Right now the free to play model is not really free to play and many people are giving negative reviews because you are capped at level 125. Let's be honest 125 does not allow you to fully play the game in all areas. It does offer quite a bit of content but this is not free to play.
I suggest a new free to play model that allows people to never be locked out of their account if they decide they no longer want to pay for the game.
Free to play model:
Able to reach level 250 in all skills.
Able to have a mount and 1 packer. (Let's face it one packer is not much be greatly needed for diggers.)
Not able to access guildhalls, Apartment, or Packer 2 and 3.
Able to use Catalyzers but do not receive permanent catalyzers
A limit of 50 flags on the players map.
No access to 250 zone and Prime Root teleporters.
Pay to play bonuses:
Permanent Catalyzers
Access to Apartments, Guildhouse inventories, ALL Packers.
Maximum flags on the players map.
Priority Customer Service access.
Access to all teleporters with required fame.
*(When players are not subbed....if any items are in their Apartments or Packers 2 and 3....those items are no longer accessible. They are also no longer able to retrieve mats from guild houses.)
*(When paying players become unsubbed teleports to 250 zones and Prime Roots are not usable.)
*(Map flag removal upon returning to free to play would not be viable. I recommendation is that there is no deletion of map flags in this situation.)
Ryzom is also not currently capitalizing on things such as Name Changes and Account Restorations. A flat $5 dollar fee for these services would add additional revenue at a price that many people would pay for.
***The biggest change to the game in this aspect is that people will now have a reason to fight over outposts again and trade catalyzers for free to play players and alts. This revives a large portion of Ryzom that is currently dead.
With these changes players are able to experience the full game of Ryzom, however, they have restrictions that are not game breaking and do not affect their game play significantly. Bonuses to paying players are nice things that just help them do things in an easier manner.
Suggestions to this plan are always welcomed as we need to make this model better then it is now to attract more people.
I suggest a new free to play model that allows people to never be locked out of their account if they decide they no longer want to pay for the game.
Free to play model:
Able to reach level 250 in all skills.
Able to have a mount and 1 packer. (Let's face it one packer is not much be greatly needed for diggers.)
Not able to access guildhalls, Apartment, or Packer 2 and 3.
Able to use Catalyzers but do not receive permanent catalyzers
A limit of 50 flags on the players map.
No access to 250 zone and Prime Root teleporters.
Pay to play bonuses:
Permanent Catalyzers
Access to Apartments, Guildhouse inventories, ALL Packers.
Maximum flags on the players map.
Priority Customer Service access.
Access to all teleporters with required fame.
*(When players are not subbed....if any items are in their Apartments or Packers 2 and 3....those items are no longer accessible. They are also no longer able to retrieve mats from guild houses.)
*(When paying players become unsubbed teleports to 250 zones and Prime Roots are not usable.)
*(Map flag removal upon returning to free to play would not be viable. I recommendation is that there is no deletion of map flags in this situation.)
Ryzom is also not currently capitalizing on things such as Name Changes and Account Restorations. A flat $5 dollar fee for these services would add additional revenue at a price that many people would pay for.
***The biggest change to the game in this aspect is that people will now have a reason to fight over outposts again and trade catalyzers for free to play players and alts. This revives a large portion of Ryzom that is currently dead.
With these changes players are able to experience the full game of Ryzom, however, they have restrictions that are not game breaking and do not affect their game play significantly. Bonuses to paying players are nice things that just help them do things in an easier manner.
Suggestions to this plan are always welcomed as we need to make this model better then it is now to attract more people.