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WoW Shafts US Service members...Follow

#1 Oct 21 2004 at 2:39 AM Rating: Default
US Services members do need to worry if they can trust Blizzard Entertainment. On the WoW Q&A board (http://www.blizzard.com/wow/faq/faq_beta.shtml) is the following:

"I'm in the U.S. Military and may be traveling/stationed abroad during the beta test. Can I still participate?
Yes, anyone with a valid U.S. address is eligible -. APO/FPO addresses will be accepted."

When the closed beta signups and stress test signups came and went for BETA, guess what... sorry, foreign IP address no access for you!

I went to a conference in Germany and at the club one night we got talking about gaming and everyone who tried to get a beta account so far got the same response!!!!

I emailed WoW customer service for some help, and this was their reply, "Thank you for emailing with your concerns. We have recently been contacted by people with questions about regional restrictions for accounts in our upcoming game, World of Warcraft. Unfortunately, this is a recently-announced aspect of the game, and Technical Support does not have specific information on subscription policies. We recommend that you continue to visit www.WorldofWarcraft.com for the latest announcements and updates on this and other World of Warcraft features."

Did they read my concerns about being a military associate overseas, NO. Did they adhere to their own policy as stated on their FAQ board, NO! Will WoW give me a beta account... NO! At least I would have liked to have had the opportunity to be one selected for an account! Overseas service members are really getting the HIGH HARD ONE on this issue.

If we can't trust Blizzard on being able to beta test, how are we to be able to trust Blizzard that service members will be able to play the game with friends and family from back home?

Now, if anyone that has read this far and has an account that they are DONE with and would like to donate it so someone else can try out the game and report bugs, please feel free to send me the required details I would need to teacherisin2003@yahoo.com

This would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Larzz
#2 Oct 21 2004 at 6:51 AM Rating: Good
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531 posts
Actually, there are a lot of European players in beta as well as people from other regions.

A lot of people didn't get into the closed beta. It's really kind of late to be complaining about it NOW isn't it?

As far as donating a closed beta account that no one is using, that wouldn't work. IP addresses are logged once you run the installed software.

Everyone here wishes they could be in the closed beta, sadly most of us aren't. Deal with it.

I do want to add that I wish you well and the best of luck in the service. I was in the military during Desert Storm back in 90. Things are definitely worse now than then. While I wish our people weren't there and I don't agree with Bush or his tactics, I certainly do support our troops! Just not all the people leading those troops. Bush realizes some of our people are going to die, but it's a sacrifice he's willing to make(Pretty easy when it's not happening to you or it's not YOUR kid fighting over there).
#3 Oct 21 2004 at 7:07 AM Rating: Decent
Thanks for the reply. No, it isn't too late at all. There is open beta and I HOPE we are allowed in. As far as people in Europe in the different BETA tests, ya there were contests and stuff but an ENTIRE guild of 67 Brits that just happened to get everyone in just really jerks my chain. And guess where they came from... EQ!

It is only the signing up process that is banning IP addresses because too many Europeans got the "fix" and are in.

I do appreciate your support and agree with you completely. I just last week we said good bye and God speed to 165 of our own troops for our small community here. I just hope on November 3rd all of us Americans can start planning the current Commander-in-Chief's going away party! =)

Thanks again for your support!

Larzz
#4 Oct 21 2004 at 10:03 AM Rating: Decent
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175 posts
First and foremost I wanna ask why did you make another topic about this when you made one barely a few posts down on the same subject?

If Blizzard has stated that your server will correspond with youe method of payment and version you bought come retail why are you worrying? If they are saying open beta will be related to your home address why are you worrying? It's been a while but if I remember correctly they stated that closed beta would be linked to your IP just so they would know who was trying to enter multiple times. And seeing how closed beta was linked to NA what is the problem bro?

Perhaps you need to realize the sky is not falling and put a little faith in Blizzard?
#5 Oct 21 2004 at 10:09 AM Rating: Decent
Vale,

Not to be rude, but did you even read blizzard's quote:

"I'm in the U.S. Military and may be traveling/stationed abroad during the beta test. Can I still participate?
Yes, anyone with a valid U.S. address is eligible -. APO/FPO addresses will be accepted."

How can I have faith in Blizzard when they said we would be allowed to participate in BETA when, in fact, we are locked out of it?

Thanks,
Larzz
#6 Oct 21 2004 at 10:15 AM Rating: Default
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175 posts
Well not to be rude either but you are crying over spilt milk closed beta ended a long time ago I didn't get in and I'm not starting a thread going OMG they are biased against anyone in Texas. Perhaps you were just unlucky enough to get chosen? Because not one of my friends here got in it either.

Lastly this is a company in the business to make money if they have stated their policies on payment policies ect. I doubt they are going to go against it for the sheer fact... they want to make money ^^

#7 Oct 21 2004 at 10:30 AM Rating: Default
Vale,

I respect you and thank you for your input.

You are wrong, closed BETA is not over and will not be over until the game is released.

Also, at least you had the opportunity to apply! We didn't. We were shut out of the application process because of overseas IP addresses.

What I didn't do (which I'm an idiot for not thinking about it at the time) is get people back home to apply for BETA accounts for me and then forward the invites to me if they got one.

Excluding contests and being "in the fix", I'm sure there were a lot of people who figured out how to do that. I learned something new.

Anyway, I hope to see you in the game one day and good luck in Texas.

Larzz
#8 Oct 21 2004 at 12:15 PM Rating: Decent
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6,678 posts
To say that Blizzard will ban people because they're overseas seems silly. I realize that many Euro's will try to find a work-around to play on US servers, but that doesn't strike me as the way to attack the problem.

Blizzard was fairly selective about who got into beta, based on a few limiting factors. I don't know what all of those factors were, but on some levels, it seems reasonable from Blizzard's point of view to be fairly strict about not accepting people outside this population. If it was me that was being prevented from applying, I might try to call foul as well, but it would really just be indignation speaking.

You will not be prevented from participating in retail. That's what matters.
____________________________
Only the exceptions can be exceptional.
#9 Oct 21 2004 at 12:32 PM Rating: Decent
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520 posts
Also all servers are listed by regional area, so as to get the best ping times. This has upset many guilds that have players on both the Europe and American side.

So it is not so much being discriminate to service members as being selective based on regional area. Also, it is Beta so it is really more work than play. Sure we can play but having to log out after every fight to clear the "In Combat" bug so that you can actually regain health, finding and reporting graphic bugs, item placement bugs and class bugs can be a hassle sometime.

Now before everyone starts yammering that I can send them my beta account login, forget it. I am just stating that we should ACTUALLY be reporting bugs and glitches, many do not, and there are many times I hear people complaining on the General chat that "Such and such is broken, this whole stupid game is broken!" When asked if they have logged it as a bug, many then ask HOW to log a bug.

Yes, it is cool to be in the beta testing, but many forget the Testing part.

Now if you were not able to get into the retail game...then you would have a cause for concern.


Quote:
You are wrong, closed BETA is not over and will not be over until the game is released.


Actually yes, CLOSED BETA is over and has been over for quite awhile, OPEN BETA has yet to be announced. I got into Closed Beta from the Stress Test, those were the only exceptions to the closed beta that I am aware of.




Edited, Thu Oct 21 13:35:59 2004 by StandsInShadow
#10 Oct 21 2004 at 12:52 PM Rating: Default
I greatly appreciate help your help on the subject, but again, you are completely missing the point. Blizzard specifically said the following on the Q&A boards:

"I'm in the U.S. Military and may be traveling/stationed abroad during the beta test. Can I still participate?
Yes, anyone with a valid U.S. address is eligible -. APO/FPO addresses will be accepted."

Blizzard said "YES" we would be accepted and infact we are NOT. Here is a simple solution... make OPEN BETA APO/FPO only (just kidding because that wouldn't be right, they already said NA open beta coming soon). North American gamers would be up in arms over that because Blizzard already said North American open beta coming soon. And I bet if it was APO/FPO address only for OPEN BETA, you would be one of the first here complaining about it.

Again, the entire point is... Blizzard told us, American service members abroad, that YES you will be involved in BETA. Instead of you keep saying wait for retail, I ask you to please post on the official forms to let American Service members into BETA based on our APO/FPO addresses as BLIZZARD advertised.

Not asking for any more or any less than when we were told was happening. Why is that so hard for people accept?

Thanks,
Larzz
#11 Oct 21 2004 at 1:01 PM Rating: Decent
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520 posts
I think I might have found what might be the problem.

Quote:
When the closed beta signups and stress test signups came and went for BETA, guess what... sorry, foreign IP address no access for you!


Were you accessing the internet from a foreign IP? If so, then yes, while you may be stationed at an US APO/FPO address, as your IP was NOT a valid U.S. IP address, then I can see where there would be contention for you not getting the beta.

If you WERE using a U.S. IP, then I am at a loss also.
#12 Oct 21 2004 at 1:42 PM Rating: Default
Here is how everything went down... working for the government overseas like this at lunch time...

One day at work surfing the web...
checks out www.worldofwarcraft.com
ohhhhhh closed beta sign ups... sweet!!!!
Fill out everything on a US IP addressed machine (at work remember) get to the email address hmmmm, best not use work email for that... so puts in home email address...
after lunch, 5 more hours of work work work, finally get to punch..
get home, do the family thing, go out to the movies, get home...
CLOSED BETA, oh ya... runs to check the email, SWEET!!!! click just click here to finish your closed beta sign-up!!! CLICK.... wait wait wait... ahhhh, webpage... This closed beta is for NORTH AMERICAN IP addresses blah blah blah...
next, pick up keyboard, throw a Nolan Ryan fastball with keyboard at the dog... I mean at the floor... thinks, hmmm... not good, this game just costs $89 and I have not even got to play...
next day after buying another keyboard
Send In Q&A to Blizzard before work... get home that day and they refer me to the Q&A boards and I think ok... issue addressed I'll happily wait for stress test...
Stress test signs up roll around months later... attempt to sign up... ****** same damn error...
Email WoW customer service... same lame referral as the first time... EXACT same email, different sender from customer support...
Me thinks hmmm, yep, we service members are stuck on the outside looking in and NO ONE WILL HELP!!!

That is why I'm posting to try and get attention brought to the issue so Blizzard can do something to make peace with the very upset US customers overseas.

And yes, retail is all that matters. But on the other hand, if you are on the inside looking out, that is way too easy to say. Yes, I know I'm hooked and I have not even installed the game. Yes, I'm glad there will be a lot of time off when retail comes around or I'd be burning a lot of vacation time on release! LOL

Thanks again for your comments and support.

Larzz
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