Wed Jul 14, 2004 4:31 pm
remybuxaplentyfan wrote:I think it's horrible that they're beginning to charge you for things. Even if you aren't obligated to sign up for those, it's kind of attracting people to pay for it because it's Neopets...
And the fact that 'paid-users' (IMO) get special random events and better items than other users is simply put, unfair.
I wouldn't be surprised, in fact, if pretty soon you can pay for an advanced Neopets.com account
Remy, that's what I'm beginning to think. With the portal and email (and dial-up service?!) being for pay, they're just paving the way to "premium" pay accounts. Whether those would be any better I have no idea. But for those of us with more than 1 account, if they charge per account (probably) that could be expensive. And I truly think they'd start really losing players if they went to a sort of premium pay account.
Why? Well there is the idea of paying for something that has been told to us will always be free. And there's the issues of all the glitches/lost items, np/unfair freezings/downtime. We complain about those things now. Will paying make any of those things go away? Or get our things back if lost, get better/faster response about frozen accounts? Get a refund or an extension if the site goes down and stays down for a certain period of time? Will paying get us a better, more complete T&C?
The positive of paying would hopefully mean a decrease in scammers/spammers, but not necessarily hackers/crackers/ab'ers/cheaters.
Rune wrote: (I'm sorry if I offended you about the broadband comment... it prolly didn't come out the right way ^^;; )
http://premium.neopets.com/portal.aspx
Unlike the Toolbar that mention it's free -- this is clearly a main part of their paid-only features. I believe that they didn't mention it in the magazine is to drag in the younger users, once they notice that these are paid only services, they'll beg their parents to buy it for them (how suscessful may vary)
For the reccord -- it looks like their ISP is a branded service (it's connected to Another ISP)
Rune, absolutely no offense taken, the last thing you could ever be is offensive! I was just commenting that I'm a person who can't afford one more thing than I've got already.
I have to agree with the idea of getting the younger players into the idea of the portal/email/whatever and then trying to get their parents to pay for the services. I can tell you it would NOT work with me, begging and whining doesn't work on me!
As far as a "branded" ISP, and the one they're going with in particular - go read that site's terms and privacy statements.
Selling out? that's already happened...(waits for movie announcement, with the plot taking place in a fantasy McDonald's land).
Last edited by everconfused on Wed Jul 14, 2004 4:41 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Wed Jul 14, 2004 4:33 pm
Ladies and Gentelmen, this is what most people call.................selling out?
I really dont understand why they need more money than they have already now, i believe they said they would never change but it seems like, if you want the decent neopets website, you have to pay.
I really dont understand why they need more money than they have already now, i believe they said they would never change but it seems like, if you want the decent neopets website, you have to pay.
Wed Jul 14, 2004 4:58 pm
...Never mind, I won't. Anyway...
You have GOT to be kidding me.
I can't believe that Neopets, after so many years of insuring the public that their site was free in every way, decided to go through with this. I'm sure they will be saying "it's optional, you don't have to buy anything to play the site," but if they are giving out better items and events to those who pay, that's not the truth.
But it was inevitable. Neopets was too big of a site to keep business within merchandise and endorsements. With 10 million or so people on the site now, why not entice them to buy Neopets Internet? Ugh.
No thank you.
You have GOT to be kidding me.
I can't believe that Neopets, after so many years of insuring the public that their site was free in every way, decided to go through with this. I'm sure they will be saying "it's optional, you don't have to buy anything to play the site," but if they are giving out better items and events to those who pay, that's not the truth.
But it was inevitable. Neopets was too big of a site to keep business within merchandise and endorsements. With 10 million or so people on the site now, why not entice them to buy Neopets Internet? Ugh.
No thank you.
Wed Jul 14, 2004 5:43 pm
ARG, what is Neopets coming too. 
First off the Neopets Email Service is going to be a flop. The only people who are going to use it are the people who play Neopets and why would they need a neopets email when they have neomail?
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The portal and toolbar is kinda dumb if it isn't free becuase we can get the same service from google and just log into neopets and find out the info on the portal.
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The ISP, well that is just a whole new low and I'm not going to comment.
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The avatar and random events, well that is just unfair. I collect avatars, and I'm not paying $4.95(I think thats the price). Same with the random events, it is unfair the only "special people" get certain ranom events!!!
First off the Neopets Email Service is going to be a flop. The only people who are going to use it are the people who play Neopets and why would they need a neopets email when they have neomail?
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The portal and toolbar is kinda dumb if it isn't free becuase we can get the same service from google and just log into neopets and find out the info on the portal.
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The ISP, well that is just a whole new low and I'm not going to comment.
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The avatar and random events, well that is just unfair.
I collect avatars, and I'm not paying $4.95(I think thats the price). Same with the random events, it is unfair the only "special people" get certain ranom events!!!
Wed Jul 14, 2004 5:46 pm
Who pays for web based e-mail? There are so many other free choices out there. I'm not paying 5 bucks a month (or whatever it is) to have some neopets stickers slapped on my mail. I am still angry that they are making something like this. If members who pay for it start getting benifits that us regular, dedicated members don't... [eye starts twitching]
Wed Jul 14, 2004 9:09 pm
I strongly advise anyone who is considering using the premium services to closely examine all privacy and security policies. The premium services are provided by Velocity, and ISP with questionable policies. If you read the fine print, you will find that ALL consumer information will be used in any manner that the ISP sees fit. If you are already inundated with spam email on your current ISP accounts, just wait and see how much more junk you'll get. Velocity plainly states that it can sell any and all user lists and info. I would steer clear of this one, folks!
PS: I am surprised that Neopets would co-brand their product and/or services with such policies. They clearly violate their own privacy policies in use on the Neopets site.
PS: I am surprised that Neopets would co-brand their product and/or services with such policies. They clearly violate their own privacy policies in use on the Neopets site.
Wed Jul 14, 2004 9:38 pm
SierraRaven wrote:I strongly advise anyone who is considering using the premium services to closely examine all privacy and security policies. The premium services are provided by Velocity, and ISP with questionable policies. If you read the fine print, you will find that ALL consumer information will be used in any manner that the ISP sees fit. If you are already inundated with spam email on your current ISP accounts, just wait and see how much more junk you'll get. Velocity plainly states that it can sell any and all user lists and info. I would steer clear of this one, folks!
PS: I am surprised that Neopets would co-brand their product and/or services with such policies. They clearly violate their own privacy policies in use on the Neopets site.
Oh my
that isn't good at all. Why would neopets do that 
Wed Jul 14, 2004 11:33 pm
That is totally unfair! This is supposed to be a free site! I can see having that on the side but it should be SEPERATE from the game! Having them get "neopoints, avatars, special items, and much more" for money just isn't fair! That makes it unfree. This sickens me. And if this turns out to make only people with those things get tons of benefits I may even quit.
Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:14 am
Why pay for something when you can get it for free?
Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:23 am
Feh......I've been hasrdly going on Neopets already..I've been playing a Online game called Furcadia... http://www.furcadia.com .....The stuff is a new low..o.o... Also with the @neopets.com emails peoplw tyill beable to scam alot easier Via email.
Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:27 am
~Neo~ wrote:Also with the @neopets.com emails peoplw tyill beable to scam alot easier Via email.
The domain is @neomail.com actually (@neopets.com still associates with the main site), it still has the ability to scam if you're not careful though.
Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:17 am
Here is a section of their Terms policy that really concerns me:
No Confidentiality
Information transmitted through Provider and through the Internet in general is not confidential. Provider can not and shall not guarantee privacy or protection of any User. Provider reserves the right to monitor any User's transmissions when deemed necessary for providing proper service and/or to protect the rights and property of Provider.
Customer Information
Unless required by court order, subpoena or other legal request, or upon the advice of counsel, Provider may publish User's name and other consumer information in one or more directories that may be accessed by other Internet users. In addition, unless User notifies Provider to the contrary as provided above, Provider may make such information available to third parties from time to time. User understands further that merchants on the Internet may have access to such information and may make it available to third parties in accordance with their normal practices unless User notifies those merchants directly that User does not wish such information to be made available.
Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:28 am
Right now, I swear to god, I am calling the customer service to complain.
1-877-6367426
1-877-6367426
Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:37 am
LoopyLauren wrote:That is totally unfair! This is supposed to be a free site! I can see having that on the side but it should be SEPERATE from the game! Having them get "neopoints, avatars, special items, and much more" for money just isn't fair! That makes it unfree. This sickens me. And if this turns out to make only people with those things get tons of benefits I may even quit.
It actually hasn't been completely free for awhile now. The Coco Roller av requires you to play their cell phone game, which last I looked required money.
Thu Jul 15, 2004 2:38 am
The article I just read doesn't say anything about being able to change any information on the portal page, just on the toolbar..."You can even modify the Toolbar to your own personal taste, by adding and subtracting links to all your favorite Neopian places!"
Well at the moment testing the toolbar and portal it's completely the other way around. i haven't read any articles about it (is this article in the magazine only or does anyone have a link to it on the net??), but yeah, at the moment all you can customise on the toolbar is the favourites link, which is no different to uaing your favourites/bookmarks in your browser. as for the portal, if you go into options you can choose what's displayed. i dont think you can remove neomail, but you can remove your pet stats (which is where you np is displayed) and you can remove your items.
The avatar and random events, well that is just unfair. I collect avatars, and I'm not paying $4.95(I think thats the price). Same with the random events, it is unfair the only "special people" get certain ranom events!!!
You know they're always saying about how you cant transfer avatars between accounts because they're for everyone not just the people who can afford them (which with all the avs requiring unbuyables isn't strictly true) this is just taking that to the next level. it's one thing paying for something with np, but even worse to pay for it with $$
This isp company seems dodgy....
Fair enuogh if neopets want to try to make some $$ by providing webmail BUT making people who have paid for this have a plain advantage over other non paying users is against what they've always said. you may not HAVE to pay, and so they're not going back on what they've said, but if people that pay will get more random events etc then it's just making the game unfair, and not worth it. Having rare item codes that mainly ppl in america can use (really, coz its hard to get the stuff elsewhere) annoys me enough, but this is even worse