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A true F2P Game?

ZapleafZapleaf Member Posts: 31
in The Pub at MMORPG.COM

I was downloading a game and as I was I was checking its site out for some details on what to expect. I noticed it say free to play forever, I started thinking to myself ha yea free to play my ass there is always a loop-hole in that phrase these days. I took a moment and started thinking what I think a real F2P with good intentions could do to be a true F2P.

So the main aspect of publishing a game is to make money (the worlds most abundant / most treasured resource). But how could a game really ever be a true F2P? I know one small company that is ran by 2 people that is solely kept up by donations (3d graphics, in-game content, a slight rip-off of another game, But good intent). This I feel is the true Free to Play game. But the huge down side is they will not merge with a cooperate devil who will push for a item mall or monthly fee.

So how can you get away with a true F2P game? I think I have an idea. For one you need a good product, a game people want to play, not another WoW clone, Why play a rip-off when you got the real thing right in front of you. After you make the product people REALLY enjoy playing you got a start. Now you need to make money, and my idea is though advertisements.

Have you even been to a site that pays you for taking surveys or viewing ads? Well what if a MMO did the same thing, but instead of giving you money they game you gaming minutes instead?

The idea would be you get so many gaming hours for each successful survey you fill out or ad you click on. If this game got big enough (and if you got a good product that appeals to people it will) then you should be able to come out ahead still. Another idea would find a budget that you can get by on, and divided that with other math and how much the companies pay you for doing this, and find a way to give people playing time that is unlimited as long as they reach certain quotas.

So what do you guys think of this idea for a true F2P game?

Comments

  • GruntyGrunty Member EpicPosts: 8,657

    I'd rather pay a subscription than spend my gaming time viewing websites I don't care about and filling out surveys for something else I don't care about.

    "I used to think the worst thing in life was to be all alone.  It's not.  The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone."  Robin Williams
  • ZapleafZapleaf Member Posts: 31

    You are straying from the idea way to much.

    To everyone.

    This is a topic about what a True F2P game could do to be truly free.  Not a "Would you rather have a apple with worms or kiss a toad" kinda question.  Try to follow me i really want to hear some decent ideas or feed back.

  • guiltyoneguiltyone Member UncommonPosts: 103

    Sounds similar to the Acclaim business model right now actually. You can take surveys to get Acclaim Coins to pay for in game items, or look at ads in the game to pay for your time using it. Over all the idea has been tested and found very much lacking. Maybe it hasn't been done as "effectively" as some people may like, but think of it this way: why burden your users with ads using up bandwidth or using there play time filling out surveys when you could just charge moderate prices on digital items. Most free to play games offer the entire game up for free, you only purchase items from there store when you want to catch a break or just feel the need to stand out with a new set of cloths.

     

    And on a side note, personally I don't feel like there is a problem with item malls; if it wasn't a successful business model companies would stop using it. I do think there is a problem with the lack of innovative games using them, and I'm frankly disappointed with the crop of titles out now that utilize them.

     

     

    EDIT: Also the only truely free to play game I can honeslty think of would be PlaneShift. It's open source, runs a open source engine, and it's developed by a non profit organization. That is about as free to play as you can get. Unless you're a debian user and you're just hardcore about licensing and such and have to go off making your own images and labels for an ice weasel rather then a fire fox.

    Intelligence is the ability to avoid doing work, yet getting the work done.
    Linus Torvalds

  • WizardryWizardry Member LegendaryPosts: 19,332

    I think it depends on what F2P actually means?If you are referring to buying a game then playing it for free,that DOES exist.

    I think MANY are confusing F2P with buying it for free,not with PLAYING it for free.The ONLY game i know of that is free all the way around is not considered an MMO ,but in reality it is as much an MMO as any other game out there,if you count how many players you actually interact with.

    The game is UNREAL TOURNAMENT.You CAN d/l the free version of the game [any version of]and play it for free.Not only can you play it for free,but you can use the editor to create your own mods/game if you so desire,and as long as it is no profit,free to use again.You can't get any more free than that.

    Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.

  • AIMonsterAIMonster Member UncommonPosts: 2,059

    Being maintained through donations is one way, but unless your MMO costs very little upkeep then it's definitely not a good way.

    Another way is through advertising.  This is how most F2P Browser Based MMOs get away with being F2P.

  • ScotScot Member LegendaryPosts: 24,439

    F2P is a term which masks the true nature of the game, they are all RMT's really. The few that are really F2P barely manage to survive.

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