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Topic: SWTOR Goes F2P in the Fall (Read 137767 times)
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Typhon
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2493
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It didn't look reasonable to me. I read it as "let's make the free experience un-fun".
Why not make access to Flash Points, character races and other content-based stuff an RMT? This would fund content, and be an unequivocal way for EA/Bioware to determine what types of content were more popular. I guess the tech isn't/wont be there for this, cause that seems like a no-brainer.
I don't understand the decision to limit free players participation in PvP at all - isn't more participation in PvP a good thing?
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Miasma
Terracotta Army
Posts: 5283
Stopgap Measure
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I don't quite get what they're going for either. It seems like they're just hoping for that the f2p players will buy a sub, it's more like an unending free trial. They are supposed to be selling stuff like clothing, bag space, char slots, xp potions etc. Maybe that stuff just isn't ready yet.
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Malakili
Terracotta Army
Posts: 10596
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It seems to me like the only thing most people would be interested in (The main story content), is free. I can see a lot of people installing, playing through, and uninstalling without every considering paying a cent.
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Zetor
Terracotta Army
Posts: 3269
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Like I posted in the graveyard thread, restricting FP/WZs makes the setup dead to me, unless it's a one-time fee you need to pay (like lifting the gold cap in lotro) or if it doesn't apply to people who bought the box/had a sub previously.
The main reason is that - while the class stories are great - MOST of the levelling content is on the planets which is the exact same for all characters of the same faction. Even when I was just levelling my second character, having to do the same quests all over again made me stabby... so I opted to level through WZs and space missions instead. Now I'd probably try to level through the dungeon finder (if it works well sub-50 with its non-cross-server-ness, that is... LOTRO's didn't).
edit: typing is hard
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« Last Edit: August 01, 2012, 09:32:04 AM by Zetor »
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shiznitz
Terracotta Army
Posts: 4268
the plural of mangina
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I love that Game Login priority is listed as a bonus for subscribers.
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I have never played WoW.
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HaemishM
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 42666
the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring
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I don't know.. I think this just says that the only reason WAR hasn't gone F2P is more about Gamesworkshop than any reluctance by EA. This. I think either someone at GW or someone at Bioware Mythic has a serious hate-on for F2P, because that game should have been F2P a year ago. It's been a smoldering wreck since 6 months after release. The fact that TWO Star Wars MMO's have flopped should really prove that IP matters fuckall if your game isn't solid in the MMO space. It won't, because MMO devs are almost to a man clueless, unoriginal fucktards devoid of the slightest hint of an ability to learn from their mistakes. |
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Malakili
Terracotta Army
Posts: 10596
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I don't know.. I think this just says that the only reason WAR hasn't gone F2P is more about Gamesworkshop than any reluctance by EA. This. I think either someone at GW or someone at Bioware Mythic has a serious hate-on for F2P, because that game should have been F2P a year ago. It's been a smoldering wreck since 6 months after release. The fact that TWO Star Wars MMO's have flopped should really prove that IP matters fuckall if your game isn't solid in the MMO space. It won't, because MMO devs are almost to a man clueless, unoriginal fucktards devoid of the slightest hint of an ability to learn from their mistakes. When was the last time ANY MMO really felt like a success? I'm wondering if the demographic just isn't interested in committing long term to a single game like it used to, regardless of quality. |
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Lantyssa
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Posts: 20848
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When? The last time a good one was released.
People may be suckered in for release, but they don't have to continually pay for crap month after month.
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Hahahaha! I'm really good at this!
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Sky
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Posts: 32117
I love my TV an' hug my TV an' call it 'George'.
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After the nut-kick that was taking away my character and legacy names, this actually looks decent. I never did a ton of FPs, any Ops, and the limited GTN isn't a big deal. As long as I can play my pre-existing characters, the queues don't get bad and the whole 'limited travel options' thing isn't retarded, it looks like a winning f2p implementation.
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Rasix
Moderator
Posts: 15024
I am the harbinger of your doom!
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This would get me to take another look. I played so casually that a lot of the restrictions just won't apply to me. So, win there.  |
-Rasix
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HaemishM
Staff Emeritus
Posts: 42666
the Confederate flag underneath the stone in my class ring
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When was the last time ANY MMO really felt like a success? I have no numbers to back this up, but Secret World feels like a success. That may be just because it didn't crater in the usual Funcom way right out of the gate. |
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shiznitz
Terracotta Army
Posts: 4268
the plural of mangina
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The only MMO model that makes sense financially is to build a small, dynamic world for a small audience and then grow the game slowly. The financial model of blowing $50-100MM over 5 years then turning on the lights and hoping people show up is just crazy.
Minecraft proves you do not have to invest in cutting edge visuals. Gameplay will trump visuals.
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I have never played WoW.
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Threash
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Posts: 9171
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Rift felt like a success.
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I am the .00000001428%
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Shannow
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Posts: 3703
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This because MMO devs are almost to a man clueless, unoriginal fucktards devoid of the slightest hint of an ability to learn from their mistakes.
and this
Minecraft proves you do not have to invest in cutting edge visuals. Gameplay will trump visuals.
I know the second to particularly be true by the fact that my eleven year old son and all his friends (11 year olds not exactly being the most sophisticated gamers out there) aren't playing CoD, or Halo, of NFL/NHL '12 etc....they are playing Minecraft. |
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« Last Edit: August 01, 2012, 10:28:32 AM by Shannow »
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Someone liked something? Who the fuzzy fuck was this heretic? You don't come to this website and enjoy something. Fuck that. ~ The Walrus
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DayDream
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Posts: 80
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This is more a general question on failing MMO's in general, but does anyone have a bead on Experienced Dev-Studios vs. Brand New Dev-Studios vs. Game Success vs. Game Failure?
Arguably the MMO industry's greatest successes came from slapping a bunch of enthusiastic rookies together. The first attempt has generally been the best from any studio (at least in the AAA space). IF you're talking about WoW as the industry's greatest success, then i have to clarify. I do not mean "new to making MMOs." i mean "new to making ANY video game together." I think Blizzard is the epitome of "established game dev studio," and was before WoW was anything more than an idea." |
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Simond
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Posts: 6742
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Oh dear, looks like the mods don't like me being right.
Again.
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"You're really a good person, aren't you? So, there's no path for you to take here. Go home. This isn't a place for someone like you."
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Rasix
Moderator
Posts: 15024
I am the harbinger of your doom!
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Boo hoo.
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-Rasix
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Paelos
Contributor
Posts: 27075
Error 404: Title not found.
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Oh dear, looks like the mods don't like me being right.
Again.
Nobody likes anybody that constantly spouts the same thing over and over and over, never leaving the forum in question, and always patting themselves on the back at other people's failures. That makes you a drain on a society, not a video game hero. Politely fuck off with that shit. |
CPA, CFO, Sports Fan, Game when I have the time
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Falconeer
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Posts: 11127
a polyamorous pansexual genderqueer born and living in the wrong country
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The big ugly smiley really killed that post Simond.
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Ingmar
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Posts: 19280
Auto Assault Affectionado
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On F2P or more accurately cash shop games in general. LOTRO (and I assume DDO) are successful as cash shop because you can actually play the game out of the cash shop.
That wasn't my experience with either of those games, the pay wall hits hard and early. Reread her post. She's saying it is possible to play 100% of the game without subscribing, not without paying. |
The Transcendent One: AH... THE ROGUE CONSTRUCT.
Nordom: Sense of closure: imminent.
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Paelos
Contributor
Posts: 27075
Error 404: Title not found.
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The big ugly smiley really killed that post Simond.
PLAY ME IN BLOOD BOWL! |
CPA, CFO, Sports Fan, Game when I have the time
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Ingmar
Terracotta Army
Posts: 19280
Auto Assault Affectionado
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The big ugly smiley really killed that post Simond.
PLAY ME IN BLOOD BOWL! |
The Transcendent One: AH... THE ROGUE CONSTRUCT.
Nordom: Sense of closure: imminent.
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Speedy Cerviche
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2783
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It was a bad game from the beginning, F2P or sub. Just another boring, over-instanced but terribly expensive WoW clone, flaming out like a dozen others before it. Difference is EA dropped what, $400 million into this loser in development + marketing?
Check out EA's share price over the last 9 months for a laugh. Straight up slide from $23 week of SWTOR launch to $11 current.
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eldaec
Terracotta Army
Posts: 11844
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If they would just cut out all the endless repetition of planet and trash quests (and oh god the running) I would pay some number of dollars to do the story quests and a very occasional flashpoint.
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"People will not assume that what they read on the internet is trustworthy or that it carries any particular assurance or accuracy" - Lord Leveson
"Hyperbole is a cancer" - Lakov Sanite
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Ratman_tf
Terracotta Army
Posts: 3818
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To be fair, I would pay to be a Jawa...
I'm sure there's a certain set of people who'd pay you to be a Jawa. Filthy creatures! Well, I'm not shocked. TOR turned out to be a 3rd rate WoW clone with a huge voice acting budget. I'm sure the Star Wars IP sold a ton of boxes, but the game had no legs. |
 "What I'm saying is you should make friends with a few catasses, they smell funny but they're very helpful." -Calantus makes the best of a smelly situation. |
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Segoris
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Posts: 2637
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the game had no legs.
<insert bad Bioware 4 pillars joke here> |
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Soln
Terracotta Army
Posts: 4737
the opportunity for evil is just delicious
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the game had no legs.
<insert bad Bioware 4 pillars joke here> running? |
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Lakov_Sanite
Terracotta Army
Posts: 7590
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Simond's greatest triumph is making my snarky remarks pale in comparison?
Seriously though, as someone who thought this game would be lukewarm from the get-go, even I was surprised to see it's doing so poorly so fast. I think the major lesson to be taken away from all of this is that the public taste in mmo's and I believe video games in general, has become a lot more fickle. They want fun and entertainment and not to pay for grinding or anything that is "in between the fun"
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~a horrific, dark simulacrum that glares balefully at us, with evil intent.
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Hutch
Terracotta Army
Posts: 1893
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the game had no legs.
<insert bad Bioware 4 pillars joke here> running?  |
Plant yourself like a tree
Haven't you noticed? We've been sharing our culture with you all morning.
The sun will shine on us again, brother
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Lantyssa
Terracotta Army
Posts: 20848
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Filthy creatures!
I said a Jawa, not a Mudcrab. |
Hahahaha! I'm really good at this!
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Soln
Terracotta Army
Posts: 4737
the opportunity for evil is just delicious
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womprat?
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01101010
Terracotta Army
Posts: 12007
You call it an accident. I call it justice.
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womprat?
Murloc!  |
Does any one know where the love of God goes...When the waves turn the minutes to hours? -G. Lightfoot
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LC
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Posts: 908
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Mosesandstick
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Posts: 2476
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Restricted travel does not sound like any fun at all.
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Amaron
Terracotta Army
Posts: 2020
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huh? even free im not gonna play it but their f2p model seems fairly reasonable.
The model is reasonable if they step up their pace. In fact I'd say it's a damn smart model. It's totally dependent on increasing their current update performance though. Doing that would net them good subscriber numbers and nice cash influx from F2P cash shop purchases. Instead this feels more like a desperate cash grab. They'll do a cheap transition and lose subs when they fail to put out the goods. When they lose the subs they won't see any reason to do the kind of content+feature updates the game really deserves. |
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