Quick Polls: Spending Habits and Revenue Plans

Inspired by a discussion on Twitter, and Trion's announcement of Rift's impending F2P transition, I just started two quick polls. Please see the questions in the right column (sorry, you'll have to hit the vote button twice). They'll be up till next Tuesday, then I'll discuss results.

If you don't find a category in the list that you feel strongly about, drop a comment. :)

QOTD: Rift Goes Free

Starting June 12 RIFT is FREE - No Trials. No Tricks. No Traps. There's a lot to learn! riftgame.com/free
— RIFT (@Riftgame) May 14, 2013

Massively has an interview with Rift's Creative Director, Bill Fisher, as well.

I can't say I'm surprised. Rift is an awesome game that I enjoyed playing to max-level. It was the first game my lovely bride and I played together fresh, neither of us having prior experience. But the trend is toward free-to-play with a cash shop even for quality MMOs. In truth, Rift will be a hybrid—like TSW and SWTOR—with Subscribers getting perks that F2Pers will have to pay for, if they are even available.

Subcription MMOs are quite frankly on the decline. Even the elephant in the room, WoW, is losing subscribers, though Blizzard is still the runaway leader of the MMO pack. Some folks prefer to play a subscription-based game "to keep things simple." I used to be one of them. But I have found, beginning with GW2, then TSW, and now Neverwinter, that I like free-to-play. I have spent money/points in all three games. Maybe not as much as I would have if I were subscribed, but more than if they were fully sub-based and I weren't playing at all (which was the case for a few months with TSW). So at this stage of my gaming life, it's not a matter of sub money or no money, it's a matter of some money, when I feel the urge or need. I see it as a good move on Trion's part, if they keep to their promises of "No Tricks. No Traps." I won't play SWTOR because I feel the F2P is punitive, so they get none of my gaming budget. But a well-managed F2P (or B2P) doesn't have to make the F2Per feel left out, and thus will encourage spending, when there is value for the player.

Beyond the Veil Take 39: In the Mail

Beyond the Veil Take 39 is currently available for download. You can also subscribe through Holosuite Magazine's RSS feed or through iTunes.

You can also catch the live show Thursdays at about 7p.m. EDT(4p.m.PDT) on Holosuite Excess.

A New Mother on Mother's Day: Puppies!!

It's not all fun and MMOs around here. Sometimes life gets real. A month ago, Sctrz and my stepdaughter found a scared, hungry—and pregnant, as it turns out—chihuahua while out and about. They took her to the veterinarian, who gave her a clean bill of health, but didn't mention the puppies. "Bella" was very nervous and shy about coming to live with us. We've slowly coaxed her out, while at the same time noting her growing girth. The vet said a little bloating was normal as she got used to regular, healthy meals; though she never seemed in any particular digestive distress. Well, about a week ago I was holding her—after all of us had suspected for a bit that she may be "in a family way"—and I felt the puppies move. Yesterday evening, she went into labor.

Anyway, long-short, here they are:

Puppy #1. We know they're at least part chihuahua.

Proud Mama

How about "Ebony" and "Ivory" for names?

Pink Nose

NBI: Retrospective

Ravanel posted today about the Newbie Blogger Initiative run last year by Syp of Bio Break fame. Given the woeful failure rate of blogs in general, Ocho's assessment of 25% NBI blogs still active a year later is a resounding success for the Initiative. I was honored to be invited by Syp to be one of the "steely-eyed veterans" giving advice, even though I am somewhat noobish about it myself. And I am happy to have served even a small role in the Initiative.

"We have done the impossible, and that makes us mighty."

Congratulations to those from the NBI Class of 2012 still going strong—or even limping along. Don't forget that you can "respec" your blog, even you originally started dedicated to a single game or theme. It might revitalize your enthusiasm for the hobby. This space started out as a WoW and STO blog, but has evolved as my interests have. To those who have shuttered your blogs, I am sorry you're no longer with us, and I hope you have found or returned to another hobby that you enjoy immensely. :) I still keep a running list of recent posts by NBI bloggers to the right.

Anyway, here are what others (both Veterans and Newbies) are saying about the NBI a year later, shamelessly stolen, like the Badge, from Ravanel:

• Ravalation: NBI: One Year and a Week Later
• Avatars of Steel: Virtual Party to celebrate the original Newbie Blogger's Initiative
• Casual Aggro: The Newbie Blogger Initiative - 1 Year Later
• Healing the Masses: Newbie Blogger Initiative Info and Guides Which I have also permalinked to the right. 
• World's End Tavern: Newbie Blogger Initiative: One year later
• The Ancient Gaming Noob: New Blogger Initiative a Year Later - Who Survived?