Maybe F2P isn't good for MWO.
I explain why:
1) When you put some money on something, you want have fun back and you will try to find how make it more fun as possible.
Even after fews games you feel you made a bad choice when buying this game you will keep playing a bit more and maybe for some others people a LOT more just because you put some money into. It's something psycological.
2) Any player know they have to grind in any multiplayer game but when you get something totally FREE in same time you feel FREE to put this in a garbage without any guilty feelings about your wallet..
3) It could be ( have to be ) a very tiny amount like 10 bucks or 15 ... tiny for any mature public ( guess this game aim a mature public ) and give of course MC.
Same time :Benefit for news customers
4) News players should have access to specifics " news players servers " also safe servers with people who are learning like them ( without us tier 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 and any players with mastered mechs and maybe thousand of matchs behind...).
5) They will have time for learn basiclly the game, fight with others new people to the game, mastering one mech maybe 2.
6) Have time for learn the maps, gamemode and dynamic of this game.
Communauty benefits
7) After a certain matchs number, maybe 300 or 400, they will have to insta-join veterans players ( they will have theirs tier rank or ELO they deserve and also be legit if MM do his work ) and also have a decent game experience for them and for veterans players they will have as teamates,
8a) Cash flow for PGI, which you deserve a this point ( a new game for a new player you get pay even 10 bucks, you provide them some MC and some premium time in 8b ).
8b) Same time you will give to any new veteran player some PREMIUM time ( they paid 10-15 bucks at beginning ) give them grinding fever
( you should ask why not give this PREMIUM time when they begin play? Cause they will insta-feel how you grind faster than without. Thing you can't be aware as new player ).
9) Maybe lower your prices ( in fact PGI have to do it ): Lower MC price, camo and paint price, Hero mechs price... 30% i dont know but something important 5% or 10% is peanuts with actuals price.
At this moment, they will put more money or put more time for cBills grind than actual new players does simply because they may enjoy the game even more and be proud to be a veteran player
10) Why make steam players and any new players pay and also disallow MWO be to be a real F2P like now??
Only for prevent stupids trolls to create new profils for play agaisnt news players endless yea it's almost only for that but like i explained above it can give tonns of benefits for everybody BUT ONLY IF PGI WANT TO BALANCE THEIRS BIZNESS MODEL AND BALANCE GAME EXPERIENCE FOR NEW
PLAYERS CUSTOMERS yea you have to make some money but new players have to get their fun dose...
NB : I would add to this, something like pilots trees, but about weight class...
New pilots should have to grind rights for drive bigger mechs with grinding XP like we grind module or mechs skills.
Players need real goals and in this game more the mech is bigger, more basically it have to carry his team....
( in addition they will learning the game way better than now weight class by weight class... if someone know how play a light mech, by being sneaky or support his assauts teamates by recon or defensive support this player will know what mistake they have to avoid when they will have final right to drive an assaut mech for first time... like not stay alone, watch his back and of course focus in his role warfare " ASSAULT the others HEAVIES OR ASSAULTS mech and not focus on chasing a light 700 meters away from his team )
If a pilot want drive 100tons and take one important slot we all know that a new player can't carry enough for his team ( my first match i drove a trial atlas and even i play into team without kamikaze rushing like some others did, do and will do agin well i was simply was to noob for carry anything... i guess it's same for anybody... a new pilot in a jenner have less bad impact for his team, than a new pilot in a atlas
)
Like in tribes 2 ascend ( another real F2P but really nicely balanced at end ), players had to unlock class, bigger class requiered more XP point than light one and required a different way of play, play way harder.
PGI can achieve thoses points, in fact any compagny is able too but i have to say that PGI haven't achieve those balance now. Make a steam release without working on all of this and well it will be a failure or semi-failure when with few balance it could be a succes or half sucess.
Edited by Idealsuspect, 28 October 2015 - 08:26 AM.