Dungeons & Dragons Online Goes Free-To-Play

[nekrosoft13]

Launching later this summer, DDO Unlimited will introduce an innovative new pricing model that allows players to download and play for free, purchasing adventure packs, items, and account services a la carte from the new DDO Store, or to subscribe to get unlimited access to all of the game's content.

- Brand New Content & Features – DDO Unlimited will deliver a new class, increase the level cap, introduce new adventure packs including a new 12-player raid, major combat improvements and more!
- The Fiercest Combat – DDO Unlimited features an extraordinary and heart stopping combat experience that requires players to fully engage in the battle by relying on their wits and reflexes in real time. No more clicking skills and watching the action from the sideline.
- Mind-blowing Visuals – Explore a vast and dangerous online world that features the most advanced graphics in the industry and is stuffed with the legendary monsters, glorious treasures, devious traps, mind-bending puzzles and endless adventures from the world's best known RPG.
- Full-featured MMO – Experience sophisticated systems found only in the best games including auctions, arena death matches (Player versus Player), NPC hirelings, gambling, crafting, and powerful social tools for finding a group, forming a guild or planning an epic raid!
- Easier Than Ever! – DDO Unlimited gets you playing in minutes instead of hours, using new proprietary Turbine technology. Creating a new character is incredibly simple with guides and templates that speed you through the process. Features an all-new new player experience that gives gamers their first taste of excitement quickly while teaching them how to play solo or with a group of fellow adventurers.

http://www.ddo.com/ddogameinfo/ddo-unlimited

Im actually thinking of downloading this game... especially if free to play, I wonder how crippled the free to play is.

Why can't they charge $5 per month... would so sign back up. It was a decent game...

[jeffmd]

I will prolly try it..but holy god is that the worst press release ever... most advanced graphics in the industry ?? playing in minutes instead of hours? what rpg takes hours?

[ViN86]

Says the man with 3 consoles and plays Guitar Hero...

Originally Posted by Butter Bandit

Sex is overrated, and usually more trouble than it is worth. I mean, condoms, babies, STDs...a girl's gotta be pretty hot for me bother with all those hassles and potential risks.

Well, I did hear Zelda is in the top 1%...

[ViN86]

Originally Posted by |MaguS|

Says the man with 3 consoles and plays Guitar Hero...

Omg, insulted by a guy who plays Dungeons and Dragons. That's like the man with no legs making fun of someone for having funny shaped knees.

Originally Posted by Butter Bandit

Sex is overrated, and usually more trouble than it is worth. I mean, condoms, babies, STDs...a girl's gotta be pretty hot for me bother with all those hassles and potential risks.

You're just saying that cause you're having the best week EVAR.

[WLanMan]

I still play this game once in a while... it uses a similar client to LotRO's DX10 engine but it's slightly more an FPS game (which is kind of weird since it's based on a turn-based game). Stopped playing recently because they stopped releasing content while they fought with Atari to make it a F2P game.

From what I understand the F2P/DDO store, F2P means you get most of the races for free (not warforged), most of the classes (not monk or their new one - favored soul is the rumor), and then all of the low level quests. Then sort of like D&D they're modulizing the higher level encounter areas - most of the new ones have an explorer zone and 4-5 quests and sometimes a raid. To get into each of these "modules" you'd either need to be subscribed, pay points ($$$) to "buy" that module, or have someone who's subscribed and has their stipend of monthly points get you a guest pass. Sounds like you can also earn points by playing the game... so you could get into some of the modules just by playing.

Sounds like they actually have 3 tiers: currently subbed, was once subbed, and fully F2P newb. Looks like you have fewer restrictions and get more character slots if you were ever subbed to the game compared to F2P.

As to why they've gone F2P... Turbine (which has WB as a majority owner) is rumored to be making a Harry Potter MMO. If there's any franchise that supports truckloads of microtransactioned cosmetic ****... that's Harry Potter. There's also a hope they can get more subs if they can get people back in to try a game that's definitely gone a long way since the initial release. If nothing else... at least it now has Dragons in a D&D game.

Here were my thoughts on DDO a few months ago with some screens:
http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=127603

Originally Posted by ViN86

Omg, insulted by a guy who plays Dungeons and Dragons. That's like the man with no legs making fun of someone for having funny shaped knees.

Hey! I only play twice a month and we usually end up getting wasted during the game...

[ViN86]

Originally Posted by |MaguS|

Hey! I only play twice a month and we usually end up getting wasted during the game...

Well then, I guess the lame act is negated by the alcohol.

[LordJuanlo]

Not free for Europe

"To clarify, for the time being, DDO Europe will not be assuming this new business model and the European DDO game service will remain a monthly subscription-based game with all new content created available to all subscribers, as has been the model up until now," said Codemasters in a statement.

"As the beta progresses we will release more information regarding the future plans for EU players," added the publisher.

[nekrosoft13]

different publishers, Atari - USA, and Codemasters - Europe.