New efforts!

[Scendera]

Looking back over the F2P system that the game had at shutdown, and it seems pretty reasonable.

It really was...it was a very generous F2P, actually. You could stay busy for a very long time on just the truly free stuff, then drop a couple bucks and get plenty more out of it by unlocking an AT or powerset.

[MGLZadok]

The free-to-play model was good.  It was just more of a "freemium" model and wasn't ideal to appeal to all the freeloaders.  In-game limitations are only truly free-to-play if they can be earned in-game.  Limiting ATs and power sets to where the only way to get them is to spend real-world money creates a class system of the haves and the have-nots.  A truly free-to-play game would make everything that affects gameplay (from ATs to Power Sets) available for in-game purchase with a currency other than inf because it would have to be non-tradeable.  The real money-making in that system is the things that don't affect gameplay: cosmetic items.  New costume pieces?  Real world money.  New emotes? Real world money.  I'd even go for convenience powers (team TP, an instant portal to super base, a cell phone for a trainer to train anywhere except in an instance) being strictly real-world money.

But, as people have noted, none of this would be for the i23 clone server.  This is hopeful for the COX 1.5/2 business model and ultimately a good while away.

[Angel Phoenix77]

If you're talking about signature story arcs like "who will die" we knew from day one that those were going to be tied behind a price or subscribe. I mean seriously that's very little content omitted from free to play... They could of made all the content free and then charged you 20$ for new archetypes and 50$ for character slots and for those of you that hate incarnates which would you of preferred?

I don't mean to sound rude or anything but you guys just don't realize how good we had it here compared to all the other numerous free to play games. Where simple services such a server transfer or a rename cost as much as 25$ and some classes (archetypes) are either weaker when you aren't subscribed or cost as much as 20$ a piece.

Champions Online recently got auras and not only do you have to pay for them... They are per character or tradeable among your account and if you want more than one aura active you have to pay for a slot which that slot also is per character.

They really could not of made the game more free than they did without suffering severe profit loss.

I understand your point, however explain the new arcs in kings row and brick. I have read the patch notes on these and no where did it mention the free players could buy them, it said a vip account would be necessary to play them.
I was not around when the monthly arcs was announced.
Also I did not say make everything free, just mission content should be free.
Na you are not rude, I read ruder comments on yahoo.com message boards :)

[Remaugen]

There is a certain perceived stigma attached to CoH, "Free to Play Forever", even though forever wasn't really very long, anyone who picks up the game inherits that stigma and we need to accept that as a given fact. But F2P accounts can certainly be limited just as they were by CoH, limited to two toons with limited costumes and no Incarnate content or limited powerset availability.

[Noyjitat]

There is a certain perceived stigma attached to CoH, "Free to Play Forever"

I wonder if anyone had considered a lawsuit for technically false advertisement haha.

[BraveStar]

TANSTAAFL

To anyone complaining about having to pay for some items, content, etc. in a "free to play" game I'll just say the same thing that I say to people who think they shouldn't have to pay for books, movies, music, etc. To paraphrase a line from one of my favorite books; the people who make those things like to eat food and sleep indoors too.

[Cailyn Alaynn]

the people who make those things like to eat food and sleep indoors too.

I know I'm certainly a fan of eating food, and sleeping inside a domicile.

[LaughingAlex]

I understand your point, however explain the new arcs in kings row and brick. I have read the patch notes on these and no where did it mention the free players could buy them, it said a vip account would be necessary to play them.
I was not around when the monthly arcs was announced.
Also I did not say make everything free, just mission content should be free.
Na you are not rude, I read ruder comments on yahoo.com message boards :)

Speaking of archs, i'd like more alignment changing missions in the game, but I'd like them in a more mission arch style.  Like, hero to vigilate in which your actions your doing are more attempting to save people, but ultimately the situation ends up leaving you a vigilante, or even one where you enter a hero but end up exiting a villain with the "good intentions" backing your actions regardless of how bad it was.  OOOR the unintentional hero style missions we saw in the rogue to hero missions, done in a more arch fashion.  It'd be wise to allow someone to change their minds or even just stop of course, but such archs would have to be very well written.

Hero to villain; you become a villain more because your actions in attempting to save everyone actually end up endangering and making the situation worst, while simultaneously your not given good moral choices, the winning move to remain a hero is not to play.

Villain to hero; you become more of a hero as self-centered goals ironically end up putting you more in a position where your saving people rather than hurting them.

Just two examples anyhow.  I felt the vigilante to villain missions were to "revenge at all costs" or "I'm going to make the bad things happen to prove my point" oriented, it kind of got old and it was even described as tactless.  While the hero to villain idea I mentioned could be tactless to some, it's honestly a much more complex and interesting scenario.  "The road to hell is paved with good intentions" know?

[pinballdave]

It was my assumption, probably part of my naive ignorance, that if the game had continued, then there would ANOTHER signature story arc, and like preceding content, the first signature story arc would go Free to Play, while the patrons or VIP subscribers played the second signature story arc. Now let me get my Lost curing wand and finish Lemkins in style in the Skyway City story arc.

[GenericHero05]

The only place I had a lot of trouble with Super Speed was in Terra Volta...and the Shard. And maybe parts of Talos Island.

Old Faultline was also bear with Super Speed.

[Zerohour]

I hope something comes together in the near future. It's getting exhausting trying to stay positive for City of Titans with week after week of fluffed out "updates" to the state of the game that is allegedly being made.  They seem to be drowning in lore and background stories that unfortunately read like they've been written by someone's kid who was told they are the best in their grade 10 creative writing class. As for actual game media...it's little more than non-existent.

[Rejolt]

I hope something comes together in the near future. It's getting exhausting trying to stay positive for City of Titans with week after week of fluffed out "updates" to the state of the game that is allegedly being made.  They seem to be drowning in lore and background stories that unfortunately read like they've been written by someone's kid who was told they are the best in their grade 10 creative writing class. As for actual game media...it's little more than non-existent.

It takes years to make a game. Waiting is difficult but hopefully we will have COH legacy at some point.

It's likely one person doing all that lore with some input from others.

It's easier to write an essay than code a game.

[Sinistar]

There is a certain perceived stigma attached to CoH, "Free to Play Forever", even though forever wasn't really very long, anyone who picks up the game inherits that stigma and we need to accept that as a given fact. But F2P accounts can certainly be limited just as they were by CoH, limited to two toons with limited costumes and no Incarnate content or limited powerset availability.

Some people I knew let their subscription stop and then when they saw they lost the ability to use inventions they up and quit.  They didn't mind losing incarnate powers, but the loss of the IO's and the option to purchase and invention license for 30 days didn't thrill them.

How about this: those that play for free can have a maximum of 6 characters per server, NO incarnate powers,  and they can slot IO's but the max level of IO they can slot is level 20. Thus they can get some IO benefit and set bonuses but they can't max up their slotting unless they are VIP.  Also to help distinguish F2P from VIP toons their character name or title are a different color then the standard green, that would be handy when building a league for an incarnate trial and an F2P person tries to join, they could be instantly spotted as an F2P and be politely told they are ineligible to join.

[duane]

I hope something comes together in the near future. It's getting exhausting trying to stay positive for City of Titans with week after week of fluffed out "updates" to the state of the game that is allegedly being made.  They seem to be drowning in lore and background stories that unfortunately read like they've been written by someone's kid who was told they are the best in their grade 10 creative writing class. As for actual game media...it's little more than non-existent.

I agree, but hang in there. Here's to good news "soon".   I think news  locked down until the final yes or no is best.  Then, whip up the frenzy.

Coh, correct?

[KennonGL]

There was a Paragon Rewards tier that gave permanent access to Wentworths and the Invention system.

In fact, almost everything that was locked out for F2P accounts could be gotten permanently via the rewards system.  Incarnate and Signature stuff excluded of course

Near the end, we had let my wife's account finally drop down to F2P as she wasn't using it much [mine was subscribed until they stopped taking my money], and other than all the extra character slots, her account really didn't lose much in functionality.  Of course, it had been a permanently subscribed account for over 6 years.

[KennonGL]

I should note that *in general*, I'm rather anti-free-to-play overall.

I find that the F2P model tends to lead to "every freaking thing in the game gets
gated behind a "micro" (which may not actually be very micro) transaction.

Which I find terribly annoying.  I'd much rather just pay a monthly/quarterly/yearly
subscription price and have access to everything.

A limited usage trial account to get a feel for the game?  Absolutely required.
F2P model?  Don't like or want.

I appear to be in the minority about this though.

[mrultimate]

I should note that *in general*, I'm rather anti-free-to-play overall.

I find that the F2P model tends to lead to "every freaking thing in the game gets
gated behind a "micro" (which may not actually be very micro) transaction.

Which I find terribly annoying.  I'd much rather just pay a monthly/quarterly/yearly
subscription price and have access to everything.

A limited usage trial account to get a feel for the game?  Absolutely required.
F2P model?  Don't like or want.

I appear to be in the minority about this though.

Count me in that minority with you.

[Pyromantic]

Count me in that minority with you.

I'm right there too.  I subbed to CoH for many years and would happily do so again.  I'd much prefer to pay my $15 a month and not have to worry about paying for this, that and the other thing.

[MWRuger]

Companies seldom take our preferences into account when it comes to money. They will use whatever model nets the most cash. Apparently, they feel it is some sort of hybrid FTP model with an initial purchase and then micro transactions.

FTP is more of an ala-carte menu and as with every ala-carte menu, you always end up paying more for the individual portions than you would for the special.

[Power Gamer]

I should note that *in general*, I'm rather anti-free-to-play overall.

I find that the F2P model tends to lead to "every freaking thing in the game gets
gated behind a "micro" (which may not actually be very micro) transaction.

Which I find terribly annoying.  I'd much rather just pay a monthly/quarterly/yearly
subscription price and have access to everything.

A limited usage trial account to get a feel for the game?  Absolutely required.
F2P model?  Don't like or want.

I appear to be in the minority about this though.

I admit, I was not a fan of the F2P model.
But whatever...