When I first started playing, I was super excited. I played until I needed to go into firecat alley, and it said I needed membership or crowns. I was very disappointed. Most of wizard city is free, but why not make a world that even non members can in besides wizard city. I think that is would attract more people to play the game. What do you think?
First off, you can do Wizard city until the end of Triton Avenue on a free account as well as many side quests (this will leave you in the level 7-10 range depending on how many side quests you do and if you did the tutorial).
Second of all as nice as a whole free world would be it doesn't really leave you asking for more. With the current free account set up you're half way into the Wizard City plot, so you want to know what happens next. If you had all of it, you wouldn't want to really know what happens next as much, since you went through the world's storyline.
Most online games like this have a free area or up to so many levels before you are required to sub. This just happens to be where KI makes that requirement. Most players do not have a problem with this and if they are interested (Hooked) they will either sub or purchase those next areas with crowns.