Originally posted by bobfish Originally posted by FlawSGI
Originally posted by bobfish
Er... you missed a few words there... and play both factions... You only get half the content if you play one faction. Though it actually has more content than any other subscription MMO had at launch, looking back, more than Rift, WAR, AoC, WoW, EQ2. It just doesn't feel like a lot because you blast through it in a few weeks.
People have leveled to max in WoW, through all the expansions in less time. For a single character, it has more content than any recent theme park. Not sure about EQ2...did not play it. There can be some debate when you get into leveling multiple characters of the same faction through the same areas...the personal story is different, but the side quests are not. Of course, that same thing applies to other games as well...the same quests will be the same. Of course, if you listen to the voice overs (you do listen to one of the primary features of the game, yes?) then they give a different feel to the quest. Jedi are treated with respect, smugglers, not so much.
The game isn't 'designed' to go F2P in any specific period of time. It may even be part of the deal with Lucas Arts, that the game never go F2P. However, given recent history with other games, it would be silly to not consider it once the game's momentum dies down so much that they have to consider shutting the game down. That could be 7 years from now. Who knows?
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Designing an MMO from the ground up considering that one day you might have to convert to FTP in the future is just good MMO design in my opinion, from a business pov. Everyone should do it.
Not saying they did though..
I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
Designing an MMO from the ground up considering that one day you might have to convert to FTP in the future is just good MMO design in my opinion, from a business pov. Everyone should do it.
Not saying they did though..
I agree and it bothers me to think of how much of the game will be compromised because of it since F2P is becoming a common fallback plan for these projects.
After playing through beta and for the first month now I have little doubt this game was built to be free to play. It is my personal opinion that they are running the sub fees as long as they can but the model was designed to be profitable as free to play and the sub fees are just gravy for as long as they last.
There's just too many content holes for the amount of time and money they put into it. When you look at the finished product it just doesn't add up. There is more, they designed more, and they're just waiting until they have to use it. I'm not talking about free updates to keep people paying subs (RIFT) or even paid expansions (WOW), I'm talking about a cash store the likes of which the industry has never seen. I think its there, I think its ready, I think all they need to do is flip the switch.
My feeling is that the game was planned to be B2P. Where you would buy the game initially, and than pay for additional content (planets,quests) as you go along.
But at some point EA decided to try and milk it just a bit more (with subs)
I think that at some point (probably a year from now) they will announce that the game will switch to this model.
But not before first payed expansion that will happen in summer (to coincide with GW2 release)
This makes alot more sense than it being designed as a f2p right off the bat. And actually would make ALOT of sense the way the worlds are layed out.
You to can see Tattoine for only $9.99! Being EA it wouldnt of suprised me to see thoes prices either lol.
I highly doubt LA will allow it to go F2P just like they did with SWG. My guess how they will make money is $50 xpacs every 6 months or so. Or they might just put a cash shop in the game while still charging a sub.
After playing through beta and for the first month now I have little doubt this game was built to be free to play. It is my personal opinion that they are running the sub fees as long as they can but the model was designed to be profitable as free to play and the sub fees are just gravy for as long as they last.
There's just too many content holes for the amount of time and money they put into it. When you look at the finished product it just doesn't add up. There is more, they designed more, and they're just waiting until they have to use it. I'm not talking about free updates to keep people paying subs (RIFT) or even paid expansions (WOW), I'm talking about a cash store the likes of which the industry has never seen. I think its there, I think its ready, I think all they need to do is flip the switch.
I completely agree with you on this. This game design very much reminds me to DCUO except reaching endgame takes a bit longer this time.
Theres just nothing with SWTOR content that will keep even the most casual players for longer than a few months and the amount of fresh content they can add later on, being fully voiced and all, is expensive and takes too much time given how quickly players consume it.
I suspect this is a new MMO business model that some developers are practicing now and it seems to be profitable.
One thing SOE did wrong however, and enraged most dedicated fans, was offering life time subscription plan then going F2P within a year, which is probably why BW didn't offer the same deal.
In the long run it costs way more to play a F2P game then a subscription based game. And lets be honest its not FREE to play, it's " Will give you a small taste then will nickle and dime you to death "
Comments
Er... you missed a few words there... and play both factions...
You only get half the content if you play one faction. Though it actually has more content than any other subscription MMO had at launch, looking back, more than Rift, WAR, AoC, WoW, EQ2.
It just doesn't feel like a lot because you blast through it in a few weeks.
People have leveled to max in WoW, through all the expansions in less time. For a single character, it has more content than any recent theme park. Not sure about EQ2...did not play it. There can be some debate when you get into leveling multiple characters of the same faction through the same areas...the personal story is different, but the side quests are not. Of course, that same thing applies to other games as well...the same quests will be the same. Of course, if you listen to the voice overs (you do listen to one of the primary features of the game, yes?) then they give a different feel to the quest. Jedi are treated with respect, smugglers, not so much.
The game isn't 'designed' to go F2P in any specific period of time. It may even be part of the deal with Lucas Arts, that the game never go F2P. However, given recent history with other games, it would be silly to not consider it once the game's momentum dies down so much that they have to consider shutting the game down. That could be 7 years from now. Who knows?
I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.
Designing an MMO from the ground up considering that one day you might have to convert to FTP in the future is just good MMO design in my opinion, from a business pov. Everyone should do it.
Not saying they did though..
Analyst have been going in on this project because it has doom written all over from finacial view...as for the stock...keep watching it lol.
while I don't think it will go F2P any time soon, he does bring up a good point about this game being perfect for it.
Think of how easily Bioware could get Star Wars fanatics to buy stuff.
I agree and it bothers me to think of how much of the game will be compromised because of it since F2P is becoming a common fallback plan for these projects.
This makes alot more sense than it being designed as a f2p right off the bat. And actually would make ALOT of sense the way the worlds are layed out.
You to can see Tattoine for only $9.99! Being EA it wouldnt of suprised me to see thoes prices either lol.
I highly doubt LA will allow it to go F2P just like they did with SWG. My guess how they will make money is $50 xpacs every 6 months or so. Or they might just put a cash shop in the game while still charging a sub.
I completely agree with you on this. This game design very much reminds me to DCUO except reaching endgame takes a bit longer this time.
Theres just nothing with SWTOR content that will keep even the most casual players for longer than a few months and the amount of fresh content they can add later on, being fully voiced and all, is expensive and takes too much time given how quickly players consume it.
I suspect this is a new MMO business model that some developers are practicing now and it seems to be profitable.
One thing SOE did wrong however, and enraged most dedicated fans, was offering life time subscription plan then going F2P within a year, which is probably why BW didn't offer the same deal.
Why are so many people wanting F2P ?!?
In the long run it costs way more to play a F2P game then a subscription based game. And lets be honest its not FREE to play, it's " Will give you a small taste then will nickle and dime you to death "