Rift: Free To Play Model Coming Soon

So it's been announced recently that Rift will be coming onto the free to play format, much like almost all other MMOs after a certain amount of time (exceptions including Eve and WoW).

This needs to be a very careful undertaking however as we have seen the free to play model crash and burn for games in the past. Yes, there's no subscription, but how is it best to implement factors into the game so the developer can still earn money?

A personal no no for me is buying quest packs, we saw this in LOTRO and I don't think it works too well. Ultimately this kind of DLC means you can't progress without investing (much like paying to be able to go into different parts of the world, or to be able to level up).

I hope Rift does adopt a winning scheme (Guild Wars 2 is testament that it can be done, but I guess that was made from the ground up as a non-subscription game, that could make a difference).

Going free to play can either make or break a game. I guess we'll find out (I'm sure it'll be fine!)

Entropia Universe..

This is one of those games I have recently come across which both intrigues but also completely puts me off.

The prospect is good and the mechanics of the game are much the same as many other games. A similar game I find is Eve Online whereby this also has an active, user fuelled economy. This game however, takes the user created economy to the next level. The currency can be exchanged into USD, this therefore means that every item, every piece of land, vehicle or accessory has a real world value to it. This has resulted in a lucky few people being able to make a living from this single game and good for them (although this would not be easy as first thought, and would also involve taking significant risks/investment, unless they happen to get lucky).

The main reason this puts me off is, although I may pay a monthly subscription for a game, this is done automatically and is not something I give a second thought over. If I were to want to invest and buy items in a game to help me progress, where each item i buy would be considered as a real purchase, this for some reason gives the whole transaction a different feel. I can see this mechanic causing people to also get too involved and plunder much more money than they would of ever done in a standard MMO.

The only other thing to mention is that the game has some of the best visuals in an MMO to date, just be sure to get yourself a powerful enough rig to make the most out of it. Personally, I'll stick to playing the standard stuff, but for anybody than ventures into this game, good luck.

Moving Between MMOs

MMOs are by far, my favourite genre of game, however with the abundance of different ones out there, how do you choose just one (or two).

I have played various MMOs but have never been able to stick to one in particular. The pure choice itself can be overwhelming and because there are so many, each one fights for our attention and picks at your curiosity with a new mechanic, or interesting new take (although most just work off the same general idea anyway). I have played many MMOs, including the below and many more:

- WoW
- Rift
- Allods Online
- Darkfall
- Secret World
- Guild Wars 1 and 2
- LOTRO
- Star Trek Online
- SWTOR

No one has managed to grab my attention to the fullest, and it will only be a matter of time until I move on to the next big thing. I'm a sucker for a good, or sometimes appalling MMO. Is it just me or does anybody else dart around them?

Free To Play vs Subscriptions

We may be at a turning point, not only in the MMO genre, but with gaming overall. Whether it be with the majority of MMOs now turning towards a free to play model, rather than the regular financial support of a subscription, or with the same model being adopted now into the casual gaming market (such as FarmVille and the many other apps out there).

So what is best, is the future bright when it comes to a free to play model? The only game that appears to of avoided this is WoW (yes it may be free to play up until level 20 but that isn't any good for anybody), and it is still going strong.

Surely we still get the same content updates and user support across both platforms, as of course, ultimately the company is still getting their money, whether this be through advertising, in game purchases or subscription fees.

- Guild Wars 2 vs WoW
- LOTRO vs Rift

Personally, nothing will beat the subscription as there just seems to be more effort put in. What I don't agree with however is games which ask for a subscription fee but then still prompt you for in game purchases.. for shame..