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Live + Downtime = Account Credit ???

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
This formula is simple and an industry standard.

This isnt beta anymore, we are live and this is your paying customer base thats spending primetime NOT playing STO. My question is what compensation is planned for these outages? Can we expect days added to everyone's accounts in the near future? Perhaps free C-store content unlocked?

Its unacceptable and unprofessional at this point to expect the customer base to continue to be treated like beta testers. I did this for the past month and it was "beta" and "head start", well that time has come and gone and now its for real.

I have noticed that the PR surrounding Cryptic and its business practices in the past has been at times suspect, I hope going forward that at least with the STO product you do the "right thing" and conduct and run yourselves like any of the other AAA titles being done in the industry.

Think WoW...if the servers are down 2x in one day for paying customers do they just laugh it off ? No, they credit accounts I hope you have the same plans.

I personally won't be around in 30ish days if you expect the customer to just eat these downtimes and grin.

DaWookie
Post edited by baddmoonrizin on
«13

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    744 hrs per month
    7.4 hours of downtime per month = 99% uptime
    74 hours of downtime per month = 90% uptime

    what kind of recompense are you seeking?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Here's the discussion they had at cryptic regarding compensating for downtime:

    Employee #1: What should we give people if the servers go down repeatedly?

    Boss: Nothing.

    Then they laughed and smoked some cigars which they lit with lifetime subscriber money.


    True story.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    i agree there needs to be some sort of compensation for this.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    DaWookie wrote: »
    This formula is simple and an industry standard.

    This isnt beta anymore, we are live and this is your paying customer base thats spending primetime NOT playing STO. My question is what compensation is planned for these outages? Can we expect days added to everyone's accounts in the near future? Perhaps free C-store content unlocked?

    Its unacceptable and unprofessional at this point to expect the customer base to continue to be treated like beta testers. I did this for the past month and it was "beta" and "head start", well that time has come and gone and now its for real.

    I have noticed that the PR surrounding Cryptic and its business practices in the past has been at times suspect, I hope going forward that at least with the STO product you do the "right thing" and conduct and run yourselves like any of the other AAA titles being done in the industry.

    Think WoW...if the servers are down 2x in one day for paying customers do they just laugh it off ? No, they credit accounts I hope you have the same plans.

    I personally won't be around in 30ish days if you expect the customer to just eat these downtimes and grin.

    DaWookie


    Ummmmm. how about no?

    If the servers were dead for a day or 2 you MAY see something...MAY....if people got all crazy about it.

    The game has just launched. These are going to happen fairly often in the upcoming weeks.

    Sit back and relax. Go get another soda.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Welcome to MMOs
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    As much as all this downtime sux....

    As much as in this day and age it shouldnt happen.

    I wouldnt expect any credit unless there was severe downtime.

    A free couple days and a written post from the devs would go a long way to easing the subscribers concerns
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    They just need to buy more hamsters and stop overworking the poor little ones they have on the wheel.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    swag-nyc wrote: »
    744 hrs per month
    7.4 hours of downtime per month = 99% uptime
    74 hours of downtime per month = 90% uptime

    what kind of recompense are you seeking?


    If you have a job and family, etc ...then your time that you can play is limited to "windows", usually these would occur at a consistent time which for me and most everyone else in North America is approx 4pm-10pm CST, maybe more on the wkends. Of course this is the high load times and most of the crashes and takedowns that are unplanned occur at these times. So its not 99% uptime in reality, I don't game 24hrs a day 7 days a wk... I don't game at 4am when it nearly has never crashed.

    Downtimes are fine in beta, this is a live product. If your phone company suddenly loses service a few times a wk when you want to make a call for a couple hours at time ...do you just smile and go with it? Heck no, your upset ...your paying for something that you can't use the service.

    Compensation? The industry norm has been at least 1 day credit for everyday that is screwed up ....I consider screwed up to be a day that has UNPLANNED downtime(s) in excess of 2 hrs. Once again, use the phone system analogy. If the cellular network goes offline for a couple hours here and a couple hours there, your ****ed off and calling for bill credits, etc... A product does me no good if I can't use it WHEN I WANT to use it.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    DaWookie wrote: »
    If you have a job and family, etc ...then your time that you can play is limited to "windows", usually these would occur at a consistent time which for me and most everyone else in North America is approx 4pm-10pm CST, maybe more on the wkends. Of course this is the high load times and most of the crashes and takedowns that are unplanned occur at these times. So its not 99% uptime in reality, I don't game 24hrs a day 7 days a wk... I don't game at 4am when it nearly has never crashed.

    Downtimes are fine in beta, this is a live product. If your phone company suddenly loses service a few times a wk when you want to make a call for a couple hours at time ...do you just smile and go with it? Heck no, your upset ...your paying for something that you can't use the service.

    Compensation? The industry norm has been at least 1 day credit for everyday that is screwed up ....I consider screwed up to be a day that has UNPLANNED downtime(s) in excess of 2 hrs. Once again, use the phone system analogy. If the cellular network goes offline for a couple hours here and a couple hours there, your ****ed off and calling for bill credits, etc... A product does me no good if I can't use it WHEN I WANT to use it.

    You know, to put things in perspective, NASA put hundreds of billions of dollars into making the space shuttles work perfectly, but still lost two.

    I'm just saying. **** happens.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Dont people play MMOs outside of STO????

    Server downtimes are normal in all MMOs, regardless if its for routine stuff or emergency stuff!!!!!
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    DaWookie wrote: »
    This formula is simple and an industry standard.

    This isnt beta anymore, we are live and this is your paying customer base thats spending primetime NOT playing STO. My question is what compensation is planned for these outages? Can we expect days added to everyone's accounts in the near future? Perhaps free C-store content unlocked?

    Its unacceptable and unprofessional at this point to expect the customer base to continue to be treated like beta testers. I did this for the past month and it was "beta" and "head start", well that time has come and gone and now its for real.

    I have noticed that the PR surrounding Cryptic and its business practices in the past has been at times suspect, I hope going forward that at least with the STO product you do the "right thing" and conduct and run yourselves like any of the other AAA titles being done in the industry.

    Think WoW...if the servers are down 2x in one day for paying customers do they just laugh it off ? No, they credit accounts I hope you have the same plans.

    I personally won't be around in 30ish days if you expect the customer to just eat these downtimes and grin.

    DaWookie

    Show me in the EULA, TOS, etc, where we are entitled toa refund. Wait, were not. Another pointless threadon some random ****. Wait forgot, you're going to sue right? Whatever.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    DaWookie wrote: »
    This formula is simple and an industry standard.

    This isnt beta anymore, we are live and this is your paying customer base thats spending primetime NOT playing STO. My question is what compensation is planned for these outages? Can we expect days added to everyone's accounts in the near future? Perhaps free C-store content unlocked?

    Its unacceptable and unprofessional at this point to expect the customer base to continue to be treated like beta testers. I did this for the past month and it was "beta" and "head start", well that time has come and gone and now its for real.

    I have noticed that the PR surrounding Cryptic and its business practices in the past has been at times suspect, I hope going forward that at least with the STO product you do the "right thing" and conduct and run yourselves like any of the other AAA titles being done in the industry.

    Think WoW...if the servers are down 2x in one day for paying customers do they just laugh it off ? No, they credit accounts I hope you have the same plans.

    I personally won't be around in 30ish days if you expect the customer to just eat these downtimes and grin.

    DaWookie


    Amen.

    Its amazing to me, that some, in the STO community finds it "acceptable" that there has been so much down time during peak play hours in the first week.

    Yes I know other games have had similar issues, what do I say to those that use this as an excuse for Cryptic.. BS!

    Heres an idea, how bout we as a customer base start EXPECTING more from developers that are making these games? We are all paying customers after all and have every right to object when the service we pay for isn't available, especially during peak playing hours.

    The OP is right, compensation is in order... Cough it up Cryptic or see what little good will you still have with your player base evaporate in 30 days time.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Except a few server crashs and unschuduled maintence for the first few months.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Ummmmm. how about no?

    If the servers were dead for a day or 2 you MAY see something...MAY....if people got all crazy about it.

    The game has just launched. These are going to happen fairly often in the upcoming weeks.

    Sit back and relax. Go get another soda.

    The fact this MMO is in its lifecycle infancy makes no difference, why should I pay for them to fix issues?

    You buy a car and are ok if it breaks down for the first couple months as long as it runs fine next year?

    Its time ppls stop treating MMOs with "kid-gloves" in regards to stability and bugs. Beta testing, load testing, etc... has its time and place...there is a reason this is called a "LIVE" product.

    Its time it stays up like a live product and if it doesnt then the customer shouldnt be paying for it as if it were.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    DaWookie wrote: »
    If you have a job and family, etc ...then your time that you can play is limited to "windows", usually these would occur at a consistent time which for me and most everyone else in North America is approx 4pm-10pm CST, maybe more on the wkends. Of course this is the high load times and most of the crashes and takedowns that are unplanned occur at these times. So its not 99% uptime in reality, I don't game 24hrs a day 7 days a wk... I don't game at 4am when it nearly has never crashed.

    Downtimes are fine in beta, this is a live product. If your phone company suddenly loses service a few times a wk when you want to make a call for a couple hours at time ...do you just smile and go with it? Heck no, your upset ...your paying for something that you can't use the service.

    Compensation? The industry norm has been at least 1 day credit for everyday that is screwed up ....I consider screwed up to be a day that has UNPLANNED downtime(s) in excess of 2 hrs. Once again, use the phone system analogy. If the cellular network goes offline for a couple hours here and a couple hours there, your ****ed off and calling for bill credits, etc... A product does me no good if I can't use it WHEN I WANT to use it.


    The world doesn't rotate or WAIT for you or any other person that has to scramble time to play.

    The servers will come down when the servers have to come down and they may even crash along the way.
    durrr technology?

    The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few?
    THK YOU SPOCK....maybe they need to get a voice over of him saying that to soothe the feathers of our slimey angry trolls.

    NOTE: This isn't xbox live or 360...WAIT..even those finished retail versions had stupid problems...much like ALL technology.

    Open your eyes buddy.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Seraan wrote:
    Show me in the EULA, TOS, etc, where we are entitled toa refund. Wait, were not. Another pointless threadon some random ****. Wait forgot, you're going to sue right? Whatever.

    If your going to post and try to start a flame you should search around for fuel. I don't care about the legal implications or adherence to legal standards.

    What I am talking about is professional courtesy and positive community relations, something I am afraid might be over your head.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    They cant worry about every outraged wookie that happens to flail about the forum. Said wookie that " has no time" ,but has managed to find the time to squat in the forums and lower our intelligence.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Let's see. $15.99/mo. ... 30 days... 3 hours downtime per maintenance ... 3 downtimes since launch ... That comes to 20 cents.

    Do you prefer cash or check?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    DaWookie wrote: »
    If your going to post and try to start a flame you should search around for fuel. I don't care about the legal implications or adherence to legal standards.

    What I am talking about is professional courtesy and positive community relations, something I am afraid might be over your head.

    Indeed, its called customer service... What is it about some in the MMO community that will pay money for a meal, find out its chocolate coated TRIBBLE, eat it, then ask for more?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    i dont mind it as much, a few hours of patching / fixing bugs = better quality play when the servers are up.. hell they are dedicated enough to be working at 1am + as well.. its not like they just turn off the servers.. light a joint and go goof around
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Let's see. $15.99/mo. ... 30 days... 3 hours downtime per maintenance ... 3 downtimes since launch ... That comes to 20 cents.

    Do you prefer cash or check?

    Gametime is fine, but if they just perma-banned forum trolls that would work out as well I guess.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    NathanK wrote:
    i dont mind it as much, a few hours of patching / fixing bugs = better quality play when the servers are up.. hell they are dedicated enough to be working at 1am + as well.. its not like they just turn off the servers.. light a joint and go goof around

    I think ppls are getting crashes and planned downtime mixed up somehow. If they want to patch or take the cluster down to add hardware or optimize ...go for it, why would anyone complain if they are improving the service or making an effort to thats tangible.

    I am talking about primetime crashes, no warning ...down ...so precanned msg on the forums or in the launcher and the time ticks by until suddenly the server is back up a couple hours later.

    Patch = good
    Crash = bad

    In case anyone was confused.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    swag-nyc wrote: »
    744 hrs per month
    7.4 hours of downtime per month = 99% uptime
    74 hours of downtime per month = 90% uptime

    what kind of recompense are you seeking?

    This would be great if it were planned downtime, done during off peak (sorry Aussies) hours. This is the first week of prime time and people expect to be able to play. For all I care the game can be offline every day Mon-Fri as long as it's up evenings and weekends, but it is failing in that.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Ban most of these so called "trolls" and the forum will be left with the same QQ, whine, ZOMG OP" threads.

    f in .. lame. = u.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I think the OP owes me money or game time for wasting my life reading this garbage.........
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    DaWookie wrote: »
    I think ppls are getting crashes and planned downtime mixed up somehow. If they want to patch or take the cluster down to add hardware or optimize ...go for it, why would anyone complain if they are improving the service or making an effort to thats tangible.

    I am talking about primetime crashes, no warning ...down ...so precanned msg on the forums or in the launcher and the time ticks by until suddenly the server is back up a couple hours later.

    Patch = good
    Crash = bad

    In case anyone was confused.


    Too bad both of those are a fact of life and happen.

    They are working on the server stability/server load.

    Take. A . Breath.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    customer service doesnt apply to mmo's, havent ya heard? just ask blizzard
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Yeah, TC, they totally DONT know that people want the servers up.

    I'm sure they're not worried about it, and are going to leave them down as long as possible.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Ban most of these so called "trolls" and the forum will be left with the same QQ, whine, ZOMG OP" threads.

    f in .. lame. = u.

    Goes the troll...
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I'm a lifer so I'd be really happy if they could add some time to my life as compensation for down time ;)
This discussion has been closed.