Here`s why i think free to play is not so good for a game.

And here it is well explained why some decided to never go free to play and the game is more evolved now.

http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/fin...-explains-why-they-aren-t-doing-free-1441566/

I agree with what he says and ffxiv will always have my support and other pay to play mmos but dcuo is starting to lose me because they can`t do the job with how dcuo is made.
I wish dcuo could go pay to play. Then the game could get better. DBG are struggling.

P.S. Maybe the devs don`t like we talk about other games but it is just about people see how it is. It might be deleted but the issues will always be there.

Thank you.

It wasnpqy to play then the pan got hacked and went down for a few months and dc turned into this weird Frankenstein pay to play free to play monstrosity it is today.

The title has been a rollercoaster ride for years.
At times the game was all but unplayable, huge population losses, mass staff layoffs, company was sold, the lost goes on and on.

I dont think F2P is a bad thing. Take Warframe which currently holds the spot for the #1 MMO on consoles in 2016.

FFXIV success is due to it being P2P and being on both PC and console. Something DCUO had the potential to be at launch but sadly fell short.

F2P is the only reason DCUO is surviving, and sadly perhaps TC is that reason now.

Free to Play isn't the magical problem that'll fix everything if solved. Unfortunately it's a multi-layered problem with various aspects, some of which are unknown to us.

what attracted me to the game was finding out it went F2P, but besides that F2P allows players to experience the game before throwing any sort of money in the game, though it isn't completely F2P, the key word is "FREE" and trust me many people on planet Earth love that word and see it as an opportunity to gain something, so from a business standpoint it was the right direction to take to attract a larger player base.

What attracted me to dcuo is the DC universe, not the free to play. I don`t trust f2p games.

DCUO isn't actually free to play. That's the difference. It's a hybrid model that can't successfully use the best elements of either system, only a handful of such, and several of them can't help but contradict the other. I'd prefer if the game went fully F2P and utilized a market system in which players that do spend can spread the profit to players that don't or can't spend real cash. Using the Warframe example, again, the 'platinum' currency can be bought and shared between any player, with a significantly larger pool of goods that can be traded between players in exchange for platinum.

SOE/DBG does not have experience with that model. They did not want to risk the attempt during the Smedley era. Even the plans for H1Z1's model shifted around because of those same issues.

This late in DCUO's lifespan, it's unclear if that's something they'd be willing to risk adapting to the game, or if the game is in such a state that it's completely out of the question. The recent push toward RNG gambles points to the latter being the case.

I already threw a lot of money in this fireplace so I don't know exactly what to say. I am sure about 1 thing and that is, I would never play it if it had a monthly fee as the only option. I'd rather either buy it or buy the dlcs. I can play whenever I want and if I decide to quit right now and only come back in 10 years (assuming it wouldn't be dead by then) then I could and I would not be losing anything. The money is already burned ^^

Let's say I hate this game (it sure isn't one of my favorites *cough*) but I paid for 2 months yesterday. What would I do now ? Whine about it or quit and cry ? Probably both but hey, I don't have to choose Owning DLC rules (Buying the game itself would be ever better but it's not a choice anymore *cries*)


*Whines about lack of privileges from premium players*
(Honest whine right there)

I agree with that P2P games are way better than F2P. For p2p you are paying so in return you expect a quality game right? But If DCUO will gone to p2p now it will die instantly. This game has no quality anymore. Well I am sorry to say this but let us talk of things by name and let's stop lying to yourself. We have 2017 and today's DCUO has 2036 total bugs, of which 1,285 are simply closed and only 330 resolved. Development of the game is very slow, Combat System is restricted, Pvp is broken and totaly unfun, no more new legends and pvp dlc's. All i see it's just Pve>$>Pve>$. This game simply fights for survival ATM.

That's not exactly a crowded market.

I agree with the OP. Games like SWTOR, WildStar and DCUO and how they handle their hybrid business models have sealed the deal for me. I will never again become seriously invested in any f2p or hybrid games ever. I prefer 100% sub-based games like FFXIV and WoW that give you access to everything in exchange for your fee. Unfortunately, unless you have a huge subscriber base willing to pay every month, revenue models like DCUO's and SWTOR's that rely on gambling boxes and/or cash grabs will always be more lucrative.

Besides Tera and Warframe, there arent any truly free F2P MMOs to my knowledge (not counting games like Dota2, Path of Exile etc). I've played both, Warframe for a few months and Tera for 2 years now and I've never seen any problems from their F2P business model, in fact I think its great for them since they dont have the playerbase like WoW and FFIV and F2P keeps them going. I guess one could argue that GW2 is F2P, but it still bars you from content and to unlock it you need to do a one time purchase and there is no subscription, unlike Tera and Warframe that have all content unlocked without having to spend a single dime.

With that said, F2P is good if done right. There are many bad F2P models that cast a negative light on those that do it right, hence why some of you think F2P is bad and puts you off of trying other games just because they have a F2P model. IMO F2P isnt the problem, its the P2W aspect of it, which sadly creeps in even on B2P games nowadays.

Okay I would like some one to give me a definite definition of exactly what you think Free to Play is? Because it seems to vary with the individual. Now I have played some on line F2P strategy games that, in my opinion, fit the definition of what F2P is.

The game costs nothing at all to join and with some doesn't even require any sort of download (but that's not relevant to be honest download or not has nothing to do with spending money). Okay once in the game everyone has the exact same access to the exact same resources (basically *will cover this a bit more later). Then you start to build your city, army or whatever. Improving those assets requires "RESEARCH" or what ever they decide to call it. Now in the early game research takes almost no time at all and you continue to build and grow. Eventually you get to a point where improving a single asset can take HOURS .. even as long as a full day in some games.

This is where the company makes their profit because let's face facts here people there is no sweet kind generous BILLIONAIRE out there sticking a game on line just so the "masses" can have fun. One way or another every GAME is looking to make a profit. What occurs is you start getting the messages "If you'd like to finish this research NOW go to our on line store and purchase the jewels/gems/coins/ or whatever they decide to call them and use them to INSTANTLY complete your research. Now "technically" the game is still F2P because no one is forcing you to BUY those coins and as long as you are willing to do nothing for hours while the research slowly completes you can play without spending a penny. Some may actually do that but mostly the game turns a profit based on those more than willing to pull out a credit card and buy those magical coins so they can get stronger faster... SOUND familiar? Sort of the same thing we see with players using replays to run the same raid 3 or 4 times a day instead of once a week.. OR shelling out hundreds of real dollars to be able to open enough time capsules to have a full set of CR 164 armor in ONE day.

Now here is where what THIS game has and does differs from that format.... On those games, as I said, as long as you have NO qualms about doing absolutely nothing in game for 10, 12 or 24 hours you can just keep advancing and there is no point where the game simply won't allow you to proceed without spending cash. On DCUO other than open season which we are in the middle of right now... at some point that F2P player hits a brick wall. They are simply not allowed to proceed and continue to increase their CR and earn marks unless .. its open season OR they break down and either go premium and buy specific episodes OR go legendary and start to rent the game. Now I suppose the argument could be made that a player could simply sit on that now CR 100+ or whatever alt and do nothing but grab up some feats until the next Open Season but.. when will that occur? Sure we have had two now and in a relatively short time but do YOU know when the next one will occur AFTER January 31st? It could be 6 months or maybe NOT at all.

F2P in THIS game is nothing but a ploy to lure a player in, let them look around and decide they like the game and then.. hopefully they either sub up or start buying DLCs. Essentially its an elongated game preview. "Oh you are CR now? Well that's nice now if you'd LIKE to continue to play the game and earn rewards lets just pull out that credit card and get you all signed up.. SHALL WE? Please don't take this as me being upset or angry about it.. its a business ploy to get new customers. I started out f2P myself and happily played that way for a couple days before i decided i LIKED the game and subscribed. But for those of you that constantly insist this game is F2P.. I'm sorry but even with OPEN SEASON in full swing can you take your CR 170+ character and join in doing content from DLC 27? NO? then the game is NOT F2P and if you have absolutely no DLCs purchased once open season ens that CR 170+ alt won't even be able to grab marks unless one drops in am alternate reward box or on the few times a week your allowed to run the vault you grab one there. You basically now own a door stop

OH I almost forget my * from earlier. Real fast.. In some of those F2P games you will find a building or a sword or whatever that has special properties and will increase your strength or quicken the time it takes to grow crops or mine gold .. and those can ONLY be purchased with Gems/Coins/Etc. Now the game is STILL technically Free to Play because you can continue to progress with or without that "special" building so if you choice NO to buy it. You will progress slower BUT you will still progress. NOW.. equate that to armor drops we get here. If that Cr 170+ the F2P player has can never get inside DC 27 and earn ancient coins and run the duo, alert and raids.. can he EVER get any CR 165 armor? NO? Then he can't continue to advance can he?
What's that you say? He can always BUY time Capsules. Why yes he can and those do have the chance to get CR 164 armor but by definition he just BOUGHT something with real money in game and is NOW an premium not an F2P.

The folks at Cryptic got clever about this part. In STO, almost all improvements cost refined dilithium. You can farm as much unrefined dil as you like, but a character can only refine 8,000 a day, creating a bottleneck. Cryptic won't sell dil to you directly, but they have the dilithium exchange, where characters can trade dilithium and zen (the cash shop currency). So, people with money can buy dilithium, and people with time can get zen, and buy stuff from the cash shop.

That signature is freaking awesome! City of heroes was freaking awesome! I like how we could create beast and humans. DC Universe Online only allows people to create humans inspired by dc heroes which takes away the fun.

I am with Derio free to play is very bad and leads to players paying for more than a sub would. They say people spend $60 on TC well that is like 4 months of subbing for pay to play.

DCUO is one weird game. They do free to play but there is nothing cosmetic in the cash shop. DCUO has always rubbbed me the wrong way. We cant create what we want to create and there are no cosmetic items in the cash shop. What is this? I dont feel at home here and can never get very deep with this game. It is very different and lacking than Champions Online and City of heroes it is all wrong. The model is all wrong but keeps the game alive.

Thanks there was a thread a while back on getting some better dance moves in game and I went to U Tube to find something that would illustrate some of the moves we had access to on COH . When I found that it JUST had to become a part of my signature.

Now I'd like to clarify something Free to Play players are not that big of a problem. keeping in mind that a purchase of $5 is all that is required for ANY player to go from F2P to Premium so basically anyone that is F2P hasn't spent a dime on this game for ANYTHING. And whether we are talking Time Capsules, or Booster Packs, or replays or Total Recovery kit or anything else.. Legendary players don't get any of that FREE either so they are spending just as much to buy those things as the Premiums.

The problem is the management, not necessarily the dev team team because they can ONLY do what they are allowed to do, can not make up its mind on ONE direction for this game and just stick to it. Go back to around the time GU47 started and supposedly because players were complaining the multiple cash sets up the game was utilizing was confusing so we went to ONE type of mark and they installed the relevancy system to keep players from playing lower tier content and then buying higher tier armor with it.

now look at what we have as of today... Marks can be used to buy any type of gear from tier 1 to tier 8 (okay PART of Tier 8) and then suddenly in Tier 8 we now have "ancient coins" replacing marks as what we need to but gear. And of course while the anniversary event is running we have another vendor selling more gear and we need Qwardain coins to but THAT equipment. Now end of the month the anniversary event will be gone but here's a question at least I have been curious about since we started collecting "Ancient Coins" By the very name it seems like the new in game cash designed to be given while a player os doing AF3. Let's get real and look back one DLC... Is a rip in Time paying out "Ancient Coins?" No? Why not? 1) its a tieir 8 mission the same as the the Underground Trial and 2) it involves time travel and once again on the UT we find ourselves in ANCIENT Egypt back when Teth-Adam was still just a Price and not the super powered Black Adam we know today.

Now I have no clue exactly what the next DLC story line will be but Amazon Fury Three is supposedly the conclusion of that story line so its safe to assume it WILL be something different. So let's say we get another installment of the adventures of General Zod and crew as they escape the Phantom Zone and arrive on earth to cause havoc. Is that going to pay out ancient coins or will we be looking at a whole new type of in game cash? See what I mean? Next DLC will have a whole new set of gear revolving around the story line of that DLC and obviously at a higher CR than what we are buying now with out ancient coins so it will pretty much require a whole new type of cash system so heaven forbid we can't be running lower tier content and using the cash we earn to BUY higher tier armor! After GU47 drove away a pile of players and actually spawned the Time Capsules solution we now are living with to get more cash it seems like we are headed right back to multiple forms of cash in game to but armor at different tiers .. so exactly WHY did we change things to begin with again?????

In the original game, each tier (plus Lightning Strikes) had its own currency. The only way you could get tier 2 gear was running T2 content, regardless of your CR. This could be a return to form.

Which further emphasizes my point. That's the way it was back when the game started and then, because players were supposedly getting confused with all the different currency, suddenly we only had one. NOW we are headed back to the way the game was played when it stared? Then why tick a whole bunch of players off and watch a pile of them walk out the door never to return by changing stuff and then turn right around and change it all back? They need to make a decision and just STICK with it. Now I am not saying NEVER make any changes ever again when it becomes obvious they player base doesn't like something.. that is just committing financial suicide but get a LITTLE more data than 'Well so and so says the currency system is confusing.. let's change it!"

there is no F2P games on x1 and this game is not good at all lvling up is pointless when u keep dying to enemies 4 or 5 lvls below u, hardly any side missions and points shops that sell useless gear

1 reduce the price of legendary to a more affordable amount(i.e. 9.99)
2. Give a little more to legendary as in benefits
3. Premium players should get a little better attention
4. when the Development team ask for input they should listen
5. Do random events double points or extra loot or unlock elits from time to time

I don't know if it slipped your mind or what exactly...but members DO actually get "free" replay badges every month and along with that 500 Loyalty Points or Station Cash that can be used to get those other items that others have to pay for directly.