F2P up to Level 15.

[Alericus]

F2P doesnt necessarily mean bad players....try a game called World of Tanks...there are players there that will wipe the map with you..its free to play. I know there are lots of other examples. SInce most of the QQ on this is coming from players with 50's I dont get it...Its only going to be F2P to lvl 15...so whats the threat? At worst, youll have more players in low level games, you can still group in your OP premade and wipe them? Afraid theyll pay your greedy outrageous prices on the GTN..oh no more credits than brains at work there? What exactly is the issue..hasnt everyone been QQing about low pop? If it brings more players onto servers then thats good right? Im sorry but enuf QQ for the sake of QQ, I cant see the downside to this?

[overunitee]

how very elitist of you..

 

you have a good computer so obviously you have some sort of disposable income.. which is good...

 

but you hid your veiled distain for poorer people not very well.

they are not opening the game up to level 15 for free to bring in poor people.. they are doing it in hopes of people on the fence who have disposable income to spend ( like you ) whio havent tried the game to try it, and stay,, pay a sub.. this isnt about letting people play for free..its a drug dealer giving them a hit of crack for free..if they like it they will be back.

 

 

really though your whole post smacks of someone who is mad someone is getting a bit .. a small bit of the game for free...careful now though..your true colours are showing..

 

You cannot get much poorer than me .

Its hard to put things in context on a forum ,but my house is getting repossessed and I survive on benefits at the moment ,I'am upset you are right ,because I had to scrimp and save to even buy the box then worked very hard to get the game to run with reasonably well performance my cpu is a q6600 so you can tell its not the best but they told me it should have no issues .A good friend lent me £100 to buy a better gpu .and upgrade my Ram

The reason I went to all this effort is because I thought that with a massive company behind it and the biggest mmo budget in history that any flaws would be addressed quickly and this game for a monthy fee could be a cheap form of entertainment until I can get back into work .

You may have misunderstood my intention was not about players who could not afford the game ,it was more about the type of community it will attract ,up to now I always thought that since star wars has a mature following that the community would be a lot nicer than other mmo's I have played .

 

I just feel like I have tried damn hard to help rid this game of issues and help it succeed and for them to not even fix fleet performance before they try to attract anyone to play ,Honestly tell me if you got a free trial and stuttered and scraped around fleet you would be willing t pay monthly for more or just focus on the lvl 15 pvp for free and have a bit of fun trying 1-15 on a few different characters ,what about crashes to infinite load screen ,do you not see that until the current content is flawless its foolhardy to show it to more people ,

[Chiramu]

WoW is F2P up to level 10 and they can't do ***** either mate >.>...

[Jandi]

Sarcasm noted, but you've missed my point. If it was the industry standard all MMOs would be released with the F2P up to a certain level limit. People use the bad press as an excuse for the reason this game isn't selling or isn't getting subs.

 

Most of the reviews I've seen of this game by "professionals" have been positive. The only reason people aren't signing up in droves for this game is that there is a greater range of MMOs out in this current period. I don't know many people who want to pay for than one sub per month when it comes to MMOs. They chose one over the other.

 

Nothing is industry standard, until it is. It's a smart way to let people test the game out and I'm all for it, you could have 20 million lvl15s running around and it wouldn't affect my gameplay negatively at this point in *any* way. The only thing that would change is more peeps in starter planets, that's a good thing.

 

As for subs, the problem isn't that the game isn't selling. It sold like no other. The problem is the longevity. You wouldn't pay a monthly fee to watch the same movie over and over again and what TOR lacks is meaningful and permanent content. I'm not saying it should be a sandbox game, but it needs SOME sand in it. Something for the players to work towards as a guild, concurrently. What we have now is 8 singleplayer games. Once you've geared up you have 0 reason to log on anymore. There is nothing to use that gear with, everything can be done without it. PvP is the same thing, you get gear and then what? PvP some more? The problem with static warzones is that... they are static. Within the first 2 minutes of the game you, usually, know exactly what the outcome is. It's fun for awhile but not months, certainly not YEARS.

 

It takes 5 days played to reach 50, roughly, if you keep playing the game and not idling in fleet. 5 days. That's 120 hours. How many months do you need for that? Then, let's say you start doing operations, that's 2h/pop and you can gear yourself in 2-3 weeks unless you're really unlucky. After that, you can make a new char, which most do not wish to do or you can unsub. That's the problem of TOR. The core problem. It just doesn't have enough of a time sink to warrant long-term subscriptions.

 

Then let's look at the casual players, shall we? Obviously, it will take longer for them to reach lvl50 but what happens when they do? If the raid/guild leaders have already stopped playing, who will organize the raids/flashpoints/WZ groups? They log on, ask in general and no one is looking for more because those that take the initiative and want/can lead groups are gone. You can see it even during leveling process. Then they can try to look for a guild but what happens? You only have those ragtag guilds where the leadership hasn't logged on in weeks, no one is organizing anything and people just log on to do space or dailies and log off without saying anything.

 

The remaining raid/guild leaders are SW fans, which is the only reason many of the stick around, and that they still see promise in this game. However, if they will just keep adding operations/falshpoints that people clear in 2 weeks, people will get tired of waiting around.

[MysticTrunks]

OMGLOLBBQRIBBLETS! teh gam is ded!

 

Is what idiots say.

 

This is a wise move. That'll get you through two planets and to a ship. Good way to get people hooked.

[JerokTalram]

But took WoW a long time to go F2P. ToR has only been out for 4 months. That doesn't seem all that successful to me.

 

Hmm, I'm pretty sure it came out in December not January. Pick up a calendar and count the months. It will take 2 hands if you count upto when they are actually releasing this free 15 levels.

[sambeta]

Nothing is industry standard, until it is. It's a smart way to let people test the game out and I'm all for it, you could have 20 million lvl15s running around and it wouldn't affect my gameplay negatively at this point in *any* way. The only thing that would change is more peeps in starter planets, that's a good thing.

 

As for subs, the problem isn't that the game isn't selling. It sold like no other. The problem is the longevity. You wouldn't pay a monthly fee to watch the same movie over and over again and what TOR lacks is meaningful and permanent content. I'm not saying it should be a sandbox game, but it needs SOME sand in it. Something for the players to work towards as a guild, concurrently. What we have now is 8 singleplayer games. Once you've geared up you have 0 reason to log on anymore. There is nothing to use that gear with, everything can be done without it. PvP is the same thing, you get gear and then what? PvP some more? The problem with static warzones is that... they are static. Within the first 2 minutes of the game you, usually, know exactly what the outcome is. It's fun for awhile but not months, certainly not YEARS.

 

It takes 5 days played to reach 50, roughly, if you keep playing the game and not idling in fleet. 5 days. That's 120 hours. How many months do you need for that? Then, let's say you start doing operations, that's 2h/pop and you can gear yourself in 2-3 weeks unless you're really unlucky. After that, you can make a new char, which most do not wish to do or you can unsub. That's the problem of TOR. The core problem. It just doesn't have enough of a time sink to warrant long-term subscriptions.

 

Then let's look at the casual players, shall we? Obviously, it will take longer for them to reach lvl50 but what happens when they do? If the raid/guild leaders have already stopped playing, who will organize the raids/flashpoints/WZ groups? They log on, ask in general and no one is looking for more because those that take the initiative and want/can lead groups are gone. You can see it even during leveling process. Then they can try to look for a guild but what happens? You only have those ragtag guilds where the leadership hasn't logged on in weeks, no one is organizing anything and people just log on to do space or dailies and log off without saying anything.

 

The remaining raid/guild leaders are SW fans, which is the only reason many of the stick around, and that they still see promise in this game. However, if they will just keep adding operations/falshpoints that people clear in 2 weeks, people will get tired of waiting around.

 

Very good points and I agree with all of them. It just seems to fit a pattern at the moment when it comes to BW and their decision making. As someone has already stated, why bother handing out free passes for the game when it has some major issues?

 

Just seems like it'll do more to add to the negativity that the game supposedly has in the public view. More people may gain the opinion of not paying to play.

Edited June 5, 2012 by sambeta

[Galbatorrix]

With Transfers and LFG coming (which should take care of the most glaring issues with the game), this free trial should help to get new people involved with the game. Can you imagine starting a SW, getting mostly through Dromund Kaas and then just having to stop? I'm sure the story will hook tons of people and get them to sub. I just hope they stay away from this board.

[psi_overtake]

Nothing is industry standard, until it is. It's a smart way to let people test the game out and I'm all for it, you could have 20 million lvl15s running around and it wouldn't affect my gameplay negatively at this point in *any* way. The only thing that would change is more peeps in starter planets, that's a good thing.

 

As for subs, the problem isn't that the game isn't selling. It sold like no other. The problem is the longevity. You wouldn't pay a monthly fee to watch the same movie over and over again and what TOR lacks is meaningful and permanent content. I'm not saying it should be a sandbox game, but it needs SOME sand in it. Something for the players to work towards as a guild, concurrently. What we have now is 8 singleplayer games. Once you've geared up you have 0 reason to log on anymore. There is nothing to use that gear with, everything can be done without it. PvP is the same thing, you get gear and then what? PvP some more? The problem with static warzones is that... they are static. Within the first 2 minutes of the game you, usually, know exactly what the outcome is. It's fun for awhile but not months, certainly not YEARS.

 

It takes 5 days played to reach 50, roughly, if you keep playing the game and not idling in fleet. 5 days. That's 120 hours. How many months do you need for that? Then, let's say you start doing operations, that's 2h/pop and you can gear yourself in 2-3 weeks unless you're really unlucky. After that, you can make a new char, which most do not wish to do or you can unsub. That's the problem of TOR. The core problem. It just doesn't have enough of a time sink to warrant long-term subscriptions.

 

Then let's look at the casual players, shall we? Obviously, it will take longer for them to reach lvl50 but what happens when they do? If the raid/guild leaders have already stopped playing, who will organize the raids/flashpoints/WZ groups? They log on, ask in general and no one is looking for more because those that take the initiative and want/can lead groups are gone. You can see it even during leveling process. Then they can try to look for a guild but what happens? You only have those ragtag guilds where the leadership hasn't logged on in weeks, no one is organizing anything and people just log on to do space or dailies and log off without saying anything.

 

The remaining raid/guild leaders are SW fans, which is the only reason many of the stick around, and that they still see promise in this game. However, if they will just keep adding operations/falshpoints that people clear in 2 weeks, people will get tired of waiting around.

 

Very good read; I agree with just about everything. I personally do like making and leveling alts for their stories, but I recognize that not everyone enjoys that, and so the game would become pretty stale pretty quickly. Yeah, I like to PvP, but if it's all you do, it's going to get stale. They put enough in the game to do, but it feels more like a checklist for you to complete. I'd love to see more sandboxy things for my 50 to do. Until then, I'll log in, do dailies, raid on Tuesdays, and hop on my alts to level them until there's something more fun for my 50 to do.

[Jandi]

Very good points and I agree with all of them. It just seems to fit a pattern at the moment when it comes to BW and their decision making. As someone has already stated, why bother handing out free passes for the game when it has some major issues?

 

Just seems like it'll do more to add to the negativity that the game supposedly has in the public view. More people may gain the opinion of not paying to play.

 

In the public view, everyone has a favorite game, whatever that may be, and according to them everything else is completely worthless and bad. The only sensible thing for a company to do these days is to completely ignore the public view, stop pandering to expectations as you will never meet them, and just do what you WANT to do and stick with it. Stop trying to make money and start making games again.

[Arkerus]

This is a good move. Allow people to try the game with ZERO risk. Get them hooked into the story and see if they want to pay to continue.

 

I see nothing wrong with it at all.

[Balrizangor]

Yay! Now all the idiots can stand around on the starter planets showing off their endgame gear hoping that the F2P newbs bow to their feet & worship the ground they walk on, alright! That's exactly what BioWare wanted, right?

 

Wow ... someone needs a hug ... stat

[sambeta]

In the public view, everyone has a favorite game, whatever that may be, and according to them everything else is completely worthless and bad. The only sensible thing for a company to do these days is to completely ignore the public view, stop pandering to expectations as you will never meet them, and just do what you WANT to do and stick with it. Stop trying to make money and start making games again.

 

Unfortunately EA/Bioware don't believe in that anymore, they're all in it for the money so they try to pander for everyone. Hence some of the decisions to not let companions die etc etc.

 

Also, good sig

Edited June 5, 2012 by sambeta

[JerokTalram]

They just need to restrict chat. Don't let the free trials chat in any public chats, and don't allow them to whisper anybody that doesn't have them on their friends list. This will make it so the gold spammer can't use the free trials to spam through the public chats or through whispers.

 

That would only work with a Good LFG tool. Other wise it would be hard to group up. I don't know if you need to block public chats (or at least all). If someone is spamming general, they will quickly get reported. Whispers might be a good idea though, however it's easy enough to ignore someone.

[Lethemback]

It's not F2P, it's a trial.

This. A lot of people have been asking for trials since the game launched. We all knew that after some months BioWare would implement them, regardless of sucess or failure.

 

Some people seem to confuse a lot what F2P really means, voluntarily or involuntarily.

 

Cheers.

[Nighthawked]

So let me get this straight. WoW went Free to Play up to level 20 (I think that is the cap) because it is doing so poor? No? Then why do you say this game is F2P up to 15 because IT IS doing poor?

 

You guys cannot say BW is doing this because the game is doing bad, because WoW did it and they still have over 8 times the subscribers this game has.

 

As far as I know, WoW is still the most successful MMO. They went F2P up to a level cap too.

 

This does not mean the game is doing bad.

 

This is the new way MMOs do game demos. What else would you have them do? Have you wait for a special free to play weekend? Have the demo timed so you can only play for 3 hours? This is a PERFECT demo for MMOs. They gave you to level 15 because, I am sure, most people will experience all the stuff leading to the more open environment (you get your ship and that is when your trials ends or something).

[Arkerus]

In the public view, everyone has a favorite game, whatever that may be, and according to them everything else is completely worthless and bad. The only sensible thing for a company to do these days is to completely ignore the public view, stop pandering to expectations as you will never meet them, and just do what you WANT to do and stick with it. Stop trying to make money and start making games again.

 

To hire people and pay them to feed themselves or their families, the company has to make money with minimal cost.

 

I'm not saying that the spirit is wrong. Making games for the sake of making fun games should be the underlying spirit. Money has to be the goal so folks can be paid and live their lives outside of the office.

[Vicrodhe]

It's not F2P, it's a trial.

No it's free to play to level 15, a trial normaly lasts for a period of time.

And to be honest who cares if it is free to play upto lvl 15.?

[Vicrodhe]

If it´s an unlimited trial i see a lot of purple level 15 twinks coming

 

If it´s a 10 day trial i think it´s a very good thing and might bring some people in.

Which is always good.

Twinks.? how would that work in WZ when you get a buff anyways.

[Jandi]

To hire people and pay them to feed themselves or their families, the company has to make money with minimal cost.

 

I'm not saying that the spirit is wrong. Making games for the sake of making fun games should be the underlying spirit. Money has to be the goal so folks can be paid and live their lives outside of the office.

 

Obviously. However, it shouldn't be the MAIN motivation for decisions. It breeds mediocrity. While I know it will never change in a capitalistic society, It's just a shame to see great potential wasted.

[FourTwent]

considering how amazing the story is in the game. i think this is a fantastic idea. plus it lets people try out how the pvp is Edited June 5, 2012 by FourTwent

[nartiuslightlord]

It'sa good Idea. really whats to worry about. it brings people in and that encourages them to pay the full price if they like it. all MMOs do it now. it opens access.

 

Good idea.

[HelinCarnate]

Twinks.? how would that work in WZ when you get a buff anyways.

 

While you may not have all your skills, the bolster is based off of how good your gear is compared to your level. If you have the best gear you can have with all purple mods and with augs, even at lvl 15 you can pump out some great damage. Granted this is only true for some classes. Sniper/gunslinger I believe will probably be the AC of choice for twinkies.

[Jederix]

You give away stuff when it isn't worth as much. Using WOW, a game that is now 8 years old sitting on cruise control until Titan comes out, as an example for your 5 month old game that cost more than any MMO in history is...stupid.

 

This is huge news for them and not good news.

 

Here is your umbrella, Chicken Little. I suggest you keep looking up, I'm sure the sky will be falling soon.

 

It's a marketing strategy, not the end of the world, and it sure as hell isn't the sign of anything. But feel free to keep reaching for stuff that isn't there. I'm certain you will anyway.

[Lethemback]

No it's free to play to level 15, a trial normaly lasts for a period of time.

A trial/demo is a limited version of a paid game (be it by time or by content) that you can play for free. F2P is an intelligently limited free game where you can (and many times have to) get the extra stuff through several RMTs. There's a difference.

 

As far as I know, SWTOR's trial will be limited to level 15, and it will have the chat capped. If you want to experience the full game, you just have to buy it and pay the sub. Looks like a trial, not a F2P.

 

Cheers.

Edited June 5, 2012 by Lethemback