Dungeons & Dragons Online Going Free-to-Play - UPDATED

[sirdanrhodes]

Wow, a game that isn't out in the EU, but it is to America, that doesn't sound familiar at all...

*Cough BULLSHIT* *Cough* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghostbusters:_The_Video_Game

 

[ravensshade]

so it's only for north America now? typical.. most stuff get there..
and they didn't use one of the popular settings? that's kinda stupid

 

[Dogstile]

DAMN! i wanted to give it a go

 

[irrelevantnugget]

Read the update. Fuck you, Codemasters.

 

[Falien]

UPDATE: Codemasters [http://www.codemasters.com], which operates Dungeons & Dragons Online in Europe, has clarified that the free-to-play model will only be available in North America. "For the time being, DDO Europe will not be assuming this new business model and the European DDO game service will remain a monthly subscription-based game with all new content created available to all subscribers, as has been the model up until now," Codemasters said in a statement.

"As the beta progresses we will release more information regarding the future plans for EU players," the company said.

Gee... thanks, Codemasters. How about doubling the European subscriptions while you're at it?

 

[Kuala BangoDango]

Heh, maybe sometime in the future, if this style ends up working for Turbine, they can make a new game based on an actually popular AD&D setting, like a Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance setting.

The best adventures I've ever had, both PnP and CPRG, were basic, low-level stuff. Honestly, give me a level one starting character in an old-time AD&D environment and a level seven cap and I'll be happy as hell. I've recently been replaying Eye of the Beholder 2 (works great with Dosbox) and it's a goddamn brilliant game, just an outstanding D&D experience. (Harder than hell, too.) Epic levels and exotic worlds are nice, I suppose, but there's something pure and, as much as I hate to use this term, authentic about roaming the countryside with a level two fighter.

I agree.

I think that's one of the things that drove off a lot of players at the beginning when the game first came out was not just the exotic, unfamiliar setting, but that everything was limited to the city. It was a big city with many instances and quests, but from what I read there was no "outside" to the game. It was city, more city, and city again and people...especially roleplayers...tend to grow weary of that.

 

[ehawk]

Man, the warforged would be the reason I would want to play. The immunities, and be able to swim around underwater all day without a care in the world....lol

I tried the trial, and at that time, you could start out warforged...drow was the only thing you had to advance to in order to unlock.

I guess I am a "hard core" D&D'er....I really like Eberron...not in small part because of the warforged, hehe....

 

[Quanefel]

Your welcome Malygris.

For what?

There's an awful lot of complaining here over something that's free. You want the "whole game" free? Turbine says free game content will be plentiful at lower levels and then become sparser as you move through the game, so why not try it out and see what happens? I really don't see how this is anything but a win for MMOG fans.

There is a reason Turbine is saying F2P players will get content that is sparser at higher level, it's because they have not put much high level content in the game for a long time. The number of low to mid level quests vs high level content is grossly uneven. That is why we vet players have been complaining for well over a year about not having anything to do.

We wait all this time for promises of content that never came and now we get to wait even longer? All with the promises of..."Soon". Soon that never was.

A win for MMOG fans? Sure but not really for the loyal players who have stuck it out for 3+ years, we just go kicked in the teeth for our loyalty.

 

[Andy Chalk]

What's "high level" in your estimation?

It's probably just the old-school AD&Der in me, a bias I'm quite happy to admit to, but I can't help but feel that really high-level content should be relatively rare in the game. Any meathead with a sword or a Magic Missile spell can go spelunking through his local sewers for kicks; genuine high-level action should be far more rare and difficult to come across. That said, it should also be absolutely epic; you embark upon a quest and you're balls-deep in that shit for a month. I'm sure DDO doesn't work that way and that my happy little fantasy just further reflects the gulf between my wishes for MMOGs and the reality of what they actually offer but getting back to the original point, it no doubt sucks for long-time players but I'm not surprised that high-levelers have less to do.

 

[Guy32]

I'm not sure if this is a stupid question or not, but do you still have to buy the game? Not the subscrition, but the actual game disks for installation. If its free to download, I'm much more likely to give it a try.

 

[TechNoFear]

DDO going F2P is great news for new players. Turbine has spent the last year revamping the low level content.

This revamp has been at the expense of new high end content. Over 50% of players on DDO at any time are at the cap, yet Turbine releases much more low level content than high level content.

Not a problem unless you get attached to your character and do not want to wait over 12 months for something 'new' for them to do. (by 'new' I mean content I have not run over 20 times on each of my characters).

Turbine has been advertising Mod9 as 'coming soon' for over 6 months now and Mod9 is still 2-3 months away (end of summer).

It's probably just the old-school AD&Der in me, a bias I'm quite happy to admit to, but I can't help but feel that really high-level content should be relatively rare in the game.

You would expect that if Turbine releases an update with 4 new levels (Mod9), that there is enough new content to get you to the top level, without having to repeat the same very limited content over and over again, for a reduced reward each time (as XP is reduced based on number of repeats).

Mod9 was advertised as only having 4 new quests and 1 new raid. Massive player complaints appear to have increased that to 12 new quests.

DDO has had level 16 for well over 18 months but does not have any level 15 quests (well one, but that requires grinding 4 other quests for rare items just to get into.)

 

[Nurb]

call me old fashioned, but I prefer just paying a flat monthly fee and all players being equal rather than lots of microtransactions that end up being more expensive than the monthly fees just to be at a competing level with others. Geez, PVP would be emphasized just to encourage people to spend that dough.

 

[ehawk]

"I'm not sure if this is a stupid question or not, but do you still have to buy the game? Not the subscrition, but the actual game disks for installation. If its free to download, I'm much more likely to give it a try."

I think it should be a free download. When I tried the free trial offer, it was a free download.

 

[CyberAkuma]

Nice.
Europeans get fucked over again. What a surprise.

 

[Quanefel]

What's "high level" in your estimation?

It's probably just the old-school AD&Der in me, a bias I'm quite happy to admit to, but I can't help but feel that really high-level content should be relatively rare in the game. Any meathead with a sword or a Magic Missile spell can go spelunking through his local sewers for kicks; genuine high-level action should be far more rare and difficult to come across. That said, it should also be absolutely epic; you embark upon a quest and you're balls-deep in that shit for a month. I'm sure DDO doesn't work that way and that my happy little fantasy just further reflects the gulf between my wishes for MMOGs and the reality of what they actually offer but getting back to the original point, it no doubt sucks for long-time players but I'm not surprised that high-levelers have less to do.

Like I said, in DDO the amount of high level vs low to mid is uneven. Sure, to a new player that sounds fine until they reach high level soon enough and can sit there staring at the walls like us vets have been doing for months now. With no real hint it will change for us. You can only run the same quests or raids so many times before it gets boring, maybe someday that will change. I do not want DDO to fail, I love it dearly.

In the end it is their game to do as they wish but is not a good way to treat loyal customers, some who have been there since day one. And winning them March Madness before all this does not leave one with a good feeling.

 

[Babidi]

Well, Its not that you will have to pay for everything, look, when you progress in game, you will get what they call "favor" with the houses and factions in Stormreach and you can trade this for Turbine points (=money). So if you run all quests you may be able to play the whole game for free!!!

 

[S.H.A.R.P.]

UPDATE: Codemasters [http://www.codemasters.com], which operates Dungeons & Dragons Online in Europe, has clarified that the free-to-play model will only be available in North America. "For the time being, DDO Europe will not be assuming this new business model and the European DDO game service will remain a monthly subscription-based game with all new content created available to all subscribers, as has been the model up until now," Codemasters said in a statement.

BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN!.....-*twelve minutes later*
-.....BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN!

*ahem*, sorry I just had to vent my disappointment somehow. I was actually looking forward to this, and this is just a really unfortunate move from them...

 

[Babidi]

UPDATE: Codemasters [http://www.codemasters.com], which operates Dungeons & Dragons Online in Europe, has clarified that the free-to-play model will only be available in North America. "For the time being, DDO Europe will not be assuming this new business model and the European DDO game service will remain a monthly subscription-based game with all new content created available to all subscribers, as has been the model up until now," Codemasters said in a statement.

BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN!.....-*twelve minutes later*
-.....BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN!

*ahem*, sorry I just had to vent my disappointment somehow. I was actually looking forward to this, and this is just a really unfortunate move from them...

Why not make a US account and play for free anyway?

Bab

 

[S.H.A.R.P.]

UPDATE: Codemasters [http://www.codemasters.com], which operates Dungeons & Dragons Online in Europe, has clarified that the free-to-play model will only be available in North America. "For the time being, DDO Europe will not be assuming this new business model and the European DDO game service will remain a monthly subscription-based game with all new content created available to all subscribers, as has been the model up until now," Codemasters said in a statement.

*snipped for possible overreaction*

Why not make a US account and play for free anyway?

Bab

Beg your pardon? Doesn't that.. You know, require one to live in the states? Don't you think they have some sort of IP cross-checks active to see people aren't cheating?