Free Accounts - I am NOT a babysitter!

[HunnyBunny]

I have always tried my best to be a helpful founder to new sims but this is getting ridiculous!! All these free account sims come to store lots and expect to be fed and entertained and ask a million questions. Many of them are admittedly under age, clueless and rude. Not to mention have no intentions of subscribing but feel the need to ask anyway. Don't we have welcome lots for this? I am already tired of being the babysitter. Is anyone else experiencing this? BTW If you want to feed and entertian them GREAT! If I wanted to do that I would have a welcome lot.

 

[Monkeybear]

A lot of new freeplayers come to my residence lot... A lot. I don't find it that bad at all.

 

[Inge Jones]

HunnyBunny, if you're nice to them they may become subscribers. And that will be good for all of us who want to see this game continue

 

[HunnyBunny]

I am always nice and always helpful even when are rude and obnoxious.

 

[Inge Jones]

I think there is this huge deluge of newbies at the moment probably due to all the publicity. In a couple of weeks they will know the ropes and be able to do stuff without help, and there will not be so many new people all at once in future. Perhaps the oldies can put their own aims on the back burner for a week and prioritise settling in the newbies. Then let the old newbs help the new newbs lol

 

[MaxCTSO]

<blockquote><hr>

I have always tried my best to be a helpful founder to new sims but this is getting ridiculous!! All these free account sims come to store lots and expect to be fed and entertained and ask a million questions. Many of them are admittedly under age, clueless and rude. Not to mention have no intentions of subscribing but feel the need to ask anyway. Don't we have welcome lots for this? I am already tired of being the babysitter. Is anyone else experiencing this? BTW If you want to feed and entertian them GREAT! If I wanted to do that I would have a welcome lot.

[/ QUOTE ]
Wow. Put ur lot on admit or something lol your the first person I've seen that doesn't like visitors.

 

[HunnyBunny]

Where did I say I didn't like visitors? The gist of my post was we need Welcome lots for these sims and dedicated players who enjoy hosting welcome lots. You must have read my post wrong. DId you miss the one that said I am always nice and helpful too?

 

[imported_Juniper Skye]

Put up a sandwich board with tips on it, tell them to read the board! Also spread the word about coming here and to the blog to get ALL their questions answered.

 

[Inge Jones]

EA really needed to set up their own staffed-round-the-clock Welcome property, and maybe have it the only lot that shows on the map until at least one sim on that account has visited it. Or at least have it showing up very noticeably in all views (for the new accounts that is)

Lack of having that solidly in place could make all the difference to whether newbies get a good impression or not. Those guys who came to my house had no idea where else to go to find out what they could do. Players should not *have* to read forums and blogs, all the help they need should be available through the game interface.

When I say staffed round the clock I do not necessarily mean by the devs and admins. They could program it so on this special lot there can be up to 24 roomies, and pick long-time players who are willing to help out.

 

[Guest]

I have to agree with a Dev sponsored house that the newbies can go to. Maybe have it where they can set up a splash screen to come up for newbies saying "Got Questions? Head over to such house for all help." I am not sure they could do this for just new accounts or not, but it might be a good alternative. I do like the idea of a house where older sims (like myself) could be at the house to help with questions.

 

[Inge Jones]

The only thing is that you have to know a little bit about how to play before you can even find a house by name using the search feature. That was why I suggested it was specially programmed to display large on the map no matter what filter or view the newbie is in. One thing SL has which is very useful indeed is the ability to pass clickable links to places. I notice we can't even bookmark lots in this game, which to me seems a lack.

 

[Guest]

There is a suggestion on the Wiki, in the Downtown design page for a Homeless Shelter for Free Players and newbies to stay at, as well as a tutorial type of quest for them to run, that would answer many questions and familiarize them with the game.

The Post Office part of the design could also contain FAQ's and How-tos as wall posters.

There are many other suggested MOMI Lots that could incorporate the posters as well.

It was GregK, who first suggested a staging area for new players, and I hope that some of these designs are in the works.

 

[Inge Jones]

They seem like good ideas. It's just a pity they were not put in place in time for this influx, cos it's not always easy getting people back for a second try if their first impression were frustrating. For every tolerant HunnyBunny there may be a less tolerant, or even AFK store owner they might have landed on first. Specially if they're not even allowed into the Skill lots where owners tend to prioritise helping users anyway.

 

[Guest]

You know, that idea sounds very much like the tutorial from World of Warcrat that all users go through when they first start. Now, that happens even for an experienced player but there is a way for them to cancel out of it. This would prolly work the best for everyone. This way, new players have the basic knowledge before coming into the main area and they will be able to search out for help.

 

[imported_Dali Dalinza]

<blockquote><hr>

I have always tried my best to be a helpful founder to new sims but this is getting ridiculous!! All these free account sims come to store lots and expect to be fed and entertained and ask a million questions. Many of them are admittedly under age, clueless and rude. Not to mention have no intentions of subscribing but feel the need to ask anyway. Don't we have welcome lots for this? I am already tired of being the babysitter. Is anyone else experiencing this? BTW If you want to feed and entertian them GREAT! If I wanted to do that I would have a welcome lot.

[/ QUOTE ]

With the visitor bonus gone, the small incentive that existed in the "old" game is gone. (Not that the bonus would have truly compensated for the boorish behavior.) I know the devs felt the game needed to have the bonus eliminated, but not having it leaves a vacuum. Visitors as you describe are not gonna leave tips, and I can only imagine how they would act out if they found pay doors.

As a "life long" resident of Test Center, I know what you are talking about. Every school vacation TC would fill with inexperienced players who wanted to see what the game was about. Many were obviously underage and often motivated by a need to test limits by typing words and making their avatar do things that their parents would object to. In the old days, at least each of those obnoxious gamers provided a few minutes of visit time.

It would be great if your status as ambassador for the game could be rewarded. Wanting the game to continue is a nice motivation, but it doesn't really help when your game enjoyment is squelched by having to be, as you aptly put it, a babysitter. The good news: school breaks are over this weekend, until next month.

 

[Guest]

Not only are they taking away from the "visitor" bonus that used to exsist, they are costing us money to feed them. Now, I logged in recently with a "free" account and saw their motives were taken away. That may help some things since they will not need to eat or anything. I have not experienced this first hand since I own a skill lot, but I am sure it gets annoying for the long timers like myself. Just celebrated 5 years in this game.

 

[Inge Jones]

Aren't they in danger of stripping away so much that the free account players won't actually see any of the things that make the game fun? It'll just seem like SecondLife but without the nice graphics.

 

[Guest]

Very very true. I think the best way to get new people to play is to set up the 2 week free trial like they had before. They can skill, make money and stuff BUT they cannot become roommates or own houses during that time. This way, owners won't be adding someone who might not stay around and waste a spot until he/she figures out "Hey! So and So is never on anymore!" and also it will keep the "newbies" focused on skilling and making money.

 

[Guest]

I'm thinking we've been mislead by these "free accounts", first it starts as this:

<blockquote><hr>


You can come back for free right now by REACTIVATING your old account at this page http://ea-land.ea.com/register/free.php and then by downloading the game from the same link. Most likely, your Sim is no more, but if you come back to the game this month, you will get your earned privileges back (gifts, skill locks etc. in EA-Land) when we run our amnesty program at the end of the month. Today you can play for free in our test city called 'Test-Center 3', in a few days you will be able to also play for Free in the 'EA-Land' city.

[/ QUOTE ]

Then after a week, you get this:
<blockquote><hr>

EA Subscription Expiration Notice

Hello ______!
______'s subscription to The Sims Online™ will expire in 7 days. To continue your game play uninterrupted, just click here to login to your account and activate your billing. In seconds you'll be back in the game.

Don't leave your Sims, friends and neighbors behind! Upgrade to full user status today to keep playing The Sims Online. Upgrading is fast and easy and there are many different payment options to choose from.

[/ QUOTE ]

 

[Guest]

I do not believe they are lying to us about the "free" account. They just aren't telling the whole truth. Yes, after a few days you can get into EA Land. You can only go to residence houses but you can get into it.

 

[Guest]

It's the fact that they no longer mention there is a time limit, I consider that to be misleading.

 

[Guest]

Very very true. I have an additional sim that I cancelled. When I tried to bring him back, he got the standard 14 day free trial even though I put my credit card info in. It has been over 14 days now and he is still a visitor in EA Land. I think there are alot of things going on behind the scene that isn't quite right

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

Where did I say I didn't like visitors? The gist of my post was we need Welcome lots for these sims and dedicated players who enjoy hosting welcome lots. You must have read my post wrong. DId you miss the one that said I am always nice and helpful too?

[/ QUOTE ]
I ran the top welcome house in JP for the best part of 3 years (bumped off a few times by some fake scam payout house but they never lasted long) and I can understand what you're saying - but the simple fact is there is no money to be made in a welcome house, so you have to do it because you want to be useful to the community as a whole rather than simply becoming rich. Most people here just want to make money so they can gather "pixel stuff".

In the same way that in real life few people actually volunteer or dedicate themselves to community betterment, TSO is very much the same.

 

[imported_MARCIN2006]

<blockquote><hr>

I have always tried my best to be a helpful founder to new sims but this is getting ridiculous!! All these free account sims come to store lots and expect to be fed and entertained and ask a million questions. Many of them are admittedly under age, clueless and rude. Not to mention have no intentions of subscribing but feel the need to ask anyway. Don't we have welcome lots for this? I am already tired of being the babysitter. Is anyone else experiencing this? BTW If you want to feed and entertian them GREAT! If I wanted to do that I would have a welcome lot.

[/ QUOTE ]

A few week ago, I was at a service lot and the owner was great. However there was this new player who at the beginning was very kind and nice. However once we introduced him to CC and the owner provided him with $300 so he could try to upload his first CC pic, after that he began looking at all the pics on the lot and noticed 1 RL pic of the owner. And then he began a fight about how ugly she was and kept on repeating he thought she looked like a "ho" and how he cant see how any man would like to be married to her. He really upset the host...!

Clearly he was underage and extremely rude, because he then began making fun of her RL pic and sim. When we began to confront him he left the lot (his tirade lasted over 30 min). And when I asked him why he said all these things about the host, he said "Its just a game don't people joke around", clearly this was either a person with A. really bad manners B. A Underage person C. A "cyber-bully".


At my friends store lot, a new player came in requesting a Pet, ofcourse he did not have enough $ to pay for it but we showed him where the cages were and explained how Pets worked. He clearly did not understand it as he kept asking us where the pets are (he thought the pets were sold in display boxes like in TS1: Unleashed). After a few minuets of explanation he told us we were "********" and "[censored] stupid" and that "we are on drugs" because he sees no pets all he sees is "pet carriers". My friend did not own the pet cages so he could not open to explain, but the guy kept on fighting with us (we did try to give him links to stratics guides for him to read them but he didn't).

My friend eventually kicked him out, it was too much of a hassle.

This is the problem, some (NOT ALL) new players are very rude. And I find most of them to be very underage as they admit to it and sometimes you can just tell by behavior + the way they type. And it does get annoying and frustrating and when they are rude and begin to get bitchy then its a real problem. There should be a tutorial set up like in all the other games where they teach u the basics of the game before they go to the mainland (after the sim is created they go to a "training lot" with the informational pop ups or they can choose to skip the tutorial. This would help stop the madness...

So I must agree, rude new players are a hassle however the kind and patient once are great

.

 

[imported_Gracie Nito]

Ok. I guess I'm the baby sitter. I had a blast feeding all the froobs. Hired them to clean my bathroom. Make my beds. Even hired a couple to repair a broken light.

. I really didn't have that many problems. We all danced, interacted, chatted about this and that. I am tired tho. So they might not have a baby sitter tomorrow.

Good luck everyone!

 

[Guest]

I think the newbs r fun, if they get annoying then bootem or iggy-em. I have roomed with one who may become a pain, and i have been warned she likes to move stuff around but i am going to give her a chance. the game needs new players and the new players need info. After all, most of us were new at some point and other players helped us out. The ones that are here to be annoying will eventually get the point that we wont tolerate it then they will either leave or chill. I have seen a few stores offering free account players to come and skill at their houses, etc. and even offering payouts for skill points (im not sure if thats a good idea, payouts *shivers* ugh) Perhaps those who would rather not be bothered with the new players could just suggest they go to those houses that have set themselves up to cater to them.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

I have seen a few stores offering free account players to come and skill at their houses, etc. and even offering payouts for skill points (im not sure if thats a good idea, payouts *shivers* ugh) Perhaps those who would rather not be bothered with the new players could just suggest they go to those houses that have set themselves up to cater to them.

[/ QUOTE ]Wait a minute... Is this happening in TC3 or in EAL? EA-Land freebies aren't supposed to be able to skill, regardless of where the skilling happens...

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

I have seen a few stores offering free account players to come and skill at their houses, etc. and even offering payouts for skill points (im not sure if thats a good idea, payouts *shivers* ugh) Perhaps those who would rather not be bothered with the new players could just suggest they go to those houses that have set themselves up to cater to them.

[/ QUOTE ]Wait a minute... Is this happening in TC3 or in EAL? EA-Land freebies aren't supposed to be able to skill, regardless of where the skilling happens...

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe that's how the store owners can afford to pay them per skill!

 

[imported_thrill]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

I have seen a few stores offering free account players to come and skill at their houses, etc. and even offering payouts for skill points (im not sure if thats a good idea, payouts *shivers* ugh) Perhaps those who would rather not be bothered with the new players could just suggest they go to those houses that have set themselves up to cater to them.

[/ QUOTE ]Wait a minute... Is this happening in TC3 or in EAL? EA-Land freebies aren't supposed to be able to skill, regardless of where the skilling happens...

[/ QUOTE ]

EA-Land freebies can skill at store lots

 

[imported_Shirl1211]

<blockquote><hr>

I think the newbs r fun, if they get annoying then bootem or iggy-em. I have roomed with one who may become a pain, and i have been warned she likes to move stuff around but i am going to give her a chance. the game needs new players and the new players need info. After all, most of us were new at some point and other players helped us out. The ones that are here to be annoying will eventually get the point that we wont tolerate it then they will either leave or chill. I have seen a few stores offering free account players to come and skill at their houses, etc. and even offering payouts for skill points (im not sure if thats a good idea, payouts *shivers* ugh) Perhaps those who would rather not be bothered with the new players could just suggest they go to those houses that have set themselves up to cater to them.

[/ QUOTE ]


I'm all for helping the newb's too but I overheard one say they didn't really care if they we're booted for being rude because they we're just using a free trial anyway. I guess we'll just have to sensor them out because this one said she was 14 yrs. old....I dunno

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

<blockquote><hr>

I have seen a few stores offering free account players to come and skill at their houses, etc. and even offering payouts for skill points (im not sure if thats a good idea, payouts *shivers* ugh) Perhaps those who would rather not be bothered with the new players could just suggest they go to those houses that have set themselves up to cater to them.

[/ QUOTE ]Wait a minute... Is this happening in TC3 or in EAL? EA-Land freebies aren't supposed to be able to skill, regardless of where the skilling happens...

[/ QUOTE ]

EA-Land freebies can skill at store lots

[/ QUOTE ]
...and Service lots and Welcome lots and Money lots. Any place that has skill objects - except skill lots. They also have locks.

 

[NightFlyer]

They may have locks but what I have seen so far no manners.

 

[calvinscreeksim]

k wait, these EA-land freebie accounts....are those the 5, 10, 15 sims that you see loaded up on store lots for the hours?

 

[Inge Jones]

Are all the free accounts actually potential subscribers trying the game, or are many of them subsidiary accounts of existing lot owners trying to increase the visitor count at their properties?

 

[imported_TheCookieFamily]

That's to be expected in online games

 

[imported_Gracie Nito]

<blockquote><hr>

Are all the free accounts actually potential subscribers trying the game, or are many of them subsidiary accounts of existing lot owners trying to increase the visitor count at their properties?

[/ QUOTE ]

I expect many players are using free accounts to boost visitor hours. However, since the free accounts cannot land on money or skill lots, this would not be an issue in these categories.

Anyone not wishing to mix and mingle with free accounts need only live and visit skill and money lots to escape them.

As for free accounts skilling in stores, welcome lots or service lots...the highest skill speed that can be achieved in these lots is 74%. They will be there a long time skilling. As boring as skilling is already, I doubt very seriously many free accounts will stick with it. Without the ability to earn money on money objects or jobs, they have little need for skills anyway. I would expect the only skills that would be useful to them would be mech skills as they could possibly try to earn a living doing repairs for subscribers. I fully support the idea of free accounts learning mech skills. How many times have you needed a repair person in the middle of the night when NPC repairman is not available?

For those not wanting to actually create free accounts to help with their visitor hours, you can actually hire real free account people to sit on your lots and help you with visitor hours. I believe this is a common practice called "camping" in second life for free accounts. Free accounts offer cheap labor. You'd be surprised what they will do for 5 to 20 simoleans.

Don't have the skill locks to serenade your guests? A free account holder could learn to serenade easily and you could hire them for this purpose.

 

[Inge Jones]

Heh maybe I should have chatted to my unexpected visitors a little longer - they were asking for work too!

 

[Paula777]

lol yes i always found it stressful to explain everything to someone that probably won't care ... just say your keyboard is having problems, they will leave after half an hour lol

 

[Guest]

Why do I see immigration issues and fair labor laws coming to the surface in the not-too-distant future?

 

[Guest]

I think these free accounts are annoying nuisances, they are driving me absolutely crazy. I have both a residence lot and a store, and I have been working very hard at building up both places. I leave the lot open and the freebies come in make demands, asking questions, and personally I find this disruptive and rude. Then they beg for money, tell u that u are rude when u don't cater to them and demand to be made roomies. I put my lot on admit, only when I am building and I get constant instant messages demanding that I let them in. I am sick of it to the point that I am ready to change categories, even though my lots are themed to the categories they are set at right now. My residence lot will be a haunted castle, when its finished, if it ever gets finished. I find it almost impossible to build when having to cater to these free nOObs.

 

[Guest]

Since when are WE EA Lands advertising agents, Free sims cant make money thus they cant tip, thus they eat free, be nice to rudeness??, why should we put up with it, let the maxis team open a place and deal with this situation, yes Hunny Bunny I how ever opened my lot to "Free Accounts" not to entertain them but help them better understand what they can and can't do also to skill a little not that skilling is worth much to them but, as roomies they can help home owners by cooking and possibly get tips,, but Rudeness in any aspect of this game is not the consumers responsibility to handle!

 

[frogger2]

oh yeah my kind of post...yes I know exactly how your feeling I run a residence lot and it drives me nuts with all these new free players complaining about this and that or asking over and over the same bit. cant wait till my main money house moves from AV to EALAND lol so I wont have to deal with these annoying free players. I really dont mind helping out with new players not at all but these free players are so often borderlineing on being annoying to just outright rudeness.tso should never have allowed free players out of Test city 3 by my book.

 

[Guest]

NOIP

I'm confused by what I'm reading?

Years ago when this game was booming and I was hosting on my lot.. this same thing would happen... and those were paying players so... some players are just annoying that way.

Know what I ended up doing? I put my admit list on... and then guess what happened?

People who annoyed me were no longer able to enter my lot.

It was magical.

Are we really going to have free player segregation. I mean I think EA will eventually do it for us... but really now.

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><hr>

NOIP

I'm confused by what I'm reading?

Years ago when this game was booming and I was hosting on my lot.. this same thing would happen... and those were paying players so... some players are just annoying that way.

<u>Know what I ended up doing? I put my admit list on... and then guess what happened?

People who annoyed me were no longer able to enter my lot.

It was magical.</u>

Are we really going to have free player segregation. I mean I think EA will eventually do it for us... but really now.

[/ QUOTE ]
*nods*
...uh huh...

 

[Guest]

*just hitting reply to the last person in here, and no I didn't read the entire thread lolz*

So...no matter how much someone gets accused of being negative HERE...what really matters is that IN THE GAME they're one of the few folks not running an in-it-for-themselves store, skill or money lot...but are actually running an other-focused WELCOME lot? Those are the only folks who aren't just talking the talk, but are walking the walk? When push comes to shove, they're the only one's putting their money where their mouth is...even if they're mouth's not always so "rah rah" here, the place where suggestions for game improvements are made? I mean, I just wanna be clear on that. That the REAL supporters of this game are the front line, the folks who are really dealing with the new players, not just giving it lip-service? Those brave and hardy souls who've actually been running Welcome Lots for a good five years? Is that what I'm hearing?

Hope others see the humor in this...we'll see, though, I guess...

Kinda reminds me of when folks were jumping up and down about making home-made commercials for TSO...and when one guy took the initiative to make a YouTube channel for it...oh, nevermind...

 

[imported_Shirl1211]

<blockquote><hr>

Are all the free accounts actually potential subscribers trying the game, or are many of them subsidiary accounts of existing lot owners trying to increase the visitor count at their properties?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wasn't going to say that but since you did, that's exactly what I was thinking.

 

[imported_Shirl1211]

<blockquote><hr>

I think these free accounts are annoying nuisances, they are driving me absolutely crazy. I have both a residence lot and a store, and I have been working very hard at building up both places. I leave the lot open and the freebies come in make demands, asking questions, and personally I find this disruptive and rude. Then they beg for money, tell u that u are rude when u don't cater to them and demand to be made roomies. I put my lot on admit, only when I am building and I get constant instant messages demanding that I let them in. I am sick of it to the point that I am ready to change categories, even though my lots are themed to the categories they are set at right now. My residence lot will be a haunted castle, when its finished, if it ever gets finished. I find it almost impossible to build when having to cater to these free nOObs.

[/ QUOTE ]

I wouldn't let anyone that rude interfere with my game.. Just put them on an ignore list. Some of them are genuine potentials to the game though and are very helpful when they visit my home. They ask me if they can do jobs like cleaning up and watering plants and I hire them. It's kind of nice when you have a full house, but the rude ones get the big boot fast.

 

[Guest]

Exactly!

It wasn't all that long ago when we were all complaining about the game dying, that there was hardly anybody on but the bots... And now, here we are, up to our armpits with newbies - for the first time since Beta... And we're complaining???

I for one am damned happy for all the new, fresh blood we have flowing though the game now! That does not mean I'll brook insolence from any one of them - I have no qualms whatsoever with applying a Size 8.5 solution to the seat of the problem, whether the sim is premium or a freebie! But I still welcome them all!

 

[imported_eggchick7]

I have to say what I find most disconcerting is the age of some of the noobies..yesterday I had a ten year old wanting to know the ropes and how boring he found the game.

Is there an age threshold on playing tso..I feel soo ancient

 

[Inge Jones]

I think it would be a good idea to encourage the youngsters to get together and create properties with a theme to suit their various agegroups, where they can hang out together. Not wanting to ghettoise (sp?) at all, but I think people can relax and have fun better when they're among people who enjoy the same sort of fun. They just have to say in the property description, or name it appropriately.