Alright,
imagine this scenario: a new MMORPG has just been launched. It is not
F2P. There is a retail price and a monthly subscription fee. Yet, you
love the ideas and opportunities offered by this game. So you either
buy it based on what you think you will experience or you don't buy
it and never find out if it was the kind of game you would have truly
enjoyed for years to come. Fortunately, some of these games have free
trials (also known as “demos”).
I
really love the idea of demos. I don't know a lot of games that offer
free trials, however. World of Warcraft has a free trial that lets
people play until level 20. That seems like enough time to see if the
player might enjoy the game. The Stanley Parable has its own demo
that almost feels like an entirely different game. I am aware demos
and free trials usually cost additional funds to set up, but it would
be great if more developers offered players chances to see if their
game is really worth their time.
The
closest we can get to finding out if a game is worth playing is by
looking at reviews. Usually, we might just stop at one view with a
number higher than 8. That is just one person's opinion. You have to
look at multiple reviews to really know if a game is worth your time
and money.
Free
trials are typically set up with two types of modes of expiration:
the first being time. Most games will give you thirty minutes to play
a level and then that's it. Some MMOs let players go for a full week
before locking them out. Usually the first part of a game is the most
enjoyable. Everything else seems diminished and less engaging. It
makes sense to let the player see only what the developers want them
to see until they buy a full retail copy of the game.
The
second mode of expiration is capping. Capping could apply to time,
but this most specifically refers to level caps or experience caps.
As I mentioned before, WoW lets players level up to level 20. They
are also not permitted to chat with players, trading, or using the
auction house. When Diablo 3 was in open beta, players were allowed
to make it to King Leoric and once he went down, they beta ended for
that character. Open betas can be a nice way to try out a game to see
if it's good, but it is usually limited to just the first few areas.
You may have all the time in the world, but once that section is
done, you will have to make the choice to either buy the game or try
to play the trial again.
My
question is should developers make free trials for all of their
games? Should they be extended? Should the idea of demos be
eliminated entirely?
I don't see how trial periods can be anything but beneficial. It gives people that can't buy the game for whatever reason (funds, parents, etc.). You don't see the entire game, but it gives you a chance to see how the gameplay works, and you can just look for information about end game content if you're worried about the game getting worse/having little end game content.
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