What is the reasoning of locking TLPs behind a paywall?

Discussion in 'Time Locked Progression Servers' started by Templeton, Feb 15, 2019.

  1. Templeton Augur

    Honest question, because I don't know and have never heard.

    Why not just make TLPs F2P? Especially struggling ones?

    What's the stated wisdom in keeping them sub exclusive?
  2. Darchon_Xegony Augur

    Because they want to make money? The current F2P model doesn’t have any level or AA restrictions until about the 10th expansion when you get enough AAs to exceed their cap.

    Make Fippy F2P and nothing really changes since no one plays there.

    Every other server though that is TLP, they would lose an enormous amount of money making them F2P.
    snailish and Draconum like this.
  3. Mepps Sr. Community Manager

    Server capacity is a factor, especially during launches, but also it helps us be able to commit resources to progression servers if the populations there are also contributing to those resources.
    Duladin, Pirlo, VandilIzer and 4 others like this.
  4. Draconum Elder

    Darchon pretty much hit it on the nose.

    Helps to keep the boat afloat with the revenue.

    Even if it is minimal effort spent, they still spent the time and energy in coming up with a gameplan and changes to gameplay from the 'live F2P' models.

    Don't know about you, but I don't work for funsies.
  5. Templeton Augur


    Yeah, but F2P is used because it actually makes more money than a straight sub. Mainly because they ultimately still sell a sub, but allow people to 'trial' the server and get invested in a community/ character and want to spend money in that cash shop.

    why do you think the industry embraced it so hard?
  6. Templeton Augur

    Aye, I get that at launch, that does make sense.

    But switching to a F2P model a month or two in for them seems to just make sense.
  7. a_librarian Augur

  8. HoodenShuklak Augur

    If they were ftp they would probably be more toxic. Given that they only have a Gm presence 1% or less of the time, this would be a bad move imo.

    Want bigger pops? Come up with better ideas than mangler and coirnav.
  9. Bolten_DA Augur

  10. Master Kahleem Augur


    Because F2P isn't a viable business strategy unless you get money out of it in the end.

    F2P is an "unknown" quantity unless you have a way to recoup your costs later down the line. This would be impossible for something that requires specifically assigned resources such as setting up a new TLP, supporting it for the first 6 months, etc.

    Also, F2P means open to everyone and that's a support nightmare. Especially when you have 5000 paying customers trying to log in at the same time. Having to compete with people who aren't providing support to the company, and blocking paying customers, is bad business.

    Maybe F2P TLP would work if F2P players were forced to share "x" number of F2P slots and were forced to use a Queue system.
  11. Ltldogg Augur

    I don't believe in F2P except for a 1 week trial perhaps. The Devs and support staff, servers, electricity, websites and everything else that goes into a product cost money and thus those who partake should pay. I wish the company would go back to a monthly sub model for everyone and then get rid of the cash shop and Kronos.
  12. Templeton Augur

    And why wouldn't TLP F2P make money in the end? Hell, I would think that most players that stay past a week would sub anyhow, but that initial barrier to entry is simply removed with the F2P 'trial'. This is the basis of all F2P thinking... it doesn't change because it's a TLP server.

    Dude, if setting up a TLP and F2P is still an unknown quantity for DBG after all this time, then something is wrong.

    It feels odd having to explain F2P here, considering the business model of EQ and how it saves a game/ server and brings long term benefits in terms of much increased revenue, so I won't :)
  13. Master Kahleem Augur

    F2P is ALWAYS an unknown quantity, because the very nature of F2P is hedging your bets that what you're restricting vs what you're offering for free will result in a net profit later after everything is paid for. This is the basis for F2P, and is one of the reasons why so many companies are in the red right now. Go look at EA and Activision's stocks right now.
  14. The Great Pink Ogre Elder

    So, F2P Everquest means you get ALL the older expansions FREE, you only have to pay for stuff from the store, or unlocking the new expansions items/AA.

    As a result, making Progression Servers F2P would mean they ONLY make money IF people buy stuff from the store.
  15. HoodenShuklak Augur

    It sounds weird, but look at the online gaming picture as a whole. F2P + micro transactions is absolutely everywhere. Get them lured in, addicted, then they'll pay.

    EQ is a relic of the old days. But even they couldn't stop RMT... the fact is that many people want to spend money on games to help progress.

    And let's face it, EQ could use more players. But really, f2p is not what's killing EQ. It's ivory tower decisions like releasing Coirnav during Agnarr in Luclin... thinking Mangler TLP was remotely a good idea... calling Selo a casual server. EQ needs new shotcallers to breathe life into it.
  16. Ceffener Augur

    The entire point of EQ F2P is to get you to level 60 and realize you have to buy a subscription to really do anything. Pretty much just a glorified trial. But on TLP that trial would last for months/years depending on server and your hoping you can sell them some bags/xp potions.
    snailish likes this.
  17. Templeton Augur

    In a xp/ loot drop boost



    The entire mmo space is suffering.

    F2P done right is still a winner. Ask Warframe.
  18. ForumBoss Augur

    The tlp servers also dont have the full range of daybreak store offerings initially, such as unlimited 40 slot bags or level IV xp pots. So revenue from the shop will be limited during those early eras.
  19. Templeton Augur


    opening up a wider range of cosmetic items is a fair trade off for the increased more sustainable pop. I agree that TLPs should be sub only for the first 2 months though, but after that it seems to make sense to open them to F2P to boost them.
  20. Ambee Elder

    Seriously? They would make far less money making these f2p. These things are usually overflowing with subbed players for the first couple months and the same when the first few expansions open.

    Now if you want to come up with some sort of f2p when the TLPs get to the point where they have little to no population, then it's not a bad idea.
    snailish likes this.