Jay

@PrimeSynergy

I hate DLC, too. I remember the days when you bought a computer game and it was complete. Then game sequels came. Then game expansions came. Now the thing is DLC. That's why I wait until they stop making DLC for a game and include it with the original game at a reduced price. Sega did this with Empire: Total War. Sure, I had to wait a while, but I have friends and plenty of other games, movies, TV shows, and books to keep me occupied.

If you look at WoW's current subscription cost which is:

"- $14.99 per month for a month-to-month recurring subscription
- $13.99 per month for a 3-month recurring subscription *
- $12.99 per month for a 6-month recurring subscription *

* Please note that the 3-month and 6-month subscriptions must be paid in full at the beginning of the billing cycle, also billing cycle dates may move due to credited time." as quoted from Blizzards Web site today,

the cost of these pets is outrageous. Why would anyone want to spent this much on a virtual item and still pay a subscription fee? Economically, it is not logical. I guess that's why we're human and not Vulcan.

I agree with those that say Blizzard either needs to go full F2P with a cash shop or P2P with the opportunity to get all the items and no cash shop at all. I don't mind paying initially for the software, no subsequent subscription, and a cash shop with items that do not affect gameplay balance like Guild Wars.

Another MMO that is in closed beta is 7Million. It will be available globally with primary focus on Europe and the U.S.A. Gameplay seems to resemble Gatheryn's. It is set in the modern world and players play the role of competing to become the best thief. It will be published by Deep Silver. Check out the game at:

http://www.7million.com/

Information on applying for the closed beta is available on their FAQ page here:

http://forum.deepsilver.com/7million/showthread.php?t=13

Guild Wars - Active
FusionFall - Inactive
Anarchy Online- Inactive

I am about to apply for the closed beta of 7Million. It looks quite interesting.

I like to take my time playing a game and smelling the roses. I interact with all the NPC's and explore a whole area.

I don't like Faux Free 2 Play MMO's that offer XP boosts. XP boosts say to me: the publisher is severely limiting how fast I can level and my characters attack/defense stats, so I have to use the cash shop to level up at a decent rate. In other words, avoiding the cash shop means increasing a boring grind. The stats of Atlantica Online's XP/ATK/DEF boosting item is ridiculous.

As I said before, I realize that game publishers are about making money and not about offering a free game out of charity.

I am a believer in the Guild Wars business model.

I am also a believer in Anarchy Online's advertising model. I am surprised that more MMO developers don't make futuristic settings where they can place ads in the game as if the ads are apart of the world (like in Anarchy Online or the movie "Blade Runner".) They should embrace Google's/Funcom's business model and have advertisers pay and give players a truly free game with no cash shop.

I think there should be a third class called Faux Free to Play. I think games that offer XP boosters should fall into this category. An example would be Atlantica Online that has a Blessing License; the item's stats are:

Increase 150% attack power, increase 110% defense and will give 150% additional exp for 30 days.

The cost of this item is $14.99/month which is as much as a subscription for some P2P MMO's.

Yes, I can play the whole game free without this item, but it will take me much longer to level up and defeat enemies. I feel like I need this item to get the full 100% experience of the game. The item's stats are pretty high. I guess that is what the game publisher had in mind so that players will want to spend money in the item shop.

I know that game developers make games for profit; I just wish they would sell items in the cash shops that don't affect player stats. I guess different clothing, hair styles, mounts, and other item shop goodies that don't affect players stats don't make as much money as XP boosts.

I'm a big fan of the Guild Wars model. Pay a one time $50 for access to the game (and pay $50 for each expansion) and use the cash shop to buy vanity items, items that increase storage, etc. No items that affect player stats are available in the cash shop.

In my eyes, Sword of the New World and Perfect World have more beautiful avatars and enemies than WoW's cartoon looking ones. The fun aspect of SotNW and PW is lacking, but they are pretty.

This does not make sense to me. Bounty Hunters (like Smugglers or Pirates) are in it for themselves. They take jobs or do whatever it takes to make money and/or gain glory.

If we go by Bioware's logic:

Han Solo was a Smuggler = Smuggler class will be Republic aligned

I guess I should just practice the mantra, "This is just a game. This is just a game..."

A MMORPG is never finished. Would you call WoW or Everquest finished? New content is still being created for those and many other older MMO's.

It's david not David.