It's not like this game has one of the BEST character customization and I suffer from ALT-itis and MMO Addiction the past 4 years along with other Shenanigans
Just because I like and Enjoy a Videogame that doesn't mean by any means that I have to Ignore it's Flaws and Blindly accept the DEV's Decisions
Post edited by avianos on
POWERFRAME REVAMPS, NEW POWERS and BUG FIXES > Recycled Content and Events and even costumes at this point Introvert guy who use CO to make his characters playable and get experimental with Viable FF Theme builds! Running out of Unique FF builds due to the lack of updates and synergiesPlaying since 1 February 2011 98+ Characters (7 ATs, 91 FFs) ALTitis for Life!
Am I the only one that remembers when we were explicitly told this would "never" happen? Wait a minute, I've been in this community long enough. I KNOW I'm not the only person that remembers that.
I was okay with "Level an archetype to 40 to get new powers" because that's essentially "play the game to get things" and you do the thing and you get the thing, and there's no gambling involved.
Powers in lockboxes? I can only laugh. Grats Meed, they're finally making the mistake you pushed so hard for.
Am I the only one that remembers when we were explicitly told this would "never" happen? Wait a minute, I've been in this community long enough. I KNOW I'm not the only person that remembers that.
Yup. "We wont put Powers in Lockboxes" been bouncing around in me brain. I thought i posted that somewhere, but seems i didn't. Whoever said it and wherever.
CHAMPIONS ONLINE:Join Date: Apr 2008
And playing by myself since Aug 2009 Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
Am I the only one that remembers when we were explicitly told this would "never" happen? Wait a minute, I've been in this community long enough. I KNOW I'm not the only person that remembers that.
The [Old] Devs also promised that the Avian warrior pack will be release for the C-store, and you see what they did, they pushed it as VET reward the last minute and with full of Bugs [RAGE INTENSIFIES]
POWERFRAME REVAMPS, NEW POWERS and BUG FIXES > Recycled Content and Events and even costumes at this point Introvert guy who use CO to make his characters playable and get experimental with Viable FF Theme builds! Running out of Unique FF builds due to the lack of updates and synergiesPlaying since 1 February 2011 98+ Characters (7 ATs, 91 FFs) ALTitis for Life!
Am I the only one that remembers when we were explicitly told this would "never" happen?
I was talking to Kais the other day and mentioned the same thing, but I couldn't remember or place where I'd seen this said. I thought then that I might have confused it with something they said about Neverwinter. I'd like to see the actual posts that said this, though, so I can prove to myself I'm not a hundred percent crazy.
Problem is: People are already unsubbing due to the fact that this power is in a lockbox.
Really? Like who?
Or is this another one of those unsubstantiated "this is gonna KILL the game! DOOM DOOM!!" cries that happens every time something changes? Because it kind of sounds like the latter. I certainly don't know anyone who's unsubbed over this silliness, any more than I know anyone who actually dropped their sub when lockboxes first came into play, or when Vehicles became a thing, or when Blood Moons stopped happening every full moon, or - well, insert change here.
Friends of mine that I talk to straight up said they were quitting CO and stopped their sub. I will not name names out of respect, but they legit quit the game.
It's just a game.. if you don't like powers in a lockbox don't buy keys to open lockboxes and continue to enjoy the game for what it currently has to offer. If you just gotta have this new power or everything will be ruined but you still hate lockboxes buy if from the auction exchange or trade for it with another player...
if you're just so mad that they'd do this you're willing to unsub/and or quit on principal... go ahead, I mean...there is nothing stopping you, don't think making threats about quitting is going to change anything...the only thing you can do is actually do it.
I'll be sad to see more players go...but at this point these are the only options. It is happening. It has already happened. We can't stop it now.
The "Do you still play" argument is invalid simply because the only thing that matters is "Do you still pay".
Lockboxes will be opened. Its the only thing being added to the game which means its 100% getting all the numbers. I also bet that Cryptic counts that new nonexistent content that no one plays as a valid statistic for not making new content. The numbers are either purposefully skewed or the statistic algorithm was made by Cryptic.
I bet login numbers as a result to lockboxes was hurt by the login numbers for Steel Crusade being added. That means that we need less content so the lockbox sales don't hurt, right? Or that Steel Crusade's loot is designed so that it gets played less compared to key sales.
Well cryptic good luck but this is a bad idea very bad idea. I hope you relize this could cause a huge back lash into ruining the game. But i am sure with the blacklash you will see how angry people are
The fact that STO didn't fold when they started putting new starships in lockboxes taught Cryptic/PWE what the market will bear. Here in CO we can either follow along in consensual silence, or voice our dissent and refuse to buy keys. My concern is that this tactic will work well enough to show that it's profitable and it will evolve. Newer players especially will likely not see this as an unusual move and will play along.
The old guard who remember Cryptic's original promises will not be enough to stem this tide.
The fact that STO didn't fold when they started putting new starships in lockboxes taught Cryptic/PWE what the market will bear. Here in CO we can either follow along in consensual silence, or voice our dissent and refuse to buy keys. My concern is that this tactic will work well enough to show that it's profitable and it will evolve. Newer players especially will likely not see this as an unusual move and will play along.
The old guard who remember Cryptic's original promises will not be enough to stem this tide.
This^
You may not like it(I'd rather they didn't do it this way) but it is going to happen and no amount of complaining at this point will change that. They aren't going to listen to a handful of angry forum users, the only thing they care about is how many keys they are going to sell.
For this horrible crime, the recompense should be
RAGDOLL.
I think you mean "Arms Folded". (Unless, of course, that's being snuck in - Defender's been crossing his arms lately...)
"Science teaches us to expect -- demand -- more than just eerie mysteries. What use is a puzzle that can't be solved? Patience is fine, but I'm not going to stop asking the universe to make sense!"
Problem is: People are already unsubbing due to the fact that this power is in a lockbox.
Really? Like who?
Or is this another one of those unsubstantiated "this is gonna KILL the game! DOOM DOOM!!" cries that happens every time something changes? Because it kind of sounds like the latter. I certainly don't know anyone who's unsubbed over this silliness, any more than I know anyone who actually dropped their sub when lockboxes first came into play, or when Vehicles became a thing, or when Blood Moons stopped happening every full moon, or - well, insert change here.
Friends of mine that I talk to straight up said they were quitting CO and stopped their sub. I will not name names out of respect, but they legit quit the game.
Unnamed friends. Okay. And I know (and am willing to name) just scads of people who aren't quitting over this, but that also has little bearing on the question. Unless there are numbers (to which we can be privy), none of this means anything, because as the old saying has it, "The plural of anecdote is not data."
Unless this were to lead to a significant decline in numbers (which seems unlikely in the extreme), it won't be seen as a loss by Cryptic, as a certain number of players are going to quit at any given moment anyway, with or without provocation. It's the nature of the beast - even the 800-pound-gorilla of MMOs loses players (although their subscription numbers have declined to levels most games can barely dream of reaching). If you want to protest this move (which is, in my opinion, a poor one), then by all means, don't buy keys. Because income is the only metric by which the success or failure of this will be judged.
"Science teaches us to expect -- demand -- more than just eerie mysteries. What use is a puzzle that can't be solved? Patience is fine, but I'm not going to stop asking the universe to make sense!"
For this horrible crime, the recompense should be
RAGDOLL.
In order to bring a better product to the players we've decided to bring ragdoll physics to Champions online. Get your Ragdoll unlock token as a very rare reward from our exciting new Raggedy Amber lockbox. (1 of 18 Series 4)
Additionally to address concerns with the reward tables for cosmics, this lockbox will only drop from Kigatilik.
Am I the only one that remembers when we were explicitly told this would "never" happen?
I was talking to Kais the other day and mentioned the same thing, but I couldn't remember or place where I'd seen this said. I thought then that I might have confused it with something they said about Neverwinter. I'd like to see the actual posts that said this, though, so I can prove to myself I'm not a hundred percent crazy.
I believe this was a statement made with the introduction of the Free For All update.
If you want to protest this move (which is, in my opinion, a poor one), then by all means, don't buy keys. Because income is the only metric by which the success or failure of this will be judged.
So be it. No more Keys from me. Who's with me on this?
Keys sell because of costumes and Legion gear. But because they are a guaranteed sale Cryptic can put anything else they want in them and say that its because they were in a lockbox that they were sold.
Its like suddenly making a lockbox with all the lost costume unlocks in it, throw in a single power unlock, then saying that the lockbox sold because of the power when players are automatically unlocking them because everyone will need it since its the only way to acquire. The numbers only show items being used, yet in a game like Champions items held and used for bartering are an important statistic that determine value.
If stuff like that makes one to quit a game, they weren't enjoying it very much anyways.
Or maybe they were on the fence, like a lot of people are, where they were "enjoying this game so long as something objectively terrible doesn't happen".
costumes, legion gear, vehicles, the new shiny.
Things to sell to other people, to buy more keys, to open more boxes, to sell more things, to make more money.
look at all the people going to test the new power.
How many are testing it for a PvP build, I know the usual suspects(the nuisance) was there yesterday.
How many are checking it for a Rampage build or for that one extra point of damage?
How many people have been grabbing a pile of 12 packs of the lockboxes from the Q store during timewarp week,
To have a store later, I know I've seen the same people selling the results on trade.
ok I give up on punctuation today.
If you want to protest this move (which is, in my opinion, a poor one), then by all means, don't buy keys. Because income is the only metric by which the success or failure of this will be judged.
Unfortunately Jon, like I've pointed out before, nobody is keeping track of the number of people that don't buy a thing. When you say "I'm not going to buy this to send the message that this is a thing they should not offer", they never get that message... because there's no machine printing out a message that says "Jon DIDN'T buy a key today, and this is the reason".
In this case especially the message won't get through. Let's say Jhonny doesn't buy keys to protest this... Sarah on the other hand is buying keys specifically to sell them for resources because she wants to do a full retcon. Not only do they never even hear about Jhonny's lack of key purchases, but they also don't know what Sarah bought keys for.
Even if there is something keeping track of how many people open a given lockbox, that's all it keeps track of... it doesn't have a category for "People who decided not to open the lockbox because they disagree with it".
In fact, I have this strange feeling that this "outrage" doesn't come as a surprise to anyone. The problem is, the people who expected it and feel bad are likely in no position to do anything about it. The people who are in a position to do something about it probably have a "It'll make some money, and people will get over it" attitude that wouldn't be even slightly dented by any of these protests.
I agree of course... don't like it, don't open, and at the very least not be a part of the only message being sent. But don't do it with the pretense of protest.
Actually, that wasn't it because I still play and I am against this as well. It was more of the....
People are Unsubbing/Quitting because they are smart enough
..."Are you saying you, me, and all these people are stupid(or not smart if you want to be more specific)?" Card.
Kenpo: Of course you're not the only one who remembers but, apparently, every time you change dev teams in "Cryptic Dev Training Online" all previous claims/promises/rules go right out the window.
Bunch of other people: Uhm...ok...sure. I will not buy keys. I hope this has the proper impact but even if it does it would likely be measured AFTER this precedent is set. Also, I am but one gun-toting midgie so I do not know if I would be enough...but I'll try. Here's my vote.
Or maybe they were on the fence, like a lot of people are, where they were "enjoying this game so long as something objectively terrible doesn't happen".
I know that I've been on that particular fence about going LTS for years(ever since the original "Sorry, we ran out" Fiasco of 2009) and everytime I go to pull the trigger something like this happens...so I don't. I'm still Gold after all this time. I play this game because I have ideas and bring them to life ingame. I have always said that once I run out of ideas then it will likely be the end for me but, also, these kinds of things do make an impact on that for me. I just, honestly, do not know how much bad I can actually stomach with no good before it's time to strongly reevaluate my presence here....and I'm not even one of the doomies.
For my observations on the "unnamed friends I have in CO" angle, alot of them seem beaten/defeated/down and this year has been more hammer hits through what I would consider bad decisions and mostly bad implementations that...is...just...wearing...people...down. My friends are not the type to make the, "Screw you guys, I'm going home" posts and make a grandscale exit from the stage....they just stop showing up and fade into the statistics of the lost. If this were to actually cause the mass exodus that the doomies have been prophesying all of these years then that, too, would weigh into my evaluation of my place here. Hey, it's one of the 2 reasons I don't play NW anymore.
You may not like it(I'd rather they didn't do it this way) but it is going to happen and no amount of complaining at this point will change that. They aren't going to listen to a handful of angry forum users, the only thing they care about is how many keys they are going to sell.
If it makes money, they will do it. It means enough people don't mind. It means that the forum folks don't represent the larger player base as a whole.
The game needs to make money to stay afloat, with very little staffing to make things to make that money.
Am I the only one that remembers when we were explicitly told this would "never" happen? Wait a minute, I've been in this community long enough. I KNOW I'm not the only person that remembers that.
If the old forums and archived posts weren't dead beyond dead I'd find where it was stated that powers wouldn't be placed into lockboxes. I distinctly remember reading things would never go this route back when the first iteration of prize bags were introduced (before the need for keys) and The Cursed was the big prize.
Rtma: Characterizing the Devs/Cryptic as Mr. Burns really accomplishes nothing at all.
Riiiight, and Cryptic's vision and dedication continues to make Champions Online a realm of passion and unbridled pleasure for all the growing masses(&Content) to enjoy. *Stifles Laughter, Ends Sarcasm*
I can say the same thing about Poverty, Greed and Corruption in the world doesn't change a thing either, but I'm still concerned about those affected...
I take this quote from a review that I agree with.
"customisation is so linear; everyone is after the optimal dps:survivability ratio with 0 reliance on other players = autonomous gameplay... Players don't need each other anymore... which in my opinion is a bad thing."
To me it would be really weird if they didn't have some way to track the number of lock boxes opened. I'd wager there's always some flow of people buying keys to open old/current lock boxes (otherwise we wouldn't seem them for sale in AH and so on). Wouldn't they be looking to see if a current box was leading to a significant spike in key sales? Some people will gamble for the power, but what the companywould look for is if the sales stay relatively flat (due to large numbers of people boycotting) or if there is a serious uptick (despite what people are saying on this forum).
Even if there is something keeping track of how many people open a given lockbox, that's all it keeps track of... it doesn't have a category for "People who decided not to open the lockbox because they disagree with it".
The drop rate for lockbox costumes has dropped down to an absurdly low percentage, ensuring that the costumes are costing the players more money.
Cryptic acknowledges that some C-Store costumes are of substandard quality, and decides to 'fix' that by just raising the prices of everything, doubling the prices of the good ones.
Vehicles are still being shoved down our throats and are also still one of the most useless things in the game.
One of the best entries in the costume idea contest is implemented; and it looks like complete garbage, lacks the versatility and options the designer intended, and all critique is answered with essentially a middle finger.
Players have long been asking for new content, especially after level 40, to which Cryptic responds with a new tutorial that is a complete waste of developer time and serves no purpose over the old tutorial.
People want new powers to use while replaying the same old content, so Cryptic decides that the best way to do this is to put this power into a gamble box.
I'm normally not okay with calling people names, but I'll say it: You don't get to be this kind of stupid by accident. It just can't occur naturally, you have to be doing it on purpose.
- I assume this is an experiment, one which for the sake of Gravity Driver, I will likely be participating in due to the fact that the power looks very very pretty and fills a hole in a build of mine. It will also enable me to hand out Gravity Driver Tokens to others and this is pleasing to me.
- I am not very okay with the idea of locking powers behind lockboxes, but I have stated my thoughts on the matter in this particular instance. I would agree and hope in future that locking powers behind lockboxes is NOT the thing to do. Instead I would prefer powers to be obtainable in game through one or a combination of the following ways, which have all been suggested by myself & other players/forum users:
* Q Store for a reasonable amount
* Completing a chain of missions in Champions Online (perhaps have it connected to the Perk System via Lore?)
* C-Store additions
* Lockbox Reward Card
* Locked behind a thematic AT (such as what was done with Rocket Fist and Aspect of The Machine)
* Simple, straightforward addition to the game.
The addition of the Automaton...somewhat coincided with Steel Crusade...as far as I personally am aware there isn't anything aside from Ravenswood which has been added to the game or will be added in the very near future. However I do hope to see space related missions from GATEWAY or perhaps Roin'esh Return after Whiteout or perhaps some interesting open world fights.
Anyway, I do hope everyone is having a wonderful 4th of July (provided you celebrate it)
- I assume this is an experiment, one which for the sake of Gravity Driver, I will likely be participating in due to the fact that the power looks very very pretty and fills a hole in a build of mine. It will also enable me to hand out Gravity Driver Tokens to others and this is pleasing to me.
Though we nearly always agree, Raven, you do see the conflict here. If you (and I, too) open a bunch of these lockboxes to get the power and help others, that will encourage the devs to put the next power in a lockbox.
The have some extra Power lying around. People asked for it. They put it in the LockBox.
People didn't like how Rocket Fist was implemented. That will not be done again. Ever.
This is one and only time this will happen. Ever.
It's not at New Shiney Way to put New Powers in the game.
Ever.
:*
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And playing by myself since Aug 2009 Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
I've long accepted that lockboxes has been a business model that turned out to be working and brings in the revenue, but I can't accept locking new powers or powersets behind them. Heck I wasn't even keen on the idea on locking them behind having to level an AT to 40 to begin with.
The right thing to do would be to make them fully accessible to Gold players and IMO maybe implement the power into a new AT.
It's as if they intended it all along, they plan to drive the community away to justify unplugging/using CO so they can focus on other projects/resources that are prioritized to their other games.
I take this quote from a review that I agree with.
"customisation is so linear; everyone is after the optimal dps:survivability ratio with 0 reliance on other players = autonomous gameplay... Players don't need each other anymore... which in my opinion is a bad thing."
While there are a lot of things I agree with in this thread, I have to make one thing clear here:
I do not blame the devs for this. I'm sure they were face palming as hard as anyone when they heard that this was going to be implemented. The devs work on content and mechanics - lockboxes and what goes in them are a marketing decision, and that decision is likely handled by some suit at Perfect World. Good old Perfect World... making terrible decisions and sitting back comfortably while other people get blamed for them.
Sometimes I think Perfect World accidentally got into video games, where as originally they wanted to build casinos.
no,you don't pay to tell the company what they should put in. Shareholders do that.
you pay to get extra character slots, free retcon tokens, free costumes, free hideout, emanation points, power coloring.
the same as the person on STO who claimed that since he had paid $5000 on the game, he should be asked what he wants in the game.
You paid for a service, you got it. IF you didn't, then put in a complaint to customer service.
cursed and mountain were about 2011 and 2012, so you go back through dev blogs from there.
Me, I have no problem with it. Same as everything else, if I get it, I get it. If I don't, I don't.
now for some of the obvious(and avoided ) questions;
Yes, some people think it's a bad idea, how many of those people want it?
How many of the people who don't want it are complaining?
How many of people don't even know about?
How many other games also have limited time/availability items and are still going?
well, we are back at Cryptic HQ and back on the trainees, so there's a limited amount we can get.
going on the recycled emote for the July reward, they don't have anymore costume allowance for now. Or maybe it was the mass complaint about the stuffed up costume set.
Most of the ingame costumes have already been recycled into sets, anyway.
well that was completely tactless, time to go get something to eat.
I don't want the power. It doesn't fit any of my characters.
I also don't want powers in lockboxes. However, I'm 51 years old. I only have so much energy to throw into being morally outraged by something, and this month it was entirely used up by people defending the flying of the Confederate battle flag over United States government offices (particularly since at one location the US flag was at half-staff - and by local law, the Confederate flag can't be lowered, meaning it was being flown higher, in defiance of US Flag Code). I just can't get really heavily worked up over this lockbox mess.
"Science teaches us to expect -- demand -- more than just eerie mysteries. What use is a puzzle that can't be solved? Patience is fine, but I'm not going to stop asking the universe to make sense!"
Wow.. so a power locked in a lockbox, i thought i'd never see this.
And its a token too which means if you wanted to have that power on another toon you'd have to open another set of boxes just to get it. At least thats what i think would happen since its you know..a token.
If anything this is a whole new low for Cryptic.. meanwhile im still waiting on news on my costume set.. Not entirely looking forward to it.
That's honestly more fuss than this entire thing is worth.
This move isn't any programme, so don't buy into any of ther weaksauce buzzwords like "adding value to subscription" (read - stuffing basic recycled emotes as a subscriber reward) or "adding value to lockboxes" (read - stuffing old power someone else made before them into lockboxes).
But then, they can't admit it, so weak PR lines is all they can do.
This is simply what CO is from now on and get used to it because it won't change. Never and ever. They no longer are afforded resources to produce costumes, so no new costumes for subscribers or lockboxes. That's why they can't produce a costume set or fix anything with costumes in a reasonable timeframe. Worse, by their own fault the last costue set sold very poorly, so even numbers will show that making new costumes is not profitable.
They don't have 3d even for building a campus, besides Cryptic had openings as enviro artists, so... It all clicks together.
This power is in lockbox because everything what CO is now under Los Gatos is a few people who can only scavenge through trash bin looking for what was left - old costumes, old powers. Or can only recycle resources.
Of course they have some new vehicles, because vehices are the most primitive models to put in this game, so... That's what they can do.
They were told - "release a lockbox", or "release a subscriber reward" - but they have nothing to produce so they have to recycle old junk. Simple.
But writing was on the wall as soon as CO was announced ging back into the same old clutches that gave it vehicles and crafting overhaul, so I don't know why anyone's surprised with this new direction.
Don't expect too many new powers in lockboxes, unless CO Trainee Team can scavenge something more from old files. Otherwise, carry on and chill out.
I don't want the power. It doesn't fit any of my characters.
I also don't want powers in lockboxes. However, I'm 51 years old. I only have so much energy to throw into being morally outraged by something, and this month it was entirely used up by people defending the flying of the Confederate battle flag over United States government offices (particularly since at one location the US flag was at half-staff - and by local law, the Confederate flag can't be lowered, meaning it was being flown higher, in defiance of US Flag Code). I just can't get really heavily worked up over this lockbox mess.
I can get with that, Jon. However, complaining or getting "worked up" (as you call it) over this lockbox mess on the forum of the MMO where the lockbox mess is happening is relevant. Believe me, there is no other part of my life where I even mention the word lockbox.
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Join Date: Aug 2009 | Title: Devslayer
Ah Yes the "Why you keep playing?" Card
It's not like this game has one of the BEST character customization and I suffer from ALT-itis and MMO Addiction the past 4 years along with other Shenanigans
Just because I like and Enjoy a Videogame that doesn't mean by any means that I have to Ignore it's Flaws and Blindly accept the DEV's Decisions
Wait no. I mean...My condolences.
Ok so maybe I think some of you may be overreacting a little bit...
but that is exactly what I was expecting.
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Powers in lockboxes? I can only laugh. Grats Meed, they're finally making the mistake you pushed so hard for.
Yup. "We wont put Powers in Lockboxes" been bouncing around in me brain. I thought i posted that somewhere, but seems i didn't. Whoever said it and wherever.
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Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
The [Old] Devs also promised that the Avian warrior pack will be release for the C-store, and you see what they did, they pushed it as VET reward the last minute and with full of Bugs
[RAGE INTENSIFIES]
I was talking to Kais the other day and mentioned the same thing, but I couldn't remember or place where I'd seen this said. I thought then that I might have confused it with something they said about Neverwinter. I'd like to see the actual posts that said this, though, so I can prove to myself I'm not a hundred percent crazy.
Friends of mine that I talk to straight up said they were quitting CO and stopped their sub. I will not name names out of respect, but they legit quit the game.
And playing by myself since Aug 2009
Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
if you're just so mad that they'd do this you're willing to unsub/and or quit on principal... go ahead, I mean...there is nothing stopping you, don't think making threats about quitting is going to change anything...the only thing you can do is actually do it.
I'll be sad to see more players go...but at this point these are the only options. It is happening. It has already happened. We can't stop it now.
Lockboxes will be opened. Its the only thing being added to the game which means its 100% getting all the numbers. I also bet that Cryptic counts that new nonexistent content that no one plays as a valid statistic for not making new content. The numbers are either purposefully skewed or the statistic algorithm was made by Cryptic.
I bet login numbers as a result to lockboxes was hurt by the login numbers for Steel Crusade being added. That means that we need less content so the lockbox sales don't hurt, right? Or that Steel Crusade's loot is designed so that it gets played less compared to key sales.
RAGDOLL.
The old guard who remember Cryptic's original promises will not be enough to stem this tide.
This^
You may not like it(I'd rather they didn't do it this way) but it is going to happen and no amount of complaining at this point will change that. They aren't going to listen to a handful of angry forum users, the only thing they care about is how many keys they are going to sell.
- David Brin, "Those Eyes"
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
Unless this were to lead to a significant decline in numbers (which seems unlikely in the extreme), it won't be seen as a loss by Cryptic, as a certain number of players are going to quit at any given moment anyway, with or without provocation. It's the nature of the beast - even the 800-pound-gorilla of MMOs loses players (although their subscription numbers have declined to levels most games can barely dream of reaching). If you want to protest this move (which is, in my opinion, a poor one), then by all means, don't buy keys. Because income is the only metric by which the success or failure of this will be judged.
- David Brin, "Those Eyes"
Get the Forums Enhancement Extension!
In order to bring a better product to the players we've decided to bring ragdoll physics to Champions online. Get your Ragdoll unlock token as a very rare reward from our exciting new Raggedy Amber lockbox. (1 of 18 Series 4)
Additionally to address concerns with the reward tables for cosmics, this lockbox will only drop from Kigatilik.
I believe this was a statement made with the introduction of the Free For All update.
So be it. No more Keys from me. Who's with me on this?
And I will always be @DZPlayer122.
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Its like suddenly making a lockbox with all the lost costume unlocks in it, throw in a single power unlock, then saying that the lockbox sold because of the power when players are automatically unlocking them because everyone will need it since its the only way to acquire. The numbers only show items being used, yet in a game like Champions items held and used for bartering are an important statistic that determine value.
Or maybe they were on the fence, like a lot of people are, where they were "enjoying this game so long as something objectively terrible doesn't happen".
Things to sell to other people, to buy more keys, to open more boxes, to sell more things, to make more money.
look at all the people going to test the new power.
How many are testing it for a PvP build, I know the usual suspects(the nuisance) was there yesterday.
How many are checking it for a Rampage build or for that one extra point of damage?
How many people have been grabbing a pile of 12 packs of the lockboxes from the Q store during timewarp week,
To have a store later, I know I've seen the same people selling the results on trade.
ok I give up on punctuation today.
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Unfortunately Jon, like I've pointed out before, nobody is keeping track of the number of people that don't buy a thing. When you say "I'm not going to buy this to send the message that this is a thing they should not offer", they never get that message... because there's no machine printing out a message that says "Jon DIDN'T buy a key today, and this is the reason".
In this case especially the message won't get through. Let's say Jhonny doesn't buy keys to protest this... Sarah on the other hand is buying keys specifically to sell them for resources because she wants to do a full retcon. Not only do they never even hear about Jhonny's lack of key purchases, but they also don't know what Sarah bought keys for.
Even if there is something keeping track of how many people open a given lockbox, that's all it keeps track of... it doesn't have a category for "People who decided not to open the lockbox because they disagree with it".
In fact, I have this strange feeling that this "outrage" doesn't come as a surprise to anyone. The problem is, the people who expected it and feel bad are likely in no position to do anything about it. The people who are in a position to do something about it probably have a "It'll make some money, and people will get over it" attitude that wouldn't be even slightly dented by any of these protests.
I agree of course... don't like it, don't open, and at the very least not be a part of the only message being sent. But don't do it with the pretense of protest.
Kenpo: Of course you're not the only one who remembers but, apparently, every time you change dev teams in "Cryptic Dev Training Online" all previous claims/promises/rules go right out the window.
Bunch of other people: Uhm...ok...sure. I will not buy keys. I hope this has the proper impact but even if it does it would likely be measured AFTER this precedent is set. Also, I am but one gun-toting midgie so I do not know if I would be enough...but I'll try. Here's my vote.
I know that I've been on that particular fence about going LTS for years(ever since the original "Sorry, we ran out" Fiasco of 2009) and everytime I go to pull the trigger something like this happens...so I don't. I'm still Gold after all this time. I play this game because I have ideas and bring them to life ingame. I have always said that once I run out of ideas then it will likely be the end for me but, also, these kinds of things do make an impact on that for me. I just, honestly, do not know how much bad I can actually stomach with no good before it's time to strongly reevaluate my presence here....and I'm not even one of the doomies.
For my observations on the "unnamed friends I have in CO" angle, alot of them seem beaten/defeated/down and this year has been more hammer hits through what I would consider bad decisions and mostly bad implementations that...is...just...wearing...people...down. My friends are not the type to make the, "Screw you guys, I'm going home" posts and make a grandscale exit from the stage....they just stop showing up and fade into the statistics of the lost. If this were to actually cause the mass exodus that the doomies have been prophesying all of these years then that, too, would weigh into my evaluation of my place here. Hey, it's one of the 2 reasons I don't play NW anymore.
Ok, Cross ramble enough. Next rambler.
Join Date: Aug 2009 | Title: Devslayer
If it makes money, they will do it. It means enough people don't mind. It means that the forum folks don't represent the larger player base as a whole.
The game needs to make money to stay afloat, with very little staffing to make things to make that money.
Whoever you are, be that person one hundred percent. Don't compromise on your identity.
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And playing by myself since Aug 2009
Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
content first, powers second, or at the same time, but never powers first.
Living up to your legacy would be nice about now.
If the old forums and archived posts weren't dead beyond dead I'd find where it was stated that powers wouldn't be placed into lockboxes. I distinctly remember reading things would never go this route back when the first iteration of prize bags were introduced (before the need for keys) and The Cursed was the big prize.
*Stifles Laughter, Ends Sarcasm*
I can say the same thing about Poverty, Greed and Corruption in the world doesn't change a thing either, but I'm still concerned about those affected...
I take this quote from a review that I agree with.
"customisation is so linear; everyone is after the optimal dps:survivability ratio with 0 reliance on other players = autonomous gameplay... Players don't need each other anymore... which in my opinion is a bad thing."
The drop rate for lockbox costumes has dropped down to an absurdly low percentage, ensuring that the costumes are costing the players more money.
Cryptic acknowledges that some C-Store costumes are of substandard quality, and decides to 'fix' that by just raising the prices of everything, doubling the prices of the good ones.
Vehicles are still being shoved down our throats and are also still one of the most useless things in the game.
One of the best entries in the costume idea contest is implemented; and it looks like complete garbage, lacks the versatility and options the designer intended, and all critique is answered with essentially a middle finger.
Players have long been asking for new content, especially after level 40, to which Cryptic responds with a new tutorial that is a complete waste of developer time and serves no purpose over the old tutorial.
People want new powers to use while replaying the same old content, so Cryptic decides that the best way to do this is to put this power into a gamble box.
I'm normally not okay with calling people names, but I'll say it: You don't get to be this kind of stupid by accident. It just can't occur naturally, you have to be doing it on purpose.
- I assume this is an experiment, one which for the sake of Gravity Driver, I will likely be participating in due to the fact that the power looks very very pretty and fills a hole in a build of mine. It will also enable me to hand out Gravity Driver Tokens to others and this is pleasing to me.
- I am not very okay with the idea of locking powers behind lockboxes, but I have stated my thoughts on the matter in this particular instance. I would agree and hope in future that locking powers behind lockboxes is NOT the thing to do. Instead I would prefer powers to be obtainable in game through one or a combination of the following ways, which have all been suggested by myself & other players/forum users:
* Q Store for a reasonable amount
* Completing a chain of missions in Champions Online (perhaps have it connected to the Perk System via Lore?)
* C-Store additions
* Lockbox Reward Card
* Locked behind a thematic AT (such as what was done with Rocket Fist and Aspect of The Machine)
* Simple, straightforward addition to the game.
The addition of the Automaton...somewhat coincided with Steel Crusade...as far as I personally am aware there isn't anything aside from Ravenswood which has been added to the game or will be added in the very near future. However I do hope to see space related missions from GATEWAY or perhaps Roin'esh Return after Whiteout or perhaps some interesting open world fights.
Anyway, I do hope everyone is having a wonderful 4th of July (provided you celebrate it)
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Though we nearly always agree, Raven, you do see the conflict here. If you (and I, too) open a bunch of these lockboxes to get the power and help others, that will encourage the devs to put the next power in a lockbox.
Whoever you are, be that person one hundred percent. Don't compromise on your identity.
People didn't like how Rocket Fist was implemented. That will not be done again. Ever.
This is one and only time this will happen. Ever.
It's not at New Shiney Way to put New Powers in the game.
Ever.
:*
And playing by myself since Aug 2009
Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
The right thing to do would be to make them fully accessible to Gold players and IMO maybe implement the power into a new AT.
It's as if they intended it all along, they plan to drive the community away to justify unplugging/using CO so they can focus on other projects/resources that are prioritized to their other games.
I take this quote from a review that I agree with.
"customisation is so linear; everyone is after the optimal dps:survivability ratio with 0 reliance on other players = autonomous gameplay... Players don't need each other anymore... which in my opinion is a bad thing."
Meh. I'll wait till an entire powerset will be lockboxed.
Until then watching it is not fun enough.
I have all the faith in Cryptic Los Gatos based on their stellar records from last months. They will not fail CO. 100% sure of it.
I do not blame the devs for this. I'm sure they were face palming as hard as anyone when they heard that this was going to be implemented. The devs work on content and mechanics - lockboxes and what goes in them are a marketing decision, and that decision is likely handled by some suit at Perfect World. Good old Perfect World... making terrible decisions and sitting back comfortably while other people get blamed for them.
Sometimes I think Perfect World accidentally got into video games, where as originally they wanted to build casinos.
Am I gonna ragequit over it? Nope. I'll wait for something rage-worthy.
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you pay to get extra character slots, free retcon tokens, free costumes, free hideout, emanation points, power coloring.
the same as the person on STO who claimed that since he had paid $5000 on the game, he should be asked what he wants in the game.
You paid for a service, you got it. IF you didn't, then put in a complaint to customer service.
cursed and mountain were about 2011 and 2012, so you go back through dev blogs from there.
Me, I have no problem with it. Same as everything else, if I get it, I get it. If I don't, I don't.
now for some of the obvious(and avoided ) questions;
Yes, some people think it's a bad idea, how many of those people want it?
How many of the people who don't want it are complaining?
How many of people don't even know about?
How many other games also have limited time/availability items and are still going?
well, we are back at Cryptic HQ and back on the trainees, so there's a limited amount we can get.
going on the recycled emote for the July reward, they don't have anymore costume allowance for now. Or maybe it was the mass complaint about the stuffed up costume set.
Most of the ingame costumes have already been recycled into sets, anyway.
well that was completely tactless, time to go get something to eat.
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I also don't want powers in lockboxes. However, I'm 51 years old. I only have so much energy to throw into being morally outraged by something, and this month it was entirely used up by people defending the flying of the Confederate battle flag over United States government offices (particularly since at one location the US flag was at half-staff - and by local law, the Confederate flag can't be lowered, meaning it was being flown higher, in defiance of US Flag Code). I just can't get really heavily worked up over this lockbox mess.
- David Brin, "Those Eyes"
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And its a token too which means if you wanted to have that power on another toon you'd have to open another set of boxes just to get it. At least thats what i think would happen since its you know..a token.
If anything this is a whole new low for Cryptic.. meanwhile im still waiting on news on my costume set.. Not entirely looking forward to it.
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Champions Online.. where we sell lockboxes by the dozen.
That's honestly more fuss than this entire thing is worth.
This move isn't any programme, so don't buy into any of ther weaksauce buzzwords like "adding value to subscription" (read - stuffing basic recycled emotes as a subscriber reward) or "adding value to lockboxes" (read - stuffing old power someone else made before them into lockboxes).
But then, they can't admit it, so weak PR lines is all they can do.
This is simply what CO is from now on and get used to it because it won't change. Never and ever. They no longer are afforded resources to produce costumes, so no new costumes for subscribers or lockboxes. That's why they can't produce a costume set or fix anything with costumes in a reasonable timeframe. Worse, by their own fault the last costue set sold very poorly, so even numbers will show that making new costumes is not profitable.
They don't have 3d even for building a campus, besides Cryptic had openings as enviro artists, so... It all clicks together.
This power is in lockbox because everything what CO is now under Los Gatos is a few people who can only scavenge through trash bin looking for what was left - old costumes, old powers. Or can only recycle resources.
Of course they have some new vehicles, because vehices are the most primitive models to put in this game, so... That's what they can do.
They were told - "release a lockbox", or "release a subscriber reward" - but they have nothing to produce so they have to recycle old junk. Simple.
But writing was on the wall as soon as CO was announced ging back into the same old clutches that gave it vehicles and crafting overhaul, so I don't know why anyone's surprised with this new direction.
Don't expect too many new powers in lockboxes, unless CO Trainee Team can scavenge something more from old files. Otherwise, carry on and chill out.
I can get with that, Jon. However, complaining or getting "worked up" (as you call it) over this lockbox mess on the forum of the MMO where the lockbox mess is happening is relevant. Believe me, there is no other part of my life where I even mention the word lockbox.
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