For Invalid ToS' -> Isn't that when data protection and privacy are at risk?
The attacks on the ToS are usually narrowly tailored to those issues only for outside the USA. Which means the rest of the ToS still apply unless there is a problem with consent entirely. Even if entire ToS is not valid in xx country, that's only true once you file/take them to court? Eh maybe someone is rich and has those protections you speak of.
But PWE, if the Neverwinter Pack is different, and the Guardian Founder's Pack I purchased contains exclusive and limited edition items as advertised and sold, why is it that I am unable to buy a Guardian Neverwinter Pack?
Because all of the useable and equippable in-game items in the two packs are exactly the same, and PWE will not let you buy the same pack twice for the same account.
PWE lied about the Founder's Packs containing exclusive items and being limited edition. Case closed.
Do not expect a refund from PWE for their deception and swindling. Cost of 'Founder' title: $60. Worth of 'Founder' title: $0.01. Lesson learned to never do business with PWE again: Priceless.
0
caverndragonMember, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users, Neverwinter Guardian Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild UsersPosts: 27Arc User
Most intelligent folks saw this coming from a mile away. We even warned people on the forums not to pay for this cash grab of a game (multiple 50+ page threads until the <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font> mods closed them):
A lot of people didn't listen or was simply tricked by the PWE and Cryptic marketing hype. That's why I laugh. Any sensible MMO gamer would've seen exactly what they were going to do with this game (which is nothing). I also kept hope that they'd smarten up and attempt to improve the game in order to make more money. But alas, that wasn't the case.
Now they pull this <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font>. That's why I'm laughing harder now.
laugh As hard as you like, few hundred is chump change for the fun it brings me and my kids. Ill do it again its still cheap fun.
I highly doubt this could be challenged in court. It does not appear they are doing anything illegal as there are at least subtle differences between the packages.
Having said that, good companies consider both legalities as well as ethical behavior (or at least the appearance of ethical behavior). How likely would you be in the future to buy a new "exclusive" offer? Do you suppose anyone even stopped and thought about how it would look to us? Some of the decisions reek of either cash grab or desperation to generate revenue to keep the doors open on the game.
I do enjoy this game and have continued to spend on it but they are continuing to try to give me small reasons ongoing that sour me on it long term.
laugh As hard as you like, few hundred is chump change for the fun it brings me and my kids. Ill do it again its still cheap fun.
Fair enough for you. For everyone else you're the sort of person who keeps driving inflation and insane online gaming prices by happily accepting it. I would spend that amount on a game if I considered it a good investment for the time and satisfaction I'd get from it. For Neverwinter though, nope, not worth it.
laugh As hard as you like, few hundred is chump change for the fun it brings me and my kids. Ill do it again its still cheap fun.
Oh hey look! A (supposedly) wealthy, random braggart on the Internets. Everyone loves these type of people...
There are rich idiots everywhere these days. Just because you're dumb enough to buy the $200 pack and spend hundreds more on Zen, doesn't make what PWE did here right or acceptable. Oh, and I consider many other things "cheap fun." Spending hundred of dollars on this game isn't one of them.
I highly doubt this could be challenged in court. It does not appear they are doing anything illegal as there are at least subtle differences between the packages.
The best argument against this point is from those who bought the first pack. The packs were one per account only. They've said the new one doesn't even show up. Just as if they were trying to re-buy the first one. (Going on other players words here, I didn't buy either pack.)
Having said that, good companies consider both legalities as well as ethical behavior (or at least the appearance of ethical behavior). How likely would you be in the future to buy a new "exclusive" offer? Do you suppose anyone even stopped and thought about how it would look to us? Some of the decisions reek of either cash grab or desperation to generate revenue to keep the doors open on the game.
This is true. But its limited. I don't think its going to have the negative effects most think it will. Before I spent a dime on this game I checked out PW. It just seems to be how they do things. Anyone who looked into the game and its companies before dropping $200 dollars into it should have known.
I am mildly disappointed that the pack is continued but only a little surprised. And certainly not because of the exclusiveness issue everyone else seems to be upset about. You don't even have to look at PW's other games. Just read old posts how confusing the 'exclusive' drow issue was. Just doesn't seem like they ever really meant exclusive on any of it. I expected them to drop the pack at launch and sell most of its contents individually on the market.
Only thing that irks me about the whole issue is that the packs will continue to pump AD into the game.
The best argument against this point is from those who bought the first pack. The packs were one per account only. They've said the new one doesn't even show up. Just as if they were trying to re-buy the first one. (Going on other players words here, I didn't buy either pack.)
This is true. But its limited. I don't think its going to have the negative effects most think it will. Before I spent a dime on this game I checked out PW. It just seems to be how they do things. Anyone who looked into the game and its companies before dropping $200 dollars into it should have known.
I am mildly disappointed that the pack is continued but only a little surprised. And certainly not because of the exclusiveness issue everyone else seems to be upset about. You don't even have to look at PW's other games. Just read old posts how confusing the 'exclusive' drow issue was. Just doesn't seem like they ever really meant exclusive on any of it. I expected them to drop the pack at launch and sell most of its contents individually on the market.
Only thing that irks me about the whole issue is that the packs will continue to pump AD into the game.
Same thing that irks me as well.... The amount of Ad being pumped into the economy and driving costs even higher. Next thing we'll see is AD Farmers spamming chat with 10 million Ad for $15.99.
Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor.
~Sholom Aleichem
The silly thing is, if they DID discontinue the packs and sell the items inside them individually in the Zen market, they'd probably make a lot more money. Most people won't want to drop 200 dollars just to play a Drow, but they might drop 20. Plus since companions are one-per-character off the zen market (aren't they? I haven't bought one) people who want them for multiple characters will have to buy multiple companions.
0
drquinchMember, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero UsersPosts: 26Arc User
edited July 2013
As far as the rumor mill has it, when they release the "vanilla" drow these will be sans renegade tattos and will have slightly different racial abilities. On the Zen market, I can see why they added mounts account wide (they aren't that useful in game as the zones aren't that big), companions being character only is one of the main reasons why I bought a Founders pack (as the companions are account wide). The Guardian pack is a good buy, and offers good value for money. The hero of the north not so (unless you really want to buy it). I've got lifetime in both CO and STO, and now hero of the north because...well for all the moans Cryptic games are the ones I keep coming back to
The end result here is people will stop falling for "limited time only" lingo in their sales pitch in order to spike sales near the end of a month or a quarter.
I've got to admit that this is a bit insulting. I mean, I don't regret my purchase at all, and I don't loose what I bought by other people still being able to get it. But its still just a bit wrong to advertise it as exclusive, and then to go back on that.
Also does this mean that drow aren't going to be made available? I've not seen anything official about the drow release, and they are still selling them here in a pack. Did they change there mind and decide to keep it as a purchase only race?
I've got to admit that this is a bit insulting. I mean, I don't regret my purchase at all, and I don't loose anything buy other people still being able to get it. But its still just a bit wrong to advertise it as exclusive, and then to go back on that.
Also does this mean that drow aren't going to be made available? I've not seen anything official about the drow release, and they are still selling them here in a pack. Did they change there mind and decide to keep it as a purchase only race?
Even if you don't regret the purchase (cool for you, really) it was still a purchase made under false advertising, their lies. Thats always insulting, no matter how you look at it.
Well, they promised (hehe) that Drow would be released to the public 2+ months after the launch, wich could mean december, but if they charge for it... people are gonna get a wee bit upset, I think... and hope.
Even if you don't regret the purchase (cool for you, really) it was still a purchase made under false advertising, their lies. Thats always insulting, no matter how you look at it.
Well, they promised (hehe) that Drow would be released to the public 2+ months after the launch, wich could mean december, but if they charge for it... people are gonna get a wee bit upset, I think... and hope.
So what were the lies again? That the pack would no longer be available? Did they actually state that or did they only state that it was available for a limited time. And yes I know its semantics, but the change to the pack (removal of founders title) even if you dont like it is enough for it to be qualified as a new pack in terms of false advertising so I would recommend not using a phrase you dont understand.
So what were the lies again? That the pack would no longer be available? Did they actually state that or did they only state that it was available for a limited time. And yes I know its semantics, but the change to the pack (removal of founders title) even if you dont like it is enough for it to be qualified as a new pack in terms of false advertising so I would recommend not using a phrase you dont understand.
Don't try to reason with him. He didn't actually buy a pack, so he has no apparent reason to care as much as he does. (It wouldn't surprise me if he was being paid in some way for keeping these threads alive.) You are absolutely correct that they have every right to selling packs now and in the future by changing them up a bit to ensure they aren't exactly the same product. But, don't tell that to him because whoever is paying him has a vested interest in him stirring up as much trouble as possible.
Limited time offer on McDonald's Angus Beef Value Meal doesn't mean McDonald's are excluding themselves from selling Angus Burgers, Double Angus Burgers, Angus Deluxe or Angus Burger Meal Combo with Mashed Potato in the future.
Limited time offer on McDonald's Angus Beef Value Meal doesn't mean McDonald's are excluding themselves from selling Angus Burgers, Double Angus Burgers, Angus Deluxe or Angus Burger Meal Combo with Mashed Potato in the future.
Enough said.
Indeed, but don't tell that to the crowd that will find just about anything to complain about!
The marketing was deceptive at best. They gave every indication that the content was a pre-launch exclusive, that only folks who bought the founder's pack would have that kind of drow and the spider mount, etc. etc.
Every reasonable analysis was that they would add 'different' versions of those things (regular drow, maybe some different-looking spider mount) later, but the founder's pack was a prestige item.
There's a LOT of precedent for that kind of pre-launch exclusive in MMOs. And, normally? Once the pre-launch is over, that's IT. ONLY those guys get the exclusive what-sis.
Basically, it shows PW for being duplicitous and lazy, since they can't even be bothered to change the spider skin a little or something for the 'neverwinter pack.'
Me, I'm glad I don't drop $200 on games, because I would have been _livid_ to find out that rushing to gather enough money to get a founder exclusive turned out not to be exclusive at all.
It's hardly the worst thing about this game, but goes toward a pattern of bad behavior.
Campaign: The Fenwick Cycle NWS-DKR9GB7KH
Wicks and Things: NW-DI4FMZRR4 : The Fenwick merchant family has lost a caravan! Can you help?
Beggar's Hollow: NW-DR6YG4J2L : Someone, or something, has stolen away many of the Fenwicks' children! Can you find out what happened to them?
Into the Fen Wood: NW-DL89DRG7B : Enter the heart of the forest. Can you discover the secret of the Fen Wood?
0
ghostravynMember, Neverwinter Beta Users, Neverwinter Hero Users, Neverwinter Knight of the Feywild UsersPosts: 59
A lot of people didn't listen or was simply tricked by the PWE and Cryptic marketing hype. That's why I laugh. Any sensible MMO gamer would've seen exactly what they were going to do with this game (which is nothing). I also kept hope that they'd smarten up and attempt to improve the game in order to make more money. But alas, that wasn't the case.
#1) Not tricked. Too many times the "exclusivity" lasts about 60 days in these games and then ... frvvvp.
#2) Didn't pay for the title. You can see it, it's right here, but I bought the pack for one reason and one reason only - the spider mount called to me and I had to have it.
#3) Don't assume that the $200 price tag prevented me from buying any other games that I wanted. Not all of us work at Taco Bell.
So what were the lies again? That the pack would no longer be available? Did they actually state that or did they only state that it was available for a limited time. And yes I know its semantics, but the change to the pack (removal of founders title) even if you dont like it is enough for it to be qualified as a new pack in terms of false advertising so I would recommend not using a phrase you dont understand.
Accusations of lack of understanding is often times used in place of a real logical argument by those who have no refutation of the actual stance made itself, but still insist on disagreeing - usually due to some subjective hard line viewpoint - in this case "the company can do no wrong".
Enough to be qualified as a new pack according to shameless rules lawyering of a semantic technicality. Not anywhere near enough to qualify as a new pack to those people who made the decision to purchase based on "limited time only" lingo.
Marketers in the MMO industry understand there are alot of frugal players out there who will spend money but usually wait for a sale to happen. Companies use this "limited time only" lingo in their ads to make it sound like you have to make the decision to buy soon, or never have those items. Its very simple to understand by anyone who objectively looks at the situation, that people made the decision to buy the pack knowing it would be gone soon.
This will get even more obvious when this stuff goes on sale some time down the road, and the people who are USUALLY frugal who would have waited for that sale are even more irritated because they were convinced to buy due to "limited time only" lingo in the sales pitch.
Is it a mere coincidence that this was used to spike sales at the end of FY13Q1? Nope - it was well timed to do just that.
This has been discussed and linked in absurd amounts as some fanboys keep defending the company beyond all reason, regardless of counter arguments or thoughts. Just scroll back in this thread or the other.
IIR they worded it to say that the Founder's Pack, including all it's content being exclusive to those Founders, would only be available for a limited time, then urged people to "Buy it while you can!" and other slogans. The Menzo Drow, Spider Mount, Panther Companion and so on would only be available to Founders who bought the Founder's Pack, who invested in good faith in the game and developers. They said it would be exclusive to those customers, wich also makes sense - it's far from uncommon for MMO's to sell Limited Editions or VIP Founder things, that the people who were there, at the very beginning, are the only ones that got. It's kind of the point of it.
Then they renamed the packs and removed a title, resold them as a new pack, with all previously promised Founder/Limited Time exclusive items. They have, if I recall, changed their wording of the offers several times, probably to cover their tracks.
Honestly I've forgotten every single detail but nearly all of it should be in these pages, or in the other thread discussing this.
Naturally people reacted. Most would. And did. And naturally a few bashed them, waving fan flags.
And as usual Cryptic dodged everytime someone asked them about this, here and on FB and twitter, either by refusing to answer or brushing them off, wich only further annoyed people.
Now, most people here seem to think this is shady, sneaky or lazy at best, downright insulting or even bordering on criminal or worthy of total boycott at worst.
People are entitled to feel however they want about this obviously - I claim this right myself - and are allowed to voice their concerns regarding this marketing and sale design, just as the, in comparison, very few have a right to defend it and PWE/Cryptic if they want - the latter are quite amusing when they try the elitist route or wannabe "business savvy" style of debating though, in my opinion. More amusing still are the darkly bitter ones who claim to laugh at the ones who feel tricked or scammed, claiming "They were idiots and deserve it for buying it".
If someone wants to defend the Devs or whoever behind this, sure. Comparing this to other areas like Big Macs or whatever is cute, but hardly a valid argument to support this whole thing.
Regardless of wich line of reasoning one picks, in this thread the fact of the matter remains; alot of people have spoken up, and now view PWE/Cryptic in a much harsher and more negative, distrustful light after how the Devs decided to implement, and handle, these Packs and/or other IRL-cash or Zen Sold things. And now they push another pack, the Feywild one, once again demanding IRL money for a Race in a D&D game...
Personally I feel I've been educated by this thread and others here (I was new to PWE and Cryptic before Neverwinter) and I'll rather spend the money on beer or strippers. But again, that's my opinion, and choice.
Once upon a time in 2012, a couple took their 5 year old kid to McDonald's. The naughty boy stomped his feet and kept crying "I want Happy Meal, I want Transformers... I want Happy Meal, I want Transformers...". The couple bought a "Limited Time Offer" Happy Meal and the boy got his Optimus Prime. The boy got back to school and showed his classmates his precious Transformer toy and was happy for several months until...
One day, the little boy saw a little girl in a park playing with the 2013 edition of Optimus Prime she pulled out from the newest "Limited Time Offer Happy Meal". The little boy rolled on the floor and refused to get up because he thought Ronald McDonald's lied to him.
Hundreds and hundreds of visitors passed by... Guessed what they said to the boy's parents?
"Get real! We all know what McDonald's sell. We buy a Value Meal when we want to eat a Value Meal. We buy a Happy Meal when our kids want the toys that come with it. Teach your kids what Limited Time Offer means in the real world or your kids will make you look like really bad".
Comments
The attacks on the ToS are usually narrowly tailored to those issues only for outside the USA. Which means the rest of the ToS still apply unless there is a problem with consent entirely. Even if entire ToS is not valid in xx country, that's only true once you file/take them to court? Eh maybe someone is rich and has those protections you speak of.
But PWE, if the Neverwinter Pack is different, and the Guardian Founder's Pack I purchased contains exclusive and limited edition items as advertised and sold, why is it that I am unable to buy a Guardian Neverwinter Pack?
Because all of the useable and equippable in-game items in the two packs are exactly the same, and PWE will not let you buy the same pack twice for the same account.
PWE lied about the Founder's Packs containing exclusive items and being limited edition. Case closed.
Do not expect a refund from PWE for their deception and swindling. Cost of 'Founder' title: $60. Worth of 'Founder' title: $0.01. Lesson learned to never do business with PWE again: Priceless.
laugh As hard as you like, few hundred is chump change for the fun it brings me and my kids. Ill do it again its still cheap fun.
Having said that, good companies consider both legalities as well as ethical behavior (or at least the appearance of ethical behavior). How likely would you be in the future to buy a new "exclusive" offer? Do you suppose anyone even stopped and thought about how it would look to us? Some of the decisions reek of either cash grab or desperation to generate revenue to keep the doors open on the game.
I do enjoy this game and have continued to spend on it but they are continuing to try to give me small reasons ongoing that sour me on it long term.
Oh I am sure people are laughing but merely at the fact that you think anyone cares about how much you (allegedly) earn
Fair enough for you. For everyone else you're the sort of person who keeps driving inflation and insane online gaming prices by happily accepting it. I would spend that amount on a game if I considered it a good investment for the time and satisfaction I'd get from it. For Neverwinter though, nope, not worth it.
Hammerfist Clan. Jump into the Night: NW-DMXWRYTAD
Oh hey look! A (supposedly) wealthy, random braggart on the Internets. Everyone loves these type of people...
There are rich idiots everywhere these days. Just because you're dumb enough to buy the $200 pack and spend hundreds more on Zen, doesn't make what PWE did here right or acceptable. Oh, and I consider many other things "cheap fun." Spending hundred of dollars on this game isn't one of them.
The best argument against this point is from those who bought the first pack. The packs were one per account only. They've said the new one doesn't even show up. Just as if they were trying to re-buy the first one. (Going on other players words here, I didn't buy either pack.)
This is true. But its limited. I don't think its going to have the negative effects most think it will. Before I spent a dime on this game I checked out PW. It just seems to be how they do things. Anyone who looked into the game and its companies before dropping $200 dollars into it should have known.
I am mildly disappointed that the pack is continued but only a little surprised. And certainly not because of the exclusiveness issue everyone else seems to be upset about. You don't even have to look at PW's other games. Just read old posts how confusing the 'exclusive' drow issue was. Just doesn't seem like they ever really meant exclusive on any of it. I expected them to drop the pack at launch and sell most of its contents individually on the market.
Only thing that irks me about the whole issue is that the packs will continue to pump AD into the game.
Same thing that irks me as well.... The amount of Ad being pumped into the economy and driving costs even higher. Next thing we'll see is AD Farmers spamming chat with 10 million Ad for $15.99.
Life is a dream for the wise, a game for the fool, a comedy for the rich, a tragedy for the poor.
~Sholom Aleichem
Also does this mean that drow aren't going to be made available? I've not seen anything official about the drow release, and they are still selling them here in a pack. Did they change there mind and decide to keep it as a purchase only race?
Even if you don't regret the purchase (cool for you, really) it was still a purchase made under false advertising, their lies. Thats always insulting, no matter how you look at it.
Well, they promised (hehe) that Drow would be released to the public 2+ months after the launch, wich could mean december, but if they charge for it... people are gonna get a wee bit upset, I think... and hope.
So what were the lies again? That the pack would no longer be available? Did they actually state that or did they only state that it was available for a limited time. And yes I know its semantics, but the change to the pack (removal of founders title) even if you dont like it is enough for it to be qualified as a new pack in terms of false advertising so I would recommend not using a phrase you dont understand.
Don't try to reason with him. He didn't actually buy a pack, so he has no apparent reason to care as much as he does. (It wouldn't surprise me if he was being paid in some way for keeping these threads alive.) You are absolutely correct that they have every right to selling packs now and in the future by changing them up a bit to ensure they aren't exactly the same product. But, don't tell that to him because whoever is paying him has a vested interest in him stirring up as much trouble as possible.
Enough said.
Indeed, but don't tell that to the crowd that will find just about anything to complain about!
Don't worry! Every customer in the Real World knows what they get from McDonald's already. They will continue to buy, but only when they want to buy.
Every reasonable analysis was that they would add 'different' versions of those things (regular drow, maybe some different-looking spider mount) later, but the founder's pack was a prestige item.
There's a LOT of precedent for that kind of pre-launch exclusive in MMOs. And, normally? Once the pre-launch is over, that's IT. ONLY those guys get the exclusive what-sis.
Basically, it shows PW for being duplicitous and lazy, since they can't even be bothered to change the spider skin a little or something for the 'neverwinter pack.'
Me, I'm glad I don't drop $200 on games, because I would have been _livid_ to find out that rushing to gather enough money to get a founder exclusive turned out not to be exclusive at all.
It's hardly the worst thing about this game, but goes toward a pattern of bad behavior.
Wicks and Things: NW-DI4FMZRR4 : The Fenwick merchant family has lost a caravan! Can you help?
Beggar's Hollow: NW-DR6YG4J2L : Someone, or something, has stolen away many of the Fenwicks' children! Can you find out what happened to them?
Into the Fen Wood: NW-DL89DRG7B : Enter the heart of the forest. Can you discover the secret of the Fen Wood?
#2) Didn't pay for the title. You can see it, it's right here, but I bought the pack for one reason and one reason only - the spider mount called to me and I had to have it.
#3) Don't assume that the $200 price tag prevented me from buying any other games that I wanted. Not all of us work at Taco Bell.
Accusations of lack of understanding is often times used in place of a real logical argument by those who have no refutation of the actual stance made itself, but still insist on disagreeing - usually due to some subjective hard line viewpoint - in this case "the company can do no wrong".
Enough to be qualified as a new pack according to shameless rules lawyering of a semantic technicality. Not anywhere near enough to qualify as a new pack to those people who made the decision to purchase based on "limited time only" lingo.
Marketers in the MMO industry understand there are alot of frugal players out there who will spend money but usually wait for a sale to happen. Companies use this "limited time only" lingo in their ads to make it sound like you have to make the decision to buy soon, or never have those items. Its very simple to understand by anyone who objectively looks at the situation, that people made the decision to buy the pack knowing it would be gone soon.
This will get even more obvious when this stuff goes on sale some time down the road, and the people who are USUALLY frugal who would have waited for that sale are even more irritated because they were convinced to buy due to "limited time only" lingo in the sales pitch.
Is it a mere coincidence that this was used to spike sales at the end of FY13Q1? Nope - it was well timed to do just that.
I love those tongue in cheek commercials.
IIR they worded it to say that the Founder's Pack, including all it's content being exclusive to those Founders, would only be available for a limited time, then urged people to "Buy it while you can!" and other slogans. The Menzo Drow, Spider Mount, Panther Companion and so on would only be available to Founders who bought the Founder's Pack, who invested in good faith in the game and developers. They said it would be exclusive to those customers, wich also makes sense - it's far from uncommon for MMO's to sell Limited Editions or VIP Founder things, that the people who were there, at the very beginning, are the only ones that got. It's kind of the point of it.
Then they renamed the packs and removed a title, resold them as a new pack, with all previously promised Founder/Limited Time exclusive items. They have, if I recall, changed their wording of the offers several times, probably to cover their tracks.
Honestly I've forgotten every single detail but nearly all of it should be in these pages, or in the other thread discussing this.
Naturally people reacted. Most would. And did. And naturally a few bashed them, waving fan flags.
And as usual Cryptic dodged everytime someone asked them about this, here and on FB and twitter, either by refusing to answer or brushing them off, wich only further annoyed people.
Now, most people here seem to think this is shady, sneaky or lazy at best, downright insulting or even bordering on criminal or worthy of total boycott at worst.
People are entitled to feel however they want about this obviously - I claim this right myself - and are allowed to voice their concerns regarding this marketing and sale design, just as the, in comparison, very few have a right to defend it and PWE/Cryptic if they want - the latter are quite amusing when they try the elitist route or wannabe "business savvy" style of debating though, in my opinion. More amusing still are the darkly bitter ones who claim to laugh at the ones who feel tricked or scammed, claiming "They were idiots and deserve it for buying it".
If someone wants to defend the Devs or whoever behind this, sure. Comparing this to other areas like Big Macs or whatever is cute, but hardly a valid argument to support this whole thing.
Regardless of wich line of reasoning one picks, in this thread the fact of the matter remains; alot of people have spoken up, and now view PWE/Cryptic in a much harsher and more negative, distrustful light after how the Devs decided to implement, and handle, these Packs and/or other IRL-cash or Zen Sold things. And now they push another pack, the Feywild one, once again demanding IRL money for a Race in a D&D game...
Personally I feel I've been educated by this thread and others here (I was new to PWE and Cryptic before Neverwinter) and I'll rather spend the money on beer or strippers. But again, that's my opinion, and choice.
One day, the little boy saw a little girl in a park playing with the 2013 edition of Optimus Prime she pulled out from the newest "Limited Time Offer Happy Meal". The little boy rolled on the floor and refused to get up because he thought Ronald McDonald's lied to him.
Hundreds and hundreds of visitors passed by... Guessed what they said to the boy's parents?
"Get real! We all know what McDonald's sell. We buy a Value Meal when we want to eat a Value Meal. We buy a Happy Meal when our kids want the toys that come with it. Teach your kids what Limited Time Offer means in the real world or your kids will make you look like really bad".