DDO and LOTRO free to play, but Asheron's Call 1 still has a subscription fee? Something doesn't make sense here.
Haha yeah. I bet it's on its way at some point... or they've given up on AC in a sense, thinking it's gonna keep who it keeps and no one else will be interested at this point.
I fear it's only for the US servers once again. CM still didn't make DDO F2P there, so LotRo won't go F2P for Europe as well.
Luckily I did sell my LotR EU lifetime sub account recently. Now when I want to play LotR I'll join the US servers
"Launching this fall across North America and Europe, with Codemasters operating the game free-to-play in Europe, LOTRO will introduce Turbine’s innovative new pricing model that allows players to download the game and play for free, purchase expansions, quest packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new LOTRO Store, or join the VIP program to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content for one low price. Players interested in getting a sneak peek of the new LOTRO can sign up for a chance to participate in the Beta program which begins June 16, 2010 at http://www.lotro.com."
Same thing was said about CodeMaster's DDO hosting and it's still P2P...
[EDIT]
Oh wow... CM will make LotR also F2P. They already announced it on the EU website. Damn, I think the guy that bought my account is real sad now :P
Why would he be? He gets access to everything in the game without a monthly fee, as well as 500 points every month to spend on optional things in the store on the side.
It pays to read before jumping to conclusions.
I saw that already, but the price he payed for the account doesn't make up for the extra's... Also, my old account came with a lot of extra's (pre-order and promotional gifts) of which I guess most of them will appear in the item-store as well as 9 character slots per server...
He'll most likely end up with a lot of points he won't use in the end...
I fear it's only for the US servers once again. CM still didn't make DDO F2P there, so LotRo won't go F2P for Europe as well.
Luckily I did sell my LotR EU lifetime sub account recently. Now when I want to play LotR I'll join the US servers
"Launching this fall across North America and Europe, with Codemasters operating the game free-to-play in Europe, LOTRO will introduce Turbine’s innovative new pricing model that allows players to download the game and play for free, purchase expansions, quest packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new LOTRO Store, or join the VIP program to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content for one low price. Players interested in getting a sneak peek of the new LOTRO can sign up for a chance to participate in the Beta program which begins June 16, 2010 at http://www.lotro.com."
Same thing was said about CodeMaster's DDO hosting and it's still P2P...
[EDIT]
Oh wow... CM will make LotR also F2P. They already announced it on the EU website. Damn, I think the guy that bought my account is real sad now :P
Why would he be? He gets access to everything in the game without a monthly fee, as well as 500 points every month to spend on optional things in the store on the side.
It pays to read before jumping to conclusions.
I saw that already, but the price he payed for the account doesn't make up for the extra's... Also, my old account came with a lot of extra's (pre-order and promotional gifts) of which I guess most of them will appear in the item-store as well as 9 character slots per server...
He'll most likely end up with a lot of points he won't use in the end...
I am not sure if this is good enough or bad news. It sounds like the happiness of a doctor after saving the life of somebody by cutting some limbs. I am pretty sure, based on the comments in this forum that LotRO is a great game, with various followers, but not enough by the sound of this new model. What did it go wrong?
I am not sure if this is good enough or bad news. It sounds like the happiness of a doctor after saving the life of somebody by cutting some limbs. I am pretty sure, based on the comments in this forum that LotRO is a great game, with various followers, but not enough by the sound of this new model. What did it go wrong?
I think the problem lies mainly in the US. The servers in Europe appear to be well populated. But surely, the new F2P model will most likely increase the popularity of LotR evenmore.
I fear it's only for the US servers once again. CM still didn't make DDO F2P there, so LotRo won't go F2P for Europe as well.
Luckily I did sell my LotR EU lifetime sub account recently. Now when I want to play LotR I'll join the US servers
"Launching this fall across North America and Europe, with Codemasters operating the game free-to-play in Europe, LOTRO will introduce Turbine’s innovative new pricing model that allows players to download the game and play for free, purchase expansions, quest packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new LOTRO Store, or join the VIP program to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content for one low price. Players interested in getting a sneak peek of the new LOTRO can sign up for a chance to participate in the Beta program which begins June 16, 2010 at http://www.lotro.com."
Same thing was said about CodeMaster's DDO hosting and it's still P2P...
[EDIT]
Oh wow... CM will make LotR also F2P. They already announced it on the EU website. Damn, I think the guy that bought my account is real sad now :P
Why would he be? He gets access to everything in the game without a monthly fee, as well as 500 points every month to spend on optional things in the store on the side.
It pays to read before jumping to conclusions.
I saw that already, but the price he payed for the account doesn't make up for the extra's... Also, my old account came with a lot of extra's (pre-order and promotional gifts) of which I guess most of them will appear in the item-store as well as 9 character slots per server...
He'll most likely end up with a lot of points he won't use in the end...
F2P only, if you really get into it and don't want to sub, you will likely spend much more money in the long run than having a lifetime sub, or at least somewhere close. F2P always works this way. Just most people aren't willing to put out all the money at once for a lifetime sub.
Things will constantly be added to the store such as every item mall in every F2P. Those points will be useful in some way at some point.
Unless of course you're saying you're a complete shyster and made him pay quite a bit more than it was actually worth. In that case, he was already dumb to do it.
Well boys, you're looking at the new best free to play mmorpg.....if only Warhammer did this..
And AOC and DAOC and SWG and just about any other MMO with declining subs and no good way to attract new players. Surprised more companies haven't gone along with this model.
It's the future of MMO pricing models, whether we like it or not. We'll see how it turns out. Folks wanted more players in low level areas, and they'll certainly get it!
The sky is falling! The sky is falling! ........ If there were any other MMOs that interested me now, I would quit LotRO so fast I'd leave a vapor trail to the next MMO.
Hedonismbot: Your latest performance was as delectable as dipping my bottom over and over into a bath of the silkiest oils and creams.
I am not sure if this is good enough or bad news. It sounds like the happiness of a doctor after saving the life of somebody by cutting some limbs. I am pretty sure, based on the comments in this forum that LotRO is a great game, with various followers, but not enough by the sound of this new model. What did it go wrong?
Its not about what went wrong. The question is. What went right? And the answer is DDO.
If you have 2 MMOs and one of them have a 500 % revenue increase then you probably want to do the same with the other MMO. Especially if it already is making alot of money.
If WoW = The Beatles and WAR = Led Zeppelin Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
I am not sure if this is good enough or bad news. It sounds like the happiness of a doctor after saving the life of somebody by cutting some limbs. I am pretty sure, based on the comments in this forum that LotRO is a great game, with various followers, but not enough by the sound of this new model. What did it go wrong?
Its not about what went wrong. The question is. What went right? And the answer is DDO.
If you have 2 MMOs and one of them have a 500 % revenue increase then you probably want to do the same with the other MMO. Especially if it already is making alot of money.
Papadam, I remember you calling me a troll and a lunatic when I said Lotro is going free to play within a year - and if you track my posts history, I wrote it here sometime around december 2009. Where's your apology now?
I fear it's only for the US servers once again. CM still didn't make DDO F2P there, so LotRo won't go F2P for Europe as well.
Luckily I did sell my LotR EU lifetime sub account recently. Now when I want to play LotR I'll join the US servers
"Launching this fall across North America and Europe, with Codemasters operating the game free-to-play in Europe, LOTRO will introduce Turbine’s innovative new pricing model that allows players to download the game and play for free, purchase expansions, quest packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new LOTRO Store, or join the VIP program to get unlimited access to all of the game’s content for one low price. Players interested in getting a sneak peek of the new LOTRO can sign up for a chance to participate in the Beta program which begins June 16, 2010 at http://www.lotro.com."
Same thing was said about CodeMaster's DDO hosting and it's still P2P...
[EDIT]
Oh wow... CM will make LotR also F2P. They already announced it on the EU website. Damn, I think the guy that bought my account is real sad now :P
Why would he be? He gets access to everything in the game without a monthly fee, as well as 500 points every month to spend on optional things in the store on the side.
It pays to read before jumping to conclusions.
I saw that already, but the price he payed for the account doesn't make up for the extra's... Also, my old account came with a lot of extra's (pre-order and promotional gifts) of which I guess most of them will appear in the item-store as well as 9 character slots per server...
He'll most likely end up with a lot of points he won't use in the end...
I am not sure if this is good enough or bad news. It sounds like the happiness of a doctor after saving the life of somebody by cutting some limbs. I am pretty sure, based on the comments in this forum that LotRO is a great game, with various followers, but not enough by the sound of this new model. What did it go wrong?
That analogy doesn't really fit at all, IMO. I imagine, like most older MMO's they're probably seeing fewer new subs, but it's nowhere near the trouble DDO was in.
This is more like getting on a good diet to prevent diabetes.
As far as the prior posters go: People will keep all their bonuses. For example, those who bought the adventurers pack will still keep their extra 2 slots.
So, WB really wants more money, let's start a new milking system.
I wonder if they'll be able to make yet another "less bad" MT system, DDO by nature should have been MT-based since release, it never justified its own monthly subscription.
I am not sure if this is good enough or bad news. It sounds like the happiness of a doctor after saving the life of somebody by cutting some limbs. I am pretty sure, based on the comments in this forum that LotRO is a great game, with various followers, but not enough by the sound of this new model. What did it go wrong?
Most people who tried Lotro didn't think it was that great of a game hence the need to go f2p. It was just another solo quest grinder too similar to WoW to drag players away from WoW.
I am not sure if this is good enough or bad news. It sounds like the happiness of a doctor after saving the life of somebody by cutting some limbs. I am pretty sure, based on the comments in this forum that LotRO is a great game, with various followers, but not enough by the sound of this new model. What did it go wrong?
Its not about what went wrong. The question is. What went right? And the answer is DDO.
If you have 2 MMOs and one of them have a 500 % revenue increase then you probably want to do the same with the other MMO. Especially if it already is making alot of money.
I don't have anything against Turbine, but the fast increase in DDO revenue was due to the game doing pretty bad before the change, so by that example, I would say that LotRo was not doing good enough. If that model is great for games that are doing good, then why blizzard havent applied in wow to improve their already huge revenues.
As I said before I am sure LotRO is good, but this change imho is the response to a less than good situation.
Sort of like "Free Realms" isn't really free unless you don't plan on doing anything but hitting the /dance emote?
I think a truth in advertising lawsuit would straighten these people out. "If you want the same service you'll pay more", "Not exactly free", or "Barely free" to play would make more sense.
So, WB really wants more money, let's start a new milking system.
I wonder if they'll be able to make yet another "less bad" MT system, DDO by nature should have been MT-based since release, it never justified its own monthly subscription.
That's a good point. DDO was always short on "time consuming" content, and had little "worldly" content. This made $15 a month seem steep compared to competition. It's not a game most generally play for hours and hours, all the time. F2P means even if you only play every couple months, it's still worth keeping on your hard drive.
LotRO, by contrast, has alot more. Seems to me it'll take a great deal more hardware and server/network muscle to accomodate free players than DDO did.
Also a concern is the community. I've always seen the LotRO community as one of the more mature in MMO's and this may change it. Also, there was some pretty bad resentment of the DDO freebs, at least in the beginning.
Final thing that I don't like: Time spent making LotRO F2P is time NOT spent on getting us to Rohan.
As a current subscriber, I guess I'll automatically be a "premium" member, but I have a serious question/concern...WTF do I need Turbine points for? I already have the expansions and the adventure pack. If I see that I now have to buy things I could currently earn in game, I'm done.
LOTRO Lifetimer here and this is the news most lotro players have been dreading since DDO went FTP. It also signals the end of my time in Middle Earth. I hate the free to play money milking pay to win microtransation system with the firey passion of a thousand suns. If all MMOs are starting to go this way, it's pretty much it for me, Im done with the genre entirely.
Also a concern is the community. I've always seen the LotRO community as one of the more mature in MMO's and this may change it. Also, there was some pretty bad resentment of the DDO freebs, at least in the beginning.
I play on Landroval, and I'm also concerned about the community. LotRO is the about the only MMO I've played the last few years that I felt like I was playing with other adults. I fear what an influx of F2P peeps will do to the community.
Comments
Haha yeah. I bet it's on its way at some point... or they've given up on AC in a sense, thinking it's gonna keep who it keeps and no one else will be interested at this point.
I saw that already, but the price he payed for the account doesn't make up for the extra's... Also, my old account came with a lot of extra's (pre-order and promotional gifts) of which I guess most of them will appear in the item-store as well as 9 character slots per server...
He'll most likely end up with a lot of points he won't use in the end...
I am not sure if this is good enough or bad news. It sounds like the happiness of a doctor after saving the life of somebody by cutting some limbs. I am pretty sure, based on the comments in this forum that LotRO is a great game, with various followers, but not enough by the sound of this new model. What did it go wrong?
I think the problem lies mainly in the US. The servers in Europe appear to be well populated. But surely, the new F2P model will most likely increase the popularity of LotR evenmore.
F2P only, if you really get into it and don't want to sub, you will likely spend much more money in the long run than having a lifetime sub, or at least somewhere close. F2P always works this way. Just most people aren't willing to put out all the money at once for a lifetime sub.
Things will constantly be added to the store such as every item mall in every F2P. Those points will be useful in some way at some point.
Unless of course you're saying you're a complete shyster and made him pay quite a bit more than it was actually worth. In that case, he was already dumb to do it.
Seriously, where are the creeps now that called me lunatic when I proclaimed this is gonna happen a year ago.
It was obviously the only way Lotro could get from the tough situation they got themselves into with the cheap lifetime.
REALITY CHECK
No, it's too late for Warhammer. They simply need to shut down their servers and give up.
Cunfushus says "Only through wasting time do we realize that time should not be wasted."
It's the future of MMO pricing models, whether we like it or not. We'll see how it turns out. Folks wanted more players in low level areas, and they'll certainly get it!
The sky is falling! The sky is falling! ........ If there were any other MMOs that interested me now, I would quit LotRO so fast I'd leave a vapor trail to the next MMO.
Hedonismbot: Your latest performance was as delectable as dipping my bottom over and over into a bath of the silkiest oils and creams.
Its not about what went wrong. The question is. What went right? And the answer is DDO.
If you have 2 MMOs and one of them have a 500 % revenue increase then you probably want to do the same with the other MMO. Especially if it already is making alot of money.
If WoW = The Beatles
and WAR = Led Zeppelin
Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
Papadam, I remember you calling me a troll and a lunatic when I said Lotro is going free to play within a year - and if you track my posts history, I wrote it here sometime around december 2009. Where's your apology now?
REALITY CHECK
That analogy doesn't really fit at all, IMO. I imagine, like most older MMO's they're probably seeing fewer new subs, but it's nowhere near the trouble DDO was in.
This is more like getting on a good diet to prevent diabetes.
As far as the prior posters go: People will keep all their bonuses. For example, those who bought the adventurers pack will still keep their extra 2 slots.
So, WB really wants more money, let's start a new milking system.
I wonder if they'll be able to make yet another "less bad" MT system, DDO by nature should have been MT-based since release, it never justified its own monthly subscription.
Most people who tried Lotro didn't think it was that great of a game hence the need to go f2p. It was just another solo quest grinder too similar to WoW to drag players away from WoW.
I don't have anything against Turbine, but the fast increase in DDO revenue was due to the game doing pretty bad before the change, so by that example, I would say that LotRo was not doing good enough. If that model is great for games that are doing good, then why blizzard havent applied in wow to improve their already huge revenues.
As I said before I am sure LotRO is good, but this change imho is the response to a less than good situation.
"Free 2 Play title using a similar pricing model"
Wait, what? Pricing model on a free game?
Sort of like "Free Realms" isn't really free unless you don't plan on doing anything but hitting the /dance emote?
I think a truth in advertising lawsuit would straighten these people out. "If you want the same service you'll pay more", "Not exactly free", or "Barely free" to play would make more sense.
That's a good point. DDO was always short on "time consuming" content, and had little "worldly" content. This made $15 a month seem steep compared to competition. It's not a game most generally play for hours and hours, all the time. F2P means even if you only play every couple months, it's still worth keeping on your hard drive.
LotRO, by contrast, has alot more. Seems to me it'll take a great deal more hardware and server/network muscle to accomodate free players than DDO did.
Also a concern is the community. I've always seen the LotRO community as one of the more mature in MMO's and this may change it. Also, there was some pretty bad resentment of the DDO freebs, at least in the beginning.
Final thing that I don't like: Time spent making LotRO F2P is time NOT spent on getting us to Rohan.
As a current subscriber, I guess I'll automatically be a "premium" member, but I have a serious question/concern...WTF do I need Turbine points for? I already have the expansions and the adventure pack. If I see that I now have to buy things I could currently earn in game, I'm done.
LOTRO Lifetimer here and this is the news most lotro players have been dreading since DDO went FTP. It also signals the end of my time in Middle Earth. I hate the free to play money milking pay to win microtransation system with the firey passion of a thousand suns. If all MMOs are starting to go this way, it's pretty much it for me, Im done with the genre entirely.
Oh, just a table with basic information (NOT including cash shop content), detailing what each of three tiers of customers will be getting.
FAQ also says the LOTRO Store features more than 2500 items for sale.
http://www.lotro.com/betasignup/vipchart.html
The press release says "Players will ... participate in LOTRO’s award-winning epic story up to level 50 for free."
But the level cap is 65. Is this a typo or will you need to pay to level higher? Is that how it's done in DDO?
I play on Landroval, and I'm also concerned about the community. LotRO is the about the only MMO I've played the last few years that I felt like I was playing with other adults. I fear what an influx of F2P peeps will do to the community.
They will be selling expansions through the LOTRO Store, so, you will be just getting the core game for free, still needing to pay for expansions.
Not a good move imo, but they are in the business to make money, I would have to say that it certainly does not stand well for the genre....
Have they said what happens to the people who purchased Lifetime Subs?
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