Swtor Weekend Free Trial

[Arlee]

Looks like they are doing a trial weekend for this weekend only. So if anyone still wants to try the game but didn't snag a friend invite this is your chance.

Details are here.

Weekend Pass FAQ

[rowaasr13]

IMHO endless feature-limited trial that WoW and as it turns out Rift too uses right now is much better to hook player on the game. Especially if they want to sway people from another game, where they could have already some activity planned on this weekend.

[Meaux]

I've already got a friend trial account that expires this evening, does this mean I'll be able to play again come thursday?

[Arlee]

Yea... I mean even if they did it where you could do it any weekend you just had to pick one would make more sense to me. It's like when they were doing the beta weekends. I had a few friends who got theirs but it was on a weekend they were out of town, which made the beta invite pointless = /

[Arlee]

I've already got a friend trial account that expires this evening, does this mean I'll be able to play again come thursday?

From the FAQ:

Originally Posted by SWTOR

Who is eligible to try The Weekend Pass Free Trial?

Anyone who has never had an active game account for Star Wars: The Old Republic is eligible for the Weekend Pass Free Trial. There is a limit of one free trial per account. Weekend Pass Free Trial accounts cannot participate in any other free trial program.

From the last sentence I would say no your friend can't do both.

[Deleted]

Yea, timing is a bit wierd. But it's a new game and it's for free so me and my bf will try it out a bit this weekend anyway. Might not be able to play as much as we want to though with busy irl atm

[Sumatran]

Its free though, why find things to complain about?

Seems a good idea, but a little bit worrying that they are doing it just 3 months after release. Still a great game, and I heartedly recommend people take it up and give it a go

Dude where have you been the past 2 months? Bashing on SWTOR is the coolest thing to do bro.

I do have to admit tho, having an unlimited duration trial with level caps or such is the best way to go. Ive been playing more Rift than I ever wouldve played because of that model.

[SirRobin]

Looks like they are doing a trial weekend for this weekend only. So if anyone still wants to try the game but didn't snag a friend invite this is your chance.

Details are here.

Weekend Pass FAQ

Yikes... Well that didn't take long.

IMHO endless feature-limited trial that WoW and as it turns out Rift too uses right now is much better to hook player on the game. Especially if they want to sway people from another game, where they could have already some activity planned on this weekend.

Agreed. It seems pretty obvious to me that TOR is going to go that route, like WAR's "endless trial," so why stall? Just get it over with.

I've already got a friend trial account that expires this evening, does this mean I'll be able to play again come thursday?

Not sure, you may want to email them.

Of course not. They want to drive further business.

Want or need? Six of one is half a dozen of another. Seemed pretty quick to come out with a referral trial though in my opinion. Even faster for an open trial. Or maybe my fuzzy memory is playing tricks on me. How long did it take WoW, WAR, AoC, and others to come out with trials?

[Arlee]

I could be wrong but I don't remember wow doing free trials until sometime after BC.

[Arlee]

I wasn't making a any kind of judgement btw... someone asked about when wow started to do theirs and provided the answer as I remember it.

[SirRobin]

Tbf though, WoW didn't have any competition, TOR *does* in the form of many other top quality MMOs that are kinda ignored, and with the general malaise in the consumer right now, and the recession, every company needs to fight tooth and nail for every subscriber.

True, it may just be EA trying to stay ahead of the curve this time. They waited way too long, in my opinion, to come out with the "endless trial" with WAR. Wow, EA actually learning their lesson from a previous mistake? Isn't that one of the seven signs of the apocalypse?

Okay... Its been ages since I looked at WAR and now its apparently called the Forever Free Trial?

[Koalachan]

I think an unlimited duration/limited content would pose a few more problems in swtor than in certain other games. Due to the leveling vs story, where would you draw the line? By level? I believe the friend trial has a limit of level 10. That's pretty much 2 hours of play, with enough time over the week to level every basic class (Even if you only play 2 hours a day, you could level all but 1 base class). At that point your trial is fairly well over and you have enough to decide if you like the game basics. Someone may correct me, but I believe you are also limited to the starting planets.

If you had unlimited time, you're still only doing the four planets/eight classes over and over. With it being a weekend trial, it incentive's the people to sit down in the weekend and play as much as possible to try to get them hooked. Granted, it's bad timing for some people, so were the weekend betas. But if they do this once I'll guarantee you they will do it again, they might even do it once a month.

[SirRobin]

Oh I think the endless could work. Just have it cutoff at the end of Balmorra, for Empire, and Taris for the Republic. The recommended for both ends at level 20 if I recall correctly. So make a level cap of 20 and don't let them dock or land at any of the later planets maybe? Or have the cutoff at fifteen and have the ship they get at the end of the class quests on the capitols be "impounded" or needing "repairs" as long as their account is still in a "trial" status.

[Koalachan]

Dromund Kaas/Coruscant would make the most sense, after the starting planets. Basically, it is the end of the prologue and the start of chapter 1. But the limit of 15, if you do all the quests there you'll be 16, maybe 17 or pushing 18. That's the problem I see with it. Any level cap they put on it would have to be reasonable, and if they put it too low it's basically like them inadvertently saying "when you finish you should be this level." Even if that weren't the case, end of the prologue and level 18 would make sense, but than people unaware of it (i.e. the people taking the trial) would say 18 was such an odd number, they probably don't know what they're doing.

[Arlee]

I believe the friend trial has a limit of level 10.

Friends trial lvl cap is 15. It's basically limiting you to not getting your ship so you can only go to the fleet, starting planets, corasaunt, and flashpoints.

[Collected]

Thanks for the heads up. Finally a chance to try this game.

[Koalachan]

Friends trial lvl cap is 15. It's basically limiting you to not getting your ship so you can only go to the fleet, starting planets, corasaunt, and flashpoints.

Ah, it should update their advertisement than. It says

During this trial period, invited players can explore each of the four Origin Worlds

[OhpUldum]

Today we are excited to announce the Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ Weekend Pass Free* Trial. Now for a limited time, you will be able to live out your very own Star Wars™ saga with thousands of other players for free! With the Star Wars: The Old Republic Weekend Pass Free Trial, individuals who don’t already have a previously-active Star Wars: The Old Republic account will be allowed to see a portion of what the game has to offer, free of charge, with no payment method required, for up to four days!

Individuals who take part in the Weekend Pass will be able to experience the opening adventures of each of the eight character classes in the game, exploring both their Origin World and their faction’s Capital World. Additionally, Weekend Pass players will have the chance to face off against other players in PvP Warzones, or join up with friends and play through a couple of early faction-specific Flashpoints in the game, The Esseles and The Black Talon.

The Weekend Pass Free Trial opens Thursday, March 15th, 12:01AM CT / 5:01AM GMT and ends on Monday, March 19th at 2:00AM CT / 7:00AM GMT. To learn more, visit www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com/weekendpass and come back on March 15th to create your account, download the game, and begin your free trial! Have questions? Visit the Weekend Pass FAQ.

Be sure to check back to www.StarWarsTheOldRepublic.com, as well as our Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates!

*TRIAL VALID ONLY FROM MARCH 15, 2012 12:01AM CDT/ 5:01AM GMT / 4:01PM EDT (AUSTRALIA) THROUGH MARCH 19, 2012 AT 2:00AM CDT/ 7:00AM GMT / 6:00 PM EDT (AUSTRALIA). ONLY VALID FOR NEW STAR WARS™: THE OLD REPUBLIC™ (“PRODUCT”) ACCOUNTS NOT ENROLLED IN A PROMOTIONAL TRIAL FOR PRODUCT. UNUSED TRIAL TIME IS FORFEITED UPON REDEMPTION OF PRODUCT REGISTRATION CODE, PURCHASE OF PRODUCT SUBSCRIPTION, OR REDEMPTION OF A GAME TIME CARD CODE. VALID ONLY IN TERRITORIES WHERE STAR WARS™: THE OLD REPUBLIC™ IS DISTRIBUTED. OFFER MAY NOT BE SUBSTITUTED, EXCHANGED, SOLD OR REDEEMED FOR CASH OR OTHER GOODS OR SERVICES. CANNOT BE COMBINED WITH ANY OTHER OFFER, GIFT CARD, REBATE OR OTHER DISCOUNT. LIMIT ONE OFFER PER ACCOUNT HOLDER.

ACCEPTANCE OF END USER ACCESS AND LICENSE AGREEMENT (“EUALA”), PERSISTENT INTERNET CONNECTION, AND ACCOUNT REGISTRATION REQUIRED TO PLAY. MUST BE 13+ TO REGISTER. AGREEMENT TO SHARE ACCOUNT INFORMATION WITH LUCASFILM ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY LTD. IS REQUIRED TO ACCESS GAMEPLAY. SEE EUALA FOR DETAILS. PRIVACY POLICY AND TERMS OF SERVICE AVAILABLE AT WWW.SWTOR.COM. ALLTERMS AND CONDITIONS TO PLAY THE GAME APPLY AT ALL TIMES.

Source

Looks like the trials you could give your friends were so popular that they're going to give everyone a free weekend to try out the game. I personally would have done this trial after 1.2 so people can experience the game proper but hey free weekend is a free weekend. Let the discussion begin.

[Greevir]

This thread is for discussing the SWTOR free trial weekend. It is not for WoW bashing.

[Synche]

I think it is a great way to get people into the game. I quite like SWTOR and hope that it is successful in the future, while the retention rate might not be very high (since people are cheap) they will still get some new players from it. Now if only I could get them to roll on my server