YES!!!!! A New Warzone!!!!!

Love warzones

 

And also im gonna stick up for the developers here. I know at least 7 people on a forum I use (may not be that many but still) who I've been trying to convince to get swtor and they were going to go out and get it until I told them about the monthly subscription. I've now talked to a few of them about the free to play option and I can garantee that at least 2 of them will be coming when it releases. (If they then decide the monthly subscription is worth it like I have then I get a free speeder too! ) So I think BW Has now brought in more people... But how their gonna make up the money that they spent on SWTOR i dont know... Unless they already have o.O ...

 

________________

 

I just had an idea. What if during server maintenance, Paying customers could get back to playing a lot sooner than F2P'ers. Say, Bioware / EA could open the servers 10-20 mins earlier while they were still fixing / whatever the hell they do during maintenance, and paying players could still play around these changes and so it be sort of like a Subscriber only zone for a few minites, So that they would be able to gain mission objectives and the like much easier without any F2P'ers nicking stuff from them. And then when the server's fully re-opened it would all be back to normal again.

 

Good idea or terrible idea?

Edited August 7, 2012 by FrozenCascade

I think if they're going to do F2P then the only option is what they are currently doing. However, I still consider this one step down a dark path. One step may not be all that much but once you've taken that first step it becomes easier to take the next then the next until the game changes to the point where it really is destroyed all because of trying to entice in a constant flux of F2P numbers and offering them the options to buy anything they want, which they could just as easily get from a subscription, rather than focusing on providing for the subscribers who like the game, enjoy it and want to see it succeed. As long as the model stays as it's currently proposed then I don't have an issue with it because F2P players should have more restricted access.

 

If the game becomes something completely different over time because of the F2P model then I will re-evaluate things as those changes happen.

Is Someone Is Confused About the Subscription and F2p , Here is The Info : http://www.swtor.com/free

 

I totally agree with F2P option with one exception - Players can play their full class stories from levels 1 to 50.

That's what I think will ruin subscribers, coz why to pay only for some extra action? You can get on 50 lvl even without full access to WZ, OP, FP, SP, no problem. And you get all the best from the game that is on 50 lvl and further. Now is "F2P" set on 15 lvl with, I guess, 14 day F2P time. If BioWare change this fact to like lvl 35, with unlimited time that would be optimal. Guy will know what is a game about and decide if he will continue (subscribe) or not.

 

End of story.

As I see it, there will be three options IN PRINCIPLE:

1) standard subscription ( for me almost 65$ per six months and I wonder about the future of this amount of money...)

2) a -rather hypothetical- pure F2P option and

3) a more realistic P2P option...

 

It becomes now clear to me that BioWare designed the game from the very beginning with this future shift in mind; only that conjecture FULLY explains the categorization in PvE and PvP items through the introduction of "expertise"...

 

I enjoy the game a lot and I intend to continue as a subscriber though I have two points:

imho the storylines ( I only played a Smuggler character so far) are much inferior if compared to SW:KotOR and particularly to SW:KotOR2;TSL and to SW:TOR;BotE ...

and there isn't the so lovable cinematographic experience of SW:KotOR and SW:KotOR2 - AT LEAST during some phase of the Class Stories: the "fourth pylon" is perhaps too weak... and this is true for the Smuggler storyline ... though I like very much the Class mechanics. There is a financial/market explanation for this of course but this doesn't cancel my disappointment.

 

My last point is that the development of the SW:TOR story is inferior by far to the potentialities that the SW:TOR frame has created...

 

Aside this, I enjoy very much both PvP and PvE ... etc!

Edited August 7, 2012 by cunctatorg

I first want to say thank you for taking the time to explain your reasoning behind the choice to make a F2P option. I would also like to say that I think SWTOR is a great game and am amazed at least once every time I log in and find out something I hadn't seen before. I believe one thing that needs to be changed is the manner that the game takes sometimes. I understand it must be hard for a programmer to make such a great game only to see someones experience squashed by the behavior of his peers. Investing in people who are proven to be "good" players, and allowing them to have F2P option may be something that would help create a better core of players. This would ultimately have to be done under the radar.

welll this could be a good thing or not. as a 8 year subscriber to City of Heroes,which uses a similar hybrid sub model. there are certain "pitfalls" to this, one is the perception right or wrong that you will be offering stuff just to get us to spemd money. items or such that are low quality. and of course he with the biggest purse will win.

 

I will give a example. Subs will get 200 points a month, the really cool items will be offered at say 300 or 500 points, just enough that will tempt you to go buy points. Also you may have weekly "sales" items that are high point items (800) that are reduced say 25% or so to get you to buy points. the limited time offer is a "nudge" to get us to spend more money. now I understand we are not being forced to spend money,but it can be seemed that you are "nickel and diming "us City of heroes has items that even as a sub must be bought. but subs do get most things free.but the sub items stop working if you go to Free status.

 

for me the free is great,being currently unemployed the savings slight as they are will help and once I am working again I will return.

There's a few things that I absolutely hate about this whole concept..

 

1) Business

 

This is a computer game, people want to play for fun and we who play don't care how much money your earning or how much money your losing as long as your giving us a good experience.

Monthly subscriptions put this to the back of your mind because you can forget about it, it's not also thrown in your face all the time and your not questioning whether what your paying is worth it or not.

 

Everyone using different payment plans and some paying for this some paying for that just lets you know that some people have more money than others.

 

This new 'business model' people are positively talking about, takes us out of our dream-like experience, we're no longer Operators fighting for the survival of the Empire but we're sat in our rooms playing a computer and paying for it. Talking about business brings you back to reality and has you questioning WHAT AM I GETTING FOR MY MONEY? And more importantly so... Why can they have that just because I can't afford it?

 

2)Children

 

This is an issue a lot of people have brought up and some are positive, some are negative. I personally believe that F2P should have their own server, keep the rifraf out the way of paying customers. Maybe I have misread but so far haven't seen if this is happening or not.

 

I came from playing WoW since the beginning and will now probably go back if I'm completely honest. As much as I don't really want to because this game is very refreshing and I think it's fantastic. But selling your game out to make more money and throwing it in our faces makes me feel like it's no longer about our experience but about you making more money.

 

...nuff said

Edited August 7, 2012 by Ryshard

YES!!!!! A New Warzone!!!!!

 

I just had an idea. What if during server maintenance, Paying customers could get back to playing a lot sooner than F2P'ers. Say, Bioware / EA could open the servers 10-20 mins earlier while they were still fixing / whatever the hell they do during maintenance, and paying players could still play around these changes and so it be sort of like a Subscriber only zone for a few minites, So that they would be able to gain mission objectives and the like much easier without any F2P'ers nicking stuff from them. And then when the server's fully re-opened it would all be back to normal again.

 

Good idea or terrible idea?

 

Good idea, paying customers already get priority log on. Isn't that what you're talking about really?

 

I hope that priority log on comes with paying customers logging on and kicking f2p'ers off.

There's a few things that I absolutely hate about this whole concept..

 

2)Children

 

This is an issue a lot of people have brought up and some are positive, some are negative. I personally believe that F2P should have their own server, keep the rifraf out the way of paying customers. Maybe I have misread but so far haven't seen if this is happening or not.

 

...nuff said

 

I like this idea of F2P'ers being on their own server. I hate the idea of snot-nosed little brats logging onto my RP server with stupid names (although this exists right now... which really pisses me off - ROLEPLAYING RULES BW. ENFORCE THEM!)

Enter the Pecking Order...

 

1) Your unfortunately less well off than the other players, so you play normal content but miss out on what other people can afford.

 

2) You've got a bit of dosh to throw around every now and then... Maybe buy this, maybe buy that and enjoy a few perks.

 

3) You've got a job, a steady monthly income and you can afford the whole game, so you get to see what other players don't.

 

EVERYONE PERSON PLAYING THE SAME GAME SHOULD HAVE THE SAME EXPERIENCE!

Its Tuesday and the last post in the dev thread was from Friday... this is absolutely pathetic. They are getting hammered by people who hate the F2P idea and have absolutely nothing to say about it. Nothing.. if they would stop active like everything is some classified secret and talked to us like adults they might be able to save this game. But no they are only showing us that all they care about is being super greedy and find anyway that they can to milk us for every dime they can squeeze out of us

So - I'm going to keep subbing for right now and see how it goes. I can say this though - if I feel like the difference between f2p and sub is not worth the 15 bucks then Ill cancel and call it a day.

My first thought was that this would be the beginning of the end but after looking at the details I'm thinking this would be a good thing. First, I'm not loosing anything if I keep subbing. I may even gain something depending on how this whole cartel coin thing works out. But even if it's no loss no gain then I don't care. I may even decide to not re-up the sub. Personally I've been playing the story line only and according to the details that will not be affected by the f2p plan. I do want to make sure the legacy stuff is included in the f2p though. Also, my wife and a few friends would absolutely play if it were free.

F2P till level 50?.

 

Congrats you've just killed swtor.

 

Alot of people will keep there subscription just because they want to support the people who brought us this awesome game, i think its a great idea and its not like every1 is gonna quit because they made it cheeper, only more will join (:

After waiting a week to weigh in on the recent news of upcoming free to play option for TOR, and reading and thinking on this topic, it remains clear that this move, this soon and in this way, is an absolutely gutless and disgusting betrayal of the TOR community’s most loyal.

 

This announcement was made together with prepared plans, new game models and other items that have clearly been in the works for some time. All this planning has been done in the last while to prep the game in a strategically planned out way, off the backs and borrowed time of your paying and most loyal subscribers; doing so instead of fighting hard to build on what we had to make the game better. This was done instead of putting in the time and effort addressing all the needs and requests of your paying customers, while planning to turn the community (that you lured away from other established gaming communities) into a pay as you go drop in center.

 

As a guild leader, I have become no more than a liar and a con to those I brought into my guild, citing your assurances that that game would be building and growing month by month and getting better, all the while free to play was being prepped. I’ve wasted those people’s time.

 

People wonder why the MMO community is so quick to judge and so bitter when it come to quality control in each new MMO. With companies, such as this one, that are so willing to raise the white flag on hard work and proceed to throw their most loyal under the bus for a quick buck, instead of maintaining a commitment to delivering a quality product to make what is there better, it’s no wonder the player community has become what it has.

 

One reaps what they sow.

Edited August 7, 2012 by LeonBraun

I have been playing since launch and even before that. The remark " many of our past customers that left said they would come back if it was free to play" is Ironic, they said that to be sarcastic and they took it to heart lmao. I have been thinking on this free to play thing. If I want free to play I will go to Star Trek Online ( where the space is sooo much better than tor). Now weigh this out. okay Free to play are limited to things ingame such as only 1 hm a week etc. Okay what about us vet players who try to set up groups for these. We will be limited to who can do them. Now to elaberate on that topic as well, I will not want to give a free player the same stuff I can do since I pay to play. This is just one idea that comes to me on this. Now to just say what I have to say as a vet player. You going to free to play is more or less spitting in the vet players face. I do not want no one who has Money to get the items and gear that I worked so hard to get with time spent and working with other players who do not know a thing about what they are doing. Then having to deal with the devs ideas of what makes a great game.... Come on if you knew that you would not have come up with this idea that is for sure. I am indeed outraged at this. I have even been spending less time in game due to this and if it does come to light I will probably find another game to play... like chess.

Free to Play Games I have played.. AO, ROM, Tribes Ascend and Global Adjenda. Free to play could be substituted for Pay to win or Pay and have an advantage. I am undecided as to if I will continue. $15.00 for "extra content" The content should be amazing and make it worth paying.

EA and Bioware are not having a booth at Celebration VI for the game... this just proves this is nothing but pathetic... they obviously don't want to get bashed by the fans or at least defend their actions...

If you let F2p happen all of us suscribers will leave and take a full refund back cause if f2p for level 50 then more noobish newbs will be coming and will flood every single server then you would have to install a back up and more servers CAUSEING YOU TO LOSE MORE MONEY NOW DONT LAUNCH F2P ITS A BAD IDEA FOR THIS COOL OF A GAME

I'm cautiously optimistic about this whole free to play thing... I am a loyal subscriber to this game, and have been since the beginning (which isn't that long, so I'm still not sure why this move from bioware, but whatever)... I am looking forward to seeing some of my less financially able friends on here with me... However, I know there will be an influx of 12 year olds and such on here... Which is fine, because I can always turn general chat off if needed... lol But, I swear to you the first time I get schooled by some spoiled little rich kid that has bought all the cartel gear... I'm done... I promise you that... Free to play I am okay with... But, the minute this game becomes Pay to Win... You will loose this VERY loyal customer bioware... And, I feel that I am not the only one who feels this way... I look forward to all the great things to come from this game... Just please don't screw it up!!! Thank You.. Edited August 8, 2012 by LordPaladin

You guys think this thing will reach a hundred page limit or is that non-existent? I don't know, I just saw that somewhere before on this thread.

You guys think this thing will reach a hundred page limit or is that non-existent? I don't know, I just saw that somewhere before on this thread.

 

BW created stickies don't get restarted at 1000 posts they just let them go on until they unsticky them.

Investment group predicts positive returns for Star Wars: The Old Republic following free-to-play announcement

 

Yesterday's bombshell from Star Wars: The Old Republic has prompted the usual spirited debate among fans over the game: Is this a last gasp before it dies or a smart move in the current MMO marketplace? Wedbush Securities believes it's the latter, with analyst Michael Pachter stating that the news from Electronic Arts is positive and that the change in business models should result in a significant profit for the game.

 

Pachter described Wedbush's reaction as "incorrigibly positive," with specific emphasis on EA's digital catalogue and the free-to-play shift for Star Wars: The Old Republic. According to his analysis, the change in business models will remove the most significant hurdles from potential players, leading to a net increase in revenue from the game. The market as a whole responded positively to the financial news, with EA's stock rising six percent as a result of the call. Pachter has previously been critical of the MMO market, having claimed in early July that subscriber numbers have peaked for the industry as a whole.

Edited August 8, 2012 by Kourage

Investment group predicts positive returns for Star Wars: The Old Republic following free-to-play announcement

 

Which just leads me to believe that the true test will be in how they handle this Cartel Market.

About time. You should have listened long before launch about free to play and subscribers. Then you would not have lost so many players. Now you suddenly realise that you should have done it in the first place. I hope the ones who suggested it come back and say "I told you so". Edited August 8, 2012 by EmpressEmpyrean
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