I have a thread going on about the broker issues here. If you are worried about it like I am please make a post and show support. SOE already changed one thing, lets get this changed before launch!
Not a chance in hell. In fact, I haven't been able to bring myself to log in at all since this betrayal of the veterans. No, not in the creation of f2p but in the creation of "anything to get people off the live servers so the live servers die a slow death".
Not a chance in hell. In fact, I haven't been able to bring myself to log in at all since this betrayal of the veterans. No, not in the creation of f2p but in the creation of "anything to get people off the live servers so the live servers die a slow death".
I know what you mean. I unsubbed the day it was announced. Two games in as many months that ive left. for the same reason. After cancelling I had some time left on both but uninstalled. Couldnt find a way to play without feeling spit on.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
I have a thread going on about the broker issues here. If you are worried about it like I am please make a post and show support. SOE already changed one thing, lets get this changed before launch!
Did they delete it that fast, or did you post a bad link?
they have nerfed the game for F2P so much that it meakes it not worth playing. So no. I was excited as I thought f2p I would def play this game, but they went for money, go go SOE.
They might as well say YOU WILL SUFFER GREATLY for not subbing.
I'll definitely create a character on EQ2X just to play when I feel like taking a break from the $15/month, but I'll still play my regular characters when I am paying for it. Since entitlements, expansions, and all related content carries over between games (it says exactly that at the bottom of the matrix for people that want to disagree), I'll get a lot for free on EQ2X servers and it'll be nice when I want to save a little extra money. I still want to be able to acquire everything and access updates via the live service though.
I think you're probably misinterpreting what you're reading. Think about this logically.....why would SoE want to allow you to....for lack of a better way to put it...."have your cake and eat it too?" Myself....I'm not convinced that it's going to work the way you think it is, allowing players to jump back and forth between paying and not paying monthly fees, and not requiring re-rolls to the EQ2X servers, but allowing transfers of all of your fabled gear, all of your rare housing items, etc....some of which cannot be acquired on the EQ2X server, and then allowing you to just jump back and forth with said characters at will escaping paying a monthly fee whenever you decide you'd like to skip one......
To me....that doesn't sound logical or practical. If they're going to allow what you THINK they are....I'm willing to bet that every time you jump over to that EQ2X server....it's going to cost you real world MONEY to do it. We're both speculating here, but I've been a subscriber since early 2005, and I rather doubt SoE is going to make it as easy for you to "jump ship" (back and forth and back and forth, no less) as you seem to think.
I actually didn't interpret it that way at all. I don't plan on transferring any characters over, and I know that they will be charging $35 to do so, and restrict the gear once it's transferred over. I would be starting over with a new character on the EQ2X server just to play when I didn't feel like paying.
My point is that the content entitlements, such as expansion areas, races, classes, level limits (up to 90) and any other content specific to a prior expansion should be unlocked for me because I purchased up through Sentinel's Fate. That is how the notes at the bottom of the matrix reads to me. I'm fully aware I will still be playing under the restrictions of everything else not related to an actual unlocked expansion. That seems fine to me until/unless I rather pay for the classic method and full/unrestricted access.
I think we can all agree SOE isn't handlng the f2p thing nearly as well as turbine. But then again, does SOE handle anything well?
And I personally like how Turbine handles these things. I wonder if Lotro/DDO is going to see a boost from this because people rather play F2P with more freedom and consideration behind it then their preferred MMO that SOE is dragging through the mud (in their opinion - I'm not too upset by it yet. Just reserving judgement until I see the release version)
Not a chance in hell. In fact, I haven't been able to bring myself to log in at all since this betrayal of the veterans. No, not in the creation of f2p but in the creation of "anything to get people off the live servers so the live servers die a slow death".
I know what you mean. I unsubbed the day it was announced. Two games in as many months that ive left. for the same reason. After cancelling I had some time left on both but uninstalled. Couldnt find a way to play without feeling spit on.
Yeah and it really really sucks. I love this game but I'm so disgusted that I can't bring myself to log in. Logging in would be like a tacit approval of the devs childish tactics.
I think we can all agree SOE isn't handlng the f2p thing nearly as well as turbine. But then again, does SOE handle anything well?
And I personally like how Turbine handles these things. I wonder if Lotro/DDO is going to see a boost from this because people rather play F2P with more freedom and consideration behind it then their preferred MMO that SOE is dragging through the mud (in their opinion - I'm not too upset by it yet. Just reserving judgement until I see the release version)
I'm actually finding the f2p version that turbine is putting out palatable. I don't like it but I can live with it. What SOE is doing on the other hand... thats just plain slimeball.
There are several problems with Eq2EX but I think it will be ok when they get through the (constructive) feedback and make some changes. It will be good for the casuals who may be able to play in their own speed and not feel opressed by the increasing "leetness" of EQ2. Me and my wife willl play it. I hope we will be able to buy TSO t3 armor too so we can solo all the things you are supposed to be able to solo. It will separate the people that play a lot and the casuals and that is IMHO a good thing.
There are several problems with Eq2EX but I think it will be ok when they get through the (constructive) feedback and make some changes. It will be good for the casuals who may be able to play in their own speed and not feel opressed by the increasing "leetness" of EQ2. Me and my wife willl play it. I hope we will be able to buy TSO t3 armor too so we can solo all the things you are supposed to be able to solo. It will separate the people that play a lot and the casuals and that is IMHO a good thing.
I'm not sure how much SOE plans on adding/changing based on the feedback, but I know Turbine has been very responsive towards their feedback making their F2P version very reasonable for both F2P people, veterans, and subscribers. SOE has a good example to follow now, so I hope they're paying attention to it. If SOE's version ends up being a disaster, Lotro is likely where I will end up. I'm playing the Lotro F2P beta and it's great for the slower, casual playstyle, while leaving a lot of goodies in the item shop as one-time small purchases to 'unlock' new content or extras permanently, and leaving all the bells and whistles for subscribers. They've even made a number of changes to the starter content, making it flow a bit better for the new people they are expecting in the game, even though it was completely unnecessary. I'm impressed so far with what they are doing and hope SOE takes their lead by listening and improving upon the details before releasing it.
Soe doesn't really have a good track record of listening to player feedback, so I doubt very much this testing phase is designed to see how current player like it. There is a reason they only unveiled this 2 weeks before it goes live. It is almost the exact opposite of how turbine is doing it.
At the same time soe is again showing that they think that beating the competition to market is more important than taking their time and getting things done right. In an odd twist, that is pretty much what caused EQ2 to end up in the position it is in now.
I played EQ 2 and always enjoyed it. My wife also seemed interested but I could never afford two subscription at once. So now we can both play EQ 2. We will play this along with DDO and Lotro.
Likewise. The wife and I used to enjoy EQ2 but drifted off it as our server pops dipped and other MMOs came out.
EQ2x has breathed a bit of life into it for us. I have played on test and have enjoyed the experience so far.
We're actually excited about a fresh-start server that is suitable for people with a lot of other stuff going on in RL. We are probably going to give the Plat service a go as we want to play one of the locked races/classes and like the idea of getting a year up front with an expansion and some virtual money credits.
Apart from that, we'll be playing it old school, questing, harvesting , crafting etc. and really look forward to making new friends. Might actually meet some real groups and not people 2/3 boxing impatiently rushing through content.
After playing it off and on since launch, everything from casual to hard core raiding, I can not see paying for stuff like races, and the limited space. Hell to get the game to play, on the free server, you have to pay 15 a month. That does not seem very F2P to me.
Some people are really blind or just bluntly naive.
This is the worst F2P implementation they could have gone for. The absolute worst!
There are so many hidden financial traps in EQ2ex, it's not even funny!
Even with Platinum, wich is the really only and the best deal of the bunch, you still end up paying a hell lot more, then playing EQ2 Live with the regular 15/month subscription.
They should have done similar like Turbine has done with DDO and now with LOTRO.
But no no! $OE is driven by pure greed and total blindness towards reality and only good at executing the worst bussiness plans in history and continiously digging their own holes.
This whole EQ2EX debacle is going to kill off the Live Servers! (as trials for EQ2 Live are being removed! Nor can you transfer from EQ2EX to EQ2Live!)
And the people coming to EQ2EX will end up frustrated sooner than later, when they find out how insanely expensive this so called F2P implementation of $OE really is.
Some people are really blind or just bluntly naive.
This is the worst F2P implementation they could have gone for. The absolute worst!
There are so many hidden financial traps in EQ2ex, it's not even funny!
Even with Platinum, wich is the really only and the best deal of the bunch, you still end up paying a hell lot more, then playing EQ2 Live with the regular 15/month subscription.
They should have done similar like Turbine has done with DDO and now with LOTRO.
But no no! $OE is driven by pure greed and total blindness towards reality and only good at executing the worst bussiness plans in history and continiously digging their own holes.
This whole EQ2EX debacle is going to kill off the Live Servers! (as trials for EQ2 Live are being removed! Nor can you transfer from EQ2EX to EQ2Live!)
And the people coming to EQ2EX will end up frustrated sooner than later, when they find out how insanely expensive this so called F2P implementation of $OE really is.
I disagree to that comment about EQ2 Live dying, because as you point out, anyone with any sense will realize what a terrible deal it is to subscribe to EQ2Ex, vs subbing to EQ2 Live.
I also disagree with your opinion that Turbine's model is fairer. In that, you need to buy quests after level 20. Which is like a week of playing. Buying all the quests that were in SoA will set you back $70.
Not to mention, since the whole game is now Item mall based, it means they are going to design any future content with the expectation that a player will be spending $20 a month in the item mall for buffs and xp increasers and healing potions and stat tomes and whatnot (every F2P game does this, it's one major way how they make money)
At least in theory, doing so with EQ2 would require more work, since they'd have to make two different versions of the content.
Some people are really blind or just bluntly naive.
This is the worst F2P implementation they could have gone for. The absolute worst!
There are so many hidden financial traps in EQ2ex, it's not even funny!
Even with Platinum, wich is the really only and the best deal of the bunch, you still end up paying a hell lot more, then playing EQ2 Live with the regular 15/month subscription.
They should have done similar like Turbine has done with DDO and now with LOTRO.
But no no! $OE is driven by pure greed and total blindness towards reality and only good at executing the worst bussiness plans in history and continiously digging their own holes.
This whole EQ2EX debacle is going to kill off the Live Servers! (as trials for EQ2 Live are being removed! Nor can you transfer from EQ2EX to EQ2Live!)
And the people coming to EQ2EX will end up frustrated sooner than later, when they find out how insanely expensive this so called F2P implementation of $OE really is.
I disagree to that comment about EQ2 Live dying, because as you point out, anyone with any sense will realize what a terrible deal it is to subscribe to EQ2Ex, vs subbing to EQ2 Live.
I also disagree with your opinion that Turbine's model is fairer. In that, you need to buy quests after level 20. Which is like a week of playing. Buying all the quests that were in SoA will set you back $70.
Not to mention, since the whole game is now Item mall based, it means they are going to design any future content with the expectation that a player will be spending $20 a month in the item mall for buffs and xp increasers and healing potions and stat tomes and whatnot (every F2P game does this, it's one major way how they make money)
At least in theory, doing so with EQ2 would require more work, since they'd have to make two different versions of the content.
The problem with EQ2EX is that the trials of EQ2Live are going to be removed nor can anyone tranfer any character from EQ2EX to EQ2Live!! What part in that didn't you get??
SOE want to get rid of EQ2 Live and wants everyone to move over to EQ2EX.
They want EQ2 Live to die out (hence the removal of the trial and the inability to tranfer from EX to Live) and hope enough people will fork out cash to tranfer their characters over to EQ2EX!
One of the latest interviews with the Producer made that all too clear, when he said that if the result will be server mergers on EQ2 Live. Then so be it.
Says more then enough to me about what $OE is trying to do here.
They basically try to reset EQ2 with EQ2EX, hope that enough people from EQ2 Live will move over (if they quit... they don't care) and expect enough new players to hop onto EQ2EX and start spending money to compensate for the loss of subs that's gonna happen on EQ2 Live.
And what you say about Turbine isn't exactly true! As you can still subscribe normally to DDO or LOTRO for $14,99 a month and unlock EVERYTHING and have access to ALL content! Plus you get 500 points per month for free and you can earn free points ingame by normal play. More than enough to cover any future content additions to the game.
Even F2P users who kinda diehard an play a lot, could manage to earn a lot of points ingame to use on the Store to cover quite a lot of their needs.
Big big difference to what $OE is about to be doing with EQ2EX.
Not to mention that everything is vastly overpriced on the EQ2 RMT store! They are worse then the average Asian F2P RMT store.
For the price of a stupid vanity cloak in the EQ2 Store (both Live and EX), I can buy 2 full adventure modules in the DDO store!
I disagree to that comment about EQ2 Live dying, because as you point out, anyone with any sense will realize what a terrible deal it is to subscribe to EQ2Ex, vs subbing to EQ2 Live.
I agree.
I also disagree with your opinion that Turbine's model is fairer. In that, you need to buy quests after level 20. Which is like a week of playing. Buying all the quests that were in SoA will set you back $70.
Not to mention, since the whole game is now Item mall based, it means they are going to design any future content with the expectation that a player will be spending $20 a month in the item mall for buffs and xp increasers and healing potions and stat tomes and whatnot (every F2P game does this, it's one major way how they make money)
At least in theory, doing so with EQ2 would require more work, since they'd have to make two different versions of the content.
The problem with EQ2EX is that the trials of EQ2Live are going to be removed nor can anyone tranfer any character from EQ2EX to EQ2Live!! What part in that didn't you get??
Uhm...what part didn't YOU get? No one prevents people from trying the game on EQ2X servers and then going over to an EQ2 Live server if they decide they like it, buying the game, and subscribing. No one said that people would TRANSFER from the EQ2X servers. I think you folks that don't PLAY EQ2, perhaps don't realize that it's not WoW. People aren't going to level to 80 in a week, collect all kinds of great things (you can't even get any legendary or fabled gear, for that matter) and not want to LEAVE EQ2X servers. Their EQ2X character will remain on the EQ2X server, they would simply be starting over on the paid servers WITHOUT all the restrictions.
SOE want to get rid of EQ2 Live and wants everyone to move over to EQ2EX.
I'm not sure why exactly people are so cock sure that SoE wants that. They're already making a consistent mthly sub fee AND selling REGULAR non-stat Marketplace items on the live servers. They're putting the trial players on other servers to keep US from having to deal with the influx of WoWtards that we've had over the past few months. A lot of EQ2 players think that's great....some don't. Big deal.
They want EQ2 Live to die out (hence the removal of the trial and the inability to tranfer from EX to Live) and hope enough people will fork out cash to tranfer their characters over to EQ2EX!
You know...they've had this same rule with the Station Exchange servers for years now. I haven't heard anyone whining about it. If people wanted to play on the Live servers instead...they had to start over and not bring all their real money purchases with them. That's just the nature of having vastly different types of servers.
One of the latest interviews with the Producer made that all too clear, when he said that if the result will be server mergers on EQ2 Live. Then so be it.
Hmm. And how would server mergers of the live servers be bad? I don't see that, as of yet, but....so what if they merged some servers. There are a LOT of servers still. So...it would make the population of those servers go up from medium to high....so what? O.o
Says more then enough to me about what $OE is trying to do here.
They basically try to reset EQ2 with EQ2EX, hope that enough people from EQ2 Live will move over (if they quit... they don't care) and expect enough new players to hop onto EQ2EX and start spending money to compensate for the loss of subs that's gonna happen on EQ2 Live.
Think logically about what you just said....how many of the live server vets do you HONESTLY think will want to move to a server where you can buy stat items, where they can't raid any more for their fabled gear, and where they are going to, sure...have a larger population...but will have to tolerate the pay to win crowd and the scores of children who will undoubtedly show up for the "free" part?? Really? Reeeeeally???
And what you say about Turbine isn't exactly true! As you can still subscribe normally to DDO or LOTRO for $14,99 a month and unlock EVERYTHING and have access to ALL content! Plus you get 500 points per month for free and you can earn free points ingame by normal play. More than enough to cover any future content additions to the game.
Uhm....you will still be able to do that with EQ2 as well. You just have to do it on the live servers and start fresh. Big mothafookin' DEAL! LOL
Even F2P users who kinda diehard an play a lot, could manage to earn a lot of points ingame to use on the Store to cover quite a lot of their needs.
Big big difference to what $OE is about to be doing with EQ2EX.
Not to mention that everything is vastly overpriced on the EQ2 RMT store! They are worse then the average Asian F2P RMT store.
Oh I agree with that....which is ONE REASON (among many) why it's not very likely there will be a vast exodus from the live servers of vets moving to pay to win Marketplace servers.
For the price of a stupid vanity cloak in the EQ2 Store (both Live and EX), I can buy 2 full adventure modules in the DDO store!
You have your opinion. Not ALL EQ2 players agree with you....just some of the NOISIEST ones and people that don't even PLAY the game. Only TIME will tell how this will play out. Neither you, nor I, nor anyone else.....and I mean ANYONE.....is able to accurately predict the outcome.
The only other thing I would have to add to this conversation is....IF the doomsayers end up being 100 percent right....it will take a good long while still, and by the time all of their predictions have time to come to fruition.....we'll have GW2, Rift, and TSW probably out of the starting gates. At that point....if SoE has totally fucked up EQ2....I doubt I'll care. For now...EQ2, imo, is the best MMO on the market. If that changes during the time we're waiting for the aforementioned games....then it won't matter to ME in the least. But for now....regardless of what some people SAY....there are still many of us that think EQ2 is the best MMO presently available to play.
I guess people think all this whining and bitching is actually useful somehow. I think it's just really something that bored people do to entertain their minds. So....enjoy the MMORPG.com MMO while I return to play a REAL MMO.
I disagree to that comment about EQ2 Live dying, because as you point out, anyone with any sense will realize what a terrible deal it is to subscribe to EQ2Ex, vs subbing to EQ2 Live.
I agree.
I also disagree with your opinion that Turbine's model is fairer. In that, you need to buy quests after level 20. Which is like a week of playing. Buying all the quests that were in SoA will set you back $70.
Not to mention, since the whole game is now Item mall based, it means they are going to design any future content with the expectation that a player will be spending $20 a month in the item mall for buffs and xp increasers and healing potions and stat tomes and whatnot (every F2P game does this, it's one major way how they make money)
At least in theory, doing so with EQ2 would require more work, since they'd have to make two different versions of the content.
The problem with EQ2EX is that the trials of EQ2Live are going to be removed nor can anyone tranfer any character from EQ2EX to EQ2Live!! What part in that didn't you get??
Uhm...what part didn't YOU get? No one prevents people from trying the game on EQ2X servers and then going over to an EQ2 Live server if they decide they like it, buying the game, and subscribing. No one said that people would TRANSFER from the EQ2X servers. I think you folks that don't PLAY EQ2, perhaps don't realize that it's not WoW. People aren't going to level to 80 in a week, collect all kinds of great things (you can't even get any legendary or fabled gear, for that matter) and not want to LEAVE EQ2X servers. Their EQ2X character will remain on the EQ2X server, they would simply be starting over on the paid servers WITHOUT all the restrictions.
SOE want to get rid of EQ2 Live and wants everyone to move over to EQ2EX.
I'm not sure why exactly people are so cock sure that SoE wants that. They're already making a consistent mthly sub fee AND selling REGULAR non-stat Marketplace items on the live servers. They're putting the trial players on other servers to keep US from having to deal with the influx of WoWtards that we've had over the past few months. A lot of EQ2 players think that's great....some don't. Big deal.
They want EQ2 Live to die out (hence the removal of the trial and the inability to tranfer from EX to Live) and hope enough people will fork out cash to tranfer their characters over to EQ2EX!
You know...they've had this same rule with the Station Exchange servers for years now. I haven't heard anyone whining about it. If people wanted to play on the Live servers instead...they had to start over and not bring all their real money purchases with them. That's just the nature of having vastly different types of servers.
One of the latest interviews with the Producer made that all too clear, when he said that if the result will be server mergers on EQ2 Live. Then so be it.
Hmm. And how would server mergers of the live servers be bad? I don't see that, as of yet, but....so what if they merged some servers. There are a LOT of servers still. So...it would make the population of those servers go up from medium to high....so what? O.o
Says more then enough to me about what $OE is trying to do here.
They basically try to reset EQ2 with EQ2EX, hope that enough people from EQ2 Live will move over (if they quit... they don't care) and expect enough new players to hop onto EQ2EX and start spending money to compensate for the loss of subs that's gonna happen on EQ2 Live.
Think logically about what you just said....how many of the live server vets do you HONESTLY think will want to move to a server where you can buy stat items, where they can't raid any more for their fabled gear, and where they are going to, sure...have a larger population...but will have to tolerate the pay to win crowd and the scores of children who will undoubtedly show up for the "free" part?? Really? Reeeeeally???
And what you say about Turbine isn't exactly true! As you can still subscribe normally to DDO or LOTRO for $14,99 a month and unlock EVERYTHING and have access to ALL content! Plus you get 500 points per month for free and you can earn free points ingame by normal play. More than enough to cover any future content additions to the game.
Uhm....you will still be able to do that with EQ2 as well. You just have to do it on the live servers and start fresh. Big mothafookin' DEAL! LOL
Even F2P users who kinda diehard an play a lot, could manage to earn a lot of points ingame to use on the Store to cover quite a lot of their needs.
Big big difference to what $OE is about to be doing with EQ2EX.
Not to mention that everything is vastly overpriced on the EQ2 RMT store! They are worse then the average Asian F2P RMT store.
Oh I agree with that....which is ONE REASON (among many) why it's not very likely there will be a vast exodus from the live servers of vets moving to pay to win Marketplace servers.
For the price of a stupid vanity cloak in the EQ2 Store (both Live and EX), I can buy 2 full adventure modules in the DDO store!
You have your opinion. Not ALL EQ2 players agree with you....just some of the NOISIEST ones and people that don't even PLAY the game. Only TIME will tell how this will play out. Neither you, nor I, nor anyone else.....and I mean ANYONE.....is able to accurately predict the outcome.
The only other thing I would have to add to this conversation is....IF the doomsayers end up being 100 percent right....it will take a good long while still, and by the time all of their predictions have time to come to fruition.....we'll have GW2, Rift, and TSW probably out of the starting gates. At that point....if SoE has totally fucked up EQ2....I doubt I'll care. For now...EQ2, imo, is the best MMO on the market. If that changes during the time we're waiting for the aforementioned games....then it won't matter to ME in the least. But for now....regardless of what some people SAY....there are still many of us that think EQ2 is the best MMO presently available to play.
I guess people think all this whining and bitching is actually useful somehow. I think it's just really something that bored people do to entertain their minds. So....enjoy the MMORPG.com MMO while I return to play a REAL MMO.
HA HA HA. Do you really think that people who have spend loads of time and REAL money on their character on EQ2EX just going to toss that out of the window and start anew on EQ2 Live??
Get real please. SOE put that limitation in place for a very OBVIOUS reason! They DO NOT want people to move to EQ2 Live. They want you stick to EQ2EX and spend MORE money!
That has been their whole goal and objective for a long long time.
They failed with Station Exchange.
Then they tried with LoN.
Then came the Smed Shop aka Station Marketplace.
And now their last attempt is EQ2 Extended. Wich will be the final nail in the coffin for this game!
Comments
I have a thread going on about the broker issues here. If you are worried about it like I am please make a post and show support. SOE already changed one thing, lets get this changed before launch!
There is also the currency and storage limit on bronze/silver accounts. It will make any buying or selling very difficult.
Not a chance in hell. In fact, I haven't been able to bring myself to log in at all since this betrayal of the veterans. No, not in the creation of f2p but in the creation of "anything to get people off the live servers so the live servers die a slow death".
I know what you mean. I unsubbed the day it was announced. Two games in as many months that ive left. for the same reason. After cancelling I had some time left on both but uninstalled. Couldnt find a way to play without feeling spit on.
WOW isnt great because it has 12 million players. WOW has 12 million players because its great.
Did they delete it that fast, or did you post a bad link?
bad link i think
http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2x/posts/list.m?topic_id=178
they have nerfed the game for F2P so much that it meakes it not worth playing. So no. I was excited as I thought f2p I would def play this game, but they went for money, go go SOE.
They might as well say YOU WILL SUFFER GREATLY for not subbing.
yeah sorry bout that, not sure why the link didnt work.... the one above is accurate, or you can click this one
http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2x/posts/list.m?topic_id=178
I actually didn't interpret it that way at all. I don't plan on transferring any characters over, and I know that they will be charging $35 to do so, and restrict the gear once it's transferred over. I would be starting over with a new character on the EQ2X server just to play when I didn't feel like paying.
My point is that the content entitlements, such as expansion areas, races, classes, level limits (up to 90) and any other content specific to a prior expansion should be unlocked for me because I purchased up through Sentinel's Fate. That is how the notes at the bottom of the matrix reads to me. I'm fully aware I will still be playing under the restrictions of everything else not related to an actual unlocked expansion. That seems fine to me until/unless I rather pay for the classic method and full/unrestricted access.
I think we can all agree SOE isn't handlng the f2p thing nearly as well as turbine. But then again, does SOE handle anything well?
And I personally like how Turbine handles these things. I wonder if Lotro/DDO is going to see a boost from this because people rather play F2P with more freedom and consideration behind it then their preferred MMO that SOE is dragging through the mud (in their opinion - I'm not too upset by it yet. Just reserving judgement until I see the release version)
Yeah and it really really sucks. I love this game but I'm so disgusted that I can't bring myself to log in. Logging in would be like a tacit approval of the devs childish tactics.
I'm actually finding the f2p version that turbine is putting out palatable. I don't like it but I can live with it. What SOE is doing on the other hand... thats just plain slimeball.
There are several problems with Eq2EX but I think it will be ok when they get through the (constructive) feedback and make some changes. It will be good for the casuals who may be able to play in their own speed and not feel opressed by the increasing "leetness" of EQ2. Me and my wife willl play it. I hope we will be able to buy TSO t3 armor too so we can solo all the things you are supposed to be able to solo. It will separate the people that play a lot and the casuals and that is IMHO a good thing.
Chi puo dir com'egli arde é in picciol fuoco.
He who can describe the flame does not burn.
Petrarch
I'm not sure how much SOE plans on adding/changing based on the feedback, but I know Turbine has been very responsive towards their feedback making their F2P version very reasonable for both F2P people, veterans, and subscribers. SOE has a good example to follow now, so I hope they're paying attention to it. If SOE's version ends up being a disaster, Lotro is likely where I will end up. I'm playing the Lotro F2P beta and it's great for the slower, casual playstyle, while leaving a lot of goodies in the item shop as one-time small purchases to 'unlock' new content or extras permanently, and leaving all the bells and whistles for subscribers. They've even made a number of changes to the starter content, making it flow a bit better for the new people they are expecting in the game, even though it was completely unnecessary. I'm impressed so far with what they are doing and hope SOE takes their lead by listening and improving upon the details before releasing it.
Soe doesn't really have a good track record of listening to player feedback, so I doubt very much this testing phase is designed to see how current player like it. There is a reason they only unveiled this 2 weeks before it goes live. It is almost the exact opposite of how turbine is doing it.
At the same time soe is again showing that they think that beating the competition to market is more important than taking their time and getting things done right. In an odd twist, that is pretty much what caused EQ2 to end up in the position it is in now.
I played EQ 2 and always enjoyed it. My wife also seemed interested but I could never afford two subscription at once. So now we can both play EQ 2. We will play this along with DDO and Lotro.
Likewise. The wife and I used to enjoy EQ2 but drifted off it as our server pops dipped and other MMOs came out.
EQ2x has breathed a bit of life into it for us. I have played on test and have enjoyed the experience so far.
We're actually excited about a fresh-start server that is suitable for people with a lot of other stuff going on in RL. We are probably going to give the Plat service a go as we want to play one of the locked races/classes and like the idea of getting a year up front with an expansion and some virtual money credits.
Apart from that, we'll be playing it old school, questing, harvesting , crafting etc. and really look forward to making new friends. Might actually meet some real groups and not people 2/3 boxing impatiently rushing through content.
After playing it off and on since launch, everything from casual to hard core raiding, I can not see paying for stuff like races, and the limited space. Hell to get the game to play, on the free server, you have to pay 15 a month. That does not seem very F2P to me.
Some people are really blind or just bluntly naive.
This is the worst F2P implementation they could have gone for. The absolute worst!
There are so many hidden financial traps in EQ2ex, it's not even funny!
Even with Platinum, wich is the really only and the best deal of the bunch, you still end up paying a hell lot more, then playing EQ2 Live with the regular 15/month subscription.
They should have done similar like Turbine has done with DDO and now with LOTRO.
But no no! $OE is driven by pure greed and total blindness towards reality and only good at executing the worst bussiness plans in history and continiously digging their own holes.
This whole EQ2EX debacle is going to kill off the Live Servers! (as trials for EQ2 Live are being removed! Nor can you transfer from EQ2EX to EQ2Live!)
And the people coming to EQ2EX will end up frustrated sooner than later, when they find out how insanely expensive this so called F2P implementation of $OE really is.
I disagree to that comment about EQ2 Live dying, because as you point out, anyone with any sense will realize what a terrible deal it is to subscribe to EQ2Ex, vs subbing to EQ2 Live.
I also disagree with your opinion that Turbine's model is fairer. In that, you need to buy quests after level 20. Which is like a week of playing. Buying all the quests that were in SoA will set you back $70.
Not to mention, since the whole game is now Item mall based, it means they are going to design any future content with the expectation that a player will be spending $20 a month in the item mall for buffs and xp increasers and healing potions and stat tomes and whatnot (every F2P game does this, it's one major way how they make money)
At least in theory, doing so with EQ2 would require more work, since they'd have to make two different versions of the content.
R.I.P. City of Heroes and my 17 characters there
The problem with EQ2EX is that the trials of EQ2Live are going to be removed nor can anyone tranfer any character from EQ2EX to EQ2Live!! What part in that didn't you get??
SOE want to get rid of EQ2 Live and wants everyone to move over to EQ2EX.
They want EQ2 Live to die out (hence the removal of the trial and the inability to tranfer from EX to Live) and hope enough people will fork out cash to tranfer their characters over to EQ2EX!
One of the latest interviews with the Producer made that all too clear, when he said that if the result will be server mergers on EQ2 Live. Then so be it.
Says more then enough to me about what $OE is trying to do here.
They basically try to reset EQ2 with EQ2EX, hope that enough people from EQ2 Live will move over (if they quit... they don't care) and expect enough new players to hop onto EQ2EX and start spending money to compensate for the loss of subs that's gonna happen on EQ2 Live.
And what you say about Turbine isn't exactly true! As you can still subscribe normally to DDO or LOTRO for $14,99 a month and unlock EVERYTHING and have access to ALL content! Plus you get 500 points per month for free and you can earn free points ingame by normal play. More than enough to cover any future content additions to the game.
Even F2P users who kinda diehard an play a lot, could manage to earn a lot of points ingame to use on the Store to cover quite a lot of their needs.
Big big difference to what $OE is about to be doing with EQ2EX.
Not to mention that everything is vastly overpriced on the EQ2 RMT store! They are worse then the average Asian F2P RMT store.
For the price of a stupid vanity cloak in the EQ2 Store (both Live and EX), I can buy 2 full adventure modules in the DDO store!
Our house is under an SOE/Sony ban. So, no.
"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
You have your opinion. Not ALL EQ2 players agree with you....just some of the NOISIEST ones and people that don't even PLAY the game. Only TIME will tell how this will play out. Neither you, nor I, nor anyone else.....and I mean ANYONE.....is able to accurately predict the outcome.
The only other thing I would have to add to this conversation is....IF the doomsayers end up being 100 percent right....it will take a good long while still, and by the time all of their predictions have time to come to fruition.....we'll have GW2, Rift, and TSW probably out of the starting gates. At that point....if SoE has totally fucked up EQ2....I doubt I'll care.
For now...EQ2, imo, is the best MMO on the market. If that changes during the time we're waiting for the aforementioned games....then it won't matter to ME in the least. But for now....regardless of what some people SAY....there are still many of us that think EQ2 is the best MMO presently available to play.
I guess people think all this whining and bitching is actually useful somehow. I think it's just really something that bored people do to entertain their minds. So....enjoy the MMORPG.com MMO while I return to play a REAL MMO.
President of The Marvelously Meowhead Fan Club
HA HA HA. Do you really think that people who have spend loads of time and REAL money on their character on EQ2EX just going to toss that out of the window and start anew on EQ2 Live??
Get real please. SOE put that limitation in place for a very OBVIOUS reason! They DO NOT want people to move to EQ2 Live. They want you stick to EQ2EX and spend MORE money!
That has been their whole goal and objective for a long long time.
They failed with Station Exchange.
Then they tried with LoN.
Then came the Smed Shop aka Station Marketplace.
And now their last attempt is EQ2 Extended. Wich will be the final nail in the coffin for this game!