I think the main problem that most people have with F2P games including myself (altho i play some) is the support isnt there... or its there for the first few months then the GMs dont give a damn , ive seen it time and time again.. if companys gave a damn after the first few months then more people would maybe play them .... customer service is so bad its unreal...
Most p2p companies indeed do a better job at maintaining quality and customer service. But that's not due to the payment models, but to companies themselves and their corporate philosophy. Most F2P are imports and operated by branches of foreign companies with different culture, so shouldn't be included in discussion of payment models.
That said, here is the huge problem with free to play, of which the author conveniently ignored. It effects the design of the game. Meaning, origininally a game would be designed to be fun, the maximum amount of enjoyment and special features would be the hook which keeps people playing the game. The moment you add free to play, you essentially design the game around business, not "fun".
It's interesting you say that.
TranceJeremy posted two links in the LOTRO forum, one of them a powerpoint of Turbine's system and another from the point of view of a chinese f2p game designer.
Here is the link for the chinese game developer and I think you will find it very interesting when the word "fun" is mentioned.
Personally i can't wait. I am a LS and am looking forwar do tthis, LOTRO was dying before this annoucement.
Why do people keep saying this when it was widely agreed that LOTRO was in the top 5 western pay to play mmos? They made this switch because they got greedy and wanted more money, the game by all official reports was doing quite well.
That all depends on who the "they" is. Given that Turbine has been bought out by WB, it could have been the WB suits who made the call. If you've had any experience dealing with HollyWeird outfits, you would know that this would only be expected from the type of slime that inhabit such corps. But lets wait to see what the details are, before we break out the torches and pitchforks.
The forum posters are saavy enough to understand f2p.
F2p developers aren't saavy enough to understand that traditional mmo players don't want cash shops that allow shortcuts or excessively powerful items to be bought with real cash. It ruins the fairness of the playing field.
And only rewarding those who have little or no life outside of the game is "fair"? Money/Time are interchangeable to me. What I look for are games that entertain me. If they do, I really do not care if they are P2P, F2P or some hybrid. The idea that *only* time investment is "fair" , is narrow minded and short sighted. Many other people obviously do not agree. Lets let market dyanmics sort this out.
I'm sorry I didn't read all 156 comments before posting so my question might have already been answered.
In your article you state that in China they cannot sell boxed products because of pirating. How does pirating apply when most MMOs are offered thru direct download? You can burn a million copies of a MMO DvD and you get a million useless copies...without the key. I can buy this argument for single-player games that do not require a valid account to logon, but I'm not buying it for MMOs.
The forum posters are saavy enough to understand f2p.
F2p developers aren't saavy enough to understand that traditional mmo players don't want cash shops that allow shortcuts or excessively powerful items to be bought with real cash. It ruins the fairness of the playing field.
And only rewarding those who have little or no life outside of the game is "fair"? Money/Time are interchangeable to me. What I look for are games that entertain me. If they do, I really do not care if they are P2P, F2P or some hybrid. The idea that *only* time investment is "fair" , is narrow minded and short sighted. Many other people obviously do not agree. Lets let market dyanmics sort this out.
The problem I see with your statement is that one should be entitled to the same rewards in exchange for some monetary value as opposed to spending the time to earn them. If one cannot spend the time in a game to earn something, perhaps they should rethink their decision to play said game. It may not seem "fair" to some who think they should get the option to catch up quickly with others who have been playing longer but.. ah, entitlement, such a horrible mentality.
I don't dislike F2P games as a whole, I just won't spend actual money to bypass the time it takes to level or acquire items. So what if someone else is geared better than I am? I'll eventually get there. *shrug*
I'm sorry I didn't read all 156 comments before posting so my question might have already been answered.
In your article you state that in China they cannot sell boxed products because of pirating. How does pirating apply when most MMOs are offered thru direct download? You can burn a million copies of a MMO DvD and you get a million useless copies...without the key. I can buy this argument for single-player games that do not require a valid account to logon, but I'm not buying it for MMOs.
Wondered about that myself. Only one use per access code. Once its used, its useless. Not to mention that MMO games rely on connection to the games servers. I'd totally agree on the piracy angle, but it doesn't seem to apply to MMO's.
I wonder if City of Heroes or EQ2 will ever follow Turbine's suit? Since they're both pay to play and have cash item shops.
Still I think "Free to Play" and "F2P" are the culprits in twisting the poorly articulated shouter's panties into knots. Not the business model, the actual names. I think they should be called "nominal fee" games. Since that's the phrase the industry throws around.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
The problem I see with your statement is that one should be entitled to the same rewards in exchange for some monetary value as opposed to spending the time to earn them. If one cannot spend the time in a game to earn something, perhaps they should rethink their decision to play said game. It may not seem "fair" to some who think they should get the option to catch up quickly with others who have been playing longer but.. ah, entitlement, such a horrible mentality.
I don't dislike F2P games as a whole, I just won't spend actual money to bypass the time it takes to level or acquire items. So what if someone else is geared better than I am? I'll eventually get there. *shrug*
So let me get this straight? Just because I have limited time to play, I shouldn't be playing? What kind of entitlement crap is that? Time is a commodity, pure and simple. Just because I have more money doesn't make me any better or worse at a game then you, and just because you have more time does not make you any better or worse then me at a game.
I'm sorry I didn't read all 156 comments before posting so my question might have already been answered.
In your article you state that in China they cannot sell boxed products because of pirating. How does pirating apply when most MMOs are offered thru direct download? You can burn a million copies of a MMO DvD and you get a million useless copies...without the key. I can buy this argument for single-player games that do not require a valid account to logon, but I'm not buying it for MMOs.
Wondered about that myself. Only one use per access code. Once its used, its useless. Not to mention that MMO games rely on connection to the games servers. I'd totally agree on the piracy angle, but it doesn't seem to apply to MMO's.
Well I believe the Asian model came about because of the Internet / Game cafe style of shop set up in a lot of Asian markets. Not everyone has a PC in their home so these public shops are set up and people pay to play by the hour. So a box couldn't sell because no one would have a machine to install it on.
The solution was to create games that could quickly be installed on public machines, be accessed through a web site, and profits could be made by selling XP boosts and health potions so people who can only play 3 or 4 hours a week could have a game experience over time.
It's evolved a little since then. But that's the origin.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
The forum posters are saavy enough to understand f2p.
F2p developers aren't saavy enough to understand that traditional mmo players don't want cash shops that allow shortcuts or excessively powerful items to be bought with real cash. It ruins the fairness of the playing field.
And only rewarding those who have little or no life outside of the game is "fair"? Money/Time are interchangeable to me. What I look for are games that entertain me. If they do, I really do not care if they are P2P, F2P or some hybrid. The idea that *only* time investment is "fair" , is narrow minded and short sighted. Many other people obviously do not agree. Lets let market dyanmics sort this out.
The problem I see with your statement is that one should be entitled to the same rewards in exchange for some monetary value as opposed to spending the time to earn them. If one cannot spend the time in a game to earn something, perhaps they should rethink their decision to play said game. It may not seem "fair" to some who think they should get the option to catch up quickly with others who have been playing longer but.. ah, entitlement, such a horrible mentality.
I don't dislike F2P games as a whole, I just won't spend actual money to bypass the time it takes to level or acquire items. So what if someone else is geared better than I am? I'll eventually get there. *shrug*
You use the words "should" and "entitled" in your above. Who says that you "should" be "entitled" to such? You are more than welcome to make such determinations for yourself. But attempting to impose it on others is not wise. I quite agree about entitlement... Those who believe that time investment is the only "fair" measure, also have a sense of entitlement.
I have no problem spending money on games I enjoy. P2P, F2P or some hybrid is all the same to me, just so long as its entertaining. Its all about choice.
Then came "the internet" era. MUD's exploded onto the scene. Free to play, merely asking for donations to keep their Sparc 1 up and running. A few tried to charge, but it was rare. Now Prodigy was a sad panda. Everything it provided was now becoming available on the internet for free (and AOL switched up too).
Then came "the internet" era. MUD's exploded onto the scene. Free to play, merely asking for donations to keep their Sparc 1 up and running. A few tried to charge, but it was rare. Now Prodigy was a sad panda. Everything it provided was now becoming available on the internet for free (and AOL switched up too).
+1,059,731 win points for the sparc1 ref
woot
LoL No lie. That took me back to the time before there was such a thing as N+ For Dummies.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
Personally i can't wait. I am a LS and am looking forwar do tthis, LOTRO was dying before this annoucement.
Why do people keep saying this when it was widely agreed that LOTRO was in the top 5 western pay to play mmos? They made this switch because they got greedy and wanted more money, the game by all official reports was doing quite well.
How was it widely agreed that LotRO was in the top 5 mmos when execs from both WB and Turbine said it was in fact not? LotRO is no higher than 8th on the list, and that's straight from the horses mouth, so to speak.
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.- -And on the 8th day, man created God.-
That's not coin-operated, that's a subscription fee.
LOL! You've got to be kidding. There's no way you're even remotely serious about that. Cars are some of the ultimate coin-operated machines out there. Maybe your car payment would be a subscription fee, but paying your insurance, putting gas in your car, getting an oil change, etc. are all cash shop items, since you have to pay for them out of pocket in order to keep your car up and running.
BTW, houses are coin-operated, too. The mortgage and taxes might be the subscription fees that keep the roof over your head, but without the monthly cash shop payments like homeowner's insurance, your utilities, furniture, food in the pantry, and everything else you need in the house in order to live, you're not going to get a whole lot out of all those monthly fees but an empty shell to call your own.
great article if f2p business stick to a rule like the one mentionned i guess f2p game have improved a lot .because in the past f2p were a nighmare. * Consumable items that speed up gameplay * Consumable items that increase the chance of good things happening * Consumable items that decrease the chance of bad things happening * Cosmetic items * Customer-service items * Additional content. great view by the way!
Its pretty simple really think of free to play as an extended free trial in games such as DDO . If you then like the game subscribe . its a lot fairer system than the antiquated 15 dollars a month . Where that got us ? One game that dominates the market . It also allows us to play multiple games each month . This hybrid model of optional subscriptions and micropayment is an always will be the best way to go for 90 percent of mmos . Its hear to stay and will become the normal in the coming years .
Then scroll down to GDC 2010, a lecture by Ernest Adams
Once the video starts, the second half of his lecture actually goes into the guy you mention. The quotes you hear will make anyone become fearful.
Amazing design lecture for anyone interested in player centric design as well as the f2p mentality.
good find, thanks!
If you're reading this thread and haven't viewed this video, you're doiong yourself a disservice. Hearing someone from inside the industry mention some of the same points that have been going through my head the past few days felt very, very reassuring, for some reason. Maybe it's just knowing that not everyone in the "biz" feels that F2P is a good idea.
"This is life! We suffer and slave and expire. That's it!" -Bernard Black (Dylan Moran)
Then scroll down to GDC 2010, a lecture by Ernest Adams
Once the video starts, the second half of his lecture actually goes into the guy you mention. The quotes you hear will make anyone become fearful.
Amazing design lecture for anyone interested in player centric design as well as the f2p mentality.
good find, thanks!
If you're reading this thread and haven't viewed this video, you're doiong yourself a disservice. Hearing someone from inside the industry mention some of the same points that have been going through my head the past few days felt very, very reassuring, for some reason. Maybe it's just knowing that not everyone in the "biz" feels that F2P is a good idea.
To be honest, when he starts off by saying he knows almost nothing about F2P or MMOGs... it kind of takes away from anything he says. Wait, he did pick a few things up in the days before the conference. While some of his comments were witty, in general it was fluff - sportsmanship, not fighting other players? Give me a break, is he looking for a job with Hello Kitty?
It was a mixed bag, where it really did not feel like he contributed anything to the discussion other than to come off as crying about F2P, PvP, and hoping somebody in the audience would give him a hug...in all fairness.
I miss the MMORPG genre. Will a developer ever make one again?
Pretty good article. Relating this to lotro, and being a very recent lifetime subscriber, here is the issue I see with regards to lotro.
Having just purchased my Lifetime subscription, I see myself as a 'type-2' player. I just think I've made an upfront purchase so should never have to purchase things again other than major expansions. And here is my problem, I think Turbine/Codemasters are looking at Lifetimers as a 'Type-1' player now. They know they have to give them a little something or there would be a furious outcry, hence the 500 free points a month, but I suspect that over time they will put more and more on the store in an effort to pry open the lifetimers wallets a second time. My concern is how far Turbine are prepared to go and what items they are prepared to put on the store in order to try and achieve this.
Ohhh, and this quote from the article:
"What I’m really excited about is the next step. Imagine a game where monsters don’t drop silver, and training/repairing doesn’t cost anything. Instead all trade interactions are conducted using gold only. Type-2 players can buy gold with real money. There is a harvested “commodity” in the game that ALL players need, but it takes a while to accumulate. Type-1 players can auction their extra “commodity” to type-2 players in exchange for gold. This way, type-1 players can earn gold to buy their fancy mounts while type-2 players get the “commodity” they need without having to do the grind. Using this system, the only currency that exists in the game was bought using real money by type-2 players. At this point you have a real economy, with type-1 and type-2 players existing symbiotically. That would be awesome. Nolan Bushnell has been banging on about this for years."
Literally had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up after reading it. As an admitted F2P and Item store hater, but one who is at least trying to be openminded, this has me instantly feeling afraid of the mere thoughts of this model. I've yet to figure out why, just a gut reaction to it is way beyond negative. I seriously do not like the sounds of it at all, the strange thing ? I'm really not sure why.
"What I’m really excited about is the next step. Imagine a game where monsters don’t drop silver, and training/repairing doesn’t cost anything. Instead all trade interactions are conducted using gold only. Type-2 players can buy gold with real money. There is a harvested “commodity” in the game that ALL players need, but it takes a while to accumulate. Type-1 players can auction their extra “commodity” to type-2 players in exchange for gold. This way, type-1 players can earn gold to buy their fancy mounts while type-2 players get the “commodity” they need without having to do the grind. Using this system, the only currency that exists in the game was bought using real money by type-2 players. At this point you have a real economy, with type-1 and type-2 players existing symbiotically. That would be awesome. Nolan Bushnell has been banging on about this for years."
Literally had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up after reading it. As an admitted F2P and Item store hater, but one who is at least trying to be openminded, this has me instantly feeling afraid of the mere thoughts of this model. I've yet to figure out why, just a gut reaction to it is way beyond negative. I seriously do not like the sounds of it at all, the strange thing ? I'm really not sure why.
The reason that the italicized quote from the article is hair-raising, is that it is an enthusiastic bold-face endorsement of RMT gold trading for future MMOs. The scary thing is that from the inside of the industry, they can't see there own greed in perspective, so they think it is perfectly moral and fair for them to start doing business the way that Eastern gold-farmers do, the only difference is where the money goes, either way it is a nightmare for players.
F2P cannot ever produce a truly fair, competative environment. Unless everyone purchases every possible advantage from the cash shop. You have a situation that is always going to be tilted, and no in-game actions can replace spending more money. That's not a game. That's real life. Games are meant to be different from real life, and allow us to play by different rules. Cash shops are real life. Subscription MMOs where everyone is equal... that's utopia.
Important facts: 1. Free to Play games are poorly made. 2. Casuals are not all idiots, but idiots call themselves casuals. 3. Great solo and group content are not mutually exclusive, but they suffer when one is shoved into the mold of the other. The same is true of PvP and PvE. 4. Community is more important than you think.
"What I’m really excited about is the next step. Imagine a game where monsters don’t drop silver, and training/repairing doesn’t cost anything. Instead all trade interactions are conducted using gold only. Type-2 players can buy gold with real money. There is a harvested “commodity” in the game that ALL players need, but it takes a while to accumulate. Type-1 players can auction their extra “commodity” to type-2 players in exchange for gold. This way, type-1 players can earn gold to buy their fancy mounts while type-2 players get the “commodity” they need without having to do the grind. Using this system, the only currency that exists in the game was bought using real money by type-2 players. At this point you have a real economy, with type-1 and type-2 players existing symbiotically. That would be awesome. Nolan Bushnell has been banging on about this for years."
Literally had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up after reading it. As an admitted F2P and Item store hater, but one who is at least trying to be openminded, this has me instantly feeling afraid of the mere thoughts of this model. I've yet to figure out why, just a gut reaction to it is way beyond negative. I seriously do not like the sounds of it at all, the strange thing ? I'm really not sure why.
The reason that the italicized quote from the article is hair-raising, is that it is an enthusiastic bold-face endorsement of RMT gold trading for future MMOs. The scary thing is that from the inside of the industry, they can't see there own greed in perspective, so they think it is perfectly moral and fair for them to start doing business the way that Eastern gold-farmers do, the only difference is where the money goes, either way it is a nightmare for players.
As a consumer, i think that this is a system that can make both types of players happy. Personally, I almost never use cash shops. However, if a game allowed me to make gold in-game which I could then use in the cash shop without ever paying any real money, I'd be very interested in checking out the rest of that game.
Comments
I think the main problem that most people have with F2P games including myself (altho i play some) is the support isnt there... or its there for the first few months then the GMs dont give a damn , ive seen it time and time again.. if companys gave a damn after the first few months then more people would maybe play them .... customer service is so bad its unreal...
Most p2p companies indeed do a better job at maintaining quality and customer service. But that's not due to the payment models, but to companies themselves and their corporate philosophy. Most F2P are imports and operated by branches of foreign companies with different culture, so shouldn't be included in discussion of payment models.
copy & paste: http://www.gdcvault.com/showConference.php?category=free&type=1
Then scroll down to GDC 2010, a lecture by Ernest Adams
Once the video starts, the second half of his lecture actually goes into the guy you mention. The quotes you hear will make anyone become fearful.
Amazing design lecture for anyone interested in player centric design as well as the f2p mentality.
That all depends on who the "they" is. Given that Turbine has been bought out by WB, it could have been the WB suits who made the call. If you've had any experience dealing with HollyWeird outfits, you would know that this would only be expected from the type of slime that inhabit such corps. But lets wait to see what the details are, before we break out the torches and pitchforks.
And only rewarding those who have little or no life outside of the game is "fair"? Money/Time are interchangeable to me. What I look for are games that entertain me. If they do, I really do not care if they are P2P, F2P or some hybrid. The idea that *only* time investment is "fair" , is narrow minded and short sighted. Many other people obviously do not agree. Lets let market dyanmics sort this out.
I'm sorry I didn't read all 156 comments before posting so my question might have already been answered.
In your article you state that in China they cannot sell boxed products because of pirating. How does pirating apply when most MMOs are offered thru direct download? You can burn a million copies of a MMO DvD and you get a million useless copies...without the key. I can buy this argument for single-player games that do not require a valid account to logon, but I'm not buying it for MMOs.
The problem I see with your statement is that one should be entitled to the same rewards in exchange for some monetary value as opposed to spending the time to earn them. If one cannot spend the time in a game to earn something, perhaps they should rethink their decision to play said game. It may not seem "fair" to some who think they should get the option to catch up quickly with others who have been playing longer but.. ah, entitlement, such a horrible mentality.
I don't dislike F2P games as a whole, I just won't spend actual money to bypass the time it takes to level or acquire items. So what if someone else is geared better than I am? I'll eventually get there. *shrug*
Wondered about that myself. Only one use per access code. Once its used, its useless. Not to mention that MMO games rely on connection to the games servers. I'd totally agree on the piracy angle, but it doesn't seem to apply to MMO's.
I wonder if City of Heroes or EQ2 will ever follow Turbine's suit? Since they're both pay to play and have cash item shops.
Still I think "Free to Play" and "F2P" are the culprits in twisting the poorly articulated shouter's panties into knots. Not the business model, the actual names. I think they should be called "nominal fee" games. Since that's the phrase the industry throws around.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
So let me get this straight? Just because I have limited time to play, I shouldn't be playing? What kind of entitlement crap is that? Time is a commodity, pure and simple. Just because I have more money doesn't make me any better or worse at a game then you, and just because you have more time does not make you any better or worse then me at a game.
Well I believe the Asian model came about because of the Internet / Game cafe style of shop set up in a lot of Asian markets. Not everyone has a PC in their home so these public shops are set up and people pay to play by the hour. So a box couldn't sell because no one would have a machine to install it on.
The solution was to create games that could quickly be installed on public machines, be accessed through a web site, and profits could be made by selling XP boosts and health potions so people who can only play 3 or 4 hours a week could have a game experience over time.
It's evolved a little since then. But that's the origin.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
You use the words "should" and "entitled" in your above. Who says that you "should" be "entitled" to such? You are more than welcome to make such determinations for yourself. But attempting to impose it on others is not wise. I quite agree about entitlement... Those who believe that time investment is the only "fair" measure, also have a sense of entitlement.
I have no problem spending money on games I enjoy. P2P, F2P or some hybrid is all the same to me, just so long as its entertaining. Its all about choice.
+1,059,731 win points for the sparc1 ref
woot
RELAX!@!! BREATHE!!!
LoL No lie. That took me back to the time before there was such a thing as N+ For Dummies.
I kill other players because they're smarter than AI, sometimes.
How was it widely agreed that LotRO was in the top 5 mmos when execs from both WB and Turbine said it was in fact not? LotRO is no higher than 8th on the list, and that's straight from the horses mouth, so to speak.
-Letting Derek Smart work on your game is like letting Osama bin Laden work in the White House. Something will burn.-
-And on the 8th day, man created God.-
good find, thanks!
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
LOL! You've got to be kidding. There's no way you're even remotely serious about that. Cars are some of the ultimate coin-operated machines out there. Maybe your car payment would be a subscription fee, but paying your insurance, putting gas in your car, getting an oil change, etc. are all cash shop items, since you have to pay for them out of pocket in order to keep your car up and running.
BTW, houses are coin-operated, too. The mortgage and taxes might be the subscription fees that keep the roof over your head, but without the monthly cash shop payments like homeowner's insurance, your utilities, furniture, food in the pantry, and everything else you need in the house in order to live, you're not going to get a whole lot out of all those monthly fees but an empty shell to call your own.
* Consumable items that speed up gameplay
* Consumable items that increase the chance of good things happening
* Consumable items that decrease the chance of bad things happening
* Cosmetic items
* Customer-service items
* Additional content.
great view by the way!
Its pretty simple really think of free to play as an extended free trial in games such as DDO . If you then like the game subscribe . its a lot fairer system than the antiquated 15 dollars a month . Where that got us ? One game that dominates the market . It also allows us to play multiple games each month . This hybrid model of optional subscriptions and micropayment is an always will be the best way to go for 90 percent of mmos . Its hear to stay and will become the normal in the coming years .
If you're reading this thread and haven't viewed this video, you're doiong yourself a disservice. Hearing someone from inside the industry mention some of the same points that have been going through my head the past few days felt very, very reassuring, for some reason. Maybe it's just knowing that not everyone in the "biz" feels that F2P is a good idea.
"This is life! We suffer and slave and expire. That's it!" -Bernard Black (Dylan Moran)
To be honest, when he starts off by saying he knows almost nothing about F2P or MMOGs... it kind of takes away from anything he says. Wait, he did pick a few things up in the days before the conference. While some of his comments were witty, in general it was fluff - sportsmanship, not fighting other players? Give me a break, is he looking for a job with Hello Kitty?
It was a mixed bag, where it really did not feel like he contributed anything to the discussion other than to come off as crying about F2P, PvP, and hoping somebody in the audience would give him a hug...in all fairness.
I miss the MMORPG genre. Will a developer ever make one again?
Explorer: 87%, Killer: 67%, Achiever: 27%, Socializer: 20%
Pretty good article. Relating this to lotro, and being a very recent lifetime subscriber, here is the issue I see with regards to lotro.
Having just purchased my Lifetime subscription, I see myself as a 'type-2' player. I just think I've made an upfront purchase so should never have to purchase things again other than major expansions. And here is my problem, I think Turbine/Codemasters are looking at Lifetimers as a 'Type-1' player now. They know they have to give them a little something or there would be a furious outcry, hence the 500 free points a month, but I suspect that over time they will put more and more on the store in an effort to pry open the lifetimers wallets a second time. My concern is how far Turbine are prepared to go and what items they are prepared to put on the store in order to try and achieve this.
Ohhh, and this quote from the article:
"What I’m really excited about is the next step. Imagine a game where monsters don’t drop silver, and training/repairing doesn’t cost anything. Instead all trade interactions are conducted using gold only. Type-2 players can buy gold with real money. There is a harvested “commodity” in the game that ALL players need, but it takes a while to accumulate. Type-1 players can auction their extra “commodity” to type-2 players in exchange for gold. This way, type-1 players can earn gold to buy their fancy mounts while type-2 players get the “commodity” they need without having to do the grind. Using this system, the only currency that exists in the game was bought using real money by type-2 players. At this point you have a real economy, with type-1 and type-2 players existing symbiotically. That would be awesome. Nolan Bushnell has been banging on about this for years."
Literally had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up after reading it. As an admitted F2P and Item store hater, but one who is at least trying to be openminded, this has me instantly feeling afraid of the mere thoughts of this model. I've yet to figure out why, just a gut reaction to it is way beyond negative. I seriously do not like the sounds of it at all, the strange thing ? I'm really not sure why.
F2P cannot ever produce a truly fair, competative environment. Unless everyone purchases every possible advantage from the cash shop. You have a situation that is always going to be tilted, and no in-game actions can replace spending more money. That's not a game. That's real life. Games are meant to be different from real life, and allow us to play by different rules. Cash shops are real life. Subscription MMOs where everyone is equal... that's utopia.
Important facts:
1. Free to Play games are poorly made.
2. Casuals are not all idiots, but idiots call themselves casuals.
3. Great solo and group content are not mutually exclusive, but they suffer when one is shoved into the mold of the other. The same is true of PvP and PvE.
4. Community is more important than you think.