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The following are the very basic problems that are causing much of these concerns, tensions, strife etc.

1. Paying players had to work very hard to save the game the first time. I can certainly simpathise with that.

2. The entire community (most, if not all players, p2p, f2p, dev, csr, whatever) fought for 2.0. It was really an amazing effort, and we shouldn't lose sight of that. Many of you posting here are being very disrespectful... Perhaps you would like to go back to 1.0?

In some ways F2P resent the fact that some P2P are pretty much giving up, now that they have what they want...

The message from some of these p2p is simple "We have our game again, we don't need you anymore, good luck with that."

Though threatening to unsub may have an effect, f2p players must take a different approach, and appeal to ethics and fair play--not to mention good morals. This is invaluable in this industry. I much prefer this approach to the alternative. Arguably, without F2P we would all still be stick in 1.0.

3. A very important concern is MOST F2P still do not know if even their identities are going to be retained after the merge. The issue of levels notwithstanding, at the very least, we simply need a way to retain our character's identities.

I suggest we stop fighting each other--poisoning the air--and see if something like 2.1 etc comes out of it, because if they can manage to save f2p levels, along with some very rare and hard to obtain p2p items, that would be a great achievement.

Given the way 1.0 was put forward, they probably don't mind if some p2p stop playing--that being the trolls--and I for one am going to stop feeding them...

No, it's only "most of the loudest" p2P players ;-)

Steady repetition of the same argument by the same person won't make the argument better (or worse) it's just seen more... you know all those TV channels where they're selling stuff? What do you think why they're talking so much? To convince someone that their crap is really good.

I was talking to a friend of mine (who's F2P) and he sees this as a chance to get his daughter her own account (was playing on his) and play together with her ;-)

And he gave me a link to an article about all this as well: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2012/09/mmorpg-ryzom-gears-up-for-play er-reset-server-wipe lets see who's able to find themselves in there ;-)

I have always thought that the F2P was a trial basis for the game. People seem to think otherwise, as they play F2P permanently. I was one, like Entendu, who started in 2006 while the F2P "Trial" was only on Silan. I thought that it was a great trial, to be honest. Silan in and of itself gives the player a taste of almost every aspect of the game to make a decision on whether or not to sub. That is the point of a trial is it not?
I believe that the extension of the trial to lvl 125 and the mainland was a huge mistake on the part of WG. This isn't a mistake due to the "trial player" being able to live amongst their friends for an indefinite time, for free. It is a mistake because of how the P2P community has abused it. Free healer alts. How does a lvl 125 healer alt on a free account help the game? It is obviously not being used to allow a new player a perspective of the game.
So, now we have both P2P and F2P users abusing the system, creating more work without more income for WG.

Solution:
-Put the F2P trial back onto Silan. Keep the level cap at 125, this allows them plenty of time on Silan to reach those levels if they so choose. This also removes a lot of free usage by P2P players abusing the F2P system for healing alts, which they would likely sub to keep those healers alive - making more money for WG. Since everyone will restart on Silan after the merge, it is simple not to allow F2P accounts to enter the mainland.
-Give the F2P players a Novice pack, which contains their name/appearance and a few stacks of generic materials to help those new Silan crafters. –Identity is important to everyone, even F2P players.
-Place a F2P oriented guild npc on Silan, or just convert one of the existing useless npcs there into a guild official. Allow the F2P players the ability to form their own guilds on Silan so they can feel more of a part of the game during their “Trial”.
-Open the Matis Beginner island for F2P Silaners. This would allow them to experience teleporting around. Create a lvl 50 - 75 zone out of the Matis Beginner island for those F2P so they aren't congested on the small island of Silan.


Other than this, I believe that a F2P needs to subscribe his/her account to continue to play and enjoy the game to it's fullest.

Huh ? I am quite happy to have the F2P community here...as a player, I enjoy the company even though there is little opportunity for us to undertake many common endeavors because of the "nerf factor".

But the decision here was not the player's but the people paying the bills. How you feel F2P had anything to do with the decision to move to 2.0 is well beyond reason. Example:

1. I own a sports pub and 98% of my paying customers advise me that they won't be coming in to my establishment to drink out of their personalized beer mugs if I go ahead with my plan to discontinue the establishment's cable TV Sports Package.

2. I own a sports pub and 98% of my visitors advise me that they won't be coming in to my establishment if I no longer give away free personalized beer mugs.....mugs that don't bring in income since they aren't filling them.

Since I can't keep the doors open, pay my bills and feed my family w/o Group No. 1, my decision must be greatly influenced by Group No. 1's intentions. And while I may love all the guys in Group No. 2 who hang out w/ me every Sunday, the fact that they do not contribute to keeping those doors open means they have very little impact on what is simply a financial decision. I can't keep buying those beer mugs and I can't keep paying for having names printed on them w/o an income to offset that cost.

Personally, as there is a cost involved in moving the toons, I would wish that WG would provide an option to the F2P community. Want ya toon moved over ?

a) subscribe
b) there's a one time transfer cost associated with the move

I'd also drop the level cap to 100 which would allow the development of 27 trees to Level 100. Even an avid player could spend a year leveling all trees to 125 and that' can hardly be called a "trial period". In addition, racial spells should be something to entice the move from F2P to P2P. And finally, the 100 level cap would reduce, to some extent at least, the abuse by P2P players utilizing freebie accounts for heal and CP slaves.

Well said FF. But I still think that making F2P stay on Silan is more of a motivator to sub their accounts.

+1 FyrosFreddy, but I would have capped f2p at 75, that's long enough, but I could compromise at 100

In all fairness, my meaning was that without F2P "player" support we would still be stuck in 1.0

Furthermore, there's not much incentive to pay if I'm still going to be expected to provide marketing support for them as well... Quite frankly that's unprofessional, and reminds me of another game that attempted that and did not do too well afterwards.

Helping fellow players in uni is one thing, providing ongoing marketing advice for a for-profit comany is another thing entirely.

Puting in a good word for an enjoyable pass-time is yet another.

Someone who runs their own business should know this already--no disrespect intended.

a) How do you provide any marketing support now?
b) No one expects anything from you.

You don't pay for the game as a f2p.. so.. aren't you profitless?

F2P are not profit by themselves. But they might eventually go for a subscription later. Most of nowadays new subscribers would not have started playing if it was a subscription from start (or even worse pay 40€ for first month like it was in the beginning).

F2P also make other new F2P or subbed players stay because the would is more alive and has more low-level players to play with. WG is not Blizzard that can ask people who have never played their game to spend any money just to try it (actually D3 has a free, capped and area limited trial too... but it's over after an hour per toon).

+1 Freddy Exactly what I was trying to say. I have nothing against f2p and like everyone who plays this game. If there was a mod to the current business model that would allow people to pay to keep their levels I would fully support it since they would be supporting this game.

Actually, I don't see the problem, if F2P players like the game so much they can pay to continue playing with retention of levels and all, if not, then it is the choice of the F2P player and they have to make do with one of the packs and loose their levels.

If a F2P player converts to P2P now they actually got a lot of playtime for free over the last 1,5 years or so, which makes up for their contribution to Ryzom in the form of giving the P2P community more people to play with or helping newbies.

Again, it is the F2P player their choice, if they find it not worthy to sub, they don't have too ...

the perpetual marketing advice I was mentioning did not have to do with myself, as I was the one pointing it out... that had to do with what seemed to be occurring. may have been necessary previously (several years ago), but I do not think it is the same now

at this point I would be willing to support a one-time payment option for ALL players to retain not only levels but certain irreplaceable/very hard to obtain items as well--to include those obtained in a group/guild effort, at the same time a subscription gift option could be added.

from a support standpoint, since they are potential paid players, shouldn't we treat the f2p better, not worse?

the issue of stratification is not necessarily simply an in-game concern, and I for one will not be supporting it.

Ok sooo.... let's try and nutshell it in a tl:dr ;-P

First off, I got nothing against F2P players. That out of the way, some of them seem to need a reality adjustment.

Ryzom is NOT a big-time commercial MMO funded by some huge company like EA or WB. Meaning that if the losses outweigh the profits, game's dead, no hope of a cash injection to keep it alive until marketing can come up with something genius then make the devs work on it (then again, huge companies would have shut this down YEARS ago for simply not making enough profit... assuming Ryzom's made a profit recently at all).

Wiping EVERYONE was a bad move, can't antagonize the ones who've kept the game's +FINANCIAL LOSSES+ at a tolerable minimum.

Now while F2P do add numbers and flavor to the game, those who "hate" them do have a point... numbers are numbers, you do represent a potential financial drain to the game. I doubt that referring it to friends goes "Hey playing this cool game... can play months for free before hitting the trial cap, but why don't YOU subscribe to support it".... more like "come play free with me".

Yes, some of them might eventually pay, but you can't tell the bandwidth provider "we might eventually pay" because their reply will be "we might eventually reconnect you, then".

That said, devs should REALLY consider a "pay one month's fee to keep your levels without locking out your account", but that's assuming that they have the resources (cash and hours) to do so. If they don't, then there's such a thing as bigger fish to fry.

WG hasn't taken other more nefarious measures like "lower the f2p limit to 75" in which case F2P who've "worked for MONTHS" would still be rather screwed as they'd be stuck with skills at 95. WG hasn't taken nefarious measures like AN ITEM STORE. WG hasn't taken more nefarious measures like AN ITEM STORE WITH PAY 2 WIN. Oh, and we get to not pay $40 for the client and $40 once a year for a new area.

So for those who feel like they're being treated unfairly, bear in mind that WG might already be doing too much to accomodate free players from a financial standpoint. As someone stated some posts back, "you can afford a computer and you can afford internet so you should be able to afford $15". Still in school? I'm sure you can help your parents around the house for that $15 a month. Unemployed? Might wanna start playing less and looking for a job. None of the above? I can vouch for it... working freelance as tourism guide, currently in LOW season. Those $15 to resub HURT my pocket right? Yeah sorta... no beer for me the next couple of weekends.

While wiping eeeeveryone is a great ideal, it's also financial suicide. My recommendation: stop attacking the devs, try to gather around a REASONABLE "keep my skills and stay f2p" option, and don't expect it to cost $0.50 and a hug. I have seen NO ONE offering an alternative source of revenue to prevent the level resets. If you got a rich uncle now's the time to talk him into investing (or borrow $15 a month off him at least ffs).

This is a great game and I'd hate to see it die, hence my beerless weekends. Those re-subscribing or accepting their level reset with dignity can see that too. At least there'll be people around with their subscription-kept levels to help you gear up and build your fame back up. Do we feel sorry for people getting levels wiped? Yes. Do we want F2P gone from the game? Nah. However... are we willing to risk Ryzom shutting down so that computer owners who can afford internet can keep getting a free ride for Ryzom's last 6 months? HELL NO.

Ragequit if you must over your level reset, go find another "free" game, find out how much of a money sponge it truly is, then come back and level to 125 while you figure out wether to pay or not. Trust me I've tested out dozens of MMOs. This game had me subscribing before I left Silan for the simple reason that IT DESERVES MY SUPPORT.

To the last few posters, please post in here if you will, there are a few other posts i've been told but if we can get more into one post maybe the idea will be heard a bit more loudly, thank you

http://app.ryzom.com/app_forum/?page=topic/view/14180/1