fluffydelusions
Member
I've seen a bunch a threads about F2P games done right but let's talk about F2P games done wrong. Which game(s) are the worst offenders?
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F2P games done wrong?
- Thread starter fluffydelusions
- Start date
nhlducks35
Member
Dungeon Keeper
Quadraphonic
Member
The reason the opposite is discussed more is because virtually all F2P is done wrong.
TheNamelessOne
Member
Elder Scrolls: Online
I kid, I kid
Bedameister
Member
99,9% of them
For MMOs, The Old Republic might have the worst implementation. All sorts of petty restrictions like limited action bars, can't hide your head armor slot, subscriber-only quest rewards, etc. I mean, they give you a lot of content to play for free, but they do their best to make that content as annoying as possible to play through. I love the game but wouldn't touch it if I wasn't a subscriber.
GTA:Online
I know, I know. It comes with a $60 game, but It was marketed as "free with a purchase of GTA V". Also, R* treats it as a f2p title with how much you have to grind just to earn money, how ridiculously expensive the in game items are, and how you can buy in game money with your real money. One of the most disappointing major aspects of a game for me in a long time.
I know, I know. It comes with a $60 game, but It was marketed as "free with a purchase of GTA V". Also, R* treats it as a f2p title with how much you have to grind just to earn money, how ridiculously expensive the in game items are, and how you can buy in game money with your real money. One of the most disappointing major aspects of a game for me in a long time.
Alcoholikaust
Member
Fox Mulder
Member
All of them, by design.
the model f2p game is supposed to block you at every opportunity to squeeze money out of the dipshit white whales.
seeing what happened to pvz2 killed my enthusiasm for mobile games.
the model f2p game is supposed to block you at every opportunity to squeeze money out of the dipshit white whales.
seeing what happened to pvz2 killed my enthusiasm for mobile games.
What about Dota 2 and Path of Exile? The upcoming Unreal Tournament reboot?
Games where your money can't buy anything that affect multiplayer balance or the amount of time you need to invest.
GoldandBlue
Member
It's easier to talk about the ones that are good, since there's far too many that are bad.
Dungeon Keeper
I'd heard about Dungeon Keeper, but didn't know it was quite that bad.
This is disgusting.
1st Course
Member
Dungeon Keeper
Yeah has to be this. This is not even a game, just a shameful blatant cash grab.
Virtually everything on mobile.
When I play a game (even on mobile), I want to play it for as long as I want, not as long as the developer has deemed me worthy to play for. As such, I really, REALLY hate stamina bars. Nothing pisses me off more than being told 'you've reached your (paltry) daily play limit. Give us cash NOW or go away!'
In the PC and console world, this isn't too much of an issue, but in mobile, it's endemic. It's to the point where I'm honestly shocked when there isn't a stamina bar in a new game. Angry Bird Epic, for example - that game will actually let you play it for as long as you want in a single sitting! (Of course, it's guilty of many other F2P sins, but at least not that one.)
Other than the obvious stamina bar hatred, the only other thing I really hate is when a game is using obvious psychological tricks/manipulation to get you to spend. Here are two examples (both from Angry Birds Epic, the last F2P mobile game I played):
When I play a game (even on mobile), I want to play it for as long as I want, not as long as the developer has deemed me worthy to play for. As such, I really, REALLY hate stamina bars. Nothing pisses me off more than being told 'you've reached your (paltry) daily play limit. Give us cash NOW or go away!'
In the PC and console world, this isn't too much of an issue, but in mobile, it's endemic. It's to the point where I'm honestly shocked when there isn't a stamina bar in a new game. Angry Bird Epic, for example - that game will actually let you play it for as long as you want in a single sitting! (Of course, it's guilty of many other F2P sins, but at least not that one.)
Other than the obvious stamina bar hatred, the only other thing I really hate is when a game is using obvious psychological tricks/manipulation to get you to spend. Here are two examples (both from Angry Birds Epic, the last F2P mobile game I played):
- Offering a large discount on a desirable (and permanent) boost early in the game, but pricing it so that the cost is just slightly higher than the amount of real-money currency the game has given you up to that point in time. You only have to buy the smallest currency pack to afford the item at that point, but research has shown that once a person buys something once, they'll be far more likely to do it again.
- Demonstrating some of the skinner box and slot machine functionality by forcing their use (for free, with given real-money currency), and giving theoretical best results, leading to a false sense of value. In Angry Birds Epic, items can be crafted, and when an item is crafted, a die with values between 0 and 3 stars is rolled; the number of stars rolled determines the overall power of the gear. The first time they teach you about rerolling, they have you create a piece of gear that rolls 0 bonus stars. They then give you an item that allows you to reroll, and magically, the rerolled item will then get a 3-star bonus. Every time! Needless to say, when you actually end up having to buy those items with real money, you're not going to get 3-star rolls every time. This same 'get bad result, but spend and now we'll give you the best result' mechanic is also used to demonstrate the after battle wheel spin for items.
silvermember
Banned
It is easier to talk about the bad since it allows people that are already bias to inject their pointless views.
Just like there are good and bad p2p they are bad and good f2p. The difference is, b2p had a 30+ years headstart so a lot more people are more comfortable with it. Ironically, b2p are actually getting worst each passing years, while f2p are getting slightly better each year. As companies are still trying to figure out the limits of what they can get away with.
Just like there are good and bad p2p they are bad and good f2p. The difference is, b2p had a 30+ years headstart so a lot more people are more comfortable with it. Ironically, b2p are actually getting worst each passing years, while f2p are getting slightly better each year. As companies are still trying to figure out the limits of what they can get away with.
No, no, you don't get it. It's, like, early days of TV or film. This is ART. And you're shitting on it. You're disgusting.
/paulbarnett
The_Hitcher89
Member
'Who says money can't buy time?'
Worst thing I've ever read, and I read the last 2 Dark Tower books
Worst thing I've ever read, and I read the last 2 Dark Tower books
Impeccable
Member
It's continually disappointing that a vast majority of "hardcore" gamers will veto a whole category of viable and fun games simply due to reputation.
I love Brave Frontier to death.
EA did the same thing with Simpsons: Touch and Go.
Lots of meta jokes about paying money being dumb to soften the blow. See, you are IN on the joke. They aren't laughing at you, but with you.
Now open your wallet.
I can see what Dungeon Keeper was going for in that screenshot, it's kind of like the defunct F2P Diablo-like "Dungeon Runners" where they intentionally presented the subscription option as being a little sleazy in a bit of self-deprecating humor.
The problem with Dungeon Keeper is that the game actually was that greedy and disgusting.
The problem with Dungeon Keeper is that the game actually was that greedy and disgusting.
RGamer2009
Neo Member
Roller Coaster Tycoon 4 Mobile.
I don't own this personally, but I have seen footage and it is horrid what they did to the game. You pay up front AND in microtransactions?! Rollercoaster Loops cost the PREMIUM CURRENCY TO BUILD?!
Sadness. I can only pray the PC version will not suffer the same fate.
I don't own this personally, but I have seen footage and it is horrid what they did to the game. You pay up front AND in microtransactions?! Rollercoaster Loops cost the PREMIUM CURRENCY TO BUILD?!
Sadness. I can only pray the PC version will not suffer the same fate.
il Diavolo
Banned
Lol l love this screenshot. No shame.Dungeon Keeper
dave is ok
aztek is ok
Heroes of the Storm probably.
The last patch was not kind.
The last patch was not kind.
B-b-but that's where my credit card is!
And you think this gives you the right to wish death upon the developers and their families?
Such a shame too. Heroes should have the strongest lineup of well-known characters to play among the MOBAs, but the stuff like talent gating, artifacts and the overall pay-to-unlock model are just going to encourage people to pick a few and main as them.
This is baffling. It's the first time I've heard anybody talking about the game since the game became playable. And it's all terrible, and I'll probably never bother reading another article or post about the game so even if they realize how terrible an idea it is, they've lost potential customers because they seriously considered and implemented such a generally gross model.
1st Course
Member
No one said anything about the devs or their families. Not sure what you're trying to say.
I was channeling Paul Barnett there, sorry.
I mainly avoid f2p games because they try to squeeze way more money out of you than you would have ever paid if you would have bought the game outright.
Trials Frontier was the most recent f2p game I played, and it just wasn't enjoyable at all. Mechanically the game is alright, but there's always the constant pressure of getting you to buy these useless items ALL THE TIME. Psychologically, there's no value of some random in game item that costs $5 versus the full game for $5 or whatever.
Buying Trials Evolution for $20 was a way better value proposition to me.
I haven't played TF2 in a while, but it's still the same base game, right? That's all that really matters, IMO.
Trials Frontier was the most recent f2p game I played, and it just wasn't enjoyable at all. Mechanically the game is alright, but there's always the constant pressure of getting you to buy these useless items ALL THE TIME. Psychologically, there's no value of some random in game item that costs $5 versus the full game for $5 or whatever.
Buying Trials Evolution for $20 was a way better value proposition to me.
I haven't played TF2 in a while, but it's still the same base game, right? That's all that really matters, IMO.
Interfectum
Member
i love how they clearly tell you that you have to wait or pay. and whats funny is that they dont allow you to give the game a bad rating.
Dungeon hunter 4 - after the first half hour, the difficulty goes thorugh the roof, and the only way forward is either hours and hours of grinding for gold to buy 2. tier gear or pay up for 1. tier gear ... add to that timers form weapons upgrade, loot drops worth absolutely nothing and you got an atrocity/parody of a dungeon crawler.
1st Course
Member
Any F2P that tries to sell you advantages (currency, equips, item/stat boosts, time reducers etc) for real money is bad F2P imo.
Good F2P = only cosmetic items sold for money and everything else is free/available for player. Shame very few F2P games are like this though.
Good F2P = only cosmetic items sold for money and everything else is free/available for player. Shame very few F2P games are like this though.
Why, how does it work with that game?
old manatee
Banned
Tribes Ascend. I really loved that game, but gave it up because of the annoying way that the classes and weapons are gated. I paid $30 in the beta and played a ton and still felt like I was constantly gated out of parts of the game. Now I will only play f2p games where the microtransactions are cosmetic.
I don't get this criticism. If someone doesn't like the monetization model, they don't like it. No need to portray them as cry babies.
Doesn't that game actually have a "single payment for everything ever" deal? Did they stop doing that?