Cartel Store on PTS

Join the pts server and you can check out the cartel coin store. From the sounds of it everyone on the server will be set up as f2p and will get a stipend for testing the store.

You should post some screen shots of what's available if you can. :)

Im checking in here while i do an upgrade to the client, i will take the plunge and check it.

Thanks Seannewboy! I keep watching for updates to info but you keep finding out stuff before I ever come across it. :huh: I keep checking the SWTOR website but haven't seen ANYTHING about stuff being on pts. Is that where you are finding your info or are you watching another site?

EDIT: Ok, nvm, I just checked again and found the info. I guess I need to check more often. Thanks for keeping an eye out for updates and posting about them! :)

Wow, only a 12g download patch to update pts. This could take a "lonnnnnng" time even at my high baud cable download rate..... :S

Almost an hour later, we're now downloading "English Assets"...5gb's worth. It feels like I am downloading the entire game again just for pts. Geez....and nothing's been installed yet, it's still just downloading...and downloading...

Ok, so far I have spent 720 Cartel coins to get a speeder at level 11. This beats 40k credits anyway you look at it. :blink: That was for the speeder AND the speeder piloting training level 1. :woohoo: At first, it was a bit confusing because I was being told I could only buy this as a gift for someone else because I didn't have the speeder piloting training that was required to use the speeder (even though the description stated it gave you the unlock for the ability). :huh: So I "bit the bullet" and bought it anyway just to see what would happen. An icon for the speeder and the unlock for the training appeared in my inventory. I right clicked on the training icon and was granted the ability to use the speeder! And I won't have to purchase another speeder as I level because this one levels with me. As soon as I train for a higher ability, my speeder will also upgrade. This will be GREAT for new characters and won't bankrupt other characters on the account to get the ability and move faster around the game world.

[attachment=1152]NewPTSCartelSpeeder.jpg[/attachment]

I'll let Seannewboy post screenshots of other things that are available but I also have screenshots if you're not able to post anything. Just let me know if you need the photos. Looks like things are going to improve though as more subscriber benefits are outlined when you first log into PTS. And looking over what's available in the Cartel Store for F2P players to buy that are automatically given to subscribers is making the differences more apparent than before. YEAH!! :woohoo:


[attachment=1154]AdditionalSubscriberBenefits.jpg[/attachment]

I wouldn't hold my breath that it will carry over into live. It may be a bug that it unlocks speeder training like that.

Pictures of Cartel Store Pages.

Ok it should work correctly now. Note that the carbonite device is currently on sale, a good hint for the future of items in the store.

P.S. how does one just post pictures?

Previous post fixed.

Thanks, those are great shots of the Cartel Store, Sean :cheer:

I posted the screenshots on my post by going to "Attachments" located at the bottom of each post. You can click on "add file" to go to your screenshot folder, click on the photo you want to post and a url is created by the website with the word "fakepath" in the beginning of the url. You then tell the website to post the photo by placing your cursor in your post where you want the photo to appear, then click on "insert". It will place the photo exactly where you cursor is so you may need to add some spaces before or after the cursor to allow for space around the photo. This can be done through edit though so you can check the placement out before making any changes. I've not had much luck with the "image link" button with screenshots because you have to know the url to each photo and unless you've saved each screenshot as a separate file, if you use the url to the screenshot folder, it will post every screenshot in the folder, not just the one you actually want to post. Maybe someone else can give better instructions for using the "image link" button that has positive experiences with using it. ;)

If anyone wants pictures of details of certain items let me know.

Does it show anywhere on there whats the ratio between cartel points and real world money?

Not at this time that i could see, i will look later tonite if there is something in the pts client for buying cartel points because i have not seen any outside. All i know is that a subscriber gets 500/month.

So do the prices as far as cartel coins go seem reasonable for what they are offering? Or do you think some are overpriced or underpriced?

Quote by Odioshi

So do the prices as far as cartel coins go seem reasonable for what they are offering? Or do you think some are overpriced or underpriced?

I think it will go back to your earlier question, how much money for how many coins. I will be able to unlock a race a month with my stipend. I can get item packs with high quality gear for not too much. The prices wont be as hard on subscribers than f2pers, it will all come down to how much real cash for something.

Quote by Odioshi

Does it show anywhere on there whats the ratio between cartel points and real world money?

There is a button in the interface that takes you to the subscription page, but there is nothing on that page about cartel coins yet.

Ok so I downloaded the PTS server (took a whole day) and logged in and it seems when I choose subscription it is trying to charge me again for an entirely new subscription. It reroutes me to the SWTOR website but it doesn't give me an option to login. Am I missing something?

On the pts server, everyone is a f2p'er.

Not yet, Seannewboy. They are planning on enabling that feature later so that the F2P system can be tested in it's entirety. But for now, current subs are still subs to test the Cartel store. Unless, of course, they've done something and I missed it as has happened in the past. :(

Jacien, you shouldn't have to choose anything. When you log into PTS using your current subscriber login credentials, you should be directly in-game on the PTS server. When you opened the login screen for the game, you have to click on the icon directly across from "exit" to get the box to enable PTS. Did you do that before "downloading"? If so, after downloading the PTS client, you have to open the login screen again and will probably have to click on that same icon again to enable PTS login. You then use your regular login credentials to login to PTS and play. You will have to create characters to use on PTS as they didn't allow for copying existing live characters to the PTS server for this test. Maybe that's the problem, you don't have any characters to test anything with so nothing is looking or working as it should. Let me know what you've done so far and I will try to help you get on PTS to try stuff out. :)