1st contact/Inquiry to WoW "Support"

This is how it's gone, so far......: (my cop/paste here is in reverse order...in other words, my first contact with their support is at the bottom of this post, and then progresses in ascending order)


Well, thanks for the reply, but are you saying the 14-Day trial that I bought (paid for) is no good, please?

On 12/25/2010 11:33 AM, williamo.support@blizzard.com wrote:
> Greetings,
>
> You will need to buy a full version of the game, and yes, some patching might be required.
>
> Regards,
>
> -William O
> Customer Services
> Blizzard Entertainment
> *Please note: I am out of the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and will not be able to reply to emails during that time*
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:
> To: web.support@blizzard.com
> Sent: 12/25/2010 1:52:02 AM
> Subject: [en]World of Warcraft -- Installation or Patching Issues
>
> Contact Information -----------------------
> Name: Glenn
> Email:
>
>
> System Information ------------------------
> IP: 74.127.72.219
> Cpu Model: PC AMD Athlon 32-bit Series
> Cpu Speed: I don't know...
> Operating System: Windows Vista
> Ram: 2048 MB or more
> Sound Card: I don't know...
> Video Card: Nvidia GeForce 6 Series
>
> Request ------------------------------------
> Product: World of Warcraft
> Category: Installation or Patching Issues
>
> Description --------------------------------
>
> I've been trying to get this game on my computer for quite some time. I currently have a 14-day trial, and wish to get it going as quickly as possible, but I think I have to add patches/updates or something (??). Also, I plan to purchase a monthly subscription, will this help to expedite my patches please??
>
>

 

I mean, what sort of idiot would offer-up their payment information, when the Trial program isn't even working!?????!

 

I really can't understand why your having so much trouble, but no, buying that game doesn't make your updates go any faster. Patches will download and install automatically when you try to run the game if needed, Paying for the game wont increase speed or anything. The only way i can see you getting the game faster, is if you went to a store and bought all the wow expansions and added em to one account then used the last disc (cata) to install, which could help, but more then likely the trial you downloaded is more current then that.

 

Thanks.

I've been emailing back-n-forth with their tech support people...they have given me ALL SORTS of stuff to do...'in case of this' and 'just in case of that' ...

Mostly the stuff they've told me to do has been about disabling AV (and other security) and such...but my God, if I had to do ALL of the things that they've said to do, SIMPLY TO PLAY A SILLY GAME ! ? ! Uh-uh, wouldn't happen...at least not anytime soon. It would take me days and days to get all of that stuff done - in addition to installing these MASSIVE updates/patches - whatever they're called. I've been running the updater/launcher/whatever for over 30 hours now...I've gone from "8.8 GB" (I think, or either 8.7?) and am now down to "1.9 GB" remaining.

I used to be on dial-up here...I can not imagine trying to install this game via that slow of a connection - no, in fact, I wouldn't do it. They have GOT to be losing potential business to people who have slow connections. If it wasn't for my son (that I Love him to death!), I would NEVER EVER consider doing all of this stuff, and taking all of this time to do it...over 30 hours now and I STILL have what, 25 or-so % of the update still to go yet?? SHEESH!?!?!?!

I just don't understand why this game is so HUGE (size-wise), and why it needs to punch so many holes in my security...I am not AT ALL accustomed to letting-down my guard (so to speak) for ANYTHING (probably because I really just don't understand much about all of this stuff - despite hanging around places such as MG'S for YEARS now), but still, it's nothing but "a game" for gosh sakes. I suppose I understand that it's going to be a BIG program, because it's heavy on graphics (I guess), but if you saw these emails that their tech people sent to me, well, like I said - it just seems like waaaaay too much to merely play a game.

 

For an online mmo, wow is not that large, thats the usual for those types of games. As far as punching holes in security, i dont see it? Some system will need the correct wholes punched if stuff isn't setup correctly, or set overly restrictive manner. As far as the large downloads, its like downloading any new game, the first download is large, patches are usually fairly smallish, but as many subscribers as they have, loosing a few dial up or slow internet connections probably doesn't bother them that much.

 

I'll have to agree with Colemanguy, on both counts. You do seem to be a bit more unlucky than most, in that you have more problems than I'd expect from installing and setting up any MMO. Connecting any game to the internet is a security risk... you decide for yourself whether it's worth it or not.

As for the download, the size is indeed pretty much standard for an MMO or any other game. Runes of Magic took me three days to download on a connection that gets me between 8-10 Mbps on average download. The client for Lord of the Rings Online took about a day and a half, and that is with the Pando MediaBooster torrent client they use to boost the download speeds so it won't take as long...

So I would say that your download speeds are fairly normal, especially given the sheer size of the game you're downloading. It's been out for six years, it has grown since day one.

 

Ok well then this is a lot more information that I was aware of.

If I may please ask one final question (for now, at least):

"IF" the game seems to play well-enough without opening all of the ports (and the "forwarding" for the router, etc.), all should be well, correct?

What I mean is: Do people simply open-up their router and FW ports in advance of playing (during download/install), or do most simply just see how it goes, and go from there?

Thanks again, and in advance...

 

I think that varies from person to person. I personally install the game, attempt to play, and if it fails to connect to either play or update, then I start messing with the ports.

 

Wow...I can't imagine most people (most people I know, like my son and his Friends, for example) would have a clue.

So it's a dynamic sort of thing, with the connection, more so than a "set it and forget it" thing, eh? That doesn't sound like any fun... but thanks for the reply...oh, I got it up and running BTW...now just waiting for my son, as I have not had much fun playing alone, so far......

 

Once you have the security parameters set, you can leave them as they are, they will stay that way until you change them again.

And I don't know about "most people"... All I know is that I have a checklist in my head of all the (to me) obvious things to check before assuming that there's something wrong with the game itself. It's all in what you're used to and what you expect.

 

Thank you ma'am...now, I don't recall if I asked this in this thread (though perhaps it was another) but in any event, I don't recall reading an answer anywhere...

Would not changing the "Scope", in Windows firewall, to "My Network (subnet) Only" be the MUCH better way to go, rather than the default setting of "Any Computer (including those on the internet)"??

 

That depends, really. When it comes to computers, what is "better" is highly subjective, and especially when it comes to security settings. The most secure by far is to never connect to the internet, but since that removes a lot of what we today think of as basic functionality in a computer, it all comes down to tradeoffs in the end. Each person decides for themselves where the sweet spot is between how much security they want, and how much flexibility and functionality they are willing to give up to get that security.

As for the firewall, your sounds different from the Windows 7 one. Mine has two sets of settings, one for "Home/Private Networks" which obviously is my home network, and there is one for "Public networks", like the free wifi in airports and coffee shops. My Public Networks settings are considerably tighter and more restrictive than the ones for my home network. One of the reasons for that is the firewall in my home router, and the other is that you never know how poor the security is of everyone else on the public network, and if they have malware, I don't want them to give it to my poor laptop, who then might give it to the other PCs on my home network.

You're free to play around with the firewall settings, and if tightening them up doesn't interfere with gameplay you might as well do it. If you want more details on the firewall though, a new thread in the Software forum might be a good idea. That way, people who know your particular firewall are more likely to see the thread and be able to reply.

 

Well I was diggin'-`round for some info, and you sure as HECK give it to me ! haha - Thanks...now I need to go somewhere and find-out HOW to get my Vista FW to "look" (display) like it used to (with all the advanced configuration capabilities - tabs, buttons, options, etc.) when it was new... it looked very similar to yours (7) at one time - but Lord knows, with all the CRAP I put my machines through, it could be half-way to, well - Uranus - by now....well, you know, I mean, the planet. :-D