We need a better F2P model

You're trying to tell me that my opinion is wrong? Pfft lol - how simpleminded. 2 million people have PAID for this game and QUIT! The need to incentivize subscriptions is very real. F2P players need to see something, while they are playing for FREE, that makes them WANT to subscribe, where 2 million other people who WERE interested enough in the game to financially invest in it QUIT.

The F2P system, as is, is too annoying, but the actual sub does not offer any meaningful value if you bought enough unlocks from GTN, so it's basically a lose-lose system.

Free to play players need to "see something" while they are playing for free to make them subscribe? They ARE seeing it, you just want them to be able to continue to play the game virtually unhindered for free. They get more then enough "seeing of the game" to know if they want to subscribe. Personally, I think F2P players get FAR too much as it is.

I can understand taking a look at the game to see if you wanna pay, but to cry and whine because you/them think they should basically get the entire game for free is ridiculous. They need to quit being such cheap asses and help support the game. If $15 per month is even something they have to consider, then they have more problems then a game, they need to work on real life first.

So when does your sub expire. since it's not worth paying for?

You know, I have heard this argument many times, or more accurately arguments similar to this one. This next point is not directed at you FeLoNiouS, but is just a general statement.

Does anyone have an idea as to how much it costs to bring the preferred game up to sub functionality? In order to do so, IMO, the cash outlay required is substantial. And SOMEONE has to pay for it if it ends up on the GTN...so either way the fee is paid.

Let's look at it in general terms...I don't have all of the exact costs of each item, but I think a better mockup is out there somewhere that goes into depth on the matter.

You would need to purchase....

- XP boost packs for each character up to level 55
- Weekly Flashpoint, Operation and the like passes
- Account wide - single crew skill slot, unify colors, crew appearance, hide headgear, 40 GTN sale slots (4 unlocks), (2) quickbar slots, artifact equipment, event equipment, legacy name and titles
- Medical probes

I may have missed a few. But that is a substantial list at a rather high cost in real money, and after all of that you still have chat and email restrictions, sprint at a higher level, reduced rewards, etc.

When you add all of that up in real money cost I would bet your looking at a years sub. It's just a guess but I know the cost is substantial...and that money would be paid right away, while they have to wait a year for a regular subscriber to pay as much.

It seems to me there are plenty of incentives to sub. More than enough IMO. F2P doesn't get nearly enough considering everything they have to buy just to come close to equaling a 15 dollar a month payment.

I'm not suggesting that any of these unlocks (except perhaps medical probes) are too draconian...on the contrary, I think the lion's share of them are fair. I do, however, think email restrictions between your own characters for preferred players, no ability to purchase races and the like right at the character creation screen and the sprint/medical probe restrictions are a bit much.

Just my slant.

I bought every unlock that can be bought on my account plus cargo bay of weekly passes from the GTN. Although I grinded dailys a lot, the amount of money needed is probably a lot less than what I earned while just grinding Section X faction to legendary, which I was going to do anyway.

The cost to buy all the unlocks comes from the subscribers, not the F2P. Nobody's actually going to spend $200 or whatever it costs in CC to get all those. Rather you get it from the guys paying $15/month that's receiving their 'free stipend'. What's really happening is that the subscribers are subsidizing the F2P content, as they're overpaying at $15/month and end up have to funnel the free CC back to the economy via GTN for fairly low prices. This model is likely to crash spectucularly at some point, but as long as you're ahead of the curve things are perfectly good for you. This assumes the 'F2P' player have some interest in the game. Grinding out a faction to legendary status will usually yield enough credits to buy every unlock you need minus Artifact Equipment Authorization (because F2P can only carry 350K, you'd need to sub at some point prior to Credit Escrew 600K become available).

About 20 days.

It is an interesting point...that some folks might be buying the unlocks with the coin stipend and then selling them on the GTN. In that specific case one could say Bioware is not getting any additional income.

I would just wonder how often that happens compared to people buying it with cash bought coins. I suppose we will never know for sure, but my guess would be that most folks buy the unlocks with actual cash.....just speculation naturally, but you made a good point.

I'm just not sure I would give all the credit for unlock purchases to subs. It seems to me this is wildly speculative. I think the F2P restrictions are draconian enough to encourage F2P folks to pony up the cash for at least a few of them on a regular basis.

Bioware you need to revise the Free2Play model!

Take a look at Tera or Rift, Free2Play players get there access to the entire content!

Subscribers get things like more currency, +10% Mount Speed, store discount, Daily boost, veteran rewards, ...