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Buddy key expired before it began.

SystemSystem Member, NoReporting Posts: 178,019 Arc User
I recently gave a buddy key to a friend that I really thought would get a kick out of STO.
He really liked the idea, and was a big fan of StarFleet Command back in the day.

So earlier this week I gave him the key, he activated it and began the download process for the game.
Now, bare in mind he doesn't have a slow connection, but it took 4 DAYS of downloading for him to get the entire client.
So he logs in this evening to take a crack at it... but guess what. The key is NOW EXPIRED!

What a waste of time. I'd like to either get a new buddy key to give him, or reactivate the one you guys gave me so I can play with my friend.
The buddy program really needs to be reworked to start from the first CHARACTER CREATION not for the Account creation.

If I could get support on this, and email would be appreciated (aimed at cryptic guys).

(sorry if this is the wrong location, I didn't know where this would be appropriate, move if reequired)
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I'm not pointing fingers at your friend, but I always wonder about their ISPs and the "large file handling methods" they use in these types of files. You say he has a good connection, but 4 days says something else.

    It took me 5 hours on head start day to download the client.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Also of note, you can download the client before you activate the key (you just can't patch).
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    coderanger wrote:
    Also of note, you can download the client before you activate the key (you just can't patch).

    That's good to know. A little late, but good to know.
    What can we do to correct my problem?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Jai9100 wrote: »
    I'm not pointing fingers at your friend, but I always wonder about their ISPs and the "large file handling methods" they use in these types of files. You say he has a good connection, but 4 days says something else.

    It took me 5 hours on head start day to download the client.

    it wouldn't surprise me that his ISP throttled his connection for that file, he claims that they're evil :)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    While it is true you can download the client prior to creating the account... you cannot however download the patches prior to account creation (to my knowledge) which resulted in my friend not having any time to play since he ran in to an issue while trying to patch eating up his 5 days.

    I agree with an earlier post, the system needs to be reworked so that people have 5 days from the point they are all set up and ready to click login... that or the time on the keys needs to be extended.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    vertdang wrote: »
    That's good to know. A little late, but good to know.
    What can we do to correct my problem?

    Get a new buddy key. it wasn't cryptics fault your friends connection took 4 days to download the client.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    tedgp123 wrote: »
    Get a new buddy key. it wasn't cryptics fault your friends connection took 4 days to download the client.

    Ah, but it wasn't my friends fault that his entire period was taken up by the download either. Where is it explained on the activation page that you can download the client before activating?

    Or that your time starts from the activate, not from the first character creation? (which is the way it SHOULD be)

    I'm just miffed that I wasted my key. Where would I get another one anyway?)
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    vertdang wrote: »
    Ah, but it wasn't my friends fault that his entire period was taken up by the download either. Where is it explained on the activation page that you can download the client before activating?

    Or that your time starts from the activate, not from the first character creation? (which is the way it SHOULD be)

    I'm just miffed that I wasted my key. Where would I get another one anyway?)

    If it took 4 days to download this game, then there is something up with his connection, or the method he used to download the game.

    You could try calling billing and explain what has happened, but i fear you will just recieve the same answer i gace you, although you could get very lucky, and they generate a new key for you.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    I ran into the "download will take 3 days" issue myself with the trial. I went ahead and grabbed a BitTorrent app and linked to the suggested torrent for the game. Total download time was 11 hours over a 6meg DSL connection. The patcher download method looked like madness as it ran slower.

    I almost registered the trial key beforehand, but I figured a 7GB download was gonna take some time. Sorry to see your buddy had trouble with that.

    I wonder if Cryptic can set it so that the key only activates after the first login on (won't help for long post-download patches) or only after the client is patched to the latest version? I mean, it's checking and not letting you in to play unless the client is sycned with the server version. Then again, client software and billing are probably not connected in a way to allow them to check that.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    coderanger wrote:
    Also of note, you can download the client before you activate the key (you just can't patch).

    Also of note is that I'm willing to bet he tried to download the client via torrent. I would recommend Cryptic implement encrypted torrents option on your servers so as to allow users to LEGALLY circumvent throttling techniques of ISP's that don't practice NET NEUTRALITY. Help us fight ISP's the only way we can force them to comply with net neutrality..... Its better for us and better for you.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    wrote:
    Also of note is that I'm willing to bet he tried to download the client via torrent. I would recommend Cryptic implement encrypted torrents option on your servers so as to allow users to LEGALLY circumvent throttling techniques of ISP's that don't practice NET NEUTRALITY. Help us fight ISP's the only way we can force them to comply with net neutrality..... Its better for us and better for you.
    Should be on, our "servers" are just boxes running uTorrent :-P The mini-client doesn't support it because we don't want to get into the lovely legal issues that result in redistributing OpenSSL code, but just put the torrent in your favorite client and off you go.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    coderanger wrote:
    Should be on, our "servers" are just boxes running uTorrent :-P The mini-client doesn't support it because we don't want to get into the lovely legal issues that result in redistributing OpenSSL code, but just put the torrent in your favorite client and off you go.

    WTF?
    Your servers run windows?!!!
    ....

    Also lol at how I was 100% correct about you LYING to us saying the game did not download using torrents.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    Mardoxx wrote: »
    Also lol at how I was 100% correct about you LYING to us saying the game did not download using torrents.

    Star Trek Online Downloader is not the same thing as Star Trek Online the game. The game client/patcher doesn't use torrents (but the Downloader does).
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    What's wrong with running Windoze? Not everyone needs stability and performance in one bundle.

    My local IT staff:
    "Thank the Lord we run Windows! If we ran Solaris like you guys everything would be stable and our department would only need 2 people!!"
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited February 2010
    It's a cost effective way of supplying the initial client download. What's the problem here people?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    I think it should be 5 days worth of login time. Not 5 days of active subscription.
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    VoodooKing wrote:
    I think it should be 5 days worth of login time. Not 5 days of active subscription.

    Or at the VERY LEAST 5 days from first character creation.
    The way this was handled is ridiculous. and fairly worthless for my friend and I, and yes, he did download the game through the client download after he activated.... not a torrent. I mean, how would he know to do that?
  • Archived PostArchived Post Member Posts: 2,264,498 Arc User
    edited March 2010
    vertdang wrote: »
    Or at the VERY LEAST 5 days from first character creation.
    The way this was handled is ridiculous. and fairly worthless for my friend and I, and yes, he did download the game through the client download after he activated.... not a torrent. I mean, how would he know to do that?

    Well, he is your friend. You could have told him.
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