SWTOR's Ohlen: F2P 'not super easy to do'

[notorious98]

The only problem is the dark side of the F2P.

http://mega64.com/2012/02/17/dlc-the-game/

Fucking....classic.

[Argroth]

A steady and rigid subscription model generally keeps a cash shop away (at least the kind that buys gear that affects gameplay) and thats enough for me to be opposed to F2P.

It also keeps people from going overboard to pimp out their characters with useless crap and buying to win. This keeps the community in check and not as full of dummies with daddies credit card.

ANY F2P game has a significant amount of trolls because there is nothing to deter them from sitting around trolling. The trolls that do get into subscription MMOs at least part of the time do play the game to get thier moneys worth out of it whereas trolls in F2P games crowd up servers and sit around doing nothing but trolling.

Also any F2P game I've tried always has an alarming amount of weirdos trying to hit on people, "Go out" with people as some sort of simulated dating website and just creepers in general.

An MMO is scraping the bottom of the barrel when it goes to F2P.

Can't say I have tried EVERY F2P mmo but that is my experience with pretty much every one I've tried.

[notorious98]

A steady and rigid subscription model generally keeps a cash shop away (at least the kind that buys gear that affects gameplay) and thats enough for me to be opposed to F2P.

It also keeps people from going overboard to pimp out their characters with useless crap and buying to win. This keeps the community in check and not as full of dummies with daddies credit card.

ANY F2P game has a significant amount of trolls because there is nothing to deter them from sitting around trolling. The trolls that do get into subscription MMOs at least part of the time do play the game to get thier moneys worth out of it whereas trolls in F2P games crowd up servers and sit around doing nothing but trolling.

Also any F2P game I've tried always has an alarming amount of weirdos trying to hit on people, "Go out" with people as some sort of simulated dating website and just creepers in general.

An MMO is scraping the bottom of the barrel when it goes to F2P.

Can't say I have tried EVERY F2P mmo but that is my experience with pretty much every one I've tried.

When I played LOTRO, there were some trolls, but not nearly as many as P2P games like WoW.

[Argroth]

When I played LOTRO, there were some trolls, but not nearly as many as P2P games like WoW.

All I can say is that I have had a vastly different experience. WoW probably has the most trolls for a subscription game, it has just accumulated them after being around so long. That and they seem to really pander more and more to the worst types of crowds lately just so they can make a few more bucks.

[Svifnymr]

I've only tried a few F2P's myself. DCUO actually got me playing for a few days, and I've tinkered with AoC off and on. The main thing that detracts from the format for me is the idea of "how much do I want to invest in this game". Do I want to buy extra character slots in DCUO? Do I want to try other classes things? Everything comes with a price tag and it's actually a deterent for me as opposed to just paying the cost of the game and stuff.

Mind you, I know that such things actually add up to the same probably, but so be it.

[Qstrike]

I hate to say it cause I don't want to sound like a fanboy but if GW2's system works (buy the game and major content patches, in the form of expansions, with a cash shop that sells things that don't increase player power).

I could very much see SWTOR moving to that model. Yes they can still turn a profit with their subscription system but I just don't see how that B2P model wouldn't attract higher income since your not losing money from people that collect all the newest PvP gear get bored and cancel waiting for the next big patch to come out.

[Argroth]

I've only tried a few F2P's myself. DCUO actually got me playing for a few days, and I've tinkered with AoC off and on. The main thing that detracts from the format for me is the idea of "how much do I want to invest in this game". Do I want to buy extra character slots in DCUO? Do I want to try other classes things? Everything comes with a price tag and it's actually a deterent for me as opposed to just paying the cost of the game and stuff.

Mind you, I know that such things actually add up to the same probably, but so be it.

That kinda also brings up the point that subscription games let you experiment more to find what you like. In games with cash shops and such you are just kinda throwing out your money and hoping that it will be worth it.

Hypothetically If SWTOR went F2P and I had to buy individual character slots I would either have to buy several to try several classes or constantly delete a character hoping that the next class would be better.
Or if a game sold an item then the next week a better item is released for free or I find out that could get an item I liked better in the game already that immediately means i wasted money on the item I bought.
Say I had to pay for a specific new companion that looks really cool, then only to find the role they stuck him/her with dosn't suit my play style. I would go back to an old companion while that companion rots as a reminder of a mistake.

As the game is now you can try EVERYTHING for a package deal and find out what you like and don't like with very little restrictions. If you don't like the game you can leave knowing you gave it a shot in trying to find something interesting. There is just so much more freedom with a subscription based game.

[Svifnymr]

I hate to say it cause I don't want to sound like a fanboy but if GW2's system works (buy the game and major content patches, in the form of expansions, with a cash shop that sells things that don't increase player power).

I could very much see SWTOR moving to that model. Yes they can still turn a profit with their subscription system but I just don't see how that B2P model wouldn't attract higher income since your not losing money from people that collect all the newest PvP gear get bored and cancel waiting for the next big patch to come out.

GW2 is B2P, which means the upfront money is all you pay for. To use that model, TOR would need just not charge for the sub-fee, but still get full price for the initial purchase. So they'd need to get enough people that are currently not buying the game due to recurring fee to now buy the game in enough numbers to cover those costs as well.

For F2P, they'd basically nickel and dime you on every little piece of the game, meaning they'd have a bunch of folks that play without spending a dime and a bunch that'd pay for different stuff. Those paying people would also need to pay enough to cover the money they'd otherwise be making with sub-fees.

Either way, it's hard to judge if the other methods would be successful over the current sub-fee system.

Hopefully they at least give the base game when they release an expansion. If they release an expansion after say, a year (end of this year) for $40 or $50 and highlight the improvements to the game, they could bring folks in with it possibly. If they nickel and dime folks with mini expansions or cash shop stuff, they will probably not expand the game, probably the opposite.

---------- Post added 2012-06-20 at 07:17 PM ----------

That kinda also brings up the point that subscription games let you experiment more to find what you like. In games with cash shops and such you are just kinda throwing out your money and hoping that it will be worth it.

Hypothetically If SWTOR went F2P and I had to buy individual character slots I would either have to buy several to try several classes or constantly delete a character hoping that the next class would be better.

That's sort of where DCUO lost me, I wanted to try out different stuff and with 2 slots, it was a bit restrictive. (I also wanted to use my 360 controller on my PC, but setting it up was more trouble than I'd think it shoulda been.) I know I could buy another slot or two for cheaper than I'd pay for most games, but since I wasn't sold on the game, it wasn't a matter of "pay X instead of Y" it was "pay X instead of nothing, to try it".

[notorious98]

I hate to say it cause I don't want to sound like a fanboy but if GW2's system works (buy the game and major content patches, in the form of expansions, with a cash shop that sells things that don't increase player power).

I could very much see SWTOR moving to that model. Yes they can still turn a profit with their subscription system but I just don't see how that B2P model wouldn't attract higher income since your not losing money from people that collect all the newest PvP gear get bored and cancel waiting for the next big patch to come out.

Guild Wars has already proven that model can be successful, hence the sequel.

---------- Post added 2012-06-20 at 07:24 PM ----------

That's sort of where DCUO lost me, I wanted to try out different stuff and with 2 slots, it was a bit restrictive. (I also wanted to use my 360 controller on my PC, but setting it up was more trouble than I'd think it shoulda been.) I know I could buy another slot or two for cheaper than I'd pay for most games, but since I wasn't sold on the game, it wasn't a matter of "pay X instead of Y" it was "pay X instead of nothing, to try it".

DCUO was a poorly made port for PC. It was definitely created with consoles in mind.

[anaxie]

It's Ohlen... For him looking at the camera when speaking is also "not super easy to do"

[Gsara]

"We know we should, but every time somebody says the word 'free' our EA overl- err, glorious leaders call security"

I think they are going to be changing their minds real soon, they are free falling on the market and they seriously need to do something to stop it. Firing John Riccitiello would be a really good start. Turning to a few FTP IPs would also be very good for them at this point.

[Svifnymr]

DCUO was a poorly made port for PC. It was definitely created with consoles in mind.

I'm not a DC fan, I don't hate Batman or Superman or anything, but I don't follow the material, so I had no real attachement to the game going in. (Other than wanting a decent superhero game that didn't bug me, at the time.) I don't have a PS3, so I'm not sure how the PS3 controls are set up, and for whatever reason Microsoft doesn't just have a direct mapping software for their USB 360 controller (individual games tune the controller, and there are aftermarket key-mapping programs, but they're just all odd!).

So, DCUO was good enough that I wanted to play it, but then irritating to setup and had all these oddball restrictions in the F2P model that a "normal" demo may not have had. So I just forgot about it and moved on, it's still installed.

[Argroth]

I think they are going to be changing their minds real soon, they are free falling on the market and they seriously need to do something to stop it. Firing John Riccitiello would be a really good start. Turning to a few FTP IPs would also be very good for them at this point.

There is no guarantees that would work. So I hope they don't risk it.

And since I do not like how FTP games operate I will always stand firmly against games I like making the unpleasant change into something I hate.