Free to Play vs Pay to Play Ideas

[Eldaena]

I already drew attention to the fact your ideas were organized and not another "do this just cuz" thread. I love that you have a want for the game to do well. I understand, I am just stating my opinion in return, which happens to be total opposite of yours. I have my opinions of F2P games because for me... that is literally how they all were... I am not stereotyping... I just hate them because they wasted my time and money and pissed me off because I couldn't keep up. People would call me a bad player just because I didn't have certain items or level as fast as they did because of their one time use +20% exp increase from the cash shop and/or their Fashion items that gave them extra stats or exp+ as well. I want to escape the real world in an mmo.... not be constantly reminded how bad it is right now because I don't have money for things I like in a digital world where the in game money should be what you are paying for things with.

After playing about 10 F2P (examples being Perfect world, DnD online, and megaten a while back), I realized that on PW alone I had to spend 70 a month just to keep up with my guild in leveling. I couldn't get any clothes for fun because.... I had to spend money on stuff I needed to level. In megaten everything I wanted was cash shop items, those items had stars and everything was better on them by such a huge amount it was sad and each one cost anywhere from 5-10 bucks for ONE piece of gear in game. This of course ruined the economy of the game when people ran short on game money, bought a really good cash shop item, and sold it for millions. The person buying however has to do things 10x slower and go make all that money back because he wasn't able to afford it in the stupid shop. So people with money irl are rich in game and just raise prices on everything because you can't get it any other way. I really don't want FFXIV turning into one of these games.
I honestly cannot believe I wasted that much money on those games, when it wasn't ever enough to keep up anyway. I promised myself I would never play one again when a guild I tried to join wanted my rl monthy income and how much I was able to spend on the game as part of the application to get in due to the fact they wanted everyone to level faster, and have better access to things then the people who weren't spending money on the cash shop..... No... just no. This isn't meant for a game like FFXIV....

No you do not HAVE to buy the items.... but if you can't then why bother playing... because everyone else that can is better then you and they make sure you know it. I like crafting too, that doesn't mean I can afford to get the items to help me from the cash shop and I sit there watching someone else with a cash shop buff get ahead of me that started 10 lvls below me. That's always how it was for me and my group. I quit all those games for a good reason, that being it.
Your ideas aren't terrible and I agree that for some people it would be ok.... but I would rather pay a subscription right now to get the game going then deal with a cash shop.... it's totally discouraging to me. They might as well sell crafting bots in the cash shop imo...

I'll stop attacking your thread with walls of text... I apologize if it seemed like I was trying to troll. Nothing against you at all, I just get really bad experiences from F2P games, and I want to see FFXIV be better then that... and not sink that low. I want to be able to invite people to FFXIV and be proud of it and it's skill based community.

I am hoping they can pull this off and make the game worth paying for by PS3 release. I have to believe that lol.

I've only ever played three Free to Play games in the past and never did the cash shop force me to play in any way. Nor do I let elitist players dictate my play either.

Maplestory I played just to try, and spent a little money for vanity only. Perfect World I tried because I was bored and only spent $10 for vanity, but ended up disliking the game. The last one I played was Vindictus which I haven't really spent money on, and only did the free offers they have for NX to purchase from their cash shop. It's an extremely fun game for me and I just play with people I like.

I don't feel like I have to keep up with anyone in any game because why would I put that sort of stress on myself? It's a game. I worry that some of your bad experiences with these kinds of games are in part your own doing for making yourself believe you are less than someone else for not spending money, when you should be thinking you're going to get there too and without spending anything lol.

You bother playing because you enjoy what you're doing, not how much you're spending. If you're not enjoying it; don't play it. And definitely don't pay for it. Even if a cash shop for ffxiv would be strictly inventory and vanity stuff, I think it would be an excellent addition, if only now during this period of free play.

[Captaindownsyndrome]

lol technically it is free to play now.

you know damn well what i meant the f2p model

[Eldaena]

you know damn well what i meant the f2p model

Not all free to play 'models' are the same, just like not all pay to play 'models' are the same either. Even if things were the same as they are now with a cash shop that allowed you to purchase vanity or inventory space items, would it really effect your gameplay?

[Jynx]

FFXIV Free to play: I'm not a user anymore when that happens.

[kukurumei]

F2P does have advantages where competition is extremely tone down, though pocketbooks might not be all that great if you're striving for l33t-ism.

It's unfair but it also make it fair in a twisted way because top teir is consider "I don't want to be like that" teir.

A good f2p game will have enough balance to keep the free-loaders moving, and not stuck on some glass ceiling. Such as RMT-ingame trading, where you can pay in game money for cash shop money, thus farming = freeloader no farming=pay

It's a hard thing to do though, and that's why in such a competitive climate of f2p, SE may actually be doomed faster then p2p.

Never think f2p game developers have it easy. They're just as pressured to produce results as well...just in a completely different line of thinking.

[Eldaena]

FFXIV Free to play: I'm not a user anymore when that happens.

It would be more helpful to voice reasons why rather than to just say you won't take part.

[Naylia]

Why I can't I just give SE my $13 a month. I don't want to have to think about if every little transaction is worth real cash. I don't want real world money tainting the game.

[Eldaena]

Why I can't I just give SE my $13 a month. I don't want to have to think about if every little transaction is worth real cash. I don't want real world money tainting the game.

I didn't think my suggestions would taint the game. Also, if you are worried about 'if you feel small transactions are worth your money', why are you thinking that the game is worth paying a monthly charge?

[Kam]

It would be more helpful to voice reasons why rather than to just say you won't take part.

Because people prefer your "option #1".

F2P FFXIV would mean the future for the game is essentially dead.

People want to pay for a good and lively game, with ongoing development.

Something we are told FFXIV is heading towards.

Did I spell it out for you?

[Krausus]

you forgot the biggest con of FTP and thats no obligation to release content on a constant basis. when you play P2P games you are not just paying for access to the game you are paying for ever expanding content in a timely manner

PS: This subject has been beaten to death.