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F2P Games.....
injenu
Member CommonPosts: 142
Are like interactive Spyware programs.
Right now there's a war in the gaming industry... It's Talent vs. The Suits. The Talent created the P2P model, and The Suits would love if every major developer made a F2P MMO. "Why is this? Because only 5-7% of people that play an F2P game need to actually pay in order for a game to be wildly profitable". This was actually a quote by the Lead Developer of Firefall (New MMOFPS) David Williams. He used to be a big whig at WoW, now he's obviously sold his soul to the devil.
Do you guys realize why the F2P model will ruin everything you love about games? Every software developer, not even just gaming companies are trying to figure out how to implement some type of model that incorporates a payment-for-utilization of features model. Imagine some crooked Carnie, whose main intent is to make money off their themepark, he designs everything in a way that will promote you to go in a certain direction, to manipulate your senses, and eventually take every discretionary dime you have. You'll say it's the same as the P2P model, but it's not because it's not fixed, and that gives the greedy way too much control.
Are you naive to believe the developers from Mw3 and BF3 weren't pressured from stock holders to figure out a way to implement some type of "F2P" model? Look very closely at what you'll be paying for when the DLC's come out. I'd make a wager saying they'll be "sandbagging" content to release smaller, more frequent DLC's and they'll charge the exact same amount for only a fraction of the content in earlier DLC's.
I just played Tribes: Ascend, and literally from about 5 minutes in I recognized the game for what it was - A cash grab trying to re-coup money lost from Global Agenda. Game is outright criminal in how it tries to get you to pay for features, I bet they spent 80% of their cost on trying to suck up your money, then put a little makeup on a the Unreal 3 Engine and IP already with a player base. I know this is an MMORPG forum, but this is a perfect example of what will happen to the games you love. They'll be bought out by "Developers/MBA's" who would rather flip Grandma upside down to make sure all her change is gone before they want you to actually enjoy a game. Games like EQ, AoC, and LoTR are perfect examples as well.
Honestly, I think the Gamer Industry needs it's own OWS movement where we boycott bulls**t that's getting fed to us as a ruse to steal our hard earned money.
Thanks for reading,
Injenu.
Comments
No.
And the proof you're wrong is League of Legends. Edited for comprehension.
Isn't that accomplished by buying and playing the games with a revenue model that suits how you like to play and pay for your games?
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
It's also worth mentioning that I'm tired of WoW clones too. :P
That's irrelevant.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
OP, I agree with your basic argument that F2P models can negatively influence the design of a game.
Though I think you're going to catch a lot of flak from the "F2Pists" here because of how you worded it
.
Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?
How so? If buyers refuse to buy a product because it fails to meet their needs, or if there are too many similar products in the market, wouldn't suppliers re-think how they positioned themselves in the market?
Why? Becayse i'm trying to help them save money on lesser gaming experiences? Why do you think the banking and telecom industry have all marketed themselves as having "no hidden fees". Because anytime any corporation has the opportunity to control incremental costs for arbitrarily valued goods (bandwidth), the consumer was the one who got screwed.
Oh and Btw Creslin, your picture is badass. Tyrion Lannister wouldn't play F2P games!
Haha, I agree. But if he did play F2P games for some reason, he would buy everything. And why? Because a Lannister always pays his debts!
Anyway...
I'm basically just speaking from experience. I've been on the "anti-F2P" side of this war for quite some time, and you'll find that there are vehement supporters and detractors on both sides of the argument. Anyway, in some of the debates I've had, my opponents and I come to a mutual understanding of sorts, but it's always through trying to see each others positions.
The only reason I said they would react harshly to your post is that it came off as "adversarial" and people tend to give knee-jerk defenses if they feel like they were attacked. Even though (IMO) your overall message is indisputably true.
Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?
Your whole argument falls apart in two places. First, in comparing pricing in utilities/necessities to pricing in leisure/entertainment. Second, in the odd premise that the game industry is trying to get more money by switching to a busness model that less people like. Greed would dicatate going with the business model that most people find palatable, no?
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
We seriously needed another F2P vs P2P topic?
They both suck but at least F2P doesn't cost me any money cause I ain't an idiot that throws money at the cash shop to get every item in the shop like people seem to think you need to.
It's not the difference in the market, but the inelasticity of a good. If you've spent 100+ hours leveling your character to 80, then one of the requirements to "Alternatively Advance" (AoC) is to pay for a subscription.. You've spent the last 100 hours getting beat by level 80s, now you want to give it back to them, but now your forced to pay money as a direct result of wanting to level the playing field.
IMO it's like they're drug dealers... They take something that is very addicting, give you a taste, get you hooked, then raise the price, lower the quality so you need more to get that original fix!
To the original poster:
You're way off base. It's no scam. I have played F2P's exclusively for about two years. I'm not mortgaging my house for any of them. I've spent a TOTAL of $60 in two years on F2Ps.
[Mod Edit]
It's just a different way to market your product.
Sheesh.
I find it interesting that you use concepts like "price elasticity" and "market position." You obviously know something about marketing and/or business, as I do as well.
It seems to me like people who know how marketing and business work are more anti-F2P than others...I wonder why that could be
.
Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?
I've played F2P for two years, at least. I was enjoying those games (3 or 4 of them) a lot - they've done by a pretty talented teams. I've competed on every possible level with everyone and never was I severely underpowered. I've spent may be $40 in those two years.
Your point is completely invalidated.
Can we stop that "F2P vs P2P", seriously? it's ridiculous. Everyone can see what F2P is for themselves. Just play and see.
*rolls eyes* oh yeah, misuse of marketing terminology is a clear sign of your position's superiority. Go team!
I...don't think he misused it. Price elasticity of demand (PED) reflects how much the demand for your product is effected by changes in price. If the PED is "inelastic" this means that you can change the price without it affecting demand much. A good example of a very inelastic good would be vital heart medication. Consumers can either buy the medication or die, so the PED is perfectly inelastic.
What the OP was saying is that since many users have invested a lot of time into a game, the PED is probably fairly inelastic. They are so invested in the game, that they are not likely to leave if the price is raised.
Seems like correct use of the term to me...
Are you team Azeroth, team Tyria, or team Jacob?
OP reminds me of those 'Claim your mis-sold PPI' adverts that litter my Television viewing, the fundamental element is Choice, its YOUR choice to play these F2P Titles and no one is hiding any facts from you, i havent come across a F2P game myself i couldnt enjoy in its entirety without paying more than a usual months subscription, with the exception of Lotro.. but they fixed that.
Sure i mean there are Classes and features you may have to pay for but given your apparent background in marketing im sure you understand that 'nothing comes free' i just dont believe that these studios are "Crooked Carnies" involved in some grand conspiracy to rob your aformentioned sainted Grandmother of her hard earned pension.
Remember its your choice to pay for these services, if you dont wanna shell out... dont.
Also.. i fail to understand the article, you seem completely enamoured by P2P titles.. why bother playing F2P?
I'm not sure how you're missing the point with "Crooked Carnies" - it is the same with them, you pay or you don't. Still, there are "Crooked Carnies" . . . and thus, in many cases the term fits pretty well.
As for why some play F2P when they prefer P2P? For many, their games have gone to some form of F2P hybrid model...
I miss the MMORPG genre. Will a developer ever make one again?
Explorer: 87%, Killer: 67%, Achiever: 27%, Socializer: 20%
I don't really get why we are fighting over P2P and F2P. I mean seriously, if you're a fan of P2P, leave the F2P guys alone. The same goes with F2P. I mean, why all the hate? The reason we're accepting the payment models of a game is because we like the game itself. We'll pay what we think the games' worth is. If we start to feel that payment is already removing the fun from the game, we'll begin to stop playing it.
Note:
On the other hand, I do know that there are games that should've had a different payment model (not really a shift from F2P to P2P or vise-versa), and these are the isolated cases where one can see that a game's payment model can literally affect the fun factor of it.
But then again, I still stand by my statement that if we like a game so much, we wouldn't cry over its payment model. If a game's payment model starts to irritate us, well, get over it. It's not like it's the only game in the world and I doubt it'll be your best game for the rest of your life (otherwise you would've just overlooked its irritating payment model). There are a million things to do in life other than QQing because of a game, and a million other games to choose from for you to smile again.
Seriously, stop bashing people's belief systems.
My Blog About Hellgate Global, an ARPG/FPS hybrid MMO:
http://kashiewannaplay.wordpress.com/
Hellgate Global Official Fan Blog
http://t3funhellgate.wordpress.com/
Currently Playing: Hellgate Global, LoL, Skyrim, Morrowind
Recently Played: Cardmon Hero, Cabal, Oblivion
I can't do that. It's not a to each their own thing. There is a heavy push toward F2P games. This increases the likelihood of P2P games going F2P or new games we would have otherwise been interested in being launched as F2P.
F2P affects P2P.
I'm not going to stand idly by and let what I enjoy be destroyed.
I might be a neanderthal and die out...but I'm not going to hide in a cave and just let it happen.
I miss the MMORPG genre. Will a developer ever make one again?
Explorer: 87%, Killer: 67%, Achiever: 27%, Socializer: 20%
Sorry but you lost me right there with your corporate conspiracy theories revealed so early in the piece.
Hate to tell you but the biggest P2P games were all created to target a specific market, not to be creative. Thats why WoW is just a more polished product that incorporates facets of each MMO that came before it and has added many of the innovations other from other MMO's that have launched after it over time.
Games in general are created so they can be sold, wether your selling a game for a one time fee, a monthly subscription or virtual items through a cash shop the goal is still the same & that is to make a profit. The only real exception to this is Indie developers & even those guys need to make a profit to continue operating.
I like F2P, lets me try out a game before having to spend a dime on anything. Saying we need a OWS movement is ridiculous. OWS people have been unemployed for months, lost their homes, alot of them have lost everything and your complaining about the revenue model for a video game..
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