SWTOR looking at free-to-play?

[Chub]

None the less gold selling is big business in China, although I must say there are probably people out there selling credits. So you do have a point.

[Valkirus]

It's not really free to play if I can't play for free on my level 50. People should stop turning this into a negative thing.

 

Good point. The free trial is not a FTP model. Those saying it is are only trying to defuse the possibility TOR will go FTP.

[jarjarloves]

Good point. The free trial is not a FTP model. Those saying it is are only trying to defuse the possibility TOR will go FTP.

 

yeah except seeing as Blizz calls their free to level 20 as Free to play it is free to play.

[Valkirus]

yeah except seeing as Blizz calls their free to level 20 as Free to play it is free to play.

 

And most know that is BS. Lol!

[jarjarloves]

And most know that is BS. Lol!

 

can you play the game for free?

[Valkirus]

can you play the game for free?

 

Extremely Limited. You cannot whisper to those with active subs or mail anything even. I mean..you cannot even get a mount. In Rift's free trial I can atleast buy a mount with game gold. What you are getting in games such as LOTRO and STO which are FTP, is very few limitations. I can mail stuff to other chars in LOTRO , get mounts,etc and in STO there is no level limit. In LOTRO, you can only go to level 65 I think. But it contains a lot more content which is free. Comparing a free trial to a FTP model is really....no comparison.

[Kharnis]

Extremely Limited. You cannot whisper to those with active subs or mail anything even. I mean..you cannot even get a mount. In Rift's free trial I can atleast buy a mount with game gold. What you are getting in games such as LOTRO and STO which are FTP, is very few limitations. I can mail stuff to other chars in LOTRO , get mounts,etc and in STO there is no level limit. In LOTRO, you can only go to level 65 I think. But it contains a lot more content which is free. Comparing a free trial to a FTP model is really....no comparison.

 

So...you can play the game for free.

[jarjarloves]

Extremely Limited. You cannot whisper to those with active subs or mail anything even. I mean..you cannot even get a mount. In Rift's free trial I can atleast buy a mount with game gold. What you are getting in games such as LOTRO and STO which are FTP, is very few limitations. I can mail stuff to other chars in LOTRO , get mounts,etc and in STO there is no level limit. In LOTRO, you can only go to level 65 I think. But it contains a lot more content which is free. Comparing a free trial to a FTP model is really....no comparison.

 

it doesn't matter if it fits your definition of F2P because it fits the studios definition. Why do you think they market WoW as F2P now?

[Talon_strikes]

Is SWTOR going F2P? That's all I ask.

 

All I've heard is that it is ONLY via the game trial. My friend said that there was a press conference and they stated SWTOR was going F2P. He never posted a link so it gave me one reason to believe that what he was was wrong.

 

In all honesty, I'd rather pay BioWare for a sub to experience the full game. I don't want F2P due to stupid microtransactions. I really wouldn't like to pay to swing a pixelated laser sword or buy a special pet only available to those who pay like $5. Just my input.

[JWagner]

Is SWTOR going F2P? That's all I ask.

 

All I've heard is that it is ONLY via the game trial. My friend said that there was a press conference and they stated SWTOR was going F2P. He never posted a link so it gave me one reason to believe that what he was was wrong.

 

In all honesty, I'd rather pay BioWare for a sub to experience the full game. I don't want F2P due to stupid microtransactions. I really wouldn't like to pay to swing a pixelated laser sword or buy a special pet only available to those who pay like $5. Just my input.

 

Just to Lv 15.

[Talon_strikes]

Just to Lv 15.

Thank you!

[SnkByte]

Extremely Limited. You cannot whisper to those with active subs or mail anything even. I mean..you cannot even get a mount. In Rift's free trial I can atleast buy a mount with game gold. What you are getting in games such as LOTRO and STO which are FTP, is very few limitations. I can mail stuff to other chars in LOTRO , get mounts,etc and in STO there is no level limit. In LOTRO, you can only go to level 65 I think. But it contains a lot more content which is free. Comparing a free trial to a FTP model is really....no comparison.

 

Its not so at all. It all depend how the developer decides to implement F2P. AoC is free to play but it very closely resembles what you describe as "free trial". And BTW looking at EA's way of implementing Free4Play with NFS and Battlefield if this games goes F2P it will be disastrous implementation where you will have to go naked until you give money to EA . NFS and Battlefield are the closest thing to pure Pay2Win. I can very easy see EA want money to allow you to wear more then green items - i swear i even see it right now

Edited June 26, 2012 by SnkByte

[BHatz]

Honestly this is probably their best bet. This game had a lot of hype. They had a WoW killer in the palm of their hands but what they had barely classified as a MMO. Everything in this game can be done solo. Something that could of easily fixed this is if they put out an actual free trial and not that stupid free trial for 2 of your friends. I am a die hard Star Wars fan but I refused to pay a subscription to something that doesn't hit me as an MMO. Sorry Bioware but you really screwed this one up. Maybe going F2P will help you or maybe it will end you. I really do believe that galaxies was a better MMO then this bantha fodder.

[Zergnaut]

Honestly this is probably their best bet. This game had a lot of hype. They had a WoW killer in the palm of their hands but what they had barely classified as a MMO. Everything in this game can be done solo. Something that could of easily fixed this is if they put out an actual free trial and not that stupid free trial for 2 of your friends. I am a die hard Star Wars fan but I refused to pay a subscription to something that doesn't hit me as an MMO. Sorry Bioware but you really screwed this one up. Maybe going F2P will help you or maybe it will end you. I really do believe that galaxies was a better MMO then this bantha fodder.

 

MMOs like you speak of are dead and gone. Sad to say it but casuals rule MMOs now and casuals do not want to be forced to group up if they do not want. I hate to break it to you but its true. The option for solo play Is in every current MMO that currently in development. Current MMOs like wow have been ajusted to accommodate this.

 

Anyone noticed it when they compare an MMO to wow it is not wow in its current state that they compare it to? Its always BC wow or Vanilla. MMOs like that went the way of the dodo bird. Sad but true. Anyone who says otherwise is living in a state of denial.

 

I think the only mmo left that REQUIRES other people is eve. Guild wars 2 is offering incentives to make people group up more; but the last thing it is, is a requirement. You can totally so play that game if you choose. I do believe the incentives they are offering to make people group up, will make the people that prefer and want groups very happy.

Edited July 1, 2012 by Zergnaut

[GalacticKegger]

Is SWTOR going F2P? That's all I ask.

 

All I've heard is that it is ONLY via the game trial. My friend said that there was a press conference and they stated SWTOR was going F2P. He never posted a link so it gave me one reason to believe that what he was was wrong.

 

In all honesty, I'd rather pay BioWare for a sub to experience the full game. I don't want F2P due to stupid microtransactions. I really wouldn't like to pay to swing a pixelated laser sword or buy a special pet only available to those who pay like $5. Just my input.

Original reports were overblown causing the story breaker to redact their article and update it with the original unedited statements from Bioware & EA. Here's the link to it: http://www.gamestm.co.uk/discuss/star-wars-the-old-republic-we-are-looking-at-free-to-play-says-lead-designer/ . . .

 

EA Labels President Frank Gibeau recently spoke to GamesIndustry.biz about the future of Star Wars: The Old Republic: “We’re going to be in the business from a long term standpoint so absolutely we’re going to embrace free access, free trial, ultimately some day we can move in and embrace that model. It’s all a matter of timing and thinking things through. We have a great business right now and we’re not looking to make any abrupt changes.”

Honestly this is probably their best bet. This game had a lot of hype. They had a WoW killer in the palm of their hands but what they had barely classified as a MMO. Everything in this game can be done solo.

False ... way WAY false. Most Heroic 2s are soloable with level appropriate premium gear and competent companion microing. Some Heroic 4s are soloable with level appropriate prototype/custom gear and excellent companion microing. Most Heroic 4s are not soloable by anyone but best of the best players with characters in the best gear using max stims & buffs who don't mind exorbitant repair bills. All flashpoints, HMs and OPs are definitely not soloable without an exploit. Edited July 2, 2012 by GalacticKegger

[Crystabel]

All I'm hoping for is that the free to play to level 15 folks have their own instance of fleet- where I don't have to see their chatter. I find that in most free games, the main hangout (fleet for swtor at this point) tends to become obnoxious and annoying in general chat. Typically I like watching chat in general while on fleet, and there can be some fun discussions. Yes, sometimes it is stupid, but can usually be steered toward fun and interesting topics.

When it comes to free games I end up turning general chat off because it degrades so quickly. People are bored because they've hit the level cap, and they come on and use the main hangout area as their social entertainment to start trouble or just be rude - and it is free so no big deal.

Players who pay and are bored with the game for whatever reason may do that til their sub runs out, but after that they are gone. They aren't going to keep paying a monthly fee to just hang out on fleet and talk trash (well the smart ones won't!)

[Warcrawl]

Everything in this game can be done solo..

 

So you're soloing HM Flashpoints and Ops now?

[Twickers]

I love this game but I'd quit if it went F2P myself, people really need to quit friggen whining and demanding F2P, it won't "save" the game as so many of them keep saying.

[jarjarloves]

So you're soloing HM Flashpoints and Ops now?

 

and Ranked WZ

[jarjarloves]

All I'm hoping for is that the free to play to level 15 folks have their own instance of fleet- where I don't have to see their chatter. I find that in most free games, the main hangout (fleet for swtor at this point) tends to become obnoxious and annoying in general chat. Typically I like watching chat in general while on fleet, and there can be some fun discussions. Yes, sometimes it is stupid, but can usually be steered toward fun and interesting topics.

When it comes to free games I end up turning general chat off because it degrades so quickly. People are bored because they've hit the level cap, and they come on and use the main hangout area as their social entertainment to start trouble or just be rude - and it is free so no big deal.

Players who pay and are bored with the game for whatever reason may do that til their sub runs out, but after that they are gone. They aren't going to keep paying a monthly fee to just hang out on fleet and talk trash (well the smart ones won't!)

 

Most F2P to level 15 things dont' allow those people to speak in general chat, send tells, use mail, or use the GTN.

[Lordcutter]

WoW is dying so many say yet they have never had to think for one minute "Will we have to revert to F2P?". I am not especially a big fan of WoW anymore, every time I return I get bored quite soon but I know that I have been able to play it smoothly with good graphics and am guaranteed that every time I subscribe.

 

I bought this game while matching minimum requiremenets and the low fps, even with low settings, was unbearable, so I unsubscribed. I then saw some videos on how to increas fps, so reinstalled, handed over £8.99 again, did all the tweaks possible and now feel like a right mug - once again the game and its lag/fps is unplayable. I think it would be a FANTASTIC game if it weren't for the lag, and from the many many forum posts it seems like this fps issue is happening on high end machines as well, suggesting this isn't coming from our end. Every time I exit the client my computer freezes, my icons move, my screen resolution changes - not to mention how long it takes to make changes ingame - I've had to do a system restore to get everything back because my system was getting messed up.

 

They wouldn't think about going f2p unless was there was a need to, and it is clear there is with their falling sub numbers. I have uninstalled again after 2 days, will cancel my account and will not return until I get a better range computer or issues are fixed.

Edited July 9, 2012 by Lordcutter

[dronepilot]

if this game goes totally F2P I am out of this game for good anyway. Really don't like the F2P way of things.. I am fine with it being free to level 15 that's sounds like a good idea to get people into the game, but for the game to be completely F2P is just a bad idea.

[MIS_Razal]

Hehe. I have seen this type of answer so many times. Basically it is the player's fault. Right? Thought so. Anyway, I am not moving and if the LFG tool does not work well on my server.. unsubbing. IF that happens, maybe one day I will come back when they get thier flaws corrected or .....go FTP..

 

You make no sense... I was on Kothol Rift with literally 5 other people at any given time. I took the free transfer and now Republic fleet has 250 people at any time of day and I haven't seen a planet with pop of less than 60 ppl. Bioware fixed your issue you just don't want to do it.

[Lastot]

WoW is dying so many say yet they have never had to think for one minute "Will we have to revert to F2P?". I am not especially a big fan of WoW anymore, every time I return I get bored quite soon but I know that I have been able to play it smoothly with good graphics and am guaranteed that every time I subscribe.

 

I bought this game while matching minimum requiremenets and the low fps, even with low settings, was unbearable, so I unsubscribed. I then saw some videos on how to increas fps, so reinstalled, handed over £8.99 again, did all the tweaks possible and now feel like a right mug - once again the game and its lag/fps is unplayable. I think it would be a FANTASTIC game if it weren't for the lag, and from the many many forum posts it seems like this fps issue is happening on high end machines as well, suggesting this isn't coming from our end. Every time I exit the client my computer freezes, my icons move, my screen resolution changes - not to mention how long it takes to make changes ingame - I've had to do a system restore to get everything back because my system was getting messed up.

 

They wouldn't think about going f2p unless was there was a need to, and it is clear there is with their falling sub numbers. I have uninstalled again after 2 days, will cancel my account and will not return until I get a better range computer or issues are fixed.

 

I will never understand people like this, You bought the game and thought you could run it on a 20 year old, out dated computer and then you blame the company when your out dated old computer doesn't have the power needed to run the game??????? WoW, just WoW.

 

I love this game, it is the first MMO I have enjoyed since DAoC, ( I hated WoW, HATED IT) But if this game goes F2P then I am done, no bull about it, I'm am willing to pay the sub each month and I will stay a long time but if it becomes a money sink with a ton of little kids running about ruining everything, no way am i going to stay around F2P mean to me Gone baby, gone.