• TM-UAS
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Topic: Why not semi-F2P? Charge if they want to accumulate EP.

Why not a quasi-f2p model? Only allow EP gain for paid accounts, but allow non paid accounts to still play. So people can play forever for free but only accumulate EP
during the time in which they pay.

It will prevent loss of game figures, this way a person who is a big contributor to the game and plays a lot can pay for a year, but the game does not lose an important person because he suddenly can not pay.

It gives a huge incentive for paying, no EP gain at all without paying monthly. So a person is stuck with starter-level skills for as long as they don't play, but can still otherwise participate in the game.

It would bring a lot of people into the game, which this game sorly needs. Half the balance issues would be solved by simply having more people around.

Some issues I hashed out in general chat:
1) But they'll grief!!!! So what? People already do. What they aren't entitled to a little PVP just because they are froobs?
2) Lose the trial account restrictions!!!! These things drive many MANY players away. If you don't let a person have a bit of fun in the game during their trial, why the hell would they stay? Charging infinite-sell-order prices for the basics keeps players away.
3) Lose the 20k starter cash, give them everything they need to do the tutorial before they have to do it in the tutorial. If they want to grief in a light mech, they'll have to do the tutorial first. End of the tutorial can involve giving them the 20k you give them on creation now.
4) Bua..bua..gold farmers. So what? If this game makes it, they'll be here, if it dosen't, none of us will be here. Nothing you can do about them but ban 'em when you find em'.
5) People will pay for a year then stop! So what? You got a year's subscription out of them! GO YOU!

I come from DDO. DDO had a player-base of about this size and was, literally, 2 months from server shutdown when they went F2P. F2P _SAVED_ DDO no question. Full Stop. It could save this game too, and wouldn't even require as much work to just turn EP off for non payers.

I say this because there's just not enough people in the game for the game to function properly. I'd like to be able to find a group once in a while...

2 Reply by Legedric Warstrike (edited by Legedric Warstrike 2011-04-11 11:34:30)

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Re: Why not semi-F2P? Charge if they want to accumulate EP.

1. This game may got released officially but it had no "real" release regarding marketing campaigns etc. Once the real release will start (aka they found a good publisher) the player base will grow fast(er). No need to panic...

2. It may be your opinion that F2P saved DDO but it destroyed other games (for example LOTRO) completely. But this is a pure personal opinion and no fact...
If I look at the recent F2P MMOs I tried all I can say is a big fat *SHIVER*... For example Black Prophecy should not even be called a game in my opinion and that's my mst negative example of a F2P game I played in the past months...

3. There is no "semi-F2P" when you want to earn money it has to either be a P2P or F2P game with all its consequences (cash shop etc.)

4. If they make this game F2P I know at least 2 accounts (I guess several more) moving to the litter basket...

There are 10 kinds of people in the world: Those who understand binary and those who don't
  • BKK
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Re: Why not semi-F2P? Charge if they want to accumulate EP.

it may sound good, but right now, the gate-camping scouts have to be paid accounts, which limits there number at least a bit.

make it free2play and each gate in the game will have severa scouts from several corps just to track enemy movement.

*Disclaimer: This post can contain strong sarcasm or cynical remarks. keep that in mind!
Whining - It's amazing how fast your trivial concerns will disappear
  • TM-UAS
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Re: Why not semi-F2P? Charge if they want to accumulate EP.

Yes. So? Since when is knowing what happens in a tiny part of the world game-breaking when it's even possible now?

5 Reply by Alexander (edited by Alexander 2011-04-11 15:02:47)

  • M2S
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Re: Why not semi-F2P? Charge if they want to accumulate EP.

Xyra Arien wrote:

Yes. So? Since when is knowing what happens in a tiny part of the world game-breaking when it's even possible now?

Scouts are a huge issue at the moment. One person can run as many scouts as they like and see the movement in and out of any island.

Later on once EP is less of an issue you'd have a lot of players just playing for free as EP isn't important past the 1 year mark.

The subscription cost so so low I don't think it even matters to be honest. There is no purchase price for the game. It just seems some people are never happy.

If you don't want to pay $10 a month but still want to play this I think you need to think about how that is fair to the developers. They're working hard, or just working, on new content all the time.

I'd be heavy against a free to play environment. The 15 day free trial is a good start but we just need more of a storyline and things to do. The less scouts the better.

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  • CIR
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Re: Why not semi-F2P? Charge if they want to accumulate EP.

The term your looking for is Free-mium, where a game is free to play but premium paid accounts get access to all the content.

That model puts all the fiscal responability on a few players, the premium payers, to support the entire game while the majority of players ride for free. The premium account would need more incentive than just EP, it would likely limit free players to the alpha Islands as well as limit the bot selection.

I see in your post complaints about the current limitations on trial accounts, which is essentially the same concept; Trial accounts are free but with limits that can be removed if you upgrade to a premium account. Basically there isn't enough 'extra' stuff in the game to divide between free and premium to make it worth it for either side; free accounts get too little access and premium accounts don't get enough advantage.

To end on an up note though; Welcome to the community smile