Originally posted by Ozmodan

Basically, EA is saying bend over to all it's previous subscribers.  This is probably the most restrictive f2p rules I have seen.

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yes, i see it as an insult to previous players

Originally posted by ThumbtackJ
There needs to be another tier for people who subscribed for 'X' amount of months and/or who have purchased deluxe versions of the game but are no longer subscribed. For example, I've put ~$100 into the game with the digital deluxe version plus 2 months of subscribing. That's probably more money than many F2P players will put into the cash shop. 

I agree. The Prefered teir isn't enough for someone like you or me but is one hell of a deal for someone that joins the party late and chips in no more than 5 bucks. I wish there was a tier like you suggest that would include 2 more character slots, larger credit balance, and 2 total hotbars since those are the most crippling restrictions.

But a lot of what we spent was on a game that had a major drop in value and is now selling retail of $15 which is essentially only buying the sub. Now they only value what the DDE and CE as and extra $5- $10.

Originally posted by mmoguy43

Ok, you're right and I found it. Here. "If you convert to Preferred Status, you will need to choose which two (2) of your characters will remain active, and play those characters within the limits of Free-to-Play access." It is somewhat hidden and not even on the F2P restrictions chart probably because it would make it far to long and frightening if they listed every actual restriction lol.

Sometime after the F2P launch they will sell character slot unlocks. (source)

 

This is the most clear explaination

Ripster: There is a welcome screen that lists a benefit of subscribing as 10 additional slots. Will this mean subscribers will have 22 or that F2P will have 2?
Blaine: Great question and we want to make sure we’re clear on this one. Subscribers will still have 12 character slots available on a single server. F2P players will have 2 (as will Preferred). At Launch, we are not enforcing the penalty on subscribers who convert to Free-to-Play, but we will in a subsequent patch. A further wrinkle is that if you have more than two and you delete characters at Launch, you will not get that slot back. Example: I have 10 characters as a subscriber this November, but in December I cancel my subscription. When I login, I can still use all 10 characters (for now), but I cannot create new ones and if I delete one, I will have 9 and not be able to create another until I go down to 1. Make sense?

Thanks for the darthhater link, I only read occasionally some swtor.com so I missed it. But I guess then my character slot concerns are obsolete.

So, former subscribers can keep all their characters open until a "subsequent patch" and "Players will be able to purchase additional character slots with Cartel Coins shortly after F2P launches." I guess these two will happen at the same time. Maybe they have some problems with the slot conversion, hence the delay from the launch.

Anyway, it seems a usual f2p setup of character slots, which is good. Sorry for the previous squib, EA :)

Originally posted by Psychow

Originally posted by MikeB

Originally posted by Psychow

Is it true that the free Cartel Coins that previous subscribers have earned are not available to players unless they re-subscribe?

 

I have "earned" 900 cartel coins but I won't be able to use them unless I re-subscribe? If it's true, that doesn't make much sense. If they want to reward early subscribers and thank them for their initial support and hopefully lure then back to the F2P game, making them subscribe in order to receive that reward is pretty sad.

I don't see why this would be the case. Where did you hear this?

 

Under the section labled Rewards Program:

 

http://www.swtor.com/info/news/blog/20121107

 

Rewards Program

We also felt it was very important to thank our subscribers for being members of The Old Republic community. To reward all of you, we will grant Complimentary Cartel Coins to every player who has been a subscriber prior to the launch of the Free-To-Play option. The actual size of the grant will depend on how many months you were a paying subscriber prior to our announcement and after our announcement. There will also be special grants to those who purchased the Star Wars: The Old Republic Collector’s Edition and Digital Deluxe Edition. Want to know how many Complimentary Cartel Coins you have earned? Click here to find out! We are literally granting millions of dollars worth of Complimentary Cartel Coins as part of this program. But you’ll only receive a grant of Complimentary Cartel Coins if you’re an active subscriber when the Free-to-Play option goes live!

A nice kick in the lower body area for any past player that was considering giving this game a second chance.

I subbed for 2 months I believe, and I still consider it a waste of money that I did so. I was not likely to play this game ever again even with F2P, but I might have given it a quick look to see how much has changed. But they are basically telling me "Fuck off, your past contributions are forgotten".

So I'll certainly NOT even give this game a second chance, but I'll say good luck to those that will.

Originally posted by Po_gg

Originally posted by mmoguy43

Ok, you're right and I found it. Here. "If you convert to Preferred Status, you will need to choose which two (2) of your characters will remain active, and play those characters within the limits of Free-to-Play access." It is somewhat hidden and not even on the F2P restrictions chart probably because it would make it far to long and frightening if they listed every actual restriction lol.

Sometime after the F2P launch they will sell character slot unlocks. (source)

 

This is the most clear explaination

Ripster: There is a welcome screen that lists a benefit of subscribing as 10 additional slots. Will this mean subscribers will have 22 or that F2P will have 2?
Blaine: Great question and we want to make sure we’re clear on this one. Subscribers will still have 12 character slots available on a single server. F2P players will have 2 (as will Preferred). At Launch, we are not enforcing the penalty on subscribers who convert to Free-to-Play, but we will in a subsequent patch. A further wrinkle is that if you have more than two and you delete characters at Launch, you will not get that slot back. Example: I have 10 characters as a subscriber this November, but in December I cancel my subscription. When I login, I can still use all 10 characters (for now), but I cannot create new ones and if I delete one, I will have 9 and not be able to create another until I go down to 1. Make sense?

Thanks for the darthhater link, I only read occasionally some swtor.com so I missed it. But I guess then my character slot concerns are obsolete.

So, former subscribers can keep all their characters open until a "subsequent patch" and "Players will be able to purchase additional character slots with Cartel Coins shortly after F2P launches." I guess these two will happen at the same time. Maybe they have some problems with the slot conversion, hence the delay from the launch.

Anyway, it seems a usual f2p setup of character slots, which is good. Sorry for the previous squib, EA :)

Nothing like foreboding prospects of having stuff taken away from you.

Originally posted by MikeB

Originally posted by Psychow

Is it true that the free Cartel Coins that previous subscribers have earned are not available to players unless they re-subscribe?

 

I have "earned" 900 cartel coins but I won't be able to use them unless I re-subscribe? If it's true, that doesn't make much sense. If they want to reward early subscribers and thank them for their initial support and hopefully lure then back to the F2P game, making them subscribe in order to receive that reward is pretty sad.

I don't see why this would be the case. Where did you hear this?

You have to be subscribed the day of the launch of ftp to recieve any cartel coins from past subscriptions, etc.

Basically, it goes like this - if you paid the box price and subscribed for some time after that, but are no longer a subscriber. you get nothing. If you come as a new player, and pay $5 for anything, you get the preferred status. How is this fair? It turns out that that there is absolutely no benefit from having paid for the box price.

Some have already said it was our fault that we didn't wait. Yet, if this is the way to go, doesn't this automatically doom every subscription-based MMO? I think the Secret World suffered from the SWTOR fiasco, as people have become more cautious, and it was at least trying to do something new. If most people prefer to wait and see, this is going to always lead to poor sales at launch. How often do you think publishers can sustain such MMOs that don't sell well even at launch?

At least now Bioware will have a few more months to justify the existence of SWTOR by having the new inflow of players with FTP launch. However, if restrictions are indeed considerable, I don't think the game will complete its second year.