The Old Republic

[Steve]

Free-to-Play launches Thursday. Remember to roll on Ebon Hawk!

[Josh]

Free-to-Play launches Thursday. Remember to roll on Ebon Hawk!

So what does the free-to-play option amount to?

ETA: I mean for a newb to this style of MMO and all, since I've never done WoW or anything of the sort.

[Stofsk]

I've heard that TOR's F2P matrix is pretty bad. STO's the only yardstick I have to measure it by, though.

[Steve]

The restrictions seem to be pretty standard, having played F2P in CO and DCUO. The big thing is going to be the need to spend money to expand a character's inventory (which all games of this sort do) and the restriction on running ops, warzones, and Flashpoints unless you buy a weekly pass.

[Steve]

Actually, another annoying bit I see is the limitation on the Quick Travel and Fleet Pass transport abilities, as well as each character (or account, not sure) only getting five on-spot rezzes before they have to buy the ability from the store (after it's done I presume you can only respawn at a med center or be given an on-the-spot rezz by another PC).

[Steve]

Free-to-Play launches Thursday. Remember to roll on Ebon Hawk!

So what does the free-to-play option amount to?

ETA: I mean for a newb to this style of MMO and all, since I've never done WoW or anything of the sort.

Essentially you'll be restricted to what races you can use and a few customization options at character creation, the number of quickbars you can use for slotting abilities - okay, remembering that I can concur with Stofsk that it's not a fair mechanic and is pretty blatantly forcing people to spend money, since you will end up with more than 12 abilities - and the crew skills you can use. OTOH, you get full access to the game's main content, including the all-important class stories.

[Josh]

Ah.

Might check it out at some point then.

[Stofsk]

Free-to-Play launches Thursday. Remember to roll on Ebon Hawk!

So what does the free-to-play option amount to?

ETA: I mean for a newb to this style of MMO and all, since I've never done WoW or anything of the sort.

Essentially you'll be restricted to what races you can use and a few customization options at character creation, the number of quickbars you can use for slotting abilities - okay, remembering that I can concur with Stofsk that it's not a fair mechanic and is pretty blatantly forcing people to spend money, since you will end up with more than 12 abilities - and the crew skills you can use. OTOH, you get full access to the game's main content, including the all-important class stories.

Yeah that was one of the things I had heard, that stuff that should be free isn't but yeah, if the game's main content i.e. the stories is available then I guess it isn't so bad. Like for instance STO has a similar thing where you can play the PVE content completely free, it's just that the options available for purchase can be a little too good not to get.

Ultimately though I think the point is that if the core game is F2P then Josh isn't disadvantaged by investing his time in the game, since that's all that it would cost. And if say unlocking more power tray slots costs I don't know, $10 or whatever, then maybe that's a bargain considering the storytelling is what you really should be interested in.

[Steve]

Well, finally completed all of the class stories yesterday.

I would rate them, in order from most liked to least liked, Jedi Knight, Imperial Agent, Sith Warrior, Smuggler, Bounty Hunter, Trooper, Jedi Consular, Sith Inquisitor.

[JimmyTheCannon]

Well, finally completed all of the class stories yesterday.

I would rate them, in order from most liked to least liked, Jedi Knight, Imperial Agent, Sith Warrior, Smuggler, Bounty Hunter, Trooper, Jedi Consular, Sith Inquisitor.

Personally I'd rate the BH and Trooper above the Warrior, but out of the ones I've done that's the same order otherwise. Haven't finished Knight, Smuggler, or even started Consular yet.

Who's on Jedi Covenant these days? Has anyone else tried 2.0 on the PTS yet?

[Steve]

I liked the Sith Warrior storyline more than either BH or Trooper, honestly. Especially Trooper... some of the elements of that story were good, but others were utterly fucking retarded. Especially the dilemma imposed in the post-Belsavis class-specific mission of Chapter 3.

Though I consider the Sith Warrior strongest when paired with the Jedi Knight one, as both paint a picture of what was going on with the Sith Emperor, who is still the true Big Bad of the setting (even if storyline wise the Dread Masters are the main foe currently).

[White Haven]

Fuck. The. Sith. Inquisitor's. Writers.

Seriously. I've been kicking around the idea of getting copies of the script for the SI's story material, tearing it apart, rewriting it, and submitting it as a job application. It's childishly awful.

[Steve]

I just found it... uninspiring. Ironically the problem with the Consular storyline isn't so much being uninspiring as it is that they wanted to do too much and the threat in Chapter 3 is tacked on to what would have otherwise been a decent (if YMMV-heavy) story. I say tacked on in part because the entire focus of Chapter 1 involves, well, something that in Chapter 3 would have been terribly useful in dealing with the threat.

[RogueIce]

Granted I have not played any of the stories to completion, and barely even made it off the starter planet for...well, everyone but the Trooper, I have found thus far the Sith Warrior* story, when played with Light Side choices, to be the most interesting and fun so far. And not even just fun because I'm pissing off Darth Baras Fatass - though that is great fun in its own right - but just fun in general.

Guess it helps that I like Vette and LS choices suit her.

*I'll also note that, of my non-Trooper characters, I am furthest along with the LS-SW because I've found it the best thus far.

[Steve]

The Sith Warrior story will eventually, at the end, spoil what the Jedi Knight story results in, so be careful.

I honestly believe it's better to go JK and then SW, since once you do both you understand fully what's going on.

On another note.... is it wrong that I now have a cast of multi-colored bikini-clad alien babes? I mean, on top of my foxy tan-skinned Human Jedi Bikini Babes, I now have a green-skinned one (Mirialan), a blue-skinned one (Chiss), and a red-skinned one (Imp Zabrak). I guess all I have left is the orange-complexioned Twi'lek....

[White Haven]

What are you gearing up for, Captain Planet with a lightsabre?

...Wait...I'm talking to Steve.

Steve: Do not write that.

[Cynical Cat]

Fuck. The. Sith. Inquisitor's. Writers.

Seriously. I've been kicking around the idea of getting copies of the script for the SI's story material, tearing it apart, rewriting it, and submitting it as a job application. It's childishly awful.

It was so appalling I literally thought of better material on the spot. I could spontaneously compose better plot lines and writing than a lot of the drek they were shoveling. Now the Sith Warrior had some good writing.

[RogueIce]

I think it's because I like what the LS-SW seems to be shaping up to be: Villamax from Power Rangers Lost Galaxy. A Noble-ish Bad Guy...he's definitely not "good" but he's not in it for the evulz, either. He keeps his eye on the prize and does what needs to be done rather than relish in the suffering of others. That's pretty cool.

I'm not too worried about spoilers if I should ever happen to finish it before the JK story. Mostly because I'm not sure that'll happen given my last 60 day time card was pretty much wasted for 75% of its period. Who knows if I'll put down more money on a sub, and unless they've seriously lightened up on the F2P restrictions, well, fuck that noise. I'll go grind Omega Marks in STO. Eventually.

[Steve]

What are you gearing up for, Captain Planet with a lightsabre?

...Wait...I'm talking to Steve.

Steve: Do not write that.

Hrm.... an intriguing idea..... j/k

The Sith Inquisitor storyline was just stupid, but I wonder if that's worse than the Jed Consular story which, while not as stupid, just had so much wasted potential.