Complaint Review: DreamQuest Software - Lafayette Colorado

Testimonials of players:

"When I purchased the software / license, the email I rec'd stated clearly that I was purchasing a lifetime of fun. A lifetime of free upgrades. Suddenly, this weekend, I'm told "never mind, just kidding--now you must purchase the all star expansion pack, or use LAN method (without lobby). I feel this is unfair; that I was lied to. I feel strongly that this is a form of extortion."

"Been playing on DQ since 12/15/2003... Below is a copy of my original registration email. Please note, in the text of my registration email it clearly states: "However, since we offer free updates to improve the game, we suggest that you update".

I registered my software with DreamQuest, for among other reasons, because of the free updates. So, just as I promised to use the software in accordince with the EULA, so did DreamQuest promise to update my software for free.

Now, Dreamquest wants to extort money from me to either upgrade to new software, which they promised to upgrade for free, or to stop using the online server???

"That is plain extortion and a complete disregard for the agreement DQ made with me when I registered the software. Dreamquest should honor the terms of my original registration, just as I have honored the terms of the software not to reproduce it or hack it."

I, too, have my registration email from my purchase of Pro Hearts (June, 2004) agreeing to include complimentary upgrades for my initial purchase price.

Many players with whom I've spoken plan to "leave" DQ in response to this announcement. It is bewildering that DQ would alienate its loyal customers, many of whom have been unpaid beta testers and nearly all of whom have suffered through "buggy," inferior upgrades yet continued to use the software through all the hassles. I trust that reason and fairness (not to mention an honoring of the DQ end of the purchase agreement) will prevail such that all current users are permitted to continue to upgrade with no additional charge. In fact, I fully expect it."

"Let me say that the players with whom I've spoken agree that it's not the money but the principle of reneging on a promise of free upgrades that is cause for concern. I understand DQ may be in the position of seeking upgrade fees to keep afloat. But the complete disregard for the published upgrade policy is insulting.

Perhaps the response might be different if DQ appealed to its players by saying something to the effect of "despite our free upgrade policy, we would appreciate if those who regularly use and enjoy the software would consider paying a nominal fee in support of our ongoing upgrade efforts." But forcing a paid upgrade upon players, and then challenging a loyal player who complains of the issue, is in very poor taste."

"Banking on the distinction between "update" and "upgrade" is weak at best; I must agree with Eki that promising "updates" and then withdrawing full support for an item purchased which has been effectively replaced with a paid "upgrade" smacks of "bait and switch" strategy.

I acknowledge that the lack of online fees and advertising is a benefit, but would DQ stand much of a chance of having a large group of paid monthly subscribers and a flood of advertisers at the ready? "All Stars" is the program we've all used with bells and whistles slightly beyond the typical "update," and I still maintain it should be offered free of charge to existing users regardless of a reviewer who may have failed to be as rigorous in his syntax as DQ would like to claim to be. (If only that rigor were applied to making the products backward compatible.)

Of course, it's entirely possible the reviewer substituted "upgrade" for "update" because any reasonable person would use the two interchangeably. In any event, don't be surprised if this stance spells the ruin of the DQ community, which would be a shame but not entirely unjustified."

"Kristin, I've read NOTHING which makes me feel "warm and fuzzy" about staying here. I maintain I have been misled. I maintain this is a form of forced purchase. I maintain that you force not a purchase upon us, but a choice: either swallow your pride and principles and pay the ten bucks per game and shut up, or leave DQ.

I choose the latter."

"So it looks like the DQ Customer experience looks like this: Keep buying our updates, or you will no longer be able to use the software.

Because you know it will not end here.... The next new fangled feature will come out in V8.0 , but it will not be backwards compaitble to 7.0 .... and everyone will have to buy that version or leave .... dejavu

and so it will go version after version..

And since they can build in features that make new versions miss play with old versions .... they have this nifty little scheme going"

"It's not about COST. It's not about money. I too have been in big business (director of engineering for Philips North America) in a past life. I understand cost; cash flow, and business principles. But the key word here is principles. Don't promise me something that you don't deliver on years later. I have a memory like an elephant. As stated previously, I take being lied to personally; in business or in my personal life. I have been lied to. This amounts to extortion, and I won't stand for it. I wanted my stance known before I leave DQ....and I won't be alone. Others will be in line behind me."

"Well gee whiz, I just figured out what is happening, reading the previous postings...how dumb was I?? I read the posting about dumping the 6.64 versions, but jus thought I would have to upgrade by the deadline for free, but now I realize I have wasted money on my 3 games I have purchased, since they will no longer be compatible.

I will now have to purchase the allstar pack or not be able to go online? Well thats a rip-off if I ever saw one. How about transferring everyone ownership over to the new allstar pack for free, or for those of us with useless multiple game packs transfer the old game licenses to the allstar license for one 9.99 fee for all games the customer now owns..That I will purchase but I will not buy each game over again, no sir!! I guess I'll make a visit to the other site and check things out . Good Luck All.. Though I hope DQ tries to save all of the loyal customers, by bending on this issue instead of bending us over and , well you know the rest..."

"I have represented DQ in many positions, Guide, Senior Guide, Forum Moderator and TD...I cannot represent what I don't respect and this is not a respectable thing for a company to do to it's long standing supporters."

"Wow!!! My mind harkens back to an earlier DQ fiasco a few years ago when upgrade was forced upon all players to the newest release, and the old release was discontinued. I believe it was 4.46, or something like that. The players did not want a forced and required upgrade because the new release was frought with continual lockups that were interminable. The issue was not one of DQ charging for the new release, but rather one of the players not being forced to migrate to it when the older version was infinitely more stable. But the principle was essentially the same upgrade, or leave.

In response to the many protestations, of which I was part, I was personally told in an email from Mr. Williamson (DQ President) that he was not concerned about existing players, but in obtaining new ones, and those protesting were free to leave. DQ philosophy, back then as well as now, has continually been that existing players have paid their money, and thus are not a further source of revenue, so are not valued in their corporate credo.

I guess the fact that current players, giving up their time as guides with a primary role to welcome and retain new players, is thus not recognized as a valuable asset. Maybe the next step will be to charge new and existing Guides a required fee in order to be extended the privilege of assisting DQ? Oops, maybe I just gave them a new idea!!

I add in closing that I, and many others, were provided a free upgrade, update, expansion, or whatever the semantical nomer is, to the expansion pack when it came out as a reward for our guide and beta testing assistance in the past. Other current players have provided as much or more past assistance to DQ as I have in the past, and yet are now not being afforded the same respect and thanks.

What DQ offers that is not present at Hardwoods is the special gaming community of existing players. What DQ consistently has not offered is a game that has the stability of the Hardwood game, and the ability to find at least a hundred players online at almost any time.

DQ does not offer a superior product, it offers a superior atmosphere of players who know each other. With that now being lost, DQ appears headed for the dodo graveyard. I will leave my tombstone next to all those who have responded to this thread. I wonder how many new players will come to DQ when there are no experienced players here? Hmmmmm... Maybe they will find it worth the money just to peer at and be amazed by the glitzy avatars and the ability to play with the expanded bunch of bots!!!"

"I'm also for years here with DQ playing hearts also in tournaments. When I heard I have to pay for something I already payed for I also told myself now I'm leaving. I'm totally pissed off with that policy and will play at Hardwood also. When you compare the stability at Hardwood with the stability at DQ there is no reason for staying. I also wonder that Mr. President Christopher did not say a word. What DQ did is a real shame. "

You're right... he is running a business, one which conducts business over the internet, across state lines, and has maintained a website which is legally a form of advertising. Tricky, those false advertising laws. Then there is that registration email.

Truth is, this isn't about $10 - it IS about principle... and truth in advertising... and a company standing behind a purchase agreement - a contract.

Another truth is that IF Christopher had ORIGINALLY asked his long time customers if they would be willing to help him over a rough spot, I would hazard to guess that the great majority of us would have sent in $10 without a second thought - because it has been a "family" for those of us here over the years. I for one would have gladly helped.

But that isn't the way it happened. Instead I go online to play and get a message to the affect of, "sorry bubba, we don't care what we told you, we don't care that you have helped us over the years in testing, debugging, and giving our new customers a warm welcome, helping them, providing a positive atmosphere, helping to sell the game for us, and sticking with us through some rough patches. None of that matters. Even though you are few in number, we're so friggin stoopid that we are going to cut off our nose to spite our face and renege on what we said. Good luck somewhere else and good riddance."

It's no wonder that you "suggested" that we just stick our tail between our legs and go away - bad advertising as it were people speaking up. Heck, someone might see it and not buy the game .

Trying to say that the "All Star Expansion Pack" is a new game is, well... let's just say disingenuous at best. I still remember when version 6 was forced upon us. It too had "new bots, new graphics, better AI, was going to end all problems" and all the other hubbabaloo - but the fact was it was still Championship . It was NOT a new game (interesting precedent, that is btw... and buggier than the previous version to boot). Trying to use so called improved features to play word games in an attempt to say it's a "new game" is ludicrous, as is trying to say it's an "expansion pack." Truth is, it is an upgrade - a new VERSION. It is NOT a "new game."

Funny too about the "excuse" being used - the new version of Championship Pro 7.06 was causing more OOS occurences. (Side note - version 7.06... an new VERSION, 7 came after 6 which came after 5...) The real statement should be, "We messed up the upgrade and can't fix it." (another side note - wasn't it 6.0 that the same thing happened as far as "won't work with older versions?")

BTW, the first version of 7 co-existed (with bugs). It wasn't until the addition of a special "bomb" being encoded in the yet to be released version of 7.06 that it was capable of the "instant crash" now being touted in an attempt to make an excuse for cutting off the long time customers.

As far as continuing to allow v6.x to be played in the lobby "if you can't play with new customers"... first comment would be - at least we could play with our long time community of friends. Second comment would be... and DQ would no longer have the "old timers" helping the new and helping make it the community it has been. And my last comment to that is, repeating myself, it is not a "new game"... it is the next revision, v7.x which came after v6.x, which came after v5.x. It is still DQ spades/hearts/pick_a_game. It isn't "DQ StarWars" or "DQ Tank" or something that would be "a new game."

Now about that "didn't say" stuff...

Well this long time customer happens to be a pack rat too. Still have my original registration email. Also happen to have captures of the website from back then. Some interesting advertising and contractual statements there. For example, from the FAQ page back in 2003:

DQ Website 2003 wrote:

Remember, upgrades of the same game are always free for those that have supported us. Simply send us your name, email, and approximate date and we will be happy to look you up and send you a replacement key. Thanks for your support!

or this one...

DQ Website 2003 wrote:

Why do you charge so much? I can buy some CD games for $9!

That is the great part about shareware, you can try before you buy! We feel our games are better than most commercial card

games, which would cost $19 to $29 in the store, so that is why we charge what we do.

HOWEVER, due to popular demand, we have lowered the price on the game to $24.99 (from $39 originally), and we also offer a $19.99 hardship price for students, seniors, and military.

Realistically, by the time the online registration company takes their fee, and VISA takes their fee, the only real way we can afford to keep updating our Championship games regularly is by charging $24.99. We think you will find the quality of our games much higher than those $9 and $19 CD game collections such as Bicycle's card games. These games typically provide

little challenge to the Championship-level card player!

Don't forget your registration does include:

1.Key to disable the nag screens via email within 2 business days (usually 24 hours).

2.Personalized version with your name by using the key.

3.Access to advanced features like game history and assign cards.

4.Use of multiple player profiles and full game statistics.

5.Access to restricted and tournament rooms when playing online.

6.Access to add-ons like gameroom themes/skins and additional music.

7.Code to download extensive Mastering Spades tutorial.

8.Lifetime registration (we do not charge for updates). Updates are available several times a year.

9.License to use on multiple workstations (e.g. at home and work) as long as not simultaneously used.

10.Automatic notification of upgrades via email. Your email address will be kept confidential.

11.A monthly card playing newsletter with tips, contests, and special offers.

12.An even better card game in the future by supporting updates.

13.Freedom from guilt while addicted to our card games at home and the office.

Then there was also this blurb in another spot:

DQ Website 2003 wrote:

Also, do note that even for the $19.99 registration you still get full support, lifetime free upgrades, no shipping, no sales tax, removal of the nag dialog, extensive play tutorial, participation in the multiplayer Beta trials, and peace of mind that you have

helped promote a quality shareware game and are not making some gaming corporate CEO rich off stock options.

So much for the "we didn't offer" statement...

The sad part is this could of all been avoided with a little common sense.

"After I selected the upgrade button - not knowing I would need to pay! - it told me my free trial period was over!!! Never even got a chance to try the product. Plus now, this game no longer works off line!! This really makes me think there will be a V8 and V9... and more requests in the future to get into my wallet - even if only 9.99 (US)"

"I did play hearts for many years. the game had many mistakes and i did help to repair them. in that time i got no money back but the promise of free updates updates till it works. Now I should pay for a product I just had payed and that did never work as it should? How crazy should I be to do that? You dont get 9,99$ and lose a player."

"Pasted below is the entire response I got from DQ after expressing to them basically the same concerns that others have been writing in this thread.

I'm sorry you are unhappy with our latest online policy. Do what you will.

Thanks for your support,

Kristin Barker

DreamQuest Software

Customer Support Representative"

Val

Hull, Quebec

Canada