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How much has changed..
Lord.Bachus
Member RarePosts: 9,686
So we are almost at the next expansion...
what has been improved and added to the game since release?
and what are the downsides of the ftp system, for people just leveling alts?
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
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Unless you spend heaps of money in the "Cartel Shop" you can forget about any kind of decent experience...
90% of the game is 'Subscriber only' and they let you know this almost every minute of the game with little 'Subscribe Now! to access this feature" buttons and messages.
Nice try, but everything that's in the "Cartel Shop" can also be bought off the GTN (auction house).
A few expensive items will be problematic, because people will sell them for more credits than a F2P account can pay for, but it's still doable if they go the extra mile and get the escrows to go above their limit.
"90%" of the game. Sure, if you mean level 50-55 content and completely dismiss everything that comes before that. Tons of flashpoints, planets and every class' unique storyline.
And subscribing for one month will permanently unlock the level 50-55 content.
- There's a credit cap (340k for F2P accounts, 400k for preferred? Or something close to that) - which won't impede you if you're just leveling alts to play through the storylines.
- Subs get 25% more xp than F2P/Pref accounts. The latter also don't earn rested xp. Basically this means you have to take care to not skip too many missions while leveling, or make up for it by running flashpoints or doing PvP.
To see the full list:
http://www.swtor.com/free/features
Short answer, it's very doable as F2P if you just want to level alts, just as Gorwe said above.
If you want to participate in the endgame stuff you're better off subscribing though.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/
The core game has not changed and, of course, will not change. I patched up and jumped in again after a long absence (since the release of GSF) because I want to get into it again before the next expac. I have to say I'm having a good time, but it is important to remember to appreciate the game for what it is - a story driven theme park MMO. Though housing has added a decent layer of ownership that I feel the game previously lacked, and while I havent dabbled in guild conquests at all yet, it sounds fun.
Also all of the talk of it being P2W or locked behind a cash shop is absurd. The cash shop is a bit pricey, but pretty much the whole game is available for free.
Please visit my youtube channel for some H1Z1/DayZ casual roleplay videos!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrQoK5VZlwBBzpsksmXtjMQ
in a 60 days subscriptionyou can get lots of unlocks with credits , afterwards "preferred ststus" helps too
Playing entirely F2P is probably not such a great experience
How is for example flashpoint acces limited for preferred status?
I remember something like only 3 free acceses a week with a character?
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
http://www.swtor.com/free/features
mouse over the round bubbles to see details
Thanks... Explains a lot... Sadly mousing over does not work on my ipad, have to wayt till i am home behind my laptop
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
hmm, I can click the bubbles on my android phone just fine.
it says full reward from 3 flashpoints or unlock more with weekly pass, for both preferred and F2P.
I think that means for the first three FPs you are free to roll on any loot that drops, after that you can still play FPs, but you can't roll Need on the last boss' loot.
I remember a F2Per that had this happen, so I assume it was because they went over their "limit" of 3 FPs.
My SWTOR referral link for those wanting to give the game a try. (Newbies get a welcome package while returning players get a few account upgrades to help with their preferred status.)
https://www.ashesofcreation.com/ref/Callaron/
I don't disagree that it - whatever it is - is doable as f2p. It basically being the story to level 50.
Not everything e.g. /who can be bought via GTN
Other stuff - in theory yes, in reality no. I can only speak for the EU PvE English server but basically there is little for sale that any f2p player can buy. Not that you need anything.
As far as money goes though - 200k for f2p, 350k for preferred - but don't need it if all you want to do is the basic story. And some Heroics you will probably have to do when they are trivial to you (due to restrictions).
Xp limit doesn't matter.
The big thing that is missing are people. It was quiet pre-Destiny now .... chat is dead, very few looking for groups. Even fleet is quiet.
Yeah pretty sure that is the case. But if it is "purple" gear they wouldn't be able to wear it anyway - unless they have been able to buy the authorisation unlock from the GTN ... which they probably haven't. Wouldn't matter for ex-subscribers either who used to have the authorisation - as that would only apply to old stuff.
purple drops from flashpoints are moot since they haven't been good gear in a long while. Ops have obviously always been the best, but crafted gear from the GTN and commendation rewards from vendors have been outshining actual dungeon loot for over a year. And wearing such gear is pretty irrelevant when the game haws been pushing nothing but story-based tacticals with no gear in them beyond basic greens, they just have cosmetic rewards.
If you're not offended by the exp rate or each quest saying "you could have gotten these instead if you were a paying subscriber" in the quest rewards, the game gives a lot away to F2Pers. If you really think you'll play 2 or more classes for their stories then you might like the speed-up that a one month sub would get you & push you up to preferred longterm. The endgame isn't worth paying for to most players unless you really settle in deep.
Finally... I keep telling the same since months, made several posts about it, etc... gervaise1, +1
(Red Eclipse here as well, nice server indeed. But I also used to check GTN on two others, with the same result)
Every time there's a discussion about TOR's f2p this used to be a major point of argument: "and you can buy stuff from the GTN" - while it simply isn't true. It was, after the f2p switch, for several months, but not anymore. At least on the servers I used to check it.
Just hopped in to RE (Eu PvE english, as gervaise1 mentioned too), and it has the following "awesome" unlocks for the capped folks (Azaron, it's 200k for f2p and 300 for preferred):
Under 200k, there's only the Show title and legacy name unlock, and the Speeder License I. I'm sure it really helps the f2p folks in their gameplay
Under 300k, there's also the Cyborg unlock, and 2 pieces of Cargo unlocks. Which is worthless, since Preferred already have the cargo access. It'd be good for f2p players, but they can't buy it - it's beyond their cap.
And that's it, everything else is above 300k.
edit: I almost left out the "great" escrow unlocks for f2p, 50k escrow for 100k, and 150k for 200k
At least for the preferred there are some decent ones, 600k escrow for 290k for example.