What is the purpose of a sub?

I was ruminating in general about the cost of a subscription vs. time vs. "other entertainments".

Intended or not it's currenlty the better value to stay subbed. I agree they have not been as clear as they should be about what exactly each tier of thier model entails. But, it seems clear that the intent is to get you to subscribe. This is ironic for reasons I stated previously in this thread.

We've already seen the backlash this F2P has received. Right from the start it's nickle and diming the very people the future of this game depends on. The moment you create your first character the game is all up on your face telling you you can't have this or that and that you have to subscribe to get it or buy coins. If I hadn't subscribed to this game I would've stop playing it altogether a couple of weeks ago. There's new people who will stop after finishing one story. There's new people who aren't even bothering to try this game based solely on the punishing F2P system. The list goes on and on but my point is that behind every new player's reason for not continuing the journey or not starting it at all is the F2P system. Right now there's people like me who have joined the game because of the new attention the game has received due to going F2P but soon all of that will fade away and once again, the game will start hemorrhaging more players than it gets in like it was doing months ago.

They're making profit now... for the short-term. But just watch if they do nothing about tweaking the system.

I'm not saying they should give everything away because there is quite a few things I agree, but I feel that new players would be more comfortable with chipping in money if it didn't mean they first have to pay for the bare essentials in an MMO - like cargo access, crew skills, inventory, item equipping, quickbars, revives. Some players might even pay for piloting training so they get it faster (don't underestimate how better it feels to know you have the option of waiting or paying to get something faster as oppossed to having no option but pay). To make up for all that they should work at putting more items in the cartel market to encourage these people to buy coins. Of course they should priced reasonably because few people already consider a 1200 CC recolored set to be worth the coins.

I'm probably gonna get flamed for saying F2P people (or Preferred) should get more but whatever. If nothing is done you'll remember this post in a couple of months.

DDO does the same thing. "What do you mean I can't make a half-elf favored soul? I have to buy that race and class?" "What do you mean, I can't go into the Sewers? I have to buy that dungeon?"

The purpose of the sub is so they can rip you off for sub plus the cash shop

Indeed. But, why sugar coat it?

I agree with you Atrimentus.

I started as a f2p just a couple weeks ago, but felt very pushed to sub (which i have).
I'd be very curious to know how many people finish a class story strictly f2p ... because that's an extreme uphill battle.

Again you have no "need" of anything in SWTOR, including to play SWTOR.

That is completely beside the point of price gouging of "event" items by "limited time" (rather than limited supply).

That is wrong and remains wrong in principle whether I buy any or not.

Your sub provides you access to everything in the game without having to buy a weekly pass. You also have access to any new content right away. There will be new speeders, armor sets, items available only in game and not on the cartel store.

Think of the cartel market as a completely separate feature. There are a lot of fluff and convenience items there. They are usually store specific.

Don't forget, all cartel items can be sold on the GTN. You don't have to buy anything on the cartel store as long as players are selling it on the GTN.

In my case it removes the credit cap and lets me buy some unlocks and things for credits instead of CC. Since I refuse to give game companys financial information and I can pay for a sub with time cards. I sub.

Quote: Originally Posted by Arkerus

Your sub provides you access to everything in the game without having to buy a weekly pass. You also have access to any new content right away. There will be new speeders, armor sets, items available only in game and not on the cartel store.

Think of the cartel market as a completely separate feature. There are a lot of fluff and convenience items there. They are usually store specific.

Don't forget, all cartel items can be sold on the GTN. You don't have to buy anything on the cartel store as long as players are selling it on the GTN.

Ship upgrades are NOT "fluff" or "convinence" they are core endgame to the space game and help in gearing up for the ground game too.