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Free games really free? o.O?
SaraQde
Member Posts: 5
Just like the title says, what do you guys think...
For me, i don't think so.>_> Have playing isro for years, Silkroad online i mean, got so much fun from it and of course lots of friend either. It's really a fantasy game though it's old enough and you can't jump or fly like what you can do in many other games. But at the same time, it took me plenty of time, energy and money...though it's free-_-
First, you can not even log in game without a premium, cus the the server was always full:( Second, you will find it's really hard to get a good weapon. SOS? just a dream... . Third, there are also beautiful suits and pets etc in game, they are really awsome, but, you have to pay for it.:( Or, you can just wear what you get from the poor monsters, stupid armors, sick weapons, you can also ask guys for money who like a beggar>_>
Really free games are FREE??? what do you guys think...
[Mod edit]
Comments
You need to reevaluate your definition of "Free to Play"
F2P means that you can download the game client, and play for as along as you want without paying. And yes, F2P games -are- really free. Whens the last time you bought a F2P game at Gamestop? Just because a game has an item shop doesn't mean you can't call it free. You can still play the game without paying.
So, to answer you, yes they are free. There's no such thing as a totally free anything because, why would someone spend hundreds of thousands, if not millions of dollars to make a game that doesn't make any money?
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How "free" something is also depends on the game. Turbine offers classes, races and new explorable areas for sale, by purchasing "points" to pay for them. But you can also play the game and get the same point by earning favor with different NPCs. I have played 2 toons up to level 8 and have unlocked all classes and races, and several of the new areas, all without paying a single dime.
Yes they're free to download and play, but 99% of them require micro-payments to be competitive/viable in game against others using the micro-payment shoppe and the rest 1% don't have any real content in them. Or they offer a "premium content" with monthly fee.
So to answer you question truthfully, NO, there are no free games, all of them try to get money one way or the other.
F2P games are like this:
I offer you a cup of free coffee. When you take a first gulp halfway through your throat, I let you know that cup rental is $10.
Still, the coffee was free.
yea, in fact i means that, it's a called a free game but if you really play in it you will find it costs much more than a game which you have to pay for it like WoW, Aion etc. And in WoW, you just need pay for the CD-Key, Monthcard and enjoy it. You can get what you want in game with your hard work. But in a game like isro, you will find it's really takes you more money than the premium itself... Yeah, it's free but it costs more xD
It all comes down to the reasons you play these games. If you play for pure fun it's free, but if you play for in-game domination it's going to cost you.
I've said this before on another thread and apparently the only fun thing to do in these games is to beat on other players, so if that's your idea of what fun is then you're going to need to spend money and might as well pay for a P2P game without any cashshops.
Totally agree with you xD
F2p games bring you to the fountain and then stop you from drinking. At that time you will be so thirsty that you'll be willing to pay for the water. Nice strategy I think. Works great for those games that doesn't have much to give and are not as deep as other mmo are.
Nothing is free after all.
Here's a better example
I offer you free coffee. You realize the coffee is, in fact, free. but you also know that i charge $10 each for sugar and cream. If you need sugar and cream, then you're screwed. However, if you like your coffee black (many people do) then you drink all the coffee you want without paying a cent.
make sense?
That implies that the customer is somehow trapped. Or that you're unable to drink the coffee without paying. You can walk away from an F2P anytime, and the better ones will let you enjoy the game just fine, albeit often with a steep investment of time and grinding.
F2P is when you offer someone free coffee, but let them know that cream and sugar is extra. And you also have a wide selection of premuim blends available. And a reasonable charge will get you your coffee in a clay mug, instead of a dixie cup. And the seats will be padded. And an attractive waiter/waitress will bring you your coffee, instead of the elephant man. And they'll turn the A/C or heating on. And they'll let you pick the music...
BUT, you can keep drinking that free coffee as long as the restaurant is open.
A Modest Proposal for MMORPGs:
That the means of progression would not be mutually exclusive from the means of enjoyment.
Don't let a single game speak for others.
Beside, as you also played Silkroad Online, you should know how badly infested by bots the game is and that the publisher barely ever take any actions against it. If you can't access crowded servers unless you are "premium", then they have all the incentive in the world to let bots populate the server. Just another exemple of a bad publisher....
It's also important to mention that not all F2P games are alot. Just recently (last 2 years) there has been an influx of very high quality F2P games. In fact, I'd say games like RoM and Allods are of higher quality and content that 90% of the games released in the past 3-4 years.
Also, some games are obviously more free than others. The ones where cash shops only offer fluff would be the most free to play.
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If you can't change the world, change yourself.
Nothing is really for free and if someone tells you that they are lying or are very naive. Nothing.
You can of course make a MMO with adds instead of fees and C-shops but that still isn't free, it is like watching a tv channel , someone is paying and they are xpecting to get their money back.
Ok, then maybe I somehow fall into the naive category. I've played my fair share of F2P games, enjoyed them and never put a cent into them. So how was my experience not free? The electricity bill maybe?
Free to play games are just that, they're free to play but they'll make the experience easier if you pay. Just think of it like this, someone giving you one of your favorite foods for free which dries your mouth. They then say, "Hey well, we have drinks but you'll have to pay for them." Do you continue eating with a dry mouth that keeps getting dryer the more you eat or do you give in and buy the beverage?
Plus the time you invested. It take real people to make a good community that will appeal to those who do pay, and a smart F2P publisher knows that even the people who don't actually pay, they still contribute to making a game successful.
Another thing to consider is that it's usually possible to buy and sell cash shop items in-game, so even if you buy something from another player who's looking to score some quick gold, the publisher still gets the sale.
A Modest Proposal for MMORPGs:
That the means of progression would not be mutually exclusive from the means of enjoyment.
Free to Play =/= Free to Win
it's that simple.
However, if i may add, on your path to winning, paying them money (more than a p2p would run you) will reduce the fustrations inserted into the game to make the game less enjoyable for free players.
Things like reducing the years of grinding required via XP items, making on character and off character storage very limited (offering special items that youll want to save for laters on to clogg up that limited inventory).
Making travel time obnoxious without cash shop mounts or teleport items.
Offering cash shop enhancement gurantees so your free playing buddies weapon breaks mid-strength when enhancing, leaving the paying players with the high level enhanced equips.
Lets not forget better potions in game, the ones that let you self heal to pvp victory against a free (or lesser funded) opponent.
The ones who boast an item shop that doesnt skew gameplay towards paying players (by offering in game character vs character advantages) usually have the fustration elements turned up to make up for it.
But yes, you could possibly "win" for free, in a p2p game you must pay for this oppertunity (and are usually rewarded with a game that doesnt insert fustration to milk you for cash and is of much better quality).
I'm glad to see you agree with me.
Make no mistake there are plenty of free to play games out there that if you don't pay at end game you will always lose to those who do purchase the bonuses. For example, the OP's game "Silkroad Online", premium gives bonus stats, 10% more damage and 10% more defense and some other stats. Unless you're decked out in the best gear in the game, you're going to lose to whoever simply has premium which 90% of the end game people do have in silkroad online. So basically if you want to be competitive, you have to invest some money in alot of these games.
All I can say is if you're looking for a game that puts everyone on the same playing field whether they pay or not, do your research first or you'll find yourself obligated to fork out money to keep up with your nemises :P
All that is free is the download, and usually comes packed with a game security program that is a data miner in reality. So even the free payers they make money selling information such as whats on your computer and in it ( "to provide a better gaming experience in the future") What programs you run and for how long ( "must prevent 3rd party hacks from running") and what websited you visit (" we would never spy on you without letting you know ")
Also this program usually roots itself deep into your operating system making removal tricky (if not fully un-installed does it still mine your data ?)
But i dont agree with you f2p games really = free to win (the oppertunity to)
Who values their privacy in all honesty? Why not let a foreign company hock your data?
Also these security programs do absolutly nothing to gurantee that everyone is playing by the rules, 100% unequivocally ineffective in preventing hacks and 3rd party programs. But hey it comes FREE! FREE! FREE! ( i get all tingly when i see that word)
Free to Play= Pay to Win
Is that simple.It is somebody giving you an apartment for free each month with electriic and water but they didn't give you any funiture or appliances.The apartment is free but if you want a really nice place you have to spend money and add the basic stuff.That is basic of free to play game they give you enough to be happy for free but if you want the full experiance you have spend money.
You sir are correct. Alot of people aren't aware of this.
Games cost money. Somebody has to pay for them.
In a traditional sub-based P2P game, everyone pays.
In a F2P game, you get the choice between an inferior experience for free, or a superior experience for money.
I think that's fairly simple to understand.