Is star wars without ATSTs as good? No.
Can a star wars mod for BF2 still be incredibly fun? Hell yes.
Unfortunately, with all the mods jumping ship to 2142, it seems that EA has indeed figured out how to use them as a draw for 2142.
Me and hundreds of thousands of people would never even consider buying the cash in, generic sci fi crap that is 2142, especially since we would rather be playing great BF2 mods for free. Yes, many people like myself strongly dislike everything about 2142, yet like star wars. Is that crazy? No..... thats because star wars is more popular than the rest of sci fi put together...
Except now that several excellent mods have packed up shop, its essentially that mods have turned into a draw for EA to entice at least a few thousand people to buy 2142 who would have never done it before.
I certainly will not be buying it until I have written proof (or maybe screens heh)and perhaps a few friends playing massive, star destroyer battles over endor.
Cause at that point, id pay 50 bucks for a game that does that, Ill sure pay 50 bucks for the mod that does the same thing 
Because otherwise it sends the wrong message to EA: make whatever cash in, rip off game you want, we'll buy it regardless.
I hate to sound a whiner, I never whined once and was quite annoyed by the whining before patch 1.22. Then claymore whoring arrived.
Then EA genuinely started screwing with the game that was pretty stable and playable in patch 1.03.
And on different notes, quake is about as original as sams club soda heh.... I would never consider buying a doom or quake game.
Also, arc angel is right about French people. I live in Canada and have been to Quebec three times.... they are the most useless, idiotic and overally incompetent people you could ever have the misfortune of sharing a country with.
Edited out more ranting heh. Just suffice to say, stay out of Quebec or France and youll be ok 