EI and the Future of Horizons

[LexDivinia]

Welcome Nagafen.

You are a very necessary addition to the HZ/EI community.

I look forward to your updates on game progress and issue resolvance. I very much appreciate the (now) open line of communication between the players and the company.

Sincerely,
LexDivinia

[Dravatar]

I know that everyone wants answers to their questions and that we are all chock full of them.

I would ask that we be sure to allow Nagafen time to collect his bearings and to get with the people that have the answers we want. Each department has its priorities and schedules and until Nagafen has a chance to corner someone, he may not be able to answer as he would like.

I'm not saying this has happened, just a little up front heads up. We have a spark, I don't want to smother it.

Thank you all

[Nagafen]

Justa Mirage,
Some of your general questions were addressed earlier in the thread. I'll try and post specific answers for the others, as I get them.

A) I understand you cannot comment on contracts etc but can you confirm that negations are taking place between EI and GN.
B) Are there any plans to promote the game e.g. advertisement in magazines.
C) As far as I know the database on unity is different to the NA servers and the last patches failed will this be a problem for EI?

We are currently communicating with GN about Horizons. I don't know the details of the talks but, EI recognizes that the Unity shard and its players are an extremely important part of this community. Our hope is for Unity players to feel just as included and heard as players on all of the other shards.

Magazine ads are but a single item on a long list of possibilities that we're tossing around. I'm still working on our promotional plans for Horizons and we haven't decided anything, yet.

[Helcat]

as for marketing ideas, two words:

More Cowbell

nuff said!




oh, and welcome to the community!

[LexDivinia]

/em chants "More Cowbell, More Cowbell, More Cowbell...."

[HratLi]

Welcome! I'm glad that we now have an official point of contact. I hope you brought a fire suit and some thick skin. The community is a good one, just that we've been untended for a few, VERY anxious weeks of silence and a few missteps as you said.

I have no new questions. All of them have been asked so far. Details on the future of our beloved world would be GREATLY appreciated as you get them.

The players don't want to see our world end. But concerns over fundamental things like correct billing, and even if there will be bug fixes, let alone story line or live events is of a great concern.

-HratLi's Player

[Gimbold]

We are currently communicating with GN about Horizons. I don't know the details of the talks but, EI recognizes that the Unity shard and its players are an extremely important part of this community. Our hope is for Unity players to feel just as included and heard as players on all of the other shards.

Good to hear thanks for the reply.

[Nagafen]

as for marketing ideas, two words:

More Cowbell

nuff said!

I don't know where you got you're information, but I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of the use of more cowbell in our future marketing endevors. However, I would be greatly interested in finding out the source of said information.

[Darksun]

When will we be able to cancel our accounts?
When & how are we to be refunded?

Darksun

[LexDivinia]

as for marketing ideas, two words:

More Cowbell

nuff said!

I don't know where you got you're information, but I can neither confirm nor deny the existence of the use of more cowbell in our future marketing endevors. However, I would be greatly interested in finding out the source of said information.

WIKI:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/More_Cowbell

The actual video:
http://webfeedcentral.com/2005/01/21...cowbell-video/

[Nagafen]

When will we be able to cancel our accounts?
When & how are we to be refunded?

Right now, the billing system is our single highest priority. Maintnenance of your account will be available as soon as the update to the billing system is complete, and I've been told that will be very soon.
We will be handling complaints on a case by case basis. Customers who were billed incorrectly or who were unable to cancel their accounts will be fairly reimbursed, credited, or otherwise compensated for their inconvenience.

[Landowyn]

I have filed three tickets -- one with Tulga in June and one each in July and August with EI -- about a problem with an account I can't access because of am email address mistake, and have not received a reply. When can I expect one?

I have made two payments on this account and have been unable to log in. When will I be refunded for this problem?

And why has there been no response in nearly two months?

[CallakDW]

I thank you as well Nagafen.

I've been getting somewhat depressed over the lack of communication and the thinning of guildmembers over the switch to EI.

The fact that this communication is occuriing gives me more hope that mabe things will turn out ok after all. Just the knowledge that somthing is being worked on is a great reilef.

I think any other question I might have had at this time have allready been asked by other members.

[Peaches]

For posting .

[Spartikus]

Customers who were billed incorrectly or who were unable to cancel their accounts will be fairly reimbursed, credited, or otherwise compensated for their inconvenience.

What do you mean exactly by "otherise compensated for their inconvenience."? Seems like a strange thing to say. I do not have a billing agreement yet with EII nor does anyone else.. All billings put through by EII need to be reversed untill they put a legal billing system inplace.

What does the line "othersie compensated" mean? Scaring the hell out of me actually.

[Peaches]

Here is a link that will address your billing concerns:

http://community.istaria.com/forum/f...play.php?f=201

[Spartikus]

Thanks peaches I appreciate the link and I have been to the pages and taken the appropriate action. I am just a little confused about wether to expect a reimburesment of the wrongful charges or this "otherwise compensated" that Nagafen is talking about..

Just seemed like a real strange thing to say. Anyways I am sure it was just bad wording on his part and everyone will get the correct credit for however they were charged..

I just dont want to recieve a gift certificate for "THREE MONTHS FREE GAMETIME IN SAVAGE EDEN!!!"

[Zarcharien]

Welcome Nagafen.

Glad you're here, I was hoping you might be able to shed some light in much detail on the events that have transpired over the last 3 weeks. First impressions can mean alot to people, and imo EI didn't make a very good one. Of course mistakes can be made, and mistakes can be forgiven, but to do so requires a detailed understanding of the events in question.

I know some may say the past is the past, lets forget it and look forward, but imo that would not be very smart to do. And understanding the past can lead to a better understanding of the future. So, prehaps we have a chance to step back a little and to understand the why's and how's of what has transpired up until now. So to start, I would like to ask a few questions:

1) In general. It appeared to me atleast that EI was fully unprepared to handle some of the major issues that transpired over the last several weeks. Issues that some would think EI should have been prepared to handle, but for whatever reason was not. Can you expalin why this was so? Was the sale made to quickly and this left EI with little time to be prepared to handle various issues such as communication, billing ect..?

2) Communication. Why did EI decide to not get fully enganged with the community concerning communication straight from the begining? I understand that some members of the community were upset and reacted harshly to EI ... is this why EI made the decision not to do so? Was it because everyone at EI was to busy with the transition? Was EI holding off until they could get an official spokesman like you to come in?

3) New Billing - Unsecured Billing. How could such a huge mistake like this have been made!? Was it even a mistake at all? There is/was "rumor" that EI handled Savage Eden's billing in the same unsecured way over the years? Is this true?

4) Billing & Cancellations. Everyone is aware of this issue. At one point, EI pointed the finger at Tulga blaming Tulga for this ... is this still the case? Was Tulga to blame for all of these problems? Part of them? Can you not answer this due to contract agreements or other legal issues. What went so wrong that is has taken so long to fix? Why is EI not responding to emails, voice messages to those whom this issue has affected?

These are just some of the questions I would like to ask. Afterwards I have alot more about the future of HZ. I know some may think that these questions are in some form bashing EI, are irrelevant ect... But I say, these answers could go a long way to repairing the first impression made by EI and by understanding these issues provide for a more hopeful future.

Thank you.

[Peaches]

Fingerpointing never gets anything accomplished, just my two cents on that part of your post.

[Zarcharien]

Fingerpointing never gets anything accomplished, just my two cents on that part of your post.

I agree Peaches, this is normally true, thats why I was surpised when EI done this. But, I don't blame them. If something so serious as the billing/cancellation issues supposedly caused by Tulga that had such a negative impact on EI, I would want my customers to know the truth also if it was my company (if I could legally do so). If not, then I'd take full responsibility for the issue regardless and accept the impact. Thats all I'm saying.

Once again, I can only imagine what some people think of my post, but I'll state again, my intent here is not start a flame fest attack/bash EI, or weaken/divide the HZ community. I simpy think they are fair questions that need to be answered.