If true, I doubt PWE really cares. PWE is an asian company, and have previously gone on record that they don't mind if they happen to lose some customers in a specific region, due to legal controversies. I believe it was a Cryptic representative who openly stated that they'd be fine blocking an entire country if necessary.
But yes, the new "Arc-style" homepage for STO looks worse than the current one. Shouldn't an "upgrade" mean an "improvement" ? Why move to something that would be the opposite of an improvement?
...that's just not fair.
We finally have a ST game worth playing, with devs that care, a FTP model that works, and the company runs it into the ground...
Any chance that Cryptic will get away from PWE and go independent, or maybe to a company that is less openly exploitative?
The other site is even worse...I mean, it's just plain ugly.
And Brandon, please tell someone important that if ARC becomes mandatory and/or you move the website to arcgames.com, I and many, many others will quit.
Also, ARC has been pretty clearly shown to violate EU law. I think that PWE will want to know that before they get sued.
Note that I have nothing against you or the devs, it's the executives who TRIBBLE me off.
Just FMI, what exactly qualifies as "ARC has been pretty clearly shown to violate EU law."???
A few minutes ago quotes and backgrounds just got lighter. Is this just me or is it happening to other people?
Check the News section. They're doing an aesthetic update on the forums and things are going to be glitchy like that for a few hours.
"Great War! / And I cannot take more! / Great tour! / I keep on marching on / I play the great score / There will be no encore / Great War! / The War to End All Wars"
— Sabaton, "Great War"
If true, I doubt PWE really cares. PWE is an asian company, and have previously gone on record that they don't mind if they happen to lose some customers in a specific region, due to legal controversies. I believe it was a Cryptic representative who openly stated that they'd be fine blocking an entire country if necessary.
But yes, the new "Arc-style" homepage for STO looks worse than the current one. Shouldn't an "upgrade" mean an "improvement" ? Why move to something that would be the opposite of an improvement?
There's some distortion in that post. PWE is a San FRrancisco based company, owned by a China based Perfect World, which trades on the NASDAQ. The top management is in Beijing, sure, but the company is owned by stockholders everywhere.
The second point comes down to the opinion of a developer who had worked with the company for under a year when he suggested that if lockboxes (which are the core monetization strategy of these games) are made illegal in small markets, PWE might pull out of those markets rather than drop its core business strategy. I don't think any of that indicates an indifference to losing customers. It indicates that one employee thought PWE would do a cost/benefit analysis with regard to laws and regulations.
If it's more profitable to leave a small market than to change their business model, they'd leave the market. That isn't being fine with losing customers. That's how a business that is responsible to shareholders should run. I'm sure if it would cost less to adjust policy or comply than it would to lose revenue, they'd adjust policies to stay in a market. This was all speculation on one dev's part. Maybe PWE would require a gold subscription to play in those markets. Maybe they would setup servers with different rules if it's a large market.
But if a law says that you can't sell hamburgers or hamburger substitutes, I wouldn't expect McDonald's to be in that market. (Note: McDonald's does do substitutes in some markets. But it's still a patty of something on a bun.) PWE is a virtual lockbox selling company. That is really all that particular dev was saying.
Just FMI, what exactly qualifies as "ARC has been pretty clearly shown to violate EU law."???
It's in the massive thread on ARC. Someone went to the trouble of looking up EU laws pertaining to EULAs and privacy. I'll see if I can find the exact post.
I'm just going to echo that the white text on this lighter shade of grey/slate is a bit more painful on the eyes for me as well. The lessening of contrast means people are going to be straining their eyes more, ironically enough.
I'm still going to hold off on judgement until all the changes have made it over, but as someone who has been involved in the craft of website design and coding for.. around a decade and a half, I am compelled to comment on it.
It's in the massive thread on ARC. Someone went to the trouble of looking up EU laws pertaining to EULAs and privacy. I'll see if I can find the exact post.
"Great War! / And I cannot take more! / Great tour! / I keep on marching on / I play the great score / There will be no encore / Great War! / The War to End All Wars"
— Sabaton, "Great War"
It's in the massive thread on ARC. Someone went to the trouble of looking up EU laws pertaining to EULAs and privacy. .
That was me, let me try to cool the temperature a bit.
The specific problem is that EU regulations pertaining to data privacy require customers to have the option to change their mind at any time.
Essentially the option to opt in or out, at will and at no special cost, to data being used.
Currently, although ARC does have an opt out box on installation (which really ought to be opt in), there is no way to subsequently change that option.
Thus, technically, as currently formulated, in breach of EU regs.
However, the fix is simple and has already been posted on the ARC feedback thread.
ARC, per se, does not violate any regulation i can find. Just the lack of an opt in/out button.
The white text is kinda bleh tbh. I can live with it but don't like it personally.
Yes, I'm that Askray@Batbayer in game. Yes, I still play. No, I don't care. Former Community Moderator, Former SSR DJ, Now Full time father to two kids, Husband, Retail Worker. Tiktok: @Askray Facebook: Askray113
Not do something that has actually been requested by your customers?
The next time someone says that some good idea can't be implemented because Cryptic are too busy doing other things, remember this unwarranted, unasked for change.
A bit more time on the fora and a bit less time looking at metrics would be a very good idea.
Getting customer feedback before changes like this would be an even better one.
The shape of things to come no doubt. I wish they would consider the idea that letters represent abstract figures that must be processed in order to make sense to us. When you have to process the surrounding as well, you have to do double shifts!
Comments
...that's just not fair.
We finally have a ST game worth playing, with devs that care, a FTP model that works, and the company runs it into the ground...
Any chance that Cryptic will get away from PWE and go independent, or maybe to a company that is less openly exploitative?
This post has been edited to remove content which violates the Perfect World Entertainment Community Rules and Policies. ~BranFlakes
Just FMI, what exactly qualifies as "ARC has been pretty clearly shown to violate EU law."???
Check the News section. They're doing an aesthetic update on the forums and things are going to be glitchy like that for a few hours.
— Sabaton, "Great War"
Check out https://unitedfederationofpla.net/s/
new and improved
Awoken Dead
Now shaddup about the queues, it's a BUG
There's some distortion in that post. PWE is a San FRrancisco based company, owned by a China based Perfect World, which trades on the NASDAQ. The top management is in Beijing, sure, but the company is owned by stockholders everywhere.
The second point comes down to the opinion of a developer who had worked with the company for under a year when he suggested that if lockboxes (which are the core monetization strategy of these games) are made illegal in small markets, PWE might pull out of those markets rather than drop its core business strategy. I don't think any of that indicates an indifference to losing customers. It indicates that one employee thought PWE would do a cost/benefit analysis with regard to laws and regulations.
If it's more profitable to leave a small market than to change their business model, they'd leave the market. That isn't being fine with losing customers. That's how a business that is responsible to shareholders should run. I'm sure if it would cost less to adjust policy or comply than it would to lose revenue, they'd adjust policies to stay in a market. This was all speculation on one dev's part. Maybe PWE would require a gold subscription to play in those markets. Maybe they would setup servers with different rules if it's a large market.
But if a law says that you can't sell hamburgers or hamburger substitutes, I wouldn't expect McDonald's to be in that market. (Note: McDonald's does do substitutes in some markets. But it's still a patty of something on a bun.) PWE is a virtual lockbox selling company. That is really all that particular dev was saying.
Edit: Visibility is fine, contrast is not. Someone must have mixed up those two.
---
It's in the massive thread on ARC. Someone went to the trouble of looking up EU laws pertaining to EULAs and privacy. I'll see if I can find the exact post.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
I'm still going to hold off on judgement until all the changes have made it over, but as someone who has been involved in the craft of website design and coding for.. around a decade and a half, I am compelled to comment on it.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
Steam ran into the same problem two summers ago. Valve got sued by a German consumer rights group over EULA changes.
— Sabaton, "Great War"
Check out https://unitedfederationofpla.net/s/
-Leonard Nimoy, RIP
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
That was me, let me try to cool the temperature a bit.
The specific problem is that EU regulations pertaining to data privacy require customers to have the option to change their mind at any time.
Essentially the option to opt in or out, at will and at no special cost, to data being used.
Currently, although ARC does have an opt out box on installation (which really ought to be opt in), there is no way to subsequently change that option.
Thus, technically, as currently formulated, in breach of EU regs.
However, the fix is simple and has already been posted on the ARC feedback thread.
ARC, per se, does not violate any regulation i can find. Just the lack of an opt in/out button.
Voporak, we're looking at you!
Honestly, I don't think that this is the new aesthetic. I think it's a glitch caused while they switch over to the new aesthetic.
At least, it better be...
Trials of Blood and Fire
Moving On Parts 1-3 - Part 4
In Cold Blood
Who in there right mind thought this shade would be a good idea.
Unless someone messed something up... in which case... hey guys the forums are FUGGLY please correct it.
This new color scheme looks awful, can we have the option for the old black at least?
Former Community Moderator, Former SSR DJ, Now Full time father to two kids, Husband, Retail Worker.
Tiktok: @Askray Facebook: Askray113
edit: thread merged, disregard previous.
Been around since Dec 2010 on STO and bought LTS in Apr 2013 for STO.
Really?
This, this, is what you task people to do?
Not fix bugs, graphical or otherwise?
Not do something that has actually been requested by your customers?
The next time someone says that some good idea can't be implemented because Cryptic are too busy doing other things, remember this unwarranted, unasked for change.
A bit more time on the fora and a bit less time looking at metrics would be a very good idea.
Getting customer feedback before changes like this would be an even better one.
---
OMG its a temporal loop.
You Janeway, you......:eek:
Quick, look down to the bottom right of the page.
What page is this now?
Terrible design.
And why are people working on this when the KDF still have unusable, paid for uniform slots?