Right now is the best time for indie games to create a player base. It's the best time because there really is nothing else current, and people are looking for "something to do" until the next best thing comes along.

My concern is that Darkfall isn't capitalizing on this golden opportunity. A free trial would bring the masses in because they have nothing to do except got back to WoW, or fire up one of their old favorites.  As an example, just take a look at the recent spike in DAOC.  An old game with old graphics and great gameplay.  But most of them guys are playing DAOC with the knowledge that it's a time killer, a stand-in, at least until something else comes along.  In fact, on the DAOC VNBoards (the most active DAOC forum around), there was a recent post about Darkfall and if anyone was thinking about playing it. 

There's a lull in the MMO market right now.  It won't last long.  I think the fans of DF should be petitioning a free trial in the least.  
 

Originally posted by chiege

Right now is the best time for indie games to create a player base. It's the best time because there really is nothing else current, and people are looking for "something to do" until the next best thing comes along.

My concern is that Darkfall isn't capitalizing on this golden opportunity. A free trial would bring the masses in because they have nothing to do except got back to WoW, or fire up one of their old favorites.  As an example, just take a look at the recent spike in DAOC.  An old game with old graphics and great gameplay.  But most of them guys are playing DAOC with the knowledge that it's a time killer, a stand-in, at least until something else comes along.  In fact, on the DAOC VNBoards (the most active DAOC forum around), there was a recent post about Darkfall and if anyone was thinking about playing it. 

There's a lull in the MMO market right now.  It won't last long.  I think the fans of DF should be petitioning a free trial in the least.  
 

I'm firmly of the belief that AV know's there isn't much for them to gain from a free trial, are there people out there who have never tried DF, sure but how many people are out there that never tried it and want to is the question.  A free trial wouldn't do much more for DF than just plain advertising the game would.

I don't know I don't really see that there are so many more people waiting for something to try lately, it has certainly been worse but truth be told there are always going to be lot's of people waiting on something new, the problem again is most of those people I think would a;ready be fully aware that DF is not that something.  If the pve was more fleshed out with some lore and backstory sure but as it is I think free trials for DF would only turn away more than it would bring in.

"The masses" don't belong in Darkfall. The game wasn't designed for "the masses", anyway.

Instant gratification seeking individuals who typically infest themepark MMOs would simply clutter up the Darkfall forums with vast amounts of crying anyway. Who needs it??

As long as AV are making enough of a profit so that the game can continue to exist and grow at it's slow but steady rate, IMO all is as it should be.

Here's my thought on this.


Maybe (just maybe) Darkfall is being "true" to their Core players. Maybe they are not interested in growing to the size of World of Warcraft. When something gets to be that big, it ruins things (and not just in MMOs).


You don't need to have 11 million players to be a successfull MMO despite what many people think. 100,000+ subscribers is a pretty nice chunk of change in the bank per year. All a company really has to do is keep their fans happy. And the more and more fans you get...the harder that becomes to do.


I'm with Darkfall on this one. Say no to free trials. The one's who are trully interested in what the game offers, will look into it. Those that are "on the fence" about it....probably wouldn't end up liking Darkfall anyway.


Just my thoughts.

Well, I know I'd try a free trial cause you hear either devastating or very positive reviews of this game. I'd check it out just not for 50$ ;)

I don't really think DF has anything to gain from a free trial until they implement a few more fixes.  Maybe after their next update when they plan to fix the flagging system, and add a few more classes ( specializations ).

Originally posted by chiege

Right now is the best time for indie games to create a player base. It's the best time because there really is nothing else current, and people are looking for "something to do" until the next best thing comes along.

My concern is that Darkfall isn't capitalizing on this golden opportunity. A free trial would bring the masses in because they have nothing to do except got back to WoW, or fire up one of their old favorites.  As an example, just take a look at the recent spike in DAOC.  An old game with old graphics and great gameplay.  But most of them guys are playing DAOC with the knowledge that it's a time killer, a stand-in, at least until something else comes along.  In fact, on the DAOC VNBoards (the most active DAOC forum around), there was a recent post about Darkfall and if anyone was thinking about playing it. 

There's a lull in the MMO market right now.  It won't last long.  I think the fans of DF should be petitioning a free trial in the least.  
 

I ve tried to explain this in another thread.

AV always budgeted this game as a niche, which means they planned to have 1 or 2 servers at launch.
They manage with 1 server at launch and they added another 1 after 6 months.
With this background in mind there are other factors to take into consideration.

1- The game is getting a steady number of new subscribers, which in few months will fill the 2 servers.
2- Setting up a "cluster" server which is what DF uses is very expensive, therefore AV won't open a new one just for the trials
3-  Because DF is fairly popular, I guess the demand for trials will far outstrip the server capacity, which might lower the qualirty of the game experience of paying customers (to have an idea what I mean, try to play MO beta this monday and see how you like the performance)
4- The game has still few issues, AV will want to wait until the game is further improved before allowing people to try it
5- They are in progress of updating the character graphics, again, they might want to wait til this is done before offering a trial

there is no point to a free trial due to people would greatly abuse it starting a bunch of acc's and start mass seiges on people and starting a new one and doing the same it would bring back the zerg of the naked noobs.

i would say them takin some videos of some good seiges and put it on the site without the whole graphic enhancing would do wonders. there is other ways to bring in people. If they do what there plannin on for this year there gonna be doin great. upping the graphics and everything will satisfy alot of old and new players.

There are intermediate solutions. For example, a trial by invitation from current subscribers, with limited keys. The thing is, most people who don't have friends or known people ingame won't hand 50€ just to try an indie game.

Well I hate to be one to toot my own horn, but perhaps Darkfall listened?  They ARE taking advantage of the current situation as my post suggested.  This "free" trial is exactly what the doctor ordered.  Thank you Darkfall for listening to my well established argument for a free trial.

Now what do you "no free trial" naysayers have to say for yourselves?

Originally posted by chiege

Well I hate to be one to toot my own horn, but perhaps Darkfall listened?  They ARE taking advantage of the current situation as my post suggested.  This "free" trial is exactly what the doctor ordered.  Thank you Darkfall for listening to my well established argument for a free trial.

Now what do you "no free trial" naysayers have to say for yourselves?

 

They probably say that the trial isn't free.  It costs $1 :)

In all seriousness, though, threads like this, and the poll where over 100 people said they were waiting on a trial, certainly influenced the decision to some degree.

Prax

Originally posted by chiege

Right now is the best time for indie games to create a player base. It's the best time because there really is nothing else current, and people are looking for "something to do" until the next best thing comes along.

My concern is that Darkfall isn't capitalizing on this golden opportunity. A free trial would bring the masses in because they have nothing to do except got back to WoW, or fire up one of their old favorites.  As an example, just take a look at the recent spike in DAOC.  An old game with old graphics and great gameplay.  But most of them guys are playing DAOC with the knowledge that it's a time killer, a stand-in, at least until something else comes along.  In fact, on the DAOC VNBoards (the most active DAOC forum around), there was a recent post about Darkfall and if anyone was thinking about playing it. 

There's a lull in the MMO market right now.  It won't last long.  I think the fans of DF should be petitioning a free trial in the least.  
 

They already have a player base.

 And now they already have a trial.  Delete this thread please

Originally posted by Knifo

 And now they already have a trial.  Delete this thread please

Yes, destroy the evidence that shows how awesome the Chiege is.  I'll be seeing you in game my furry little friend.