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General: I Get Questions
Stradden
Managing EditorMember CommonPosts: 6,696
MMORPG.com's Free Zone columnist Richard Aihoshi writes his column this week in answer to a number of questions that he gets on a regular basis, covering everything from the basis of his columns to providing a new trivia question.
With everything that's going on in the free to play space these days, it's pretty unusual to go more than a day or two without something or other of interest popping up. This is so even without getting into the realm of previews and reviews, which are outside the scope of The Free Zone. As it happens, I received quite a few more questions than usual over the past week or so. Individually, I don't think they warrant addressing on their own, especially since I've at lease partially addressed them before. So, I decided to kill a few of these small birds with one proverbial stone.
Why is your column always about F2P?
This question typically comes up at least a couple of times per month. For those who have who asked during the past few weeks and anyone else who doesn't know, the basic answer is that it's the topic area for this column. To put this in context, I did suggest it, and MMORPG.com obviously approved.
As to why I wanted to write about F2P, it was for multiple reasons. I won't go into full details; the short version is that ever since I started writing about games, I have always tried to have a broad perspective, at least within the genres I've focused on, which flowed from my interests as a player. From long before, my favorite had been RPGs, so it was very easy to embrace MMORPGs as well.
Read I Get Questions.
Cheers,
Jon Wood
Managing Editor
MMORPG.com
Comments
I am beginning to wonder if you are capable of writing without talking down to your audience. I've not seen it yet.
parrotpholk-Because we all know the miracle patch fairy shows up the night before release and sprinkles magic dust on the server to make it allllll better.
"at lease " should be "at Least"
"For those who have who asked d" remove the double "who"
you must W4F .... write for free..
Mr. Aioshi,
Your column really does make some very good points sometimes about F2P games. Unfortunately, I find myself more often than not in agreement with the sentiment of the poster above: it's not what you say, but how you say it.
As a columnist, a journalist, I imagine that you would get the same questions from many people over time. But Human Relations 101 back in college taught me that it's not what I intend when I say something or write something, but how the hearer or reader perceives my intent that matters. When I read your column today, as is often the case when I read your column, I perceived your intent as the following:
"I get these stupid questions from the drooling idiots who read my work all the time and I really am getting tired of having to explain myself, so please read carefully and stop asking me. I'd really like to get on with addressing the things that I feel are far more important than your silly little questions."
Perhaps, Mr. Aioshi, your readers ask you these questions in order to clarify some points in their own minds and to give you a "fair shake" as a journalist rather than dismissing your work out of hand. Though I have never troubled myself with asking you anything, preferring to allow your writing to speak for itself, I do perceive you as biased and a bit arrogant towards your audience - two things most journalists really cannot often afford to be.
Still, I thank you for the clarification as to why you choose the topics you do. Perhaps the next time you choose to answer your readers' questions, you could choose to do so with just a bit more tact?
Firebrand Art
"You are obviously confusing a mature rating with actual maturity." -Asherman
Maybe MMO is not your genre, go play Modern Warfare...or something you can be all twitchy...and rank up all night. This is seriously getting tired. -Ranyr
Apparently not. Nor can he comphrehend what the main issue is here and instead takes the defensive of "People are always asking why I write about F2P".
No. People are asking why do you always bash others who don't like F2P instead of writing about all these wonderful things you say are going on in the space. Things that, you know, people who play F2P games want to here about. I'm sure they are just as tired of hearing Aihoshi's rants on people who don't choose to play F2P as those targeted are.
But this has been said on more than a few occaisons and he still writes in this manner. Sounds like the definition of a professional troll...just my opinion. *shrug*
"Many nights, my friend... Many nights I've put a blade to your throat while you were sleeping. Glad I never killed you, Steve. You're alright..."
Chavez y Chavez
Where exactly did he talk down to anyone in any way in this article? I read the whole thing and didnt see it, though maybe thats got something to do with me being an adult who doesnt crawl in a corner and cry every time someone says something i didnt like on the internet.
And though i havent read ALL of hsi articles, someone else tried to say something similar last week about him and his supposed bashing of people who dont like F2P.... someone linked 2 articles of his which supposedly contained this bashing... read both and didnt se eit either. He simply pointe dout the snobbish attitude of people who claim P2P is the only way to go and people should stop the usual "its F2P so its crap, im not even gonna try it" attitude, especially considering how bad most AAA P2P MMOs have been just a slow quality or worse than some of the worst F2Ps out there.
Frankly - this is one of the few columns that *does* cover F2P games and i think most of the questions seem to be from people looking to pick at things.
Over all, i've liked the F2P format - I just don't have the time to play a F2P game while i am paying for another game. 'I can always play that, but i pay for this one so i should play it!' has been one of my reasons for neglecting the F2P offerings. I'm not terribly interested in most of the games that are drifting in from the Orient...Except Hellgate, which apparently is supposed to be F2P in America soon. Yay for game ressurections! I always considered it F2P because i didn't need the monthly fee - i had plenty to do without the extra content.
DDO is back on my hard drive. So is Hellgate - practicing for the reopening. I dont' play DDO often enough to want to pay for it unless i get hooked again - and its much more li kely that i'll spend money on it *and* get hooked if i play it casually. I was just considering signing up for the monthly content on hellgate when it crashed and burned so the F2P model is making me salivate.
So i think the F2P market definatly needs someone to be reporting on it. And while i admit - i am Bitey the Troll from EQ - i think some of the picky ratfaced snots demanding perfection here are the real trolls.
I like your answer better, this is what he should have posted instead of trying to be nice about it.
Pretty much the same with me, and why im glad weve got him, or anyone, covering the F2P portion of MMOs. I play both P2P and F2P, and i determine wethe ror not i like a game based on the game itself, not its subscription model. Ive played plenty of both types, and it's nice to get a little extra info about whats going on in the F2P world when 99% of the coverage/hype is about the next P2P "wow-killer" or some such crap.
The trolling is just a result of people not being able to cope with reality and understand that just because they dont like something, doesnt mean nobody else does, and just because someone reports about what they dont like, doesnt make that person an a-hole, in fact it makes the troll an a-hole for trying to force a site called MMORPG.com to act as if it is called P2PONLYMMORPG.com
The truth is that although there may be many that don't care for F2P there are many more that do. I subscribe to a game however, once in a while I like to play in a game try out other things and not have to pay for it. I can do this in F2P and the articles I read give me ideas and sometimes mention games I didn't know were out there. These articles are also informative in hearing what is being said. Besides it seems it gives many of us a place to say what we think of this that or the other of the F2P.
Don't be surprised if the trend doesn't go to more F2P in the future with many other names that we know for subscription games. Just because a game is F2P doesn't mean it is worthless. The stores are where they make their money and this if done right can be profitable and make the game even better. From what I see though not many have stores with items that do this.
Gikku
I haven't noticed any down talking from this guy. I have noticed an absurd amount of nerd rage aimed at him for no reason. I have also noticed the same % of posts acting as if he is writing about F2P under some secret agenda. Although to be fair, my favorite quote comes to mind,
"Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."
I haven't noticed any problem with his writing.... I don't play F2P games but they do exist so write on all you want about them, other people obviously play them.
With the kind of responses and discussion the majority of the forum users on this site give, I'm surprised he hasn't went off very bluntly at those people.
Down talk them all you want sir, they deserve it.
Some of you are acting like fools. You will find numerous people in mmo communities who will get into topics and defend their opinons by aggresively speaking to those who try to disregard them or even simply disagree with them. You shouldn't assume he will treat you like a customer at a restraunt rather than an average player. He is just another person like the people you see in the mmos you play and as for him wrtiting about ftp it is his choice, job, and/or passion. If you don't like his articles then simply avoid reading them.
This.
There are a few posters here that need to quit beating around the bush and just say "I (might have) read your replies but I just think you're a liar with an agenda." Because the sheer level of vitriol coming from them, and their willingness to read malice into the most reasonable of sentences - that's basically what it amounts to.
I certainly don't agree with everything written, but I like to think that I'm capable of presenting my arguments without creating imaginary offenses. At the very least, judging from the last few weeks, whatever failings Richard may actually have, patience clearly isn't once of them.
A Modest Proposal for MMORPGs:
That the means of progression would not be mutually exclusive from the means of enjoyment.
It's just a lot of people feel he is in the pockets of the big named MMO publishers. He seems to have an agenda and that is to try to make cash shops an accepted thing. If I am wrong okay, but I have to wonder who is padding those pockets
My only problem with Richard is that his articles always seem one sided in support of how good the F2P/Cash Shop model is. Generally there is very little in the way of negative comments about the payment model or about developers who are questionable in their operation/design. For example his comments in regards to the initial Allods cash shop prices were brief and very kind. I would think that someone who is trying to represent a fair and honest view of F2P would use harsh words when they were nessicary (i.e. 20 dollar bags). An all "pro" all the time point of view just makes me think I'm not getting the whole picture and can't trust what is being said.
Additionally you'd think that an advocate of F2P would be very vocal against Subs Plus models of which Richard has been very quiet on.
Is it possible you could of made this a shorter version just by answering with the word SHILL
Seriously consider adding a TLDR version of your articles.
It is way too much to read without any relevant information on any new, old or died in production MMO games.
On a sidenote I am wondering why they pay(?) you to write this.
Having a columnist dedicated to writing about the most inconsequential aspect of the entire genre (as far as the west goes) , well i just can't figure out why there is any effort put into keeping tabs on this. However, if it must be done to satisfy the masses ( <--- lol) who play F2P then can't you find a better writer?
Most inconsequential aspect for the west?
Erm, WoW pocketed how many million dollars from a fucking pony?
Learn to keep with the times. Cash shops are being introduced, because people will pay for stuff in-game, and enjoy it.
Blizzard has kept it strictly non-gameplay affecting, in the sense of actual combat effectiveness - as a Subscription model game, that is the way it should be, I believe.
Also, as far as TL;DR goes, the title says it all. He gets questions, often the same ones - he has responded.
I swear to god the whole P2P vs. F2P debate is as pointless as a man worrying about the size of his penis - I say that purely because of this comic.
I am playing EVE and it's alright... level V skills are a bit much.
You all need to learn to spell.
Mr. Aihoshi,
How about your next article be about how the F2P games are shallow shells of a game? Talk about how any game with any depth is p2p. Also, talk about how short the development cycle is for f2p games, because they use the same engine and features. F2P games are a joke. They offer little content, and little difference between one another. You do yourself a great disservice by trying to hype up the f2p "games".
F2P are trash ... FACT! You're just reviewing trash online micro transaction sites with different skins ... FACT! The bitter truth is that these "games" are played by children and cheap skates for the most part who would gladly play P2P if they were willing to part with the cash or their parents were willing to part with the cash ... FACT!
People will disagree with what I've said but most are just F2P cheap skates in serious denial that would drop their F2P game like a bad habit if they had the opportunity to play a P2P of their choice ... FACT!
"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience"
CS Lewis
cheap???
you have not played a F2P mmo at end game i guess.
Nice read Mr. Aihoshi. I like your column, it's always easy to read and clear as water. Keep it up!
Looking at how things stand right now in the MMO scene it's a necessary column and having something like it shows vision on the editor's part.
Though I'd agree that the author should not mind people who oppose the idea of such a column and just write about the F2P industry and the games themselves, rather than trying to break people's prejudices with this slice of the genre. It's easier to break prejudices when you're not actively trying to break them anyway.
Anyway, I'm always watching this column and happy it's here, despite the fact that I have not enjoyed a single F2P game yet. Oh, and I don't find his tone offensive - though the people he's supposedly looking down on would include me.
Posts like this should never warrant a response. But I will succumb to the troll bait that it is.
Are there any facts to support such claims?
The whole post made me laugh. Just like Agricola1's post after this one.
Just go look up some of the other columns and read about some P2P failures. Also look at the problems P2P games have in terms of subs and success.
The sad truth is that subscription only based games are going to phase themselves out. Whats going to happen is that all games will be some form of sub + cash shop or cash shop alone.
Sub limits $$ per customer.
Cash Shop provides a variable $$ per customer, but doesn't really limit them.
The problem is that F2P is relatively new so there isn't much in the way of industry standards for pricing, game quality or how restrictive the game is if you don't buy items.
Poster who decry the OP's support of F2P games are not making sense, of course he promotes the model he is writing about.
Doen't matter if he feels its better than P2P, its an alternative favored by many people in the world and ignroing it doesn't make it go away.
Is Richard's tone of his articles defensive and at times, condescenting? I think so, but I don't think there's anything wrong with that, I think of him sort of like Simon on American idol. People who write opininon pieces don't always have to play nice.
People are talking about facts about F2P games. Here's a fact, they are getting better and better all the time, (see Runes of Magic, Allods to name a few), still have their issues, and most disappointing to me, most, if not all P2P games are going to incorporate some element of cash shops into their models in the coming years.
Keep it up Richard, I don't always agree with you or enjoy your articles, but speak your mind and promote the models you wish.
"True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde
"I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant
Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm
Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV
Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™
"This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon