Crunch Time

If you, like me, have been saving your DDO's 8th/D&D's 40th Anniversary Card Collection cards, then you're now under a timer to crunch them or "forever" have them un-crunched.

According to this post, the crunching mechanic of the 8th Anniversary Card Collection is being "retired".  When exactly?  That does seem to be the question, as all we're told is "with release of U24".  But they don't bother giving the date for U24's release.  Not even a "scheduled to be released" date.

I find this extremely frustrating for a couple of reasons.  First of all - and most importantly - we were told that, while we could only get cards by rolling the magical D20 during the anniversary event, we would be able to crunch cards 'indefinitely' after the event had closed, as long as you had cards to crunch (which are of a limited supply).  Granted, the definition of 'indefinitely' allows the ability to set an ending, but most people took it to mean "forever" (or at least until the DDO servers are shut-down).  Now, while not out-right stated, this was implied as it was also 'suggested' that the rolling of the D20 for cards might return from time-to-time.

Second, I still occasionally see someone using the 6-year old anniversary cake.  Seeing as how we're now 2-years (and counting) past this event, it seems inconsistent that one anniversary event mechanic is allowed to continue, while another is not.  {I hate inconsistency; I would rather have a baseball umpire be consistent in his calling of strikes - even if they are not actual strikes - then to be inconsistent; at least consistency is repeatable and learn-able.  Unless, of course, the only consistency is being inconsistent...}

Third, why has no actual calendar date been given?  Only a cryptic foreshadowing of "when U24 is released".  Really?  That's all you can tell us?  I mean, come on - we all know that release dates are subject to revision, so why not give us a target date?  They basically did the same thing when they announced the shutting-down of "my.ddo" - using words like "soon" and "sometime in May".  Do I have until the end of November?  Or maybe it'll be before Thanksgiving?  Or are they going to wait until the last week of December?

Go ahead, be vague on a specific date, but at least give us a target or tell us we'll have at least "x" many days/weeks, because crunching takes planning - especially when the rewards are BtC, not BtA - and planning takes time.

Now, of course there is speculation that they are doing this because of the un-spoken exploit of duplication.  And that may be valid, but we'll never know because exploits are not to be discussed in the fora (sorry, "forums").  So don't expect any official confirmation, because it is highly unlikely one will ever be given.

Still, Turbine needs to learn how to better handle these kinds of announcements.  Giving cryptic, ethereal, nebulous deadlines like "soon" are frustrating.

{A game company that frustrates its player-base?  That's unprecedented.}