Some people never learn.

SOE knows that players hate surprises. HATE THEM.
So how did they decide on the best way to introduce something that was sure to be controversial and polarizing?

That's right. They just jubilantly announced it as a done deal, with a big ol' smile as if this is what players have been BEGGING for years.

Grip a brain, people.

Who didn't see this sort of fallout coming? Luckily I packed a helmet and gas mask for my trip to CA, juuuust in case, so I should survive the initial onslaught when the nukes hit San Diego. It's a ways south of here.

One of the very early posters in the thread linked above catches another major error on the part of Smed, who is actually usually a smart guy: He said they'd never have RMT. He should know never to promise ANYTHING to players, because in the world of MMOGs, nothing is static, nothing can remain sacred. "Always in motion is the future," as some small green guy (who was probably a Dwarf) said.

Me? I am all for microtransactions, and for RMT. Always have been.

Sell gold to your players and it puts the gold sellers out of business and gives the players a safe, secure method to do what they are already doing. DO IT.

By the way, coin is NOT among the SOE Station offerings, at least not yet.

I have limited time to play. Hell, I have an hour or two a week when I am lucky. If I could BUY some decent gear instead of despairing over not having 20 hours to earn it in game... I WOULD. Damn straight I would. My time is money, and I have to give one up for another no matter how I look at it. If I had a less demanding job, I'd make less cash to spend, but I'd have more time to get the stuff in game myself, for free.
Instead, I am starting to look at raids as something I will forever be excluded from - I can't gear up as things stand.

Oh, and useful battle gear is not being offered for Station Cash.

So let's see what IS being offered on the grand opening giant spider super savings sale day:

- Exp potions. OK, cash for experience. I can see the value there.

- House pets. WHO NEEDS MORE FREAKING HOUSE PETS? Sure as hell not me. I am already tired of lagging out when I walk around my mansion, and with the exception of the beloved Burynai diggers, they are a whole lot of nothing useful. I do love my baby Dragon from waaaay back, but with pets as plentiful as they already are, they are just not... special.

- Appearance armor. Fine idea, if it was interesting or different. ~YAWN~ If I want to look like an underpaid guard, I'll let you know.


The Brasse Bottom Line:
This is one huge-arsed keg of epic fail.
SOE should have offered some advance notice and build up to this release.
As the saying goes, "What we have here is a failure to communicate."
Let people vent in advance, and hey, perhaps they'd offer some useful suggestions on what they might WANT to buy.
Not random crap.

I am sure glad there is another bottle of wine here.
I'm gonna need it. I am sure the Community Managers are busily suiting up in asbestos and chowing down on Maalox right about now.

And yeah... all you people bailing on EQII now? Gimme yer stuff. Mail me all your plat and ubery gear, thanks.

I'll take it any way I can get it.

;-)#
Brasse

ps. In case ya'll don't wanna chime in on the undoubtedly CRAZY LONG Official Forum threads, you can join the already pretty long (for us) thread here on TheBrasse.com to put in your two coppers, which are not yet available via Station Cash.