Re: DCUO and lockboxes - even free players can open some boxes. I've been playing a bit lately, and I currently have around 10 keys and have obtained (via drop) and opened two boxes. I'm not sure how keys are awarded to free players, but I got one character to 13, deleted it cause I wasn't happy with it, then got another to 11 and created a third. (Note: free players get two slots.) My suspicions are leaning to time based, because it seems to go up by two keys every day or two. Boxes themselves last for 30 days before they are auto-deleted. I've gotten a max level helmet (lost on character deletion - and I just realized that, could have saved it :/ ) and a pair of boots that my low level can use. No real idea how good the items are though due to low time in game.
Edit to add: I'm playing the PS3 version, not sure if/how it differs from PC version.
Edit to add: I'm playing the PS3 version, not sure if/how it differs from PC version.