Final Fantasy Vana'Diel Collection 3! (Now with Epic Items~)

[erevan]

Prishe statue : She better be drop-kicking something.

Like maybe those 3 little monsters off the side of the airship?

[erevan]

I'd like to clarify some of your concerns regarding the special items.

The Destrier Beret which is included when you purchase FINAL FANTASY XI ULTIMATE COLLECTION ABYSSEA EDITION is in fact a separate registration code, so even current players who already have these expansions/add-ons can obtain it by purchasing the new collection.

Players that do not already own a Nexus Cape will also receive this when they purchase the new collection.

Every player that currently owns all three Abyssea add-ons or purchases them in the future (whether buy this new collection or separately) will be eligible to receive the Prishe statue.

Does that mean even though a lot of us who have already bought the Abyssea expansions, will have to out and buy the collection just to get the hat?

[Randwolf]

Does that mean even though a lot of us who have already bought the Abyssea expansions, will have to out and buy the collection just to get the hat?

Lol, you're a little late to the conversation. This has pretty much been the debate for the past umpteen pages.

[Krisan]

Theres also probably a good share of people who just came back to the game, or started a new character, who could use this hat, but bought the last Vana-collection + Abyssea already.

Their numbers are few, But probably just as few as genuinely new players >___>.

I'm in the same boat as this, and I just honestly don't care. It's a collectors edition, the item is a bonus. I literally bought Heroes (the last add-on) a week or two ago, and already started on my new character and made a good bit of headway already. I intend to buy the collectors edition for the hat to help give me a headstart on my advanced jobs, and that's that.

It's the same as anything else in life. You buy a new piece of hardware or a new game or whatever, and a week later it goes on sale for half the price or less. You weren't cheated, you simply didn't know you'd be able to buy it for less - no one did. No one knew this item was coming, no one is entitled to it honestly, it's not worth getting so upset over a video game item anyway..

[Tsukino_Kaji]

The Destrier Beret which is included when you purchase FINAL FANTASY XI ULTIMATE COLLECTION ABYSSEA EDITION is in fact a separate registration code, so even current players who already have these expansions/add-ons can obtain it by purchasing the new collection.

And SE has already proven, Tidal Talisman, that people will pay upwards of $50 for ingame items.

will be eligible to receive the Prishe statue.

Is it life size? >.>

[Karbuncle]

I'm in the same boat as this, and I just honestly don't care. It's a collectors edition, the item is a bonus. I literally bought Heroes (the last add-on) a week or two ago, and already started on my new character and made a good bit of headway already. I intend to buy the collectors edition for the hat to help give me a headstart on my advanced jobs, and that's that.

It's the same as anything else in life. You buy a new piece of hardware or a new game or whatever, and a week later it goes on sale for half the price or less. You weren't cheated, you simply didn't know you'd be able to buy it for less - no one did. No one knew this item was coming, no one is entitled to it honestly, it's not worth getting so upset over a video game item anyway..

I See where you're coming from, but i think I'll try to explain this better. I suck with words so bare with me. FFXI isn't an IPOD. The difference between (Using your example) Buying something, and then it going on sale later... Its not a big deal.

However, If that said something went on sale for 5x Cheaper, then suddenly came with a 1-of-a-kind-Exclusive Iphone Ap or something that was the best AP to use for your Iphone, there would be hell and riot. Its kinda how When the Iphone was first released, a bunch of people bought it, the like, 2weeks later it went on sale for like 100$ less, and then a Shit storm, Apple gave people who bought Iphone a gift card or something.

If this was just a "Hey, Everything is cheaper" Sale no one would care, like the other 80 Vana'Collections. But this one comes now with an in-Game item that is the sole greatest item available for 1-30. So its kinda like, Yah... we definitely aren't entitled to it, But it just seems kinda like a kick in the nuts.

To try and make a better Example, Imagine a new game is released, You buy it for 60$, You enjoy the game, a Few Weeks later it goes on sale for 20$, and now it comes with a 1-of-a-kind In-game Weapon/item/armor that you can only get through buying it again. You'd probably think "Well fuck"

I'm sure it'd be less complaining, Or you probably wouldn't care, but as a general practice it'd feel like a kick in the nuts to people who just bought the game.

I Can't really find a way to word my thoughts adequately, :| I hope you don't take this as an attack on you, I'm just trying to show you where these people are coming from. I certainly don't feel entitled to anything, but I feel for the people who are on the side of the argument that want the item.

[Alhanelem]

That item is of pretty limited use to long time players. It stops working after level 30, so as amazing as it is, it has no effect on endgame which is what really matters. This is simply a "catch up" item for any new player who comes into the game. Please, stop the crying.

[bungiefan]

It's the same as anything else in life. You buy a new piece of hardware or a new game or whatever, and a week later it goes on sale for half the price or less. You weren't cheated, you simply didn't know you'd be able to buy it for less - no one did. No one knew this item was coming, no one is entitled to it honestly, it's not worth getting so upset over a video game item anyway..

Except with that example, many retail stores have a return/exchange window. Many stores I shop at have protection against that, where if it goes on sale within 14 days of your purchase, you can exchange the item for itself and they refund you the difference in price.

This, they're telling us, thanks for buying the game at full price, now we're going to give our new customers something extra plus the game at a discount, and you have to pay a total of even more if you want that bonus. They're punishing us for buying the full product early.

[Pagronith]

First off, I don't really care about the item and think the whole situation is being blown out of proportion. I don't think there's anything unethical about what SE is doing though a side of it is probably greed on their part. But at the same time, the so-called "principle" of the matter is also a matter of greed on the consumer's part thinking they're "entitled" to items outside promotional time. Still, in an attempt at mediation, I think there are a few things that should be mentioned. There were two examples I liked that were mentioned earlier in the thread that I'd like to discuss, the grocery store and the cable promotion (I remember the second being shot down but I'll give you an inside look on how broadband companies actually act).

The grocery store where people obtain some sort of rewards program was well thought out and SE could probably learn from this. Still, the fact remains that we pay for a service they provide. I'll leave updates out of this since most updates have in the past been content expected that should have been part of a recently released expansion anyways save for a few fixes here and there. However, let's look at content. If we think of the game's bonus content as SE's version of the rewards program, then perhaps we can see how they think. One of the things SE has provided for us are player events. Sure, very few people nowadays go out hunting Genji Armor, trade treats to the costumed NPCs, or even hunt Eggs, but that was our bonus content. Still, the argument could be made that many other MMORPG models use real-life holidays as times to release event-themed content. I'll grant you that. So let's continue on to stuff that newer players will never see.

Who here remembers the dungeon runs where you get the portrait of your partner as a key item? I believe it was called Azimoth's Compass or something similar. I remember I still have one of those key items and since the event was never repeated it still sits in my key items. Another was chasing those treants to unlock the outpost warps. A third was the chocobo goblin riders which I'm glad made a comeback recently as I hadn't seen them in a while. But for the former two events, new players will probably never see these things as SE has replaced the events where they took place with events that can easily be repeated yearly. I feel that's one of my built up rewards in the way of memories of doing those events with old friends who are no longer around.

Still, people are probably focusing on the physical aspect of the content that is being denied them. I like items; I'm a pack rat that never dropped any of his AF1 weapons and tries to collect anything an everything without real value. Who remembers where the Engineer Gloves came from? Well, SE has had a sorta reward system in place for a few years now, the Adventurer's Appreciation Campaign. New players are not going to get the items handed out over the previous Appreciation Campaigns in retrospect. But chances are that they will get it the next AC that comes around. Yes, they'll probably get their first Anniversary Ring whereas I'll be on my 4th... or is it 3rd or 5th, I forget. Sure, it's not the super-awesome hat that the new players will be getting, but it's not about the stats right? It's about the "principle".

Alright, that was a hefty explanation for the first concept but on to concept 2, the cable company promotions. Cable and phone companies have three types of promotions. The first are seasonal type promotions. These are the most similar to what SE is offering in this case where they are dangling some bait in order to lure new customers to their product. The bait might be so alluring though, that even existing customers actually get aggravated that they're not getting it. This brings the second type of promotional item, the existing customer promotion. These are promotions that we offer existing customer so that they don't tear our heads off when we tell them "No, you can't have $150 cash back or 6 months free DVR, but you can have 3 months of free HBO instead. Oh, and don't forget to call us back before those three months are up or else we'll start charging after the promotion is over you until you cancel." This is where the Prishe statue lies, oh, and the free HBO is also available to th new customers. However, the cable company does provide an exception to existing customers looking for the first promotion. "Renew your 1 or 2 year contract with us and we'll provide you with the promotion, maybe". It actually depends on the promotion whether renewal will actually work with this. So while promotion A might be offered on a renewal basis, Promotion B will be too good to actually offer it and thus you're offered the second group. Oh, but here comes my favorite, the retentional promotions. These are offered only to the people who say "Oh, if you don't give me the promotion, I'm going to quit!" Thus you get passed on to a new department who has another bag of goody promotions that will hopefully sate you while you may be told that you're being transferred to the disconnection department. Chances are, this department may have specials that are neither offered to new customers or existing customers unless they say they're unhappy with the service and want to quit. I don't really think SE sees a need for this kind of promotions nor do I see the need to make one for a game.

Summing up the previous paragraph, hat is new player promotion. It's available to existing players if they buy the collection instead of a renewal method that the cable company may provide. Existing customers receive a Prishe statue, something new players I believe are also eligible for and similar to our free HBO scenario. There's nothing unethical going on here, it's a business model. Perhaps if you haven't worked in a cable company you don't see the parallels, but I certainly do. Still, I do like the rewards plan idea but I think the Adventure Appreciation Campaign does this to some extent, but perhaps to an extent we're that we're not satisfied. This may be justified or it may just be greed on our part. I've said my part though and hope I've shed some light on some ideas even if I didn't change anyone's minds. Just keep in mind everyone may have differing opinions. Oh, and as a bonus tip, companies hate when you tell them you won't hang up since some may not be able to hang up on customers.

[bungiefan]

Heck, if they added the item to Gold World Passes, without it taking a full year to redeem it, it might be acceptable. It would get us to recruit more players. The hats that system gives now have been obsoleted by Level Sync.