I made a trail account and loged into EQ2Extended. the new ui is awesome. So much better then original. Is it just me or did SoE made everyone run slower? Dor me it's good since in original EG2 it fels like characters were running too fast. They changed spell animations too.. the low lvl spells have much smaller animations they they used to. i hope at highr lvls they didn't change those animations.
As a HC raider in EQ2 yes this will affect us big time there will be less people coming to the old servers now for us to pull from.
And to the guy who said you cant level a toon from 1-80 in a week you are wrong we leveled my wifes toon from 1-90 with 240 aa in 8 days of grinding mind you that is not the norm.
This is a bad move by EQ in my mind for HC people but for casual and such or anyone just starting EQ i guess it will be alright.
But this is just making my move to FF just easier for me anyway now.
If anyone in these forums saying it's a bad idea were in charge of SOE, it would fail harder. Yes SOE has had it ups and major downs. But I'll be damned if you say this is a horrible decision.
This is great they are letting us play alot of the game for free. If they wanted money then they would have made another expansion instead. I am proud of them and this direction, good for them. This will boost the population.
I have no problem with the game going Free 2 Play, its just how its being done. I would've liked if they had gone the same route as Turbine (no dead servers due to segregating P2P from F2P).
The only bad thing I see with Eq2X is that the trial accounts for Eq2 clasic is being discontinued. That means no more new blood for the old servers. All new players will be channeled into the F2P servers while the P2P servers languish. Kind of reminds me of what Runescape did to Runescape Classic. SoE needs to keep both trial accounts open to the public so players can choose F2P or P2P server when they make an account.
There's lots of reasons old players might migrate over to the F2P servers, even though it means rerolling, or paying $35 to copy a character. The primary one is server population. F2P will have a healthy population. And there will be plenty of people sitting at max level who want to run end game content. Another reason, their sub lapses for whatever reason. They decide to make a new character on the f2p server, 'cause hey, it might be limited, but you can still play. Third, peer pressure. Those friends you've always wanted to play, but never could get to commit to a sub. Well, they're playing now, but on the free server. You decide to reroll to experience low level content with them as they level.
See, if I can think of a few scenarios, so can others. And don't forget that the only infusion of new players on the old servers are going to be from RAF. I have nothing against RAF programs, but they're only good if you know people interested in playing and actually staying. They're completely useless for those people just looking for something else to play, but have no one they know playing. EQ2 literally thrives on those "walk-ins" currently. But every single one of those people will be going to the F2P servers now.
Frankly, anyone who says that this server split doesn't affect them is incredibly shortsighted. And the ones essentially saying they don't want F2P trash playing on their servers are both shortsighted AND elitist
Im gona check htis out for sure, always like EQ2 but not enough to sub and commit time to it. My main game is Darkfall so will be nice change of pace every now and then to play a good PVE game.
My opinion is that SOE did the right thing for an old game, now that the next gen mmorpgs will start to hit in September. There is a lot of game in EQ2 and I would recommend it to WoW players as a free alternative.
LOL this one too, oh my. Seems all i see thesedays are the dying and failing games going F2P. Successful ones *cough*WoW*cough* so far have not gone this route, why should they, there still raking in teh money. Also that is the only successful one running (allbeit everyones pretty bored too), but there just simple is nothing else out there to even contend it. Which is a big pity. These days with the enhancements made in technology i would have thought we would have something better by now (over 5yrs of wow and we got nothing else to contend it) come on, dont we have any software writers thesedays.
The success of WoW is the problem. Everyone is trying to make another WoW that's not exactly WoW, and nobody can nail how to do it. Technology has nothing to do with it, since the issue is mainly game design.
Me, I don't think there's need for another WoW. WoW never impressed me. I tried it just a little, but I liked EQ2 better when I played it. WoW has wide appeal, but that doesn't mean it's the best game for everyone. There's certainly a place for a lot of other games targetting other audiences.
The F2P model worked well for DDO, bringing in more money, which can be turned into further development (and saves the game from dying). I can hope this works for EQ2, too. Someone complained that money is taken from P2P to develop F2P, and that's true, but if EQ2 follows DDO, there will be more money from F2P, and that will help development of both F2P and P2P (since they share content). I agree that in the long run pure P2P will likely die, but chances are the game will still have more money and will get more development.
Originally posted by Novusod
The only bad thing I see with Eq2X is that the trial accounts for Eq2 clasic is being discontinued. That means no more new blood for the old servers. All new players will be channeled into the F2P servers while the P2P servers languish. Kind of reminds me of what Runescape did to Runescape Classic. SoE needs to keep both trial accounts open to the public so players can choose F2P or P2P server when they make an account.
My first thought was that P2P trials won't matter since people will prefer to try F2P anyway, but on second thought there might be a place for them for people who tried F2P and want to try more than the F2P basic levels offer. On the other hand a better solution would be to allow trials of features (such as get a race you want for a few days for free, then pay for it if you want to keep it, or get one week access to the brokers).
By the way, I wonder how frequent the "frequent upgrade reminders" will be. If such pop-ups appear during combat, or even just several times in a session, that'd be pretty annoying.
I'd personally rather see F2P on Live or some plan that will funnel them to Live, otherwise the Live servers are going to die off. People will not 'test' to level X then decide to transfer at a cost to them to the Live servers off of Extended - it's foolish to think that will happen.
Maybe that is the long term goal, push everyone to the F2P model with RMT, then say so Sony.
The current membership matrix is fine, as it will hopefully bring in some much needed fresh blood to the game, while giving a variety of playing styles/options to the player base. Separating it into two different games though - major mistake.
I'd actually prefer the Platinum one on Live to get the extra character slots.
Originally posted by Copenhagen Damnit, I was sort of hoping I could play my charactor, with this.
Why would someone want to play for free 1-80, then subscribe to it, and still not get the rest of the content to the game (80-90)? Sounds like another Big Fat SOE Rip Off to me.
Much like them charging us Planet Side players 14.99 or is it 15.99 for the sub on it. A 7 year old game they don't even support any more.
SOE is a Big Fat Rip-Off-And-Duplicate Company that Overcharges on it's services. This is part of the reason why Blizzard was able to so greatly over take them with World of Warcraft.
At least we'll always have the option not to play/pay
The Old Timers Guild Laid back, not so serious, no drama. All about the fun!
www.oldtimersguild.com An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it. - Jef Mallett
If anyone in these forums saying it's a bad idea were in charge of SOE, it would fail harder. Yes SOE has had it ups and major downs. But I'll be damned if you say this is a horrible decision.
This is great they are letting us play alot of the game for free. If they wanted money then they would have made another expansion instead. I am proud of them and this direction, good for them. This will boost the population.
I have no problem with the game going Free 2 Play, its just how its being done. I would've liked if they had gone the same route as Turbine (no dead servers due to segregating P2P from F2P).
Not really directly at you. No names being named...
But yeah $200 is kind of a rip off. Making MMORPG's is like stealing candy from a baby. We will give it to them and we will come back for more so we get some different kind of candy.
So they CAN run two versions of a game. They said they couldn't do that in the case of SWG.
I'm glad for the change though. If it's free I might play it a bit. EQ2 though always seemd boring to me though, maybe because I never got beyond the first 30 levels and kept replaying the early content over and over.
Only you CAN'T "move to the new f2p servers" with your current characters. There are racial and class restrictions. And what veteran EQ2 player in their right mind would want to start over again on a f2p server when they have characters they have invested so much time in?
I understand that you hate EQ2...you and I get into this EVERY time there is a post about EQ2. So the logical thing for us to do would be to not argue with each other. You're never going to see the game from my perspective and I will never see it from yours.
I understand the limitations just fine and that you will be able to move characters to the free servers in the future.
Think about this though. If subscription players are given the choice to start from scratch on a server with healthy populations or stay on a dieing server, which will they chose? If you don't think it will happen, just go look at the SWG forums for proof that is does. Just look what happened to the EQ2 servers when they were given the change to migrate (paid or starting over).
Soe knows this and they have plenty of data to suggest how many people will make the move. Just as current players suggest new player start on AB or Crushbone, because that is where player density is. All the while the other servers are dieing off as a result of the migration.
Since your screen name says you just joined the forums two weeks ago and you have only posted a few dozen times, I don't see how we "always" get into it. Maybe you have another screen name, I don't know. If so, that just means I don't agree with your views, regardless of who you are.
We DO "always" get into it. This is girlgeek. I left these forums over dealing with people like you all the time that absolutely must INSIST that they KNOW ALL and can predict the future, and over being sick to death of reading "WoW this," "WoW that," every two minutes.
Fact of the matter being....you have NO CLUE what is going to happen in the future and neither do I....therefore.... I don't care to argue with you about this. I've already said that. But if you are reeeeeeally just wanting to argue....let's take it off this site and do it via email where we can both say what we really think, capiche?
I don't think you own a crystal ball into the future. YOU might think you do, but I do not.
So if you just LOATHE all things SoE so much.....why are you always trolling the EQ2 forums? I just have to know the answer to that one. And if you do play the game....why?? Why do you play it? You hate everything they do, no matter what. I don't understand you....LOL!
Anyhow....I'm not going to argue with you. You think you know the future, and....I think you don't. So we can just, as USUAL....agree to disagree.
There's lots of reasons old players might migrate over to the F2P servers, even though it means rerolling, or paying $35 to copy a character. The primary one is server population. F2P will have a healthy population. And there will be plenty of people sitting at max level who want to run end game content. Another reason, their sub lapses for whatever reason. They decide to make a new character on the f2p server, 'cause hey, it might be limited, but you can still play. Third, peer pressure. Those friends you've always wanted to play, but never could get to commit to a sub. Well, they're playing now, but on the free server. You decide to reroll to experience low level content with them as they level.
I think....that you are grossly underestimating the number of veteran EQ2 players that want NOTHING TO DO WITH a Marketplace that sells items with stats. And you're also assuming that people who have been playing with the same people for the past 5-6 years would have no problem just up and leaving their guilds. Unless, that is, you're assuming whole guilds will be willing to migrate. As if 350+ people can agree on ANY one thing....lol. Right.
I suppose "half guilds" might move, but...when you're talking raid guilds....I even doubt THAT.
See, if I can think of a few scenarios, so can others. And don't forget that the only infusion of new players on the old servers are going to be from RAF. I have nothing against RAF programs, but they're only good if you know people interested in playing and actually staying. They're completely useless for those people just looking for something else to play, but have no one they know playing. EQ2 literally thrives on those "walk-ins" currently. But every single one of those people will be going to the F2P servers now.
Frankly, anyone who says that this server split doesn't affect them is incredibly shortsighted. And the ones essentially saying they don't want F2P trash playing on their servers are both shortsighted AND elitist
Who has called the f2p players trash?? Anyone? I must have missed that. There is a big difference in not wanting a server to go free to play, and not wanting the people that would prefer to play it as free to play. To not want an item shop with paid stats items in it.....uhm......how exactly does that make anyone elitist?
People ARE entitled to have preferences in what they want regarding game mechanics, including the type of item shops they want, or even not wanting item shops at all.
Today there was a lot of talk on Everfrost about this very topic, and not one single person said they wanted to move to the f2p servers....not one. Not in ANY of the chat channels 1-90 and no one in my guild either. So.....I think it's rather hard to say for sure what's going to happen, that is unless you have a crystal ball or are reading tea leaves with great accuracy somewhere.....
There's lots of reasons old players might migrate over to the F2P servers, even though it means rerolling, or paying $35 to copy a character. The primary one is server population. F2P will have a healthy population. And there will be plenty of people sitting at max level who want to run end game content. Another reason, their sub lapses for whatever reason. They decide to make a new character on the f2p server, 'cause hey, it might be limited, but you can still play. Third, peer pressure. Those friends you've always wanted to play, but never could get to commit to a sub. Well, they're playing now, but on the free server. You decide to reroll to experience low level content with them as they level.
I think....that you are grossly underestimating the number of veteran EQ2 players that want NOTHING TO DO WITH a Marketplace that sells items with stats. And you're also assuming that people who have been playing with the same people for the past 5-6 years would have no problem just up and leaving their guilds. Unless, that is, you're assuming whole guilds will be willing to migrate. As if 350+ people can agree on ANY one thing....lol. Right.
I suppose "half guilds" might move, but...when you're talking raid guilds....I even doubt THAT.
See, if I can think of a few scenarios, so can others. And don't forget that the only infusion of new players on the old servers are going to be from RAF. I have nothing against RAF programs, but they're only good if you know people interested in playing and actually staying. They're completely useless for those people just looking for something else to play, but have no one they know playing. EQ2 literally thrives on those "walk-ins" currently. But every single one of those people will be going to the F2P servers now.
Frankly, anyone who says that this server split doesn't affect them is incredibly shortsighted. And the ones essentially saying they don't want F2P trash playing on their servers are both shortsighted AND elitist
Who has called the f2p players trash?? Anyone? I must have missed that. There is a big difference in not wanting a server to go free to play, and not wanting the people that would prefer to play it as free to play. To not want an item shop with paid stats items in it.....uhm......how exactly does that make anyone elitist?
People ARE entitled to have preferences in what they want regarding game mechanics, including the type of item shops they want, or even not wanting item shops at all.
Today there was a lot of talk on Everfrost about this very topic, and not one single person said they wanted to move to the f2p servers....not one. Not in ANY of the chat channels 1-90 and no one in my guild either. So.....I think it's rather hard to say for sure what's going to happen, that is unless you have a crystal ball or are reading tea leaves with great accuracy somewhere.....
But you do have to admit that over time people will slowly leave the game for greener pastures, don't you? This leads to how can the old servers capture new players? RaF simply won't cut it.
My only concern regarding the F2P is how SOE just decided to close the Trial on P2P servers and instead channel new players to the F2P experience instead of the 14 day trial. I personally think that 14 days to try a game is more than enough to make up someone's mind if they really want to invest in a game or not.
Personally, I would've prefered if they had just created F2P servers that any EQ2 Classic subscriber could access to it (without having to pay for EQ2X as well), also allowing F2P subscriber folks the chance to see on their list the old servers so that we might entice them, they wouldn't be able to transfer their characters from a F2P to a P2P server but at least it would give folks that started with EQ2X, a chance to move on to EQ2 more easily instead of having to worry about 2 subscriptions and which one to cancel.
In end my concern is not so much about F2P or P2P but how will the old EQ2 be able to get new players, because folks that might invest on their character in a F2P won't be willing to cancel EQ2X sub and move to EQ2 if the process isn't simple enough or if there aren't good incentives.
TL;TR, in short they could've just added the F2P servers to the same list as the older servers and apply the same restrictions they apply to the Exchange servers regarding character transfers.
So is this overloaded or just not working? Or was this another misdirect we aren't understanding?
If you’re a current subscriber, and you’d like to take a peek at “EverQuest II Extended” on its new Test server, you can jump into the game at the Free membership level by clicking here and streaming down the game client you’ll need. (http://launch.soe.com/eq2x/) This is the Alpha version of the service and its currently only available to existing subscribers so you can see it for yourselves before the public sees it later. The beta launch of the EQ2X service will occur in mid-August.
lotro is not actually giving you levels 26-50 for free, you have to purchase the questpacks from level 25 on in order to progress to end game. they are however letting you buy the classes from the end game expansion to play from level 1 and they are giving you the storyline quests but those are NOT enough xp to level your character to 50 by themselves. Also, if you are on a F2P account (non vip) you have to buy your mount with money (points) but you can learn to ride and buy a mount at level 8 which is nice.
*clipped out Daffy's post to save space...our re-posts are getting long because I'm too wordy*
Left this part in:
This is soe giving up on the subscription servers, because it has only produced decline for the last many years. It isn't working and this is in no way an extended trial for the subscription servers. That is why they have chosen to allow players to copy/transfer OFF the subscription servers and not the other way around. This change is because the EQ2 player base isn't solid. That is why they were talking about merging servers... AGAIN.
Can you provide some sort of numbers quote as evidence that the EQ2 server populations have been in decline for the last many years, as you put it, rather than simply level and perhaps not increasing?
You are spot-on Daffid011. $OE doesn't miss a trick when it comes to milking the playerbase. I am sure EQ2X will be much more cash shop centered than Turbine's F2P business model, which is why it has to have it own servers.
I was wondering if a EQ2X character could transfer to the subscription servers, but it looks like the transfers are only one-way, which doesn't surprise me.
And THAT is why most veteran EQ2 paid subscribers are NOT going to be willing to make any such drastic move. Unless, of course, they are unguilded (pretty uncommon in veteran players) and are not raiders and have no long term investments in the groups and guilds they presently play with. AND....they would also have to be the kind of gamer that doesn't mind an item shop with game play affecting stats items. And they would also have to not MIND losing all the status they have accumulated, both personal and guild status....I think players that fit a combination of all those things....are going to be very few and far between.
If you still doubt what I'm saying here....read the very last paragraph in fine print at the very bottom UNDER the subscription matrix:
We DO "always" get into it. This is girlgeek. I left these forums over dealing with people like you all the time that absolutely must INSIST that they KNOW ALL and can predict the future, and over being sick to death of reading "WoW this," "WoW that," every two minutes.
Fact of the matter being....you have NO CLUE what is going to happen in the future and neither do I....therefore.... I don't care to argue with you about this. I've already said that. But if you are reeeeeeally just wanting to argue....let's take it off this site and do it via email where we can both say what we really think, capiche?
I don't think you own a crystal ball into the future. YOU might think you do, but I do not.
So if you just LOATHE all things SoE so much.....why are you always trolling the EQ2 forums? I just have to know the answer to that one. And if you do play the game....why?? Why do you play it? You hate everything they do, no matter what. I don't understand you....LOL!
Anyhow....I'm not going to argue with you. You think you know the future, and....I think you don't. So we can just, as USUAL....agree to disagree.
I had no idea who you were, so don't get all upset with me because you chose to hide behind a new screenname as if I should somehow know who you are. Also, I can't help that you feel the need to take everything to such a personal level when discussing a game that it has such a large impact on you. Fine if you don't want to discuss the topic, but please stop trying make this a discussion about the people posting their opinions. I don't need to justify to you how or why I play a game and frankly I'm tired of you trying to twist discussions into that. It will not change the information that is being presented.
That being said, I can't see the future, I don't know it all and I am just expressing my opinion the same as you are. However I think that enough information does exist to give a good impression of where things are heading and the intention of those changes. Such as SOE discontinuing free 14 trials to the legacy servers and only allowing transfers off the legacy servers.
It doesn't take a crystal ball to realize that if a company discontinues the primary method of a server attracting new players and combines that with only allowing players to trasnfer away that it will have an overall negative effect on the server populations. I'm not sure what is so unbelievable about that or how someones personal views would make that untrue.
Combine that with players and developers alike talking about the low populations on some servers that resulted in the developres planning to merge servers I think it places the current servers in an already risky state before they start losing the ability to attract new players. I'm sorry, but I do think there are plenty of clues to suggest how things will turn out.
I can't see paying 15 dollars a month, but I don't mind the account upgrade and occasional expansion pack. Depending on how much the classes/races cost I might be willing to buy one or two to do something different.
Only you CAN'T "move to the new f2p servers" with your current characters. There are racial and class restrictions. And what veteran EQ2 player in their right mind would want to start over again on a f2p server when they have characters they have invested so much time in?
I understand that you hate EQ2...you and I get into this EVERY time there is a post about EQ2. So the logical thing for us to do would be to not argue with each other. You're never going to see the game from my perspective and I will never see it from yours.
I understand the limitations just fine and that you will be able to move characters to the free servers in the future.
Think about this though. If subscription players are given the choice to start from scratch on a server with healthy populations or stay on a dieing server, which will they chose? If you don't think it will happen, just go look at the SWG forums for proof that is does. Just look what happened to the EQ2 servers when they were given the change to migrate (paid or starting over).
Soe knows this and they have plenty of data to suggest how many people will make the move. Just as current players suggest new player start on AB or Crushbone, because that is where player density is. All the while the other servers are dieing off as a result of the migration.
Since your screen name says you just joined the forums two weeks ago and you have only posted a few dozen times, I don't see how we "always" get into it. Maybe you have another screen name, I don't know. If so, that just means I don't agree with your views, regardless of who you are.
We DO "always" get into it. This is girlgeek. I left these forums over dealing with people like you all the time that absolutely must INSIST that they KNOW ALL and can predict the future, and over being sick to death of reading "WoW this," "WoW that," every two minutes.
you don't need a crystal ball to see where this is going mate.
one way character transfer: check
new server vs old server: check
can use subscription model in both new or old server: check
Fact of the matter being....you have NO CLUE what is going to happen in the future and neither do I....therefore.... I don't care to argue with you about this. I've already said that. But if you are reeeeeeally just wanting to argue....let's take it off this site and do it via email where we can both say what we really think, capiche?
speak for youself - the rest of us have a clue.
he's at the fringe if you want to say it how it is.
I don't think you own a crystal ball into the future. YOU might think you do, but I do not.
So if you just LOATHE all things SoE so much.....why are you always trolling the EQ2 forums? I just have to know the answer to that one. And if you do play the game....why?? Why do you play it? You hate everything they do, no matter what. I don't understand you....LOL!
Anyhow....I'm not going to argue with you. You think you know the future, and....I think you don't. So we can just, as USUAL....agree to disagree.
*clipped out Daffy's post to save space...our re-posts are getting long because I'm too wordy*
Left this part in:
This is soe giving up on the subscription servers, because it has only produced decline for the last many years. It isn't working and this is in no way an extended trial for the subscription servers. That is why they have chosen to allow players to copy/transfer OFF the subscription servers and not the other way around. This change is because the EQ2 player base isn't solid. That is why they were talking about merging servers... AGAIN.
Can you provide some sort of numbers quote as evidence that the EQ2 server populations have been in decline for the last many years, as you put it, rather than simply level and perhaps not increasing?
You are spot-on Daffid011. $OE doesn't miss a trick when it comes to milking the playerbase. I am sure EQ2X will be much more cash shop centered than Turbine's F2P business model, which is why it has to have it own servers.
I was wondering if a EQ2X character could transfer to the subscription servers, but it looks like the transfers are only one-way, which doesn't surprise me.
And THAT is why most veteran EQ2 paid subscribers are NOT going to be willing to make any such drastic move. Unless, of course, they are unguilded (pretty uncommon in veteran players) and are not raiders and have no long term investments in the groups and guilds they presently play with. AND....they would also have to be the kind of gamer that doesn't mind an item shop with game play affecting stats items. And they would also have to not MIND losing all the status they have accumulated, both personal and guild status....I think players that fit a combination of all those things....are going to be very few and far between.
If you still doubt what I'm saying here....read the very last paragraph in fine print at the very bottom UNDER the subscription matrix:
You still think veteran players are going to transfer over to EQ2X in droves?? ROFL
wait until the new servers start growing in population.
above all, people want to be in an active server so entire guilds are going to take "such a drastic move" when the legacy server becomes stagnant and the other one grows.
perhaps not in a month or two but give it 6 months or a year.
You still think veteran players are going to transfer over to EQ2X in droves?? ROFL
Players in SWG did and also EQ2 before transfers. In an mmo I think most people find it more important to play with healthy populations than to keep what they have.
It may not happen in droves or be an ideal situation, but if that is how reality presents itself then I think people will make that choice the same as they have in the past.
Comments
I made a trail account and loged into EQ2Extended. the new ui is awesome. So much better then original. Is it just me or did SoE made everyone run slower? Dor me it's good since in original EG2 it fels like characters were running too fast. They changed spell animations too.. the low lvl spells have much smaller animations they they used to. i hope at highr lvls they didn't change those animations.
As a HC raider in EQ2 yes this will affect us big time there will be less people coming to the old servers now for us to pull from.
And to the guy who said you cant level a toon from 1-80 in a week you are wrong we leveled my wifes toon from 1-90 with 240 aa in 8 days of grinding mind you that is not the norm.
This is a bad move by EQ in my mind for HC people but for casual and such or anyone just starting EQ i guess it will be alright.
But this is just making my move to FF just easier for me anyway now.
I have no problem with the game going Free 2 Play, its just how its being done. I would've liked if they had gone the same route as Turbine (no dead servers due to segregating P2P from F2P).
The only bad thing I see with Eq2X is that the trial accounts for Eq2 clasic is being discontinued. That means no more new blood for the old servers. All new players will be channeled into the F2P servers while the P2P servers languish. Kind of reminds me of what Runescape did to Runescape Classic. SoE needs to keep both trial accounts open to the public so players can choose F2P or P2P server when they make an account.
There's lots of reasons old players might migrate over to the F2P servers, even though it means rerolling, or paying $35 to copy a character. The primary one is server population. F2P will have a healthy population. And there will be plenty of people sitting at max level who want to run end game content. Another reason, their sub lapses for whatever reason. They decide to make a new character on the f2p server, 'cause hey, it might be limited, but you can still play. Third, peer pressure. Those friends you've always wanted to play, but never could get to commit to a sub. Well, they're playing now, but on the free server. You decide to reroll to experience low level content with them as they level.
See, if I can think of a few scenarios, so can others. And don't forget that the only infusion of new players on the old servers are going to be from RAF. I have nothing against RAF programs, but they're only good if you know people interested in playing and actually staying. They're completely useless for those people just looking for something else to play, but have no one they know playing. EQ2 literally thrives on those "walk-ins" currently. But every single one of those people will be going to the F2P servers now.
Frankly, anyone who says that this server split doesn't affect them is incredibly shortsighted. And the ones essentially saying they don't want F2P trash playing on their servers are both shortsighted AND elitist
Im gona check htis out for sure, always like EQ2 but not enough to sub and commit time to it. My main game is Darkfall so will be nice change of pace every now and then to play a good PVE game.
The success of WoW is the problem. Everyone is trying to make another WoW that's not exactly WoW, and nobody can nail how to do it. Technology has nothing to do with it, since the issue is mainly game design.
Me, I don't think there's need for another WoW. WoW never impressed me. I tried it just a little, but I liked EQ2 better when I played it. WoW has wide appeal, but that doesn't mean it's the best game for everyone. There's certainly a place for a lot of other games targetting other audiences.
The F2P model worked well for DDO, bringing in more money, which can be turned into further development (and saves the game from dying). I can hope this works for EQ2, too. Someone complained that money is taken from P2P to develop F2P, and that's true, but if EQ2 follows DDO, there will be more money from F2P, and that will help development of both F2P and P2P (since they share content). I agree that in the long run pure P2P will likely die, but chances are the game will still have more money and will get more development.
My first thought was that P2P trials won't matter since people will prefer to try F2P anyway, but on second thought there might be a place for them for people who tried F2P and want to try more than the F2P basic levels offer. On the other hand a better solution would be to allow trials of features (such as get a race you want for a few days for free, then pay for it if you want to keep it, or get one week access to the brokers).
By the way, I wonder how frequent the "frequent upgrade reminders" will be. If such pop-ups appear during combat, or even just several times in a session, that'd be pretty annoying.
I'd personally rather see F2P on Live or some plan that will funnel them to Live, otherwise the Live servers are going to die off. People will not 'test' to level X then decide to transfer at a cost to them to the Live servers off of Extended - it's foolish to think that will happen.
Maybe that is the long term goal, push everyone to the F2P model with RMT, then say so Sony.
The current membership matrix is fine, as it will hopefully bring in some much needed fresh blood to the game, while giving a variety of playing styles/options to the player base. Separating it into two different games though - major mistake.
I'd actually prefer the Platinum one on Live to get the extra character slots.
Proud member of Hammerfist Clan Gaming Community.
Currently playing: RIFT, EQ2, WoW, LoTRO
Retired: Warhammer, AoC, EQ
Waiting: SWToR & GW2
At least we'll always have the option not to play/pay
The Old Timers Guild
Laid back, not so serious, no drama.
All about the fun!
www.oldtimersguild.com
An opinion should be the result of thought, not a substitute for it. - Jef Mallett
Not really directly at you. No names being named...
But yeah $200 is kind of a rip off. Making MMORPG's is like stealing candy from a baby. We will give it to them and we will come back for more so we get some different kind of candy.
Pepsi1028
PEPSI!!!!!
Get out of your box already...
So they CAN run two versions of a game. They said they couldn't do that in the case of SWG.
I'm glad for the change though. If it's free I might play it a bit. EQ2 though always seemd boring to me though, maybe because I never got beyond the first 30 levels and kept replaying the early content over and over.
We DO "always" get into it. This is girlgeek. I left these forums over dealing with people like you all the time that absolutely must INSIST that they KNOW ALL and can predict the future, and over being sick to death of reading "WoW this," "WoW that," every two minutes.
Fact of the matter being....you have NO CLUE what is going to happen in the future and neither do I....therefore.... I don't care to argue with you about this. I've already said that. But if you are reeeeeeally just wanting to argue....let's take it off this site and do it via email where we can both say what we really think, capiche?
I don't think you own a crystal ball into the future. YOU might think you do, but I do not.
So if you just LOATHE all things SoE so much.....why are you always trolling the EQ2 forums? I just have to know the answer to that one. And if you do play the game....why?? Why do you play it? You hate everything they do, no matter what. I don't understand you....LOL!
Anyhow....I'm not going to argue with you. You think you know the future, and....I think you don't. So we can just, as USUAL....agree to disagree.
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
But you do have to admit that over time people will slowly leave the game for greener pastures, don't you? This leads to how can the old servers capture new players? RaF simply won't cut it.
My only concern regarding the F2P is how SOE just decided to close the Trial on P2P servers and instead channel new players to the F2P experience instead of the 14 day trial. I personally think that 14 days to try a game is more than enough to make up someone's mind if they really want to invest in a game or not.
Personally, I would've prefered if they had just created F2P servers that any EQ2 Classic subscriber could access to it (without having to pay for EQ2X as well), also allowing F2P subscriber folks the chance to see on their list the old servers so that we might entice them, they wouldn't be able to transfer their characters from a F2P to a P2P server but at least it would give folks that started with EQ2X, a chance to move on to EQ2 more easily instead of having to worry about 2 subscriptions and which one to cancel.
In end my concern is not so much about F2P or P2P but how will the old EQ2 be able to get new players, because folks that might invest on their character in a F2P won't be willing to cancel EQ2X sub and move to EQ2 if the process isn't simple enough or if there aren't good incentives.
TL;TR, in short they could've just added the F2P servers to the same list as the older servers and apply the same restrictions they apply to the Exchange servers regarding character transfers.
So is this overloaded or just not working? Or was this another misdirect we aren't understanding?
If you’re a current subscriber, and you’d like to take a peek at “EverQuest II Extended” on its new Test server, you can jump into the game at the Free membership level by clicking here and streaming down the game client you’ll need. (http://launch.soe.com/eq2x/) This is the Alpha version of the service and its currently only available to existing subscribers so you can see it for yourselves before the public sees it later. The beta launch of the EQ2X service will occur in mid-August.
Proud member of Hammerfist Clan Gaming Community.
Currently playing: RIFT, EQ2, WoW, LoTRO
Retired: Warhammer, AoC, EQ
Waiting: SWToR & GW2
lotro is not actually giving you levels 26-50 for free, you have to purchase the questpacks from level 25 on in order to progress to end game. they are however letting you buy the classes from the end game expansion to play from level 1 and they are giving you the storyline quests but those are NOT enough xp to level your character to 50 by themselves. Also, if you are on a F2P account (non vip) you have to buy your mount with money (points) but you can learn to ride and buy a mount at level 8 which is nice.
And THAT is why most veteran EQ2 paid subscribers are NOT going to be willing to make any such drastic move. Unless, of course, they are unguilded (pretty uncommon in veteran players) and are not raiders and have no long term investments in the groups and guilds they presently play with. AND....they would also have to be the kind of gamer that doesn't mind an item shop with game play affecting stats items. And they would also have to not MIND losing all the status they have accumulated, both personal and guild status....I think players that fit a combination of all those things....are going to be very few and far between.
If you still doubt what I'm saying here....read the very last paragraph in fine print at the very bottom UNDER the subscription matrix:
http://everquest2.com/_themes/default/images/extended/membershipMatrix.jpg
You still think veteran players are going to transfer over to EQ2X in droves?? ROFL
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
I had no idea who you were, so don't get all upset with me because you chose to hide behind a new screenname as if I should somehow know who you are. Also, I can't help that you feel the need to take everything to such a personal level when discussing a game that it has such a large impact on you. Fine if you don't want to discuss the topic, but please stop trying make this a discussion about the people posting their opinions. I don't need to justify to you how or why I play a game and frankly I'm tired of you trying to twist discussions into that. It will not change the information that is being presented.
That being said, I can't see the future, I don't know it all and I am just expressing my opinion the same as you are. However I think that enough information does exist to give a good impression of where things are heading and the intention of those changes. Such as SOE discontinuing free 14 trials to the legacy servers and only allowing transfers off the legacy servers.
It doesn't take a crystal ball to realize that if a company discontinues the primary method of a server attracting new players and combines that with only allowing players to trasnfer away that it will have an overall negative effect on the server populations. I'm not sure what is so unbelievable about that or how someones personal views would make that untrue.
Combine that with players and developers alike talking about the low populations on some servers that resulted in the developres planning to merge servers I think it places the current servers in an already risky state before they start losing the ability to attract new players. I'm sorry, but I do think there are plenty of clues to suggest how things will turn out.
I can't see paying 15 dollars a month, but I don't mind the account upgrade and occasional expansion pack. Depending on how much the classes/races cost I might be willing to buy one or two to do something different.
wait until the new servers start growing in population.
above all, people want to be in an active server so entire guilds are going to take "such a drastic move" when the legacy server becomes stagnant and the other one grows.
perhaps not in a month or two but give it 6 months or a year.
Players in SWG did and also EQ2 before transfers. In an mmo I think most people find it more important to play with healthy populations than to keep what they have.
It may not happen in droves or be an ideal situation, but if that is how reality presents itself then I think people will make that choice the same as they have in the past.
OMG Quote wars!
Lost me on this thread.
Say hello, To the things you've left behind. They are more a part of your life now that you can't touch them.