Can see what you mean about the invention enhancements being locked out for free/premium players [up to a certain tier], but since IOs are such a huge part of the game then i think they had no choice but to either lock them out completely or just certain bits.
For example maybe locking out any attuned/ATOs/purples but the rest are fair game? But i can see why they would chose not to have them available, especially since non VIP content really doesnt require a player to have IOs [ok no content requires them but the other stuff sure makes it easier! 
].
@Damz Find me on the global channel Union Chat. One of the best "chat channels" ingame!
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You still get everything you used to get for 15 bucks month - only now, instead of the costume booster packs, they now sell the parts separately, so you don't have to buy a whole pack if there's just one bit you want from it, unlike the pre-Freedom model.|
Originally Posted by Phoenix_Wrath
I really wasn't too sure about all the bureaucracy involved with Freedom and the strangeness of having to buy bits and pieces of a game one step at a time instead of getting a whole, complete, enjoyable game for the comfortable price of $15 a month.
|
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| Then I realized I need to spend a few bucks to even utilize all the invention enhancements I had equipped. |
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| perhaps there could be more items that are just available to free accounts, so it doesn't feel so restricted. |
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| I just feel restricted and shortchanged. |
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| Goodbye all! |
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
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One of us! One of us! One of us!
| Teschnically, you can't actually leave now - you're a premium player for as long as the game lasts |
@Damz Find me on the global channel Union Chat. One of the best "chat channels" ingame!
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Seriously? How?|
Originally Posted by Phoenix_Wrath
I just feel restricted and shortchanged.
|
You're not paying for anything. How can you be shortchanged?
Look at it this way: What could you do with your characters before Freedom if you weren't paying anything?
Where to now?
Check out all my guides and fiction pieces on my blog.
The MFing Warshade | The Last Rule of Tanking | The Got Dam Mastermind
Everything Dark Armor | The Softcap
don'T attempt to read tHis mEssaGe, And believe Me, it is not a codE.
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Despite what the banner ad and the slogan of "Play for free! Forever!" might have you believe, City of Heroes is not a F2P game, strictly speaking. You can play it for free, yes, but it doesn't really conform to the traditional F2P model. It's still a subscription game, primarily, and one which spends most of its time trying to fleece extra money from VIP subscribers, no less. Premium is decent mostly if you drop to it from having been a long-time veteran where most of the locks are removed, and Free is pretty much an extended free trial, I'm sad to say. In fact, other than the level 14 limit and 15 day time limit, pure Free accounts NOW are even more restricted than trial accounts used to be.|
Originally Posted by Phoenix_Wrath
I just feel restricted and shortchanged.
|
Pretty much, the way I see Freedom is as something that's aimed at getting people to subscribe as quickly as possible and then proceeding to get them to pay extra above that subscription. And I'm fine with it, bizarrely enough. For the first time since the game's creation, Freedom actually gives us the power to vote with our money. Releasing things players ask for is no longer just good public relations in keeping players happy, it's a direct source of revenue, which is smart business. Before if I argued for something I wanted, it was just an impotent request. Arguing for it now, I can base it from the stand point of "I would pay for X!" and actually have the ability to put my money where my mouth is.
Counter-intuitively, I pay more for this game under Freedom than I did under the old model, and I feel less weird for doing it.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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During my month as an unsubscribing leech, I spent thirty bucks on costume bundles and booster packs. =P|
Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
Counter-intuitively, I pay more for this game under Freedom than I did under the old model, and I feel less weird for doing it.
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Also regarding this:
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| Been a big fan of City of Heroes since i2, only really dropped out around Going Rogue. |
I also returned after a hiatus to check out freedom (full details can be found in the link in my sig) and was somewhat startled at how UNlimited my gamplay was. Aside from a lack of server slots (thanks, alt-itits!) and access to the Incarnate system (which I frankly didn't miss) it was pretty much just like the old days.
Check your Paragon Rewards- if you qualify for the higher tiers, the game is mostly the same as it ever was.
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
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Just as another view along this line: I pay less for Freedom than I ever did before because now when I want a single costume piece, I don't have to buy the super pack.
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Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
Counter-intuitively, I pay more for this game under Freedom than I did under the old model, and I feel less weird for doing it.
|
Where to now?
Check out all my guides and fiction pieces on my blog.
The MFing Warshade | The Last Rule of Tanking | The Got Dam Mastermind
Everything Dark Armor | The Softcap
don'T attempt to read tHis mEssaGe, And believe Me, it is not a codE.
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the old model is not gone|
Originally Posted by Phoenix_Wrath
I kinda miss the old model though.
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you can subscribe and get all of the old features, that's what I do
they added a new way to play - but the old way is still there
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Every time i see one of these threads i have the fleeting urge to headdesk. Whinging that playing for free doesn't give everything a subscription used to (and still does) give you is inane enough, but some of the complaints by others that always follow about how having more stuff available to buy than ever before if they decide they want it means the Devs are somehow cheating them... Headdesking that many times, hell even facepalming, could do some serious damage.|
Originally Posted by dugfromthearth
the old model is not gone
you can subscribe and get all of the old features, that's what I do they added a new way to play - but the old way is still there |
In the past year or so Paragon Studios has released more powersets and other shinies than in the previous seven years after launch.
And then there's all the new game mechanics, fixes, and new systems.
But aside from all that, what has Paragon Studios done?
Dr. Todt's theme.
i make stuff...
okay, checking up on the requirements for the invention system it's a Tier 7 unlock, which the Wiki tells me requires 27 reward tokens earned.
If you're not already there, it should be reachable with a bit of effort (pick up some cheap game codes from Amazon or wherever, buy a couple of Paragon points for the first time buyer token, etc).
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
Yes, yes, the usual "I'm not getting enough stuff for free!" rant.
We know; it's a SLAP IN THE FACE!
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
Sorry to see you go.
You only really "need" IOs for PvP and super high-end content though...everything else is still pretty much a lark.
Questions about the game, either side? /t @Neuronia or @Neuronium, with your queries!
168760: A Death in the Gish. 3 missions, 1-14. Easy to solo.
Infinity Villains
Champion, Pinnacle, Virtue Heroes
I personally hate the invention system and get by just fine with SO's on most of my characters.
And I'm a VIP.
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I'm finding myself in a similar position. As a premium with my tier 9 vet status, the only thing I miss out on almost nothing. Incarnate content I hate so much at this point that I can't really say anything other than I can't say how much I hate it, the new zones and SSAs don't appeal to me as stories, and so all I'm really losing out on are the occasional VIP-free powersets and costume sets...but since I actually end up with an extra eight bucks a month I could hypothetically spend on store stuff, I still come out ahead.|
Originally Posted by Nethergoat
I also returned after a hiatus to check out freedom (full details can be found in the link in my sig) and was somewhat startled at how UNlimited my gamplay was. Aside from a lack of server slots (thanks, alt-itits!) and access to the Incarnate system (which I frankly didn't miss) it was pretty much just like the old days.
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I've actually been trying to think, lately, of things that would make me want to re-sub in the long term. I do kinda like the mecha suit, based on the shots I've seen, but even that, I only have to subscribe one month to get. Granted, I might be seen as an extreme case, but personally, I think the whole premium thing is pretty sweet. It's VIPs who are getting the bum deal in terms of value.
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Having made the jump to VIP after a month of Premium, it's worth it to me just for base access, all my server slots & ungated forum posting. |
Originally Posted by Lazarillo
It's VIPs who are getting the bum deal in terms of value.
|
The stipend of market points is also nice.
But I'm a bit odd in that I never liked any of the 'epic' ATs, didn't really enjoy the incarnate system & have always liked leveling an assortment of characters simultaneously rather than playing one at the cap.
They really were quite generous in their allotting of game access to long time vets- it was a much appreciated "thank you!" for my years of prior subscribing.
The Nethergoat Archive: all my memories, all my characters, all my thoughts on CoH...eventually.
My City Was Gone
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For reals?|
Originally Posted by Phoenix_Wrath
I really wasn't too sure about all the bureaucracy involved with Freedom and the strangeness of having to buy bits and pieces of a game one step at a time instead of getting a whole, complete, enjoyable game for the comfortable price of $15 a month.
I popped in, happy to see all of my characters intact and playable, and spent some time goofing around in the city like I always used to. Been a big fan of City of Heroes since i2, only really dropped out around Going Rogue. Then I realized that my characters seemed a bit weaker than usual. Then I realized I need to spend a few bucks to even utilize all the invention enhancements I had equipped. Poking through the store I found more and more to dislike about it. I respect the decision to go free to pay if subscription numbers weren't keeping the development house afloat, because I REALLY respect the developers of this incredible game. I kinda miss the old model though. All this store nonsense seems a bit overdone. Like, perhaps there could be more items that are just available to free accounts, so it doesn't feel so restricted. Successful free to play games make you feel like you're having a LOT of fun for free, so much so that you'd love to pay for even more fun. I just feel restricted and shortchanged. Oh well. I wish the CoH team all the luck in the world, wish I could return to the CoH before freedom, and am leaving a small note here that maybe imo the store could use some work. Goodbye all! I hope you're still having fun out there  taxibotting and xostume contesting and task forcing and all the rest. Tell Rulaaru, Hamidon, and Recluse I said hi. |
Yes I see how you are being short changed since you haven't spent a dime. Before Freedom if you wanted to come back on your old toons for free....you couldn't. I look at the Freemium model as basically up to Issue 8 (no IOs depending on your tier) or up to Issue 18...no Incarnate depending on your tier. To say you were shortchanged is just laughable since well...you didn't spend any change since you quit a few years ago
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Originally Posted by Paladiamors
I love you, I Burnt the Toast!
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Server slots are nice. That's what kept me from dropping for the longest time. I have something like eighty different alts at this particular point in time, and I always seem to have a plan for a new one. But I've bought so many extra slots over the years that I still have access to around half of them even now, and figure that since I'm not playing my 50s anyway most of them can stay "retired", leaving me to narrow down considerably fewer, to the point of relative painlessness.|
Originally Posted by Nethergoat
Having made the jump to VIP after a month of Premium, it's worth it to me just for base access, all my server slots & ungated forum posting.
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Base access was a bit of a "d'oh!" for me, just because I had a personal SG I was using for storage and didn't realize just being in an SG didn't mean I wouldn't still have rent paying and base accessing privileges. I'll probably resubscribe when the mecha suit hits, just to get access to that and while I'm at it, move my stuff to market and mail storage.
I'm not necessarily saying that there aren't gestures of good will extended to VIP players. Simply that those gestures are, from my personal opinion of value, at least, not worth the investment for the most part. Part of me would really like to be "won back", to be honest; heck, I think the fact that I still lurk around these boards is proof enough I do have some level of interest. I'm just not sure what it would take at this point, in part because so many other "freebies" of negligible value to me have been put out there.
i agree also about freedom not really being free, if the devs. could at least allow IOs to be used by everyone or at least premiums then that would really make it work, i tried going premium for a while but in less then a week i hated it, only able to use 2 characters and all my IOs were grey out, it was a terrible experiance and there needs to be more freedom for freedom/premium players
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No there doesn't. You are already given the entire game except SSA and Incarnates for free. NOTHING requires IOs. If you truly think the Freebie/Premium status is bad I would suggest you go try the same on the other superhero mmos... not only are they boring, but they also limit you more |
Originally Posted by PoisonHeart
i agree also about freedom not really being free, if the devs. could at least allow IOs to be used by everyone or at least premiums then that would really make it work, i tried going premium for a while but in less then a week i hated it, only able to use 2 characters and all my IOs were grey out, it was a terrible experiance and there needs to be more freedom for freedom/premium players
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Still amazed how people want more more more..for nothing. The ONE thing I hate about the Freedom model is the incessant whining of people who don't pay anything yet expect almost everything.
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Originally Posted by Paladiamors
I love you, I Burnt the Toast!
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So you mean that their current premium/freebie set up encouraged you to go VIP? |
Originally Posted by PoisonHeart
i agree also about freedom not really being free, if the devs. could at least allow IOs to be used by everyone or at least premiums then that would really make it work, i tried going premium for a while but in less then a week i hated it, only able to use 2 characters and all my IOs were grey out, it was a terrible experiance and there needs to be more freedom for freedom/premium players
|
@Golden Girl
City of Heroes comics and artwork
If you're feeling shortchanged, you can ask for a refund check to be delivered to you, however, it WILL be for zero dollars and zero cents.
you could have it all
My empire of dirt
I will let you down
I will make you <3
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If you had been VIP for more than a year (seeing as you first registered for the forums in '06, that seems likely) you'd have more than just 2 slots. I had about 14 slots on my home server, and several 'global' slots while I was Preem.|
Originally Posted by PoisonHeart
i agree also about freedom not really being free, if the devs. could at least allow IOs to be used by everyone or at least premiums then that would really make it work, i tried going premium for a while but in less then a week i hated it, only able to use 2 characters and all my IOs were grey out, it was a terrible experiance and there needs to be more freedom for freedom/premium players
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As has been said countless times, IOs weren't added to the game till many years after it came out. None of the content in the game is balanced around you having them, they aren't necessary at all. Plus, every character over, IIRC, 10, can simply swap to a second build, which you could use as your 'SO' build.
FYI, IOs can be used by Premiums, if you're far enough along in the Paragon Rewards. When I drop to Preem, there's not too many things I lose access to (the base 12 slots per server, incarnates, and a couple powersets basically).
Freedom has been a major boost to Subscribers/VIPs, by giving them far more stuff for the same cost (along with the flexibility of deciding what they want).
Freedom has also been a major boost to those unsubscribed. You know, being able to play the game at all
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Originally Posted by ShadowNate
;_; ?!?! What the heck is wrong with you, my god, I have never been so confused in my life!
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GASP!!! OMG, how diabolical of them.|
Originally Posted by Golden Girl
So you mean that their current premium/freebie set up encouraged you to go VIP?
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Sorry, did I break the sarcasm meter with that one?
Blazara Aura LVL 50 Fire/Psi Dom (with 125% recharge)
Flameboxer Aura LVL 50 SS/Fire Brute
Ice 'Em Aura LVL 50 Ice Tank
Darq Widow Fortune LVL 50 Fortunata (200% rech/Night Widow 192.5% rech)--thanks issue 19!
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Restricted I can kinda see.|
Originally Posted by Phoenix_Wrath
I just feel restricted and shortchanged.
|
Shortchanged?
Clicking on the linked image above will take you off the City of Heroes site. However, the guides will be linked back here.
I really wasn't too sure about all the bureaucracy involved with Freedom and the strangeness of having to buy bits and pieces of a game one step at a time instead of getting a whole, complete, enjoyable game for the comfortable price of $15 a month.
taxibotting and xostume contesting and task forcing and all the rest. Tell Rulaaru, Hamidon, and Recluse I said hi.
I popped in, happy to see all of my characters intact and playable, and spent some time goofing around in the city like I always used to. Been a big fan of City of Heroes since i2, only really dropped out around Going Rogue.
Then I realized that my characters seemed a bit weaker than usual.
Then I realized I need to spend a few bucks to even utilize all the invention enhancements I had equipped.
Poking through the store I found more and more to dislike about it.
I respect the decision to go free to pay if subscription numbers weren't keeping the development house afloat, because I REALLY respect the developers of this incredible game.
I kinda miss the old model though. All this store nonsense seems a bit overdone. Like, perhaps there could be more items that are just available to free accounts, so it doesn't feel so restricted.
Successful free to play games make you feel like you're having a LOT of fun for free, so much so that you'd love to pay for even more fun.
I just feel restricted and shortchanged.
Oh well. I wish the CoH team all the luck in the world, wish I could return to the CoH before freedom, and am leaving a small note here that maybe imo the store could use some work.
Goodbye all! I hope you're still having fun out there