Could this be their master scheme?

basically, could free to play be their scheme to rake in more $$ through in game advertising? i recall them announcing that they sold advertisement space to an ad agency (since the player base isn't enormous, free to play=more payers=more eyes on advertising=more $$ for Paragon). just a theory, but if this is the case we can predict the changes that will occur (more revenue for them=better shinies for us), or the changes that won't (ie, nickel and diming everything).

what thoughts does the paying community have on the pros and cons of advertising through free to play for us especially?



forgive me if i'm posting in the wrong thingum, previously always a reader and never a poster myself. (if this is the wrong section, please direct me to the proper one and i shall move this)

The in-game advertising was a flop, from what I remember. Only two ads ever made it to the client (one for Nike and I forget what the other one was) and then they vanished. I doubt they'll be bringing that back, but who knows. The tech is in place, it's only a matter of advertisers being interested in a 7-year old game.

In the EU I think we only had the one. That was so memorable I can't think what is was for now except it was a film.

Yeah ingame ads flopped big time well over 3 years ago. I see no point in them trying to rez it at this time.

Personally I enjoyed seeing them, gave the city a more realistic feel.

It is a possibility, if COHF attracts a large enough number of people (maybe something like 10 times the current population) since that amount of exposure might seem worth it to advertisers (particularly if only VIP accounts could turn off adverts).

No the master scheme is to just get more players to try the game out.

Most non-gamers are scared or don't even know what a MMORPG game is but there are a ton of casual gamers who will play or even try out a Facebook game. Most games on Facebook are free to play with you paying money for perks or items.

All they need to do now is get a advertisement on Facebook for free to play, along with the new fast download part and people can get to the costume creator which can be big selling point for COH.

Once there if they make a easy new tutorial to help non gaming people figure out the ease of the game, give them access to figure it out, then we may get some new players.

Yes some may never stick around or spend money, but as you can see with some Facebook games they can make some good cash this way. I don't care if its some soccer mom somewhere who just wants to spend cash on some costume as long as it keeps the game going I am all for it. I am always open to help new players who want to listen and learn, if not there is always ignore.

I've been telling Paragon Studios for months they need to release a stand-alone costume creator with limited post-creator fights on iPad for 99 cents. (Free to subscribers, natch.) It'd be one big ad for the game, basically.

Might as well do some sort of GTA-like miniature version of CoH, too, for Facebook. Maybe make some money and drive people to the big game. I play Backyard Monsters all the time, and it's a crappy game. CoH in that format? Gold!

The one thing that keeps me from even trying any of the FB games is the 'You must spam the hell out of all your friends daily' nonsense. I've even resorted to unfriending people that wouldn't stop pestering me to 'be my neighbor!!' or 'help me feed kitty!!' posts.

its too bad that it failed then, would have been cool to see some simple real world ads in the game (the banners on buildings in game are interesting alrdy, especially those in praetoria, but so much more could be done). as for the fb thing, i'm alright with anything that brings in the cash for paragon as long as the devs don't lose sight of CoX's spirit and their loyal subscribers which i think is every DooM sayers fear.