Rant: Frontier and closure of threads.

[Droolguy]

Anyone else notice that threads that stray into something that may reflect negatively on Frontier are closed?

Seems that anyone brings up legitimate complaints about the status of the game or new store, gets closed very quickly afterwards with a note to contact support.

Just to let everyone in on a little secret, there is no support and Frontier will not work with you to resolve anything as far as I can tell. It's just smoke and mirrors to move the conversation to a private channel so that people browsing the forums don't see it.

Since I posted my other threads (and they were locked) about the game I have been trying to get any support I can from Frontier for a partial refund or some kind of change to the store items to make them actually worth (to real working people and not Elite fanboys) their obscene price tags for what you get.

They have done nothing but send me on wild-goose chases, repeat over and over that they do not give refunds for products after they have been used (because apparently playing the Alpha-1 AT ALL negates your rights to ANY refund for ANY portion of the alpha package whether it has been used or not), and completely ignore any suggestions to change the new store so that it seems less like exploiting your player base for money.

Back during kickstarter and they give you the moon, back afterwards and you get to pay Frontier so you can work for them.

[REMOVED due to requests because of lack of professionalism, even for a rant]

The sad thing is that I really, REALLY, want to support this game but the customer support and marketing departments are ruining it. They have a chance to do something really great here but they just refuse to do anything worthwhile for the community.

If they can fix the ridiculously overpriced new store and start treating their consumers like they care about them at all, I have a ton of friends and myself who are more than willing to invest thousands collectively into this game.

Until then I don't see them ever getting a dime from me or my friends for any of their products, ever.

I am sure I will be flamed to all hell for this post, that's fine, I have an extinguisher waiting and I already know exactly what all of you will say in Frontiers defense.

Have fun with the game, it will more than likely be very enjoyable. I just pray you never have a problem with Frontier because they wont do anything for you.

 

[FS3DPete]

Not surprised those threads were closed if the blatant hostility and trolling in this post are any indication.

 

[Slawkenbergius]

I am sure I will be flamed to all hell for this post, that's fine, I have an extinguisher waiting and I already know exactly what all of you will say in Frontiers defense.

Phew! I thought I might actually have to put some effort into a reply... All I need to say is I pledged £300 towards this game. Of all the 300 poundses I've spent in my life, these are the ones I regret the least. Even above the money I've spent on drink!

Despite having some issues with how things have been handled on a micro basis, macro-speaking, it's been pretty awesome.

 

[Droolguy]

The blatant hostility, yes.

The trolling, no.

Just because someone is angry about their treatment as a customer does not make them a troll.

All of the information in the post is very valid and I have the chat logs to prove that Frontier will not help you.

 

[Rex_Black]

<not required and don't make it personal>

I don't see it as hostile or trolling if someone has a valid complaint then let them speak.

No complaints with FD support from me but I can't abide blinded fanbois who scream "troll" at any post they deem negative toward the game.

 

[Hellhawk666]

All of the information in the post is very valid and I have the chat logs to prove that Frontier will not help you.

And I have alpha technical support tickets that prove the opposite.

I'm not going to flame you, but if I understand correctly you bought access at alpha level, then decided after playing that you weren't interested and now you want your money back, but FD have said no.

What I don't understand is why you think you are owed a refund at all. It's an alpha access package - did you not understand what that means?

No one here wants to see someone treated unfairly, but I just don't get it.

 

[Alien]

and completely ignore any suggestions to change the new store so that it seems less like exploiting your player base for money.

Sorry. I stopped reading at this point.
You couldn't be more wrong because Frontier have done exactly that, they changed how the store works to accommodate a relatively small number of people (us Founder level people) all to save us £50 each. so from that one thing alone:

1. There is a support department (considering I emailed support@zaonce.net and got replies)
2. They do listen to their customers (they made a huge change to the store)
3. They are not out to grab as much money as they can, while they can (just to save some people £50 each)

 

[Asp Explorer]

In all fairness - backing money to developers is a little like playing the lottery.

You pay your money, you take your choice, and if the experience makes you happy then great! If not, then there's not really much you can do about it.

If you had spent $350 on lottery tickets and not won anything, you'd be far worse off than having spent $350 backing a game which you have early access to.

You can't exactly take losing tickets back and say "It didn't work, I want another" can you?

 

[P4UL]

I'm not sure what you want them to do though? Reduce the price of the Alpha testing access? People pledged £100s to get that as a reward so it would be totally unfair on them if Alpha was now given away to everyone for a cheap price.

If you paid the high prices at the store for the Alpha then you decided you didn't want it anymore and ask for a refund, I doubt any other online store would refund for a game you already downloaded and played.

That's why myself, I would never buy the Alpha at these prices, but I can totally understand why they need to be that high - respect for the backers who made this game a reality.

 

[Droolguy]

The alpha package includes completely separate parts if you pay attention, it's not one product its several all bundled together.

I asked for a partial refund for the products I had yet to use at all. They can keep the "Alpha" part of the money even though I would rather just get some small form of recognition for supporting the game and they can keep the money.

They refused any kind of reimbursement at all, even partial, even though it was requested ONE day after the purchase.

Your alpha support tickets prove nothing, they are trying to build a game and by helping you with your alpha issues they are helping to build their game, kinda the whole point of alpha and beta.

The logic is the same as driving an experimental car for a company who needs it tested, and then tell them they are doing you a favor when they repair it after it breaks.

 

[Droolguy]

Sorry. I stopped reading at this point.
You couldn't be more wrong because Frontier have done exactly that, they changed how the store works to accommodate a relatively small number of people (us Founder level people) all to save us £50 each. so from that one thing alone:

1. There is a support department (considering I emailed support@zaonce.net and got replies)
2. They do listen to their customers (they made a huge change to the store)
3. They are not out to grab as much money as they can, while they can (just to save some people £50 each)

No, they didn't they made the change to try and lure you into buying more access so they would make more money. It was a business decision, they know that without out the incentive people wouldn't back at that level in quantity so they are trying to make the package look more like a bargain.

Pretty simple.

 

[Dr Wookie]

Hi droolguy, you've clearly played for a while since you have an hour long YouTube video with all scenarios unlocked at the start.

I Suggest that you make the most of what you've bought and check out the awesome-looking multiplayer next week, as well as the following tests. Many people are jealous of you right now, so quit moaning

 

[Slawkenbergius]

No, they didn't they made the change to try and lure you into buying more access so they would make more money. It was a business decision, they know that without out the incentive people wouldn't back at that level in quantity so they are trying to make the package look more like a bargain.

Pretty simple.

In the DDF, I've given some pretty harsh feedback to Frontier in my time - unfortunately not all of it yet publicly disclosed. Let me tell you, in this case you're wrong. They clearly went to some effort (and rightly so) to please some of their critics.

Initially they tried to make a clean break between what was offered during Kickstarter, and what has been offered since. People who backed at founder level rightfully felt a bit cheated, so Frontier have listened to them and responded. This is only the latest example of Frontier trying to accommodate complaints, and being whinged at in response.

Just so you know, I will be one of the first to chew their ears off when they do something wrong. If, or when they overstep the mark with microtransactions, I will totally call them out. In this case, they are simply being good people.

Basically, legitimate complaints will be looked on favourably. Whines will be called out for what they are.

 

[Mazhurg]

Nice rant.

What's the problem? In addition to failing at getting a refund, you also failed to indicate why you want that refund, what problems you encountered that make you want a discount, and demonstrate a distinct lack of business acumen in software marketing.

I'd assume if you are coming on the forums it's because you want some help in solving your issue, else in ranting here without focus you will really achieve nothing but having your threads locked, as you already experienced.

 

[Droolguy]

I actually unlocked all of them within one hour-ish of buying the package, made the video the second hour, then realized that the package didn't include nearly what I thought it did. My total play time is less than three hours.

I should take the video down though because it's accruing views and helping Frontier sell the game.

My dilemma is that the game is very good so far, I just hate the customer support.

To answer P4UL... I don't want them to give the new store backers what they gave the Kickstarter people, I just want them to give us something more than basically nothing.

Also, no, I don't consider access to the alpha or beta valuable at all. Your doing a job for Frontier, you shouldn't have to pay them for it.

I actually took like two hours to break down their pricing scheme for every single item they had offered through Kickstarter so that it would be easier to make something that was reasonable.

All they need to do is add something that gives people some form of in-game recognition commensurate to their sizable contribution to the game if not quite on the same level as Kickstarter, which there currently isn't any recognition at all for new backers.

 

[CaptGrumpyPants]

I can empathize with the OP here a little and can't really disagree. I do see how the argument can be made that he expressed his discontent 'improperly'. That said, it's his discontent, who are we to tell him how we expect him to express it? I take no offense at anything he has said, he has been honest about his thoughts and feelings and I would hope an enlightened society would not seek to crucify him for it. After all, it's not like he brought a Power Rangers laser pistol toy on the bus in his backpack-- we all know that is a traumatic and unforgivable offense.

I can empathize with the OP for a few reasons which I will try to state in a way that doesn't prompt everyone to send the Inquisition after me (I always expect the Inquisition!!).

1) Others have complained about pricing until pricing was altered to make them happy... These same folk then berated others for complaining about pricing and told them they were acting 'entitled'. That was wrong but I said nothing.

2) Others pledged on the Kickstarter, refused to buy the Alpha at store prices and then got a discount off that price because they complained a whole lot. Some of them then got even more discounts when that wasn't enough-- by complaining until they got it in much the same way the OP is asking for at least a partial refund

3) I was a backer at the First Round Private Beta level. The backer's store closed and the regular store opened. At that time, to get Alpha participation, I had no choice but to pay another 200 pounds which gives me a second copy of the game and beta that I actually can't use separately because they are tied to the same login and you can only login to the game once. I didn't complain as I wanted Alpha.
a) Along comes a discount and I can't get it, nor can I get any refund
at all and still have my beta purchase and a separate Alpha purchase
b) I don't complain but I do watch other's that haven't spent nearly as
much as I have complain and then they get a deeper discount on top
c) I still didn't complain but then had to witness those that complained
and got a bigger discount such that they are getting way, way more
than I am while having spent much less telling others to stop acting
'entitled' just as they had when they exclaimed they deserved a bigger
discount than everyone else.

Now I am bearing witness to someone making a complaint, in a way that is not perfect but certainly isn't unjustified, and those people again tread on that person. This is very unfortunate and I hope to see everyone offer the OP an apology.

I empathize with the OP as I sit here, still not claiming any entitlement though I have spent far more than others and received much less, observing some of those that claimed entitlement denying the OP any such luxury.

Perhaps I should be claiming that I am entitled to be raised to Founder level or beyond as I have contributed far more than they have...No-- I won't do that because I knew exactly what I was buying and how much it cost and was willing to pay it. But I will ask those who spent less than I and got more to have some compassion for the OP.

That is all. I apologize if my rhetoric offended anyone as that was not my intent at all. I appreciate each and everyone one of my fellow forum members-- whether or not I agree with you

 

[Dr Wookie]

Two things:

1) why on earth did you buy the alpha if not to support frontier? It's terrible value if you think of it as a purchase. I gave them about $2000 as a thank you for nearly 30 years' worth of good times and for getting me where I am today, hunting black holes for nasa

2) I hope you realize that we've only seen a small part of the alpha! Much more is to come

 

[KickahasTier]

I'm not sure what you want them to do though? Reduce the price of the Alpha testing access? People pledged £100s to get that as a reward so it would be totally unfair on them if Alpha was now given away to everyone for a cheap price.

Not so, I believe in KS they were guaranteed only a month of advance access. Which they have had and more.

 

[Shishakli]

Just because someone is angry about their treatment as a customer does not make them a troll.

No it doesn't. Never-the-less, you seem to have a chip on your shoulder.

 

[KickahasTier]

Two things:

1) why on earth did you buy the alpha if not to support frontier? It's terrible value if you think of it as a purchase.

This is a valid and good point.