World Starter Pack FAQ

[Bojan]

There's been several questions posted since the announcement of the Need for Speed World Starter Pack and as a result EA has released a lengthy FAQ with all the top questions answered. Read below.


What is the Starter Pack?
Need for Speed World is a free-to-play online racing MMO. Players are able to download, install and play the game for as long as they want without spending any money. Players will be able to progress to driver level 10 but once they've reached that level, they will not be able to progress past it. They will be able to continue to play, for free, for as long as they want. In order to progress past level 10, the player must purchase the Starter Pack. In addition to being able to progress past driver level 10, players will also receive a bundle of items including:

- $20 USD worth of SpeedBoost. This is $20 in virtual currency you can spend as you like in the game.
- Bundle of Power Ups (available to all newly created drivers in an account)
- One exclusive vehicle(available to all newly created drivers in an account)


Players who purchase the Starter Pack will not have an unfair advantage over those playing for free.
Our mission with Need for Speed World is to offer a large variety of playing styles for players who choose to pay as well as those playing for free. The experience of both groups of players must be fair and, above all, fun! We will never introduce a mechanic that provides a distinct advantage for those who purchase over those who choose to play for free. Further, the matchmaking system in use in Beta 6 is intended to match players into races against opponents with similar skills and cars. This philosophy applies across the whole game. It's our mission to continually improve and evolve the experience with you as our primary source of input.


The term Starter Pack implies that this is the first of many packs that we'll have to buy. Is that the case?
No, the Starter Pack is a one-time purchase and once purchased you will not need to spend any more money. We will support Need for Speed World with regular free content updates, available to all players.


If I choose not buy this pack, what's left for me to do after I reach driver level 10?
There will be lots to do in Need for Speed World for players who have not purchased the Starter Pack. Continue racing with your friends and/or anyone else playing the game, customize your cars, participate in Community events for the chance to win prizes etc... We invite you to play the game free for as long as you like from launch until we can either convince you with awesomeness or you give up on us. We'll keep tuning the experience and adding new ways to play based on your feedback.


What do I get if I pre-order the Starter Pack?
In addition to the item you receive as part of the Starter Pack (see above), you'll also receive:

Guaranteed access to the remaining betas
A one week head-start (July 13-19) on playing Need for Speed World before it goes live with increased XP rewards
The ability to reserve your driver name before anyone else
VIP status on display in your driver profile
Depending on which retailer you pre-order the Starter pack from you'll receive an exclusive car:
- SPEEDHUNTERS Edition Toyota Corolla AE86 exclusively from the EA Store or EA Store UK
- SPEEDHUNTERS Edition Nissan Silvia S15 from Direct2Drive or Direct2Drive UK
- Limited Edition Volkswagen Scirocco from GameStop or Gamesload Germany
- Special Edition Mazda MazdaSpeed3 from Best Buy, Impulse, Metaboli UK, Nexway UK or GamersGate UK


How much does the Starter Pack cost?
The Starter Pack costs $19.99 (USD), 14.99 GBP, 199 SEK or 19.99 EUR depending on where you live. Again, it's a one-time purchase and you get a lot more than $20 worth of goods in the pack.


Where do I pre-order the Starter Pack?
The Starter Pack is available as a digital purchase from the EA Store or the retailers listed below:

Europe:
- EA Store
- Direct 2 Drive
- GAME UK
- Metaboli UK
- Nexway UK
- GamersGate UK
- Gamesload Germany

North America:
- EA Store
- Direct2Drive
- GameStop
- Best Buy
- Impulse


Will I be able to buy the Starter Pack in stores?
Currently the starter pack is available as a digital purchase only.


How can I pay for the Starter Pack?
Please check with each digital retailer partner to find out more about their respective payment options.


How long do I have to pre-order the Starter Pack?
The pre-order offer expires July 19, 2010 so if you are interested in pre-ordering the Starter Pack do it soon.


I don't live in North America or Europe. Can I still pre-order the Starter Pack?
Need for Speed World will be available in the English and German languages at launch and will only be offered by participating digital retailers in territories that support those languages. The client will be available as a free download for anyone via http://world.needforspeed.com.

[Hydro_PT]

They definitely did a good thing there. A nice, clear FAQ answering what people asked the most. I'm actually impressed.

"The experience of both groups of players must be fair and, above all, fun!"

I can't see how one player can have much fun if he is stuck at Level 10, probably without many upgrades and the worst cars, while the people who pay have access to the best cars and upgrades. They should have done something to make the "free" players reach the same level, even if it would take a lot of time.

"No, the Starter Pack is a one-time purchase and once purchased you will not need to spend any more money. We will support Need for Speed World with regular free content updates, available to all players."

I seriously hope they are not lying about this. It's already enough to pay for this Starter Pack, which is overpriced in my opinion, and it's a "dirty move" by them (cap at Level 10 of 50 = FAIL). Pay for even more content is ridiculous, you might as well make a disc version and sell it, instead of calling it a "free-to-play" game.

"We invite you to play the game free for as long as you like from launch until we can either convince you with awesomeness or you give up on us."

Haha, I actually laughed at this one. Honesty above all else.

PS: Now that I notice, only if you pre-order the Starter Pack you get some actual extra content, because if you buy the pack after the game was launched, you won't get almost anything.

- $20 USD worth of SpeedBoost;
- Bundle of Power Ups;
- One exclusive vehicle;
- Guaranteed access to the remaining betas;
- A one week head-start;
- The ability to reserve your driver name before anyone else;
- VIP status on display in your driver profile;
- One "custom" car.

VS

- $20 USD worth of SpeedBoost;
- Bundle of Power Ups;
- One exclusive vehicle.

[ElvenAvenger]

They definitely did a good thing there. A nice, clear FAQ answering what people asked the most. I'm actually impressed.

"The experience of both groups of players must be fair and, above all, fun!"

I can't see how one player can have much fun if he is stuck at Level 10, probably without many upgrades and the worst cars, while the people who pay have access to the best cars and upgrades. They should have done something to make the "free" players reach the same level, even if it would take a lot of time.

"No, the Starter Pack is a one-time purchase and once purchased you will not need to spend any more money. We will support Need for Speed World with regular free content updates, available to all players."

I seriously hope they are not lying about this. It's already enough to pay for this Starter Pack, which is overpriced in my opinion, and it's a "dirty move" by them (cap at Level 10 of 50 = FAIL). Pay for even more content is ridiculous, you might as well make a disc version and sell it, instead of calling it a "free-to-play" game.

"We invite you to play the game free for as long as you like from launch until we can either convince you with awesomeness or you give up on us."

Haha, I actually laughed at this one. Honesty above all else.

PS: Now that I notice, only if you pre-order the Starter Pack you get some actual extra content, because if you buy the pack after the game was launched, you won't get almost anything.

- $20 USD worth of SpeedBoost;
- Bundle of Power Ups;
- One exclusive vehicle;
- Guaranteed access to the remaining betas;
- A one week head-start;
- The ability to reserve your driver name before anyone else;
- VIP status on display in your driver profile;
- One "custom" car.

VS

- $20 USD worth of SpeedBoost;
- Bundle of Power Ups;
- One exclusive vehicle.

about right just that the custom/exclusive vehicle is one thing, its for pre-order people. Now, IF it was available after pre-order period, i'd surely buy it at some point, but since it probably wont, it just won't be worth it anymore. I'd buy it just to get a pre-tuned non-riced car in an EA game, proof of miracles. but seriously...one week head start? aka pay and by the time everyone else gets to play you will have about everything achieved, then you will beat them all, get so rich that nobody ever will catch up to you in leaderboards until you stop playing. if levels are as easy to get in full game as they are in betas, then that week or two of increased exp while everyone else is waiting equals 50 lvl in no time.

[bloke12]

when does this game come out exactly?

[KammyworldRacerGT4]

If this won't shut up the people who continue to claim that the game isn't free to play, nothing will.

[Jinix]

If this won't shut up the people who continue to claim that the game isn't free to play, nothing will.

free to try.... Project Torque is Free to play.

[Hydro_PT]

If this won't shut up the people who continue to claim that the game isn't free to play, nothing will.

Lol, you keep with the same thing...

You know what World is if you don't pay for the Starter Pack? It is a demo. Simple.

Let me compare it to GRID's demo. You could play for how long you wanted, you could even play online without paying. Obviously, you had only 3 tracks and 3 cars. But it was "free-to-play" in the same way as World is.

Of course you had to pay to have the full content of GRID. Much like you have to pay to have the full content of World. Now tell me, if World without the Starter Pack isn't just a demo? It is...

EA should have never said this game would be free-to-play. The true definition of a free-to-play game is that you don't pay to play, and have access to all or almost all content (usually companies who develop such games add some packs of extra content - but that's very different from capping the game at such a low level).

[Dr Houbenheimer]

Wouldn't EA be able to get a ton of money from ingame advertising anyway? They have the right to get some income from their hard work (obviously ) but if they had a bit more advertising instead of this people would be a bit happier.

[ElvenAvenger]

Wouldn't EA be able to get a ton of money from ingame advertising anyway? They have the right to get some income from their hard work (obviously ) but if they had a bit more advertising instead of this people would be a bit happier.

They would, its just easier for the LazyEA to charge for some starter pack and get those 20$/€ from lots of people instantly rather than wait and get millions from advertising...ehm well you get me.

[td0g21]

Players who purchase the Starter Pack will not have an unfair advantage over those playing for free.

Riiiiiiiight.... That's what they said about Battlefield: Heroes.....

[Dr Houbenheimer]

Battlefield Heroes does not give people an advantage in gameplay for paying td0g21.

BF (real money) is for cooler, more exclusive gear but not with any performance that's better than the free weapons.

VP (ingame money) is earned through gameplay and can let you get weapons with better performance.

Thus, money does not give someone and gameplay advantage in the game, and I don't think it will in WO either.

[ElvenAvenger]

Yeah, capping it at 10 level when the game probably has 50 levels will not give any disadvantages to free users....seriously, did EA bribe you?
If i see all cars and performance parts unlocked on level 10, i will believe it.

I mean, what amount of content will be there for 10 levels with the game having 50 levels?

[td0g21]

Battlefield Heroes does not give people an advantage in gameplay for paying td0g21.

so your saying the guns that have a better critical rate and more ammo are not an advantage?

and what about the bf knife that does a hell of a lot more damage with a longer range?

also they screwed it to hell when they changed their vp prices to "make bf more appealing".....

u, good sir, are an ea suck up...

[KammyworldRacerGT4]

@td0g and Elven:

And you guys doing to EA what Fox News does (and is still doing) to President Obama really is no different save for the viewpoint.

Bashing on EA no matter how positive news relating to them is. It's just become the norm and the popular thing to do. Ask SEGA.

[td0g21]

Ah, but ea said that there were going to be no cs items that would make a cs user better than a f2per at the very beginning.

aaaand they went back on their word.....

[Dr Houbenheimer]

Yeah, capping it at 10 level when the game probably has 50 levels will not give any disadvantages to free users....seriously, did EA bribe you?
If i see all cars and performance parts unlocked on level 10, i will believe it.

I mean, what amount of content will be there for 10 levels with the game having 50 levels?

Well you can only expect so much for free...EA are a business if you haven't notice. It is free to PLAY. That is correct. It is not a gameplay disadvantage at all because people get matched against similarly levelled players.

And as for td0g21, to declare me a EA suck up is a stupid claim, have you read my other posts on the issue? I am merely stating my opinion, and because it is pro-EA in this circumstance does not make me a EA fanboy, nor do my anti-EA comments make me a EA hater.

And as for your latest post - in what way has EA given paying players an advantage in gameplay?

[RBA]

Wouldn't EA be able to get a ton of money from ingame advertising anyway? They have the right to get some income from their hard work (obviously ) but if they had a bit more advertising instead of this people would be a bit happier.

They would, its just easier for the LazyEA to charge for some starter pack and get those 20$/€ from lots of people instantly rather than wait and get millions from advertising...ehm well you get me.

Wha? You think they don't charge the companies for theirs in-game advertising? LOL

Better make 20$ on the back of players AND make money on the advertising at the same time!

[KammyworldRacerGT4]

So there you have it. The "greedy corporation" (which is a BS label for EA to be perfectly honest) gets their in-game ad money and their income. And all they want in return is $20 for a pack that isn't even mandatory to buy. They're not even asking for the price of a new copy of SHIFT ($55). Or is it still considered an EA lie or a "demo" as Hydro calls it?