Why is there no customization feaures for free players

I dont think it would hurt making a few older cosmetics available for certs, or maybe allow gifting from other players, or even allow players to sell old cosmetics for certs.

You also can pick your gender and ethnicity for free when you make your character.

Those are "cosmetic" and absolutely free as well!

I think we can all agree on that, but that's not the real world.

Actually i think a player market would be a awesome idea. Certs for the common items DB cash for the rare stuff like Anniversary armor.

You can unlock some special camos and armors from directives. Even if your really cheap you can get some custom stuff really cheap when it's on sale.

If anyone here doesn't spend because its a waste, think about that next time you buy a snack or takeaway. At least items you buy do not end up as excrement.

Monthly sub is dirt cheap anyway and you get 500sc a month from it, starting right away.

Because you're a parasite. Let's state it clear. You contribute nothing, you bring no income, only loses. So why should devs consider you to be as privileged as paying member? They owe you nothing. They allowed you to play this game because they need "cannon fodder" for paying members who enjoy the game and contribute to it. Be thankful. Several years ago devs would ask you to pay 45$ just for access to the game and 15$ monthly subscription.

If you will leave that won't be noted at all. There might come another parasite. Or a paying member.

[Replying to everyone to save forum space.]

The way it is now, I'd be paying $7-$10 just so I can look a little different.

If I were paying $X per month, that would be paying for the game, and I would (ideally) be able to buy cosmetics with certs, and have a generally improved game experience, as keeping players happy would become more important than releasing a new gimmick every month.

I prefer to be referred to as my subspecies, Wiseatis withmoneyus.

Ironic that you should say that I feed of off bandwagonbiscuits, as you're the eighth person to quote my specific comment.

As I have stated above, I'd happily pay for the game if it meant that I got something more substantial than a tickle to my vanity. Such as the game itself.

I should think that callously tossing money at a game is a more entitled behaviour than wanting to save said money for more important things.

I don't see how cosmetics fit in to providing an improved game experience. It's just looks. It doesn't help you play the game better. They have to charge for something and cosmetics are a good thing to charge for. But, one thing I do miss from the original game was there were battle rank tiers that made you look different from lower battle ranks. There was also command rank indicators on the avatar as well.

Now if you were to say something about non-cosmetic items (weapons and vehicles) and how the free-to-play model affects them then that's another story. Without the f2p model the game would be accessed entirely differently. But I'm not certain the gaming industry has any desires to move away from the f2p model right now.

If PS2 became a pay-to-play game, the game experience would be improved by having SOE/DBG actually try to keep players happy while playing PS2, as that would be their only source of income, whereas now, there's an advantageous subscription, and cosmetics and weapons and such as their source of income. The current system relies more on impulse buys and gimmicks than meaningful content and proper balance.

Granted, the cosmetics system is about impulse buys, but making the game pay 2 play wouldn't assure that the game is going to be better.
Devs take our thoughs and suggestions, write them down a paper, a wipe their a**** with it just because they can, because they dont have to take account to us, because, as a fanbase, we suck at demanding things properly.
If a good amount of player around here coordinated and ended their subscriptions until we get what we want, things would be very different.
But first we have to realize what we really want as a clients, that means, coordinating VS, NC and TR to settle their differences for a moment and standarizing stuff.
Not happening

Black Flames camo $30 (no longer available for sale)
Composite Armor Bundle $5
Bahamut Mask $10
i miss my #TeamMeow....($5)
Makes me hard to see in the dark and mistaken for VS often enough to be well worth it, barring the times i get TKd for it.
but examples of free alternatives being the black camo and command helmet being free also justify the cost of not having to spend $45. Tere are various activities and sources you can get "free cosmetics" and items from if you look hard enough. Example: EQNVehicleDecal, PSUArmorDecal, PSUVehicleDecal, MLGReport - type these in the "redeem codes" link in game - they may still work. SummerReward is gone, we know that much
Also theres occasionally some KILLER sales with things on sale for $1 over the big holidays like christmas - its a good time to pickup a few things - there never really great items, but it can sure **** out a sundy

While you're right that it wouldn't necessarily change anything, it would at the very least punish them for making stupid decisions.

Yeah, that's never going to happen.

erryone wanna to look like a baller, without bein ballin. Get a job you deadbeats, support the game ffs.

******' burn

OP is a socialist and voted for Obama twice.

I quoted you because you said something really dumb, not because 7 other people also noticed how dumb it was and pointed it out for you.
Ok, so you want to save money. Great. No one is pointing a gun at your head and forcing you to pay for anything.
In fact, every single weapon that isn't gold or black plated can be bought with certs which can be earned for free. The game can be played for free.
The servers are free to use. Your account was free to make.
Every patch that introduces new content is....yep free!

Everything except cosmetics is basically free, and you're whining that they don't give free players enough free stuff?
Grow up and go take an economics class. Your ignorance is astounding.

There are plenty free cosmetic items! You get a fancy glowing armor set for each class you Auraxium, you get a Helmet for Leadership Directive Auraxium, and you get some Black and White camos for doing other directives. If you want free cosmetics, play the game well, and you will be rewarded!

To all people saying "If you don't spend money on the game you deserve nothing", you are just being morons. Sure, you give a small extra income for the Devs, but you really believe your 100$ spent will make a difference for them?

No. You paying players are NOT making the game what it is. If you remove all free players from the game you would probably go in bankrupt for too small population.

The game earns and lives thanks to the huge amount of free players, coming and leaving, keeping the game populated and VISIBLE. What most earns the devs is the publicity of the game. Sponsors, page views, do you know how much it rewards to be the "top played mmofps" around? That has nothing to do with the little cosmetics you buy as single player.

So honestly it is disappointing there is no free camo or cosmetic earned simply by playing. Directives don't count, those are some sort of achievements you must go for, what I speak is about a simple "Level unlockable" or similar. Why not giving simple solid tone skins for special BR ranks? At 50 and 100 for example. At least to have something to show up over new players.

But you do get something for free even if you don't spend money.

You get the game.

What a few non-paying players are asking for isn't just a little something, they want significantly more than what they already get for free. And that sort of entitlement is what is risible.