Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

[Column] Star Wars: The Old Republic: Chatting SWTOR F2P with Blaine Christine

13»

Comments

  • mikahrmikahr Member Posts: 1,066
    Originally posted by Bynt

    In regards to making changes based on customer feedback, remember they already changed how many warzones a week a free to play customer would get, it was increased from 3 to 5.  So they are listening and they are making adjustments, but only the future will see what else gets adjusted. 

    Thats something that was slowly creeping to me - it seems EA is always 2-3 steps behind on what needs to be done.

    Thats one of big problems with SWTOR.

  • TheOctagonTheOctagon Member UncommonPosts: 411

    The warzones were most likely changed because the populations still weren't where they needed them to be to keep the subs happy. Subs with purple gear slaughter F2Ps with blue. Makes them feel superior..XD

    Also EA's not going to be around for much longer, so I'm hoping the next owners commitment with be more committed to the games fixes and content rather than their own wallets.

    http://www.nypost.com/p/news/business/mad_for_madden_3lyqSl04ZEpZeO9Zmh81GI

    http://www.examiner.com/article/electronic-arts-putting-itself-up-for-sale-report

    'One of the firms, Providence Equity Partners, already owns Bethesda Softworks who is behind games such as The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Fallout 3 and has studios such as Id Software under its umbrella.'

  • rojoArcueidrojoArcueid Member EpicPosts: 10,722

    something i really dislike is the 2 character slot limit in Swtor. In other Freemium mmos you usually can create only 2 characters per server, while in Swtor you cannot. You only have 2 slots shared across all servers, and theres not even a character slot unlock option with cartel coins.

    I would accept it if they let me at least let me make 2 characters per server like other freemiums, not per account.

    I bought 1 month of sub a few days ago just to claim my coresponding cartel coins, but after that ill play here and there for free. 

    Hopefully they will address that thing and either add 2 character slots per server or sell unlocks with cash shop

     





  • umcorianumcorian Member UncommonPosts: 519
    Originally posted by Adoni
    They can keep there quickbars.

    This.

     

    To borrow a Thanksgiving metaphor, successful F2P models offer you a seat at the table, feed you well, then charge you a little extra for seconds... like the Aion, STO and even CO model. 

     

    Bioware's opted to instead roast up a bland, dry turkey... rip off an overcooked slice of it, throw it into a crap-stained dog dish, shove it under the table and say: "This is what you get for free. Eat it and be happy."

     

    F**K your dry ass turkey, and keep your quickbars, slower rate of EXP and your toggle helmet option. I'm playing GW2 until Darkfall Unholy Wars. 

     
     
  • ThumbtackJThumbtackJ Member UncommonPosts: 669
    Originally posted by umcorian
    Originally posted by Adoni
    They can keep there quickbars.

    This.

     

    To borrow a Thanksgiving metaphor, successful F2P models offer you a seat at the table, feed you well, then charge you a little extra for seconds... like the Aion, STO and even CO model. 

     

    Bioware's opted to instead roast up a bland, dry turkey... rip off the smallest leg, throw it into a crap-stained dog dish, shove it under the table and said: "This is what you get for free. Eat it and be happy."

     

    F**K your dry ass turkey, and keep your quickbars, slower rate of EXP and your toggle helmet option. I'm playing GW2 until Darkfall Unholy Wars. 

     

    I wouldn't go THAT far, I mean you do get 1-50 leveling for free after all, and that is where the game mainly shines (IMO). However, I agree, things like hiding helmet, quick bars, medical probes, decresed EXP, etc. are all a bit much. 

     

    Unfortunately, I cannot think of another Sci-Fi mmo out aside from EVE (entirely ship based) and STO (which doesn't have the whole landing on planets and seeing hundreds of others running around). So until I can find a Sci-Fi MMO that appeals to me, I'll just stick to SWTOR for my fix, as I'm tired of fantasy at this point.

  • umcorianumcorian Member UncommonPosts: 519
    Originally posted by ThumbtackJ
    Originally posted by umcorian
    Originally posted by Adoni
    They can keep there quickbars.

    This.

     

    To borrow a Thanksgiving metaphor, successful F2P models offer you a seat at the table, feed you well, then charge you a little extra for seconds... like the Aion, STO and even CO model. 

     

    Bioware's opted to instead roast up a bland, dry turkey... rip off the smallest leg, throw it into a crap-stained dog dish, shove it under the table and said: "This is what you get for free. Eat it and be happy."

     

    F**K your dry ass turkey, and keep your quickbars, slower rate of EXP and your toggle helmet option. I'm playing GW2 until Darkfall Unholy Wars. 

     

    I wouldn't go THAT far, I mean you do get 1-50 leveling for free after all, and that is where the game mainly shines (IMO). However, I agree, things like hiding helmet, quick bars, medical probes, decresed EXP, etc. are all a bit much. 

     

    Unfortunately, I cannot think of another Sci-Fi mmo out aside from EVE (entirely ship based) and STO (which doesn't have the whole landing on planets and seeing hundreds of others running around). So until I can find a Sci-Fi MMO that appeals to me, I'll just stick to SWTOR for my fix, as I'm tired of fantasy at this point.

     

    Fair enough, but try getting to 50 as a Jedi Sentinel, using only 1 action bar. I had one *hell* of a time doing it with all of them back on release.

     

    And while I enjoyed the leveling process once, once you've played 1 character of each faction, you've seen 85% of the content. Sadly, the class-specific content makes up such a small percentage of the game after the first world that leveling a member of each other class is *extremely* repetative. The game had no replay value for me in what was supposed to be its best feature: the leveling process.

     

    That alone isn't enough to carry this F2P model. Add on the extra garbage, and it's just a slap in the face. Even the EQ2 model isn't that restrictive, and it - along with AoCs - are not very good models IMHO. Any MMO that restricts gear leaves a poor taste in my mouth... it's essentially paying for a mechanical edge over another player, and the funny part is that one, compared to the other restrictions, is actually one of the more reasonable ones in the SWTOR model. 

     
     
  • DEXA88DEXA88 Member UncommonPosts: 175
    I think i got scammed because i bought the digital upgrade lured by the extras .For example it was supposed to give you 5 auction slots. Instead you still get 2  submited ticket 7 days ago still no answer. Also a game where you are limited to 5 pvp games a week  with no ability to purchase unlock wont go far!
  • JackdogJackdog Member UncommonPosts: 6,321
    I for one am not interested in playing a crippled version of the game. beta'ed it for a full year and did not purchase it until several months after launch. I then subbed for several months and left the game with no regrets but no plans to resub either. If it was truely free to play with cash shop for cosmetic or exp boost items I might relog but think this is one of the more screwed up models they could have came up with

    I miss DAoC

  • CypeqCypeq Member Posts: 66

    As F2P player instead of enjoying stuff I can do in this Star Wars universe on every step I'm learning what I can't do. It's a bad way of attracting customer.

    This game doesn't feel like it's free 2 play... in the first few days you come by restrictions that either you pay to remove or will put you off from the game. So I don't feel wellcome as F2P player everything I do screems PAY US ALREADY!  I think free trial up to level 20-30 would be much better for this game than such restricted F2P.

     

  • ogelogel Member Posts: 4
    100% free to play if you dont care for fast leveling. You can buy staff if you want or subscribe.. anyway its a free download and its worth to check it out.. I did and I`m a full subscriber now as its really worth it.  
  • tweetstweets Member UncommonPosts: 10

    Firstly apologies if the terms I use aren't quite right, I'm still a LotRO player at heart, so am trying to adjust to the new terms of SWTOR! :D

     

    I think to me, one thing that stings is this...

     

    If I buy Cartel coins (which I intend to do now, it's just a case of researching what to buy carefully).  I have two characters to outfit.

     

    Buying two of any of the important boosts (eg: crafting skills, inventory/bank, quick bars, artefact license) costs less than purchasing it account-wide.

     

    So by now I know what two classes I want to play.  I created them, that uses up my two character slots on Red Eclipse.

     

    I have a feeling, having played the other classes to just beyond level 10 before deleting them, that I will stick to the two I have chosen.

     

    So why should I pay the price of 3 or more of the above bonuses, to make them account wide, when I can buy just two for less cartel coins?

     

    Is it really worth it?

  • Ashen_XAshen_X Member Posts: 363

    " it’s those free-to-play and Preferred players that are feeling a bit shortchanged right now."

     

     

    This sentence right here is enlightening. That the author could believe that someone who is playing for free could be, "shortchanged," is ludicrous.

     

    If they are playing for free, or getting exactly what they pay for by purchasing specific elements in the cash shop via micro-transactions, then they are not being shortchanged. 

     

    If the author wants to argue that effectively leveraging the FtP model for maximum player engagement/retention and revenue gain in this game would entail changes he should do that instead of engaging in entitlement based complaints.

     

    When all has been said and done, more will have been said than done.

  • ZannypantsZannypants Member UncommonPosts: 13
    The game costs more to play now than it did when it was first released. I'm not quite sure what they're expecting to get out of that. I feel like it's a late April fools joke.
  • CypruskaCypruska Member UncommonPosts: 45
    The worst part is the race choice. Human or Zabrak... is it me or am I the only one around here that HATES THE HUMAN RACE... and the zabrak is the same damn thing with horns in it... How come I have to pay to get the other races? RACISTS!!!
  • tweetstweets Member UncommonPosts: 10
    Originally posted by Cypruska
    The worst part is the race choice. Human or Zabrak... is it me or am I the only one around here that HATES THE HUMAN RACE... and the zabrak is the same damn thing with horns in it... How come I have to pay to get the other races? RACISTS!!!

    I look at it this way...

     

    Either you limit the available classes (eg  you can choose Alliance OR Sith, not both.  Or you can only choose Jedi Knight and Trooper, nothing more)...

     

    Or you limit the races available, as they have done.

     

    I know which I would prefer, and that is to have unlimited classes, but limited races.

     

    Remember, LotRO had unlimited races (only 4 to start with!), but limited classes (you had to buy Runekeeper, or Warden, unless you brought the x-pack).  I think that decision has to be carefully balanced but I understand the choice in SW: TOR because there are far fewer classes than races.

  • tweetstweets Member UncommonPosts: 10

    Remember, LotRO had unlimited races (only 4 to start with!), but limited classes (you had to buy Runekeeper, or Warden, unless you brought the x-pack).  I think that decision has to be carefully balanced but I understand the choice in SW: TOR because there are far fewer classes than races.

     

    I'm elaborating on this, as I thought of something more...

     

    In LotRO, the RACES you chose detemined the starting area.  So Dwarf/Elf/Human/Hobbit had their own starting areas, it wasn't by class.

     

    In SW: TOR, your CLASS determines your starting planet, so again the choice to limit races, but allow unlimted class choice makes perfect sense.

  • Esquire1980Esquire1980 Member UncommonPosts: 568

    IMHO, there is nothing wrong with the subscription model.  Wife and I had 9 accounts in SWG for many years (all at 14.99 p/mo), so I have no problem what-so-ever with paying to play something I enjoy.

    What I do have a problem with is, paying for a sub-par game.  If I actualy want the "raid gear grind", quest happy lead by a leash down a narrow hallway, PVP gear grind, hotbar bloat (47 specials that only work when this and that happens 1st), in a themepark MMO, I'll go play WoW with it's 8 years of post-launch content.  TOR will NEVER be able to compete with a game, content wise, that's been out for 8 years with all those expansions/content additions.  So, in that model, it's always going to end up as 2nd, at the best it can look foward to.  I don't play WoW as that just isn't the game and gameplay style for me.

    SW:TOR = great ideas, done hap-hazardly by the NGE developers that had an idea to make a MMO with WoW content and a Star Wars skin, and copying something that already exists in a much more quantity and quality context.  The part that amazes me is;

    They say 40% of their "touted" 1.8 mil that left the game stated they might play F2P so they set off to please that 40%.  What about the other 60% (the larger number anyway)?  Did they leave due to the fact that TOR gameplay just didn't please?  And instead of "fixing" the game to be the more enjoyable experience, they recycle everything BioWare NGE devs can get their grimey-little-meat-grabbers onto to part out and charge for in their "store".  (UI, hotbars, etc) 

    What a way to run a "train-wreck".

Sign In or Register to comment.