Badge Changes - 17th June 2010

[Jezzi]

Well... this caught me out, was expecting some changes next Tuesday when Pixie Camp arrived but thought I had a couple of days left to catch up on my non-member account.

As I thought.... High Score badges are now member-only.


What I was hoping wouldn't happen. Royal Ingredients are also member-only


What I didn't expect was the "play 100 times" badges would also be member-only


Not sure if this is a bug or not, but can't get the badge info up anymore on my non-member account but can on member-account


I noticed this on a few of my badge sections... they have taken away the first badge. I know I earned 3. (Party Planner, Baking, Tinkering, some games)

Oooops! They have added another section to the Journal and moved them there.


Finally... a couple of new badges to earn. One is actually for non-members



Overall... I am not happy. I have no problem with them bringing in member-only things but to take away what is already there?!?! NO, NO, NO.

[Ginkgo]

this is just so not happening
i have started hating hollow now the more they are introducing member only stuff the less i like to go there
if the hollow doesnot want non membersto enjoy then plz stop non members to make accounts there.
i really am irritated and frustated and i cant put it in words........

btw i have written to the NC regarding this

[Amethyst Tulipwillow]

Sorry the words went missing, anyway sorry!What happened!I'd make them walk the plank! so not fair! to take badges away you"ve earned I would really be MAD!

[Ginkgo]

haha that was the best anyone could describe it
its really funny it lightened my mood
thanx

[Rill Wildspirit]

I just checked the badges and the ingredient collecting badges are only going to be given to non members for gathering 50 of the following ingredients: sunflower seed, snowflake, spider silk, dandelion fluff, and twigs. The rest of the ingredient badges are only for members. Also the talent games have all been changed and non members can only win the badge for playing 5 times the following games: Harvest Hustle, Firefly Lightup, Water Web, Tinker Toss, and Seed Sorter. All other talent game badges are for Members. Mainland quests badges from Kit are for members. Donations badges are for members. The party guest badges, except for the first one, are for members. All but the first baking, tinkering, and tailoring badges are for members.
My non member fairies are going to have to get out of the habit of grabbing up ingredients since there is no need to have them anymore.
By the way, all badges previously earned are still there. I think we should have had more warning that these changes were coming.

[Ginkgo]

oh no the next badge that i think will be for only members will be the art award and the yearling badges. i just think the NC is just snatching the badges that are left with the non members and giving them to the members..

[Sapphire Sweetfeather]

OR

Ok, so I think that pretty much explains my range of emotions that I just went through reading this thread. I don't like this at all. Where as, I understand that "membership" fairies deserve some perks, free flying fairies deserve some rights too!!! I just can't believe that letting them get badges is hurting them, us or anyone in any way.

[RiverBubblesplash]

So happy to see tailoring badges! Yay!

But, I do feel for my non-member friends.

[Lila Mossgarden]

This is SO wrong! Now there is NO reason for me to play with my non-member sparrowmen! PH are acting like jerks now. why cant they have the collecting and game x 100 badges! Phooey on them! If I was new to PH now I WOULD NOT pay to be a member because I found out how fun it was before they charged and decided I wanted to pay to help keep the game alive for years to come. This is just extortion! I would see now that non-payers could do almost nothing and prob just leave... sad day for PH.
AND did they warn us this wouyld happen? I don't remember it. They should at least let us have a chance to get those badges before they took them away!

Yes, you CANNOT see the badge info for your non-member!

[Bug]

I think non member fairies is now becoming a time to check out the Hollow & see if you like it enough & can afford to pay. It seems it is definitely a members only game now. I do believe that the membership is very reasonable for what you get if you are going to commit to paying. I do feel for the non members & especially those who want to pay but can't...like our european friends!!!

[Julie Roseblossom]

Actually, I believe there is international membership options now... someone correct me if I'm wrong.

This is just wrong. I can understand say, making a game members-only for a couple weeks, and then releasing it to the general community. I can even understand making one game fully members-only. (Like First Flight.) Gives members a little perk. But badges? Really? Does it hurt to let non-members have the badges? Keeping some from them (like the Personal Tailoring Badges) gives them a reason to become a member. But Royals are a bad one to get rid of.

I do see this from Disney's point of view though.

[June Rosewillow]

This is so sad. I'm frustrated by how many "members only" things have been added lately. My membership expires in a couple of months and unfortunately I will not be renewing...which means I will probably be spending much less time in the Hollow. I'm so frustrated!! Adding new features for members is one thing, but taking away things that non-members already had is another. Why doesn't the Never Council just take away non-member fairies' homes, too, and kick them to the curb--because that's exactly what they're doing. So unfair! Non-members are pixies, too!

[Opal]

I don't like that as soon as I stop paying, all my hard-earned badges won't be displayed. I can understand that they want it to be a members-only game, but they should have planned it better, maybe not give everyone the ability to play the game normally before stripping the non-members of all their privileges, you know? I feel forced to continue paying. So this is pretty much the last straw for me, I'm cancelling membership.

[Sapphire Sweetfeather]

Another set of badges that, for NO reason, have been taken from all fairies are Kit's MAINLAND quests.

[Mommy 2 Jules]

I just now got a chance to fly in as one of my Sparrow Men. Due to me being in the hospital, my monthly membership expired so this account is currently a free-playing account. Since my sparrow men are still so new, they have earned very little in the way of badges and such.

Well, I can now verify that there are only 4 sections in our Journals for free-playing accounts to earn.

Honors -- his New Fairy badge is there. (I wonder if this badge is still being given out to new players? Anyone tried to create a new pixie today? I'd like to know if it is still available to all.)

Starter Badges -- Harvest Helper, Firefly Helper, Web Wonder, Tinker Sorter, Seed Sorter Helper, Party Guest, Baking Helper, Tinkering Helper and Tailoring Helper. Second page includes: Sunflower Seed Collection, Snowflake Collection, Spider Silk Collection, Dandelion Fluff Collection and Twig Collection.

Friendship -- Friendly Fairy, Circle of Friends and Social Butterfly

Exploration -- Spring Meadow Explorer, Summer Meadow Explorer, Autumn Meadow Explorer and Winter Meadow Explorer.

THAT'S IT! Only 22 badges available to a new pixie that is created from today on. ALL other badges are member-only.

I was discussing the changes with my husband this evening and he brought up a good point. He said, "Well, they needed to give everyone a lot at first to get the game up and running. Now that it is popular, they can start to downsize all the freebies." I've always understood Disney's reasoning for pushing for membership ~ I pay to play and get that it is a business. I was a little taken aback by today's updates until hubby brought up that point. Now, I can kinda see the thinking behind it. *Still not saying that I agree with it, just that I understand it.*

~ Em