With a heavy heart, I have returned my founder's pack for a refund

[Geldorn]

It makes me incredibly sad to have come to this conclusion, but I have decided this game is far from worth paying for. I played the beta and I loved it soooo much. This game was exactly what I was looking for to play with my friends and, most importantly, my SO.

It had just the right amount of nostalgia coupled with a truly compelling class system and a very fun combat system. Not to mention how gorgeous the game is. And, even though the beta was pretty damn laggy, I figured that it’s just a beta, so I bought the $50 founder’s pack because I had that much faith in what this game could be. So I am so incredibly shocked to see how much they completely botched what was a great game just months ago.

Firstly I was incredibly surprised to see them launch the game with even fewer servers than they had in the beta. And was then incredibly disappointed to see that they hadn’t learned a thing from how that launch was handled and to see that the game is currently unplayable in the EXACT SAME WAY the beta was unplayable (and that lasted for weeks, and in some areas the entire duration of the beta). You know what, though, this portion was bound to be fixed eventually so I ignored it at first. It’s because of this that I also opted to not open my founder’s pack yet b/c I didn’t want my 60 day token ticking down while I couldn’t play the game (I cannot believe they haven’t told people they’ll be reimbursed for this, that’s just fucking horrible).

Then came the discovery that they completely ■■■■■■ over the player-base by locking any sort of trading at all behind a paywall, and even then it’s incredibly limited. I can’t count the amount of times in the beta my friends and I swapped around weapons we found as we were fighting through the levels. I also had the plan to be a cleric that creates spell scrolls to hand out to my friends and the party, and also to make money. The beta had trading, the final game doesn’t, and I can’t for the life of me understand why. It clearly does nothing to stop RMTs, so the only thing it’s doing is screwing people. I had recently purchased Black Desert Online to play with my friends and have subsequently quit and given up on the game, and the reason? No trading. The lack of trading made that game the most anti social experience I’ve had playing a multiplayer game. I was not going to put up with a repeat of that bullshit in this game.

Then came the final nail in the coffin, the change to the respawn timers I’ve been seeing/reading about. In the beta the areas were heavily populated by enemies that spawned quickly. You were able to complete quests even when there were dozens of people in the same area, and if there weren’t then it was a blast of AOE grind fest time! So why the hell did they change it? Now people sit around waiting for a wave of enemies to spawn then it’s just a race to kill steal from people just so you can complete a kill quest. Ugh, seriously? This was fine in the beta, what the hell made you change it!?

So last night, I was very sad to contact steam and request a full refund of my $50 founder’s pack, which they granted me this morning. Note that I can do this since I waited to claim the package in game. I really want this game to be good, I really really really do. And I was looking really forward to trying out the new Plague Doctor tier 7 cleric and play my awesome STR & SPR cleric bashing faces and being a support role to my friends. I really want to play this game, love it, invest into it, and stay up way too late because I just want to get that last bit out of a night spent in such a beautiful game. But I can’t do it, I’ve been burned by these systems before, and I won’t let it happen again.

Fix your game, IMC. These changes since beta are absurdly ridiculous. I’ll keep an eye out to see if you actually do change these issues. If you do, I’ll be back, perhaps when the full Free to Play goes live. So as much as I vow to never spend money on your game while these problems exist. I will vow to come and spend a healthy amount on your game if they get resolved.

Good luck, everyone, may the lag and bots be few an far between and our shouts and cries of anguish heard by the devs.

[Antihero]

Ok, bye.

/20 characters

[Rubiss]

IMC has not answered players in any capacity about the trading issue, which is not new for them. Communication seems to be a big weakness. You almost always have to riot and make topic after topic after topic before anyone says anything.

Getting your money back will definitely make them speak up. Complacency with this garbage will only prolong it. I believe you did the right thing. I personally did not buy the $50 pack. I wanted to wait and see if it was worth dropping the money on this game. I bought the $10 one and I don’t regret it. I am enjoying the game, but I have the same problem as you. Can’t give my friends materials or weapons. Can barely use the market.

I play with a group of four people and we’re doing crap like not picking up drops and having the player who needs it stand on top of item hoping they get it when it becomes free loot. We’re breaking into smaller parties to farm materials because we want to ensure the person who needs to drop gets it. I even had a friend channel hop to farm a shield because literally everyone in our group, save for the Peltasta was getting the Ludas Shield.

IMC is dreaming if they think they’re getting any more money from me and my friends. If they improve things and maybe work on communicating, we may reconsider but as of right now, no one in my group has any intention of supporting this game. It’s so sad because we all really like this game and were excited to play. We play through lag and everything. But this trading restriction is simply not fun.

Meanwhile in the forums we have white knights suggesting we simply grind up money to buy a token, as if that addresses the problem. It’s pathetic. These were the same people who defended the three month early access period so I am not surprised. Cash cows will be cash cows.

Anyways, I wish you all the best. Hopefully this game can turn into something you can happily return to and maybe even invest in.

[Breaking]

Well, meh. All i see on forums, is people that are so sure that they’re opinion really means something and they now how to manage a semi-huge game\community like ToS. Sure, IMC should get their sht together and adress some of the most common post-korean bullsht we have to deal with at this moment. But after all, the game has more pros then cons, and i do believe we will get the fixes we want so desperately. Leaning back and refunding does nothing, if it’s your personal desicion to stop playing this awesomness - good for you, but please, don’t use this as leverage. this is a dead-end to a comminity, and does nothing good to players who are enjoying the game, or new to it.
And about “IMC dreaming about more of your’s money”, plz m8, you can’t be serious.

[odebidaph]

Congratz…?

/20chars

[matheusgonc]

The one and only way to hit a company is not giving them money, so he’s not wrong. o:

[Rubiss]

Completely serious. Do you think IMC actually believed that this would stop RMT when games that already have a stricter restriction on trading and games with a higher buy-in plus paywall already exist and still have bots and RMTs?

Unless IMC has their head in the sand and refuses to look at any of their competitors, then I’m going to assume that a company which makes games is at least aware of what their competitors are doing. If not, that’s just sad. I won’t be tossing anymore money into the game until the cash shop is adjusted to be less ridiculous. My friends certainly feel the same way.

[Geldorn]

I don’t pretend to think that $50 will make or break a company. I know it won’t. The point is to show them an example of what could happen to their game. You must be one of those people that doesn’t bother voting because you’re one in millions. If you think this game is worth paying for right now then that’s your vote, and I wish you the best. You have faith these problems will be fixed. I have little faith that will happen without people taking a stance and showing them that it’s not just forum bitching, it’s issues that are driving people away.

The pros of this game are very strong indeed, but they’re pros that can be had from other games that have less BS to deal with. If that BS goes away then the pros will make this game far more desirable than any of the competition. And I’ll be back. Yes I’m just one person, but I’m pretty sure I’m not alone here, so hopefully they listen to not just me, but the potential, and current, players.

[Breaking]

Well, this certainly helped, but this is not a good\working solution, and i can’t really imagine who and why was up to this way of things on the inside. Also, you should give some points to those stupid changes due to all trade restricions were maybe during the korean obt, and koreans have really different view on MMOs and RMT, even legally.

And i am not trying ot defend imc, i do believe that they relaxed (or?) too soon. EU/NA community will not be okay with current state of things, and im on the same boat of hate, but i do love this game, and i hate to see how current flowing hurts the game and nearly kills it.

[Jintello]

Nice blog post. But do we need to see it here?

[Geldorn]

I certainly agree with all your points. Here’s to hoping the game improves!

[Delcas]

Its feedback essentially.

[Breaking]

True. Actually, i would not pay 50$ for current game, but luckily enough regional prices in russia are much more easy-to-go-with, and i was okay to pay our equiv of 50$ to play this game. Maybe i would be okay with paying full 50$, since im bored AF atm, and ToS w/ friend helps with this issue.
And i am voting for changes, and can’t wait to see the IMC repsonse asap, my point is - we don’t need toxic talks of forums, since they are not that effective. There is a lot of problem-related topics, where the huge part of community adresses the problems to fix, and making more of them with your personall opinion of why you abandoning the game is useless.

[Evilmittens]

im sad to see you go like that , but i have to admit it myself , putting trade behind a paywall , is totally the thing that is destroying the social part of this game . Trading should be allowed on a way major scale that it is right now . We shouldn have to pay real money or TP to trade .

Im ok with stats or skill reset pot being restricted , ok with cosmetic item as well . but TRADE ??? … Its complete non sense to prevent people to trade unless they pay 50 $ a month .

[Rubiss]

Every bit of feedback helps.

[matheusgonc]

The most sad part is that, even if you pay $200000 to have premium for your entire life, you’ll still have restrictions because there’s that stupid 30 trades/month limit.

[greenfoxy21]

No refund.

After 2 hours ingame or 14 days after buying it.
And then it’s adlc, which is even harder to refund.

Good Luck ^^.

[matheusgonc]

He already had a refund, man lol

[Breaking]

If you really believe this, i have nothing against you. And also, you are still getting my point wrong, feedback is good. The serving is bad.

[Rubiss]

I disagree. He/She outlines why they are leaving and does not bash IMC nor is rude. It’s a well thought of reason which was conveyed without hostility. I think it’s fine personally though you can disagree.