SWTOR: Random Complaint thread. F2P means P2Win

[vrumpt]

I'm super pumped now. People always use games going F2P as a bad thing; I don't see F2P as a bad thing at all unless they go they to the dark side of pay to win. I honestly wish all games were set up at most like the way GW2 is doing; buy the box once and you're done. Ideally it'd be nice if all games were F2P from the start so we don't have to deal with the false assumption that going F2P is bad.

I'd be playing the shit out of Rift, WoW, and EVE if they were F2P. Would also lock me into SWTOR for life. Some things just aren't worth $15 a month tho.

[Ambrosia]

SWTOR will never go free to play in at least the next 3 years. Rift still has a sub, so SWTOR will theoretically never go f2p.

I am still trying to figure this out. How does RIFT, which has nothing to do with SWTOR, have in some shape or form a connection as to whether SWTOR stays P2P or not. And using the word Never well see, about using that word...


And while I am sure SWTOR won't be going the P2W route initially, the problem is most of the time these cash shops do "evolve" into P2W... especially those games that initially were P2P. P.R. departments will always promise that their cash shop will not become that way, but that usually isn't the case, hence the fake P.R. It usually ends up being a viscous cycle where they might get more folks initially when a game goes F2P, but it eventually starts to decrease in population with no end in sight (and the cash shop evolves from vanity to P2W). It is a very common cycle in the MMORPG genre. Is it "possible" that E.A. won't go to the dark side like you said and not go that route... this is the same E.A. we are talking about right?

[tol]

the amount of retarded spin you put on articles is hillarious

[ringthree]

You say that like it only happens to SWTOR. Every MMO has trouble retaining subs immediately after launch; SWTOR is actually doing pretty damn good compared to other games that release like Rift or Aion. Tera just came out and they'll have the same deal where 6 months after launch they'll be lucky to have 50% of their customers still subbed. Nothing new here, it was expected and i'm surprised they have 1.3 mil still.

Overall, SWTOR is doing pretty damn good.

In what world is losing 25% of your sub over three month is "doing pretty damn good"? Just because other games didn't hold subs doesn't mean that SWTOR is doing well.

[Lucavi]

Pretty sure Rift is still "holding up". They're nowhere near niche status.

[ringthree]

Just want to point out the welcome back campaign was in mid/late April and these numbers come from a quarter that ended March 31st, so there was no "softening" of these numbers.

Actually, I believe if you read the report, the numbers are from April.

They can pull the number from whenever they want.

[ringthree]

This just in... SWTOR is no longer a top 5 game for Arts of Electronica:


http://www.shacknews.com/article/736...t-a-top-5-game


They did say however that it is in the top ten and that SWTOR is more important than Tiger Woods.

Also:

"Frank Gibeau, another top executive at EA, said that no one is directly competing with EA’s Star Wars title in the massively multi-player online space, and no one else has the Star Wars brand behind it."

I agree SWTOR has Zero™ competition because it has the name Star Wars behind it in the MMORPG playing field.

That is like saying that no one is competing with Nintendo's Pokemon title because no one else has the Pokemon brand behind it.

Umm... congrats?

[ringthree]

As a side note, are any F2P games legitimately F2P? Like ones that don't massively limit your ability to even play the game without purchasing upgrades?

DDO, LOTRO, DCUO are all of the big games that went free to play and all hamstring you if you don't purchase things to make the game even playable.

This would be different from something like GW2 where you pay upfront but it doesn't have a sub cost.

[vrumpt]

So much hate and willful ignorance.

[ringthree]

So much hate and willful ignorance.

Dude, if you are looking for someone to give you a handjob for loving SWTOR, head over to MMO-champ or something. We have just been looking at facts, and the facts are grim. Most people suspected a problem a long time ago. If you like the game, play it. As someone else and I have already mentioned, most of us have played FFXI, so we know what it is to love a lower quality game.

[vrumpt]

Dude, if you are looking for someone to give you a handjob for loving SWTOR, head over to MMO-champ or something. We have just been looking at facts, and the facts are grim. Most people suspected a problem a long time ago. If you like the game, play it. As someone else and I have already mentioned, most of us have played FFXI, so we know what it is to love a lower quality game.

I was more referring to how lower subs and empty servers happens to every new mmo these days, but you like to ignore that and think the situation is unique to swtor. I'll sit here and continue to fight against unfair and weighted slams against swtor.

[Hioki]

As a side note, are any F2P games legitimately F2P? Like ones that don't massively limit your ability to even play the game without purchasing upgrades?

DDO, LOTRO, DCUO are all of the big games that went free to play and all hamstring you if you don't purchase things to make the game even playable.

This would be different from something like GW2 where you pay upfront but it doesn't have a sub cost.

Aion went completely free with a store for vanity items I think.

[BadKarma]

If SWTOR goes f2p I will gladly play again.

[ringthree]

If SWTOR goes f2p I will gladly play again.

I wouldn't. Too many fundamental problems with the game. My biggest problem is two things that most people don't even consider because there are more pressing concerns, but the complete lack of character models and the generic combat animations are basic drawing board issues. This game is just flawed so deeply, it needs a FFXIV-style relaunch.

[vrumpt]

I wouldn't. Too many fundamental problems with the game. My biggest problem is two things that most people don't even consider because there are more pressing concerns, but the complete lack of character models and the generic combat animations are basic drawing board issues. This game is just flawed so deeply, it needs a FFXIV-style relaunch.

Did we even play the same swtor? The combat animations are one of swtors strengths. They take the extra step of actually making different animations rather than the same weapon swing with just a different particle effects. They weren't lacking at all, so I don't know what your problem with them were.

Yeah character models were about the same, but that's the way the star wars universe is. There are no giant galka or tarutaru that have a huge influence there. From a game development standpoint its a blessing to have that situation where they are all humanoid. It doesn't hinder the representation of the star wars universe at all which is what this game is.

[ringthree]

Did we even play the same swtor? The combat animations are one of swtors strengths. They take the extra step of actually making different animations rather than the same weapon swing with just a different particle effects. They weren't lacking at all, so I don't know what your problem with them were.

Yeah character models were about the same, but that's the way the star wars universe is. There are no giant galka or tarutaru that have a huge influence there. From a game development standpoint its a blessing to have that situation where they are all humanoid. It doesn't hinder the representation of the star wars universe at all which is what this game is.

First of all, I have heard you and others defend the character models with "in-universe" explanations and that has to be the most good damn stupid thing I have ever heard. You are actually making the claim that the STAR WARS FUCKING UNIVERSE has a lack of alien races. Stop and think about that for a fucking second. This is not about the universe, it's about developer laziness. Nothing else. It completely makes the game characters feel generic. All of the races are exactly the same. Did you even watch the fucking movies? Have you even played another MMO?

It's not that they are all humanoid. All of the races in almost all games are humanoid. The problem is they are all the same exact models, with the same exact animations. Huge fucking difference.

As for the animations, the animations are nice, but they are generic across all races for the class. You get the same exact thing over and over. It's just another reflection of using the same character model over and over.

This is a fundamental flaw that would require hours and hours of work to fix. It's just sad how many corners they cut to get this game out by Christmas 2011.

[Guyverarmor]

Did we even play the same swtor? The combat animations are one of swtors strengths. They take the extra step of actually making different animations rather than the same weapon swing with just a different particle effects. They weren't lacking at all, so I don't know what your problem with them were.

Yeah character models were about the same, but that's the way the star wars universe is. There are no giant galka or tarutaru that have a huge influence there. From a game development standpoint its a blessing to have that situation where they are all humanoid. It doesn't hinder the representation of the star wars universe at all which is what this game is.

I agree, I think they did a good job with this.

[Cleverness]

I was more referring to how lower subs and empty servers happens to every new mmo these days, but you like to ignore that and think the situation is unique to swtor. I'll sit here and continue to fight against unfair and weighted slams against swtor.

When do people ignore that? Same shit happened to DC Universe, Star Trek Online etc. SWTOR is not even 6 months old yet and it's happening. Considering how long this was being developed it's kind of a concern that needs to be addressed.

[Isiolia]

As for the animations, the animations are nice, but they are generic across all races for the class. You get the same exact thing over and over. It's just another reflection of using the same character model over and over.

Hey now, competent-yet-boring content used over and over to the point of tedium is TOR's modus operandi.

[Zerocool]

As a side note, are any F2P games legitimately F2P? Like ones that don't massively limit your ability to even play the game without purchasing upgrades?

DDO, LOTRO, DCUO are all of the big games that went free to play and all hamstring you if you don't purchase things to make the game even playable.

This would be different from something like GW2 where you pay upfront but it doesn't have a sub cost.

I think Aion is, but I haven't looked into it enough to know for sure.