Lifetime Account Members Thread

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Originally Posted by Patience

Characters are never deleted. Your account will never be downgraded for inactivity.

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Ok well there it is your lifetime account will be downgraded. How often do you have to log in before your account is downgraded?

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Originally Posted by ericlewis

Ok well there it is your lifetime account will be downgraded. How often do you have to log in before your account is downgraded?

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Patience said your account won't be downgraded for "inactivity".

What you are looking at is

Are there any circumstances where your account could be downgraded not by your own choosing?

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Originally Posted by imptown

first of all, is there any way for me to tell exactly how many hours/days i have played this game?

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You can type /played in the chat window in-game. :)

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Originally Posted by Patience

You can type /played in the chat window in-game. :)

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thanks, Patience!

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Originally Posted by Patience

You can still unlock 32 point builds in the game. In fact, you don't ever have to open the DDO Store if you don't want to; you can still access everything in the game through gameplay alone if you like. LOTRO follows this same philosophy for the most part, although because we had two expansions there are places it differs slightly for things that were expansion-only and therefore have always cost money - but those things can be bought with the free points you earn through gameplay now, where they obviously never could before.

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Patience is there any other details you can give on the turbine points earned through gameplay? I'm curious as if they're earned by questing or completing deeds or what?

I have to wonder because some people are compulsive completionists and would have potentially already done some quests/deeds that give turbine points. Or, people who have not yet completed that content who might be best served to hold off until the game goes F2P to complete it. Also would those people who have completed the content already be retroactively rewarded? I guess that question won't make much sense if the points are earned in an entirely new way.

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Originally Posted by Dinara

Are there any circumstances where your account could be downgraded not by your own choosing?

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Only if you have a billing issue and your monthly sub is declined for whatever reason (This obviously doesn't apply to Lifetime).

There is always the chance of back-end errors though; DDO just went through a rough patch where an update "broke" some accounts and downgraded Premiums to F2P - Turbine worked through Memorial Day Weekend fixing that particular issue though (and said they found the root cause so it shouldn't happen to us at all *fingers crossed*)

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Originally Posted by Devildoc

Patience is there any other details you can give on the turbine points earned through gameplay? I'm curious as if they're earned by questing or completing deeds or what?

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I am curious about that as well. I could swear I saw a post/tweet/something from one of the blue names saying it wasn't tied to Deeds at least, but that leaves a lot of possibilities open.

I am guessing we have to wait for Beta (either to get in, or for the NDA to lift so that info filters out).

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Originally Posted by Devildoc

Patience is there any other details you can give on the turbine points earned through gameplay? I'm curious as if they're earned by questing or completing deeds or what?

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I don't have any more details right now, but I've put it on the list of things many people have asked about and perhaps we can get more info out soon.

I imagine there will be lots of tweaking in beta, anyway. :)

Oh yeah I forgot I should sign up for that..

It's definately something I'd like to be involved in.

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Originally Posted by Patience

Characters are never deleted. Your account will never be downgraded for inactivity.

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Thanks for answering and taking your weekend time to come here and calm the storms :)

I am a founder/lifetime, been here since ohh beta.
I think everyone needs to just relax and breathe. I for one think I have gotten much from my lifetime cost.

As for new people coming in, is that not what we want in the first place. As far as the little twits that are in every game, who because not one knows who they are they can act like real A-------, Whose parents would just die if they saw how they acted, they have to test every offensive word they know and show off how really stupid they are. They are everywhere, LOTRO will need to have excellent CSR's to handle the problem. As a game I play all problems are handle as fast as it can be. They can be muted or banned. They will have to cover all time zones. But usually the twits don't hang around to long thank goodness. Just press ignore and they will eventually leave.
I am not worried about it. I love LOTRO and will continue to play it. It is to soon to start moaning over anything and say oh I will never play again. I am going to sue them. Give it a chance and see what happens. Oh pleasssee get real.

Calling all folks with panic attacks!!!

First off do not panic.

Secondly, as someone who has been playing DDO as an f2p it works just fine. The officers of the guild are about 50 / 50 VIP and f2p "premium" players. The VIP guys always have extra Turbine Points (TP) to spend on guest passes and other things to help out us f2p players.

They have stated they what you currently have will not change. We have no idea what it is going to cost (in TP) for an area expansion, for a new raid, for a new mount, etc.

I will say in DDO you can earn enough Turbine points to get everything for free. You just do not get it on day one. I spoke to the folks who were playing DDO when it when f2p and they said the same thing.

The game will end.. I am being cheated... everything that is being said here.

Yet none of them are complaining now. It did not affect there accounts at all. It only affected the new players like me.

So I would say relax and wait and see. I am taking my relaxed approached from listen to folks who lived through this transition on DDO.

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Originally Posted by Ryinnik

The change to LOTRO will be the community. Log into DDO as an experiment - it won't cost you a dime. It is a wonderful compilation of all the bad parts of MMO communities rolled up into one happy little rodeo. This makes me a sad, MMO shopping here I come.

DDO needed a new business model, LOTRO was working and now what wasn't broken is getting 'fixed'. I have been waiting for the other shoe to drop since the aquisition and here it is I guess.

However, I only have one question as a lifetime suscriber to a game I love(d). Will lifetime subscribers be given a one time chance before launch to waive any and all benefits under the new system and recieve a refund?

If turbine steps up and does this I will happily be on my way, and hey, I may even check in for free from time to time to see how middle earth is faring.

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Originally Posted by GEARS1980

This would be a fair and honourable business practice.

A lifetime account doesn't pay for itself, it is a holding that accrues value over time, relative to the expense that has been negated. A lifetime account is a form of annuity which has now been altered post contract following a change of coporate ownership. Now that it negates nothing the perceived value at purchase comes into question. This raises a great deal of business legal and ethical issues, which, could all be rendered mute by the point you raise.

I'm going to remain optimistic, I'm usually, *mostly*, pleased with what Turbine comes out with in the end.

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This is a long thread, and I only read the first few pages, so this point may have been rehashed already, but needed to comment on the above two posts.

Why would Turbine give you your money back? You've played the game for years under that lifetime subscription? Wouldn't the fair offer then be for Turbine to pay you back the $200, and you to then pay the $10 to $15 per month for the many months you've played?

A lifetime account is an opportunity to play the game without paying a subscription fee. As one of the devs has pointed out (Clover I think), this hasn't changed. So I don't see any real change to the terms of the lifetime agreement.

As for business model for LoTRO, who's to say (without seeing Turbine's financials) that this business model was good or bad. I for one haven't seen many new people lately, and every game suffers attrition. Over time, that's a bad formula and one of self-fulfilling prophecy of doom. You need to grow to survive and thrive. The bottom line is the company needs to make a profit (whether it's Turbine or WB is irrelevant). I've played other MMOs, that I stopped playing because I got tired of paying the monthly subscription. I would still be playing CoH/CoV if it had gone F2P. So, my hope is that this brings in new folks, and revitalizes the community.

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Originally Posted by Elessar2007

Why would Turbine give you your money back? You've played the game for years under that lifetime subscription? Wouldn't the fair offer then be for Turbine to pay you back the $200, and you to then pay the $10 to $15 per month for the many months you've played?.

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i'll take that offer.

that's all i'm hoping that Turbine has the integrity to do.

6 days 6 hours 11 minutes 34 seconds on my main
6 hours 7 minutes 42 seconds on an alt

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Originally Posted by imptown

i'll take that offer.

that's all i'm hoping that Turbine has the integrity to do.

6 days 6 hours 11 minutes 34 seconds on my main
6 hours 7 minutes 42 seconds on an alt

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ah, a new(er) lifetime sub, eh? Well, for you, I can see your point. Wonder how many fall into that category?

I was assuming the majority of lifetime subs are founders. For us (well, for me anyway), that's 36+ months for $200, so I'm pretty happy with the investment.

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Originally Posted by Sporati

I am concerned, I was against the F2P model before the announcement, but understand such a move as financially motivated. I also understand that without the finances the game will die.

What I'm afraid of...
The store selling items that were meant to be earned. Something like the sun blade from DDO for example. I'd hate to think that someone on the basic account could pay 50$ for store points and all of the sudden be able to buy DN radiance gear. Will there be account limitations on purchases from the store, ie some items only purchasable by VIP members.

Yes, I'm afraid of the influx of people that are going to further taint what I believe is one of the best player communities I've encountered in a decade. I'm also afraid of the gold spammers now given free access to come in and clog up the chat. What if anything will Turbine be doing to prevent the gold farmers from destroying the economy?

Are store points are only going to be purchaseable via real money?

I did F2P in DDO for a short time and found a great deal of prejudice against F2P players. I left because the content for F2P was limited(it took 2 weeks to run all the F2P content and maxing my level) without spending real $ to unlock areas that were being run. Although, for example, I had access to Moria, but I couldn't run through the grand stairs, vile maw, DN, etc.. Will there be restrictions on instances that F2P have access to even if they buy the expansion...i.e instances that only VIP/Premium members will have unrestricted access to?

Besides Monster Play, will anything be restricted to VIP members only?

When will we be able to see examples of how the store will operate. $/pt cost, just something to give us an idea with a big ole disclaimer stating that this is only an example.

I'll hold my judgment until I see some evidence of what the game will look like and when the next major expansion is due. But in all honesty, I fear this will end up being just another Korean MicroMMO, and will lose many of its community that made the game worth logging into. I hope this works out for Turbine, and the added cash infusion results in more development. Regardless I still think the game will need a new engine long before Mordor is released.

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Just quoting the gold spammers part really. Seriously how much will the gold spammers stand to earn with over half of the community will not be VIP and have a strict gold limit of 2-5 gold? Gold spammers tend to not level the toons very high and stick to the lowbie areas. If thats the case, they will be marketing to people that cannot even buy the gold in the first place because they are limited to how much they can carry unless they upgrade.

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Originally Posted by ericlewis

Ok well there it is your lifetime account will be downgraded. How often do you have to log in before your account is downgraded?

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You have to log in and play every single skrimage one time and then log out. /nod

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Originally Posted by Elessar2007

ah, a new(er) lifetime sub, eh? Well, for you, I can see your point. Wonder how many fall into that category?

I was assuming the majority of lifetime subs are founders. For us (well, for me anyway), that's 36+ months for $200, so I'm pretty happy with the investment.

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oh noes! my last post was Number 666 in this thread! It's a sign I tell you! The Apocalypse is amongst us!

EDIT: saw Patience's post saying we'll never be downgraded due to inactivity and some helpful responses a couple posts later, so most of the below is moot.

haven't been able to read this entire thread so perhaps this has been stated already.

(or perhaps my understanding is wrong)

but i thought i read that we're going to have to log in at least once a month in order to maintain our VIP status... but the whole point of a lifetime sub is to be able to come and go as we please w/out all of the resubbing, etc.

now, i plan to log in plenty and have since launch and the lifetime sub has paid for itself now.

however, my wife and i are expecting our first child in October, so i'm sure there will be a couple/few months where i don't even think of Lotro.

and that's where i'm confused... do i lose my VIP status at that point and then get it back the instant i log in, even if it's been 3 months since my last session?

i'd hope that's the way it works and the only thing i'll miss out on if i don't log in is some free Turbine Points.

all in all though i think it'll be a good switch and won't directly affect my gameplay and play style very much, if at all.

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Originally Posted by fatboydoa

Just quoting the gold spammers part really. Seriously how much will the gold spammers stand to earn with over half of the community will not be VIP and have a strict gold limit of 2-5 gold? Gold spammers tend to not level the toons very high and stick to the lowbie areas. If thats the case, they will be marketing to people that cannot even buy the gold in the first place because they are limited to how much they can carry unless they upgrade.

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Ohh...

But when you only have 5g, and you want to buy a 100g 2nd age weapon...

And the spammer says $15 and ill get you it...

Yes its been stated already - the "log in once a month" only applies to the Loyalty Point Bonus TP between now and F2P launch. After F2P launch VIP accounts will gain their 500 TP / month as long as they are still active* VIP accounts.


*In other words if you are a monthly sub you must maintain that sub, Lifetime have to do nothing to maintain their VIP status.

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Originally Posted by DrGonzo403

haven't been able to read this entire thread so perhaps this has been stated already.

(or perhaps my understanding is wrong)

but i thought i read that we're going to have to log in at least once a month in order to maintain our VIP status... but the whole point of a lifetime sub is to be able to come and go as we please w/out all of the resubbing, etc.

now, i plan to log in plenty and have since launch and the lifetime sub has paid for itself now.

however, my wife and i are expecting our first child in October, so i'm sure there will be a couple/few months where i don't even think of Lotro.

and that's where i'm confused... do i lose my VIP status at that point and then get it back the instant i log in, even if it's been 3 months since my last session?

i'd hope that's the way it works and the only thing i'll miss out on if i don't log in is some free Turbine Points.

all in all though i think it'll be a good switch and won't directly affect my gameplay and play style very much, if at all.

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Originally Posted by DrGonzo403

but i thought i read that we're going to have to log in at least once a month in order to maintain our VIP status... but the whole point of a lifetime sub is to be able to come and go as we please w/out all of the resubbing, etc.

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Nope. Lifetimers will never lose their VIP status, regardless of how much they log in. You just have to log in at least once a month between June 30th and the launch of the F2P program in order to receive your bonus 1500 points. After that, you're gravy.

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however, my wife and i are expecting our first child in October, so i'm sure there will be a couple/few months where i don't even think of Lotro.

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Congratulations! My husband and I just had our first on NYE '09. I played very little for the second half of my pregnancy b/c I was EXHAUSTED and didn't come back fully until I was done with maternity leave.

Anyway, no worries. If you're a lifer, you're all set.

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Originally Posted by Elessar2007

oh noes! my last post was Number 666 in this thread! It's a sign I tell you! The Apocalypse is amongst us!

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And the post pointing out post number 666 was number 669.

Also today's the anniversary of D-Day. Which was June 6th, 1944.

The sixth day of the sixth month, 66 years ago.

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Originally Posted by DrGonzo403

(or perhaps my understanding is wrong)

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Yeah, a lot of people are understanding it wrong. They are giving subscribers and lifers 500 points a month for each month until Launch of F2P that you login at least once (even just long enough to log out again). Those points will be waiting for you when F2P launches.

After Launch as a lifer you'll earn 500 a month whether you login or not.

-m

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Originally Posted by DrGonzo403

haven't been able to read this entire thread so perhaps this has been stated already.

(or perhaps my understanding is wrong)

but i thought i read that we're going to have to log in at least once a month in order to maintain our VIP status... but the whole point of a lifetime sub is to be able to come and go as we please w/out all of the resubbing, etc.

now, i plan to log in plenty and have since launch and the lifetime sub has paid for itself now.

however, my wife and i are expecting our first child in October, so i'm sure there will be a couple/few months where i don't even think of Lotro.

and that's where i'm confused... do i lose my VIP status at that point and then get it back the instant i log in, even if it's been 3 months since my last session?

i'd hope that's the way it works and the only thing i'll miss out on if i don't log in is some free Turbine Points.

all in all though i think it'll be a good switch and won't directly affect my gameplay and play style very much, if at all.

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No, you don't need to log in to maintain your status.

Yes, all you'd lose from not logging in between now and F2P launch is your 500 bonus points per month.

And once F2P launches, you'll still get your 500 bonus points per month even if you don't log in.

EDIT: oh and congratulations on the impending bundle of joy