Well, it's not a Best "NEW" anything. It's just Best F2P of 2009.  DDO actually came out in early 2006 so it's by no means new.  (that said, it would have still been my choice for Best F2P of the ones I've played thus far)

Originally posted by Phall

While DDO is OK as the winner in this rather useless "Best of the Worst" category, it escapes me how only one single F2P MMO could have been nominated for the "Best New MMO of 2009" category but at the same time NOT for the "Best New F2P MMO of 2009" category. Did I miss something?

There is nothing "worse" in F2P. I've left WoW, LotrO, WAR and AoC for DDO - or rather, as a former WoWer I find DDO much better game in many aspects than those titles. There's only a matter of taste. DDO isn't worse or better - but I prefer it to those P2P games.

Obviously, "best of the worst" category ceased to exist when D&D Online went free to play.

DDO is free to play?? Not for us in Europe.

And why RoM is not on the list? I think a big factor in choosing the games are the graphics besides of the gameplay. At least all of the listed games have 1 of the best graphics compared to other games in their genres. And also mostly unique. But RoM graphics are neither unique nor beautifull in any meanings. The chars are looking as if they were made of modeling clay. Simply its not on an up to date standard of 2009. In best case its a 2006 standard graphic.

Originally posted by Phall

While DDO is OK as the winner in this rather useless "Best of the Worst" category, it escapes me how only one single F2P MMO could have been nominated for the "Best New MMO of 2009" category but at the same time NOT for the "Best New F2P MMO of 2009" category. Did I miss something?

Slight clarification, its best F2P of 09 not best new F2P.

I totally disagree making DDO Ulimited BEST F2P in the end you still have to pay for dungeons that you need to level with and get items from, plus when playing recently the game is still crap since day one.. All the rules DnD stood for were crushed by this game, I suggest you find another F2P that was 100% F2P in the first Place not DDO Unlimited..

This game went f2p because it is horrible and noone was going to pay the monthly fee. So they add microtransactions and now it because Best f2p of 2009 ? It just goes to show people will play anything without a monthly fee.

Originally posted by minix2poo

DDO is free to play?? Not for us in Europe.

And why RoM is not on the list? I think a big factor in choosing the games are the graphics besides of the gameplay. At least all of the listed games have 1 of the best graphics compared to other games in their genres. And also mostly unique. But RoM graphics are neither unique nor beautifull in any meanings. The chars are looking as if they were made of modeling clay. Simply its not on an up to date standard of 2009. In best case its a 2006 standard graphic.

Ok, I post here too often, going to stop now... Only one thing: I'm from Europe, and I not only play Turbine's Free to Play DDO, but I run big, Polish D&D Online Portal : ). Please don't make a false impression that Europeans cannot play F2P DDO.

Originally posted by Sarr

Originally posted by minix2poo

DDO is free to play?? Not for us in Europe.

And why RoM is not on the list? I think a big factor in choosing the games are the graphics besides of the gameplay. At least all of the listed games have 1 of the best graphics compared to other games in their genres. And also mostly unique. But RoM graphics are neither unique nor beautifull in any meanings. The chars are looking as if they were made of modeling clay. Simply its not on an up to date standard of 2009. In best case its a 2006 standard graphic.

 

Ok, I post here too often, going to stop now... Only one thing: I'm from Europe, and I not only play Turbine's Free to Play DDO, but I run big, Polish D&D Online Portal : ). Please don't make a false impression that Europeans cannot play F2P DDO.

To be honest, I dont care what kinda portal you run. But if you dont mind you can tell me how to play it free... I registered my self a while ago, played the 14day trial (okok I played only 10min of that 14days and never played again.) but now cant log on anymore.

But honestly, who needs DDO if he can afford the monthly fee for a P2P game.

First of all DDO is NOT F2P, only a portion of it is, most of it you have to subscribe to or purchase modules for certain content,  that is in no way F2P.

some F2P games i enjoyed:

Luna

Bright Shadow

Runes Of Magic

Cloud 9

Originally posted by HannahMontan

How can you call this game the best free to play? Its not even fully free to play. They make you pay at some point later in the game if you wish to contuine with your character.  A free to play game does not charge to keep playing. They may have a cash shop but you dont have to buy to play. Thats a free to play game.

For your persistence in dungeon delving and earning favor...you earn Turbine points that can be spent in the DDO store where you can buy those sigals for level advancement and P2P adventures. It is free you just need to be persistent and patient if you don't want to spend cash...all the Turbine points you earn with characters you create, even the ones on other servers, stack on your single account. It is possible to get level 20 and do all the adventures without spending a single penny. What other F2P game gives you that. This in my opinion is the best F2P game out there.

Credible sites are giving this award to Runes of Magic.

I half expected MMORPG to give the p2p award to Aion (lawl), but DDO over RoM? Really?

Quite funny this "DDO isn't F2P, Runes of Magic or *insert random F2P here* is truly F2P!".

Anyway it's quite ironical how a stagnant game maybe even on life support managed to become the best in a new category as soon as it changed from P2P to F2P. Just shows the quality in that category.

LOL almost 85% of the content is locked unless you buy it or go VIP. hontestly this is why i quit,because it is NOT a true F2P mmo imo. A true f2p mmo has 75% of the content already unlocked at least if not all to be f2p...just goes to show that Video games are going the way of hollywood movies HA!.

 cus it was nominated for best mmo of 2009 already 

 Whilst we are on the P2P to F2P "best game" category I am interested that Spellborn has missed a mention.

It is an exceptionally innovative title, great fun and suits the causal nature of a F2P game ( no $ verse max-grind to achieve stuff). It is based on skill. Although I think that this is why people don't get it, it requires a lot of reactive playing not sequecial number button hitting whilst standing still.

Originally posted by zaylin

LOL almost 85% of the content is locked unless you buy it or go VIP. hontestly this is why i quit,because it is NOT a true F2P mmo imo. A true f2p mmo has 75% of the content already unlocked at least if not all to be f2p...just goes to show that Video games are going the way of hollywood movies HA!.

Ah, do you people know a thing about Free to Play MMOs? Do you really think there are MMO games which are 100% free?

No, there's none. And there won't be any. But "Free to Play" is an accurate term - it means just that: you are able to play for free. Get used to it, it's not like developers depend on charity or donations for their hard, daily and past-time work.

And when it comes to being "free", DDO does it best - it's actually the only F2P MMO in which playing 100% for free is possible at all. On our portal we're even organizing events which help people earn Turbine Points for free on, all servers.

Originally posted by Sarr

Ah, do you people know a thing about Free to Play MMOs? Do you really think there are MMO games which are 100% free?

No, there's none. And there won't be any. But "Free to Play" is an accurate term - it means just that: you are able to play for free. Get used to it, it's not like developers depend on charity or donations for their hard, daily and past-time work.

And when it comes to being "free", DDO does it best - it's actually the only F2P MMO in which playing 100% for free is possible at all. On our portal we're even organizing events which help people earn Turbine Points for free on, all servers.

You make a point these carping critics should take to heart - no commercial undertaking is truly entirely free. They've got to sell you gPotatoes, or expansion packs, or gear, or ads, or something.

Borror0 suggested the term "Freemium" - used in other similar settings - to describe DDO and other free-to-play-some-of games.  That said, DDO is free in a sense that Warhammer and Champions On-Line are not.. you CAN earn enough store points and loot enough level sigils to play the entire game for free - it is mathematically possible, and there is no free player level cap.  

I'm thrilled to see MMORPG acknowledge the quality of the game and leap Turbine has taken in turning it into a free/premium/subscriber game. This is the model the rest of the MMO industry will have to follow eventually to survive. It sure is nice that our hidden gem of a game was first out the gate, and that the change has gotten it the players it deserved.

Those of you dismissing it in this forum need to come try it for a few weeks. You have nothing to lose and you might have a lot of fun.. so long as you don't insist on yet another WOW clone.

RoM is a great game and has much of what any p2p game would have but the fact is DDO was designed as a p2p once it went f2p its features and quality easily trump anything on the market. Though  I did find it funny RoM wasn't on the list.

I have to say that DDO is a terrible game... the combat is "ugh", and the game is even more instanced than guild wars! lol yea I played this game for about a week before I couldnt get myself to log in to it... I would have definitely gone Atlantica Online or RoM for best F2P.

Too crappy to make it worth paying a subscription, but  for free you can't beat the price!!  It's worth twice that much, easy.

Congrats DDO on failing upwards.