Free?

[BlueFire]

yes, I know, you see this topic and you think: not another one who wants the game to be free!

I am not saying that it must be free (altought it would be cool ), I want to know, WHY is this game not free? I mean, I know some MMORPGs that have greater graphics (sorry Virtrium) and less bugs (again, sorry Virtrium) that are free. Well, they also have more players but they don't pay so...

Free MMORPGs are normally based on a payment system for items in-game, like for example, you have a lair and you want that special oven to cook meat for dragons (yummy!) to show it off to all your friends, you can buy it in real money, as it will not come with the game. I think you understood...

I want to know, why don't we do like that? I know that currently there are less players but Virtrium should make some well-placed ads on the internet and hop!, loads of players

Sorry if I got someone mad...

[Kenaut]

all games with such F2P systems are always based on maximum gold and xp grinding, if you don't want to grind for a certain amount of time - pay, no fun in that at all

[BlueFire]

all games with such F2P systems are always based on maximum gold and xp grinding, if you don't want to grind for a certain amount of time - pay, no fun in that at all

i prefer the long way, play a lot and have fun (even if gaining not much xp) than paying to gain 3 levels in one shot.

ok Horizons being free is... impossible XD but we should make some publicity, attract players at least

[Vaz]

Disclaimer: The following description of business practices associated with F2P games is partially conjecture. It is based on observation, press, and hearsay. Therefore it may not be entirely accurate, but it may be close enough to explain why Horizons and games like it can't be considered in the same light as typical F2P games.

Free-with-itemshop games are usually not developed by the company that hosts them English audiences. They're developed by some company or other in Korea, and their code/assets/etcetera along with the rights to translate into English, publish in western countries, and update to some extent, are sold to a western or international company. This, for the latter company (English publisher) is far cheaper than it would be for them to develop an MMO from scratch. They can make back what they paid for the assets/rights, support the hosting, maintenance, and staffing of the game, and even profit, via the item shop model.

Horizons has a different development and publishing model, therefore it has a different payment model. Even after changing hands several times, that's unlikely to change.

Furthermore, the F2P system creates circumstance wherein people who are richer IRL are visibly distinguished in-game from those who are not so rich IRL, even if the items available in the shop are mechanically non-imbalancing. This is counter to the concept of immersion into a fantasy world. Most F2P games are far from any focus on immersion anyway. But Horizons does aspire to a higher quality of immersion, as evidenced by its amount of lore, and the format of some of the announcement emails that've been sent out by Virtrium. So the F2P system would be contrary to the nature of Horizons.

[BlueFire]

Disclaimer: The following description of business practices associated with F2P games is partially conjecture. It is based on observation, press, and hearsay. Therefore it may not be entirely accurate, but it may be close enough to explain why Horizons and games like it can't be considered in the same light as typical F2P games.

Free-with-itemshop games are usually not developed by the company that hosts them English audiences. They're developed by some company or other in Korea, and their code/assets/etcetera along with the rights to translate into English, publish in western countries, and update to some extent, are sold to a western or international company. This, for the latter company (English publisher) is far cheaper than it would be for them to develop an MMO from scratch. They can make back what they paid for the assets/rights, support the hosting, maintenance, and staffing of the game, and even profit, via the item shop model.

Horizons has a different development and publishing model, therefore it has a different payment model. Even after changing hands several times, that's unlikely to change.

Furthermore, the F2P system creates circumstance wherein people who are richer IRL are visibly distinguished in-game from those who are not so rich IRL, even if the items available in the shop are mechanically non-imbalancing. This is counter to the concept of immersion into a fantasy world. Most F2P games are far from any focus on immersion anyway. But Horizons does aspire to a higher quality of immersion, as evidenced by its amount of lore, and the format of some of the announcement emails that've been sent out by Virtrium. So the F2P system would be contrary to the nature of Horizons.

ok (my message is tooooo short)

[Velea]

The other thing to note here is that any game, be it a subscription modeled one or not, has to know what their revenue stream is going to be modeled on prior to sales. I have never heard of a game that started out one way and after multiple years turned to something else. Anarchy Online would be the closest I can think of, where it used to be subscription and now it's free to play. I haven't followed it in many years, so I'm not sure how the game sustains itself at this point.

Truly, the amount of work to change the game over now would be a year's worth of development, if not longer. And would also probably require a wipe of everything everyone has. And, from everything I've heard of "free to play" games, you end up spending more per month than subscription based models. And, of course, there's the issue Xoshara raised of having the "have" versus "have not" crowd in the game. The only free the play game I ever played for any length of time was Shot Online. Even in that game it was VERY obvious who had invested hundreds and thousands of real life dollars in the game versus who had not.

So, I'll toss this back to the OP... Why would you like to see Horizons switched over? What benefit do you see in having the game free to play, but with everything else costing? Because "free to play" does not mean "free", remember. What games are you referring to when you say ones that have better graphics, fewer bugs and are free to play? Oh, and that have been out for 4 years and plan to continue for many more. You've got my curiosity up now.

[Kala]

The other thing to note here is that any game, be it a subscription modeled one or not, has to know what their revenue stream is going to be modeled on prior to sales. I have never heard of a game that started out one way and after multiple years turned to something else. Anarchy Online would be the closest I can think of, where it used to be subscription and now it's free to play. I haven't followed it in many years, so I'm not sure how the game sustains itself at this point.

Puzzle Pirates used to be pay to play, now it's free. Though it's not quite a 3D MMO (and I haven't looked at it since beta).

[BlueFire]

So, I'll toss this back to the OP... Why would you like to see Horizons switched over? What benefit do you see in having the game free to play, but with everything else costing? Because "free to play" does not mean "free", remember. What games are you referring to when you say ones that have better graphics, fewer bugs and are free to play? Oh, and that have been out for 4 years and plan to continue for many more. You've got my curiosity up now.

It was just an idea, altought I knew it was not the best ever . You are right, I have never seen all-is-free mmorpgs. It's just that I thought that if it was like that, it would attract people as it would be free and like you said, people sometimes end spending much than they would pay for a subscription. You are right, also, for the point that it is clear who is paying and who is not in a mmorpg like that.

I have been playing only for a few months but I have seen that this games lacks players so I thought it would be a good idea to attract people because it is really a great game, but well-hidden

as for the better graphics mmorpg i was talking about... I don't know if I'm doing publicity right now but I was thinking of Perfect World, Flyff, Rappelz... this type of mmorpg, you see?

[Arietna]

Second Life? not that I'd really class it as an MMORPG, just an MMOG.. but you don't miss a LOT of game content with a free sub... I believe (from a non-players point of view).

LOTRO lifetime membership? I paid my £99 and no longer have any monthly fees. OK, so it wasn't free by any means, it's no longer a subscription game for me...

[Tcei]

In a game such as this I find it hard if not impossible for it to be free and the company just make money off of the "fluff" that they sell in game. Indeed while it may promote more folks to come play, Virtrium would make less money. Not only would most these folks not pay for anything, but those of us on a limited budget would not buy as much or as often as to equal the average monthly payment.

[Shian]

Honestly, I HATE games that bring social rank into the virtual environment. Isn't that the point of the online games? you can be what you want?

If social rank standing came into play, you'd just be projecting the same image you have in RL no?

[lightning claw]

Horizons Needs to stay paid for the following Reasons

There Tec support (Some one needs to Feed Reyem )
the Updates ! (no one will work for free )
the ever changing content (need to pay for others ideas
Last but not least Server time ( Good god do u know how maney servers Hz takes up )

have Fun in the game if you do not want to pay 14 $ a month then get the 9.95 sub i do not mind paying

Lets put things in perspective
Ei Was Free what did they do what did they kill
Vi is Paid Look at what they did and what they are doing

I Do not mind Paying for games that have these 3 things
Changing Content that keeps the game interesting
Tec Support that cares
Responsible and communicative Leadership

[BlueFire]

Horizons Needs to stay paid for the following Reasons

There Tec support (Some one needs to Feed Reyem )
the Updates ! (no one will work for free )
the ever changing content (need to pay for others ideas
Last but not least Server time ( Good god do u know how maney servers Hz takes up )

have Fun in the game if you do not want to pay 14 $ a month then get the 9.95 sub i do not mind paying

Lets put things in perspective
Ei Was Free what did they do what did they kill
Vi is Paid Look at what they did and what they are doing

I Do not mind Paying for games that have these 3 things
Changing Content that keeps the game interesting
Tec Support that cares
Responsible and communicative Leadership

I am not saying that I don't want to pay it was just a question, like that, because I wanted to write it, that's all

please don't start a debate because of me XD

p.s. it's also the first game ever i pay monthly fees so it's new for me

[Kalanaere]

So this post is coming a few years after the last post that is on the page so bear with me. While I agree that it would promote a great deal of work into converting everythign over to free and I also will admit I don't know much about how the technical aspects work on accounts such as like Lady V said with it possibly erasing everythign everybody had. but back on topic, As for the Free to play goes I would like to point out that the largest MMO on the market that is currently Free to Play with the purchase of the game itself from a retail store is Guild Wars there is no requirements of a subscription fee to this and while comparing GW to Istaria is in some senses comparing Apples and Oranges they are still two games in the same market of the same genre. So personally I believe that Istaria could go free to play at some point in time. Just like at some point even WoW will end up going free. Aside from GW there is now the new KOTR game which is being released as on online MMO so that alone proves there is hope for this to happen. I might be rambling but i think it is somethign that Istaria should consider looking into and not just ignore or brush off as never going to happen.

[Unicorn's Lady]

Pssst!!!

Istaria is Free To Play!

As long as you don't mind playing a human and not having a plot and not being able to consign as many things at the same time as a paying account.

You can play a human as long as you wish and advance it as high as you wish.
http://community.istaria.com/pg.php/download
Just remember to sign up for the FREE not the TRIAL. The trial account only lets you play free for 14 days, but you can be any race.


Nellie Lovett/Ochre Tekton of Carmo on Order

[Dragonboy]

Honestly, I HATE games that bring social rank into the virtual environment. Isn't that the point of the online games? you can be what you want?

If social rank standing came into play, you'd just be projecting the same image you have in RL no?

This...

I highly dislike games which allow me to go from ranking 999.999 up to ranking 100 to 1000 just by investing large amount of real life money.

[Vahrokh]

Istaria has not been planned to work with such business model.

This is really the same as when you design a bulldozer: it's not easy to switch it into a sports car.

All those concepts of multiple computers per shard, how the accounts are managed by the software, its not being a white label indie super-extra cheap labor customized as Istaria, its need for maintenance of a certain cost...

all of this results in a structure that is oriented in a certain way and changing it would not pay back.

Also, assume 1 out of 10 people buys a $5 feature. Vi now got like $500. I am not sure it's even enough to keep a single computer in a data center for a month.

[Frith-Rae]

holy undead threads batman!

Yea, while I've often thought that Istaria SHOULD be converted to f2p, I also recognize that doing so would probably kill what little revenue the game has.

It just doesn't have tons to sell (and wouldn't...) and therefore the 12-15 bucks a month from the few hundred subbers gets them far more money than the 15 buck one time purchase of a dragon, and the 15 buck one time purchase for the plot, and then a couple more bucks for whatever's left over.

I am a player who doesn't think to hard about the fact that I pay the same amount ot play this game as I do EQII or WoW - if I did I'd probably quit in protest (Istaria, not the other two...). SO I prefer to not think about it so I don't get too pissed off.

(Btw, you mentioned SW:TOR for some reason, not sure why, Bioware has already stated this will be a subscription based game, with some microtransactions thrown in - seeme dlike you'd have a better comparison talking about EQII and LOTR now that they've both gone F2P - though in two different ways).

While I agree Istaria is of the level to me of a f2p developed game, I'm fearing/afraid that if they were to switch to a fully f2p model the game would go back into the red (again) and this time..die.

[Kesqui]

I am completely happy with the idea of Istaria being pay-to-play - I don't mind sending money to support a game I love.

I'd like a way to send nickel-and-dime micropayments to Istaria, too... I might not want to spend a whole subscriptions' worth every month, but a couple of quid here and there, for doodads that don't change gameplay.... sure.

[Armameteus]

I've had bad experiences with FTP games over the years, but that doesn't mean its a completely bad idea. The subscription idea I prefer because it means that one flat payment every month means you get everything the game has to offer, not just one new item or feature. That being said, having such a system might not be an entirely bad thing, if worked into the sub system already in place.

As an example, say, sometime in the near future, the mods implement the use of furniture into homes/lairs. Buying the furniture would do little apart from aesthetically spruce up the empty rooms inside buildings and lairs, so making that a feature in which the player has to pay for individual pieces of furniture (or maybe some sort of themed furniture bundle or something) wouldn't be all that big an issue. Since they just sit there and look pretty, it wouldn't really mean that those who don't buy furniture are missing out on much.

I'm sort of with Kesqui on this one: if they're not make-or-break features that absolutely must be purchased to experience the full scope of the game (like so many FTP systems do, which is the main reason so many suck), then I really wouldn't mind tossing a sock full of nickles to the devs every now and again.

Plus, since buying something for in-game is usually a permanent investment, it could keep players staying longer as they've then sunk money into the game and don't want it to just go to waste. Unless there's some sort of refund feature, which would have been nice in some of the games I'd been suckered into buying things from...

Argh, I'm rambling! O_o