The $5 charge is only for those who haven't got themselves a package. For the vast majority - maybe everybody! - there will be no monthly charge.
As others have said virtually every game e.g. WoW requires some sort of buy in. Not EQ though - those forums were closed when CN took over.
Closed why? Forums cost money. If posters want answers someone has to read them, contact devs to get answers (meaning someone has to stop dev work) and then post the reply.
Imagine a free to post forum. Troll poster: what about xxxx - something ridiculous. Ignored. Troll poster: see its true, they don't even bother to deny it. And so on. Some level of buy in - as in signing up for a package - at least protects against the worst excess.
When I first heard about the forum fee I thought it was over the top. But taking into account the reasons VR has offered, I don't have a problem with it.
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests
A lot of games in development used to have beta forums with exclusive access for beta testers in order to get feedback from just the knowledgeable and committed... you could have called that an echo chamber too.
But a pay to talk forum for a game in development is sort of weird. Maybe it's just a sign of the times with all the trolling, stalking and developer harassment that's all the rage in gaming forums these days.
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what
it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience
because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in
the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you
playing an MMORPG?"
Cuse they can and the best thing is you dont have to give them anything. My guess we know as much this side of the pay wall. Your not missing anything.
I don't see any reason to care about this. Their forums their rules. I am not sure why people think that anything that has a public site needs to be free and open for all.
“It's unwise to pay too much, but it's worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money - that's all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing it was bought to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot - it can't be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.”
$5 a month is pretty insane for a game that isn't released. Flat $5 would be more than enough to get feedback from people who are really interested in helping to make a product better while keeping out trolls. A troll would have to repay it everyday, but a legitimate fan has to pay every month just for the privilege of helping a game in development.
Are characters persistent now? That is, are they subject to wipes?
Due to frequent travel in my youth, English isn't something I consider my primary language (and thus I obtained quirky ways of writing). German and French were always easier for me despite my family being U.S. citizens for over a century. Spanish I learned as a requirement in school, Japanese and Korean I acquired for my youthful desire of anime and gaming (and also work now). I only debate in English to help me work with it (and limit things). In addition, I'm not smart enough to remain fluent in everything and typically need exposure to get in the groove of things again if I haven't heard it in a while. If you understand Mandarin, I know a little, but it has actually been a challenge and could use some help.
Also, I thoroughly enjoy debates and have accounts on over a dozen sites for this. If you wish to engage in such, please put effort in a post and provide sources -- I will then do the same with what I already wrote (if I didn't) as well as with my responses to your own. Expanding my information on a subject makes my stance either change or strengthen the next time I speak of it or write a thesis. Allow me to thank you sincerely for your time.
I don't see any reason to care about this. Their forums their rules. I am not sure why people think that anything that has a public site needs to be free and open for all.
If we consider that, for example, Camelot Unchained doesn't let non-backers into their forums AT ALL, I'd say Pantheon's is pretty open by comparison; you can still read everything on their forum, but you simply cannot post.
I'm sure, as others have mentioned, this is 90% a moderation issue. These lower-budget studios probably don't want/have the time to waste constantly having to deal with moderating the forums and clean up nonsense.
If the people were willing to pay money to support the game, then they likely will behave more respectfully... Hint: You don't have to be a trolling jerk to disagree with someone/something. Respect your opponents; honor your rivals.
Alternatively, it could be to make people who haven't actually bought the game, put their money where their mouth is, as its only the ones who haven't pledged etc. who have to pay, not unreasonable imo.
Actually, this 'forum' could do with introducing a monthly subscription to allow people to post, the amount of self entitlement these days, lessons in having to pay for things, even if its use of a platform that enables them to air their views about things, is a lesson i think many could benefit from.
$5 a month is pretty insane for a game that isn't released. Flat $5 would be more than enough to get feedback from people who are really interested in helping to make a product better while keeping out trolls. A troll would have to repay it everyday, but a legitimate fan has to pay every month just for the privilege of helping a game in development.
Are characters persistent now? That is, are they subject to wipes?
As others have pointed out - if you are already a backer the fee doesn't apply. The fee is only if you want to post and you haven't backed the project. It seems reasonable to me and no, I haven't backed it
ok would have asked them if i could but since free registration cannot post asking here i registered a while ago when game was new but forgot my access(was free registration also) so did it again then i noticed you cannot post at all.checked and you can if you pay $5 a month for a game which is not even beta yet.heck even the basic pledge does not give you beta but it gives you access to post on forum. Surely ,this appears greedy to deny people without paying access to a message board ?
because they dont care what everyone thinks period. Maybe more MMORPGs need to do this.
I wasn't aware of this. I have gone and browsed their forums a few times when I was bored but never created a forum account and tried to post.
It seems kind of funny to me. Only people who have already drank the koolaid can post. Of course their comments are going to be overwhelmingly positive and fawning. Apparently the devs of pantheon only want to hear from sycophantic yes-men.
The emperor has no clothes? I guess in this case he'll never know because only people who like looking at his hairy arse are allowed to talk.
If you feel so strongly that your opinion is required to "enlighten the koolaid-drinkers", then I'm sure you'd be happy to pay $5 for the opportunity to perform a valuable public service !
However, I suspect the $5 charge exists largely to avoid random destructive criticism and the general negativity that's so popular in most open gaming forums.
Why? Because people can just talk badly and bash the game elsewhere for free. Like here! I don't like this, as it will start a trend. Next thing you know, this site as well as Massively will start doing that crap...
That might be a strong indicator that you should stay away from that product.
Yeah, thats just bad form. I won't be playing this game if that's the case. Screw them.
Just like they dont care about people crying that the game does not have a Automated Group Finder tool they dont give a shit about people crying about not having access to their forums for free. I am not going to play Pantheon because I dont like the game design, but I am not going to BITCH that they should make the game for me. It's time MMORPGs have a vision and make the game they way they want to and not listen to every person on a forum.
Because they can , and it will keep those arent serious about the game out , for the most part.. Good move imo
What does that even mean!? No one must/should be serious about a game someone else is developing but the developers themselves.
Constantine, The Console Poster
"One of the most difficult tasks men can perform, however much others may despise it, is the invention of good games and it cannot be done by men out of touch with their instinctive selves." - Carl Jung
For all you folks complaining about $5 a month, you do realize that there are many different backer plans that dont involve a monthly fee, right?
For $50 you can post all you like on the main forums, plus get a digital copy of the game at release which would probably be at least $50 anyway. You also get early name reservation and an in-game title. Obviously these last two are minimal things, but the only way you lose is if the game never releases. And if you feel strongly enough that you want to actually participate in the forums isnt that a risk worth taking? If you dont feel strongly about contributing (and I'm using that word very deliberately) then why do you feel a right to post?
Comments
The $5 charge is only for those who haven't got themselves a package. For the vast majority - maybe everybody! - there will be no monthly charge.
As others have said virtually every game e.g. WoW requires some sort of buy in. Not EQ though - those forums were closed when CN took over.
Closed why? Forums cost money. If posters want answers someone has to read them, contact devs to get answers (meaning someone has to stop dev work) and then post the reply.
Imagine a free to post forum. Troll poster: what about xxxx - something ridiculous. Ignored. Troll poster: see its true, they don't even bother to deny it. And so on. Some level of buy in - as in signing up for a package - at least protects against the worst excess.
EQ1, EQ2, SWG, SWTOR, GW, GW2 CoH, CoV, FFXI, WoW, CO, War,TSW and a slew of free trials and beta tests
Testers have to remember, their job isn't design.
Epic Music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAigCvelkhQ&list=PLo9FRw1AkDuQLEz7Gvvaz3ideB2NpFtT1
https://archive.org/details/softwarelibrary_msdos?&sort=-downloads&page=1
Kyleran: "Now there's the real trick, learning to accept and enjoy a game for what it offers rather than pass on what might be a great playing experience because it lacks a few features you prefer."
John Henry Newman: "A man would do nothing if he waited until he could do it so well that no one could find fault."
FreddyNoNose: "A good game needs no defense; a bad game has no defense." "Easily digested content is just as easily forgotten."
LacedOpium: "So the question that begs to be asked is, if you are not interested in the game mechanics that define the MMORPG genre, then why are you playing an MMORPG?"
--John Ruskin
Are characters persistent now? That is, are they subject to wipes?
I'm sure, as others have mentioned, this is 90% a moderation issue. These lower-budget studios probably don't want/have the time to waste constantly having to deal with moderating the forums and clean up nonsense.
If the people were willing to pay money to support the game, then they likely will behave more respectfully... Hint: You don't have to be a trolling jerk to disagree with someone/something. Respect your opponents; honor your rivals.
Actually, this 'forum' could do with introducing a monthly subscription to allow people to post, the amount of self entitlement these days, lessons in having to pay for things, even if its use of a platform that enables them to air their views about things, is a lesson i think many could benefit from.
As others have pointed out - if you are already a backer the fee doesn't apply. The fee is only if you want to post and you haven't backed the project. It seems reasonable to me and no, I haven't backed it
For $50 you can post all you like on the main forums, plus get a digital copy of the game at release which would probably be at least $50 anyway. You also get early name reservation and an in-game title. Obviously these last two are minimal things, but the only way you lose is if the game never releases. And if you feel strongly enough that you want to actually participate in the forums isnt that a risk worth taking? If you dont feel strongly about contributing (and I'm using that word very deliberately) then why do you feel a right to post?
-Feyshtey-