As a side note, when DCUO introduced their lockboxes, they gave the gold/lifers the ability to open them for free.
I honestly think they have people on the forums here writing down complaints so when they steal the ideas, they at least improve on them. Hence why their super speed and Acrobatics can run on walls or water....
Just saying, it would be a nice touch here as well as an incentive to continue to pay for gold memberships.
They did bring back the legacy stuff which is good, but still they should bring back Arms,Myst,Sci as schools not just for mods. They should also just put all the drops back in >.<' i dont like the fact it seems like they want are money so make it only drifter...
I'd like to know how long the key will be available on the market. I wouldn't mind trying to win some of the items available in the lock boxes when I have extra zen to spend but, there's no way I'll be throwing cash at the market to try and it sounds like this is a limited time thing, with Takofane's at least. If I'll be able to keep buying the key even after the event is over, then great. If not, might as well junk the boxes.
Takofane?s Cache of Treasures from almost any enemy, and it can be unlocked with the Key of Cosmic Power, available for 100 ZEN or ten for just 900 ZEN. Unlocking the Cache will net you two rewards: You?re guaranteed 2+ Salvage, and you?ll get one special Halloween prize, including gear, MODs, or the Dreadlord transformation.[/URL]
I already dislike the concept of the Drifter's Salvage ("hey, collect MORE different tokens, in addition to the multitude of recognitions/snakebucks/etc you already have clogging up your currency tab that are non-transferrable and non-convertible"), and now you're going to charge us 50ish zen per salvage piece? As the eminently wise Cee-Lo Green once said, "Forget this and forget you too." Thanks for bringing one of the most complained about parts of STO to this game, instead of one of the more favorably received features like the Foundry or the "officers" (sidekicks) system. You guys are getting greedy beyond belief. Enjoy the consequences.
As the number of collected boxes goes up, I read it as $1.00 I've saved.
So far you've saved me over $30.00!
Thanks!
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
"Few are agreeable in conversation, because each thinks more of what he intends to say than that of what others are saying, and listens no more when he himself has a chance to speak." - Francois de la Rochefoucauld
"Forums are amazing technology. They can take a seemingly normal and
rational person and make them look like a troll. Short-sighted, misguided, creative effort deprived. Incredible." - Snarlygribbly
When this lockbox is gone they'll introduce another with stuff to gamble for.
Well, that I'm fine with. If people don't like the lockboxes, then don't open them. Sell them on the AH and use the resources you make doing that to buy something useful for your character is the way I see it and what I'll be doing once I get what I want out of the boxes. If the key is around indefinitely instead of something I have to buy up as much as I can right away, I'll be able to open those boxes at my leisure then sell the rest. There's a ton of stuff I'd rather see introduced t the game, like harder content, more costume pieces, and emotes but, I hardly see how this is something worth quitting over. I don't stop going to gas stations that sell lotto tickets. Why would I quit this because of lockboxes?
Well, that I'm fine with. If people don't like the lockboxes, then don't open them.
You're missing the point.
It's not that this one little event is going to be about lockboxes. They'll be replacing drops with lockboxes. If it succeeds, the lockbox system will replace quality drops in the game. I shouldn't have to hurl money at this game to get something from a drop. Grab bags are one thing. Lockboxes are another.
The sad thing is these lock box keys are going to sell like there's no tomorrow, so as much as I loath Cryptic and PWE right now, it's the players who purchase them that really hammer in the final nail!
So true and the timing was horrible. I really thought you (Cryptic) were going to balance the exchange before unleashing these hell hounds (lock boxes) but nope, the badly phrased announcement of Halloween become critters means nothing now since people are going crazy buying KEYS. Really KEYS. Thanks for the reskin of yet another flight (sounds like I'm complaining about that too but I like the option of dark phoenix flight)
On another note, I hope you put the money you get from people's stupidity to good use.
At the very least let those lockboxes and grab bags contain things we could gain through conventional means as random drops (with low chance obviously, but with a CHANCE), otherwise it's just a poorly disguised pay-to-win.
If we have to have these lockboxes, could we at least have them go into your inventory automatically, so you don't have to manually pick them up? I don't get excited about drops anymore, because I keep thinking to myself it's likely just a lockbox or a recognition.
Which reminds me, why not let us have the option to auto-pick ALL drops available for us and within the interaction range? If I get a drop in the middle of battle I can't help but attempt to pick it up right away, which sometimes ends in injury or death. Literally.
I like this idea. I don't know about the technical feasibility, but I do think this would be good.
It's not that this one little event is going to be about lockboxes. They'll be replacing drops with lockboxes. If it succeeds, the lockbox system will replace quality drops in the game. I shouldn't have to hurl money at this game to get something from a drop. Grab bags are one thing. Lockboxes are another.
I'm not sure that I follow. While I understand that having the lock box as a drop does conflate it with normal drops, I don't think it necessarily follows that it's a replacement. Perhaps this would help to clear this up: What do you consider a quality drop?
To explain my own viewpoint, I look at the Doomlord as an equivalent to the Cursed from the Scourge Grab Bag. On the other hand, I view the Dragon's Eye staff from the Hi-Pan box as a quest reward. For me, that differentiation means that the lock box isn't replacing anything, it's in addition. Maybe that's the reason for the difference in our views?
I think it's also worth noting that Takofane's Chest did not replace any content that we had planned. It is not a drop specific to any given event, and when the Halloween Blood Moon returns, it will have its own rewards. This is a global addition, rather than a replacement.
I like this idea. I don't know about the technical feasibility, but I do think this would be good.
Any purple secondary gear that drops goes automatically to your inventory already, it should be a simple matter of making a checkbox in the options that would apply the same procedure to any item that drops, and voila - you have auto-pickup.
Can someone answer this:Will we get our regular grab bags that do NOT require a key to open,because most of the player community,or at least on zone, doesn't seem to like Lock Boxes a whole lot.
It's not that this one little event is going to be about lockboxes. They'll be replacing drops with lockboxes. If it succeeds, the lockbox system will replace quality drops in the game. I shouldn't have to hurl money at this game to get something from a drop. Grab bags are one thing. Lockboxes are another.
I haven't missed the point. You can get a lot of stuff that's good enough for leveling through quest rewards or heirloom gear from nemesis missions (which can be passed from one character to another meaning you'll never have to worry about leveling gear again) and can get level 40 gear through UNITY missions easily and mods are easy to acquire as well. Nothing I just listed requires that you spend a dime by the way so... what's the issue again?
I haven't missed the point. You can get a lot of stuff that's good enough for leveling through quest rewards or heirloom gear from nemesis missions (which can be passed from one character to another meaning you'll never have to worry about leveling gear again) and can get level 40 gear through UNITY missions easily and mods are easy to acquire as well. Nothing I just listed requires that you spend a dime by the way so... what's the issue again?
The issue is that in a normal game you shouldn't be able to get your hands on the best stuff instantly just by using your credit card.
I'm not sure that I follow. While I understand that having the lock box as a drop does conflate it with normal drops, I don't think it necessarily follows that it's a replacement. Perhaps this would help to clear this up: What do you consider a quality drop?
To explain my own viewpoint, I look at the Doomlord as an equivalent to the Cursed from the Scourge Grab Bag. On the other hand, I view the Dragon's Eye staff from the Hi-Pan box as a quest reward. For me, that differentiation means that the lock box isn't replacing anything, it's in addition. Maybe that's the reason for the difference in our views?
I think it's also worth noting that Takofane's Chest did not replace any content that we had planned. It is not a drop specific to any given event, and when the Halloween Blood Moon returns, it will have its own rewards. This is a global addition, rather than a replacement.
Well, let's put it this way:
Say it IS an addition. And I know you can't answer- you don't have to. This isn't your call, nor is it your dev's call. It's PWE.
How much of the 'new goodness' is going to be 'locked' in these boxes?
If a new costume set comes out, why can't I just buy it instead of having to pay to gamble?
Will there be better equipment in the lockboxes coming soon that outperforms equipment that I can buy with Questionite, Recognition, or effort?
You and I both know that if a business model works- they don't just repeat, they expand it. I don't want this idea shifted to encompass other things.
I don't see what's so complicated. Make something, sell it. Period. I'll be passing on this lockbox thing. I've heard nothing positive about it in STO.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM:
I'd do this if keys were dropped by supervillains.
I'm not sure that I follow. While I understand that having the lock box as a drop does conflate it with normal drops, I don't think it necessarily follows that it's a replacement. Perhaps this would help to clear this up: What do you consider a quality drop?
Perhaps a drop where we don't have to buy a key in the store to have a reward when we play.
Perhaps the feeling to play at a good video game or a good mmo and not the feeling to play at poker where you have to put some dollars to play or to have a good drop/reward. (we already pays the lts or subs to see your cards)
Perhaps when we're buying to you a Lts or pays you a sub to not have the feeling our money serve to create almost no new playable content, but only fluff as become devices, costume sets and even worse grab bags and lockboxes .
The issue is that in a normal game you shouldn't be able to get your hands on the best stuff instantly just by using your credit card.
I have no intention of using my credit card. Not specifically to buy lockboxes at least. With the prices of various other items in the game, like costume sets, I normally have a little zen left over after a purchase. That tends to add up. When I have enough, I MAY buy a key for a lockbox and see if I get something worth while. I also tend to sell my questionite for zen (that and my stipend are how I get all my zen by the way). The only thing I pay for is my subscription. Like I said in my initial post. I'll try my luck once in a while when I have some extra zen but, I won't be throwing cash at this game over lockboxes.
While I'm not fond of the lockbox idea, I'm quite enthused with the updates to the Drifter Salvage store. Yay for the return of the legacy items! (In particular, I'm glad that there's a way to get the crafted costume pieces again; I was on the verge of acquiring the Arms chest piece when On Alert hit, and I'm thrilled that I once again have a means of acquiring it.) Now if only they'd make Drifter Salvage available in-game again, rather than forcing us to buy it (indirectly) from the Z-Store.
Personally, I hope that the Celestial Be-Critter will be earnable as part of the Blood Moon event, as a reward for freeing the souls of all of the zombie heroes -- a bit of a nod to the very first Blood Moon event, where freeing all of the heroes (and collecting sufficient "Celestial Essence" in the process) gave you access to the yet-to-be-released Celestial power set. I'm fine if certain items can only be earned in game during special events, and must be purchased otherwise, as long as there's some way to earn them in game, given appropriate time and effort.
I do NOT want my inventory randomly filled with lockboxes....
A lockbox takes up one slot in your inventory. One. One slot in your inventory can hold 999 lockboxes. How much are you farming that you're inventory is already FILLED with lockboxes?
Actually, it works pretty well IRL, why should it be any different in a game where supposedly everyone's pretty much equal, right?
Because, name one Pay 2 Win MMO that has the slightest degree of success and has a reasonably satisfied customer base. Name one Pay 2 Win MMO that is providing new content. Name one Pay 2 Win MMO that isn't in its death throes, if not already rotting.
Because, name one Pay 2 Win MMO that has the slightest degree of success and has a reasonably satisfied customer base. Name one Pay 2 Win MMO that is providing new content. Name one Pay 2 Win MMO that isn't in its death throes, if not already rotting.
I will not, that was not the point of my post. My point was that apparently PWE is subtly dragging CO down that drain, probably deliberately.
Perhaps when we're buying to you a Lts or pays you a sub to not have the feeling our money serve to create almost no new playable content, but only fluff as become devices, costume sets and even worse grab bags and lockboxes .
Some ideas who can help you and the devs.
This I can agree with for the most part. This game is easy enough that the 4 mod gear is more of a neat little thing to try for rather than something I feel I have to have. Becomes are a complete waste of money in my opinion. Why would I go through the trouble of leveling, speccing, and gearing a character just to click on a device in my inventory and use a completely different set of powers? If you want my money, make new frameworks and make new content (and make it actually challenging). I like some fluff though. New costumes, new emotes... These are the things that will make me want to spend money on this game, not gimmicky garbage like becomes and vehicles (which are just another become with a different name).
... MMO that has the slightest degree of success and don't have a reasonably satisfied customer base. .... MMO that is no providing new content. ...MMO that is in its death throes, if not already rotting.
I will not, that was not the point of my post. My point was that apparently PWE is subtly dragging CO down that drain, probably deliberately.
Agreed. Every Asian MMO that is F2P with a P2W model I've seen has been a ship sent to sea to be sank, only to have another stinker on its heels to do the exact same thing.
I had a lot of faith in this game once, but since PWE has come into the picture, I've seen things get worse. Might be a logical fallacy of association, but I'd actually like to see something on the contrary. I'm hoping they'll hurry up and crank out Neverwinter and leave it to the wolves so we can get some Dev effort back into CO.
There will be the normal Halloween trick or treat event. It might have some slightly new prizes, but they won't be lock boxes. Takofane's Cache is in addition to other content and rewards, it does not replace any.
{ whew } Thanks TT. Wouldn't be Halloween without lots of Ghosts and Candy Corn. :biggrin:
I have purchased CO grab bags in the past (using a mix of cash/stipend) to get enough Drifter Salvage to finish buying the Mechassassin costume pieces after those Drifter Daily missions got me close to completion. I was ticked when I found out that the costume pieces are "broke" and I couldn't simultaneously wear the "gun hand" AND the "shield" (one is consider Long Gloves and the other is an incompatible Bracer, as I recall).
I'm none too keen on Lock Boxes/Keys in STO. I don't remember how many keys I bought when they first came out (a couple dozen, or so I think... Using a mix of cash and stipend) before I realized how bad the odds were, and stopped buying them.
I'm really just not a fan of "gambling" or "lottery" tactics. I'm happy to buy things directly. I have generously supported both games spending thousands of dollars over my years of play between the two (without regret, too). You're welcome.
Besides the "gambling" nature of the boxes, I'd also say the content doesn't hold much interest to me. I'm not a fan of Become Devices (and I have last year's 3x Monster ones already anyway, no longer used, once I realized what they were). I get plenty of R4-5 mods from drops, and I don't need better... My characters all do fine with Nemesis Gear and/or once at L40 I use Green-Blue gear with R4 mods and never have any problem beating the content I play. Some of my characters get the Purple Champion gear with R5-6 and these guys steamroll everything. Why would I even need R7+ Mods or 4-Hole Primaries? :cool:
I must admit to being somewhat interested in the Legacy stuff, however...
So wait, let me see if I understand this... If I want a Legacy Crafted Costume, I have to spend upwards of $30 in real world money to open enough RNG boxes for 60 salvage, but then I'm still not buying the costume I want directly, I have to buy a kit that is again another RNG box?!?
Are you kidding me?!?WTF?!?!? :mad:
LOL -- :rolleyes: -- Yeah, if you want my money just put friggin' good stuff that I can purchase directly via Zen, Questionite, etc.
Random? Fuggettaboutit!
Anyway, from what I understand the Legacy items are BoE so I do thank you for that. I'll just look forward to trading for and/or buying what I want from other players/off the Exchange.
When XP earnings during a Double-XP Weekend still feel like I'm underperforming,
there's something terribly wrong with the reward system...
You can find/contact me in game as @PatricianVetinari. Original Join Date: Feb 2010.
I'm hoping they'll hurry up and crank out Neverwinter and leave it to the wolves so we can get some Dev effort back into CO.
I would love it. But this is a dream.
Sto and neverwinter always had priority on CO. And this will be always the same after the nwo release.
Co hadn't any dev back and more content after the sto release. Why we will have more after the NWO release ? Nwo will be a fail (read the press notes after they tested the nwo beta, the notes are bad) and they will try to save the boat as they do for sto.
Co will be deserted in maintenance mode as always. With just fluff and some few content every 3 or 4 months to "give a bone to the dogs" we are for they continue to pay with the hope to see more content... perhaps a day.
And are we supposed to be ok with that? This is not what we've been paying for.
No, we ARE NOT supposed to be ok with that, this is my point exactly! I play this game because its experience allows to feel significant, even virtually. But all this goes to hell if some "richboy" (no offense to subs intended) can lay out a few dozen bucks and without any effort steamroll anything I worked long and hard to merely get a shot at.
Say it IS an addition. And I know you can't answer- you don't have to. This isn't your call, nor is it your dev's call. It's PWE.
How much of the 'new goodness' is going to be 'locked' in these boxes?
There are three answers to this. First is that grab bags and lock boxes make money. Champions Online is ultimately a business, and we have to follow the money. It's the honest truth. We have to judge the best way to package content. Sometimes this is even to give it away for free, like the Comic Series and Adventure Packs ultimately were.
Second is that there will definitely still be content outside of boxes. We did just release the Shadow Wings, and updated the Q-Store with three items that used to be ZEN-only.
Third is that I don't think we've even approached the threshold of pay to win. MODs are helpful, but I hardly think they're game-breaking. And the grand prize of the lock box is a be-critter, which I consider a vanity item. If you feel this is approaching pay to win, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on how that is, because it's helpful feedback.
No, we ARE NOT supposed to be ok with that, this is my point exactly! I play this game because its experience allows to feel significant, even virtually. But all this goes to hell if some "richboy" (no offense to subs intended) can lay out a few dozen bucks and without any effort steamroll anything I worked long and hard to merely get a shot at.
I can understand your sentiment and have felt that way in some games. The problem with it is that it sounds like you're strictly free to play with perhaps spending a little money on zen when there's something you really really want and this game does require funding to continue to run. This whole game (and not just the way you feel about it) will go to hell without some source of income.
While I'm not thrilled about the idea of lockboxes, especially if they become a major feature of the game, raging against it will not stop them from implementing it for the simple fact that there are people willing to shell out cash for a chance at that better gear and the becomes and the powers that be apparently have decided that they'll make enough money selling the keys to offset any loss of income they'll suffer from people that are upset about it enough to stop playing, assuming those people were spending money in the first place.
It finally happened.
Lockboxes in Champions Online.
I am starting to think that the people who thought lockboxes would be in Neverwinter despite there being no evidence to back that up anywhere were right.
And the grand prize of the lock box is a be-critter, which I consider a vanity item. If you feel this is approaching pay to win, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on how that is, because it's helpful feedback.
I suspect the QQ is more about the 4-slot items than the be-critter devices. They do seem to give a bit of an advantage over a toon with only 3-slot items, even if diminishing returns does limit the perceived advantage more than the disgruntled are admitting.
There are three answers to this. First is that grab bags and lock boxes make money. Champions Online is ultimately a business, and we have to follow the money. It's the honest truth. We have to judge the best way to package content. Sometimes this is even to give it away for free, like the Comic Series and Adventure Packs ultimately were.
Second is that there will definitely still be content outside of boxes. We did just release the Shadow Wings, and updated the Q-Store with three items that used to be ZEN-only.
Third is that I don't think we've even approached the threshold of pay to win. MODs are helpful, but I hardly think they're game-breaking. And the grand prize of the lock box is a be-critter, which I consider a vanity item. If you feel this is approaching pay to win, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on how that is, because it's helpful feedback.
1- I know the money thing, I get that and it's fine. Thing is, I'm curious as to how much more money Grab Bags make than standard costume sets or the like being purchased outright.
2- Shadow wings look good. I picked those up, not bad at all. No fault whatsoever here.
3- Pay 2 Win: When a player is given a distinctive advantage over others by purchasing services that give him or her an advantage over others. Granted, you could argue that Silvers Vs. Gold is pay to win, but as I see it Silvers are getting a segment of the game for free and Golds get the whole shebang. I am of the belief that no MMO, or any other game for that matter, with any competitive features with other players should have any items purchased with real-world money that give them any competitive/performance edge.
There are three answers to this. First is that grab bags and lock boxes make money. Champions Online is ultimately a business, and we have to follow the money. It's the honest truth. We have to judge the best way to package content. Sometimes this is even to give it away for free, like the Comic Series and Adventure Packs ultimately were.
And this would be a better solution to sell the comic series or the APs for the f2P players. Gold players pays you every months for this content.
With this solution, the players knows why they pay.
But as cryptic, (or Cryptic's Co team in fact because you can't have enough content in each of your game but you create 3 mmos in the same time), don't have enough people to create theses content as often they would to retain population, the only solution you have find is to give free every of these content to all f2p players, and now have the obligation to sell this kind of sh.... because there isn't enough players and you must have some money to not shutdown or reduce again the people in the team.
i'm sad to see what this game becomes. You had gold in hands.
I stop here before you think i have anything against you personally. But you are the only cryptic people here, then yes, i speak to you.
7. Pay-To-Win. Still don't see where you Pay-To-Win in this game. Win what? Over who?
In PvP? That's another bag of peanuts.
yes, there is no pvp anymore. This is an another thing that Cryptic didn't know to do, and had killed themselves.
Was it too difficult to change the pvp gear rewards with on alert (or since on alert in april, we're on october) and add quests with questionite as the alerts ? pfff.
I'm oh so eager for these. Not only do they screw with the loot table, but you're having to pay for something you just looted if you want any value out of it. Might as well charge for taihas while we're at it.
On the bright side, finally implementing these will be a glaring reminder to some players of just how bad things have gottten in CO. I myself already have a hard time finding motivation to play, having a percentage of my loot become trash I can't even vendor, it'll remind me of the 1% harmon cat odds or the 3-5% on the FF slot bad odds. I'll then think about all the bugs that continue to persist, and then I'll find myself elsewhere like the majority of the folks on my friends list who are clearly more logically minded than I.
Let me also make it clear, TT- my grudge isn't with you in the least. As I understand, before you came along, this level of communication was unheard of at all, and the slightest gripe about something being unsatisfactory was usually met with a middle finger. I like you, and I've said it before- you can come over to my house and crap with the door open.
Still, this gamble crap needs to stop. And to be constructive, I offer these solutions or suggested improvements:
-Alternatively sell any items in the grab bags. (Minus mods and the like, I mean costumes and such.)
-Drop the price of the bag.
-Offer keys as a random reward from Supervillains or better.
They say they go where the money is, but the thing is- I WILL GO RIGHT NOW and buy $9.00 worth of these things if I knew for certain that it would do more than just fuel another gamble bag pitch down the road.
Oh $deity... they've brought lockboxes to CO, not the packs you can only buy like the Nighthawk ones, actual lockboxes that so many people quit STO over because the drops were so often it filled inventories quicker than common gear. It seems Cryptic hasn't learned from the Lockbox Debacle in STO and is now infesting CO with that taint.
I didn't mind having to go to the store and buy the Nighthawk grab bag, that is because it is completely optional and have to make a specific trip to the Zen Store to purchase them instead of being flooded with them in my inventory, but when these things are FORCED on you like they were in STO, which FORCED players of STO to basically walk away from STO in disgust because of the borderline illegal gambling scheme that these lockboxes are.
I have said this before and I will say this again: If you have to go to the store to see what you get from something dropped ingame, it WILL drive players away from the game.
If anything, this gimmick will only turn OFF a lot of players from purchasing ANYTHING from the Zen Store, let alone buy extra Zen.
This was a bad move. Usually I support Cryptic but seriously TT, tell them how bad a move this was. People arent going to buy them, it is much better to be rewards from zombies or the zombie heroes...
But Shadow Wings looks cool...but when are we going to have Light Wings? I needs them for my Light Guardian...
Comments
I honestly think they have people on the forums here writing down complaints so when they steal the ideas, they at least improve on them. Hence why their super speed and Acrobatics can run on walls or water....
Just saying, it would be a nice touch here as well as an incentive to continue to pay for gold memberships.
I already dislike the concept of the Drifter's Salvage ("hey, collect MORE different tokens, in addition to the multitude of recognitions/snakebucks/etc you already have clogging up your currency tab that are non-transferrable and non-convertible"), and now you're going to charge us 50ish zen per salvage piece? As the eminently wise Cee-Lo Green once said, "Forget this and forget you too." Thanks for bringing one of the most complained about parts of STO to this game, instead of one of the more favorably received features like the Foundry or the "officers" (sidekicks) system. You guys are getting greedy beyond belief. Enjoy the consequences.
The keys? Forever.
When this lockbox is gone they'll introduce another with stuff to gamble for.
But there is a plus side.
As the number of collected boxes goes up, I read it as $1.00 I've saved.
So far you've saved me over $30.00!
Thanks!
"Few are agreeable in conversation, because each thinks more of what he intends to say than that of what others are saying, and listens no more when he himself has a chance to speak." - Francois de la Rochefoucauld
"Forums are amazing technology. They can take a seemingly normal and
rational person and make them look like a troll. Short-sighted, misguided, creative effort deprived. Incredible." - Snarlygribbly
Well, that I'm fine with. If people don't like the lockboxes, then don't open them. Sell them on the AH and use the resources you make doing that to buy something useful for your character is the way I see it and what I'll be doing once I get what I want out of the boxes. If the key is around indefinitely instead of something I have to buy up as much as I can right away, I'll be able to open those boxes at my leisure then sell the rest. There's a ton of stuff I'd rather see introduced t the game, like harder content, more costume pieces, and emotes but, I hardly see how this is something worth quitting over. I don't stop going to gas stations that sell lotto tickets. Why would I quit this because of lockboxes?
You're missing the point.
It's not that this one little event is going to be about lockboxes. They'll be replacing drops with lockboxes. If it succeeds, the lockbox system will replace quality drops in the game. I shouldn't have to hurl money at this game to get something from a drop. Grab bags are one thing. Lockboxes are another.
So true and the timing was horrible. I really thought you (Cryptic) were going to balance the exchange before unleashing these hell hounds (lock boxes) but nope, the badly phrased announcement of Halloween become critters means nothing now since people are going crazy buying KEYS. Really KEYS. Thanks for the reskin of yet another flight (sounds like I'm complaining about that too but I like the option of dark phoenix flight)
On another note, I hope you put the money you get from people's stupidity to good use.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I like this idea. I don't know about the technical feasibility, but I do think this would be good.
I'm not sure that I follow. While I understand that having the lock box as a drop does conflate it with normal drops, I don't think it necessarily follows that it's a replacement. Perhaps this would help to clear this up: What do you consider a quality drop?
To explain my own viewpoint, I look at the Doomlord as an equivalent to the Cursed from the Scourge Grab Bag. On the other hand, I view the Dragon's Eye staff from the Hi-Pan box as a quest reward. For me, that differentiation means that the lock box isn't replacing anything, it's in addition. Maybe that's the reason for the difference in our views?
I think it's also worth noting that Takofane's Chest did not replace any content that we had planned. It is not a drop specific to any given event, and when the Halloween Blood Moon returns, it will have its own rewards. This is a global addition, rather than a replacement.
I do NOT want my inventory randomly filled with lockboxes....
@Scrizz :biggrin:
Any purple secondary gear that drops goes automatically to your inventory already, it should be a simple matter of making a checkbox in the options that would apply the same procedure to any item that drops, and voila - you have auto-pickup.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Consolidate currency!
Munitions additions
Petition to take in game report spam function out
Why not to do surveys and free offers
I haven't missed the point. You can get a lot of stuff that's good enough for leveling through quest rewards or heirloom gear from nemesis missions (which can be passed from one character to another meaning you'll never have to worry about leveling gear again) and can get level 40 gear through UNITY missions easily and mods are easy to acquire as well. Nothing I just listed requires that you spend a dime by the way so... what's the issue again?
Well, let's put it this way:
Say it IS an addition. And I know you can't answer- you don't have to. This isn't your call, nor is it your dev's call. It's PWE.
How much of the 'new goodness' is going to be 'locked' in these boxes?
If a new costume set comes out, why can't I just buy it instead of having to pay to gamble?
Will there be better equipment in the lockboxes coming soon that outperforms equipment that I can buy with Questionite, Recognition, or effort?
You and I both know that if a business model works- they don't just repeat, they expand it. I don't want this idea shifted to encompass other things.
I don't see what's so complicated. Make something, sell it. Period. I'll be passing on this lockbox thing. I've heard nothing positive about it in STO.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM:
I'd do this if keys were dropped by supervillains.
Perhaps a drop where we don't have to buy a key in the store to have a reward when we play.
Perhaps the feeling to play at a good video game or a good mmo and not the feeling to play at poker where you have to put some dollars to play or to have a good drop/reward. (we already pays the lts or subs to see your cards)
Perhaps when we're buying to you a Lts or pays you a sub to not have the feeling our money serve to create almost no new playable content, but only fluff as become devices, costume sets and even worse grab bags and lockboxes .
Some ideas who can help you and the devs.
Actually, it works pretty well IRL, why should it be any different in a game where supposedly everyone's pretty much equal, right?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
The answer is in the question.
I have no intention of using my credit card. Not specifically to buy lockboxes at least. With the prices of various other items in the game, like costume sets, I normally have a little zen left over after a purchase. That tends to add up. When I have enough, I MAY buy a key for a lockbox and see if I get something worth while. I also tend to sell my questionite for zen (that and my stipend are how I get all my zen by the way). The only thing I pay for is my subscription. Like I said in my initial post. I'll try my luck once in a while when I have some extra zen but, I won't be throwing cash at this game over lockboxes.
Personally, I hope that the Celestial Be-Critter will be earnable as part of the Blood Moon event, as a reward for freeing the souls of all of the zombie heroes -- a bit of a nod to the very first Blood Moon event, where freeing all of the heroes (and collecting sufficient "Celestial Essence" in the process) gave you access to the yet-to-be-released Celestial power set. I'm fine if certain items can only be earned in game during special events, and must be purchased otherwise, as long as there's some way to earn them in game, given appropriate time and effort.
A lockbox takes up one slot in your inventory. One. One slot in your inventory can hold 999 lockboxes. How much are you farming that you're inventory is already FILLED with lockboxes?
Because, name one Pay 2 Win MMO that has the slightest degree of success and has a reasonably satisfied customer base. Name one Pay 2 Win MMO that is providing new content. Name one Pay 2 Win MMO that isn't in its death throes, if not already rotting.
I will not, that was not the point of my post. My point was that apparently PWE is subtly dragging CO down that drain, probably deliberately.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
This I can agree with for the most part. This game is easy enough that the 4 mod gear is more of a neat little thing to try for rather than something I feel I have to have. Becomes are a complete waste of money in my opinion. Why would I go through the trouble of leveling, speccing, and gearing a character just to click on a device in my inventory and use a completely different set of powers? If you want my money, make new frameworks and make new content (and make it actually challenging). I like some fluff though. New costumes, new emotes... These are the things that will make me want to spend money on this game, not gimmicky garbage like becomes and vehicles (which are just another become with a different name).
This remember me something...
Agreed. Every Asian MMO that is F2P with a P2W model I've seen has been a ship sent to sea to be sank, only to have another stinker on its heels to do the exact same thing.
I had a lot of faith in this game once, but since PWE has come into the picture, I've seen things get worse. Might be a logical fallacy of association, but I'd actually like to see something on the contrary. I'm hoping they'll hurry up and crank out Neverwinter and leave it to the wolves so we can get some Dev effort back into CO.
{ whew } Thanks TT. Wouldn't be Halloween without lots of Ghosts and Candy Corn. :biggrin:
I'm none too keen on Lock Boxes/Keys in STO. I don't remember how many keys I bought when they first came out (a couple dozen, or so I think... Using a mix of cash and stipend) before I realized how bad the odds were, and stopped buying them.
I'm really just not a fan of "gambling" or "lottery" tactics. I'm happy to buy things directly. I have generously supported both games spending thousands of dollars over my years of play between the two (without regret, too). You're welcome.
Besides the "gambling" nature of the boxes, I'd also say the content doesn't hold much interest to me. I'm not a fan of Become Devices (and I have last year's 3x Monster ones already anyway, no longer used, once I realized what they were). I get plenty of R4-5 mods from drops, and I don't need better... My characters all do fine with Nemesis Gear and/or once at L40 I use Green-Blue gear with R4 mods and never have any problem beating the content I play. Some of my characters get the Purple Champion gear with R5-6 and these guys steamroll everything. Why would I even need R7+ Mods or 4-Hole Primaries? :cool:
I must admit to being somewhat interested in the Legacy stuff, however...
So wait, let me see if I understand this... If I want a Legacy Crafted Costume, I have to spend upwards of $30 in real world money to open enough RNG boxes for 60 salvage, but then I'm still not buying the costume I want directly, I have to buy a kit that is again another RNG box?!?
Are you kidding me?!? WTF?!?!? :mad:
LOL -- :rolleyes: -- Yeah, if you want my money just put friggin' good stuff that I can purchase directly via Zen, Questionite, etc.
Random? Fuggettaboutit!
Anyway, from what I understand the Legacy items are BoE so I do thank you for that. I'll just look forward to trading for and/or buying what I want from other players/off the Exchange.
When XP earnings during a Double-XP Weekend still feel like I'm underperforming,
there's something terribly wrong with the reward system...
You can find/contact me in game as @PatricianVetinari. Original Join Date: Feb 2010.
I would love it. But this is a dream.
Sto and neverwinter always had priority on CO. And this will be always the same after the nwo release.
Co hadn't any dev back and more content after the sto release. Why we will have more after the NWO release ? Nwo will be a fail (read the press notes after they tested the nwo beta, the notes are bad) and they will try to save the boat as they do for sto.
Co will be deserted in maintenance mode as always. With just fluff and some few content every 3 or 4 months to "give a bone to the dogs" we are for they continue to pay with the hope to see more content... perhaps a day.
No, we ARE NOT supposed to be ok with that, this is my point exactly! I play this game because its experience allows to feel significant, even virtually. But all this goes to hell if some "richboy" (no offense to subs intended) can lay out a few dozen bucks and without any effort steamroll anything I worked long and hard to merely get a shot at.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
There are three answers to this. First is that grab bags and lock boxes make money. Champions Online is ultimately a business, and we have to follow the money. It's the honest truth. We have to judge the best way to package content. Sometimes this is even to give it away for free, like the Comic Series and Adventure Packs ultimately were.
Second is that there will definitely still be content outside of boxes. We did just release the Shadow Wings, and updated the Q-Store with three items that used to be ZEN-only.
Third is that I don't think we've even approached the threshold of pay to win. MODs are helpful, but I hardly think they're game-breaking. And the grand prize of the lock box is a be-critter, which I consider a vanity item. If you feel this is approaching pay to win, I'd be curious to hear your thoughts on how that is, because it's helpful feedback.
I can understand your sentiment and have felt that way in some games. The problem with it is that it sounds like you're strictly free to play with perhaps spending a little money on zen when there's something you really really want and this game does require funding to continue to run. This whole game (and not just the way you feel about it) will go to hell without some source of income.
While I'm not thrilled about the idea of lockboxes, especially if they become a major feature of the game, raging against it will not stop them from implementing it for the simple fact that there are people willing to shell out cash for a chance at that better gear and the becomes and the powers that be apparently have decided that they'll make enough money selling the keys to offset any loss of income they'll suffer from people that are upset about it enough to stop playing, assuming those people were spending money in the first place.
Lockboxes in Champions Online.
I am starting to think that the people who thought lockboxes would be in Neverwinter despite there being no evidence to back that up anywhere were right.
I suspect the QQ is more about the 4-slot items than the be-critter devices. They do seem to give a bit of an advantage over a toon with only 3-slot items, even if diminishing returns does limit the perceived advantage more than the disgruntled are admitting.
People are broken. - Lum the Mad
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
1- I know the money thing, I get that and it's fine. Thing is, I'm curious as to how much more money Grab Bags make than standard costume sets or the like being purchased outright.
2- Shadow wings look good. I picked those up, not bad at all. No fault whatsoever here.
3- Pay 2 Win: When a player is given a distinctive advantage over others by purchasing services that give him or her an advantage over others. Granted, you could argue that Silvers Vs. Gold is pay to win, but as I see it Silvers are getting a segment of the game for free and Golds get the whole shebang. I am of the belief that no MMO, or any other game for that matter, with any competitive features with other players should have any items purchased with real-world money that give them any competitive/performance edge.
And this would be a better solution to sell the comic series or the APs for the f2P players. Gold players pays you every months for this content.
With this solution, the players knows why they pay.
But as cryptic, (or Cryptic's Co team in fact because you can't have enough content in each of your game but you create 3 mmos in the same time), don't have enough people to create theses content as often they would to retain population, the only solution you have find is to give free every of these content to all f2p players, and now have the obligation to sell this kind of sh.... because there isn't enough players and you must have some money to not shutdown or reduce again the people in the team.
i'm sad to see what this game becomes. You had gold in hands.
I stop here before you think i have anything against you personally. But you are the only cryptic people here, then yes, i speak to you.
yes, there is no pvp anymore. This is an another thing that Cryptic didn't know to do, and had killed themselves.
Was it too difficult to change the pvp gear rewards with on alert (or since on alert in april, we're on october) and add quests with questionite as the alerts ? pfff.
In PvP? That's another bag of peanuts.
And playing by myself since Aug 2009
Godtier: Lifetime Subscriber
On the bright side, finally implementing these will be a glaring reminder to some players of just how bad things have gottten in CO. I myself already have a hard time finding motivation to play, having a percentage of my loot become trash I can't even vendor, it'll remind me of the 1% harmon cat odds or the 3-5% on the FF slot bad odds. I'll then think about all the bugs that continue to persist, and then I'll find myself elsewhere like the majority of the folks on my friends list who are clearly more logically minded than I.
Still, this gamble crap needs to stop. And to be constructive, I offer these solutions or suggested improvements:
-Alternatively sell any items in the grab bags. (Minus mods and the like, I mean costumes and such.)
-Drop the price of the bag.
-Offer keys as a random reward from Supervillains or better.
They say they go where the money is, but the thing is- I WILL GO RIGHT NOW and buy $9.00 worth of these things if I knew for certain that it would do more than just fuel another gamble bag pitch down the road.
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!
I didn't mind having to go to the store and buy the Nighthawk grab bag, that is because it is completely optional and have to make a specific trip to the Zen Store to purchase them instead of being flooded with them in my inventory, but when these things are FORCED on you like they were in STO, which FORCED players of STO to basically walk away from STO in disgust because of the borderline illegal gambling scheme that these lockboxes are.
I have said this before and I will say this again: If you have to go to the store to see what you get from something dropped ingame, it WILL drive players away from the game.
If anything, this gimmick will only turn OFF a lot of players from purchasing ANYTHING from the Zen Store, let alone buy extra Zen.
I've been asking for more Light-themed stuff.
As the Man of Light, I support this entirely!!
Light Star Alliance (my toons with build guides & videos)
................................................
Nature Powerset
................................................
@Man.of.Light