SW:TOR going F2P - Current subscriber thoughts

[OneSent]

My thoughts? Betrayed comes to mind. As others have said my confidence in the game is completely gone. So many names and faces I was starting to know are now gone from the studio. New people are coming in spouting all kinds of the usual PR nonsense. The game doesn't seem to know what direction to go in. I now am afraid my sub money has been going towards he development of new F2P cosmetic crap instead of the actual content I expected it to.

Not NEAR enough info was released about the store and honestly it doesn't matter anyway. I will not continue to blindly fund this project over the next few months waiting to see what pans out. I've witnessed enough garbage in other F2P games to already know the drill at this point. Contrary to what most damage control experts here are saying, the F2P model is NOT becoming the industry standard. People will still shell out a small 15 a month for a quality product. Wich SWTOR could have so easily been had they only focused on the actual issues in the game instead of looking at the sub model as the problem. That right there shows you their hubris in thinking the game was already perfect, but simply that people didn't wanna pay 15 a month for a game anymore. So wrong.

Couldn't have said it better myself. The part I bolded was also something that I hadn't thought of. It's really sad how misguided they are if they believe the subscription fee was the #1 reason people left the game. And they decided to keep it anyways in addition to the F2P option. Makes no sense at all.

[WarFalcon1]

It's a big kick in the face is what it is.

Less then a year after I bought the game it is going from a $60 game with a sub to a $15 game with no sub. That's just pathetic. I hate to be a doomsayer but that pretty much speaks for itself.

Now I payed a whole bunch of money on a game that I'm pretty sure they are giving up on.

Like with other Free to play games effort will be shifted from game improvement and innovation to devs thinking of what the next fuzzy pink hat they can put in the cash shop and how ridiculous of a price they will charge for it.

Seems MMOs as a whole have died for me. First WoW started to go downhill and SWTOR has made it pretty clear they are throwing in the towel.

As I have said before I can't believe so many blind people are embracing this change. SWTOR has lost any money they will get from me (the subs for the nect couple of months and I am never stupid enough to buy anything from a cash shop) and I will not even play the game anymore. They gave up and screwed me so I no longer will give them even my time.

Most games radically drop in price after the first 6 months. I have no issues with the $60 to $15 price drop. That happens all the time. The inclusion of the F2P model really wont affect me, at least right now. I will pay my sub as usual and still get all the benefits from it that I do now, even more because of the Cartel Coins given as part of the sub. It is true it could lead to sub par and less content. It might also be true that content will come out faster and be of better quality to entice F2P to buy these additions alcarte or move to the sub model. Time will tell.

[Argroth]

Most games radically drop in price after the first 6 months. I have no issues with the $60 to $15 price drop. That happens all the time. The inclusion of the F2P model really wont affect me, at least right now. I will pay my sub as usual and still get all the benefits from it that I do now, even more because of the Cartel Coins given as part of the sub. It is true it could lead to sub par and less content. It might also be true that content will come out faster and be of better quality to entice F2P to buy these additions alcarte or move to the sub model. Time will tell.

I honestly don't know where people are getting this hope. Right now as a sub you get EVERYTHING. the fact that they have to add the cartel coins to the sub ensures there will be things restricted from subbers and it's quite wishful thinking that you will get enough cartel coins to get everything the game has to offer.

[Forsedar]

I honestly don't know where people are getting this hope. Right now as a sub you get EVERYTHING. the fact that they have to add the cartel coins to the sub ensures there will be things restricted from subbers and it's quite wishful thinking that you will get enough cartel coins to get everything the game has to offer.

What exactly is restricted from subscribers? We get full access to everything and free cartel coins.

[WarFalcon1]

I honestly don't know where people are getting this hope. Right now as a sub you get EVERYTHING. the fact that they have to add the cartel coins to the sub ensures there will be things restricted from subbers and it's quite wishful thinking that you will get enough cartel coins to get everything the game has to offer.

I played WoW and did not mind people riding around on Celestial Steeds. If they wanted to pay real money for vanity times thats their business. This way my sub unlocks all the content and allows me to buy some of the silly vanity items like this.

[tru]

Itll be great that its f2p...why? because you will have something to do whenever gw2 servers are down! lol

[Profyrion]

I honestly don't know where people are getting this hope. Right now as a sub you get EVERYTHING. the fact that they have to add the cartel coins to the sub ensures there will be things restricted from subbers and it's quite wishful thinking that you will get enough cartel coins to get everything the game has to offer.

OK, let's be objective for a second. We don't get EVERYTHING with our subscriptions. Bioware isn't handing us gear and trinkets every time our subs renew. Everything is available in the game but we still have to work for it. There's a significant distinction. That goes the same for vanity pets and mounts as it goes for Black Hole and War Hero gear. Time can be a form of currency in an MMO, and we have to spend time to "acquire" those virtual items. The opportunity exists.

None of that changes when this F2P thing goes live. Everything that was available is still available, so long as we're still subscribed. Seamless, right?

And that holds true for future content updates -- all the new ops, flashpoints, warzones and quests are free for us... at least as far as we currently understand it. That's a bonus no matter how you look at it.

The significant changes are thus:
1. A lot of new players can play a sizable portion of what we've been playing (and still have!) for free. Most of those people wouldn't have bothered otherwise, so this is probably a net gain for the community, even if it attracts some undesirables along the way.

2. There's a new "cash store" with a bunch of vanity and convenience items available -- this is totally new, totally optional content above and beyond what we're already getting. And Bioware is throwing subscribers some bones (an allowance, basically) to spend in the new store and check out the goods.

These are your unknowns, your variables. Will all those new players ("freebies") contribute to the overall success of the game? We don't know. Will there be anything good in the cash store? Probably. Will our "allowance" give subscribers a reasonable opportunity to get some of it? It's too early to tell, and there's no sense getting yourself worked up over it.

Bioware could do this very right, or they could really screw the pooch. Subscribers should be watching very closely right now, but we don't know enough to have people running off to cancel their subs over it. Chill.

[Xcitement]

I am now officially unsubbed to SWTOR and will have serious discouragement against buying any Bioware or EA game ever again for this terrible move they are making.

Bioware/EA screwed anyone who has subbed before over.

I agree with you. People like to bring up DCUO at least they used lube. They allowed those who bought the game and been subscribed to keep the stuff they had instead of locking them off. How many people had multiple level 50's and wouldn't be able to touch them? How many of them said they can't handle leveling another character? You think they'll come back to play get addicted and then resub?
What about the subscribers? CE people get tossed a chewed up bone and everyone else got the door. It truly aches my heart.

[Dazzy]

Keep the thread on topic please, no SW:TOR bashing or pointless "The games failed and it sucks" related BS. Thanks

You may take it as bashing but the truth is, with other giant name games, we all know which ones, coming out in the same month, this f2p trial is a day late and a dollar short.

It may get people to try it, but with the other great new choices at the same time, sw just doesn't have what it takes to compete (yet, possibly). They've still got a lot of work to do.

[Hostagecat]

You may take it as bashing but the truth is, with other giant name games, we all know which ones, coming out in the same month, this f2p trial is a day late and a dollar short.

It may get people to try it, but with the other great new choices at the same time, sw just doesn't have what it takes to compete (yet, possibly). They've still got a lot of work to do.

\
Being too late would be them shutting the servers down. Sounds like they are making this move to garner more money. Free to Play has made alot of other games profitable and those games were in way worst shape than TOR. Free to Play as many people have mentioned can be more expensive than a subscription, since you get nickled and dimed for everything.
Again this is a grab for money simple and plain, im keep my sub and having fun. Just like im keeping my sub to WOW, its a good game and im having fun, and i could care less what other folks are doing.

[RoninaThorstone]

Since the end game really requires a subscription this changes nothing for me.

However, it will get more people exploring the game.

People think, "well, its free. No harm in trying. (several hours later) Oh wow, this game is good/bad. I guess its worth/not worth my money."

People who would have not tried the game due to the initial cost and continuous investment will get to see if they enjoy it.

I think this is how all MMOs should be structured to some extent. I think the B2P model is probably the best of them, but F2P is a close second.

[noahjam326]

I agree with you. People like to bring up DCUO at least they used lube. They allowed those who bought the game and been subscribed to keep the stuff they had instead of locking them off.

Wrong. DCUO's free system is actually more punishing then the currently announced SWTOR system. For instance; it appears you'll be able to upgrade your inventory and credit caps with SWTOR, but I don't believe DCUO allows that unless you have a subscriber account. When DCUO went F2P and I was given a character limit I had to pick and choose which characters I wanted to keep and which I wanted to put in stasis. I could either buy more character slots or pay a subscription. I also don't believe you get station cash allowance with a DCUO subscription.

[spaace]

Don't want to sound bashing... but...

now all their focus is going to be f2p... what about the current problems we have? they going to get fixed?
EA are a bunch of dirty money pigs... it's going to change to p2w eventually..

[Xcitement]

Wrong. DCUO's free system is actually more punishing then the currently announced SWTOR system. For instance; it appears you'll be able to upgrade your inventory and credit caps with SWTOR, but I don't believe DCUO allows that unless you have a subscriber account. When DCUO went F2P and I was given a character limit I had to pick and choose which characters I wanted to keep and which I wanted to put in stasis. I could either buy more character slots or pay a subscription. I also don't believe you get station cash allowance with a DCUO subscription.

Ok I misunderstood what I read on the forums then. To my understanding you kept all the characters slots you had when the game went F2P. So not even DCU used lube. Point still stands. They screwed their customers.

[RoninaThorstone]

Ok I misunderstood what I read on the forums then. To my understanding you kept all the characters slots you had when the game went F2P. So not even DCU used lube. Point still stands. They screwed their customers.

They aren't really "customers" if they didn't stay subscribed.

Hell, if you unsubbed you wouldn't even be able to log in if it was subscription based.

At least with f2p you can continue in a somewhat limited sense.

[Redblade]

I'd rather play 4 MMOs a year for 1-2 months to sample something new and different, then move on when it becomes a repetitive grind. I think F2P address this market segment and player population.

Sadly that type of player has by now killed a fair few good P2P MMOs for the people that actually want a subscription based game and that don't call anything that takes more than an hour to do a grind, developers chase the big fickle mass of casual players at the expense of the more dedicated once.

---------- Post added 2012-08-03 at 12:40 PM ----------

Bioware could do this very right, or they could really screw the pooch. Subscribers should be watching very closely right now, but we don't know enough to have people running off to cancel their subs over it. Chill.

Actually I'd say now is the time to cancel if any, even if it's just out of fear of being shafted, if people don't then they think the player base is ok with the change and they can roll out the shop and shaft the subscribers just enough to not have them quit over it, finding out that you disagree with how things rolled out and then cancel will do absolutely nothing for you.

---------- Post added 2012-08-03 at 12:46 PM ----------

They aren't really "customers" if they didn't stay subscribed.

Hell, if you unsubbed you wouldn't even be able to log in if it was subscription based.

At least with f2p you can continue in a somewhat limited sense.

Not really though, lets say I want to use this proclaimed consumer choice and only buy in to PvP, now I have to choose a select few of my 8 level 50s hence the choice really isn't a choice no matter how good it looked on the advert.

[RoninaThorstone]

Not really though, lets say I want to use this proclaimed consumer choice and only buy in to PvP, now I have to choose a select few of my 8 level 50s hence the choice really isn't a choice no matter how good it looked on the advert.

That's assuming you can't buy character slots with cartel coins.

[Kelimbror]

I agree with you. People like to bring up DCUO at least they used lube. They allowed those who bought the game and been subscribed to keep the stuff they had instead of locking them off. How many people had multiple level 50's and wouldn't be able to touch them? How many of them said they can't handle leveling another character? You think they'll come back to play get addicted and then resub?
What about the subscribers? CE people get tossed a chewed up bone and everyone else got the door. It truly aches my heart.

Man, you're riding the emotional, angsty, drama wave. I don't understand how people are getting mad that you have to KEEP SUBBING in order to receive access to everything you already had to sub for in the first place. What kind of effed up society are we? It aches your heart that everyone who has played and keeps playing gets to experience the same damn game, but with extras? Are you kidding me?

Actually I'd say now is the time to cancel if any, even if it's just out of fear of being shafted, if people don't then they think the player base is ok with the change and they can roll out the shop and shaft the subscribers just enough to not have them quit over it, finding out that you disagree with how things rolled out and then cancel will do absolutely nothing for you.

Ok let's walk through this. As of right now, the game has not changed at all...if you enjoy playing the game, your advice is to cancel right now because everyone should be in panic mode? For fear of something changing we should just all unsubscribe? I'm constantly afraid that any game I play is going to suck...maybe I should just never play video games if I'm using your logic.

Continuing to sub and not paying attention to crazy emotive bs that is all over the internet gets you a lot. It gets you the same enjoyable experience you were already having. One day we will all get nuked off the face of the Earth. It doesn't mean I'm going to go ahead into my panic room and wait for the sweet release of death. I'm going to spend time living.

[quras]

Man, you're riding the emotional, angsty, drama wave. I don't understand how people are getting mad that you have to KEEP SUBBING in order to receive access to everything you already had to sub for in the first place. What kind of effed up society are we? It aches your heart that everyone who has played and keeps playing gets to experience the same damn game, but with extras? Are you kidding me?

You are not the only one that reads posts like his and goes, "WTF is wrong with people these days."

If you were already committed to paying $15 a month for the games entire content. Nothing changes for you. Your going to get everything you have been getting, plus a little added bonus of cartel coins for your monthly cash.

If you were not a paying customer, then you were not playing the game (beyond level 15), so nothing has changed for you except in a couple months, you can play from 1-50 and not pay a dime unless there are areas of the game you want expanded to suit your play style or increase player convenience.

Granted there are some variables that we have no information about such as all the limitations that F2P players might have to deal with but you're not paying anything and getting something. So, I can't see the problem.

If you were a paying customer and stop paying, did you really expect to keep everything you had and not pay nothing? I hope not. I don't know any club memberships that let you keep coming when you not longer pay them.


BUT....

My biggest concern ATM as a monthly subscriber is the statement of quicker content (no matter what form it is: FP, WZ, OPS or questing areas). We have had some decent content patches in 7 months VS other games but can they realistically pull it off or is it just another PR spin?

[RoninaThorstone]

You are not the only one that reads posts like his and goes, "WTF is wrong with people these days."

Whoa whoa whoa.

Nothing is "wrong" with Xcitement.

He feels strongly about swtor and and believes that this change will destroy it.

While we may disagree with him I think we should be understanding of his feelings on this matter.

Because we all feel strongly about swtor.