SW: The Old Republic Part 4

[Blarghagh]

I'm unfamiliar with the terminology, but Operations are Raids, right? Warzones are Battlegrounds and Flashpoints are Dungeons?

 

Because generally Raids are the bread and butter of MMO Endgame. I wonder how that'll go.

[Humanoid]

Yes to all three. I didn't participate in any of the three during my time in TOR so it's not essential content for those who only want to play TOR as a pseudo-KoTOR3 experience, but they would be pretty important in terms of maintaining an active player base.

[Spider]

- Capped warzone/flashpoint participation per week. This is kind of a big deal. I guess the idea is "if you want to play more, cough up," but I expect the net result is that the paid subscribers end up running out of people to play with when first their "freeloader" friends, then the server community at large (remembering the group-finder tool is server-restricted) hit their weekly quotas, leaving this content a wasteland in the day or three before the timer resets.

 

The flashpoints currently have daily rewards associated with them, so most players that are interested in that content will run one each day. So currently subscribers have plenty of players to run with. There is a shortage of tanks, and to a lesser degree healers, but not a shortage of players.

 

Personally, as long as they keep their promise and keep adding more content for the endgame on a regular basis, this won't affect me at all. They have one new raid in the pipeline, and as long as they keep that part of the game from getting stale, I'll probably keep playing.

 

Edit: Cantousent, the current trial is only to level 15. The full F2P will not start until later this fall, not sure when. But if you want an invite for the current trial to get a head start, feel free to PM me with your e-mail address and I'll hook you up. I only benefit from it if someone I invite actually signs up for a subscription, so I don't care about that. Just happy to get people in to the game

Edited August 1, 2012 by Spider

[Blarghagh]

There's always a shortage of tanks and healers, isn't there?

[Raithe]

 

- Capped warzone/flashpoint participation per week. This is kind of a big deal. I guess the idea is "if you want to play more, cough up," but I expect the net result is that the paid subscribers end up running out of people to play with when first their "freeloader" friends, then the server community at large (remembering the group-finder tool is server-restricted) hit their weekly quotas, leaving this content a wasteland in the day or three before the timer resets.

 

 

I'm not so sure of that, since Warzones give you rewards even without the assorted "daily/weekly" missions you can pick up that relate to them. So there's getting extra cash for doing them, and the warzone commendations which some people push to pick up the pvp gear...

 

The flashpoints are similar, plus I know a few folks who overlevel , then pretty much solo the flashpoints to get the story side experience, plus some basic credits/loot or farm light/dark side points.

[Humanoid]

- Capped warzone/flashpoint participation per week. This is kind of a big deal. I guess the idea is "if you want to play more, cough up," but I expect the net result is that the paid subscribers end up running out of people to play with when first their "freeloader" friends, then the server community at large (remembering the group-finder tool is server-restricted) hit their weekly quotas, leaving this content a wasteland in the day or three before the timer resets.

 

The flashpoints currently have daily rewards associated with them, so most players that are interested in that content will run one each day. So currently subscribers have plenty of players to run with. There is a shortage of tanks, and to a lesser degree healers, but not a shortage of players.

 

Personally, as long as they keep their promise and keep adding more content for the endgame on a regular basis, this won't affect me at all. They have one new raid in the pipeline, and as long as they keep that part of the game from getting stale, I'll probably keep playing.

 

Edit: Cantousent, the current trial is only to level 15. The full F2P will not start until later this fall, not sure when. But if you want an invite for the current trial to get a head start, feel free to PM me with your e-mail address and I'll hook you up. I only benefit from it if someone I invite actually signs up for a subscription, so I don't care about that. Just happy to get people in to the game

 

If the incentive is loaded as being optimal at one flashpoint a day, and the weekly flashpoint cap for F2P players is 7+ a week then I guess it's workable. Wasn't aware TOR was still on the daily system since my equivalent experience in WoW encourages doing them in bulk once a week.

 

I reiterate the concern about the development pace of operations/raids though. Once the F2P model kicks in, there seems precious little incentive for the beancounters to keep developing this type of content when it's only accessible by a relative minority of players - and in terms of actual participation, a minority of a minority. Again though, I'm coming from a WoW angle where even as (I believe) the raid participation rate is greater than that of TOR, but still is released at a pace best described as 'glacial.'

 

 

P.S. Ah yes, healers. By the time I quit WoW, I had all four healer classes (specs) raid-ready, out of the six total characters I had capable of the current-tier raid at any given point. Only one tank though, my guild oddly had an excess of tanks.

 

 

EDIT: Raithe - my point is exactly that: there is incentive for people to run as many warzones and flashpoints as they can stomach, but as the proportion of paying subscribers drops, forming viable groups to do that will become harder as the F2P players will either have hit their participation limit for the week, or are rationing their quota to optimise the daily rewards from doing them. "Hey dude, wanna go again?" "Can't, only got one run left this week and I need it to do the daily quest tomorrow."

Edited August 1, 2012 by Humanoid

[Hurlshort]

To be fair, if you are playing multiple flashpoints and operations a day, you probably should be contributing some money to the game. That's really the idea here, you pay as you go if you aren't doing a subscription.

 

I played TOR for 6 months and only ran a few flashpoints the entire time. This f2p stuff is really aimed at casual players.

[Spider]

From what I understand, the F2P is an attempt for them to get more people in to the game, that will the subscribe to get access to the cool end game stuff. They still want subscribers (or people willing to pay for content one way or another). So they need to have end game content in order to make money. That's what they're saying and that's how it worked in LOTRO from what I've heard.

 

If they can deliver that is another story altogether, but I am at least hopeful.

[Hassat Hunter]

Ehm, the "pay for character options" make sense. F2P MMOs generally make a bunch of many on character customisation options... somehow. Heck even FPS like Battlefield Heroes do so. Asking insane prices, but some are insane enough just to get that look.

 

That's aside from the other stuff they can ask money for. Seemingly transportation, more raids and items and stuff in this case... I don't really care, I'm just going to threat it as (a not exactly up-to-my-expectations) KOTOR3.

[HoonDing]

'Story content -> full access' means I will give it a try.

 

But limited character creation is worrying. I want to play with a fat guy.

[Blarghagh]

Maybe you'll have to.

[Guest Slinky]

'Story content -> full access' means I will give it a try.

 

But limited character creation is worrying. I want to play with a fat guy.

 

Speaking of which, I've always found it funny that while you can make a huge lard-ass man character, you can't make a fat woman.

[Blarghagh]

Although at least there is a decently meaty female character model.

[Bokishi]

All free players shall have same appearance, if you want to look different then pay up!

[Cantousent]

...the current trial is only to level 15. The full F2P will not start until later this fall, not sure when. But if you want an invite for the current trial to get a head start, feel free to PM me with your e-mail address and I'll hook you up. I only benefit from it if someone I invite actually signs up for a subscription, so I don't care about that. Just happy to get people in to the game

 

Sent away. When I get home, I'll check to see if the invite is there. If I play ten hours and still want to play, I'll shell out for a full month and then play it by ear. If it can't hold my interest for ten hours, I can't imagine it was ever going to be the game for me anyway. Either way, I'll have to share one more ToR noob experience in the thread after I've played a bit.

[Hurlshort]

All free players shall have same appearance, if you want to look different then pay up!

 

Not a bad idea, start all the f2p folks out with bad acne and make them pay for clear skin.

[Spider]

Not sure how the trial-to-subscription works, I think you do have to buy the game (which includes a month worth of subscription) to continue. But there will be a price drop coming in august, so it'll cost $15 which is the same as a months subscription.

[Blarghagh]

...the current trial is only to level 15. The full F2P will not start until later this fall, not sure when. But if you want an invite for the current trial to get a head start, feel free to PM me with your e-mail address and I'll hook you up. I only benefit from it if someone I invite actually signs up for a subscription, so I don't care about that. Just happy to get people in to the game

 

Sent away. When I get home, I'll check to see if the invite is there. If I play ten hours and still want to play, I'll shell out for a full month and then play it by ear. If it can't hold my interest for ten hours, I can't imagine it was ever going to be the game for me anyway. Either way, I'll have to share one more ToR noob experience in the thread after I've played a bit.

 

Actually you can just get a free trial on the website. No invites needed.

[Cantousent]

The point was that someone might get a bonus for inviting a friend. I know that WoW gives bennies to folks for getting friends to play. Everyone I know plays WoW and so I figured I'd throw it out for the people here.

[ShadySands]

I think there is only a bonus if you subscribe and it think it's a speeder or something like that

 

EDIT: http://www.swtor.com/info/friends

Edited August 2, 2012 by ShadySands

[Spider]

Didn't know you could just sign up for one. Makes you wonder why they have a cap on how many invites I can send (which is 25 total). No matter. The only thing I care about is people getting to try the game and hopefully enjoying it

[Calax]

Although at least there is a decently meaty female character model.

Body Type 3 and 4 baby!

[Oner]

All free players shall have same appearance, if you want to look different then pay up!

 

Not a bad idea, start all the f2p folks out with bad acne and make them pay for clear skin.

Might just be crazy enough to work!

[Oner]

Watched a bit of trooper gameplay on youtube. *groan* That writing...those quests...those dialogues...!

[Raithe]

Watched a bit of trooper gameplay on youtube. *groan* That writing...those quests...those dialogues...!

 

That's Bio. You get some quite good writing..and some damn cheesey writing.