I am a recovering SWG addict, searching for a new home. So far, I like all the mixed elements of the free version of AO, despite its dated graphics and interface.

I'm trying to convince myself to pick up the expansions, but I'm not sure, and although I've read the documentation on the expansions, I would rather hear it from the actual players of the game.

My question to you -- the paying customers of AO -- is, can you sum up (in 5 items or less) things about the expansions that you personally enjoy over the free version?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Thanks in advance.

Tycalibur

if u dont want any commitment to paid
go for the free account
only diff between paid and free is u get to access to more perks

perks options
access to more lands like SL and AI for more uber equipments for both
which will make u feels more like playing the game
and enchance it
but i do see free account players around still but most of them convert to paid in the end

I aint a big vet, but ive been playing for about 8months

and what i love is

1. Shadowlands, hella good xp and its very refreshing get away from rubika. Quite beautiful Scenery.
2. Jobe, honestly, the best place to start a new char, it really is nice getting to make my own chimera pistols.
3. Alien invasions, ive only really encountered one, but it sure is a site.
4. The guild cities, im not sure if you can own them as froob, but they are amazing and you can run your own shop
5. The perks, just more to look forward to, all the differient expierence makes the game feel much more rewarding. Especially when you level to a new 10th level (10,20,30,40,etc.) you get all that xp, plus a perk to choose which only further advances your char. And with Shadow XP and Alien XP you can only grow stronger and stronger
6. I just had to say i also love the alien technology and equipment you can use.

All this for 10$ plus the normal monthly fee for other games,
anarchy online is truly superior.

What the above posters said.  IMHO just for the perks it's worth upgrading.  But you get much more than that, all the SL and AI weaponery/gadgets and stuff is awesome.

To the OP:

I was a long term vet of AO that went to the darkside (and paid SoE), I left AO over the initial expansion (shadowlands), at the time we refered to it as ShadowCamp. 

I played SWG from beta 2 to about a month before the train wreck (NGE) hit swg.

I am back and VERY happy with AO and what has been improved upon. 

a. The devs here have seemed to listen to teh players, they have added elements to shadowland that allow you to reasonably solo there (missions and instances that were nto there before).

b. the game is still stable as heck, mind you it was not always this way, but it is now.

c. no real "alpha" class.

and I agree with the previous posters, the expansions are more than worth the price of admission. If you plan to go all the way to end game then you are truely goign to need the expansions.