Well since i have quite a few things on mind concerning the buddy keys i thought i'd just make a thread to consolidate it.
First off, i'm really glad this is finally happening, these trial periods are vital to the game's well being and it's always good to see new, and some old returning, faces inside the game.
Second, i am personally sorely dissapointed in how this send out has been handled. After waiting months in the first place, after the false hope of 'the next few days' that before long turned into 'after a month or so' that crippled so many potential's hopes and impressions out there on the interweb and after so much outcry from the community we get shafted by the apparently highly flawed send-out that seems to have reached limited numbers of the community.
I for one have received every mxo soe newsletter to date, except this one. The one that matters.
We can only pray the issue gets looked at and a second send out made to happen asap. That or hold out hope for the apparent perma LP2 trial.
Third, it seems the web team are, to be blunt, incompetent. For 2 images, yes 2 simple images, seem impossible to change after months and years. Even during a time as vital as a trial period.
The front page needs updating from the month old anniverary event (which, ironically is when this trial was meant to be for) to reflect the current buzz in the community, the truce breaking, hence the god *CENSORED* title above the image 'whats new'. Theres also the infuriating 'update 2.0' that plagues the 'players' page. Yes, it implies that after more than 2 years fo operation MxO has received a grand total of 2 updates. Great impression to be giving potential players, great impression indeed.
Forthly, returning to a positive note, combining requests from my threads made here, here, here and here as well MxO.Rumbaar's own here and personal requests from my own MxO centered YouTube collection channel here i have counted over 160 requests for buddy keys.
Thats a lot and it'd be brilliant if they could all get a chance to try out the game, so anyone willing to help out by distributing at those various places feel free (just be sure to post saying who you have sent keys to as to avoid multiple sendings) or just PM me any spares you may have for me to distribute on your behalf (big thanks to everyone who already has 
)
The more people who get to experience the game the better.
Fifth, i've made a template for the key emails i'll be sending out and i thought the community might apprechiate a copy so...
//Transmission Received
//Decoding
//0101011101101
Greetings, Coppertop.
Congratulations on taking the Redpill, below you will find your own personal Matrix Online Buddy Key redeemable for 14 days of free play on a brand new account.
x
--Steps To Play--
1. Sign up for a free station account over at
https://www.station.sony.com/secure...ation.sony.com/
2. Access your account at
https://secure.station.sony.com/eq2...ion/EditLogin.m
3. Click 'add The Matrix Online'
4. When requested for a product key, enter your buddy key code.
NOTE: Do not include any hyphens in your code entry. Also note that if you copy and paste the code across then delete them you will have missed the last 6 digits.
NOTE 2: Make sure you DO NOT enter any credit card details at this stage, these are not required for the trial period and if you do enter them you will be charged for your first monthly subscription rate. Only enter credit details if you decide to stay on with the game after your trial period has expired.
5. Download The Matrix Online client from
http://thematrixonline.station.sony.com/jackin/
6. Run the game and enter your station account name and password
7. Let the game patch.
Note: Don't worry, having been in operation for a while now theres been a lot of updates to the game, this stage may take a while. In the mean time i suggest looking over some of the extra sections i've included below.
8. Create a character and get playing!
--New Player Resources--
First and foremost be sure to listen and read carefully during the in-game tutorial. Same goes for the extremely helpful 'newbie trail' once you are inside The Matrix proper - just talk to the NPC 'Clio' and follow her instructions to start the trail.
Second, there has been an excellent beginners guide to The Matrix Online recently published over at fan site mxo.rumbaar.net, be sure to check it out for tons of useful information and guides.
Direct link to the beginners guide:
http://www.thematrix.rumbaar.net/mo...;page=index.htm
If you still have questions don't be afraid to ask the friendly MxO forum community over at the RedPill Rescue Board for help. Its set up specifically for new players to get advice and guidance:
http://forums.station.sony.com/mxo/....m?forum_id=121
As for any technical assistance you may require check out the MxO forum's own technical help section:
http://forums.station.sony.com/mxo/....m?forum_id=124
or SOE's overarching support site:
http://www.station.sony.com/support/
--Final Words--
Thank you for your interest in The Matrix Online, I hope you enjoy your stay and maybe even stay with us after your trial has ended, there's plenty more fun to be had outside this small 14 day sample.
Oh and... good luck out there operative.
//Transmission End
Sixth, theres also a list i've been compiling for a while that pulls together my own answers to the general question of 'whats changed since i last played?' - now this doesn't have any specific dates attached so it may miss things for 'older' players or already cover some stuff 'newer' players know about but i thought the community might apprechiate a copy of that too...
"A neighbourhood mob restructure saw the gangs of richland and westview laid out for a better natural level/city progression, they were also given more personality with emotes, moods, and general trickery."
"CR2 (combat revision 2) brought about much more clearly defined and fleshed out leveled loot tables (as well as refined collector, hideout and construct items) meaning theres useful stuff to be looking out for and hunting down every step of the way. Instead of stopping dead at those level 20 red derin pants 
. Definately adds to the leveling process if you let yaself get into it too, especially if you like mixing clothes with specific loadouts for the best combos.
The clothing tables were made a lot more diverse in terms of buffs in relation to looks too as the general emphesis was taken off needing so many buffs and more onto your characters attribute points and loadout. Basically, the style vs strength problem was largely fixed with CR2.
CR2 also balanced, streamlined, simplified and generally improved every sector of combat. Removed hughely flawed systems like zero-sum and multi-lock."
"Stability and lag are much improved. Live events no longer crash servers everytime they're held and of course theres the destruction of the dreaded Downtown Lag which plagued the game since launch."
"Unnumerable bug fixes. Big ones that jump to mind is stuff like the evade bug and sound looping"
"Many little features added/fixed. (more recent examples include /AFK and Description Change)"
"In-Game Email system. (allows you to send messages to other players at any time. Items can also be attached to a mail, so you don't have to wait for or meet with anybody to hand over info or an item. Doubles as extended storage by self-mail too) "
"Pandora Box Quest Lines. (Content for level 30-50 with deep story and a range of awesome rewards. Requires some strong replay value for the best of em, too.)"
"Missions Archive. With several obtainable rewards including chapter specific special FX for your character and org specific clothing (these also span the game's entire storyline critical mission history, so thats... 315 hand made, narrative driven missions with even more xp to be had than standard grinding.)"
"White Hallways/Org specific Meeting Constructs. Now with org specific level 70 combat sims modeled after major storyline characters such as Morpheus, The Assassin and The Twins this provides the game with an interesting and challenging end-game combat goal. Not to mention you'll need 100 reputation points and 100 million $i, this is a definate group investment encouraging pooled resources."
"Prop Vendors (adding over 100 RP-useful prop items)"
"The Zero One End-Game Quest has higher level players teaming up to take down a large number of robot modelled mobs plus a level 60 boss in a PvP enabled environment for the awesome level 50 Area K Trenchcoat."
"All the game's weapon and numerous clothing textures have been spruced up with specular highlight mapping."
"A much more refined (be it to your tastes or not) story telling system with more emphesis on smaller yet nigh constant episodic releases (the old 15 critical mission packs have been spread over a three per week scheme and live events happen daily and although they're on a smaller scale they do have a much greater level of direct and personal interaction with both players and the more coherent whole that is the storyline.)"
"Stat Hack. Now player regret really is a thing of the past with your leveled gained attribute points now redeemable after running a mission brought from the archivists which will test your patience"
"LESIG 2.0 and the reactivation of the World Events Button - allowing you to keep up to date with your servers organisational liasions (3 per org), meaning better RP encouragment, a more immersive story experience and better notification/involvement with live events."
"RSI Pills can now be looted from the game's exile hideouts (dungeons) allowing players to change any physical aspect of their character which was available at creation (apart from gender change of course)"
"The Wasteland Corruptor Quest introduced in Update 52 pushes the MxO quest content to new boundries. Providing content and rewards for levels 30-50 the quest is group based and includes level scaled red con enemies (3 on 1 at that), level 100 bosses and the strong need to consolidate farmed resources."
"A new item type called Luggables have been introduced. These items are persistant in the world and can be dropped into the game space itself but can not be uploaded or kept on your character on log-out. They actually achieve quite a bit, finally bringing some meaning to pvp as the items flag you for player versus player combat and provide buffs that will be sought after by deterministic fighters. Not only that but Luggables were the first step to help breath new life into the nigh pointless Data Miner class who are the only ones capable of tracking this new items across the city."
"DM Stuff, gotta write up. xD"
