Please revamp the F2P Model.

[Mysticblood]

Drop the $10/month sub (if you purchased a year), bring in more players, make more than $10/month in return per account from item store.

F2P model fixed.

[marlasca]

The e-mail about new Conan game brought me back to the forum for tonight...

I'm slightly hopeful of FC's reevaluation of the membership system... this game should never have gone f2p with all its horrible limitations. It should have adopted a B2P scheme just like TSW. I paid for the RotGS and Turan expansions, but since going f2p, they were shut off for even access of the open world zones. And gold limit, dungeon + raid limit, I've seldom seen such a poor f2p model implemented.

So while I doubt the evaluation brings about b2p option for previous subbers having gone f2p, I hope it lifts some of the game/enjoyment-killing restrictions the f2p model brought.

[Usedtissue]

Id LOVE for them to decrease the character transfer prices in general or decrease it for paid people. $20 per character is a joke.

[serow081]

Looking forward to a working f2p or a b2p model!
This current model is frankly, terrible.

[Kurt2013]

Drop the $10/month sub (if you purchased a year), bring in more players, make more than $10/month in return per account from item store.

F2P model fixed.

They can keep their beloved sub model, but should offer something similar from the shop. Current prices to buy access passes are too high, the passes are charbound and not reliable or convenient...
Same goes for the artificial "sub=good, f2p=bad" restrictions. In a working model, you could "buy off" some of them with the shop (even permanently!), others need to be removed completely or get remodeled.
Whoever made the price balance in the shop needs to rethink too...

[Zoldan-Caine]

I hope it lifts some of the game/enjoyment-killing restrictions the f2p model brought.

I hope it doesn't. As I am paying subscriber what exactly do you think you should be entitled to as a non-paying player versus anyone willing to pony up money each month?

[Zoldan-Caine]

Drop the $10/month sub (if you purchased a year), Bring In More players, MAKE MORE than $10/month in return per account from item store.

F2P model fixed.

Where do you people come up with this stuff?? Do you seriously believe that the people willingly taking something for free are prepared to, and wanting to pay more in the item store EVERY MONTH than the monthly subscription price was in the first place???

It's nonsense, nobody that wants or expects anything or everything for free is willing to "pay" more per month in fees of any sort than the person already paying the monthly subscription fee. Balderdash. Poppycock. Crom laughs at your fuzzy math.

[Kurt2013]

Where do you people come up with this stuff?? Do you seriously believe that the people willingly taking something for free are prepared to, and wanting to pay more in the item store EVERY MONTH than the monthly subscription price was in the first place???

It's nonsense, nobody that wants or expects anything or everything for free is willing to "pay" more per month in fees of any sort than the person already paying the monthly subscription fee. Balderdash. Poppycock. Crom laughs at your fuzzy math.

Yes, that is how markets work sometimes. People tend to give more for example, if the gift is voluntarily and not forced as well. It is not an universal rule though. Just look how fanboys buy everything they can for some games. The point is to offer choices to the customers for maximum profit. If your revenue is not enough, you CAN lower the price for more revenue, this is how economics work, depending on market (here kaynes, smith and even friedman should agree).

Short example to simply prove you wrong: I would never sub again, but i would buy certain things from the item shop. This is imo far from "expecting things for free". Also, depending on shop model, players might be willing to pay more for a similar outcome than a sub, simply because THEY choose and customize what they can or can not do in the game and they do not pay up front as with a sub. There is a limit to this as well and you have to be carefull to not get too greedy as company in such a system too (look at microtransaction discussion). There is a reason many games put out a demo, trial or even a full game for free: it gets you hooked, invested and then players tend to identify more and in return are willing to pay for additional content.

[marlasca]

I hope it doesn't. As I am paying subscriber what exactly do you think you should be entitled to as a non-paying player versus anyone willing to pony up money each month?

I feel AoC has long outlived the subscription model and it shouldn't be P2P at all. It should have converted to B2P. Paying a monthly fee, like I did for 3.5 years back in 2009/2010, the game had reasonable updates, but afaik the development pace isn't exactly what I'd call great service to the subscribers of this game. People are hoping more development money will come AoC's way from Funcom releasing 2-3 Conan titles; I highly doubt it.
Seriously not trying to sound scorned or negative about the game, I love the game, but back when I quit paying subs the game had been left dead wrt content updates and the management of it was not far from atrocious. If it's better now, I'm glad, but I remain 100% certain this game should have gone B2P long ago and thrived under it like TSW.

[redpooo]

You guys realize that the microtransactions model only works when you have a large user base... The idea is to get a lot of users by offering to play the game for free, and you'll get good returns since, say 5% of the users ever buy something from the cash-shop.

AoC is in no position to switch to this kind of model for 2 reasons :
1. Existing player base is small
2. Game is already f2p, but does not attract many new players (imo due to the lack of promotion of the game, but that's another story)

Also, I personally think the current f2p model is pretty good. You can play all classes, on all playfields (and dungeons) and levels up to 80. There's already a lot of fun to be had ! The only gripes I have are the chat restrictions and gold limitation (pointless nuisance).