wants that.

PS - pobs, stop being an ass. You can get your opinion across without making it a personal attack.

2868 days, 18 hours, 7 minutes ago

koros

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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Well its obvious by looking at the posts that some people disagree and some people agree. I think it would be best if a line was added to the Premium page that simply states that if your premium account expires, all current games will be affected with your new status. Simple.

I understand the points made sakawa, veldan and mjs but i and the other people im playing with interpreted it differently. It's not clear enough.

And for you Pobs, the Unbelievable part is that you seem to expect everyone to see things your way. You have a very narrow view of how things are monitized. VGAP is not WoW, WoT, paying rent or buying insurance on a car. I understand the nature of fanboys in excessive reactions to negative comments but you should try to get a grip.

until that happens, its still "Buyer Beware" <-- not "dont buy"

2868 days, 17 hours, 53 minutes ago

ares

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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The OP is asking for a simple line of text be added to a web page to make it more clear when buying a premium account what happens when your premium account runs out. Not a bug deal.

News Flash:

This just in... Fanboys aren't Knights and VGA Planets Nu isn't a damsel in distress so chill the hell out.

2868 days, 15 hours, 50 minutes ago

sakawa

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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That line should be added. It is not a big deal and let things more clear.

Actually since the line was crossed on the 1st October I proposed to the NU Team to send a General Newsletter informing about it and offering an extra month or two to those becoming premium members from now and from September 1st.

I would not like to be in a game that because of a misunderstandings players drop. Just give them a new chance to become premium and a reward for that. The NU Team has the chance now, the players still around on their games, tomorrow might be too late.

2868 days, 15 hours, 26 minutes ago

stormy

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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New Player here... glad I saw the post... I guess I'll probably spring for the full year premium account... was thinking of just doing a month.

2868 days, 13 hours, 49 minutes ago

veldan

RE: Premium account - misleading (buyer beware)

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Koros, if you use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of the page and explain your position to Joshua I'm very confident you will get a response. I'm sorry you feel like you were conned.

All of my interactions with Joshua so far have been very positive. Whether if its been through emails, the forums, in game as allies, and in game as foes. (Although, I do want to wring his neck in Australis).