Lifetime Account Members Thread

[jtoast]

I for one am pissed.

I absolutely despise macro transactions. I quit EQ and moved to LoTR(lifetime) when Sony rolled them out.

Now I'm stuck with a lifetime subscription to a game I will probably never play again due to the new model.

Yay.

[Brandon_Blackbird]

With regard to an earlier posting, I believe the DDO store does in fact sell a potion or Tome, whatever, that increases the likelihood of better drops over time. To whit, you quaff the thing, and everything you kill gives better drops.

Do I want that to be an option? Not if I don't want the game to be over run with gold farmers. And some of them have lifetime accounts.

It makes a difference in DDO because items that are sold to stores are available to other players, and there is a HUGE difference between a +1 weapon (one loot table) and a +3 weapon (the 'enhanced' loot table). Additionally, there are separate stores you sell your items to based on the base value of that item.

In LOTRO, a game where most of the drops end up as trash vendor loot (seriously, when was the last time you got a yellow or purple item off a non-raid/instance boss that was actually an upgrade?) a "better item" potion would not have the same affect. It would just make more vendor trash.

[MrDiamondJ]

As a Lifetimer I think this is awesome, mainly because I might now be able to get some friends who didn't want to subscribe (two kids and can't afford a sub, etc.) to play.

Besides, I subscribed in November 2008, so by the time it goes F2P I'll have pretty much broken even on my $199 initial layout. I'm psyched!

[Broji]

I am a lifetime member with TWO personal lifetime accounts. In addition, I have purchased three other lifetime accounts for mt g/f, sister and neice.

The way I read the agreement is I will accrue 1500 Turbine points plus 1000 additional points. After that, NADA.

Fine. I wont pay a subscription, but after the 4-5 months of point "GIFTS", I will be lumped into the same bucket as everyone else if I want to buy the latest weapon, armor or other trinket that I will need in order to compete with the high-end.

Lotro.. Prove me wrong.

Otherwise, my career here is coming to an end soon.

Devoro you are incorrect in your statment.. the FAQ's answer your concerns. Lifers get around 5000 points between now and this fall (as long as you log on one toon for 1 second, once per month from now till then). Then, when F2P launches, you have continual VIP status and earn the 500 points per month, continually. So in actuality, our standing in the game as lifers will not change, except for that fact that we will start receiving these Turbine Points and have the ability to buy stuff from the Turbine store (like extra shared storage slots). It is also implied in the FAQ that the good weapons/armour/loot will only be available by playing the game (ie raids and quests and crafting). I'd guess we will end up with the Turbine store having stuff available very similar to the skirmish vendors.

[Gaur-waith]

I've spent more money on a motel room several times in my life than I did for either one of my lifetime accounts. This is just a marketing decision by Turbine and it makes sense. Free to play accounts have a level cap of 50 so all Turbine is doing is letting people who want to try out a game, play Shadows of Angmar for free. Turbine's hope is simply to get more people interested in a game and get them to pay for Mines of Moria and Mirkwood (plus other expansions down the line). The people who try out the game will either enjoy it or they won't. Those that enjoy it and start paying for the higher level content will provide an influx of income to pay for the future development of the game. Everything I've read indicates that it will not effect my account nor my status in the game. Additionally, with the free points that I'll be earning, it will probably never cause me to blow the dust off my wallet and cough up a few coins.

I say, "Smart move Turbine."

[ebmusicman38]

From what I can tell (and this is of course just a guess and we really won't know until beta) is that you won't be locked out of say Halls of Crafting because you have to buy it. You buy the expansion (i.e. Moria) and get everything that comes with it. They may have skirmishes that you can only play if you buy them. But seeing as how I don't like skirmishes anyway, I for one am not too concerned.

The store seems as though it will be a place to purchase things that every subscriber to the game currently has. If you currently subscribe to the game (this means you lifetime members) you will not loose any content you currently have. The game will basically be the same, except in the future you can use earned TP to buy expansions. Supposedly, crafting/instances will still be the way to go to get good gear. Hopefully that doesn't change and that the store ends selling storage space, cosmetics, xp boosters like it currently says. Only time will tell I guess.

"For a monthly fee, the VIP program offers the best value and the most options for players who like the convenience of having unlimited access to all game content and features. VIP players also receive 500 Turbine Points per month and exclusive benefits like priority access to servers, 5 character slots per server, a 20-slot wardrobe for cosmetic items, full customer service, and much more! You can upgrade to VIP at any time by visiting https://myaccount.turbine.com once LOTRO Free-to-Play is available. If you are already a subscriber, just maintain your active subscription to be automatically upgraded to VIP!"

As for the concern about gold spammers. Turbine is putting gold restrictions on accounts that are not paying monthly subscriptions to keep anyone not paying from being able to amass large enough quantities to make it worth spamming.

Give Turbine the benefit of the doubt for a second. It may just be possible that they actually 'DO' have our best interest in mind and they want to see the game make it to Mordor as bad as we do!

[HawtMama]

***! I just went lifetime around last Feb. I am not happy about this at all.

Sigh...me too...I think we literally got the lifetime option on the last day or so before they scrapped the lifetime option completely.

[LordWeaver]

I really have to disagree with this idea on behalf of the loyal subscribers who are NOT lifers, simply because they were unable to drop a chunk of money when the lifetime subs were available. Just because someone can pay 10-15 bucks a month for the game does not mean they have 200 laying around to spend when the time is right.

They are already giving a loyalty bonus in turbine points at launch. I think that's more than fair.

On the flip side though consider a player pays out $300 in advance because they can afford it, and it takes 30 months to balance out right...

Now consider they have paid this in december, so that is 6 months right? Say it goes free to play in August that means the user has got only 9 months of active service from the game. That is $89.91 worth of service they have got out of it, that would mean that the user is 21 months shy of breaking even and the player has effectively paid $33 a month to play it.

That particular lifer has really got a bad deal out of it, which is where I think that they could consider offering a token amount for each month the user has missed out on. It is only an idea but it should be looked at a bit more to be honest.

[CaptainBoots]

I'm ****ing pissed off.

I just bought the ****ing life time subscription , I really do want a ****ing refund . I will never buy another ****ing lifetime subscription to an mmorpg again. You have no idea how ****ing pissed off I am right now. Mother ****ering warner brothers

I'll ask you the same question .. why? Nothing changes for you at all other than you get some perks you didn't get previously. You continue to be a VIP member FOR LIFE and FOR FREE. The other people who pay nothing get an intensely limited game experience. (see above where I point out the many things they'll be missing such as limited chat, mail, AH services and no Monster Play, very limited character slots etc etc etc.

To reiterate, as a LIFETIME VIP member you continue to get the same game PLUS a few perks.

[ArahadEketta]

seeing that I'm going to be vip, and getting free points, which can apparently be used towards future expansions....



I just wanna know what all is in the shop.

They're not taking anything away from me, and the free accounts have a lot of restrictions that I'm above, so there's benefits over the free accounts.. I think having bought a lifetime account isn't being screwed over at all. Then again I've been lifetime for years so.. it's already paid for itself.

So once again..

You may not be mad but you could certainly be concidered mad. I know I am, since I am a former member of the U.S. Military and you have to be at least somewhat insane to do that...

[Brandon_Blackbird]

On the flip side though consider a player pays out $300 in advance because they can afford it, and it takes 30 months to balance out right...

Now consider they have paid this in december, so that is 6 months right? Say it goes free to play in August that means the user has got only 9 months of active service from the game. That is $89.91 worth of service they have got out of it, that would mean that the user is 21 months shy of breaking even and the player has effectively paid $33 a month to play it.

That particular lifer has really got a bad deal out of it, which is where I think that they could consider offering a token amount for each month the user has missed out on. It is only an idea but it should be looked at a bit more to be honest.

No they didn't, because they're getting all the benefits a paying subscriber gets, without having to pay for it.... FOREVER. Take that into account.

[mars505]

I'll ask you the same question .. why? Nothing changes for you at all other than you get some perks you didn't get previously. You continue to be a VIP member FOR LIFE and FOR FREE. The other people who pay nothing get an intensely limited game experience. (see above where I point out the many things they'll be missing such as limited chat, mail, AH services and no Monster Play, very limited character slots etc etc etc.

To reiterate, as a LIFETIME VIP member you continue to get the same game PLUS a few perks.

1. I could of used that money for a vacation.
2. Why pay for something when it is free, even if it is limited.
3. I would of bnever played this game if it was free to play
4. A decision like this is made years prior to release, so they lead people on thinking they would keep the high standard that was established at release.
5. WHy would I waste my time on a game that uses an item shop when there are hundreds of thousands of the same featured games in the Korean theme market.
6. IF you can't see the reasoning, don't even ****ing type back to me, cause yo are simply a shilling for Warner Bros.


Here we go people, up the ****ing pooper with the Big Idea market bull**** that all big companies like EA , Activision , Sony and now WArner Brother, **** this, I am playing Age of COnan.

[MikeDeezNutz]

I spent almost $500 on 2 lifetime accounts, and that doesn't include the price I paid for the game and upgrades! Let's see, 500 points a month divided by cold hard cash equals an upset customer. I do love this games and will continue to play, but I really feel as though the hard earned cash I spent has just been flushed down the toilet. As a lifetime member, am I REALLY going to have to spend more money to acquire items and consumables??? Come on man!

[Ryinnik]

I'll ask you the same question .. why? Nothing changes for you at all other than you get some perks you didn't get previously. You continue to be a VIP member FOR LIFE and FOR FREE. The other people who pay nothing get an intensely limited game experience. (see above where I point out the many things they'll be missing such as limited chat, mail, AH services and no Monster Play, very limited character slots etc etc etc.

To reiterate, as a LIFETIME VIP member you continue to get the same game PLUS a few perks.

You know what changes? LOTRO. That is the point. I would have never shelled out for a lifetime membership to a F2P MMO. I don't like them, that is why I don't play them. I am ticked that I have now bought into one inadvertently.

[SgtAnderso]

Yahoo! I'm a lifer and I can't wait for the Influx of F2P Players to fill in the Level 50 and Below content areas, this is a Win-Win for all.

If you don't want to play with the F2P Group that is easily avoided by going to Moria or Mirkwood. This should help bring life back to the Fellowship and Raid Areas of the Game that have gone dorment since Moria and Mirkwood. I look forward to Rift and Helegrod Raids again!

Lifers do not lose at all in this! IMHO We gain more players and Expansion at the same time.

My biggest concern is Servers... If the current servers get overloaded with F2P Players then we will suffer delays trying to get into our server to play. I hope they give Lifers or Paying Players Priority over F2P Players when logging into servers.

Thanks Turbine!

[crazyaddict]

I'm a lifer/founder. I don't have a problem with this. If they made the game F2P and we get nothing for our lifetime sub, then I would feel cheated. But they are giving us game credit (points) every month, so this seems fine to me.

It's funny cause I remember getting into a discussion on an F2P/MT related thread before. I tried to find it but it's deleted; I think it was when they first introduced the adventure pack. I was saying (as well as others) that they were testing the waters for an MT based model with the adventure pack. People were saying how it would be unfair to lifers and I was saying they can just give people monthly game credit to use. Then today I see this. I must be psychic!

[Brandon_Blackbird]

Yahoo! I'm a lifer and I can't wait for the Influx of F2P Players to fill in the Level 50 and Below content areas, this is a Win-Win for all.

If you don't want to play with the F2P Group that is easily avoided by going to Moria or Mirkwood. This should help bring life back to the Fellowship and Raid Areas of the Game that have gone dorment since Moria and Mirkwood. I look forward to Rift and Helegrod Raids again!

Lifers do not lose at all in this! IMHO We gain more players and Expansion at the same time.

My biggest concern is Servers... If the current servers get overloaded with F2P Players then we will suffer delays trying to get into our server to play. I hope they give Lifers or Paying Players Priority over F2P Players when logging into servers.

Thanks Turbine!

Well said! And per the chart, VIP DO get priority server queue access

[LordWeaver]

No they didn't, because they're getting all the benefits a paying subscriber gets, without having to pay for it....

I am basically to trying to compare a lifer who has broke even with someone who has not.

The idea of lifetime was to offer the incentive to play free forever yes, however you still need to consider the fact the user still has to fork out a lot of cash. Regardless of how you look at it the lifer who has broke even in months subscribed will technically benefit more as the user who has not will still feel like they have lost out; because technically now every player in this model will be a lifer regardless of whether they buy/spend tp etc.

[ookiespookie]

Yahoo! I'm a lifer and I can't wait for the Influx of F2P Players to fill in the Level 50 and Below content areas, this is a Win-Win for all.

If you don't want to play with the F2P Group that is easily avoided by going to Moria or Mirkwood. This should help bring life back to the Fellowship and Raid Areas of the Game that have gone dorment since Moria and Mirkwood. I look forward to Rift and Helegrod Raids again!

Lifers do not lose at all in this! IMHO We gain more players and Expansion at the same time.

My biggest concern is Servers... If the current servers get overloaded with F2P Players then we will suffer delays trying to get into our server to play. I hope they give Lifers or Paying Players Priority over F2P Players when logging into servers.

Thanks Turbine!

Well put!
There really is no downside

[Drogo1]

My biggest concern is Servers... If the current servers get overloaded with F2P Players then we will suffer delays trying to get into our server to play. I hope they give Lifers or Paying Players Priority over F2P Players when logging into servers.

Thanks Turbine!

From http://www.lotro.com/betasignup/vipchart.html in the

Priority Login: Vip - Priority; Premium - High; Free - Standard

[Broji]

I spent almost $500 on 2 lifetime accounts, and that doesn't include the price I paid for the game and upgrades! Let's see, 500 points a month divided by cold hard cash equals an upset customer. I do love this games and will continue to play, but I really feel as though the hard earned cash I spent has just been flushed down the toilet. As a lifetime member, am I REALLY going to have to spend more money to acquire items and consumables??? Come on man!

You don't have to spend any money to aquire items or consumables for 2 reasons:
1. You will be getting free Turbine points every month for being a lifetime VIP
2. You can aquire items and consumables the old fashion way... crafting, questing, using the AH, etc. No cash required.

[Brandon_Blackbird]

I am basically to trying to compare a lifer who has broke even with someone who has not.

The idea of lifetime was to offer the incentive to play free forever yes, however you still need to consider the fact the user still has to fork out a lot of cash. Regardless of how you look at it the lifer who has broke even in months subscribed will technically benefit more as the user who has not will still feel like they have lost out; because technically now every player in this model will be a lifer regardless of whether they buy/spend tp etc.

Based on my lifetime cost, I've been playing for free since February 2008.

It isn't as if the game has folded, or is even threatening to fold. All the lifer has to do is play longer than the monthly equivalent.

Now, if a lifer is hell-bent that this is a horrible thing and QUITS, then yes, they made a bad choice. But as my mother in law says, it's a bought lesson. You paid for it, you learn from it, and you move on. Buying a lifetime sub is a risk, for many reasons. The risk was worth it to me and my husband. It obviously wasnt' worth the risk to some folks, but as far as I'm concerned, they may as well stick around to get their money's worth.

[Aerynne]

Yeah...
I am done with Turbine.
They will never get another dime out of me for this game or any other they develop in the future.

So, anyone have any recommendations for another game to play?

I am looking forward to Rifts: Planes of Telara. In the meantime, I still love EQ2! (And The Secret World looks very intriguing....)

[mars505]

We also lost our status. Something to be proud of, now our status is the status of fools. Turbine can never erase this. Thank you for the shame and idiocy of being enthusiastic about a game company that has continually slapped the fans in the face in past year. Never again.

[Kylani]

It clearly states that as a lifer, you receive 500 points a month for free. If something you want in the store is too expensive, you simply need to wait until you have enough to buy it. -OR- you can pay for more points.

At no time are you ever required to buy points.

Think of it this way, they are about to add MORE fluff... for FREE... and you LOVE fluff..

How would you feel if they offered 'raid' items or even items better than 'raid' items in the store? After all, now you can buy it with your 'free' points. Free raid items, yay!!! What's not to like?

The same way 'raiding' people don't want the best gear offered in the store, I don't want all the fluff things I enjoy finding as I adventure only available in the store. I don't play the game just to pay money to get fluff. I enjoy the adventure to get it. If everything is readily available in the store, it's not a game anymore, it's just an expense.

Yes, IF everything were obtainable in game (and in DDO, everything in the store isn't), I wouldn't have to buy it, but what's the fun of getting that special hat or house decoration, if it's not special anymore. I have no problem with money, so I could buy it, but that defeats why I play the MMO to begin with.

I don't care so much that I'm a lifer so much that the value of why I play an MMO is removed. Not to mention, I hated all the ads in DDO and the mentality of 'you must buy x and y' to join this group. Even playing with Kin, you felt like you were gimping the group if you wanted to earn what you had vs. buying it.