Buy to play?

[Durzlla]

Ok so i was told recently by someone that rift had become buy to play... is this true? Because i'd love to start playing again!! The only reason i quit is because between not having enough time to play, and the few times i was able to play i had to play it on the shitty graphics (i play on a laptop).

Can anyone confirm whether or not it -IS- buy to play? Or is it still pay to play?

[Caiada]

Still P2P.

(Also, I think your sig may be too big..... Just a warning.)

[Durzlla]

Still P2P.

(Also, I think your sig may be too big..... Just a warning.)

Aw this saddens me.... and thanks for the warning!!

[Azuri]

This question was asked to the developers recently and they clearly said it will not be B2P or F2P the answer was as follows:

"I followed up with the obligatory free-to-play question, and Hanlin said "No. If players want to try it before they buy it, there are trials and plenty of promotions that allow them to do that." He added that they "view RIFT as a premium service, and are focused on continuing to deliver the best dynamic content in the world, and unless someone tells me something differently, and by that I mean Scott, we'll continue to do what we're doing."

Source

[Errn]

That's a teriffic answer on Trion's behalf lol. They're 100% right. I'll be giving them my money for a long time! ...specially after this new upcoming patch!

(yes I came out of the woodworks)

[Zauber]

Aw this saddens me....

What exactly, your sig's size or the fact that some games aren't going to become complete f2p shit?
And what is this 'buy to play'? It is when you buy offline fps or quest game CD?

[Edge-]

What exactly, your sig's size or the fact that some games aren't going to become complete f2p shit?
And what is this 'buy to play'? It is when you buy offline fps or quest game CD?

I think it's pretty clear he's talking about the fact that it's highly unlikely it will become F2P. And F2P games definitely aren't shit, I still don't get the irrational hatred of them that so many people display.

Buy to play is like what Guild Wars 1/2 have, where you purchase the game, but are not charged a subscription fee.

[Fencers]

What exactly, your sig's size or the fact that some games aren't going to become complete f2p shit?
And what is this 'buy to play'? It is when you buy offline fps or quest game CD?

B2P as in the Guild Wars model- buy the game, play for free. Game support comes from CS items and expansions.

It's pretty effective for the style of game that is Guild Wars. Doubtful it would ever work for Rift. Totally different design goals.

OT: I think Rift will continue to offer the game up front for SUPER low cost. Maybe even have a "endless" free trial ala WOW or Warhammer. But the game's design model hinges on subscriptions.

$5 for Rift with no time card? Sure, great way to get people over. Free weekend play? Yea, sounds good. F2P with a cash shop? Doubtful.

[Zauber]

I think it's pretty clear he's talking about the fact that it's highly unlikely it will become F2P. And F2P games definitely aren't shit, I still don't get the irrational hatred of them that so many people display.

You don't need to live a life to find out that you don't get anything decent for free, this seems quite rational for me.

[Magisleeper]

I think it's pretty clear he's talking about the fact that it's highly unlikely it will become F2P. And F2P games definitely aren't shit, I still don't get the irrational hatred of them that so many people display.

Buy to play is like what Guild Wars 1/2 have, where you purchase the game, but are not charged a subscription fee.

I dont think hatred of f2p games is irrational, as for myself, one of the main reasons I dislike f2p is because when I pay for something I have the right to demand it be excellent, my ~15$ a month gives me a voice and a right to complain if I dislike an aspect of the game; With f2p all arguements can be solved with 'its free, dont like it leave'. Also playing a game thats f2p always leaves me with a sense that at any moment it could fail and any work put into it will be gone. Lastly while I am sure some f2p games are decent, the majority are just horrid little copies of one another.

[Fencers]

I dont think hatred of f2p games is irrational, as for myself, one of the main reasons I dislike f2p is because when I pay for something I have the right to demand it be excellent, my ~15$ a month gives me a voice and a right to complain if I dislike an aspect of the game; With f2p all arguements can be solved with 'its free, dont like it leave'. Also playing a game thats f2p always leaves me with a sense that at any moment it could fail and any work put into it will be gone. Lastly while I am sure some f2p games are decent, the majority are just horrid little copies of one another.

I don't mean to skew the topic too far from the OP.

But as someone who enjoys subscription and F2P MMOs, it can also be quite freeing to only invest what I want into a game.

When a F2P no longer is enjoyable to me, I just walk away and have no baggage other than the $5-100 I might have spent on the game over that time. To me, that's no worse than buying Dead Island for $60 (so disappointing :/ ) or $100+$15/mo for FF14 and dropping them less than a month later.

There can be some pretty nice aspects to not paying for the promise of a game in the future sense as many MMO ask of players.

Just wanted to say that real quick. Sorry to be OT!

[Redblade]

Think most of the 'hatred' against F2P comes from the fact that lots of them come with the P2Win option in the free package.

[nikat]

Think most of the 'hatred' against F2P comes from the fact that lots of them come with the P2Win option in the free package.

Pretty much this. Most F2P games still need to make money, and to do that, they usually provide a way to buy items/currency in game, which end up costing you more money if you want to be competitive, also ruin any in game economy(though this can happen without f2p as well, aka wow, and probably down the road rift).

[Dorfadin]

As of right now Rift is the only game worth paying 15 a month, for the sheer content they put out, 6 big patches over 8 months, with WOW lucky to get 1 patch in that time, and I don't doubt TOR will be the same slow updates also with all the voiceovers etc they have to add.

[Puremallace]

Think most of the 'hatred' against F2P comes from the fact that lots of them come with the P2Win option in the free package.

Here is the problem. They call it free to play trash for a reason. Either 1. The game is very low quality or 2. The game is high quality, but to actually pay for it they need to keep adding cash shop items.

Look at AoC's cash shop
Look at league of Legends now being forced to add new hero's one after another more appealing then the previous one to keep up with the cost
Look at Guild Wars. Last time they put out a update was 3 months ago? and it was talked about for maybe 1 days, then forgotten about. I think subscription is still Viable as long as the company is not trash.

NCSoft and Aion = trash and should not be charging a monthly sub of 15$
WoW and Blizzard = should not be charging 15$ a month. This company brings in a billion dollars A YEAR just off WoW alone and WoW only get 3 updates a year, then they tell you to buy another expansion.

I bet after the free to play bubble pops like it is starting to do now, then you will see "pay by the hour" become viable in the United States. I'll put money on that is where WoW is headed because that is the financial model they use already in Asia.

If they did "pay by the hour" even I would pick up WoW and start playing again. We all knew it was coming once actual competition was added to the market. A subscription price war is going to break out in 2012. Do not be surprised if Blizzard starts it first.