oredith Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Let me tell you just this: I FREAKING TOLD YOU! yeah, i was predicting "by year's end", i guess I was wrong.. on a more sincere comment. all their content and perk and misc changes are all good, but the bottom line BW hasn't figured out, is how to make this MMO feel more MMO. all the bugs, server pop, content, same sex romance non-sense is really just that - nonsense. it's all insignificant when it comes to the root of ToR's problem: LACK OF COMMUNITY. This really shows from lack of SERVER forums, on down. people don't identify with their toons. and when they don't have that identification, you're simply playing one of the toons pre-made by BW. That has no retention value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celebrus Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 (edited) Free weekends. Free months. Free to play up to 15. It's creeping closer and closer to it's ultimate goal of failed MMO with a cash shop. I don't see how anyone can see this as a positive thing. You say "Trials are common, it's a good thing." I say "The game is dying, nobody cares." Tomato Tomahto. Edited June 4, 2012 by Celebrus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluerodian Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Free weekends. Free months. Free to play up to 15. It's creeping closer and closer to it's ultimate goal of failed MMO with a cash shop. I don't see how anyone can see this as a positive thing. Given EA's track record of nickle and diming, it'll probably continue to be a Subscription MMO with a P2Win cash shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kalfear Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 How do you feel about this? Personally, I'm disappointed that the game hasn't been doing that well to the point where they have to do more free trials, but hopefully this will bring in more fans. Rift did this after 12 months when subs fell really low WOW did this after 2 years? Other games did this after 2-3 years I think this is a REAL STATEMENT of how bad TOR doing (real numbers, not padded) and writing on the wall that F2P model is coming if subscriptions continue to fall! Im sure the fanbois will claim its just normal promos but its really not when done this early in a MMO life. Just go look at previous titles and you will see. I would expect lifetime sobs to come out soon as it seems F2P is unavoidable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shankos Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Given EA's track record of nickle and diming, it'll probably continue to be a Subscription MMO with a P2Win cash shop. Yeah, $15/month with the ability to buy all the latest and greatest gear for a few extra bucks per item. You know. For the folks who don't have time or desire to play the game. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfeisberg Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Overall, I think it's a positive approach for Bioware, but it remains to be seen how invasive the push to "Buy Now" is from EA. If they sit back and just let the game sell itself without restrictions other than a level 15 cap, then great. That'll work out just fine, but if they start heaping artificial restrictions on the F2P players that could frustrate and drive more potential customers away than it would attract. I don't think Bioware would do something like this, but EA certainly would. Some of the things I would be concerned over, if I were coming in to it as an F2P sub-15 account is: No /tells No crafting No guilding No friends list Species limitation beyond what a new subscribed account gets. Class limitation beyond what a new subscribed account gets. Big invasive "Buy it now!" buttons popping up on the screen. 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarfux Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I think it is a VERY good way to get people interested in the game and potential subs The game is going to start taking off this year and growing. This...is just the beginning!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
llesna Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 It's a very solid move. J'approve ^_^ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shankos Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I think it is a VERY good way to get people interested in the game and potential subs The game is going to start taking off this year and growing. This...is just the beginning!! It's very easy to say "We can only go up from here!" when you've fallen as far as TOR has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drom Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 It's kind of d*ck move, cos it artifically boost low lvl count in server population - more populated servers for better PR, but still empty highend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfeisberg Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 SWTOR's trial is far better then Tera's demo. Tera, the game that uses its combat as it biggest selling point, when you play the demo, they don't allow you to do any combat. You are in a camp, with invisible walls and fences that won't allow you to get out of the camp, you talk to a few NPCs, get gear as a reward for just talking to the NPCs and the demo ends. You can use your skills to see what the attack animations look like, but that is it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfeisberg Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 It's kind of d*ck move, cos it artifically boost low lvl count in server population - more populated servers for better PR, but still empty highend. Holy crap I think you just figured out how they are going to pad their numbers again for the next investor report Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eillack Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Considering WoW and Rift do this as well (as far as I am aware), it implies they are doing well. This is how I am seeing it. Plus, level cap is getting raised form 50, so those doing the F2P are really getting maybe a coupleof free play haha. I wonder how this cap will affect gear / grind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabredance Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rymah Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 It's very easy to say "We can only go up from here!" when you've fallen as far as TOR has. Easy to say TOR has fallen when you want it to fail, for those of us that play the game and still enjoy the experience it just means this wasn't what you were looking for, and instead of trying to improve the game you resort to bashing it on the forums. I don't mean Shankos specifically but all the people who do nothing but rail against this game are contributing nothing to the solution, only compounding the problem. You want better PVP? New content? Better customization? Game engine improvements? More community? Give feedback to the devs and give support to the game, don't just sit at your keyboards harping at BW/EA and trolling the forums making fun of the people who do actually want this game to flourish. TL;DR version: If you like the game, play it and give support...if not, I wish you luck with the next game and please move on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drom Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 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. it's unlimited Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowOfVey Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I'm glad. More people trying the game free = some new people buying the game that wouldn't have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomasgallant Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I'm glad. More people trying the game free = some new people buying the game that wouldn't have. i know when lotro went f2p ( i know this isnt f2p but same concept) that it actually increased subs over all cause people enjoyed the game enough to buy it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shankos Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 You want better PVP? New content? Better customization? Game engine improvements? More community? Give feedback to the devs and give support to the game You see, the funny thing is, people give feedback, they support the game, and hundreds of loyal fans will rush to the defense of TOR despite what happens. The game is still new, yes, but that is no excuse for the improvements that need to be made. We're getting a new race (that is, another basic humanoid shape with a unique head design) and some new areas to run around in, but we're also losing a lot of ground with people leaving. OPs become harder to complete when guilds lose members, and the population is spread quite thin as it stands now. The F2P model will bring in a few players, sure. You'll have a lot of twinked out characters sitting at 15 for PvP, most likely -- which is all well and good, but that can only hold one's interest for so long, and not everyone is going to upgrade to a full subscription. If a player wants a feature that has become available in... say... WoW... the good folks here in the forum drop down on that individual with a cascade of defenses, often including such phrases as "WOW HAS BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS! GIVE THEM SOME TIME!" However, at what point do we forgive the developers for initially overlooking these features and having to patch them in? When do we stop being patient and start asking "What took so long?" Do we continue to sit idly by, handing over our subscription fee, waiting for the day when the community magically triples in size? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JacenHallis Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 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? If it gets more people in the game, I don't care. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarjarloves Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Wow did it after 5 years and multiple expansions that made giving away the early content easy. Rift? You really want to tag SWTOR with Rift? Rift crashed and burned to a few servers in less than 10 months. Well, I guess that would actually make Rift and SWTOR similar. Going to free after 6 months for scrub MMOs is expected, not the Star Wars IP and not Bioware/EA's baby. Disastrous they have to do this so soon. yes but WoW launched with free trails and refer a friends. The free up to a certain level is just a new way of doing that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shankos Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 yes but WoW launched with free trails and refer a friends. The free up to a certain level is just a new way of doing that. We already have several free trials available. This "F2P 1-15" shift at such an early stage is a bad omen for the game's longevity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evensong Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 (edited) It was great decision imo. I personally know many people who would not try SWTOR because it was badmouthed as bad game. With free access to level 15 people might actually check out it it is really that bad This will help to change mind of people who might actually like the game and try it if not Forums Edited June 4, 2012 by Evensong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarjarloves Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 We already have several free trials available. This "F2P 1-15" shift at such an early stage is a bad omen for the game's longevity. just like it was a bad omen when WoW when fully F2P..... oh.... wait... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rymah Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 We already have several free trials available. This "F2P 1-15" shift at such an early stage is a bad omen for the game's longevity. Or, it could be part of the boost the game needs to get back on solid footing, getting new players into the game isn't the entire solution but it is a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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