Fun with NCSoft Support

[rainy]

So I am having this small issue that I can't log on to the official Aion Forums with my Aion game account - which is the only way to do it. Decided to pop an email to NCSoft Support with the issue. Now I heard a few things about these goons, but so far their performance is laughable. See below Email snapshot and read it from the bottom to the top.

from Alexander Hempel <rainynight65@gmail.com>
to NCsoft Support <support@ncsoft.com>
date Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 8:22 AM
subject Re: Unable to log on to Aion Website/Forum [Incident: 091011-001573]
mailed-by gmail.com

hide details 8:22 AM (4 minutes ago)



On Sat, Oct 17, 2009 at 1:10 AM, NCsoft Support <support@ncsoft.com> wrote:


Thank you for your support request. Our response is included below. If you have other questions, please reply to this e-mail with your questions between the green lines.


**** Please enter your reply *below* this line ****


OK, why am I being handed around like a hot potato? So far, every reply I have received in this incident was from a different person.

Can we please stop trying to run fancy tools and look at the issue at hand?

My issue is *not* with the game itself.

My issue is that I cannot log on to the Aion forum with my Aion account. I get a message saying 'invalid account'.

This happens whenever, whereever, on any system, with any internet connection.

I followed the instructions in support article 7456 to no success.

I do not see how running Game Advisor (your download link results in a 403 anyway), HijackThis or tampering with my internet connection is going to resolve that issue.

I asked this question: could the problem be related to the fact that my NCSoft Master account and my Aion game account have the same username?

Would someone like to answer the previous question please?
- Hide quoted text -



**** Please enter your reply *above* this line ****

To avoid e-mail delays, you can click this link to update your question using our support site.

Subject
Unable to log on to Aion Website/Forum

Discussion Thread
Response (Hayden) 10/16/2009 06:10 PM
Hi Alexander,

I'd like you to run our Game Advisor application. The Game Advisor will provide us with helpful information about your system and Internet connection.

We ask that if you are using a router, hub, or switch, to first disconnect this device and connect directly to your modem before running this utility. You may have to reboot your modem and/or computer to reestablish your Internet connection.

To run Game Advisor, please perform the following steps:

1. To download the Game Advisor, go here: http://us.ncsoft.com/gameadvisor/

2. When prompted, save the file to your desktop so that you can access it easily.

3. Double click on the Game Advisor file and then click on the icon of the game you're experiencing an issue with.

4. Click on the "Test Computer and Connection" button and please wait a few minutes while the process completes.

5. Once the process completes, a "Test Result" window will come up. This window will provide you with a link to update your ticket as well as tell you where the diagnostic report is saved. You can also view the report file.

Please update your ticket with this file. If you need assistance attaching a report to the ticket please follow the instructions in the following Knowledge Base article:

Title: Attaching a File
Answer Link: http://help.ncsoft.com/cgi-bin/ncsof...p?p_faqid=5887

Once we receive it, we'll have a better idea of how to resolve your issue.

Regards,
Hayden
NCsoft Technical Support
Customer (Alexander Hempel) 10/16/2009 05:57 AM
> Hi Mike,
>

I really don't see what good this is going to do, as this problem is not
isolated to one PC. I can't log in, whichever PC I use.

Could it be related to the fact that the username for my NC master account
is identical to the username of my Aion game account?


>
Response (Mike L.) 10/15/2009 02:34 PM
Hello Alexander,

I would like to obtain a logfile of your current background applications and Internet Explorer settings. Please perform the following steps:

1. Download the program HijackThis from the following link:

http://www.spychecker.com/program/hijackthis.html

2. Click the “Do a system scan and save a logfile” button.

3. Once the scan is complete, a text logfile will appear in Notepad. Save this file to your Desktop.

Once done, please update your incident using the provided link and attach the log.

Regards,
Mike
NCsoft Technical Support
Response (Alexander) 10/14/2009 04:07 PM
Hello Alexander,

I am transferring your ticket to a Technical Support Representative to further assist you. Someone will be in contact with you as soon as possible.

Thanks,
NCsoft Account Support
Customer (Alexander Hempel) 10/14/2009 02:43 PM
>

Hi Flip,

please see screenshots attached.

I am using the same credentials as for my Aion game account.

>
>

==================== image File Attachment ====================
bottom.PNG, 358153 bytes, added to incident

==================== image File Attachment ====================
top.PNG, 1326554 bytes, added to incident
Response (Flip) 10/14/2009 10:21 AM
Hello Alexander,

You may need to clear the temporary internet files (cache) for your web-browser in order to proceed.

Instructions for doing so can be located at the following websites:

Internet Explorer
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/...learcache.mspx

Firefox
http://www.mozilla.org/support/firefox/options#privacy

If this does not work, can you please provide me with a full screen shot of the website after you try to log in? Making sure you get the bottom of the website.

If you have any further questions, please let me know.

Regards,
Flip
NCsoft Account Support

Billing and Technical support can be reached by phone
Monday through Friday from 12PM to 5PM CST (512) 225-6359
Response (Neil) 10/12/2009 01:49 AM
Hi Alexander,

Thank you for contacting NCsoft Account Support.

I am escalating your ticket for further assistance, and someone will be in contact with you as soon as possible.

Thanks,
Neil
NCsoft Account Support

Billing and Technical Support can be reached via phone,
Monday - Friday, 12pm - 5pm Central at (512) 225-6359.
Response (Sandy) 10/11/2009 10:08 AM
Hello,

Thanks for getting in touch to ask about your account. I am transferring your ticket to our Account Support Department. An Account Support team member will be in contact with you as soon as possible.

Take Care,
GM Sandy
Aion Support Team
Auto-Response 10/11/2009 03:50 AM
Hi,

You will receive a response from support as soon as possible.

We’re currently experiencing high ticket volume due to the launch of Aion. Please read the following for information that may help us to serve you faster.

-For Aion support issues, please check the following link for information about the top issues right now: http://na.aiononline.com/board/notic...leID=113&page=. If you find your answer, you can close out your open support request using the instructions found at the following link: http://help.ncsoft.com/cgi-bin/ncsof...p?p_faqid=3365.

-For issues related to billing and online purchases, please provide your NCsoft master account name, the last 4 digits of the credit card used for the transaction, and the postal code from your credit card billing address. Please DO NOT include your full credit card number or CVV number in your request.

-For assistance accessing your NCsoft master account or a game account, please provide the following information:

-- What first and last name did you use when you created the account?
-- What physical address did you use when you created the account?
-- What date of birth did you use when you created the account?
-- What are the 20-digit serial codes for all games you added to the account?
-- What is the Unique Account ID for the game account you are referring to? (This was sent to you via e-mail on the date your game account was activated with a subject header of "Game Account Activated.")
-- What are the last 4 digits of the credit card or the 20-digit game time card code originally used to activate the account?

Support requests are responded to in the order that they are received. Sending multiple requests will not result in a faster response time, but it will slow down support for everyone who is waiting since we’ll have to go through multiple requests for a single issue. Please submit just one ticket per issue, so that we can provide the fastest service possible for everyone.

Thanks,
NCsoft Support
Customer (Alexander Hempel) 10/11/2009 03:50 AM
Good day,

I am unable to log on to the Aion website and forum with my ingame account. I followed the instructions in support article 7456 but it still tells me 'Invalid account' every time I try to log on to the forum.

Please assist kindly.

Best Regards

A. Hempel

Question Reference #091011-001573
Category Level 1: Technical Support
Date Created: 10/11/2009 03:50 AM
Last Updated: 10/16/2009 06:10 PM
Status: Waiting
Department: Tech Support
NCsoft Account: rainynight65
Game Account: rainynight65
Operating System: Windows 7
Character Name:

[TG]

Wow, fun and games!

But it's typical of these idiots to not actually read the problem information you submit and just follow their scripts, regardless of whether it has anything to do with your problem or not.

I had an issue that I contacted McAfee support for at work, and I also got the runaround from their support staff, despite the fact that I had provided them with pertinent information from the beginning. It took them two weeks to point me in the right direction.

[Ga5can]

I think these guys thought they will get maybe 1 million subscribers to their game and have been completely overwhelmed by the actual response. They are now only killing fires and hoping for the best.

Within about a month we should see some changes setting in, as we have with the ques.

[Flatty]

WoW isn't much better. I go through all the forums & Google every problem I ever have before even attempting to contact Customer Support. Ingame issues typically get resolved fairly quickly, anything else & you can wait two weeks or more - better just to phone them. Yeah, like I'm Rockerfella!