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[Column] Elder Scrolls Online: Should Free Trials Begin?
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Ever since the switch to a subscription-optional The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited model for PC, along with the console versions coming in less than a month, the chance to get friends to give the game a shot is ever-more tempting. Those of us with time under our belts in the game over the past year can see the improvements in action, and while the game has been busy since the relaunch, and megaserver tech keeps things buzzing, there are two things that would go a long way to help friends get others into the game, as well as one related possible misstep.
Read more of Christina Gonzalez's Elder Scrolls Online: It's Time for Trials to Begin.
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Comments
Structured/Limited/Timed Trails - YES!
Free trails for the WHOLE game NO!!!
Trails would work and tbh would be welcomed by me as a possible player stream, but opening up the whole game to trail basis accounts sounds like asking for trouble. A structured and limited trail in my mind is the way to go, to gimp the gold sellers...to do otherwise would be a disaster.
I'd argue every game, MMO or not, should have a free trial.
It could follow something similar to what WOW used to do, 2 week trail with a max out on level 20. You could continue playing the game once you hit level 20, but you would not gain any experience.
Something like that would be benefit a lot of games. Especially for people that have a limited reserve cash on hand.
Meh, $60 or less for one of the best games/mmos around is nothing. Maybe a free trial sometimes on the weekend down the track would be ok, but the main barrier to entry for many is gone with the sub. No need to rush to free trials.
The game population is going to explode because dropping the sub has opened it up for a vast number of people who won't pay a sub to play a game, some of those will play it and say "fuck this is awesome", and the ball will roll from there. Luckily all the fuck-wit mmo/game haters who go around trashing everything new that comes out have moved onto the next new thing so there will be no hate train this time around.
I think the starting trip through Cold Harbor could be expanded on slightly to make it more than a five minute jaunt of training, and then turned into a free trial, no way to spam other players other than those in the starting area, no way to build up an inventory and mail it to their real account, etc...
e.
Not so nice guy!
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
I like the idea above of limiting it to the starter isles, but they would have to go back on the changes they made to skipping them, lol.
Now, I don't pay to close attention to chat but, I haven't seen any gold seller spam since my return to the game. The times I do look at chat, it is very nice not to see spam though, so that argument actually does hold quite a bit of water. Some of the things you say in your articles really make me wonder are you actually playing these games you report about sometimes.
From a business side, the game is doing really well. All the leveling zones have plenty of activity. Every time I come across one of those world bosses(elites?) I can't kill by myself, I just wait a few minutes and someone comes along needing to do it too no matter time of day. And, I'm sure everyone can find ways to get their 'friends' a means to try the game out if they really want to. The economy seems to be doing really well, anything that I have listed sells quickly. Definitely nice to not have to compete against bots also, to hell with global AH systems(as a side note
).
As much as I like the idea of a test drive, if I was running the game, I wouldn't be giving one out right now, there's no reason to. You know, they could be happy with the numbers they have right now. More people on a mega server means more issues, maybe they would rather put those resources towards something else right now so they...I don't know... don't lose customers due to a bad gaming experience for a change. I have experienced rubberbanding and lag spikes on a regular basis, so they could be reaching their limits for concurrent players. Of course that could be on my end, but then I would expect to see it on all my games.
Free trials are a good thing for players wanting to try things out but they need to be in a separate trial server where they won't be annoying everyone else... and maybe with accelerated XP so they get a good feel for character development and get to try out weapon swapping, group dungeons and PVP earlier.
It shouldn't be a pseudo-F2P thing but a real preview instead that limits you to, say, 24 or 48 hours of game play time with disposable characters that don't continue if you buy the game.
It's entirely up to them when they do it but I don't see a need to wait... nor do they have a need to do it now: the starter zones are very, very active right now even at odd hours... at least in the NA server.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
I think MMO trials are rarely telling for game. An MMO usually requires a good bit of time to grasp. They can at least get a feel for the game, but they wont see group content, pvp and the depth of the skill system.
I've seen people bash the combat system because the early content is so easy you just need a couple attacks for combat wins. They don't even get into dodging, blocking, breaking free, avoiding red, running shields, heals, buffs etc. They just think its stand and shoot/swing to win.
I did the beta, that was my free trial. It's where I knew I wouldn't be owning it.
I think they should have started the free trial a month after launch. As a P2P game at the time fully priced they had more to win on it back then.
Sure, it is still a good idea but I think they did miss out on a bunch of potential players there.
Free trials are always good for P2P and B2P games, at least once the game have been patched up a little after the initial launch (and the problems MMOs always get after it).
Logic, my dear, merely enables one to be wrong with great authority.
I'd rather skip the tutorial, especially on a trial account. Do I really need to see that the WASD or arrow keys move my character around? I'd rather spend the time looking around the world and testing out the game systems. And how many times do games have tutorials that emphasize a character's class? Tutorials tend to be nothing more than some generic hand-holding that step a new player through the combat system. There's never any differences in the tutorial experience between characters with diverse skills -- a rogue and an enchanter, for instance.
Other than the mandatory tutorial thing, I'd agree with the restrictions you listed.
Logic, my dear, merely enables one to be wrong with great authority.
Limiting players to the starter island. Problem is the starter Islands can be done in a day, three at the most that would only piss people off. So a one or two week pass would consist of starting new characters leveling them up to ten rinse and repeat.
I wouldn't skip the tutorial area. Half an hour down there and you walk out with full gear and a nice collection of weapons. Plus am inventory full of other things to sell. Most people fly threw the tutorial and come on mainland at lvl 3 with their starter clothes, by doing the tutorial you you can gain 3 to 5 levels.
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
The digital outlets will have the game for sale especially during holidays. Just a short search now turned up this.
The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited (PC/Mac Download)
Release Date: 03/17/15
"We all do the best we can based on life experience, point of view, and our ability to believe in ourselves." - Naropa "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are." SR Covey
I don't think ESo cares what we think about a free trial.
My experience suggest ESO does what ESO wants to do.
Consoles are their sole focus .
No, no and no!
We already see raw material botters in game. Can you imagine what it will be like in Craglorn? Once they get banned they dont come back with different accouns at least 2 weeks but if it goes f2p. I think I'll stop playing it.
F2P= open doors to the scum of the gaming culture. the ability to make endless accounts benefits exploiters, hackers, gold farmers/spammers, whiners, trolls, mules... did I forget anyone?
it would be a very small percentage creating trial accounts for the purposes of "try before buy". paying for a game puts your own vested interest in it. you own it and respect its integrity and its up to you to continue to play it.
theres a vast majority that throw away $ regularly on in-game stores, P2P, PTW.
these systems wouldn't exist if people didn't support them. (usually while griping).
cash stores create revenue, free trials create nothing but a lesser experience for all.