Trion Worlds has announced a new program called Rift Lite. In the Lite version of the game, players can experience the game urestricted up to level 20. This new program also allows players with a Trion account to take advantage of today's deployment of the v1.7 Carnival of the Ascended patch.

Find out more about Rift Carnival of the Ascended.

For a great deal on the Rift client, head over to Amazon.com and grab it for $9.98!

Originally posted by RedKatana
Ok first they copy wow in every aspect of gameplay, look, UI and now they copy even the free to level 20? And I see here many gamers saying Trion is a good company?

WAR did free to level 10 first.  There is nothing new under the sun.

Originally posted by RedKatana
Ok first they copy wow in every aspect of gameplay, look, UI and now they copy even the free to level 20? And I see here many gamers saying Trion is a good company?

I think you need to read patch notes and actually research your information before you make such a stupid comment...

Rift will be the first game to imploy the ability to queue PvP and be on the same team with people from the opposite faction to reduce queue times.

WoW doesn't have any World group PvE content anymore (RIFTS?!)

WoW doesn't have NEARLY as much diversity in their character builds as far as spells / talents.

do I need to keep going?

I have been playing WoW for 7 years and I can tell you that Rift right now is the better game.... but WoW is far more casual friendly.

Companies who make MMO-RPGS would be stupid if they didn't copy mechanics and gameplay ideas that work....

"Hey look!... that company over there has 2x our subscribers.... but lets not use their ideas that are clearly working"...

see what I mean?

Huttball is a fun idea... but it doesn't work with star wars current class balance..

Originally posted by Catberty18

Companies who make MMO-RPGS would be stupid if they didn't copy mechanics and gameplay ideas that work....

"Hey look!... that company over there has 2x our subscribers.... but lets not use their ideas that are clearly working"...

see what I mean?

Huttball is a fun idea... but it doesn't work with star wars current class balance..

Warzones like Huttball should disable all crowd control abilities.  They really have no place in it other than to annoy the hell out of most players.

Originally posted by RedKatana
You can sugar coat it as much as you like but the truth is Trion is VERY DESPERATE to go free to lb 20 in less then a year and also sell client for 10 dollars.

The game is already a successful mmorpg... they have a solid player base and are making huge amounts of profit... the game isn't dieing

Have you looked at blizzards quarterly earnings for the past year... they have done nothing but dump subscribers left and right...

Trion has no such reports. so you think they're desperate?.... I think not

Now you need to understand... I will probably always play WoW... but before you go around compairing games... KNOW YOUR FACTS.

Originally posted by RedKatana
Ok first they copy wow in every aspect of gameplay, look, UI and now they copy even the free to level 20? And I see here many gamers saying Trion is a good company?

What does it have to do to be a good or not company and offering a great trial deal?

Are they super-originals? No.

Is Trion a good company? Indeed it is.

is the free trial deal a good one? Ofc.

Originally posted by RedKatana

You can sugar coat it as much as you like but the truth is Trion is VERY DESPERATE to go free to lb 20 in less then a year and also sell client for 10 dollars.

 

Sure, Trion is desperate when they had an amazing year.

Originally posted by Catberty18

Companies who make MMO-RPGS would be stupid if they didn't copy mechanics and gameplay ideas that work....

"Hey look!... that company over there has 2x our subscribers.... but lets not use their ideas that are clearly working"...

see what I mean?

Huttball is a fun idea... but it doesn't work with star wars current class balance..

Actually this can be a double edged sword....

Just look at what's happening to SWTOR. slowly dying an agonizingly painful death {mod edit}

Just goes to show you that copying EVERYTHING from WoW doesn't really work.

And keeping things like the Gear Treadmill, poorly  implemented currency, expensive crafting with nothing to show for it pretty much doesn't work. 

In essence, WoW's so called innovations came mostly after they lost a large number of subs each time until they are finally down to 5mil in America, so is it really working all that well? And will World of Pandamon bring players back? And will they continue down this path of self destruction until finally the sub only gear treadmill only dungeon only system of gaming finally die out leaving room for innovation and B2P games?

I like that Rift has this option because i would like to see if their newest patch code works on my computer as my only experience with it was in their early betas where it crashed continuously making it impossible for me to play. Might actually sub if it works well enough. :)

Once a product reaches break even the "cost" to add additional users/players goes down.  For example if you are holding a concert and you can seat 5,000.  Lets say you break even at 2,000.  You look out over your audience and notice that you have 2000 people in the room.  Full priced tickets cost $25.  Do you a.) make  or b.) lose money if you charge $5 for the 2001'st ticket?  how about if you charge $1 for the 2002nd ticket?

Rift has recouped its investment and based on their financial reporting seems to operate well above break even with paying subscribers.  They could easily justify reducing the price of their game and likely even PAYING people to try it for a limited period of time and STILL recoup their investment and make a profit.

Amazing things happen to pricing models once you reach a sustainable break even-by every measure and certainly by their behaviour it appears as though Trion/Rift has reached this point.

And with SWTOR severely underwhelming at the very time Trion continues to innovate (mobile app, cool new pvp system, instant adventures, constant content patching).  I think we are about to see a major increase in RIFTS popularity/respect.  I left Rift with the full expectation of not coming back.  After 6 weeks in SWTOR and seeing what their content/patch schedeule looks like and how quickly (not) that they address HUGE issues like an absurd UI i realized that Trion was a better company and RIFT a better game.

And finally-copying the market leader doesnt make Trion a bad company -it makes it smart!  Every good brand copies and innovates from the leaders who come before it.

Even more reason to check out a quality game with the best and frequent updates in recent years.

I'm not playing it at the moment, but right now it's the best mmo on offer imo. The only downside is the lack of starting areas, but starting areas are a very small part of mmos anyway.

Definately some of best zone designs I've seen. Taking down giants in Stonefield was a great early game experience.. and Ember Isle? Many games don't even have them, but I think it's the best endgame zone ever made.

Originally posted by Catberty18

Originally posted by RedKatana
You can sugar coat it as much as you like but the truth is Trion is VERY DESPERATE to go free to lb 20 in less then a year and also sell client for 10 dollars.

 

The game is already a successful mmorpg... they have a solid player base and are making huge amounts of profit... the game isn't dieing

Have you looked at blizzards quarterly earnings for the past year... they have done nothing but dump subscribers left and right...

Trion has no such reports. so you think they're desperate?.... I think not

Now you need to understand... I will probably always play WoW... but before you go around compairing games... KNOW YOUR FACTS.

Only because they have no legal obligation to have such reports. If you think Rift hasent lost a significant amout of there player base since lauch {mod edit}

Only because they have no legal obligation to have such reports. If you think Rift hasent lost a significant amout of there player base since lauch {mod edit}

Well I guess we will never know then... will we? :-)

All the hype....all the open beta's..all the advertising......People interested in RIFT have tried the game and come to a decision. Has the game improved that much that Rift decision makers think they can snag some of those who have tried earlier....and get them back into the game ?

Does the game have great crafting.............no

Does the game have great faction vs faction conflict............no

It's just another pve game with a new shiny this or that...but really doesn't deliver on key core features in a way that would command player attention.

Originally posted by Catberty18

Only because they have no legal obligation to have such reports. If you think Rift hasent lost a significant amout of there player base since lauch then your smoking crack.

Well I guess we will never know then... will we? :-)

 

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to go and check the server status page on the official website during primetime and notice that most of their servers are Low populated.

Hell, you could see it for yourself ingame, by making use of the last comeback weekend.

I checked on my server and logged out within 15 minutes, because there was litterly no one around, except a handful of lvl 50's standing in Sanctum waiting for their PVP queue.

My server used to burst of life and now all low and mid level zones are totally dead. No one around at all. Good luck trying to find any groups.

So this Rift Lite is a good idea and not a moment too soon. It might actually bring back some life to the low zones at least.

Originally posted by RedKatana
Ok first they copy wow in every aspect of gameplay, look, UI and now they copy even the free to level 20? And I see here many gamers saying Trion is a good company?

WOW is a copy of the Warhammer IP. Pepsi & Coke, don't worry about it.

This is a smart move. WAR did it first, WoW did it second and RIFT did it third. It allows players to level up to 20 and if they like they game, they'll sub, if they don't, they won't. It's an unlimited free trial up to level 20 and there is nothing wrong with it.

RIFT keeps doing things right to bring back players and new players alike. I'm one of them. I re-subbed because of their January discount and free month offers. The game has changed, has improved, and I'm loving it.

Good on you Trion!