You are kidding yourself if you think a monthly sub guarantees we are all on equal footing.
The fact is, we all bring unique talents and resources to a game in addition to that monthly sub. For some of us, quick thinking and reflexes enable us to excell. For others, a keen eye for finding the right path enables us to succeed where others fail. Some have more time to invest in games than others. And still others buy gear illicitly, or hack the game to stack the odds in their favor. But the fact is, to say that we all have the same chance is a bit naive.
People play games for different reasons. And while I am not 100% in favor of a f2p model, I am willing to give it a fair shot with a game like LOTRO. Will I buy some fluff items if they appeal to me. Sure, but only if they are something I want. I am willing to shell out some cash if it is to encourage the direction of art assets and resources. This way I have a better opportunity to vote with my dollars. With a month to month subscription model it's one blanket price or nothing at all. No middle ground. But in this alternative payment model, if they make cool looking clothing or armor graphics and I buy it then it encourages them to make more. And then it's a win for them and a win for me because I could care less what you are are wearing. I'm only concerned with having fun, not comparing myself to everyone else on the server.
And if the stuff Turbine puts in their cash shop doesn't appeal to me I won't buy it. I'll just play their game for free
Any MMO labeled F2P in some way you are going to pay for crap in the end so it really is not f2p in anyway. As far as I see it if it is free there should be nothing spent on crap in the game or for a monthly fee. Why I said screw MMO's. Rather beat off then throw money into crap that is p2p or f2p. In the end you are still paying for a game in some way shape or form. Sure there is pricing and everything for hosting and crap. But honestly, MMO's are nothing more then a game you throw money at in some way shape or form. Rather play something fun. Not something that is a burden on me in some way shape or form. Especially including my wallet.
When did you start playing "old school" MMO's. World Of Warcraft?
There can be many things said about the so called Free to play or F2P, but it isn't free. Sure, there is that plethora of Asia grinders from gpotatoe and their like. But I guess we can safely assume the majority of MMO gamers HERE does not seek these games as a main entertainment. Those games are not called grinders for no reason, for they are, by and large, just a handful of mobs dropped over a world and now go kill 2000 of each.
The question is, what does F2P mean for us, for the western market? Essentially, nothing good.
First, let's all be clear about one thing. It isn't free. Yes I read the argument here all over that you don't HAVE to buy things from a shop. But how realistic is that? I mean, every person who ever played a MMORGP knows quite well how competitive and aggressive many MMO gamers are. And come on, if you see someone with a really cool helmet or a flaming sword or something "just for show", can you always resist, running around in your sackcloth robe?
The argument here is lost by going from a plea for realsim and immediately switching to competition driving MMORPG players to make purchases from the cash shop. Pick one argument and we can respond to you better. As it stands, we are going to have to weed through this mess to get to your point and only then hope that we've found it.
The fundamental idea of the classic monthly fee was: everyone has the same chances. So when you saw someone with an uber Paladin helmet or a flaming horse or whatever, you knew: that guy worked hard for what he got. You could envy or admire (or hate) him/her for what he was able to do. For his dedication and hard work. Now, you just open your pocket purse and voila, a Mr Fancy Uber hero in a minute. You can no longer see the hard work on a character. And that means, the hard work and dedication itself vanishes! But wasn't it the driving factor since the days of Everquest and Ultima Online? You saw some great sword or armor on someone, and you wanted to have it too. That was one of the driving momentums of MMO gaming. But what difference does it make when we have "appearance slots" which override the natural armor in combination with cash shops selling fancy gear? We have the death of a huge part of motivation to even play a MMO. It is close to a suicide of what MMO gaming meant for over a decade.
The idea behind the monthly fee was continuous source of revenue to cover R&D and maintainence. You are conflating two notions here that have nothing to do with another. Some drops are simply luck drops and you can either get it the first time or not in a thousand times, it has nothing to do with the ability or desire to pay a monthly fee.
The other side is: it brings in RL differences in social class and richness. Where once it didn't matter if you were a poor person with little income or Richie Rich, now you can see the dollars the player has in the game. The gap between rich and poor finally comes even into the MMORPG worlds, where those born with a golden spoon get all the XP boosting drinks and fancy robes and pegasi mounts and whatever they will think of. And call it "non game relevant."
This is a relevant point and provided companies do not allow items vital to end-game to be purchased from their cash shops we will all be fine. I've posted somewhere on here about that and I'll say again that, from what I've heard, we simply don't know if this will be the case. If players can buy their way to and/or into end-game, though, that would be a failure of the company that will demoralise the player base and actually allow for less skilled players.
It is a matter of perspective what is relevant. How many of us can really claim to be that opaque against "fancy" things? In a MMO setting where the competitive feeling is one of the roots of motivation? I know, some people don't admit it, but if you play MMOs you know that most people just are like that. And then, in the end you might end very well paying much more than before! When free gamers get those 4 ugly haircuts and everyone else who get to the shop looks like a model (or cool in the ugly way, whatever makes you tick), then you WANT it. You don't shrug it off. And where does it end? They will always add new content to be paid for. Some folks buy it, others see it and want it too and in the end you only have the choice between feeling like an underling or pay more than you ever wanted to pay! Monthly fee is like flatrate phoning. For the gamer it is the better choice. You pay ONE fee, and you get ALL content. Cash shop payment and VIP access payment is like falling back in the days before flatrate telephone existed! It is not a sted forward, it is a step back! The only side which benefits from it are the companies, by making way more money than befor, because they know people will pay and pay and pay, and it never ends.
If the difference is as steep as you are make it seem here, the difference between the paid and unpaid content, there is a strong reason to not play that particular game while actively working withing the game's community to change things.
Above it all, the question is: what kind of gamer is attracted by F2P? While I don't think all F2P gamers are dorks, it sure can be said they are way less dedicated. Such a thing can easily ruin the MMO community in games, which already has lost much in recent years. When you have a considerable part F2P-gamers in your game, it means those people are coming into the game and can be off to another at any day. If you pay a monthly fee, that is an investment you don't want to let go easily. You feel connected to a game and ultimately to your character. Such gamers form lasting communities. But what sort of fleeting encourters are all the F2P gamers, the game-hoppers? They don't form communites like in the old days, they just consumate. It can fundamentally ruin the community spirit of games, when all is just a fast food, fleeting game where you move from game to game as the fashion of the month and the weekly whim tells you. How can one build on such quicksand?
On the one hand you make a point, F2P games are likely to attract far less dedicated and skilled players because their only investment is their time. Let's be honest about something too, these are likely to be the players that will become incredibly immature while saying they can do whatever they want with their time as well. On the other hand, there is a problem with players in P2P games inevitably making the game their lifestyle and working their lives in some real way around the game. For a number of years there were games I would not play because I simply didn't have the ability to make such lifestyle choices and in that your argument for P2P is problematic. A final point here is that people, generally, choose to make or destroy community with their actions within a game. Veterans of games also have the tendency to become insular and reject newer players, either outright or, like in FFXI, by being coldly polite and conveniently afk when you are typing. This, of course, is an example but my point is that players are far more interested in keeping their little niche together and being generally pleonexic to build community. Then again, World of Warcraft has lasted quite awhile with...well, if you've played it you know...
And I don't buy all this "it is the future, take it or leave it" argument. What kind of thinking IS that? Such decisions are made by men and can be altered by men. They are not natural occurances like bad weather! If customers don't follow it, the model will die out again. You can stop playing such games, and IMVPO I think we should stop playing such games. Once the door is opened, who can say how much further it will go? Did you see the chart from AgentSmith? Take a look at the picture in this thread:
I mean, they even make priority access to so called "VIP" gamers! Meaning, if you don't pay you have to WAIT to log in because the more important gamers all come first, and only when they are all in the game and only when there is still some space left, only THEN you freeloaders are also allowed to enter. Do you really want to be that guy? The freeloader who gets the merciful remainders of the dinner? The leftover once the rich and VIPs got fed and happy? Do you want to be in a game world where you know you are a third class citizen? Where your value is to be additional moving environment, to fill the gaps and make the world look more populated? For the developers of such "F2P" games you are like trees or mobs: something more to make the world look more animated. How can any person of honor degrade himself so much as to accept this?
Now we get VIP gaming for the rich and social welfare gaming for the poor. How can any decend person support this? In sum, should F2P arise as dominating model, it would mean no less but the ultimate death of the long lasting commitment and community based MMOs which we loved. Games like EQ, UO, the old SWG and the like. MMORPGs would transform into quick consummated things, like you go into a movie or buy a burger. All that made MMOs great, forming communites which lasted YEARS, based on many dedicated gamers, would die.
My comments are in red. This post was difficult to get through because your passion clearly got the better of your ability to reason and give a solid, detailed argument. You also don't talk about anything from experience and that is a bit problematic, calling for more epistemic humility then you show here. All things considered, though, I can share your irritation at what really looks like a backward-making trend and the real dangers of companies potentially ruining their games if they don't pull off RMT correctly. It seems to me that the debate should shift from F2P to companies that choose to implement cash shops looking more to their bottom line than the enjoyment of the community. After all, more enjoyment in the community will generate buzz that will draw in more people and more revenue.
(1)TL:DR must be your way of saying that thinking hurts. Then again, this may explain why it looks like you responded to the post without using your brain. (2) It's not about community, is it? You just have nothing better to do.
Comments
You are kidding yourself if you think a monthly sub guarantees we are all on equal footing.
The fact is, we all bring unique talents and resources to a game in addition to that monthly sub. For some of us, quick thinking and reflexes enable us to excell. For others, a keen eye for finding the right path enables us to succeed where others fail. Some have more time to invest in games than others. And still others buy gear illicitly, or hack the game to stack the odds in their favor. But the fact is, to say that we all have the same chance is a bit naive.
People play games for different reasons. And while I am not 100% in favor of a f2p model, I am willing to give it a fair shot with a game like LOTRO. Will I buy some fluff items if they appeal to me. Sure, but only if they are something I want. I am willing to shell out some cash if it is to encourage the direction of art assets and resources. This way I have a better opportunity to vote with my dollars. With a month to month subscription model it's one blanket price or nothing at all. No middle ground. But in this alternative payment model, if they make cool looking clothing or armor graphics and I buy it then it encourages them to make more. And then it's a win for them and a win for me because I could care less what you are are wearing. I'm only concerned with having fun, not comparing myself to everyone else on the server.
And if the stuff Turbine puts in their cash shop doesn't appeal to me I won't buy it. I'll just play their game for free
Any MMO labeled F2P in some way you are going to pay for crap in the end so it really is not f2p in anyway. As far as I see it if it is free there should be nothing spent on crap in the game or for a monthly fee. Why I said screw MMO's. Rather beat off then throw money into crap that is p2p or f2p. In the end you are still paying for a game in some way shape or form. Sure there is pricing and everything for hosting and crap. But honestly, MMO's are nothing more then a game you throw money at in some way shape or form. Rather play something fun. Not something that is a burden on me in some way shape or form. Especially including my wallet.
When did you start playing "old school" MMO's. World Of Warcraft?
My comments are in red. This post was difficult to get through because your passion clearly got the better of your ability to reason and give a solid, detailed argument. You also don't talk about anything from experience and that is a bit problematic, calling for more epistemic humility then you show here. All things considered, though, I can share your irritation at what really looks like a backward-making trend and the real dangers of companies potentially ruining their games if they don't pull off RMT correctly. It seems to me that the debate should shift from F2P to companies that choose to implement cash shops looking more to their bottom line than the enjoyment of the community. After all, more enjoyment in the community will generate buzz that will draw in more people and more revenue.
(1)TL:DR must be your way of saying that thinking hurts. Then again, this may explain why it looks like you responded to the post without using your brain.
(2) It's not about community, is it? You just have nothing better to do.