test content
What is the Arc Client?
Install Arc

Lock Box and Lobi Store Ship Prices Kept High By?

gooddaytodie39gooddaytodie39 Member Posts: 0 Arc User
The mmo auction sites aka gold sites? If you own the majority of lock box and lobi store ships circulating in game, have unlimited ec resources from bots and aim to sell those ships for real world cash wouldn't it be in your best interest to jack up prices on the exchange? thoughts? I know there are a few players that frequent the forums that are exchange players and have a lot of ec, I'm not referring to you. Think about the number of ships on the exchange.

Is it also the same bots and sites that keep inflation up in the exchange? I'm thinking that the vendor trash nerf only hurts the players and does nothing to stop the botters and gold sites that sell EC for real world money and sell all the most in demand ships for real world money.
Post edited by gooddaytodie39 on
«1

Comments

  • ddesjardinsddesjardins Member Posts: 3,056 Media Corps
    edited July 2014
    Whoah.

    First we don't use bots. That would be against the terms and conditions of the game. We use squad of elite 3rd-world gamers operating from internet cafe's on 2400 baud modems.

    Our plans are simple.

    1.) Pay real world dollars to buy keys, allowing us to get 'most' of the ships.
    2.) Sell keys to earn ec to acquire all of the ships we don't already own.
    3.) Meet every Tuesday evening, to set pricing for the next 2-3 weeks.
    4.) Turn our profits into Feline Supplement #9, reselling it as healing potions in Neverwinter.

    But you HAD to expose our plans.

    *adjusts tin foil hat*

    You've meddled in our plans for the last time!
  • daan2006daan2006 Member Posts: 5,346 Arc User
    edited July 2014
    well you have thing like this in a f2p game and thats open to everyone do the math
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    swimwear off risa not fixed
    system Lord Baal is dead
    macronius wrote: »
    This! Their ability to outdo their own failures is quite impressive. If only this power could be harnessed for good.
  • abystander0abystander0 Member Posts: 648 Arc User
    edited July 2014
    There is still way too much currency (EC) in circulation. There need to be some kind of sink to destroy it, that doesn't unduly punish players.

    Once there there is less EC in circulation prices will come down.
  • iconiansiconians Member Posts: 6,987 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Whoah.

    First we don't use bots. That would be against the terms and conditions of the game. We use squad of elite 3rd-world gamers operating from internet cafe's on 2400 baud modems.

    Our plans are simple.

    1.) Pay real world dollars to buy keys, allowing us to get 'most' of the ships.
    2.) Sell keys to earn ec to acquire all of the ships we don't already own.
    3.) Meet every Tuesday evening, to set pricing for the next 2-3 weeks.
    4.) Turn our profits into Feline Supplement #9, reselling it as healing potions in Neverwinter.

    But you HAD to expose our plans.

    *adjusts tin foil hat*

    You've meddled in our plans for the last time!

    And we would have gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddling kids and your targ!
    ExtxpTp.jpg
  • rattler2rattler2 Member Posts: 57,973 Community Moderator
    edited August 2014
    But... I got a Sehlat! And an Exocomp!
    db80k0m-89201ed8-eadb-45d3-830f-bb2f0d4c0fe7.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2ExOGQ4ZWM2LTUyZjQtNDdiMS05YTI1LTVlYmZkYmJkOGM3N1wvZGI4MGswbS04OTIwMWVkOC1lYWRiLTQ1ZDMtODMwZi1iYjJmMGQ0YzBmZTcucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.8G-Pg35Qi8qxiKLjAofaKRH6fmNH3qAAEI628gW0eXc
    I can't take it anymore! Could everyone just chill out for two seconds before something CRAZY happens again?!
    The nut who actually ground out many packs. The resident forum voice of reason (I HAZ FORUM REP! YAY!)
  • iconiansiconians Member Posts: 6,987 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    rattler2 wrote: »
    But... I got a Sehlat! And an Exocomp!

    Jinkies!

    /10characters
    ExtxpTp.jpg
  • voporakvoporak Member Posts: 5,621 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Whoah.

    First we don't use bots. That would be against the terms and conditions of the game. We use squad of elite 3rd-world gamers operating from internet cafe's on 2400 baud modems.

    Our plans are simple.

    1.) Pay real world dollars to buy keys, allowing us to get 'most' of the ships.
    2.) Sell keys to earn ec to acquire all of the ships we don't already own.
    3.) Meet every Tuesday evening, to set pricing for the next 2-3 weeks.
    4.) Turn our profits into Feline Supplement #9, reselling it as healing potions in Neverwinter.

    But you HAD to expose our plans.

    *adjusts tin foil hat*

    You've meddled in our plans for the last time!

    Hail Hydra
    I ask nothing but that you remember me.
  • macroniusmacronius Member Posts: 2,526
    edited August 2014
    In defense of the exchange, I actually think the gear and ships is undervalued. Think about it. If a lock box ships has a half of one percent chance to drop then on AVERAGE it will take hundreds of lock boxes being opened to drop. Do the math yourself if you don't believe me. Hundreds of keys equals half a billion EC or more. So buying a Wells for 220 million is a good value. Same goes for the traits and consoles and less expensive stuff.

    Even plasmonic is under valued considering drop rate and rarity of the lock box. The problem is earning the EC now that they nerfed EC supply heavily. They should have added sinks instead but that would require more than 5 minutes from a dev.
    "With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censored, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably."

    - Judge Aaron Satie
  • daedalus304daedalus304 Member Posts: 1,049 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    voporak wrote: »
    hail Hydra

    That's My Line!!!
  • rinksterrinkster Member Posts: 3,549 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    *something, something* dark side.

    *something, something* complete.
  • ashkrik23ashkrik23 Member Posts: 10,809 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    The people who keep up the exchange are the ones who intentionally drive up the prices to make more money. My friend once saw someone in a trading channel state, "Carriers at 240? I will make sure they go up to 270m by the end of tonight.'"

    Just an example.
    King of Lions rawr! Protect the wildlife of the world. Check out my foundry series Perfection and Scars of the Pride. arcgames.com/en/forums#/discussion/1138650/ashkrik23s-foundry-missions
    ashkrik_by_lindale_ff-d65zc3i.png
  • drake122svkdrake122svk Member Posts: 731 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Yes, Market manipulation is the foundation of trade, whether real world or STO, get used to it.
  • dracounguisdracounguis Member Posts: 5,358 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Price too high? Don't buy. If enough people do that, price comes down. (assuming seller isn't just content to sit on item forever)
  • john98837john98837 Member Posts: 761 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    When the rich get bored we have nothing better to do but manipulate the exchange, and in this game we have gotten very very bored.
  • aelfwin1aelfwin1 Member Posts: 2,896 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Lock Box and Lobi Store Ship Prices Kept High By ?

    Exchange prices for lockbox ships have gone up when :

    - The easy "clicky" Foundry missions were nerfed .
    - The Tour of the Galaxy was nerfed .
    - STF awards were nerfed .
    - Bonus Hours on the Calendar went away .

    All of the above made it easier to earn EC directly , or indirectly (by converting Dil > Zen > Keys > EC) .
    I'm thinking that the vendor trash nerf only hurts the players

    The vendor trash nerf is too recent for me to observe any impact on the Exchange , however the examples I noted above have contributed to a 50-100+ Mill EC inflation on Lockbox ships , and in some cases to the removal of certain ships from the exchange (to be sold privately to bypass the 500M maximum on the exchange) .

    Cryptic's reason being to push players to buy stuff with cash , rather then take "alternative routes" to in-game purchases .
  • azurianstarazurianstar Member Posts: 6,985 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Well Cryptic as usual do not understand economics. Their EC nerf is hurting casual players more than these Market Traders. :mad:

    If they wanted to hurt these people, then they should've started charging Exchange Fees like they do in other MMOs.
  • lebtronlebtron Member Posts: 296 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    3.) Meet every Tuesday evening, to set pricing for the next 2-3 weeks.

    Come on, really? And I thought you all stopped playing, always sitting alone there on Friday... when was it changed and why did nobody tell me?
  • notapwefannotapwefan Member Posts: 1,138 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    If you want to get something then you will pay whatever price I ask..errr, demand
    no go back to grinding. This is what you are good in, and this is why you are on this planet
    Grinding for MkIV epic gear?
    Ain't Nobody Got Time for That


    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • oldravenman3025oldravenman3025 Member Posts: 1,892 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Well Cryptic as usual do not understand economics. Their EC nerf is hurting casual players more than these Market Traders. :mad:

    If they wanted to hurt these people, then they should've started charging Exchange Fees like they do in other MMOs.



    You won't get into the Divine Treasury with that attitude. :P
  • bendalekbendalek Member Posts: 1,781 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    As long as idiots keep thinking they MUST own this or that ship because ... reezonz ... And buying Lock Boxes to either get them or sell the other stuff to make enough EC/Lobi to get them, the prices will remain high ...

    If people ever do realize that you can be just as successful in the 'free' t4 Ships as that 220M EC Lock Box ship, then the prices will plummet ... Of course, we'll most likely see Mass Effect 4, Half Life 3 and the return of Firefly before that happens.

    If Cryptic had special "batteries" or "Consumables" that offered similar "buffs' to these Consoles, and Traits, and had EC purchasable variants, such as the "Mirror" variants, of ships and/or purchasable ship upgrades, such as weapon slots and/or Console Slots and/or BoFF seating ... You'd soon see those prices drop ...

    But then ... How would Cryptic sell all those keys in the C-Store? = Never gonna' happen.
    Oh, hoho hohhhhh, Oh,, hoho, hohhhhh
    My%20STO%20Sig%20Clear_zps5etu86s1.png
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,231 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Part of the problem with the sinks is that many people are getting EC by buying and selling keys on the exchange and many of those people would view EC sinks as Cryptic taking away money they spent on the game and now they have nothing to show for it.

    That's why I think Cryptic went with the recent EC nerf instead of EC sinks. Less outrage
    yeah, the flaw with the EC sink idea is that it's by definition voluntary. anyone who wanted to keep their EC wouldn't touch it.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
    Costume_marhawkman_Tsin%27xing_CC_Comic_Page_Blue_488916968.jpg
  • aelfwin1aelfwin1 Member Posts: 2,896 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    And exactly which ships have you seen removed from the exchange? As I recall several ships were being sold off the exchange for over 500 mil long before the vendor trash nerf was implemented.

    For the first 1.5-2 years after it's introduction , the Bug ship was ALWAYS available @4.5-4.9 Mil EC .

    It started to vanish after the "clicky" missions were removed .
    Nowdays it vanishes about 2-3 months after it's re-introduced into the game via Doffpacks .

    The other ship that went directly from being introduced to removal from the exchange was the Voth Bulwark .
    (dinosaur extinction ... hahaha ... :rolleyes:)

    I know of no other ships , but as you've said you know of several ships so perhaps you can fill in the missing ships from the exchange .
  • fenr00kfenr00k Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    High prices are high because people are willing to pay the prices, end of story. Sure an EC sink might reduce the number of people who can afford to buy the expensive items, but why should that be needed? If prices are high they're high, just move on and maybe save up.

    Anything put in there cheaper will just be purchased by "merchants" who buy low to sell high, such is the nature of capitalism, and that's how some people enjoy the game, by playing the tycoon.

    Just realised, I might be mistaken for a tycoon, I'm not. My "richest" character has about 2 million EC. lol
  • thecosmic1thecosmic1 Member Posts: 9,365 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    aelfwin1 wrote: »
    For the first 1.5-2 years after it's introduction , the Bug ship was ALWAYS available @4.5-4.9 Mil EC .
    Not true at all. I paid 26 million for my first Bug about 1 month after the Winter Event ended in January 2012. I paid 64 million for my second and third. Of course this was a point in time when Saurian Efficient Boffs were selling for 25 million ECs on the Exchange - after FTP Saurians became easy to get and the price tanked.
    STO is about my Liberated Borg Federation Captain with his Breen 1st Officer, Jem'Hadar Tactical Officer, Liberated Borg Engineering Officer, Android Ops Officer, Photonic Science Officer, Gorn Science Officer, and Reman Medical Officer jumping into their Jem'Hadar Carrier and flying off to do missions for the new Romulan Empire. But for some players allowing a T5 Connie to be used breaks the canon in the game.
  • daan2006daan2006 Member Posts: 5,346 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    screenshot or it didnt happen :D
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    swimwear off risa not fixed
    system Lord Baal is dead
    macronius wrote: »
    This! Their ability to outdo their own failures is quite impressive. If only this power could be harnessed for good.
  • arilouskiffarilouskiff Member Posts: 0 Arc User
    edited August 2014
    Deleting peoples hard earned money with fake fees is morally wrong.

    They're the ones using the exchange, a service, taking a fee for it is perfectly reasonable. (that said, I quesiton how large the impact would be, if the fees are too high people will simply stop using the exchange and trade otherwise... ALthough presumably you could introduce an EC fee for ANY type of trading, that would be incredibly annoying)
Sign In or Register to comment.