As opposed to PS2 , neither EQ2 nor DCUO was meant to be a F2P game in the first place. Native F2P games have a very strong advantage that their player progress systems are tailored to the F2P model. For native subscription based MMOs, when switching to F2P model, many compromises were made (cutting core features from free users) so as to increase paying incentives for the players.

That guy from extra credits has nailed it:
http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/microtransactions

Really worth watching for both developers and players to better understand what micro-transaction should be and could be.

Regarding the premium features, things like a small amount of station cash per month and longer offline skill queues I could easily see as possible incentives.

You could still put it in the game and avoid the memory requirements. You'll be able to tell if it's enemy by the lack of a tag and that fact that it's shooting at you. Other modern games allow you to take over enemy vehicles without a skin change.

I'm really going to miss having access to enemy vehicles.

I don't see why the whole vehicle skin would need to change if you hacked it. You could still put it in the game and avoid the memory requirements. You'll be able to tell if it's enemy by the lack of a tag and that fact that it's shooting at you.

I don't see why the whole vehicle skin would need to change if you hacked it. You could still put it in the game and avoid the memory requirements. You'll be able to tell if it's enemy by the lack of a tag and that fact that it's shooting at you. Of course, if you don't have the appropriate certs, you can't drive it or use the weapons on it. Other modern games allow you to take over enemy vehicles without a skin change.

I'm really going to miss having access to enemy vehicles.

What modern game (preferably MMO to keep it on the same scale) has come out allowing you to control enemy vehicles?

It could be exploited a lot.

Create a bunch of second accounts, train them up enough to pull a certain vehicle, get your friends and the second accs to a secure space, pull the vehicles, hack them all, and mayhem with enemy colors.

Players who are online during their skill studies will see them unlock faster, but there are more immediate rewards for those keen to invigorate their learning process, as Matt confirms: “You’re able to shortcut your skills by burning resources.”

Resources themselves are earned by engaging in battle against the two oppositional empires: capture an area on one of the game’s continents and you’ll gain resources. Matt explains further: “You’ll also gain resources while your empire holds that territory. So if you are a member of an empire and own 50% of a continent, you will gain resources just for playing on that continent all the time, even if you’re not capturing anything new. You can use those resources for doing things like upgrading your weapons, getting new weapons from an equipment terminal, or buying things from the store.”

It could be exploited a lot.

Create a bunch of second accounts, train them up enough to pull a certain vehicle, get your friends and the second accs to a secure space, pull the vehicles, hack them all, and mayhem with enemy colors.

If the enemy cant tell from a distance that the friendly looking tanks coming along are actually enemy tanks, then we got a problem.