A very interesting, and informative article about LOTRO when Codemasters managed the EU Servers.
http://www.containsmoderateperil.com...masters-years/
Originally posted on the unoficcial LOTRO forums: http://lotrocommunity.com/forum/
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A very interesting, and informative article about LOTRO when Codemasters managed the EU Servers.
http://www.containsmoderateperil.com...masters-years/
Originally posted on the unoficcial LOTRO forums: http://lotrocommunity.com/forum/
Oh how i miss thoes years! Seriously, from the year of 2007 and to 2009-10 lotro was amazing, still is, but something whent missing along the way, alot whent missing to be honest.
The customer service under Codemasters was vastly superior compared to that under Turbine. As the article quite rightly points out that was due to cultural and legal differences between Europe and the US. How I miss those days...
Wow.
It's interesting that Turbine didn't want to take the step to provide better customer service as a result of this "global initiative".
Rose tinted specs there by the author.
CMs ran and killed every MMO they operated.Quote:
Some interesting details regarding the business setup also emerged. Codemasters Online was a small and autonomous department within the wider company, managing several licensed MMOs such as ArchLord, RF Online and LOTRO
They ran events yes for a short period and soon stopped after server crashes. They then tried to limit the numbers by doing them in out the way places with low traffic and soon stopped doing those as well.Quote:
A point that came up quite quickly was the way the EU service under Codemasters would often hold in-game events, had a more flexible approach to account hacking and seemed to have a more proactive group of GMs. During the course of the discussion it became clear that Turbine had less GMs and that they were less knowledgeable regarding LOTRO
As for the GM's, we had to fight CMs to get the GM's to do anything. In the end they had to get rid of the Canadian company doing the support and setup a call center for it as they ended up as useless. Even with the call center support in europe they were not allowed to do what they could at the games release and the Honeymoon period of 6 months after it.
I hate to defend TB but CMs aren't the sweetness and light being painted in that blog, they did a hell of a lot wrong.
I did enjoy the interaction with GM's under Codemasters regime initially. A lot of the spontaneous events were fun also their version of the fashion contest we recently had with Turbine was more player orientated with face to face contact with those running the contests. A really enjoyable first year.
However, by the end of 2008 I had started a N/A account because of the lack of support from Codemasters customer services and what I saw as blatant favouritism towards certain community members. People complain about what's described as Turbine fanbois, Codemasters had their share too, defending Codemasters to the hilt and putting across their views as if they were employed by Codies.
One individual I recall at that time stating in a forum post that he would welcome a chance of employment with codies. Because of attitudes like this, I am very sceptical of the forthcoming player council. Are we going to have all this again with peeps thinking because they are on the council that they are speaking for Turbine.
My biggest gripe was getting customer services to do anything other than send the same auto-reply regardless of the problem you had then when you asked again you got the same reply over and over.
My choices were limited, either stop playing or buy a N/A version of the game and start again with Turbine, I chose the latter.
When f2p started I sat back and watched the debacle that was happening with Codies, the silence spoke volumes, forums full of questions and no answers.
As for Turbine customer service, I can't praise those people highly enough, any problem I have had has been dealt with swiftly and professionally, these guys could teach some in Turbine management a lesson or two.
Don't get me wrong, I do have issues with Turbine in other areas, this sorry excuse for a forum being one of them, I could list the others but I do want to try and get in-game this weekend:p
So what was the real reason that Turbine took over the game from Codemasters?
They could not say anything as they were covered by a NDA during the negotiations, they said so after they have finished discussions with Turbine and were getting ready to implement F2PQuote:
Originally Posted by The_Bruce
My guess, money, if the EU player base was around the same size as the US player base and the belief is that F2P brings in even more money than sub only then why share that with anyone elseQuote:
So what was the real reason that Turbine took over the game from Codemasters?
When I saw this on site:
http://www.containsmoderateperil.com...ters-LOTRO.jpg
I remember to this and start cry again about CM :(
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b32M6ZtwTs4
To be honest its a shame codies didnt have the rights to run the full game i rekon it would be far better for it if they did.
But it's a good excuse to get the real reason for your post in eh ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Damojo
Just for the record though, let's not forget the two biggest security flaws which involved people's account's were brought to attention on that site. You certainly weren't going to be told here that's for sure. I haven't actually seen anyone call anyone else a spastic or a tard, but then maybe I don't 'swing by' there as often as you do so I'll take your word for it. There are posters on the other forum who do regularly defend Turbine's actions, they aren't ostracized in any form provided it's not an outright troll, so let's not pretend there are secret handshakes or hordes of orcs just waiting to stab in the back anyone who says something positive.
Back on topic, Sincilbanks ( the ex-codies guy ) and Xusia obviously put a lot of time and effort into letting people into a side most of us don't get to see. As far as I could see, there was no agenda or bias to it. It may not be quite as informative as yet another 'where are my missing points' thread, but it's certainly something that's never come up here, so it's always appreciated when others go to the trouble.
Well there has been a few personal insults which the majority of poster condemn, I have never seen anyone use those terms to describe anyone here or any member of the Turbine staff. If these words were used to describe anyone they have been removed, as they should be and they same as they would be on most forums.Quote:
Originally Posted by Damojo
As I have said anyone is welcome there regardless of how you view the game and I for one would like more debates from people with varying positions. Debate is always welcome and normally fun.
Cool, believe that nobody posts such things if you like, the evidence to the contrary is writ large on your forums for all to see. As is the lack of any "majority" of posters condemning anything. I could make a list, they're not hard to find, but I really can't be bothered, as you are in denial anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by cossieuk
As to being welcome, I'd rather lever my eyes out with a wooden spoon than be associated with people who view using disabilities as pejoratives as cool, funny and acceptable. While you're welcome to your opinions of the game and Turbine (that's the group "you", not you specifically), most people have a decency threshold.
I don't find that cool, funny or acceptable and I think you'll find I tend to be one of the more vocal about calling this sort of thing out. It really bothers me when this sort of thing happens as it detracts from what people are really saying and gives folks like you ammo to dismiss absolutely everything over there in a highly negative and unfair fashion.Quote:
Originally Posted by Damojo
Please stop lumping all who post there into some homogenous group.
It's funny that the only time I can recall offensive personal insults were used on the other forum in recent times towards anyone here, the person responsible was roundly condemned almost universally, resulting in him saying he wouldn't be posting again. Not quite the 'applause and roses thrown' scenario it's being portrayed as.Quote:
Originally Posted by cossieuk
C'mon though Cossie, you were always a big Codies guy, let's have some of it ;) My only dealings with the GMs of Codies were back when Helchgam?? was bugged and we always got a response within 10 minutes, usually much quicker. I still think they pulled a dirty trick with the lifesubs before F2P bit, but I can't fault the GMs or the forum lot ( except Dnote, who at least had a sense of humour about it all and didn't seem a bad guy despite telling some huge porkies :p ).
Curious. You were dismissive of hyperbole earlier :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Damojo
This is one of the reasons I don't come here this often because derailing threads and straying from the point is common place.
Doesn't anyone wish to discuss the topic in question?
Really? Why? (And I can't remember from the talk at which point they found out about Lotro going F2P, so I'm unsure if they knew whilst selling those.) I bought mine then and I can say I'm really thankful for it. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by monteeburns
As I said I have never seen these posts. I have done a search of the forum and I cant find any posts containing "tard" and only 1 containing "spastic" which is used to describe the handling of war steeds. So if there have been other uses then they have been deleted by the mods for breaching the forum rules which is exactly as they should be.Quote:
Originally Posted by Damojo
I remember this being the subject of much fun back in the day, regarding exactly when CM knew about the F2P transition. Me and Cossie had some great arguments about it :p In the end it turned out they knew about F2P well before the lifesubs were offered at the discount. I think. ( this is going back a while so I'm not 100% ).Quote:
Originally Posted by Lothirieth
I can understand why they sold them - they were stiffed by Turbine so made what they could, and in hindsight it has turned out to be a good deal. But I just think it wasn't very honest to not be upfront about the F2P move when selling the life subs. But I have a bit of a soft spot for Codies going back to the days of the ZX Spectrum so....
I never had the codemasters experience, but I will say I have had nothing but good experiences with Turbines customer support. The few times I have had a problem, it has been taken care of rapidly and to my satisfaction. Ive had tickets responded to in just a few minutes which is a shock when compared to some other MMOs.
Anyone who thinks he was "tricked" into a lifetime sub before the f2p move and is still an active player today really has a wrong sense of perspective.
Some late commers ro our kin grabbed the chance when it was offered and are happy about it today.
Those were the last lifers to get on board, and I have read quite few posts since then from people who still wish for a chance of getting one.
Personally, I haven't had much contact with support and GMs in all these years since 2007, but I can't say I notice a difference in quality of service between Turbine and CM GMs. All issues ingame and out have always been resolved quickly and to my satisfaction.
There is only one thing I miss from the old CM days, and that is the German Com-Rep Maneki. She was outstanding.
And concerning the size of the German playerbase: Before the release of Moria, the servers had to unlock the progress of the epic at some stage with a huge number of quest turn-ins. The contest started with a few days delay in EU, and still my server Belegaer came in world first to unlock. And I guess to this day, Belegaer is still a "monster" server in respect to number of players. (the only ones who could confirm this are Turbine, which I think they will not do).
edit: After all these years, that last loding screen still gets some dust in my eyes. And here is my little burglar, logging out for the last time on CM-Belegaer in the same spot where she started on April 13th, 2007.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5301/5...e7d7b5549e.jpg
Little Delving von Belamanth auf Flickr
Look harder thenQuote:
Originally Posted by cossieuk
"He closed it because the OP dared to mention he got an infraction. Discussing how spacktarded the mods are is against the rules... they don't want everyone to know!" Posted 25 March 2013 - 20:42 Turbine Employee Reveals All
"There is pendulum swing and then there is full on &&&&&&.
Guess which one Turbine is?" Posted 18 March 2013 - 20:07 Update 10: The worst PvP updated since launch
Two examples found in a very short time with no effort. Neither exist according to you. And no, there was not a word of criticism from other posters, before you tell me about the "majority" again. And given both have been there over two weeks the removal process you believe exists seems a little behind on its work.
I'll take my infractions now, thanks. It's worth it to expose the outright lies.
I never said they dont exist, I said I had not seen the words you posted which were "spastics" and "tard", there is a difference.Quote:
Originally Posted by Damojo
As for the first example you posted I had not seen that, but I agree it is not right.
The second post is from someone that trolls both forums. I have reported the post and hopefully the mobs will take care of the offensive language.
I'm sure. I rememeber at the time though, there were a number of people who bought the life sub, and wanted a refund because they didn't want to play an F2P game. That was what seemed underhand, they were sold the lifesub just before being told a huge change to the game direction was coming. But as you say it has worked out well for those who have stuck around.Quote:
Originally Posted by BelamanthDE
I didn't buy a lifesub because as a rule I don't buy them, plus I believed those who speculated that the game was soon going F2P.
I would suggest that calling people Nazi's ( of which there are several examples still on this forum ) was more offensive than a made up word and a few &&&&&.Quote:
Originally Posted by cossieuk
Damojo, I'd like to kindly request as another poster you stick to the topic and stop with the attacks, please? If you have problems with another forum, then that would be the best place to address them. If you do not wish to do so, then it's best to drop it and move on.
As you asked politely, I'm happy to oblige.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lothirieth