I love Star Wars. Honestly, even through all the bugs and problems, I love The Old Republic. From beta until last night, I played the game faithfully, taking an active role in the community who, among the faithful, loved the game like I loved it.

Until last night, I played every class, fully enjoying their storylines and the masterful way the universe was crafted. Until last night, I watched a universe unfold for each of my toons, role playing them the way I've always wanted to role play a character in the Star Wars Universe. Until last night, I strode across the surface of every planet I touched, seeking to expose every piece of hidden lore I could discover.

I admit, I will miss the game. But more than that, I will miss the experience. The thrill that gripped me at launch has been slipping ever since, and it wasn't until my final playthrough that I realized it couldn't go on. This loss of experience is ironic, since the game, as with any RPG, is a grind for experience points. The moment the game first booted up and I sat through each cinematic movie, choosing my first character carefully before proceeding the fully flesh out his character and motivations, I felt as though I hit a brand new threshold for what the MMORPG "experience" could bring. And I rode that wave of enjoyment since launch. But without significant new content, without fixes for the bugs we've seen since launch, and with the invasion of free-to-play "players" (I put them in quotations to make a point. They are not here to play the game like the rest of us do. They are here to steal what we have graciously paid for. And I resent them for it. If ever the devs see fit to give us a server for paid players only, I will come back) I find the experience lacking.

I would like to sincerely thank the community for its support of the game, despite its many flaws. And I would like to thank the devs for putting so much time and effort into a game, even one which we know is nearing the end of its life. Thank you for a fun time. I look forward to the next star wars venture and hope we can all have fun there together.

They are here to steal what we have graciously paid for.

You destroyed any credibility you might have had with that statement there. Not only is it a gross insult to your fellow players, it is also patently untrue.

Nothing else you have to say is worth the time to read or consider because of it.

That was just awful. Of a bunch of offal, either works. I'm glad dinosaurs like you are leaving. I've been playing since Beta, April of 2011. I can say that the community has improved, as the amount of quality players, of all stripes, has improved. Well more like the quantity, but the quantity brought the same amount of quality in with it.

That was the purpose of F2P. Get more people involved. You can say that there were 100,000 idiots before F2P and now there are a million, well when there were 100k, we only had 500,000 players. Now we have 5 million players (combined F2P, Preferred, and Subscribers) and it would go to say that there are a million idiots. Well, that means that nothing has changed. We still maintain the 4:1 ratio.

That also means that we have a million GOOD players, too! That is also across the board of F2P, Preferred, and Subscribers. I'm sick an tired of the backward, negative thinking that goes on with elitist old fogies. I'm turning 40 here shortly and I can say that I'm now tired of the current music, and think it's junk (everyone always romanticizes their youth). Sports today doesn't measure up, entertainment, politics, it's all is junk, but I still have not embraced this F2P players suck attitude.

I would love to get a Dev or moderator to pipe in on the statistics of how many F2P who play for more than a week actually convert. I'll bet it's pretty high. Even then, the people who let their subscription lapse, hey, life is more important than a game. Pay your bills, don't worry about making sure you can afford a subscription to a game. As for the F2P crowd:

Don't worry about these guys, let them pass quietly in the night like the Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus. Let's call them the Elitosaurus. Since we are talking about being old, the muses are upon me and I must give verse:

That was just awful. Of a bunch of offal, either works. I'm glad dinosaurs like you are leaving. I've been playing since Beta, April of 2011. I can say that the community has improved, as the amount of quality players, of all stripes, has improved. Well more like the quantity, but the quantity brought the same amount of quality in with it.

 

That was the purpose of F2P. Get more people involved. You can say that there were 100,000 idiots before F2P and now there are a million, well when there were 100k, we only had 500,000 players. Now we have 5 million players (combined F2P, Preferred, and Subscribers) and it would go to say that there are a million idiots. Well, that means that nothing has changed. We still maintain the 4:1 ratio.

 

That also means that we have a million GOOD players, too! That is also across the board of F2P, Preferred, and Subscribers. I'm sick an tired of the backward, negative thinking that goes on with elitist old fogies. I'm turning 40 here shortly and I can say that I'm now tired of the current music, and think it's junk (everyone always romanticizes their youth). Sports today doesn't measure up, entertainment, politics, it all is junk, but I still have not embraced this F2P players suck attitude.

 

I would love to get a Dev or moderator to pipe in on the statistics of how many F2P who play for more than a week actually convert. I'll bet it's pretty high. Even then, the people who let their subscription lapse, hey, life is more important than a game. Pay your bills, don't worry about making sure you can afford a subscription to a game. As for the F2P crowd:

WELCOME!

 

I LOVE YOU GUYS AND GALS!

 

Don't worry about these guys, let them pass quietly in the night like the Stegosaurus and Tyrannosaurus. Let's call them the Elitosaurus. Since we are talking about being old, the muses are upon me and I must give verse:

 

Ode to the Elitosaurus.

 

Goodbye, oh Elitosuarus,

Your time has come.

You could have done much more for us,

but your mind has fallen numb.

You preach and you rail,

and offer us your false gratitude,

You don't understand how you fail

when you offer us your platitude.

Well remember you well,

oh great and ancient one.

We will sing of when the Elitosaurus fell,

and go on and have more fun.

Amen

I love you guys. truly. I've been playing off and on since pre-release, and I still love this game. It's got a special place in my heart, truly. It had better, considering I spent 5 years writing my first character for it before the game even released.

And yeah. I love helping new players. I don't care if they're Free 2 play of not. That first week they play is the most important. If the community's supportive, helpful and inclusive, they'll keep playing, and are much more likely to sub and pay into the system in other ways too. If they're like the "elitosaurus" (totally stealing that term, by the way) Then they'll leave with a sour taste in their mouth, and won't recommend the game to any of their friends, which WILL eventually kill an MMO. So, if you truly love an MMO, don't call free to players "thieves" when they're just more potential for the game you claim to love to be even greater.

I mean, just yesterday, I sat around on Taris, helping people with class quests, crafting them gear, and I even handed out a few 10K credit mails to help them get started. I love helping people, especially new players. Why? because I care about the quality of the community. I like to think one good turn becomes another good turn for someone else down the road. Pay it forward. Good helpful people are what keep an MMO kicking.

Hey, I refuse to just sit here and let other people insult dinosaurs. That is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

Also, I started F2P because i didn't want to just jump blindly in, sight unseen, especially since I had never played an MMO before. But after 2 weeks I decided that I wanted to subscribe, so that I would get all the benefits of subscribing. So I subscribed.

What I am saying is, EA and BW would never have gotten my money without the F2P model.

Likewise, the free-to-play option was what enticed me back to the game, after a lengthy absence. The opportunity to give it another try without having to stump up any dosh made me realise I wasn't quite done with this game after all, and there was still fun to be had. Not long after I re-subbed.

Probably wouldn't have happened if I had not been able to dip my toe back into the water for free.

Still, my opinion doesn't matter, because I am nothing but a low down, dirty thief; here to steal your game from you while you aren't looking. Yoink!

Hey, I refuse to just sit here and let other people insult dinosaurs. That is NOT ACCEPTABLE.

 

Also, I started F2P because i didn't want to just jump blindly in, sight unseen, especially since I had never played an MMO before. But after 2 weeks I decided that I wanted to subscribe, so that I would get all the benefits of subscribing. So I subscribed.

 

What I am saying is, EA and BW would never have gotten my money without the F2P model.

This is what I did. I've not played a lot of MMOs. Heck the only other game I've really sunk any major time and money into is The Sims. I started playing about a month ago - subbed within a couple of days, and have now bought the expansion in anticipation of getting one of my characters to the end of their class story. I've also made a purchase of Cartel Coins. But I would have probably never even tried the game if I didn't get an ad through Aeria Games website, offering it as F2P.

There's nothing wrong at all with F2P, and playing like that certainly doesn't make someone a thief.

Actually I think the F2P option was brilliant on Bioware's part. It opened the game up to a lot of people who PROBABLY became subscribers.

I have been a subscriber pretty much since launch since I am a Star Wars nerd. This was my first MMPORPG. At some point my credit card expired, and when i logged in, I had been "downgraded". Two of my four characters were locked, and I couldn't do a lot of things I was used to with the other two. After about 10 minutes I whipped out the new card and resubscribed. I expect this feeling is what a new F2P player gets when he sees how fun the game CAN be, and all the things he/she is missing out on. The only real penalty with F2P is the absolute inane chat going on in the general tab from the F2pers who will NEVER subscribe...but that is cured with the "ignore" list.

Few say it, but the elitist snob comments are just as offensive as the F2P inane babble that goes on. I am by no means an elite player, but I do try my best and also help those who ask for it.

I really don't understand F2P hostility. I really don't. About the worst experience that I ever recall from an F2P is that it turns out that the advice I'm giving them isn't applicable.

I mean, just what is it that they could plausibly be stealing from you?

Actually I think the F2P option was brilliant on Bioware's part. It opened the game up to a lot of people who PROBABLY became subscribers.

 

I have been a subscriber pretty much since launch since I am a Star Wars nerd. This was my first MMPORPG. At some point my credit card expired, and when i logged in, I had been "downgraded". Two of my four characters were locked, and I couldn't do a lot of things I was used to with the other two. After about 10 minutes I whipped out the new card and resubscribed. I expect this feeling is what a new F2P player gets when he sees how fun the game CAN be, and all the things he/she is missing out on. The only real penalty with F2P is the absolute inane chat going on in the general tab from the F2pers who will NEVER subscribe...but that is cured with the "ignore" list.

 

Few say it, but the elitist snob comments are just as offensive as the F2P inane babble that goes on. I am by no means an elite player, but I do try my best and also help those who ask for it.

hahahah, I'm the same way. I keep drifting away and back to this game again and again, and find out some way to shell out some cash so I can resub. I can't play this game without a sub anymore. I have 13 characters, not even being able to play half of them just frustrates me, and let's not go into the other stuff. XD Genius tactic, really. give new players fun stuff to do if they pay in, and give old subscribers coming back a really good reason to resub.

Hey! Noodlegotagun, if you are going to be the Resident Weirdo, you need to change your name to Gonzo.

Totally.