Free to Play but there's an option to pay for a subscription.

[Dave]

I don't understand.

[Lerch2000]

Originally posted by Blinded Murdock:

Dave, just so you're aware, Free to Play is exactly that. Free to install and play. That's it.

What they don't tell you is all of the game's basic services will be limited/restricted until you pay. I can confidently tell you that all Free to Play games have this strategy. I have never played a Free to Play title that did not have a pay wall included.

The goal is to lure you in and get you playing, sink the hook in you that you're having fun, which means you'll want more. When you start playing, you're going to want things to better enjoy and progress through the game. You won't get anything other than bare minimum default services without paying. They want those microtransactions.

If you thought game developers turned into greedless monks by slapping the word 'Free' next to the game title, you'd be wrong. Apple had a big lawsuit awhile back in their app store because games/apps would be labeled 'FREE', but as soon as you're in, it's pay wall after pay wall.

You'll notice they changed this to 'GET' now.

Free to Play, is the ability to play the game with the "option" to purchase items from the ingame stores. Swtor is what one would call Free to try, it is free to download and install but you cannot advance thru the entirety of the game without paying for access thru a paywall. Another popular title that is free to try is World of Warcraft, Their purpose is to get people thru the doors and impress them enough to pay for the product (most likely a monthly subscription).

"free-to-play refers to any video game or social or mobile application that has the option of allowing its players/users to play/download without paying."

[Lerch2000]

The funny thing is even a game that is overpriced as WOW, is aware of the difference, they used to advertise it as try for free. Now, this might have changed over the years since I haven't messed with WOW for a while.

[Dave]

Originally posted by Lerch2000:

The funny thing is even a game that is overpriced as WOW, is aware of the difference, they used to advertise it as try for free. Now, this might have changed over the years since I haven't messed with WOW for a while.

Neither have I. I quit when the WoD expansion was released. I liked it for many years but after a while I felt like I couldn't play any other games besides WoW because I was paying for it continuously.

[Dave]

So what features would I be missing out on if I only pay for a single subscription and then never again?

[Lerch2000]

Originally posted by Dave:

So what features would I be missing out on if I only pay for a single subscription and then never again?

Hopefully, someone can be more specific than I can, it's been a couple of years since I subbed in SWTOR. If I recall when you sub any existing characters will get access to the current expansion level (they retain this even after the sub status is gone), and any new character created after the sub has worn off will not benefit from this. The main things you will lose is the ability to craft a queue of items when crafting (think you can only craft with 2 characters at a time also), and you will be working off of a stupid escrow system while not subbed you will only be able to hold 1 million credits on a character at a time (use to be like 200k or 250k, I forget, so that has improved a bit).

[Volcanic ツ]

Originally posted by Lerch2000:

World of Warcraft

I often see this comparison between WoW and SWTOR.
It is inaccurate to a large degree for several reasons:

1. WoW lets you play for free until you reach level 20 then you gain zero experience no matter how many quests you accept and try completing. That means you are effectively cordoned within your starter area. Say byebye to everything else in the game.
That's less than 20 hours of game time at most (AFAIK from subbing a few months years ago).

2. WoW requires (it's a must) a monthly subscription to play.

3. When a new expansion comes out in WoW (usually every 2-3 years), you need to buy this expansion PLUS keep paying your monthly subscription. It is NOT unlocked for you even if you're subbed UNLESS you purchase it separately.

Example: I subbed to WoW when the Boralus Harbor storyline was the latest then Shadowlands came out so my friend and I needed to buy Shadowlands separately to play its campaign.

4. What you're missing out when not subbing is the very basic gameplay.

Now let's lay out how SWTOR and the evil EA (/s) handles things:

1. SWTOR's early content - arguably the very heart of the game - is absolutely free.
You can stop reading this now, install the game and start playing immediately, no payment or proof of future payment needed whatsoever.

That is literally hundreds of hours of gameplay. Free.

To put things into perspective, there are 8 RPG campaigns ~aka origin/class stories~. I've completed three so far and now in Chapter 2 of my fourth campaign. That's less than 50% of the free content after how much time? 650 hours of gameplay.

Remind me again how far has any WoW player gotten in their campaign without paying? :)
... *cricket sounds*
OK, so how far have they gotten after paying for only one month (used to be $12)?
... *cricket sounds*

Six hundred and fifty hours in SWTOR for me
I paid $15 once and I didn't even need to
~because I haven't even finished the free stuff yet in order to need to make a one-time payment for the expansions.
That's the point.

2. SWTOR does NOT require a monthly subscription.
You may choose to play the free content or ~as I personally did~ consider SWTOR a single-player game that you pay $15 for once and have access to all the expansions and some perks.

3. When a new expansion comes out in SWTOR, it is automatically available for you if you're subbed. No separate purchase is required or needed.

4. What you're missing out on by not subbing at all are expansions + access to Operations aka Ops (Star Wars raiding) + some quality of life perks that can make your playthrough easier yet are not essentially required to finish the campaigns What So Ever.

5. What you're missing out on by subbing only once are Ops and a few perks that you can still work around when you play the game enough to understand how to get them 100% legitimately without paying. Hint: Requires major grinding but that's a fair trade. Just like irl you either sacrifice money or your time and effort.
~

This comparison is from a long-time player of Warcraft III Reign of Chaos and Frozen Throne, and later a player of World of Warcraft. So I have nothing against WoW or Blizzard (apart from the harassment scandal ofc).

Comparing SWTOR to WoW is unfair to TOR and just not right.

Disclaimer to Lerch2000: this is not an attack on you or your opinion so don't take it as such.

[Lerch2000]

And I'll apologize again because I'm sure I'm leaving out some features you lose, but like I said it's been some time since the last time I did sub (thinking about doing it again but haven't yet).

[Lerch2000]

Originally posted by VolcanicProtectorMan:

Originally posted by Lerch2000:

World of Warcraft

I often see this comparison between WoW and SWTOR.
It is inaccurate to a large degree for several reasons:

1. WoW lets you play for free until you reach level 20 then you gain zero experience no matter how many quests you accept and try completing. That means you are effectively cordoned within your starter area. Say byebye to everything else in the game.
That's less than 20 hours of game time at most (AFAIK from subbing a few months years ago).

2. WoW requires (it's a must) a monthly subscription to play.

3. When a new expansion comes out in WoW (usually every 2-3 years), you need to buy this expansion PLUS keep paying your monthly subscription. It is NOT unlocked for you even if you're subbed UNLESS you purchase it separately.

Example: I subbed to WoW when the Boralus Harbor storyline was the latest then Shadowlands came out so my friend and I needed to buy Shadowlands separately to play its campaign.

4. What you're missing out when not subbing is the very basic gameplay.

Now let's lay out how SWTOR and the evil EA (/s) handles things:

1. SWTOR's early content - arguably the very heart of the game - is absolutely free.
You can stop reading this now, install the game and start playing immediately, no payment or proof of future payment needed whatsoever.

That is literally hundreds of hours of gameplay. Free.

To put things into perspective, there are 8 RPG campaigns ~aka origin/class stories~. I've completed three so far and now in Chapter 2 of my fourth campaign. That's less than 50% of the free content after how much time? 650 hours of gameplay.

Remind me again how far has any WoW player gotten in their campaign without paying? :)
... *cricket sounds*
OK, so how far have they gotten after paying for only one month (used to be $12)?
... *cricket sounds*

Six hundred and fifty hours in SWTOR for me
I paid $15 once and I didn't even need to
~because I haven't even finished the free stuff yet in order to need to make a one-time payment for the expansions.
That's the point.

2. SWTOR does NOT require a monthly subscription.
You may choose to play the free content or ~as I personally did~ consider SWTOR a single-player game that you pay $15 for once and have access to all the expansions and some perks.

3. When a new expansion comes out in SWTOR, it is automatically available for you if you're subbed. No separate purchase is required or needed.

4. What you're missing out on by not subbing at all are expansions + access to Operations aka Ops (Star Wars raiding) + some quality of life perks that can make your playthrough easier yet are not essentially required to finish the campaigns What So Ever.

5. What you're missing out on by subbing only once are Ops and a few perks that you can still work around when you play the game enough to understand how to get them 100% legitimately without paying. Hint: Requires major grinding but that's a fair trade. Just like irl you either sacrifice money or your time and effort.
~

This comparison is from a long-time player of Warcraft III Reign of Chaos and Frozen Throne, and later a player of World of Warcraft. So I have nothing against WoW or Blizzard (apart from the harassment scandal ofc).

Comparing SWTOR to WoW is unfair to TOR and just not right.

Disclaimer to Lerch2000: this is not an attack on you or your opinion so don't take it as such.

If you say so

[Lerch2000]

I'll make it very simple, did you or did you not have to invest money to play thru the game and reach end game content???

That makes it free to try.

Oh yeah, Disclaimer to whoever: "this is not an attack on you or your opinion so don't take it as such".

[Volcanic ツ]

Originally posted by Lerch2000:

Originally posted by Dave:

So what features would I be missing out on if I only pay for a single subscription and then never again?

Hopefully, someone can be more specific than I can, it's been a couple of years since I subbed in SWTOR. If I recall when you sub any existing characters will get access to the current expansion level (they retain this even after the sub status is gone), and any new character created after the sub has worn off will not benefit from this.

Any and all characters you create within your subscription time or after it's over keep full access to any and all expansions.

Originally posted by Lerch2000:

If you say so

About what exactly. You need to be more specific.

[Volcanic ツ]

Originally posted by Lerch2000:

I'll make it very simple, did you or did you not have to invest money to play thru the game and reach end game content???

That makes it free to try.

Oh yeah, Disclaimer to whoever: "this is not an attack on you or your opinion so don't take it as such".

Whoever?! Why are you being impolite and defensive to boot?
You can debate calmly and respond to each point.

Instead, your snappy response just shows you're mad about being proven wrong.

No I didn't NEED to pay. I made that abundantly clear.

Maybe try and be less cranky in your replies. I've been polite to you so it's civil to extend me the same courtesy.

[Lerch2000]

I don't deal with trolls you enjoy your life VolcanicProtectorMan, I'm going to go ahead ad and block you.

You repeat exactly what I just said...

[Volcanic ツ]

Originally posted by Lerch2000:

I don't deal with trolls you enjoy your life VolcanicProtectorMan, I'm going to go ahead ad and block you.

You repeat exactly what I just said...

Nah, I wouldn't repeat misinformation.

What a great comeback!

If there's any trolls here, it's the person who throws up wrong information,
gets mad when challenged with facts,
then gets cranky and refuses to provide any proof of what they falsely claimed minutes earlier.

Keep arguing about a textbook definition of this or that free-to-play. Nobody cares.
This is a game forum, not a dictionary club.

Block me? LOL
Go ahead :)
It's not me who has their profile on lockdown like a solitary prison cell, Lerch2000.

Next time, I suggest you understand how blocking works and maybe respond in a civil manner. Ta!

[Qrazy]

Originally posted by VolcanicProtectorMan:

Another useless comment from you. Adding absolutely nothing useful to the discussion.
Keep on derailing subjects for your own amusement.

Originally posted by VolcanicProtectorMan:

Nah, I wouldn't repeat misinformation.

What a great comeback!

If there's any trolls here, it's the person who throws up wrong information,
gets mad when challenged with facts,
then gets cranky and refuses to provide any proof of what they falsely claimed minutes earlier.

Keep arguing about a textbook definition of this or that free-to-play. Nobody cares.
This is a game forum, not a dictionary club.

Block me? LOL
Go ahead :)
It's not me who has their profile on lockdown like a solitary prison cell, Lerch2000.

Next time, I suggest you understand how blocking works and maybe respond in a civil manner. Ta!

Careful. You might have to tell yourself about adding nothing useful to the discussion.

[Lerch2000]

Originally posted by Dave:

So what features would I be missing out on if I only pay for a single subscription and then never again?

oh, something else I forgot to mention, let's say, you sub to get access to level 80 (think that's the current cap). You level a captain to level 80 you will still be able to play that captain after your sub status runs out. In other words, if they ever raise the cap to say 85 and you don't sub for it your captain will not level past 80, he'll stop gaining XP, and he will gain up to 1 XP short of level 81.

Hopefully, others will help but I'm going to unsub to this thread, you should enjoy the game though.