SWTOR "looking at free-to-play"?

[jarjarloves]

SWTOR has lost some players and it will lose more...but come on people.

 

Every MMO loses players. It's the nature of the beast.

 

SWTOR isn't a bad game, far from it. It doesn't have enough PvP content to keep me interested but it was a good experience overall.

 

Bioware/EA might have to consolidate servers and that's never a great sign; but it also doesn't mean SWTOR not a monetary success. Everyone wants their game to dominate, but there is room for more then one great MMO.

 

Even IF SWTOR goes F2P it wont happen over night or next week or next month. Designing a F2P model takes a lot of work I'd imagine. They'd need to figure out what they're willing to sell and how much to sell it for. There is also no in-game microtransation UI implemented as yet.

 

RIFT lost players too, but my guildies and friends are all excited for the expansion and conquest mode.

 

This is Bioware we're talking about here and I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt even though I wont be renewing my subscription.

 

excelent post agreed 100%

[Shingara]

So you're telling me they had to raise the server cap to fit 3 people on one planet or there would of been queues? What are the servers ran on, windows 3.1? And you got 1.3 as a sub count from the last report when they mentioned the 400k subs leaving. You honestly think with how morbidly dead every server except fatman was that there was still 1.3 million people? LOL... Well i got a bridge to sell you.....

 

The fact that people stay away from you is in no way an indication of the game, its an indication of you and who has you on there ignore list really which im not shocked by when you state people who like the game are 'fanbois', and i highly doubt that you played on every server, to that point we do not know what the server cap is on all servers as it is very possible that all servers had different caps based on required cap needed by the playerbase upon those specific servers.

 

By the way servers run on blades in server towers and i would expect them to run on z/OS, and we got 1.3 mil from the last report and the previous report was on release which was 1.7. Anyone thinking that everyone that bought the game would stay forever is sniffing glue, for every new game there will be people who buy it and try it just to see what its like and all games have a spike in players and then it levels out.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Shingara

[jarjarloves]

No I don't got the exact number of subs but when you log on at prime time and all of your servers are all light and your fleet has 30+ people well it kind if gives someone with common sense the idea that there isn't a lot of people. Unless you think that kind of number at that time is mind blowing or something..

 

 

get in line. I am doing the telling so to the fanboys. But they think that now all the servers are merged that the 600 people on the fleet means a successful game. LOL

 

you do realize anecdotal evidence doesnt mean anything right?

 

As I said there is a HUGE difference between active subscribers and active players.

[jarjarloves]

HAHAHHAA i told you so. I really hope all of bioware is done after this mess and they all lose their job (which they did poorly).

 

Best news of the week.

 

what is wrong with you? Why would you ever want an entire company to fail and everyone to lose their jobs?

[LordKOLZ]

The fact that people stay away from you is in no way an indication of the game, its an indication of you and who has you on there ignore list really, and i highly doubt that you played on every server, to that point we do not know what the server cap is on all servers as it is very possible that all servers had different caps based on required cap needed by the playerbase upon those specific servers.

 

By the way servers run on blades in server towers, and we got 1.3 mil from the last report and the previous report was on release which was 1.7. Anyone thinking that everyone that bought the game would stay forever is sniffing glue, for every new game there will be people who buy it and try it just to see what its like and all games have a spike in players and then it levels out.

 

Umm so I chase an entire planet away huh? Why are you still here then? Do you wanna try that one again then? Why would I have to play on every server? I can easily look at the server status like everyone else just to see how they are doing... Yeah the game definitely leveled out..So much they are looking in to free to play.. I don't know about you but I sure wouldn't want my game to be that leveled after the cost it took to make this game.

[TonyIommi]

Umm so I chase an entire planet away huh? Why are you still here then? Do you wanna try that one again then? Why would I have to play on every server? I can easily look at the server status like everyone else just to see how they are doing... Yeah the game definitely leveled out..So much they are looking in to free to play.. I don't know about you but I sure wouldn't want my game to be that leveled after the cost it took to make this game.

 

Oh because the server status now tells an entirely different story. You can't have it both ways, either you accept server status as an indicator or you don't. As for free to play I'll quote Frank Gibeau once again

 

We have a great business right now and we're not looking to make any abrupt changes.

[TonyIommi]

 

Looking at the server status is always the best way to tell how lively the place is. Especially when you look at prime time.

 

It is not however a good way to tell active subs which is more or less the argument your trying to make.

[LordKOLZ]

It is not however a good way to tell active subs which is more or less the argument your trying to make.

 

It is when it becomes an everyday basis. One day the people use the excuse oh it's the gw2 beta. The next time its d3 released today. Then it will be oh gw2 came out, they will come back, lol. Every time it's an excuse.

[Shingara]

It is not however a good way to tell active subs which is more or less the argument your trying to make.

 

Its not even a way to tell how many people are on as its been stated that server caps were raised based on how the playerbase required it on specific servers.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Shingara

[Noviru]

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[SnakeCL]

It is when it becomes an everyday basis. One day the people use the excuse oh it's the gw2 beta. The next time its d3 released today. Then it will be oh gw2 came out, they will come back, lol. Every time it's an excuse.

 

Then there are people who always use those same games as reasons why this one is dying. And it never happens.

[BrianDavion]

The thing is that, there are many great games coming out soon. I saw some footage of Planetside 2 and I was like. "This game is gonna be f2p? but it looks awesome" I also hear that Neverwinter will be f2p, End of Nations, and yes, some of those may not be RPGs, but people can like more than one genre, you know?

 

neverwinter is by cryptic it will be crap

[LordKOLZ]

Then there are people who always use those same games as reasons why this one is dying. And it never happens.

 

Oh it doesn't neeed to be other games for the reason of decling subs. The company is doing well on it's own making people leave. Although most of them were the impatient ones that couldn't wait for a LFG tool of all things.. Then with the major delay of the ranked wz and disaster known as illum didn't help. like I said when I am not annoying someone that the game really came out way too early and it's s ahame because it's not a bad game at all plus BW has given a lot during these 6 months. So I am with the people that don't want f2p at all. A short trial of lvl 15 is fine, whatever, that works. But the entire game or a lotr style? The hell with that.

Edited June 15, 2012 by LordKOLZ

[MandFlurry]

lol definitely thinking of holding after my time expires for the game to go free to play. I was already thinking of it with how the game is dying so badly they had to merge every server and not just a few and the many many other signs of how bad the game is doing. Don't see the point in supporting a game that will go free to play in time so it would be a better idea to wait it out. And for the false hope of it just the 15 levels, yeah... let's keep saying that's all it will be, lol.

 

Ur gonna have to wait a long time if that ever happens because the game keeps getting more and more content than any other MMO for free. The game isn't doing that bad, it was 2 million when at launch and the other Subs were from games that wanted everything now and very stuoid to have left because were gonna keep getting new Content.

 

Right now were at 1.2 Million subs which is still very good and other ppl will probably come back with 1.4.0 and with the other content like a New Planet comming probably next year. So u mine as well as other nay sayers leave the game, because it's not gonna happen unless 1.3.0 ruins all the classes, and even if they fail with that, they'll just Patch their mistakes and go on without F2P.

 

F2P, what a joke.

[TonyIommi]

It is when it becomes an everyday basis. One day the people use the excuse oh it's the gw2 beta. The next time its d3 released today. Then it will be oh gw2 came out, they will come back, lol. Every time it's an excuse.

 

Okay well now that servers show high and above regularly since the mergers we should be good right? Didn't think so. Sorry your logic has to many holes and is to convoluted. It's obvious they had to many servers at launch and that server status then was NOT INDICATIVE OF ANYTHING WITH REGARDS TO SUBS. Just as you don't accept that the subs must be great since they show high since the mergers the opposite principle is not acceptable either. Deal with it.

Edited June 15, 2012 by TonyIommi

[LordKOLZ]

Ur gonna have to wait a long time if that ever happens because the game keeps getting more and more content than any other MMO for free. The game isn't doing that bad, it was 2 million when at launch and the other Subs were from games that wanted everything now and very stuoid to have left because were gonna keep getting new Content.

 

Right now were at 1.2 Million subs which is still very good and other ppl will probably come back with 1.4.0 and with the other content like a New Planet comming probably next year. So u mine as well as other nay sayers leave the game, because it's not gonna happen unless 1.3.0 ruins all the classes, and even if they fail with that, they'll just Patch their mistakes and go on without F2P.

 

F2P, what a joke.

 

 

Believe me, I am hoping so. I would hate more than anything to waste money on a game that goes f2p. I am so glad I never dealt with a ton of p2p that went f2p just because of that. And I agree, the game has actually gotten a good amount of content in 6 months with more to come. I was very glad to read a new planet, new wz, a new op, that sounds fantastic. I just hope that it keeps the game as a p2p.

[Sarfux]

exactly and look how much better SWTOR is doing. It has one of the best launches in a long time with one of the highest retention rates.

 

Hey...cmon now. People don't want to talk about the good! They only want to focus on the bad!! lol

[NathanielStarr]

How much do you think it will be for the highest expertise gear? $20?

[Partshark]

My 2 cents.

 

If SWTOR goes F2P, I'm out.

 

I've been an ongoing advocate for this game since release, bugs and all, and I swear to all that is electronically holy, if you betray my loyalty by going f2p, I'm done. I'll suck it up, swallow my pride and do the walk of shame back to WoW because I'll be damned if I try another game after TOR and I'll be damned if I play Pay to Win games.

[TonyIommi]

How much do you think it will be for the highest expertise gear? $20?

 

f2p doesn't mean pay2win. Their are plenty of games that have pay2win models that are not f2p and require either the game be purchased or a sub fee be payed. D3 is an excellent model of a pay2win game.

[mrfraserfilms]

It should not go Free-2-Play.

 

The players that I see leaving, are the stubborn and impatient people who came to the freshly released game expecting it would have as much content as World of Warcraft does. The people who raced to level 50 in the first few weeks. They left because either because they wanted to wait until more content hit the game, or because (as mentioned above) they expected way to much from a new game.

 

You should give it more then a year before considering Free-2-Play, SWTOR hasn't even had it's first expansion. I believe you should focus on adding heaps of end-game content such as raids, flashpoints, heroics etc.

 

If the game goes F2P, a lot of players will see the game as a failure. I would possibly stray away from the game because the feeling knowing the game failed is just a bit of a turn-off, I'd feel like I'm wasting my time levelling on the game.

[Kyari]

Free to play has moved way beyond pay to win at this point. It's far more effetive for companies to have Pay for Convenience.

Or rather, strip out features for the free players so that they're inconvenienced just enough that gameplay isn't impossible, but not so much that they don't wish they had all the features.

 

To take a wild and probably completely accurate guess:

They'll restrict the amount of credits you can earn, they'll restrict the amount of bank and inventory slots you can unlock, guilds will only be formable by subscribers but joinable by free to play, certain chat channels will be restricted, the amount of items you can list on the GTM at one time will be restricted, probably certain legacy perks will be restricted, the post-release planets such as Makeb may require a sub or standalone purchase to play, less characters per server for free players.

[Dezzi]

Ur gonna have to wait a long time if that ever happens because the game keeps getting more and more content than any other MMO for free. The game isn't doing that bad, it was 2 million when at launch and the other Subs were from games that wanted everything now and very stuoid to have left because were gonna keep getting new Content.

 

Right now were at 1.2 Million subs which is still very good and other ppl will probably come back with 1.4.0 and with the other content like a New Planet comming probably next year. So u mine as well as other nay sayers leave the game, because it's not gonna happen unless 1.3.0 ruins all the classes, and even if they fail with that, they'll just Patch their mistakes and go on without F2P.

 

F2P, what a joke.

 

What? It's not new content when it's content that fills gaps.

 

Lemme set up an example: You just bought a glass of water for $1, but it's only half full. That's not good! You want more water because the guy next to you just paid $1 for the same size glass, but his was completely full. Now knowing this, can you really call it a service if the restaurant fills the rest of your glass for free? You expected a full glass to begin with. You're just getting what you originally paid for.

 

As it is, SWTOR is playing catch up; the game launched content lite. I don't see 1.2 or 1.3 as new amazing content patches, I see them for what they are--patches over the pot holes. They're filling the gaps they left behind at launch.

 

Now if and when they announce a new space combat game, I'll call it new amazing content. Until then...

Edited June 16, 2012 by Dezzi

[TonyIommi]

What? It's not new content when it's content that fills gaps. Lemme set up an example: You just bought a glass of water for $1, but it's only half full. That's not good! You want more water because the guy next to you just paid $1 for the same size glass, but his was completely full. Now knowing this, can you really call it a service if the restaurant fills the rest of your glass for free? You expected a full glass to begin with. You're just getting what you originally paid for.

 

As it is, SWTOR is playing catch up; the game launched content lite. I don't see 1.2 or 1.3 as new amazing content patches, I see them for what they are--patches over the pot holes. They're filling the gaps they left behind at launch.

 

Now if and when they announce a new space combat game, I'll call it new amazing content. Until then...

 

Content lite by who's standard? I had plenty to do at launch and still do now. It might not be stuff you like to do and that's fine. But saying it's content lite is a joke.

[Dezzi]

Content lite by who's standard? I had plenty to do at launch and still do now. It might not be stuff you like to do and that's fine. But saying it's content lite is a joke.

 

By the industry standard. 1-49 leveling experience in the span of a month? That's lite. This isn't a single-player game.

Edited June 16, 2012 by Dezzi