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Post by metmichallica on Apr 22, 2022 5:12:21 GMT
Big fish Community, We'd like to share more fun details regarding the upcoming platform update! Planned changes will take effect May 23, and any active Game Club credits you have will be converted to Big Fish Points. To review your game club status, log into your account page. Read our help article to learn more about this as well as other exciting changes coming to Game Club. Please also review changes coming to our Terms of Use. Terms of Use bigfishgames.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/5454751371291Important Changes (help article) bigfishgames.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/4414670175515
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Post by lurkercat on Apr 22, 2022 5:36:43 GMT
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Post by Valkara on Apr 22, 2022 5:50:57 GMT
So it looks like non-Americans are going to be cheated. If I buy a game, I get 699 points, rather than 714 (and that's a generous exchange rate, as the real rate would mean the games would cost me somewhere around or over $10 CAD).
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Post by lurkercat on Apr 22, 2022 7:07:45 GMT
So, if I'm reading things right, Pluses:- Points can be used for SEs, CEs, and sale-priced games (unlike PCCs that could only be used for SEs, and GCCs that could only be used for SEs and CEs)
- Unlike PCCs, points expire in 2 years, not 60 days
- Non-members can accrue points, which they couldnt for PCCs. (Though at a rate of only 1% vs 15% for members)
- You can choose whether (and how many) points you want to apply to each new purchase
- Unlike today's GCCs, if you quit your points remain good for (what's left of their) 2 years rather than current 6 months
Cons:- Unlike GCCs that lasted forever as long as you remained a game club member, points only last 2 years
- Points are undervalued from today's PCC's (and may only apply to the extent you use "real"(new) money to buy a game) (15% vs 16.67% (=1 punch) today for a SE, and only (1/3 vs 1/2 of an SE) for a CE purchase (ie, only 2 punches rather than 3 for a CE purchase), and less than the current punch value for any game bought on sale, daily double, etc)
- For members who quit while they still had GCCs, their equivalent points will now only buy 2/3s of what their GCC bought (ie, only worth 699 of the 999 points needed for an SE as a non-member, whereas GCC held by a non-member covered the whole game)
- No discounts on in-app purchases in free-to-play games for Game Club members (did y'all get that before? I dont play those type of games so have no clue).
Unclear:- Probably a con: Not clear if you get points for games you purchase "with" points (unlike today where you get a punch code when you actually "use" your GCC) - example they show, which had purchases with points, did not have an equivalent line showing points gained on the purchase, so implication is that you lose out by not getting any equivalent of a punch when you use your monthly subscription money
- Not clear whether existing non-PCC coupons remain valid and if they still pay for a complete SE regardless of whether you are a game club member or not. Existing non-PCC coupons not addressed at all in writeup?
- BOGO purchases probably do not earn any points?
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joybelle
Rabbit
Park Ranger
Posts: 1,688
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Post by joybelle on Apr 22, 2022 8:26:50 GMT
Here is a long drawn out email...regarding the point system and the exchange rates. FROM ME TO BFG:(Because I pay Aussie dollar $8 for an SE, and $16 for a CE) Jan 22, 2022, 12:23 AM PST I have read the new points system for BFG. I do understand how it will work...however..how do you know how many 'free games' and not yet expired coupons I am sitting on? I have two free games from PCC's , but I also have some 'never expire' codes for times when a game did not work and sent by the service desk. Will we still be able to put them up...and THEN the points are converted? Or am I about to lose my never expire and PCC's after a certain date not yet announced? The other thing is that 699 points is not the same as the extra dollar I pay on my membership or for games here in Australia. I pay $8.00 aud..for both my membership and a standard edition game. I pay $16 for a Collectors Edition. Am I about to lose a $ each time I buy or each month on my membership in points?? I do understand that change happen...but would really love some more information on this for those of us who are loyal reviewers and game club members. I will of course have to accept how your business decides to move forward, but would like to know if I need to use the coupons (as you say they will no longer be redeemable??!)....can you please let me know ...I would rather buy a game with them...than just 'lose them'... And also the exchange rate losses I will incur. Thanks Joy in Australia. (Joybelle_1 and Joybelle_2) Cheers. Ricky A. (Big Fish Games) Jan 27, 2022, 5:46 AM PST Hi Joy, This is Ricky. Greetings from the BigFish team and for being a part of it. I understand that there's a question about the new points system. for reaching out regarding our new changes to the Big Fish Game Club! We understand that you have some concerns regarding these changes and what will happen If you have any unused credits when we switch to the new system, those will be automatically converted to Big Fish Points. If there are any outstanding coupons that are not able to be automatically switched over, Customer Support will definitely be happy to help with making sure you are able to redeem these going forward as well.For the most up-to-date information about these changes, we'd encourage you to check in on our Help Article below which will always be updated with any new news as it is available! Important Changes are Coming to Big Fish! Have a great day ahead. Take care, Ricky A. www.BigFishGames.comIn the pond Sunday - Thursday. Ricky A. (Big Fish Games) Jan 28, 2022, 10:07 AM PST Hi Joy, Thanks for writing back. I'd like to inform you that all the players will be getting 699 points irrespective of the price they pay to purchase a Standard Edition game, however, you'll be able to purchase a Standard Edition game for 699 points, you need not have to spend 800 points... If you need further assistance, do not forget to drop in a line. It will be our pleasure to assist you. Wishing you a great day ahead. Take care, Ricky A. www.BigFishGames.comIn the pond Sunday - Thursday. *** So basically what he is saying..there will be no more 'exchange rates' for non Americans. But it seems to me I will be paying $8.00 unless I have amassed points...then I will pay the same as others?? LOL While I used to pay $$8.00 for and SE...I will now just pay 699 points the same as everyone else. ?? BUT..I bet my membership per month still stays at $8.00 .I will still pay $8 and get 699 for that amount. So I guess eventually I will be ahead? And it was interesting that customer support will help with never expire coupons. So it seems they "know' how many coupons you have sitting on your free games?? that will be converted automatically. Dont know how they see that..but he seems to be saying they can. Maybe they add up 'issued' ...and ' used' ?? Anyway I am not too worried about it. It may be fairer to those who's exchange rates are horrible. I have no idea whether it is fairer to non members if they don't earn at the same rate as I am hopeless at math , but if it used to be 'nothing'...then at least there will be a 'something'? So that's what BFG are saying...let's see if they do. We have this email in writing to refer back too. To be safe...I am using my coupons for free games before May 23 if I can (the expire-able PCC'S)...don't mind leaving my credits there.
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pennmom
Bear
Chief Ranger
[TI0] IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK AND ALL'S WELL
Posts: 16,570
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Post by pennmom on Apr 22, 2022 15:16:59 GMT
I wonder if you'll be able to Gift other members with a CE version? In the past you could only gift an SE version
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Post by good2bqueen on Apr 22, 2022 15:50:31 GMT
I, personally, don't care for the new system and hate that actual money I've paid to the club could expire. (If I understand correctly.) Then again we won't earn many points if there are no good games to purchase. I guess we will wait and see.
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Post by lurkercat on Apr 22, 2022 19:48:45 GMT
Good letter to Customer Service joybelle . I'm also concerned about the never-expire coupons since I'm sitting on half a dozen of them and am not a game club member. And I'm hardly reassured by Rick's comment that Customer Service will "help". So, I wrote in today asking explicitly whether my coupons would continue to be good for a non-member for an entire SE after the change-over. Will let y'all know when I hear back. Sadly, there is not even ONE game I want right now, so being able to use my never-expire coupons up before the change seems highly unlikely.
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Post by lurkercat on Apr 24, 2022 0:23:21 GMT
So, in typical fashion, BFG failed to answer the question that was asked, and gave an "answer" that can be interpreted to say whatever they choose to want it to say: after the conversion to points, we can "redeem" outstanding coupons....but it doesnt say how much they are redeemable for, which is what I explicitly asked. Oh well, guess I should be glad they got back very quickly. Sigh. Original Query:What happens to non-PCC coupons after your conversion to the new Points system? In the past, I've received several coupons from Customer Service due to problems experienced either with games or the site. So far, these coupons were good for one SE game, REGARDLESS of whether I was a game club member or not. What happens to the ones I have left after your conversion to the Points system? Will they still each be good for a free SE game even though I am no longer a game club member??? Your Points system notices only addressed GCCs and PCCs, not other coupons we may currently hold. Thanks. "Answer" from Ricky A: This is Ricky. Greetings from the BigFish team and for being a part of it. I understand that there's a question about the new points system. for reaching out regarding our new changes to the Big Fish Game Club! We understand that you have some concerns regarding these changes and what will happen If you have any unused credits when we switch to the new system, those will be automatically converted to Big Fish Points. If there are any outstanding coupons that are not able to be automatically switched over, Customer Support will definitely be happy to help with making sure you are able to redeem these going forward as well. For the most up-to-date information about these changes, we'd encourage you to check in on our Help Article below which will always be updated with any new news as it is available! Important Changes are Coming to Big Fish! link I hope this helps and have a great day ahead. Take care, Ricky A. www.BigFishGames.comIn the pond Sunday - Thursday.
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joybelle
Rabbit
Park Ranger
Posts: 1,688
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Post by joybelle on Apr 24, 2022 0:46:38 GMT
lurkercat, I guess SE coupons are worth 699 points, the cost of an SE from when it starts. I would hope CE points are double that? They seem to 'infer' that PCC coupons that are valid still will also be 'automatically' switched?? Which is why I asked 'how do you know what PCC's I am sitting on?'.. But yes..it is really unclear indeed. We need to keep an eye on what we have in our stash...and make sure they all converted. AND...Are they still going to have 'freebies' after 6 games are bought? Thus adding 699 points to our tallies?? Its still really unclear indeed how many points each purchase gives us? You pretty much got the same answer as me eh! Augghhh...LOL
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Post by lurkercat on Apr 24, 2022 3:06:26 GMT
joybelle, From what I've read, you game club members will wind up with a "free" game for every 7 SEs you buy, or every 3 CEs (vs today's 6 SEs or 2 CEs, based on the 15% "bonus" you get when you buy, which is less generous than today's punch code allotment). BUT, as best I can tell, that only applies to games you buy WITHOUT using your monthly fee, since it does not appear you get any bonus for using the 699 points from your subscription fee, just for "new" (real, non-subscription) money. (You members ought to be complaining to get the 15% bonus on your subscription fee too (ie, 803 points rather than 699, since you wont get the bonus when you spend your subscription points). Also your free-game thresholds will be less generous if you buy things on sale, since you'll only get 15% of the sale price, not 15% of $6.99. (I'm interpreting Rick's answer to you about "699 regardless of what you really pay" to apply only to the subscription rate, not other purchases, based on other language in the announcement). I think the announcement was really clear re outstanding PCCs - you'll get 699 points for any of those. BFG knows what you have since they assigned unique codes for each PCC. Non-game club members lose out on the whole process (unless we rejoin the club for at least a month when using any of our points!) since today's GCC, PCC, or coupon buy a full SE game even if we are no longer a member, but as points, would only buy 2/3 of an SE (due to the $9.99 price for non-menbers). Glad I've got my accrued GCCs down to just 1 - I did have 24 accumulated at one time, since all my purchases back then were for Daily Deals or pre-BOGO sales, so though I kept buying games, I wound up using real money, not GCCs to buy them & the GCCs just stacked up. I'd be really bummed having so many GCCs suddenly all lose 1/3 of their value.
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Post by SynthpopAddict on Apr 24, 2022 14:33:43 GMT
Sigh...was hoping non-members would accrue points at a better rate than that. I buy maybe 6 or 8 games a YEAR from BF so it's not worth it to get a membership. As for the other stuff, it all looks like a fancy shell game where in the end members have to buy more games before they can get a free one since the points still accrue slower than the old punch card filling. But you can swap your points to get a little bit knocked off a purchase price if something comes out which you absolutely have to have right now and there's not a sale you can use. It's a lot like the shop with points thing my CC has which I use on Amazon.
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Jo
Skunk
Forest Ranger
Posts: 2,024
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Post by Jo on Apr 24, 2022 18:10:54 GMT
I can't tell you all how glad I am to be done with this. I have no credits or coupons left to worry about and I probably will never find another BF game that I'm interested in buying. On the rare occasion that I do as with Tearstone 2, I'll wait to see if it's released at Steam or, in the case of a mobile game, at the app store. If not, I don't much care. I've spent 15 years of my life and literally thousands of dollars at BF. At one time, I was a fully committed member - back in the olden days when the forums were active, Paul Thelen would regularly post about the latest MCF game, there were real customer service people that we knew by name and every effort was made to give us quality games. But the thrill has been gone for sometime and I've definitely lost that lovin' feeling. At this point it's a relief to be done.
I certainly hope that all of you can resolve the issues of your coupons, PCCS and credits to your complete satisfaction. Big Fish Games owes you that much.
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Post by lurkercat on Apr 27, 2022 20:05:43 GMT
So, not quite a direct answer, but I think the net is any of our "never expire" coupons will be worth 699 points after the transition and so non-members will lose 1/3 of their value and they will no longer be good for 1 free SE game. Kinda what I expected, but disappointed nonetheless. On the plus side, since CS will convert them to points, they can be used on sale games, so in that sense could still be useful to get a whole game free if bought on sale. Here's my followup question to BFG and Ricky A's response to me:
Followup Query Hi. Thanks Ricky. But I am still confused about what all "redeem" might mean. As a non-member, will I still be able to get an SE game for FREE with my non-expiring, non-PCC/GCC coupons (as I can now), or will they only be worth 2/3 the price of the game (ie, 699 points towards the 9.99 non-member price)? Obviously I'm hoping for an answer of "it will still be free", but I'm not sure if that is what you meant or not. If not (ie, if the coupons are not automatically converted to points but also no longer worth a full game), would I be able to use them for money off for games on sale, or, like now, does that wind up undoable due to the current restriction of not being able to use both a coupon code and and sale code on the same purchase? Just trying to figure out how the new system affects me with coupons I currently hold. Thanks for any enlightenment you can provide.
Ricky A's response: Thanks for writing back. Please do write back once the new system is live, we'll manually convert those coupons into points. I hope this helps and have a great day ahead.
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Post by metmichallica on May 12, 2022 14:46:32 GMT
I was going to leave Bigfish for Iwin last month. I decided to wait and see how this new point system really is.
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Post by Valkara on May 16, 2022 14:43:13 GMT
The banner at BFG now says the last chance to complete your punch cards is May 22. They couldn't even make it a full week from today.
Well, that works for me... I've got 1 punch left for a free game, and 1 unexpired PCC. So now I just need to find two SE games I'd want, and it's going to be a challenge (one game to complete the card and another to cash in the free game without putting more punches on the card, leaving me with one credit). Jigsaw puzzles, I guess, since I have the CE version of most others. Maybe something else in my expired list...
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joybelle
Rabbit
Park Ranger
Posts: 1,688
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Post by joybelle on May 16, 2022 16:05:42 GMT
Valkara , I was just perusing the rest of the thread and for 'some reason'..I hadn't seen your info posted on April 24. Thanks for that...it sums it up well! Yes we have to buy more games to get our freebies now. I didn't understand though the 'subscription' money. Are they not awarding those points at all?? It is only on purchases?? That sucks..we just pay money to get the game of the day first? Oh I suppose the games are still a little cheaper for members.. Heck..not thrilled. I thought that was why they were saying that members accrued points faster...dang! I will have to consider membership...I am quite good at waiting a day . I pay $8 aussie dollars for my monthly membership...and games are ... SE. $8 vs $11.43 full price. And CE.. $16 vs $22.88 But now if we are all paying the same??? What is the point of membership? The daily game early is all I can figure? Are you sure our subscriptions don't earn 699 points?? I am suddenly very interested
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Post by Valkara on May 16, 2022 16:44:13 GMT
Valkara , I was just perusing the rest of the thread and for 'some reason'..I hadn't seen your info posted on April 24. Thanks for that...it sums it up well! Yes we have to buy more games to get our freebies now. I didn't understand though the 'subscription' money. Are they not awarding those points at all?? It is only on purchases?? That sucks..we just pay money to get the game of the day first? Oh I suppose the games are still a little cheaper for members.. Heck..not thrilled. I thought that was why they were saying that members accrued points faster...dang! I will have to consider membership...I am quite good at waiting a day . I pay $8 aussie dollars for my monthly membership...and games are ... SE. $8 vs $11.43 full price. And CE.. $16 vs $22.88 But now if we are all paying the same??? What is the point of membership? The daily game early is all I can figure? Are you sure our subscriptions don't earn 699 points?? I am suddenly very interested I didn't post on April 24. I'm not sure who made the comments to which you're referring, but it wasn't me. My membership price for an SE (assuming no sale) is $7.14 CAD. My membership price for a CE (assuming no sale) is $14.29 CAD. There have been precious few CE games I've considered worth spending that kind of money on. I think I caved once for a Park Ranger game, and once for a Jewel Match. Or I used 2 credits, which amounts to the same thing. I usually only buy when it's a BOGO sale, on a Monday, a 65% discount (will take 60% if desperate to play the game immediately), and if I need to fill my punch card and am basically out of time. This has me severely annoyed, since they're doing this 6 days before next Monday, and 3 days before the next subscription credit would be available. So I'm not getting any more CEs until after the 23rd (unless a miracle happens and Cruise Director 8 comes along - CA told me it would, but by this time I wouldn't believe them if they told me the sky is blue on a cloudless day; the game is over a year late, and they denied it when I asked if they had decided to discontinue that particular game). There are 2 jigsaw puzzle games I don't have (I actually do enjoy the 1001 puzzles and the other puzzle series since they can be as challenging or as easy as I want to make them and I don't care about the timer). So I'll get those today, most likely. As for Cruise Director... the storyline left off with adult Mike proposing to adult Emma (she's the blonde passenger who always has her hair in her face and he must be one of the homeliest regular characters they ever came up with). They should have had the wedding in last year's game, but since they may never release it, I'm free to make up whatever I want. Emma's ditzy enough to visit the South Pole wearing just a t-shirt and shorts and wonder why she came down with frostbite, so it's gonna be a crazy wedding.
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Jo
Skunk
Forest Ranger
Posts: 2,024
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Post by Jo on May 16, 2022 18:00:22 GMT
I'm seeing some problems with all of this. Tell me if I'm reading this right.
If I'm reading this right, although it doesn't say specifically, you'd still have to pay $8 AUD for your membership but you would get 699 BF points based on the US standard. So your membership fee would no longer be worth an SE game. Plus you'll accrue BF points for all purchases based on the US dollar price which is $6.99 (or was) for an SE game. And to top it all off, you'd only receive 15% of the US price. 15% of 6.99 is 1.0458. I think that should translate into 105 points if they round up.
So you not only lose some of the buying power of your Game Club subscription, you get screwed over on the points, too.
Since Big Fish Games thinks Australian currency is your "chosen" currency and not a system of money in common use and the law of the land by a sovereign nation that is not the United States, I'd get on the phone with Scott and tell him you need to switch over to the American dollar ASAP!
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Post by Valkara on May 16, 2022 18:15:35 GMT
I'm seeing some problems with all of this. Tell me if I'm reading this right.
If I'm reading this right, although it doesn't say specifically, you'd still have to pay $8 AUD for your membership but you would get 699 BF points based on the US standard. So your membership fee would no longer be worth an SE game. Plus you'll accrue BF points for all purchases based on the US dollar price which is $6.99 (or was) for an SE game. And to top it all off, you'd only receive 15% of the US price. 15% of 6.99 is 1.0458. I think that should translate into 105 points if they round up.
So you not only lose some of the buying power of your Game Club subscription, you get screwed over on the points, too.
Since Big Fish Games thinks Australian currency is your "chosen" currency and not a system of money in common use and the law of the land by a sovereign nation that is not the United States, I'd get on the phone with Scott and tell him you need to switch over to the American dollar ASAP!
This "chosen currency" is BS. Can I "choose" to pay in Monopoly money? Or some generic play money? I think you can still get it fairly cheap in dollar stores. How about tiddly-winks or other round gaming pieces? I've got several tubs of that stuff from when I used to play Rummoli and didn't have real poker chips. There was actually a time when Canadian Tire money was worth more than the U.S. dollar. It was hilarious, since that was one of the times when the exchange rate favored Canada, rather than the U.S. (and holy , I bought a lot on eBay to take advantage!). The thing with Canadian Tire money is that it's so ubiquitous in Canada that some other businesses accept it as legal tender for purchases. So you could use it at convenience stores, gas stations, wherever it was accepted. And it was really funny to know that since it was accepted in lieu of normal Canadian currency, it was actually also worth more than the U.S. dollar. Why can't they just be upfront and say, "We don't care that we're screwing over our non-American customers whose countries have unfavorable exchange rates with us."
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