Free Memberships?

Yes the Free memberships is alright.

 

Free is pretty good, with the option to have a like a cash shop or something.

 

Generally I hate free games....even though it is the only thing I can usually play...the games you pay for are always better.

If they are a free game they need a premium/member service. Not buying gold/items service....that is just bull.

Also needs to simulate a 3rd dimension. Not going to play a game that has fail animated characters and looks like 16-bit characters...lol If its flat on a flat background....woo you just made a game in game maker or something XD....

 

Hey, some 16 bit games are actually better then 3D games. Take the classics for instance.

 

Taking Runescape as an example of utter evilness. Runescape has to be one of the most restrictive games on the net for free players. I had played it before and there had been a level cap, which was fine, there were certain area's which you couldn't go to. Which was fine. Quests were sort of restricted, fine and you could only get the best equipment and win in pvp if you paid.... you get the picture.

Since going back to it however, I have noticed that it got a helluva lot worse. There are few skills you can use, items you can use are even less, there are fewer areas to go to...quests were cut in HALF. So I went looking for other games citing this as a very poor example of a Free to Play game.

The first game I encountered was Rappelz. Surprisingly very good, I haven't actually played it in god knows how long so what I say may no longer be true. Very little of the content was actually restricted, although in some cases, it was impossible to level up beyond a certain level unless you paid for it which was fine and there were content restrictions. I considered this quite worthwhile to play back then, a game with great graphics for its time.

Now, lately, I've been playing Regnum, compared to other games you can get to the maximum level, you can use all of the equipment, you can use all of the skills and do everything else. If you want to do it faster than they want you to, then you'll have to pay for it. If you want to look spectacular you have to pay for it. However, there is no requirement to actually pay money in order to succeed in the game.

In terms of Free Membership worthwhileness, Regnum Online ticks all the boxes. At least for me and for an MMORPG, it actually has me tempted to donate, because I like the idea of something, rather than I have to do it in order to win. (The mounts are very cool).

 

Free membership unlocks so many new things. It doesn't what game you have membership for

 

In pretty much every game I've played with paid and free accounts, there's a significant gap between the premium users and regular members. A couple of them got to the point where, like Runescape, those who didn't funnel their cash into the game weren't able to enjoy the game to its fullest extent and ended up with a playing experience inferior to those who did pay. This seems fine for the paid members--they get so much more. However, that's just the problem. Whatever the reason for their inability to pay, regular members get the short stick in just about any game with a premium option.

Another facet to the issue is the game company in question's profit motive. There really isn't a good way to make money off of a totally free-to-play game unless they end up selling merchandise or expand the concept somehow. It's just not in a company's best interest to offer free subscriptions to everyone if they're seeking to turn a profit.

There will most likely always be a rather unfair discrepancy between paid and free accounts. Players pretty much get what they pay for, which, unfortunately, means that anyone unwilling to shell out some money will end up with the junk. The game may still be fun either way, but free versions are as a whole inferior.

 

It really depends how much of the game is accessible to the free players compared to the premium members. If free players are really restricted and have very limited access, it would feel like a unlimited free TRIAL after all. However, if free players are still ale to enjoy a lot of the game, and there are several other special things which are only accessible to premium members, AND these gap doesn't make free players feel like they are playing a trial game, then it would be a good way to market their product and balance between the amount of free players and paid to play players. If I have the money and a good game, I wouldn't mind subscribing. A one-time fee MMO is the best option I would like

 

Apparently Guild Wars is supposed to be a 'one time fee' and I definitely prefer that idea as well.

If you subscribe, they're simply not going to release the best they can, why should they when they can release something inferior and keep the public happy by just release more inferior products later on. (Wow anyone >_>)

 

Basically, the free version of a game(such as RuneScape) is only there to attract more and more people to buy the premium version. In RuneScape I like both free and pay-to-play version much. That's why I've p2p and f2p account

 

mostly i written in my last blog post (outside of this site not here if you don't get it)
here what i wrote
a free membership is you can play unlimited time but there a restriction to that ex. on runescape can only allow you to enter few areas and there a limit you can go
but the premium membership can let you go anywhere and have benefits (ex. you can have free premium items everyday until membership is expired)

 

they are ok

 

Well if you are seriously, I mean like hardcore playing the game then free memberships are useless. They are more for the casual player who either plays just a little or is still trying out the game in the beginning stages.

 

runescape's free membership is good if you're new, but when your player is maxed, you'll have nothing to do but spend money from your credit card to pay for membership. all i know is jagex seems to make more money through advertisments than through people with membership, but they don't update it often. they released an f2p quest like after, 5 years? how awful.

 

i totally agree with the idea can it be like giveaways and like put some games that we suggest ? like adventure quest?

 

free memberships but i would like to have premium just through watching a bunch of advertisments and videos and seeing them in game.

 

runescape is fine either way at the start, but after you've done all the quests you have reached a level where there's much less to do.

 

I dont think free membership is a bad thing at all. When I developed Loreaon, I made sure free accounts and subscribed accounts were every well balanced and did not tip the scales all the way to the paid membership side.

I just think its rarely well executed.

 

i think free memberships will be good but games you have to pay for has all the cool stuff

 

Well, game companies need to make a profit for you to still be able to play their games. Which is why they charge you. So a completely free game will either not last or will find a way to make the money (lots of ads, etc...)

I think a good balance can be found.