| d10tavern |
Turbines move from monthly to free-to-play. Killed the game for allot of long time player. It allowed new players coming in to the game a vary easy start if they had the money. Along with making it almost a requirement for casters of any kind to carry 100+ power pots. Then use them for every thing. So if you did not have allot of money there was a big difference in play styles. This is a good way to go for profits. A very bad way to go for even playing field for gamers. I rather pay a monthly fee.
I starting playing DDO on day one. I have see it go from a very good base. And then turn in to a game I don't feel like playing any more. The (Free-to-Play) model really killed the game for me.
The change significantly grew the player base and has made Turbine a lot of money. There was a bit of an adjustment with the old player base at first, but that all quickly smoothed out.
Further, I'm not sure where you're coming from with your commentary about power potions. My character uses lots of power, and I've very seldom used any power potions. You have to learn how to balance your power usage. Further, if you wanted more power potions, you don't need to buy them from the item shop... I don't know if you even can buy them from the item shop, I haven't checked... you just use in-game silver to buy them from a vendor. But I've never needed to even do that because you find so many on mobs in the game.
Further, since the Isengard update I believe all the power-centric classes now have ways to refill their own power using a skill.
The long and short of it is, you absolutely do *not* need to spend a single dime to be able to fully enjoy Lord of the Rings online. Heck, you even get awarded free Turbine Points just for playing. If you want to spend some money you can, and you get good value and good extras for your money.
So, the free-to-play model of Lord of the Rings online is win-win for everyone. The game gets more players, Turbine makes more money, and the players don't have to spend any money to fully enjoy the game, and if they want to, they get good value for that money.
I would by far prefer Paizo follows this model for Pathfinder Online. In fact, as much as I love Pathfinder, if they use a monthly fee model, or a model where the game is only free 'till a certain level, I won't be playing it.
Whereas if they use the afore-mentioned free-to-play model, not only will I be playing it, I'll even throw a couple bucks at it from time to time, which means they'd be making more money off me than they'd otherwise be making.