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Lockboxes are a waste of time

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  • sandukutupusandukutupu Member Posts: 2,285 Arc User
    edited September 2019


    we don't tell people to buy vip because of the key. the key is just nice and it does help outfit new players a little. the reason we tell people to get vip is for the travel post. the bank and the mail box.. and no injuries. I like the keys and I look forward to them even though they aren't going to make me rich but I stay for the travelpost ah fees and no injuries and honestly I don't think I could live iwthout the bank and mailbox either. now if they could just throw in the mimic at stronghold... but yeah. it's really indispensable and a great service imo.

    I was responding to the original poster, but ok let's consider the things you mentioned;
    1. Travel Sign Post - I can buy VIP for 750,000 AD or 3,500 Teleport Scrolls to Protectors Enclave for the same amount.
    2. Bank - We have banks in our Stronghold, Protectors Enclave, Chult, and the Yawning Portal. Personally I like Chult's layout the best.
    3. Mail Boxes - Stronghold, Protectors Enclave, Icewind Dale, Chult, and the Yawning Portal. The only time I must be at a mail box is to send and receive items.
    4. No Injuries = No fun - I get sick of seeing a game mechanic be averted by the game itself. The whole special ability of any rogue is to disable traps. No point, just buy your VIP to rank 8 and run straight through those traps. If you get killed, no death penalty, just jump right back into the fray. The whole point of fighting is the risk of getting killed, and suffering an injury to challenge you. I see no challenge and it defeats the purpose of the game mechanic. Also dare I mention how many injury kits one can buy with the AD you would spend on VIP?
    However, I still hope you all will continue to buy your VIP with cash from the zen store, and thank you for supporting the game and my lifestyle. <3
    wb-cenders.gif
  • lantern22lantern22 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,111 Arc User
    edited September 2019

    1. Travel Sign Post - I can buy VIP for 750,000 AD or 3,500 Teleport Scrolls to Protectors Enclave for the same amount.
    Most of the time, I don't want to teleport back to PE. Quite often it is the stronghold or I like to port to something like Neverdeath that seems to load up quicker when I want to get back to pick up a DR lair key from Knox. Or when I want to teleport straight to Cold run after FBI so I can trade in the relic stuff for the next key. Or I want to teleport straight back to Cair Conig from Biggrins Tomb to save me running the length of the map. Or I want to teleport straight to Mantol Derith after finishing The Arcane Reservoir to save an unnecessary map load. Or I want to teleport straight to the workshop because I want to check for applications or change gathering tasks . . . . . . etc. etc. etc.

    Plus your teleport scrolls take up inventory space.

    2. Bank - We have banks in our Stronghold, Protectors Enclave, Chult, and the Yawning Portal. Personally I like Chult's layout the best.

    There isn't a bank in any of the dungeon runs if I run out of mass life scrolls or my bags fill up and I need to store some of that bound RP. There isn't a bank outside the DR lairs where I like to bank my R5 Enchanting stone before the next run, there isn't a bank directly next to many of the campfires when I want to swap enchants between toons or . . . . . etc. etc.

    4. No Injuries = No fun

    Injuries from traps is just lame nowadays, traps have been irrelevant for a long long time, would be nice if they did something other than minor annoyance of injuries.

    And the kits take up inventory space.

    Also dare I mention how many injury kits one can buy with the AD you would spend on VIP? However, I still hope you all will continue to buy your VIP with cash from the zen store, and thank you for supporting the game and my lifestyle. <3 </p>

    With the lockbox key (as meh as it is) and the other benefits VIP pays for itself, so why wouldn't you get VIP?

    Did anyone mention 25% off at the bazaar - that alone probably made me 2 mil AD over the last 12 months - paid for itself

    But each to their own, at least your toons are getting good excercise with all that extra running around :)
  • nooneatzanooneatza Member Posts: 173 Arc User
    I have played this game from the very beginning, i remember caturday, i remember the crapfest that mod6 was, and loads of other things. I have had VIP for almost the entirety of my playtime, i've also bought loads of keys, i remember at one point i just saved up zen for the black friday sale and had like 800 keys at once or something stupid like that.

    Even so, with all those keys, i've only got a legendary drop once. Only once. From a VIP key.


    Devs won't talk about RNG chances or things like that.
    I don't know if there's an RNG seed per character/account that determines your luck, or if some people are just cursed. My advice is to just not buy keys, at all. If you've opened 200+ and haven't got anything of value just ignore them from that moment on.

    Get VIP for the other benefits, if you get something from that daily key congratulations to you, if not, don't bother.


  • sandukutupusandukutupu Member Posts: 2,285 Arc User
    nooneatza said:

    ...Devs won't talk about RNG chances or things like that.
    I don't know if there's an RNG seed per character/account that determines your luck, or if some people are just cursed. My advice is to just not buy keys, at all. If you've opened 200+ and haven't got anything of value just ignore them from that moment on.
    ...

    There are a variety of random number generators, my husband showed me (more than I wanted to know) all about them. The random generator used in this game is streaky. I ran some tests and posted them to the forums about a year ago. Most random in games cannot be predicted, however some people believe the "seed" you spoke of is reset each time to enter a new zone. They claim if you have a great abundance of random items to open, you should switch to a new zone and start opening as soon as you arrive.

    I never tested their theory. But it is akin to a wheel of fortune spinning, and when you jump on to a new map, it is reset to zero closer to where the bigger prizes are located. Since this has been talked about many times in the game, I really doubt Cryptic would leave it alone, if it were fact. Maybe the random seed resets at new maps and they just don't believe you will gain anything from the knowledge?

    wb-cenders.gif
  • thestiathestia Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 296 Arc User
    Since I use a TON of reroll tokens and stock up on VIP during the 40% off sales (450k AD). VIP is paid for with one character's one month of reroll tokens, which is the equivalent of 450k AD. That's just on one character, not counting my 7 other active toons.

    Are we all also forgetting about the Wonderous Bazaar discount that everyone loooooves to farm during the Jubilee to get an extra *stacking* coupon to stock up on marks for personal use or profit?

    And if you're selling things for profit, the value of having no posting fee on the AH is incalculable. I know there has been some grumbling in the past about this feature, but if you sell a high volume of items, this perk really helps.

    I can't tell you how much time I save because I have the ability to toss my bondings, vorpal, and BoA rings in my shared bank and swap to an alt, who doesn't need to be parked in a main hub to be ready to grab these items and head into a dungeon.

    At the end of the day, even without the lockbox keys (which I have found to be highly profitable as well) VIP pays for itself. If you don't want it, I really can't understand why, but to each their own.
  • plasticbatplasticbat Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 12,182 Arc User
    edited September 2019


    1. Travel Sign Post - I can buy VIP for 750,000 AD or 3,500 Teleport Scrolls to Protectors Enclave for the same amount.

    If anyone buys 1month VIP for 1000 Zen (750K AD), I would say he is uninformed.
    For the minimum, he should use an invocation coupon.

    For the maximum, he should buy 6 month VIP during Zen store 40% off discount (assuming there will be no more 50% off).
    In that case, that would be 3060 Zen (2295K AD) for 6 months. I understand not everyone has that kind of fund available or that kind of long term planning.

    For teleport scrolls, it goes to PE or moonstone mask only. Yes, you can go to PE/Moonstone mask and then jump again.
    [EDIT: I made a mistake. From moonstone mask, you cannot jump to the big map without VIP. Hence, Moonstone mask scroll is moot]
    I don't want to PE because the loading time of PE is pretty long these days.
    In addition, you can't jump to Workshop using normal gate without VIP. You need to go to PE and then run to Workshop.

    This is a quality of life item. My alt used to station outside of the workshop and then go in to do stuff.
    However, loading the initial PE takes too long. These days, I park my alt in Moonstone mask and then teleport to workshop.
    This process is already way faster than loading PE and then walk into the workshop.

    My weekly AD run for my toons:

    Go to Dread Ring. Finish the quest.
    Teleport to Sharandar. Finish Reservoir. Within Reservoir. Teleport to Mantol-Derith.
    Get the Baphomet quest. Finish Baphomet. Back to Mantol-Derith. Get the reward. In the hall, teleport to Caer-Konig.
    Get the Biggrin quest. Teleport to Icewind pass. Run to the tomb (this part I hate). Finish Biggrin. Within the tomb, teleport to PE.
    Run to Harper Boward. Get the portal quest. Finish the portal quest. Back to PE. Get the reward. Then, teleport anywhere my toon need to go next. If there is nothing else to do, VIP him/her to Moonstone mask which is even faster than bringing up the VIP portal to F.

    This is all above saving running to the gate time and loading unnecessary instance time (such as within Reservoir and within Biggrin's tomb).


    2. Bank - We have banks in our Stronghold, Protectors Enclave, Chult, and the Yawning Portal. Personally I like Chult's layout the best.

    I don't park my characters in any of the above.


    3. Mail Boxes - Stronghold, Protectors Enclave, Icewind Dale, Chult, and the Yawning Portal. The only time I must be at a mail box is to send and receive items.

    Sending and receiving item happen to me anywhere. If you are working in Workshop (you probably don't), how do you send and receive an item? That happens frequently for transferring stuff from one toon to another.
    Without VIP, get out of the door, run to a mail box. Get the stuff. Run back to workshop entrance. Walk in again.
    Did I mention loading PE (when I need to walk out the physical door of the workshop) take forever?



    Post edited by plasticbat on
    *** The game can read your mind. If you want it, you won't get it. If you don't expect to get it, you will. ***
  • thefiresidecatthefiresidecat Member Posts: 4,486 Arc User
    edited September 2019
    @sandukutupu it's all been answered pretty well covering the points I'd cover. I'm guessing you also don't sell anything of value on the ah? because undercutters will eat you alive if you can't take it down adn repost.

    and no injuries no fun? honestly? if you're a HAMSTER there is no point in even trying to debate this with you because you enjoy inconvenience and misery. LOL.

    and yeah you could buy a HAMSTER ton of teleportation scrolls but that isn't the cost of the sign post. the signpost is just one of the many benefits you get from vip so it would be a much smaller amount.
    and didn't you originally try to say that people only bought vip for the keys and because of low odds they shouldn't buy it not all the other things? because if you DO buy keys you triple your money buying vip just on that. for the price of ten keys you get 30.

    did someone named vip beat you as a child or something? because your points against it are mostly logical fallacies. orrrr did someone named vip NOT beat you as a child and you've always been rather disappointed with that... (all in good fun. if vip really did beat you as a child i'd feel terrible about it. )


    Post edited by thefiresidecat on
  • wylonuswylonus Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 2,376 Arc User
    truth is, even devs will "deny" the existance of character's "Wi-flag" stamped when character were made. took few years for devs from Turbinegames, when they said it is impossible, until one of players went to local game convention when the devs are attending, show them how it effect character name rolling, he created very unlucky name, devs just saw lot of angry mobs coming to attack a new character from long distance in starting town, made a beeline to kill newly made character. and made a character that was extremely lucky, loaded with casino golden keys, and got Golden Grommie Toy on each pull, which was normally 1 in 15 chances to get a goldie toy for normal characters.

    once the devs saw, normally the starter town are safest and mobs dont usaully came to attack, stayed near the spawn spots. and went back to test at in the office to test it for themselves. they confessed, it is real and they tried hard for months to fix wi-flag bug.

    so, that RNG maybe also another bug that seem favored others the most and punished those who might have the unluckiest losing runs, sometimes some cant shake it off mobs when the tank tried hard to taunt and pulling, and mobs still ignore the taunts.
  • plasticbatplasticbat Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 12,182 Arc User
    edited September 2019
    wylonus said:

    truth is, even devs will "deny" the existance of character's "Wi-flag" stamped when character were made. took few years for devs from Turbinegames, when they said it is impossible, until one of players went to local game convention when the devs are attending, show them how it effect character name rolling, he created very unlucky name, devs just saw lot of angry mobs coming to attack a new character from long distance in starting town, made a beeline to kill newly made character. and made a character that was extremely lucky, loaded with casino golden keys, and got Golden Grommie Toy on each pull, which was normally 1 in 15 chances to get a goldie toy for normal characters.

    once the devs saw, normally the starter town are safest and mobs dont usaully came to attack, stayed near the spawn spots. and went back to test at in the office to test it for themselves. they confessed, it is real and they tried hard for months to fix wi-flag bug.

    so, that RNG maybe also another bug that seem favored others the most and punished those who might have the unluckiest losing runs, sometimes some cant shake it off mobs when the tank tried hard to taunt and pulling, and mobs still ignore the taunts.

    If they used the name of the character to generate the "static" seed (for the RNG), yes, it is very possible.
    *** The game can read your mind. If you want it, you won't get it. If you don't expect to get it, you will. ***
  • dread4moordread4moor Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,154 Arc User
    > @sandukutupu said:
    > I have been preaching this for years and a lot of you don't understand. You refuse to understand, because you are hooked on a system that takes advantage of you. I don't care for VIP and I won't tell players to buy it or not to buy it. However once more I will attempt to educate you
    >
    I must respectfully disagree on this point.
    VIP is essential for serious players.
    Yeah, yeah. "Not for the key". We've all said that. Let that go.
    The perks. MUST have.

    But you WILLINGLY go into dungeon runs without injury immunity? Big fan of injury kits, maybe?
    Don't need the AH and zen discounts?
    Never needed a bank during a run?
    A mailbox?
    The seal vendor (while standing at the last boss door and you realize your seals are full)?

    You ride your mount aaaaaaaaaaaall the way to the entrance on every... single... instance?
    And worst... WORST of all...
    Please tell me you are NOT that player who posts:
    "VIP... meh... don't need it. It's for suckers."

    Then in EVERY run...

    "My bag is full. Anyone have a bank?"

    "Someone open a seal vendor please. I am full."

    "The tank had to drop. I'll get another tank from PE. Can someone open a sign-post?"

    "OMG so sorry for the wipe. Forgot to get some scrolls from the AH. Mailbox please... mailbox... MAILBOX! C'mon guys...
    doesn't anyone have VIP?"
    JrUzbQw.jpg?1
    I am Took.
    "Full plate and packing steel" in NW since 2013.
  • lantern22lantern22 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,111 Arc User



    However, I still hope you all will continue to buy your VIP with cash from the zen store, and thank you for supporting the game and my lifestyle.

    The reason to buy VIP is no posting fee and discount on the WB, end of story. Anyone who is interested in bulk trading will easily make their money back+profit just off of those 2 bonuses.
    Ahhh yes, the "no posting fee" VIP perk. Probably the most important financial perk of them all. Especially if you are selling those new rings ;)
  • dread4moordread4moor Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,154 Arc User
    > @lantern22 said:
    > (Quote)
    > Ahhh yes, the "no posting fee" VIP perk. Probably the most important financial perk of them all. Especially if you are selling those new rings ;)

    Ohhhh snap. Conflict of interest shade.
    To be fair, said player spent weeks analyzing preview, smashing data, writing a comprehensive strategic guide.

    He paid the cost to pump that HAMSTER for all of it's loot, imho.
    JrUzbQw.jpg?1
    I am Took.
    "Full plate and packing steel" in NW since 2013.
  • namelesshero347namelesshero347 Member Posts: 2,109 Arc User


    The reason to buy VIP is no posting fee and discount on the WB, end of story.

    VIP WB discount is obsolete now as there are bigger "discounts" in the AH these days
  • chidionchidion Member Posts: 439 Arc User
    edited September 2019
    A Lockboxe is very much like gambling with no skill involved, people open the lockboxes in the hopes they will get something worthwhile...

    Unfortunately actually getting something worthwhile from opening lockboxes is again very much like gambling with no skill involved, but personally I have found obtaining keys to open lockboxes is usually not worth the time, effort or expense of doing it, but one person's experience is not indicative of everyone's experience.

    Someone says they've got a number of legendary mounts from opening lockboxes (without saying how many lockboxes they had to open to get those legendary mounts) another says they believe VIP is worth it because they get rewards from opening lockboxes that more than compensate for the time, effort and expense of obtaining VIP - while others seem to have just the opposite experience...

    Personally if I'm going to gamble I'll buy a lottery ticket and if I win I will actually have something worth the time, effort and expense where as due to the current state of the game, I am less inclined to believe anything I might get from lockboxes has as much worth as it did just a few months ago.

    but that's just my opinion.
    Post edited by chidion on
  • lantern22lantern22 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,111 Arc User

    > @lantern22 said:

    > (Quote)

    > Ahhh yes, the "no posting fee" VIP perk. Probably the most important financial perk of them all. Especially if you are selling those new rings ;)



    Ohhhh snap. Conflict of interest shade.

    To be fair, said player spent weeks analyzing preview, smashing data, writing a comprehensive strategic guide.



    He paid the cost to pump that HAMSTER for all of it's loot, imho.

    Sorry, if my post was ambiguous - I am in no way suggesting that anyone who has farmed anything, at any stage, and then sold it on the AH has done or is doing anything wrong. That was not intended. I 100% agree that people who put the time into preview and can finish content early should be able to sell the rewards for whatever they like, they aren't making people buy things from the AH.

    Cheekiness aside, I was referring to the fact that the no posting fee becomes more beneficial when the value of the item increases. I mentioned the rings but it also applies to Coal Wards, Pres Wards, Legendary mounts, BIS artifacts etc. and it was a very valid point highlighted by thefabricant.





  • thefiresidecatthefiresidecat Member Posts: 4,486 Arc User


    The reason to buy VIP is no posting fee and discount on the WB, end of story.

    VIP WB discount is obsolete now as there are bigger "discounts" in the AH these days
    it's during sales that it becomes relevant. especially the founders day coupons
  • sandukutupusandukutupu Member Posts: 2,285 Arc User
    @dread4moor I don't think I owned a regular mount until 2015, walked the whole game for about 2 years. Started to get more mounts once the insignia was introduced. I am not too keen on all the weird and strange mounts. Llorna has ridden the Snowswift for the whole game Goro Thay has the entire stable with only horses, one is the Nightmare Inferno, but that is as odd as it gets. Dirk has a Giant Beetle, Hladgerd a Polar Bear, Nicholas likes canine mounts (dog person), while Silvane has the large cats, Aero when in disguise rides the Amphail Fancy Horse, otherwise she has the Poisonous Looking Spider or can turn herself into Mist, and Will rides a Rage Drake he calls Spike.

    I really don't know if you are all trying to convince me or yourself the VIP cigarette is better tasting, but I didn't have high hopes that you would understand. Just because the game allows "God mode" doesn't make it the better way to play. As I expressed the original poster here -- who is obviously not very serious about this topic or he would have returned by now -- the better way to get the orange or epic is to buy one from the AH directly. I don't care to open mystery meat loot boxes, dungeon chests are suppose to be a mystery, but the loot boxes rain on us like free lottery tickets. You can take the risk for me, then I know exactly what I am buying in the AH.

    All of you have good intentions, but I don't get the VIP for the same reason I don't buy star packs in Champions, it is an add-on made to make the player fall into a pattern of psychological behavior. Read your own posts, "I need it" and "I couldn't live without it", no thank you. Alcoholism is bad enough, I don't need to fall into the habit of buying VIP to have quality of life. I am not sure, if anyone should be seeking quality of life in an online video game. Stick a fork in me, I am done. :cookie:
    wb-cenders.gif
  • thefiresidecatthefiresidecat Member Posts: 4,486 Arc User

    @dread4moor I don't think I owned a regular mount until 2015, walked the whole game for about 2 years. Started to get more mounts once the insignia was introduced. I am not too keen on all the weird and strange mounts. Llorna has ridden the Snowswift for the whole game Goro Thay has the entire stable with only horses, one is the Nightmare Inferno, but that is as odd as it gets. Dirk has a Giant Beetle, Hladgerd a Polar Bear, Nicholas likes canine mounts (dog person), while Silvane has the large cats, Aero when in disguise rides the Amphail Fancy Horse, otherwise she has the Poisonous Looking Spider or can turn herself into Mist, and Will rides a Rage Drake he calls Spike.

    I really don't know if you are all trying to convince me or yourself the VIP cigarette is better tasting, but I didn't have high hopes that you would understand. Just because the game allows "God mode" doesn't make it the better way to play. As I expressed the original poster here -- who is obviously not very serious about this topic or he would have returned by now -- the better way to get the orange or epic is to buy one from the AH directly. I don't care to open mystery meat loot boxes, dungeon chests are suppose to be a mystery, but the loot boxes rain on us like free lottery tickets. You can take the risk for me, then I know exactly what I am buying in the AH.

    All of you have good intentions, but I don't get the VIP for the same reason I don't buy star packs in Champions, it is an add-on made to make the player fall into a pattern of psychological behavior. Read your own posts, "I need it" and "I couldn't live without it", no thank you. Alcoholism is bad enough, I don't need to fall into the habit of buying VIP to have quality of life. I am not sure, if anyone should be seeking quality of life in an online video game. Stick a fork in me, I am done. :cookie:

    you must not like or value your time then. time is real. we all only have so much of it. If they took away vip rewards, I would just stop playing. because the stupid drain on time is real. Why is it bad to not want to be on a mount for five minutes to find the door out of a zone? how is it akin to alcoholism? Frankly, your arguments are disgusting and appaling. Alcoholism is real and life ruining. Abuse.. slow death.. scamming people who are supposed to matter to you for your next fix. real life badness. you are talking about a service you can buy with IN GAME money... that saves you time and ad... and comparing it to peoples real life hell. as some sort of same? I really suggest you step back and consider what your real problem is because it isn't making a lot of sense.

    this game has some BAD natural features that are taken away with the vip benefits. Enjoy your self induced suffering but don't disillusion yourself that you are some how high and mighty for it... or that the majority of the player base that uses what we are given to make in game life easier are some how bad poor disillusioned drug addicts.

    you're dehumanising everyone else to justify your own for lack of better word, phobia..

    get over it. it's not a drug. it's not encouraging bad behavior. it's not enforcing a self destructive pattern. it's just a feature in a freaking video game.

  • lantern22lantern22 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,111 Arc User

    @dread4moor I don't think I owned a regular mount until 2015, walked the whole game for about 2 years. Started to get more mounts once the insignia was introduced. I am not too keen on all the weird and strange mounts. Llorna has ridden the Snowswift for the whole game Goro Thay has the entire stable with only horses, one is the Nightmare Inferno, but that is as odd as it gets. Dirk has a Giant Beetle, Hladgerd a Polar Bear, Nicholas likes canine mounts (dog person), while Silvane has the large cats, Aero when in disguise rides the Amphail Fancy Horse, otherwise she has the Poisonous Looking Spider or can turn herself into Mist, and Will rides a Rage Drake he calls Spike.

    I really don't know if you are all trying to convince me or yourself the VIP cigarette is better tasting, but I didn't have high hopes that you would understand. Just because the game allows "God mode" doesn't make it the better way to play. As I expressed the original poster here -- who is obviously not very serious about this topic or he would have returned by now -- the better way to get the orange or epic is to buy one from the AH directly. I don't care to open mystery meat loot boxes, dungeon chests are suppose to be a mystery, but the loot boxes rain on us like free lottery tickets. You can take the risk for me, then I know exactly what I am buying in the AH.

    All of you have good intentions, but I don't get the VIP for the same reason I don't buy star packs in Champions, it is an add-on made to make the player fall into a pattern of psychological behavior. Read your own posts, "I need it" and "I couldn't live without it", no thank you. Alcoholism is bad enough, I don't need to fall into the habit of buying VIP to have quality of life. I am not sure, if anyone should be seeking quality of life in an online video game. Stick a fork in me, I am done. :cookie:

    you must not like or value your time then. time is real. we all only have so much of it. If they took away vip rewards, I would just stop playing. because the stupid drain on time is real. Why is it bad to not want to be on a mount for five minutes to find the door out of a zone? how is it akin to alcoholism? Frankly, your arguments are disgusting and appaling. Alcoholism is real and life ruining. Abuse.. slow death.. scamming people who are supposed to matter to you for your next fix. real life badness. you are talking about a service you can buy with IN GAME money... that saves you time and ad... and comparing it to peoples real life hell. as some sort of same? I really suggest you step back and consider what your real problem is because it isn't making a lot of sense.

    this game has some BAD natural features that are taken away with the vip benefits. Enjoy your self induced suffering but don't disillusion yourself that you are some how high and mighty for it... or that the majority of the player base that uses what we are given to make in game life easier are some how bad poor disillusioned drug addicts.

    you're dehumanising everyone else to justify your own for lack of better word, phobia..

    get over it. it's not a drug. it's not encouraging bad behavior. it's not enforcing a self destructive pattern. it's just a feature in a freaking video game.

    Or maybe sandukutupu likes to role play and feels that VIP takes away from the RP experience. Each to their own I guess.

    Also apologies to the OP for hijacking the thread.
  • plasticbatplasticbat Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 12,182 Arc User
    edited September 2019
    Each person has their own way to operate. There is no right way or wrong way. The efficient way does not necessary mean the "right" way. Each person has their time constraint or flexibility. Hence, I can only say VIP is my way. I am pretty sure most of my ways are not the norm. That does not mean non-VIP players play their game wrong. It also does not mean VIP player plays their game wrong neither.
    *** The game can read your mind. If you want it, you won't get it. If you don't expect to get it, you will. ***
  • thefiresidecatthefiresidecat Member Posts: 4,486 Arc User
    lantern22 said:

    @dread4moor I don't think I owned a regular mount until 2015, walked the whole game for about 2 years. Started to get more mounts once the insignia was introduced. I am not too keen on all the weird and strange mounts. Llorna has ridden the Snowswift for the whole game Goro Thay has the entire stable with only horses, one is the Nightmare Inferno, but that is as odd as it gets. Dirk has a Giant Beetle, Hladgerd a Polar Bear, Nicholas likes canine mounts (dog person), while Silvane has the large cats, Aero when in disguise rides the Amphail Fancy Horse, otherwise she has the Poisonous Looking Spider or can turn herself into Mist, and Will rides a Rage Drake he calls Spike.

    I really don't know if you are all trying to convince me or yourself the VIP cigarette is better tasting, but I didn't have high hopes that you would understand. Just because the game allows "God mode" doesn't make it the better way to play. As I expressed the original poster here -- who is obviously not very serious about this topic or he would have returned by now -- the better way to get the orange or epic is to buy one from the AH directly. I don't care to open mystery meat loot boxes, dungeon chests are suppose to be a mystery, but the loot boxes rain on us like free lottery tickets. You can take the risk for me, then I know exactly what I am buying in the AH.

    All of you have good intentions, but I don't get the VIP for the same reason I don't buy star packs in Champions, it is an add-on made to make the player fall into a pattern of psychological behavior. Read your own posts, "I need it" and "I couldn't live without it", no thank you. Alcoholism is bad enough, I don't need to fall into the habit of buying VIP to have quality of life. I am not sure, if anyone should be seeking quality of life in an online video game. Stick a fork in me, I am done. :cookie:

    you must not like or value your time then. time is real. we all only have so much of it. If they took away vip rewards, I would just stop playing. because the stupid drain on time is real. Why is it bad to not want to be on a mount for five minutes to find the door out of a zone? how is it akin to alcoholism? Frankly, your arguments are disgusting and appaling. Alcoholism is real and life ruining. Abuse.. slow death.. scamming people who are supposed to matter to you for your next fix. real life badness. you are talking about a service you can buy with IN GAME money... that saves you time and ad... and comparing it to peoples real life hell. as some sort of same? I really suggest you step back and consider what your real problem is because it isn't making a lot of sense.

    this game has some BAD natural features that are taken away with the vip benefits. Enjoy your self induced suffering but don't disillusion yourself that you are some how high and mighty for it... or that the majority of the player base that uses what we are given to make in game life easier are some how bad poor disillusioned drug addicts.

    you're dehumanising everyone else to justify your own for lack of better word, phobia..

    get over it. it's not a drug. it's not encouraging bad behavior. it's not enforcing a self destructive pattern. it's just a feature in a freaking video game.

    Or maybe sandukutupu likes to role play and feels that VIP takes away from the RP experience. Each to their own I guess.

    Also apologies to the OP for hijacking the thread.
    if they like to role play and vip takes away from the experience. then why not say that instead of trying to demonize people who DO like that service?
  • dread4moordread4moor Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 1,154 Arc User
    > @sandukutupu said:
    > @dread4moor I don't think I owned a regular mount until 2015, walked the whole game for about 2 years.
    "God mode" doesn't make it the better way to play. As I expressed the original poster here -- who is obviously not very serious about this topic or he would have returned by now -- the better way to get the orange or epic is to buy one from the AH directly. I don't care to open mystery meat loot boxes, dungeon chests are suppose to be a mystery, but the loot boxes rain on us like free lottery tickets. You can take the risk for me, then I know exactly what I am buying in the AH.
    >
    > All of you have good intentions, but I don't get the VIP for the same reason I don't buy star packs in Champions, it is an add-on made to make the player fall into a pattern of psychological behavior. Read your own posts, "I need it" and "I couldn't live without it", no thank you. Alcoholism is bad enough, I don't need to fall into the habit of buying VIP to have quality of life. I am not sure, if anyone should be seeking quality of life in an online video game. Stick a fork in me, I am done. :cookie:

    My respect, @sandukutupu .
    Valid points.
    Took is a crack addict at heart (by crack, I mean Shire Pipeweed), so your addiction argument is not UNtrue.

    For the general population, I still disagree. Not a crutch for most. VIP is a QoL normative.
    Let's agree to disagree.

    But before everyone piles on @sandukutupu, I speak in your defense as a fellow advocate of non-mainstream thought.

    Not everyone wants to take the fast lane. Some want a slow challenge.
    You decline VIP. Crazy to others. Right for you.

    Took declines guild boons. Mother HAMSTERing crazy to others. Right for The Took.

    You be you, sister.
    Hobbit respect.
    JrUzbQw.jpg?1
    I am Took.
    "Full plate and packing steel" in NW since 2013.
  • mentinmindmakermentinmindmaker Member Posts: 1,489 Arc User
    edited September 2019


    If they used the name of the character to generate the "static" seed (for the RNG), yes, it is very possible.

    That is bad programming, RNG seeds should be generated from a random source(typically time) at boot and from then on all on server should draw from a common RNG sequence. Usually the previous RNG roll is used as base for next RNG roll so you get a sequence of pseudorandom numbers. In a game like an mmorpg the draw pattern itself adds to randomness, so observed from a single character the RNG rolls will be more or less true random.

    Hinting such a bug exist in NW probably is going too far - happily software bugs are not infectious and jumps from game to game :)
  • plasticbatplasticbat Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 12,182 Arc User


    If they used the name of the character to generate the "static" seed (for the RNG), yes, it is very possible.

    That is bad programming, RNG seeds should be generated from a random source(typically time) at boot and from then on all on server should draw from a common RNG sequence. Usually the previous RNG roll is used as base for next RNG roll so you get a sequence of pseudorandom numbers. In a game like an mmorpg the draw pattern itself adds to randomness, so observed from a single character the RNG rolls will be more or less true random.

    Hinting such a bug exist in NW probably is going too far - happily software bugs are not infectious and jumps from game to game :)
    That static seed comment refers to another game mentioned above.
    *** The game can read your mind. If you want it, you won't get it. If you don't expect to get it, you will. ***
  • chidionchidion Member Posts: 439 Arc User

    we don't tell people to buy vip because of the key. the key is just nice and it does help outfit new players a little. the reason we tell people to get vip is for the travel post. the bank and the mail box.. and no injuries. I like the keys and I look forward to them even though they aren't going to make me rich but I stay for the travelpost ah fees and no injuries and honestly I don't think I could live iwthout the bank and mailbox either. now if they could just throw in the mimic at stronghold... but yeah. it's really indispensable and a great service imo.

    For years before the introduction of the VIP perks players would travel to an area where they could access Mailboxes, a Travel Gate, their Bank, etc. without little or no complaint. But suddenly with the VIP the immediate convenience of being able to summon Mailboxes, Banks and the ability to travel without being at a travel gate is something people claim they can't do without... to each their own. Personally I would rather do without the VIP perks for Mailboxes, Banks and Travel than spend the Zen for VIP only to have to do it all over again in 30 days especially for those players who don't have BIS everything already - VIP or a better enchantment/runestone/companion/mount/artifact or gear? That's the choice most players are left with.

    For some players it is plainly worth it - for others not so much.

    Each person has their own way to operate. There is no right way or wrong way. The efficient way does not necessary mean the "right" way. Each person has their time constraint or flexibility. Hence, I can only say VIP is my way. I am pretty sure most of my ways are not the norm. That does not mean non-VIP players play their game wrong. It also does not mean VIP player plays their game wrong neither.

    Well said @plasticbat , each player has their preferred way of playing Neverwinter, there is no universal "right or wrong" when it comes to VIP.

    Obviously you prefer to play with the benefits of VIP whereas myself I don't find those perks worth the cost (and additional cost every 30 days) for maintaining things like instant access to Mailboxes, Travel Posts and the personal bank which are all still accessible without costs.

    Being able to post items on the Auction House without a fee, perhaps that is one of the reasons we tend to see so many things overpriced on the auction house. Players being able to reduce their losses when an item they posted doesn't sell, removes the impetus for some to try to post items at a more reasonable price -vs- an inflated price.

    As with most things there are definitive pros and cons and it is up to the individual whether or not they believe the expense is worth the costs.
  • tchefi#6735 tchefi Member Posts: 417 Arc User
    edited September 2019
    My humble opinion about the VIP (not judging other opinions ^^)

    I'm playing Neverwinter since december 2016 and, in my "newb" hours, while doing the various leveling quests and maps up to level 70, gently discovering the game in duo with my brother, we never felt the need of VIP.
    Although we had already looked at the various advantages, we didn't considerer VIP as something really useful and worth the € price (as obviously we hadn't enough AD yet to trade for Zen, and no will to pay for a f2p before being in it for at least a year :P).


    Then, we started the Maze Engine campaign, and got 3x Icespire Peak as the "defend the swordcoast" quest in the same week.
    At this time, we still had a +50% speed grey mount, no guild so no speed boon.

    This specific quest opened our eyes to the fact that we were spending more time riding a virtual horse rather than anything else. And my brother and I were not here to enjoy kind of an Alexandra Ledermann game rather than a RPG (which moreover tend to be action-RPG), especially during dailies and weeklies repeatable quests as the landscape was already known (i don't mind being slow and ride around when i am in a new map, i quite enjoy discovering the leveldesign the first time I'm in a map, but it's not the same when you come in for the 100th time).

    This made our decision (as we were already hooked by the game) => first spending in AH was for a purple mount, and then full eco on AD to buy enough Zen to grab as quickly as possible the 4th rank of VIP (and reach Jubilée without too much days left of VIP to exploit the -%sales and get 6 more months of VIP to carry until the next black friday).

    Since the 1st day of my VIP, i had remained continuously VIP and never had any trouble funding it with AD as VIP usually repay for itself + my ~3-4h dayly playtime.

    But the only reason why I will remain VIP is the travel postsign, other QoL functions or bonus are very dispensable in my opinion.

    Post edited by tchefi#6735 on
  • tassedethe13tassedethe13 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 806 Arc User
    edited September 2019

    My humble opinion about the VIP (not judging other opinions ^^)

    I'm playing Neverwinter since december 2016 and, in my "newb" hours, while doing the various leveling quests and maps up to level 70, gently discovering the game in duo with my brother, we never felt the need of VIP.
    Although we had already looked at the various advantages, we didn't considerer VIP as something really useful and worth the € price (as obviously we hadn't enough AD yet to trade for Zen, and no will to pay for a f2p before being in it for at least a year :P).


    Then, we started the Maze Engine campaign, and got 3x Icespire Peak as the "defend the swordcoast" quest in the same week.
    At this time, we still had a +50% speed grey mount, no guild so no speed boon.

    This specific quest opened our eyes to the fact that we were spending more time riding a virtual horse rather than anything else. And my brother and I were not here to enjoy kind of an Alexandra Ledermann game rather than a RPG (which moreover tend to be action-RPG), especially during dailies and weeklies repeatable quests as the landscape was already known (i don't mind being slow and ride around when i am in a new map, i quite enjoy discovering the leveldesign the first time I'm in a map, but it's not the same when you come in for the 100th time).

    This made our decision (as we were already hooked by the game) => first spending in AH was for a purple mount, and then full eco on AD to buy enough Zen to grab as quickly as possible the 4th rank of VIP (and reach Jubilée without too much days left of VIP to exploit the -%sales and get 6 more months of VIP to carry until the next black friday).

    Since the 1st day of my VIP, i had remained continuously VIP and never had any trouble funding it with AD as VIP usually repay for itself + my ~3-4h dayly playtime.

    But the only reason why I will remain VIP is the travel postsign, other QoL functions or bonus are very dispensable in my opinion.

    You forgot to add the "I can put things on sold with Zero cost" which is a game changing too ;)
  • plasticbatplasticbat Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 12,182 Arc User
    edited September 2019
    IMO, VIP QoL functions have better effect if the player also has other important components.

    1. Many toons.
    2. a max out shared bank
    3. have Dragonborn pack and/or Gith pack
    4. play multiple characters (for real)
    5. hoard everything

    With Dragonborn pack and Gith pack, it means every level 4 toon will have 106 storage space.
    The full (no discount price) of each character slot is 125 Zen. Most will buy them with at least an invocation coupon.
    With a 20% off coupon, it is 100 Zen (75000 AD) for 106 storage space.

    With a tiny shared bank, it will be painful to move stuff back and fore. That is why to be efficient, one also needs a big shared bank.

    If one needs to go to PE to dump to shared bank everytime, it is also not "efficient". That is why one wants the bank portal. It is in VIP 12. That was why I paid to get VIP 12 in the beginning of VIP.

    If one does not hoard everything, he will not really need all these.

    I am the one who hoard everything. I have storage toon who specializes to store different type of items.
    I have storage toons that specialize to store:
    1. artifact
    2. mount
    3. companion
    4. transmute
    5. lockbox
    6. enchantment
    7. runestone
    8. potions
    9. insignia
    10. RP
    .....

    When my main characters get something that is not character bound, in the "house keeping" time (usually before I switch to play another toon), he will bring up the shared bank and move the items to shared bank to stack that up. He will also pick up stuff if he is the 'keeper' for that type of storage.

    So, in my operation, the shared bank is the depot/transfer center of loots.
    *** The game can read your mind. If you want it, you won't get it. If you don't expect to get it, you will. ***
  • bobby4700bobby4700 Member, NW M9 Playtest Posts: 179 Arc User
    edited September 2019
    played for almost 6 years got 1 legendary mount , had bought 50 keys and got it on 3 key it is RNG. the issue now is nothing really good in lockboxs except the mounts . also they seem to be the carrot they dangle infront of you so that you buy keys to gamble on it . If not they would sell legendary mounts in zen shop
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