I am not surprised that SWTOR would attempt to go F2P. I doubt anyone really is outside the die hard fans. The problem is that the game was not designed with the types of features or content needed to maintain a long term committed player base that will subscribe long or even desire to stick around and play after finishing a story line. The promises of new content every six weeks reads well upon virtual web pages but I honestly doubt they can sustain that long term.
It is stated by the development team that they have been looking at the Turbine and SOE models. When one considers a game like LOTRO in comparison, it has several features built in to keep a target community playing and doing so together. Guild housing and guild neighborhoods, useful end game crafting that requires items from others on occasion, skirmishes (like little 1 to 3 man raids) to engage in while awaiting larger runs, even fishing and options to write and play your own music with friends.
What does SWTRO have outside of a single player story they are now giving away for free? You might sub a month for quest content, their limited if sometimes fun when leveling PVP, maybe a solo space combat romp or two, but after that? There is nothing much less anything to encourage you to need or want other people or stick around longer than a month. I am afraid they will end up with a more SOE like model as a result and may start selling PVP gear high end as a “convenience” feature to avoid grind...
Outside of an initial burst, I personally just do not see F2P as being enough to “save SWTOR” or keep it a major player in the MMORPG industry long term. It will hang on though, as a once in a blue moon theme park ride with fewer consistant players than SWG had if a larger body in total. I don’t take any pleasure in that conclusion. I don’t like what I think this will mean for future games. I am disappointed in EA Bioware for this mess. And on a personal note, I hate their male counsular costume skirts. Next time, GIVE ME PANTS and I might sub longer. :P
Why is it I think that this does not bode well for TESO...
Yeah, in 6 months there will be more discussions about why the game isn't bringing in money.
The best this thing could do is stabilize revenues so it's no longer bleeding profusely. Yet it's like the governments bailing out of GM. Once we accept that we are never ever ever getting that money back, we can move on.
TOR won't be recouping their initial spending binge.
Originally posted by BrightestDay Originally posted by pharazonicCalled it when this game was in beta. Feels good to be right. Edit: ROFL they couldn't even make a year! Even Age of Conan lasted longer. I wonder where the yes-men are now... although I could name each one of them, I won't. You know who you are.
Ahem, i think you are remembering things differently from how they happened.
nice
LFD tools are great for cramming people into content, but quality > quantity. I am, usually on the sandbox .. more "hardcore" side of things, but I also do just want to have fun. So lighten up already
Called it when this game was in beta. Feels good to be right.
Edit: ROFL they couldn't even make a year! Even Age of Conan lasted longer. I wonder where the yes-men are now... although I could name each one of them, I won't. You know who you are.
Ahem, i think you are remembering things differently from how they happened.
Apparently not, no one's announced their one year anniversary or anything and even the F2P conversion is schedule long before december so.....what are we remembering again?
simpl put, the qouted poster has claimed to have called that the game would be going F2P yet the linked topic shows him vehemently denying the possibility of it going F2P.
I guess you and I have different opinions on "F2P".
That said, I'm willing to settle on "SWTOR has failed spectacularly and I called it".
This was the game that was supposed to go head to head against Blizzard's juggernaught, WoW. Guess which game is still in the arena, at a subscription model for the forseeable future with a major expansion on the way.
I rest my case
"Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
Damn lol Aion lasted over 2 years in the west before it went F2P, even Lineage 2 lasted longer.
Warhammer still going and SWG lasted about 8 years. What the %$^& Beaware?
Even RF-Online lasted longer and that game had like Zero quest back in the day when Codemasters was in charge. All it had was the 3 faction pvp which was pretty fun but damn.
Called it when this game was in beta. Feels good to be right.
Edit: ROFL they couldn't even make a year! Even Age of Conan lasted longer. I wonder where the yes-men are now... although I could name each one of them, I won't. You know who you are.
Ahem, i think you are remembering things differently from how they happened.
Apparently not, no one's announced their one year anniversary or anything and even the F2P conversion is schedule long before december so.....what are we remembering again?
simpl put, the qouted poster has claimed to have called that the game would be going F2P yet the linked topic shows him vehemently denying the possibility of it going F2P.
Ahh that explains it, it wasn't that you were saying he should remember the game not being a year old before going F2P but that he claimed the opposite, one of those sneaky fanboys trying to be on the side that's correct apparently, good catch.
It seems SWTOR has taken forum PVP to new levels not seen outside of EVE Online. However, I would like to encourage some of you. After all, this conflict has brought you more satisfaction than paying your subscription fee to EA ever did...
I still chuckle about fan predictions of 10 million subs the first year.
Ken Fisher - Semi retired old fart Network Administrator, now working in Network Security. I don't Forum PVP. If you feel I've attacked you, it was probably by accident. When I don't understand, I ask. Such is not intended as criticism.
I think the jokes going to be on the people who think its going to be a free game when they learn they have to pay to play most of it.
I actually love it when the people celebrating games going free as some sort of moral victory are a month later crying that they are expected to actually pay to continue playing.
This pretty much means i never come back though, as bad as the fatman community was, loading it up with the global free community is going to make it unplayable for me..thought i could manage playing aion right before it went free and the community turned to trash overnight.
I wish it luck though.
Also...its not really free if they charge for any content is it? pay per content?
Subscribers can now post 50 listings on GTN? haha!
SWTOR always had that limit .. 50 per character that is. Very limited as it was, since WoW didn't have a limit, or at lest not one I discovered ... if it did have one, it was over 2000 simultaneous auctions.
With SWTOR though, the interface was so bad that putting 50 items up was a not-so-fun experience.
Called it when this game was in beta. Feels good to be right.
Edit: ROFL they couldn't even make a year! Even Age of Conan lasted longer. I wonder where the yes-men are now... although I could name each one of them, I won't. You know who you are.
Ahem, i think you are remembering things differently from how they happened.
Apparently not, no one's announced their one year anniversary or anything and even the F2P conversion is schedule long before december so.....what are we remembering again?
simpl put, the qouted poster has claimed to have called that the game would be going F2P yet the linked topic shows him vehemently denying the possibility of it going F2P.
Ahh that explains it, it wasn't that you were saying he should remember the game not being a year old before going F2P but that he claimed the opposite, one of those sneaky fanboys trying to be on the side that's correct apparently, good catch.
LOL I am the last incarnation of SWTOR fanboy. IIRC you were quite the Bioware fanboy no?
"Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
Yeah, in 6 months there will be more discussions about why the game isn't bringing in money.
The best this thing could do is stabilize revenues so it's no longer bleeding profusely. Yet it's like the governments bailing out of GM. Once we accept that we are never ever ever getting that money back, we can move on.
TOR won't be recouping their initial spending binge.
SWtOR will never get that money back, BUT Not sure what hole you live in but GM paid that money back with interest.
I suddenly feel vindicated for all the infractions I recieved on the SWTOR forums pre beta for simply pointing out the games flaws. All the fanbois who were allowed to trash those forums with fanboi rage, Lethality, Skywauker have been proven wrong. All of those constructive threads Donna Prior and that horrible moderation team deleted about adding something new to grinding mechanics, crafting and economy, how to implement space travel, ideas players wanted, well you can see all those ideas in action in GW2. But it is like you raiders kept saying, TOR is your game, enjoy.
I suddenly feel vindicated for all the infractions I recieved on the SWTOR forums pre beta for simply pointing out the games flaws. All the fanbois who were allowed to trash those forums with fanboi rage, Lethality, Skywauker have been proven wrong. All of those constructive threads Donna Prior and that horrible moderation team deleted about adding something new to grinding mechanics, crafting and economy, how to implement space travel, ideas players wanted, well you can see all those ideas in action in GW2. But it is like you raiders kept saying, TOR is your game, enjoy.
If I could "Like" this post, I would.
"Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
I suddenly feel vindicated for all the infractions I recieved on the SWTOR forums pre beta for simply pointing out the games flaws. All the fanbois who were allowed to trash those forums with fanboi rage, Lethality, Skywauker have been proven wrong. All of those constructive threads Donna Prior and that horrible moderation team deleted about adding something new to grinding mechanics, crafting and economy, how to implement space travel, ideas players wanted, well you can see all those ideas in action in GW2. But it is like you raiders kept saying, TOR is your game, enjoy.
But wait! Where is MMOmaverick? Where is now when we need him the most to explain why this game isn'[t dying and, in fact, is going from strength to strength?
But wait! Where is MMOmaverick? Where is now when we need him the most to explain why this game isn'[t dying and, in fact, is going from strength to strength?
I remember reading the article here by Mike B and wondering how they would implement F2P, as the main issue for me was how they had designed the game - F2P didn't seem to "fit" their model. I think it's the only decision they could make, and tbh, I'm surprised Lucas Arts were ok with it.
I think this was inevitable, and it's only suprising how soon it happened...or maybe not, since the earnings call a few months back where EA made it clear that SWTOR wasn't a priority. Back-pedalling and saying it'll be around for a decade could never override the original comment.
Remains to be seen how successful their model will be, those restrictions are pretty stark, but I guess that's the reality of F2P...
Any way you look at it, it'll be an interesting few months with GW2 and MoP on the horizon. The oboards are entertaining as all heck this morning. There's a riot going on over there. I'm calling it one of the benefits of being subbed til year's end, watching the drama unfold.
Every MMO after WoW have sucked big time. Do the devs play WoW? Do they really think their MMO is on par with WoW?
Stop telling the fans how they should enjoy your games and stop telling us that we shouldn't compare it to WoW. We do, we will always do that, you know why? Because WoW fucking ROCKS!
I'm glad SWTOR bites the dust. They created a WoW clone with a new (worse) skin and expected us to buy into this crap.
Comments
Yeah, in 6 months there will be more discussions about why the game isn't bringing in money.
The best this thing could do is stabilize revenues so it's no longer bleeding profusely. Yet it's like the governments bailing out of GM. Once we accept that we are never ever ever getting that money back, we can move on.
TOR won't be recouping their initial spending binge.
Ahem, i think you are remembering things differently from how they happened.
nice
LFD tools are great for cramming people into content, but quality > quantity.
I am, usually on the sandbox .. more "hardcore" side of things, but I also do just want to have fun. So lighten up already
I guess you and I have different opinions on "F2P".
That said, I'm willing to settle on "SWTOR has failed spectacularly and I called it".
This was the game that was supposed to go head to head against Blizzard's juggernaught, WoW. Guess which game is still in the arena, at a subscription model for the forseeable future with a major expansion on the way.
I rest my case
"Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
I need to take this advice more.
sad thing is, i still wouldnt try it
Damn lol Aion lasted over 2 years in the west before it went F2P, even Lineage 2 lasted longer.
Warhammer still going and SWG lasted about 8 years. What the %$^& Beaware?
Even RF-Online lasted longer and that game had like Zero quest back in the day when Codemasters was in charge. All it had was the 3 faction pvp which was pretty fun but damn.
Ahh that explains it, it wasn't that you were saying he should remember the game not being a year old before going F2P but that he claimed the opposite, one of those sneaky fanboys trying to be on the side that's correct apparently, good catch.
It seems SWTOR has taken forum PVP to new levels not seen outside of EVE Online. However, I would like to encourage some of you. After all, this conflict has brought you more satisfaction than paying your subscription fee to EA ever did...
I still chuckle about fan predictions of 10 million subs the first year.
This.
http://www.twitch.tv/got_game_tv/ (livestream)
The War Z Shenanigans(youtube)
DayZ FUNTIME!
Mortal Online Vids
Well done. Nice attempt to put a brave face on it.
I think the jokes going to be on the people who think its going to be a free game when they learn they have to pay to play most of it.
I actually love it when the people celebrating games going free as some sort of moral victory are a month later crying that they are expected to actually pay to continue playing.
This pretty much means i never come back though, as bad as the fatman community was, loading it up with the global free community is going to make it unplayable for me..thought i could manage playing aion right before it went free and the community turned to trash overnight.
I wish it luck though.
Also...its not really free if they charge for any content is it? pay per content?
Subscribers can now post 50 listings on GTN? haha!
The above post highlights my point on my other post above it.
Bad community plus the games not free....yikes .... no operations...lol sucks for the freeloaders!
SWTOR always had that limit .. 50 per character that is. Very limited as it was, since WoW didn't have a limit, or at lest not one I discovered ... if it did have one, it was over 2000 simultaneous auctions.
With SWTOR though, the interface was so bad that putting 50 items up was a not-so-fun experience.
Want a nice understanding of life? Try Spirit Science: "The Human History"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8NNHmV3QPw&feature=plcp
Recognize the voice? Yep sounds like Penny Arcade's Extra Credits.
Industry could learn a lot from a good hooker that way.
LOL I am the last incarnation of SWTOR fanboy. IIRC you were quite the Bioware fanboy no?
"Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
I need to take this advice more.
SWtOR will never get that money back, BUT Not sure what hole you live in but GM paid that money back with interest.
This is just too funny.
I suddenly feel vindicated for all the infractions I recieved on the SWTOR forums pre beta for simply pointing out the games flaws. All the fanbois who were allowed to trash those forums with fanboi rage, Lethality, Skywauker have been proven wrong. All of those constructive threads Donna Prior and that horrible moderation team deleted about adding something new to grinding mechanics, crafting and economy, how to implement space travel, ideas players wanted, well you can see all those ideas in action in GW2. But it is like you raiders kept saying, TOR is your game, enjoy.
If I could "Like" this post, I would.
"Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference."
I need to take this advice more.
Me too, mate, me too. And on mmorpg.com too.
But wait! Where is MMOmaverick? Where is now when we need him the most to explain why this game isn'[t dying and, in fact, is going from strength to strength?
I remember reading the article here by Mike B and wondering how they would implement F2P, as the main issue for me was how they had designed the game - F2P didn't seem to "fit" their model. I think it's the only decision they could make, and tbh, I'm surprised Lucas Arts were ok with it.
I think this was inevitable, and it's only suprising how soon it happened...or maybe not, since the earnings call a few months back where EA made it clear that SWTOR wasn't a priority. Back-pedalling and saying it'll be around for a decade could never override the original comment.
Remains to be seen how successful their model will be, those restrictions are pretty stark, but I guess that's the reality of F2P...
Any way you look at it, it'll be an interesting few months with GW2 and MoP on the horizon. The oboards are entertaining as all heck this morning. There's a riot going on over there. I'm calling it one of the benefits of being subbed til year's end, watching the drama unfold.
Why does this happen to every MMO.
Every MMO after WoW have sucked big time. Do the devs play WoW? Do they really think their MMO is on par with WoW?
Stop telling the fans how they should enjoy your games and stop telling us that we shouldn't compare it to WoW. We do, we will always do that, you know why? Because WoW fucking ROCKS!
I'm glad SWTOR bites the dust. They created a WoW clone with a new (worse) skin and expected us to buy into this crap.