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Transitioning from P2P to F2P, which games did it the best? Poll*

DivionDivion Member UncommonPosts: 411
in The Pub at MMORPG.COM

This article breaks down the recent, and bigger games to make the switch from P2P, to F2P.

http://www.examiner.com/list/list-must-try-free-to-play-mmorpgs

 

What are your opnions on it? I'll summarize in the poll what games were chosen, do you agree?

 

What games do you think did the tranisition smoothly? 

 

Your reasons?

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Comments

  • BanquettoBanquetto Member UncommonPosts: 1,037

    Initially, I would have said LOTRO. I thought the choice between "pay for a sub" and "buy the zones one by one" was good and fair. But they've done an awful lot to erode my goodwill since then.

  • StimzStimz Member UncommonPosts: 79
    Fallen Earth

    image

  • PivotelitePivotelite Member UncommonPosts: 2,145

    TERA, as a f2p player you have access to everything in the game and every single cosmetic item in the store since they are all tradeable.

     

    You can get literally everything in-game without spending a dime.

    image

  • PurutzilPurutzil Member UncommonPosts: 3,048
    Aion, though Tera isn't far behind. Western games tend to feel more cash grabby when they go F2P then Eastern games do for sure. In some parts, I'm sure its mostly since they need less to manage it here considering its mostly translations they do so they need less money directly provided to the studio here. Though who knows, they might be that generous elsewhere too. 
  • BeansnBreadBeansnBread Member EpicPosts: 7,254
    I think TERA did it best to be honest. Or at least I believe it to be the F2P game with the least amount of restrictions with a lot of access to shop items for in game currency.
  • RohnRohn Member UncommonPosts: 3,730
    STO did a great job with the transition to F2P.  The vast majority of the game is accessible without paying a cent, and the dilithium system allows free players to earn currency they can exchange to buy things from the shop.  You really don't have to pay anything, and literally have access to almost everything just by playing the game.

    Hell hath no fury like an MMORPG player scorned.

  • evictonevicton Member Posts: 398

    I voted for star trek online even though its cash shop is what is by definition p2w. The f2p conversion and pw money has really turned this game around for me and the free expansion this month will only add to it.

    If given the choice between the game before it went f2p and after the game went f2p. I'd be picking after the change to f2p no questions asked with Sto.

  • DaranarDaranar Member UncommonPosts: 392
    Originally posted by Banquetto

    Initially, I would have said LOTRO. I thought the choice between "pay for a sub" and "buy the zones one by one" was good and fair. But they've done an awful lot to erode my goodwill since then.

    I vote LOTRO due to the question being who made the best transition from P2P to F2P.  LOTRO did amazing, as you pointed out, making the transition.  But yes, as any major pub dev team does with time, they ruined it.  But in this initial transition...A+ for LOTRO.   Worst?  SWTOR!!

    If I want a world in which people can purchase success and power with cash, I'll play Real Life. Keep Virtual Worlds Virtual!


  • MagnetiaMagnetia Member UncommonPosts: 1,015
    Originally posted by evicton

    I voted for star trek online even though its cash shop is what is by definition p2w. The f2p conversion and pw money has really turned this game around for me and the free expansion this month will only add to it.

    If given the choice between the game before it went f2p and after the game went f2p. I'd be picking after the change to f2p no questions asked with Sto.

    Star Trek online isn't pay to win. 

    While the most powerful ships are indeed in the cash shop the point is that you've played for all the time up until the last level and they finally ask you "Hey can you give us a little cash so we can feed our families and you get a max level ship" at which point you will make a choice. 

    Do I want to pay them money for the game i've been playing or should I earn it in game? 

    The nickel and diming comes from releasing new ships every once in a while.

    Play for fun. Play to win. Play for perfection. Play with friends. Play in another world. Why do you play?

  • VelocinoxVelocinox Member UncommonPosts: 1,010

    LotRO - Turbine. Very customer friendly company... probably the best MMO company.

     

    I can even buy the Riders of Rohan expansion with my Lotro in game points.

    Who does that?

    Sony? No

    Cryptic? No...

     

    'Sandbox MMO' is a PTSD trigger word for anyone who has the experience to know that anonymous players invariably use a 'sandbox' in the same manner a housecat does.


    When your head is stuck in the sand, your ass becomes the only recognizable part of you.


    No game is more fun than the one you can't play, and no game is more boring than one which you've become familiar.


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    Start with a billion dollars and make an MMO.

  • WizardryWizardry Member LegendaryPosts: 19,332

    EASILY and i mean easily EQ2.SWTOR is NOT F2P not in any fashion,you get level 20 and that is it.It is a free trial nothing more.

    SOE was a bit lazy/sloppy in it's transition but it still offers the most and does it the best.Matter of fact if you play EQ2 yo uare playing an identical game as Wow but better looking in every aspect and all for FREE if you choose.There are restrictions to free of course,but it is possible to do what you do in any other game  for free. 

    To sum up all the restrictions in EQ2 would be to say you can't do the content at the level intended.You will be using inferior spells/gear,so you have to wait a bit longer to do the content.

    Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.

  • elockeelocke Member UncommonPosts: 4,335
    Can't see how Lotro or DDO isn't in the poll as they were the 2 games that got this whole ball rolling and they did it the best IMO.  You can still sub and get an allowance or you can pay a la carte and pay for content when you want all while earning Turbine Points in game that can be used to purchase more content.   Sheer win.  SWTOR comes close but the earning of Coins in game is very limited and they hinder UI and xp, that's not good.
    http://i.imgur.com/YGBiPjo.gif
  • David_LopanDavid_Lopan Member UncommonPosts: 813
    DDO. Purcahse campigns like a table top rpg and u can play them forever. Similar to LOTRO but not quite.
  • thecapitainethecapitaine Member UncommonPosts: 408
    My vote goes for City of Heroes.  Their game was still an enjoyable one for free players as well as subscribers, their cash shop was fair, varied, and devoid of P2W junk.  They kept longtime players happy through their tiered veteran rewards system, allowing new subscribers to pick and choose (within limits) which perks they wanted most.  Best of all, they were still rolling out meaningful content until the end, which makes their closing all the more bittersweet for me.  If all F2P games did it the way CoH did, I'd have to seriously reconsider whether to sub to a P2P ever again.
  • strangiato2112strangiato2112 Member CommonPosts: 1,538

    EQ2

    They may not have had the biggest increase in numbers, and you can squabble about their model all you want (I think its infinitely better than Turbine model which nickels and dimes even the subsubscribers), but they implemenbted f2p in a way that has kept their population stable and quality.

     

     

  • strangiato2112strangiato2112 Member CommonPosts: 1,538
    Originally posted by Wizardry

     

    To sum up all the restrictions in EQ2 would be to say you can't do the content at the level intended.You will be using inferior spells/gear,so you have to wait a bit longer to do the content.

    this is false, it isnt until 85+ where you will run into ANY issues.  Anything under 80 can easily be done at level and there is nothing you cant do in the game sub 90 without paying a cent. 

  • DamonVileDamonVile Member UncommonPosts: 4,818

    Tera did it best. There was nothing on the cash shop you couldn't resell on the trade broker so there was nothing in the game a free player couldn't get.

    The only exception was the elite status but all of its bonuses except the extra dailies could be bought on the broker. I wouldn't be surprised if they started putting elite on the cash shop as well so free players could even buy it.

    People who get how free to play work understand that letting players sell cash shop items to free players gives you more sales not less. It's pretty simple to understand ...someone has to buy it with real money first. After that who cares of a free player or the original player uses it.

  • TheDarkrayneTheDarkrayne Member EpicPosts: 5,297

    TERA if you have a founders account.. Aion if you don't.

    I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
  • DaranarDaranar Member UncommonPosts: 392
    Originally posted by Wizardry

    EASILY and i mean easily EQ2.SWTOR is NOT F2P not in any fashion,you get level 20 and that is it.It is a free trial nothing more.

    SOE was a bit lazy/sloppy in it's transition but it still offers the most and does it the best.Matter of fact if you play EQ2 yo uare playing an identical game as Wow but better looking in every aspect and all for FREE if you choose.There are restrictions to free of course,but it is possible to do what you do in any other game  for free. 

    To sum up all the restrictions in EQ2 would be to say you can't do the content at the level intended.You will be using inferior spells/gear,so you have to wait a bit longer to do the content.

    Yeah dude, SWTOR is F2P now btw.  Its not a free trial anymore, you can play to max level for free...you will suck, but you can play to max lvl for free.

    BTW not being a dick, simply updating your "MMO knowledge database".

    If I want a world in which people can purchase success and power with cash, I'll play Real Life. Keep Virtual Worlds Virtual!


  • FearumFearum Member UncommonPosts: 1,175
    I chose other, the games needed to "transition" to f2p are crap and couldnt hold any kind of healthy population with their first choice of pay method. Pay scale means nothing if the game is crap, it will be still be crap even if they have to give it away for free.
  • DivionDivion Member UncommonPosts: 411

    Thanks everyone for your awesome contributions.

     

    It seems there are some strong opinions, that DDO/LOTR should have been on the list, and some good supporting opinions on the ones on the list.

     

    Heres my take, I think TERA is the best // Why? The game spent less then a year on a free to play, as such those who had invested money into boxsell/sub took a "Smaller" hit then those who played a game like STO who purchased a lifetime subscription for 4x the box price + box price close to 300 bucks to simply have the game go free, and be offer premium bonuses at no cost ~~ KEY POINT HERE, if some reason you canceled your lifetime sub, even though you paid for it, you lose the sub, and all bonuses .. doubtful anyone would willingly do it, but mistakes, and evil pranks happen.

     

    Aside from that, all cash shop items can be farmed via gold, vrs STO system, where Dil is VERY slow to earn, and you have a cap at how much you can refine a day, capping your potentional, and you are not purchasing the items with this system, just the currency. Also STO while i do not think it's P2W Cashshop, it offers unfair advantages for sure. 

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