Most Extensive C&C F2P Guide Released

[Plok 327]

One of our staff members, Alex06, has created the most extensive and complete guide to the EU and GLA units and structures we can see in the C&C Free To Play trailers and the summit video, along with images and possible explanations on the units' and structures' functions. Note that all the data in this document is unconfirmed and is subject to change.

You can download it from Mediafire. Alternatively, you can view it via Mediafire or Google Docs. For more information, you can see his original post here.

[Alex06 39]

Thanks, everything I could've hoped for and more. Looks great, glad you did the news post instead of me.

[Guest Stevie_K]

Interesting to get a quick insight on the units and structures. I'm amazed you actually took your time to do this. Good job.

 

 

I just fear this game is going in the direction of the "free to play, but expensive to have fun with". Yes maybe we will see a "You can play for free and still have fun... for a while", which isn't better by any means.

I hope it will be a success, I really do, but I think we are looking at an income model more suited for Facebook games and the likes. Western RTS gaming communities are much more familiar with buying a game and actually owning a copy (digital or not).

[Alex06 39]

Interesting to get a quick insight on the units and structures. I'm amazed you actually took your time to do this. Good job.

 

 

I just fear this game is going in the direction of the "free to play, but expensive to have fun with". Yes maybe we will see a "You can play for free and still have fun... for a while", which isn't better by any means.

I hope it will be a success, I really do, but I think we are looking at an income model more suited for Facebook games and the likes. Western RTS gaming communities are much more familiar with buying a game and actually owning a copy (digital or not).

Actually, there will be no pay to win, according to the Community Summit attendees and Eric (EA_CIRE).

 

And thanks for the compliment.

[Nmenth 291]

Actually, there will be no pay to win, according to the Community Summit attendees and Eric (EA_CIRE).

As far as I know, EA doesn't know what we will have to pay for yet, so at this point, you only have their word. Last time I checked, that wasn't worth much.

[Guest Stevie_K]

Actually, there will be no pay to win, according to the Community Summit attendees and Eric (EA_CIRE).

 

I have a hard time seeing how releasing this game will be profitable then. After all, releasing a game for free means the income has to come from somewhere.

 

Perhaps the players are supposed to unlock factions by purchasing them. Well it's all speculation at this point.

[Guest Rabbit]

You have to realize there's a huge vast number of possibilities when it comes to things people can pay for. This is including but definitely not limited to:

• New factions or faction add-ons (download a new general, maybe?)
• New campaigns to follow those factions.
• Skinned units.
• Special maps.
• Taunts (audio or visual).
• Music packs.
• Art packs (in-game or out of game content)

Keep in mind, these are all guesses on my part. There's certain reasons that some of these could be included as pay options, and certain reasons why they shouldn't be.

 

Additionally, for those of you who hope to god that there's things like modding and such, look at The Sims 3. They have purchasable items for your game, or you can download freely created things from "The Exchange" without paying a dime. There's so many possibilities here.

 

Another idea that I thought of (that some EA devs found hilarious but insightful) was a Pay to Win vs Pay to Win match. An example being, you join a match, and every infantry unit you throw out costs you 1 EA fund (roughly equivalent to a penny, we'll say). A tank costs you two pence, a building costs you three. So, the more money you spend, the more you will succeed, but, you are only allowed to play against another person competing with their EA funds. Now yes, this is a pay to win situation, but it's a completely fair one, and it does not intrude on the players who don't believe in this concept.

 

And you know some people will throw down thousands on it. Look up "zynga whales farmville" and you'll know what I mean.

 

Another money-making concept is people who feel like gambling with their matches. Imagine if two players decided to throw 4000 EA funds into the pot. The winner takes all the funds.

 

Don't get me wrong. These could turn out great, or terribly. The point is, there are many opportunities for making money. More than you'd think.

[Guest Stevie_K]

One problem is the balance issues related with some of these ideas. On top of that i'm bored with the idea that so many game publishers continuously tries to gain market on the casual gamer microtransactions segment and continues to pretend it won't have a significant effect on the product and for the end user. Worst of all, it is as if you think free to play isn't smart, you aren't "understanding" the new direction of making video games profitable, and that's wrong, because I understand exactly why it is profitable, but just not why publishers continue to make these games so horribly bland and focused on the profit part of the game.

I mean, they can keep yapping that it is smart and good for everyone, but i'm not nearly convinced that it will help increase the game balance and increase the fun factor, more like the exact other way around. I guess I'm a bit communistic when it comes to game design. My only advice will be; Keep the rules clear and completely refrain from including money as a game changing and manipulative influence, in. any. way!

 

Yes, there's more opportunities to making games profitable than I might be able to think of, but I have yet to see one that does this better for the games, than paying once and owning a copy.

[Nmenth 291]

I guess I'm a bit communistic when it comes to game design. My only advice will be; Keep the rules clear and completely refrain from including money as a game changing and manipulative influence, in. any. way!

That's because Capitalism doesn't work with addiction mentality. Gamers will continue to buy games no matter how hard the companies make it for them. It is well known that games are intentionally designed to be addictive, but when that addiction is exploited to relieve gamers of their cash, the game companies are no better than drug dealers.

[Plok 327]

That's why I hate the modern gaming industry