Which is worse, free to play on full servers, or low subs with server merges?

[Livianicen]

Being there from the beginning has a price. Power levelling through the majority of low-level and mid-game content has a price.

 

Deal with it. Your paying the price.

 

Unless your nothing more then an insecure punk just waiting to flaunt his Saber of Doom ++=+++++ E-peen and thinking there isn't enough content for you to establish yourself as an alpha superior, there's tons of stuff to enjoy.

 

The journey is often the best part. If you let it be.

 

Punishing alacrity is usually not a good idea for a game existing within a genre famous for wanting you to invest time in it. MMO's are designed around constant progression and time-sinks for a reason.

 

Also, don't mistake 60-80 hours spent over 15+ days of holidays as "power levelling".

[Enako]

I predict that to maintain full servers SWTOR will have to go to a f2p model. Star Trek Online just went f2p, but that was too little to late. They sent me an email telling me I could login. I don't think so.

 

i predict that you will go back to wow.

 

actually, just go back to wow - now.

[morbidillusion]

I predict that to maintain full servers SWTOR will have to go to a f2p model. Star Trek Online just went f2p, but that was too little to late. They sent me an email telling me I could login. I don't think so.

 

SW:TOR won't need to be F2P to "fill" its servers because an individual instance is already full at 15-20 people.

[KrazieFox]

Feels similar to Warhammer to me.

 

Big original IP behind it, massive lore potential, lots of promises. End up with a unoptimised engine, no high res textures, ability delay and no endgame content. Now Warhammer sold massively on release and look at it now.

 

 

Warhammer was/is a PvP centric Game ... it was never Triple A, as it catered for a niche market.

 

PvP MMO's simply do not work that great, the Lobby system is a much better system for PvP, as you don't have any of the RPG elements that, for some, simply get in the way.

 

SWTOR is a Triple A PvE centric Game that is aiming to be a competitor to World of Warcraft. Whether it achieves that is yet to be seen.

 

Warhammer & SWTOR are too different to be compared.

 

[be aware this is simply my personal opinion & must not be taken for fact]

Edited January 8, 2012 by KrazieFox

[morbidillusion]

Warhammer was/is a PvP centric Game ... it was never Triple A, as it catered for a niche market.

 

PvP MMO's simply do not work that great, the Lobby system is a much better system for PvP, as you don't have any of the RPG elements that, for some, simply get in the way.

 

SWTOR is a Triple A PvE centric Game that is aiming to be a competitor to World of Warcraft. Whether it achieves that is yet to be seen.

 

Warhammer & SWTOR are too different to be compared.

 

[be aware this is simply my personal opinion & must not be taken for fact]

 

Warhammer was a triple A MMORPG. It was produced by EA just like this game was. I think it's a big part of the reason they both failed.

 

EA is not concerned with making games, they are concerned with making money. If the devs of WAR and SW:TOR gave half a damn about actually making a good game they wouldn't have spent a penny on all this voice over B.S. until they had a game that could actually run and respond like...you know... a video game.

 

You're right, though. Both SW:TOR and WAR are indie quality games. Worse, even.

[Strayth]

Warhammer was a triple A MMORPG. It was produced by EA just like this game was. I think it's a big part of the reason they both failed.

 

EA is not concerned with making games, they are concerned with making money. If the devs of WAR and SW:TOR gave half a damn about actually making a good game they wouldn't have spent a penny on all this voice over B.S. until they had a game that could actually run and respond like...you know... a video game.

 

You're right, though. Both SW:TOR and WAR are indie quality games. Worse, even.

 

Good lord. What happened in your childhood guys ? Seriously.

 

BTW, the voice acting isn't even over... All the new content will provide the "immersive" dialogs, and I guess we can expect class related content in the near future too.

 

If that game's not for you, just leave.

 

That won't go F2P. Lucas and EA won't allow it, it will either be cancelled or milked. Go for Milked.

[KrazieFox]

EA is not concerned with making games, they are concerned with making money.

 

 

 

I disagree with your post, however on the above quote I do agree. Having suffered EA Games for many years I am fully aware of how little regard EA have for the actual product, & are entirely focused on the how much Dollar it brings in.

 

If SWTOR does fail, it will be entirely down to EA's focus on Quantity over Quality.

[_Zefire_]

You playing the same end game everyone else is? Voice overs are not consider content, Operations are crap, lv50 Flashpoints are crap, Pvp is terrible. Overall game mechanics are terrible.

 

So ya i think the OP is correct unless they step up to the plate and start pumping out massive patchs to fix all the issues (the little ones they have been putting out are a utter joke)

 

I agree that the patches they have been putting out was a huge joke.

[_Zefire_]

Good lord. What happened in your childhood guys ? Seriously.

 

BTW, the voice acting isn't even over... All the new content will provide the "immersive" dialogs, and I guess we can expect class related content in the near future too.

 

If that game's not for you, just leave.

 

That won't go F2P. Lucas and EA won't allow it, it will either be cancelled or milked. Go for Milked.

 

it will go very soon

[Catch_TwentyTwo]

You are right. I should've waited till January 19th.

I'm sorry, but which part of "Most successful MMO launch in history" is causing you problems?

 

You post and subsequent reply smell to me like someone trying to stir up arguments.

[Master_Jimbo]

I'm a little puzzled about the "end game" comments. Isnt the point of an MMO is that there is no "end game"?

 

There should be high level content that is expanded and renewed to enhance the lore of SW. There should also be plenty of additional open ended experiences in the form of operations, space battles and imperial/republic raids. There should be no "end game", if so, bioware should have just release a single player campaign in the form of KOTOR3.

 

IMO if you're at the "end game" already you have too much time on your hands, go out side for a couple of weeks and live a little and come back for 1.1. The first month is free after all.

[Mannic]

I predict that to maintain full servers SWTOR will have to go to a f2p model. Star Trek Online just went f2p, but that was too little to late. They sent me an email telling me I could login. I don't think so.

 

So... wait. You mean going F2P isn't a guarantee of instant huge populations?

[Master-Nala]

Go play WoW.

 

There's tons of 'content' there for you, like pandas.

 

QFT

 

If you don't like the game, just go.

 

There's plenty of content in this game. I've skipped several bonus series on my main and most of some worlds main content (e.g. Alderaan). I'll have plenty for alts to do. The endgame will get here eventually.

 

Like every other MMO, the people who rush to cap whine for a year until the devs catch up and everyone else just has fun.

[Kirjava]

I predict that to maintain full servers SWTOR will have to go to a f2p model. Star Trek Online just went f2p, but that was too little to late. They sent me an email telling me I could login. I don't think so.

 

I will quit SWTOR if it goes free to play.

[Mannic]

I'm a little puzzled about the "end game" comments. Isnt the point of an MMO is that there is no "end game"?

 

Wow. You kind of missed the point of the term "end-game."

 

End game is just "the things your character does at max level that are designed for a character of that level."

[Mannic]

 

Like every other MMO, the people who rush to cap whine for a year until the devs catch up and everyone else just has fun.

 

Everyone else, as in the 15% of the game's launch-population that's left after everyone else has quit?

[onstorm]

What does this have to do with this game?

 

You should read the sticky about posting here if you want to participate in the forums.

[Arkerus]

This game isn't going F2P anytime soon. There are 1000s of people still leveling. We don't sit in front of our computers all day...like many forum-goers. 100s of 1000s of people are still in their 20s and 30s and there will many content patches out before we even get to 50.

 

Forums often represent a very vocal minority. That minority may, at times, represent the silent majority but more often it does not.

 

There is so much damn content in this game that blasting through it just to AFK at your keyboard and complain on the forums isn't worth it to the rest of us.

 

If you already beat all the hard modes and have nothing to do, I suggest you start another class or go play a different game.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Arkerus

[PjPablo]

I think story line (which includes the voice overs) is a very important piece of content. I am also having a lot of fun playing the game. Endgame is NOT where the "real" game is.

 

Endgame may not be for you the "real game" as you put it but for many MMO players it is. You spend the most time at max level and as a result need a ton of content to keep players engaged. I really don't think people are going to be kept engaged if the expectation is that you get to 50 and start another character in order to 'see the story'.

[Mannic]

This game isn't going F2P anytime soon. There are 1000s of people still leveling. We don't sit in front of our computers all day...like many forum-goers. 100s of 1000s of people are still in their 20s and 30s and there will many content patches out before we even get to 50.

 

Forums often represent a very vocal minority. That minority may, at times, represent the silent majority but more often it does not.

 

There is so much damn content in this game that blasting through it just to AFK at your keyboard and complain on the forums isn't worth it to the rest of us.

 

If you already beat all the hard modes and have nothing to do, I suggest you start another class or go play a different game.

 

Oh, hey--look. Another fanatic posting on the forums to tell us that only complainers post on the forums. Amazing how many times we see that every day.

 

If you were paying attention at all to the complaints people have, nothing to do at end-game is only one of many complaints. There are many players who have started to lose interest in the game at around level 30 to 35 or so, which is when generally when the voice over starts to wear thin and the class stories start to drag on and lose their impact. So no, just because you continue to be entertained moving at a slow pace doesn't mean everyone who is sitting at 20-30 right now is going to ever even reach level 40 before they are done.

[Arkerus]

Oh, hey--look. Another fanatic posting on the forums to tell us that only complainers post on the forums. Amazing how many times we see that every day.

 

If you were paying attention at all to the complaints people have, nothing to do at end-game is only one of many complaints. There are many players who have started to lose interest in the game at around level 30 to 35 or so, which is when generally when the voice over starts to wear thin and the class stories start to drag on and lose their impact. So no, just because you continue to be entertained moving at a slow pace doesn't mean everyone who is sitting at 20-30 right now is going to ever even reach level 40 before they are done.

 

And you speak for who again? I'd also like to see your credentials.

 

See...I can play that game too. Right back at you buddy!

 

 

In fact, if you think the forums are representative of the game's majority population...oh my...I have news for you. They aren't.

 

But please, continue to go on. You have every right to complain about the things you don't like. Thats the best part about the forums. I wish you luck good sir, even if you make things up...like 15%.

[Wolfeisberg]

While the leveling process in TOR is probably the most enjoyable out of any MMO I've played yet, and is jam-packed full of lovely voice-acting, it is not what will ultimately keep players subscribing to TOR. The only unique part between characters will be class story; otherwise, every planet will be exactly the same. People will get tired of leveling alts just to see different stories. Granted, there's always the option to roll the other faction, but ultimately you run into the same problem.

 

If you enjoy playing through planet and class stories, great! I do not mean to demean this at all, and I personally really am enjoying leveling so far, though I'm working on my first alt and not relishing running through the whole gambit of planets again. However, end-game is what keeps subscriptions. Call it what you will, it's the gear treadmill that keeps players p(l)aying.

 

 

Then what keeps the majority of the players in WoW playing? During Vanilla only 15% of the player base killed at least 1 boss in Molten Core. I remember a Blizzard developer stating that about 25% of the player base participated in raiding during The Burning Crusade, and about 40% did raiding in Wrath.

 

This tells me that the vast majority of players do not participate in end game. I know I didn't participate in end game, I constantly made new characters on both sides.

 

I'm not convinced that end game is the be all end all of MMOs.

[Drintar]

SW:TOR won't need to be F2P to "fill" its servers because an individual instance is already full at 15-20 people.

 

Stop spreading BS I see anywhere between 40 and 80 in most of the places I go that are instanced, my friend on his sith has seen around 300, I've seen over 100 when I rolled a sith, and I've seen instances so full I couldn't enter them

 

Also keep in mind for the game to continue and to be profitable most MMOs only NEED between 350k to 500k subs. If they sold over a million copies that means they need between a 35 to 50% retention rate, again a figure well within the norm for most MMOs.

Edited January 8, 2012 by Drintar

[Sendrel]

Not understanding the obsession with f2p these days.

[Averran]

Hello everyone,

 

We appreciate the time and effort you put into creating this thread, but will be closing it as there is no constructive discussion about specific game-related features or systems to be had. Should you wish to contribute something helpful we encourage you to take a look at a couple of threads the community is using to do just that! Bug and suggestion discussions in these threads made by the community are being looked at regularly and provide a fantastic outlet for you to let us know what we can do to improve the game in a constructive manner.

 

While we absolutely welcome constructive feedback regarding the game, we’ve seen many threads recently that are not constructive or helpful. We encourage you to share ideas about what you’d like to see in the game, but will not permit discussions that do not have any constructive suggestions or content, or those that are made solely to trash the game or community or offer no topic for discussion. Our developers and the Community Team are always reading the forums and gathering your feedback, but constructive criticism is much more useful to us than posts that have no explanations or details and suggestions.

 

Constructive, well-reasoned feedback that offers specific suggestions about what you as players would like to see is extremely useful to us, and we’d like to see more feedback of this nature.

 

We will be closing this thread but encourage you to participate in the others. This allows us to keep the forums tidy and the community compilation discussions together where we can regularly check in and you may all participate in a collective discussion on those topics.