How To Fix Free-2-Play Games

No in-games puchases for me.

If the games requires in-game purchases to be playable, I'll end up deleting the game or not buying it in the first place.
However, if it just takes a little longer to play, or I just can't get a few of the "specials" that aren't really needed, then that's ok.
 
Extra Credits is awesome, has been running for a long time (It was part of Penny Arcade TV, but have split off into their own channel because the PA guys aren't doing their TV stuff anymore), and covers so much. I'd suggest going and looking through their backlog, as they've covered pretty much everything at this point.
 
In-game purchases is one of the stupidest things in gaming EVER.
 
No in-games puchases for me.

If the games requires in-game purchases to be playable, I'll end up deleting the game or not buying it in the first place.
However, if it just takes a little longer to play, or I just can't get a few of the "specials" that aren't really needed, then that's ok.
So true.
P2W = suck.
It's not so hard to take if RL$ makes it quick & easy, but a little hard work gets the same results. In this case, many players are more willing to throw in a few bucks here & there to make it a little easier, even though it's not necessary, I think this is because they know that it's not a total loss if they can't continue to bleed green. Not being pressured can actually be a motivator for some.
 
Games need more fun quirky stuff to spend money on, that doesn't lead to a p2w style play.

That said, there's only so many interesting unique things you can add before you start seriously detracting from the atmosphere and integrity of your game, and turn it into a Hats simulator.
 
I recently uninstalled Plants vs Zombies due to F2P pressure to buy stuff or ads.

imo a decent F2P purchase is if I ask myself... "I could grind for 2 hours or pay a few bucks to skip it". Its a fine line... why would I pay when I could just grind for 15min or I have to grind for 10000 hours to get x so they are making me p2w..

Money Bomb is a good example.

I think skins are a great F2P mechanic (no stats just talking out my butt). I would pay a buck or two to get a cool skin for my current armor.

In DCOnline I thought it was awesome that you could use/overwrite any armor/clothes skin you previously owned with any actual armor you just received or equipped. I could still use a beginner shirt that I thought was cool even though I had got a higher level one with +2 whatever. It also allowed people to actually make the character how they wanted instead of 1000s of people with the same top level armor running around.
 
Can it with the blatant and hidden pay2win trash. If it's not cosmetic and actually has an effect on gameplay then it's likely just some pay2win garbage game.

Do free players have teh exact same experience as free players, but also get a funny pet, or funny hat, or gold swords, or some <insert shiny thing that doesn't matter> then you are fine. Otherwise it's just a marketing departments attempt to hide pay2win behind some experience boost or making the boring grind part of the game shorter.

The main problem is that as soon as you ahve gameplay changed by the cash the design of the game immediatly goes from "How do we make this game so fun that people will like to pay for X" to "How can we make this game fun but just annoying enough that people will like it enough to skip half of this trash we put in it.".
 
I like world of tanks, sure the grind is horrible somtimes, but there are some pretty fun moments taking out paid tanks with my free tanks, you have to think a little extra.
 
I see two separate F2P models out there, there are those done by developers where tremendous amount of time and effort went into the game now it could be a one-man team, or it could be a company with quite a few employes. Then there is the other type, the game that you look at and you understand why it's free because it's not worth any money, these are the games that seems to come about due to the "App Generation" where anyone who knows how to do a bit of coding is by default a "designer" now, these are your Zynga produced games, where you really expect them to be flash games on a site that simply gets revenue by ad generation, but they go the extra step and decide they're going to try to squeeze the player as well.

I like the original model of F2P, here's a demo with 1 level, you want to play more? Buy the game.
 
Thats why I find SOEs approach interesting because I like there idea of paying a monthly fee to access whatever games they allow me too, which could include some bonuses, and there extra stuff like in PS2 was mostly cosmetic if I remember correctly though I think you could purchase weapons upgrades its been a while since I played cant remember but whatever it was NEVER affected gameplay imo.
 
Free to play and spending money in the same sentence, anyone else see something wrong here?
 
Free to play and spending money in the same sentence, anyone else see something wrong here?

Yes, all of us, but that hasn't stopped lots of people from buying into the idea of "free game which, for a fee, I can avoid playing"

Everyone who knows what's going on and yet still makes at least one paid microtransaction is personally contributing to this. All such people should be personally blamed for this crappy situation.
 
Anyone ever play Kingdomofloathing or Dota2? Both free to play, get little to no advantage from spending money and yet people are willing to spend to support the game. That vid hit the nail on the head.
 
I've bought DLC (extra missions etc) for Borderlands, but hate free games that charge for basic gameplay stuff. Never have bought, never will.
 
Valve pretty much has it perfected.

My copy of CS GO payed for itself a while back.
 
I think Path of Exile is another good example of F2P done right. The only real gameplay altering thing you need to be is more stash tabs. But if you're not a hoarder there really isn't a need for them. Beyond that they always have a sale going on. I think one time I bought a pack of 6 stash tabs because I'm a hoarder ;), and it only cost $4 compared to $10 IIRC. In this case I have no problem spending the money because I like what GGG is doing and I'm happy to support them.
 
Valve pretty much has it perfected.

My copy of CS GO payed for itself a while back.

Yup, though the "operation" packs are a little BS. I make money off each one after ~2-3 weeks, but they are literally charging people to play the same maps, over and over. It wouldn't be so bad if they highlighted new maps every time....
 
I think Path of Exile is another good example of F2P done right. The only real gameplay altering thing you need to be is more stash tabs. But if you're not a hoarder there really isn't a need for them. Beyond that they always have a sale going on. I think one time I bought a pack of 6 stash tabs because I'm a hoarder ;), and it only cost $4 compared to $10 IIRC. In this case I have no problem spending the money because I like what GGG is doing and I'm happy to support them.

I love PoE and I think GGG has done a great job with the game and microtransactions. I'm a hoarder as well, bought 2 sets of stash tabs and have been happy with that.

They have a really good model.
 
Never again will I pay $20 a month for internet access so I can pay $15 a month for a game.
 
Free to Play is just Pay to Enjoy. So it's misleading. Technically correct, but really itself a lie.. Just like "Right to Work".. Sounds great, but in reality it means you are really giving up your right to organize with others to fight against a more powerful, unreasonable employer.

More capitalist psychological garbage to ease people into being buttfucked while making them think they're getting a handjob.

At least a few games, though, like Rift, I've enjoyed because most of the paid stuff is cosmetic. One of the few F2P games I didn't feel like I'd have to dump my entire bank account into to make it playable. In fact it's the only one I've played so far that I didn't quit before hitting level 15.
 
Anyone ever play Kingdomofloathing or Dota2? Both free to play, get little to no advantage from spending money and yet people are willing to spend to support the game. That vid hit the nail on the head.

Dota 2 is my favorite f2p. No advantage to paying. I am a sucker for a cool costume however :)
 
IMO the MOBA games are doing F2P right. Mostly cosmetic upgrades to make your character or account look cool, but without providing a significant penalty against non-paying customers.

Then there's the seasonal availability of certain heroes. You could either learn to play a variety of heroes as a free player, but if you really like someone you can buy him and he'll always be in your lineup. The player is never forced to spend, but they feel good about having done so.
 
A for efforT

BFP4F, where spending a ton of money makes even the skilless players achieve massive K/D ratios lol


Business standpoint its GENIUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS.

Most companies who release a popular franchise F2P concept are raking in more then say regular console based games.
 
Dota 2 is my favorite f2p. No advantage to paying. I am a sucker for a cool costume however :)

Exactly my point. Good game for free but you're willing to pay for little ingame items that give zero advantage. Valve struck oil by hiring Icefrog.
 
I would much rather pay a single fee ($~50) to unlock everything, if it is a good game.

I bought team fortress two upfront. It was a good enough game.

Candy crush is a fucking scam. I have two move left, i can use this special thing to clear all the blue, i only need to clear this one purple. The only way i cant win is if i accidentally use the special thing to not clear blue. The only way for that to happen, is if me popping this purple causes red green green to fall into column a and then purple purple green blue falls into column b, and then red purple purple yellow falls into column c and a red to fall into column d. And fuck that exact thing happens, scam, uninstall.
 
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