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Fresh Start Worlds - The Issue Thread is locked

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Daemonius
Dec Member 2023

Daemonius

Posts: 41 Bronze Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
As someone who stopped playing the game a few years ago after maxing, I liked this idea of a "new fresh start" temporary game mode. I loved DarkScape when it came out, and played it profusely until it's untimely end (Which I still think was a mistake to close). Starting from the bottom where everyone is on an even playing field and everything has value again is a fantastic idea. It's something that definitely would sell me to get back into the game again.

The big problem I have though, which separates it from DarkScape, is the need to buy membership. This is completely counteractive to the entire stated purpose of this game mode, which is to "get new players into the game" without feeling overwhelmed by others having 20 years of progress ahead of them. Anyone can start playing Runescape right now for free, so why would they go out of their way to pay for this special temporary game mode? The change to allow for bonds to be used to pay for this does nothing for new players either. For it's intended purpose, I foresee this mode being a total failure to bring in new folks, only being populated by old players.

This brings me to the question; why isn't this free? On the business side of things, making it free would likely make Jagex more money in the end. If rewards/XP is to be transferred to the main game when this is over, people are going to have to buy membership to use said rewards. So why not make it free to get as many new people as possible to try out the game, and then naturally let them buy membership to keep playing after its over if they like it? This is the nature of basically every "free trial" ever, and it works.

27-Aug-2022 19:30:30

H 1 L D A
Apr Member 2020

H 1 L D A

Posts: 1,666 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Ultimately, Jagex as a company has listed three reasons why Fresh Start Worlds (in RS3) are locked behind a subscription.

> "RuneScape is a subscription-based game" - (Mod Kalaya, Twitch livestream)

> "competition" - (Fresh Start Worlds FAQ)

> "rewards" - (FSW FAQ)

I would agree with you that some of, if not all of these reasons listed, are suspect. It just seems to me that making the game mode F2P makes it the most accessible to the target audience (lapsed players like yourself). You would absolutely -need- the access to members-only training methods to be able to truly compete, which would make the competition concern moot, and like you said, Jagex can easily lock the rewards behind the paywall without locking the experience behind it.

This logic, for the last couple of weeks, has caused people to call into question who the RS3 team is -really- trying to go after here. I couldn't fault you for falling into that camp.

All the same, if you had maxed earlier in your playing time, I would highly encourage you to just come back to the main game if RuneScape interests you. The rewards are no longer going to be locked behind Fresh Start Worlds in most cases, and there's lots of new great content to experience for players with considerable experience in the few years you've been away!
Quest Cape Owner since 2021

Maxed
- July 31st, 2022

27-Aug-2022 20:20:31

Dilbert2001
Jun Member 2006

Dilbert2001

Posts: 30,176 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Daemonius said :

This brings me to the question; why isn't this free? On the business side of things, making it free would likely make Jagex more money in the end. If rewards/XP is to be transferred to the main game when this is over, people are going to have to buy membership to use said rewards. So why not make it free to get as many new people as possible to try out the game, and then naturally let them buy membership to keep playing after its over if they like it? This is the nature of basically every "free trial" ever, and it works.

"IS FREE-TO-PLAY AVAILABLE?
F2P is not available on FSW due to competition and rewards available."


Free players are very welcome to start their "free trial" in the main game if the choose so.

This RS3 FSW event is similar to the other Jagex events with competition and rewards available, like Leagues and DMM where F2P are also not available.

27-Aug-2022 20:28:09 - Last edited on 27-Aug-2022 20:47:41 by Dilbert2001

Daemonius
Dec Member 2023

Daemonius

Posts: 41 Bronze Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
H 1 L D A said :
Ultimately, Jagex as a company has listed three reasons why Fresh Start Worlds (in RS3) are locked behind a subscription...

That's the thing for me, I never really cared about "rewards" or cosmetics all too much, it was the experience that drove me. (Also the great quests). As I mentioned DarkScape before, starting over again in RS3 is a radically different experience than the main game. Minigames/items/training methods that are obsolete or unused in the main game were used profusely in DarkScape. DS was also a rushed experiment that never got the support is deserved, yet people still loved it. Not to mention that it was a much more niche game aimed towards hardcore pvpers. Jagex should have learned a lot from it, of which I hope to see in this new mode, but removing the ability of free players to even try it out is a massive mistake in my book.

27-Aug-2022 21:44:03

H 1 L D A
Apr Member 2020

H 1 L D A

Posts: 1,666 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Exactly, I too believe excluding the ability to experience Fresh Start Worlds for free is a missed opportunity - and I would probably still fall here even if the listed reasoning made sense and wasn't avoidable.

Thank you for your perspective, and I hope Jagex sees more people like you coming out and sharing it.
Quest Cape Owner since 2021

Maxed
- July 31st, 2022

27-Aug-2022 21:56:04

Daemonius
Dec Member 2023

Daemonius

Posts: 41 Bronze Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Dilbert2001 said :


"IS FREE-TO-PLAY AVAILABLE?
F2P is not available on FSW due to competition and rewards available."


Free players are very welcome to start their "free trial" in the main game if the choose so.

This RS3 FSW event is similar to the other Jagex events with competition and rewards available, like Leagues and DMM where F2P are also not available.

You are missing the point. As I already said; Anyone can start playing Runescape right now for free, so why would they go out of their way to pay for this special temporary game mode? . What about this is going to attract new people? This event is supposedly targeted to people that don't play Runescape, whereas those events are targeted to current veteran players. Hardly the same.

27-Aug-2022 22:02:44

Dilbert2001
Jun Member 2006

Dilbert2001

Posts: 30,176 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Daemonius said :
Dilbert2001 said :


"IS FREE-TO-PLAY AVAILABLE?
F2P is not available on FSW due to competition and rewards available."


Free players are very welcome to start their "free trial" in the main game if the choose so.

This RS3 FSW event is similar to the other Jagex events with competition and rewards available, like Leagues and DMM where F2P are also not available.

You are missing the point. As I already said; Anyone can start playing Runescape right now for free, so why would they go out of their way to pay for this special temporary game mode? . What about this is going to attract new people? This event is supposedly targeted to people that don't play Runescape, whereas those events are targeted to current veteran players. Hardly the same.

Because players want to catch up with the 21 years of content. They can't afford to waste like 5 or more years to do so. That's why they want to do FSW and get a quick start.

27-Aug-2022 22:42:21

DarthChosen
Apr Member 2017

DarthChosen

Posts: 632 Steel Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
just to put it out there i still think f2p should be allowed on fsw.

just because you can start free at any time on the main game doesnt mean we dont want a fresh economy.
even if f2p doesnt get the exp buff or hell a 1.5% buff for the full duration of the event i wouldnt mind either way. pssst....we know who you are. Hail Sithis!

28-Aug-2022 00:40:23

Squirrlee
Jun Member 2021

Squirrlee

Posts: 56 Iron Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
DarthChosen said :
just to put it out there i still think f2p should be allowed on fsw.

just because you can start free at any time on the main game doesnt mean we dont want a fresh economy.
even if f2p doesnt get the exp buff or hell a 1.5% buff for the full duration of the event i wouldnt mind either way.

What good is a Fresh Economy when you are being merged right in current RS3? The FSW only lasts 4 months and everyone is transferred to RS3. That is why you need a membership you are going to RS3.

28-Aug-2022 04:49:24

Dilbert2001
Jun Member 2006

Dilbert2001

Posts: 30,176 Sapphire Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
DarthChosen said :
just to put it out there i still think f2p should be allowed on fsw.

just because you can start free at any time on the main game doesnt mean we dont want a fresh economy.
even if f2p doesnt get the exp buff or hell a 1.5% buff for the full duration of the event i wouldnt mind either way.

TBH, Jagex's guideline on subscription required for valued added content with rewards and competition is more on asking for extra for "expansion" type of monetization.

However, if you really care so much about the economy of a 4 month event, wouldn't it be actually more appropriate to reduce f2p bots by putting an entry fee there?

28-Aug-2022 21:42:17

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