Should we restrict F2P to generate more subscription revenue?

This x 1000%

I was thinking about how a higher subscription price may actually be considered a sort of regressive tax.

Higher subscription prices would hurt the people who invest into EQ2 the most.

Higher subscription prices would also widen the gap between free riders (F2P) and backers (All Access). The problem would be compounded by the fact that All Access does not get major benefits other than access to Prestige gear, Broker, and Fast Travel.

I am thinking the right mix would be locking F2P out of Overseer and Game Update content (i.e. Castle Mischief, Kael, Diaku Corral). At the same time, Overseer and GU cotnent would be a more premium service (chance at Ergott mount). F2P would otherwise remain as it currently is. F2P could, in theory, go All Access for a month and enjoy the locked content (and keep their progress when they revert).

Except for the part where f2p players cannot learn/research the most advanced spells for their class. This is true even if the person was subscribed when they began researching a master level of a spell and the research only completed after going f2p.
It might not seem to be P2W in your mind, but the amount of time it takes to complete quests or kill boss mobs is entirely dependent on how advanced your spells are, and time is money to a lot of people.
Personally, I began playing when Freeport server first began as the only f2p server, and due to restrictions regarding shared bank at that time, I created two accounts just to trade gear I was crafting. It didn't take long for me to decide to become a subscriber on both those accounts, and would even buy station cash (DB coin now) when it was offered at discount prices. But when I finally bought a laptop in 2016, I thought I would switch to playing SWtOR, (which has the kind of f2p restrictions that require expensive unlocks), intending to save money (going from 2 sub'd accounts to 1). Didn't take long for my spending on that game to go out of control to the point where I had to quit playing all together, literally 2 hours after having purchased 5500 cartel coins without buying much of anything.
No. I am going to be honest, though I have two accounts that I happily subscribe to, I also have a couple f2p accounts that I use to pick up slack (my guildmates abandoned the game), so making it more expensive to maintain f2p accounts is only likely to cause me give up on online gaming all together. My income is fixed by the government, and it does not keep up with real life cost of living increases. So please, don't encourage making it more costly to play.

It is already this way. f2p's cannot play Overseer without purchasing BoL, and just like using mercenaries or tradeskill apprentices, if you haven't purchased BoL before the next expansion comes out, you will be forced the extra microtransaction to gain access to this feature. I learned this the hard way on one of my f2p accounts. I had wanted to give an alt a mercenary (extra from 2 pack), so I bought the ToT exp only to discover mercs were considered a "feature" and not "content".

I don't think I've seen a single solo/heroic player on Luclin without a membership. I might have to check others buffs more often but I think the benefits of double coins and 500 SC/10 free loot boxes is worth it to most.


There were a few things you couldn't use as a F2P player in older times like green adornments since they have the prestige tag on them. (( Only the free green adornments from the Luclin starting box have the prestige tag and the newly dropped ones are missing them)) and I recall other expansions having prime slots like weapons in previous expansions having the prestige/relic tag on them.

Nerfing F2P players options is a good way to get the people still playing the game to quit and losing players is a drain anyway you look at it because a paying player without their non paying friends to talk to in game is going to make them retire as well.

TBH I think the F2P restrictions are still a bit too unfriendly because it restricts making friends and groups which is the primary reason to play an MMO and stick to an MMORPG.

I hate when I am in a random communities discord and Everquest pops up and it always comes with a post like this.

And on f2p you can't shout. I know why, but if you want to warn someone, or ask if they need help, you can't. I realize I can send a /tell, but if there is bushes, trees, and mobs in the way, you can't see their name. Well, maybe a /who would work.

But '/shout Do you need help ?' is much faster. I'm not a fast typist.

Can you do /ooc ?

spoken in green text and heard by everyone in zone? it not work for f2p

Yeah, they have to limit F2P chat because it opens the dam of RMT (real money transaction) spammers.

I didn't even bother to read OP as I remember being a f2p member back when Freeport was the only server to allow it. It was terrible being a f2p member and they have since got a little better. Restricting it more will just mean less people wanting to try it out and deciding if they want the full package or being limited.

I say No, leave it how it is.

1. Can F2P equip BoL's red adorns (Empyral Runes)? If they can, maybe that would be an appropriate restriction (go prestige).

2. It's a quandary for sure. But EQ2's F2P is very generous in comparison to other games (i.e. EQ1, WoW). And I know F2P players can/do buy the latest expansion. However, I can see some restrictions (i.e. no access to Overseer, more prestige gear) as encouraging F2P players to "go to the next level" with subs.

If they restrict F2P, more people will consume Krono. This will increase Krono prices which is great for selling but bad for buying. lol.

That is extremely unlikely and makes little sense.

As one of the great Krono hoarders in the game, you have some interest....

It would follow the model of EQ1 where people consume Kronos to "get to the next level" of play. On EQ2, membership currently seems more like a convenience for casual or seasonal players.

Again, F2P on EQ2 is very generous. And, if you read my OP, they would be instituting restrictions by degrees (disabling some features, etc). WoW has a level 20 restriction. Yikes!

My thing is, people play as f2p for mainly, 2 reasons. One, they can't afford to pay to play or two they are trying the game out to see if they would like to get all of the features. Now, if we go with number 1, they won't be buying a krono since a sub is cheaper nor will they be willing to spend what they probably don't have on a krono for plat in game. A f2p member doesn't have nearly the uses in game for plat as a paying member does. Making the game less enjoyable for a f2p member will just lessen the chance of them eventually buying a sub for a game they no longer like. Right now, money is tight for a lot of people and trying to squeeze what you can out of people never works.

Comparing EQ1 and EQ2 will never be a good argument because everyone knows they are 2 different games. Everquest 2 has struggled for longer than f2p has been around.

Edit: As far as WoW went, I got to lvl 20 and uninstalled.

The biggest obstacle for me staying long term is the price of the subscription. I compare EQ2's subscription model with Netflix. I pay about $15 a month for Netflix and about $15 a month for EQ2. My entire family of 4 can watch Netflix at the same time in different locations on different IP address. I can not do the same with EQ2's subscription model. Sure this is not 1999 or 2004, but income has stagnated over these decades and price for bandwidth has drastically decreased. Subscription prices should be no more than $5-$7 a month in today's current internet climate. I played Diablo, then played Diablo 2, then moved to true MMO's. The first was EQ1, then to EQ2, then to WoW until Cataclysm, then I moved on to free to play games. The subscription model versus what other games are available are priced to high. If I'm paying about $15 a month for EQ2 then I expect to it to be similar to Netflix and have the ability to play 4 accounts or profiles at the same time. Like Disney+, Hulu, or ABC's All Access they are all around $7 a month and I can watch any one of those on multiple devices.

Or, a third explanation: EQ2 F2P is so generous (at least for casual and seasonal players) that they consciously choose to "save/keep" money for other entertainment or expenses irl. They can afford to pay but see opportunity costs.

This hurts the game in the long run.

The current system may not be at an optimal point as many raiders are complaining about P2W/Pay to Shortcut. It may be time to diversify the game's revenue stream (as opposed to T1 raiders and subscribers subsidizing it for everyone else).

I'm not sure... probably only /tell is available. /ooc might be, but I hardly ever use it.

Title of this thema seemed to me sounding somehow peculiar, especial.. Somehow.. at this time (when many people are sitting at home without work and money due to known circumstances)