This just out (from EA)

[Adrianas]

Code Activation Re-Enabled
Kai Schober
25 Aug 2011
11:35:11 EST

Greetings,

Code activation has been re-enabled on the account center. You can once again enter game cards, item codes etc. in the account management under ‘Activate a Key’.

For your convenience we have created an account activation guide (http://mythicmktg.fileburst.net/uo/uoherald/other/AccountActivation.pdf)
to explain the different options available on that page.

Please contact our customer support if you have additional questions.

[Hoffs]

I have to be totally honest here. This whole fiasco has been totally appalling, particularly the new taxes that have appeared without explanation and the total lack of communication from the Dev team. If we still had the old account system I would go in and cancel all my accounts now. Only the fact that I will have to finally sort out this new system prevents me.

I have had to really hold myself back in me Uhall posts. As it is they will probably be edited/locked because I dare to criticize UO's so-called producer and the piece of crap posted by GrimmOmen (just in case you don't know, Dev interaction is a privilege).

[Adrianas]

I saw.  And I agree that the dev's silence is surprising - so much so, in fact, that I can only assume that they have been given strict orders to *not* interact with the community during this migration.  It is just toooo quiet, if you see what I mean.  If they were not under orders to keep quiet, I suspect someone would have poked their head up by now. 

But I do also understand just how frustrating it is/can be.  This too, shall pass.  Maybe like a kidney stone (which it is definitely mimicking), but it will pass.

For whatever it might be worth (not much), I have gotten my accounts set up on the new system and it appears that they are giving me three weeks of free gametime - I was supposed to be charged on the 15th, but it does not look as though there will be anything charged until 4 September (and if they don't have the kinks worked out by then, I'm sure that date could change).  I am sure that they will do this for everyone.

As far as the tax thing goes, I have been charged tax on my UO subscriptions for the past couple of years, and I think that it might have been mentioned back when it first started with us stateside folks.  At that point they probably did not have anything set up to handle the overseas taxes and they might have thought they could get away without it.  Still, when it changed, they should have alerted folks up front about it.

By the way - has anyone else wondered who Kai Schober is?  Isn't that a new name?

[Hoffs]

I have had to really hold myself back in me Uhall posts. As it is they will probably be edited/locked because I dare to criticize UO's so-called producer and the piece of crap posted by GrimmOmen (just in case you don't know, Dev interaction is a privilege).

*looks shocked* Oh, it seems the thread was locked.

[Ian James]

I do agree this has been poorly handled.  The lack of communication in general on this is nothing less than unacceptable. I don't know exactly where to lay the blame though. While I'm sure our dev team had little to do with the timing of the migration or even any input, it would have gone a long way for someone, anyone to keep the general populace of all three games up to date with the migration.

GrimmOmen's post was an absolute waste of time. I know he was just trying to let everyone know that the concerns are probably being read, but he chose the wrong words to do so.

The fact that we don't have a dedicated community manager is the bigger problem. 

[Troop]

I am kind of disgruntled with the whole thing at the moment.  I found it very complicated and would not have attempted to do anything if Adrianas had not posted the helpful information. Now that I have updated my accounts, I keep getting e-mails saying they are canceled due to lack of credit card info. but they still are charging my card and the accounts seem to work.  I am wondering why they did this, it does not seem better to me at all.

[Adrianas]

I found that the emails saying an account has been cancelled mean nothing.  However, I also found that while I had entered my credit card info for all my accounts, it somehow "lost" that information on a couple of the accounts (but this was back a few days when they were having more serious issues with the new system).  I did not need to re-enter all the info, just click to add it back in.  Since I did that, the information has seemed to 'hold' on all 4 accounts.

With that being said, I have taken to checking my account status daily and will do so until they formally announce that the debacle is over with and things seem to be stable with my accounts.  So it might not hurt to keep an eye on it.  Once you have your account information linked, it is easy to log in and check the status on them, make certain the card info is still there, etc.

Yesterday, for the first time, I had to click acceptance of the 'game terms' - so they are still adding back in things which we are accustomed to.  I'm sure the 'rules of conduct' will be the next item added back.  I guess I am more willing to work through all of this for several reasons, including the fact that I fought with Bank of America for *2 years* to get a deserved mortgage modification and I have worked for lawfirms for many years and have witnessed numerous migrations of accounting systems, file storage systems and so forth - and they never go completely "as planned."  Generally the way to deal with it is to just keep working at it until you are through it and not to get too upset with those involved (because, while others often *are* at fault, the only person I hurt when I get worked up about it is *me* - in my humble experience.)

[Sir Morder]

I have not logged in for alittle while and I'm with Hoff's about this whole migration crap. The old system has worked just fine for over a decade with little to no problems so why the sudden change? This could be the final straw for me...

[Adrianas]

Some may leave the game over this.  But who does that really hurt?  Just the player who loses all that he put into the game.  I refuse to be conquered by bureaucracy.  A PK might get me, but not a bureaucrat. 

As for motivations, I know that upgrades and changes are part of life - they happen.  They are a nuisance.  But they pass and life moves on.  As for why EA does many of the things they do - a wise person once said "Never chalk up to malice that which can be explained by stupidity."

I have talked several players through this migration process, step by step.  If I am online (Adrianas, Camriel, Mariko, Gris Gris [formerly Morticai]) any player who can access Vent may give me a shout out in game and I will gladly step them through the process.  I did this yesterday with Ginsu, Morgan, and Sara.  (Although Morgan figured most of it out on his own, I think.)

[Tjalle]

If I am online, any player who can access Vent may give me a shout out in game and I will gladly step them through the process and also give them 3 Mil in gold

When the time comes for me to bite the bullet, I might just take you up on that offer Adrianas.  

Especially that last part... 

[Troop]

I followed the post from Adrianas and it seemed to work well. Thank you for posting this information Adrianas, it was very helpful.

[Czarina]

Even tho i havent been able to play, i have been trying to follow this account mitigration thing. Im comparing it to the process of trying to keep your accounts secure in world of warcraft which is slim to impossible in thier system. My WoW account got hacked and stolen 48 times last year alone. I havent played WoW in years!  I keep getting emails saying that all my items were restored on my accounts tho lol.

Im afraid to try to convert all my accounts to this new system. First off i have to reinstall UO because it went dumb on me. Then i need to log in and bank all my stuff in case i cant get in for a long time. Speaking of that are all my homes still standing?

Anyways i miss you all and i hope to come back soon! 

Oh im guessing they pushed spring cleaning waaaaaaaaaaaaaay back due to this account thing?  This slightly stinks due to the fact that i want to drop some houses and thier cram packed full of spring cleaning turn in items. Over the next week i may try to set up vendors to unload a lot of stuff and sorry Sara but the loot house may end up filling up with items for the guild lol. Keep a eye out for chests and boxes full of stuff to appear soon.

[Sara Dale]

Delores has more room right now than the loot house.  Let me know when you are on and Ill friend you there, if you arent already.  Glad to know you are ok.   Ill check your houses.  So far the ones that I have seen are ok

[Blind Otto]

Having just braved the new account management site for the first time, I now feel horribly exposed.
The feeling's a bit like one of those dreams where you find yourself back in school, sans clothing.
Only in this case, I find the student sitting next to me is a large ogre lord.
Not at all pleasant.