Danny "Ralsu" Gourley sifts through several free-to-play games each month to identify the best of the best for Ten Ton Hammer readers. F2P gaming had been gaining a foothold gradually, and Ralsu has been waiting for the truly great game that would bring credibility to all of F2P gaming. This week, Ralsu discusses why he thinks the time is right for a developer to bring in a huge F2P hit:
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The change that has been coming slowly is closer than ever now; F2P gaming has almost arrived in the Western hemisphere. The intersection of quality F2P games and market conditions is ripe for a new way of delivering and supporting games.
Read "The Time is Now" to find out which game Ralsu thinks could change everything.
In general, I agree with your premise. I think close to, if not at a tipping point where F2P games and RMT revenue models are going to explode in the West.
On a side note, have you tried Cartoon Network's Fusion Fall? They haven't fully announced their pricing model, but it will be subscription based with some f2p content (how much remains to be seen) a la Wizard101. I've played it with my kids this weekend and, while none of us (with age 9, 12. 18 and 38) were wowed by it, I think it shows promise.
Very nice top ten list Ralsu, it really help me to find of what mmo I'm going to play for months to come. Although I would prefer Atlantica online be on top then Runes of Magic. Because some of my friends are tired of traditional mmo even though its pack with great features and everything but Atlantica imo has more originality in terms of going to mmo with turn base style of combat.
I have a question with Mabinogi and Dream of Mirror online, both are cartoony with unique gameplay to offer. Haven't tried them but will do when I got plenty of time. Now, which is good to try first and which has more potential than the other? Because DOMO doesn't have a review yet.
It seems that time is our investment in Free to Play market ^_^
I agree that we're getting much closer to a more widespread acceptance of RMT as a business model, but I think it's going to need to clear one more hurdle before it crosses the finish line and is declared a winner in western markets. Basically, the concept needs a face-lift in how it's presented to players to help drop a lot of the negative associations it's had up to this point.
Look at the Live Marketplace for the 360. DLC (downloadable content) is widely accepted and is extremely popular. At it's core, the bulk of it isn't any different than item-mall purchases available for some free-to-play MMOGs. New outfits or item skins are huge sellers on consoles, and I still see the reason for that being found in how the business model is presented to the end user. And all of that is notably on top of a full retail game purchase.
As a side note, I also think it's interesting that, in general, gamers don't seem to take issue with the item mall available in Guild Wars. Mind you, nothing offered alters the balance of gameplay, but oddly enough the game has been very successful both as a FTP game as well as with it's not-so-in-your-face approach to integrating it's item mall into the log-in screen.
All of that said, I'm right there with you in thinking RoM is a solid gaming experience in it's own rights - it simply happens to have a business model that accounts for cosmetic game enhancements. It also has a House Fairy, which makes my list of Best MMOG Features Ever.
One of these days I'll have to track you down in-game.
In the meantime, I've been scampering around in Empire of Sports which is an oddly fun game so far. There's two sticking points with it currently though. First, the majority of the server is populated by people speaking French (it's been at least 15 years since my last French class, so I'm a tad rusty in that department ), and then it does break the "golden rule" of integrating RMT - in other words you can buy currency that allows you exclusive access to character/item statistic-enhancing items. In a competitive game that's a big no no.
I would like to thank you for giving Runes of Magic some attention. I never heard of it, and I tried it yesterday for the first time.
I gotta say I really love all the options they've put in the game. I had to force myself to log at 01:00 am (damn work!). That is a good sign.
I like the player housing (I've spent more then an hour on it), the dual class system (well I wanted to hit 10 to see it in action.., I have a priest / ranger now). It was kinda awesome to shoot with a bow and heal my team mates haha! Another thing: I had a mount at lvl1? HAHA. I know I want to buy one now soon ;-).
So onto higher levels now, the gathering / crafting stuff is a bit overwhelming at the moment but the official forums are a good resource so far.
So again, thanks for pointing me (and 3 friends!) to this game. We love it so far. I can't wait to get home (leaving in 50 minutes YAY) and get some more done in that world.
On a side note, have you tried Cartoon Network's Fusion Fall?
Yeah, I played around with it a night or two. It looks like another game with big potential to bring families together.
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Originally Posted by Chippen
With respect to the Top Ten List, I miss the snippets of Ralsu's opinions about each game.
Our whole family, well those old enough to use a PC anyway, are playing Wizard 101. What a great game and at a very reasonable price too.
I appreciate that you miss the snippets. We are trying to get first impression pieces and reviews in place for all of them that we can, but see my comments in the next post.
I agree that Wizarrd101 is a great bargain. The family pricing makes it a no-brainer. And even my 6 year old can play it.
I have a question with Mabinogi and Dream of Mirror online, both are cartoony with unique gameplay to offer. Haven't tried them but will do when I got plenty of time. Now, which is good to try first and which has more potential than the other? Because DOMO doesn't have a review yet..
I have to recommend Mabinogi over DOMO because of the battle strategies in Mabinogi (different stances and special moves). Plus Mabinogi has a ton of stuff to do outside of combat, which is great for when you log in for a half hour.
DOMO does not have a review from me because it is considered a Ten Ton Hamster game. I do not infringe on the Hamster's territory. My unofficial review is that it is a 3/5 Hammers game. The dual class system is nice, and the story deviates greatly from the Western mythology we always see in games. It's definitely fun, but I find it to be a little heavy on the grind.
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Originally Posted by Sardu
Basically, the concept needs a face-lift in how it's presented to players to help drop a lot of the negative associations it's had up to this point.
Look at the Live Marketplace for the 360. DLC (downloadable content) is widely accepted and is extremely popular. At it's core, the bulk of it isn't any different than item-mall purchases available for some free-to-play MMOGs. New outfits or item skins are huge sellers on consoles, and I still see the reason for that being found in how the business model is presented to the end user. And all of that is notably on top of a full retail game purchase.
Excellent point. Cookie and rep for you. Are you on Govinda server in RoM?
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Originally Posted by knurft32
I would like to thank you for giving Runes of Magic some attention. I never heard of it, and I tried it yesterday for the first time.
I gotta say I really love all the options they've put in the game. I had to force myself to log at 01:00 am (damn work!). That is a good sign.
Hey, you're very welcome. Have fun with your friends. The first few runs through the instances to kill some elite bosses will give you that thrill all over again!
Any scoop on the next games that you are trying? I remember you said that you were playing Crounos a month or so ago. You also said you were trying secret of the solstice and Sword of the new world.
Top Ten Free-to-Play Games - The Time is Now
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