LadyGrimrose

That's right they did add that and also it comes with restrictions to chat and the auction house, even the mail system. Sounds familiar.... But only to level 20 in a game that now tops at 85, 90 with the next expansion. Currently that means I'm missing 65% of that game right? Nope, Big W vet here. The end game is a gear grind through a host of dungeons and raids which again, you must subscribe to utilize. Roughly speaking, that game's new trial leaves out aout 90% of the game. Oh, and let's not forget that there you still have to buy the individual expansions in addition to the subscription. Wait, I forgot, Premium players will have to do that. Lots of similarities at present. If the Big W does go to a model it will likely be very similar to CoH.

Let's be honest. Will Incarnates be locked away from premium forever? Maybe not, but for now it is and will remain a VIP perk. Again, this is an argument made by people who no longer wish to support a hobby they have until now. Seems like a nice twist of a knife in the back if you ask me.

You do get points, by purchasing off the market. Just because it's not the same as the other two doesn't mean it's not there. This is CoH not those other two development teams.

Yes, the Incarnate content is linked the the Going Rogue site, but it not linked to the box which makes it an amendum after the fact. The content for the system is updated here and the GR site because you need access to the expansion to utilize it, nothing more.

And if the system is ever released to the Premium tier it will probaly have a monthly licence requirement and not a cheap one. Also, since it does involve a fair amount of crafting expect them to insist you have monthly access to the Invention System as well.

As always, Premium was never meant to be a substitute for your monthly subscription.

((Edit: The Big W will never switch to any hybrid model unless it's subscriber base is truly threatened. ATM, what with that company's ethics in cash grabbing, that is doubtful for the foreseeable future. Also, please don't compare CoH, DDO, and LotR to CO, that game is an abomination.))

Yay! More assuming the Premium status was meant to be a substitute for a Lifetime subscription. Nope.

Just looked over my Going Rogue box. Nope, no Incarnate info. Sorry, just because you need Going Rogue to utilize the Incarnate System does not mean it is part of the expansion.

Again, Premium was never meant to be a substitue for your subscription.

((Manoa snuck one in ahead of me. This was being typed as she posted.))

Edit: Good idea Manoa, but I would amend it to mean they can run the weekly Task/Strike Forces and get Shards only. No, absolutely, no access to iTrials.

*sigh* All of this will not make me stop playing. All the tantrums about Freedom not being "free" and now this. Look the big W has had something like this in the Eula for a while now and it's still at the top. When it came out for them there was a huge uproar, but you know what people continued and still continue to play. If you don't like or trust this development team to do the right thing then stop playing. You have the right, but coming onto these forums to droll up drama is getting really old and very much like the big W forums.

Fact: Zwill has already stepped forward on this matter and it's your choice to take his word or "leave" it. I hate to say it, but that legalese is going to be pretty common no matter where you go from now on to prevent our accounts from being hacked. Our personal information, which the developers already have btw since we have been subscribers. They have a right to take measures to not only protect the game, but us as well and that's what I view this as. You can choose to think the negative and spread conspiracy "thoery", and it's just that "thoery" and more assumptions, all you want, but this Development Team has treated us fairly over the years and I, for one, will continue to give them my support.

Magic Wand tried to step off the tram and into Galaxy City, but she could not bare it. The Lae Lines had moved, as if sensing a great event, and such only occurred when tragedy and pain were soon to come. Finally, she released the door and stepped out taking slow steps to the balcony railing outside the terminal. It was then that she realized she had been holding her breath. A slow exhale brought the world back into focus.

"Hey there," said three voices in unison and Magic turned to see three women standing around her. There was no doubt who they were, one linked to the Never knew when such powerful forces were close at hand. The three continued in unison, which was not their normal way, but perhaps there was some deeper meaning. Magic knew she needed to pay attention, "All things encounter Fate, but it is hardly always grim. You have felt much these past few days as have others like you. We cannot say anything that might comfort you, but an understanding must come. To weather the Coming Storm, hardship must be endured. But ever is there hope, little elf, ever is there hope..."

Like a dream they were gone, the words echoing in Magic's ears. They had given her strength, it would be needed. But this day was not they day of forecasted doom. Walking down the ramps, the witch began her stroll through the streets of Galaxy City. Citizens were everywhere, doing what came within the normal course of their daily lives. She could warn them, but she had no proof and the next day most would return to their homes and jobs thinking her crazed.

Circling each block she looked at the buildings and marvelled at the feats necessary to keep them standing in a world full of beings with power that could squash and criple them with hardly a nod. The statues of heroes long gone, the park with sparse wildlife, but life none-the-less, even the store where a friend of hers always bought apples claiming they were the best in the city. Galaxy certainly had its simple charms.

As she climbed the steps to Freedom Corps headquarters and nodded to Back Alley Brawler as he barked orders to young heroes coming to him for advice, something she had done, herself, when arriving from the Never. She turned to look out at the City one last time before walking to the right and around back to the statue of a hero she had come to respect, even though they could hardly ever meet, Galaxy Girl. The woman's heroics were a testament to what all heroes should strive to become.

For long moments she looked up at the statue before mouthing the spell that would teleport her away. She kept the image with her as she stepped down from the pedestal that served as her entrance point to the base her friends used. She walked down the hall to her room and looked into the crystal ball, waiting for the event to begin. Tears streamed down her face for she knew she would be called away, at any moment, to help elsewhere as chaos reigned down on a place she had once called home. But such were the whims of Fate.

Just bumping this to remind everyone that Tonight (Monday the 12th) at 10pm Eastern (7pm Pacfic) The All Stars will be hosting a Standard Costume Contest followed by a Ready for Battle Costume Contest (meaning create a costume that represents you being on the front lines as the Shivans rain down on Galaxy City. Clown costumes need not apply here *smirk*) After the CCs we will be doing some RP to celebrate our years of using Galaxy City as our RP hub, all are welcome to join in. See you all there for the Great Galaxy City Send Off Event!

A) Floating... Love the avatar

B) Simply and well put.

((Edit: First after the FloatingFatMan)) Had to do it!

I have an idea, someone bring this up Wednesday. I'm curious to hear Zwill and Positron's responses. But, of course, there will be those that think they are covering up deeper plots. Nemesis maybe?

This is in response to what happened with Sony and a few others. Basically, they are reserving the right to investigate you if they suspect you are doing something malicious and it is detected on their end. Do you seriously think this development team will invade your privacy willy nilly? No, this just means they have the right to scan for hacking software and bots and that is likely all they will do. Btw the big W has been doing this for a long time now.

Yes, and they might offer us hard to understand game mechanics *reexamines low post count rage quit arguments* wait they did.

I find it interesting that the supposed rage quoting posters have very low post counts.

(applauds) Kitsune you summed it all up nice and neat.

Heroic Fetus, uhm... So much wrong with what you presented there... But again, classic example of why some of us jump to the "this is not a F2P game."

Part of the problem is people are stating since CoH has some elements of F2P that everything should be free on the premium level. The common misconception is this was designed to step down from VIP eventually, when it is not. It was designed to better promote the game through free access thereby showcasing what subscription players get verus free/premium. Therefore, when you see us coming to the defense of the hybrid model it's mainly been because people are stating CoH is going to a F2P model, when in fact, they are not. They are moving into a better promotional model (hence the defense when people proclaim it is F2P.)

Your comparisons (speaking to Monoa) have been dead on, but there are still those that think this is a genuine F2P model and feel that premium should be qualified as, eventually, a substitute for a lifetime subscription when that was never what Paragon intended.

The All Stars (On Virtue) will be hosting a couple Galaxy Farewell costume contests. The first will be a standard CC, but the second will be a Prepared for Battle CC. Start time 10pm EST (7pm Pacific), Monday the 12th. Galaxy was where we used to meet every Wednesday for our RP sessions. You can bet the members of the SG will be RPing a farewell to our old stomping grounds.

I'm for allowing premiums to have communications, but freebies, no. It doesn't matter if you haven't seen an e-mail or tell from rmters, but they will view Freedom as a new launching point. That being said, being able to reply to a tell, fine, but not send. I do not want to go back to reporting every other tell. My ignore list is still full from last time.

Hmm... Considering I'm about to reroll a certain character of mine and ALL of my characters are magical in design, I definitely would like to interact with your group.

The All Stars will be hosting a Farewell to Galaxy event. The main focus will be a generic costume contest followed by a Ready for Battle themed CC. Expect a bit of Rping as well, since our group gathered in Galaxy for our Rp nights. There will be prizes a plenty so join us Monday night at 10pm eastern (7pm pacific) as we bid a fond farewell to Galaxy City.

Paragon has stated they considdered the lifetime subscription, but saw that most of the games that offered it did not do so well afterward. It matters not about when this game launched, but rather that they were looking at whether it would work for their hybrid business model, meaning Freedom. Zwill and Positron both commented on this in one of the first Ustreams. Freedom was not designed for subscribers to step down to Premium as a substitute for a Lifetime subscription no matter how long we have been with them. They never stated it would be. There are those in these many posts that are upset that they can't play for free and retain everything they have. Paragon was honest about everything presented, there are those that simply read into what was coming and are now upset because their assumptions were wrong.

I, for one, will be very happy to maintain my subscription because I never assumed anything other than I would continue to receive content, which I will.

Comparing it to them is fine, but the fact is Paragon has stated this is not a Free-to-Play model. They have stated it is a Hybrid. VIPs should reap benefits (always) over Premium. Premiums can come close, but to get full perks they will have to start a subscription and become VIP. Again, this model was designed to encourage VIP status, not to step down to Premium.

I have no problem granting returning players X amount of time at VIP with a little popup at the end of that time period (or an e-mail) to remind them to subscribe or lose X features. However, using Premium as a substitute for (or complaining that it doesn't have) a Lifetime subscription is yet another thing Paragon stated they would not be doing. I paid a Lifetime subscription once, and the game is no longer on my Hardrive. The game wound up being aweful and lost development support quickly thereafter.

The problem with the Lifetime sub is it generates a quick influx of cash and then next to nothing (maybe a trickle). There's a reason WoW never did it. They researched and decided the monthly model is sound. Paragon followed the same research and I think it speaks volumes that they want the game to continue long term, not short term. Had they put the Lifetime Sub in I would have been worried.

Annnnd yet another place where this silliness starts. Here, you're assuming Paragon is going to bilk VIPs on content down the road. In fact, Paragon stated VIPs will continue to get exclusive treatment. I guaruntee we will have access, without paying, to all PRaetorian zones after First Ward, Premiums will have to pay. All new Incarnate Trials will be auto for us. And there are the Signature story arcs.

Before you go into (Again, as this has been brought up ALL over the forums) they have stated we will continue to get additional content (costume sets, power sets, etc.) This is a HYBRID system not Free-to-play and Zwill confirmed it in the "Freedom, Hardly" topic in the City of Heroes Life section. It was never designed for current subscribers to step down, but rather to entice the lower tiers to step up. And how do you do that, by continuing to give VIPs "stuff" that is very appealing for free while insisting Premiums pay for it with cold hard cash. In the long run it will be more cost effective to sub.

My time traveller will finally be rerolled! More AE arcs to play with. Celestial and IDF sets... And let's not forget the most important part, new BADGES!

This is a voice that will be missed. If I'm not mistaken, his avatar was usually dr. Who themed?

Forbin? GG? Aracnaville? All on the same page as me? (Yes, I know I keep my voice low, but I am in awe that we are all on the same path for once.) *checks outside for doom*

Seriously, a few pages back Zwill even said it, "They are NOT moving to Free to Play."
This is a "Hybrid" business model meant to entice players into becoming VIP. This is NOT a system meant for current VIP to step down to Premium. You wish to do so then you get less bang for your buck, your choice. What it really comes down to is, are you willing to continue supporting the game you have for so many years? If the answer is no, then you were already on your way out, but your account will be here, eternally now, at whatever Premium level you leave it at.

Freedom (Not Free-to-Play) is designed to continue to reward VIP players. And it does: Sig Story Arcs, Time Manipulation, IDF costume, Celestial costume, unlimited access to all systems, etc. And Paragon has stated VIPs will continue to reap benefits. If you choose to go Premium, that's the distinction. If you choose to remain VIP and continue the support you have already been applying to the game, well you get to keep your stuff.