My absolute dealbreakers:
- NCSoft having the ability to shut it down again: I would prefer NCsoft be totally uninvolved, but so long as NCsoft does not have the ability to shut the game down again in its new incarnation, I'd probably be content. If NCsoft still has enough power over the game to shut it down, then I couldn't play. I couldn't risk coming back to the game and just getting hurt again. I would hate myself and my friends would lynch me (they're tired of hearing me talk about it.)
- Compulsive openworld PVP: I liked the fact that PvP in CoH was totally optional. Sure, there were badges involved, but they weren't required for much of anything. I don't think any accolade powers required a mix of PvP and PvE badges. I do not like the prospect of potentially being ganked by a higher-level player that I have no hope against when I roll a new toon in Atlas.
- Pay-to-Win BS: Pull incarnate content out from behind the pay-wall, even if you leave incarnate powers themselves locked. Heck, I'd honestly let players have their incarnate powers too. C'mon, you worked for that Lv50, and worked for that alpha experience, you should have the right to use it regardless of your pay status. I'd also want to see the invention system opened back up.
You can say what you want, but IOs were the single biggest boost in power players recieved prior to the hybrid model, and they're pretty much required if you want to exist in PvP at all. Limiting them to paying players immediately restricts PvP to the paying elite, who will stomp all fun from those who aren't, then leave because they have no easy targets once the free players realize they're not welcome in PvP any more. While it doesn't matter to me, I know a lot of players that it DOES matter to, and they aren't going to play if under those conditions (and indeed, I know a lot of players that STOPPED playing when they learned their IOs were going to be restricted come Freedom). - Be ABSOLUTELY CLEAR on what a Free account can and cannot do: There were way, way, WAY too many hidden disadvantages for playing free. No medium/large inspirations without veteran rewards, no merit rewards of any kind without subscription, an irritating interface button that you could not get rid of by any means, no invention enhancements without paid license, no participation in the game's economy without a license or subscription, no outgoing mail without vet rewards or subscription, no outgoing whispers without vet rewards or subscription, restricted reward tables for taskforces and other group activities, no incarnate powers... I would have appreciated a warning before running into all of these irritating, niggling little restrictions, everywhere.
I agree with all the above in spirit, if not details.
No matter who brought CoH back there is always going to be the dreaded day when it gets shut down again. Even WOW will face that day, eventually.
I completely agree with PvP.
Pay to win? Bleh, nope, want to avoid that at all costs. Play for FUN? CoH pretty much had that nailed.
Too many hidden disadvantages to playing a free account? Hmmm... maybe, but I wouldn't expect the limits to change, just need to be better spelled out. Free accounts are really just there, from a business perspective, to give the player time to play for free and decide if they want to upgrade to a subscription... and even this wouldn't stop me, as I had two paid subscriptions going.
