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Confirmed by Jack Emmert from at least 1 interview:
http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/massively-exclusive-jack-emmert-speaks-about-neverwinter-and-a/
So while NW is not technically being called an MMO, it will behave much like one in this respect.
Q: With Battle.net and Steam out there, will we have to be online to play Neverwinter?
Jack: Yes, you will have to connect to our servers. Just like an MMO, that is a similarity.
Q: So there's no offline play?
Jack: There is no offline play.
http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/massively-exclusive-jack-emmert-speaks-about-neverwinter-and-a/
So while NW is not technically being called an MMO, it will behave much like one in this respect.
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Depends on what kinds of services that monthly fee might bring to the table. We don't know what their business model is.
The basic model of this game strikes me more like guild wars with user generated content so maybe there wont be a sub. Regardless I don't really plan to fret about it. I'll make my decisions based on quality of what I get out of the game.
They make the game they can absolutely make it their right to do so.
This game appears to be aiming for heavy UGC. I think access to the Foundry tools will be what you sub for. Foundry takes up a lot of server space. The game will be F2P, but in order to have access to the Foundry tools you have to buy a sub. You can still play Foundry missions for free, but you will not be able to create your own.
But this is just my guess.
I actually agree with your assessment bob it makes sense
No they cant. If this isn't an MMO they don't get to add subscription fees to play what is simply an offline game that allows 3-5 friend invites...that line of thinking is absurd. Imagine if Neverwinter Nights I had a subscription fee to access the old gamespy list of PW's.
From what has been described / assumed thus far this game is pretty much the same exact concept as NWN persistant worlds only now we are using 4E, less classes, and new graphics. In addition there is a similar uploading content system called "The Foundry" instead of people posting NWN I and NWN II modules on nwvault.ign.com
I'm not opposed to Neverwinter III's identical game model. Its a good system and not everything needs to be an MMO to be enjoyed, but charging a monthly fee for an offline-lan non-mmo friends invite game will simply mean people wont pay $15 every month for something where they could load up NWN II instead and get for free.
If Cryptic wants to charge a monthly fee there needs to be an active set of Volunteer or Employee DM's on an instanced online server providing storylines and actively managing quests while voicing villains, awarding xp for roleplaying and rewarding players with treasure when adventures are completed.
Or it needs to be developed into a small scale MMO where all players are on 4-5 online servers and connect to instanced pug groups exactly like DDO's style with DM narration and quest objectives automated and then start competing directly with Turbine for userbase.
I doubt there'd be a fee but, if there were, modules each month would be great.
It's set as a cooperative online multiplayer game. It has core content. It has the toolset to allow its users to create new content based on currently available assets.
Cryptic has this game online so that it can be played cooperatively. They offers a live Dev team, regular patch-given improvements, and they need to police/moderate user interaction within such a setting as well.
It appears disingenuous to me to but Foundry authors under the strain of having to pay more in order to be able to make new content that others can enjoy. "Pay us for the priviledge of making content which the rest of the playerbase can more freely enjoy" - I honestly doubt it.
The current example models we have are:
Guild Wars - purchase box, pay nothing afterwards save for expansions and microtransactions.
Champions Online - Free to Play with limited options and setting access, digital download, pay via microtransaction to open desired features, subscribe to have access to a monthly set of priviledges (generally axed toward content access and a few quality-of-life features).
Star Trek Online - Pay for box/account key, pay and subscribe for online play accessing most of the content, pay via microtransactions for additional options/cosmetic features/services.
The STO method would work. It would keep the live Dev team financially sustained and busy making new stuff to make the subscription even more 'worth it'.
The Guild Wars approach would be the most familiar to people whom only pay for the boxes and only meant to pay for those and that was it. In those cases, it means that they'll be stuck with paying the expansion packs themselves when they come out - or miss out on content and features. It also implies less game improving patches from the Dev team, and high box prices.
The free-to-play approach has a lot of strings attached into getting quality content, as I see it, and I'd much rather not see it.
...
Me personally, I prefer subscription based, and I'd likely go for a lifetime subscription so that I can never have to worry about it again.
Makes sense. Or perhaps it is access to UGC that you pay for. Or... There is nothing to say for example that there will be no subscription fee but instead there is a cash shop for things like new character slots, new classes, premium modules, content authoring slot, etc. Just no pay to win stuff please...
+1 Lifetime Subscription
It'll be a box-to-play but with an item shop strictly leveraging that new races, class powers, and artwork are what UGC games thrive on and develop around (i.e. selling stuff for our characters that we'll use for free in the toolset).
As such, I suppose it's possible we may see some core game content that's free, but offering additional content for pay: items, character slots, etc.
I must say though, I was excited about seeing the Foundry, as I loved NWN's UGC system for making adventures... until I saw that online connections are required, and they "haven't decided" on their pay model yet. Now, I'm wondering how this is all going to intersect.
People that wants to use the Foundry would have to pay more for adding content to the game so its players keep coming here instead of (or in addition to) other games? It doesn't sound good.
Box plus monthly fee would make sense. User content aside, Cryptic offers their own content (adventures, dungeons). What it doesn't offer (raids? PvP?), it's supplemented by user content in the form of new adventures/campaigns. So, as I said, monthly fee makes sense. (I'm under the assumption that their content will last more than a few hours/days of gameplay.) Doesn't invalidate the offline thing but Steam fans shouldn't have much of a problem with "need to be online" theme.
C-Store? I'd bet for it making a presence. I don't mind it for only vanity stuff, character slots for extreme altoholics and similars. Period. Adding stuff for the Foundry or similar should be an ancient red dragon sized no. Unless the game foes Free To Play, in which case I suppose that you would have to pay for the content to use (be it Foundry creating new adventures or as a player trying to play "enhanced" adventures).
Why does this matter?
I mean this is a multiplayer game...so you need to be online.
Ok...lets say you're a stuborn SP lover. Still...whats the problem? You do have internet right?
That being said, having to connect to the servers does not necessarily equate to a monthly fee. Many online games out now are B2P and don't require a monthly fee.
I still fail to understand why a predomaniantly Singleplayer/Offline game has to be turned into a MMO - especially because Turbine is the one with the MMO liscence.
Who does this "neverwinter" appeal too? NWN fans? They're Offline/Sp mostly, with the PW community as an added bonus. MMO fans? Wouldnt they be better off with Turbine's title?
However if it's a Co-op game with some mmo elements without becoming, and needing a MMO business model, then i'm all for it.
To rebut the first part of your above statement, I am certain that a lot of D&D players have an eye on this game. The NWN guys are a vocal minority in their demands for NWN 3 which I hope this doesn't turn into.
DDO is garbage. I tried it then deleted it. If this one turns into another DDO I won't be hanging around.
Neverwinter is stated to be an online co-op game similar to a single player game that has online co-op without the single player component. This is just as well since the single player games for both neverwinter nights games were poor rpgs with a multiplayer component. They would be long dead if not for the builders and their persistent worlds.
these guys will need way more players than they will be able to draw from the ranks of NWN persistent worlds players, there really aren't a whole lot of them. but like I said they are very vocal. Might have a lot to do with the types of people that want to run persistent worlds in the first place.
I think it more likely there will be no monthly fee, but a larger C-Store with the main thing to buy being new races or classes.
I have no problem with C-Store and Free, I do have a problem with Monthly and C-Store.
Except for the foundry lovers, those who like to make their own content, I think D3 will blow it out of the water anyway
Sorry Cryptic, your reputation doth proceed you...
Yes, but for how long do you think they will get away with it? It's not like CO & STO were games that broke records in sales.
If they think the hybrid model is the right path for survival of the game then by all means go for it. It's just that the game has to be exceptionally good for me to accept both subscription fee AND item shop, and I don't foresee that being the case with NW. Cryptic is basically creating niche games, and the likely reason is that they are essentially recycling same content and slapping a new label on it.
They try to appeal to specific crowds with their games. CO is to appeal to champions and superhero fans, STO is to appeal to star trek and scifi fans, while Neverwinter is supposed to appeal to DnD and fantasy fans.
The problem, as I see it, is that fans of a PnP system are probably the worst thing you can appeal to. There's a snowball's chance in hell you end up satisfying the hardcore PnP crowd because of inherent differences in PnP and CRPG games. It doesn't help that PnP crowds form their own groups centered around specific system - or system version. Anyone here who would like this to be 3e? 2e? OD&D?
Then there are people who aren't specifically DnD fans, but like fantasy CRPGs in general. There are folks who expect this to be offline single player game, folks who expect this to be MMO, folks who expect this to be like Guild Wars, folks who expect this to be like previous NWN games etc etc. Thus compromises are made for wider appeal. It certainly doesn't help that they also chose to use the "Neverwinter Nights" stamp on this one.
As to what are my reasons for being there? Well, I'm jaded. I have played CRPGs and MMOs for longer than I care to remember. I don't expect Cryptic to reinnovate their game - I leave that to ArenaNet. The primary reason for me being here is the Foundry. The secondary reason is that I like DnD and fantasy in general.
For the record: I like GW business model.
I think the game will flop if that happens. Why would those who want to create, put more effort and time into the game, become the backbone of the game and community have to be the ones shelling out money? If anything Cryptic should reward those who produce good modules either in free services, prizes, or job opportunities.
I for one am not a module creature, I am forever in the debt of the DMs that produce modules for my enjoyment. I'd say B2P like ANet is the only ay to go as there are countless packets Cryptic can introduce that the community can purchase that can generate revenue for the game. If they are gonna do a P2P option for access to all stuff as it comes out then they need to go something similar like Turbines TP Shop which I loathe as it MT galore, much prefer to just buy packets and be done.
But back to the original topic... I'd say the Foundry should be operational offline that way the players can still build their modules just not be able to access the NWO world.
I'm betting this will be a model very similar to the current CO model with the only difference being you purchase the game. Then you will be able to buy cosmetic Armor, Clothing and Weapon sets, as well as Tile sets, Specialty Monsters and entire adventure modules.
In other words; if it is a a well polished game Cryptic has just been given a license to print money.
Atari you mean? Unless new information surfaces that completelly changes the situation it's not for Cryptic to make this decision. Atari is the publisher.