SW: The Old Republic Part 4

[Spider]

F2P don't get rested, but preferred and subscribers do. There are also a lot of xp boost consumables to buy in the cartel market, so you'll be able to even things out.

 

I think a f2p:er who does all solo content including bonus missions should stay roughly on par level wise, but I'm not sure. When I play I tend to at least solo all heroic 2 (and I'm usually on level or one level above) I come upon, but that may not be feasible for less experienced players I suppose.

[kirottu]

I think f2p get 25% experience penalty at level 10 and that is increased to 50% at level 20.

[Gfted1]

I enjoyed the game well enough during my lone toons run up to 50 (Sith Inquisitor). I played right at release and what killed it for me was the lack of end game content and being unable to muster up / join groups on my server Corellian Run (did that server go away?). I wasnt in a guild and after hitting 50 my gameplay devoled into visiting 2-3 planets that I still had Heroic 4's on and spamming chat LFG. Failing that I would go to the main space station or whatever it was called, spam there for a little while trying to get into flashpoints then giving up and logging off. Not being into PvP, I literally had nothing I could do.

[Hurlshort]

This game really would have benefitted from playable instruments, like Asheron's Call 2. Then you could hang out in the cantina's and start a band.

[Raithe]

Correllia Run last until about two months ago when they had the final server consolidation.

 

With the Group Finder it's not so much a hassle if you want to look for groups to do heroics, flashpoints and from what I hear, operations.

Especially with regular populations on most planets of 100+ and generally fleet having multiple instances due to population.

[Gfted1]

Does anyone know how the F2P would work on a returning but at one time subscribing player? Could I just log back in (I would obviously need to pick a new server)? Would I be subject to the F2P rules or the paid membership rules? Also, is my toon deleted?

[Guest Slinky]

Your characters have been tranferred to a new server if the old one has been taken off. Since you have been a subscriber one time you have "preferred" status, meaning the f2p restrictions aren't as bad as for full f2p players.

 

You can see the differences between subsciber/preferred/f2p http://www.swtor.com/free/features

[Hurlshort]

I think you have to buy a few credits to unlock the preferred status though. Basically you spend $5, it bumps you to preferred and gives you a bunch of cartel coins that are in escrow from when you were a subscriber.

[Gfted1]

Your characters have been tranferred to a new server if the old one has been taken off. Since you have been a subscriber one time you have "preferred" status, meaning the f2p restrictions aren't as bad as for full f2p players.

 

You can see the differences between subsciber/preferred/f2p http://www.swtor.com/free/features

I think you have to buy a few credits to unlock the preferred status though. Basically you spend $5, it bumps you to preferred and gives you a bunch of cartel coins that are in escrow from when you were a subscriber.

 

Thank you.

[Guest Slinky]

I think you have to buy a few credits to unlock the preferred status though. Basically you spend $5, it bumps you to preferred and gives you a bunch of cartel coins that are in escrow from when you were a subscriber.

 

No, you are automatically preferred if you have been subscriber in the past, even for just a month.

 

Become A Preferred Status Player

 

Preferred Status is a great way to acquire additional features and unlocks. Upgrade to Preferred Status by purchasing the game, a Cartel Coin Card, or anything from the online store, plus former Subscribers are automatically granted Preferred Status. Some benefits include:

 

Also you dont get the cartel coin from the subsciber months unless you become a subscriber again.

[AGX-17]

Gave it another hour or two. Still leery. If they did some kind of holiday discount for the 60 day subscription I'd seriously consider paying.

[NOK222]

STO online has been successful with the F2P formula, they should too unless they screw it up

[pmp10]

STO online has been successful with the F2P formula, they should too unless they screw it up

If they are willing to charge for keybindings and actionbars I don't think just 'successful' will be happening.

It will either become so profitable that a new f2p model will be set for all MMOs or it will turn out to be a complete disaster.

[AGX-17]

STO online has been successful with the F2P formula, they should too unless they screw it up

 

You haven't ever played Team Fortress 2, have you? TOR is one of the worst F2P models I've ever seen in the world of real "gaming." i.e. not Zynga/facebook games.

 

The most hilarious thing to me at the moment is the reduced XP gain, which means F2P players have to use more server resources, connect more often and for longer (things that cost money to EA,) to accomplish the same "story" goals as subscribers, by grinding.

Edited December 15, 2012 by AGX-17

[NOK222]

TOR is one of the worst F2P models I've ever seen in the world of real "gaming." i.e. not Zynga/facebook games.

 

It seems they already screwed themselves then. I was gonna give it a try, but i think I'll stick with STO.

[alanschu]

The most hilarious thing to me at the moment is the reduced XP gain, which means F2P players have to use more server resources, connect more often and for longer (things that cost money to EA,) to accomplish the same "story" goals as subscribers, by grinding.

 

This point undermines your self-perceived authority on how F2P works and what costs are associated with it. At this point it's just the typical "I dislike EA, so I will manufacture reasoning by imagining that their current implementation will incur additional costs simply due to the nature of the implementation, because trying to point out that there's severe financial implications is all EA will listen to."

 

Your assertion is only correct if all the F2P players do is log in, play their class campaign, do nothing else, and then stop playing altogether once they are done. They have to take more time to accomplish the same amount of stuff, yes, but unless their goal was to simply get through the content as fast as possible and then stop, this incurs no additional to cost for EA in terms of server infrastructure. And even if that IS all they are doing, they costs are only felt at the tail of the playthrough, and I think you're overstating their impacts.

 

The idea, however, that they'll be logging in more frequently than they otherwise would have, implies they would have played less with a subscription. Unfortunately gamer habits contradict this assertion. When people have a subscription, they feel compelled to play more because it ensures they get more game time for their dollar.

 

 

I say all this with the notion that I think they'd be better served with a different F2P model to boot.

[AGX-17]

The most hilarious thing to me at the moment is the reduced XP gain, which means F2P players have to use more server resources, connect more often and for longer (things that cost money to EA,) to accomplish the same "story" goals as subscribers, by grinding.

 

This point undermines your self-perceived authority on how F2P works and what costs are associated with it. At this point it's just the typical "I dislike EA, so I will manufacture reasoning by imagining that their current implementation will incur additional costs simply due to the nature of the implementation, because trying to point out that there's severe financial implications is all EA will listen to."

 

Your assertion is only correct if all the F2P players do is log in, play their class campaign, do nothing else, and then stop playing altogether once they are done. They have to take more time to accomplish the same amount of stuff, yes, but unless their goal was to simply get through the content as fast as possible and then stop, this incurs no additional to cost for EA in terms of server infrastructure. And even if that IS all they are doing, they costs are only felt at the tail of the playthrough, and I think you're overstating their impacts.

 

The idea, however, that they'll be logging in more frequently than they otherwise would have, implies they would have played less with a subscription. Unfortunately gamer habits contradict this assertion. When people have a subscription, they feel compelled to play more because it ensures they get more game time for their dollar.

 

 

I say all this with the notion that I think they'd be better served with a different F2P model to boot.

 

Your attempt at a strawman argument implies that F2P players are allowed to do anything outside of the basic "Story" content without paying, your strawman argument also falsely attributes to me the claim that they're trying to go as fast as possible, when I said the opposite, they're being forced to proceed at a slower pace because they have to grind for extra hours in order to be at the same levels as subscribers, because they gain less XP for everything they do. Maybe they just log on and do that chatty social crap, which costs more money to EA. More server traffic = higher bandwidth costs, server resources being used, electric bills, etc.

Edited December 15, 2012 by AGX-17

[Calax]

Assuming that their bandwidth cap is based solely on TOR's server requirements. I think one of the points that Alan is trying to make is that either way, those same bills are being paid at the same amount, and (from a business standpoint) having people online will have the side effect of generating income from the people who get frustrated at f2p restrictions and just buy stuff.

 

IMO the f2p restrictions will end up costing the company more in the long run because the game won't draw anyone really new to the table with those sort of measures, but it should generate some revenue rather quickly with the "preferred player" sales and similar one-time-only deals.

[Gorth]

Not knowing the numbers, just speculating, but it would also make it more attractive for subscribers to play in "populated" worlds as opposed to ghost towns (hyperbole added by Gorth)? If you can get a handful of volunteer extras to fill out the worlds, why not? As Calax suggested, the same extras may even buy something in the local shop every now and then.

 

Talking MMO's in general with F2P and Subscriptions, not necessarily TOR in particular.

[Calax]

Thing is, if you rely on people to buy everything (and I do mean everything), you'll see a spike in numbers early on, but that'll trickle off when they realize they're spending twice as much as a monthly subscription would be, just to see the game reasonably.

 

F2P seems to be a tight-rope act between affording the players a game that's interesting and fun, and ensuring that those players are willing to keep paying. TOR is currently trying to earn to much money to fast for it to be worth that much.

[Malcador]

TOR's F2P seems like something you have to suffer through, wonder why anyone would bother with that.

[Hurlshort]

TOR's F2P seems like something you have to suffer through, wonder why anyone would bother with that.

 

Because it's free?

 

I think they should have lessened the restrictions a bunch, but still had people pay for the base game.

[Malcador]

Well, a hamstrung experience is that regardless of how much you pay for it. But, it's good enough for a demo run, I suppose.

[Spider]

The F2P really isn't as bad as some people are making it out to be. And the server numbers clearly indicate people are willing to play through it (most servers are close to full during peak, and planet population when leveling is very large).

 

And considering how much of the items from the packs hit the GTN, an enormous amount of those packs are opened. So it certainly feels like the F2P initiative is working well for Bioware so far.

[Hassat Hunter]

Mega-mass reply incoming, spread into 2 parts due to quote block limitations;

some special abilities require fairly complex conditions and prerequisite actions before being able to use them effectively."

So far all of them have been clear to me.

"only useable when stealthed, when enemy HP is less than 20%, when the enemy is incapatitated"

I don't see it being difficult or anyway confusing...

Too many heroic 4 man quests. They brake the pace of leveling, because it takes too long to form a group.

Zbyl and me just ignore them. Did fine during F2P, doing way more than fine XP-wise with a subscription. And that's without warzones and space. Yeah, we do flashpoints though. Only once.

Bonus quests are extremely grindy and "samey". Just because they are bonus content doesn't mean they can suck.

ALL quests are. I don't see the difference between a regular side-quest or a "bonus" side-quest. So I wonder why they're more suckey in your eyes...

I have to admit, it does kind of throw me the couple of times I've seen someone running around at 35+ level of a character with no advanced class. Kind of makes me wonder if they're just going for some form of basic challenge or what.

Had one of those in a flashpoint, asked why. He responded it was just to have an added challenge since already running through the storyline for so many times...

Yeah, as a subscriber you can easily outlevel anything. Not sure how this will sit with retuning players though who try free and know how rapidly they are falling behind the leveling curve.

Then again, they do have to make money somehow.

If you do all sidequests (including bonus of sidequests) and bonus, you shouldn't fall behind. Well, except if you stealth beyond everything.

F2P are generally far better in keeping up to planet levels. Subscription? Goes way over it.

There are also a lot of options to increase your xp gains now, with all the legacy stuff. Do f2p people get rest xp?

F2P don't get rest XP (do get an annoying mention of it all the time). And yes, those legacy XP-boosts do add up. You can get these as F2P as well.

I think a f2p:er who does all solo content including bonus missions should stay roughly on par level wise, but I'm not sure. When I play I tend to at least solo all heroic 2 (and I'm usually on level or one level above) I come upon, but that may not be feasible for less experienced players I suppose.

Pretty much yes. You do have to do these bonusses though, otherwise you lag behind. But hey, it's all sidequests. The completionist in me cries I left so much sidequests behind on Alderaan since I became overleved :/

Does anyone know how the F2P would work on a returning but at one time subscribing player? Could I just log back in (I would obviously need to pick a new server)? Would I be subject to the F2P rules or the paid membership rules? Also, is my toon deleted?

Your toon(s) would be on a different server, intact. As mentioned you'd have preferenced status, so it's not so restrict as 'pure' F2P. But still restricted.

Most people complaining about F2P are previous paying players who miss their functions. But as free player? You don't really miss that stuff anyway. Well, unless you really like PvP (I fail to see how that's possible, but those must exist)...