Should FFXIV go permanently F2P ?

[Atoli]

Fortunately for SE, FFXIV will get a second chance once the PS3 version of the game get released. I would just hate to see it populated by primarily console-owners.

As you said, it's a second chance (only a big gaming company like SE even gets the chance to do that, other MMOs would be dead) with the PS3, and I think if lots of console owners join and have fun and the new reviews which will certainly be done when it gets released on the PS3, word will spread that Final Fantasy XIV was changed in many ways and is a great game now (well, IF it becomes one).
Sure, they really hurt themselves with the first release, and bad reputation is hard to get rid of, but I think SE has people who gain their money just thinking of strategies on how to make people want to play the game.
Changing it into a F2P game is certainly not the right way.
Even though the games you named gained new players when going F2P, it's because their player numbers were already plummeting, and I think that's certainly not the kind of image FFXIV should show to the world when it's trying to get released for the second time.

Last I heard Maple Story had like 300 million players.
I think thats really impressive for a F2Pgame. An old school side-scrolling one at that. ^.^

You got the order wrong.
The only reason it's popular is exactly BECAUSE it is F2P and simple, not DESPITE that.
Do you really think people would play it if it required more than momentarily immersion (maybe yes) and if you actually had to pay monthly fees (most certainly not, even if it improved the game)?
Btw, I don't know where you heard about 300 million, but that number is obviously wrong.
Just this year (2011) the publisher released the number of accounts, globally there are about 8 million.
Although the number of accounts doesn't even mean a thing, because that also includes people who never played the game again after trying it for one minute.

But that's not the kind of game SE is trying to make.
FFXIV is an extremely different concept and while you CAN compare it with SOME korean MMORPGs, you can't compare it with Maple Story.
Games always had certain demographics they were aimed at, people with certain interests, and MS and FFXIV are very different in that aspect.

[Mythe]

I am against F2P. As someone said before I have played both and P2P games are always better for some reason. Cash shops make it so the rich can profit off the poor etc etc. People are going to leave when the game changes from F2P to P2P anyway weather they say "the game is broken or not" most of them just can afford it. I plan to keep on going no matter what and most of the people I know believe the same. I'd hate to see people go but that is their choice.

[Darrkness]

....I'd hate to see people go but that is their choice.

most of the people that would go would mostly be kids who can't pay for it or can't get there parents to pay for it in which case means less lag and not so much crowding in the more populated servers. and keep the more serious players because they are paying hard earned money in a video game. Which when it dose go P2P I aint goin no where anytime soon. I also agree with the donation feature.

[MariyaShidou]

Cash shop is never cheap, whoever thinks so probably have never really played F2P game seriously. I spent at least $50 a month on F2P games just trying to be a wee bit competitive, and I know a lot of people who spent like$200-$300 a month. Don't let their prices fool you, you need a lot of spending to get anywhere and sometimes the price don't even try to fool you, like $100 for a mount.

[Darrkness]

...the price don't even try to fool you, like $100 for a mount.

now that would suck big time

[MariyaShidou]

now that would suck big time

Which became outdated after half a year when another more costly mount appear with more speed.

Lulz.

[Darrkness]

at least WoW was smart enough to not charge real money for mounts... just large amounts of gold to learn how to ride one then large amounts of gold to buy one

[BiggsWedge]

Think about it this way: if the game is F2P then you can forget about online help or assistance from a GM. The game MUST be PTP so we can get quality content and timely assistance. The shareholders would back out before you could say boo and the game would be dead before you know what happened.

[BillyBobBaggyBottom]

F2P? Absolutely, as long as square would not follow the typical model other f2p games.
Here's an idea:

"Micro expansions"
Small quest packs with a different story line each with about 10 to 20 quests/instances.
Unique item rewards at the end of the quest chain (so you still have to work for your meal)

Rather then having a system where you get items from a store, have a system where you get content.
People who pay a monthly fee get VIP passes and can access all game content vs people who pay individually for each quest pack.

[Atoli]

I also heard about that and think micro transactions are the future of MMORPGs, but I'm not so sure if I want FFXIV to try it..maybe one day, when it stabilized and found it's place on the market.
For now, it may not be so bad to stay with a more classic model.

Still hoping for a donate button, btw