View Full Version : Wireplay needs to sort it out NOW
Wireplay needs to do at least these two things:
1. Have native support for v90 and/or K56, without needing to contact someone to get onto a trial.
2. Be a hell of a lot cheaper: Let's have a look. You can either pay tenner a month for just Wireplay or for Bt Internet and Wireplay. The third option is to pay...errrr...nothing every month and get low pings on one of the MANY Barrys World servers. Not only does Barrysworld give you a dial up for free, you can play Quake2 for free, surf the internet (more quickly than BT Internet) for free and use ICQ while you play Quake 2 (and although not essential it is fun to talk to peeps while, or in between your games).
Wireplay need to sort there act out. I know many Technicians work very hard maintaining the service and they do a good job. It's the peeps higher up who need to take notice.
MaNTa
Look I'll tell you now so you don't waste more money.
________These threads do not work________
we've all had one sooner or later and they just end up with big threads with an explanation of Uprising at the end explaining baout Oftels rules. SO foget it ok?
Look I'll tell you now so you don't waste more money.
________These threads do not work________
we've all had one sooner or later and they just end up with big threads with an explanation of Uprising at the end explaining baout Oftels rules. SO foget it ok?
If you are that annoyed about the cost Manta then go to BW... If however you're still here then it must be because you realise you're getting value for money - you just want to try and squeeze in a little more value for a little less money... Nothing wrong with that - but it isn't going to happen - especially with this funny thing called inflation - we should simply be campaigning that subscription prices don't go up - no to have them reduced...
Ok Velvet. I do not use Wireplay now but I am still active in the Quake 2 clan community, especially becos most of the better Quake 2 clans (NL, TkD, Co, etc) play in the NET leagues. I would play on WP except it is definitely not value for money. Maybe you misread my post?
MaNTa
No - I read your thread correctly - and I agree with the v90 part - but not about the pricing... WirePlay offers lots more games and support for nearly all of them - that is what we're paying for... Okay - so maybe you only play Quake 2 and would like to pay 1% of the subscription price because you only play 1 game... But I think its all relative: If you decided tomorrow that you must have a game of Bridge online then not only would WirePlay supply it for free but they'd also help you with any problems you had (hopefully)... That is their strength - if we stopped paying then the service would stop too...
What is that lst bit about Hog? I sadi nuffin bout free calls. I understand that you guys think tenner a month is good for all the games but think of it this way. Yahoo! offers most of those games (ie bridge, chess,etc) for free and Wireplay is doing that now. As you know there are three different dial ups for Wireplay. Mind Games, Rapid Play and the other one (temporary memory loss). More people play on the Quake2/Quake/HL/Unreal on than the others and all those games are offered for free by B/W. Those are the games that also cost more to run because WP needa more powerful server for Quake2 or HL than it does for a game of Chess. But even so, why should we pay tenner a month for BT Internet and Wireplay when you can get it all free with B/W?
Grumpy Velvet is right here Manta, at the end of the day, a tennerish gets you WP and Btinternet, not a bad deal at all. Sure you can pay nowt and play on BW with freeserve or what ever, but I formly believe you get what you pay for. Can I play Red Alert on BW? Er what about poker? CMR? AOE?TA? Unreal? HL? Oh, what about regular comps then for a myraid of games? Thought not. We are better paying even 1p a min for net access, its proven a bad mistake in the PARTS of th eUS that tried it, and would lead to a load of gits leaving PCS plugged in screwing bandwidth up completely. Who would pay for the infrastructure when all access is free?
Ok, the first bit was a metaphor to try and explain why free is not neccasaraily (???) good. How can you compare BTI/WP as a deal with BW? Its like comparing a Ford with a BMW. Whys the BMW more expensive? They do pretty much the same thing (you get from A to B). BW has nothing to do with WP/BTI at all. If you want to play just Quake, fine, play on BW, or indeed on Demon (like I do), but WP is a package that offers a wide range of games for a set fee. Now, if you only want to play Q2 for example, think about why you want to play on WP at all. Is it cos you get faster games than on BW or the Net? Is it cos you get better connections? Sorry, but IMO that is the only way a Q2 player will play on WP, better games, and if you are getting better games, and you play a lot, a tenner with free QUALITY net access, free support etc is a pretty good deal.
At the end of the day, BT or WP owe you nothing. You can make a choice. Play with a free internet provider on the net, and sort out any probs your self, play on WP with free net access anyhow, you can even change your teleco provider. It doesnt matter where you live, you can always go with Cable and Wireless (good luck with them btw, but thats another story http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif.
I agree with you MANTA, about proper 56k support, and they are sorting it, not as quickly as I would like, but they are doing it. Its the rest of your post that I dont agree with. WP DO NOT run BT. They cannot influence major BT policy, and as I said, NO ONE has to be with BT, there is always another option, no matter where you live. You pay your money and you make your own choice.
Why do I feel dirty now....... http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/wink.gif
Hmm....
Like comparing a Ford to a BMW. Hmmm... Why is it possibly like comparing a Ford and a BMW? One is a top of the range car, the other your basic model. BT and BW are both offering the exact same service - the INTERNET. Fair enuff BTI may have some dumb channels or other AOL-style crap but they are both Internet Service Providers. My point is, one of them is free (hmm, guess which one), one of them you get Quake2 on the same dial-up (quite time saving) and the other points Ive listed sevveral times.
It's fairly obvious that WP do not run BT and I never said anything like that in my post so the last part of your message is mostly irrelevant but BT can influence WP policy and the reverse - WP DO influence BT. BTW, Im not complaining about BT phone lines or anything so Im not sure why you added that in (you seem to do that a lot hey?), all my complaint is about is WP service, cost and vfm (value for money). Rather than chatting in slow-as-fek IRC, my ICQ number is 12761589 - ICQ me and we can chat. That goes for anyone who wants to argue with me, INCLUDING any WP employees/technicians.
http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/wink.gif
Manta chill man!! The comparison IS relevant as they both are the same (shell, 4 wheels, get you from point A to B etc). How do you compare BW and BTI/WP? I am including BTI and WP together as you can get em together for same price, since when has BW been a ISP? It wasnt when I last tried it. All you get is access to their rather good Q2 servers (AFAIK...). You dont get any other net stuff, or do you?
I didnt add the other stuff into my post to get at ya or accuse you of owt, I just felt it was relevant to the thread. As we essintially agree on half of your original post (56k NOW!!) and we appear to disagree on the other bit (ie I reckon that with the market place as it is, a tenner for net access and access to dedicated games servers is actually pretty good value for money ATM) I think we should stop arguing. I aint about to change my mind and nor are you, but I have no beef with you so
Peace! http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif
And stop making me defend BT and WP, it really is making me feel dirty http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/wink.gif
This BTI/WP sounds a great deal but is it really worth it? There are so many free ISP's about now and I've just recently joined Freeserve which offers me lower pings, faster connection, and faster downloads then when i was previously with demon. As for paying for wireplay it's a simple change of telephone lines. I hear most people use CableTel which offers a flat rate of 25p or something, i don't know because i can't get it in my area. What i can get in my area though is ComTel and they offer local calls to wireplay with no catches. And lower local calls charges and line rental.
So what do i do.... join up BTI/WP or simply change phone lines and stick with freeserve and get my local calls to the net and wireplay for free? You can decide that one.
Doh! So whats the deal with Comtel then? Free local calls (ie WP etc?) or a flat rate? Whatever, it sounds better than BT so I would go for that http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif As for the rest, I have a demon account, and a freeserve one plus 6 others http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif. If you want to play on WP, then a subscription is the best idea and accept its a tenner (the bit with BTI makes it about 1.75 more expensive I think) and get those cheaper rates from Comtel.
Whilst I agree with ya about freeserve, (I get great connections too) I know that if I get any probs, Demon are phoneable without taking a mortgage out. I have been online for long enough to sort out most probs that arise (been there,seen that, broke that normally http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif) I still like the reassurance I get from being with an established well run, quality comapany like Demon, plus they are also adding games servers to their list of stuff, all of which I have brought to the attention of WP. I play Q2 on Demon, good fast games with no drop outs. I get better games with them thatn WP, simple as that. The other accounts (all free) are usefull in the event of a problem with any of the others, or if I want to be anon. I envy you the choice of teleco tho, nowt like that round here http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/frown.gif
Uprising m8 - I wholly disagree as well and if I said so I deserve to be shot (nobody hold me up on that). As I said in my very first post on this subject (which seems decades ago now) I think the technicians and good peeps like yourself do a fantastic job. My quarm is not with you or Drilla or Amok. I'm saying that Wireplay is too expensive now (BW, as I have said in the past, is free and an ISP - a rhyme!) and that v90 is not supported by WP. Correct me if I am wrong, but that is not the fault of any technician or nice guy like yourselves, as such. Although the v90 problem may be affected by you guyz. I think you guys do a fantastic job, especially (oh my God, Im going to say it) compared to the BW support guys who are non-existent. (If anyone has recieved a reply email, please tell me.) Three cheers for WP support - hip, hip, hooray! (or whatever). If anyone wants to have a chat with me, rather than making me go to this board every day, please, please, please can they just ICQ me. If you dont have ICQ...errrr...shame on you.
Sorry, i think you have missed manta's point.
The main point is that barrysworld does not cost anything, is totally free, yet still gives you better pings and with regards to quake2 updates new mods all the time.
Why should we at wireplay pay a tenner a
month if barrys is much better?
WP is good ill grant you that, but it is so
SLOW to update things on the system
(i.e ISDN support through the main client software, V90, etc)
I already notice on quake2 at least that wp
numbers are slowly diminishing http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/frown.gif
Please WP sort it out by at least employing
people who know about the latest mods etc.
And get this webpage accessible through wp
itself.
Sorry, i think you have missed manta's point.
The main point is that barrysworld does not cost anything, is totally free, yet still gives you better pings and with regards to quake2 updates new mods all the time.
Why should we at wireplay pay a tenner a
month if barrys is much better?
WP is good ill grant you that, but it is so
SLOW to update things on the system
(i.e ISDN support through the main client software, V90, etc)
I already notice on quake2 at least that wp
numbers are slowly diminishing http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/frown.gif
Please WP sort it out by at least employing
people who know about the latest mods etc.
And get this webpage accessible through wp
itself.
Sorry, i think you have missed manta's point.
The main point is that barrysworld does not cost anything, is totally free, yet still gives you better pings and with regards to quake2 updates new mods all the time.
Why should we at wireplay pay a tenner a
month if barrys is much better?
WP is good ill grant you that, but it is so
SLOW to update things on the system
(i.e ISDN support through the main client software, V90, etc)
I already notice on quake2 at least that wp
numbers are slowly diminishing http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/frown.gif
Please WP sort it out by at least employing
people who know about the latest mods etc.
And get this webpage accessible through wp
itself.
I think we're at cross purposes here... We all want good support for v90 etc but it isn't entirely necessary for every game...
With regard to the subscription though - I'm presuming that you BROKERX are a Quake II player - as is Manta... I'm also presuming that you rarely venture onto the Rapid Channel... There must be at least 80 supported games on the Rapid Channel - many of which don't have official or quality support anywhere else... Okay - so maybe they crash now and then - but there is literaly nowhere else to go to play some of these games... That to me is very good value for money - especially with the support that is offered to go with it...
If I said on the Quake or Quake II board that WirePlay was value for money I'd be laughed at... If I said it on the Jedi Knight or Duke board then people would agree with me... Unfortunately on here it causes arguments as people are looking for and getting two very different things out of WirePlay...
------------------
Cheers m'dears
VELVET
Uprising
05-01-1999, 10:40
I wholly diagree that we don't know what we're talking about. Drilla work solely on first person shooters, and eats, lives and breathes Quake et al. He often sits in the labs 'til the early hours configuring servers and most of the time he puts up the latest mods very quickly. The same can be said for Amok who sits on the service throughout the night and is well respected by most of the players. We certainly do have people who know what they're talking about,but it is also important to bear in mind that we are a full games service supporting more than 100 games. If we were simply dedicated to Quake and other first person games and ploughed all our support and resources into that then no doubt things would be different, but as I said we support a very wide community. I'm not here to fight against your comments 'cos it could turn into the longest thrad in history but needless to say, I felt I had to stick up for Drilla and Amok.
Uprising
05-01-1999, 10:49
I wholly diagree that we don't know what we're talking about. Drilla work solely on first person shooters, and eats, lives and breathes Quake et al. He often sits in the labs 'til the early hours configuring servers and most of the time he puts up the latest mods very quickly. The same can be said for Amok who sits on the service throughout the night and is well respected by most of the players. We certainly do have people who know what they're talking about,but it is also important to bear in mind that we are a full games service supporting more than 100 games. If we were simply dedicated to Quake and other first person games and ploughed all our support and resources into that then no doubt things would be different, but as I said we support a very wide community. I'm not here to fight against your comments 'cos it could turn into the longest thrad in history but needless to say, I felt I had to stick up for Drilla and Amok.
Hawkboss
05-01-1999, 17:04
mmm... well Im pretty high up (if you believe in heirarchies, which I dont) in Wireplay so better take it on the chin
1. Everyone agrees that Wireplay should be free. It'd save me loads! But this would mean cutting out all the support I put into it, no new games and no new software. Not everyone wants these but they are voting with their feet anyway, dont think we dont notice! I've said this before but for you the cost of Wireplay failing is that you have to go somewhere else for gaming. For us it means we go back to working for BT! We try VERY hard to get it right, cutting the cost to zero may make you popular but may not be considered a business success!
2. V.90 is b0rked, too many incompatibilities showed up when the Industry tried to launch this standard early last year. We expected to upgrade our modems but like everyone else have been unable to do this until the problem gets sorted. The alternative is to buy new modems and replace some of the kit we bought only a year ago. Its not easy to persuade our money managers this is a good idea.
I hope for news on both these fronts real soon now (we have new software for our existing modems and maybe able to get more money for new modems).
As always its up to you and if you dont support us then we will go. I know it sticks in Hogs throat but your support really is that important!
[This message has been edited by Hawkboss (edited 05-01-99).]
Eviiil One
05-01-1999, 19:03
I'm a Jedi Knighter.
I dont think that making rapid play V90 or k56 compatible will be a wonder-solution to diminishing wireplayer numbers. I play JK on the net, and the difference in pings from a 31200 connection to a 42000 connection is not noticable. in fact, the games are more stable on 32100.
In case your'e wondering, i play on the net because almost all of the good JKers have left, and no-one is ever seems to be around any more. On the net, i know i can get a GOOD game at any time which i'll enjoy, and hackers aren't much of a problem since the kicker'helper came along some time ago.
Evil One
Athanateus
07-01-1999, 20:19
Being another WP type I have to put my two pennies in.
Yes we want to give v.90 support - but we are at the hands of the modem manufactures who haven't delivered (A personal opinion)
Wireplays usage isn't actually dropping - if I read our useage stats correctly - its staying pretty stable. We have more people using the service, but on average each one is using it for slightly less time.
Is BW better than WP - I'm not going to get in that argument, but I will say that anyone who thinks that WP could limit its offering to one specific game genre would have to be barking mad (IMHO)
Should we try to do everything - No! - that would also be barking mad - we have to find a balance.
Is offering free wireplay subscription to BT internet subscribers a good deal - ask the 190,000 people who subscribe? I think so, but I'm biased.
That all being said we are not standing on our laurels - the "online community" is a fast moving environment so expect to see us doing more stuff soon.
Oscar
Hang on a sec HAWKBOSS, what do you mean by "I know it sticks in Hogs throat but your support really is that important!"? Unless I am reading that wrong, and I have gone away, sat down and come back to it, you are saying something about me nasty and totally untrue m8y.
Who the hell do you think instigated all the helpfull comments you have been getting on here? Admitedly I do now get some brillant help from Velvet, but where do you get off saying I think like that? Apart from USEFULL and HELPFULL comments on these boards, I have done nothing detrimental to WP. As I have previously said, its in my interest for WP to work at its best cos I am a player, and have been for 14 long months now. And while I am on about it, if you bother to read a few of the threads round here, you will find out I have been championing the WP/BTI thing, as I think its a great deal. Sure if you play just Q2 or Q, BW is probably a good option, but if like me, you like to play a **** load of games then WP is the only answer worth bothering with, and thats why I am keen for the service to improve, not just for the sake of moaning. Remember when I asked for a web page with games available/not available and why not to be put up? I was told no. Its now happening and everyone is happy arent they? Christ, I could go on for ages about the GOOD stuff I have helped influence on WP, but I hope my record speaks for its self.
I hope I have misinterpreted what you have written and this lot is a waste of time, if not I want an apology now.
<spitting feathers>
"As always its up to you and if you dont support us then we will go. I know it sticks in Hogs throat but your support really is that important!"
In my haste to reply (sarcasm btw...), I missed the first bit. So clearly I didnt misinterpret your comment at all. You have no idea at all how mad I am, I have supported WP since day 1 pal, at one stage I was the only one bothering to call HD with news of probs, I helped beta the first decent client and I have even called HD with solutions to problems I had been having, which they didnt know the answer to, so it would be of help to others, I am sure James can back me up on this.
Public apology, in its own thread, but locked so no one can add comments please.
<still spitting feathers>
Right - guess I'll just jump right in...
I've tried to interpret the comment Hog is a bit pis.sed off about in the way it should have read but can't seem to do it... It reads to me that you Mr Hawkboss (no more Hawky until this is cleared up http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif) have said that Hog is ungrateful of the support you at WirePlay give and ungrateful again when anything is done to improve things... We may be reading it very wrong or it might have been a horific slip of the fingers on your part but try reading it 20 or 30 times and you'll find that Hog is justified in taking offence...
You Mr Hawkboss more than many should be aware of all the constructive criticism he has made over the extensive time hes been a WirePlayer... Personally I only got to know him a few months ago - but a lot more since the forums have been up http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif and he is about the most dedicated WirePlay user you'll ever meet... Hell - people like him and me (and a few others) spend more time on these forums campaigning for improvements for everyone than we do playing the games...
I could post dozens and dozens of URLs to threads on these forums where Hog has come up with ideas to make WirePlay a better place - but I'm sure you've read one or two of them...
This isn't the sort of discussion that should be taking place though as it can be quite easy for a user to get completely disillusioned with the often slow uptake WirePlay have to suggestions... This is doubled by the apparent lethargy in dealing with trouble makers... With comments that can be interpreted like this WirePlay can only stand to lose their most valuable sources of information and assistance - concerned users...
Anyway - I'll leave it at that... I'm sure an apology and a "Forum's Most Helpful Person" award would satisfy Hog and keep him doing the good job he currently is - otherwise you'll stand to lose some very valuable input...
VELVET
[This message has been edited by VELVET (edited 07-01-99).]
Hawkboss
08-01-1999, 01:36
Oh no. I upset two of the people I most respect on the service. Sorry, I did read it again and I m really sorry Hog.
What I was trying to do was to say that you Hog was defending us but wanted to make it clear you were not crawling up our *rse. You would criticise us fairly (and do!) whenever we deserved it but in this case wanted to put in a word of encouragement. And the stuff about going was because I am under a lot of pressure right now, probably not putting enough attention into wp and scared we will screw it all up and not have a gaming service anymore. Its people like Hog and Velvet who keep me going and I really appreciate your help. and indeed you telling me when we get it wrong.
On a side note, I may have a fancy job title but no-one here in wp is scared to tell me when I get things wrong and I hope the same goes here.
So please forgive me - the outcome was the exact opposite of what I wanted and I shouldnt try to be subtle.
Sorry I haven't read this thread for so long as i thought it was actually a thread about something else.
1. I'm not going to advertise comtells rates here for them as it's unfair to BT and Wireplay.
2. If you consider £10 a month for wireplay, and what they offer it is not so bad. Yes it could be free but us gamers would certainly pay the price - premium rates support, software completely filled with adverts etc etc. Thats whats what I particually like about wireplay. If i want a game i get a game no hassle, log on, chose a game to play and start the game.
If i tried this on the net it would be, log on, scan ICQ for friends, if no avail check web pages for games, game doesn't work, try another game, huge pings coz server is in america, try again on another web page, go through 50 million adverts and eventually get a half decent game when after playing for 5minutes my modem line drops.
SO your paying an extra £10 for if we are completely honest an foget about the little things like the odd time to time high pings then we are getting a good, high qualtiy service with excellant support whether it's across the phone, email or even on this BBS.
Hmmm, OK, it is as we thought but not as it appeared then, thank god for that!
I am happy again, and have stopped crying. <sniff>
I have replied to the apology as it seems daft to do it all twice http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif
PS I forgive you.
Uprising
08-01-1999, 09:34
Hog- I'm sure Hawkboss meant no offence. I fully support you in the fact that you have made many good comments and useful criticisms. I'll get onto him today.
2 things for that guy with the weird name (Atha........)
I didnt say BTI was a bad idea, it just is still not good when you consider the competition.
Secondly, I wanna be a Wireplay tech.
Send us your resume!
PS: It might help if you live in East Anglia http://www.wireplay.co.uk/ubb/smile.gif
Phlash.
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