Is the F2P/Preffered system too prohibitive, and if so, what should change?

Frankly, I think this is a pretty great idea.

what would the subs who pay $15 a month AND spend $20 or so on the CM? Since the F2p would get the benefits of a free sub AND the CM items?

You don't get to be like everyone else without doing what everyone else does!

If you want benefits of a sub, sub. End of story.
Person A buys $20 of CC: gets $20 of CC
Person B buys $20 of CC: gets $20 of CC AND 15 days free subscription.

I maybe seeing something wrong here but why would this be a good thing for anyone other than Person B and how does it benefit the game by generating more of type A and less of type B. Object is to get people to SUB AND buy CC. Not one or the other.

I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul

My personally biggerst problem with the F2P restriction is the "Artifact Quality Item" unlock. Far, far, far too expensive.

Drillingsworth, I just awarded you 2x points to make up for DOHboy's no points.

I kind of dig this idea. Each time you buy $5 worth of cartel coins, you get to play for a week like you had a subscription. Works out to $20 revenue/month for the equivalent of a subscription, do that enough and you'll convince yourself to just subscribe.

Or maybe it's $8 worth of coins gets you a week or $10 or whatever. Point is, at that point they represent revenue, cool, give them a taste of the benefits of a subscription.

I like the idea of "pay as you go" based on CM purchases, you compile sub time. But I still prefer the 3rd tier "Veteran" idea.

what would those who subscribe and spend $$$ on CM get? free subscription time? They already give us free stuff and free CC for the subscription, why should those who dont subscribe get free stuff?

Revenue is revenue. This would also allow the subscribers who like to spend money on cartel coins do that and still effectively keep their subscription.

I dislike perpetual F2P and even Preferred because neither makes any commitment to pay for the entertainment value they receive. They don't support the game. They're leeches. Parasites.

But if all of a sudden they want to pay money regularly, and with the values I laid out it would be more than a subscription, let them have subscriber benefits. I have no problem with that. Again, because now they've committed to paying for the entertainment value they receive and are supporting the game financially.

I don't get into "he has / doesn't have". You can kill yourself with that because life is never fair or equitable. Choices / options are good though.

Whatever encourages people to financially reward the developers for their hard work, so the EA suits will keep paying for the developers to deliver more and better, is a good thing.

Well said.

I myself started as a F2P, but I subscribed by like the second planet. I personally don't believe the system is to restrictive as it's a high budget game with (In my opinion at least) excellent quality. I can't even justify giving away a low budget game with poor quality.

If you like the game and you plan on playing it for long periods of time, at the very least you can sub/make purchases to support it. I realize some people can't afford it though. What I don't understand is the fact that people think that since Bioware has made the game F2P that they should be entitled to more.

I also hate when people try to make the argument "Well, other games offer XXX for free. Why doesn't this one". Obviously because it's a different game by a different developer. If you like that feature or ability so much then why not go play that game? Most likely because this game offers something different/something you enjoy enough to stay.

Not trying to make any F2Pers feel inferior or anything, it's just my opinion.