News

Star Wars: The Old Republic launches free-to-play option, new update incoming
Posted: 16.11.2012 10:01 by Nick Akerman Comments: 35
Bioware has announced a free option for Star Wars: The Old Republic.

Players can now enjoy eight storylines up to level 50 for completely free. The developer is hoping a new crop of users will be attracted towards the title.

"We want to give our players the freedom to enjoy Star Wars: The Old Republic when and how they want," said Matthew Bromberg, General Manager of BioWare Austin.

"There has never been a better time to start playing with us."

BioWare has released Game Update 1.5, which adds new areas to explore, a new Companion character.

Comments

By djole381 (SI Elite) on Nov 16, 2012
djole381
Started the download yesterday with the average speed of 160 KB/s. Still a long way to go :(
By HenoKutus (SI Core) on Nov 16, 2012
HenoKutus
i hope it works also if you bought the full game!
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Nov 16, 2012
djole381
@HenoKutus
Haven't bought the subscription if that's what you mean, though I plan to buy some cartel coins, that is, if this infernal download ever finishes XD
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 16, 2012
lichlord
Might play again now its f2p i hope i still own my lvl50 sith inquisitor still have the founder title also lolz because ive been their during beta and the start of it all

also got the disks avoids me from dlling 18.5GB on files still need the patches tho
By nocutius (SI Elite) on Nov 16, 2012
nocutius
Thanks for the reminder, I will give it a quick go.
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 16, 2012
lichlord
not sure how many servers their are but make ur chars at the red eclipse server if you wanna play with me(also i have 50+ friends from my guild and playing when the release happened non of them are active...)
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Nov 16, 2012
djole381
I was planing on going to Red Eclipse server anyway :) See you there lichlord, tomorrow by the looks of it :(
Edit :
It's really stupid EA didn't post the game client on torrent. That way, the download would go wayyyyyy faster.
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 16, 2012
lichlord
sure thing pm me ur char name btw so i can find you
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Nov 16, 2012
djole381
See you there when I get there, but it seems it's gonna take a while. Been browsing the forums and there are several more people with the same slow download problem. The moderators aren't helpful as their suggestions don't work.
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 16, 2012
lichlord
i honestly didn't have much problems with the speed to dl the 2GB on patches it went on a smooth 2 MB/s oddly enough...
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Nov 16, 2012
djole381
I'm currently downloading Main Assets 1, 2.41 GB to go with 120 KB/s average download speed. I tried everything they suggested, but nothing worked. I'm convinced that the problem is on their end. I download other stuff much faster.
By nocutius (SI Elite) on Nov 16, 2012
nocutius
Damn maintenance, can't even login to start the download :(
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Nov 16, 2012
djole381
@nocutius
Actually, you can. You just have to keep trying. It may take several attempts before you manage to login.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Nov 16, 2012
herodotus
Missed this yesterday - only received a notice that I have some Cartel coins. With "STO" receiving Season 7 (The Romulans) and this now finally F2P I may just give my two once subbed MMO's a boot-up again. Just need to download the updates.
Harbinger Server for me:)
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 16, 2012
lichlord
you don't happen to be able to transfer? im stuck because im overextending my char limit so tranfering one makes it unable to transfer back

(cause is due to stopping my sub some 10 months back)
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 16, 2012
lichlord
few things in the games market is a bit criminal to ask money for especially stuff like hiding the helmet slot? i mean dafuq... that should be a f2p option its rather rediculous...
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Nov 16, 2012
herodotus
What? I have to pay to hide head coverings? What a scam! I'll have to go check it out and then start grumbling on the Forums...as usual. Lost interest with my Sith Warrior - boring space missions, ground missions a mess due to being offered before you have reached the level to complete them, and same-old-same-old gameplay. Might start him over and just go pure Light.
As for my Jedi - story is finished, so what is left to do doesn't interest me (group missions). Need an expansion to the Story Arc....desperately.
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 17, 2012
lichlord
yeaht the game loses all its charms after the story and it doesn't seem they have done anything to it yet the f2p is barely accepteble in my eyes compared to the f2p model from STO which is the best...
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Nov 17, 2012
herodotus
...no argument. Time EA and BioWare loosened the purse strings and allowed gamers to play how they want when they want, with additional content (in the form of SP-style story-based missions as with "STO").
eg. What's the point in gaining companion affection points when they're already maxed-out?

Perhaps they'll try the "WoW" and "LotR" way of doing things and release costly EP's. Even emulating Sony's "DCUO" would be vastly better than what they have now.
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 17, 2012
lichlord
its sad really they better went for the trial like on wow rather then this overpriced market where you need to buy everything to do/have anything important...

and as a hardcore star wars fan the dissapointment is greater...
By Xyfer117 (SI Core) on Nov 17, 2012
Xyfer117
I'll be giving this game a try now we've got the free option :) I've been waiting a while for it.
By nocutius (SI Elite) on Nov 17, 2012
nocutius
Seeing the above conversation I wonder if I should even bother until they make it a bit more f2p friendly :)
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Nov 17, 2012
djole381
More than 36 hours have passed since I started to download the game client and it's still not finished. I already sent three tickets to support and the only answer I got was some generic e-mail telling me to contact the support via Skype. Tried that, waited on hold for about 20 minutes and then I hung up, sick of waiting. I can't even post on forums as I "don't have permission" or "account hasn't been activated". This really sucks.
By Gyorn (SI Core) on Nov 17, 2012
Gyorn
djole, i didnt take a look but i bet you can get the client as torrent (legaly of course). That should be able to solve your speed headache.
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 17, 2012
lichlord
yeah i already went back to my STO Captains lol space battles are a lot more fun their then in star wars XD
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Nov 17, 2012
djole381
@Gyorn
Thanks for the advice buddy, but I tried to find it on several torrent sites, and the only thing I found was the beta client.
EDIT:
Finally finished the download and started playing with Sith Warrior on Red Eclipse.
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Nov 19, 2012
herodotus
Go "Light" in your decisions djole - freaks out others when playing in a group and you get a very, very different storyline with additional options with your Twilik(?) companion giving you affection (and extra missions). Surprising just how many Sith go "Light" or "Grey".
By djole381 (SI Elite) on Nov 19, 2012
djole381
Already on it hero. :)
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 19, 2012
lichlord
thats for the romances hero lol :P
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Nov 19, 2012
herodotus
All about the romance, me:)
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 19, 2012
lichlord
tho i believe the sith warrior also has a dark side romance not sure, my Inquisitor wasn't able to romance a companion due to being female tho troughout the storyline i went with multiple persons XD you won't believe i even got companion affection bonuses XDDDD
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Nov 19, 2012
herodotus
Mostly the Warrior gets Dark points from his first male companion (a real crawly-bum-lick Empire lover) though I do believe you're right that later on there is a female, though you can always have dalliances with female superiors and warlords all the way through anyway (trysts, we once called them politely).
Anyway, now my internet's back up I should really go see how my mostly female bridge crew is fairing in "STO").
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 20, 2012
lichlord
lol yeah get on STO sended you a friend invite still didn't get ur answer lol meanwhile i got a sci officer on lvl50 with a carriar sci are fun in that game

how to create a fleet in 2 seconds + put a black hole in the middle of the enemy fleet.... lol
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Nov 21, 2012
herodotus
I didn't get the message, mate (or accidently deleted it while going through fleet messages and items sold on exchange - many since last on). I was meaning to try out a Sci officer when I was still subscribed but got bored with my puny Light Cruiser - too used to the big stuff I guess:)
Might get an Operations Class Odyssey, though (don't really like Science and Tactical ships). Just have to refine enough Dilithium to "buy" it with Zen, without using real money. Few days of "dailies" and Fleet exams should do it. Have to tackle this new Reputation system as well.
By lichlord (SI Core) on Nov 21, 2012
lichlord
idd many of the good can be easily created or bought tho my main issue with this rep system that it goes really slowly till you get something out of it...