I think the FTP model fits this game very well. Though am not sure about its specific implementation.
The game is not bad, very similar to COH. Honestly after playing DCUO and Rift beta, I actuall would say this is the better game, especially when it is free.
See lots of people online and new, FTP might be just what this game needs.
I really don't know what Cryptic is thinking with this F2P model. In DDO, you start creating a character and you're immediately presented with clear information on what is available for free, and what is available by purchase. From the outset, you are given the option of essentially "renting" the whole game for a monthly subscription, or buying individual pieces of it permanently. Seems fair enough.
In Champions, you start creating a character and are given the option of classes. There is no indication that subscribers can essentially design their own class, or that they can select from a wider variety of powers. The game doesn't even tell you that the fire-based class, for instance, doesn't have access to all the fire powers available. It doesn't offer you to buy these things -- it doesn't even make any indication that they exist. A new player, for example, would have absolutely no idea that you could create a superhero with lightning powers, but only if you subscribe. Why on earth they simply didn't allow F2P players to create freeform heroes, but have many of the power sets locked and purchasable, is beyond me.
This seems like a really dumb move on Cryptic's part, because one of the very few things Champions definitively has over DC Universe Online is the much larger variety of powers available. For whatever reason they've decided to actively hide this content from players.
Cryptic have never been terribly good at information. OTOH, maybe they were thinking of leaving something to the social side of the game? As an ex-subscriber, I know how much fun the freeform builds can be, and even today I found myself extolling their virtues in Zone chat in response to a newbie's questions. Don't know if I influenced him at alll, but maybe that's the sort of thing Cryptic are hoping for - more of a community vibe coming from the subscribers.
I think the FTP model fits this game very well. Though am not sure about its specific implementation.
The game is not bad, very similar to COH. Honestly after playing DCUO and Rift beta, I actuall would say this is the better game, especially when it is free.
See lots of people online and new, FTP might be just what this game needs.
I have a feeling Cryptic may have pulled a neat trick with this. I said it at the time of the f2p announcement, that DCUO may be the best thing that's happened to CO.
This is hypothetical as I haven't tried DCUO yet, but suppose (as is my estimation judging by the information avalable to me) that DCUO is a fun game for a while, but gets boring fairly quickly? CO itself was like that for a while to start with, but now it has a more decent level of content, and has a fair amount of longevity (especially for Freeform toon building). So, suppose DCUO is fun but short-lived. What happens? People who might never have tried a superhero MMO before but for DCUO, have now tasted the fun that can be had with a superhero MMO. If they do get bored with DCUO, guess what? CO is free, easy to try out.
And if CO gets even a bit of "overspill" from DCUO, that will help it a lot. I mean DCUO is HUGE at the moment; and most MMOs have a fairly big drop in the first few months ...
I think the FTP model fits this game very well. Though am not sure about its specific implementation.
The game is not bad, very similar to COH. Honestly after playing DCUO and Rift beta, I actuall would say this is the better game, especially when it is free.
See lots of people online and new, FTP might be just what this game needs.
I have a feeling Cryptic may have pulled a neat trick with this. I said it at the time of the f2p announcement, that DCUO may be the best thing that's happened to CO.
This is hypothetical as I haven't tried DCUO yet, but suppose (as is my estimation judging by the information avalable to me) that DCUO is a fun game for a while, but gets boring fairly quickly? CO itself was like that for a while to start with, but now it has a more decent level of content, and has a fair amount of longevity (especially for Freeform toon building). So, suppose DCUO is fun but short-lived. What happens? People who might never have tried a superhero MMO before but for DCUO, have now tasted the fun that can be had with a superhero MMO. If they do get bored with DCUO, guess what? CO is free, easy to try out.
And if CO gets even a bit of "overspill" from DCUO, that will help it a lot. I mean DCUO is HUGE at the moment; and most MMOs have a fairly big drop in the first few months ...
I think you are right on the mark with this. DCUO got people looking into a new superhero MMO, but many are a bit dissapointed with it. So what does Cryptic do? They say "hey we have a superhero MMO too with rediculous customization, more skills, and over a year and a half of content additions, and you can play it for free".
I've played CO since day 1 and I dont remember there being so many instances of MC or the tutorial even on launch day. Cryptic could not have picked a better time or method to do what they did, and I'm excited to see what comes of it.
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I think the FTP model fits this game very well. Though am not sure about its specific implementation.
The game is not bad, very similar to COH. Honestly after playing DCUO and Rift beta, I actuall would say this is the better game, especially when it is free.
See lots of people online and new, FTP might be just what this game needs.
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Cryptic have never been terribly good at information. OTOH, maybe they were thinking of leaving something to the social side of the game? As an ex-subscriber, I know how much fun the freeform builds can be, and even today I found myself extolling their virtues in Zone chat in response to a newbie's questions. Don't know if I influenced him at alll, but maybe that's the sort of thing Cryptic are hoping for - more of a community vibe coming from the subscribers.
I have a feeling Cryptic may have pulled a neat trick with this. I said it at the time of the f2p announcement, that DCUO may be the best thing that's happened to CO.
This is hypothetical as I haven't tried DCUO yet, but suppose (as is my estimation judging by the information avalable to me) that DCUO is a fun game for a while, but gets boring fairly quickly? CO itself was like that for a while to start with, but now it has a more decent level of content, and has a fair amount of longevity (especially for Freeform toon building). So, suppose DCUO is fun but short-lived. What happens? People who might never have tried a superhero MMO before but for DCUO, have now tasted the fun that can be had with a superhero MMO. If they do get bored with DCUO, guess what? CO is free, easy to try out.
And if CO gets even a bit of "overspill" from DCUO, that will help it a lot. I mean DCUO is HUGE at the moment; and most MMOs have a fairly big drop in the first few months ...
I think you are right on the mark with this. DCUO got people looking into a new superhero MMO, but many are a bit dissapointed with it. So what does Cryptic do? They say "hey we have a superhero MMO too with rediculous customization, more skills, and over a year and a half of content additions, and you can play it for free".
I've played CO since day 1 and I dont remember there being so many instances of MC or the tutorial even on launch day. Cryptic could not have picked a better time or method to do what they did, and I'm excited to see what comes of it.