Why is everyone getting so riled up about the upcoming B2P transition?

tunepunk

Kevingway wrote: »

My immersion is broken. Here's what's going to happen:

Type in my username and password, choose my character, load the map--bam, crown shop popup advertising this week's new cosmetic garbage. While playing, I come across an unusual wall built in the middle of nowhere. "What's this?" I ask, traversing along its forbidding boundary. Finally, I find a little door. I press E. "Sorry, you have not purchased access to this content."

Content will be churned out faster than any of you imagine, all of it separating players by a thick paywall such as the one described above.

That, and the players on the opposite side of the paywall, the side that didn't pay, will be garbage. Absolute garbage. Every name will contain the prefix "BR," and these players will be running around destroying the community that has been steadily developed from those loyal players who have maintained their subscriptions up until this point.

I'll continue to play ESO if the cash shop proves that it won't pop up on my screen every login, and the material that can be purchased won't be anything more than "cosmetic and convenient," but "convenience" I guarantee will not only destroy the legitimacy of crafted potions (these store-bought potions being stronger than those crafted, as has happened in many games), but also reveal that the game isn't worth anymore of our time if it can't escape the mistakes of those who came before it, GW2 included.

I wouldnt mind paying for packs instead of a monthly fee. I can finish content in my own pace, or only buy the content i like. If im not in to Raiding but like questing i would gladly pay a small fee for a nice quest pack for example. At least better than paying for content i dont like. I wouldn even care if they made PvP a monthly access thing you have to buy, because i wouldnt buy it. For me not fun. I would rather pay for a nice dungeon pack though. With the current model i feel like Im paying for crappy PvP in Cyrodiil which i never visit.

Tandor

SuraklinPrime wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

SuraklinPrime wrote: »

4. All the promised 'delayed' content like Wrothgar, Imperial City, new Guilds and housing will be ticked behind a paywall - and you all know that 1,500 crowns per month from a Plus sub will not get you all the content they deem to be optional.

You get the additional content free with a sub, the monthly crown allowance is for other stuff.

That's not exactly how they phrased it and my inner cynic gets twitchy when they start speaking in what sounds like lawyer language - I hope you are correct but they left themselves plenty of room to decide which content they deem eligible to be 'free' with a sub and which might cost Crowns.

I suggest you read the FAQ.

Sallington

McDoogs wrote: »

Morvul wrote: »

people are riled up because we have yet to see a single MMO which does not go down the drain once the cash shop gets serious...

MMOs go from sub to cash shop because things have already gone down the drain console path.

Fixed for relevance to ESO.

Samadhi

Neizir wrote: »

MissBizz wrote: »

People are also riled up because we don't see the cash shop. It could become a pay to win.

Except it won't? Vanity items and XP boosters are not P2W...

Am involved with a f2p company.

p2w tools and lottos are the two most lucrative types of items.

ZOS wants to test a cash shop model and see it makes them more money; when they start to realize where the real money makers are you will see this shift made.

Mercurio

OP has obviously never been through a F2P transition in a game he currently plays. The game is ruined. It's over. Have fun getting all your new content in the cash shop, while every aspect of the game is designed around herding you there.

Lava_Croft

B2P is not F2P.

I wonder for how many years the above mantra will have to be repeated.

Mercurio

it's actually worse. cash shop + box price!

Yasha

Kilandros wrote: »

Yasha wrote: »

I'm not, I think its a fabulous move.

I resubbed for three months recently and I don't feel any of this "rage" about being a beta tester or something or any regret for having paid a sub for the game. Just totally happy that I won't have to pay a game tax to play this amazing game anymore!

Hello there! You seem like a very astute guy who would hate to pass up a great investment opportunity, am I right? Well it just so happens that, for a limited time, I am able to offer you a terrific bargain on a Bridge located in Brooklyn, NYC. This kind of deal doesn't happen often, so act fast!

Your tears are delicious. Meanwhile, I am still smiling about the best news that has come out since launch. I guess you were one of those people insisting ESO would always be sub only and bashing anyone who said otherwise?

Yasha

SuraklinPrime wrote: »

1. Because ZOS lied.
2. Because we've been paying to beta test for a year.
3. Because if they sneak in Crowns for XP boosters it will be P2W with the new CP for XP system being implemented.
4. All the promised 'delayed' content like Wrothgar, Imperial City, new Guilds and housing will be ticked behind a paywall - and you all know that 1,500 crowns per month from a Plus sub will not get you all the content they deem to be optional.
5. And because ZOS lied.

1. Where did they lie? Did they say the game will always be sub only?

2. We have been paying for a released game, it doesn't suddenly become beta just because they change the payment model to one you don't like.

3. XP boosters are hardly p2w and would probably be good for this game considering the comparatively long levelling curve.

4. The content was already behind a paywall - it was called a monthly subscription.

5. See (1)

Bouvin

Neizir wrote: »

Seriously I couldn't really care less about what mode ESO chooses to have. As long as there's no pay-to-win and I get to play a quality game, I'm fine with any model. I'm definitely sticking around when ESO goes B2P. But come on guys, why are you all so saddened? In fact you should be happy, this could bring in a HUGE wave of players as well as more positivity! If you're worried about the cash shop, remember that it WON'T be selling pay-to-win items! How can a silly costume or an XP booster give you any significant advantage over another player? Especially considering that everyone is boosted to the same level in PvP plus vet ranks are being removed, too.

Also don't forget that even the mighty WoW is approaching the F2P model (We all know it's coming some day, WoW has been hemorrhaging subs for years. There are signs of its coming in WoD with the F2P veteran's edition.).

Because in a year you won't be viable without purchases from the cash shop.

Ackwalan

In my experience, game quality goes down after a f2p model starts. Teams that go into creating content get cut in order to put more attention into the cash shop items. We'll get fire breathing butterfly mounts, while zones get cookie cutter content.

Yasha

Bouvin wrote: »

Neizir wrote: »

Seriously I couldn't really care less about what mode ESO chooses to have. As long as there's no pay-to-win and I get to play a quality game, I'm fine with any model. I'm definitely sticking around when ESO goes B2P. But come on guys, why are you all so saddened? In fact you should be happy, this could bring in a HUGE wave of players as well as more positivity! If you're worried about the cash shop, remember that it WON'T be selling pay-to-win items! How can a silly costume or an XP booster give you any significant advantage over another player? Especially considering that everyone is boosted to the same level in PvP plus vet ranks are being removed, too.

Also don't forget that even the mighty WoW is approaching the F2P model (We all know it's coming some day, WoW has been hemorrhaging subs for years. There are signs of its coming in WoD with the F2P veteran's edition.).

Because in a year you won't be viable without purchases from the cash shop.

That is pure speculation, there is no need to buy anything in GW2 cash shop and it has a somewhat similar b2p model.

On the other hand what is certain is that right now you won't be viable- or even able to play- without a sub.

Its true the new cash shop/model could suk balls like in ArchAge, but it could also be well implemented like in GW2. We won't really know until there are more details and actually use it in practice.

Mercurio

I'm going to try Archeage. Of course I will not spend a dime on it, as I do with all crappy F2P games (ESO now included). They are the epitome of cheap temporary fun. Can't wait to locust through all the games I've been procrastinating on, for free!

MasterSpatula

Because cash shops are awful. I don't care if it's only cosmetic; once real-world transactions affect the game, you can no longer be a good RPG.

theweakminded

In short, because people need something to whine about or they do not feel like they matter.