i21 - in case you are not looking

This is not the DOOM you think it is.

I know a lot of people assume that "free to play" is a sign that a game is getting desperate to survive, but consider that there is another game published by NCSoft that STARTED OUT "free to play" and that's all it's ever been. All you had to do was buy the client software and you could play forever.

That's right -- Guild Wars.

It's not exactly the same type of game, but it hasn't been a miserable failure, and that's the model it started on.

So in the NCSoft stable, there's already precedent for F2P not being the end of the world. If anything, NCSoft is a company that would be more likely to consider it a viable way to go instead of an act of desperation.

I'll be keeping my subscription active.

Free character transfers!!!

I wonder if it's "Use it or lose it" or if it's gonna be bankable?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shubbie Im very good at taking a problem and making it worse.

This is good news, there's no reason for complaining.

This doesn't seem too bad, if you get over the fact that it's just... a very strange approach that can turn bad at any given moment.

The Paragon Market thing seems to be the worst of it all, but we'll have to wait and see, sadly. (Personally, as long as real money does not give access to it, which it probably will -sadly, I'd be fine with it).

Other than that, if I were making this change, I'd make sure that the current paying players get the most out of it, and even more. But alas, it appears as though unless you pay, you only have access to 2 character slots (and the ones obtained through paying and vet rewards) and will not have access to EATs.

The only other F2P game I've tried is Guild Wars. Based on the type of player you typically found in that game (rude, arrogant, impatient), I'm not looking forward to this.

I really, really wish they'd make the Freedom server a VIP only server.
Or better yet, make mirror images of all the current servers, the original copies remain VIP, the mirrors are open to everyone.

Sounds like they're making the veteran rewards purchasable ... which I dont approve of. Just like I didnt approve of them giving out the pre-order special sprint powers as vet powers.

Guild Wars is buy to play, not free to play. They are two distinct models.

WARNING: I bold names.

Other than the VIP server concept, which I worry might cause some fragmentation, I'm not seeing a downside to the way they're doing this. (I probably won't miss anyone personally who would run off to a VIP server, but I might miss being able to team with them if too many do it.)

They're basically turning trial accounts into a "free" way to play the game without expiring. They're leaving nearly everything identical for people who continue to pay monthly (as I intend to). And they're creating a middle ground, so that if you were a subscriber and stop, you get a graded level of access that depends, among other things, on how long you were subscribed before you stopped.

The changes where the veteran reward system is becoming the "Paragon" reward system also sounds good to me. I think some people may not like the notion of being able to buy (or at least pick) what used to be vet rewards, which it sounds like what the system will enable, but I think that's great.

I am fairly optimistic. Cautiously so, but fairly so.

I wonder how the VIP server will work...I like the idea of consolidating all the players who have made the great community what it is. What would happen tho if your toons are on the VIP server then you downgrade, are they locked out/xferred off?

Have always wished they would consolidate the servers to bring back that "M" in MMO.

You have to be a VIP to use the VIP server, so if you let your sub lapse, you almost certainly lose access to it.

It's possible there might be a way to gain access via sufficient veteran status, but I'll be a little surprised.

In regards to i21 rather than freedom as a whole i don't understand why they didnt add more iPowers...

I dont like the idea of the VIP server though, infact i think its almost as useless as te queue system, just don't know enough about it really. I for one plan to stay on my homeserver, there is no reason for me to leave.

i've said this ever since they gave it to us for like a month afew years ago but is there a reason why players don't have unlimited free server transfers? the fact that they did it for a month straight makes me think that its not very labor intensive.

I think we are worrying too much at this stage - and it is still very early to do so. There are legitimate issues to be discussed and worked on. But to be fair to them, we should wait for more details in the coming weeks.

I do not profess to know much about the economics of the game industry. But from I understand, if the basic maintenance costs is sufficiently low (after all the game has been made, the staff are employed and the servers are running, nevermind how many of us logging on), it makes good business sense to offer free sample to the customers - think of all the free food and drink and perfume samples you are getting. This in fact has been a tried and tested marketing strategy: from test driving a car, trying the coat on in the shop, reading the latest magazines/books in the bookshop, listening to a segment of a song, and the list goes on... Try'n buy: always a good way to make more money.

In the long run, it is going to attact more curious and casual players to this game, widening the player base. The more the merrier - this is after all an MMO. There is already a solid core player base in this game; no harm adding on a few more casual players now and again. More than 4000 players logged on for the 7-year invasion event. Think of how many more casual by-standers will try this game just to see what the fuss is about. As far as I am aware, the other 2 hero-theme MMOs are not doing so great. So there are some potential hero MMOers out there hoping to find a home for their alt-hero/villain-ego. Openning the door to them is wise move.

Some players, core or otherwise, might not want to pay for the full sub at one time or another - most common reason for this game is being real-life issues. Having some kind of modular/hierarchical payment scheme will suit more people, while having the F2P option will help keeping them in the community. For myself, at one time, I really did not have much time to play this game due to personal matters. But I still log on time and again just to chat with some old SG/Coalition friends. Occationally, one thing led to another, I found myself doing a tf. I enjoyed that kind of on-and-off relationship very much and that is why I am still in the game. i21 is just making this kind of arrangement easier to most without them to make any financial committment unless they want to (whether they want to or not largely depends on how attractive and flexible the payment system is, and the contents it offers, which at this stage better not to spectulate too much yet).

Some games have tried this kind of F2P/Microtransation before. As far as I am aware, most of them are making more money. Even if they did not, they managed to generate some good publicity. I think it is the business trends at the moment for the game industry. Better get the transition done now than giving the chance to other competitors to consolidate their market position.

I get the feeling that some people are worried that the VIPs do not seem to be exclusive enough, or 'VI' enough. I think partly because we just do not have enough information to imagine how the new Freedom setting will plan out. Indeed, the Paragon Rewards scheme appears to be a bit vague at the moment; likewise with the end-game contents. To be fair, there is no immediate need to give out too much info yet. But I think a teaser or a trail will certain help easing the misunderstanding and generate a more positive expectation. i21 seems to be a bit of a shock to most and opinions are starting to polarise - as always anyway, no surprise here.

I am inclined to be in favour of i21 with reservation on some minor issues. Only one new power? There is an unbalance distribution of powers available to some ATs - MM's primary and blaster's secondary are the two I can think of. Would there be more? Or at least some powersets porting around between ATs. I personally think we still need more end-game contents and some revamp work on those old and largely deserted zones. We need more zone events too, like invasion. End-games are important, but contents and events that everyone can take part are equally important too.

Anyway, Happy i21!!

Just catching up on i21 and learning about Time Manip. And I have to say...

WOW. Just... WOW.

I'm not sure how the F2P/VIP thing will work out but I like the Paragon Reward System over the Veteran Reward System.

Don't get me wrong, the vet system is great but only got Assemble the Team a month or so ago. God I could have used that SO much over my time in the game...

Hell I want to get City Traveler just so I don't need to worry about getting Hover or Air Superiority just to give a character Fly, or Recall Friend/Foe to get Teleport.

For now it's best we wait to see what else will come down the line.

Crossing my fingers for a staff or polearm set myself.

New server = blank slate on taken names. WOO HOO