Massively's Dungeons and Dragons Unlimited launch day round-up
by Shawn Schuster 
Sep 9th 2009 at 1:00PM
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Massively's DDO Unlimited developer tour Love can sometimes be a fickle thing, but I'm pretty sure that I love what Turbine has done with the DDO Store in Dungeons and Dragons Online Unlimited. I'll admit that initially I was a little concerned with the concept of an in-game store, but after playing with it at bit and asking some questions my fears have pretty much melted away. |
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Massively Speaking Episode 57: DDO with Jerry Snook Massively Speaking Episode 57 returns this week with an entire episode dedicated to Dungeons and Dragons Online and their recent announcement about going free-to-play. Shawn is joined by DDOCast host Jerry Snook as they discuss the ins and outs, good and bad of a 3-year-old game going F2P. |
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The pros and cons of free to play Dungeons and Dragons Online Dungeons and Dragons Online going free to play is undoubtedly an awesome announcement. But exactly how awesome of an announcement is it? Yesterday we were all over the announcement, covering the basics of what can be expected with this changeover from subscription based to free to play. But now, I'd like to break that down even further, and really look at the changes in an in-depth manner. |
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DDO goes F2P: An interview with Turbine As the news hit yesterday concerning Dungeons and Dragons Online going free-to-play, many MMO gamers collectively rejoiced, while others didn't. The idea of this hybrid business model is wonderful for those who have yet to experience DDO, as it now gives them a chance to play the game as long as they'd like, with no level cap restrictions for absolutely no cost. This means no credit card info changing hands, no commitments to a monthly fee and the implied need to "get your money's worth" and no real need to quit the game if you can't afford it. But it can't be that easy, can it? Well, there's a slight catch. |
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Four days with Dungeons & Dragons Online I just spent my first night with Dungeons and Dragons Online since it first launched in 2006, and came away from the experience pleasantly surprised. The trial client download was snappy, at around 45 minutes. The graphics have definitely seen an upgrade and overall my initial experience has been one of enjoyment. I was expecting to be left a little wanting and instead ended tonight's session quite begrudgingly. Why? I needed to write this first entry. And oh yeah, I also required some food, too. |
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Our complete Dungeons and Dragons Online coverage Need more than guides and editorials on DDO's new F2P model? Check out our complete coverage of the game, including the latest news and experiences from the staff. |
Filed under: News items, Features
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mike Sep 9th 2009 1:08PM
DDO Online web site is currently down.
snowleopard233 Sep 9th 2009 1:39PM
Are we going to see even more posts like this in the future? I’m willing to deal with the occasional tie in to Massively on Tuesdays but I’m not going to be too thrilled if I keep seeing postings for other mmo’s on the site I got to for wow news.
Barinthos Sep 9th 2009 2:02PM
Then don't read them. No one is forcing you to click on the link or read through the articles posted therein.
Alchemistmerlin Sep 9th 2009 2:18PM
I really want to understand the twisted logic behind this. Why are you, seemingly, so offendeded by the existance and reporting on of other MMOs?
Barinthos Sep 9th 2009 2:55PM
Exactly. If all Wow.com did was post on all things WoW it would only fill so much of the blog. Plus posting articles on other MMOs and other happenings within the MMO world it provides variety to the site, and shows that WoW isn't the ONLY thing on these guys' minds.
snowleopard233 Sep 9th 2009 3:45PM
I’m just a reader who’s saying that he comes here to read WoW news and that I don’t need. It’s like picking up NFL magazine and seeing an unrelated article about baseball in it. Sure, they’re not rival pastimes and they’re both sports. My eyes won’t be burned out a la Raiders of the Lost Ark and it won’t be the end of the world, but it just feels inappropriate and out of place, taking away from the cohesion and idea of the magazine rather than adding any worthwhile variety.
Anyway, Shawn allowed comments about how we felt about the article and I’m just stating my opinion. The sanctity of wow.com and world of warcraft will not be ruined by such articles, but as a frequent reader I’m going to offer feedback if I don't like something.
peagle Sep 9th 2009 1:40PM
Having quickly read the background on this "free" game, I'm not sure I fancy this model. Essentially free-to-play accounts are limited from max gold to chat privileges, while the store offers real-cash-for-upgrades (though points can be earned in-game too). Nonetheless, even given I am a fan of the cosmetic wow-tcg items, I don't like the idea of a whole game elevated to mirror real-world wealth.
Volaro Sep 9th 2009 1:49PM
Sounds like Maplestory, but worse
rawk1977 Sep 9th 2009 2:00PM
Hi, free to play means just that, it's free for basic access.
Now, outside the WOW bubble, this topic is over, long thrashed out on the blogs and podcasts of 2007/8.
So, dont pay if you dont want to, and if you want to subscribe, you can do that too, allowing you to play all content, no limits, and you get a sum to spend in the store in addition, effectively making it the same as the traditional model , but with benefits.
peagle Sep 9th 2009 2:19PM
Thanks for letting us know that the discussion has already been held, and no one can possibly add any more to it until the universe explodes. I'll make a note.
theRaptor Sep 9th 2009 2:25PM
Meh once you leave college you realise that cash-for-advantage isn't that horrible. As so much of the "content" in MMO's is just repetitive grinding I can understand why time poor people want to skip it.
DDO does it right because pretty much everything can also be earned through play. It isn't like one of the really horrible Asian MMO's where people drop a few thousand to be mighty gods striding upon the battlefield. I think someone counted up everything in the store and it was something like $200-$400 IIRC. Not pennies, but not totally crazy prices.
The only other model that doesn't screw over the non-20 something crowd is the EvE model where skills train real time whether you are logged in or not. But that means there is also no "max level". My old character had a year and a half of training, and probably wouldn't get into many serious PVP guilds these days (I think the six year anniversary would have passed by now).
When I get sick of levelling my alt rogue I will probably check DDO out. Looks okay but none of the previews have blown me away (though the combat system sounds more interesting than WoW's).
theRaptor Sep 9th 2009 2:25PM
meant to be a reply to peagle
Dart Sep 9th 2009 2:56PM
"Meh once you leave college you realise that cash-for-advantage isn't that horrible."
Yes, the same logic is used for gold buyers.
"If I work an 8 hour shift of work, I'll be able to afford more gold than if I spent that 8 hours farming."
Might as well just add a gold shop ingame.
theRaptor Sep 9th 2009 3:15PM
I have no problem with gold buying as long as it is allowed by the developers. EvE:Online allows indirect "Gold" Buying (you buy GTC and turn them into an ingame currency which can be sold on the "auction house"). It hasn't exploded in a fiery cataclysm. Of course EvE has a functional economy unlike the pseudo one of WoW.
Really gold grinding is the most pathetic excuse for content in the history of MMO's. It is why Blizz introduced daily quests. I remember grinding for days to earn 50G in vanilla. Now with dailies you can earn a couple of hundred for an hours work. If you wanted to raid seriously in vanilla you had to either not have a job or buy gold, repairs and full consumables was expensive.
At the moment most MMO's have a big sign on the door that says "If you can't drop 20 hours a week into this GTFO!". The rise in Asian style MMO's is directly caused by the aging gamer base IMO (the college kids that started playing wow five years ago now have mortgages and kids).
The Claw Sep 9th 2009 5:29PM
theRaptor, I left college 15 years ago and I think cash-for-advantage is the worst development in the history of the genre.
theRaptor Sep 9th 2009 8:09PM
Why? How does it affect you if some guy plays for 80 hours per week, or buys 80 hours per week worth of stuff?
Lots of time = "unfair" advantage. Lots of money = "unfair" advantage.
And lets not pretend WoW doesn't already sell levelling enhancement.
lininjim.wood Sep 9th 2009 2:52PM
More Winblows-only stuff.
theRaptor Sep 9th 2009 2:57PM
Yep makes sense to blow a nice wad of cash for 5% of the market.
SaintStryfe Sep 9th 2009 3:22PM
Blizz did and they're market leader. Of the top 10 MMO's, 4 have Mac components, and 3 of the top 5 do (WoW, Eve and soon, WHO). To me, a Mac version signifies a commitment to wanting to grow your business. I can understand maybe not wanting it at launch, but once your game is settled, having a Cider translation of the game is not insanely difficult and will grow your audience by a 10-15% (real mac install base, not just sales numbers) who are technically inclined, willing to spend money for a premium product, and are generally enthusiastic customers.
theRaptor Sep 9th 2009 3:37PM
EvE didn't have a Mac client for most of its life, and the 10%-15% is exaggerated because Mac only customers are a minority of Mac owners.
Devs run the numbers and unless they chose an easy to port architecture or are Mac fanboys they don't normally bother.