Final Fantasy XIV... - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Final Fantasy XIV...

Post/Author/DateTime Post
#1
zenrak
Nov 17, 2010 23:56:45 One might ask what Final Fantasy XIV has to do with feedback for the Character Builder. The answer is simple. In a decision that can only be considered intelligent, subscribers to Final Fantasy XIV have been given another free month due to numerous bugs, missing features and lack of localization. I would love if Wizards of the Coast were to follow this example and offer something of their own free will instead of calling the Customer Service number, as I'm sure many complaints would subside.

I don't want to cancel. I really don't. I love the products, and I want to continue to support Dungeons and Dragons (Dark Sun! Thank you sooooo much for bringing it back to us under the current rules.) Please consider this.
#2
shteevie
Nov 18, 2010 0:08:40 I completely agree. I mean, I'll probably agree to getting almost anything for free, but that's not the main point.

I play a lot of D&D, and have for most of my life. At the moment, I'm in 4 active campaigns, and at one point I was running 6 regular games at once. I championed 4E in my large gamer community and ran one-off delves for everyone I could in the first year of the rules arc.

When 4E was announced, and the digital tools platform was announced alongside it, I was actually OK with the idea of paying $5 per book to get a digital version of it. That idea was summarily scrapped, but I think the Compendium does a pretty decent job of cataloging all of the game units [aside from the rules themselves].

The CB was the other tool that made the subscription price worth paying. I could take absolute noobs through character development in 20 minutes, and they would play the same day. I won over some gamers who preferred other systems because the tools were a vast improvement over flipping through books and searching for feats.

The new attempt at a character builder may be good someday, but by forcing this version on us, you have made it harder for me to run my games, manage my characters, access dragon magazine content, and share the game with others.

I sign up for free betas all the time. I don't pay to participate in them, though.
#3
cwfilson
Nov 18, 2010 0:12:36 You know, I have to believe this would restore some goodwill on the part of the DDI subscriber base.

When I first had a World of Warcraft account, they had numerous problems with server stability. A lot of folks were plenty riled up about it. I ended up getting about a month and a half of free account time without even asking. WotC could learn a lot from Blizzard. As a entertainment provider they have very good relations with their client base.

If the Wizards marketing and public relations folks were smart they would provide every exisiting subscriber an extra month (three would be better, but I think a month might be enough) of subscription time.

Something that says, "We f&$!ed up, but we want to make this right with you, our valued customer." Sadly, I suspect we won't see this. I have heard that their billing system cannot accomodate it, but I have no proof of that.

Filson
#4
atrociousDM
Nov 18, 2010 2:17:52 I am sure it has been thought of, but after seeing the new CB, I doubt that they would be capable of changing the billing of all the customer accounts so that they'd get extra months. I mean, there are THREE different payment amounts, so you know, there is some calculation involved. I think i'd rather pay for my month and not risk something horrible happening to my billing.

Before anyone leaps in and calls me snarky, this is actually how I feel about the DDI team messing with the monthly billing.
#5
apitch85
Nov 18, 2010 5:07:19 At this point, we should receive no fewer than 3 months. September, October, November.
#6
DMaple
Nov 18, 2010 6:28:29 and how many extra months just to get it too be as useful as the old builder?
#7
cryptoknight
Nov 18, 2010 6:33:14

Before anyone leaps in and calls me snarky, this is actually how I feel about the DDI team messing with the monthly billing.

I wouldn't call you snarky.

I've been convinced that the DDI team and whoever manages the RPGA applications on wizards.com doesn't know a database table from a hole in their head.

The fact that the compendium mostly works is actually surprising as it's the only interactive system I've seem them come up with that not only seems stable, but actually might work with a database. The fact that they put up false data in it (bonus skills for Hybrids being one missing feature) shows poor copy editting, but not technical skill.

We've seen busted updates to CBC, the debacle for LFR tracking that eventually resulted in Wizards capitulating and saying "you track your own stuff, no more online tracking for us because we created two databases instead of adding a column to indicate if your LFR character played in a private play LFR mod, or in a public play such as a convention), etc.

How were we to expect anything else? I'm a DBA by trade, have been so for 12 years. The DDI devs when it comes to a database remind me of when a developer came to me about a system I didn't support (yet) and told me that he had run an update statement that reset a bunch of project assignments all to a single person because he didn't run it in a transaction and forgot to type in a where clause.
#8
mrmyth
Nov 18, 2010 9:33:21
At this point, we should receive no fewer than 3 months. September, October, November.

Have you asked for refunds for those months?

Look, the CB is one part of DDI. For some, the most important part. But WotC isn't going to just give out free refunds to every single customer because some are upset. The fact they are willing to give out free refunds to those who are upset is, in my book, perfectly acceptable customer service.
#9
zenrak
Nov 18, 2010 16:45:52
At this point, we should receive no fewer than 3 months. September, October, November.

Have you asked for refunds for those months?

Look, the CB is one part of DDI. For some, the most important part. But WotC isn't going to just give out free refunds to every single customer because some are upset. The fact they are willing to give out free refunds to those who are upset is, in my book, perfectly acceptable customer service.

This is the whole point fo the thread. By giving something when they don't have to, you build an incredible about of goodwill. Goodwill is what WotC needs at this moment. If someone bumps into you in the supermarket and apologizes, most people think nothing of it. If someone bumps into you in the supermarket and just ignores you, most people think they are a jerk.

An apology means less if you have to ask for it.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 zenrak Nov 17, 2010 23:56:45	One might ask what Final Fantasy XIV has to do with feedback for the Character Builder. The answer is simple. In a decision that can only be considered intelligent, subscribers to Final Fantasy XIV have been given another free month due to numerous bugs, missing features and lack of localization. I would love if Wizards of the Coast were to follow this example and offer something of their own free will instead of calling the Customer Service number, as I'm sure many complaints would subside. I don't want to cancel. I really don't. I love the products, and I want to continue to support Dungeons and Dragons (Dark Sun! Thank you sooooo much for bringing it back to us under the current rules.) Please consider this.
#2 shteevie Nov 18, 2010 0:08:40	I completely agree. I mean, I'll probably agree to getting almost anything for free, but that's not the main point. I play a lot of D&D, and have for most of my life. At the moment, I'm in 4 active campaigns, and at one point I was running 6 regular games at once. I championed 4E in my large gamer community and ran one-off delves for everyone I could in the first year of the rules arc. When 4E was announced, and the digital tools platform was announced alongside it, I was actually OK with the idea of paying $5 per book to get a digital version of it. That idea was summarily scrapped, but I think the Compendium does a pretty decent job of cataloging all of the game units [aside from the rules themselves]. The CB was the other tool that made the subscription price worth paying. I could take absolute noobs through character development in 20 minutes, and they would play the same day. I won over some gamers who preferred other systems because the tools were a vast improvement over flipping through books and searching for feats. The new attempt at a character builder may be good someday, but by forcing this version on us, you have made it harder for me to run my games, manage my characters, access dragon magazine content, and share the game with others. I sign up for free betas all the time. I don't pay to participate in them, though.
#3 cwfilson Nov 18, 2010 0:12:36	You know, I have to believe this would restore some goodwill on the part of the DDI subscriber base. When I first had a World of Warcraft account, they had numerous problems with server stability. A lot of folks were plenty riled up about it. I ended up getting about a month and a half of free account time without even asking. WotC could learn a lot from Blizzard. As a entertainment provider they have very good relations with their client base. If the Wizards marketing and public relations folks were smart they would provide every exisiting subscriber an extra month (three would be better, but I think a month might be enough) of subscription time. Something that says, "We f&$!ed up, but we want to make this right with you, our valued customer." Sadly, I suspect we won't see this. I have heard that their billing system cannot accomodate it, but I have no proof of that. Filson
#4 atrociousDM Nov 18, 2010 2:17:52	I am sure it has been thought of, but after seeing the new CB, I doubt that they would be capable of changing the billing of all the customer accounts so that they'd get extra months. I mean, there are THREE different payment amounts, so you know, there is some calculation involved. I think i'd rather pay for my month and not risk something horrible happening to my billing. Before anyone leaps in and calls me snarky, this is actually how I feel about the DDI team messing with the monthly billing.
#5 apitch85 Nov 18, 2010 5:07:19	At this point, we should receive no fewer than 3 months. September, October, November.
#6 DMaple Nov 18, 2010 6:28:29	and how many extra months just to get it too be as useful as the old builder?
#7 cryptoknight Nov 18, 2010 6:33:14	Before anyone leaps in and calls me snarky, this is actually how I feel about the DDI team messing with the monthly billing. I wouldn't call you snarky. I've been convinced that the DDI team and whoever manages the RPGA applications on wizards.com doesn't know a database table from a hole in their head. The fact that the compendium mostly works is actually surprising as it's the only interactive system I've seem them come up with that not only seems stable, but actually might work with a database. The fact that they put up false data in it (bonus skills for Hybrids being one missing feature) shows poor copy editting, but not technical skill. We've seen busted updates to CBC, the debacle for LFR tracking that eventually resulted in Wizards capitulating and saying "you track your own stuff, no more online tracking for us because we created two databases instead of adding a column to indicate if your LFR character played in a private play LFR mod, or in a public play such as a convention), etc. How were we to expect anything else? I'm a DBA by trade, have been so for 12 years. The DDI devs when it comes to a database remind me of when a developer came to me about a system I didn't support (yet) and told me that he had run an update statement that reset a bunch of project assignments all to a single person because he didn't run it in a transaction and forgot to type in a where clause.
#8 mrmyth Nov 18, 2010 9:33:21	At this point, we should receive no fewer than 3 months. September, October, November. Have you asked for refunds for those months? Look, the CB is one part of DDI. For some, the most important part. But WotC isn't going to just give out free refunds to every single customer because some are upset. The fact they are willing to give out free refunds to those who are upset is, in my book, perfectly acceptable customer service.
#9 zenrak Nov 18, 2010 16:45:52	At this point, we should receive no fewer than 3 months. September, October, November. Have you asked for refunds for those months? Look, the CB is one part of DDI. For some, the most important part. But WotC isn't going to just give out free refunds to every single customer because some are upset. The fact they are willing to give out free refunds to those who are upset is, in my book, perfectly acceptable customer service. This is the whole point fo the thread. By giving something when they don't have to, you build an incredible about of goodwill. Goodwill is what WotC needs at this moment. If someone bumps into you in the supermarket and apologizes, most people think nothing of it. If someone bumps into you in the supermarket and just ignores you, most people think they are a jerk. An apology means less if you have to ask for it.