Free-to-Play Q&A Thread

[ZORG]

Will items that have stats or otherwise affect gameplay ever be in a cash shop? Will there ever be content packs or similar things in the cash shop that I cannot gain simply by having my subscription? If you say no to either or both and it changes later to where these P2W items are in the shop, will you refund 100% of the money I paid in subscriptions post-F2P?

 

I second this

[Dharz]

I have several thoughts and questions, so this may be a little long, and while others have posed some of this, I think it may not hurt to support those thoughts.

 

1. I think we do need to see some hard numbers on the difference between P2P and F2P as far as flashpoints, bank slots, credits, character slots, species, cartel coin cost as a microtransaction and cost of items on the Cartel coin vendor ...

2. ANY micro-transactions that resemble P2W is unacceptable. I saw the mention of BOOSTS. The only way I could see that being not a P2W would be if it mirrors, for a few hours on a single character slot, a purchased legacy perk from the legacy system.

3. Which leads me to: do F2P get the legacy system? I think not allowing F2P to have the legacy system is a great way to provide things to be purchased, per character, for a short amount of time for the Cartel Coins and microtransactions. As far as the account wide legacy unlocks, they wouldn't be available for the F2P. But things like exp boost for a specific area such as PvP, exploration, space mission, etc for one slot for 2 hrs or so would be fine.

4. Another option on legacy would be, NO legacy perks cost any credits for P2P. They are all based on legacy level. But I guess be careful what you wish for. I have legacy level 32 with 3 lvl 50 toons. Having the legacy perks require legacy level 75 would pretty much negate that P2P advantage.

5. P2P should NEVER have to spend additional money to get something. If we are subscribers, we shouldn't need to shell out any more money to get something that is available thru a microtransaction... and a note here, if something can be bought via a microtransaction, and we get a monthly alottment of CC's... but it takes 12 months to afford that item on the CC vendor... not such a good model. This includes vanity items, species unlocks, perks, anything.

6. Can P2P earn CC's in game thru quests ?

7. Will group finder and WZ' queue's be prioritized like log in queue to allow P2P to move ahead in line to get into FP's and WZ's? I am concerned about wait times increasing when F2P's are limited in the number they can run.

8. I am afraid the GTN restrictions are going to really ripple thru the game. Unrestricted GTN is going to promote the farmers and could cripple the economy. Restricted is going to give us a smaller market to work with, and again cripple the economy, it most likely will create a spam channel of for sale items, which is certainly not terribly efficient, or fun.

9.CE was promised a vendor. And, honestly, its been a waste. What are the chances that the CE vendor will have a serious upgrade, some thoughts: all the items avail on the CC vendor at a reduced cost, have one for the Digital Deluxe subscribers as well would be a good move, some COOL looking customizable equipment, maybe they are purples or something, give digital deluxe same look with an orange item, or just a different color scheme.

10. Content packages, like purchasing additional WZ or FP's runs, or access to Bonus mission sets, should be per slot, not account wide for F2P.

[A_nonymous]

My big concern is that they haven't said exactly what the differences are. All transport means aren't open to F2P players. What does this mean? No speeders? Or just no emergency fleet pass?

 

P2P players are going to get access to the cartel store. What's there? Just cosmetic stuff like you get at the security key vendor? Or actual good stuff that's usable?

 

I want hard details on exactly what the limits are.

[Metalmac]

Why is no one discussing the huge lag that F2P will bring?

 

I mean BioWare can not fix the Server Lag now so can you imagine the Server Lag with F2P?

[BeenThere]

Lag will be problem on full servers.....all the servers I'm on are ghost towns...

[Monkeyuncle]

Please ignore and delete, I did not read the main post properly. Edited August 2, 2012 by Monkeyuncle

[Bwong]

Warzones

Free-to-Play members will have limited weekly access to Warzones.

 

My Question does it limit the number of War Zones a player can enter weekly? Say 10 per week or have a time limit when in the War Zone?

 

If say F2P can enter 10 PVP War Zones a week and they enter a war zone halfway through match or match is basically over does that account for a strike against them, so now they can only enter 9 more times?

[DSafana]

Hmm, 21 pages of Q's, and no A's. Did I miss the A's?

[ZORG]

Hmm, 21 pages of Q's, and no A's. Did I miss the A's?

 

Thats not how BW works Q n A.

They will pick 5 or 6 of these questions and answere them publicly. Hopefully they will also create a FAQ document for all to see with every question here that is in a differnt area of discussion.

 

I am worried for one reason.

So my question is to Bioware. Will you stand your ground and not let EA do to SWTOR what they did to the Tiger Woods series. Now when you buy the game for 60 bucks you get home and end up having to pay another 60 to 70 bucks on DLC and leveling up your golfer and leveling up your clubs. This to me is a PAY TO WIN senario. Because these BOOSTS carried over to online not just the single player.

 

Now I could see you selling boost items in the market that REQUIRE a companion out like the legacy abilities do now. This way it will benefit you directly on a f2p basis cause all you can do is 1-50 leveling....However the items wouldnt function in a warzone or flashpoint or operation.

 

I want new subscribers to have the joy of working hard and working with others to complete content and get that full set of campain gear or warhero gear. The only gear i could stomach you selling for REAL LIFE dollars would be the recruit gear but absolutly no Battlemaster for real cash ever...

[jason_ralph]

I thought I should post a more involved Question for this Q&A Thread.

 

When SOE implemented F2P in DC Universe Online (that went F2P 11 months after launch), it is incredibly restrictive, or causes "frictoin" (as stated by one of the developers in a web cast).

DCUO didn't launch with crafting (later called R&D, short for research and developement). Instead it's used to augment high end PvE and PvP gear. Due to this, those who don't pay a sub are essentially blocked out of doing this. Will Crew Skills be so restrictive that they are essentially useless for those who don't sub (given that the GTN will be something they can't even access to begin with)?

You can level from 1 - 30 (what the cap was when I stopped playing to start playing SWTOR). This means you have full access to Gotham and Metropolis (where the majority of the quests take place). However, you can't access Central City without paying. So, would the planets that involve the main story line be accessible? And if they are, how much content is blocked without paying?

How will F2P impact PvP? I say this because are the next content that comes out, will those don't purchase the next mini-DLC (as in SOE doesn't release a major xpac, rather smaller DLCs that you can buy seperately; see Fight for the Light as an example), still going to be grouped with those who HAVE the next DLC (and any in the future), thus, you get hammered due to gear difference?

When you say travel will be restrictive, can you clarify? Does that mean no more fleet pass? What about those who spent credits to decrease it's cool down, via Legacy? If you can't use the quick travel, once again, what about those who spent credits to shrink it via Legacy? (all of which I have purchased, so, it's why I am asking). If the travel being restrictive is in reference to the land mounts, what about those who spent money on the final tier (currently) for speeder training, and have purchased various mounts? Will we receive a refund of credits spent (as it was bought when we had access to it, now removed)? Namely, will we lose the time, credits, and effort spent thus far due to no longer paying a sub (though, we earned the right to access while we were subing prior to F2P)?

If inventory, cargo bay(s), and character slots are going to me reduced, how about those who have purchased multiple rows of inventory slots, cargo bays, and are using all 8 character slots (I get bored fast with only a couple of characters to play with due to health reasons from getting hurt while serving in the military)? If I choose 2 characters to use today, am I forever locked out of the other 6, or can I deactivate one, to activate another? How this effect my Legacy level (which is rather high for having 8 characters I use on a regular basis)?

In regards to Cartel Coins/Commendations for those who purchased a physical copy of the game: 1000 (for CE), 500 (for DDE), and 250 (for everyone else), that seems to be a real pitiful exchange rate. I know I, as a owner of the CE, wouldn't have spent $150 on a free game (the vanity items, in game and out, wasn't why I did it; it was done to support this game), I don't see the point in spending that kind of money supporting a free game (it's better spent in other parts of the game). In a P2P system, I don't question the CE's worth (as I am not restricted on content I can and can't access). In a F2P system I do (I would much rather have the $150 to spend on content that I would like access to, not items that have no benefit). Is anything going to be done to address this, or is one fan base (P2P) being swapped for another (F2P) and in a few short months this issue will cease to exist, as those upset will have moved on?

And to keep this from going longer than what it already is, is DC Universe Online, and how SOE implemented F2P on it's P2P MMO, the model you are closely following? I ask, as for it mirrors it a lot (and that concerns me). I in fact left DCUO to come to SWTOR, and would like some reassurance I won't experience that let down (as much as I love SWTOR and will miss, I'd rather leave now, then later with a sour taste in my mouth as I love finally getting to play in this universe; didn't play any of the KOTORs).

Thanks for you time, and I apologize for the length.

[Tickdoff-Tank]

Quote: Originally Posted by Tickdoff-Tank

 

I am not opposed to the upcoming switch to a hybrid payment model, however, I do have a question.

 

Will it be possible to earn "Cartel Coins" through in-game activities?

 

STO and DDO have methods for acquiring Cryptic points (STO) or Turbine points (DDO) through in-game activities, it is sometimes slow going, but it offers an additional way for people to "unlock" aspects of the game without spending money, or to help reduce the amount of additional money that will need to be spent.

 

I feel that it would be a good idea for SW:TOR to adopt this aspect of the hybrid model as well.

 

Copy and paste from my question in the General page.

[rgdelta]

Not sure if this has been asked but collectors edition owners get 500 cartel points but what about DDE owners we paid extra too (I am not saying we deserve the same as collectors edition but 200-250 bonus for us would be nice)

 

Also LOTRO has earn Turbine points in game (through deeds)

Edited August 2, 2012 by rgdelta

[aristein]

If you don't even care about the game enough to spend $15/month, then you are a liability to other players. F2p players are parasites and will likely ruin a high quality game. I doubt the model will even work well for EA as swtor is about the story and the immerssion into the world. If you can get that for free all the way through, why would you pay for end game and pvp when that is the weakest part of this game (currently)? And, it ensures that the BW team will not have the manpower to make meaningful expansions to the game as they will all be adding sellable gimicks to the game to try and increase revenue (and failing). Most f2p players will play the content and quit just because that is most of this game...and run off subs. So, while more will play, I doubt more will be made from going f2p.

 

So, my question is: Why do you think that when most of the dissatisfaction with the game is endgame and pvp, do you think you will make more money by giving away what people ARE willing to pay for...the story and high quality immersion into the star wars universe? Won't f2p players get the best of swtor for free and most be dissatisfied with endgame and pvp like others and quit playing rather than spend more money; especially considering you can't even get them to pay $15/month to keep playing after they play the whole content?

 

Second question: So, how much of the team is going to be taken away from things like Meaningful expansion of content, improvements to pvp, etc to devote to making gimmicks to sell for real money? Subs expect real expansions of content on a regular basis...and no I am not talking about cookie cutter content.

 

Third: It looks like you are completely giving up on subs, and going to focus the team on f2p content. While I realize you would be stupid to admit this (why lose sub money before they figure this out), but can you list any reason (specific commitments, not general ones) why subs should bother with playing this game after f2p comes out? More players is not an incentive if those players don't even care about the game enough to spend $15/month, then they are community parasites not community additions. Cartel points? Who cares, I subbed which means I don't want anything to do with having to spend real dollars on game trinkets.

 

Fourth: You have turned subs into paying real money just for game trinkets...because that is the only thing you now get for spending $15/month. So, why would any sub do this when they clearly want to play a subscription game and not have to pay money each month just for game trinkets.

[nakoda]

If you don't even care about the game enough to spend $15/month, ...

 

I just want to pipe in here and say that I am not in support of F2P, but I am also fed up with the subscription model.

 

Back in the day, once EQ had solidified the subscription model (as well as this particular generation of MMO flavour that has persisted through EQ, AO, AC, DAoC, SWG, WoW, SWTOR, etc etc), your subscription fee paid for the massive amounts of bandwidth that it took to provide a stable server to a population that was not necessarily on high speed (and even then high speed wasn't high speed), as well as the content updates, game fixes, and -- to some extent -- expanded community features; however, the subscription fees we pay today to not go to those same places even though they suggest that our fees might.

 

Frankly, there is no reason why I should have to pay a continued monthly fee over and over for the same content over and over. Once I have paid for my game, I have the right to play it when, where, for as long and often as I please. That is my purchaser's privilege. Our subscription fees (anywhere between 90$ to 130$ per account active since December at this point) in addition to our 60/90/150$ purchase price has not lived up to the promises or to our expectations. Content delays, broken promises, ineffectively implemented fixes (like Group Finder) and more have been our thank you for our patronage.

 

Because of this, I fully appreciate what F2P is trying to do, I bought my game, let me eff-ing well play it and bugger off till I feel like giving you more of my money.

 

Frankly (for SWTOR), it is the Star Wars fan base, those who "care" to pay the 15$ a month, who are ruining things because they are the ones jones-ing for their SW fix so bad that they are willing to deal with delays because they have "faith" in the developers.

 

I don't any more. I have been playing MMO's since 1998, and I am fed up with the relentlessly patronizing attitude that developers have towards their customers, an attitude that has burgeoned into a fully fledged "business model".

 

I am an Edmontonian, I have always been and will always be a BW (Edmonton) fan, but Ray .. Greg...

 

What's up Docs? This **** ain't cool.

 

Until we hear back from the SWTOR Team...

 

Minsc and Boo stand ready!

[Sydth]

Hello everyone! We're sure you have some questions about our upcoming Free-to-Play option, and we'd like to try to answer as many as we can in a special edition of our Q&A. We'll be delaying our normal Q&A and will bring you more in-depth answers on as many of your questions about Free-to-Play as we can next week.

 

Please use this thread to ask your Free-to-Play questions. Please do not use this thread as a discussion or commentary thread, as we'll be using it to gather your questions.

 

Be sure to check out the Free-to-Play FAQ, new Free-to-Play announcement page, and comparison grid to see if your question has already been answered!

 

Thanks!

 

 

HAHAHA!

Took me so long to make that post that they finally said something and i missed it!

 

Bump Bump Bump Bump

[aristein]

I just want to pipe in here and say that I am not in support of F2P, but I am also fed up with the subscription model.

 

Back in the day, once EQ had solidified the subscription model (as well as this particular generation of MMO flavour that has persisted through EQ, AO, AC, DAoC, SWG, WoW, SWTOR, etc etc), your subscription fee paid for the massive amounts of bandwidth that it took to provide a stable server to a population that was not necessarily on high speed (and even then high speed wasn't high speed), as well as the content updates, game fixes, and -- to some extent -- expanded community features; however, the subscription fees we pay today to not go to those same places even though they suggest that our fees might.

 

Frankly, there is no reason why I should have to pay a continued monthly fee over and over for the same content over and over. Once I have paid for my game, I have the right to play it when, where, for as long and often as I please. That is my purchaser's privilege. Our subscription fees (anywhere between 90$ to 130$ per account active since December at this point) in addition to our 60/90/150$ purchase price has not lived up to the promises or to our expectations. Content delays, broken promises, ineffectively implemented fixes (like Group Finder) and more have been our thank you for our patronage.

 

Because of this, I fully appreciate what F2P is trying to do, I bought my game, let me eff-ing well play it and bugger off till I feel like giving you more of my money.

 

Frankly (for SWTOR), it is the Star Wars fan base, those who "care" to pay the 15$ a month, who are ruining things because they are the ones jones-ing for their SW fix so bad that they are willing to deal with delays because they have "faith" in the developers.

 

I don't any more. I have been playing MMO's since 1998, and I am fed up with the relentlessly patronizing attitude that developers have towards their customers, an attitude that has burgeoned into a fully fledged "business model".

 

I am an Edmontonian, I have always been and will always be a BW (Edmonton) fan, but Ray .. Greg...

 

What's up Docs? This **** ain't cool.

 

Until we hear back from the SWTOR Team...

 

Minsc and Boo stand ready!

 

Good points except for one thing: if they won't fix the game with over a million subscriptions, then they sure as heck won't make the game better if their revenue comes from a trinket store. They will focus only on offering cookie cutter expansions and fixes and focus most of their efforts to make more trinkets that people will pay for because that is the only way to make money with the f2p "business model". So, f2p games never really get any better. Not that I am saying I have faith that it would have gotten better under the p2p model, but at least it had a chance with the pressure of more and more subscriptions being lost the longer they refused to fix and improve the game.

[Carcarah]

Please don't allow F2P player to roll Vanguard / Powertech or Sentinel / Marauder. We don't need more of them.

 

Actually F2P should be more like Age of Conan system, you can only choose underpowered classes like Commando / Merc or Sage / Sourc

[Sydth]

nevermind..... im not sure what just happened Edited August 2, 2012 by Sydth

[Catsmeat]

nevermind..... im not sure what just happened

 

Welcome to the magical world of Bioware!

 

None of this is new. Posts vanish. Threads vanish. Posts get reworded. It's really awesome to see in action.

[nakoda]

Welcome to the magical world of Bioware!

 

None of this is new. Posts vanish. Threads vanish. Posts get reworded. It's really awesome to see in action.

 

for example, i had started a thread on Dec 19th where i predicted the F2P push and wrote up a letter imploring the devs to be more transparent.

 

that thread, having been revived since my prediction came true, is now gone. it is blocked by the admins. You can google search it, but cannot access it. and it is gone from my subscriptions.

 

"Dear Bioware +nakoda"

 

Honestly, I dont care if they deleted the thread, but please send me a copy of that letter because it was well written and honest. Something I cannot say for the devs (that's right, you cannot write well, neither are any of you honest)

 

you know, I really am /sadpanda that it will have to be a conscious practice to have to back up my posts with a text file before posting or else they might get deleted. That says a lot about the people who make these games for us.

 

If ANYONE can find a cached copy of that thread or post, I would be exceedingly grateful.

 

edit: ill tell you one thing, if 15$ a month is what it will take to ensure my right to continue to voice my opinions here, it'd be well worth it if my posts didn't get deleted. . . ..

Edited August 3, 2012 by nakoda

[metalgearyoda]

Seriously though.

 

Whats happening to space 2?

[lornalove]

As a purchaser of the game, and continued subscriber, will I have to pay any additional money to access things like new story line, planets, quests, and companions?

[ThePendragon]

What I would like to see with F2P:-

 

1) More slots per server. Even if there are 8 story arcs...I would still like to have the option to make all 16 of the specialists on one server if I wanted to.

 

2) Limited Legacy "unlockables" cross server. Things like Race opening to all servers once unlocked. COH did that with their HEAT and VEAT toons once you met the threshold..they became available to all servers....which gives you a heck of alot of resurgence in wanting to play. (And when I did it was Level 50 hero and villain...which I did..and immediately had a blast playing the epics all over the place. Though I have to give out kudos to my dear friend Daren Eastlake for allowing me to play on his account that had them available...Love ya bro..and miss ya a hell of alot...It got me to run my high end mains to 50 so I could play on my own account.)

 

3) New content that one could pick and choose outside the mainstream stuff. Might be more than what would be doable at first..but when COH introduced the options of players creating content...things went crazy yet again.

 

Those are 3 I could think of now...but I am sure I can come up with more given time.

[Kellorion]

Will the Jedi/Lightsiders have a version of the Throne? Like a a kneel-er, perhaps a few objects that will float in air ala Luke in EP5. ESB. Also how long will these items last, specifically the Throne. 5 secs, 30, infinite/till we move?

 

Will we be able to purchase the other 2 options : Part Jawa/ Carbonite capsule/ Rancor holo at a later date? I want all 3.

Edited August 3, 2012 by Kellorion

[Rashishane]

1. Why are things like datacrons and matrix cube access not restricted for the f2p option? So far I see things that you won't be able to do but nothing that would necessarily affect the quality of your character if you choose the f2p option (not counting fluff).

 

2. what do you mean their "travel features" will be restricted? They won't have "sprint", their speeders move slower than ours, they won't get their own ship, all, none?

 

3. Will subbed members receive at least legacy perks that will not be accessible with f2p option?

 

4.What kind of things will cartel coins buy?

 

5. How will this cartel Coins thing not completely DESTROY the aspect of working (in game) for things that you want or need? Currently we have the things we have because we earned them in game, not bought them with real money. There is a certain respect to that, how will that not be shattered when any person in the game can succeed simply by having more RL money to purchase more cartel coins?

 

6. Will we be on different servers than those who choose the f2p option? That would be nice if done correctly.

 

7. Can we get some real explanations of the distinctions instead of just generalities like "weekly cap"? What will their cap be?

 

8. How will you be sure that our game experience is not damaged by a flood of 13 year old children making a mockery of our game and trolling our gen. chats faster than you can boot them out?

Edited August 3, 2012 by Rashishane