Inevitably, the first question anyone asks in the wake of a free-to-play conversion is about how much a person can get for the price of nothing. Previously, Star Wars: The Old Republic had posted an explanation of the many ways free players would get only limited access, but an updated chart makes the exact limitations clear.

As a general rule, the restrictions are in threes: three Flashpoints per week, three Warzones per week, three Space Missions per week. Players will also be able to buy weekly passes for these features to get unlimited access. There will also be restrictions on inventory expansions and cargo hold storage for free players, and field revivals on death will be limited. Taking a look at the full chart should make the breakdown obvious (although there's a believed typo under the restrictions on equipping items). Meanwhile, current subscribers can take advantage of a new account feature to see just how many bonus coins they'll get if they're subscribed when the conversion takes place.

[Thanks to Marc for the tip!]

Avid players of Star Trek Online are going to have a new tool to use starting with the game's next major update, Season 7. But it's not an in-game tool -- it's specifically meant for use when you're not in the game. The latest development blog for the game outlines the upcoming Star Trek Online Gateway, allowing players to access in-game information remotely via desktop, smartphone, or tablet.

At launch, the Gateway will only allow players to look up character status, ship status, officer status, and accolades. The development team is working on expanding the tool's functionality for the future, with the current features only scratching the surface of long term plans. And if you need to remember that you're playing Star Trek Online, the tool has been designed to resemble the ubiquitous LCARS interface from the series and game. It's not a groundswell of new content, but if you've long been waiting for the game to have some form of mobile functionality, the wait will be over soon.

It was a good day last week, a very good day indeed, when news that Turbine had finally released the Lord of the Rings Online: Riders of Rohan soundtrack for the enjoyment of all. I wasn't sure before that moment whether this score would see a proper release, but I had hopes because Turbine had done so with the original score and Mines of Moria.

Riders of Rohan is the first major addition to LotRO's soundscape since Moria, and I'm sure I wasn't alone in clasping my hands together in excitement when I heard that Chance Thomas was returning to score it. We had heard several tracks from it leading up to the expansion's release, but the big question was whether the quality of these pieces was an anomaly or was indicative of the entire soundtrack's excellence.

I wish you could see me grinning right now for the answer to that. Riders of Rohan instantly jumped to my top 10 favorite MMO soundtracks of all time, and I couldn't stop gushing about it to friends as I gave it my initial listen-through. Hit the jump to hear my highlights from it.

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Gnome Templar, the maker of Saga and Captains of Darktide, is hard at work on the next step of its franchise with Saga Kingdoms. That the studio is looking to fund the project via Kickstarter might not surprise you in this day and age, but the fact that its also running a second fundraiser to finish its film based on the same IP might.

Saga Kingdoms is a persistent MMORTS in which players customize a hero avatar and look to expand their island nation through quests and conflict. One of its most interesting features is that it connects to a mobile RPG that acts as a two-way street for experience and loot.

The devs love the world they've created so much that they are also wrapping up a film in that universe called The Shadow Cabal. They claim that the movie's scenes have been fully shot, but it still needs about $20,000 for additional special effects and editing. Watch the trailer after the jump and let us know whether this is worth a few bucks or not!

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Is it probable, even inevitable, that we have too many great MMOs to play right now? Are the releases coming in too quickly for the average fan to process? Will Bree and Justin go mad from trying to absorb it all on top of babies and the neverending news cycle?

The answer to all of these is "yes."

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"Player vs. player in Defiance is like nothing console players have ever seen," promises Trion Worlds Creative Lead Bill Trost. "Everything's different, everything's fresh, every time you play."

Thus begins Trion's latest Defiance dev diary, this one focusing on the game's open world PvP system. The team has dubbed this system the Shadow War and said that it is integrated fully with the game's PvE experience. Players have a choice whether to participate in it or not, but the action will be happening across a shared landscape.

Why is it this way? The devs say that they didn't want a typical FPS experience, in which players went through a solo campaign and then hit the reset button for multiplayer. The progression between PvE and PvP is the same, although there are special outfits for hardcore PvPers.

We've got the full dev diary for you after the break, so don't be shy!

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Sci-fi MMOFPS PlanetSide 2 has impressed beta testers with the sheer scale of the game's warzones and its rewarding cooperative gameplay, but there are still a few problems to iron out before launch. In this week's State of the Game development update, SOE announced the main areas developers are currently working on and promised to give the game a final release date this week. The release date announcement is scheduled during the SOE Live keynote at 10 p.m. EDT (7 p.m. PDT) on Thursday, October 18th.

SOE has promised to have PlanetSide 2 out in 2012, and that leaves some fans skeptical as to whether the beta is far enough along to be released in the next few months. Developers are pressing ahead with plans to fix the performance issues some players are having, and the studio aims to release with a complex metagame involving three continents. Remaining development time will be spent on issues ranging from weapon balance to a tutorial that gets players into the action as quickly as possible.

Guild Wars 2's Black Lion Trading Company offers more than just a way to buy and sell in-game items; it's also used to buy the game's currency known as gems. These gems can be bought and traded for real money and converted to in-game gold for the purchase of just about anything your Tyrian heart desires.

But now ArenaNet is making it even easier to buy the in-game currency through gem cards available for purchase at your favorite retail store. These cards would be perfect as a gift from your grandmother or sweet aunt Vickie, who can help support your crafting obsession without even knowing it. Just tell them that you're really interested in Geology and Gemology. It's a win-win!

In preparation for Darkfall's upcoming Unholy Wars relaunch, Aventurine is giving all players past and present the chance to play the game entirely free from October 17th through November 15th, when the servers will shut down in anticipation of the relaunch.

On November 20th, Darkfall: Unholy Wars aims to redefine what the three-and-a-half-year-old MMO has already done for the genre by rebooting entirely. You can find out more on what this relaunch will mean for the game in our recent interview with Aventurine.

[Source: Aventurine press release]

Whether you're on board the EverQuest: Rain of Fear train or flying high with EverQuest II: Chains of Eternity, your conductor/captain would like you to know that you can score extra bonuses and discounts for pre-ordering before these expansions release next month.

While you can pick up the standard edition of either expansion for $39.99, SOE is lowering the price for both collector's editions from $89.99 to $59.99. The Rain of Fear CE includes a special quest, rucksack, house pet, and more. The Chains of Eternity CE comes equipped with plenty of extra potions, a tapestry, and a werewolf mercenary.

As added incentive to pre-order, EverQuest is doling out a Harbinger's Staff and something called a "Fear Corrupted Phase Spider Metamorph Totem." You know all the cool kids will have one of those come Christmas. For EverQuest II's part, that expansion pre-order comes with the Cloak of Mourning.

Click past the cut to see cover art for both expansions.

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TERA is joining the MMO Halloween tradition this year with its own event that promises a loot-fest of giveaways for characters level 40 to 60. Dubbed the Spirit Rally, this festival will run from 3 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, October 16th, to 3 p.m. EDT on Monday, October 22nd, and promises not tricks but treats in the form of high-level charms, crystals, potions, and more.

This event is launching on the heels of a new content patch that adds a hard mode for Manaya's Core, a special achievement for level 60 characters, oodles of skill changes for the Berserker class, and more. Check out the complete patch notes for more details.

Given how many people have quit Star Wars: The Old Republic and how many of those people still follow me in other media, I should really not be surprised at the number of people who ask, "Why do you still play SWTOR?" Usually, that question is followed by some snide remark about how the game sucks and will close down in less than a year, so I don't answer. However, I know there are some people who after reading my latest article about Damion Schubert have been legitimately concerned about playing SWTOR and legitimately wonder why anyone still plays the game.

Several months ago, I talked about the three major reasons I play SWTOR: Star Wars, BioWare, and MMOs. Interestingly, those three major components have been called into question within the last couple of months. Beyond them, are there any other compelling reasons to keep playing? And is there anything that will stop me from playing?

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Despite the fact that Mechwarrior Online's open beta has been pushed back, the teams at Piranha Games and Infinite Game Publishing are still showering us with new info to keep us excited about the game until we can get our hands on it.

One exciting bit of news released today revolves around the game's Founder's Program, which allows eager fans to preorder the game at different reward tiers. Since the program launched in July, the game has earned over $5M through Founders' preorders, with 500,000 registrations in the closed beta alone, according to the studio. Interestingly enough, the top tier, Legendary, had the highest number of registrations with over 26,000 players dishing out $120 each.

The Founder's program has closed this last weekend in anticipation of the pending open beta, but it's important to note that Founders will be able to choose exactly when their rewarded premium time will start.

Check out our impressions of Mechwarrior Online for more info.

[Source: Piranha Games press release]

The lifespan of a video game is a funny thing. There are some games that have a definite end, yet you'd wish they'd last forever. These games measure life in replayability, run-through length, or multiplayer matches, but they lack permanence and persistence. Still, you can usually dust them off years from now and still have fun with them.

MMOs are a different breed, aren't they? They promise the inverse of the solo game, with a world that goes on, content that keeps flooding in, and the illusion that it will last forever. Yet when the switch is turned off, there's no going back. You can't pick it up 10 years from now and give it another go.

It's why the news that an MMO is closing up shop comes as such a devastating blow to many of us. As MMOs attempt to emulate the persistence of life, so too do they illustrate the finality of death.

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Earlier in the year when Sony Online Entertainment announced the move of European EverQuest II player accounts to ProSiebenSat.1, many players voiced concerns. Since then, the deal changed to include more games and then was delayed for EverQuest II.

Today, SOE President John Smedley took to Twitter to explain that the company was listening to and addressing fans' concerns. He stated:

"We've found a way to let existing players of our current games that are migrating over to Prosieben (EQ, EQ II, Planetside 2) keep their SOE accounts and stay with SOE. Down the road we may offer an option to move over to Prosieben. Just to be clear after these games launch on Prosieben's service new accounts will be created on their sites. However all US and EU players can still play together no matter which service they are on."

He continued by emphasizing that the partnership with ProSiebenSat.1 is still on, and that he feels that the company will provide better customer service and payment options to the EU community.

If you're still on the fence about Age of Wushu's Elite Edition pre-order package, Snail Games has given you more time to think about it. The offer's now good through November 14th, and you'll still get access to both of the 2012 closed beta tests as well as early access in 2013 and a handful of in-game exclusives including vanity items, a mount, and tradable potions.

Snail says its extension decision is due to an "overwhelmingly enthusiastic" reception for AoW at both GDC Online and the New York Comic Con. The game features eight unique martial arts schools as well as a sandbox open world set in a mythical ancient China. Age of Wushu is slated to release in America on February 1, 2013.

The Elite Edition will set you back $9.99, and you can learn more about it via the official AoW website link below.

[Source: Snail Games press release]

In celebration of autumn, gPotato has released new screenshots that show off fall colors and the new female character models. Check them out, along with other Allods images, in the gallery below.

[Source: gPotato press release]

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It's never been a secret that a majority of MMO players tend to gravitate toward human (and the most human-like) races when it comes to rolling characters, so if you thought Guild Wars 2 was going to break that trend with interesting races like the Asura and Sylvari, think again. ArenaNet Writer Peter Fries sent out a recent tweet in which he lamented the lopsided racial balance: "Guild Wars 2 race popularity makes me sad. People avoiding Charr and Asura are missing the strongest story stuff in our game, IMO."

According to a numberless chart from Game Economist John Smith, Humans were by far the most popular race in the game, often twice as much as the others. Norn have the second place, with the remaining races roughly equal.

There have been a lot of MMOs over the years with a lot of different combat systems, but the vast majority of these systems occur in something resembling a real-time system. There's no pausing the battle, no stopping and considering your options, just timing your abilities and watching buffs tick down in terms of minutes and seconds.

But that's not the only way to manage a game engine. Pirate101 is embracing turn-based combat, allowing players more time to plan moves and consider options. Other games have played in the turn-based waters before, but they've always been quieter titles.

For some, the idea of a battle in which you take strictly ordered turns will seem like a boring slog, especially if you have to wait for that one guy in your party who always takes forever to enter a command. On the other hand, the turn-based setup can lead to some great strategies based upon your tactical planning rather than your reaction speed. Would you enjoy more games with turn-based combat, or do you prefer it stays in a few niche offerings?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!