[Megathread] Wildstar - Now F2P

[RoninaThorstone]

I will not support another cash grab.

As much as I see potential in this game, the fact that they are launching as subscription makes me feel this way, too. If they were trying to launch as a more equitable model like GW2 B2P or Rift/Tera F2P, I would gladly buy a starter pack full of hats or something but... Hmm.

Either way. I am sure that in a year or two it will still be around and doing alright with a model that fits it's content model better than subscription.

[akaTheDude]

Yeah. The fact that both this and ESO have super strict NDA's given that ESO is launching in 4 months and WildStar is likely to launch around the same time window has me concerned.

Because they have a strict NDA you are worried? Why? I would rather them take their time, do it right, and deliver a solid game. I didn't know they had to keep showing us stuff to be considered a "real" game / "serious" game during beta?

IMO, with everything I have seen,the level of effort they are putting into this game, and listening to all the productive feedback from everyone.... I think it is going to be a GREAT game.

[Kiry]

If ESO and Wildstar were releasing around the same time. It's Wildstar for me hands down.

[SirRobin]

Yeah. The fact that both this and ESO have super strict NDA's given that ESO is launching in 4 months and WildStar is likely to launch around the same time window has me concerned.

I really don't get the point of nda's anymore. In this digital social media age, "word of mouth" travels faster than ever before. Anything that might be interpreted as "hiding," well, anything? Could end up biting you in the ass, hard and fast.

If you're worried that people won't like, or misunderstand, what they see? Then you already have bigger problems than some folks maybe breaking an nda.

[Woakerio]

I'd love to be positive and say they'll turn things around and shock us all, but I only have recent history as evidence to what will happen. I tried to defend it, tried to love it, but it's not even close to ready. I will not support another cash grab.

Why is it not ready? Engine responsiveness/content/etc?

[Kelimbror]

I didn't know they had to keep showing us stuff to be considered a "real" game / "serious" game during beta?

In this case it's because they don't have anything worth showing for a game that was supposed to have launched this year. This game will not survive another year before launching. It will have to push it out sooner. The fact that they don't have anything (not just to show, but literally don't have it) so close to the end is disheartening.

IMO, with everything I have seen,the level of effort they are putting into this game, and listening to all the productive feedback from everyone.... I think it is going to be a GREAT game.

1) You can't really 'see' their effort.
2) Effort =/= quality
3) Listening to feedback doesn't always translate to a good game...nor does it translate to actual changes. Wildstar is suffering from a similar thing that many bad games are: being told about problems for months and months and months before even admitting they are a problem if they admit it. Typically this results in the problem making it to live.

[akaTheDude]

If they were trying to launch as a more equitable model like GW2 B2P or Rift/Tera F2P, I would gladly buy a starter pack.

I am just the opposite here. I am really glad they are doing a subscription based game. I don't care for MMOs that are F2P, just seems like every time you turn around they are trying to sell you something. I would rather pay my $15 a month and be left alone without the salesman hitting me up each time I log in.

[Immitis]

Because they have a strict NDA you are worried? Why? I would rather them take their time, do it right, and deliver a solid game. I didn't know they had to keep showing us stuff to be considered a "real" game / "serious" game during beta?

IMO, with everything I have seen,the level of effort they are putting into this game, and listening to all the productive feedback from everyone.... I think it is going to be a GREAT game.

i can see where they are coming from. its kind of like when a movie doesnt let anyone watch it before it comes out so there cant be bad reviews on the night of release.

[Kelimbror]

Why is it not ready? Engine responsiveness/content/etc?

I'm not allowed to say. But as a random anecdote, isn't it funny how Answer D is always 'All of the Above'?

[akaTheDude]

In this case it's because they don't have anything worth showing SOURCE?

1) You can't really 'see' their effort. - Sorry, but I disagree. After playing MMO after MMO I can "see" their effort in this game.
2) Effort =/= quality True
3) Listening to feedback doesn't always translate to a good game...nor does it translate to actual changes. Wildstar is suffering from a similar thing that many bad games are: being told about problems for months and months and months before even admitting they are a problem if they admit it. Typically this results in the problem making it to live.

But we can agree to disagree.

[Kelimbror]

But we can agree to disagree.

Certainly. I'm not saying they are lazy or incompetent. I just don't think what they say matches up with their result. I also don't think their solutions are going to prove successful.

[Edge-]

Because they have a strict NDA you are worried? Why?

Why? Because at this point they shouldn't be needing to hide much. Keeping high level content and some interesting bits behind NDA's is totally fine, but not letting anyone other than select youtube/streamers/journalists talk about the very early game doesn't instill a lot of confidence. We're years after the first announcement, and very likely 6 months or less away from a launch. If we're not that close to launch, then there are some serious internal issues that are causing them to make big delays to the game, something that's not always good.

Basically, the more guarded a studio is with regards to information about their game, the less confidence I have in the studios confidence in their game at a point in time in which the game should be very presentable (i.e. years after announce, likely at least a half decade in production, and likely within a half year of release).

[akaTheDude]

i can see where they are coming from. its kind of like when a movie doesnt let anyone watch it before it comes out so there cant be bad reviews on the night of release.

This could be true, but who is to say it will be bad? No one has patience anymore, everyone wants the game NOW and if they don't get it NOW they start bashing it.

[Kiry]

In this case it's because they don't have anything worth showing for a game that was supposed to have launched this year. This game will not survive another year before launching. It will have to push it out sooner. The fact that they don't have anything (not just to show, but literally don't have it) so close to the end is disheartening.

1) You can't really 'see' their effort.
2) Effort =/= quality
3) Listening to feedback doesn't always translate to a good game...nor does it translate to actual changes. Wildstar is suffering from a similar thing that many bad games are: being told about problems for months and months and months before even admitting they are a problem if they admit it. Typically this results in the problem making it to live.

I'm going to have to disagree with you there. Streamers are proof enough of their efforts.
Wildstar also pulled back from releases due to customer feedback and went back to the drawing board. Now it seems like you are saying that is bad that they did that? That's really strange. Why is it bad that a company says "ok, we hear you, let's redo our approach".

They've lightened up their NDA in the past month, certainly quite a bit of information out there.

All I can say is, I like the direction they going now. Now, I'm certainly not begging at their doorstep, there are certainly other games to play while they sort things out, and test. I think they should test until it's ready.

[SirRobin]

I'm not allowed to say. But as a random anecdote, isn't it funny how Answer D is always 'All of the Above'?

I realized some time ago that I was no longer the "target market" for mumorpugers. If I actually ever was to begin with. What I might love? Most folks will probably hate. What I see as a problem? Others will see as a feature. I experienced this with TOR, STO, WAR, AoC, etc, etc... Even with WoW.

Even if I could, I wouldn't want to say what I see as good or bad yet. Because, for others if not most? I'll probably be wrong.

I've gone from definite preorder, to definite no preorder, to a solid and sure, "maybe." And that is just based on all that Carbine has shown and let be shown about WildStar.

I want WildStar to be the next big thing. But after so many others failed to be? I would completely admit to not being optimistic.

[RoninaThorstone]

I am just the opposite here. I am really glad they are doing a subscription based game. I don't care for MMOs that are F2P, just seems like every time you turn around they are trying to sell you something. I would rather pay my $15 a month and be left alone without the salesman hitting me up each time I log in.

That's like saying "I don't care about MMOs".

The vast majority of MMOs are F2P with only a couple that are subscription.

[Kelimbror]

I'm going to have to disagree with you there. Streamers are proof enough of their efforts.

This statement literally makes no logical sense.

Wildstar also pulled back from releases due to customer feedback and went back to the drawing board. Now it seems like you are saying that is bad that they did that? That's really strange. Why is it bad that a company says "ok, we hear you, let's redo our approach".

Except...you know...they didn't actually redo anything. It would have been fantastic if that's what had happened. Changing a UI element from displaying 1/10 Goblins Killed to showing a progress bar that does the exact same thing isn't redoing anything.

They've lightened up their NDA in the past month, certainly quite a bit of information out there.

The NDA hasn't been 'lightened up'...whatever that means...I'm still not free to discuss any personal opinions I may have of the game. A lot of people spouting sunshine have no experience beyond watching the game on youtube with fancy sarcasm and wit slapped over it. Whether it's devspeaks or youtubers making their money, they are not accurate reflections of the game. That's about all I've got to say.

[Matheren]

Whether it's devspeaks or youtubers making their money, they are not accurate reflections of the game. That's about all I've got to say.

I think all kinds of people streaming the first 15 levels is a pretty accurate reflection of the game. It may not be a complete one, but I'd call it fairly accurate.

[Kelimbror]

I think all kinds of people streaming the first 15 levels is a pretty accurate reflection of the game. It may not be a complete one, but I'd call it fairly accurate.

...unless you are the person playing the game in the stream, it's not remotely accurate. I can show you a shiny car sitting on a lot, sit in the seat and roll the windows down, show you a video of me cruising in a parking lot. Then when you buy it and the steering is terrible, the seats are uncomfortable, and it has some serious engine problems I'll be sure to tell you that you got the honest impression from watching me before buying.

(additionally, you must have missed the part where that was me expressing my opinion...as in, I don't feel what we see out there is an accurate representation of the game. Soo..yeah. Can't really tell me I'm wrong about my own opinion and experiences)

[Kiry]

This statement literally makes no logical sense.
Except...you know...they didn't actually redo anything. It would have been fantastic if that's what had happened. Changing a UI element from displaying 1/10 Goblins Killed to showing a progress bar that does the exact same thing isn't redoing anything.
The NDA hasn't been 'lightened up'...whatever that means...I'm still not free to discuss any personal opinions I may have of the game. A lot of people spouting sunshine have no experience beyond watching the game on youtube with fancy sarcasm and wit slapped over it. Whether it's devspeaks or youtubers making their money, they are not accurate reflections of the game. That's about all I've got to say.

*There are people streaming as proof of what is going on in the game. Like this site which says will be live streaming the game at 130 PST. http://www.twitch.tv/wildstarcore

*I guess you and I have different opinions on changes in the game from 1st beta to Winter beta. And yes, I gather neither of us can go into detail on that.

*Press/fan sites can stream and do articles of 1 - 35 areas. They weren't able to do any of that before. I dont get how those people are not accurate reflections of the game, but I do understand how youtube commentators can be difficult to weed through to find some grains of truth.

Edit: Ah I get that you feel that personal play is the only way to garner a true opinion. I would agree it makes the biggest impact. However, fan sites make a big impact, if they didn't....sites like this one wouldn't exist.