Zat Earthshatter
Ghosts Of Ourselves
362
   |
Posted - 2013.09.16 11:37:00 -
[1] - Quote
Introduction:
Although other games are the #1 topic of the Locker Room, I felt that there wasn't any go-to source to describe these games to those that haven't played before. For the sake of brevity, this thread will only focus on Free-to-Play (F2P) games other than DUST 514, as just about anyone who is on these forums can download and play these.
My F2P experience is mostly limited to Steam games, with a couple exceptions
Other posts:
As I will never claim to have knowledge of every F2P game out there, I thoroughly encourage the rest of you to write of your experience with whatever Free-to-Play title you wish. Just avoid doom-and-gloom posts, that's all I really ask.
Anyway, let's begin:
Team Fortress 2
>Availability: PC(Steam)
>Dev: Valve
>Concept: A first-person-shooter (FPS) with a variety of class choices, wild weapons, and a cargo-shipload of hats.
>F2P model: Any item can be given randomly as you play, with a limited crafting system to upgrade with. a $5 single-time paywall opens premium features and full crafting, and every item in the game is purchasable with real money. Overall, you don't feel restricted until you get a lockbox or run out of inventory.
>Lockbox system: yes.
>P2W: no, every weapon is available to all, and many have unique drawbacks.
World of Tanks
>Availability: PC(website only), Xbox 360 coming soon.
>Dev: Wargaming
>Concept: Session-based tank battles with a selection ranging from the late '30s to the early '50s.
>F2P model: Certain equipment and consumable options require gold, as do Premium Tanks. The infamous Gold Ammo can be bought with in-game credits instead of money, but can wreck your profits. Premium option grants customization and a credit/XP boost. Gold also buys extra garage and crew slots.
>Lockbox system: no.
>P2W: unlikely, not enough experience to tell.
War Thunder
>Availability: PC(website and Steam), will be a PS4 launch title.
>Dev: Gaijin Games
>Concept: Air combat from pre-WWII to Korea, tank and ship combat is planned in the future.
>F2P model: Similar to World of Tanks, except no Gold Ammo and crew training isn't as restrictive. Hangar slots are per-nation, and each nation's first 1 or 2 (can't remember) slots are bought with credits instead of gold.
>Lockbox system: no.
>P2W: prone to flavor-of-the-month tactics, but otherwise no.
PlanetSide 2
>Availability: PC(website and Steam), PS4 version in development.
>Dev: Sony Online Entertainment (SOE)
>Concept: massive sci-fi FPS combat between three factions
>F2P model: Almost all weapons and equipment are either bought with "certs" earned over time, or instantly with gold. Gold is also used to purchase customization options and gold-plated vanity weapons.
>Lockbox system: no.
>P2W: Cert earning is painfully slow (on the order of weeks for a 1k-cert weapon). Basically, it's a fair advantage, but the jury's out on whether gold earns them unfairly fast
Star Trek Online
>Availability: PC(Steam, website unknown)
>Dev: current - Perfect World Entertainment. original - Cryptic
>Concept: Star Trek-themed MMORPG with tactical ship combat.
>F2P model: STO is often praised for its extremely good F2P model, and this mostly revolves around how gold is earned. Gold can be player-exchanged with Dilithium, a resource that can be acquired through daily quests. As a result, everything "premium" can be acquired without spending a single cent.
>Lockbox system: yes.
>P2W: no.
RuneScape NOTE: I only have knowledge of the Java-based RS2, not the HTML-based version.
>Availability: PC (website only)
>Dev: Jagex
>Concept: point-and-click style MMORPG. For quite a few, RS2 was their first MMO
>F2P model: Free players got limited bankslots and no access to 80% of the game. There was still quite a bit an F2P player can do, but most of the good stuff was behind a monthly paywall. Premium status was cheaper per month than most other games, however - about $6-$7 a month or so.
>Lockbox system: no.
>P2W: no, all premium-only items are unusable on free-to-play servers.
DC Universe Online
>Availability: PC (website/Steam), PS3, PS4 version in development
>Dev: SOE
>Concept: action-styled MMORPG set within the universe of DC comics.
>F2P model: There are three statuses. Free are basically squeezed like a grape in a wine press, with a low credit limit, only 2 character slots, and very limited item bank. Preferred status is earned by spending at least $5, and loosens the restrictions a bit. Premium removes restrictions for $15 a month, lets you play every DLC, and allows you to form a guild.
>Lockbox system: yes
>P2W: not in PvP. As far as getting the most out of the game, though...
Star Wars: The Old Republic
>Availability: PC (website)
>Dev: EA, BioWare (might be maintained by SOE, clarification please?)
>Concept: take the world BioWare created in their Old Republic series, and turn it into a WoW-style MMORPG
>F2P model: Very similar to DCUO above, except even more restrictive. Free is locked out of just about everything except leveling content, Preferred gets some freedom, and Premium gets everything
>Lockbox system: not sure.
>P2W: unknown.
Tribes: Ascend
>Availability: PC (website/Steam)
>Dev: Hi-Rez Studios
>Concept: arena-style FPS with "skiing" mechanic for causing carnage at breakneck speeds.
>F2P model: Buy with XP or gold, it's that simple.
>Lockbox system: no
>P2W: no, XP requirements don't take too long to earn, and every weapon can be bought with XP.
That's all I can think of, so for now it's up to you to find the games I couldn't. |
Zat Earthshatter
Ghosts Of Ourselves
364
|
Posted - 2013.09.26 04:46:00 -
[2] - Quote
Otavio Martins wrote:>I don't know...
Forgot to explain the lockbox system, but it's like so:
Lockboxes are a common-level loot drop, and can contain any of a wide variety of loot that's often unobtainable by other means.
Keys to get said loot are only sold in the real-money store, and require a small amount of gold.
Some games allow Premium accounts - those that pay per month - to unlock boxes without a key.
Many games don't allow the lockboxes to stack, so attempting to hoard them leads to a full bank and inventory very quickly. TF2 is particularly troublesome in this regard.
And lastly, this system requires having an inventory to work, so games like PS2, WoT and WT are unable to support such a system.
In short, it's a method of locking a percentage of loot drops behind a paywall. |