Free to Play MMOs

usagi_tetsu · 03-31-2010, 03:09 PM

Is the pay-to-play system that is making Blizzard a ton of money for all their millions of $15-per-month-paying players going the way of the dodo? It seems like every time I turn around the past 6 months or so, I run into another MMORPG that is going mostly free-to-play or a new one that is starting out that way. Off the top of my head, both Dungeons & Dragons Online and Warhammer Online have gone mostly free-to-play (okay, WAR has not gone totally F2P, but has opened up their trial to level 10, with no time/character limits) recently, trying to entice more business by following the example of the Asian F2P MMO market. And just yesterday, my PC Gamer shows up and tells me of the wonder that is Allods Online, that is very WoW-like, but throws in sailing ships in space, like the old Spelljammer setting for AD&D. And that's just a small smattering of games, as I've discovered there are entire websites dedicated to bringing you the F2P goodness.

Of course, my first thought is how all this is going to affect the other MMOs out there (I think WoW will remain pay-to-play, but that's because it is SSSOOOO popular, it can afford to, but everyone else will be affected), but my second thought was - where the hell were all these F2P MMO's when I was a broke college student just over a decade ago?! I could have used some free games to play to while away my penniless hours of boredom back then, but nowadays I've got too many hobbies and not enough time to pursue them all. Of course, now I can afford the broadband that I couldn't a decade ago, and I can actually play these games in my spare (HA!) time these days, whereas I had such a crappy phoneline in my crap shack I could barely get 14.4 speeds over my 56K modem.

What's everyone else's thoughts on the trend? Think it'll last with the American/Canadian/European developers (the Asian market started out this way, so I doubt they'll revert to a monthly P2P model) and become the norm, or what?

Last but not least, who out there is playing what? I've got both DDO and WAR currently installed, but I may have to uninstall something to give the new Allods a quick trial (ships in space!). What do you think of them?

Critical · 03-31-2010, 03:10 PM

I'm just waiting to Trade Wars to be re-released.

usagi_tetsu · 04-01-2010, 10:01 AM

For a while in 2005, TradeWars: Dark Millenium (a browser-based, more graphical oriented version of TW2002) was up and running, but it got shut down. But looks like another company has started up another one, by the name of TradeWars: Rising that's either in the Beta or Gold development stage, but either way, is still free to play. I can't see any of the screenshots (stupid work 'net restrictions... *grumblegrumble*) so couldn't begin to say whether it'd be worth a look-see or not.

Of course, some would say that EVE Online is a spiritual successor to the TW2002 franchise, though it is still a pay-to-play, monthly subscription MMO. It certainly seems to have that hugely steep learning curve that scares off newbies like the old TW did.

heinous · 11-03-2010, 03:39 AM

i used to play rf online. i wanted an mmo that was more sci fi than fantasy, but it sucked so i stopped.

edit: wait, who necro'd this thread and then deleted the post?

LinearGoose · 11-03-2010, 03:47 AM

You must be seeing things....

Posted in the wrong thread, sorry

alpha434 · 11-03-2010, 03:53 AM

Well... Since we're here...

Anyone remember Time Of Chaos?

Bestest.

chrislognshot · 11-03-2010, 08:38 AM

main reason why they went free to play is to get more people to play their games. warhammer was good one and tried to take people away from wow but did not work. wow is powerhouse. so in till wow stops world of warcraft people will still pay to play. cat is to be last xpack for world of warcarft. so we just get more little addons in till world warcraft 2 comes out or any other game comes to match.

FeWolf · 11-03-2010, 06:02 PM

I play Lord of the Rings, never like WarCrack

Party · 11-03-2010, 06:08 PM

In B4 runescape.

Gas mask · 11-03-2010, 06:14 PM

I play need for speed world, and used to play DDO. (But all my DND buddies decided to play pen and paper again, so no harm no foul.)

03-31-2010, 03:09 PM	#1 (permalink)
usagi_tetsu Good once as I never was Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Columbia/Jeff City, MO	Free to Play MMOs Is the pay-to-play system that is making Blizzard a ton of money for all their millions of $15-per-month-paying players going the way of the dodo? It seems like every time I turn around the past 6 months or so, I run into another MMORPG that is going mostly free-to-play or a new one that is starting out that way. Off the top of my head, both Dungeons & Dragons Online and Warhammer Online have gone mostly free-to-play (okay, WAR has not gone totally F2P, but has opened up their trial to level 10, with no time/character limits) recently, trying to entice more business by following the example of the Asian F2P MMO market. And just yesterday, my PC Gamer shows up and tells me of the wonder that is Allods Online, that is very WoW-like, but throws in sailing ships in space, like the old Spelljammer setting for AD&D. And that's just a small smattering of games, as I've discovered there are entire websites dedicated to bringing you the F2P goodness. Of course, my first thought is how all this is going to affect the other MMOs out there (I think WoW will remain pay-to-play, but that's because it is SSSOOOO popular, it can afford to, but everyone else will be affected), but my second thought was - where the hell were all these F2P MMO's when I was a broke college student just over a decade ago?! I could have used some free games to play to while away my penniless hours of boredom back then, but nowadays I've got too many hobbies and not enough time to pursue them all. Of course, now I can afford the broadband that I couldn't a decade ago, and I can actually play these games in my spare (HA!) time these days, whereas I had such a crappy phoneline in my crap shack I could barely get 14.4 speeds over my 56K modem. What's everyone else's thoughts on the trend? Think it'll last with the American/Canadian/European developers (the Asian market started out this way, so I doubt they'll revert to a monthly P2P model) and become the norm, or what? Last but not least, who out there is playing what? I've got both DDO and WAR currently installed, but I may have to uninstall something to give the new Allods a quick trial (ships in space!). What do you think of them? __________________ Louder than God's revolver, and twice as shiny. A shark is an animal that dies if it stops moving - stay pumping my friends. Petrosexual Handbook tested and approved! Save the Manuals! My feedback

04-01-2010, 10:01 AM	#3 (permalink)
usagi_tetsu Good once as I never was Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Columbia/Jeff City, MO	For a while in 2005, TradeWars: Dark Millenium (a browser-based, more graphical oriented version of TW2002) was up and running, but it got shut down. But looks like another company has started up another one, by the name of TradeWars: Rising that's either in the Beta or Gold development stage, but either way, is still free to play. I can't see any of the screenshots (stupid work 'net restrictions... grumblegrumble) so couldn't begin to say whether it'd be worth a look-see or not. Of course, some would say that EVE Online is a spiritual successor to the TW2002 franchise, though it is still a pay-to-play, monthly subscription MMO. It certainly seems to have that hugely steep learning curve that scares off newbies like the old TW did. __________________ Louder than God's revolver, and twice as shiny. A shark is an animal that dies if it stops moving - stay pumping my friends. Petrosexual Handbook tested and approved! Save the Manuals! My feedback

11-03-2010, 03:47 AM	#5 (permalink)
LinearGoose I <3 190E 4 LIFE Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: SA,TX	You must be seeing things.... Posted in the wrong thread, sorry __________________ GOT THE SWISHER ROLLED TIGHT Feedback

11-03-2010, 03:53 AM	#6 (permalink)
alpha434 like a Stegosaurus. Join Date: May 2008	Well... Since we're here... Anyone remember Time Of Chaos? Bestest. __________________ Don't Freak Out. (Barrel) *A small upgrade for your Flex mask... (Ears)* Get your custom Ball Sizers right here! <-- NEW PRODUCT OFFERINGS 2/24/12 *The RIGHT kind of protection....! (Raincover)* Re-thread your gun for the Autococker Barrel standard The ReVents mask: It's what Russc wears. Cool Pro 2 (Mask)

11-03-2010, 06:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
FeWolf Sovereign Connoisseur Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Dysfunctional Veteran	I play Lord of the Rings, never like WarCrack __________________ WTB Sovereign Parts and Markers Owner/Shooter:Sovereign I/II/III Matrix DM3 Custom beast Customcockers.com the best PB people McB FeedBack CustomCockers FB

11-03-2010, 08:38 AM	#7 (permalink)
chrislognshot Post Whore Join Date: Jul 2006	main reason why they went free to play is to get more people to play their games. warhammer was good one and tried to take people away from wow but did not work. wow is powerhouse. so in till wow stops world of warcraft people will still pay to play. cat is to be last xpack for world of warcarft. so we just get more little addons in till world warcraft 2 comes out or any other game comes to match.

11-03-2010, 06:08 PM	#9 (permalink)
Party Banned Join Date: May 2007 Location: Canada...or somewhere above it	In B4 runescape.

11-03-2010, 06:14 PM	#10 (permalink)
Gas mask Just falconing' around. Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.	I play need for speed world, and used to play DDO. (But all my DND buddies decided to play pen and paper again, so no harm no foul.) __________________ "Hey, you know how people drive cross-country in their Corollas? And then need to get their oil changed, after a straight 1200 mile drive? Yes? Now take a good look at your blueprints. See that 'cage' in front of the oil filter? Yeah, that's the exhaust manifold. Go die. " - Deus Machina My Spec-ops Feedback. http://forum.specialopspaintball.com...27&hl=Gas+mask MCB feedback (Thanks Longbeard) http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/f...-feedback.html Wants thread. http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/w...ted-often.html DO NOT SHIP A PACKAGE TO ME VIA UPS.