I cant say I agree that the game will be ruined by 12 year olds tbh, there may be an influx at the begining almost like the influx when a game is released, there are plenty of disruptive players for a while and then it settles out. If you look at alot of the FTP games which generally are not totally free to play and Im thinking of item hall based games such as Allods, Aion, Runes of Magic etc they actually have a decent community of helpful pleasant players, sure there is the odd idiot but you are going to find that everywhere.

 

As people have said time will tell and we will only be able to judge when FTP is introduced, we are going to see far more of this in online gaming in the near future, I have read lots of articles dicussing this for and manner of gaming genres its the way its going to go so if its not what you want see for the future of online gaming your going to have to get used to it or go back to single player gaming.

 

Online gaming/multiplayer gaming has evolved a great deal over the years, the biggest problem for me is the no effort required side of things, I cant see it going back to how it was back in the day so we have to accept it or stop playing not alot else we can do no matter how disappointed we are.

 

Just my thoughts

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=4954276#post4954276

And yet we got none of the above.

 

Now the real question being: how much did you guys really learn from your past mistakes that lead your decision makers to create this:

 

Speaking of the future, you have a very simple and clear track to make the game successfull:

 

1) Before anything else: start communicating with the fans in a two way fashion.

.......Not only exchange with them before it's too late to change features, based on player's feedback.

.......But also make sure to dig through the suggestion forums and have devs drop by and discuss with the players.

 

2) Stop butchering the SW lore.

.......Without a label this doesn't look like SW to me, even less that

.......Stop advertising with assets the majority of players told you they don't like or doesn't fit SW.

 

3) Fix your engine and network synchronization

.......From ugly shadows to seeing

.

.......And get your network synchronization and character positioning right

 

4) Actually implement the most requested quick wins like (check the forums)

• Legacy names changes
  
• Allow players to have separate last names from legacy ones
  
• Dual specs
  
• Queue to specific WZ
  
• Companions skill kits
  
• New quick slot bars
  
• Sale/load key bindings
  
• 7d GTN posting
  
• Appearance tabs
  
• Hide specific gear slots
  
• Gear dyes
  
• Free mods removal
  
• Instant teleporting to space ship & drop the orbital stations
  
• In game character customization
  
• Full companion customization
  
• Pazaak
  
• Chat bubbles
  
• ...
  

 

5) Stop wasting time on:

• WZ but add open world PvP
  
• Tube shooter but implement 3d space sim (X-Wing, not a soon gets old BF type)
  
• Generic V.O side quests or Class quests without real choices
  
• Dark side choices that are just about greed or fame
  

 

Then when after all the above add new content and new features like :

• New species like Wookiees, Ithorians
  
• Player housing
  
• Day night cycles (on new planets for start)
  
• 3d movement (climbing, force jump, grappling hooks, jet packs....)
  
• Pod/Swoop racing
  
• UI mods & addons
  
• Swimming and under water exploration
  
• Seamless maps
  

 

Finally if you really want to make TOR that much successful you need to hit the sandbox trail.

• Adding incentives for socialization and player made events/contents.
  
• Implementing non combat based classes.
  
• Giving back the galaxy to the players (vs setting everything on rails)
  

 

 

Choosing the hybrid model was right but you're already getting one point wrong: don't remove what a player earned, ever.

Take LotRo as example: when a player subscribes for a month with a character, he unlocks more bag slots and does't loose them when he goes F2P. You already stated otherwise. It's a ad move and it makes you look too greedy.

Other example: when a player start a quest on VIP sub he can still finish it if moving to F2P

 

Before leaving: if you don't get point #1: there's no hope anymore for this game.

 

Trust me.

 

i do.. thats exactly what makes the game succesful. thank you!

I remember that quite some people in the Beta expressing their feeling about certain Design Decisions and how they will negatively affect the finished product in the long run

 

Maybe you could check some of the things that got removed to have a comback

Like for instance actually being able to detain and or punish annoying companions

Gotta say Im not thrilled by this announcement. I think F2P will kill SWTOR in multiple ways, including pissing off the subscribers by now allowing the pain in the asses of the world hop on the game, screw with everyone, then leave.

 

Also, what exactly am I paying for? I've been a constant sub since launch, I want to know what exactly is in it for subs, not a vague

 

 

I want to know that flashpoints, operations, warzones, and GTN are subs only. They should not be left open to the public.

Everybody needs to remember, that we wont be paying for just Wz, flashpoints and ops, Were also paying for all the updates to be free. For example, free to play players will be paying for 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 etc, and will be paying for any major updates in between...

The day it goes fully F2P, I'm cancelling my subscription. Why should I pay for a physical copy and subscription when a newbie get's the whole game for free?

I see moving to f2p as a good thing if implemented correctly. Turbine's Dungeon & Dragons Online should be used as the starting template for SWTOR's f2p model. There should be three player tiers - Free to Play: restricted access to game but with limited ability to earn Cartel Coins through game play, Premium : ongoing access to content or features they purchase with Cartel coins, and finally Subscribers who have access to everything in the game. If a subscriber drops their subscription they become a premium player and retain access to anything purchased with Cartel coins or "unlocked" via gameplay achievement.

 

A tier-ed model like this will keep players playing and spending longer. I think it would be mistake to overly restrict former subscribers as you want them to keep playing and buying things, premium would fit that role nicely and would allow former subscribers to "keep" what they have purchased or "unlocked", but would not grant access to new content as it was released unless purchased with Cartel coins or accessed via subscription.

Everybody needs to remember, that we wont be paying for just Wz, flashpoints and ops, Were also paying for all the updates to be free. For example, free to play players will be paying for 1.4, 1.5, 1.6 etc, and will be paying for any major updates in between...

Still not worth it IMO. I'm heading off to uni for year 2 anyway, so not worth wasting my time on a game full of people that don't pay a thing, that is for subscription or a physical/digital copy like we did.

I will paraphrase because I did not want to quote the whole post above:

 

Quote from Deewe:

 

5) Stop wasting time on:

 

...

Tube shooter but implement 3d space sim (X-Wing, not a soon gets old BF type)

Generic V.O side quests or Class quests without real choices

...

The first I like as a quick getaway, mini game like swoop race or pazaak (if they ever implement it). It was never an MMO for Space, for that you can play EVE.

The second... That is the most important thing for me. The class and quests (planet lines) for my character is what keeps me playing. Of course I did not rush to max level like everyone else did... I have yet to finish 6 of the lines... so I may be the odd guy who is not fit to play an MMO like everyone else by playing 10 hours straight a day...

I surely hope they add morecontent to the game and not just WZs flashpoints and Operations.

WOW I am shocked they are taking this F2P. Given EA's history, I figured they'd just put this game in maintenance mode and milk it for all it was worth. I hope EA makes some of their other MMOs F2P now...I'm looking at you, DAoC.

So now i'm paying $15/mnth to help fund further development of an f2p mmo.

I don't like the idea at all. Once my subscription is over, it won't get extended.

I miss my SWG

I miss my SWG

I've been recently playing the SWG EMU. It's pretty much a complete PRE-NGE SWG!

It was never an MMO for Space, for that you can play EVE.

 

but you know this is star wars?

space fights are a essential part of this franchise... so why not bringing more depth to the space part?

I miss my SWG

 

indeed indeed and .. ermm .. oh yes .. indeed

At 50 cents a day, the real reason people wouldn't pay the subscription fee wasn't that it was onerous. It's that the content of the game was not worth it to them.

 

If the content of the game isn't worth 50 cents a day, it's not worth playing for 0 cents a day either.

 

There won't be enough "free" subscribers paying for add-ons to keep the game going.

 

GG EA. You've managed to destroy a great game developer and completely miss an opportunity to blow the MMO market away by innovating great features on top of one of the most popular IPs in history.

 

It's a rare talent. Well, maybe not so much. I hear it comes with the MBA certificate.

I seem to remember people saying the same thing about Star Trek Online...it seems to be doing pretty well since F2P launched.

 

Star Trek Online, Lord of the Rings Online, Champions Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online.... just to mention a few that started out subscription and went free to play...and flourished.

 

I have full confidence Star Wars: TOR will do just fine F2P, if not better than before.

but you know this is star wars?

space fights are a essential part of this franchise... so why not bringing more depth to the space part?

 

I would like a real space combat experience for this instead of a failshooter also, but the KotOR and Jedi Knight series say "hi".

Edited August 1, 2012 by HarleysRule

as I play the game very casually most of the limits of the F2P option wouldn't bother me however I do want to raid.

Therefore i will need to keep paying a sub but this is the only reason i would, so am i willing to pay $15 a month just so i can raid once or twice a week for a few hours?

 

the answer is probably not and I really hope bioware thinks about players like myself (the casual raider) that they will annoy with the currently planned system.

 

I believe they either need to allow F2P players a way to gain access to Operations (possibly a one time micro-transaction) or they will have to reduce the sub price to a justifiable level as the game will soon become 90% free and I'm not paying $15 a month for the other 10%.

Edited August 1, 2012 by deags

WOW... just wow. This means Activision will laugh its behind off for years to come, because EA simply lost any respect it might have had left.

 

The WOW Killer... announced F2P in less than a year...

Dear Bioware,

I am not knowledgeable on the subject nor qualified to comment on whether or not free-to-play is a good business decision for you. If it is a good business decision, I wish you all the best, may you prosper with Star Wars: The Old Republic. If this is an act of desperation in order to save Star Wars; analogous to one last breath before crashing into a swallowing wave, then I am obligated to admit that I have depressingly and violently considered leaving Star Wars every moment since free-to-play was announced. I am unable to find any distinguishable reason why every player should not convert to free-to-play this fall. As far as I am concerned, aside from minor limitations, operations are the only tangible reason to maintain a subscription and I regret to announce that I refuse to pay $15 U.S. dollars per month for operations. I have been a customer with Bioware since Mass Effect and Dragon Age were released. This is not by any means the full duration of Bioware's life, but I have supported the company through its successes such as those releases, and its failures, such as the sequels to those releases. My support for you will not wane in the future but has a breaking point that I hope I never reach. The free-to-play option may have proven successful for other video game companies but that in no way guarantees that it will do so here; almost certainly not in the hearts and minds of loyal players like me. I'm going to miss Star Wars: The Old Republic should I ultimately choose to walk away; although I have only become acquainted with it for a few months. I hope that instead of pushing me away, you will give me a new hope; a reason to stay. I wish you the best of luck.

Sincerely,

Roycegracie - Jedi Covenant / Republic

George - New York City

Would be cool to get some clarification on what will be available at the cash shop so you can decide to continue to sub, go f2p, or abandon the game defenitely.

If a paying sub has access to the full game, I don't want to see p2w items that you also need to purchase.

 

Non game breaking stuff that would be cool to put at the cash shop:

- Paid character transfers.

- Paid rename.

- Paid race change/face change.

- weapons/armos skins (no stats), vanity items, ship decorations, speeders, etc..

- vanity pets, dances, emotions, etc.

- Warzones/Flashpoint/Operation packages for F2P players.

- Character slots, creation options, bank space, etc for F2P players

- Inc exp game/drop rate for X ammount of time.

 

Stuff I don't want to see in the cash shop and will make me stop playing:

- Paid advanced class respect (so ppl won't switch to the FotM class every time they want)

- Better items than the ones you get in game (i.e. 250% speeder with no chance to dismount, better ship upgrades, etc)

- Vanity items/costumes with stats (Polar Bear costume +50 all stats + 500hp + 3% atk speed for 30days...have to renew it each month)

- Crafting materials

- Cash shop only companions (new R2-D2 companion tank+heals+dps)

- Cash shop only stats buffs.... +500 expertice amulet for 30days, +5k HP scroll for 2 hours. +500 power/surge/alacrity scroll for 2 hours, etc.

- Endgame PVE/P weapons/armors....grind that Rakata/War Hero set like we all did.

 

So if I pay a sub, I can use the cartel coins to buy a cool looking armor skin, or to change my human jedi to a zabrak, sutff like that......not paying USD 15 each month for full game access, but besides that having to pay USD 7 each month for a + stats costume + USD 5 each month for a expertice buff + USD 1 for each stat scroll just to be able to compite in a RWZ

What the hell do you mean by "boosts" ?!?! The hole program seemed good to me until I read that single word. Vanity items, yeah, I'm totally cool with that, unbalance the game in any way with "boosts" and I'm out. Try not to screw this up please, you've already done enough damage to "the most anticipated game ever"

Would be cool to get some clarification on what will be available at the cash shop so you can decide to continue to sub, go f2p, or abandon the game defenitely.

If a paying sub has access to the full game, I don't want to see p2w items that you also need to purchase.

 

Non game breaking stuff that would be cool to put at the cash shop:

- Paid character transfers.

- Paid rename.

- Paid race change/face change.

- weapons/armos skins (no stats), vanity items, ship decorations, speeders, etc..

- vanity pets, dances, emotions, etc.

- Warzones/Flashpoint/Operation packages for F2P players.

- Character slots, creation options, bank space, etc for F2P players

- Inc exp game/drop rate for X ammount of time.

 

Stuff I don't want to see in the cash shop and will make me stop playing:

- Paid advanced class respect (so ppl won't switch to the FotM class every time they want)

- Better items than the ones you get in game (i.e. 250% speeder with no chance to dismount, better ship upgrades, etc)

- Vanity items/costumes with stats (Polar Bear costume +50 all stats + 500hp + 3% atk speed for 30days...have to renew it each month)

- Crafting materials

- Cash shop only companions (new R2-D2 companion tank+heals+dps)

- Cash shop only stats buffs.... +500 expertice amulet for 30days, +5k HP scroll for 2 hours. +500 power/surge/alacrity scroll for 2 hours, etc.

- Endgame PVE/P weapons/armors....grind that Rakata/War Hero set like we all did.

 

So if I pay a sub, I can use the cartel coins to buy a cool looking armor skin, or to change my human jedi to a zabrak, sutff like that......not paying USD 15 each month for full game access, but besides that having to pay USD 7 each month for a + stats costume + USD 5 each month for a expertice buff + USD 1 for each stat scroll just to be able to compite in a RWZ

 

100% agree

as I play the game very casually most of the limits of the F2P option wouldn't bother me however I do want to raid.

Therefore i will need to keep paying a sub but this is the only reason i would, so am i willing to pay $15 a month just so i can raid once or twice a week for a few hours?

 

the answer is probably not and I really hope bioware thinks about players like myself (the casual raider) that they will annoy with the currently planned system.

 

I believe they either need to allow F2P players a way to gain access to Operations (possibly a one time micro-transaction) or they will have to reduce the sub price to a justifiable level as the game will soon become 90% free and I'm not paying $15 a month for the other 10%.

Your post is not logical. You were paying that subscription before F2P came along (or you weren't playing the game at all and thus the argument is moot anyway). Ergo, the game was good enough for you to do that. What you're actually saying is that you'd like the same content as before, but for less money. Fine, but just say that.

 

Put another way, clearly you were prepared to raid casually for that subscription price beforehand - what's changed now? Other people can access other bits of the game for free? Is that a big deal? Apparently so.

 

On the plus side, this confirms that there are actually people out there who fall into the bracket of 'I'd play the game but it's too expensive' because most of the time we hear 'I'd play the game, but it's awful/laggy/looks bad/doesn't have what I want in an MMO'.

Edited August 1, 2012 by Grammarye