Guild Wars 2

I’m glad people are enjoying the kites! Though I’m displeased that Arenanet would once again release items with no prior knowledge given to the costumers. Also, that these items are presently exclusive. To me, not being upfront with and limiting the customers opportunities, are not a healthy or honorable way to conduct business.

I’ve first noticed this with the mini’s, then the Starcake Recipes, and now the Kites. A good precedent this does not make. How can the costumer have trust in this environment?

I’d like to hear many opinions on this. And, before anyone say’s it, I have spend hundreds on gems in the past. Just spent $50 the past two weeks on gem cards too. It’s not knowing when to, how much to, and what will be the return that is the core of the mistrust I’m referring to.

I agree completely. The precedent really smells. That’s not to say they can’t promote gem purchases by offering things for free with the deal, that’s fine, but not being transparent with their plans is really not endearing me to them.

The starcakes recipe was a mistake on their part. They forgot to add it to the list of drops, so if anyone had purchased one of the boxes, they got the recipe free when they added the recipe to the drop list.

I can’t say I agree with you DeWolfe, but I respect your right to your opinion. The free kites were a thank you to those who bought gems in a certain time period. If they had said “IF you buy gems now, you’ll get THIS later” would it have convinced you to buy gems? It’s not true that there’s a limitation – you will be able to buy the kite later (just as you could buy the minis.

As for the starcake recipe, that was to fix a bug, in that people who bought the Rich Dragon Coffers SHOULD have had a chance to get one and didn’t. Similarly, people got a BLSK when they identified a bug. So they are two separate things.

Lack of information is the main problem here. Some people can’t just buy gems every month to get a chance to recieve something extra. I hope these “gifts” doesn’t grow to a level where people who spend a lot of money on gems will be rewarded with some extra weapons skins…

..Really? The kite is like, a toy. It’s purely cosmetic and for fun. You can’t do anything with it except run around. It’s not like they gave certain people precursors and left you out.

Also as Just Trogdor said, it’s a surprise bonus gift..You don’t buy gems because you think “If I spend enough money, one day maybe they’ll send me a cute, but usekitten nus present!!!”

Also these kites will be available in the gem store for everyone to buy if they choose to.

And thank you ArenaNet! I really love the kite, it’s adorable, and it’s really nice for you to recognize me spending money on your game and sending me a surprise present.

Give me at least 2 grade B mini dungeons and Anet gets my $10. Just saying.

Conversely, give me kitten invulnerable to all but mines mechanics and it becomes a -1 from the number of dungeons that is required to pry $10 from me.

courin.2314:

If they had said “IF you buy gems now, you’ll get THIS later” would it have convinced you to buy gems?

Thank you for respecting a differing point of view For your question, it would depend on what the items are. And, it very much could affect my purchasing. That’s at the root of my post, the unknown factor. For me personally, I actually had gem cards waiting to be used. Thus, I could have easily put in the code within any time period.

For the cosmetic question, most upgrades and items are cosmetic in nature. Thus they do have value. After upgrading to deluxe and filling out the bank tabs, most of my gem purchases have been used for cosmetic purposes. Costumes and town clothes mostly.

I’ve never spent real money on gems, nor would I have if they had mentioned a free kite. I’ll be doing my normal Gold —-> Gems tomorrow for one.

I’m the last person who deserves a free anything, and I’m glad for everyone who got one as a gift.

With the new gem store gift option that I really like I think I’ll buy one from the store and send it to some random message board member that didn’t get one. Hey, who knows? Maybe the purchase will qualify me for another gift in the future.

my god your complain feels cheap and jealous…
if you want a kite just buy it!
i happened to spend real money for gems when i needed transmutation stones and endless sickle. they couldn’t give me anything and i was happy about item i purchased they made me a present (and as far as i know to a lot of people out there) and you sound like the child to a friend’s birthday party crying for his presents

@Elothar

Well said. That is exactly how I feel too, only I feel like you explained it better, which also offered clarity to myself about why I feel the way I do.

It is indeed a sense of gratitude from the company that I respect. That would otherwise be lost and more-than-likely perceived as a way of bullying their players into buying gems had the offer been announced beforehand.

And no, I did not received a kite. And yes, I bought gems in July.

But still, I feel like Anet actually IS grateful to its player-base for sticking along for the ride. They know they are taking risks, and trying things that may not be exactly to everyone’s liking. But they’re making a game that is unique in that there are many many many ways to enjoy it. And they’ve stuck to their guns pretty firmly about that, imo.

I say, bravo.

^Wow, Amadan your lil rant is off the mark completely. You also assumed I did not have one. Even though I did state that I purchased gems within the past few weeks. sigh

It’s the concept of releasing items without any knowledge. Nor giving those without, the piece of mind that they would still have the opportunity to obtain them. Only those that received them knew that they would be available. Simply an email to those not receiving a kite stating that they will be available soon in the gem store would have been appropriate.

than sorry if i misunderstood the post, but what’s the purpose of telling players the kite will be soon available when player themselves can already tell it to other player who asks (it was written in the mail with the kite by arenanet) and anyway when it will be released they can see for themselves

Elothar.4382:

snip

Very well said!

Elothar.4382:

snipety snip snip

+1 very well said.
TY ANET for the surprise and unexpected gift. Now when someone tells me to “go fly a kite”, I can.

Now that ANet has done this twice, we’re establishing a pattern. Clearly, the pattern is that those dastardly minds at ANet occasionally give evil thank you gifts to those that have continued to support ANet NCSoft after the initial purchase. Considered yourself warned. If you don’t want the underhanded, “gifts,” you best not buy any more gems.

@Elothar, couldn’t have said it better myself.

Amadan, NP! Though you made a good point about why didn’t players tell one another. Thinking about it more, Anet should have known giving only certain players a shiny would have caused instant grieving.

Elothar, you made a very good post. Thank you for taking the time to share! I encourage more post like yours. My counter is still from the perspective of those that did not. Whether they had not bought gems, was on the fence of buying gems, or bought gems on July 1st at 12:30am. Some could have easily bought those gems 35 minutes earlier. For even in today’s market place, price matching and refunding after the sale exist’s. Those wouldn’t exist’s if consumer confidence and the alleviation of buyers remorse wasn’t so important. Those are all used to build trust.

Hmmm….. if I could start again I would replace trust with confidence?

If anything this makes me like ArenaNet even more, from a customer point of view.
Even if it is just a trick to make me buy even more gems.

I played WoW for 6 years(a game with a subscription model) and Blizzard never did ANYTHING. They have never given any kind of ‘thank you’ to people who have been subscribed for years.

My brother worked for a company that sent “gifts” to its best customers several times throughout the year…..such as a Christmas ham, and an Easter basket. Ever been to a casino and see how they treat the high-rollers? It’s just a matter of business that the customers who spend the most money, so to speak, do get preferential treatment in some ways. As its been pointed out many, many times on these forums, Anet is in the business to make money.

Not saying its right or wrong, but thats just the way it is….

Amadan.9451:

than sorry if i misunderstood the post, but what’s the purpose of telling players the kite will be soon available when player themselves can already tell it to other player who asks (it was written in the mail with the kite by arenanet) and anyway when it will be released they can see for themselves

“Hello! Thank you for not spending any money on our game, and as a result you do not receive a free gift in return. However, if you would like to start changing your habits, the kites will be available in the gem store in the next week.

Genuine thanks from us here at ArenaNet, hope to see your money soon."

It’s a marketing ploy.

Villious.8530:

My brother worked for a company that sent “gifts” to its best customers several times throughout the year…..such as a Christmas ham, and an Easter basket. Ever been to a casino and see how they treat the high-rollers? It’s just a matter of business that the customers who spend the most money, so to speak, do get preferential treatment in some ways. As its been pointed out many, many times on these forums, Anet is in the business to make money.

Not saying its right or wrong, but thats just the way it is….

If you are in the business of losing money you won’t be in business long. Rewarding customers with gifts this was is a pretty clever marketing tool by ANet. It doesn’t surprise me in the slightest that it would bring out the complaints; its just what this forum is all about. Most people can’t seem to think critically beyond ‘but its what I want’ and as a result we have a forum full of half-baked, semi-logical, gripes.

DeWolfe.2174:

I’m glad people are enjoying the kites! Though I’m displeased that Arenanet would once again release items with no prior knowledge given to the costumers. Also, that these items are presently exclusive. To me, not being upfront with and limiting the customers opportunities, are not a healthy or honorable way to conduct business.

I’ve first noticed this with the mini’s, then the Starcake Recipes, and now the Kites. A good precedent this does not make. How can the costumer have trust in this environment?

I’d like to hear many opinions on this. And, before anyone say’s it, I have spend hundreds on gems in the past. Just spent $50 the past two weeks on gem cards too. It’s not knowing when to, how much to, and what will be the return that is the core of the mistrust I’m referring to.

When you buy gems you spend money on something you want and you get the item.
Getting a nice gift as a result is just that- it is a gift.
You already got what you paid for.

There is nothing dishonest about it- you support the game or not.
If they had said- oh anyone who buys gems during xyz period will get abc- it would be an incentive not a gift.
To me that would have been cheap- or looked like they are trying to entice me.

When: when you want something from the store
How much: as much as you need:
Return: The item you bought

Sorry OP but that is generally how a transaction works

Someone needs to invent a time machine, then spend the rest of his life going back in time to smack parents with a wet noodle and teach them how to raise civilized children.

When given a gift, you say “thank you,” whether you want the gift or not. It’s called being polite and it’s pretty much the only thing that keeps the civilized world from tearing itself apart.

You DO NOT say “what a rotten gift, I hate the color, it’s the wrong size, why not just give me the money you spent so I can get something I actually want instead…”

The amount of complaining about FREE GIFTS lately is just disgusting.

tolunart.2095:

Someone needs to invent a time machine, then spend the rest of his life going back in time to smack parents with a wet noodle and teach them how to raise civilized children.

When given a gift, you say “thank you,” whether you want the gift or not. It’s called being polite and it’s pretty much the only thing that keeps the civilized world from tearing itself apart.

You DO NOT say “what a rotten gift, I hate the color, it’s the wrong size, why not just give me the money you spent so I can get something I actually want instead…”

The amount of complaining about FREE GIFTS lately is just disgusting.

Rule #1 to game forums: Players will always find something to complain about.

Esplen.3940:

Rule #1 to game forums: Players will always find something to complain about.

Yep. Watching the Decline of Western Civilization continue gets to me sometimes.

tolunart.2095:

Esplen.3940:

Rule #1 to game forums: Players will always find something to complain about.

Yep. Watching the Decline of Western Civilization continue gets to me sometimes.

What civilization? Since the internet, I am convinced that there is no such thing.

Morrigan.2809:

tolunart.2095:

Esplen.3940:

Rule #1 to game forums: Players will always find something to complain about.

Yep. Watching the Decline of Western Civilization continue gets to me sometimes.

What civilization? Since the internet, I am convinced that there is no such thing.

True, it wasn’t so much a decline as jumping off a cliff.

RoRo.8270:

It’s a marketing ploy.

Bingo, and it’s a good one.

Basically, they gave the kites out a day early to people that they knew already spend money on gems. (Apparently, getting you to make that first purchase is the big step, once you’ve done it you’re more likely to do it again.) This allowed some people to walk around with a very visible new toy in front of others, creating desire for said object. It’s new, it’s brightly colored, and it’s interesting.

Basically, they made some customers happy while turning them into walking advertisements for the kites. That way, more people will buy gems, because more people have had a short period of “I want” to tease them.

Mind you, I like my free kite, even if it is an advertisement for the gem store.

Elothar.4382:

I have a bit of a different perspective on this. I have owned and operated a private business of about 15 years and I look at this, and similar issues, through a decidedly business filter. In my mind, what happened is that customers received something for which they had not directly paid…and it was given as a surprise. When I make a purchase decision regarding gems…or anything else…I use the basic economic principles of utility and cost. I determine how much I want or need something and then determine whether the asking price is worth it for me. When I purchase gems, it is because there is something in the gem store that I think is worth my money (typically extra bank slots, bag slots or character slots). The deal is consummated…I get what I want…they get what they wanted…deal done. But now, I get something extra as a surprise “thank you.” It has no strings attached…no conditions. Just a simple “thank you.” Maybe they planned it all along…maybe not. But…the minute that they tell you in advance, it is no longer a free thank you gift but rather another incentive to get you to spend money. Kind of a like a “but three and get one free” deal.

A surprise thank you gift seems thoughtful to me. I take the gift in the spirit in which I believe it was offered. Had they given me advance warning and told me that if I purchased X amount of gems I would get a free kite, it would not really seem like a free kite to me…but rather a part of the packaging of the deal – gems plus a kite for Y dollars. Both are legitimate marketing tactics but I am less likely to tumble on to the package deal than to buy what I want “straight up” and be pleasantly surprised by a free gift after the fact.

All that said, though, I am not sure what either tactic has to do with trust. They did not cheat us out of anything. They did not falsely represent what they were selling…or the price. No bait and switch that I can see. The only thing I can discern is they decided to give out a gift without prior “warning.” While others may well look on this warily, it does not seem like a trust issue to me.

Very well said !

tolunart.2095:

Someone needs to invent a time machine, then spend the rest of his life going back in time to smack parents with a wet noodle and teach them how to raise civilized children.

I can’t do anything about the time machine, but I’ll take the noodle job.

2-600 euros a month on gems here, i feel like the kite is the least i should get in return.

andeysmandey.1647:

2-600 euros a month on gems here, i feel like the kite is the least i should get in return.

Did you not get the gems that you were paying for ?

Ashen.2907:

andeysmandey.1647:

2-600 euros a month on gems here, i feel like the kite is the least i should get in return.

Did you not get the gems that you were paying for ?

Yes`? And i still believe that we high spenders deserve some items like the kite, without whiners clogging the forums.

andeysmandey.1647:

Ashen.2907:

andeysmandey.1647:

2-600 euros a month on gems here, i feel like the kite is the least i should get in return.

Did you not get the gems that you were paying for ?

Yes`? And i still believe that we high spenders deserve some items like the kite, without whiners clogging the forums.

Interesting. You believe that you deserve more than you agreed to as part of your purchase contract with ANet.

I wonder if ANet believes that they deserve more money from you for the gems they have already provided. If they did come to this conclusion would you feel in any way obligated to pay another 600 euros per month for the gems you have already received ?

Well, in any case, it seems as if you may very well have enough gems to purchase the kite.

Deserve more than the people not supporting the game.

Oh and btw, its regular irl also. Just watch the hotel business, the more nights you stay the more benefits you get.

So Anet give us nothing and people complain, Anet give us stuff and people complain.

really guys?

andeysmandey.1647:

Deserve more than the people not supporting the game.

You deserve squat. If you want something, buy it.

I think no one here is against the idea of free bonus stuff for purchasing gems. The problem is, people might buy a large batch of gems and spend those over weeks or months, or just happen not to find something interesting which they don’t already have in the gem shop for the given time period, yet spend a lot afterwards when new stuff picks their interest, etc.

Thus, the equation “support = bonus” does not apply. Someone who buys gems for a hundred bucks before the time window supports the game more than someone who only ever buys 10 gems in total, by sheer chance in the required time frame. Yet the latter is rewarded, the former not.

Also: enough with “it’s only a cosmetic”. Half the game is about cosmetics. We spend money on armor and weapon skins, and game time farming/crafting items purely for their appearance. It’s part of the entire point of the game, or MMOs in general, usually.

Elothar.4382:

A surprise thank you gift seems thoughtful to me.

(…)

All that said, though, I am not sure what either tactic has to do with trust.

It is about one player getting a thank you gift, the one right next to them getting nothing, by the mere play of an otherwise irrelevant number (date of gem purchase).

AntiGw.9367:

andeysmandey.1647:

Deserve more than the people not supporting the game.

You deserve squat. If you want something, buy it.

Well… I think anet is going to continue this trend so.. i win!

andeysmandey.1647:

AntiGw.9367:

andeysmandey.1647:

Deserve more than the people not supporting the game.

You deserve squat. If you want something, buy it.

Well… I think anet is going to continue this trend so.. i win!

The trend is to give free stuff because they want to reward something, not because you deserve anything.

DeWolfe.2174:

I’m glad people are enjoying the kites! Though I’m displeased that Arenanet would once again release items with no prior knowledge given to the costumers. Also, that these items are presently exclusive. To me, not being upfront with and limiting the customers opportunities, are not a healthy or honorable way to conduct business.

I’ve first noticed this with the mini’s, then the Starcake Recipes, and now the Kites. A good precedent this does not make. How can the costumer have trust in this environment?

I’d like to hear many opinions on this. And, before anyone say’s it, I have spend hundreds on gems in the past. Just spent $50 the past two weeks on gem cards too. It’s not knowing when to, how much to, and what will be the return that is the core of the mistrust I’m referring to.

Simple solution : Spread out your purchases. One each month should easily cover every opportunity. If you really spent that much, I’m sure you’ll have no troubles getting the freebies. This goes for anyone who complains about the free gift.

Plus, it’s looking like this might be a quarterly(ish) thing from now on. I almost promise you they set the cutoff in july because that’s the start of the next free gift period. Maybe you’ll get free Halloween stuff!

Brutal Arts.6307:

Allisa Wonderland.8192:

@dewolfe wah wah wah, blah blah blah

What a mature and civil assessment. I know who’s opinion I should ask for in the future.

Yes I too will ask Alisa’s over dewolfe anyday.

You don’t trust a company because they give you free stuff??

I’m completely flabbergasted. You, sir, deserve two entitlements.

Yargesh.4965:

Brutal Arts.6307:

Allisa Wonderland.8192:

@dewolfe wah wah wah, blah blah blah

What a mature and civil assessment. I know who’s opinion I should ask for in the future.

Yes I too will ask Alisa’s over dewolfe anyday.

Is this a rhetoric tactic or did you miss the sarcasm in Brutal Arts’ post?