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Elemental BETA: Before summer ends

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Elemental BETA: Before summer ends

from JoeUser Forums

We’re on the last day of PAX.  If you want to get into the beta, you can still do so by pre-ordering it.  After the beta goes out, the beta will be closed to new users until next year.

Note: The beta will NOT be fun. These are real betas. The game mechanics are only partially implemented and subject to radical change based on player suggestions.

235,950 views 87 replies
Reply #76 from Elemental Forums Top

Yes the sum of $49.95 still remains "pre-charged" but either way, I'm not able to use that money because it has been deducted from my bank account even if it still remains pre-charged. I don't know if banks elsewhere do it some other way, but here pre-charged means the money is out of your use, no longer in your bank account and no longer usable by you.

Yeah, like Ron said we don't know how your bank works - but many times banks will put a temporary hold on the sum that you charged. They do this, afaik, because they expect the actual charge to follow shortly. When no actual charge is made within some time period (determined by your bank), the hold is lifted. 

Reply #77 from Elemental Forums Top

What happened is that Stardock asked for an "authorization". This is to validate the credit card, to make sure the funds are in there. If the card is not charged within a set number of days--this can be from 3 business days to up to two weeks or more--then the authorization is released. A very few banks do not clear authorizations for over a month. In order to clear the authorization, you will have to talk to your bank, or talk to the credit card company. Some will clear authorizations when requested, but some will not unless the company who requested the authorization gives the all-clear.

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Reply #79 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting Madmelodie, reply 77
What happened is that Stardock asked for an "authorization". This is to validate the credit card, to make sure the funds are in there. If the card is not charged within a set number of days--this can be from 3 business days to up to two weeks or more--then the authorization is released. A very few banks do not clear authorizations for over a month. In order to clear the authorization, you will have to talk to your bank, or talk to the credit card company. Some will clear authorizations when requested, but some will not unless the company who requested the authorization gives the all-clear.

Yep, I know they almost always do this especially if the credit card has not been used in their system before. But the charge is usually $0.01 or $1.00. Now it's $49.95 and my bank keeps that charge for 30 or 60 days, can't remember which one it was. I've contacted them about this before few years ago and they simply answered they won't remove those charges, the one who made the authorization request has to cancel it. Which is pretty much what you said.

That's why I hope this pre-charge is what they actually use to charge me when the beta starts considering I have like ten bucks left in my bank account so another charge of $49.95 is out of question for the next few weeks :)

Reply #80 from Elemental Forums Top

That's why I hope this pre-charge is what they actually use to charge me when the beta starts considering I have like ten bucks left in my bank account so another charge of $49.95 is out of question for the next few weeks :)

Yes, if they maintain that hold on your money, then when the charge actually goes through they'll just use that. That's sort of the point of putting a hold on it in the first place.

Alternatively, you could contact [email protected] and find out if they can do anything about it.

Reply #81 from Elemental Forums Top

What pigeonpigeon said. The whole point of the authorization is that when they use the charge, they use the funds appropriated by the authorization first. A lot of places will use the 1.00 method, because companies can FORCE the charge for over the amount as long as they get a small authorization first. It's... well, it's a very dubious business practice and I'm not sure if it's legal because it can often bump people up over their limit.

Reply #82 from Elemental Forums Top

I pre-ordered long ago on the stardock website (not through Impulse) using the last of my tokens (from way back when ... Stardock used to operate on a buy-and-spend tokens system before just direct-buy).  Those tokens were deducted.  I won't be charged again will I?

Reply #83 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting BoogieBac, reply 38
First day of fall is September 22, so it'll be available on or before the 21st

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Autumnal_equinox_2009

Also, we're planning on sending emails out to notify those who pre-order when the beta's officially available (as well as massive announcements here on the forums).

Can I pass this on to my engineering department?  Their definition of "Summer 2009" seems to be more...flexible.

Reply #84 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting pigeonpigeon, reply 80

Yes, if they maintain that hold on your money, then when the charge actually goes through they'll just use that. That's sort of the point of putting a hold on it in the first place.

Well beta started and lo and behold, I got charged again, they didn't use the first charge which still remains. So now I'm stuck with that for a month or two, oh well..

Reply #85 from Elemental Forums Top

Well beta started and lo and behold, I got charged again, they didn't use the first charge which still remains. So now I'm stuck with that for a month or two, oh well..

Then your bank is pretty stupid.

Reply #86 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting pigeonpigeon, reply 85
Then your bank is pretty stupid.

I'm not sure stupidity comes into play in an automated process. Stardock issued a new charge, nothing more to it. And now my original question page or two ago comes back into play, why did they use the full game price for their test pre-charge. But I'll leave it at that :)