Here are actual restrictions for F2P players (from reddit):
Last Updated: 10/13/14
The free to play option was released on 11/15/2012.
Anyone can now play all of the story content from levels 1-50.
Access to Level 51-55 can only be obtained by purchasing the Rise of the Hutt Cartel expansion, the Shadow of Revan expansion, or by subscribing for 1 month after September 2013.
Access to Level 56-60 can only be obtained after 12/9/2014 by purchasing the Shadow of Revan expansion.
Free to Play Restrictions:
- 200,000 Credit Cap (anything above this amount is saved in an Escrow account)... P2W!
- Escrow Account Credits can now be transferred out with a Cartel Market Consumable.
- These only transfer credits from the Escrow Account to existing credit balance.
- The Transfer Packages do not increase the credit cap.
- Small Package - 50k - 40 Cartel Coins
- Medium Package - 150k - 80 Cartel Coins
- Large Package - 600k - 240 Cartel Coins
- Access to 1 Crew Skill... P2W!
- Access to 2 Character Slots
- Access to 2 Galactic Trade Network slots
- Access to 2 Quickbars... P2W!
- Access to 3 Species for Character Creation
- Access to 5 Medical Probes (In Field Revive) per Character... P2W!
- Bank (Cargo Hold) Access must be unlocked... P2W!
- Can only receive Mail... P2W!
- Cannot Trade items... P2W!
- No Access to In-Game Support
- No Access to Rest XP
- No Login Priority
- Restricted Chat functions
- Restricted to 3 Flashpoints Rewards from the final boss per week (Weekly pass can be purchased)... P2W!
- Restricted to 3 Space Missions per week (Weekly pass can be purchased)... P2W!
- Unlock must be purchased to use Artifact (Purple) gear.... P2W!
- Weekly Pass must be purchased to access any Operations... P2W!
The game is still unplayable for F2P players! Don't play this game and don't feed the BioWare's greed!!!
Comments
I don't completely agree with the OP, but SWTOR's F2P restrictions (and even Preferred) are ridiculous. I've tried to go back a few times and would even consider paying for it if I enjoyed it enough, but the restrictions are so prohibitive that it discourages me from really putting any commitment into it.
Yes... it's a Pay to Play game, but Bioware claim it as a F2P game. My post don't say anything... I just warn people about this.
Pretty much this.
Not even cool features like off rails space combat and strong holds (housing) is enough to excite me.
-Azure Prower
http://www.youtube.com/AzurePrower
A player who pays a subscription for a game should have a discernibly improved experience over one who does not.
If you do not like the restrictions try paying for the products you use.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
hahahah
Let's define P2W.. P2W is when you PAY to have an advantage over another player. (i.e. I buy a lightsaber that does 90000 damage per hit when the highest one in game is only a 3000 damage sword).
_________________________________________________________________________________
Let's go through each of your gripes (which you want to pay NOTHING for) one at a time:
100% in agreement
"I'll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up! Not me!"
Thanks for the mid-week laugh. Apart from the gross mis-understanding of what P2W actually means, like at all, like not even in the same ballpark or on the same planet, I'll still address your highlighted items nonetheless.
First, yes, let's remove the credit cap so that gold farmers have an unlimited bank account. Super idea. Are you a filthy gold farmer?!?!?
Secondly, Medical Probes are not P2W. What? So you need to walk back instead of reviving instantly? Mmmmmmmmk. Yeah, P2W bro.
Third, everything else that you list here can be purchased through the GTN because the cartel coin unlocks are NOT soulbound. So........ yeah...... you have obviously never played a game that is actually P2W. Nevermind that, you're bashing one of the VERY few games out there that allows cash shop items to be re-sold through the in-game auction house or trade, giving free players the ABILITY to compete directly with P2P players.
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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I only use F2P feature to try games out, if I like it, I will subscribe to get the optimal experience, because why would I not, if I like the game?
Anyway, I dont see SWTOR being a P2W game since your character power is the same as anyone else, it simply has some ridiculous restrictions that makes it really hard to play as a full mmorpg, but it's totally playable as a story game still with equal character as anyone else.
If you want to play it as a mmorpg, either you unlock a ton of features through CC or you sub, but PW2? Not really, not in a way that bothers me anyway. If I could buy items that made my character more powerful then it would be P2W, because even as a subber I would be weaker than people who bought those items. That's my definition of a P2W game, raw character/item power.
-200,000 Credit Cap (anything above this amount is saved in an Escrow account)... P2W! A F2P player can't buy good items and some abilities at high level. F2P players hardly can buy some cheap unlocks from AH (GTN) due to this limit.
-Unlock must be purchased to use Artifact (Purple) gear.... P2W! Purple mods are locked too.
-Access to 2 Quickbars... P2W! 2 quickbars are not enough to put all abilities at high level.
-Restricted to 3 Flashpoints Rewards from the final boss per week (Weekly pass can be purchased with $$$)... P2W!
What is that? P2W?
SWTOR is a P2P game with a F2P option, easy like that.
P2W is when the guy who spend more money on the CS will have a huge Advantage over a player who dont use the CS. The only HUGE ADVANTAGE that you´ll get from the SWTOR CS is a lot of Cosmetic stuff.
It do have a lot of restictions for a F2P player, but again, SWTOR is a P2P MMO, it have been like that since launch, and as one of the most played MMOs on the market, it doesnt looks like it will change anytime soon.
So buy the unlocks off the GTN.
Plus, the best gear available isn't available for purchase anyway. So why not just work for your gear?
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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Because:
What´s your point?, you really need to undestand this: SWTOR is a PAY to PLAY game. The F2P is pretty much a TRIAL, if you really want to enjoy the game, you have to pay a Sub.
Otherwise you should go to the Archeage forums to complaing about P2W or to one of the many real F2P MMOs that you´ll find around.
And looks like you dont even know that all the unlocks can be purchased with ingame credits from the auction house, you´ll need more time and work and a player with a Sub but it can be done.
Ok.
1) Almost all items that a F2P would need to unlock sells for BELOW that 200K cap limit. Why? Because I know quite a few folks who play entirely F2P. So it's most definitely possible (though levelling without XP boosts sounds very hard).
2) So don't use Purple Mods? A blue mod will suffice all the way up. You'll be regularly replacing them anyways. Don't waste the time/money/energy on purple mods you're just going to replace.
3) As someone playing a level 55.. I can tell you ALL abilities that could be needed (my CC's, AOE rotation, single rotation, etc) are on 2 quick bars. My exception is my left sidebar (which you won't have). On that bar is my vehicle, rocket boots, quick travel, and fleet pass (which is rarely used now as I can go from my GS to fleet no issues).
Guy's get over it, the F2P people will never be happy until a game comes out that is actually free. They want free inet, free games, free phones, free food and sit on their butts all day long playing free games.
Just a waste to even respond to them anymore.
Personally I think we went wrong when we stopped spanking them and telling people my child does no wrong.
Star Citizen – The Extinction Level Event
4/13/15 > ELE has been updated look for 16-04-13.
http://www.dereksmart.org/2016/04/star-citizen-the-ele/
Enjoy and know the truth always comes to light!
The game is advertised by BioWare as F2P game. I just want to warn new potential F2P players that the game is still unplayable for free and it is a P2P or P2W game. A paying player will win a free player because it will have better gear (purple), more abilities to use, more money to buy better gear and abilities, etc.
The secondary definition of p2w is "unfriendly to freeloaders."
Then you don't understand what "unplayable" means either.
Ok, so now that you've been told on three separate occasions that you can buy unlocks directly through the GTN, it's become clear that you're an idiot. You can BUY UNLOCKS FOR EVERYTHING YOU'RE COMPLAINING ABOUT FOR IN-GAME GOLD!!!!! THIS MAKES YOUR ENTIRE ARGUMENT USELESS!!! MUCH LIKE MY WORDS AT THE MOMENT!
Crazkanuk
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Azarelos - 90 Hunter - Emerald
Durnzig - 90 Paladin - Emerald
Demonicron - 90 Death Knight - Emerald Dream - US
Tankinpain - 90 Monk - Azjol-Nerub - US
Brindell - 90 Warrior - Emerald Dream - US
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Just so you know, the Warzones restriction was removed about a year ago or so.
So you can remove that from your fail list.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/