D&D online to be free?

[Brehvolution]

http://kokugamer.com/2009/08/11/turbine-secures-millions-in-funding-in-wake-of-free-dd-online/

The news comes via this SEC filing and the money comes as part of a planned series D $50 million investment run. Many of the names investing are return investors from last year’s series C $40 million takings.

This comes in the wake of the developer planning to release Dungeons & Dragons Online as a free-to-play MMO

 
 I played this a ton when it first launched a couple years ago. Will definitely hop on board when it becomes free.

[Fragamemnon]

Yeah, it's going for a free-to-play + microtransaction model.

My wife and I are playing Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online together and really digging it. Terrific MMO for people wanting to play casually.

[ManaByte]

It's free, but the free version is SUPER limited. The Free version limits the classes/races you can play and you can't leave Stormreach at all.

[Ganhyun]

Why play this weak online version when I can play with my group and do more?

[BlackMage]

Why play this weak online version when I can play with my group and do more?

because then we don't have to smell you. 

[Brehvolution]

It's free, but the free version is SUPER limited. The Free version limits the classes/races you can play and you can't leave Stormreach at all.

 wat1!! fuck it then.

[Akala]

My wife and I are playing Turbine's Lord of the Rings Online together and really digging it. Terrific MMO for people wanting to play casually.

D&DO did nothing for me. 

I've actually been looking for a casual MMO since I put a hold on the WoW account (will be back for expansion!). I played LOTORO around a month after launch, and it seemed like a decent WoW clone...but I only played maybe 6 or seven levels between various alts. Is the game pretty solo friendly? Pretty sure the Mines content won't be, but it would be cool. I love MMO's but tend to play odd hours or infrequent times, so I'm not as social as maybe I should be. Being totally OP and blasting thru instances is my idea of fun!

[ToxicAdam]

I loved D&D online. A lack of weapon variety and effectiveness really kills the game from level 8-14. Then you have to grind like crazy to get the really good stuff thereafter.

I would highly recommend you try it out. The instanced adventures are really good and well done. Feels a lot like the old table top game.

[Brehvolution]

Yeah, DDO was great in the beginning. Some of the quests were hard as hell. My only issue was that I never got any of the really good loot. I always had to sell off my mediocre shit and save up to buy the good weapons.

[Ganhyun]

Why play this weak online version when I can play with my group and do more?

because then we don't have to smell you. 

I smell good mang

[chronovore]

I thought it was due to be both micro-transaction/free, and then the "VIP subscriber" model for peeps who like it as it is right now.

Here's the table:
http://www.ddo.com/vip