Star Trek Online going F2P on Tuesday. Anyone else a little excited?

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I haven't heard all good things about this game, but surely it's improved in the last few years.

I've never really played MMORPGs before so I don't have WoW or something else to negatively compare it to. As long as the space battles are cool and its got a nice Star Trek atmosphere, I should enjoy it.

Most interestingly though the F2P economy sounds like its going to be pretty fair. Apparently everything in the game can be gotten through grinding, paying just eases the burden.

[SkySonata]

Seems fair enough on the economy. Should be fairer if they have a timed exclusive on new loot: being able to buy it after everyone has had a chance to grind for it.

[econ21]

If Star Wars had not come out, I would be tempted. Reading about it, the space combat sounded like it was good but the ground missions were weak. I could live with that.

However, my experience with LOTRO has made me a little sceptical about F2P. Yes, it's good because it means you can keep dipping in casually to your character without having to keep paying a hefty subscription. However, levelling is often effectively gated by things that require real money (or insanely mind-numbing grinding).

And ultimately, I think these games need serious amounts of money to run and develop new content, so going F2P is often a signal that the company does not have the resources to continue developing the game in the way to which players have become accustomed.

[Greyblades]

Oh heck yes, I had to quit ages ago because I could not justify paying a monthly fee for playing for only like 5 hours each month. Awesome!

[Martok]

I think I might give STO a go when it becomes F2P. I wasn't terribly impressed with it in the beginning during the open beta, but I've heard it's improved quite a bit since its release (at least/especially for Federation players). I'm still keeping my expectations low, though, to avoid potential disappointment.

Reading about it, the space combat sounded like it was good but the ground missions were weak.

That was definitely my experience. The space "action" is where it/was at. I doubt the ground missions have improved much, but we'll see.

However, my experience with LOTRO has made me a little sceptical about F2P.

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...levelling is often effectively gated by things that require real money (or insanely mind-numbing grinding).

Unfortunately, I have to agree with you there. I know I probably shouldn't complain -- since it was free, after all -- but stuff in LOTRO still felt like they were "capped" at too low a level (if you were going to genuinely enjoy yourself, that is).

And ultimately, I think these games need serious amounts of money to run and develop new content, so going F2P is often a signal that the company does not have the resources to continue developing the game in the way to which players have become accustomed.

Oh, I'm not so sure about that.

From what I've read, a number of MMO's -- including both Dungeons & Dragons Online and the aforementioned Lord of the Rings Online -- are actually doing *better* financially after going to a F2P system. I'll admit that does seem a bit counter-intuitive, but it looks like it might just be the future of the genre.

Indeed, I've heard it suggested that The Old Republic might be the last big MMO to have a standard subscription system, and that all future entries into the genre might actually release as free-to-play right from the beginning. I'm not sure if things will go quite *that* far, but neither would I be entirely surprised.

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Less than 48 hours now

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I like it a lot so far. Space combat is great. Ground combat isn't amazing but I like the shooter/RPG hybrid feel of it.

Does anyone know how long approximately it will take me to get to level 25? I want a Bird of Prey NOW.