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[Interview] Dark Age of Camelot: Wayback Wednesday with DAOC
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Once again, we present Wayback Wednesday, our recap of a great event held last week with the Dark Age of Camelot team. This time, the group heads into the Cathal Valley for fun and adventure. Check it out and then let us know what you think in the comments.
A number of things have changed over at the Dark Age of Camelot camp since we talked last. The most visible change was Mythic dropping Bioware from their name. They are solely known now as Mythic Entertainment once again (they are still owned by EA). The reason for this is to refocus and strengthen their brand name. Talal Saad, formerly a developer for DAoC, has been promoted to Assistant Producer and project lead for the game. This is a big step up for Talal but after many dealings with him I can attest that Talal lives DAoC and will be a good steward for the game. We were also introduced to Tim Chappell. Tim is the new Community Manager for Mythic and has taken over for Kai Schober. If you didn't already know, Kai has gone on to become the German Community manager for ZeniMax entertainment and is working on Elder Scrolls Online. I talked to Kai before the show and rest assured he still loves DAoC and we could possibly see him again on a future broadcast.
Read more of Rob Lashley's Dark Age of Camelot: Wayback Wednesday with DAOC.
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Comments
"There are at least two kinds of games.
One could be called finite, the other infinite.
A finite game is played for the purpose of winning,
an infinite game for the purpose of continuing play."
Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse
It's hard to find a proper balance for MMO's that want to switch to free to play that were previously monthly pay games.
Paying for cosmetic things as well extra bank space/bag space seems a common thing and honestly is acceptable to me. I don't even mind being restricted too much on race/class. THe thing I dislike the most is having to pay for areas to go to. Unless there is some in game way for me to grind ways to open up that content, than at that point the MMO isn't free to play, but a freemium based game. I have issues with how DDO has restricted a great deal of their content because of that, but it's less of an issue to me for LOTRO which came out with several expansions (things I can understand paying for to gain access to that content).
I think currently Planetside 2 as well as DCUO have fairly good models in regards to free to play games. Some of the things could use adjusting, but it's not bad.
In the end I think it's a fine line to walk between a true free to play game and a freemium which locks you out fo content without money.
But that's just my opnion.
If DAOC did go F2P I would definately play again, my 4.5 years in the game would not be just fond memorys but a memory lane I could drive down. But with so many other subscriptions, it is hard to justify another that I would only have time to play once in awhile.
My only concern with a switch in pay model is the restrictions put on past paid members for things they alreay have. EQ and Vanguard did this horibly causing me to not want to play an current characters even the I loved the games. On a side note, we should do a Wayback Wednesday on EQ and Vanguard SoH exploring the F2P model with new characters.
I am happy to see DAOC still going after all these years, I do miss it.
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i agree with just about everything you have detailed here. actual content limitations puts me in a bad mood from the start. but bagspace? xtra character slots? cosmetics (and im a big fan of comsetics, btw)? go for it.
but telling me i cant go certain places in the world slams the this is not free right in my face from the getgo. and that's not a way to draw in players or make money. you make money by gently luring me in and the presenting options that can enhance my gaming experience.
also, as Sarcan notes, it would be good to see a wayback on Vanguard.
"There are at least two kinds of games.
One could be called finite, the other infinite.
A finite game is played for the purpose of winning,
an infinite game for the purpose of continuing play."
Finite and Infinite Games, James Carse
Twitter Facebook RantOnRob Youtube
This game will always have a place in my heart but what you stated actually worries me. The lifers are the ones keeping this game afloat now and there are no more servers to merge with. They should try and consider a F2P model of some sort, example only subscribers can access the frontiers....F2P everywhere else. The frontiers is where the majority of the subs are anyhow so it wouldn't phase them nor hurt profits.
At the very least it would get some players into the game who didn't have the commitment to a 2 week trial and of whom would probably pay up by the time they get 50.
Another model to consider would be free to play to level 49, Trion Worlds is currently trying this with their Asian deployment of Rift.
What happens when you log off your characters????.....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFQhfhnjYMk
Dark Age of Camelot
I can't see any way for daoc to go f2p. And I hope...I hope so much that it doesn't.
The game is fantastic, and it is as resurgent as ever. If there's ANYONE looking for a skill based fantasy MMO, this is probably the best out there. No game comes close to the level of team work and skill this game does. I've played s3/4 of WoW to gladiator and other seasons to 2200+ rating in 3v3 and 5v5 in WoW, Warhammer pvp, Guild Wars 1/2, and I had a rank 7 Mage in rift. Nothing comes close to the adrenaline and satisfaction in DAoC. When you're a small man destroying a group of 6-8...holy crap, best feeling ever. I've played it off and on since 2 weeks after first release. I've gone through 3 accounts, with 2 currently active. The game is probably the most active I've seen it since the middle of SI. And to those who say Pre-TOA was better...have you played the game recently?
Granted it would be hard to break into, but the recent, very smart changes to the realm enhancement merchant (making buff bots a thing of the past essentially), and the initial quests combined with quests/bounty point items in battlegrounds, the games is quite accessible now. Get the game, get level 11-12 -> battlegrounds -> quest/pvp -> ?? -> reward. Also, find a guild asap!
when they will do daoc 2 ?
Please do it
best regards
So instead you could make Glass/MLs/Scales for cash would be one idea. I know when I came back briefly it was a pain in the butt to farm. Not difficult, just time consuming. That stuff is absolutely essential to being competitive in RvR. Not quite buying gear, especially not astral type stuff. It's just a gateway to the Frontiers.
I'm not sure that cosmetics would work. The gear in DAoC doesn't look that great. Wouldn't want to, personally, pay for cosmetics.
Another option is housing. Rent tokens, etc.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
Yes.
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The UI is completely remappable and customizable, the UI is not a problem, I don't understand how people keep pretending it is. Even the default UI is better than the VAST majority of MMORPGs out there.
The problem is that virtually every feature added to the game since 2003 has made it worse. They need to do an entire rollback, not a relaunch. That's what they were planning before EA stepped in and took all funding away from DAoC to dump into saving WAR.
If this game were to go F2P; there's a few ways I think the game could still moneterize the game.
Firstly, do something like the SWToR or WAR model, where it is free to play, however, you are limited on where you can go. No DF, no Laby, No ML10, no POC and BGs are closed. The only thing you can do, without paying, is play the cool leveling tutorial they set up a while back and play in NF. Cap people at 20P, and unable to wear astral or SH gear.
Secondly, sell dragon scales, glass, roots and a new astral currency system. 1.99$ for 1000 scales. 0.99$ for 5000 glass and maybe something 3.99$ for 25 roots. Then scale for the astral.
Thirdly, offer for a fee of 10-15 USD abilities that people have been crying for. Race respects, etc.
Lastly, ELIMINATE the asian farmers, be very vigilant on it. Because as long as they're around, it's going to be very hard to hit FTP with these ideas.
There are some decent ideas.