AO is "free?" Is there a catch?

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humpnik
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AO is "free?" Is there a catch?

Post by humpnik » Sat Jul 31, 2010 5:27 am

So I read a thread about good, free to play MMOs on reddit and Anarchy Online came up. First I thought the game would cost and there is just no monthly fees. But on the official (I think) website I found a link to the client, for free! I'm downloading it right now.

I'm a bit skeptical. What's the catch? Is it only one month? How is it financed? Through the additional expansion packs? Micro payments for in-game items? Is this game any fun in "free mode"? I kinda feel like there's something hidden in the fine print, heh.

Besides that I remember being quite fascinated with this game's premise when it came out (but not having a proper internet connection back then so I couldn't play). I almost forgot about it and now I read it's free to play.

Ukblizzard
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Post by Ukblizzard » Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:18 am

The "catch" of being a free player is that you cannot turn off ingame advertising (which is what subsidises the froob scheme).

You can be a free player for the rest of forever -- quite possibly until the games server plugs are pulled. The scheme has been renewed each year so far and noone seems to be hinting at an end to it.

There are a lot of free players, yes you can have fun :)

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Uragon
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Post by Uragon » Sat Jul 31, 2010 8:40 am

Oh, and you'll also be somewhat limited in equipment as well as general power. So well, you're balanced for what you're likely to encounter, but have to be prepared to encounter other players that are insanely stronger than you.

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Snakebite
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Post by Snakebite » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:51 pm

Basicaly as a fr00b (free account player), you're limited to the main game, which includes the base game and Notum Wars. What you don't get are the later expansions, such as Shadowlands, Alien Invasion and such...

You CAN become a paid player, on a monthly subscription, or you can paly 3months, 6months or 12months at a time for a reduction in the total price, for instance, if you pay 12months up front, you pay HALF the cost for the year than you would paying monthly...

AND there is a new option available, for only 5 of your local currency (either dollars for americans or euros for pretty much everyone else), you can upgrade to a sl00b account which is the same as the fr00b account but includes the Shadowlands expansion. this gives you access to all the Shadowlands playfields, an extra 20 levels (making a total of 220 rather than the fr00bs 200), and (and this is worth it all on it's own...) you gain access to Shadowlands Perks, which are like your skills, but you can move them around and change the options of what they do for you.


All in all, if I were you, I'd play as a fr00b for at least one month, it will take you that long to get into the game properly, paying sooner than that will probably be a waste of money, but after that, I'd think about upgrading to a sl00b account (but get into a decent Organisation first, they will help you if they're good).
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Snakebite
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Post by Snakebite » Sat Jul 31, 2010 4:53 pm

P.S. for a fr00b account, you only require the 'small' client, but if you upgrade at all, you'll NEED the 'large' client...!

With luck, you've decided to download the large client anyway, will save trouble later lol.
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Post by Hvyshadows » Tue Aug 03, 2010 11:56 pm

Hopefully you're checking back on this as you explore the game. I just wanted to mention that the free program for Anarchy Online is amazing. Basically, you get to play the original game in it's entirety for free. There's no hidden costs, no micro transactions, nothing of that sort. Yes, there are in game billboards, but they are not intrusive (at least not like they used to be when the sound bites played no matter what part of the zone you were in). :)

When/if you purchase expansions, you'll have access to a lot more equipment choices and an entire second world to play in, but as a free player you will hardly notice it. The equipment that you have available as a free player works perfectly for the world that is available to you (and it is huge!). I have lots of friends in game that have litteraly been a free player for years and still find interesting and fun things to do.
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stimie01
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Post by stimie01 » Thu Aug 19, 2010 3:56 pm

people will also look down on you and NEVEr trust you to lend equipment to you cause your a froob.ive tried several time to borrow items cause im missing 2-3 points but was told no becuase froobs are more likely to steal it.

takes 1 to ruin it for all scenario again :(

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Niodemus
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Post by Niodemus » Thu Aug 19, 2010 6:20 pm

stimie01 wrote:people will also look down on you and NEVEr trust you to lend equipment to you cause your a froob.ive tried several time to borrow items cause im missing 2-3 points but was told no becuase froobs are more likely to steal it.
Personally I would say that you being froob is not the main reason, just a hasty excuse.
From my point of view you either asked at really low level... and yes sometimes low levels don't give back the items because... well no idea... maybe they think the big ones don't need it?
On the other hand you might have asked for a more or less rare item... or at least hard to obtain. Wouldn't give such an item to someone apart of close friends or established org members.

Let's take it to real life as example:
You are in the city and a total stranger comes to you asking for your cell phone (lets assume one worth 30 bucks) to make a quick call to a friend. Would you give it to him? Would you also give it to him if you have no right to claim it back (that's exactly the policy ARKs & GMs have to follow, Funcom says)?
I believe you wouldn't give it... at least that's what I would act like...

Hope that doesn't demotivate you. Having a couple of friends who trust you and whome you trust is worth more than a big number on your credit counter. Also organisations help you a lot. Strangers won't... except in case of nano buffs... those are mostly free.

Regards
Nio

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Snakebite
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Post by Snakebite » Fri Aug 20, 2010 1:37 am

With this issue, it's easier if you've got into an established and well recognised Org, once you've been in it for a little while, shown you're energetic and into the game, Org members will help you out loads.

If you're NOT in an Org and ask to borrow something, THAT is where you will fall down, if you're in an Org and keep an item, they can contact your Org leader, it won't get them their item back, but will certainly get you kicked out of said Org.

It's called accountability...
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