Comstrike Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 WoW really is the barometer in this situation, imho. Once WoW goes, they all will go. And we will never see a sub based game again. WoW can wait other games out. Even if it is and will continue to decline, it doesn't "have" to pull the trigger, but they said they were prepared too if needed. Now that the threat here has abated, they can wait. That doesn't mean this game is beyond having to make the jump, to hit profit targets I'm sure that are out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comstrike Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 they'll need microtransactions to cushion casey hudson's retirement. god i hope he retires soon. lol. In other news, EA announced some guy named Smedley arrived to take over...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardwear Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Loyalty to a community? Are you talking about playing a game or getting married. Are you really arguing it is worse to have someone play the game once every 6 months than never play it? No I'm not referring to any of that cyber marraige crap I'm talking about how a good game community enhances the experiece and makes the game more interesting and dynamic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skoobie Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 WoW can wait other games out. Even if it is and will continue to decline, it doesn't "have" to pull the trigger, but they said they were prepared too if needed. Now that the threat here has abated, they can wait. That doesn't mean this game is beyond having to make the jump, to hit profit targets I'm sure that are out there. As you know from LOTRO, going F2P isn't about having to anymore. When WoW goes F2P, it won't be because they have to, I'm sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PunisherAS Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 There wont be any Pay2Play advantages. Just think back when CE had a "UBER SPECIAL COLLECTORS EDITION VENDOR!" that a lot of people were dissapointed because it didn't display anything game changing. It will be something cosmetic, nothing that will effect gameplay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bhaers Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (lifesize Satele Shan blowup...nevermind) No thanks, my rail shot would puncture her too easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celebrus Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 There wont be any Pay2Play advantages. Just think back when CE had a "UBER SPECIAL COLLECTORS EDITION VENDOR!" that a lot of people were dissapointed because it didn't display anything game changing. It will be something cosmetic, nothing that will effect gameplay. That was back when 1.5 million people had pre-ordered the game and the public perception of SW:ToR was "The first game truly capable of challenging WoW". Lets just say that things have changed a bit since then. To be polite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalfear Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I don't remember them ever saying anything about micro-transactions or an in-game store. And this isn't going free to play more like a extended demo as you can play the full game until your character reaches lvl 15 at which point you have to pay the subscription fee to continue leveling your character. Not surprised they would quiet the announcement of the Pay to Win model with a cash stop. It might be only fluff at the start but thats just it, THE START. It will expand from there. As for the FREE TO PLAY format they offering. Its not a expanded trial, trials END. This doesnt. A player could feasibly play this game every day for a year and never pay a cent because its UNLIMTED (other then levels) F2P format. I actually know a couple folks that are considering doing just that, unsubscribing and just fooling around with the F2P model till a expansion they like comes out! And the thing you spinners like to forget, this game is only 6 months old. limited F2P format is NOT NORMAL at 6 months. Its normal at 12-24-36 months (12 being the very earliest and even then games veiwed as failures for having to go that route so fast). 6 months is basiocally unheard of for a subscription based MMORPG in GOOD HEALTH. But thats the kick isnt it, TOR is not in good health no matter how people spin the topic. Its pretty much widely assumed that its already under 1 mill actual subscriptions and falling. So yeah, please dont soft hand and sugar coat the actual message being sent about the F2P model being utilized just 6 months into release. Its pretty clear this game is heading to the F2P market. Im sure EA will squeeze all the sub money it can get out of it but the future is most definately F2P format. Many games break even and make money as F2P with Microtransactions so might work well for EA as well for TOR. Its pretty obvious they not willing to do the required changes to extend the subscription life of this game as their E3 report didnt announce a siongle social/community building concept as being in the pipe line over next 12 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectus Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Real-money microtransactions are the MMO developer's equivalent of crack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jhayden Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 first off f2p to 15 is a trial, lol nothing more... secondly micro transactions are fine with me as long as they are cosmetic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skoobie Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) Real-money microtransactions are the MMO developer's equivalent of crack. Crack costs money. MT's is more like a MMO companies own ATM machine. Didn't WoW set some sort of record recently when they released a unicorn and it sold a zillion dollars in just a few hours? Edited June 14, 2012 by Skoobie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardwear Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) Whos game play? If I buy a 25% xp boost, how does that de-value your gameplay? If you can buy a 25% xp boost then why not a 125% xp boost.. again why not just trash the whole leveling/progression system altogether and cut right to endgaime with top tier gear. With that logic we shouldn't have cars because traveling was a time consuming endeavor prior to the 1900's. If you think MMO's are too time consuming them maybe you need to re-evaluate if you really like MMO's. How? Just because you don't want to spend the money on something doesn't make it a disadvantage. I guess allowing people to pay more for first class puts you at a disadvantage on airplane? No I don't. I'm perfectly fine with people in first class, because I'm not competing against them. Edited June 14, 2012 by Hardwear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JediElf Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) edit: Nevermind.... Edited June 14, 2012 by JediElf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Excorsion Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I guess yahoo is lying then... some people are still delusional Unsub now and it will be f2p in a few months or maybe weeks. why should we do that chicken little? do you even know what free to play means? they are going the route Blizzard went with WoW not the star trek online route.... Micro transactions means.. paying for transfers... or name changes or race changes.. all of which are widely popular and used alot on the WoW servers. Really.... reading comprehension is a good thing... not something you sleep thru at school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shingara Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 I checked Yahoo's sources. This isn't credible. The guy who wrote the article was citing an investment report dated 3/10/2010. That was more than 2 years ago, and in terms of the source of the information, the report was created by an outside company. None of his other sources support the claims made, although I don't doubt that there will be some form of micro-transactions in the future. Take the article with a grain of salt. thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevlarto Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) Ea said long before Tor even launched that it would have MT's, at the time they made that statement they were unsure on how they would add the MT's, so no surpise for me, I am more surprised they don't already have some form of MT. Love them or hate them, it's the trend in the gaming world these days, as long as they keep to fluff or services like name changes and server transfers, I don't care, because, I don't have to use them to play my toon../shrug At some point all mmo's will have some form of MT's the writing is on the walls.. Edited June 14, 2012 by kevlarto Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vis-Tecum Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) More money = More content. If some random guy wants a MLP:FIM lightsaber and is willing to shell out cash for it... GREAT. That money will go to making new ops, flash points, wzs, planets, w/e. Let bioware scam people by selling them pixel art for cash. then were is all the content from 6 months of 1 million sub fees, oh thats right they are holding on to it untill they can charge for it I dont think microtransactions will get bioware bigger budget from E.A. it will go right to orgin and growing E.A. digital sales not swtor in the meantime they give us crappy skinned mounts for launch and then tease us with new ones with a fancy skin and go oh you like those good you will be able to buy more like them on orgin coming in december when we release hk-51 and makeb in a paid content package Edited June 14, 2012 by Vis-Tecum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluerodian Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 No I'm not referring to any of that cyber marraige crap I'm talking about how a good game community enhances the experiece and makes the game more interesting and dynamic. Game communities went out of style for Triple-A developers a long time ago. If you want a strong game community, go check the indy games. On topic, though it remains to be seen what sort of overall impact this has on TOR. There are some cosmetic items that they could put up there that would really REALLY anger people. For instance purple lightsaber crystals, minor reskins of existing mounts that took tremendous amounts of effort to get, Orange gear that looks far and away better than ANYTHING that can be gotten by other means, or covers slots that are otherwise very difficult to find gear for. A cash shop is a bit of a problem unless they make a means to grind out the CS currency by other means. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spectus Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 They won't sell raid gear. None of the MMOs that are f2p sell end game gear. Let's not sip the kool-aid, okay? There's a huge continuum between "no microtransactions" and total prostitution of their game in which MMO makers screw up their game via RMTs. Trust me on this one: once the devs take their hit from their RMT crack pipes, it's only a matter of time before they're selling "convenience" items to speed players along on grind-type in-game elements, from things like "bonus" items to enhance in-game XP gains, to resource packs for crafters, or extending grind elements to ever-more insane levels to create artificial demand for microtransactions. And before long, you're buying permanent stat boosts, or "must-have" enhancements for end-game gear. And all along, the MMO publisher will swear up and down that they will NEVER do that to their Valued Customers. HA!!! This is exactly the progression that motivated me to give up on my once-beloved Lord of the RIngs Online in disgust. I do NOT want to see BioWare take even the first step into RMT la-la land. Ever. AT ALL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leggomy Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) The sources for the article are listed at the bottom of the page. One of those sources is an investment report from a brokerage company written in 3/10/2010. The report stated that EA was planning on getting additional revenue from SW:TOR from micro-transactions after launch. None of the sources listed in the Yahoo article are official sources from Bioware or EA. Yahoo.com is not an official news source, and sometimes their articles aren't edited and looked at with as much scrutiny as you would find in other sources. Ok dude Ive already explained this once. EA gave them this information because they want them to talk about it get people buying the stock. The links you are looking at are links to EA stocks NOT TO the press releases from the various EA studios. Yahoo finance only reports what EA tells them and then recommends a stock based on that. There is absolutely no possible way they knew back in 3/10/2010 they would go f2p in July 2012. Listen to yourself and what you are saying man. You are making no sense WHATSOEVER. I dont know how I can make it any clearer. *edit* also it states they lost 400k subs according to the march report. How did they know 2 full years before this that they would lose 400k subs? Really you believe this? Edited June 14, 2012 by Leggomy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Comstrike Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 As you know from LOTRO, going F2P isn't about having to anymore. When WoW goes F2P, it won't be because they have to, I'm sure. To be honest, F2P did great things for LOTRO. The plans for new content had slowed to a trickle. I doubt the game would be as healthy today if they hadn't made their move when they did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leggomy Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Let's not sip the kool-aid, okay? There's a huge continuum between "no microtransactions" and total prostitution of their game in which MMO makers screw up their game via RMTs. Neither LOTRO nor DDO sell end game gear. None of the f2p games do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardwear Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Game communities went out of style for Triple-A developers a long time ago. If you want a strong game community, go check the indy games. There are still some good communities depending on server, but I fear you may be right. On topic, though it remains to be seen what sort of overall impact this has on TOR. There are some cosmetic items that they could put up there that would really REALLY anger people. For instance purple lightsaber crystals, minor reskins of existing mounts that took tremendous amounts of effort to get, Orange gear that looks far and away better than ANYTHING that can be gotten by other means, or covers slots that are otherwise very difficult to find gear for. A cash shop is a bit of a problem unless they make a means to grind out the CS currency by other means. As other people have said and I agree I have no problems with cosmetic fluff, server transers, name changes etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt_Latency Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) I never said anything about skill I said time & effort. I can beat people in better gear than me thats skill, but I would not have realized it if I had skipped the effort to understand my class and other classes. .. and yes when rated warzones are implemented you will need skill to gain points to buy rewards It's not skipping understanding, It's skipping grinding. If I don't understand my class i will still get killed. Edited June 14, 2012 by Lt_Latency Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skoobie Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 (edited) Neither LOTRO nor DDO sell end game gear. None of the f2p games do. But do they sell items that cannot be found in-game, that would give one player an advantage over another? It's a trick question. Edited June 14, 2012 by Skoobie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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