VIP Rewards and the 48 hour timer

[Thornglen]

I'm sure this topic came up quite often when the VIP rewards and town services were introduced earlier in the year, but I can't seem to find in a search any information on why it is on a 48 hour timer.

I can guess this is so someone who drops VIP won't have the buff or services for very long after going to Premium, but it seems a little short for people who are currently VIP.

When my playtime was generally only weekends I did not notice this because I expected to need to pick up the items each time. It would last the whole weekend, no problem. The past week, however, I've been playing more often and having to go back for a refresh almost every time I'm on is wearing thin.

This is not to say I don't appreciate the VIP rewards. I think it is one of the best benefits added to VIP aside from unlocking the between-expansion quest packs for free (too soon? ). I'm just wondering whether there was any official discussion on the 48 hours. I would guess the game tech does not allow for them to do something fancy like detect whether you are VIP and only start the decay timer when you drop to Premium, but I'd love to see it extended to 3 or 4 days.

[Elmagor]

I'm sure this topic came up quite often when the VIP rewards and town services were introduced earlier in the year, but I can't seem to find in a search any information on why it is on a 48 hour timer.

I can guess this is so someone who drops VIP won't have the buff or services for very long after going to Premium, but it seems a little short for people who are currently VIP.

When my playtime was generally only weekends I did not notice this because I expected to need to pick up the items each time. It would last the whole weekend, no problem. The past week, however, I've been playing more often and having to go back for a refresh almost every time I'm on is wearing thin.

This is not to say I don't appreciate the VIP rewards. I think it is one of the best benefits added to VIP aside from unlocking the between-expansion quest packs for free (too soon? ). I'm just wondering whether there was any official discussion on the 48 hours. I would guess the game tech does not allow for them to do something fancy like detect whether you are VIP and only start the decay timer when you drop to Premium, but I'd love to see it extended to 3 or 4 days.

I remember Cordovan answer on it on Cord of the rings, but I don't remember details. Something like they can't make it as permanent buff, because it's increase loading time, or something like that. And best way what they can handle it is having 48 hour CD. Maybe page with Cord transcription already have that

[Narthalion]

I'm sure this topic came up quite often when the VIP rewards and town services were introduced earlier in the year....

Yes it did...a lot.

And the answer as to why they couldn't make it permanent for VIPs (such as being able to constantly get mail anywhere) was actually pretty vague.

If they were to change it to permanent (imo) it would be MUCH more enticing. As it is right now, I really don't see the huge benefit. I don't craft anymore. And to use the town services benefits a VIP basically has to go to town every couple days (to pick up the quest)...in order to NOT have to go to town every couple of days? lol To be honest, I very seldom bother.

In hindsight, I suppose this was an attempt by the Devs to add "value" to the VIPs, because they knew there would be some backlash with the coming "mini-expansion" change of content definitions.

[HunterGreen]

Incidentally even if you just got the items a minute before VIP ends, they stop working. I actually was logged in while my VIP expired a few months ago and bang, they just broke. So that's not why the duration is quite at two days.

[DavidmeetHal]

I cannot remember exactly what Cord said about it, but it was some type of technical issue on why you have to go to the npc to renew it. I cannot for the life of me recall what he said.

[Thornglen]

Incidentally even if you just got the items a minute before VIP ends, they stop working. I actually was logged in while my VIP expired a few months ago and bang, they just broke. So that's not why the duration is quite at two days.

Ok, now I'm really curious about the reasoning behind the 48 hours.

If it is a technical reason we have to use the NPC, fine, but what stops it from being weekly? I'll have to see if I can find the livestream others have mentioned.

[Narthalion]

If it is a technical reason we have to use the NPC, fine, but what stops it from being weekly?

One of several very good questions on these forums lately.

Devs?

[Mithithil]

Standard pre-raid/group play session is always "have you sortted your jugs out". Never fails to get a giggle and there's always someone needing to nip back and sort it out:-)

But its not really a nuisance compared to the irritatingly sluggish nature of mission hand ins.

[Once_of_Bree]

But its not really a nuisance compared to the irritatingly sluggish nature of mission hand ins.

Exactly! Threads like this really come across as sour grapes, moaning for the sake of moaning etc.
So once every two days, you have to map to any starting area or use Lalia's market port (3 MC) or visit housing neighbourhood and visit a vendor, it's hardly a major hardship and the benefit far outweighs any cost. 2 whole days of not having to worry about full bags, accessing vaults where ever you are, reforging & deconning LIs etc. It's the single best thing that's happened to the game in ages.

Plus if you're doing missions, map home get VIP items then use VIP mission item to get to missions, simples.

[Thornglen]

Exactly! Threads like this really come across as sour grapes, moaning for the sake of moaning etc.
So once every two days, you have to map to any starting area or use Lalia's market port (3 MC) or visit housing neighbourhood and visit a vendor, it's hardly a major hardship and the benefit far outweighs any cost. 2 whole days of not having to worry about full bags, accessing vaults where ever you are, reforging & deconning LIs etc. It's the single best thing that's happened to the game in ages.

Plus if you're doing missions, map home get VIP items then use VIP mission item to get to missions, simples.

First, this is a question about a game mechanic, not "moaning for the sake of moaning".

Second, if you think this is "moaning" in the first place, that seems like a very low bar you have set.

Third, if you are happy with the two day timer and popping back and forth that often, I have no issue with it. I'm just asking if anyone knows why it has to be that often. I thought if you kept the item and buffs after dropping VIP it might be a reason, but apparently that is not the case.

And fourth, please don't be rude in threads where people are asking questions. Getting more information should be encouraged, not ridiculed. Be better than that.

Thank you.

[Narthalion]

Threads like this really come across as sour grapes, moaning for the sake of moaning etc.

Hmmmm...I suspect this statement applies much more to your own post than the rest of the thread.


But I digress...

[Thornglen]

Hmmmm...I suspect this statement applies much more to your own post than the rest of the thread.


But I digress...

While I appreciate the sentiment here, I'm hoping the thread can focus on the question of the purpose of the 48 hour timer.

Best case will be a dev coming in with an answer, but barring that I'm going to try hunting down the Cordovan livestream where it was discussed. Logically, I'd think it will be the one right after the VIP rewards vendor was introduced, but if the details were revealed before that it might be earlier.

If I come up with any new information, I'll post it here in case others have the same question later.

Edit:

I found the following in the "Cord of the Rings" transcript (https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthr...ngs-Transcript)
As to why not ‘permanently’, I think there’s really a technical reason for that which, firstly it needs to make sure you’re VIP and two, we would have to worry about increased character data bloat if we were to add those affects to every single character permanently, I could be wrong about that but that would be my assumption. So I think why it’s at most a 48-hour buff so that you only have to visit it once every other day, and the buff should be readily available is my understanding.

With so many qualifications like "I think" and "I could be wrong", I'm not sure this is the most concrete of answers. But even if it is the case that having the buff and item be permanent would be too much "character data bloat" (with regards to this, I really do not understand how character data is stored if this would be an issue; doesn't the game do something similar for VIP buff events?), I still wonder why 48 hours and not, say, a week.

[Ozthorn]

I wish we could get a house NPC (similar to the visiting banker) that would grant the VIP quest. I would shell out some points for one.