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Lockbox costumes getting out of hand
huntajack1334
Posts: 39 Arc User
Now looking back at CO what made it so great for me was the custimization options!
The fact you could make your character, and that you had to pay a little to get costumes from the zen store (c-store back in the day) didn't bother me.
But this does ... why waste time and effort creating these awsome costumes! When your just gonna lock em behind a lockbox pay wall ... and make them purple even ... rare gear ... why?
Like I don't understand why this trivial thing that just lets players have a more fun character has to be denied so hard?
Why not just add the costumes to the zen store? Keep the vechiles and other stuff in the lockbox ... I thought I was opening them for that purpose!
But no ... apperantly to get more creation options ... I have to hunker down and spend tons of zen in hopes of getting what I want.
Doesnt sound nice to me ... and what of the other lockboxes? Are you to say now that lockboxes that have past no one will EVER get access to again?
Seriously this means that new people to the game will always be left wondering what it could be like to have that costume ... eventual the lockboxes will dry up.
I know they need to be there because fo PWE but ... the costumes are so trivial to add to them ... add them to the store give your community the ability to customize more.
I just don't get why anyone would think it a smart idea to lock out such a vital part of the game to lockboxes ... costumes and creation form a primary reason why I played this game so long ... but now a days I see how costumes are lost to me thanks to lockboxes ... it saddens me ... I wan't to create ... but I am not willing to dump my entire bank account towards zen.
And as for farming, I do it but not as hardcore as others I am an rper in the game and I don't feel forced to keep farming its not where I find the most joy in the game.
So can we please just have the lockbox costumes added to the zen store?
Or if you still wan't people to open those evil BOXES ... add em to the drifter store.
EDIT
here is how it currently is a bit.
Lets say all the steel shadow lockboxes are gone, then nobody else can get anything from them anymore can they?
Thats like buying a shiney new toy for a child, and putting it away so he can't make it dirty.
What I am basicly getting at is, why make something ... and then remove it forever?
And this actualy makes lockboxes just a short term money tactic, the fact of the matter is that by offering the costumes (from lockboxes that have passed) in the drifter store you allowe players (new and old) to unlock lockboxes with an extra purpose.
1. To get stuff they want from that lockbox.
2. To get drifter salavge from the lockbox to buy older stuff they want.
This could work a lot, it would not affect their income as players still need to unlock lockboxes to get that precious salvage.
But numbers like 100 or 150 would do fine, thats quite some lockboxes but it would make it all the more worth it.
This post has been edited to remove content which violates the PWE Community Rules and Policies -Smackwell
The fact you could make your character, and that you had to pay a little to get costumes from the zen store (c-store back in the day) didn't bother me.
But this does ... why waste time and effort creating these awsome costumes! When your just gonna lock em behind a lockbox pay wall ... and make them purple even ... rare gear ... why?
Like I don't understand why this trivial thing that just lets players have a more fun character has to be denied so hard?
Why not just add the costumes to the zen store? Keep the vechiles and other stuff in the lockbox ... I thought I was opening them for that purpose!
But no ... apperantly to get more creation options ... I have to hunker down and spend tons of zen in hopes of getting what I want.
Doesnt sound nice to me ... and what of the other lockboxes? Are you to say now that lockboxes that have past no one will EVER get access to again?
Seriously this means that new people to the game will always be left wondering what it could be like to have that costume ... eventual the lockboxes will dry up.
I know they need to be there because fo PWE but ... the costumes are so trivial to add to them ... add them to the store give your community the ability to customize more.
I just don't get why anyone would think it a smart idea to lock out such a vital part of the game to lockboxes ... costumes and creation form a primary reason why I played this game so long ... but now a days I see how costumes are lost to me thanks to lockboxes ... it saddens me ... I wan't to create ... but I am not willing to dump my entire bank account towards zen.
And as for farming, I do it but not as hardcore as others I am an rper in the game and I don't feel forced to keep farming its not where I find the most joy in the game.
So can we please just have the lockbox costumes added to the zen store?
Or if you still wan't people to open those evil BOXES ... add em to the drifter store.
EDIT
here is how it currently is a bit.
Lets say all the steel shadow lockboxes are gone, then nobody else can get anything from them anymore can they?
Thats like buying a shiney new toy for a child, and putting it away so he can't make it dirty.
What I am basicly getting at is, why make something ... and then remove it forever?
And this actualy makes lockboxes just a short term money tactic, the fact of the matter is that by offering the costumes (from lockboxes that have passed) in the drifter store you allowe players (new and old) to unlock lockboxes with an extra purpose.
1. To get stuff they want from that lockbox.
2. To get drifter salavge from the lockbox to buy older stuff they want.
This could work a lot, it would not affect their income as players still need to unlock lockboxes to get that precious salvage.
But numbers like 100 or 150 would do fine, thats quite some lockboxes but it would make it all the more worth it.
This post has been edited to remove content which violates the PWE Community Rules and Policies -Smackwell
There's always SOMETHING going wrong SOMEWHERE
Post edited by huntajack1334 on
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Comments
And playing by myself since Aug 2009
Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
I didn't say to remove them, read it and you know what its about.
The costumes don't need to be in them, or atleast Not super RARE.
For some Crappy Gear ?
Or some Cloned Vehicle?
Atleast they get some pocket change of me with the Costume Sets.
So far they furged up 2 Lock Box Costume Sets. The Shark Skin and Socrates. Those were separate costume pieces. Only sets i don't own wholy. One Shark Skin and one Socrates. And have no desire get the rest.
I'm happy to spend some Unused Globals for Costumes.
Since my luck seems to me awesome when getting those Uber Rare Costume Sets with couple of tries...
And playing by myself since Aug 2009
Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
As it is now, it seems that the number of costume pieces are being stacked so high, as if trying to hide the fact that the other costume pieces before On Alert exist.
And what if the lockbox you need to open is no more? What then? And I truely mean no more auction house no more nothing. Then what?
Indeed and like I said they could just as well be added to the drifter store, as the needed salvage would still get some folk to open drop boxes
They should add lockboxes to te Q-Vendor but If they add pieces to c-store then those pieces deserve to be around 3-4k zen. That would give the incentive to keep opening lockboxes or bite the bullet and buy the c-store version.
Either way, you end up spending around same price. Probably a better deal since you get more stuff from lockboxes.
Uhm no ... thats more giving the middle finger to the community and telling them to go up your back, that is not a solution at all.
"Good can be found in heights, even in the deepest pits of evil" but "The valleys of evil always exist in the mountains of good."
~me
Then I am all for you idea....if they refund me all the money I wasted on buying those keys for the rare costume pieces. If not then tough, get to opening lockboxes.
I get people don't want to gamble, so then don't open them and pay the AH price for them. Unfortunately the value for those lockbox pieces aren't the same as the store sets, unless you want to spend 400zen per shark piece. and Socrates. Because how it that fair when I opened near 50-100 of those anniversary boxes to not even get the whole set, just to have the full set become cheaper down the road....screw that.
Want the piece, make he boxes available for new players...that is the only fair thing they can do. Then you can scope the AH and pay for them with G.
So not fair!!
L2capitalism.
You forget the concept of "time" . Ever wanted something so bad that you can't wait for it to be on sale? At least put the costume on store 6 months after lockbox expiry. I still don't have archer set and that's the only lockbox costume I still have left. I am not interested 90s foxbat so that's a goner too
"Good can be found in heights, even in the deepest pits of evil" but "The valleys of evil always exist in the mountains of good."
~me
Or stop playing Free2Play games with the illusion that everything is actually free (they can't all be No More Room In Hell).
The easy thing to do is tweak out and talk about middle fingers being shown to communitys. The other easy thing to do is to just play the game, enjoy it, and relax. Which easy thing are you going to choose?
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
This logic doesn't work for me. I can't tell you how many times I bought costumes in the early days in the C-Store only to have them go on sale a few weeks later. When I ranted about it her, the vast majority pretty much told me to STFU and that sales happen so deal with it.
I suppose the same applies here then. If they were to have a sale now on something you've had for some time from a LB...well bummer, but sales happen. You paid extra to get it earlier than other people.
It's like a game comes out at the store so you pay $60. A month later they offer it at $40 and to all who bought it at full price...sorry Charlie.
Here is your studip fur dah day.
But I get what you mean, I hate when my grav bikes run out of gas or my heroes boots get a flat. Don't even get me started on Oil Changes at Defender Co...
Ohh sorry I was to impatient nd didn't read the last bit. *blush*
"Good can be found in heights, even in the deepest pits of evil" but "The valleys of evil always exist in the mountains of good."
~me
Okay you didn't really read it properly, is okay I can't judge you for not doing that so I am going to explain it to you instead! YAY!
At any rate I never said free, I never said I wasn't willing to pay some money for these costumes (just not 50 euros worth of keys)
I also said that they could be added to the drifter store which would still mean I need to open some lockboxes for salvage.
And as some pointed out having the costumes appear on the store after the lockbox goes away yeah that works.
And if someone thinks this is unfair well tough luck, you made the choice to buy keys to get that stuff early rather than wait.
Oh okay, I get it. You would rather wait several months to get the costumes. Sounds good.
My super cool CC build and how to use it.
I certain agree that it would be nice to have some alternate way to bring back lockbox costumes for some form of payment. Either C-Store, Q-nite store, or Drifter Store.
But I'd also like to point out that we've had a large number of quality costume packs released to the C-store. They all aren't lockbox prizes.
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Could they at least make them a bit easier to get?
^This
If they were easier to get then most of us wouldn't feel so cheated out of their money because not everybody is lucky or has mountains of time to farm huge stacks of Q or has mountains of cash to buy tons of zen.
Yes we had some nice new costumes but ask yourself, is that a reason to let others drift into nothingness?
Like i pointed out, what if the specific lockbox is no more? Well then its gone ... the costume the vechile ... its all gone.
Thats one of my reasons to bring this up, do we wan't to lose costumes?
Now when they go to those stores when the new lockbox comes (the costumes that is) then thats good because now people who may not have gotten the costume (but perhaps a lot of drifter salvage ) can exchange that for the costume they wanted.
SOme will open lock boxes and get it early others will open a ton and get nothing, except that they live in the certainty that in the end they have the salavge to come and buy it when the new lockbox comes out.
It will also make those bought keys feel worth of something!
This to me seems the best way to do it ... and in all honesty I am stacking tons of drifter salvage because i am unlucky as all hell can be ... and I can't use it for much else =/
Actually, a little better than a lotto ticket. At least you are guaranteed to receive something for your $1. Not so with the lotto.
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Agreed as well.
Literally I could of bought some of these pieces off the AH for 3k and came out better. I just think need to have a little bit better drop rate like the dino and Santa costume sets. I know this Pharaoh set and the Shark are by far (for me) the worst drop rate.
I've been lucky enough to get most of the lockbox costume pieces I care about - but I don't do it by buying keys and opening boxes; like any casino game ever, it's a sucker's bet, and on average you won't get what you want. Better to earn G in-game and then buy excess pieces from the compulsive gamblers; even if you're spending zen, it's going to be cheaper in the long run to buy keys and then sell them than to buy keys and then open boxes yourself.
Can you actually tell me how much drifter salvage you have stored up?
Lord....I try to tell myself this every time. But then I'm like, "maybe this time, maybe this time I'll get lucky"
Lots. Only bought a couple of vehicles with it and all the costume pieces with duplicates. My last batch I had was over 500 and then I spent it all on AF and devices, out of boredom. This is all from opening boxes not the crates. I have I think...only 100 now plus like 20 crates of drifter.
Hey, there's a ton of hotels in Vegas built on that principle. :biggrin:
We were very clear about which sandwich we preferred in this happy meal.
Minor issue I have with the OP, and keep in mind that I agree the drop rate should be dialed back a bit: You say you don't wanna spend much money on this stuff. You say you don't want to farm, because you're an RPer. Now, I get the logic of both. But combined, it means you don't want to play the game or put too much money into the game. So, why would they want to listen to your feedback? I think "because it's what I want and people would like it" is a lovely idea and all, but fiscally I just can't see it. Lock boxes are keeping the game going. If they mess with the formula, that might not continue. Obviously they have their reasons for the change, and it's not like getting the costumes right now is impossible. You just have to actually play the game and farm, and if you don't wanna do that? Well, that's nobody's fault but yours, now is it?
It's very clear that costumes in lockboxes are a thing, they have been since November 23, 2011 , with the Cursed grab bag. Pieces were rare back then, too, this has been a thing nearly the entire time the game has existed.
Only thing I can fully agree with that's being proposed is keeping all of the old grab bags in the q-store, so you can pick them up. But, at that point we run into 2 other problems:
1: Old boxes are broken right now. They're not dropping what they're supposed to, especially costume wise. This has been a known thing for at least a month. And what do you think the odds are of them wasting resources bug-checking lock boxes that came out 2 years ago? I'll bet not good. That's not even touching on the fact that the old ones give less drifter salvage, no crates, less mods, and a way lower chance (if any) for legion gear.
2: Exclusivity. Part of the reason people open so many lock boxes is *because* the parts are limited time. This might bother you, but THAT'S THE ENTIRE POINT. When they're gone they're gone. I missed the weekend we got that nifty underwater dome helmet, and you know what? That's my bad for stepping away. Exclusivity also keeps the game going, you gotta be here to get stuff. They want you playing, so they give incentives to work toward that won't be here forever. This is MMO design 101. And don't get me wrong, it's not a matter of "I have it and I want it to be rare", because they're giving out one of the costume sets I own this weekend. I could give a rat's **** about that. But honestly, why would I even try to farm out enough g to get one of the new costumes if I knew I could just pick it up 4 months from now on the cheap? New Toy Syndrome? This severely underestimates the laziness of gamers.
I'm gonna do you the favor of avoiding the "I want stuff for cheap" argument, or mentioning entitlement, because this is a lot more of a complex issue than all that. But know that a lot of people who've brought this issue up over the years have had that motivation, and that is no reason at all for pwe to change a damn thing.
RIP Caine
No it's not. Get a grip here. "Oh, they are slapping the community in the face, giving the community the finger, telling the community to go shove it...".
No they aren't. They are trying to figure out how to get money out of the community so that they can keep the game going.
You will have to excuse all of the people involved for actually wanting to be able to make a living doing this.
How much is a "fair" price for a lockbox costume after 6 months for direct purchase?
Do you not think that unless you placed a premium price on that that it would impact key sales?
Do you really think that the majority of people that spend money on keys (not those that only convert questionite and/or use their monthly Zen stipend, but people that actually pay money for Zen to buy keys) would continue to spend that money if they knew that the costumes would be available in six months for a fraction of that cost?
Costumes are the top draw for lockboxes, I think. Some vehicle or another may be attractive for some people because of a specific concept, but I figure costumes are far and away the top draw now.
What would possibly serve to replace costume pieces as a worthwhile element? What would have the same appeal?
For the record, I love the vehicles. I think they're a great addition to the game. Had I paid more attention to the forums at the time, I would have been right there with you, hyping up the vehicles. Guess that's partially why I've started getting more active on the forums. Vehicles in lockboxes make more sense than costumes, because vehicles are basically the cool toy in the bottom of the lunch box. While costumes are in no way "mandatory" items, they should still hold slightly higher importance to players than vehicles. One of the biggest selling points of the game is customization of characters. Because of that, I can understand the business side of putting costumes in lockboxes with the vehicles.
The issue is simply the drop rate of the costumes in the boxes. It's gotten to the point where it's cheaper to just buy keys, sell them for G's and buy the costumes off the AH.
Mods/cores similar to the uranium one that have unique powers, not just stats
New hideout options (not new hideouts, but options for customizing existing ones) especially if they add functionality (access to character bank, not just account, etc)
Zone teleport devices
New powers
Bigger inventory bags
Those rank 6->7, 7->8, 8->9 100% success catalysts
I think all of those would be pretty popular alternatives to costumes for a lockbox or two. But I also know that costumes are very popular, so best not go too many boxes in a row without one
L2BELUCKY SKRUBSSSSSZZZZZ
It took me 12 boxes to get everything! I win for once!
to the OP;
I also have crappy luck with the RNG.
I also buy zen with cash, usually to buy keys.
I hate farming.. well anything.
IF I get it, I get it, IF I don't, I don't.
I check the AH to see if there's anything I don't have.
Some items are only available for a limited time,seems standard for games.
I put in a suggestion months ago about having lockboxes available in the q store after their time has run out.
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Opened 40 boxes of that foxbat lockbox from ages ago, didnt get anything
._.
Handle:@XG3NX
Champions Online.. where we sell lockboxes by the dozen.
I get exclusivity or limited time stuff, but I think Cryptic is over doing it. That's a lot of stuff that will never be available to new players. Half of our new costumes are now in lockboxes. Plenty of people throw money at products when they first launch and plenty of people choose to wait. Even if costumes become available for purchase a year later, there will still be people throwing money at lockboxes because they want their stuff RIGHT NOW. There are weekly sales for everything in the cash shop and yet when a new costume comes out, people buy it the day it comes out anyway.
In fact, having costumes in lockboxes now and in the cash shop later might even be more beneficial. Big spenders can still spend to get their stuff now and those who can't or won't spend as much can simply wait a while to get their stuff. It's something that can work for a people with different amounts of disposable income. This also means that someone new to the game can still purchase these costumes, meaning there will be future income for old costume bits instead of none.
F2P is still in the growing stages in the west, so nothing is definitive. Companies are still experimenting. Just because "exclusivity" is the hot trend doesn't mean it's the best or only option.
PS: Waiting for a sale is not laziness, it's managing your money and practicing self control not to impulse buy everything.
[at]riviania Member since Aug 2009
Taco, STO called. They're making money hand over fist with their lil weekend events where they put ALL the lockboxes back into the drop tables. Heck, even newbies can get rich by putting those lockboxes on their AH. Yeah, it's STO's version of Shark Week.
Also, yeah...what Sterga just posted.
Examples:
-Because Gamestop was too inept to properly process my order I ended up with a last minute Amazon Pre-order for Launch. My pre-order exclusives were the Bandoleer, Skewerhelm, and Harliquin Helm....and those were given away free with F2P. Know what? I could care less because I got more out of the deal than I lost because of the other pre-orders(still missing at least one btw).
-Everytime I break out a costume in the theatre that uses that "Alien Gladiator Helmet 03" I get a combination of people asking what it is and people who know what it is being bitter(not towards me but torwards it) that they missed out on the "Limited time buy this hemet and get one free crappy vehicle promotion"(I know that's backwards for comedic effect....and it's how I rationalize having actually bought a vehicle
IMO, exclusives when it comes to costume unlocks should not be behind the pay model and if they are then so long as they are periodicaly available then meh, I don't care. The exclusive stuff you, as a player, should be showing off is one of 2 things.
1. Rare junk that drops ingame. Stuff like when Shadow D was semi-difficult and people tried like mad to get the cape from taking him out in so many phases, for example. It's less of an accomplishment since they easy-moded his fight originally and then added On Alert to the mix but still. It's a visible achievement. You did X, you got Y. Take a victory lap.
2. It's not the unlocks...it's how they're used when/if you do have them. I've seen people in this game use some of the rarest unlocks in this game to make "Captain Grimdeath Blackredder HoodieNInja Supreme X90" and ya know what....yeah, he looks just as bad as the mental image you just conjured up.
______________________________________
On another thought. According to the forums(the good, the bad, the "fact" users, and the "making this up as I go" people) Cryptic/Cryptic North/PW/PWE/PWI/DaPope needs money. Ok, it's a business. Money seems a reasonable goal. Seems alot of people on the forums(blah blah we're the minority blah blah who cares if the majority either can't be bothered or aren't bright enough to use the forums blah blah let's just get on with the dicsussion) want to throw their wallets at the screen, within a certain amount of reason, and buy stuff. So where's the middle ground? Well, I'm glad I wrote here that you asked so I can answer(driving the story here).
The PTS Testers got to see the unlocked tailor on PTS due to an accident a few years ago and...I could make 2+ Z-Store Costume Sets per month for...1....2 years without making new stuff. I could almost make an additional Z-Store Weapons Geo Pack every month for at least a year without making new stuff.
Now this doesn't count the actual "unique/Iconic" stuff in the files like Clarence's head, Bleak Harbinger's Leg Acc Tentacles, and so on but there are a ton of unique/iconic things in the files that I would challenge people to explain to me like the overalls....yeah, those are unique/iconic tagged so we can't have them. IMO Cryptic not only dropped the ball....they build a arena to drop the ball in too. Cryptic North could raid this stash all day long, make easy money, and then they would have time for other things like balancing, missions(Unity/Nemesis), QOL Improvements, UI Improvements, Bug Repairs, and so on. I'm not saying this is the path to new zones and such but it is low effort cash generation which could lead to some free time for smaller items which could, in time, add up and pair well with larger items to generate a more positive overall gaming experience.
Also...there's a ton of junk in those files I want just from what I saw that time on PTS. Not gonna lie....want stuff...will pay for stuff....SELL ME STUFF. :biggrin:
Join Date: Aug 2009 | Title: Devslayer
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My characters
Crosschan, the tailor breaks in live too. I've had it go about 4 times, last time, i managed to get 60 screenshots.
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Early iterations of lockboxes /grab bags have always included some sort of customization item in them as carrots, to get people interested in them in the first place.
It's been a pretty successful formula up till now seeing how cosmic keys are still selling like hotcakes at the AH. Better get used to how the business model has changed compared to the past, since it's clearly working.
But they could do the same thing here.
They don't need to have the Heartstring (or whatever) lockbox available 24/7 365 days a year. Just make it available again for a short time now and then (a week or two before a new lockbox is introduced) and people that want it may spend more time playing, and people that want what's in it may be more willing to spend some money on some keys.
Yeah, once upon a time the going rate was 100G, but that doesn't mean that that is what they are "supposed to cost".
The people that are spending the real money to buy those keys get to decide how much game money they want.
If it's more than what you want to pay then don't pay it, but don't call out players that are willing to pay that price as fools. It's game money. I could spend a thousand for a key and it won't make me miss any real world financial obligations.
And why is it greedy for someone to decide that a real dollar should be worth 150 global, but it's not greedy for you to hold on to your global and complain about the high prices?
Nepht and Dr Deflecto on primus
They all thought I was out of the game....But I'm holding all the lockboxes now..
I'll......FOAM FINGER YOUR BACK!
Wow dang O.o I have only 30...
Maybe you can get me legacy costume boxes? I will try pay for them? Please? I really want and need blaster large.... Or maybe a grav tank (even if it has bad stats; just for the looks. jk jk a vehicle is asking too much xD)I stand to it that I will do my best to repay you!!! Just the blaster large costume part I want so badly!!
"Good can be found in heights, even in the deepest pits of evil" but "The valleys of evil always exist in the mountains of good."
~me
Yeah... But I can't log in this weeend. Think I missed it T_T
"Good can be found in heights, even in the deepest pits of evil" but "The valleys of evil always exist in the mountains of good."
~me