I know a couple that were lifetime members, never got a thing off the Turbine Store from the time it went free to play (and they didn't suffer at all, they knew how to get what they needed), and when RoI came out, bought the whole thing, including the extra instance package, with Turbine Points. Basically, they said since they were Lifetime Members, they didn't have to pay Turbine for anything ever again. And they haven't. I have friends that have earned enough points with just the free to play part of the game to buy things, including my son - just from doing deeds in the areas they have deeds unlocked.

Dear OP: You are wrong. Granted, I haven't played the game in six months. But - the best gear is still RAID GEAR, and always will be. The things that you say only come from the store come other ways, too. Need a relic removal scroll? Skirmish vendors. Need to get rid of dread? Minstrel, destiny points, token. I've never seen craft recipes sold on the Turbine store. Gear that wasn't that great was sold in the store for lowbies. Yes, the stat buffs were sold there, but it was MINOR, you could add 50 points to your stats through traits and jewelry easy. Deed acceleration was a convenience factor, not necessary to the game. Yes, there were pots available - that raised either power or morale a little bit, and by the end of the raid would be gone without having done much good. Same with the food - the cook made food in the game was much better, sold REALLY well on the ah. Simply put - raids and legendary weapons put certain crafts out of business. The store didn't. You still get the best instruments from crafters, crafters MAKE legendary weapons, but if you want the best armor, you have to raid. Edit: Hubby, who still plays, informed me they do sell crafting recipes on the store. However, from my understanding, its not something that you can't get from drops, or the ah. I never bought one off the store, and had all the recipes for each of my crafts that I pursued. Tying some recipes to to faction reputation put some knickers in a twist, though. Another thing I wanted to address from your post: leveling up your legendary weapons, teirs, etc. I never did any of that through the store - I bought two relic removal scrolls - but to upgrade the tiers, I used skrimish marks, and had legandary weapons and class item on two of my raiding characters. The third was harder (Runekeeper) because she needed dps items and and healing.

According to the web page, that's something that's offered in the store, not a reward.

It's not a bad thing. LOTRO successfully made the changeover from sub to a hybrid f2p environment and could possibly be used as a model for the way this game is going to go.

I don't know, but I've told him to eat people a few times....

Oh, but I LOVE Kaliyo. She's my BFF. Yeah, she's an anarchist, but she gets the job DONE. I like her much better than Temple, although TEmple has better dps.

BW has already said, it's not f2p/premium/VIP. Premium the top tier - the sub teir. They are still calling the f2p that purchase some content f2p.

More character slots Paid transfers shared storage more storage

That doesn't mean you have to STAY subbed. Get your coins for your CE, then the day after you receive them, downgrade to f2p if you want.

Why is it not good? Games that have gone free to play/sub model have given themselves a much needed shot in the arm and increased revenues. If they truly are below a million subs 8 months out from when it came out, the revenue will be needed to, as you say, improve the game. They aren't killing the game.

Implements slowly? Since launch, we've had three major updates. I don't call that slowly. And more income coming in - which is what free to play will mean - will allow more content.

Thruthfully, I think that LOTRO is a better model - they refined it somewhat. And it tripled their income from that game. And it's not p2w. Been there, done that with those arguments. MOst of what is had in the cash shop is fluff.

No. Unless you take into consideration that subs basically "rent" game content, whereas the buying free to play players will own it. That's the only way. In LOTRO and DDO, subs got access to content a few days before those buying in the cash shop could. But the tier of players that bought content can never get more content than subs.

No, it's not a bad thing. I'm looking forward to it giving the game an increased base of players, and what's more, they will make more money this way. This model doesn't have to be pay to win. I went through both of Turbine's f2p changeovers, and they did it well. This looks very similar. The biggest difference is that Turbine had "lifetime members" to deal with - those that bought a lifetime subscription - equivalent to about 2 years payment - to deal with. By that time they weren't making money off the lifetime members. As a lifetime member, I still paid money in the cash shop over and above my monthly allotment of points. And this model doesn't mean pay to win - yes, the only access to ops is buying the content or subscribing, but hard core gamers aren't going to be free to play without buying content. I look forward to possibly more vault space, shared storage, possible extra character slots....this is just from my experience with LOTRO and DDO. But the main thing - the game will be bringing in more money, so it will stick around longer. As long as my favorite game is still open, I'm happy.

Okay, I was in LOTRO when they went f2p/premium/VIP. As a lifetime member, I benefited greatly. They were no longer making money off the lifetimers - the lifetime membership was about 2 years worth of a sub. But they were VIP's, and got free Turbine points every month. And many of us still bought turbine points for cosmetics and stuff. The fact of the matter is, f2p was a trial. All starting areas free, Bree, and Lonelands - that could get you up to mid 20's maybe. Those that liked it paid for more, or paid for a sub - it brought more customers in, and it TRIPLED Turbine's revenue. It SAVED DDO. I spent real money on both games. But I also know a couple who for the year after the model changed, never spent their amassed Turbine Points until the expansion came out the following year - they didn't spend a dime on the expansion, because they could buy it with their Turbine points. Truthfully, I'll follow this thread as much as I can, but considering how it's grown , not sure how much I can.

In the cantina in Nemro's Palace on Hutta, there is a wookiee and a protocol droid playing a card game. On a stool next to the table is one of the droid's arms, or maybe a leg, not sure, and on the table as a bet is an arm!

That the JC storyline was utterly uninspiring before I wasted all that time on it.

My hubby is playing a light Sith Warrior (after leveling up a dark 5 imperial agent), and although he's never done the SW quests before, keeps raving about how much light side changes things. I know certain things are set in stone, but other than that, I don't know. I know in the agent storyline, if you choose the light option at the end of Chapter 1, that completely changes how Chapter 1 ends, and explains some things that happen after that. There are a few conversations that don't happen as well, and there is at LEAST 2 quests that don't happen.

Yes, she is. On my agents, I had all maxed before finishing Chapter 3.

Yes, people can see your pet, but as a non-combatant, the npc's will not aggro on him. YOu are perfectly safe while he's out.

I can comfirm. I've always had at least one, if not two companions maxed at the end of chapter 2 - through 5 50's.

I found the IA story to be great, I loved it. And certain decisions do impact your game play - not a lot, but some. t 50, I have an Imperial Agent, a Sith Warrior, a Trooper/commando, and a JC. Yes, the JC story was more boring for me, but as it's your closest class to level 50, I suggest going there first -simply because once you finish your final class quest, you share that buff - every one of your characters gets it. Then again, I have a sith inquisitor at level 38, and rather than leveling her next, I went for my bounty hunter, because she's more fun.

And that range is only certain abilities, while you are in cover or crouching. Other abilities will not have the extended range on them - so while you may be able to snipe a targed, or ambush, you may not be able to use explosive probe.

As long as you have completed Chapter 2, you can finish any companion conversations. With Kaliyo, all I had to do was do her last companion quest, which I was waiting on doing (this was my 2nd agent, so I didn't need the bufff), so when I finished it, I was done with her. I actually recommend finishing her before Corelliia (when you get done with Voss, you will see why).

I've seen focus' with Strength, as well. JK's and SW either dual wield or use a shield generator. Obviously, a JC or SI isn't going to want strength on their focus.