Lets wait and see how this turns out and then pass judgement. personally i think it may be a great testing ground to see how they should launch SWTOR. I hope they have great success with this.
Free Realms is a massive success. This will be too.
No, it's not.
They keep spouting all these millions of players, but the servers never grow.
And ToR barely qualifies as being aimed at teens, I'd consider it on equal footing in the childrens demographic with Clone Wars.
There was a Star Wars mmo for adults, but it failed. It's final incarnation's death looms even closer now.
That was SOE own fault dont blame SW itself. then it comes to SWTOR that graphic art they have now is epic fail it belongs to the 90s i think that Bioware ned to rethink about this sure i like cartoon but not to this game they can so much better then this.
This is not going to do well...at least TOR's design choices it the design for the source material. As soon as they introduced this cartoon-y style into a monie it was kind of a smack of the face for all older star wars fans.
Although if you've watched the show, some of the stuff looks really cool. But I doubt they can get that kind of effect in a game.
I heard about this a while ago, but I didn't realize it was so close to coming out. From this announcement it looks as though Sony will be using the same tactics they used with Free Realms. I have to say that I really loathe games that advertise as free to play and target children. It WILL NOT be free to play.
Free Realms worked as F2P for the first couple of months, but now you can only advance to level 5 and only play certain professions for free, otherwise, you have to pay a $5 monthly subscription. You can buy certain items with in-game money, but must pay for other items with "station cash", which you have to purchase. Add to the fact that, as far as I've seen, the only updates that the game recieves is to the station store, which again, is the market that requires real money to buy items.
Factor in a trading card game, which will no doubt have rare cards for loot that can't be gotten in-game, driving kids to buy card packs for the chance at getting them. In my opinion, this sales tactic promotes the idea of legalized gambling for kids. People may argue that kids need their parents' credit card to buy them, but that's not the case. Kids can buy game cards for station cash at gas stations and all kinds of other retail outlets with or without their parents' permission.
It is, of course, parents' responsibility to govern what their kids are doing, and what they spend money on. At the same time, however, I think it's pretty low of both SOE and LA to actively use Star Wars to make money off of children using the kind of tricks being touted in this release. This is a far cry from selling kids toys and toothpaste with Yoda's picture on it.
Recently I was experiencing a moment of weakness and I almost, almost starting giving Sony money again by subscribing to Vanguard. Man I'm glad I didn't give in. Picking at this scab just reminds me why I do not do business with this company.
Just give in and do it! I spent the last two years bouncing around MMOs doing everything I could to avoid giving SOE my money. After wasting money on AoC, WAR, and the last two WoW expansions I figured out I might as well play a game with great group content that I enjoy. As much as I hate SOE after ruining SWG and pushing VG out the door the way they did, I'm still happier playing VG than I have been in a long time.
Nah, not after this. It just drives home the point that I could have been happily playing for the last 5 years if it weren't for them. Reading their recent financial troubles just seems an ounce more sweet now. No, I'm going to stick to my principles and wait for World of Darkness Online or FFXIV. Coperincus too, though who knows how far out it is (or if Salvatore can continue working his magic with creating a world).
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
I heard about this a while ago, but I didn't realize it was so close to coming out. From this announcement it looks as though Sony will be using the same tactics they used with Free Realms. I have to say that I really loathe games that advertise as free to play and target children. It WILL NOT be free to play.
Free Realms worked as F2P for the first couple of months, but now you can only advance to level 5 and only play certain professions for free, otherwise, you have to pay a $5 monthly subscription. You can buy certain items with in-game money, but must pay for other items with "station cash", which you have to purchase. Add to the fact that, as far as I've seen, the only updates that the game recieves is to the station store, which again, is the market that requires real money to buy items.
Factor in a trading card game, which will no doubt have rare cards for loot that can't be gotten in-game, driving kids to buy card packs for the chance at getting them. In my opinion, this sales tactic promotes the idea of legalized gambling for kids. People may argue that kids need their parents' credit card to buy them, but that's not the case. Kids can buy game cards for station cash at gas stations and all kinds of other retail outlets with or without their parents' permission.
It is, of course, parents' responsibility to govern what their kids are doing, and what they spend money on. At the same time, however, I think it's pretty low of both SOE and LA to actively use Star Wars to make money off of children using the kind of tricks being touted in this release. This is a far cry from selling kids toys and toothpaste with Yoda's picture on it.
Well said. I have little doubt that the $OE cash shop will actually be the core content of this upcoming game, just as it is with Free Realms. The game is being pushed more as a virtual world, which makes me wonder if it will be a 'sandbox' in which players have to pay extra for sand and the tools/toys to actaully play in it.
It is ultimatly the job of parents to oversee thier childrens' activities, but I am guessing that $OE is banking on that there are plenty of parents that will not. Taking candy away from a baby hasn't been easier.
I think this is a great idea. My seven year old son loves the Clone Wars, and this looks to be a good game for him.
As far as the Free Realms model is concerned, I have no problem paying $5 a month if my child really enjoys the game. As far as the item shop is concerned, I have no problem telling my children no. If they want to spend some of their own money for station cash, I'll let them within reason. One the shine wears off of an in-game, they may learn an important lesson about impulse buying.
Most likely, my son will just play for free because it will only hold his interest for a short time like Free Realms.
I suspect that this is the reason that Free Realms has had no real new content apart from Station Cash items for some time. SOE is syphoning from their current customer base to pay for development of a new title instead of maintaining what they have. Now where have I seen this before?
"Soloists and those who prefer small groups should never have to feel like they''re the ones getting the proverbial table scraps, as it were." - Scott Hartsman, Senior Producer, Everquest II "People love groups. Its a fallacy that people want to play solo all the time." - Scott Hartsman, Executive Producer, Rift
You know aside from all the whinning and god you "hardcore" gamers can whine with the best of them. This game will be the Wizardry 101 of Star Wars. For those of you unfamilar Wizardry 101 is basically a fantasy setting Harry Potter game. Its graphics are just as cartoony as this one but it has some pretty involved quests and such. Looking at this game, it will pull the remaining SWG players into it. Heck I am going to play it, I am just that Starwars MMO starved I am, if you bother to watch the trailer with any attention, it actually looks fairly well done.
I never heard people complain that SWG was cartoony, but its graphics are about the same level of ToR's always has been. Looking around the only game that is realistic is AoC. But everyone says it sucks, well you asked for this high end graphics game and now complain incesently over how its content sucks, ToR and this game look as if all they did was listen to you guys two major complaints.
1) More Content (that was the rally cry after AoC failed) okay they gave you more content in these.
2) Make it so I dont have to spend thousands on a computer to play them! Okay lower the graphics levels so more people can play.
They have done EXACTLY what you all bitched and moaned for them to do, and now you all sit here and whine like stuck pigs over how cartoony the graphics are. You are all pretty much pathetic.
I suspect that this is the reason that Free Realms has had no real new content apart from Station Cash items for some time. SOE is syphoning from their current customer base to pay for development of a new title instead of maintaining what they have. Now where have I seen this before?
It's interesting how some of you can make normal business practices sound bad.
No company ever takes cash from an existing game and uses it for future games, AMIRITE!
What the majority of you dont understand is that this isnt even comparable to TOR, at least - if it is anything like free realms which i have given an extended and honest try as both a free user and an subscribed member, first off, in free realms, you don't fight, in fact, the only time you fight is when you enter one of their little instanced minigames(either static or mobile), which arent exactly in every nook and cranny, and the fighting that is there, feels fake, like killing ghosts in pacman after eating the blue ball. However the majority of the minigames are played like the arcade game collapse, including all the mining and most of the crafting, (cooking is more like playing the purbles place cake making game on windows vista+) and as far as it seems to be described, it looks like its just going to use the same engine as free realms. another annoying factor about games aimed at children is that half of the words in the dictionary are hidden behind a non-removable filter(similar to that of wizard 101, and of course, free realms) so for those who think this game is going to deter the people who plan on playing TOR you are sadly mistaken, it is NOT TOR with more features, in fact, i would have to say that though they use the same franchise they are completely different genres and playstyles. and as far as the card game, every SOE marketed game has a card game, and if it didnt have one before SOE bought it, they put one in it. The Bottom line is that this game is not going to be a serious mmo but a pleasant diversion much like a visit at pogo.com(even more so if Second Life had ingame computers and browsers(which is probably does since 99% of the content is player modeled and player programmed.))
Let me add that I neither plan to play this or TOR, so my theory is completely unbiased, made under the assumption that TCW is going to follow in the foodsteps of Free Realms.
This will be a 'clone' of Free Realms... get it? Clone... Clone Wars. Oh how I roflol'd.
Fine, so I didn't.
But anyways, this will be very similar to Free Realms. If you have little kiddos who have not tried Free Realms then point them in that direction to give them a taster in a fantasy world.
I know I, of the older gen, will be playing this and will be trying to get onto the Beta because I really do enjoy how harmless Free Realms is AND just how the support team from SOE are in such games. Hopefully the team will be similar.
Unfortunately, nothing from SOE or Sony or Schmedley will ever see another dime from me, ever. Very seriously. I haven't given Sony a dime since CU and NGE, technogeek that my household is, and never will - period.
Comments
Lets wait and see how this turns out and then pass judgement. personally i think it may be a great testing ground to see how they should launch SWTOR. I hope they have great success with this.
Lol, sorry, don't be mad at me, but one with your fancy and colourful avatar should LOVE the "children aspect", hehe. ^^
Homer Simpson's more like it...
It's Free Realms 2 with a Star Wars Skin
Have some cool aid, and noob it up some more.
That was SOE own fault dont blame SW itself. then it comes to SWTOR that graphic art they have now is epic fail it belongs to the 90s i think that Bioware ned to rethink about this sure i like cartoon but not to this game they can so much better then this.
Will have to tell this guy I work with, his son loves Clone Wars so would love to play this I bet.
Our spirit was here long before you
Long before us
And long will it be after your pride brings you to your end
This is not going to do well...at least TOR's design choices it the design for the source material. As soon as they introduced this cartoon-y style into a monie it was kind of a smack of the face for all older star wars fans.
Although if you've watched the show, some of the stuff looks really cool. But I doubt they can get that kind of effect in a game.
I heard about this a while ago, but I didn't realize it was so close to coming out. From this announcement it looks as though Sony will be using the same tactics they used with Free Realms. I have to say that I really loathe games that advertise as free to play and target children. It WILL NOT be free to play.
Free Realms worked as F2P for the first couple of months, but now you can only advance to level 5 and only play certain professions for free, otherwise, you have to pay a $5 monthly subscription. You can buy certain items with in-game money, but must pay for other items with "station cash", which you have to purchase. Add to the fact that, as far as I've seen, the only updates that the game recieves is to the station store, which again, is the market that requires real money to buy items.
Factor in a trading card game, which will no doubt have rare cards for loot that can't be gotten in-game, driving kids to buy card packs for the chance at getting them. In my opinion, this sales tactic promotes the idea of legalized gambling for kids. People may argue that kids need their parents' credit card to buy them, but that's not the case. Kids can buy game cards for station cash at gas stations and all kinds of other retail outlets with or without their parents' permission.
It is, of course, parents' responsibility to govern what their kids are doing, and what they spend money on. At the same time, however, I think it's pretty low of both SOE and LA to actively use Star Wars to make money off of children using the kind of tricks being touted in this release. This is a far cry from selling kids toys and toothpaste with Yoda's picture on it.
Nah, not after this. It just drives home the point that I could have been happily playing for the last 5 years if it weren't for them. Reading their recent financial troubles just seems an ounce more sweet now. No, I'm going to stick to my principles and wait for World of Darkness Online or FFXIV. Coperincus too, though who knows how far out it is (or if Salvatore can continue working his magic with creating a world).
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
Well said. I have little doubt that the $OE cash shop will actually be the core content of this upcoming game, just as it is with Free Realms. The game is being pushed more as a virtual world, which makes me wonder if it will be a 'sandbox' in which players have to pay extra for sand and the tools/toys to actaully play in it.
It is ultimatly the job of parents to oversee thier childrens' activities, but I am guessing that $OE is banking on that there are plenty of parents that will not. Taking candy away from a baby hasn't been easier.
I think this is a great idea. My seven year old son loves the Clone Wars, and this looks to be a good game for him.
As far as the Free Realms model is concerned, I have no problem paying $5 a month if my child really enjoys the game. As far as the item shop is concerned, I have no problem telling my children no. If they want to spend some of their own money for station cash, I'll let them within reason. One the shine wears off of an in-game, they may learn an important lesson about impulse buying.
Most likely, my son will just play for free because it will only hold his interest for a short time like Free Realms.
I suspect that this is the reason that Free Realms has had no real new content apart from Station Cash items for some time. SOE is syphoning from their current customer base to pay for development of a new title instead of maintaining what they have. Now where have I seen this before?
"Soloists and those who prefer small groups should never have to feel like they''re the ones getting the proverbial table scraps, as it were." - Scott Hartsman, Senior Producer, Everquest II
"People love groups. Its a fallacy that people want to play solo all the time." - Scott Hartsman, Executive Producer, Rift
You know aside from all the whinning and god you "hardcore" gamers can whine with the best of them. This game will be the Wizardry 101 of Star Wars. For those of you unfamilar Wizardry 101 is basically a fantasy setting Harry Potter game. Its graphics are just as cartoony as this one but it has some pretty involved quests and such. Looking at this game, it will pull the remaining SWG players into it. Heck I am going to play it, I am just that Starwars MMO starved I am, if you bother to watch the trailer with any attention, it actually looks fairly well done.
I never heard people complain that SWG was cartoony, but its graphics are about the same level of ToR's always has been. Looking around the only game that is realistic is AoC. But everyone says it sucks, well you asked for this high end graphics game and now complain incesently over how its content sucks, ToR and this game look as if all they did was listen to you guys two major complaints.
1) More Content (that was the rally cry after AoC failed) okay they gave you more content in these.
2) Make it so I dont have to spend thousands on a computer to play them! Okay lower the graphics levels so more people can play.
They have done EXACTLY what you all bitched and moaned for them to do, and now you all sit here and whine like stuck pigs over how cartoony the graphics are. You are all pretty much pathetic.
Will it be on the Station Pass?
It's interesting how some of you can make normal business practices sound bad.
No company ever takes cash from an existing game and uses it for future games, AMIRITE!
------- END TRANSMISSION
What the majority of you dont understand is that this isnt even comparable to TOR, at least - if it is anything like free realms which i have given an extended and honest try as both a free user and an subscribed member, first off, in free realms, you don't fight, in fact, the only time you fight is when you enter one of their little instanced minigames(either static or mobile), which arent exactly in every nook and cranny, and the fighting that is there, feels fake, like killing ghosts in pacman after eating the blue ball. However the majority of the minigames are played like the arcade game collapse, including all the mining and most of the crafting, (cooking is more like playing the purbles place cake making game on windows vista+) and as far as it seems to be described, it looks like its just going to use the same engine as free realms. another annoying factor about games aimed at children is that half of the words in the dictionary are hidden behind a non-removable filter(similar to that of wizard 101, and of course, free realms) so for those who think this game is going to deter the people who plan on playing TOR you are sadly mistaken, it is NOT TOR with more features, in fact, i would have to say that though they use the same franchise they are completely different genres and playstyles. and as far as the card game, every SOE marketed game has a card game, and if it didnt have one before SOE bought it, they put one in it. The Bottom line is that this game is not going to be a serious mmo but a pleasant diversion much like a visit at pogo.com(even more so if Second Life had ingame computers and browsers(which is probably does since 99% of the content is player modeled and player programmed.))
Let me add that I neither plan to play this or TOR, so my theory is completely unbiased, made under the assumption that TCW is going to follow in the foodsteps of Free Realms.
~ Hanselhelm the Jackal
also let me add that TOR does not have stylized graphics, they are very serious in both proportion and pallet, as well as theme.
~ Hanselhelm the Jackal
This will be a 'clone' of Free Realms... get it? Clone... Clone Wars. Oh how I roflol'd.
Fine, so I didn't.
But anyways, this will be very similar to Free Realms. If you have little kiddos who have not tried Free Realms then point them in that direction to give them a taster in a fantasy world.
I know I, of the older gen, will be playing this and will be trying to get onto the Beta because I really do enjoy how harmless Free Realms is AND just how the support team from SOE are in such games. Hopefully the team will be similar.
Can't wait.
>.^ <--{Bang} Lets burn all games, and just make Everything an MMO lol.
Seems pretty cool for those who may not have time to play TOR though. It sounds like fun.
I always thought Star Wars with the "new" movie episodes was for kids, good thing that they are admitting it now.
My gaming blog
Looks fun, it will be a good filler before TOR
Unfortunately, nothing from SOE or Sony or Schmedley will ever see another dime from me, ever. Very seriously. I haven't given Sony a dime since CU and NGE, technogeek that my household is, and never will - period.