Something like Eberron Online(the D&D style MMO) with the game being online & free with the exception of premium items/etc would also be nice.

More MMOs should follow the Guild Wars model. Not free to play with its garish microtransactions, but release $50 games with $30 expansions and also offer smaller DLC through the game itself. Nothing terrible like "more storage" and crap like that, but maybe outfits or new mini-questlines.

I would support that for games with a strong story focus and solo play like TOR.

To some, a few microtranactions for worthwhile things that are optional would be nice.......for like people like me on budgets and all.

Guild Wars is something I've always really liked in theory. I have the main game and one of the expansions. Unfortunately the beginning of the main game never really holds me so I've only seen a very limited amount of what the actual story to it is. I do really like the fact though that when you're not in towns it's your own private playfield. I'll admit I really only like RP servers in MMOs (I grew up on MUDs so I really like the ability to roleplay a character), but sadly most of those on big name MMOs are still filled with people running around shouting LOL and such. :P

That's one big appeal for TOR with me. If I'm not forced to actually run around with people and can maybe ignore them completely if they're not going to actually play their character, I can focus on the story and hopefully enjoy myself.

That's exactly what I was worried about. I know most people don't play MMOs for their stories but I'm honestly not geared towards grinding pointless quests and not really having a story to keep me interested. I know the last TOR article I read made it sound really nice, like you said the game will give you an actual companion which sounds like it could be incredibly neat (but again it begs the question *why* this is going to be an MMO...). I don't remember the name of the class off the top of my head but I'm incredibly intrigued by the class that basically relies on sneakiness and being undercover for certain quests. :D I figure if pulled off right this could be incredibly fun and would allow me to feel like I *am* roleplaying.

It's just to make money I think. EA have been very blunt about seeing the future of gaming as always online and service based. I think they know a lot of people play WoW solo and they want to attract more "offline" gamers into online worlds where they have a continuing revenue stream and can basically kill piracy.

That said though I don't think the subscription model works for that. Why should I pay $15 a month to play TOR when something like Skyrim does not charge me that? As a solo player it does not make much sense. Offering at least an option to pay only for content, not gameplay time, would rope a lot more solo gamers in I think.

It does deserve a mention that they have no announced payment plans for TOR, so we could be surprised.

Indeed it could be $20 a month. Oh you meant pleasantly surprised.

Hahaha... it could be indeed.

I think they would be smart to really sit down and think about it though. Free-to-play games are popping up everywhere and requiring a sub puts you in direct and instant competition with WoW and other MMOs because very few people will pay for two at once.

Some kind of hybrid system could work well, where you pay monthly for premium access but pay for DLC and get basic access just for buying the game. Maybe make end-game features sub-only? I don't know, I'm not in marketing. I would hope they are at least brainstorming though.

To be honest I prefer one of the other. If I am paying a sub then I expect DLC free and I expect lots of it (Cryptic were rather good with ST:O). One thing that is certain to make me refuse to subscribe to TOR is signing up and seeing a store with possibly BioWare points as a currency. If there are to be expacs then that's fine but I expect a shitton of content and graphical improvements.

I figure that's what causes the mass panic every time a new BioWare comes out now and everyone starts freaking out about how there might be multiplayer tacked on (happened with ME3 before the rumor was shot down and already with DA3 not exactly 100% announced there's a ton of speculating about multiplayer stuffs). I've mostly been a single player gamer for the majority of my gaming years so the last few years where all these companies feel you need multiplayer to prolong the shelf life of your game bugs me (coming from a PC gamer I personally feel that it's mods that make games live longer but that's a whole different story... :) ).

If for some reason the subscription is better than we're all expecting, I do see myself being tentatively willing to pay the fee. How long I actually keep playing though is always the question.

It seems Beta keys are now being sent out so check your inboxes to see if you are one of the lucky ones.

Anyone playing through the Beta weekend? I'm a Jedi Consular, level 10 and with a lightsaber. Feels like WoW with the Star Wars theme, voiceacting and light,dark choices (not sure if they affect any outcome). But I really like the class specific instances and 2 men ones.

I must have downloaded that installer about 6 times and it never worked. Always starts, checks some files and then closes. Too many games to play now so I really can't be bothered with the beta.

Yes I am playing , am also posting some videos on youtube of different class, just short ones quickly showing what each class is like , Have done a Trooper Video and am uploading a Jedi Knight Video as I type this link below if anyones interested, :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1T3H2yRHMI