Freeplay In Mechscape
Written by Xela

Hello, my name's Xela and in this week's MechScape Post I'll be talking about the free-to-play aspect of MechScape, namely what it will be like and how it will affect the way we play. Will it be like RuneScape's freeplay game where membership is an expansion or will it be severely limited in comparison to the members' content? How long will it last? Will you be able to play as a freeplayer indefinitely? Will freeplay be updated regularly or at all? These are important questions to Jagex and a lot of the freeplay community as they will decide who plays and for how long, as well as being important as to whether players progress to purchase membership - if the game is underwhelming from the start then people will abandon it before giving it long enough to get them interested, but if the freeplay game is too good then players won't become paying subscribers.

RuneScape started off as an entirely free game before Jagex introduced membership to support the development and maintenance of their game - more of a donation than a real product. RuneScape creator Andrew Gower stated in an interview that "At this point [the dot-com bubble burst in 2001] I was quite desperate, because I couldn't afford to keep up with the game, and without funding, all of the previous work would have gone down the drain. And it wasn't as if we were offering a lot for subscribers, maybe 10 percent on top of the original game." (Source) Members' content production overtook the company as Jagex grew from a hobby to a business and freeplay updates became infrequent as the company focussed on its main product and stream of revenue - membership: "...there will still be a FREE RuneScape service available. Obviously since this service will be offered for free, we won't be able to keep offering regular updates to non-paying members." (Source) Although freeplayers benefit from major updates and enjoy the holiday events, updates are generally few and far between.

So, will MechScape follow the same path or will it differ, and if so, how? We know it will use the same business model currently found in RuneScape and FunOrb through interviews with former CEO Geoff Iddison to Myth Games and Gamasutra - "The whole business model of Jagex products, and this business model will go forward with our new MMO coming out next year MechScape, is free to play, and if you want deeper content, you pay a subscription." (Source) More recently, Jagex CEO Mark Gerhard has also explicitly confirmed freeplay in MechScape - "MechScape will be like RuneScape with a f2p and p2p section". (Source in Mod MMG Answers Questions.)

MechScape is built from the ground up as a commercial venture meaning there is no legacy content to provide the free game as there is in RuneScape, so that everything has probably been designed with more commercial motives. Jagex want the game to be fun but at the end of the day I believe freeplay will be a vehicle to obtain new players and entice them into paying the monthly subscription - as Andrew stated in 2007 "With the free version, we basically break even, but of course this version is very important to us as it brings in new players and introduces more people to the game" (Source). In contrast, freeplay RuneScape which Jagex and I consider a full game in itself - it is certainly a lot longer lasting than most game demos. For example, World of Warcraft has a time limited trial in which a player does not have access to the full features of the game and will never get the opportunity to experience all of the content which they have access to, making the idea of the demo being almost the full game moot.

This outlook may well lead to a game feeling more like a demo as in FunOrb in which many games claim to be free but really only allow playing of the most basic levels before requiring a subscription. This payment model may make MechScape's freeplay content feel overly pushy and might lead to widespread unhappiness in the freeplay community. This would most likely capture the casual market although it remains to be seen how Jagex will balance the game in respect to how aggressive the selling will be without negatively affecting playability. It's clear that Jagex will try and dissuade players from continuing to play without purchasing MechScape membership for too long as they are first and foremost a company and their main priority must be profitability. Of course, there are other benefits to having more freeplayers - word of mouth advertising, the opportunity to boast about having lots of players and the slight profits that freeplayers still do earn, but Jagex would clearly prefer them to become members.

On the other hand, the legacy content in RuneScape is generally of a poor quality, so while there may be less to do in freeplay MechScape it should be more fun to play. For example, compare the RuneScape quest Romeo and Juliet to one of the recent holiday quests such as Myths of the White Lands; the new quest has a more interesting storyline, more skilful puzzles and useful rewards in comparison to a ripped off plot, simplistic fetch-and-carry objectives and little profit after completing the quest. This shows how Jagex have upped their game when it comes to producing fun, vibrant gameplay even if it is somewhat more commercialized. Furthermore, while MechScape's free-to-play element might be playable for less time than RuneScape's, they might have a similar amount of actual content. For example, grinding takes a long time, but does it involve much actual content? By definition it is repeating the same actions over and over again, so if MechScape involves less grinding it could have the same amount of content even if it is shorter, and it would feel less like filler.

Jagex will also have to be wary of the rush of RuneScape players heading to try out the new game; if current paying members are too impressed by the free content then Jagex might lose subscribers to the new free game - they'd be competing with themselves! A possible solution to this problem is to follow the example of FunOrb's most popular game, Arcanists. Originally, Arcanists was very limited for freeplayers with no online play - only the tutorial was available; however after the original rush had died down and players decided which service they would stick with Jagex opened a limited version of the online game to freeplayers - there was now a very playable free game to entice people to upgrade but with no loss of paying subscribers. MechScape and FunOrb can't exactly be compared like for like but Jagex could well pull off a similar feat with the launch, making a somewhat limited free game when MechScape is first released but augmenting it when the buzz dies down.

To conclude, MechScape will follow a similar pricing structure to RuneScape with some free content and the rest paid for. While it would be nice to get a similar size free game it would be logical to assume that its freeplay game will be shorter than RuneScape's but we can expect that it will take full advantage of the expertise that Jagex never had when originally making RuneScape and it will be a more fun, vibrant experience. Anything more than that is pure speculation, and I doubt we'll find out more about freeplay until the game is released, beta or otherwise.

So, how do you think Jagex will manage the balancing act of what to give players for free? How will they make the free game awesome... but not too awesome?

~Xela

MechScape and Community News


Twitter Comments
Jagex has made an announcement on their twitter account that MechScape will be coming soon, "we promise". (Read more.)

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Previous Issues:
MechScape Post #8: The Future of MechScape World
MechScape Post #7: Situational Awareness: How the Concept Applies to MechScape
MechScape Post #6: Removing the Need To RWT
MechScape Post #5: The Hype Surrounding the Release Date of MechScape
MechScape Post #4: Gerhard's Influence on MechScape and Jagex
MechScape Post #3: A Great MechScape Flood?
MechScape Post #2: The MechScape Environment and Concepts
MechScape Post #1: MechScape Clan Leadership

Footnotes
Contributors: Brenden, Ren (Content Research Team); Asfastasdark, Max, mike470, Oscar, Simba, Xela (Writing & Editing Team).
Disclaimer: The views expressed by members of staff do not necessarily represent the view of MechScape World.

Nicely written Xela ! I think, that it'll be exactly as in RuneScape, with limited amount of playworld, skills(if they exist in MechScape) lack of updates etcetera. I don't think they'll make it more limited now than like 9 months after the release.
I myself plan on being a f2p player for a while, see if I like the game, and then maybe becoming a member. We'll just have to wait & see :P

Nice article. I'm glad there will be free play since I didn't yet know if there would be. I'm one of those people who would ONLY play Mechscape if there will be free play. Unless mechscape *really* impresses me, if I have $180 i'm willing to throw away into games each year, there are other games i'm more interested in.

We can only speculate how the free play will be in mechscape. looking at runescape though, i'm not expecting them to make a good balance.

Not a good balance? I'm sorry, but I don't know much f2p mmorpg's with that much of gameplay as runescape f2p has, do you? It's logical that members have much more gameplay, because they pay for it. Runescape has a much better balance than other much-played mmorpgs, which often only offer trials for 14 or 10 days, which feature very limited gameplay, just like the article stated.

Nice Xela, i hope feeplay will be very good, it's not a demo of the game i hope

At this post it's hard to figure out whether or not Mechscape will be similar to RS, but I think it's going to pretty close. We'll just have to see how it goes, the two games are quite different but both are MMO's by Jagex.

That was interesting read.

Runescape has a legacy of it's 'free sample', and many people even seem content to play F2P. In FunOrb, Jagex is even starting to open games and forums to F2P, and unfortunately (at the moment) catering less to members. However, I think, because of the more mature and 'adult-age' gaming style I've heard Jagex is trying to aim for on Mechscape, a free version will not go that far. Instead, I think it's mean to maybe, bring out the world and gameplay. Because adults and older people often have more money to spend on an online game than yound children, I think Jagex may be aiming for more of a separation between free and member gameplay than Runescape currently has.

I enjoy reading these, but it seems like they're coming out at too fast of a pace. It seems like this would do much better as a monthly or bimonthly newsletter, even if it's a way bigger post.
[/opinion]

I hope the members is like Runescape in a way but a much better game over all :)

Why? MechScape Posts come out at a pace of one a week (every Saturday). It is a combination of editorial and news. We don't know when MechScape will be out so if we want to speculate about what the game will be out we can't do it bi-monthly or its possible not all of our writing staff will get a chance to express their views before release. Similarly, if the news round-up was less frequent then it wouldn't be a useful way for people to keep up with the latest MechScape news. If we just had lots of editorials in one post then I think it'd be a bit overwhelming. Personally I look forward every week to seeing what the writers have come up with and reading the responses. What does everyone else think about the frequency of the MechScape Post?

all this new info you gave is like a common sense
nothing new

Thanks guys, your comments are appreciated ;) I'm glad you like it :D

It will be interesting to see how Jagex' new pro-freeplay stance will affect the game they put out, I'm of the opinion that the game will still be more commercial than RS, but I can see how it could go the other way.

I believe it would be wrong of jagex to basically dump a "prototype/dumbed down/exceptionally limited" version of f2p on free players. There should be an equal balance between the two, regardless if one side pays while the other doesnt. I can tell you this, chances are if the free play is seriously screwed over and neglected like runescape freeplay was for years, and to an extent is still is, i won't be giving jagex my money any time soon when the game's out.

I hope Mechscape will have a free to play version like runescape, with the extra quests, things to do, and faster skilling membership has drawing people in, rather than only having a limited trial version and hoping members join because of there experiences in this limited trial version, which is usually not much.

I think it would be cool if MechScape had worlds where members could do members stuff but non members got the typical "You need to be a member" message. So you could hang out with non member friends and not get stuck unable to do members stuff. Actually, I don't know why that wouldn't be possible in RuneScape either.

Obviously some things would need disabled.

Editorials aren't supposed to provide breaking news, if you want that then stick to the confirmed news section. Editorials are a means to give an insight into a topic and show the author's take on it as a catalyst for others to think about it and hopefully share their views on it.

Good analysis Xela

I sort of hope you are wrong about the amount of options open to F2p in mechscape, but I can see where it would be logical.

What I am worrying about is whether I should stick to Runescape members or Mechscape members, I will end up picking the game I find the most fulfilling, Mechscape sounds better than Runescpe in so many ways but I have been a loyal runescape member for about a year now. I would love it if they had a two for one subscribing offer so I could play runescape and mechscae members content at the same time, but I cannot afford both of them. In the edn it will come down to what I like better, and right now its leaning towards mechscape. Runescape is too much grind and leveling takes forever, and all the best stuff in the game is for high-level players. I'm not going to endlessly grind out combat for a year to be able to verse the "Jad" in the "fight caves".

But what worries me the most is losing good runescape friends. All my friends on runescape at the present time arent too keen on the Mechscape release and obviously don't want to change over or give it a go, which is dissapointing. Hopefully they change there minds and I can play with them, otherwise I'll have to start over.

I enjoy reading the posts and I agree, it's good to be able to read them every week. Also keep up with the good work guys!!!

"Coming soon"

By next month would be amazing .

I doubt it would be anytime soon :\

Nice one Xela

I disagree with the "if free is to good then nobody will upgrade" statement. There is this one really good game that only has a few shops and area's that you can't go to, all the things sold in the shops are just for looks and, I became a member in that game BECAUSE the game was so good as a non-member that I wanted to both support the company and do/get everything in the entire game.

With Runescape it is the exact opposite, I made a free account and it didn't amaze me so I didn't upgrade. Then I played on a friends account that was a member and I was like, "Wow, this game is a lot better now. They even have a kind of capture the flag game! I think I will upgrade." Then my friend's parents didn't want him spending that much money on a game per month so he canceled his membership. Then I went back to being a non-member and I was going to upgrade but after playing as a non-member I got bored of it and stopped playing completely.

So I think that you should have less things cut out of being a non-member. Like still having all of the modes and stuff (for Runescape: pvp one on one matches, and Capture the Flag, and stuff like that) but you could make a few places member only (just not to many or too big of places) and only having the member only items for looks.

I think it would be fine though if they reduced the updates for Mechscape like they have for Runescape.

One word (or three depends on how you view the name of the game) AdventureQuestWorlds. (Or AQWorlds as it is more commonly written as).

This is not really proving anything. First of all, AQWorlds is a 2D game made in Flash... Even I could make something like that. There is a big difference between a 2D Flash game and a much larger 3D game with DirectX and OpenGL support... That's like trying to compare classical music and screamo--it doesn't work.

Also: your point on RuneScape... really, if it was exactly the same as members' except for a few useless items, I can tell you right now that I wouldn't upgrade. I don't know if I'm the only one here, but I (and as far as I know, many others as well) am not the type of person who wants to support a company just because there product is so good. I'd buy membership if there was a point to it. That's just me, I don't know if I'm the only one or not, but honestly your point doesn't make much sense to me.

Anyway, great editorial, as always, really explains just about every single factor in how Jagex might divide free and members' MechScape.

A very nice read Xela.
I think it will be just the same as in RS, small thingy for F2P, bigger thingies for P2P. Y'know!

Making people pay to have fun time just makes them spam internet how bad that games is.

All people who hate WoW say that just because of that thing.Making people do stuff just harms the maker.
Jagex is good company with fair and smart people in it, I'll say they don't forget freeplayers.

This was a good artical. I hope F2p is good because I like to to be F2p
when I'm focesed on a f2p skill or other things that are f2p.

I hope the fee for subscribers to Mechscape isn't too high..

Great Editorial. Clears up a few things I had on my mind.

Personally I think that Membership will be Identical to RuneScape, the same price (Maybe A Little Higher ) with optional Multi-Game Membership.
Eg. RuneScape+MechScape/MechSape+FunOrb/FunOrb+RuneScape/RuneScape+MechScape+FunOrb

These will obviously provide larger savings on membership if you play on all 3 websites. It is also a great way to encourage having ONE account rather than buying singular membership for each seperate account for each seperate website.

Bah I'm Rambling again!

Thanks MechScapeWorld.

~Brad Aka. Saradane

Great Article!!!!!!!!! very well done

Good to read that it will most likely contain a F2P aspect! They can't expect everyone to pay for members as soon as the game is released!

QUOTE (Cyph3r @ May 2 2009, 01:51 PM)

QUOTE (Sp3ctre18 @ May 2 2009, 07:34 PM)

Nice article. I'm glad there will be free play since I didn't yet know if there would be. I'm one of those people who would ONLY play Mechscape if there will be free play. Unless mechscape *really* impresses me, if I have $180 i'm willing to throw away into games each year, there are other games i'm more interested in.

We can only speculate how the free play will be in mechscape. looking at runescape though, i'm not expecting them to make a good balance.

Not a good balance? I'm sorry, but I don't know much f2p mmorpg's with that much of gameplay as runescape f2p has, do you? It's logical that members have much more gameplay, because they pay for it. Runescape has a much better balance than other much-played mmorpgs, which often only offer trials for 14 or 10 days, which feature very limited gameplay, just like the article stated.

I didn't say runescape had a bad balance. I had many more, other thoughts in my head when I wrote that anyway.

tbh, i think we will see a very similiar system to RS, Jagex has benefitted massively from having a large F2P world, as large numbers of people use F2P who then jump up to P2P after getting hooked, I think Jagex will continue in a similiar vein, trying to break even on the F2P, which will be fairly expansive, while racking in profits through subscriptions,
in essence using F2P as a launch pad for P2P

i really hope its not to much more.....i really wouldn't play it if its to much
if its near 10 dollars thats a no go to me

one of the biggest things to appeals to me about runescape is how cheap it is...thats one of the main reasons why i still play
i can understand if the game has much better graphics
but i kind of like RS because its like all the other classic games

$10 would still be cheap when you consider how much you might pay just to go out to see one movie. The fact that many people pay for membership but don't play more than an hour or two a week might be what keeps the costs down.

Some of that subscription money supports the f2p game too so there has to be some kind of balance. If you don't have a f2p area it's hard to attract new members. The same will probably hold true for MechScape as it did for RuneScape.

Games like WOW could probably have kept their prices lower too if they had more f2p than just a 14 day free trial. MechScape could be a little more expensive than RuneScape to reflect all the extra years of development they did before releasing it. Game companies need to make some money too or they would go out of business and not provide us the games we love to play.

As stated in the article Andrew said back in 2007 that RuneScape F2P pretty much broke even, although we don't know the current situation.

Wats mechscape world like

Jagex is in the surplus while they have been developing MechScape... even when they developed FunOrb before that. Jagex is profiting a lot from RuneScape members and really it would look back on their part if they increased members to $10 or even WoW's price. I personally don't like businesses raising their prices when it has nothing to do with trying to make ends meet. Jagex is doing great for how the economy has gone sour.