19 replies to this topic

[Gattsus]

I still hope that they eventually become free, as they are a basic feature of a game.

I wonder what had happened if Starcraft, Starcraft 2, DOTA 1/2, LOL had established as core of their business model that private matches are paid.

From late 2013:
http://mwomercs.com/...tches-feedback/

After the patch feedback:
http://mwomercs.com/...feedback-13286/
http://mwomercs.com/...feedback-13291/

Edited by Gattsus, 23 May 2014 - 09:29 AM.

[meteorol]

Yeah i wonder what would have happened to HL, any HL mod (Counterstrike in particular), the whole Battlefield series and countless other games if you had to pay for your own server to run private games on. Oh wait you have to.


Edit: more seriously, paying for your own server capacity is standard in countless games games for years. There are exceptions (like you mentioned), but that doesn't change the fact that server capacity costs money, and someone has to pay for it.

Edited by meteorol, 22 May 2014 - 01:53 AM.

[Triordinant]

I thought there were both "free" and "premium" private matches. Has that changed?

[Aeolus Drift]

meteorol, on 22 May 2014 - 01:49 AM, said:

Yeah i wonder what would have happened to HL, any HL mod (Counterstrike in particular), the whole Battlefield series and countless other games if you had to pay for your own server to run private games on. Oh wait you have to.


Edit: more seriously, paying for your own server capacity is standard in countless games games for years. There are exceptions (like you mentioned), but that doesn't change the fact that server capacity costs money, and someone has to pay for it.

The thing is usually in a free to play title it is assumed that either the developer or the publisher would be in charge of covering the server cost of lobby implementation, both those that occur in the public matchmaking service as well as privately match lobbies, by using the revenue they intend to generate over the course of the game's lifespan. I already told heffay as much, but there are plenty of examples on the f2p market of games that don't require you to go through a pay wall just to gain unrestricted access to the lobbies functionality. This includes, but not limited to, Blacklight: Retribution, Super Monday Night Combat, League of Legends, and even Combat Arms.

edit: sorry I also forgot to mention war thunder on that list.

Edited by Interceptor12, 22 May 2014 - 09:49 AM.

[Rhaythe]

Be grateful. Blacklight Retribution won't give you a private match unless you rent a server. By the hour.

[Aeolus Drift]

Rhaythe, on 22 May 2014 - 09:09 AM, said:

Be grateful. Blacklight Retribution won't give you a private match unless you rent a server. By the hour.

Since when was that a thing? Also what should I be grateful for, that they are offering me the ability to use a restrictive lobby system for free and put the full functionality behind a subscription paywall, contrary to most f2p titles you could find on the market?

Edited by Interceptor12, 22 May 2014 - 09:48 AM.

[Bilbo]

Triordinant, on 22 May 2014 - 02:52 AM, said:

I thought there were both "free" and "premium" private matches. Has that changed?

It has not.

[Rhaythe]

Interceptor12, on 22 May 2014 - 09:46 AM, said:

Since when was that a thing?  Also what should I be grateful for, that they are offering me the ability to use a restrictive lobby system for free and put the full functionality behind a subscription paywall, contrary to most f2p titles you could find on the market?

I'm confused. Are you saying most F2P titles give you more private functionality for free, or that none do? Because if it's the former, [CITATION NEEDED], where if it's the latter, I agree totally. Hell, you can't even get your own server in Battlefield or COD anymore.

[Almond Brown]

Interceptor12, on 22 May 2014 - 09:46 AM, said:

Since when was that a thing? Also what should I be grateful for, that they are offering me the ability to use a restrictive lobby system for free and put the full functionality behind a subscription paywall, contrary to most f2p titles you could find on the market?

Seeing as it is F2P, as you note, perhaps they should send you a Server with the game and Net code on, so you can play just with your friends, unimpeded by the others who may cause you grief with Your Game? LOL!

Not entitled at all here...

Edited by Almond Brown, 22 May 2014 - 10:06 AM.

[meteorol]

Rhaythe, on 22 May 2014 - 09:54 AM, said:

Hell, you can't even get your own server in Battlefield or COD anymore.

Actually, you can still get your own Battlefield server. But EA does limit you to a few companies you can rent your server from.
24 Slot servers are around 17-20 € per month.

[Rhaythe]

meteorol, on 22 May 2014 - 10:11 AM, said:

Actually, you can still get your own Battlefield server. But EA does limit you to a few companies you can rent your server from.
24 Slot servers are around 17-20 € per month.

Apologies. I meant for free. Once upon a dreary day, you could actually host LAN servers. I miss those days. In any case, my point was that why should a Free-to-Play offer free private servers when full-fledged Triple-A studio $60 games don't even do it.

Edited by Rhaythe, 22 May 2014 - 10:21 AM.

[meteorol]

Rhaythe, on 22 May 2014 - 10:21 AM, said:

Apologies. I meant for free. Once upon a dreary day, you could actually host LAN servers. I miss those days. In any case, my point was that why should a Free-to-Play offer free private servers when full-fledged Triple-A studio $60 games don't even do it.

LAN servers... a word almost erased from my mind in days of always on DRM, in which single games are forcing you to have like 3 different accounts for steam, the publisher, and the developer to acutally play them.

Edited by meteorol, 22 May 2014 - 10:40 AM.

[Vandul]

What did you pay for a Starcraft box or Digital Download?

What did you pay for a MWO digital download?

See the difference?

[Rhaythe]

meteorol, on 22 May 2014 - 10:39 AM, said:

LAN servers... a word almost erased from my mind in days of always on DRM, in which single games are forcing you to have like 3 different accounts for steam, the publisher, and the developer to acutally play them.

I clicked the like button, but only because I couldn't find a "Gorram it all!!" button.

[Aeolus Drift]

Vandul, on 22 May 2014 - 10:42 AM, said:

What did you pay for a Starcraft box or Digital Download?

What did you pay for a MWO digital download?

See the difference?

I would appreciate that as a valid argument if it wasn't for the fact that I have seen plenty of f2p games pull off fully functional private lobbies without any noticeable issues regarding their financial costs what so ever (warthunder, blacklight, league of legends, etc.).
edit: incidentally you can play in the starcraft lobby mode for free, but your restricted to terran and the primary game mode, but you can still at least change the ******* map and have as many players as you please.

Edited by Interceptor12, 22 May 2014 - 11:03 AM.

[Gattsus]

Vandul, on 22 May 2014 - 10:42 AM, said:

What did you pay for a Starcraft box or Digital Download?

What did you pay for a MWO digital download?

See the difference?

Have you played starcraft arcade?

Full multiplayer for free... though I guess that they generate income from the paid copies.

MWO, pretty much follows the opposite approach of many successful Free to play games.

Edited by Gattsus, 22 May 2014 - 01:03 PM.

[Mystere]

Gattsus, on 22 May 2014 - 01:33 AM, said:

I still hope that they eventually become free, as they are a basic feature of a game.

I wonder what had happened if Starcraft, Starcraft 2, DOTA 1/2, LOL had established as core of their business model that private matches are paid.

If and when Community Warfare comes online, free private matches will drain its player base.

[Alex Warden]

all i hope for is that they will add at least SOME CB rewards to privates, since they are the only matches i am going to play for a good while (planetary league and all) ... i think it´s fair that matches that cost real money give you at least SOMETHING in return (more fun than "regular" matches aside)

[Gattsus]

Alex Warden, on 22 May 2014 - 02:11 PM, said:

all i hope for is that they will add at least SOME CB rewards to privates, since they are the only matches i am going to play for a good while (planetary league and all) ... i think it´s fair that matches that cost real money give you at least SOMETHING in return (more fun than "regular" matches aside)

This was suggested as a a premium feature.

[Gattsus]

I added the feedback threads, for anyone that is interested in reading the controversy.

From late 2013:
http://mwomercs.com/...tches-feedback/

After the patch feedback:
http://mwomercs.com/...feedback-13286/
http://mwomercs.com/...feedback-13291/

Edited by Gattsus, 23 May 2014 - 09:30 AM.