instead of trying to come up with some scheme to create a silver freefrom how about this instead. Considering that freefrom character are allowed to have up to 14 powers, but archetypes only have 11. how about allow archetype characters to have 1 or 2 powers (after the hit the max level of course) to be freefrom picks, meaning they can pick any power. this allows any silver player a taste of what a gold player gets to decide all the time and won't anger the free-formers cause they still have more powers than they do. Also this will give silver players a little edge in the game because it would be a surprise and it would add that small uniquiness to the character (silvers are limited to only archetypes but not all archetype players are silver members and have seen a very team-oriented battle full archetypes, ah!! :) takes me back to the days of gear-based gaming.

and for those who will probably say it breaks the concept of the archetype. who's to say your character didn't pick up a talent or too while battling all the way to forty. Because i see alot of the most random non-concept character in freeform that make no sense what so ever in Ren Center. (example: the dude dressed as Rambo shooting a machine with nearly every summonable pets; WTF)

I'd be ok with that.

Honestly, I don't really agree with Silvers getting less powers total, it seems like a weird limitation, but whatevs.

I do think it would have been a pretty good idea to allow each AT to pick their passive, maybe one of 2 or 3 if not fully free, pick their role, and pick an active power to help differentiate them among other similar ATs. You can't customize power hue? I get that, it's cosmetic, and makes sense in a "don't pay for power" scheme, but eliminating gameplay choices seems bad to me.

Allowing a player to pick their role and passive alone when in conjunction with selecting advantages would add a world of gameplay change from one AT to another, while still restricting the vast majority of freeform and not only retaining the appeal of freeforms, but actually giving a more accurate taste of what that kind of selection can do. A single power can change your game and how well you enjoy it.

Edit to add:
I don't think either scenario would break AT concept, since the ATs are supposed to be templates that we then expand upon, especially not when in your given suggestion it's 1 or 2 powers that would more than likely be utility, like an active for a 15 second buff, or more than likely, a self heal. There is no buff or heal in this game that can't be fitting for virtually any character concept. Except maybe the drones.

Pretty much exactly what she said. With each passing month the line between the benefits of subscribing and not subscribing is more blurred. Increasing that trend seems like a bad idea.

A couple of weeks ago we had this discussion.

http://forums.champions-online.com/s...reeform+silver

My current opinion on this topic is:

* Anyone considering an LTS: Put that on hold for the foreseeable future.

* Anyone on the fence whether they don't mind playing ATs too much, let their subs lapse. (They really ARE fun actually: and Free) - The Cursed AT is available for resources at the AH. Give it a whirl.

* If you are Gold you will have to pay for most of the desirable crud in the C-Store regardless, so might as well use that saved cash for that. (Imagine all those Grab bags you can buy!)

* If you have stupid amounts of disposable income and don't give a rat's tail, disregard all of the above.

" Also this will give silver players a little edge in the game"

They already have:

http://forums.champions-online.com/s...d.php?t=138931

I can attest to that on two active avenger AT's I'm running.

Just wanted to quote this too because I agree with it pretty closely.

Any freeform power choice breaks the ATs more or less by letting them take something FOTMthy(tm). We had a similar discussion not long ago.

I would maybe not mind seeing them brought up to 14 powers, and certainly one or two additional choices in framework in there, but they can already customize their powers via their two choices, and via advantages. Making them closer to freeform devalues my Gold membership.

I don't agree that they should be allowed to pick any passive for the same reason. Choosing their own role I could get behind, but only if the roles are accurately explained in the tutorial. It would be too easy to gimp yourself by turning your soldier into a protector, or your glacier into an avenger, disabling the passive, and there are enough Silvers IMO that play too casually to understand why and when to change their role. I can't prove this, but I think that having to explain what freeform is, how to change the difficulty, and what Sking is to a level 36 last night sort of makes my point for me.

i see many folks are very weary about this subject. However i never said that the option for a freeform power pick to be FREE, actually have the folks pick a freeform power slot on archetypes for c points, per character.

anywoo, i believe that this wouldnt be an issue, if cryptic would come out with more adventure packs (comic series are cool but adventure packs and gold content would give silvers more incentive to become gold)

Not only willing-to-pay-more golds, but also those willing-to-pay silvers. 'Cause sometimes these silvers might pay more than regular month fee. Cryptic needs to think something to deal with the problem. Managers need to recognize who the better customers are.


Personally, I think VIP qualification may resolve the problem. VIP means: in a period, one purchases CP as much as or even more than Cryptic's expectation. Then we can have 4 ranks:

Regular Silver: Free to play, Don't expect them to pay or they pay less than the expectation.
VIP Silver: Free to play, Don't want to subscribe. However, they are willing to pay and have paid more than the expectation.
Regular Gold: Pay for gold benefits, including freeform, customes, and powers. However, they don't tend to purchase more CP, but just enjoy their gold benefits and the free 400 CP.
VIP Gold: Pay for gold benefits. Strongly support and encourage Cryptic's creations.


And then, "VIP only" services and goods (for example: C-shop Discount, VIP-free travel power, or Free time-limited devices/bags), can be offered to these "better customers". Regular silvers have no excuse to complain because they don't subscribe and don't even pay. Regular golds also have no excuse to ask for more benefits. 'Cause they have enjoyed the gold benefits but don't want to provide support as much as VIP golds.

i dont know, adding another subset would just be confusing.