A free to play model that WORKS

mcool

As of now , there arent many f2p models that doesnt offend the playerbase.

Subscription- nobody likes paying a monthly fee for a game, on top of that when you stop paying you have no access to the game. The amount of new games coming in means no-one is likely to remain in the same game for more than six months(gw2,stwor)..

F2P- is it possible to be f2p with a cash shop ,NO!!!! most people wouldnt spend money in a cash shop if it doesnt give them an advantage over the player.

I believe there are three payment methods that will please both players

PWYW(pay what you want) - pay what you want with a cap of $15, so each day could cost you $0.50.. so if you only play for 12 days in a month, this will only cost you $6 plus it pays for staff and removes kids from the game

dayz/warz/minecraft model- buy the game and then host it, expansions come out every six months . this model works because the company can pay for some servers, pay staff and the pricing of the game is relatively low..

Adverts- an advert system could  work, the game could be free or a small fee and we watch an advert before we play. 

what do you think?

mcool

i think that the pay when you play is the best method, a small fee each day :witha a cap of $15 a month. I would love to se it implremented

Lovely_Laly

to me buy to play still a very good model, but IMO, such game should not have Item Shop for anything else but cosmetic items.

sub is ok but need me to play chosen game like non-stop (attach me to said game too much), beside I guess I prefer WoW in this case.

Item Shop not bother me if it not *buy to win* and we have option to earn all in game.

pay what you want sounds not bad only not sure what does it really mean, but I voted for this option. =D

mcool

pay what you wsnt is the bes, it saves a lot of money in the long run

Loktofeit

Originally posted by mcool

I believe there are three payment methods that will please both players

PWYW(pay what you want) - pay what you want with a cap of $15...

Someone should do a comedy skit about that pitch being made in an actual business meeting.

ET3D

Paying per day was something I suggested long ago. EQ2 even had a version of this at one time, although a badly implemented one ($5 for a weekend or something like that). A general model of this would be $1 per day with a $15 cap, since this encourages people to get a sub.

Would this kind of model work in a world that's mostly F2P or B2P? I'm not sure. I think that people would still prefer a-la-carte buying as opposed to more granular subs.

Superman0X

Originally posted by mcool

As of now , there arent many f2p models that doesnt offend the playerbase.

Subscription- nobody likes paying a monthly fee for a game, on top of that when you stop paying you have no access to the game. The amount of new games coming in means no-one is likely to remain in the same game for more than six months(gw2,stwor)..

 

You do know that subscription is the most common/popular method of payment for F2P? Combine that with timecards (paid playtime), and you could literally argue that subscription = F2P.

 

 

AtmaDarkwolf

hmm15.. 25.. even 50 a month to guarntee that I start on the same footing as everyone else... that mr moneybags over there isn't gonna run around with cash shop +10 swords of wingamenow, and the poor dude(Ahem.. me) who can ONLY afford 15-25-50(And so on) a month for entertainment? HELL YES, Sign me up.

 

For someone on a budget(Me..if you haven't figured that out yet) I can STILL drop close to 100 bucks a month on 'entertainment', so dropping 15 or so(Even 50 if its worth it) on a game that, due to it BEING a sub based game, will NOT have the leet speaking mash-keyboard-with-face-when-typing guys, or annoying/offensive cash shop items, or just plain 'asshats' since hackers, scammers, and racists wads, will eventually LOSE access to the game(Therefore they wont' be such wads if they want to keep playing)

 

Sounds like a dream payment method to me, I had this GREAT idea someone should TRY IT!

 

 

(WHy did they pretty much phase out all forums of sub based payment anyways.. they might 'start' with it but with trials and eventually, 3 months down the road, its gonna be F2P anyways, why bother?)

Sagasaint

[mod edit]

 

 

B2P with a STRICT vanity-only cash shop is the best for me, but still I can foresee plenty of problems with it, like:

 

- holding content at release just to sell it later

- day 1 DLC

- power creep expacs that make everybody who purchases it move to a different area, leaving the older one outdated, hence segregating the playerbase that decides to not buy the expac right now.

DavisFlight

Though, Vanguard does have a fantastic FTP system.

Kyleran

Originally posted by mcool

As of now , there arent many f2p models that doesnt offend the playerbase.

1) Subscription- nobody likes paying a monthly fee for a game, on top of that when you stop paying you have no access to the game. The amount of new games coming in means no-one is likely to remain in the same game for more than six months(gw2,stwor)..

2) F2P- is it possible to be f2p with a cash shop ,NO!!!! most people wouldnt spend money in a cash shop if it doesnt give them an advantage over the player.

I believe there are three payment methods that will please both players

3) PWYW(pay what you want) - pay what you want with a cap of $15, so each day could cost you $0.50.. so if you only play for 12 days in a month, this will only cost you $6 plus it pays for staff and removes kids from the game

dayz/warz/minecraft model- buy the game and then host it, expansions come out every six months . this model works because the company can pay for some servers, pay staff and the pricing of the game is relatively low..

Adverts- an advert system could  work, the game could be free or a small fee and we watch an advert before we play. 

what do you think?

1) I enjoy paying monthly fees for a game, and don't care if I can't access them once I stop paying, same thing happens if I stop paying my cable bill.

2) Go play Aion and tell me F2P with a cash shop isn't a great deal.  Not sure NCSoft is making a lot of money from it, but from my perspective its darn near perfect.

3) You are basically proposing a donation system, and most people aren't going to participate.  Ask any guild leader who asks for donations to pay for the website/voice comms, normally are supported by only a handful of the members.

As for your other two models, can't really comment.  I don't trust games hosted by anyone but the developers and adverts would be very intrusive, especially in a fantasy based title.

Far as I'm concerned, offer some sort of tiered sub fee, where you pay 15.00 for unlimited access, and then steps downward with time restrictions for lower plans.   If we must go F2P, do it like Aion and stay away from content locks and what not.

 

Nadia

Originally posted by mcool

As of now , there arent many f2p models that doesnt offend the playerbase.

i dont play it but ive heard Lineage 2 has a good ftp system -- havent heard *any* complaints

 

unlike EQ2 , DDO, LOTRO

everyone has different opinions about how good the system is  (content locks vs gear locks)

 

 

 

Dihoru

I went with cash shop because if the items from it are not bind on pickup or alternatively you could be allowed to trade for cash shop currency with other players then a properly balanced cash shop in games without the need for item decay and said cash shop items cannot be broken down for minerals/components/etc and the items are not superior to anything you can earn or craft within the game then you have the best possible game in a F2P system ( it doesn't nickle and dime anyone but anyone who wants to boost their progress along gets that option without being overpowered ergo it is still F2P not P2W ). If tweaked allot it could also work with systems with item decay enabled but then you're seriously gonna have issues with the game's economy ( prices would at least have some minimal level or maximum for any said item because of equiviliant cash shop items though without a real measure of $ per gold, just an example, and with adequate in-game money sinks in the game it could still work).

bugmeno

Lord of the Rings Online F2P Model works just fine. 2 Years playin´ and didn´t spend a $$ and have everything (every questpack, expansion, 7 slot characters) > notin´ beats LoTRo in Terms of "User Friendly"

I don´t recommend doing what i did though, many hours of TP farming.

Varthander

Im actually playing Planetside 2, considered a F2P, the cash shop offers weapons and Xp boosts. Still none of those gives you any advantage over anyone since the only way to win there its being Skilled, the weapons sold there only offers different stats like sacrificing fire power for more accuracy and so on.

The only thing i bought so far in the cash shop its Camouflages and a custom armor and helmet, and all are vanity items.

Said that i cant really agree with you in some of the statements you made.

Jemcrystal

Mabinogi's f2p model works because they took it seriously.  It's a real game not a get rich quick scheme.  F2p can work and be better than box or sub.  The idea is people with money pay the most while those who can't afford to invest in a game play free.  Everyone benefits.

steelheartx

I guess i'm just simplistic, but i really don't understand what the overall difference is.

If you're going to spend $15 a month to open new content and / or buy fluff items every month, then why not pay the $15 a month sub fee?  The former just makes absolutely no sense to me

If it's a "wanting to try the game first" desire, then most games either give you a month free in the beginning, or let you play free to a certain level before purchasing. 

Maybe it's just me, but i'd rather not be limited to micro-transactions.  I'd much rather pay a sub and have everything available to be right from the beginning.

My 2cp on the matter. 

Nitth

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A free to play model that WORKS

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For whom? The company or the customer?

DavisFlight

Originally posted by bugmeno
Lord of the Rings Online F2P Model works just fine.

Yeah, for Turbine. It costs more money now to access the same amount of content you used to be able to get for 15 a month. They still give you the option of subscribing, but you get fewer features and limited content. They make you grind and jump through hoops for points, everything prompts you for a credit cards. Quests lock you out, dungeons are not able to be entered. It's a really horrible system for a game that prides itself on its world. Meanwhile, Vanguard has a 100% open world, open dungeons, open quests, no cost AT ALL.

LotRO gets its money by making your life miserable and charging for conveniences. Vanguard just gives you the game.

Arclan

Firms love microtransactions, so why not, instead, offer the ability to pay $2 to play for the day; or $15 a month to play the month.

I refuse to play F2P games. Don't mind, as much, P2P games with a resonable cash shop.

waynejr2

Originally posted by mcool
i think that the pay when you play is the best method, a small fee each day :witha a cap of $15 a month. I would love to se it implremented

 No  NO NO!.  You don't get to play it that way.   IF you are going to make it pay per day, make it a could of dollars.  Cap at $15.00?  BS.  Bring back the good old AOL NWN $8.00 or so per hour.  At least make it a tough choice to make.

You people are so cheap.  Business need to make money and plan, sub gives them some planning.  The cap just kills them as they can't be sure of $15.00. 

 

nariusseldon

Originally posted by DavisFlight

Originally posted by bugmeno
Lord of the Rings Online F2P Model works just fine.

Yeah, for Turbine. It costs more money now to access the same amount of content you used to be able to get for 15 a month. They still give you the option of subscribing, but you get fewer features and limited content. They make you grind and jump through hoops for points, everything prompts you for a credit cards. Quests lock you out, dungeons are not able to be entered. It's a really horrible system for a game that prides itself on its world. Meanwhile, Vanguard has a 100% open world, open dungeons, open quests, no cost AT ALL.

LotRO gets its money by making your life miserable and charging for conveniences. Vanguard just gives you the game.

It cost less to access a lot of content .. in fact, it costs zero. Who wants to access the same amount of content when one barely has time to consumer the free stuff?

 

Vesavius

Originally posted by mcool

Subscription- nobody likes paying a monthly fee for a game 

 

Makes bold statement.

Sees over 50% of his poll at this point show that they prefer paying a subscription.

 

subscription - 55.6%

cash shop - 11.1%

pay what you want - 11.1%

In game advertising - 0.0%

player hosting - 0.0%

one time fee (guild wars) - 22.2%

 

 

I maintain that the best model, and one we haven't seen tried yet as far as I know, may be to offer a *free* client, give the player a 2 week unlimited trial, and then ask for a reasonable sub if they want to carry on playing.

Dihoru

Originally posted by Vesavius

Originally posted by mcool

Subscription- nobody likes paying a monthly fee for a game 

 

Makes bold statement.

Sees over 50% of his poll at this point show that they prefer paying a subscription.

 

subscription - 55.6%

cash shop - 11.1%

pay what you want - 11.1%

In game advertising - 0.0%

player hosting - 0.0%

one time fee (guild wars) - 22.2%

 

 

I maintain that the best model, and one we haven't seen tried yet as far as I know, may be to offer a *free* client, give the player a 2 week unlimited trial, and then ask for a reasonable sub if they want to carry on playing.

EVE-Online gives you 3 weeks, free client and free expansions, only sub game I play btw.

azzamasin

F2P and B2P with a cash shop is best.

 

Theres not one non-MMO gamer who thinks a subscription is a good thing.  It is dead and will soon be a thing of the past.

Vesavius

Originally posted by Dihoru

Originally posted by Vesavius

Originally posted by mcool

Subscription- nobody likes paying a monthly fee for a game 

 

Makes bold statement.

Sees over 50% of his poll at this point show that they prefer paying a subscription.

 

subscription - 55.6%

cash shop - 11.1%

pay what you want - 11.1%

In game advertising - 0.0%

player hosting - 0.0%

one time fee (guild wars) - 22.2%

 

 

I maintain that the best model, and one we haven't seen tried yet as far as I know, may be to offer a *free* client, give the player a 2 week unlimited trial, and then ask for a reasonable sub if they want to carry on playing.

EVE-Online gives you 3 weeks, free client and free expansions, only sub game I play btw.

 

That's interesting, I didn't know that.

And EvE is growing not shrinking it seems.