Yesterday's interview with Jeff Hickman - lots of answers

[Erudain]

:rak_02:From the interview that OP posted:

 

"I asked the guys what sorts of stuff CC will buy, knowing just how terrified we all are of Pay-to-Win models, and they assured me they have been paying close attention to what's okay business practice with RMT and what's not. Essentially, Cartel Coins will buy a few things: actual in-game content (beyond the 1-50 experience that comes with the game now), vanity items, and convenience items (bank slots, bag slots, character slots, etc). There will be nothing you can buy with CC that will give you an advantage over other players in a competitive arena."

 

I linked the actual interview a few posts ago for folks who prefer to read it for themselves.

 

[edit] Sry ... already buried under 3 pages of spam. So here's the link again to that interview: http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/367/feature/6609/Free-to-Play-This-Fall.html

 

Well pardon my skepticism but I already heard that "There will be nothing you can buy in the cash shop that will give you an advantage over other players in a competitive arena" so many times in so many different games from different companies that I rather keep my opinion....

Hopefully they'll prove me wrong.....but if I were you I wouldn't bet on it.

Edited August 1, 2012 by Erudain

[jarjarloves]

Well pardon my skepticism but I already heard that "There will be nothing you can buy in the cash shop that will give you an advantage over other players in a competitive arena" so many times in so many different games from different companies that I rather keep my opinion....

Hopefully they'll prove me wrong.....but if I were you I wouldn't bet on it.

 

what games did you hear this from that now offer that?

[Ganzor]

what games did you hear this from that now offer that?

 

I sense a "advantage can only happen with PVP" coming...

[Bahlmung]

First off the only thing that can truly kill this game or any mmo is content. If they released revolutionary content that the public loved to play, people would still endure a f2w style game.

 

Second, f2p is a fairly new concept still. Even among the f2p games out there, the styles are very similar. To say "swtor will fail now" or "swtor will go f2w" or anything similar is pretty retarded. A couple of companies try some different ftp models and fail, and that's your basis for your argument? There isn't enough EVIDENCE in the first place to make this claim. It would take many new f2p formats to come to this conclusion, it would take the f2p formats evolving multiple times. f2p is not black and white, there are WAY too many variables to make any such claims. This isn't to say that swtor will succeed, just saying that there is no way to tell one way or another over a system that's fairly new and still being researched and studied.

 

Third. I have no reason to believe anything that comes out of EA, Bioware, McDonalds, Haliburtons or the local small business computer store down the street. If it's your job to make money, then I won't believe you when you're selling me something. Let's be realistic though, if you enjoy playing an MMO and want to continue playing, what are your options?

 

WoW - Pandarian just looks so boring, was boring when I played the beta.. Either way, it's still going strong and depending on what you care about in an MMO MIGHT still be a viable solution.

 

Rift - Less populated than swtor last time I checked a few months ago.. Doubt they've gained many more, but they might with some new content releases and free to play for returning customers for a few weeks.. But the over all game flopped when content never became interesting to most.. (I loved the rift content tho)

 

Aion - F2P, so you cant go there if thats why you're leaving

 

DDO - Same

 

LTRO - Same

 

GW2 - Same

 

EQ2 - Same

 

Sure Im missing some, but the point is, you're choices are limited. The way I see it, they might fail.. the current trend would say they will.. but Im gonna put my chances and money into the game that I enjoy the most out of the lists of mmorpgs and give it a shot

[VulcanLogic]

 

It seems to me you Pay2Win whiners dont really understand what Pay2Win means. It means there is content in the game that is IMPOSSIBLE to complete WITHOUT purchasing something with real money from the online store. THAT is the DEFINITION of PAY2WIN. Things that give you an advantage, a leg up, in PvE content are NOT Pay2Win AS LONG AS you can complete the content without it.

 

While I have never played either of these games, I have played a P2W model, Magic the Gathering online. At $300 in the first month just to get enough cards from the current block to be remotely competitive, I realized I had better quit before a video game habit became as expensive as my old collectible card game habit. And I did. Right there. That's what I think of when I read "pay to win". Not vanity items and not even "avoid this grind by buying an XP / Warzone commendation rate speed boost" item.

[Erudain]

The last one I played that went down this road was Aion, even when devs/GM assured that they will only sell vanity items, now they are selling p2w items like 100% success enchantment stone, pets way better than what you can get in-game, hp/mp pots way more powerful than the ones you can craft in-game, etc.

Other games I played that started with fluff item malls and eventually added p2w items are: R.O.H.A.N, RF Online, Atlantica Online, Perfect World, Fiesta Online, Flyff, Granado Espada, Twelve Sky, there's more but you get the idea...

 

Haven't play LOTRO nor DDO so I have no idea how those item malls work (since those are the examples everyone uses)

[ZORG]

You got the game you paid for. How in any way are YOU being "screwed?"

 

Allthough not all of the free to players are bad the sub model kept out the riff raff. People who dont really care about the community on each server. They will bounce in and out. Not all of them will be this way but most will. I fear this for the same reason I feared cross server lfg for hard modes. Theres no accountability or personal responsibility on the players part. The one thing Bioware must get down is customer support for reporting idiot a-hole players. I want a history of players I have grouped with along with there class so I can report them after I am away from them....

 

I do think that chapter 3 should be a payed for only for f2p people. The story is the best part of this game and to give it away is wrong. One other question will subscription players be barred from selling to f2p or grouping with f2p? I wouldnt mind it then if it was totally separate. In fact just let them have there own servers and when they do decide to pay a sub they can transfer to a subscription server.

 

If they do get to do hard mode flash points I think along with having to actually roll and win the item when they goto turn it in at the columi/rakata vender they should have to fork over some cash.

Edited August 1, 2012 by ZORG

[Asmok]

I think the funniest part is that they said they talked to the player base and that's what we wanted was f2p lolz

 

Anybody ever get a phone call on f2p? I sure as hell didnt. And I know I wasnt one who wanted f2p .

 

All there little explanations from the poster is this , Its the sound of money driving there decisions not whats best for the player base and or the game . F2P is a marketing ploy to get new people in to get them salivating on the content and then hopefully they buy a subscription because of things they are limited too . If any one does not see that well I feel sorry for ya .

Its just too bad that the main course is left overs.

[Logisitcs]

They can't even deliver month to month like they stated previously and now they're hoping for 6 weeks. These guys are a running joke

[jarjarloves]

I think the funniest part is that they said they talked to the player base and that's what we wanted was f2p lolz

 

Anybody ever get a phone call on f2p? I sure as hell didnt. And I know I wasnt one who wanted f2p .

 

All there little explanations from the poster is this , Its the sound of money driving there decisions not whats best for the player base and or the game . F2P is a marketing ploy to get new people in to get them salivating on the content and then hopefully they buy a subscription because of things they are limited too . If any one does not see that well I feel sorry for ya .

Its just too bad that the main course is left overs.

 

they asked the million or so people that quit when they unsubscribed. The answer was they didn't like to pay for it.

 

Hate to break it to you but the future of MMOs is f2p

[belizar]

they asked the million or so people that quit when they unsubscribed. The answer was they didn't like to pay for it.

 

Hate to break it to you but the future of MMOs is f2p

 

tell that to gw2 WoW and im sure titan when it gets around to commin out

 

F2P is the future of (bad)mmos

[jarjarloves]

tell that to gw2 WoW and im sure titan when it gets around to commin out

 

F2P is the future of (bad)mmos

 

.... umm GW2 is part of the reason. GW2 is Buy 2 Play. You buy GW2 and no montly fees they even have a cash shop.

 

Titan (which we know almost nothing about) I wouldn't be suprised if it is Buy 2 Play like Diablo 3 or Guild Wars 2.

 

WoW yes is still pay 2 play but for how long?

[Kharnis]

they asked the million or so people that quit when they unsubscribed. The answer was they didn't like to pay for it.

 

Hate to break it to you but the future of MMOs is f2p

 

There's a difference between they don't want to pay a sub for a game and they don't want to pay a sub for this game. The latter is what those who quit said, not the former.

[belizar]

.... umm GW2 is part of the reason. GW2 is Buy 2 Play. You buy GW2 and no montly fees they even have a cash shop.

 

Titan (which we know almost nothing about) I wouldn't be suprised if it is Buy 2 Play like Diablo 3 or Guild Wars 2.

 

WoW yes is still pay 2 play but for how long?

 

as long as 10mil suckers pay for it

[vsalcedo]

You got the game you paid for. How in any way are YOU being "screwed?"

 

Hes just abitter player who expected too much lol. I dont see why they bother in these forums. I saw lots of improvement coming from that interview. Free to play does not mean pay to win like in diablo 3.

[Quraswren]

tell that to gw2 WoW and im sure titan when it gets around to commin out

 

F2P is the future of (bad)mmos

 

You mean the game GW2 that is basted around the P2p model with it's own cash shop.

 

Or the prefect storm of an MMO that at this time has so many people wrapped up in it, they wont quit not cause the game is good but cause they have so much time invested in it to lose all they have. Yet, they will pay $15 a month for no new content after what 8 months straight or longer?

 

Contrary to your opinion, F2P has been a massive success to a good number of games like LOTRO, DCUO and DDO.

[jarjarloves]

as long as 10mil suckers pay for it

 

hate to break it to you. 10 million is worldwide.

 

More then half are from china where they don't pay a monthly fee.

 

Of the remaining WoW is down to about 2.5-3 million actual paying Subs. That number has been decreasing for a while

[belizar]

You mean the game GW2 that is basted around the P2p model with it's own cash shop.

 

Or the prefect storm of an MMO that at this time has so many people wrapped up in it, they wont quit not cause the game is good but cause they have so much time invested in it to lose all they have. Yet, they will pay $15 a month for no new content after what 8 months straight or longer?

 

Contrary to your opinion, F2P has been a massive success to a good number of games like LOTRO, DCUO and DDO.

 

no i mean the gw2 thats a buy to play title like the next call of duty, cash shop yeah i seen it i dont like costumes so other than maybe character slot i wont be using it or will i need to use it u can get anything in game with karma points or other such coins, u can even grind for coins and buy gems and use it in the shop for free !

 

not like i care but to the above can u back that up with u kno ... facts

Edited August 1, 2012 by belizar

[VoidGlider]

First off the only thing that can truly kill this game or any mmo is content. If they released revolutionary content that the public loved to play, people would still endure a f2w style game.

 

Second, f2p is a fairly new concept still. Even among the f2p games out there, the styles are very similar. To say "swtor will fail now" or "swtor will go f2w" or anything similar is pretty retarded. A couple of companies try some different ftp models and fail, and that's your basis for your argument? There isn't enough EVIDENCE in the first place to make this claim. It would take many new f2p formats to come to this conclusion, it would take the f2p formats evolving multiple times. f2p is not black and white, there are WAY too many variables to make any such claims. This isn't to say that swtor will succeed, just saying that there is no way to tell one way or another over a system that's fairly new and still being researched and studied.

 

Third. I have no reason to believe anything that comes out of EA, Bioware, McDonalds, Haliburtons or the local small business computer store down the street. If it's your job to make money, then I won't believe you when you're selling me something. Let's be realistic though, if you enjoy playing an MMO and want to continue playing, what are your options?

 

WoW - Pandarian just looks so boring, was boring when I played the beta.. Either way, it's still going strong and depending on what you care about in an MMO MIGHT still be a viable solution.

 

Rift - Less populated than swtor last time I checked a few months ago.. Doubt they've gained many more, but they might with some new content releases and free to play for returning customers for a few weeks.. But the over all game flopped when content never became interesting to most.. (I loved the rift content tho)

 

Aion - F2P, so you cant go there if thats why you're leaving

 

DDO - Same

 

LTRO - Same

 

GW2 - Same

 

EQ2 - Same

 

Sure Im missing some, but the point is, you're choices are limited. The way I see it, they might fail.. the current trend would say they will.. but Im gonna put my chances and money into the game that I enjoy the most out of the lists of mmorpgs and give it a shot

 

It would be interesting to see what percentages of those games listed are paying subs compared to actual free players. I get the understanding some times that monthly subbers are practicaly dead weight as all they provide is the flat monthly fee. Alot of f2p peeps spend more on the store and are more profitable in the long run.

 

Don't expect to much other than what you already have and content updates. Nothing more. If you want something special I have a feeling that your going to have to dig deep into your pockets for it just like the f2p lot.

 

Just a feeling is all

[Aus_Jedi]

What a load of crap. The really big content sounds like it isn't a priority and that the only way the are going to release content every six weeks so the can charge is to provide smaller bite content. Great promises at e3 for this year already sounds like they are braking this. Therefore I have no trust in them at this stage.

[Saltydogg]

Jeff Hickman's interview. He should of just said yep I killed Warhammer and ToR and made tons of cash doing it and your welcome MMO fans. Now see ya later

[Quraswren]

no i mean the gw2 thats a buy to play title like the next call of duty, cash shop yeah i seen it i dont like costumes so other than maybe character slot i wont be using it or will i need to use it u can get anything in game with karma points or other such coins, u can even grind for coins and buy gems and use it in the shop for free !

 

not like i care but to the above can u back that up with u kno ... facts

 

Since most of what we know about SWTOR CC shop is rumor, I'll give a little rumor on GW2 thats a deal breaker for me should it be true.

Experience Boosts, Karma Boosts, Crafting Boosts, Chance to Find Rare item Boosts, Loot bags with random items, megaphones to talk in global chat, keys that unlock specific chests (I can imagine horrible ways that this can be abused by devs) and resurrection orbs to res yourself (not usable in pvp).

 

That comes from this rather old article: http://www.keenandgraev.com/2012/03/24/rumor-gw2-cash-shop-deal-breaker/

 

Sure it's rumor but P2P and F2P as pretty close cousins and for all you know at this time, unless it's operations you want, you wont ever have to touch the SWTOR cash shop. Possibly like GW2 but who knows.

 

The fact of what I listed are me playing those games and what I did or didn't do in game. Take that as you will.

[Doreian]

I know a game called World of Tanks, that DOES sell EXCLUSIVE content that is 33% better ... and you can only buy with CC, since it is unavailable ingame by other means. Makes clan warfare a question of money, rather than "skill".

 

The moral of the story is: Do you trust EA enough to have this as your example and not mine? Because I don`t.

 

Have you ever actually played World of Tanks? There is no play to win. Yes they have some gold rounds used by 'gold' (which is bought with real money) But they are super expensive and don't offer that much more armor pen. And 99% of the players save them for clan wars anyway. I have played World of Tanks since beta and they have a great Free to play model. You can play the entire game without spending a dime and see ALL content without spending a dime.

[belizar]

Since most of what we know about SWTOR CC shop is rumor, I'll give a little rumor on GW2 thats a deal breaker for me should it be true.

 

 

That comes from this rather old article: http://www.keenandgraev.com/2012/03/24/rumor-gw2-cash-shop-deal-breaker/

 

perience Boosts, Karma Boosts, Crafting Boosts, Chance to Find Rare item Boosts, Loot bags with random items, megaphones to talk in global chat, keys that unlock specific chests (I can imagine horrible ways that this can be abused by devs) and resurrection orbs to res yourself (not usable in pvp).

 

Sure it's rumor but P2P and F2P as pretty close cousins and for all you know at this time, unless it's operations you want, you wont ever have to touch the SWTOR cash shop. Possibly like GW2 but who knows.

 

The fact of what I listed are me playing those games and what I did or didn't do in game. Take that as you will.

 

they pulled chance to find rare items and loot bags and randon items out of the asses rare items find its not diablo

 

no1 knows see gw1 been aabout 7 years 5 with a cash shop

Edited August 1, 2012 by belizar

[Metalmac]

Jeff Hickman is like a Bull in a China shop.

All the shop is destroyed, but the insurance returns look great.

 

Shop out of business but investors are happy.

 

Free to Play is the same thing, ruins the game for paying customers but short term makes lots of cash.

 

Hey deny this is right!