It is to limit Gold Spammers. Albeit it isn't doing much good, but that is the reason, and it is a valid one.
I don't see it as a problem with gold spammer, just make gold spamming by a buddy key account, ban the original account as well. If people are giving keys to people they do not know, thats already a problem.
5 days is a little short. My daughter tried it, was very frustrated by the space controls, she had never played a game like it, and by the time she started to get the hang of it, it was bed time Sunday. so her buddy key expired before she really got much beyond SB01. But it did let her check out the game, but not enough for her to commit to buying it. She will check back in summer when she has more play time.
This is the earliest I've ever seen a game have trial accounts. YMMV. Those who bought the collector's edition have 3 trial accounts they can share as well.
If it is to limit gold spammers it is not working.
I haven't had a gold spammer whisper me in about 2 weeks now and only 4 pieces of mail in that time. Trust me. It''s better than a lot of MMOs out there (try playing Aion and you'll see the difference).
This is the earliest I've ever seen a game have trial accounts. YMMV. Those who bought the collector's edition have 3 trial accounts they can share as well.
I've played a couple MMORPG were a couple buddy keys were included with the normal game box. Usually they were 15 day keys.
The need to put some restrictions on trial accounts before open trials.
- One character
- Limit to credits (10K would be enough
- Limit to level (I'd say not, but cannot get promoted so no tier 2+ ships, would for ever be ensigns, but could be ensign 45)
- No Initiating Trades (can trade if other player initiates)
- No inviting in to group (can be invited to a group)
- Trial really needs to be 10 days (tyically friday to following monday to get 2 weekends in)
I would think you'd want us to be able to give out as many buddy keys as we can to get people to try your game.
Collectors edition came with 3 "guest passes". A friend of mine used one and is mad at me for making try this game, doubt I will use the other 2, don't want anyone else mad at me over this TRIBBLE. /shrug
I haven't had a gold spammer whisper me in about 2 weeks now and only 4 pieces of mail in that time. Trust me. It''s better than a lot of MMOs out there (try playing Aion and you'll see the difference).
If it is to limit gold spammers it is not working.
Oh it's working. Trust me. If they didn't limit the Buddy Keys, the Gold Spammers would be 5x worse than they are now.City of Heroes wnt through sheer hell when they introduced trail accounts. They were basically full accounts. Zone chat spam, /tell spam and e-mail spam coming out everyone's collective ears. They eventually severally restricted what trail accounts could do to prevent them from being abused by the spammers.
Comments
It is to limit Gold Spammers. Albeit it isn't doing much good, but that is the reason, and it is a valid one.
5 days is a little short. My daughter tried it, was very frustrated by the space controls, she had never played a game like it, and by the time she started to get the hang of it, it was bed time Sunday. so her buddy key expired before she really got much beyond SB01. But it did let her check out the game, but not enough for her to commit to buying it. She will check back in summer when she has more play time.
limit what trial accounts can do
1 message in sector/zone every 30 seconds
1 tell every 30 seconds
100,000 EC maximum
or somesuch
Sure...but can you imagine how bad it would be if there were no limitations to the number of keys that could be given out?
I haven't had a gold spammer whisper me in about 2 weeks now and only 4 pieces of mail in that time. Trust me. It''s better than a lot of MMOs out there (try playing Aion and you'll see the difference).
The need to put some restrictions on trial accounts before open trials.
- One character
- Limit to credits (10K would be enough
- Limit to level (I'd say not, but cannot get promoted so no tier 2+ ships, would for ever be ensigns, but could be ensign 45)
- No Initiating Trades (can trade if other player initiates)
- No inviting in to group (can be invited to a group)
- Trial really needs to be 10 days (tyically friday to following monday to get 2 weekends in)
Collectors edition came with 3 "guest passes". A friend of mine used one and is mad at me for making try this game, doubt I will use the other 2, don't want anyone else mad at me over this TRIBBLE. /shrug
now worse than it is now if you banned the account from issuing more buddy keys if one of their buddy keys is used to spam.
agree it is getting better
Oh it's working. Trust me. If they didn't limit the Buddy Keys, the Gold Spammers would be 5x worse than they are now.City of Heroes wnt through sheer hell when they introduced trail accounts. They were basically full accounts. Zone chat spam, /tell spam and e-mail spam coming out everyone's collective ears. They eventually severally restricted what trail accounts could do to prevent them from being abused by the spammers.