In a new developer blog on the Star Wars: The Old Republic site, Executive Producer Jeff Hickman gives a bit of information about how the team arrived at the decision to give players a F2P option as well as information about how the program will work.

Starting today, you’ll be earning rewards as part of our new rewards program, making your current subscription more valuable than ever. Current and lapsed subscribers will earn 150 Cartel Coins for every paid month prior to today (July 31, 2012) and then 200 Cartel points from August 1st until the Free-to-Play option launches. For those who purchased the Collector’s Edition, we have an additional bonus reward of 1000 Cartel Coins for you. With Cartel Coins you can purchase convenience items, boosts, visually unique gear, collectibles, and more. The new Cartel Market gives you the option to add to your game play experience with items that fit your play style and allow you to customize your character.

Read the full post on the Star Wars: The Old Republic site.

Hmmm, so as a CE owner, I get 1000 of these coins. I subbed for 2 months so I get another 300 coins. Suppose that will buy anything worthwhile?

DOnt supposed I can get my preorder fee back, since youre now giving away the game only 6 months later?

I'm not sure why the CE is worth 1000 and the others are worth 0. 

Originally posted by mCalvert

DOnt supposed I can get my preorder fee back, since youre now giving away the game only 6 months later?

I am fairly certain you still have to pay the box price for the game.  It is just the monthly subscription option is now gone - similar to GW2.

Originally posted by st3v3b0

Originally posted by mCalvert

DOnt supposed I can get my preorder fee back, since youre now giving away the game only 6 months later?

 

I am fairly certain you still have to pay the box price for the game.  It is just the monthly subscription option is now gone - similar to GW2.

Pretty sure you're not going to need to buy the box.  Especially considering right now you can play 1-20 without a box purchase.  Also the whole point is to remove barriers of entry and purchasing a box is still a collossal one.

Originally posted by Nephaerius

Originally posted by st3v3b0

Originally posted by mCalvert

DOnt supposed I can get my preorder fee back, since youre now giving away the game only 6 months later?

 

I am fairly certain you still have to pay the box price for the game.  It is just the monthly subscription option is now gone - similar to GW2.

Pretty sure you're not going to need to buy the box.  Especially considering right now you can play 1-20 without a box purchase.  Also the whole point is to remove barriers of entry and purchasing a box is still a collossal one.

From what I understand, you still have to buy the box but it's $14.95 and that comes with 1 month sub.

Maybe they will let you buy the legacy stuff with the coins. Legacy always seemed to me like a system setup for a free to play game.

Originally posted by Tayah

Originally posted by Nephaerius

Originally posted by st3v3b0

Originally posted by mCalvert

DOnt supposed I can get my preorder fee back, since youre now giving away the game only 6 months later?

 

I am fairly certain you still have to pay the box price for the game.  It is just the monthly subscription option is now gone - similar to GW2.

Pretty sure you're not going to need to buy the box.  Especially considering right now you can play 1-20 without a box purchase.  Also the whole point is to remove barriers of entry and purchasing a box is still a collossal one.

From what I understand, you still have to buy the box but it's $14.95 and that comes with 1 month sub.

 

Someone should tell them they're doing it wrong then.  Guaranteed that box purchase will go to the wayside.

Originally posted by Nephaerius

Originally posted by Tayah

Originally posted by Nephaerius

Originally posted by st3v3b0

Originally posted by mCalvert

DOnt supposed I can get my preorder fee back, since youre now giving away the game only 6 months later?

 

I am fairly certain you still have to pay the box price for the game.  It is just the monthly subscription option is now gone - similar to GW2.

Pretty sure you're not going to need to buy the box.  Especially considering right now you can play 1-20 without a box purchase.  Also the whole point is to remove barriers of entry and purchasing a box is still a collossal one.

From what I understand, you still have to buy the box but it's $14.95 and that comes with 1 month sub.

 

Someone should tell them they're doing it wrong then.  Guaranteed that box purchase will go to the wayside.

Yah, the details are a bit fuzzy atm. They say you can buy the box for $14.95 and then pay the $14.95 a month if you want sub advantages, not sure how it works. Maybe it's free to play to 50 but if you want to play further you have to buy the box and then pay the sub fee....

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Originally posted by mCalvert
DOnt supposed I can get my preorder fee back, since youre now giving away the game only 6 months later?

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I always wonder how companies do this and pretend like the people that paid prior, then paid 15 a month for 6 months never existed. They get no compensation for supporting a game that others now get to play for free.

No mention about perks for those that bought the game at release and have a physical or digital copy with a CD key.

Was there a lifetime sub for this game? That was money well spent. :P

I think its $15 for the box now and when it goes ftp, its free. Of course you are going to be so restricted that I am not sure how much fun it will be without subbing.

Originally posted by Ryowulf

Was there a lifetime sub for this game? That was money well spent. :P

I think its $15 for the box now and when it goes ftp, its free. Of course you are going to be so restricted that I am not sure how much fun it will be without subbing.

No lifetime subs.

For many, the only fun in the game was the 1-50 story content, so I don't think it will be that important to sub unless you like raids.

Just to clarify, F2P is just an option. Subscription stays as usual. F2P option will have a crippled chat system and zero access to GTN and mail, just like the current unlimited trial.

Originally posted by Dirktooth

Just to clarify, F2P is just an option. Subscription stays as usual. F2P option will have a crippled chat system and zero access to GTN and mail, just like the current unlimited trial.

Nope, every freemium game change.  First change is adding or vastly expanding cash shop.

Later on game is slowly and gradully changing in order to fuel cash shop sales. 

It is just natural, cause company have now to make significant portion of it's revenue from microtransactions.

It happened in Lotro. It happened in AoC, EQ2 and many other titles. It will also happen in Swtor.

Beign a subscriber in freemium game is not same thing as beign a subscriber in p2p game.

Been there done that. Longer game is existing as freemium, more susbcription value is dilluted as well.

You would be right if there would be  no cash shop, no virtual currency and no various microtransactions.  But that's not what is gonna happen obviously.

Originally posted by Xobdnas

 

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Originally posted by mCalvert
DOnt supposed I can get my preorder fee back, since youre now giving away the game only 6 months later?

---

 

I always wonder how companies do this and pretend like the people that paid prior, then paid 15 a month for 6 months never existed. They get no compensation for supporting a game that others now get to play for free.

 Reminds me of Cryptic and the lifetime subs for CO and STO. Man i got burnt twice ill never buy or play one of there games again. At least lotro lifetimers got decent perks with CO and STO you basically got the shaft with razer blades attached.

Rest in peace.

I see there is a strong emphasis in this letter towards "new content."  And I'm not saying that is necessarily a bad thing...But I do think that, no matter how much faster they pump it out, new content under the same-old game mechanics is not going to be the answer in enticing folks to Sub again...New FP's, Operations,  or Warzones, are certainly not what is going to get me back playing SWTOR...

I think my Guild is an excellent case study for what happened in SWTOR...We started out about 15-20 strong...At the beginning most were pleased with their Class Stories...The FP's were fine while we were leveling up...We're a PvE Guild...But those who PvP'd were mostly displeased, though it seemed much of that was our Servers HUGE lean towards the Sith side while we were a Republic Guild...I don't think the negativity towards PvP had a ton to do with folks in my Guild quitting...Again we're mostly a PvE Guild...

So why did all but 3 of those 15-20 quit SWTOR? Well...And this is just what I gathered from talking to everyone as the GL...Once they got to level 50, on a PvE Server, most people felt forced into PvP to get gear necessary to finish Operations and HM FP's...This is a SERIOUS design flaw...And even though we would go into HM FP's with most folks modded out from daily's, and most of the Guild with Teir 2 PvP armor, we were still getting destroyed by bosses...Now my Guild has been together since 2007 and we've played together on many Games...There is not a single Instance on SWG we were unable to complete in time...Same on LOTRO...Not that we did not ever wipe...But we never felt overmatched...We always figured it out and got it done...But on SWTOR here we are, some of us who just killed the Emperor on our Class Quest, and were getting one and two him by HM AND Corellia daily Bosses...Then to top it off, the idiots put and enrage buff on Bosses so if you don't kill them in a few minutes they are invincible? Needless to say this was less than fun...We had a good mix of Groups...Healers and Tanks...But I swear our Vanguard tank was geting 2 and 3 hit by FM Bosses with Tier 2 PvP gear...He still talks about it to this day...lol...One night in particular we tried a HM FP, 2 Operations, and the Corellia daily and got completely wiped by every Boss...It was really not even close...This was the exact opposite of fun...The Game desperately needs a progression at end Game...Maybe take 3 HM Flashpoints and one Op and dial them back a bit...Then the next tier make them a bit tougher, and so on...This way  folks feel like they are progressing...You know...Like an RPG?......But the way it is now does not work...At least it did not work for my Guild...

Some other commonly heard complaints on Vent...

* How can you Develop a Jedi-centric Game where Jedi do not craft their own Lightsabers?  It really boggles the mind...

* Speaking of Crafting...Oh boy...Make it more worthwhile in the Game...When you can't even Craft better armor or weapons for your toon leveling up than you get from Quest rewards regularly...Well...I remember seeing less than 10 mods in a certain catagory on the Market at a time...Crafting is probably the worst I've ever seen in an MMO overall...

* Space? Well...When an 8 year old Star Wars Space Sim is light years ahead in Depth and fun overall than your brand new rail-shooter...There's a BIG problem where Space-nuts are concerned...

* Removing Mods you already purchased or earned and it costs creds to keep them for other pieces? Huh?

* WAY too many Credit sinks...We're a Casual Guild...We all work and have limited time each day to play...Most Guidies had to save their last pennies for their Speeders...It's ridiculous...

This is just our experience...I'm sure others had different both good and bad...But this is the way one Guild that left in mass sees it...I really do wish this Game the best...I love Star Wars and wanted this Game to be great so badly...Oh well...

Sorry for the long Post...