refer-a-friend
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Riot tweaking LoL's refer-a-friend to combat account sellers
If you've been using Riot's refer-a-friend program to bot, commit fraud, or otherwise misbehave in and around League of Legends, your time's almost up. The company has announced changes to the program in order to prevent would-be sellers from loading up accounts with skins and currency. The new RAF update will reward players with 1000 IP for each referred friend who reaches level 10. You can refer a total of five people, and three referrals nets you the Grey Warlock skin while five grants you Medieval Twitch. Full details are available via Riot's blog post.
Firefall launches its referral program
Are you playing and enjoying Firefall? That's great, but if your friends aren't, the game might be just a little bit more lonely. You could abduct your friends and chain them in front of a computer with the game already loaded, but that seems a bit extreme, not to mention really illegal. Maybe you'd be better off just taking advantage of the game's referral program to drag your companions into the game. That's legal, and it offers some nice benefits. If you refer someone who creates an account, you get night vision goggles, as pictured above. Score one for you! Meanwhile, if said friend goes on to purchase some Red Bean, you both get 10 extra Red Beans. So if you have friends who aren't yet playing, send a mail and see if you can't get them to sign up after all. It's cheaper than buying chains and secondary computers, too.
Recruit-A-Friend updates on the way
Updates to the Recruit-A-Friend system are coming at some point in the future, and perhaps sooner than we'd expected. According to an announcement on the official blog, as of today the Recruit-A-Friend program has been temporarily shut down while Blizzard works on updating the program with new features and new rewards. At this point in time, there's no time frame for when the program will return other than somewhere in the future. Those players that are currently linked via the Recruit-A-Friend system can rest easy -- although the ability to sign up for the program is temporarily unavailable, players that are currently using the program will be unaffected, and any rewards that have not been claimed will still be available when Recruit-A-Friend goes live again. As an additional note, the official announcement suggested that players participating in the upcoming program will have more rewards available to them. The exact details on this tantalizing bit of information have yet to be released, but this is likely referencing the points made in the patch 5.4 Developer Round Table released last week. Along with multiple rewards, the new system will be accessible via in game interface, and reward a token instead of a mount. The token can then be redeemed for a variety of different rewards, and those reward might possibly include retired Recruit-A-Friend mounts as well, although that hasn't yet been confirmed. For now, we'll have to wait and see what the new system entails, and exactly when implementation will take place.
New Refer-A-Friend system revealed
In the WoWSource interview published today, Production Director J Allen Brack, Game Producer Tom Chilton and Lead Encounter Designer Ion Hazzikostas talk about the new Refer-A-Friend system. They talk about the current system, how it works with the battle.net site, and how that's going to change. The key points of the new system are as follows: Completely in-game, no web involvement Reward is a token Token can be exchanged for new mounts, new pets, existing mounts, or existing pets It seems like you might be able to get the Zhevra or the X-53 Touring Rocket, as legacy items For me, this is a fantastic change. The current system is incredibly tricky to use, and if you don't do it just right, accounts aren't linked, and don't get the bonuses. What's more, there's little incentive to refer more friends if you have the current mount already. Sure there are grantable levels, and the 300% XP, but the new system's offering more mounts and pets is a great idea. I really like the token system, and the flexibility it offers!
The Queue: Put them in front of me
Welcome back to The Queue, the daily Q&A column in which the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Matthew Rossi is the dark force behind a triptych folded cardboard sheet with a lot of tables printed on it today. It's no secret that I spent a lot of time playing pen and paper RPG's. This is a story from one of those. Friend of mine was running a Werewolf: The Apocalypse game, one of White Wolf's original "Noun: Definite Article Gerund" games. I actually liked both Werewolf and Mage: The Awakening, just because you could do some crazy stuff in these games. I turned an ancient vampire into a chair once! Paid for that one in paradox, whoo boy. Anyway, so we're at the table, all of us playing werewolves (as you do) and we've discovered that the mayor of the city is in league with the Wyrm (the game's ultimate antagonist, think Sargeras meets a Captain Planet villain) and has a host of Nexus Crawler minions waiting for us. One of our more (up to that point, anyway) meek and mild players is incensed with this betrayal and she says "I'll tear out his heart for this!" The GM smirks and says "First you have to get past his private army of fomori." She takes off her glasses, stands up straight and says with an actual growl "Put them in front of me." And that, my friends, is why I love gaming. Put them in front of me. Let's get on with the show! Slothcloctimus asks: Question: Why is there not a third phase in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms? I love the first phase -- when you first enter and all the pandaren are coming in for the first time. It feels like you're part of something big. Then when you hit 90 and start the Golden Lotus quests, you get a second phase where you're holding off the Sha attacks and the mogu and everything. The dailies kind of dragged on, but I love how the story ended with the epic quest at the end. Then I turned the quest in, saved everything....and flew over the same bad guys still there on my way out.
Guild Wars 2 is getting a refer-a-friend free trial weekend
If you have friends that have been on the fence about playing Guild Wars 2 with you, ArenaNet is offering the perfect opportunity to get them in to check out the game for themselves. Starting on Monday, November 12th, players will be able to invite up to three friends to join them in the world of Tyria. The friends can then enjoy a free trial period running Thursday, November 15th through Sunday the 18th, conveniently coinciding with the Lost Shores event. All accounts in good standing created before 2:59 a.m. EST November 7th are eligible to participate. We'll keep you posted as more details come in.
66% off the Battle Chest this week only!
The WoW Battle Chest is on special offer for this week only. The EU deal is, as you can see, the one we've posted, where the Battle Chest is discounted from €14.99 to €5, or £4 in the UK. It seems highly likely that an equivalent US promotion will follow shortly. EDIT: The US offer is up, and it's a massive 75% off! This means the Battle Chest costs a paltry $5 for this week only. You may be able to see from the header image that the Battle Chest has been updated to include Wrath of the Lich King, and all players who previously bought the battle chest now have access to Wrath content. Of course this makes it even easier to use the Recruit-a-Friend service to level up your characters, or your friends', to level 80 with the various RaF bonuses. If you choose to go about adding an account for you or a friend, I'd heartily recommend making sure you jump through the necessary hoops to link the accounts for the bonuses. It really is worth it, even just for the awesome shapeshift mount, the Obsidian Nightwing! You can hit the break to view Blizzard's introductory video, detailing the steps. And if video content isn't your style, check out the FAQ. Do follow the instructions carefully!
Obsidian Nightwing is the new RAF mount
I don't have a current RAF mount waiting to be claimed, so I wouldn't have gotten an email about it, but several players are reporting that they have. And apparently, this is the new mount for Refer-A-Friend, the Heart of the Nightwing. Similar to the Vial of the Sands, it apparently teaches you to transform into a winged panther mount (not dissimilar to the Winged Guardian) that another player can ride. I have to admit, with the cost of a complete account now at $30, I'm pretty tempted to buy another and get myself a new mount. How about you? Tempted? Or do you prefer the X-53 Touring Rocket? Personally, I really like the cat. Blizzard also sent out an email last night reminding players that they need to claim their X-53 Rocket now, or they'll lose the chance at getting the (soon to be) old RAF mount. Players have to claim the mount before July 17. Theoretically, if you don't claim the X-53 before then, you'll be able to get the new Obsidian Nightwing instead. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm has destroyed Azeroth as we know it; nothing is the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from leveling up a new goblin or worgen to breaking news and strategies on endgame play.
The Daily Grind: Do you play the system in games to get more freebies?
I was chatting with a friend recently about the referral system in League of Legends, debating the wisdom (or lack thereof) of a player creating multiple accounts and playing them to level five in order to get referral rewards. The ease of getting free email addresses makes this a snap -- as long as you don't mind playing levels 1-5 over and over. The argument we've both heard is that this is just how it works -- the developers know that this goes on and they don't mind. It set me to thinking. Whether it's creating multiple characters on every server in Dungeons and Dragons Online and Lord of the Rings Online to rack up Turbine Points, creating multiple email addresses to take advantage of referral programs, or any of the many other ways out there to get more freebies or save some cash, is there a line to what's acceptable? Does it vary with each person's personal comfort zone and the devs' willingness to look the other way or is there a definite list of things that no player should do? Hit the comment button and let us know what you think!
City of Heroes invites you to invite a friend
It's a busy weekend over at City of Heroes, as not only is the Freedom program in full swing, but Paragon Studios is prepping a new replacement refer-a-friend program to rope in as many stray cattle players as possible. Current City of Heroes VIP players will soon once again be able to send out invites to friends, family members, and unusually intelligent heifers who have either never played the game before or who are former players whose accounts have been inactive for over 90 days. If the recipient decides to become a VIP player (i.e., subscriber), then both the inviter and invitee will find themselves the proud possessors of 500 additional Paragon Points to spend in the in-game store. Friends can either be invited through the NCsoft website or the Paragon Market. While the program is not yet operational, Paragon Studios promises to let us know the moment it goes live.
City of Heroes retires free trials, reopens Winter Chalet
Freedom is coming for City of Heroes fans, and that means the existing free trial for the superhero MMO will soon be redundant. As of August 17th, players will find they can no longer create free trial accounts nor make use of the game's refer-a-friend feature (although Paragon Studios promises to unveil a replacement buddy program in the next few weeks). Free trial accounts opened before the August 17th deadline will last their full duration, so if you want to check out the game before it officially goes free-to-play later this year, the time is now! Current players will find even more reasons to appreciate their subscriptions: As of this morning, Paragon has toggled on a few elements of the game's winter event, including the Winter Chalet and ski slopes. It's more like sledding in August than Christmas in July, but now you have a reason to drag those cold-weather costumes out of storage.
Recruit-a-Friend benefits will apply to goblins and worgen
Yet another frabjous day for those of you who are planning to get your goblin or worgen to level 85 as fast as a bullet train with a rocket strapped to the back and a wormhole generator up front. "That's very fast," you might be saying. Well, so will your goblin or worgen, once he gets hold of all that sweet, sweet Recruit-A-Friend candy. Calloo and callay both, man. Lylirra - Will RAF work with worgen/goblins? New goblin and worgen characters will indeed be eligible for Recruit-A-Friend benefits including increased experience gain and grantable levels. As we've no current plans to modify the Recruit-A-Friend program at this time or increase the level range for which the benefits apply, goblin and worgen characters (as with all other characters) will only be able to receive the in-game bonuses up to level 60. source This excites me because I'm trying to lure back a few old friends for Cataclysm, and I'm pretty sure some RAF action could smooth that process along. Lylirra points out that this is all contingent on said goblins or worgen qualifying for the process, that there's no plan to advance the benefits past level 60, and that there will be no realm-first goblin or worgen (or indeed any race) to 85 achievements any longer. So level your worgen friends with alacrity, as fast as Running Wild after a sugar rush. World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW Insider's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion (available Dec. 7, 2010), from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.
Refer a friend to Aion, get free Abyss Points
NCsoft is dangling a few goodies in front of current Aion subscribers in the form of their revamped Refer A Friend program and its myriad incentives. If you've got an active account that's over six weeks old (and have paid for at least six weeks of game time), you can log into your NCsoft Master Account and click the Refer A Friend link in the Actions section to get started. If your referral purchases either a retail box or digital copy of the game, you'll be gifted with three Major Ancient Crowns, currently valued at a whopping 6400 AP each. If your referral signs up for one month or more of Aion game time, you'll get a free paid month credited to NCsoft Master Account. Your friend isn't left out either, as NCsoft will email each referral a serial code that includes XP bonus items, running scrolls, courage scrolls, and recovery serums. Check out the official site for all the details and regulations.
Refer-A-Friend rocket available starting tomorrow, Tuesday April 27
Zarhym has just posted to let us all know that the previously announced X-53 Touring Rocket, the only 2-seated flying mount currently available in game, will be claimable by qualifying Refer-A-Friend accounts starting tomorrow, Tuesday April 27. With this, the Zhevra mount will be retired, so if you want it, be sure to grab it tonight. The full announcement text is behind the cut.
The Daily Grind: Do you invite your friends?
Not every game has one, but several do -- the opportunity to invite a friend who hasn't played the game before, or try and entire someone back to the game again after a prolonged absence. After all, we have friends we know outside of our games that still enjoy flying around and smashing orcs (or alien horrors, or gang members, or anyone unlucky enough to wander into your space), and it's fun to bring people you interact with anyway into your favorite virtual world. You've got automatic leveling partners and people who know how you like to work, what could go wrong? Well, they could not like it. Actually, they could get annoyed at you bugging them about the game and decide not to play based solely upon that. Or they could wind up going in a completely different field of the game than you enjoy, or they might bring a whole bunch of real-world drama into a world you had been using to avoid that drama. So there might be good reasons to let your friends just keep enjoying whatever they like and keep your MMO friends separate. What do you do? Do you invite your old buddies, or do you stick with the fresh start?
Latest Aion news offers contests and free game time
The latest news from the Aion team offers up lots of good things for people who love freebies. (You know, everyone.) To begin with, Aion is introducing a "Refer a Friend" program for veteran players. If you've had an account for 90 days, you should find a little "refer a friend' button on the Aion page of your NCsoft master account, which means you're eligible for the program. For every referred friend that subscribes to Aion, you'll receive a free month of game time. The latest Eye on the Community had news on a few contests and giveaways as well. Zam.com is doing the Unidentified Flying Daevas Sweepstakes, and the big prize is an Alienware gaming rig. Quite a few copies of Aion are up for grabs as well, so be sure to check it out. Aion Source is also giving away copies of Aion -- Steelbook editions at that -- in a contest that will put your creative skills to the test, so be sure to check it out. 'Tis the season for gifts, so don't miss a shot at getting some from the Aion team and community!
The Queue: Sometimes you just want to be a superhero
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today.Preambles are for suckers. Let's get this party started.Anarax asked..."Okay well, I have a bunch of friends and apparently they think City of Heroes is 10x better than WoW. How can I get them to change their minds over to WoW? The main reason I want them to play is because I plan to make a reroll Hardcore Raiding Guild, in June, and it's always good to have a small group of players to start with. The problem is though that one of them tried out WoW and is actually influencing the others, telling them that WoW is "too repetitive, too serious, and full of rage." He is the one telling the others to play CoH."
The Queue: Seven
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW Insider's daily Q&A column where the WoW Insider team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Adam Holisky will be your host today. Before I wrote six. Now I'm writing seven. And if you got the picture on six, you'll probably understand why Kara Thrace is the featured image for this article where I answer seven of your questions. And if you don't understand what I'm talking about, just know that my girlfriend bears a resemblance to Katie Sackhoff (beyond sharing the same first name), and that's worthy of a Queue introduction right there.And mark my words, she is somehow related to the seventh Cylon. Starbuck, not my girlfriend (although...).Nakabeast asked..."Heirlooms and similar items are listed as "Bind on Account." Now wouldn't this make more sense if these BoA items actually did what their tooltip lists, and let us trade these throughout entire accounts, not just one server? I'd love for my Death Knight on my friend's server to have Murky and the Big Blizzard Bear."
One Shots: On a pale zhevra
Today features a screenshot of a fierce Orc Warrior, alone, waiting for others to arrive. Regal, she waits atop her most awesome Refer-a-friend Zhevra mount, keeping an eye out for trouble. Today's One Shots comes to us from Veng, who sent in this great screenshot of her character, standing watch in Zangarmarsh in World of Warcraft. This particular mount is only obtained as a refer-a-friend bonus, but it's by no means the only reason to hook a friend in! There's also that sweet 3x experience multiplier and the ability to grant some of those levels to a completely different alt. As far as recruitment goes, it's a pretty sweet deal. Have you got a mount to show off that you're particularly fond of? Perhaps you'd just like to show off your character in an area of your game world you fancy? Just email them to us at oneshots AT massively DOT com along with your name, the game it's from, and whatever you'd like to tell us about it. We'll post it here and give you credit.%Gallery-9798%
LotRO's Refer-a-Friend program rewards you with Amazon vouchers
The Lord of the Rings Online promotions just keep flowing as Codemasters announces a new one involving Amazon gift vouchers. This Refer-a-Friend program rewards current players who can successfully sign up five friends with a £5 or 5 € Amazon voucher. Here's how it works: enter your friends' details, they play the 14-day free trial and if they like it, they sign up for a full subscription. For each five who sign up, you'll get the voucher. Seems easy enough, but keep in mind that this promotion is through Codemasters, so it's not for the North American or Oceanic players at this time.
