Lifetime Account Members Thread

[Cerion]

I would never have spent that kind of money on a lifetime sub to a F2P MMO. It's nothing like the betrayal I felt with the NGE, but it's still putting a very bad taste in my mouth all the same.

Well, of course you wouldn't pay that much because it would have been...uhm...f2p.

As someone who suffered the NGE debacle myself, this is nothing, nothing, compared to that. LOTRO is changing its funding model; SWG changed its gameplay. The two cannot be further from comparison.

[KenR]

Well, of course you wouldn't pay that much because it would have been...uhm...f2p.

Well actually people end up paying more in F2P's which is why the industry is switching to them.

[Devildoc]

seeing that I'm going to be vip, and getting free points, which can apparently be used towards future expansions....



I just wanna know what all is in the shop.

They're not taking anything away from me, and the free accounts have a lot of restrictions that I'm above, so there's benefits over the free accounts.. I think having bought a lifetime account isn't being screwed over at all. Then again I've been lifetime for years so.. it's already paid for itself.

So once again..

[Thalifea]

So once again..

Well.....


There's a first for everything I suppose.....

[Elrorhir]

After taking the time to read the FAQ and looking at DDO, I think this is the best thing that could happen to us, lifetimer.

We are not screwed, we still have access to everything, including future book/content update and we can even purchase the cosmetic stuff with our 7$ a month. Looking at DDO, all the stuff we will not get from this are useless at best. Rez potion? pff, scroll to make more dmg (I am guessing it's like the scholar scrolls) pfff, foods, fast travel... All useless stuff. Extra storage, more characters slot, now that's interesting and I can save my 500 points/month for that stuff. I can perfectly live with everything + 500 points.

We are the real winner here, because nothing will change for us. The only losers here are the monthly vip, because once they stop spending their 15$/month, they lose everything, while the other will purchase their quests pack and keep them forever.

[Drogo1]

Lifetime suscriber having to pay for another expansion would go beyond shameful.

Um what??? Founder/Lifer and I've had to pay for every expansion so far - why would paying for another be shameful???

[Veri]

I'm a "new" lifetime sub...having gotten my lifetime sub for Christmas 2009. I don't feel cheated in any way, considering for me, absolutely nothing will change from what I have now. In fact, if future xpacs are available via the LOTRO store and Turbine points, then I feel like I scored a WIN as I will never have to pay actual money for the game I love ever again.

Beyond that, the move to F2P makes me hopeful about the future of content. You don't make a move like this in a game you are expecting to crash and burn. The fact that Turbine wants to eek out every possible dollar from fence sitters who dont want to commit to a subscription without alienating dabblers (F2Pers) who will find the game/community/whatever not to thier liking says that folks like me will reap the benefits of all those myriad dollars spent on Turbine points without having to spend MY dollars on Turbine points (and therefore not having to spend my dollars on new content) while funding is made available for the development of that content.

Although my sub hasn't "paid for itself" yet, this move makes me confident that the game will last long enough for it to pay for itself, and I will eventually really be playing the game, in its entirety, for free.

[Cerion]

Well actually people end up paying more in F2P's which is why the industry is switching to them.

well, alright then -- f2p/MT model. Pardon my previous shorthand to avoid the obvious.

[CaptainBoots]

I had paid for a lifetime sub with certain expectations from this game, and up until now I have not been disappointed. There are many reasons why this game is so highly rated on sites such as MMORPG.com, but for me the primary one is the community/player base. I fear that a F2P structure will put an end to that and transform this game into something altogether different.

The "VIP" status thing and their monthly thirty pieces of silver to spend in their marketplace won't be enough to keep me playing if the game takes the turn I think it will. I would have rather seen some sort of refund option for those that paid for a lifetime subscription to a game that is now going to be considerably different than the one that was marketed to us in the first place.

I would never have spent that kind of money on a lifetime sub to a F2P MMO. It's nothing like the betrayal I felt with the NGE, but it's still putting a very bad taste in my mouth all the same.

Why? You get ALL of the VERY SAME BENEFITS as before. (plus extra free perks like the 20 slot wardrobe) The people who join as free members are INTENSELY restricted in what they can do. Have you seen? Even the Premium level is limited to 5g per character, can't spend Destiny Points, can't access Monster Play, and don't get rest XP. Most services such as chat, mail, and the auction house are also limited. That 'free' they get is NOTHING like the free you're getting.

[Yosoff]

Double Lifetimer here. My 2 concerns are:
1. What will the 500 points / month get me? Is it a lot, next to nothing, or somewhere in-between? What's the monetary value of 500 points? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

2. Will I be able to spend points to reduce the grind for leveling alts? I'm a bit of an alt-aholic and hate grinding deeds and leveling the 25-45 range. If the new F2P/MT model somehow makes alts easier then in my book it's the best thing to happen to this game since the Rift. If not, then it's about as exciting as the hobby options.

[ookiespookie]

I'm starting this thread for any lifetime subscription members to speak.

As for me...
Forgive me but I'm not taking this well.

I've spent a fewhundred dollars on two lifetime accounts. I've been a loyal paying customer since the first day I could get my hands on a box.

I read your press releases and I can see you are going to give me store points as compensation for your change. I don't know enough right now to decide how I feel about that. Maybe it is a just compensation? I really don't know yet. I suppose it depends on what these points will do exactly.

But my first reaction is, I feel cheated. I paid a lifetime membership to join a club that you're now letting anyone into for free? I know how I would take this if my college, landlord, or healthclub suddenly went free to anyone After I had dished out money to them. I'll wait to see how this goes but really, right now my inclination is to file a fraud complaint with my state government's Consumer Commission. But I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, you've been good to me so far.

If you feel cheated, that is your own issue.
Your game does not change, in fact you get things that other people will not have and will have to pay for.
So cry more and then get over it.

[Elrorhir]

Double Lifetimer here. My 2 concerns are:
1. What will the 500 points / month get me? Is it a lot, next to nothing, or somewhere in-between? What's the monetary value of 500 points? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

2. Will I be able to spend points to reduce the grind for leveling alts? I'm a bit of an alt-aholic and hate grinding deeds and leveling the 25-45 range. If the new F2P/MT model somehow makes alts easier then in my book it's the best thing to happen to this game since the Rift. If not, then it's about as exciting as the hobby options.

Check the ddo store to get an idea of what lotro store will look like and they have XP boost items http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/DDO_Store_Guide

[AIRIAK]

Double Lifetimer here. My 2 concerns are:
1. What will the 500 points / month get me? Is it a lot, next to nothing, or somewhere in-between? What's the monetary value of 500 points? I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

2. Will I be able to spend points to reduce the grind for leveling alts? I'm a bit of an alt-aholic and hate grinding deeds and leveling the 25-45 range. If the new F2P/MT model somehow makes alts easier then in my book it's the best thing to happen to this game since the Rift. If not, then it's about as exciting as the hobby options.

1. 500 TP is like $7, maybe a little more. This is for DDO but it might help give you a better picture ... http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/DDO_Store_Guide

2. DDO has XP potions, so it's possible (Experience Elixirs that grant 10-20% bonuses to XP for 3-6 hours!).

[Devildoc]

Well.....


There's a first for everything I suppose.....

well, this change in business model doesn't negatively impact me in any way, like I said, I still get perks above and beyond what someone who doesn't pay gets. The free accounts are almost like a trial account, limited in how much gold they can have, how high a level they can go, what quests are available, etc. I get everything I've always had, plus a bonus to use on future content.

Provided I save that allowance towards future CONTENT and not waste it on potions and junk (though scrolls of empowerment, or symbols of celebrimbor might be tempting, or hell, 1 or 2 REALLY well done cosmetics.. I've even been a sucker for Guild Wars' paid costumes, I bought one, cause it was very well done), I'm set. I've found, through GW, that if micros can work, just, they have to be treated gently, and in a way, it forces new standards of quality on the developers. You can't expect to make a lame cosmetic and charge for it and people buy it, no, you'll have to appeal to people's tastes to convince them to buy it. Anything they wish to sell, they'll have to make seem worth the money.

[probitas]

Well actually people end up paying more in F2P's which is why the industry is switching to them.

Only from ppl who wish to. If I can play the game and not have to pay for it, I will. Since lifetime means 'lifetime', as long as the game itself "Lord of the Rings Online" continues in whatever funding model, I should never have to pay another dime to access it, apart from expacs. And if those points accrue fast enough to pay for them, fine. However, nothing leads me to believe getting access to Mirkwood, or the new starter area (which should be rolled into all lifetime holders IMO) will be cheap, after seeing how much it costs in the DDO store for just a simple instance. Mirkwood costs 10$ right now roughly, I see no reason at all for why they would change from accepting coin to accepting Turbine/Warner coin, when one is money out of OUR pocket, and the other is free stuff out of THEIRS. Am I wrong in that assumption?

Most likely the store coin will be for gloss, cosmetic garbage and other frills that are basically meaningless in game except for those who use them. I doubt you will see a listing of prices that shows both dollar amounts and LOTR coin when looking at dungeons/content. Otherwise, they would have left the funding model alone.

[LordWeaver]

I am a lifer and I just do not know what to think. This is down to Warner so they are taking a gamble, I hope it pays off. "Free to play" "100% free" etc means they are not going to be able to charge for updates/expansions etc. Their aim with this will be to make as much money as they can from the Points system.

It still feels like they are still going to work to make it pay to play, with the fact you still need to pay to get less resctrictions etc. So it is just a likely to succeed as it is likely to flop entirely.

They really should compensate for how long each user has been a lifer. They should look at doing something like this

$300/14.99* = 20 months / $300/9.99* = 30 months.
$200/14.99* = 13.3 months / $200/9.99* = 20 months.

* = Dependant on when the user joined up and what the fee that was advertised at the time.

For every month less than the results above the user has been active an amount of points per month should be awarded. Even if it was only like 150TP/Month it would be fair.

This would be a good form of compo and wouldn't really hurt them to offer it. The bonus is a fair thing to do however they should consider cases such as the one guy who only became a lifer 7 months ago and could effectively miss out on 21 months of the 30 months it would take for him to break even mathematically on his layout.

Apologies if this is strung out lol I was half asleep typing this but hope it makes sense and is a clear idea.

[Ayrolen]

well, this change in business model doesn't negatively impact me in any way, like I said, I still get perks above and beyond what someone who doesn't pay gets. The free accounts are almost like a trial account, limited in how much gold they can have, how high a level they can go, what quests are available, etc. I get everything I've always had, plus a bonus to use on future content.

Provided I save that allowance towards future CONTENT and not waste it on potions and junk (though scrolls of empowerment, or symbols of celebrimbor might be tempting, or hell, 1 or 2 REALLY well done cosmetics.. I've even been a sucker for Guild Wars' paid costumes, I bought one, cause it was very well done), I'm set. I've found, through GW, that if micros can work, just, they have to be treated gently, and in a way, it forces new standards of quality on the developers. You can't expect to make a lame cosmetic and charge for it and people buy it, no, you'll have to appeal to people's tastes to convince them to buy it. Anything they wish to sell, they'll have to make seem worth the money.

Arato, when you're calm and rational, it confuses me...

[Brandon_Blackbird]

Check the ddo store to get an idea of what lotro store will look like and they have XP boost items http://compendium.ddo.com/wiki/DDO_Store_Guide

Please don't forget that DDO is an ENTIRELY different experience system and it takes SCADS of XP to level in DDO. An XP boost here and an XP boost there are apples and oranges. Plus, putting an XP boost item in the LOTRO store would be putting a player-craftable item into the store, which, judging by the microtransaction comments in other threads, would be a Bad Thing.

[Devero]

I am a lifetime member with TWO personal lifetime accounts. In addition, I have purchased three other lifetime accounts for mt g/f, sister and neice.

The way I read the agreement is I will accrue 1500 Turbine points plus 1000 additional points. After that, NADA.

Fine. I wont pay a subscription, but after the 4-5 months of point "GIFTS", I will be lumped into the same bucket as everyone else if I want to buy the latest weapon, armor or other trinket that I will need in order to compete with the high-end.

Lotro.. Prove me wrong.

Otherwise, my career here is coming to an end soon.

[AIRIAK]

I am a lifetime member with TWO personal lifetime accounts. In addition, I have purchased three other lifetime accounts for mt g/f, sister and neice.

The way I read the agreement is I will accrue 1500 Turbine points plus 1000 additional points. After that, NADA.

Fine. I wont pay a subscription, but after the 4-5 months of point "GIFTS", I will be lumped into the same bucket as everyone else if I want to buy the latest weapon, armor or other trinket that I will need in order to compete with the high-end.

Lotro.. Prove me wrong.

Otherwise, my career here is coming to an end soon.

Uh ... you still get 500 TP a month...

[Brandon_Blackbird]

I am a lifetime member with TWO personal lifetime accounts. In addition, I have purchased three other lifetime accounts for mt g/f, sister and neice.

The way I read the agreement is I will accrue 1500 Turbine points plus 1000 additional points. After that, NADA.

Fine. I wont pay a subscription, but after the 4-5 months of point "GIFTS", I will be lumped into the same bucket as everyone else if I want to buy the latest weapon, armor or other trinket that I will need in order to compete with the high-end.

Lotro.. Prove me wrong.

Otherwise, my career here is coming to an end soon.

You get 500 points a month just by being a VIP. By being a lifer, you will automatically be a VIP, forever.

[Brandon_Blackbird]

I am a lifer and I just do not know what to think. This is down to Warner so they are taking a gamble, I hope it pays off. "Free to play" "100% free" etc means they are not going to be able to charge for updates/expansions etc. Their aim with this will be to make as much money as they can from the Points system.

It still feels like they are still going to work to make it pay to play, with the fact you still need to pay to get less resctrictions etc. So it is just a likely to succeed as it is likely to flop entirely.

They really should compensate for how long each user has been a lifer. They should look at doing something like this

$300/14.99* = 20 months / $300/9.99* = 30 months.
$200/14.99* = 13.3 months / $200/9.99* = 20 months.

* = Dependant on when the user joined up and what the fee that was advertised at the time.

For every month less than the results above the user has been active an amount of points per month should be awarded. Even if it was only like 150TP/Month it would be fair.

This would be a good form of compo and wouldn't really hurt them to offer it. The bonus is a fair thing to do however they should consider cases such as the one guy who only became a lifer 7 months ago and could effectively miss out on 21 months of the 30 months it would take for him to break even mathematically on his layout.

Apologies if this is strung out lol I was half asleep typing this but hope it makes sense and is a clear idea.

I really have to disagree with this idea on behalf of the loyal subscribers who are NOT lifers, simply because they were unable to drop a chunk of money when the lifetime subs were available. Just because someone can pay 10-15 bucks a month for the game does not mean they have 200 laying around to spend when the time is right.

They are already giving a loyalty bonus in turbine points at launch. I think that's more than fair.

[probitas]

With regard to an earlier posting, I believe the DDO store does in fact sell a potion or Tome, whatever, that increases the likelihood of better drops over time. To whit, you quaff the thing, and everything you kill gives better drops.

Do I want that to be an option? Not if I don't want the game to be over run with gold farmers. And some of them have lifetime accounts.

[dmwst30]

I've read the 'loyalty program' details Turbine has published, and all I have to say is:

Thanks, Turbine, Two Thumbs Up!

Lifetime members are still lifetime members. You get the best subscription benefits possible, and you get to keep all your existing benefits like character slots.

The game clearly wasn't growing by leaps and bounds, this will hopefully encourage some people to come play the game with us.

In addition, for those with lifetime accounts, the free points every month will probably equal free expansion packs for life, if you don't spend the points on other perks.

It's disappointing that development time has gone into this more than new content for current subscribers, but in the long run it should help the game. Until then, I'll be doing what I have done since March: log in weekly to check my mail, and maybe run a skirmish, while enjoying other games with content new to me.

[Damh]

It is mind numbing how many people do not read nor can read and understand before rambling on with doom and gloom melodramatics.
This has no downside.
(And for the record I have one lifer and one monthly from day one account, with another lifer in the household)