I could accept not being able to list items, but not being able to purchase? What the heck?
The free version basically makes you feel like you are running arouund solo, you cant use the global channels, you cant even see them, you cant use the mail system, you cant use shared banks, you cant use the broker.
I cant imagine anyone making it to make level on the bronze version with no access at all to the broker system, i basically have to find all my skills and my armor upgrades on my own because i cannot use the community to purchase them. And if i did decide to go gold, id lose my character because the live servers and the F2P servers arent the same, so if i want to go live and pvp, and experience the rest of the game, id just have to start over.
I am really trying to get back into this game, but with all these little quality of life things that Sony is trying to nickle and dime people for, i really shouldnt even bother.
I made it to level 17, and i really dont have the motivation to continue knowing that if i decide to go gold i have to start over, sure i could stay on the extended server but that would mean i would have to sacrifice pvp forever... and always be behind one expenansion, just doessnt make any sense.
1.- Ask a gold friend to buy the stuff from the broker for you.
2.- If enought people ask, they will add a pvp server.
3.- You can buy the expansion, as in the live server.
Im not defending the game, in fact I think SOE should add broker access to silvers in some kind of limited way, but your problems have an easy solution, one even more easy, go gold, no need to buy the game, just pay the sub.
Edit: And... I aid it tons of times already, soe should have taken the turbine approach to f2p, but they didn't. If you dont like it enought to pay a gold sub, just wait until september 10 and play lotro f2p, I sure will be there, too
Here is the thing about the F2P market... it is competitive.
People play the game because they dont have to pay for it first. This makes it easy to join.
They leave because they dont get hooked on the game. This makes it easy to leave.
F2P games have to work much harder to keep players than P2P. P2P is about marketting the game, to get them to buy... and once they buy, it is easy to keep them, as they have comited. F2P is about keeping them playing, because they dont have any comittment.
P2P companies dont understand that you have to work much harder at keeping them satisfied with F2P.
Yes this is a good analogy,i think developers often forget that they need to entice us to pay money for their product,we don't need their game at all.
I don't really think SOE is trying to portray this as a F2P server,it really is only a glorified trial server.
Sure there might be some ways to get around limitations,but if everyone was playing for free,they would not be able to enjoy the game for the long haul,it is designed to give a feel for the game,they don't want people hanging around for free.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
Or you can do what everyone in my guild does, ask the members on gold account to search broker for them, pick stuff upfor them, and send it to them or meet them somewhere. It's easy and simple. Eq2 Ext is the best f2p out there right now with amazing content for the PVE enthusiast. Everyone from the f2p crowd that has tried it has said what an amazing experience it has been.
Need to look something up on the broker? Contact Spirit in-game, need any other help? Look up Warriors of Time guild.
What makes even worse sense is that they are over crowding the server with vets because they get total free access without limitations if they maintain a regular account.
I thought that also until I logged onto the Extended server and found out that your regular sub does not carry over. I was looking forward to starting some new characters on a brand new server but not so much that I would pay for a second subscription.
When Turbine went to F2P with DDO it started off with some pretty hefty restrictions too, granted not quite as restrictive as SoE have gone.
Hopefully once they have a few weeks under their belt with the new model they'll relax in a few areas, so if you do want to play on the new server I would say just bide your time a little until SoE get comfortable with the new model, it's still new ground for them to convert a P2P to a F2P & they need to find their feet yet.
I'm hoping they do allow for classes & broker access & shared bank to be bought rather than be gold member only though, once the dust settles.
Or you can do what everyone in my guild does, ask the members on gold account to search broker for them, pick stuff upfor them, and send it to them or meet them somewhere. It's easy and simple. Eq2 Ext is the best f2p out there right now with amazing content for the PVE enthusiast. Everyone from the f2p crowd that has tried it has said what an amazing experience it has been.
Is this a joke post?
Its pretty hard to find gold members who would spned thier time buying stuff for you when you cant even speak (or even read) in chat. Being a new player on EQ2ex is like playing a single player game.
Everyone from the f2p crowd think its amazing?? Where did you find thoose people?
If WoW = The Beatles and WAR = Led Zeppelin Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
The point of DDO f2p style is to get as many people as possible to try the game and enjoy it. Even then, only a small percentage of people will subscribe or make any purchases. DDO started out with some restrictions, and as it has become more successful, they have been relaxing restrictions. They even give you easy ways to get content free!
The amount of restrictions I see with SOE seems frustrating. It's not just content - they are way gimping your character, basic conveniences, and chat. Do they really think their game is so good, that they are going to frustrate people into paying?
And the chat...it's not like they are protecting their previous player base from f2p'ers. This is a brand new server separate from the old ones. They don't have or know what their playing base is going to be like, and they are already splitting them?
In DDO, all day long the beginners are getting advice and info from subscribed old pros. In EQXT, they can't even talk to them.
Well, I have my doubts, but we'll see how well SOE does with this. I am going to skip this. It's like doing the trial again, but worse.
Everyone from the f2p crowd that has tried it has said what a horrible experience it has been.
Fixed your post.
Every post I've seen so far has been pretty over whelmingly negative. I myself was incredibly excited about playing EQ2 again. I used to six box on live servers, but it just got too expensive buying six expansions every 6 months or so. The F2P option was going to be great for me.
However, not being able to buy classes, insane AH restrictions, no chat at all, and the fact exp is capped at 50% post level 10 pretty much killed it for me.
Or you can do what everyone in my guild does, ask the members on gold account to search broker for them, pick stuff upfor them, and send it to them or meet them somewhere. It's easy and simple. Eq2 Ext is the best f2p out there right now with amazing content for the PVE enthusiast. Everyone from the f2p crowd that has tried it has said what an amazing experience it has been.
Need to look something up on the broker? Contact Spirit in-game, need any other help? Look up Warriors of Time guild.
I am an impuls buyer at times... i dont know what the hell im looking for sometime son the auction house, sometimes i will buy something i had no intention of purchasing i just happened to get lucky, someone was selling it too cheap, or a really rare item i need to get asap is there and i need to get it, why would i want to do this through a middle man, what if im leveling up crafting, think i want to harrass guild mats to buy builk materials for me? is that reasonable?
And lets not forget the BIGGEST problem with your theory, how the hell am i supposed to find these gold members? Tap everyone on the shoulder as i walk past them, cause i cant use teh shout channel.
/say Hey, are you a gold member? can you buy my stuff off the auction house? No, k, thanks
Rince and repeat for hours tilli strike gold? Sounds like a plan it does...
Ffuck that.
Quotations Those Who make peaceful resolutions impossible, make violent resolutions inevitable. John F. Kennedy
Life... is the shit that happens while you wait for moments that never come - Lester Freeman
Lie to no one. If there 's somebody close to you, you'll ruin it with a lie. If they're a stranger, who the fuck are they you gotta lie to them? - Willy Nelson
The point of DDO f2p style is to get as many people as possible to try the game and enjoy it. Even then, only a small percentage of people will subscribe or make any purchases. DDO started out with some restrictions, and as it has become more successful, they have been relaxing restrictions. They even give you easy ways to get content free!
The amount of restrictions I see with SOE seems frustrating. It's not just content - they are way gimping your character, basic conveniences, and chat. Do they really think their game is so good, that they are going to frustrate people into paying?
And the chat...it's not like they are protecting their previous player base from f2p'ers. This is a brand new server separate from the old ones. They don't have or know what their playing base is going to be like, and they are already splitting them?
In DDO, all day long the beginners are getting advice and info from subscribed old pros. In EQXT, they can't even talk to them.
Well, I have my doubts, but we'll see how well SOE does with this. I am going to skip this. It's like doing the trial again, but worse.
I think the limitations are in place for a few reasons. The first is that soe rushed this change to market. The new lead producer, who has a background in running f2p games, doesn't have much experience with the game either. Combine something that has a breakneck deadline to beat the competition and lack of experience and this is pretty much the result.
Mix in the typical soe ego of knowing what players want more than players themselves do and viola.
Turbine took something like 9 months to work on DDO and looks to be about the same length for Lotro. EQ2 by appearances looks to be about 2 months tops.
What I don't get is that the devs have said the free trials were not pulling in a lot of players on the live servers.
EQ2X players like an extended trial of the game, more than it does a free to play game. The difference is that is has so many many more restrictions, even if the new player wants to spend money outside of a subscription, that I don't understand how it will provide more long term growth. Growing one server at the expense of 20 others seems rather short term gain to me.
I suspect that there is far more behind this plan from soe than what has been revealed.
In truth this doesn't feel like a free to play option for gamers, but more like a test of how to convert EQ2 over to a subscription + full blown cash shop game. There is almost no options or flexibility in the non subscription version being offered.
Just the class restrictions alone for most would be nearly impossible to play the end game in an ala carte manner.
What I don't get is that the devs have said the free trials were not pulling in a lot of players on the live servers.
EQ2X players like an extended trial of the game, more than it does a free to play game. The difference is that is has so many many more restrictions, even if the new player wants to spend money outside of a subscription, that I don't understand how it will provide more long term growth. Growing one server at the expense of 20 others seems rather short term gain to me.
I suspect that there is far more behind this plan from soe than what has been revealed.
In truth this doesn't feel like a free to play option for gamers, but more like a test of how to convert EQ2 over to a subscription + full blown cash shop game. There is almost no options or flexibility in the non subscription version being offered.
Just the class restrictions alone for most would be nearly impossible to play the end game in an ala carte manner.
I agree, its really hard to understand what SOE whants out of this experiment. Feels like they rushed it out to release before LotrO.
Why piss off all your current players just to add a new server that works like an extended trial that is even more restricting than the old trial?
I was excited when they announced Extended but the more I learn of it the more confused I get.
If WoW = The Beatles and WAR = Led Zeppelin Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
Epecially when this experiment (eq2 lead producers words, not mine) will not benefit the declining population of the live servers. It will most likely only cause them harm.
I just can't shake the feeling that soe is doing this with a far different goal in mind than the impression players are being lead to believe. It would not surprise me if within the next year soe tries to push this model onto the live servers in some roundabout way.
It is obvious that they have given up on the subscription only model for everquest some time ago.
Or you can do what everyone in my guild does, ask the members on gold account to search broker for them, pick stuff upfor them, and send it to them or meet them somewhere. It's easy and simple. Eq2 Ext is the best f2p out there right now with amazing content for the PVE enthusiast. Everyone from the f2p crowd that has tried it has said what an amazing experience it has been.
Actually, a Bronze player can look at the broker, they just can't buy anything. For Bronze/Silver, it's all display window and a locked door. No one seems to have any sales crates in their rooms yet. Probably B/S players would also be unable to buy from sales crates, because they are integrated with the Broker system, but I don't really know.
Epecially when this experiment (eq2 lead producers words, not mine) will not benefit the declining population of the live servers. It will most likely only cause them harm.
I just can't shake the feeling that soe is doing this with a far different goal in mind than the impression players are being lead to believe. It would not surprise me if within the next year soe tries to push this model onto the live servers in some roundabout way.
It is obvious that they have given up on the subscription only model for everquest some time ago.
I would be more inclined to go with your theory that it was rushed. If SOE can't be first, they want to be second. I wasn't there, but it seems like SWG. SOE saw a competitor do something, and then rushed to copy that success. Execution seems to be the weak link, though.
SOE wants to have the benefits of f2p, but is too stingy to actually give players even the basic benefits of f2p. Like someone who says they want to give you something, but when you reach out to take it, they won't let go.
As for an ulterior motive, there's a theory SOE is secretly plotting the demise of the live servers. Something about the free trial stopping. Xfers from live to xt allowed, but not from XT to live. Live forums can see XT forums, but XT forums can't see live forums. The gist is all customer traffic is routed one way to XT, and even the existed of Live is obscured to XT players. Disclaimer, I read this in a forum post here somewhere.
I would be more inclined to go with your theory that it was rushed. If SOE can't be first, they want to be second. I wasn't there, but it seems like SWG. SOE saw a competitor do something, and then rushed to copy that success. Execution seems to be the weak link, though.
SOE wants to have the benefits of f2p, but is too stingy to actually give players even the basic benefits of f2p. Like someone who says they want to give you something, but when you reach out to take it, they won't let go.
As for an ulterior motive, there's a theory SOE is secretly plotting the demise of the live servers. Something about the free trial stopping. Xfers from live to xt allowed, but not from XT to live. Live forums can see XT forums, but XT forums can't see live forums. The gist is all customer traffic is routed one way to XT, and even the existed of Live is obscured to XT players. Disclaimer, I read this in a forum post here somewhere.
Yeah it really does feel rushed and not very well planned out. So true about execution too.
As for the killing the live server conspiracy, I don't think that is the goal. It may be the result, but I don't think that is the intention.
While most of the things you mentioned are true such as removing the free trials and the one way flow of informations/transfers centering on EQ2live to EQ2X, I think that the real goal is to get all of the eq2 servers on a heavier dose of RMT than they have been in the past or something along those lines.
The history of soe shows that this is the trend and the direction soe has been taking for EQ2. From station exchange to legends of norrath loot cards to station cash they all have pushed the line furhter and further. Compound that with the frequency and potency each of the last two RMT mechanics has seen in updates it also suggests the games are heading in that direction as well. Again with execution being the big question.
EQ2x is essentially a glorified trial of the game and not a hybrid payment option like other recent f2p converts. Everything about it pressures subscription with a full blown cash shop addition. While I don't understand the methods soe uses and I long ago learned that there is nothing soe will never do, I think we can get a decent idea of where soe wants to go with this.
EQ2X is waaay too limited IMO. I understand they need to make money, but their system is a bit ridiculous. Cutting players off from the majority of races and classes is retarded. Not allowing them to reach max level is dumb too. I just don't see this F2P version doing that well unless they make some major changes to it.
Comments
1.- Ask a gold friend to buy the stuff from the broker for you.
2.- If enought people ask, they will add a pvp server.
3.- You can buy the expansion, as in the live server.
Im not defending the game, in fact I think SOE should add broker access to silvers in some kind of limited way, but your problems have an easy solution, one even more easy, go gold, no need to buy the game, just pay the sub.
Edit: And... I aid it tons of times already, soe should have taken the turbine approach to f2p, but they didn't. If you dont like it enought to pay a gold sub, just wait until september 10 and play lotro f2p, I sure will be there, too
Yes this is a good analogy,i think developers often forget that they need to entice us to pay money for their product,we don't need their game at all.
I don't really think SOE is trying to portray this as a F2P server,it really is only a glorified trial server.
Sure there might be some ways to get around limitations,but if everyone was playing for free,they would not be able to enjoy the game for the long haul,it is designed to give a feel for the game,they don't want people hanging around for free.
Never forget 3 mile Island and never trust a government official or company spokesman.
To OP:
Or you can do what everyone in my guild does, ask the members on gold account to search broker for them, pick stuff upfor them, and send it to them or meet them somewhere. It's easy and simple. Eq2 Ext is the best f2p out there right now with amazing content for the PVE enthusiast. Everyone from the f2p crowd that has tried it has said what an amazing experience it has been.
Need to look something up on the broker? Contact Spirit in-game, need any other help? Look up Warriors of Time guild.
I thought that also until I logged onto the Extended server and found out that your regular sub does not carry over. I was looking forward to starting some new characters on a brand new server but not so much that I would pay for a second subscription.
When Turbine went to F2P with DDO it started off with some pretty hefty restrictions too, granted not quite as restrictive as SoE have gone.
Hopefully once they have a few weeks under their belt with the new model they'll relax in a few areas, so if you do want to play on the new server I would say just bide your time a little until SoE get comfortable with the new model, it's still new ground for them to convert a P2P to a F2P & they need to find their feet yet.
I'm hoping they do allow for classes & broker access & shared bank to be bought rather than be gold member only though, once the dust settles.
Is this a joke post?
Its pretty hard to find gold members who would spned thier time buying stuff for you when you cant even speak (or even read) in chat. Being a new player on EQ2ex is like playing a single player game.
Everyone from the f2p crowd think its amazing?? Where did you find thoose people?
If WoW = The Beatles
and WAR = Led Zeppelin
Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
The point of DDO f2p style is to get as many people as possible to try the game and enjoy it. Even then, only a small percentage of people will subscribe or make any purchases. DDO started out with some restrictions, and as it has become more successful, they have been relaxing restrictions. They even give you easy ways to get content free!
The amount of restrictions I see with SOE seems frustrating. It's not just content - they are way gimping your character, basic conveniences, and chat. Do they really think their game is so good, that they are going to frustrate people into paying?
And the chat...it's not like they are protecting their previous player base from f2p'ers. This is a brand new server separate from the old ones. They don't have or know what their playing base is going to be like, and they are already splitting them?
In DDO, all day long the beginners are getting advice and info from subscribed old pros. In EQXT, they can't even talk to them.
Well, I have my doubts, but we'll see how well SOE does with this. I am going to skip this. It's like doing the trial again, but worse.
I agree. SOE is pure garbage and treats its users like piss.
Fixed your post.
Every post I've seen so far has been pretty over whelmingly negative. I myself was incredibly excited about playing EQ2 again. I used to six box on live servers, but it just got too expensive buying six expansions every 6 months or so. The F2P option was going to be great for me.
However, not being able to buy classes, insane AH restrictions, no chat at all, and the fact exp is capped at 50% post level 10 pretty much killed it for me.
I am an impuls buyer at times... i dont know what the hell im looking for sometime son the auction house, sometimes i will buy something i had no intention of purchasing i just happened to get lucky, someone was selling it too cheap, or a really rare item i need to get asap is there and i need to get it, why would i want to do this through a middle man, what if im leveling up crafting, think i want to harrass guild mats to buy builk materials for me? is that reasonable?
And lets not forget the BIGGEST problem with your theory, how the hell am i supposed to find these gold members? Tap everyone on the shoulder as i walk past them, cause i cant use teh shout channel.
/say Hey, are you a gold member? can you buy my stuff off the auction house? No, k, thanks
Rince and repeat for hours tilli strike gold? Sounds like a plan it does...
Ffuck that.
Quotations Those Who make peaceful resolutions impossible, make violent resolutions inevitable. John F. Kennedy
Life... is the shit that happens while you wait for moments that never come - Lester Freeman
Lie to no one. If there 's somebody close to you, you'll ruin it with a lie. If they're a stranger, who the fuck are they you gotta lie to them? - Willy Nelson
I think the limitations are in place for a few reasons. The first is that soe rushed this change to market. The new lead producer, who has a background in running f2p games, doesn't have much experience with the game either. Combine something that has a breakneck deadline to beat the competition and lack of experience and this is pretty much the result.
Mix in the typical soe ego of knowing what players want more than players themselves do and viola.
Turbine took something like 9 months to work on DDO and looks to be about the same length for Lotro. EQ2 by appearances looks to be about 2 months tops.
What I don't get is that the devs have said the free trials were not pulling in a lot of players on the live servers.
EQ2X players like an extended trial of the game, more than it does a free to play game. The difference is that is has so many many more restrictions, even if the new player wants to spend money outside of a subscription, that I don't understand how it will provide more long term growth. Growing one server at the expense of 20 others seems rather short term gain to me.
I suspect that there is far more behind this plan from soe than what has been revealed.
In truth this doesn't feel like a free to play option for gamers, but more like a test of how to convert EQ2 over to a subscription + full blown cash shop game. There is almost no options or flexibility in the non subscription version being offered.
Just the class restrictions alone for most would be nearly impossible to play the end game in an ala carte manner.
I agree, its really hard to understand what SOE whants out of this experiment. Feels like they rushed it out to release before LotrO.
Why piss off all your current players just to add a new server that works like an extended trial that is even more restricting than the old trial?
I was excited when they announced Extended but the more I learn of it the more confused I get.
If WoW = The Beatles
and WAR = Led Zeppelin
Then LotrO = Pink Floyd
Epecially when this experiment (eq2 lead producers words, not mine) will not benefit the declining population of the live servers. It will most likely only cause them harm.
I just can't shake the feeling that soe is doing this with a far different goal in mind than the impression players are being lead to believe. It would not surprise me if within the next year soe tries to push this model onto the live servers in some roundabout way.
It is obvious that they have given up on the subscription only model for everquest some time ago.
Actually, a Bronze player can look at the broker, they just can't buy anything. For Bronze/Silver, it's all display window and a locked door. No one seems to have any sales crates in their rooms yet. Probably B/S players would also be unable to buy from sales crates, because they are integrated with the Broker system, but I don't really know.
I would be more inclined to go with your theory that it was rushed. If SOE can't be first, they want to be second. I wasn't there, but it seems like SWG. SOE saw a competitor do something, and then rushed to copy that success. Execution seems to be the weak link, though.
SOE wants to have the benefits of f2p, but is too stingy to actually give players even the basic benefits of f2p. Like someone who says they want to give you something, but when you reach out to take it, they won't let go.
As for an ulterior motive, there's a theory SOE is secretly plotting the demise of the live servers. Something about the free trial stopping. Xfers from live to xt allowed, but not from XT to live. Live forums can see XT forums, but XT forums can't see live forums. The gist is all customer traffic is routed one way to XT, and even the existed of Live is obscured to XT players. Disclaimer, I read this in a forum post here somewhere.
Yeah it really does feel rushed and not very well planned out. So true about execution too.
As for the killing the live server conspiracy, I don't think that is the goal. It may be the result, but I don't think that is the intention.
While most of the things you mentioned are true such as removing the free trials and the one way flow of informations/transfers centering on EQ2live to EQ2X, I think that the real goal is to get all of the eq2 servers on a heavier dose of RMT than they have been in the past or something along those lines.
The history of soe shows that this is the trend and the direction soe has been taking for EQ2. From station exchange to legends of norrath loot cards to station cash they all have pushed the line furhter and further. Compound that with the frequency and potency each of the last two RMT mechanics has seen in updates it also suggests the games are heading in that direction as well. Again with execution being the big question.
EQ2x is essentially a glorified trial of the game and not a hybrid payment option like other recent f2p converts. Everything about it pressures subscription with a full blown cash shop addition. While I don't understand the methods soe uses and I long ago learned that there is nothing soe will never do, I think we can get a decent idea of where soe wants to go with this.
EQ2X is waaay too limited IMO. I understand they need to make money, but their system is a bit ridiculous. Cutting players off from the majority of races and classes is retarded. Not allowing them to reach max level is dumb too. I just don't see this F2P version doing that well unless they make some major changes to it.