I have only played P2P MMOs, until recently. For the longest time, I've only heard horror stories about F2P MMOs. I've heard that they are money grabs, or make the game "pay-to-win"... but I decided to give one a try.

I just started playing the Lord of the Rings Online, and have found that the game store can be quite fun. I can pay a monthly fee if I want, and get almost anything included, or I can pass on the subscription and just buy what I want. Also theres a ton of little fun things that are fairly cheap, to buy whenever I want a boost.

The point of this thread is I want to know what other games out there have good microtransaction models. What makes them good? Are most F2P MMOs like this? 

Originally posted by GPrestige

I have only played P2P MMOs, until recently. For the longest time, I've only heard horror stories about F2P MMOs. I've heard that they are money grabs, or make the game "pay-to-win"... but I decided to give one a try.

I just started playing the Lord of the Rings Online, and have found that the game store can be quite fun. I can pay a monthly fee if I want, and get almost anything included, or I can pass on the subscription and just buy what I want. Also theres a ton of little fun things that are fairly cheap, to buy whenever I want a boost.

 

The point of this thread is I want to know what other games out there have good microtransaction models. What makes them good? Are most F2P MMOs like this? 

The problem is that if an MMO is going with the F2P model in the first place, it means even the dev's don't consider it worth a subscription.  If all you're interested in is some light gaming or something, that's probably fine.  If you want an actual MMO that retains any sort of immersion, F2P is the last thing you want associated with it.

It feels a lot like going to a movie these days, and having to sit through 15 minutes of skittles and car commercials just to get to the actual previews and movies.

Having said that, the best F2P scenarios are the ones that have a hybrid setup, where newer players can try the game out for cheap or free, and maybe purchase some things before eventually deciding that going for a subscription makes sense for them.  The key is to not piss these new players off though, like Bioware is doing with their system.  LotRO does a pretty good job of it, although it's kind of "in your face" a bit too much sometimes.  Still probably the best example.

Most F2P games, however, are cash grabs pure and simple, and that's never fun.

Originally posted by asmkm22

The problem is that if an MMO is going with the F2P model in the first place, it means even the dev's don't consider it worth a subscription. 

False. It means that is the model they found optimal for their target audience.

The interesting part about your price perception is it is prolific among veteran MMO gamers, which is why a subscription MMO can never charge less than 15 dollars a month. You'll write it off as not being worth a full subscription price.

In my experience, Star Trek Online has a decent model.  I think all the content is open to you at Free and what I think you pay for with a subscription, or in their cash-shop is well priced and appropriate.  They even have a way to earn the cash-shop currency ingame, which works out well if you are penny pinching. 

I really like the STO model.

Planetside2 is pretty good too. 

I honestly like the Runes of Magic store over many of the other F2P Cash Shops. There's no option to pay for a subscription (for the US/AUS/EU players) and money currency can be traded and sold using the Auction House or Player-to-Player Trades or Player-to-NPC Trades (very small amount and once daily per account). You can buy most essential items through Daily Repeatable Quest Rewards (Tokens), which takes a significant amount of time more than paying for the items but can still be an awesome suppliment. It is necessary for character progression but doesn't restrict access to any areas of the game, chat functioning, or abilities in game. You are allowed to have plenty of characters per account and it doesn't make you pay to unlock skill bars, rewards or any other necessary UI features. It is on the more expensive side once you get to "End-Game" but probably less expensive than many other F2P MMORPGs.

You're going to find that it's going to be a "Love/Hate Relationship" with any F2P Cash Shop. You're also never going to be happy with pricing in them either. Most F2P MMORPGs do not have the "Subscription+" mentality where you can pay to have a priveleged account, because they encourage you to have multiple accounts with multiple characters.

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by asmkm22

The problem is that if an MMO is going with the F2P model in the first place, it means even the dev's don't consider it worth a subscription. 

False. It means that is the model they found optimal for their target audience.

 

The interesting part about your price perception is it is prolific among veteran MMO gamers, which is why a subscription MMO can never charge less than 15 dollars a month. You'll write it off as not being worth a full subscription price.

 

Well then it sure is funny how many MMO's start off as sub-based, only to change to F2P after failing to hit their goals.  But sure, they were just finding the optimal model for their target audience, and having failed at the most stable model had nothing to do with it...

I still prefer sub based though I like what gw2 did with buy to play. It really was just a time saver and even if someone spent a thousand dollars to get a legendary immediatly it wasn't going to stop me from killing them ever.

I prefer sub based because it is really the only method that guarantees time efficiency/player skill, determines progression/strength of character. Course theres plenty of other factors such as players phsycical ability and such but im sure you get my meaning.

Originally posted by asmkm22

Originally posted by Loktofeit

Originally posted by asmkm22

The problem is that if an MMO is going with the F2P model in the first place, it means even the dev's don't consider it worth a subscription. 

False. It means that is the model they found optimal for their target audience.

The interesting part about your price perception is it is prolific among veteran MMO gamers, which is why a subscription MMO can never charge less than 15 dollars a month. You'll write it off as not being worth a full subscription price.

Well then it sure is funny how many MMO's start off as sub-based, only to change to F2P after failing to hit their goals.  But sure, they were just finding the optimal model for their target audience, and having failed at the most stable model had nothing to do with it...

Then maybe I misunderstood your use of 'in the first place'. I assumed you meant at release, which is a different scenario than switching after being a subscription game. In the former, the game is built around that playstyle and in the latter it is an attempt to revitalize the playerbase which, in turn, allows for the item mall sales to happen.

I found some browser MMOs to have very leaninet shops...here the entire gameplay is open and can be progressed/experienced fully. dollars only speed up certain processes but otherwise dont affect the balance of poer or game experience.

things like Urban Rivals or Halosphere2 for example.

Lotro started as a subscription MMO. Cash shop MMO’s which started as subscription only have the best cash shops. It is the ones that started out as F2P that are generally worse.

Things are changing though, more and more MMO’s are coming out with a cash shop in place. I doubt if any triple AAA MMO’s will get released without one by 2014.

The problem with cash shops is they can be fine for now and then a month later become pay to win. But anything that makes money in MMO’s is here to stay, so it is just a matter of finding the best of a bad lot.

I think SoE's freemium model is the right balance between keeping the developers employed (read: game continues to get updates and maintainence) and giving players what they pay for.  The previously sub game models are seen by some as a nickle and dime system, especially EQ2.  If look at what is available for how much SC and the fact double and triple SC weekends happen quite a bit you can actually get a lot for paying little.  Of course there is always paying a sub and not worrying about it.

PS2 is more of a pay to win system, partially, but allows for anyone to play what I consider a great MMOFPS for free.  It's a players judgement call.  We'll see how SoE does with it's "play free and pay for what you need" model but since they have a lot of titles all run on the same point system I imagine they will do well.  EQN will have a major impact on this of course.

Originally posted by ShakyMo
Ps2 is pay to level quicker exactly like gw2, its not pay to win

it depends. How's te match-making system?

are you paired only with players around your level ? if yes, it's not pay-to-win.

are you paired with anyone regardless of level? if yes, it is pay-to-win.

I still think LOTR has one of the best. Some other good ones are DDO, DCUO, and Aion.

Think the worst I have encountered is EQ2. Not sure what the fuck they were thinking with that one.

Well, LoTRo isnt F2P, its Freemium.

Any game that still has a subscription option is freemium, it places a barrier between those that sub and those that dont. While Turbine does have the best cash shop of the freemiums, because you earn "points" that can be used to buy things just for playing the game, its still freemium.

The best actual F2P shops sell clothing, mounts and other vanity items along with minor buffs...and some of them make far more than most subscription based games doing it., sure make more than freemium games do.

And no, it is not up for debate if F2P does better than freemiums, Nexon is the one and only company I need to mention to slap the idea down with their 1.2 billion a year in profits mostly from F2P games...thats far more than Turbine and Funcom combined and even part of SOE thrown in to boot.

Originally posted by Robokapp

Originally posted by ShakyMo
Ps2 is pay to level quicker exactly like gw2, its not pay to win

it depends. How's te match-making system?

 

are you paired only with players around your level ? if yes, it's not pay-to-win.

 

are you paired with anyone regardless of level? if yes, it is pay-to-win.

There is no match making. It is purely open world with hundreds of others. A Rank 1 can kill just as fast as a rank 50 as the guns don't increase in killing power with higher ranks. You do however have more options available to you and other utilities that could be useful in certain situations.

But whatever edge you have is definitely drowned out by the sheer number of players. Overall man power, tactics, and coordination is most important in this game, and not individual prowess.

Originally posted by GPrestige

I have only played P2P MMOs, until recently. For the longest time, I've only heard horror stories about F2P MMOs. I've heard that they are money grabs, or make the game "pay-to-win"... but I decided to give one a try.

I just started playing the Lord of the Rings Online, and have found that the game store can be quite fun. I can pay a monthly fee if I want, and get almost anything included, or I can pass on the subscription and just buy what I want. Also theres a ton of little fun things that are fairly cheap, to buy whenever I want a boost.

 

The point of this thread is I want to know what other games out there have good microtransaction models. What makes them good? Are most F2P MMOs like this? 

Yes, unfortunately most f2p models are like LotRO. There are a few good f2p cash shop business models though. 

Planetside 2 so far has a pretty good cash shop so far. Nothing game breaking, it's mainly fluff and convienence stuff you can get most of it with in game currency anyways. 

GW2 - b2p model with a similar cash shop to Planetside 2, mainly fluff and cosmetic with some service items. Nothing game breaking and can be bought with in game currency. 

TSW - switched to b2p and has a similar cash shop. Mainly service and fluff, though I don't think you can buy stuff with in game currency. Having a cash shop that forces players to use it isn't a f2p game. It's an extended trial that will eventually force you to pony up to get full access to the game or to obtain items that put you on par with the rest that have bought said items. 

Being able to buy a permanent +30 to stats in LotRO is pay to win. 

Hopefully models like LotRO and SWTOR are a thing of the past because they are pretty awful by most gamers standards.