Paying to much for EA

[Pauline]

<blockquote><hr>


I see where a lot of folks agree with you, and not all are from Europe.
But, surely you didn't expect universal agreement? Different people look at issues from different perspectives. What seems obvious to some is quite obscure to others.
Look at it from the "lemonade" point of view. You not only found out that your opinion is not unique, but you got some insight as to how others feel about it. Seeing it from as many sides as possible is the first step toward a workable solution.

[/ QUOTE ]


Yes I do try to look at it from others point of view as well, I'm not narrowminded at all. And I'm not saying that disagreeing is a bad thing, Everyone is allowed to have their own opinion on this matter. Trying to make me feel bad, and hurting my feelings by saying I am stupid to continue playing and that I should be blaiming my government, is just not the way to go. I am only trying to find a solution here, FOR EVERYONE that is.

My goverment is only to be blaimed for the taxes, not for the 10,99 because taxes are added on TOP of that.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

I am only trying to find a solution here, FOR EVERYONE that is.

[/ QUOTE ]
Nobody can really object to any solution that means we all pay the equivalent of $9.99/month (plus local taxes where applicable) because for those that already pay $9.99 there will be no change, and the rest of us paying $9.99 won't affect those who already do pay it.

 

[Guest]

Im in the netherlands and EA land is the same amount here: €10,99. What difference does it make to EA where I'm from? And they do want more non-US players, don't they? Also, I am paying with a credit card that has a Mastercard logo on it. Mastercard is commonly used all over the world.

I just wish that EA would just give a reaction to this issue and explain why non-US players pay so much more than US players. Maybe they have a plausible explanation for this. We'd just like to hear it.


For me this feels like about the same as Hotmail being free for US users and €6 for Europeans, just because Hotmail is based in the US. Fortunately, Hotmail is free for everybody and this is just a hypothetic example.
If all players all over the world would pay exactly the same amount of money, more non-US players might be drawn to the game.



Edit: And for all people who think that we should just stop playing if we don't like what is happening: Are you always 100% happy with the game? Didn't you ever hope something would change, maybe even complained about it? nevertheless, you would continue playing because all in all, you like the game?

 

[Guest]

when i go to europe i have to pay $15 for a meal that would cost $10 in the US...

not that you guys shouldnt pay what the US is paying, just a little interesting fact

 

[Pauline]

<blockquote><hr>

when i go to europe i have to pay $15 for a meal that would cost $10 in the US...

not that you guys shouldnt pay what the US is paying, just a little interesting fact

[/ QUOTE ]

LOL very true, but thats just the economics of the country. But since EA is based in the US, that makes no sence.

 

[Guest]

True, lots of things are cheaper in the US.

So basically you are saying that EA charges us more because most things are more expensive in Europe. Actually, what you pay for things depends on your location in Europe. A meal in Amsterdam is about twice as expensive as a meal in Tüddern. Does this mean people in Tüddern should pay less for TSO than people in Amsterdam?

Lemme say this: the EU thing is an illusion. Prices are NOT the same everywhere!

 

[Pauline]

<blockquote><hr>

Im in the netherlands and EA land is the same amount here: €10,99. What difference does it make to EA where I'm from? And they do want more non-US players, don't they? Also, I am paying with a credit card that has a Mastercard logo on it. Mastercard is commonly used all over the world.

I just wish that EA would just give a reaction to this issue and explain why non-US players pay so much more than US players. Maybe they have a plausible explanation for this. We'd just like to hear it.


For me this feels like about the same as Hotmail being free for US users and €6 for Europeans, just because Hotmail is based in the US. Fortunately, Hotmail is free for everybody and this is just a hypothetic example.
If all players all over the world would pay exactly the same amount of money, more non-US players might be drawn to the game.



Edit: And for all people who think that we should just stop playing if we don't like what is happening: Are you always 100% happy with the game? Didn't you ever hope something would change, maybe even complained about it? nevertheless, you would continue playing because all in all, you like the game?

[/ QUOTE ]

This is exactly what I've been saying all along. We need someone from EA to notice this and react to it.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Im in the netherlands and EA land is the same amount here: €10,99. What difference does it make to EA where I'm from? And they do want more non-US players, don't they? Also, I am paying with a credit card that has a Mastercard logo on it. Mastercard is commonly used all over the world.

I just wish that EA would just give a reaction to this issue and explain why non-US players pay so much more than US players. Maybe they have a plausible explanation for this. We'd just like to hear it.

For me this feels like about the same as Hotmail being free for US users and €6 for Europeans, just because Hotmail is based in the US. Fortunately, Hotmail is free for everybody and this is just a hypothetic example.

[/ QUOTE ]

EA Games has never once posted a response or explanation in this fan forum.....and they are unlikely to ever do so. EA Games is *not* in the habit of answering to consumers for corporate decisions. If anyone wishes to challenge EA's payment policies, then the appropriate place to direct your efforts, is to EA's accounting or corporate headquarters. A good place to start is with the Customer Service phone line and ask for a supervisor.

Added note to all:

I would like to remind everyone, that Stratics is an all volunteer, player to player site, and that all posted discussions threads, are considered to be a direct invitation to other players, to respond. Once posted, all threads become the property of this community, as a whole.

This is not a direct vehicle for communication with EA Games or the Development Team. The Team are not required to read here, and do so completely as they chose and at their convenience.

We are not an official site.....the Blog and the Wiki are the official game sites.

edited for spelling errors

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

EA Games has never once posted a response or explanation in this fan forum.....and they are unlikely to ever do so. EA Games is *not* in the habit of answering to consumers for corporate decisions.

[/ QUOTE ]Well it's about time they learnt how to respond to legitimate concerns. It's arrogant for any company to ignore its customers.

After all, without people paying for their products, they could not continue in business.

It's "make or break" over the next month or so as far as EA-Land goes. EA really do not want to go upsetting any portion of its playerbase right now.

Ignore us at their peril.

 

[Pauline]

i know that Ea most probably will not respond to this topic. But I have contacted them trough support center 4 days ago. Its supposed to be a 24/7 support center but I still didn't get any answer or whatsoever. I am just trying to make them notice this problem in any possible way.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

EA Games has never once posted a response or explanation in this fan forum.....and they are unlikely to ever do so. EA Games is *not* in the habit of answering to consumers for corporate decisions.

[/ QUOTE ]Well it's about time they learnt how to respond to legitimate concerns. It's arrogant for any company to ignore its customers.

After all, without people paying for their products, they could not continue in business.

It's "make or break" over the next month or so as far as EA-Land goes. EA really do not want to go upsetting any portion of its playerbase right now.

Ignore us at their peril.

[/ QUOTE ]

I thought you quit again.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

I thought you quit again.

[/ QUOTE ]Why do you care?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

I thought you quit again.

[/ QUOTE ]Why do you care?

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't. I just find it odd that someone who quit would include himself in "us".

If you aren't paying for the game, you aren't us.

<blockquote><hr>

Ignore us at their peril.

[/ QUOTE ]

More of a curiosity thing, definitely not a caring thing.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

If you aren't paying for the game, you aren't us.

[/ QUOTE ]So according to you, free account players are now second class and irrelevant, and not allowed to have a say in matters which concern us? That's a pretty bad statement for someone with a badge to be saying, isn't it? I thought you were supposed to 'build the community' and all that?

Have you ever considered that the unfairly high price for non-US players could be a factor in stopping a lot of people from outside the US returning to the game? Certainly EA need to at least justify why they overcharge us non-americans, even if they aren't going to fix the imbalance.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Have you ever considered that the unfairly high price for non-US players could be a factor in stopping a lot of people from outside the US returning to the game? Certainly EA need to at least justify why they overcharge us non-americans, even if they aren't going to fix the imbalance.

[/ QUOTE ]

As for now it's stopping me to start paying again. I'm considering it, but the high fee is keeping me from returning. Just feels a bit discriminating.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

If you aren't paying for the game, you aren't us.

[/ QUOTE ]So according to you, free account players are now second class and irrelevant, and not allowed to have a say in matters which concern us? That's a pretty bad statement for someone with a badge to be saying, isn't it? I thought you were supposed to 'build the community' and all that?

Have you ever considered that the unfairly high price for non-US players could be a factor in stopping a lot of people from outside the US returning to the game? Certainly EA need to at least justify why they overcharge us non-americans, even if they aren't going to fix the imbalance.

[/ QUOTE ]

LMAO I don't have my badge for fifteen minutes and already somebody is using my opinion against it. Cute AJ. You know the drill.


Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly. Free accounts are offered in hopes that they will upgrade and spend money. Free accounts are not going to get the game I pay for to be updated. Its paying customers like myself who contribute towards that.


Anybody who believes that EA is not in it for the money is sadly mistaken and kinda cute.


So Yes AJ thats exactly what I'm saying.

Free players in MY Opinion do NOT matter.

If you have an issue with my badge talk to Mike Rizzo &lt;3.

 

[Guest]

Well, Jackiee, I wouldn't go as far as to say their opinions do not matter. When their opinions are constructed positively and EA sees them as a good idea to help to support the game, I'm sure EA isn't just going to ignore it and say "Boo. They're a free player."

However I doubt they are going to listen to the complaints of somebody who isn't buying the product.

At least, I've never heard of a corporation responding to somebody who "would buy their product if..." unless of course their product was a massive failure, and before somebody comments on that, from what I've heard subscriptions are up, and I'm sure EA is making some profit off of cash-in via ATM.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

As for now it's stopping me to start paying again. I'm considering it, but the high fee is keeping me from returning. Just feels a bit discriminating.

[/ QUOTE ]

If there was a european customer service centre and european servers, which gave us a more accessible (any?) customer service in our own languages, based on the higher cost of living in most of Europe, then perhaps they could justify it. But they don't, and never have.

Second Life charges the same monthly regardless of where you are in the world, plus whatever local tax(es) your country of residence requires them to add.

World of Warcraft is, I believe, the same.

Two very large online game companies are able to handle this issue correctly. Why can't a big company like EA manage it too? They scam non-US players exactly the same by overcharging with Club Pogo as well - £4.99 ($9.90) a month / 6.99 euros ($10.62) against $5.99 for US residents...

 

[Guest]

i heard once about a large tax EU poses on the subscription that EA passes onto the players? can anyone confirm this?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

As for now it's stopping me to start paying again. I'm considering it, but the high fee is keeping me from returning. Just feels a bit discriminating.

[/ QUOTE ]

If there was a european customer service centre and european servers, which gave us a more accessible (any?) customer service in our own languages, based on the higher cost of living in most of Europe, then perhaps they could justify it. But they don't, and never have.

Second Life charges the same monthly regardless of where you are in the world, plus whatever local tax(es) your country of residence requires them to add.

World of Warcraft is, I believe, the same.

Two very large online game companies are able to handle this issue correctly. Why can't a big company like EA manage it too? They scam non-US players exactly the same by overcharging with Club Pogo as well - £4.99 ($9.90) a month / 6.99 euros ($10.62) against $5.99 for US residents...

[/ QUOTE ] Because (and this again is just my humble opinion)

The Sims Online was never Officially released in Europe.

Why should they spend time adjusting prices to something that never officially happened?

If people truly have an issue with this (which you guys appear to) I would suggest calling EA corporate and complaining about it. As was stated earlier this is NOT the officail site and furthermore I'm willing to bet that not one person on our EA Land team can do anything about what is being charged to you.

Instead of sitting here and acting like you are being taken for a ride. You all made the decision to pay those fees every single month.

Any of you acting victimized are just making yourself look silly.

Which I appreciate.

I enjoy laughing.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

i heard once about a large tax EU poses on the subscription that EA passes onto the players? can anyone confirm this?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, "VAT" over here has to be charged on internet services from outside the US being delivered in Europe. In the UK it's 17.5% (our equivalent of 'state sales tax' I guess).

But even when you factor out that tax increase ... there's still quite a difference. I wonder if they're trying to claim it as an 'administration fee'?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Instead of sitting here and acting like you are being taken for a ride. You all made the decision to pay those fees every single month.

[/ QUOTE ]"Put up with it or quit" is not the answer, and you know it.

If EA-Land is supposed to be a 'US only' game then fine, let it be one, ban all non-US players (which would be easy to do via IP address). But that would be a really dumb business decision for EA, because it's all potential income.

It's just a pity they're very happy to overcharge us for no good reason, but aren't willing to provide the local support facilities like other online games do.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Instead of sitting here and acting like you are being taken for a ride. You all made the decision to pay those fees every single month.

[/ QUOTE ]"Put up with it or quit" is not the answer, and you know it.

If EA-Land is supposed to be a 'US only' game then fine, let it be one, ban all non-US players (which would be easy to do via IP address). But that would be a really dumb business decision for EA, because it's all potential income.

It's just a pity they're very happy to overcharge us for no good reason, but aren't willing to provide the local support facilities like other online games do.

[/ QUOTE ]

AJ don't put words in my mouth. I said contact corporate.

And since the game was never released in Europe there is no need for them to supply those avenues for you to contact them.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

And since the game was never released in Europe there is no need for them to supply those avenues for you to contact them.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yet they've been more than happy to take money off of us for all these years. Funny that, isn't it.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

And since the game was never released in Europe there is no need for them to supply those avenues for you to contact them.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yet they've been more than happy to take money off of us for all these years. Funny that, isn't it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Would you rather them say "No thanks, we don't want the money that you are handing over willingly for a service that we are choosing to provide when we really don't have to."

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

And since the game was never released in Europe there is no need for them to supply those avenues for you to contact them.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yet they've been more than happy to take money off of us for all these years. Funny that, isn't it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes Hilarious!

 

[Guest]

well if that's not the answer there's always DLTDLYITAOTWO

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Would you rather them say "No thanks, we don't want the money that you are handing over willingly for a service that we are choosing to provide when we really don't have to."

[/ QUOTE ]They might as well do.

When I first passed my driving test, I went looking for an insurance quote. One company quoted me $1600 for a year (on a car that was worth about $600). Clearly they were overcharging because they didn't really want to deal with me as an inexperienced, young driver.

Naturally, I went to another insurance company that offered a far better deal. Do EA really want to turn away potential profit by alienating non-US players by overcharging them?

There was a time that TSO was the only online game of its type, and it was a "put up or don't pay" scenario. Now with Second Life, There, SWG and many other online games that people can play instead - perhaps retaining players ought to be a little more higher up their list of priorities?

 

[Guest]

They aren't going to turn down profit that people are so willingly handing over. You are right, to the degree that it would be a smart business practice to offer fair pricing, as they will get more players. However, complaning about it on a player forum where response from the team is not even "officially" required is not exactly the smartest way to go about getting results.

Not to mention, the team members who actually do respond are not the ones who would make the decision to charge European players more.

It would be more effective to contact the corporate level. It is apparent that there are some numbers in the European player base. If you were to all contact the right people I would imagine you could POSSIBLY get results, especially when EA sees the number of people who would subscribe if prices were fair.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Well it's about time they learnt how to respond to legitimate concerns. It's arrogant for any company to ignore its customers.

After all, without people paying for their products, they could not continue in business.

It's "make or break" over the next month or so as far as EA-Land goes. EA really do not want to go upsetting any portion of its playerbase right now.

Ignore us at their peril.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh no! Does this mean you might cancel your free account?
How will we recover????
Is a puzzlement.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Well it's about time they learnt how to respond to legitimate concerns. It's arrogant for any company to ignore its customers.

After all, without people paying for their products, they could not continue in business.

It's "make or break" over the next month or so as far as EA-Land goes. EA really do not want to go upsetting any portion of its playerbase right now.

Ignore us at their peril.

[/ QUOTE ]
Oh no! Does this mean you might cancel your free account?
How will we recover????
Is a puzzlement.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah thats basically what I was thinking.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<u>Nobody can really object to any solution that means we all pay the equivalent of $9.99/month</u> (plus local taxes where applicable) because for those that already pay $9.99 there will be no change, and the rest of us paying $9.99 won't affect those who already do pay it.

[/ QUOTE ]
Whatchoo mean "we", kimosabe?

 

[Guest]

I dont wanna sit here and argue ,but us and uk money is a big difference, and the thing is when a person from uk comes on vacation to us and buy products it comes much cheaper to people from uk now if someone from us goes to uk has to pay more for a product, with that said ok yea it seems EA is charging a little more for you guys but if you think about it all is fair really like people in US have to buy other thinngs like insurance on health as far as I know you people dont.. ok yea it seem that your getting over charged in ways but so do we...example if I want somthing from europe like perfum u guys would pay I dunno 30 bucks or even 50 we have to pay $100. If I go to a store and that product is from over seas they charge crazy.. simsonline was orig made in US so thats why it comes out more for you.

 

[Pauline]

<blockquote><hr>



It would be more effective to contact the corporate level. It is apparent that there are some numbers in the European player base. If you were to all contact the right people I would imagine you could POSSIBLY get results, especially when EA sees the number of people who would subscribe if prices were fair.

[/ QUOTE ]

As I said before, I tried al of this. Can't reach the phonenumbers. Ea support center isn't giving me any reply. So now I'm just trying in every possible way.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Oh no! Does this mean you might cancel your free account?
How will we recover????
Is a puzzlement.

[/ QUOTE ]
If the price difference between US and the rest of the world is something stopping me from reactivating - and others - and people who are coming back as free trials deciding not to go to a paid account because of the price difference... then I think it's quite an issue. One person, of course, probably doesn't make a lot of difference in the big scheme of things ... but a large group of people can.

 

[Inge Jones]

Regardless of the price difference, I do also think the price charged to UK users is a little expensive compared to other similar subscriptions. For example, Second Life which I was subscribing to until recently, was quite a bit less per month for me. Even before I realised I was paying more than US users, I did sort of draw my breath in at how expensive it seemed compared to other similar services.

 

[Pauline]

Does anyone know how long it takes for EA support center to answer? Been waiting forever... Any other way to contact Ea except for contact center and phone?

 

[Guest]

Google their corporate headquarters and contact their accounting department that way.

This is not a game issue, but a pricing/billing issue that is most likely handled by a seperate department from game development.

Which is the only reason people are telling you, that you are wasting your time posting it here.

Even if one of the team had the time to take up your cause, it would still be decided by the billing department, so best to go straight to the source.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

If you aren't paying for the game, you aren't us.

[/ QUOTE ]So according to you, free account players are now second class and irrelevant, and not allowed to have a say in matters which concern us? That's a pretty bad statement for someone with a badge to be saying, isn't it? I thought you were supposed to 'build the community' and all that?

Have you ever considered that the unfairly high price for non-US players could be a factor in stopping a lot of people from outside the US returning to the game? Certainly EA need to at least justify why they overcharge us non-americans, even if they aren't going to fix the imbalance.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree wholeheartedly, I have met many free players who are more 'on-board' as being thirsty for information about this game and wanting to find this community and be active than some of the 'premium' players, so for any premium player to say that just proves that they are not functioning as one of 'us', seriously.

I'm hoping Jackiee just didn't realize the implications of what she was saying though, since I have known her for a long time as someone who *does* care about the community and usually does not do the separation of 'us vs them' thing.

Edit:

Seems I gave her too much credit because here she says:
Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.
<blockquote><hr>

Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's a lie. There are plenty of people with lots of common sense who KNOW this is not true. Whether a player is free or premium says nothing about their dedication to this game or their 'status' as upstanding community members. You're proving that very point with every post in this thread, and I am appauled on behalf of every new free player I've met that they might think that your opinion represents the whole of premium players. Let me be real clear to anybody lurking and say that it DOES NOT

 

[imported_Qute Pi]

I would like to see everyone as equal and I don't pay attn to who is paying and who isn't. The more people in our community to hang with the better in my eyes.

My question is: how do free accounts effect our game? Would free accounts count towards the total number of subscribers if the game was going to shut down due to lack of subscribers?

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

They aren't going to turn down profit that people are so willingly handing over. You are right, to the degree that it would be a smart business practice to offer fair pricing, as they will get more players. However, complaning about it on a player forum where response from the team is not even "officially" required is not exactly the smartest way to go about getting results.

Not to mention, the team members who actually do respond are not the ones who would make the decision to charge European players more.

It would be more effective to contact the corporate level. It is apparent that there are some numbers in the European player base. If you were to all contact the right people I would imagine you could POSSIBLY get results, especially when EA sees the number of people who would subscribe if prices were fair.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, there are numbers for the European players, but they are not toll-free numbers. I understand that the reason that they are not toll-free is because the game was not officially released in Europe. I get that. Question to those affected by the extra charge. If EA refused to adjust the prices BUT used that extra money that they are making from the European players to set up toll-free European CS (to the extent that it's offered in the US even, I mean really we have a toll-free number but it's outsourced and usually as productive as screaming into a pillow in the last couple years), would this take some of the *sting* or *bitter pill* aspect out of having to pay that extra fee? Honestly, I don't think EA should adjust the fee, simply because I've seen what charging different rates month to month on the same service can do to the accounting books of a business, *but* I do think you guys should at least be getting the same customer service in return for paying that larger amount, particularly AFTER EA is beyond the 'magic' deadline of knowing whether or not they are going to have to pull the plug anyway, but that's less than a month away, I believe. Sometime around the summer, I really think this might be something to be looked into.

That having been said, come to think of it I think access to the toll free numbers, where ever you are even US, should be limited to the premium players, as another 'perk' for subscription. Other companies employ tactics like these, and it actually works to get people to pay the subscription fees. Offering free customer service, even such that it is, to the free players even in the US, doesn't make good business sense from EA's standpoint, but maybe with as slipshod as it is they are not having to pay much to the people that it is outsourced to. I have no idea what country it is even outsourced to these days, or what the wage rate as compared to USD is, so I don't know if they are losing money offering it to the free players or not.

Just struck me that this might be a good compromise, to offer premium Euro players the same free customer service that the US players get, in exchange for their extra investment to the game, but I have no idea whether or not it would help smooth things over for the European players who are feeling taken advantage of now. Would it?

 

[dittie]

I think we should either get more income so an increase of the 500 simoleans to compensate for the extra money we pay monthly OR a decrease of the monthy fee to like 7 euro's. The way it is now is ridiculous!

Here in Holland I pay 10.99 euro's currently...

 

[Paula777]

lol holland, what are you complaining about?!
beautiful scenery, windmills, tolerated coffee shops...
i'd set you up with tons of rares and accounts if you marry me for a visa

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

I think we should either get more income so an increase of the 500 simoleans to compensate for the extra money we pay monthly OR a decrease of the monthy fee to like 7 euro's. The way it is now is ridiculous!

Here in Holland I pay 10.99 euro's currently...

[/ QUOTE ]

500 simoleans a week would be roughly 2k a month, which would have a real world value of approximately 1-2 USD when cash-in is enabled. But what if cash-in is never enabled, the way some skeptics are saying it might not be (I think it will be eventually, but not until after the magic deadline, at least, IMO). Would you still consider this fair compensation if your simolens had no real world value? If so, EA might have just found a solution to make more people happy, if other Europeans agree with you, although this will piss some Americans off. I'm an American, but this would not anger me, any more than it angers me that other people have the ability to make more in game currently than I would because they have more RL time to invest in making money objects......but I bet other Americans will feel differently, and might see this as skewing the economy even though I can't see how it would when we're only talking about less than $100 simoleans a RL day, and that much is spent on tipping each and every day if a person is a religious tipper, and nobody really *knows* whether a person is from a different country or not unless it is stated on the bio, so it's not like you're gonna no who is getting $1000 simoleans a sim week and who is getting $500 any more than you can now tell in TC3 who is a free player and who is a premium since there is zero difference in gameplay there.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Seems I gave her too much credit because here she says:
Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.
<blockquote><hr>

Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.

[/ QUOTE ]That's a lie. There are plenty of people with lots of common sense who KNOW this is not true. Whether a player is free or premium says nothing about their dedication to this game or their 'status' as upstanding community members. You're proving that very point with every post in this thread, and I am appauled on behalf of every new free player I've met that they might think that your opinion represents the whole of premium players. Let me be real clear to anybody lurking and say that it DOES NOT

[/ QUOTE ]Let me try to clear the waters here a bit... I took what she posted to mean that "free accounts don't mean diddly..." to EA Corporate Headquarters! I'm pretty sure she was not implying that free accounts don't have an equal voice on Stratics.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Seems I gave her too much credit because here she says:
Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.
<blockquote><hr>

Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.

[/ QUOTE ]That's a lie. There are plenty of people with lots of common sense who KNOW this is not true. Whether a player is free or premium says nothing about their dedication to this game or their 'status' as upstanding community members. You're proving that very point with every post in this thread, and I am appauled on behalf of every new free player I've met that they might think that your opinion represents the whole of premium players. Let me be real clear to anybody lurking and say that it DOES NOT

[/ QUOTE ]Let me try to clear the waters here a bit... I took what she posted to mean that "free accounts don't mean diddly..." to EA Corporate Headquarters! I'm pretty sure she was not implying that free accounts don't have an equal voice on Stratics.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes Katheryn that is what I meant.
But you don't have to clarify things on my behalf, Carrie is intent on trolling me today

 

[Guest]

*ttl*

I see several productive suggestions in the thread. It doesn't mean any guarantee that EA will listen. Really they could be charging a lot more, and they can charge whatever they want. Its not a scam - because you choose to pay it.

Just because I pay the US fee doesn't mean I don't know the feeling. There are many things that I would like to pay less for. If I go grocery shopping in IL I have to pay more taxes than other states... unfair!!! Its the same food right??? It would do me no good to go start yelling at my neighbors about this - they can't change anything. I would have to go to the people who decide what I pay.

Of course everyone has a free right here on stratics to voice their opinion but its not going to change anything. Its no more productive than telling random people on the street that you want to pay less for TSO and its not fair. Especially now that there are free accounts. TSO is not a right to anyone - its a luxury. Luxury items cost money. Maybe not the best business practice for EA but its their business. I say good luck to anyone who chooses to navigate the appropriate channels.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Let me try to clear the waters here a bit... I took what she posted to mean that "free accounts don't mean diddly..." to EA Corporate Headquarters! I'm pretty sure she was not implying that free accounts don't have an equal voice on Stratics.

[/ QUOTE ]You sure about that?

I've had the impression over the last 5 years that EA corporate headquarters don't care about any of us.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Seems I gave her too much credit because here she says:
Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.
<blockquote><hr>

Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.

[/ QUOTE ]That's a lie. There are plenty of people with lots of common sense who KNOW this is not true. Whether a player is free or premium says nothing about their dedication to this game or their 'status' as upstanding community members. You're proving that very point with every post in this thread, and I am appauled on behalf of every new free player I've met that they might think that your opinion represents the whole of premium players. Let me be real clear to anybody lurking and say that it DOES NOT

[/ QUOTE ]Let me try to clear the waters here a bit... I took what she posted to mean that "free accounts don't mean diddly..." to EA Corporate Headquarters! I'm pretty sure she was not implying that free accounts don't have an equal voice on Stratics.

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately, a few posts down from that one she reiterated what she meant, which was that non-subscribing players opinions don't matter anywhere as much as subscribing players.

As far as whether or not they mean as much to EA Corporate Headquarters, I'm not sure.....because the way I look at it, if the free players voices didn't count, then the lots for the Town Hall and Community Pub would not be in the one category that free players can access as far as EA Land goes, and only subscribing members would be able to to post on the blog and the Wiki, so the fact that the meeting place between devs and players is in the residential category, and that free an premium players alike are able to voice their opinions on the blog, without even a notation of whether or not a person is a free or subscribing member unless the player makes the announcement themselves, that incinuates to me that even EA seems to at least care what *everybody* who plays thinks, whether they are paying to play or not. I don't think anybody who is still here through all the thick and thin should be looked down upon based on their economic status as being second class, because we aren't able to know *why* a person might be a free player rather than a premium one.....and there's enough 'division lines' withut creating yet another one, right? At least that's my personal opinion. I've got total respect for anybody who takes the time and energy to get involved in the process and be constructive and productive equally, whether they are paying $0 a month, $10 a month for 1 account, or $100 a month for 10 accounts, which if you're gonna say that free players shouldn't have a voice then it follows the same logic that a person with 10 accounts should have more say-so than a person with 1.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

Seems I gave her too much credit because here she says:
Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.
<blockquote><hr>

Anybody with common sense knows that free players don't mean diddly.

[/ QUOTE ]That's a lie. There are plenty of people with lots of common sense who KNOW this is not true. Whether a player is free or premium says nothing about their dedication to this game or their 'status' as upstanding community members. You're proving that very point with every post in this thread, and I am appauled on behalf of every new free player I've met that they might think that your opinion represents the whole of premium players. Let me be real clear to anybody lurking and say that it DOES NOT

[/ QUOTE ]Let me try to clear the waters here a bit... I took what she posted to mean that "free accounts don't mean diddly..." to EA Corporate Headquarters! I'm pretty sure she was not implying that free accounts don't have an equal voice on Stratics.

[/ QUOTE ]

Unfortunately, a few posts down from that one she reiterated what she meant, which was that non-subscribing players opinions don't matter anywhere as much as subscribing players.

As far as whether or not they mean as much to EA Corporate Headquarters, I'm not sure.....because the way I look at it, if the free players voices didn't count, then the lots for the Town Hall and Community Pub would not be in the one category that free players can access as far as EA Land goes, and only subscribing members would be able to to post on the blog and the Wiki, so the fact that the meeting place between devs and players is in the residential category, and that free an premium players alike are able to voice their opinions on the blog, without even a notation of whether or not a person is a free or subscribing member unless the player makes the announcement themselves, that incinuates to me that even EA seems to at least care what *everybody* who plays thinks, whether they are paying to play or not. I don't think anybody who is still here through all the thick and thin should be looked down upon based on their economic status as being second class, because we aren't able to know *why* a person might be a free player rather than a premium one.....and there's enough 'division lines' withut creating yet another one, right? At least that's my personal opinion. I've got total respect for anybody who takes the time and energy to get involved in the process and be constructive and productive equally, whether they are paying $0 a month, $10 a month for 1 account, or $100 a month for 10 accounts, which if you're gonna say that free players shouldn't have a voice then it follows the same logic that a person with 10 accounts should have more say-so than a person with 1.

[/ QUOTE ]
umm.... everyone who posted in this thread was still allowed to post... and can continue to post... so what are you crying about? Jackiee is entitled to her opinion too.