Coming back to Rift, haven't played since June 2013

[Zafire]

Wow, guess it really has been a year and a half...

I'm mostly just concerned about what I have to buy to have access to all that wont leave me at a disadvantage.

The first thing that strikes me is the Dream Soul pack, as I don't have access to the new souls without them. There is something about earring slots being added, too. Are those simply cosmetic or do they grant stats? I can get those with the Typhoon edition. If I buy them directly from the in-game store, it would cost me a minimum of $60 in credits. I'm okay with that though, I guess. Is there another alternative?

Also, my girlfriend is going to be trying Rift as well, what is the most efficient route to get the storm legion souls, dream soul pack, and all the other necessities?

Thanks, I'm a little lost!

[Fencers]

You only need to buy the additional classes. All content, ALL CONTENT, is 100% free of charge with no restrictions.

I think the classes are sold in packs for like $20 USD each. So $40 total, maybe. I don't know exact price.

[Deleted]

The earring slots (2 of them) aren't just cosmetic. They have stats and need to be bought.

[Deleted]

Btw can you get earrings in pvp?
Anyway, I dont know if I will make my return... don't feel to eager level up my cleric 50-65, and I dont want to pvp as mage in fire only.
A lot of people talk about the gear at end game but noone seems to be able to provide an answer. Back in the days there were trillions of ranks to grind in pvp in order to reach BiS gear, for a casual expect at least half a year with an hour or two of gameplay/day. People should correct me if Im wrong, but atm it seems like they removed all these ranks and there is same kind of gear for pvp and pve which should mean that getting BiS in pvp is waaaay easier now, as in doable for normal people. Since noone comments on this I wonder if it's really the case or if the eternal grind is still there? Once upon a time Trion had lots of pvp vets that spent more time in game than any sane people would and they really wanted to be special snowflakes with the pvp gear they had grinded so Trion could never make changes to please casuals a bit more because of this. So, Im just waiting for someone to explain but it seems like noone really understand gear changes just yet... so guess it's complicated?

[Edge-]

The earring slots (2 of them) aren't just cosmetic. They have stats and need to be bought.

Technically you can grind them out in-game (cap Void Stones every week for 3 weeks per unlock, and each slot is a different unlock so you'd need to spend 6 weeks)...but holy hell if it isn't an insanely massive grind that makes me recoil in terror at the mere thought.

So you don't need to spend money on them...but holy hell are you in for a nightmare of grinding if you don't.

@Tea: I think there are PvP earrings, but not sure. I'll try to remember to check tonight and let you know.

[Fencers]

I think it is worth noting that "massive grind" is pretty limited and depending on the type of player you are may not be all that significant. The earrings slots are the only thing in Rift that works that way- and you kinda can work up to it in direct way. As gold in Rift can be traded for cash shop currency and you also have the void stone collection thingy.

It's easy to get a false impression that Rift locks it's content behind either a "paywall" or "massive grind" based on a handful or just a couple of forum commentators saying so. But that is not a complete assessment of the game or necessarily accurate.

All the content in Rift is free. Class roles, gear slots, mounts, et cetera are not actually content or gameplay. They are pretty swell. They allow content to be experienced perhaps more pleasantly. Though no, it is not content. And all of that can be gained through moderate real money expenditure, in game currency and/or virtual currency-to-cash shop credit conversion.

The degree to which one may feel it is fair to have three methods of acquisition available is a personal judgement. The game and it's content is free to play all the same.

[Lathais]

I think it is worth noting that "massive grind" is pretty limited and depending on the type of player you are may not be all that significant. The earrings slots are the only thing in Rift that works that way- and you kinda can work up to it in direct way. As gold in Rift can be traded for cash shop currency and you also have the void stone collection thingy.

It's easy to get a false impression that Rift locks it's content behind either a "paywall" or "massive grind" based on a handful or just a couple of forum commentators saying so. But that is not a complete assessment of the game or necessarily accurate.

All the content in Rift is free. Class roles, gear slots, mounts, et cetera are not actually content or gameplay. They are pretty swell. They allow content to be experienced perhaps more pleasantly. Though no, it is not content. And all of that can be gained through moderate real money expenditure, in game currency and/or virtual currency-to-cash shop credit conversion.

The degree to which one may feel it is fair to have three methods of acquisition available is a personal judgement. The game and it's content is free to play all the same.

How many guilds/PuGs will let you raid without earrings? So, it may be free, but it's not.

[Fencers]

How many guilds/PuGs will let you raid without earrings? So, it may be free, but it's not.

Not relevant.

How players wish to play the game by self created rules has no bearing on content, design or business model of the game.

This even assumes everyone is equally interested in the same content experience. Which is false, naturally.

[Lathais]

Not relevant.

How players wish to play the game by self created rules has no bearing on content, design or business model of the game.

This even assumes everyone is equally interested in the same content experience. Which is false, naturally.

Whether it's developers or players locking content behind a paid item, it's still locked behind a paid item. Who locked it there is irrelevant, it is locked.

One could also argue that by design you are intended to take every advantage possible. Also encounter design is based around having those stats. Still irrelevant though as that content is locked behind a paid item by players.

Naturally it is false that all players are interested in that content, but is that content not included in 100% of the content?

[Kyanion]

I mean I think the thing that caused me to never come back to Rift was finding out the new souls were locked behind paywalls. To find out there is a new item slot that is either a massive grind or a paywall...just no. Not having an item slot or access to souls that other people do have is frustrating. I just don't want to spend money to do that so I will just have to wait and see if things change in the future. I've been looking for a game to mess around with on weekends as I've got some free time, but the stuff in Rift I've read about makes me very reluctant to do so.

[Deleted]

@Tea: I think there are PvP earrings, but not sure. I'll try to remember to check tonight and let you know.

Thanks that would be really friendly if you could do =)

[Khelendros]

I mean I think the thing that caused me to never come back to Rift was finding out the new souls were locked behind paywalls. To find out there is a new item slot that is either a massive grind or a paywall...just no. Not having an item slot or access to souls that other people do have is frustrating. I just don't want to spend money to do that so I will just have to wait and see if things change in the future. I've been looking for a game to mess around with on weekends as I've got some free time, but the stuff in Rift I've read about makes me very reluctant to do so.

Countless other F2P games have locked classes behind expansions. How is this any different?

As for the earring slot. Ignore Lathais. You can absolutely raid without earrings. Progression raiding? Yea that you will need earrings for, but with a normal guild you don't need the earring slots.

[Fencers]

Whether it's developers or players locking content behind a paid item, it's still locked behind a paid item.

It's not locked behind a pay item at all though. There are 3 methods to acquire the item slots.

Anything players might add on top of that is of no concern.

Naturally it is false that all players are interested in that content, but is that content not included in 100% of the content?

It's free and you play it. There is no content lockout via payment.

I mean I think the thing that caused me to never come back to Rift was finding out the new souls were locked behind paywalls.

One doesn't actually need the new souls to do anything, for what it is worth. Extra souls simply provide more class combination options. But there is no content that restrict a Warrior from playing because they lack the Liberator soul.

[Lathais]

Countless other F2P games have locked classes behind expansions. How is this any different?

As for the earring slot. Ignore Lathais. You can absolutely raid without earrings. Progression raiding? Yea that you will need earrings for, but with a normal guild you don't need the earring slots.

Define progression raiding. If I were to start today, get to max and try to raid without earring, that would be progression raiding for me. Unless i just joined a guild that was willing to carry me through. What other steps of raiding are there in between progression and being carried?

Also, T1 and possibly T2 may be tuned with enough margin for error that without those additional stats you can clear them, but if they keep doing things the way they have been late T2 and T3 will be so tight I'd bet it's not possible without those earrings.

Ignore me if you want though, that's fine. Later tiers are tuned tightly and you need every edge possible.

[Fencers]

Progression raiding in not usually defined as "personal progression" but server or guild based progression. In the case of the former it is historically the only actual progression related to tiered raiding. The latter to specifically instanced expiring content in limited linear design.

[Lathais]

It's not locked behind a pay item at all though. There are 3 methods to acquire the item slots.

Anything players might add on top of that is of no concern.

It's free and you play it. There is no content lockout via payment.

One doesn't actually need the new souls to do anything, for what it is worth. Extra souls simply provide more class combination options. But there is no content that restrict a Warrior from playing because they lack the Liberator soul.

Just because there are other ways to acquire it does not mean it's not a pay item. It is an item you can pay for. Anything player might add on top of that is certainly something devs should consider before adding the items. Devs should always consider how players will react to additions.

Personally, I am ok with the souls, it's like buying the expansion except totally optional. Increasing currency caps for patrons? Now if I want to keep up with the other players I gotta be patron too, or get left behind. That makes it less optional. Buying the title on top of that? It's starting to get to be too much. Still barely acceptable to me, barely, but getting to be too much for others and I am beginning to see where they are coming from.

Friend finally convinced me to play FFXIV:ARR since it had a 14-day free trial. I just missed the $10 sale(that came with a month sub worth $15) so now I gotta pay $25 to buy the game and cover the first month. After that, it's as simple as $15/month and it's over. Nothing additional on top of that until expansion. Period.

With Rift, I don't have to buy the expansion, or the sub. However, the leveling experience is designed around the sub and the end-game experience is designed around having those items. If I do not pay the sub, then I run out of quests while leveling and am forced to grind. Takes far longer to grind the reps needed as well. Sure, I can buy those things with Plat/REX but that requires plat, which new players do not have. Hell, I don't have. When I stopped playing, I was pretty broke after buying the NT Souls with plat. So I gotta sub, or spend extra time in game farming. Ok, I can deal with that. Now I gotta buy a title to get earring slots. Either through time(I could spend at work making money) or by buying them. Hmm, ok, well I already bought the expansion(souls) and am already paying a sub.....I have to pay more or spend time in game doing things I do not enjoy to afford it? WTF?

You can say you do not need them all you want too, it's easy to say that when you probably have them. From what I have seen on forums and talking to people I know that still play, that is not how most people feel though. Even if you do not need it for T1 and early T2 where there is still enough margin for error if you do not screw up you can still get through it without them, T3 will not be the same. T3 is going to be tightly tuned. You will need every bit you can get. So say you don't need them all you want, while having them and before T3. Go ahead, I don't believe it.

Even if I do not need them. It's now something I have to stop playing, stop being immersed in the game and think about. Real life is now coming in to my game. I go home to play my game and not think about real life. Not think about my budget, which is very tight as it is due to taking a huge pay cut(literally almost half after my position was eliminated, then 6 months later they decided they really did need that position but hired someone else, a friend of mine no less, at my old pay rate) after recession hit. If there were an option to buy the expansion at a reasonable cost with all the things included and pay a sub, it might be worth it. However, from what I can tell on the site, I'd need the $150 pack, which is closer to a collectors edition which I never buy.

[Fencers]

Just because there are other ways to acquire it does not mean it's not a pay item. It is an item you can pay for.

A paywall is specifically a barrier that must be overcome through payment. There is nonesuch in Rift.

One can pay for the earring slots. Or not. In either case the entirety of content is free to everyone.

Devs should always consider how players will react to additions.

They do. But they can not control community created "rules" or behavior.

[Kyanion]

I get what you are saying Fencers but for the min/maxxers in some of us, having souls/earrings behind paywalls IS a barrier. As far as I know you cannot buy the souls through in game means, correct?

[garethrogue]

I tried to come back once. Asked a simple question, got a bunch of sarcastic answers. Immediately logged out and haven't looked back since.

[Lathais]

I get what you are saying Fencers but for the min/maxxers in some of us, having souls/earrings behind paywalls IS a barrier. As far as I know you cannot buy the souls through in game means, correct?

You certainly can. You can buy REX with Plat from other players, those REX become credits and you buy the souls. You can also look for "gifters" in chat and just pay them x Plat and they will gift you the souls. This requires thousands of plat though, something not everyone, especially new players, have. If you are like me, it requires logging in and doing things you do not enjoy in order to get, so I may as well go to work and make money instead.