Petition: clickandbuy the only way no,thanks.

[RAIST]

@odd waffle

Actually, SE didn't have to convert any currency in the process--that is all handled between the financial orginazations involved. USD has been a centralized currency in the markets for YEARS as one of the baselines.

The shift is more likely to simply get out of their POL database because it was either proprietary or otherwise not capable of handling scripting like so many other databases that are so easliy manageable with a simple language like SQL. Moving to a more stremalined and manageable database model will allow them to automate and otherwise streamline all processes, potentially reducing downtime and reducing daily operating costs considerably.

So, from that viewpoint, migrating the data makes perfect sense. But then that poses an even bigger problem. You need a secure connection to a CC processor for completing transactions. It appears in the old system, they were sluffing off the process to regional offices (US payments showed up as being from their CA division and not Tokyo), so they were processing US payments through a US processor in US dollar amounts via a secure connection between that office and that regional CC processor. After this move, they may have a streamlined database capable of using simple query and update statements to pull/update that data on the fly. They could potentially arrange to make a secure connection from Tokyo to a US CC processor, poll the necessary data from the new database (such as Square Enix USA, CA details, $12.95 USD, other necessary details) to build the XML string to process the payment directly from Tokyo, on behalf of the US division plunking that money into the US divisions bank accounts--effectively doing the same thing without having to suynchronize all the data to the US first for local processing and then synching it back to JP.

There may be some legal constraints to this though...if so, the system should still be much more efficient at transfering just the required info to the regional office for processing to bypass those constraints and then sling it back to Tokyo. Less data means shorter transfers and less downtime, and by being able to use a more robust scripting language it allows more automation as well which results in less payroll cost in the end.

[RAIST]

Honest question: Do you immediately get locked out of these forums if your account goes inactive due to nonpayment?

I ask because last month when SEs biller goofed and locked out my character, I was still able to post on these boards.

That remains to be seen. Don't think we've been given an answer to that from SE, maybe... don't remember.

But it could be that when you try to sign in with your SE ID, you are flagged for not having your POL account transferred yet, and get sent directly to the transfer page, effectively blocking you from getting into the forums. The forums are requiring some game data that is in the POL system and needs to be transfered to your SE account so it can validate you and log you into the forums.

So, in a round-about way, you may get blocked from the forums until you transfer all your remaining POL data to SEID.

[meecrob]

i agree with not wanting to deal with click and buy. when i made my account on there the day ffxiv came out, my bank shut my card off due to that site being notorious for credit card fraud. took me a few days to get everything straightened out.

what's so hard about processing our cards yourselves SE?!?

[Niyariko]

...All this proves is that Square-Enix has a lot to learn about billing its customers, even nine years later.

lol not only in the billing department, SE also has a lot to learn making MMO even with 9 years of experience, look at how 14 started. Its shocking, really.

[wildsprite]

I think 14 proved the head of 11 had a bit more of an ego than he should have, look at 14 for a bit, yeah sure its gameplay style is a bit different but you cant help but think they were trying to make 14 an awful lot like 11, too much like 11 infact, and they spent way too much money developing a lackluster gaming engine (that requires far too high of specs for the PC) for it when they could have used one of the half way decent ones already out there

[Knives]

lol not only in the billing department, SE also has a lot to learn making MMO even with 9 years of experience, look at how 14 started. Its shocking, really.

No argument there. Buying FFXIV is the worst video game related choice I've made in years. Sigh.

[RAIST]

hehe.. fortunately I was lucky enough to get in on the beta, so I was lucky enough to get advanced notice and not buy it yet.

+1's for the last few posts.... if we could.... /liked

[Niyariko]

hehe.. fortunately I was lucky enough to get in on the beta, so I was lucky enough to get advanced notice and not buy it yet.

+1's for the last few posts.... if we could.... /liked

I was in the beta as well, in fact, I was one of the few lucky ones who got invited into Alpha late march 2010. And I was keep on telling my self that "this is only alpha/beta, and SE only showing a fraction of the game, it will be great when is out"...

I was wrong, so wrong, nothing changed in the released version.

edit: btw I just found out one of the post was nuked by SE (Just-how-much-will-SE-lose-over-this-new-billing-system) I hope they don't nuke this one as well.

They can delete the post, but they can never delete our concerns (until the issue is fixed).

[Rizon]

So here goes. Less then 12 hours til the server maintenance. Will I still be playing FFXI on Tuesday or will my Accts be cancelled because of SEs screwups. I got cought up in the 1Jul fiasco and as a result I was suspended for non payment even though their billing company had my payment for 17 days before they reversed it. As a result I had I had to reverify my card and reactivate my ID. Because of this I was not able to transfer to SE Account Managent system until after the 1 Aug billing. Question is will they be using the old system? If so then I should be fine......I hope. If not then they will not get paid in Aug, I will not be able to transfer and I will lose my Acct. Sad part is I have more then enough Crysta purchased from setting up FFXIV that this could have been avoided. Just cannot access it. What infuriates me is the fact that SE is totally ignoring this situation. I could not get a straight answer from Live chat and they have totally ignored these forums. Wish me luck.

[RAIST]

As I understood it, POL will still be in service through to 8/31 (they're also giving us until then to transfer and get the item). So we should get through this billing cycle fine if still on the old system.

The next cycle may be in question though (reference the 8/31 cutoff for the free item). They could be planning to do one more billing via POL and then kill it completely after that maybe.

But considering as it's stated now, it sounds like we can't get into game after 8/31 without transferring so I would expect they weren't planning to bill anymore via the POL system after this cycle.