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Zen value will continue to fall, Dilithium will continue to rise.
humblesheep
Member Posts: 423 Arc User
Zen
The current exchange value of the Zen to Dilithium will continue to fall, levelling off for a while at about 100, (probably when the STFers who cashed out at the end of Season 6 dump their Dilithium mountains.) before dropping again till it settles around 60 to 75 - I predict.
Why, because for all the little Dilithium bonuses Cryptic have restored since Season 7 went live (first the STF, then the Reputation costs and rewards), they have not addressed the real issue, which is the massive increase in Dilithium sinks (ipp doff costs and having to pay for STF weapons and items).
Unless Cryptic flood the entire player base with heaps of Dilithium (their current tactic of feeding back small Dilithium concessions is neither working, nor will it ever work), few of the Free-to-Play players (who are the main Dilithium sellers), will want to exchange their Dilithium, simply because they now need it all to spend on their toons. And hence, the value of Dilithium must continue to rise.
Doffs
For new players, upgrading their doffs, first to green and upwards to purple, is one of the best ways to get a steady income of Dilithium (also Energy Credits and useful items). Quite simply for Dilithium (other than via contraband) you need Resolve and you cant buy either Resolve doffs or good doffs unless you have heaps of cash, which by definition, being new, you dont. The massive Dilithium cost to upgrade doff makes this path all but impossible except for the Dilithium rich.
STF
Now when I go the Zen store, Dilithium store or the exchange and buy something, I expect to a) get it, and b) pay for it (rather obvious - but please bear with me), when I play 20 odd missions to get enough chips (or points) for an item I do not want to a) also pay for it, and b) not get it for 2 days (and it is 2 days, if you have a first life).
Now I dont think that I am being greedy here, I think that it is perfectly fair to either pay for something or (to use an unfortunately common term) grind for it. I do not think that we all should have to grind, pay - and wait!
The Game
What is a game? (again, please bear with me). Game are things people do for fun, that fun is different for each person, some like to build their starbases (personally, I dont - the cost to reward seems much to high), but others of you do and I hope that it is rewarding for you. Some people like to play hours on end day after day, again thats great for those of you who do. And others play for a few hours, a few days per week (probably most of us).
(and my point)
It is Cryptics job to make the game enjoyable for everyone and each persons choice of playing style, thats what the game is there for (Please remember, it is A GAME - and only, evermore, just a game). It may be a hard balancing act, and I do understand that they need to make money, but every change they make should be made to make the game more enjoyable for each type of player. This is basic economics for any company that runs any kind of service.
And as many have said before me (so I'm not laboring it in this post), the grind, whats with the grind, this is a game for (state your deity now)s sake, its supposed to be fun, and not just for those with massive disposable hours, fun for everyone! So many of the Season 7 changes make the average person want to play less, not more.
And what will happen
Less players, Gold account holder numbers and Zen sales drop, so less money and eventually the game becomes uneconomical and folds. I love playing this game and will be very sad when its gone.
The Solution - please Cryptic
Quite simply, drop the Dilithium requirements for the entire Reputation system and earned items, we dont even need the Dilithium drops/rewards if we dont need to spend it for the earned items (unless, of course, you really need to give us Dilithium so that we can sell it on the exchange).
Drop all the time gated times to zero or something trivial, does it really add anything to the game playing fun for anyone to wait days for things. OK so some people will put in colossal hours of play to get it all now - so what? Good luck to them. I wont, most people wont (or cant, because they dont have the time), - but does this hurt anyone?
Return the Dilithium costs for the doff exchange system to Season 6 levels, what does it matter to you (or your profits - if that is the driver) if people can upgrade all the way to purple doffs? Toons will level up slightly faster, have more cash and the exchange prices will fall a bit, but will that spoil the game economy?
The Result
Everyone will have a little more, wait a little less, the economics will change slightly, but there will be more fun. People will be happy, they will want to play more, they will tell their friends and they will want to play too, the exchange will level out (not to my personal benefit - please note), Zen will be worth spending cash on, you sell everyone nice things for extra cash and you will make more money.
Does it matter how fast starbases or embassys are built? or how quickly toons level up? or whether so-and-so gets all his Mk12 gear in a week? What matters is that more people play the game and enjoy it.
Surely, it is that simple, isn?t it?
The current exchange value of the Zen to Dilithium will continue to fall, levelling off for a while at about 100, (probably when the STFers who cashed out at the end of Season 6 dump their Dilithium mountains.) before dropping again till it settles around 60 to 75 - I predict.
Why, because for all the little Dilithium bonuses Cryptic have restored since Season 7 went live (first the STF, then the Reputation costs and rewards), they have not addressed the real issue, which is the massive increase in Dilithium sinks (ipp doff costs and having to pay for STF weapons and items).
Unless Cryptic flood the entire player base with heaps of Dilithium (their current tactic of feeding back small Dilithium concessions is neither working, nor will it ever work), few of the Free-to-Play players (who are the main Dilithium sellers), will want to exchange their Dilithium, simply because they now need it all to spend on their toons. And hence, the value of Dilithium must continue to rise.
Doffs
For new players, upgrading their doffs, first to green and upwards to purple, is one of the best ways to get a steady income of Dilithium (also Energy Credits and useful items). Quite simply for Dilithium (other than via contraband) you need Resolve and you cant buy either Resolve doffs or good doffs unless you have heaps of cash, which by definition, being new, you dont. The massive Dilithium cost to upgrade doff makes this path all but impossible except for the Dilithium rich.
STF
Now when I go the Zen store, Dilithium store or the exchange and buy something, I expect to a) get it, and b) pay for it (rather obvious - but please bear with me), when I play 20 odd missions to get enough chips (or points) for an item I do not want to a) also pay for it, and b) not get it for 2 days (and it is 2 days, if you have a first life).
Now I dont think that I am being greedy here, I think that it is perfectly fair to either pay for something or (to use an unfortunately common term) grind for it. I do not think that we all should have to grind, pay - and wait!
The Game
What is a game? (again, please bear with me). Game are things people do for fun, that fun is different for each person, some like to build their starbases (personally, I dont - the cost to reward seems much to high), but others of you do and I hope that it is rewarding for you. Some people like to play hours on end day after day, again thats great for those of you who do. And others play for a few hours, a few days per week (probably most of us).
(and my point)
It is Cryptics job to make the game enjoyable for everyone and each persons choice of playing style, thats what the game is there for (Please remember, it is A GAME - and only, evermore, just a game). It may be a hard balancing act, and I do understand that they need to make money, but every change they make should be made to make the game more enjoyable for each type of player. This is basic economics for any company that runs any kind of service.
And as many have said before me (so I'm not laboring it in this post), the grind, whats with the grind, this is a game for (state your deity now)s sake, its supposed to be fun, and not just for those with massive disposable hours, fun for everyone! So many of the Season 7 changes make the average person want to play less, not more.
And what will happen
Less players, Gold account holder numbers and Zen sales drop, so less money and eventually the game becomes uneconomical and folds. I love playing this game and will be very sad when its gone.
The Solution - please Cryptic
Quite simply, drop the Dilithium requirements for the entire Reputation system and earned items, we dont even need the Dilithium drops/rewards if we dont need to spend it for the earned items (unless, of course, you really need to give us Dilithium so that we can sell it on the exchange).
Drop all the time gated times to zero or something trivial, does it really add anything to the game playing fun for anyone to wait days for things. OK so some people will put in colossal hours of play to get it all now - so what? Good luck to them. I wont, most people wont (or cant, because they dont have the time), - but does this hurt anyone?
Return the Dilithium costs for the doff exchange system to Season 6 levels, what does it matter to you (or your profits - if that is the driver) if people can upgrade all the way to purple doffs? Toons will level up slightly faster, have more cash and the exchange prices will fall a bit, but will that spoil the game economy?
The Result
Everyone will have a little more, wait a little less, the economics will change slightly, but there will be more fun. People will be happy, they will want to play more, they will tell their friends and they will want to play too, the exchange will level out (not to my personal benefit - please note), Zen will be worth spending cash on, you sell everyone nice things for extra cash and you will make more money.
Does it matter how fast starbases or embassys are built? or how quickly toons level up? or whether so-and-so gets all his Mk12 gear in a week? What matters is that more people play the game and enjoy it.
Surely, it is that simple, isn?t it?
Post edited by humblesheep on
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Comments
Cryptic will now embark on a game of distract with shinies starting with the 35 day December Event. This will take us up to the middle of January at which point they'll start feeding us info on the Featured Episode due in Feduary, this will last until mid March at which point Season 8 will hit the test server, most likely with the announcement of reduced dilithium prices in the Reputation system and more ways to earn it.
The Dilithium Requirements for Stuff out of the STF/ Romie Store Need Adjusting Mk X needs to be Cut, Mk XI needs to be cut, Honestly Leave MK XII Alone, End game gear should not be cheap. Specialty Consoles should not be cheap either. Also reduce the wait time for unlocking the stores. Counter that by Making it longer on Projects/upgrades if you have to, but getting an item there should not be a wait.
Proud Leader of the Massive Chaos Group
Proud Listener of Subspace-Radio.net The Voice of Star Trek Online.
[SIGPIC]http://massivechaos.enjin.com/[/SIGPIC]
One has to try, if just once.
You say that cryptic won't be out of pocket with reducing the amount of Dilithium to S6 levels, You do realise that the more people upgrade doffs for little to no cost, the less Duty Officer Packs they are likely to sell...
New players/toons shouldn't have the ability to have purple quality officers straight away, work your way through the Assignment Chains to get access to purple doffs and Officer exchange assignments where you can and will get officers with Resolve trait.
I believe the changes to the price to upgrade Doffs was because people were buying White doffs cheaply from the exchange or getting them using fleet credits from the starbase and upgrading the lot
You are not forced to buy Zen with your Dilithium, nor are you forced to spend your Dilithium on starbase projects or reputation items, if you think the costs are too high don't buy
Founder and Current CO of Gamma Strike Force
Player since December 2009
go check champions online.There are times there when the rare is 55 per zen :rolleyes:
I'd say the biggest reason is that there isn't anything worth buying in the Zen store. There is very little demand for Zen right now, and there probably won't be til the next Lockbox ship & the Andorian ship is released.
I also make Zen as fast if not faster than I did previously with the new turn-in quests activated.
Proud Leader of the Massive Chaos Group
Proud Listener of Subspace-Radio.net The Voice of Star Trek Online.
[SIGPIC]http://massivechaos.enjin.com/[/SIGPIC]
In response to your points:
Yes, while that is true, it is not the point of my post. Personally I can afford to do one, or possibly both of those, just not the exchange as well. Other people like me have the same choices to make.
Agreed, but how important are the Duty Officer Packs, they are only one item in the store, Cryptic have lots of other things to sell and I think that should be their focus for making money. I think the Duty Officer Packs are vastly over priced (or under specd) for what you get, and I bought 13 of them at the end of Season 6.
They wont. It is quite a lot of work and time upgrading 125 whites to one purple,. I think that that is enough work for the reward, and, at a maximum, the total cost per purple could be set to, say 6k all in, half that of buying purples from Lt Fera (12k). I believe that grinding for items should always cost less that just paying for them and I dont think that upgrading your doff should be just an end game activity or take lots of months, even years. Why shouldnt peole level up their doffs as they level up their toons?
Absolutely, but why not? Is their not enough pain already gathering resources.
Agreed, and that is why I dont do starbases, but I do believe, the impact of people like me not selling Dilithium has to affect those players that want (dare I say need) to buy Dilithium. Personally the exchange rate will be great for me, but it is bad for the game, particularly for the players who have spent real money to get their Zen.
dariusmajere, do share your secrets with us, please?
Oh, and in supply and demand it is not just the supply that determines the exchange prices, I am more commenting on the demand increases. Are they ever likely to fall?
Will wiser people than me, please respond.
It's not a secret.
Run STFs
Trade Omega Marks 50 for 500 Dilithium
or if you run elites 5 BNPs to 1000 Dilithium
Demand will never Drop since Dilithium is the main commidity in STO. As for my Secrets, No I don't Share. But, play the game more and you will see and learn suddenly and go oh.. this is quicker.
Proud Leader of the Massive Chaos Group
Proud Listener of Subspace-Radio.net The Voice of Star Trek Online.
[SIGPIC]http://massivechaos.enjin.com/[/SIGPIC]
I do occasionally hit the 8k cap and I am not unhappy with my daily Dilithium haul across all my toons, the important point is the average player (who is not hardcore) is unlikely to regularly exceed (Cryptics stated 3k average), I am more interested in fixing the game for everyone.
I want to get more of my friends playing and up to STF standards, at the moment I cant see that happening.
what exactly are "STF standards" ?
I started doing STFs at Lvl 45 with what gear I had available.
A good pilot who knows what they are doing could handle normals with common equipment.
maybe even elites.
So , what is STF standards ?
I am actually interested, as you are not the first I have heard use similar terms.
And the Secrets out already
As for Gear in STF's I have been doing eSTF's for so long I can run them in Normal Gear and still be a helpful Team member. You just need to know what the hell you are doing. Remember Alot of us have completed eSTF's with 3-4 people due to idiots Rage quitting, Or DCing. Tho there are alot more pugs out there wrecking STF's now then before.
Proud Leader of the Massive Chaos Group
Proud Listener of Subspace-Radio.net The Voice of Star Trek Online.
[SIGPIC]http://massivechaos.enjin.com/[/SIGPIC]
Probably not the best answer, but for me, close to what you say, though I would feel more than a little uncomfortable with a T4 ship with all common items.
For most people I would guess, as the RAF pilots would say: Airspeed, altitude and brains: any two out of the three are needed to complete the flight successfully. In this case it boils down to a good ship and a good driver, either will do. (and before I get trolled, yes idiots are idiots whatever the metaphor)
I am probably not in the same skill level as you, bit too old, slow etc... most of my friends are worse than me. The thing is, this is a game for everyone who likes it, not just the ones who are good at it. So while in regular STFs I am often the prime target (and yes I have no points in Threat Control), I dont do elite often, not until I think I can hold my own without letting the side down.
Maybe you are right, but if the value of dilithium stays at a sertain value for a long period of time, the only way you can get more is to buy, and that will force them to buy even if they dont think it's worth it.
And we will all adapt.... when we do, we won't remember what the value was before.
(the value of dilithium at that time will be NORMAL)
That's MY predicament.
I know this, I've sworn off of base projects and most other dilithium buys now that it's dropped below 200 (enough so that $10 = one cosmetic project), and don't plan on doing anything with the market until I either start rolling in dilithium (which, with all the sinks, I don't forsee myself doing) or it climbs back up my personal minimum of 200. My base has also stalled until such time as I get most of what I want from the reputation system - which might not be well until after next year as I am "casual" and it takes most of my playtime to maintain one toon in the reputation system and I have 6 that need to travel through the system...
Well, maybe the year after that, since I have to keep up with seasons 8 and 9 in that timeframe... :P Ahh, the curse of joining during F2P, I don't have the massive stockpiles that these sinks were designed to suck down, and earning as I go is quite expensive...
To rob a line: [quote: Mariemaia Kushrenada] Forum Posting is much like an endless waltz. The three beats of war, peace and revolution continue on forever. However, opinions will change upon the reading of my post.[/quote]
The Majority of Dilithium sinks will be finished in 2 months I would say, since thats around the time frame for tier 5 of the Reputation systems. Then it will be back to the Starbase, As for the Cosmetic projects, You could always hold off on them. They will start repeating, Stahl said they would. Progress the starbase as quickly as you can, work on the cosmetics when they replay.
Proud Leader of the Massive Chaos Group
Proud Listener of Subspace-Radio.net The Voice of Star Trek Online.
[SIGPIC]http://massivechaos.enjin.com/[/SIGPIC]
There's already a cap on how much can be refined in a day.I know there is always the argument about those with large amounts of alts but those people payed for those character slots in one way or another.Either through store purchases or gold membership so they deserve to refine more.
Me I'm happy with my 3 toons.Just think about the fun factor.Do what you like and suddenly you look down and have hit your 8k for the day.
I know I know but I'm aloud to dream.
No sir, that was "exploiting" -- they TRIBBLE the system for those alts and were cheating everyone else in the game because of it.
Or so I've been told.
* blinks and looks at his 12 characters on one account and shrugs*
Proud Leader of the Massive Chaos Group
Proud Listener of Subspace-Radio.net The Voice of Star Trek Online.
[SIGPIC]http://massivechaos.enjin.com/[/SIGPIC]
LOL!!! Well said. I keep hearing people say things like "getting my ship ready to be able to STfs" and such. STFs are faceroll easy with crappy gear as long as you actually know how to play your toon in a teamwork setting and pay attention to what everyone else is doing. STF success is and always has been 100% about how you play, not what gear you have.
Ground
Do not forget a remodulator
have Hypos
have Shield boosts
have a USEFUL kit
Different energy types on weapons is helpful
A sword always works if you are close assault capable
if you are a SCI take some powers that heal
Space
Do not turn up in your PVP super speced fighter
Do not come in a shuttle
Do not mount ONLY torpedo mine weapons
Its better to be a rainbow warrior than carry low spec gear (like a full set of MK VI )
And forget anything anyone ever says about Escorts unless you are VERY good with escorts
As someone who is a rabid critic of Cryptic, I can 100% assure you that the reputation system is near perfect.
Incorrect.
If you have been playing the system for about a year, like myself, you would have realized duty officers have always had a dilithium cost. When you complete each tier in your selected commendation (diplomacy, science, military, etc...), you can unlock duty officers in which can be purchased with dilithium. You can buy those duty officers at a cheaper dilithium cost than through upgrades. Here is the bonus... You get to choose a specific duty officer type, so that you will not just get a random officer.
Upon observing the system as a fleet member and owner, I noticed that people want both fun and progress. People want instant gratification through a fun and passionately driven experience. If one or the other is lacking, people become quickly disenfranchised. People want to see instant results for their efforts, and they want them to happen in a fun and exciting environment.
You might be right that the dilithium requirements may not be that bad, but I dont see it myself, 20, 30, 40 or 50k an item (excuse me for not knowing the exact prices) is still a lot, for casual players anyway, and up to Season 7, they were free.
OK so people cant do everything at once, but in Season 6 they could do a lot more at once than they can now. Whats the game about, surely, it should be about people enjoying themselves, if they were enjoying doing all those things in Season 6, then Season 7 has to be a backwards step, even if not for everyone.
Yes, 10 times less.
Yes you can, and I have. The trouble is, Lt Feras doffs seem to have been particularly chosen for their mediocrity. I still end up on the exchange looking for doffs most of the time. And remember you have been playing for a year, new players have a much harder struggle to learn the system. My new toons start off well, mainly because my existing toons can sub them some good doffs, someone new to the game cant do that unless they are in a very kind fleet.
Hardcore players and those with all the gear and doffs arent the ones being hit hardest by the Season 7 changes, new players are, and they are the ones Cryptic need most to pay for all of us to play the game. Your OK, Im OK, a lot pf people reading this are OK, but there are a lot more who arent.
I love my bug.
Im just off to try out the new console I bought 2 days ago.
Love my Steam Runner and My Armitage. I am Primarily Escort Pilot with the flip side Carrier pilot.
Proud Leader of the Massive Chaos Group
Proud Listener of Subspace-Radio.net The Voice of Star Trek Online.
[SIGPIC]http://massivechaos.enjin.com/[/SIGPIC]