It would for some people, but not for the established player base. Hardcore RvR players would probably opt for some items, but "f2p" are usually targeted at the incoming players as it's pretty easy to sell them a mount, some xp gain potions (not that you need them in modern DAoC....), access to classes & adventure areas, etc.

Some of the "f2p" models, like Lord of the Rings Online, have monthly subscription packages which include access to all of the goodies plus a modest store currency stipend. In the case of DAoC, it would be fair for people who purchased the expansions to retain their access without a subscription or buying them, but people who did not buy the expansions would need to buy access or make a subscription. For example, I never purchased the Minotaur expansion, so under a "f2p" model, I'd need to pick up a subscription or buy rights to use the expansion.

A "f2p" model would provide EA-Mythic with incentive to produce new content.

 

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EA has plenty of money to assign a few more people to DAoC, but it's far more likely that they'd make Warhammer "f2p" before DAoC.





I've only briefly played two "free" to play games (Lord of the Rings Online and Runes of Magic) that had serious end game content, but neither directly sold gear in the cash shops. There are always upgrades to gear that makes it slightly better, but not on the scale of a rr2 beating a rr12.

 

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Sounds like some people think f2p = free


As f2p generally means the basic game for free, everything else costs...a game like daoc would probably cost the established playerbase more to play.


Besides, it's probably already classes as a f2p game since most of us pay for buffs

 

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and, there in lies the problem... DAoC cant afford the loss of income (subscriptions) from the current Established player base...


even if F2P managed to bring in enough people to cover the costs of the current established playerbase, wich would need to be tripple or more then the current playerbase as not all f2p players coming in would actualy be paying, EA would have to spend more money on support, and hardware to handle the load.. wich would mean now they need even more players to cover those costs......

it just goes on and on....

most of those other games that launched as F2P or shifted to F2P already had the support staff and hardware available or at least planned from the start...

DAoC has been stripped of all its resources, so making such a shift would require a big investment on EA's end....

 

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This ^^


I think they would only be able to convert to f2p if they were able to charge most, or the majority of the player base for access to things they need. Those costs would have to make up for the subs they would lose, so basically some players would end up paying more, so that the ppl crying "f2p!!!" can play for free..


Why not ask to double subs for half the population, so the other half can play for free?

 

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tbh that's it exactly.


Why would anyone (especially EA...) give it up for free/less revenue, when we continue to pay. Not only do we pay, we are required pay for more than one account. They'd be crazy to put any money into changing the structure, to something that will probably net them less cash overall.

 

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It is sad that many posting on this thread do not seem to have read the other threads about F2P. All the silliness about F2P has been hashed out on those threads.


A variation of F2P could work, but not if Mythic simply shifted to F2P.


The game of DAoC is crap right now. Sorry for those that love crap (or those that will put up with crap just to play RvR) but it is what it is. The game of DAoC is crap for the typical MMO player and all those that love PvP/RvR centric games are already playing DAoC.


To be able to attract players to a F2P game model, Mythic would need to do more than just code F2P into the game, Mythic would need to fix the existing game problems and make the game fun for the typical MMO player (who is PvE centric). The challenge with fixing the game problems, because the few players still playing are PvP/RvR centric, most of the players who are still paying would vomit if the game were changed and made fun for the average/typical MMO player (the player that Mythic would NEED to attract and KEEP in the game if Mythic ever wanted F2P to be profitable).


Then there is the population that would need to be attracted for F2P to work. It has been published online that F2P games pull in about $3 to $6 (average) per sub. With the current subs at about 25k Mythic would need to increase subs to about 100k just to maintain revenue (not profit, revenue). But with the F2P model Mythic would need to add servers (extra cost) add CS people (extra cost) add coders (extra cost) add etc. . .(extra cost). Just to maintain existing profit Mythic would need to increase subs to about 250k.


Add in the problem of the end game of DAoC (RvR), which is vastly different than other games. Even when DAoC was heavily populated with PvE centric players almost all players would RvR from time to time, especially when a call-to-arms went out. Also, TOA has proven that if players want to RvR then the player MUST have the best available gear or almost no one will group with them. Because the end game is RvR and because everyone in DAoC will RvR (even PvE centric DAoC players will RvR a bit), that means everyone MUST PAY for the gear or QUIT.


This PAY or QUIT version of F2P is totally different from the F2P options of other F2P games. Many will want to shift to an existential fantasy world and say that PAY or QUIT is not really what will happen because back when TOA happened players could actually play DAoC and RvR without TOA.. . . lets eliminate the BS fantasy stillness. A tiny number of exceptions do not break the rule. Every sane person knows that TOA was mandatory for any that wanted to RvR (again small exceptions do not break the reality of the general rule). Because DAoC has as its endgame RvR, a F2P DAoC will be PAY or QUIT.


Some existentialists will say that PAY or QUIT will be great because everyone will be paying which will bring in more money. . . it is sad that those who think such things do not see how illogical that is. The only thing that attracts players to the F2P model is for huge numbers of players to not need to pay, or to only need to pay a very little. If the game were PAY or QUIT then the F2P model vanishes and word will spread that you can’t compete in DAoC unless you PAY. As word spreads that DAoC’s F2P model is actually PAY or QUIT, no one will bother to even try out the F2P (PAY or QUIT) game.


There are some variations of F2P that could work, but first Mythic/EA/Bioware would need to spend about $15 million to fix the game. If Mythic/EA/Bioware were to fix the game then F2P would not be necessary because huge numbers of players would flood the servers and they would all be willing to pay $15 a month to play (making F2P DAoC irrelevant).

 

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Yes. Well, maybe. If DAoC subscriptions are as low as many people think (Mythic supposedly stated that the number of subscribers can be approximated by average prime time population * 4, so ~3.500*4= ~14.000 subscriptions), then the end is very near for this game.

Converting DAoC to a "free" to play model is the only possible way Mythic could draw in new players. Few "f2p" advocates are myopic enough to think f2p would actually cost less, instead we're more interested in DAoC actually being around for a few more years.





Yes. These are business decisions that none of us are qualified to address as we do not have the data on these costs. Perhaps their customer service people spend 90% of the day on Facebook.

It is fair to assume that Mythic would need more hardware to handle additional accounts, but we have absolutely no way of knowing their staffing situation and you can not assume that installing 1 more server = Mythic must hire 1 more IT professional. It is very common for "f2p" games to only provide customer service to people who are subscribers or have spent money on the game before.





DDO and Lord of the Rings Online are two examples of games that were all but dead before Turbine converted them to "free" to play models.

You're correct about Mythic losing staff as they've publicly stated that they laid off at least 40% of their staff several years ago. However, you do not know the hardware situation - perhaps it's sitting in a storage room waiting to be used.

I completely agree that Mythic would need to hire a few more people to convert DAoC to a "free" to play model - and this cost is the reason that it almost certainly won't happen.

 

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I believe you're missing the entire point that "free" to play advocates are trying to make. It's about keeping the game alive, not playing DAoC for free.

 

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I agree. However, the greatest strength of "free" to play is drawing in new players. Some of them will enjoy DAoC as it exists today. In this regard, you should consider "f2p" as a form of marketing.





These are perfectly valid points, and I'd like to point out that much of this could be achieved by rolling PvE in DAoC back to the late ToA days. The huge XP bonuses and battlegrounds quests would certainly need to go. Newly attracted "f2p" players would certainly want some kind of community, which DAoC does not have in its current incarnation.





Yes, but there is one thing you neglected to consider: leaving subscriptions as an option. Of course, this entails creating a reason for people to want a $10-$15/month subscription. Turbine was able to do this with Lord of the Rings Online and maybe with DDO too.