The Secret World

[Grygor]

Well, while I am relieved that EA isn't publishing it, the fact that they're charging an upfront 50-60 USD plus a monthly subscription fee is still a barrier for me, as I'm sure many others.

I keep seeing people complain about this, but what I want to know is: when was the last time a subscription-based MMO didn't require people to pay full retail price for the game in addition to the subscription fee, at least while the game was still fairly new?

 

[Syzygy23]

Well, while I am relieved that EA isn't publishing it, the fact that they're charging an upfront 50-60 USD plus a monthly subscription fee is still a barrier for me, as I'm sure many others.

I keep seeing people complain about this, but what I want to know is: when was the last time a subscription-based MMO didn't require people to pay full retail price for the game in addition to the subscription fee, at least while the game was still fairly new?

As a counterpoint, I don't play ANY subscription based MMO's any more. Too many F2P MMO's that let me get what I want without a ridiculous cover charge.

They're basically asking us to pay 60 bucks for the privilege of continuing to pay them a sum total of Infinity Dollars (Until we get bored and move on that is)

 

[Khazoth]

It's a fun, interesting game with an interesting system for all of a couple days. But after the initial "Shiny" wore off I was left with an empty experience that made me bored, also funcom still wins the prize for buggiest launch.

 

[Syzygy23]

Actually, yes, I've played pre-access and I've gotten a lifetime subscription. The setting and atmosphere are amazing and the missions are usually sculpted into amazing ice sculptures while most other MMO's just churn out ice cubes. Seriously, watch every cut-scene. You won't regret it.

The combat system is also very in depth when you look into it. On the outside, it looks like just normal button mashing with a bit of active dodging. However, the real gem of the system is found in creating many different synergies between two weapons and 14 out of over 500 abilities.

It is definitely not for everyone, it targets a niche crowd. However, that is because it IS different than most MMO's.
It doesn't hold your hand very much, however, and that could be seen as a good thing or a bad thing. Personally, I had no trouble at all playing the game. But that is because I had already done my research and knew how to play.

Also, EA is only handling the physical distribution of the game. They have absolutely no control in the development process of the games past, present, or future.

For the cash shop? You'd be surprised at how well Funcom has managed to keep it strictly cosmetic with no affect on the gameplay. You cannot buy items or money and you cannot sell, disassemble, or trade anything you do buy. You may not like the fact that there even is a cash shop to begin with, neither do I, but I find the game to have made up for itself and more just because it is so different.

The launch has been the smoothest MMO launches I've ever experienced and so far I've not regretted my decision to get lifetime membership one bit!

is it pve orientated or pvp?

This is my question too.

 

[Vault101]

I hate MMO's....why do cool sunding games ahve to be MMO's?

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well there will always be a few loyalists for even the most awful games.
But if you add up EA at the helm, full priced release, subscription, real money shops, and the game is poorly put together... I give this game about 3 months before it goes full F2P, and even then I don't see it surviving.

 

[Gennadios]

I played the betas.

The game has a damn good story and oozes personality.

The gameplay is straightup ToR. Ultimately I didn't feel the draw to drop $60 on the game in the same month I pre-ordered GW2. GW2 actually had alot to do with me not buying it. I spent most of my playtime butthurt about kill steals and bitter at having to wait for quest bosses to respawn.

I give the game maybe 6 months before they announce F2P. I'd highly recommend playing it then.

 

[Frostbite3789]

Anyone manage to experience it yet?

I haven't, mainly because I can see the little EA plastered on the lower right of the ideas all over this site right now. I don't think it's irrational at this point to fear buying anything with the EA brand logo on it. I'll either end up with a skeleton of a game that requires sixty USD of DLC to feel complete again, or there'll be a bunch of draconian DRM 'features' that immediately make the gaming experience more in line with playing football with an abusive, alcoholic stepfather with boundary issues.

Also, how long do you guys give it until it goes F2P?

Boy, forgive me if I missed the point but this seems an awful lot like a 'I hate EA thread' disguised as something else. Like we haven't had a ton of those lately.

 

[Maeshone]

Well there will always be a few loyalists for even the most awful games.
But if you add up EA at the helm, full priced release, subscription, real money shops, and the game is poorly put together... I give this game about 3 months before it goes full F2P, and even then I don't see it surviving.

People shouldn't talk when they have no clue what they're speaking of. EA is only handling physical distribution, they have NOTHING to do with the game at all. Full priced release and subscription, it's an MMO, why wouldn't it have a fullprice release and subscription? Real money shop is only cosmetic, and noone cared when WoW did that so why shouldn't TSW be able to? And poorly put together? Please, it's obvious you haven't even tried it. It's by far the most stable launch I've seen in an MMO, I've encountered a single bugged quest in my playtime so far...

 

[Filiecs]

is it pve orientated or pvp?

This is my question too.

PvE oriented. Definitely.
It delivers too, Ragnar Tornquists's writing is amazing.
I've never played Dreamfall, but this game sure makes me want to.

Edit: Also, I don't understand why people say "I give it X amount of time before it goes F2P" or "I'll play it when it goes F2P." When someone says that they're speaking as if their expectation of a game is the only type of game that will be successful. They are making an unfounded judgements based off little more then their own personal experience. They don't even have statistics that to back up their claims! (Even if they did, statistics are primarily intended for communication, and are often wrong in making judgements.)

Frankly, saying that it's somehow a fact that the developers won't stick to their vision is rather insulting and narcissistic. How do you have any more idea about what the future of the game holds than anyone else?

 

[ReinWeisserRitter]

EA's with Ubisoft on my list of companies not to buy anything from until they change the way they do business, so that's kind of a bummer; my other half would have been intrigued by this, and I wouldn't have minded playing it with them to see how it was.

 

[PaoloSanscho]

is it pve orientated or pvp?

This is my question too.

PvE oriented. Definitely.
It delivers too, Ragnar Tornquists's writing is amazing.
I've never played Dreamfall, but this game sure makes me want to.

Edit: Also, I don't understand why people say "I give it X amount of time before it goes F2P" or "I'll play it when it goes F2P." When someone says that they're speaking as if their expectation of a game is the only type of game that will be successful. http://www.mcgame.com/store/game/10420105-the-secret-world They are making an unfounded judgements based off little more then their own personal experience. They don't even have statistics that to back up their claims! (Even if they did, statistics are primarily intended for communication, and are often wrong in making judgements.)

Frankly, saying that it's somehow a fact that the developers won't stick to their vision is rather insulting and narcissistic. How do you have any more idea about what the future of the game holds than anyone else?

hmm sounds interessting. thx

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Haven't as yet, though I did accidentally manage to buy and activate a lifetime account. o.o

 

[Maeshone]

Haven't as yet, though I did accidentally manage to buy and activate a lifetime account. o.o

Wish I had the money to buy a lifetime account... But alas, I'm saving up for a new computer to enjoy the game in maxed out graphics

When I'm done with that though, lifetime will save me money since I plan on staying here a loooong time ;D

 

[Syzygy23]

is it pve orientated or pvp?

This is my question too.

PvE oriented. Definitely.
It delivers too, Ragnar Tornquists's writing is amazing.
I've never played Dreamfall, but this game sure makes me want to.

Edit: Also, I don't understand why people say "I give it X amount of time before it goes F2P" or "I'll play it when it goes F2P." When someone says that they're speaking as if their expectation of a game is the only type of game that will be successful. They are making an unfounded judgements based off little more then their own personal experience. They don't even have statistics that to back up their claims! (Even if they did, statistics are primarily intended for communication, and are often wrong in making judgements.)

Frankly, saying that it's somehow a fact that the developers won't stick to their vision is rather insulting and narcissistic. How do you have any more idea about what the future of the game holds than anyone else?

I haven't played a P2P game since... 2008 I believe, which is when I graduated and decided to quit WoW. None of my friends have touched a P2P game since they graduated either.

They just aren't worth it compared to a lot of F2P games out there, like DC Universe Online, Tribes Ascend, every single MOBA (If you can stand the toxic communities) etc.

And, considering the current trend of games that start out P2P and inevitably end up F2P a few months to a year down the line.

I mean, just look at The Old Republic. Ouch.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Wish I had the money to buy a lifetime account... But alas, I'm saving up for a new computer to enjoy the game in maxed out graphics

When I'm done with that though, lifetime will save me money since I plan on staying here a loooong time ;D

What spec are you looking at for your new machine? What kinda graphics card are you thinking of? I'm doing the same thing, waiting till September though to build mine. That's when the Nvidia GTX685 will hopefully be available. Also, the next generation of Intel CPU (Haswell) will be next March. Quite frustrating that Ivy Bridge (the tick) took aaaaaages and within a year it'll be superseded by a newer architecture (the tock). I was waiting patiently for the last 2 years for geforce 6 series and ivy bridge, and now I still have to wait. :-\

I'm guessing though that the game is probably not gonna be cutting edge GFX to remain as broadly accessible as possible? Does it use DX10? 11? How is the performance generally if/when there's lots going on on screen? Does it judder/lag for you?

 

[Maeshone]

What spec are you looking at for your new machine? What kinda graphics card are you thinking of? I'm doing the same thing, waiting till September though to build mine. That's when the Nvidia GTX685 will hopefully be available. Also, the next generation of Intel CPU (Haswell) will be next March. Quite frustrating that Ivy Bridge (the tick) took aaaaaages and within a year it'll be superseded by a newer architecture (the tock). I was waiting patiently for the last 2 years for geforce 6 series and ivy bridge, and now I still have to wait. :-\

I'm guessing though that the game is probably not gonna be cutting edge GFX to remain as broadly accessible as possible? Does it use DX10? 11? How is the performance generally if/when there's lots going on on screen? Does it judder/lag for you?

Honestly, I'm kinda clueless when it comes to computer parts, I have a friend that does that for me. I've told him he's gonna have to teach me though, so I can do it myself eventually

As for the game, I run it on a middle-of-the-road to lower-end machine currently, and on the lowest settings I haven't had any stutters or lags other than when the game crashes, which does not happen very often (happened twice for me, once the first time starting it and once when I was zoning) and I've tanked the first two dungeons without issues, and they can get a bit clustered with effects at times. It also runs on DX11.

 

[Filiecs]

I haven't played a P2P game since... 2008 I believe, which is when I graduated and decided to quit WoW. None of my friends have touched a P2P game since they graduated either.

They just aren't worth it compared to a lot of F2P games out there, like DC Universe Online, Tribes Ascend, every single MOBA (If you can stand the toxic communities) etc.

And, considering the current trend of games that start out P2P and inevitably end up F2P a few months to a year down the line.

I mean, just look at The Old Republic. Ouch.

I see your point, but if you look at the facts it took Funcom almost 4 years for Anarchy online to become Freemium (Still have to pay for access to expansions) and 3 years for AoC to have the same business model.
If you're going to look at trends, it doesn't seem like this game will be going F2P anytime soon.
Personally, I prefer P2P games myself. It's just a feeling, but to me P2P games just feel more complete. You know what the game holds and you know exactly what you are getting for your money. Without the pressure to buy additions.

Then again, I bought a liftetime subscription so it's essentially just like a very expensive GW2. (Even though it's to PvE as GW2 is to PvP)