Yup, got my code this morning and it's invalid. Come to the forums to find out why and I get an answer from the community, not the Dev team.
Communication from the Dev team seems to be non-existent anymore, considering they have yet to address the "no text bug" that is preventing some people from playing.
I get that the code may have been exploited and therefore the items/pack was removed. I also get they decided that they weren't going to bother with finding another way to hand out the freebies.
It would be nice however for some Official Word to come from the Dev team stating what is going on. Once the code/redemption has been removed, stating why doesn't seem like asking too much. Leaving us in limbo grabbing onto whatever wild theory we can come up with is not good.
Ah well, c'est la vie.
Hello. My name is iamynaught and I am an altaholic.
The promotion was cancelled as it was found that it could be exploited and there are no current plans for any replacement codes for those who have not been able to redeem it prior to it being pulled.
Meh. Can't claim FREE stuff that I can live without anyway.
Hardly the catastrophy that some are implying.
I know. I am honesty shaking my head at some of the comments. Have some people really become this entitled?
Likewise. Seeing the word "screwed over" in a few places. I fail to see how this is the case though. I mean, the fact that the items on offer were free notwithstanding they were hardly high value, highly sought after, items that were/are in any way essential.
In fact, as someone else pointed out, they basically count as lockbox reject items.
yet again the value of the items is not the point, have you ever heard the saying "Gifts need not be big or expensive, its the thought that counts", regardless of the size or value you don't give a gift and then take it away without making amends in some way, that is just not the way for any who are civilised to behave and just shows a total lack of care to the persons you have given the gift to.
I really cant see how anyone cannot see how some might get upset by this treatment.
Easy. The free items were peanuts. I'm sorry, but they were.
They've done far worse than this. After the Golden Nagus debacle I don't have it in me to get upset about being unable to claim some random lock box reject items.
like I said and will keep saying to anyone who thinks the value/size of the gift is insignificant, it the principle of the matter and the size or value is not of any issue here.
regardless of any who think the item are not worth worrying about the fact is there are many that are upset by the way the issue has been handled and that should matter to cryptic.
When I think about everything we've been through together,
maybe it's not the destination that matters, maybe it's the journey,
and if that journey takes a little longer,
so we can do something we all believe in,
I can't think of any place I'd rather be or any people I'd rather be with.
is this the 1st step for giveaways to be codes now for STO that you need to redeem instead of the giveaways you just claim in the z store tab/shop in game. I dont see why they didnt just do the regular in game 24 hour giveaway like normal. even if they killed the code... just put it in the game to hand claim 1 time in the promo tab /shrug
if you use a fixed code... I guess there are folks (factory farmers) who program/script a bot/code to claim it on all accounts they use to farm on.
I used it before it was stopped and while the items showed up in my promotions tab of the C-Store as I've had a free doff pack in the past. It was pegged as only able to claim once per account so I couldn't have this one.
Instead, they sent me an email promising some minor goodies, then yanked them away.
Unlike the gold nagus promotion, this is actually worth a tiny bit of outrage since this time they did promise us all the shiny not just the "truly loyal" customers.
How can you attach any outrage to not receiving what people hope they don't get from lock boxes? The emotional contrast between hope and disappointment is pretty much nil for this promo. What's left is just technical commentary.
Sure, it's 1 R&D pack and 1 doff pack, worth...$2?
I did say "a tiny bit" of outrage. It's the lack of courtesy in them messing up then failing to apologize for it.
Where's a post in Galactic News, or in their twitter feed?
If they send out something to get people back to play that said good until Nov 1 but pulled it early saying it won't be back is bait and switch. There is nothing in that which says it only is bait and switch if money is involved. Nice try though. Almost worked.
You don't know what "bait and switch" is do you? Where exactly is the "switch?" Where's the more expensive item that Cryptic is offering up in as a direct replacement? Virtually everyone that ever cries "bait and switch" has no clue as to what it actually means.
Actually it does fit. Not available falls under bait and switch.
Definition you need to look up. At least when you try to act high and mighty and correct someone, you shouldn't look like an idiot who has no idea what you're talking about. lol Since not available until time advertised, it falls under bait and switch. I love it when someone acts all know it all but actually prove they are clueless.
Here is the definition of it for you. Bait-and-switch is a form of fraud used in retail sales but also employed in other contexts. First, customers are "baited" by merchants' advertising products or services at a low price, but when customers visit the store, they discover that the advertised goods are not available or price not as advertised.
it would be one thing if you paid money for it... but it was a freebie. the code worked and folks got the shiny... they killed the freebie before 11/1, there is no crime.
frankly I am surprised no one takes up the issue with the gamble boxes... gov cracks down on online gambling. the argument being you paying for lobi and there just happens to be a free random gift is absurd.
Is it just me, or did anyone else notice that that the quest for Vice Adirmal duty offers was reset? So basically every character I had got 3 more duty officers.
My guess is they did that to compensate for the code being pulled. (Or a very coincidental bug)
Probably so. I found the same with my 42 characters (inherited half of them) - 39 each got a DOff pack like you did and 3 did not. The 39 that got the pack happened to be at an Academy at initial login and the 3 that didn't happened to be in space at a mission start at initial login. So if the initial freebie code that's now useless was one per account (as indicated by one comment I saw), then I/we came out ahead in that respect. Otherwise, it's better than nothing. (Guess I'm going to have to look at those occasional STO emails more thoroughly for codes from now on).
This is a little unfair on the players that didn't redeem the code, also why hasn't there been an email sent out to explain what's going on. Not everyone checks the forums
If you're telling me that you're giving me something, then you don't give me something, please also tell me that too. I might understand why I am not getting what you said you were giving, but making us search and ask in the forums for answers, and never giving an answer is straight up rude. It is for this I wish to make some ban worthy remarks here, but I think my point is made without them.
Is it just me, or did anyone else notice that that the quest for Vice Adirmal duty offers was reset? So basically every character I had got 3 more duty officers.
My guess is they did that to compensate for the code being pulled. (Or a very coincidental bug)
Probably so. I found the same with my 42 characters (inherited half of them) - 39 each got a DOff pack like you did and 3 did not. The 39 that got the pack happened to be at an Academy at initial login and the 3 that didn't happened to be in space at a mission start at initial login. So if the initial freebie code that's now useless was one per account (as indicated by one comment I saw), then I/we came out ahead in that respect. Otherwise, it's better than nothing. (Guess I'm going to have to look at those occasional STO emails more thoroughly for codes from now on).
If your character didn't get the doff pack automatically, check the available mission tab. You should have a promotion mission available that will get it for you.
The code not working and the vice admiral doff pack are unrelated. The code worked for me AND all toons except my AoY got the vice admiral doff pack. So thats not why. Just curious why my AoY didnt qualify.
I appreciate the suggestion about checking the available mission tab for a promotion mission to get the VA DOff pack that 3 of my characters didn't get. Unfortunately there wasn't anything like that there for any of them. Maybe it will show up later.
Also, if as the above writer notes that they got the VA Doff pack for most of their characters and used the code successfully while it was good, then I don't have any idea why these packs are showing up, but it's nice to dream.
This sounds like someone new at the company coming up with a 'great idea' that worked 'in another company I was with', then botching it and panicking to try to find a way to cover their backsides. It seems out of character for the devs of this game to allow some players to receive promotional items and not others who qualified for them, and more to not make an official announcement with an explanation to the players. I can't believe this was anyone who has run promotions for STO in the past who did this (and promotions in the past have been pretty nice to date, both in content and execution).
Regardless, it seems unbelievable that the devs would think pulling the promotion after some players had benefited from it in order to prevent others from also benefiting from it and then all but telling those players that they will get nothing while the others are allowed to keep their benefits would be a good and right thing to do. I would hope they would reconsider this when they realized just how unjust their actions are, and put the person whose idea of a solution this was into some other position where they won't cause so much damage.
If they send out something to get people back to play that said good until Nov 1 but pulled it early saying it won't be back is bait and switch. There is nothing in that which says it only is bait and switch if money is involved. Nice try though. Almost worked.
It's not a bait and switch... Bait and switch is when company offers a product to get interest, takes the money, then gives something else. Money changes hands, and goods are received (just not the goods the person thought they were paying for) No money was exchanged here, and no one got something different than what was offered, because the offer itself was terminated. I can see why they did it, but it's still a pretty sh*tty way of treating customers. I got the email, but then had other stuff to do, and then the server was down for maintenance, so I never redeemed the code in time... Big whoop... I get more valuable/useful stuff by grinding played missions, and due to having to replay the missions to choose between KDF/Starfleet, I wound up with another Federation exchange officer, who I promptly mailed over to an alt. So yeah, not nice to have something offered then taken away, but I can't say I came away from the situation losing out...
The bait-and-switch defined by darthgreater is a perfectly legal method of getting people into stores - generally, the ad includes the words "limited time only" or "while available" in tiny letters. This is also sometimes called a "loss leader", as the advertised price is generally so low that the store will take a loss on each item sold, while counting on the customers to buy other things as well (or instead). The illegal version only happens if the store does not in fact stock the advertised product, and has no intention to.
The bait-and-switch defined by darthgreater is a perfectly legal method of getting people into stores - generally, the ad includes the words "limited time only" or "while available" in tiny letters. This is also sometimes called a "loss leader", as the advertised price is generally so low that the store will take a loss on each item sold, while counting on the customers to buy other things as well (or instead). The illegal version only happens if the store does not in fact stock the advertised product, and has no intention to.
The truly defining factor, is the intent of the 'seller': If they never intended to deliver on either their promised goods, or the timeframe, that is bait and switch -- this is not such an instance... Cryptic no doubt fully intended to honor the codes when they sent the emails, but when they realised it could be exploited, they simply pulled the plug. That's not the same as bait and switch nor a loss leader, because their intent would initially have been to provide the offered offer, not to either give something else, nor use it as a way to get people to have to buy something else... As I said, it's a lousy way to treat customers, no doubt, but that doesn't make it something which it is not...
I tried the code yesterday with in an hour of getting it via email and it said it was invalid. I sent in a trouble ticket for the code for STO yesterday and all i got was a sorry the code was exploited and disabled and no code will be given out. ARC has F'd up on this with Neverwinter too last year and did the same one code and was exploited as well. WTF ARC get you head out of your Asses and get competent people in place. Twice now i have been screwed by exploiters and ARC is not gonna do TRIBBLE to fix this or compensate players. If they were going to the would have learned from their F UP last year with Neverwinter. It must have been the same moron who sent the one out last year. Complete incompetence on their end, there should be consequences for the brainless buffoon who uses one code only. Good job ARC on having people who have no concept of what would happen with one code. If i did this in my Job in IT i would be fired on the spot. So I can only state the same. FIRE THEM.
I was going to buy 100 Bucks in ZEN but this made my decision easy.
If they send out something to get people back to play that said good until Nov 1 but pulled it early saying it won't be back is bait and switch. There is nothing in that which says it only is bait and switch if money is involved. Nice try though. Almost worked.
You don't know what "bait and switch" is do you? Where exactly is the "switch?" Where's the more expensive item that Cryptic is offering up in as a direct replacement? Virtually everyone that ever cries "bait and switch" has no clue as to what it actually means.
Actually it does fit. Not available falls under bait and switch.
Definition you need to look up. At least when you try to act high and mighty and correct someone, you shouldn't look like an idiot who has no idea what you're talking about. lol Since not available until time advertised, it falls under bait and switch. I love it when someone acts all know it all but actually prove they are clueless.
Here is the definition of it for you. Bait-and-switch is a form of fraud used in retail sales but also employed in other contexts. First, customers are "baited" by merchants' advertising products or services at a low price, but when customers visit the store, they discover that the advertised goods are not available or price not as advertised.
"Not available" alone does not fall under bait and switch as companies run out of promotional items and on sale items all the time. Ad errors, which this cryptic error is more similar to are also not bait and switch by law.
Here's some examples of what is and is not bait and switch. The situations start similarly but end quite differently.
Example #1
A company has a promotional item for free with no purchase necessary. You walk into the store and ask for the free promotional item. The clerk informs you that they unfortunately cancelled this promo for X reason and apologize for the inconvenience. They do not engage in an upsell and end the conversation there assuming that the customer does not throw a fit. This is NOT an example of bait and switch because there is no "switch" by the definition of the law. Companies making advertisements ARE ALLOWED to make mistakes, believe it or not. What they are NOT allowed to do is Example #2 below.
Example #2
A company has a promotional item for free with no purchase necessary. You walk into the store and ask for the free promotional item. The clerk informs you that they unfortunately cancelled this promo for X reason and apologize for the inconvenience. They also state that they have a similar or even better item for only $X.XX on sale today and they are really pushy about it. See, THIS is an example of bait and switch. Upon being told that you are not able to receive the "bait" item, you are directly presented with a more expensive and/or lesser quality item. This aspect "the switch" has occurred in this example but NOT in Example #1 and NOT in this failed STO promo.
When you see "TRIBBLE" in my posts, it's because I manually typed "TRIBBLE" and censored myself.
Trendy made a post in GNN, they will have those items for free in the Sea Store for 48hrs, presumably starting tomorrow after patch. So you can put your sad songs about how evil stupid and uncaring cryptic is back in your sacks.
If they send out something to get people back to play that said good until Nov 1 but pulled it early saying it won't be back is bait and switch. There is nothing in that which says it only is bait and switch if money is involved. Nice try though. Almost worked.
It's not a bait and switch... Bait and switch is when company offers a product to get interest, takes the money, then gives something else. Money changes hands, and goods are received (just not the goods the person thought they were paying for) No money was exchanged here, and no one got something different than what was offered, because the offer itself was terminated. I can see why they did it, but it's still a pretty sh*tty way of treating customers. I got the email, but then had other stuff to do, and then the server was down for maintenance, so I never redeemed the code in time... Big whoop... I get more valuable/useful stuff by grinding played missions, and due to having to replay the missions to choose between KDF/Starfleet, I wound up with another Federation exchange officer, who I promptly mailed over to an alt. So yeah, not nice to have something offered then taken away, but I can't say I came away from the situation losing out...
Making up your own doesn't make it so.
If they say item is available until November 1 but it's not, that is also bait and switch. The e-mail they sent out didn't have "while supplies last". You know why that term appears so much? So companies can protect themselves. Cryptic did not do that.
If they send out something to get people back to play that said good until Nov 1 but pulled it early saying it won't be back is bait and switch. There is nothing in that which says it only is bait and switch if money is involved. Nice try though. Almost worked.
It's not a bait and switch... Bait and switch is when company offers a product to get interest, takes the money, then gives something else. Money changes hands, and goods are received (just not the goods the person thought they were paying for) No money was exchanged here, and no one got something different than what was offered, because the offer itself was terminated. I can see why they did it, but it's still a pretty sh*tty way of treating customers. I got the email, but then had other stuff to do, and then the server was down for maintenance, so I never redeemed the code in time... Big whoop... I get more valuable/useful stuff by grinding played missions, and due to having to replay the missions to choose between KDF/Starfleet, I wound up with another Federation exchange officer, who I promptly mailed over to an alt. So yeah, not nice to have something offered then taken away, but I can't say I came away from the situation losing out...
Making up your own doesn't make it so.
If they say item is available until November 1 but it's not, that is also bait and switch. The e-mail they sent out didn't have "while supplies last". You know why that term appears so much? So companies can protect themselves. Cryptic did not do that.
No that's called "changing your mind" or "revoking an offer" which is not a bait and switch. Bait and switch requires an attempted "switch" out of one offer for a less desirable offer. Not a revocation of an offer without a replacement which is what happened until the excellent recent news. Also since Cryptic is making good on their offer, I fully expect apologies from all the posters who made false and defamatory claims against Cryptic.
When you see "TRIBBLE" in my posts, it's because I manually typed "TRIBBLE" and censored myself.
Comments
*cue anyone who was able to use the code at all getting banned and some exploiters somehow not getting banned at all*
if I stop posting it doesn't make you right it. just means I don't have enough rum to continue interacting with you.
Communication from the Dev team seems to be non-existent anymore, considering they have yet to address the "no text bug" that is preventing some people from playing.
I get that the code may have been exploited and therefore the items/pack was removed. I also get they decided that they weren't going to bother with finding another way to hand out the freebies.
It would be nice however for some Official Word to come from the Dev team stating what is going on. Once the code/redemption has been removed, stating why doesn't seem like asking too much. Leaving us in limbo grabbing onto whatever wild theory we can come up with is not good.
Ah well, c'est la vie.
Losing faith in humanity, one person at a time.
That is a bunch of BS
My character Tsin'xing
like I said and will keep saying to anyone who thinks the value/size of the gift is insignificant, it the principle of the matter and the size or value is not of any issue here.
regardless of any who think the item are not worth worrying about the fact is there are many that are upset by the way the issue has been handled and that should matter to cryptic.
When I think about everything we've been through together,
maybe it's not the destination that matters, maybe it's the journey,
and if that journey takes a little longer,
so we can do something we all believe in,
I can't think of any place I'd rather be or any people I'd rather be with.
if you use a fixed code... I guess there are folks (factory farmers) who program/script a bot/code to claim it on all accounts they use to farm on.
I used it before it was stopped and while the items showed up in my promotions tab of the C-Store as I've had a free doff pack in the past. It was pegged as only able to claim once per account so I couldn't have this one.
look like The FTC’s Involvement is needed over this bad Perfect world
fall in compliance with the FCC
We demand reparations
Actually it does fit. Not available falls under bait and switch.
Definition you need to look up. At least when you try to act high and mighty and correct someone, you shouldn't look like an idiot who has no idea what you're talking about. lol Since not available until time advertised, it falls under bait and switch. I love it when someone acts all know it all but actually prove they are clueless.
Here is the definition of it for you. Bait-and-switch is a form of fraud used in retail sales but also employed in other contexts. First, customers are "baited" by merchants' advertising products or services at a low price, but when customers visit the store, they discover that the advertised goods are not available or price not as advertised.
frankly I am surprised no one takes up the issue with the gamble boxes... gov cracks down on online gambling. the argument being you paying for lobi and there just happens to be a free random gift is absurd.
Probably so. I found the same with my 42 characters (inherited half of them) - 39 each got a DOff pack like you did and 3 did not. The 39 that got the pack happened to be at an Academy at initial login and the 3 that didn't happened to be in space at a mission start at initial login. So if the initial freebie code that's now useless was one per account (as indicated by one comment I saw), then I/we came out ahead in that respect. Otherwise, it's better than nothing. (Guess I'm going to have to look at those occasional STO emails more thoroughly for codes from now on).
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/starfleeteliteforces
Member since December 2009
The code worked for me AND all toons except my AoY got the vice admiral doff pack. So thats not why. Just curious why my AoY didnt qualify.
Also, if as the above writer notes that they got the VA Doff pack for most of their characters and used the code successfully while it was good, then I don't have any idea why these packs are showing up, but it's nice to dream.
Regardless, it seems unbelievable that the devs would think pulling the promotion after some players had benefited from it in order to prevent others from also benefiting from it and then all but telling those players that they will get nothing while the others are allowed to keep their benefits would be a good and right thing to do. I would hope they would reconsider this when they realized just how unjust their actions are, and put the person whose idea of a solution this was into some other position where they won't cause so much damage.
I was going to buy 100 Bucks in ZEN but this made my decision easy.
Here's some examples of what is and is not bait and switch. The situations start similarly but end quite differently.
Example #1
A company has a promotional item for free with no purchase necessary. You walk into the store and ask for the free promotional item. The clerk informs you that they unfortunately cancelled this promo for X reason and apologize for the inconvenience. They do not engage in an upsell and end the conversation there assuming that the customer does not throw a fit. This is NOT an example of bait and switch because there is no "switch" by the definition of the law. Companies making advertisements ARE ALLOWED to make mistakes, believe it or not. What they are NOT allowed to do is Example #2 below.
Example #2
A company has a promotional item for free with no purchase necessary. You walk into the store and ask for the free promotional item. The clerk informs you that they unfortunately cancelled this promo for X reason and apologize for the inconvenience. They also state that they have a similar or even better item for only $X.XX on sale today and they are really pushy about it. See, THIS is an example of bait and switch. Upon being told that you are not able to receive the "bait" item, you are directly presented with a more expensive and/or lesser quality item. This aspect "the switch" has occurred in this example but NOT in Example #1 and NOT in this failed STO promo.
Trendy made a post in GNN, they will have those items for free in the Sea Store for 48hrs, presumably starting tomorrow after patch.
So you can put your sad songs about how evil stupid and uncaring cryptic is back in your sacks.
My character Tsin'xing
Making up your own doesn't make it so.
If they say item is available until November 1 but it's not, that is also bait and switch. The e-mail they sent out didn't have "while supplies last". You know why that term appears so much? So companies can protect themselves. Cryptic did not do that.