LOL - you mean spend $50 on keys to get a $5 item Worth of EC which is worth 5 cents of electricity/intellectual property/man hours
Which is the power goes off for good/servers go offline is worth NOTHING!
you mean that kind of logic?
Games are merely a safe drug for your brain, so to speak.
It's really no different from anything else in the world. Nothing lasts forever. How much money do we waste every day buying things that go poof when we're done with it? Food. Drinks. Drugs. Wife. That LCD TV that craps out eventually because the CRT days are behind us. Not to mention the ultimate example of when we die, we can't take anything with us so ultimately all we do is waste our money all our lives. So, what significances is there to choosing to waste that money at STO?
None, really. Yeah, sure, we get the point. But perhaps the other view point is, maybe people rather spend 800 dollars on STO than on a new TV they'll never use. Or put 60 dollars into STO rather than buy a new and usually overpriced game. It's not dumb logic. It's people making their usual choice on what to waste their money on because not everyone in the world sees eye to eye and will donate everything they can afford to others in need. People are typically selfish, plain and simple. It is our curse for being human and only a select few will be blessed enough to ever overcome that curse. Hence why mankind is doomed to never pulling off the whole Star Trek thing. It's a noble idea but we haven't been able to pull it off in our entire short yet long history. It's because we suck. We're no closer to achieving it than we were thousands of years ago.
So yes, it makes perfect sense mankind chooses to throw money at something that will no longer be played by them in one to ten or so years. If there's any logic to be questioned, it's the logic behind wanting to hide behind a computer screen all the time playing games or whatnot rather than living life. I have an answer for that. It's called "I lose at life so I try to succeed at a MMO" I'm just not afraid to admit it.
Games are merely a safe drug for your brain, so to speak.
It's really no different from anything else in the world. Nothing lasts forever. How much money do we waste every day buying things that go poof when we're done with it? Food. Drinks. Drugs. Wife. That LCD TV that craps out eventually because the CRT days are behind us. Not to mention the ultimate example of when we die, we can't take anything with us so ultimately all we do is waste our money all our lives. So, what significances is there to choosing to waste that money at STO?
None, really. Yeah, sure, we get the point. But perhaps the other view point is, maybe people rather spend 800 dollars on STO than on a new TV they'll never use. Or put 60 dollars into STO rather than buy a new and usually overpriced game. It's not dumb logic. It's people making their usual choice on what to waste their money on because not everyone in the world sees eye to eye and will donate everything they can afford to others in need. People are typically selfish, plain and simple. It is our curse for being human and only a select few will be blessed enough to ever overcome that curse. Hence why mankind is doomed to never pulling off the whole Star Trek thing. It's a noble idea but we haven't been able to pull it off in our entire short yet long history. It's because we suck. We're no closer to achieving it than we were thousands of years ago.
So yes, it makes perfect sense mankind chooses to throw money at something that will no longer be played by them in one to ten or so years. If there's any logic to be questioned, it's the logic behind wanting to hide behind a computer screen all the time playing games or whatnot rather than living life. I have an answer for that. It's called "I lose at life so I try to succeed at a MMO" I'm just not afraid to admit it.
What a waste of a forum post. None of that has any relevance.
The only thing that has relevance here is an economic axiom, that is people will only continue to use a product that they deem to have value to them. You can fail at life all you want but you'll not want to play an MMO that is less fun than others.
The Developers and the company need to make sure that they keep people entertained, thats why they had to backpedal on all their Season 7 TRIBBLE-ups, they got the balance totally wrong made the game less fun therefore less value to it's consumers... Basically keep us happy, we'll keep paying.
So question is when will they get the balance right, they seem hopeless at it. I don't think they understand their customer base wants adventure, puzzles and a game with less bugs... having said that I don't think they have the skill or creativity to provide anything more than grind-pot systems in their gameplay.
I think it's rather funny that with the launch of season 7 and all the dilithium removed from the game, Cryptic claimed that adding it back in would give players access to too much and thus cause the exchange prices to drop drastically.
Obviously they've never had any good accountants because if they had, then they would know that reducing the amount in game is what would cause that, not increasing it. For one, the 8000 a day refine cap puts a limit on what people can actually make use of anyway. Secondly, when people have less, they want more for it, people are selfish like that because it's our right as Human beings to be pricks and demand more for less in hard times.
Put back the dilithium you took out of the game, stabilise the market, or on your head be it when more people are getting free zen, than the number of people buying zen from you to exchange for dilithium. Personally, I used to buy zen to exchange for Dilithium for my starbase upgrades because I'm the only active fleet member and I couldn't grind for it all, so I supplemented. With these prices though, I'm not spending a penny more on buying Dilithium.
Join date is wrong, I've actually been around since STO Beta.
True alters don't have a "main". Account wide unlocks for all unique event rewards!!
What a waste of a forum post. None of that has any relevance.
I found romuzarii's post to be interesting ... -- even if I do not agree with his conclusions .
Last time I checked , Star Trek was still about the collision of different pov's , and the things we can learn from them .
I don't think they understand their customer base wants adventure, puzzles and a game with less bugs... having said that I don't think they have the skill or creativity to provide anything more than grind-pot systems in their gameplay.
Is that your definition of the game as a whole or just seasons 6+7 ?
The major complaint against STO prior to season 6 was : there is nothing to do once you level up except a few dailies , a few STF's and leveling another Alt .
Seasons 6+7 ensured that there was plenty to do .
I don't find most of it interesting ... , but I can't deny that there is stuff to do .
Seasons 6+7 were the base floor/foundation that was needed for a game that was soooo up in the air ... -- in regards to what the Devs wanted to do and what they could do and what the players wanted , liked and disliked . The game was supposed to be what was in the Engineering Reports , and in reality it was ... what it was -- what it could be .
Now it's time to see if the Devs can deliver ... , because if seasons 8+9 are going to be a redressed 6+7 I think many ppl will be done with this game as their "main" game .
I found romuzarii's post to be interesting ... -- even if I do not agree with his conclusions .
Last time I checked , Star Trek was still about the collision of different pov's , and the things we can learn from them .
Is that your definition of the game as a whole or just seasons 6+7 ?
The major complaint against STO prior to season 6 was : there is nothing to do once you level up except a few dailies , a few STF's and leveling another Alt .
Seasons 6+7 ensured that there was plenty to do .
I don't find most of it interesting ... , but I can't deny that there is stuff to do .
Seasons 6+7 were the base floor/foundation that was needed for a game that was soooo up in the air ... -- in regards to what the Devs wanted to do and what they could do and what the players wanted , liked and disliked . The game was supposed to be what was in the Engineering Reports , and in reality it was ... what it was -- what it could be .
Now it's time to see if the Devs can deliver ... , because if seasons 8+9 are going to be a redressed 6+7 I think many ppl will be done with this game as their "main" game .
Well they better make season 8 good or a lot of people will leave - a lot of people are playing significantly less as it is now. My KDF base has not moved for a week - not for lack of marks because I supply them all - from doffing.
Which brings me to my line in the sand - this far no further:
I love doffing - one of this games grinds that does not feel like a grind. Ever since this last last patch I have not been able to find the mission to get the strange alien artifact. And I have been trying EVERY 4 hr slot. I am beginning to think they may have removed it because they put it in the Fleet doff pack. So another good thing from doffing they put in a payable item or make it harder to get like the 5000% increase in up-grinding + now purples and blues are worthless from people buying them at bases.
I am sorry but I will give it a week - if I can't find the strange alien artifact mission - and therefore has been removed to put in this doff pack - that will be my game breaker. We all have our limits of what is fun and what is not.
Well they better make season 8 good or a lot of people will leave - a lot of people are playing significantly less as it is now. My KDF base has not moved for a week - not for lack of marks because I supply them all - from doffing.
Which brings me to my line in the sand - this far no further:
I love doffing - one of this games grinds that does not feel like a grind. Ever since this last last patch I have not been able to find the mission to get the strange alien artifact. And I have been trying EVERY 4 hr slot. I am beginning to think they may have removed it because they put it in the Fleet doff pack. So another good thing from doffing they put in a payable item or make it harder to get like the 5000% increase in up-grinding + now purples and blues are worthless from people buying them at bases.
I am sorry but I will give it a week - if I can't find the strange alien artifact mission - and therefore has been removed to put in this doff pack - that will be my game breaker. We all have our limits of what is fun and what is not.
Negotiate Additional Delivery of Rare Commodities?
I saw one I think two or so days ago, so it's currently on cooldown for me, but it's definitely still in the game.
What I was hoping to find out was someone that found it after the patch on Thursday - so 12pm EST onward.
Even with the low price of Zen i am not going to by the pack on the odd chance of getting one.
That's the Big problem Cryptic is going to run into with this cheap zen - eventually there will be nothing in the Zen store that people want.
So why would anyone buy Zen? Not to convert to dilthium and not to buy in the Store - seems like they are shooting themselves in both feet and both knee-caps!
The problem I've encountered is that since Season 7 dropped there's now stuff I have to do in-game.
For example - I'd like access to the Mk XII Adapted MACO/KHG and the Romulan Mk XII space weapons so I have to do the Rep system across my 3 characters.
Consequently I have to do the New Romulus patrol daily on each of them and I have to do some STFs for Omega Marks - it's not optional unless I don't want to progress the Rep system.
Those two alone have really dampened my enthusiasm for STO - as a result I'm playing way less and playing less content that rewards Dilithium (since I don't want to have to do anything else).
So I log in, Doff for Contraband, do the patrol on each of my characters, set up the rep projects, submit some Contraband for Dilithium, run the Winter race for the Breen ship and then... I'm done.
I'm just about making my 8k a day on Dilithium for each of my characters but I'm saving that for when I unlock Tier 5 (since that stuff's expensive) - no Dilithium contributions to my Fleets, no Fleet Marks (since I no longer play any content that rewards them).
I'm not even converting Dilithium to Zen (even at the current exchange rate) since there's nothing in the C-Store I want barring the Vesta (which I've already indicated in another thread, I consider too expensive).
So... I'm just hoarding Dilithium - like many other players I suspect. And no, I'm not earning anywhere near as much as I did pre-Season 7 - and I'm having a lot less fun gathering it than I did before (STFs).
Even if the market hit 25 Dil->1 Zen I doubt I'd cash it in - I've no reason to (besides hoping Zen would rise in value) - I've simply got no use for it at the moment.
Well your point ^^^ brings up another hidden problem that will drop later to crush the market - many people ARE converting to Zen at these prices and are hoping the price goes up. So that puts a cap on any increases AND what happens if the price does not go up and people are stuck with millions of Zen?
This whole market is going to be messed up(more than it already is) without intervention by Cryptic(The Federal Reserve/Treasury in this case)
Well your point ^^^ brings up another hidden problem that will drop later to crush the market - many people ARE converting to Zen at these prices and are hoping the price goes up. So that puts a cap on any increases AND what happens if the price does not go up and people are stuck with millions of Zen?
The speculators will be left holding the bag. But I don't honestly believe that's likely. Lockbox keys offer a great 'out'. Even if there's nothing else you want in the Z-Store, you can always trade in for keys and either sell them on the exchange or get lobi or limited-time lockbox items...which tend to rotate.
The speculators will be left holding the bag. But I don't honestly believe that's likely. Lockbox keys offer a great 'out'. Even if there's nothing else you want in the Z-Store, you can always trade in for keys and either sell them on the exchange or get lobi or limited-time lockbox items...which tend to rotate.
Possibly, but honestly I don't see that as good 'value' - 1.5 million ECs for 125 Zen just seems like a terrible conversion rate to me (given that it's not that hard to earn 1.5 million).
For those with lots of disposable income that are buying keys specifically to turn into ECs then maybe it's worth it (it's certainly a 'cheaper' and guaranteed way of getting a Jem or a D'kora or whatever).
But even at 100 Dil->1 Zen, you need 12500 refined Dilithium for a single key - that's a day and a half of your refinement allowance for one character - that's worth way more than 1.5 million ECs in my opinion (given the Dilithium requirements for the Fleet/Rep systems).
The problem I've encountered is that since Season 7 dropped there's now stuff I have to do in-game.
For example - I'd like access to the Mk XII Adapted MACO/KHG and the Romulan Mk XII space weapons so I have to do the Rep system across my 3 characters.
Consequently I have to do the New Romulus patrol daily on each of them and I have to do some STFs for Omega Marks - it's not optional unless I don't want to progress the Rep system.
Those two alone have really dampened my enthusiasm for STO - as a result I'm playing way less and playing less content that rewards Dilithium (since I don't want to have to do anything else).
So I log in, Doff for Contraband, do the patrol on each of my characters, set up the rep projects, submit some Contraband for Dilithium, run the Winter race for the Breen ship and then... I'm done.
I'm just about making my 8k a day on Dilithium for each of my characters but I'm saving that for when I unlock Tier 5 (since that stuff's expensive) - no Dilithium contributions to my Fleets, no Fleet Marks (since I no longer play any content that rewards them).
I'm not even converting Dilithium to Zen (even at the current exchange rate) since there's nothing in the C-Store I want barring the Vesta (which I've already indicated in another thread, I consider too expensive).
So... I'm just hoarding Dilithium - like many other players I suspect. And no, I'm not earning anywhere near as much as I did pre-Season 7 - and I'm having a lot less fun gathering it than I did before (STFs).
Even if the market hit 25 Dil->1 Zen I doubt I'd cash it in - I've no reason to (besides hoping Zen would rise in value) - I've simply got no use for it at the moment.
Another aspect of this that people are forgetting about is the acquisition side of things. Which links in with the above statement.
How can one make EC's?
You can grind them
You can speculate them
You can buy Zen and obtain Keys to sell
You can use dilithium to buy un-replicable materials or Zen to then turn to Keys.
How can one make Zen?
You can grind Dilithium and turn it into Zen
You can grind EC's and buy contraband to convert to Dilithium and turn it into Zen
You can speculate them
How can you make Dilithium?
You can grind dilithium
You can buy contraband with EC's
You can buy Zen and convert to dilithium
You can speculate it
==========================
At the moment, the majority of people are not going to sell zen for dilithium, because lets face it it's a losing bet, however there are probably quite a number who feel pushed into it to complete fleet projects and other things. but as the rate drops even they will probably shy away.
This will then mean that the only way to get dilithium is to grind it... or to buy contraband which will become inefficient. So we will see a sustained loss of dilithium and though we might expect Dilithium to be released onto the exchange at that point and flood the market driving up the Zen price, this in reality may not happen at all and the pumps may well become stalled.
Then need to do something to give options other than grinding dilithium. Maybe make Contraband more available and de-nerf it.
Also a note on EC's they are also becoming harder to get at the moment. we need an injection of currency in dilithium and EC's.
My blog! Zen|Dilithium tracking on Thursdays http://samonmaui.blogspot.com As a lifetime member of STO, I officially became a financial liability as of April 2012 when compared to a subscriber.
You should add the point at which they introduced the 10% bonus Zen Sale they had I believe it accounts for the spike in Dilithium buying around the 18th of Nov.
At the moment, the majority of people are not going to sell zen for dilithium, because lets face it it's a losing bet, however there are probably quite a number who feel pushed into it to complete fleet projects and other things. but as the rate drops even they will probably shy away.
This will then mean that the only way to get dilithium is to grind it... or to buy contraband which will become inefficient. So we will see a sustained loss of dilithium and though we might expect Dilithium to be released onto the exchange at that point and flood the market driving up the Zen price, this in reality may not happen at all and the pumps may well become stalled.
Then need to do something to give options other than grinding dilithium. Maybe make Contraband more available and de-nerf it.
Also a note on EC's they are also becoming harder to get at the moment. we need an injection of currency in dilithium and EC's.
I think Cryptic is under the false impression that people will be like gasoline - just suck it up and pay - you still need to drive. But even that is cut back when the price goes too high - and I would say Gasoline has a much higher priority to people than video games. So does the rising cost of Food.
Who is whipping out their wallet right now to buy $50 bucks of Zen to convert to dilthium? All the people commenting here who did claim they are not going to again at these prices.
I think Cryptic is under the false impression that people will be like gasoline - just suck it up and pay - you still need to drive. But even that is cut back when the price goes too high - and I would say Gasoline has a much higher priority to people than video games. So does the rising cost of Food.
Who is whipping out their wallet right now to buy $50 bucks of Zen to convert to dilthium? All the people commenting here who did claim they are not going to again at these prices.
Ha you see this is where Cryptic need to read and read well...
The last time I bought Zen was just after Season 7 I only ever buy Zen these days for two things, to create EC and to trade for Dilithium.
During the that time there was a sale on Zen and there was a mad clamor for Doff Packs. I didn't buy any dilithium because when I got close to thinking about clicking on the exchange and remembered it wasn't worth it and I already had a big enough stockpile to see me through the winter.
So i spent it on packs that I sold on the Exchange for 5 - 5.5 Million a pace, for a couple of days I controlled and fixed the price on the Exchange (If you're reading this sorry about that lolipop ).
Now buying Zen has no value to me at all, I can't get the dilithium I need and even when I run out of stockpiled dilith I won't go near buying Dilith for that amount of Zen. There is no money to be made in EC's at the moment, the new doff packs have stalled in value and keys a useless and inefficient as Weyland has already stated.
So when I look on my account and that addictive behaviour the game stimulated from me by the perceived value of the commodity I was acquiring is now gone I think for a second whats the point and my wallet returns to pocket.
This is the result of your botched season 7 update Cryptic, you need to employ some psychologists and economist on a consultant fee basis.
As they say on the terraces... You don't know what you're doing. :cool:
You should add the point at which they introduced the 10% bonus Zen Sale they had I believe it accounts for the spike in Dilithium buying around the 18th of Nov.
Possibly, and it sounds very reasonable. There's ups and downs normally, anyhow, but I don't have enough records to say one way or another. That said? There's also the Ultimate Game Card special going on a well right now (just in time for Christmas!). My fleet leader is actually buying cards to send out to friends/fleetmates for the holidays
My blog! Zen|Dilithium tracking on Thursdays http://samonmaui.blogspot.com As a lifetime member of STO, I officially became a financial liability as of April 2012 when compared to a subscriber.
The market is crashing more because many dil farmers like me took a break to farm winter event stuff. After spending a couple days doing it I find there is nothing I want besides the Breen ship so have sold my other winter items and will only be spending 5 min there per character for the Breen ship then resume my normal dil farming. I'll get back to putting 40k-50k dil per day on exchange again soon to save up Zen for new ships that may come out like Andorian and Ambassador. Hope this helps some.
For those of you stressing over dil prices so much, consider actually farming it yourself, I refine 48k dil per day across 6 characters without spending too much time doing it each day, I just make have lots of contraband on days I work and can't play too long, and on days off I spam STFs all day to try to farm over refinement cap on most characters so many days all I have to do is log them in do some contraband missions and refine.
Doesn't take up to much time for STFs if you can mostly do private matches and can do enough dps to even make lousy pug group STFs run smoothly when you can't find a private. Turning in all Omega marks and neural processors helps reach daily cap fast, so do this if you have all your STF gear.
Even casual player should be able to cap 1 or 2 characters per day on dil by using STFs and contraband.
Either way it's not relevant, everybody is different a lot of people don't like farming at all and here for the trek. What you do may not be what others want to do, yet we are all affected by the economy of the game.
I actually do think it's working like a Friedman-style free market should: The bust came after the boom.
I continue to enjoy the schadenfreude that comes with the suddenness of all the "Don't touch the market!" speculators becoming Keynesians and wanting the "government" to step in. But once some hot items hit the Z-Store and the exchange rate evens out everyone can unleash their inner John Galts again, I'm sure.
I actually do think it's working like a Friedman-style free market should: The bust came after the boom.
I continue to enjoy the schadenfreude that comes with the suddenness of all the "Don't touch the market!" speculators becoming Keynesians and wanting the "government" to step in. But once some hot items hit the Z-Store and the exchange rate evens out everyone can unleash their inner John Galts again, I'm sure.
The thing is you can't compare this to a normal market - well there really is no free market today anyways - the US stock market is fully supported by the US gov't - same goes for the currency market.
Plus Cryptic has caused this result by there actions - leaving a exploit open for so long then closing it at the same time as removing lots of inputs + adding even more outflows.
So to bring up any economist is completely rediculous.
Comments
LOL - you mean spend $50 on keys to get a $5 item Worth of EC which is worth 5 cents of electricity/intellectual property/man hours
Which is the power goes off for good/servers go offline is worth NOTHING!
you mean that kind of logic?
Games are merely a safe drug for your brain, so to speak.
It's really no different from anything else in the world. Nothing lasts forever. How much money do we waste every day buying things that go poof when we're done with it? Food. Drinks. Drugs. Wife. That LCD TV that craps out eventually because the CRT days are behind us. Not to mention the ultimate example of when we die, we can't take anything with us so ultimately all we do is waste our money all our lives. So, what significances is there to choosing to waste that money at STO?
None, really. Yeah, sure, we get the point. But perhaps the other view point is, maybe people rather spend 800 dollars on STO than on a new TV they'll never use. Or put 60 dollars into STO rather than buy a new and usually overpriced game. It's not dumb logic. It's people making their usual choice on what to waste their money on because not everyone in the world sees eye to eye and will donate everything they can afford to others in need. People are typically selfish, plain and simple. It is our curse for being human and only a select few will be blessed enough to ever overcome that curse. Hence why mankind is doomed to never pulling off the whole Star Trek thing. It's a noble idea but we haven't been able to pull it off in our entire short yet long history. It's because we suck. We're no closer to achieving it than we were thousands of years ago.
So yes, it makes perfect sense mankind chooses to throw money at something that will no longer be played by them in one to ten or so years. If there's any logic to be questioned, it's the logic behind wanting to hide behind a computer screen all the time playing games or whatnot rather than living life. I have an answer for that. It's called "I lose at life so I try to succeed at a MMO" I'm just not afraid to admit it.
What a waste of a forum post. None of that has any relevance.
The only thing that has relevance here is an economic axiom, that is people will only continue to use a product that they deem to have value to them. You can fail at life all you want but you'll not want to play an MMO that is less fun than others.
The Developers and the company need to make sure that they keep people entertained, thats why they had to backpedal on all their Season 7 TRIBBLE-ups, they got the balance totally wrong made the game less fun therefore less value to it's consumers... Basically keep us happy, we'll keep paying.
So question is when will they get the balance right, they seem hopeless at it. I don't think they understand their customer base wants adventure, puzzles and a game with less bugs... having said that I don't think they have the skill or creativity to provide anything more than grind-pot systems in their gameplay.
#2311#2700#2316#2500
Obviously they've never had any good accountants because if they had, then they would know that reducing the amount in game is what would cause that, not increasing it. For one, the 8000 a day refine cap puts a limit on what people can actually make use of anyway. Secondly, when people have less, they want more for it, people are selfish like that because it's our right as Human beings to be pricks and demand more for less in hard times.
Put back the dilithium you took out of the game, stabilise the market, or on your head be it when more people are getting free zen, than the number of people buying zen from you to exchange for dilithium. Personally, I used to buy zen to exchange for Dilithium for my starbase upgrades because I'm the only active fleet member and I couldn't grind for it all, so I supplemented. With these prices though, I'm not spending a penny more on buying Dilithium.
I found romuzarii's post to be interesting ... -- even if I do not agree with his conclusions .
Last time I checked , Star Trek was still about the collision of different pov's , and the things we can learn from them .
Is that your definition of the game as a whole or just seasons 6+7 ?
The major complaint against STO prior to season 6 was : there is nothing to do once you level up except a few dailies , a few STF's and leveling another Alt .
Seasons 6+7 ensured that there was plenty to do .
I don't find most of it interesting ... , but I can't deny that there is stuff to do .
Seasons 6+7 were the base floor/foundation that was needed for a game that was soooo up in the air ... -- in regards to what the Devs wanted to do and what they could do and what the players wanted , liked and disliked . The game was supposed to be what was in the Engineering Reports , and in reality it was ... what it was -- what it could be .
Now it's time to see if the Devs can deliver ... , because if seasons 8+9 are going to be a redressed 6+7 I think many ppl will be done with this game as their "main" game .
Well they better make season 8 good or a lot of people will leave - a lot of people are playing significantly less as it is now. My KDF base has not moved for a week - not for lack of marks because I supply them all - from doffing.
Which brings me to my line in the sand - this far no further:
I love doffing - one of this games grinds that does not feel like a grind. Ever since this last last patch I have not been able to find the mission to get the strange alien artifact. And I have been trying EVERY 4 hr slot. I am beginning to think they may have removed it because they put it in the Fleet doff pack. So another good thing from doffing they put in a payable item or make it harder to get like the 5000% increase in up-grinding + now purples and blues are worthless from people buying them at bases.
I am sorry but I will give it a week - if I can't find the strange alien artifact mission - and therefore has been removed to put in this doff pack - that will be my game breaker. We all have our limits of what is fun and what is not.
Negotiate Additional Delivery of Rare Commodities?
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
yes that is the mission - have you found it in the last few days?
I saw one I think two or so days ago, so it's currently on cooldown for me, but it's definitely still in the game.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
I have found it twice in a little over a week.
What I was hoping to find out was someone that found it after the patch on Thursday - so 12pm EST onward.
Even with the low price of Zen i am not going to by the pack on the odd chance of getting one.
That's the Big problem Cryptic is going to run into with this cheap zen - eventually there will be nothing in the Zen store that people want.
So why would anyone buy Zen? Not to convert to dilthium and not to buy in the Store - seems like they are shooting themselves in both feet and both knee-caps!
For example - I'd like access to the Mk XII Adapted MACO/KHG and the Romulan Mk XII space weapons so I have to do the Rep system across my 3 characters.
Consequently I have to do the New Romulus patrol daily on each of them and I have to do some STFs for Omega Marks - it's not optional unless I don't want to progress the Rep system.
Those two alone have really dampened my enthusiasm for STO - as a result I'm playing way less and playing less content that rewards Dilithium (since I don't want to have to do anything else).
So I log in, Doff for Contraband, do the patrol on each of my characters, set up the rep projects, submit some Contraband for Dilithium, run the Winter race for the Breen ship and then... I'm done.
I'm just about making my 8k a day on Dilithium for each of my characters but I'm saving that for when I unlock Tier 5 (since that stuff's expensive) - no Dilithium contributions to my Fleets, no Fleet Marks (since I no longer play any content that rewards them).
I'm not even converting Dilithium to Zen (even at the current exchange rate) since there's nothing in the C-Store I want barring the Vesta (which I've already indicated in another thread, I consider too expensive).
So... I'm just hoarding Dilithium - like many other players I suspect. And no, I'm not earning anywhere near as much as I did pre-Season 7 - and I'm having a lot less fun gathering it than I did before (STFs).
Even if the market hit 25 Dil->1 Zen I doubt I'd cash it in - I've no reason to (besides hoping Zen would rise in value) - I've simply got no use for it at the moment.
This whole market is going to be messed up(more than it already is) without intervention by Cryptic(The Federal Reserve/Treasury in this case)
The speculators will be left holding the bag. But I don't honestly believe that's likely. Lockbox keys offer a great 'out'. Even if there's nothing else you want in the Z-Store, you can always trade in for keys and either sell them on the exchange or get lobi or limited-time lockbox items...which tend to rotate.
Possibly, but honestly I don't see that as good 'value' - 1.5 million ECs for 125 Zen just seems like a terrible conversion rate to me (given that it's not that hard to earn 1.5 million).
For those with lots of disposable income that are buying keys specifically to turn into ECs then maybe it's worth it (it's certainly a 'cheaper' and guaranteed way of getting a Jem or a D'kora or whatever).
But even at 100 Dil->1 Zen, you need 12500 refined Dilithium for a single key - that's a day and a half of your refinement allowance for one character - that's worth way more than 1.5 million ECs in my opinion (given the Dilithium requirements for the Fleet/Rep systems).
Another aspect of this that people are forgetting about is the acquisition side of things. Which links in with the above statement.
How can one make EC's?
How can one make Zen?
How can you make Dilithium?
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At the moment, the majority of people are not going to sell zen for dilithium, because lets face it it's a losing bet, however there are probably quite a number who feel pushed into it to complete fleet projects and other things. but as the rate drops even they will probably shy away.
This will then mean that the only way to get dilithium is to grind it... or to buy contraband which will become inefficient. So we will see a sustained loss of dilithium and though we might expect Dilithium to be released onto the exchange at that point and flood the market driving up the Zen price, this in reality may not happen at all and the pumps may well become stalled.
Then need to do something to give options other than grinding dilithium. Maybe make Contraband more available and de-nerf it.
Also a note on EC's they are also becoming harder to get at the moment. we need an injection of currency in dilithium and EC's.
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http://samonmaui.blogspot.com/2012/12/sto-closer-look-at-past-month.html
And a more long-term view (since mid-September) plus the past 8 weeks.
http://samonmaui.blogspot.com/2012/12/sto-dilithium-tracking-12612.html
My blog! Zen|Dilithium tracking on Thursdays
http://samonmaui.blogspot.com
As a lifetime member of STO, I officially became a financial liability as of April 2012 when compared to a subscriber.
You should add the point at which they introduced the 10% bonus Zen Sale they had I believe it accounts for the spike in Dilithium buying around the 18th of Nov.
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I think Cryptic is under the false impression that people will be like gasoline - just suck it up and pay - you still need to drive. But even that is cut back when the price goes too high - and I would say Gasoline has a much higher priority to people than video games. So does the rising cost of Food.
Who is whipping out their wallet right now to buy $50 bucks of Zen to convert to dilthium? All the people commenting here who did claim they are not going to again at these prices.
Ha you see this is where Cryptic need to read and read well...
The last time I bought Zen was just after Season 7 I only ever buy Zen these days for two things, to create EC and to trade for Dilithium.
During the that time there was a sale on Zen and there was a mad clamor for Doff Packs. I didn't buy any dilithium because when I got close to thinking about clicking on the exchange and remembered it wasn't worth it and I already had a big enough stockpile to see me through the winter.
So i spent it on packs that I sold on the Exchange for 5 - 5.5 Million a pace, for a couple of days I controlled and fixed the price on the Exchange (If you're reading this sorry about that lolipop
Now buying Zen has no value to me at all, I can't get the dilithium I need and even when I run out of stockpiled dilith I won't go near buying Dilith for that amount of Zen. There is no money to be made in EC's at the moment, the new doff packs have stalled in value and keys a useless and inefficient as Weyland has already stated.
So when I look on my account and that addictive behaviour the game stimulated from me by the perceived value of the commodity I was acquiring is now gone I think for a second whats the point and my wallet returns to pocket.
This is the result of your botched season 7 update Cryptic, you need to employ some psychologists and economist on a consultant fee basis.
As they say on the terraces... You don't know what you're doing. :cool:
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Possibly, and it sounds very reasonable. There's ups and downs normally, anyhow, but I don't have enough records to say one way or another. That said? There's also the Ultimate Game Card special going on a well right now (just in time for Christmas!). My fleet leader is actually buying cards to send out to friends/fleetmates for the holidays
My blog! Zen|Dilithium tracking on Thursdays
http://samonmaui.blogspot.com
As a lifetime member of STO, I officially became a financial liability as of April 2012 when compared to a subscriber.
For those of you stressing over dil prices so much, consider actually farming it yourself, I refine 48k dil per day across 6 characters without spending too much time doing it each day, I just make have lots of contraband on days I work and can't play too long, and on days off I spam STFs all day to try to farm over refinement cap on most characters so many days all I have to do is log them in do some contraband missions and refine.
Doesn't take up to much time for STFs if you can mostly do private matches and can do enough dps to even make lousy pug group STFs run smoothly when you can't find a private. Turning in all Omega marks and neural processors helps reach daily cap fast, so do this if you have all your STF gear.
Even casual player should be able to cap 1 or 2 characters per day on dil by using STFs and contraband.
Define the amount of time accurately.
Either way it's not relevant, everybody is different a lot of people don't like farming at all and here for the trek. What you do may not be what others want to do, yet we are all affected by the economy of the game.
Thank about that.
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LOL ahahaahhah I still can't get over the fact that some people were actually arguing it's all just a natural re-balancing of the market.
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I continue to enjoy the schadenfreude that comes with the suddenness of all the "Don't touch the market!" speculators becoming Keynesians and wanting the "government" to step in. But once some hot items hit the Z-Store and the exchange rate evens out everyone can unleash their inner John Galts again, I'm sure.
The thing is you can't compare this to a normal market - well there really is no free market today anyways - the US stock market is fully supported by the US gov't - same goes for the currency market.
Plus Cryptic has caused this result by there actions - leaving a exploit open for so long then closing it at the same time as removing lots of inputs + adding even more outflows.
So to bring up any economist is completely rediculous.
Never has been if governments aren't controlling economic markets cartels and private interests are.
Simple as that.
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