F2P - 3 Warzones Per Week LOL

[Aedey]

Its not a matter of getting F2P Players to play WZ's... Its a matter of keeping the WZ's free of idiot 10 year olds in Warzones completely and absolutely doing nothing productive.

 

Exactly. There's enough of that already, IMO they shouldn't be able to do it full stop. If they want more then they can pay, if not they can bugger off. Already so many nubs on here as it is.

This game was never intended to be free. Sorry but I'm sick of tanks in dps gear, freebies should be limited to the point of not even bothering. If you wana play then pay, simple.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Aedey

[mitrikzoltan]

Yes, that is true and i forgot about the daily. They will not be able to do the weekly as that's 9 per week. That is almost like a slap in the face to new players, not giving them a chance to really see what warzones are like. There are more than 3 warzones, and with another added soon it could be 2 weeks before some players see them if they are unlucky to get the same ones over and over.

 

Bioware really needs to rethink their limit!

 

Disagree. If you want to play Warzones, unlock them or subscribe. There have to be things that Bioware limits this way, otherwise the there will hardly be any difference between free players and subscribers. What I'm curious about, is it 3 per charachet per week, or 3 per account?

[Ifrica]

The thing is these limits might not get people to buy a subscription if they see how crap the game really is. Therefore these limits are useless. I would maybe somehow understand limits like this from EA if the game was actually very good, which would encourage people to sub just so that they can play more warzones per week etc.

 

I mean comeon. Look at GW2. You buy it once, it's a damn awesome game and there are no restrictions. It just has a little Gem shop from where you can buy some armor skins and dyes and stuff like that. THAT is how it is done right.

 

When I saw these F2P limits it made me laugh. Looks like after all this time BW/EA still manages to make bad decisions. GG.

 

No EA/BW. NO. NNO. This is not how it's done.

 

Your logic failed the moment you compared the game with guild wars. guild wars is pay the game, play for free.. swtor is a subscription based game with a free to play option.

[LordArtemis]

Well, look....IMO warzones hold little interest for most casual players. For me I could care less, probably will never play one.

 

It is like I said before...it really depends on how many cartel coins it costs. If the cost is low, it's not a problem to unlock it every week, but there should be an option to pay a larger coin amount to unlock it completely.

 

If I was designing F2P I would not necessarily change what they have, but I would add the ability to unlock parts of the game as follows (in real money equivalents)

 

Warzones, Operations and FPs: 30 dollars to unlock each permanently.

Purple gear, all high end gear vendors: 30 dollars to unlock all permanently.

Forums and general chat (F2P only) unlocked for 15 dollars. No option to chat with or have general forum access with paying players for F2P players.

Revive, sprint and fleet/QT: 30 dollars to unlock each permanently.

 

5.00 to unlock each legacy item, 15 dollars to unlock legacy use when it comes available.

10.00 to purchase speeders for your players (base level), adding 5.00 for each level of speeder.

 

5.00 for each orange armor set, no mods installed. I would add almost every armor set seen in the game that is not currently available.

5.00 for crafting schems for those armor sets.

 

Crew skill restrictions: 30 dollars to unlock permanently.

GTN and Who/GF: 30 dollars to unlock permanently.

 

 

And I would add the following....

 

500k restriction for F2P on each toon, unlocked with 15 bucks to 2 million, 30 bucks to unlimited.

No inventory expansion or extra cargo bays, 5.00 every inventory row (you get in game consumable item to use to unlock), 20.00 for every cargo bay. Level restrictions apply.

 

5 dollars for 24 hour speeder rental (in game time, total time of use)

5 dollars for free mod extraction (one use, one piece of armor)

5 dollars for color change to chest

5 dollars for QT/Fleet cooldown reset (stackable, consumed on use)

5 dollars for field repair consumable

5 dollars for instant full health revive, one use

5 dollars each for one use damage resistance buff, xp buff, coin and loot buff (24 hours)

1 dollar for random green box, 5 dollars for random blue box, 10 dollars for random purple box.

 

15 dollars to unlock races for character creation permanently for one toon, 30 dollars for all toons.

10 dollars to redesign any character once.

10 dollars to convert any piece of armor to empty orange armor piece.

 

15 dollars for name change, 30 dollars for server transfer.

 

Just some examples. Maybe more to follow.

 

I would add there is a great article on the do's and don'ts for F2P

 

http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/134920/the_design_of_freetoplay_games_.php?print=1

Edited October 17, 2012 by LordArtemis

[PalawaJoko]

Your logic failed the moment you compared the game with guild wars. guild wars is pay the game, play for free.. swtor is a subscription based game with a free to play option.

The game could have more players though if they totally changed the business model. Sadly that's not happening.

[Devlonir]

i dont hink warzones will be the big problem

 

rather the "death points",,when players have to pay after the first 5 deaths,,i think most

 

of them wont,,they will go look for another F2P game without lightsabers

 

Funny.. it doesnt say: 5 deaths then no more revives at all. It just says: 5 respawns in the field (aka: medical probes), after that it'll be the way of the 'game that shall not be named' and you will spawn again at the nearest medical droid and need to run back to where you were.

 

if people quite over that, they are not really enjoying the game anyway.

[amnie]

I think it's extremely sad how people think that free to play player will 'ruin' warzones.

 

 

a) depending on the server model you play and the time of day you play the people in warzones are already the biggest ***** you can find (and they 'suck' on top of that)

 

b) just because someone is 'testing' the game first - or goes for the f2p option for whatever reason - does not mean they are statistically a worse person than someone who pays the sub

 

 

 

 

that being said I am fairly sure 3 warzones a week will NOT 'hook' people to warzones.

the opposite. it will make people either not care at all - or be turned off.

 

I know a few people who would love to play this game, really enjoyed the trial and all that, but they won't/can't play the sub. they do love the warzones though.

 

yes, the business model is for 'casual' player. but what about casual pvp player? a huge part of this game's pvp is happening in the warzones, that's undeniable.

 

I personally think a limitation of 2 warzones a day sounds reasonable. it means that people CAN finish the daily/weekly if they are lucky, but won't succeed most days. however, if they like the warzones they will pay for the pass - or even subscribe.

 

 

maybe i'm especially concerned because I play on a pvp server and am aware of how 'important' the warzones really are for my server... but reading people say f2p player will 'ruin' warzones and the subscriber must be 'protected' from them makes me sick.

[Styxx]

Buy weekly pass for real cash or sub for a month and no more limitations.

 

Thing is.. you want everything for free... and that will never happen.

 

It was said a few months back that nothing is ever free... but it got lost under the river of defenders of F2P. Reap what you sow now.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Styxx

[Master-Nala]

There's free to play, then there's "free to play", and looks like they are going down the road of SOE's laughable f2p model...

 

Too bad. A model like lotro's or sto's, proven successful, could have helped drag this game out of the death spiral.

 

This took your credibility into the toilet as STO is pay to win and one of the biggest money grabs besides.

 

F2P is an ala carte payment system. You pay for those parts you like and you don't have to pay for those you don't. If you're a PvPer and you only want to PvP, you will be better off if the Warzone weekly licenses are less than $3.75 which I'll bet they will be. Subscribers get all you can eat with every character, F2P buys just what they want. It's a great system for people who don't want to sub.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Master-Nala

[Eillack]

You get what YOU PAID FOR.

 

This isn't Star Trek Online...this is SW:TOR.

[Knockerz]

Believe or not, but not every one has that much time to even log in and play one round a week. I'm so buried in work that I'm averaging like 4-6 hours of sleep each day, but it's hella worth it if I can get a paper publish by the end of the quarter. Although, On weekends I mostly sleep and work some more when I get up.

 

Actually, the current model is better. If all you want to do is pvp you can buy access to pvp only. Thus, you will probably save more money that way than paying for a subscription each month. Also depending on how much pvp you average a week or month. In way it's like paying as you play.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Knockerz

[Arkerus]

Absolutely wrong. What you just described is a free trial not a F2P game, a free2play game is just that- Free 2 Play. With money being made on superficial things like skins and then xp/cash boosts etc. I suppose that is too much of a risk for them to take though as really I cant imagine there are enough things to purchase to make that viable. A better approach to this would be to put more money into getting things like the infamous cloak down ingame and then charging for it, then adding more things like purchasable haircuts emotes armour skins speeders and whatever other creative stuff that can be thought up. Instead they are extending the free trial in an attempt to bring new people in and pretending its a free to play game

 

That's the point. lol. I mean, really? You made the point in YOUR OWN POST.

 

They are extending the free part of the game where someone can sample the game, up to 50, without paying. That's TOR's free-2-play model.

 

Its a free to play option. A person isn't getting access to the rest of the game unless they pay for it (outside of a small, free sample every week).

 

I'm sorry to say bub but if you think the game can survive financially on giving it away for free and then charging for "haircuts", you need some serious finance 101 training.

[Grinstone]

I am a subscriber, but i don't think that's fair. They really should raise the limit to like 15 per week, not 3. I understand that you have to purchase unlimited with cartel coins, but still that's not a way to get F2P players interested in playing warzones.

 

I agree.

 

For someone who wants to PvP casually the limit of 3 WZs a week won't be so bad. For someone who decides to play the game primarily for the PvP that's a very harsh cap. They could easily double or triple the cap. If someone enjoys the PvP enough they'll still pay for unlimited access. If they aren't interested in paying for PvP then they won't, no matter how little they can PvP.

 

Of course, that same argument could ultimately be made for flashpoints.

 

I don't know how it is for other people, but I'm more likely to spend a little money when I have the perception of it being (somewhat) generous. The double whammy of limiting access to WZs/flashpoints so strictly and then charging extra for those people to then be able to equip the loot they get from those places is anything but generous.

[Arkerus]

I agree.

 

For someone who wants to PvP casually the limit of 3 WZs a week won't be so bad. For someone who decides to play the game primarily for the PvP that's a very harsh cap. They could easily double or triple the cap. If someone enjoys the PvP enough they'll still pay for unlimited access. If they aren't interested in paying for PvP then they won't, no matter how little they can PvP.

 

Of course, that same argument could ultimately be made for flashpoints.

 

I don't know how it is for other people, but I'm more likely to spend a little money when I have the perception of it being (somewhat) generous. The double whammy of limiting access to WZs/flashpoints so strictly and then charging extra for those people to then be able to equip the loot they get from those places is anything but generous.

 

Hi. Welcome to the world of business.

 

There are developers, artists and programmers that need paid. If they gave away PvP or pve for free, then people have no inventive to pay. No incentive to pay means John the programmer or Becky the program manager don't get paid because the product isn't making any money.

 

John and Becky get laid off because of a broken business model that allowed customers to pay nothing for most of the game.

[Grinstone]

Hi. Welcome to the world of business.

 

There are developers, artists and programmers that need paid. If they gave away PvP or pve for free, then people have no inventive to pay. No incentive to pay means John the programmer or Becky the program manager don't get paid because the product isn't making any money.

 

John and Becky get laid off because of a broken business model that allowed customers to pay nothing for most of the game.

 

My post, that thing you quoted, I don't think you read it.

 

Otherwise 2/10 for trolling.

[Jacen_Starsolo]

Seeing how they can't wear good gear, they may not want to do more than 3 a week. lol

[ArcadesSabboth]

The goal of the subscription/free to play dichotomy is to give you a taste of the full game with incentives to pay for more. If they give you enough WZs to complete your daily and weekly for free, there's a good chance a large block of subscribers will cancel and continue forward with the F2P model having lost no tangible reward other than some valor points (for games beyond the daily/weekly threshold).

 

In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if the OP was complaining because that's exactly what he planned to do when this system takes effect.

 

BioWare is already giving players the entire PvE game for free--to expect more makes me think you want to freeload off BW/EA.

[RSLeMire]

Dash that... If you are not paying for the game (and I do not mean purchasing the actual game I mean subscribing at $15 a month) you do not deserve to play imo. If I run into a player and find out they are F2P I will not group up with them, converse with them, do anything with them, and I will boot them from my guild as well if they happen to be in it. and dear god if I hear anyone complain about the F2P limitations in game they will be on ignore. If you cannot afford $15 a month please go reevaluate your life. Spend your time looking for a way to better your station in life because you have no business playing a video game in that situation.

[kirorx]

I can only speak for my self here.

 

I will not be paying anymore once F2P is available.

 

The reason for this is because I do not see the price of 15 dollars a month (the same i pay for my universal studios pass) is worth it, when that gets me the same rinse and repeat flash points and warzones that i have been doing for the last year.

 

The best part of this game is the leveling experience, which is going to be FREE.

 

Now a restricion this heavy s not going to persuade me to re-sub, its just going to give me a more solid...story done, feel.

 

The problem is they are not offering something new for subscribers they are instead taking away from the F2Pers, which means that the 15 dollars i spend now will still not offer enough to make that amount worth it, when i could just delete and reroll for free.

 

Taking away instead of adding is not going to make me forget that was I bored of the end game content.

[Arkerus]

My post, that thing you quoted, I don't think you read it.

 

Otherwise 2/10 for trolling.

 

I did read it and you obviously don't understand the real world. Nice try though.

 

Three isn't harsh. Its a sample. Like when you go to the grocery store and they have the sample lady handing out small bites of food. That's a sample. Its used to get you to buy the product. You can't have players freeloading at something ridiculous like 15 WZs per week. That's a significant amount of playtime for not paying for it.

 

I love sample lady. She rocks.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Arkerus

[bravotwentysev]

Dash that... If you are not paying for the game (and I do not mean purchasing the actual game I mean subscribing at $15 a month) you do not deserve to play imo. If I run into a player and find out they are F2P I will not group up with them, converse with them, do anything with them, and I will boot them from my guild as well if they happen to be in it. and dear god if I hear anyone complain about the F2P limitations in game they will be on ignore. If you cannot afford $15 a month please go reevaluate your life. Spend your time looking for a way to better your station in life because you have no business playing a video game in that situation.

 

Im afraid this is going to happen guilds will now ask is a player F2p or a sub. It's going to cause havoc as guilds will not want to gear a F2P player who can only play a real limited role. I seen this in DCuonline and EQ2. Honestly I will agree with it.

[Kagekeishu]

The whole discussion about "3 WZ per week is not enough" is completly unnecessary, because...

 

1. It is - like it was already mentioned a hundred times - "Free-2-Play" with the aim to get new players to test SW:ToR and subscribe to it, because they want to have everything (OPs, FPs, Loot, etc.)... So giving everything or nearly everything away for "Free" would be counterproductive, because no one would think about "Should I subscribe for it or buy at least something from the shop..?"...

 

2. Has anyone taken a look at the "Loot restriction(s)"..?! I guess not... It is clearly mentioned, that F2P-Players won't be able to equip/use some loot without a licence bought from the shop... So you can assume that those players won't be able to wear the T3 (Battlemaster) or T4 (War-Hero) sets... Now ask yourself why should they be able to do the daily or weekly PvP-Missions, when they will not be able to wear the sets you can buy via the commendations..?!

 

To put it in a more comprehensible way... Everything within the F2P-Model is focused on throwing small and different pieces of "cheese" to those players, so that they are able to taste every piece and to develope an affection to those pieces... They can play and have fun, but if they want more or perhaps everything, they have to pay for each piece or for the whole thing it self ...

[Dras_Keto]

BioWare is already giving players the entire PvE game for free--to expect more makes me think you want to freeload off BW/EA.

 

Not quite. They are giving the story mode class quests "away." IE, they are giving away the grind to 50 and hoping that induces people to pay for something they will pretty much not be able to experience anything of while getting to 50.

 

Im not entirely sure it will work. Especially since what they will be able to experience *IS* going to be horrendous.

 

However, I am glad that it doesnt look likes its going route of f2p(PAY TO WIN!!!!!!!). At least yet ...

[DarthMeerkat]

Im not entirely sure it will work. Especially since what they will be able to experience *IS* going to be horrendous.

 

Actually the path to 50 in this game is one of the greatest path to max level in MMOs if you want to look at it objectively. Its what comes after is what bioware should be worried about.

[ArcadesSabboth]

Im afraid this is going to happen guilds will now ask is a player F2p or a sub. It's going to cause havoc as guilds will not want to gear a F2P player who can only play a real limited role. I seen this in DCuonline and EQ2. Honestly I will agree with it.

 

The likely result is that F2P players will band together in their own guilds (sanctioned or not) since they will have similar restrictions.