Personally, I don't hate F2P, I hate when it is poorly integrated, there are certainly great F2P games like Warframe, War Thunder or all BS' games, for me it's ok when it's not really pushing you to buy, but rather making it an option to resolve *some* situations than can also be solved without having to take out the wallet, like in Warframe, when you are short of slots, you can either buy them with Platinum (paying real money for premium currency), trade some items for Platinum or selling some weapons to free slots, that, to me isn't that intrusive or nickel and diming the consumer as you are given plenty of slots and starting Platinum to play for at least 100h without spending a dime on it, paying can ease some of the grind but isn't completely removed, so yeah, Warframe is a F2P game where I've spent 100+ hours paying only 20 dollars for some superfluous stuff that wasn't necessary. TL; DR: I don't hate F2P, I hate a poor execution of it, also, Warframe does it really well
If he was indeed a kid (a minor) his parents probably got the same response when they asked him that same thing. #
I want to try to address another point from the OPs questions. The part about people dropping in to F2P game threads just to bash F2P in general and/or rate the games without playing them. This is extremely odd behavior. To me It's the same as someone who doesn't like hamburgers going into a restaurant that sells hamburgers and standing in the middle of that restaurant and loudly giving a speech about there feelings on the subject. First, why are they even going in there if they don't like the food and second, the people there eating hamburgers don't give a sh*t what that person thinks about the food they're eating. It's like some kind of bizarre holy war. I'm not a fan of most F2P models but I just don't participate in playing those particular kinds of F2P games and I most certainly would not rate a game I didn't even play. It all just amounts to bullying people into listen to something that nobody cares about.
I've spent $30 on Vainglory, probably $30-$50 on Hearthstone, and I've Buttered Up Quadropus Rampage. Didn't spend the money because I had to but because I enjoyed playing them and since they were free it was my way of giving back or in essence "buying the game".
I can't be bothered to waste energy hating F2P games, but as a general principle I prefer to play games that are weighted to give maximum enjoyment, and that rules out any of the pay-to-win breed of F2P games. I might play them a bit but I certainly wouldn't consider spending any money in them.
I'm with TheOutlander... I like any games that to me are fun, well implemented, and that I find worth my while. This includes premium, freeware, and f2p games. It seems like some folks automatically shun f2p, thinking it's the devil, without actually trying some of them. Or even exploring more into it. AFAIK, most of them aren't worth it to me. Amongst the ones I have played... Plants Vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time I had to grind for coins by watching video ads for a few months, but now, I'm set as far as that goes. I may have missed out on some of the plants that require you to purchase with gems (i didn't have alot last year or 2), but whatever. The game is still playable without them. There are plants and some permanent upgrades that require real $$. I didn't bother purchasing a single one of them. Again, the game is still very playable without them. Some folks decry this, saying the game now costs $20 to $30, whereas they would've been glad to pay $10 for all the included stuff. Well, they get to make the business decisions, and again, none of these purchases are required to progress in the game. Dare I say, some of these complaints seem to stem from a entitlement mentality. To me, the game is free, but without those extras (again, not required). They come out with new worlds (in "half portions", so for example, Frostbite Caverns part 1, in which case a 2nd release will complete that world via Frostbite Caverns part 2). Every day, there's a Pinata Level that requires me to go onto the internet. TOTAL AMOUNT OF REAL $$ SPENT ON THIS GAME.... ZERO $. Totally worth it to me. Castlestorm: Free To Seige First off, this game was so fun, I bought this for Steam/PC for $15. $10 normal price, but an extra $5 for the 2 extra campaign zones. Yes, I'm tethered to my desktop PC, but having a mouse, keyboard, and 26" screen just felt luxurious. Plus, not having to grind for gems and Pearls was worth it for the extra $12 I spent vs. what I did on the iOS version. If I were more patient, I could've gotten this for $5 via Steam sale, but whatever. I'm not going to fret too much with the dev getting more of my $$, especially if it was only $10 For this game, on iOS, I did a lot of grinding via video ads for Gems. Gems are used to get upgrades later in the game, and for more higher level equipment. At first, gold was the only thing. I managed to beat the whole campaign, and 3-star most of the levels. I also got enough pearls via daily, internet levels to exchange them for mass amounts of gems. Only did that once, felt like the game kept pulling you back for no more reasons, so I quit it. I did spend $3, a 1-time purchase for VIP Gamer. You get 2500 gold a week and x # of gems (can't remember the exact amount), but you did need to log in daily. Also, double the XP, and remove in game ads (that popup between levels, NOT when you watch videos for gems). TOTAL AMOUNT OF REAL $$ SPENT ON THIS GAME.... $3. Totally worth it to me. -------------- I posted more details about those 2 games here.... http://forums.toucharcade.com/showpost.php?p=3767205&postcount=2 So unlike the stereotype of people spending $200 a pop, or $100 to $500 a month on f2p, I spent a total of $3. I'm still playing PvZ2. Not too shabby.
You realize that Nintendo still makes video games for their consoles and handhelds? And that these are traditional models... NOT f2p? Just buy one of those, and you'll have the same warm and fuzzy feelings like with SMB3. You still have alternatives like indie titles on Steam and humble bundle, not to mention whatever's available in physical media and digital download on the Xbox and PS realms. . Although I would like to comment on developers who make their games stupidly hard.... Zuma's Revenge for Steam/Origin/PC. The last world requires you to have both luck and mad skills in order to beat. I don't have the time for that. Reignmaker for Steam/PC. This is a match-3-in-a-row tower defense where that mechanic is used to fight invading enemies and bosses. Kept dying at many of the bosses For each of these, I would've loved to have the option to throw some $$ at the problem and move on with what I'm sure is a lovely rest of the game. What pisses me off about Zuma's Revenge is almost none of the features are available until I've beaten the campaign mode, so that pretty much kills whatever was left of that game. . Every time I played a Final Fantasy game, or similar RPG, I would try to beat it the first time without any help, and the 2nd time while getting everything. I don't go crazy with the existential questions of whether or not I'm beating the game or playing it the correct way anymore. I'm there to have fun. Get in and get out if there's no long term replayability. Go back to it to try other stuff. If the game isn't fun... whether or not it's f2p or traditional model, I don't bother with it and move on.
Hm? I definitely still DO play Nintendo handheld games, and I have plenty of great games on iOS I enjoy tremendously. I was using SMB3 as an example of a game with high difficulty that I enjoyed, and that I would NOT have enjoyed if it was F2P, even "well-balanced."
In some ways, it's going on even now. The Aimbios figurines provide more function and features to your games, but require a buying them. Due to scarcities, they can reach very high prices.
Hm, I hadn't thought of that, but I think you're right... I don't think Nintendo EXPECTS customers to buy the figurines, so the games are still not made or balanced with Amiibo interaction in mind, but it's definitely one step closer.
This. Well, Almost. I never bring my DS anymore because my phone is there with me on my twice-a-working-day15 min train ride and I always have something to play on it. There are still plenty of paid games on the App Store for me. They are more fun to me than their f2p alternatives. Don't mind free-to-try, I just don't want any shenanigans with timers, extra lives, etc.
F2P is nothing new. 30 years ago we had 10 cent to 25 cent arcade games. 15 years ago we had shareware (freeware came later), and today we have freemium (whereas those others are, by today's standards, not demanding anymore). The key difference, I see, is how today so many game designers have bought hook, line, and sinker, into putting gambling mechanisms inside traditionally story or character-driven gameplay. Mobile games (and to some extent, console and PC as well) seem to be philosophically moving from the point-of-view of player as agent in the process of the game, towards the point-of-view of game as agent in the process of player progression. Essentially, for many games, the story had switched. Games now play players. Content has changed from end as result to growth as result. I'll just say I'm not a fan of the changes. I like games that have endings. I like games that have memorable characters and passionate storylines. I like well-directed experiences, sweeping musical scores, beautifully conceived and artistic visions, and thoughtful progression. However, it is important to remember that even Nintendo started as a producer of playing cards commonly used in Japan for gambling, and Square Enix (formerly Squaresoft, responsible for some of the most epic story experiences) started out making pachinko machines. It took them 15 years to release Final Fantasy 7.
