What would happen if lobi were not character bound?
Cryptic would have to remove the introduction to Lockboxes or modify the TRIBBLE lockboxes content to remove the Lobi Crystal. Other than that, very little.
Would trading lobi be detrimental to to cryptics income?
Considering that Lobi Crystals are currently the only currency that has to be paid for by someone down the line, yes, even trading between characters onthe same account would ultimately hurt Cryptic's bottom line slightly.
How would the trade of EC and dilithium be effected if people could trade lobi, or pass them between their characters?
Would trading lobi be detrimental to to cryptics income?
I would like some thoughts and speculations. Any input from people with echonomic experiance would be particularly valued.
Interesting set of questions, especially the two I'm quoting.
Lockboxes were updated (starting with the Tholian box I think) so that each box opened contains a minimum of 4 Lobi. In order to acquire Lobi you must have a key. Keys sell in an average range of 1.2 to 1.4 mil usually. In theory, the price per Lobi should not exceed around 300k-350k each. Makes no sense to pay more for the Lobi than the price of a key. But the economy in STO sometimes behaves in a nonsensical manner. I could easily see people listing, and selling, Lobi for a mil each.
In the above scenario, only the wealthiest players would be able to buy Lobi as a means of getting the lockbox ship of the month. However, the total cost in EC would end up around 240 mil, since the Lobi store ships cost 800 Lobi. If you've kept abreast of the prices for lockbox ships, the only ship that has maintained a price range in the 240 mil range (and above) is the Jem'Hadar attack ship. All the others quickly fall sub 100 mil and then farther down as the supply increases. It's likely that the price of Lobi would fluctuate, depending on the demand for the current ship. The question is whether that same price fluctuation would effect key sales on the Exchange.
If keys fell into a price range that made purchasing them outright with EC more viable than Zen, I would expect that to have a negative effect on Cryptic's bottom line. But if a particular lockbox was in heavy demand, key prices in EC would undoubtedly rise during that promotion.
You'd get people like me who have lots of alts, all consolidating the lobi from the FE runs to actually be able to get stuff from the lobi store without spending money on keys, or sell on the Exchange for other people to not have to buy keys. If people could do that, how many less keys would they sell? It might be nicer for some players, but only incidentally so, while cutting into PWE's bottom line. There's little incentive for PWE to do unlock lobi this way, and financial incentive not to.
I am sure I have seen these question asked before but I dont remember what came of it.
What would happen if lobi were not character bound?
What would happen if lobi were not account bound?
How would the trade of EC and dilithium be effected if people could trade lobi, or pass them between their characters?
Would trading lobi be detrimental to to cryptics income?
I would like some thoughts and speculations. Any input from people with echonomic experiance would be particularly valued.
Tradable Lobi would never happen in STO because it would greatly affect the sale of Lock Box keys.
You have to remember that the only reason that the Lobi exist in the first places is so that players that have lots of money but rotten luck when it comes to chance boxes might be able to find something to ease their pain in the Lobi store.
If Lobi ever became freely tradable the secondary draw of lock boxes would take a huge hit when players that would usually shell out some cash for Lock box Keys with the mindset that at the very least they'll be able to put the Lobi that there sure to get towards something in the Lobi story they may want would now have an option to just buy the Lobi off the Exchange or trade for it some other way without having to part with any of their real life cash.
In most cases the player will always chose the least expensive path.
Yeah, I didn't take into account the multi alt dilithium grinders. You combine them with the current Zen prices on the Dil exchange and Cryptic's profit related to lockboxes would plummet.
Yeah, I didn't take into account the multi alt dilithium grinders. You combine them with the current Zen prices on the Dil exchange and Cryptic's profit related to lockboxes would plummet.
Trading Dil for Zen doesn't affect the bottom line as the Zen is paid for somewhere along the line.
What would happen if lobi were not character bound?
players would consolidate their lobi instead of opening more boxes.
Ex.: Toon A has 221 lobi from opening boxes trying to get the new ship, he buys a gizmo for 200, he'd like to buy the gizmo for another character as well but the gizmo is "bound on pickup". Instead of opening 40 boxes on Toon B to get the needed lobi, he would open 35 boxes and trade the lobi to Toon B. Meaning less keys have been used, which means less money has been converted into zen (assuming all keys are bought with money and not the zen stipends).
What would happen if lobi were not account bound?
It becomes tradable between players and available from "unregulated source" (Buy 1000 lobi for $9.99 Visit www.LobiScam.com).
Ex.: Having bought what he wanted, Player A is left with 3 lobi, puts it in the exchange. Player B (C, D, Etc.) do the same. Player Z comes along and buys the lobi he needs with e.c., having bought Lobi without converting any money to zen, without using any keys, meaning PWE didn't make any money from this lobi purchase. In the current situation, even if you buy a key from the exchange, that key was bought using zen/money. Trading left over lobi means less keys needed to be bought overall. Instead, now with your leftover lobi you need to buy more keys to spend your leftovers on what you want.
How would the trade of EC and dilithium be effected if people could trade lobi, or pass them between their characters?
Depending on what novelty is being introduced into the lobi store, I could imagine an overall increase in e.c price, as people try to make more money to buy more lobi. I don't see how it would affect Dilithium/Zen exchange, maybe less people will trade dil for keys? Who knows?
Personally I don't fool with Lobi much because they are not Account Bound. I either spent my own time or my own money obtaining the lobi I have. I should be able to move them to one character and use them as I desire.
Not being able to do so just shows greed and is the reason why I don't support this currency.
Comments
Cryptic would have to remove the introduction to Lockboxes or modify the TRIBBLE lockboxes content to remove the Lobi Crystal. Other than that, very little.
For starters, the ships would vanish from Lobi store and the prices of the other goods may increase.
It wouldn't as a lot of the stuff in the Lobi Store (with exception to the ships) is cosmetic and/or fails in comparison to MkXII equipment.
Considering that Lobi Crystals are currently the only currency that has to be paid for by someone down the line, yes, even trading between characters onthe same account would ultimately hurt Cryptic's bottom line slightly.
Interesting set of questions, especially the two I'm quoting.
Lockboxes were updated (starting with the Tholian box I think) so that each box opened contains a minimum of 4 Lobi. In order to acquire Lobi you must have a key. Keys sell in an average range of 1.2 to 1.4 mil usually. In theory, the price per Lobi should not exceed around 300k-350k each. Makes no sense to pay more for the Lobi than the price of a key. But the economy in STO sometimes behaves in a nonsensical manner. I could easily see people listing, and selling, Lobi for a mil each.
In the above scenario, only the wealthiest players would be able to buy Lobi as a means of getting the lockbox ship of the month. However, the total cost in EC would end up around 240 mil, since the Lobi store ships cost 800 Lobi. If you've kept abreast of the prices for lockbox ships, the only ship that has maintained a price range in the 240 mil range (and above) is the Jem'Hadar attack ship. All the others quickly fall sub 100 mil and then farther down as the supply increases. It's likely that the price of Lobi would fluctuate, depending on the demand for the current ship. The question is whether that same price fluctuation would effect key sales on the Exchange.
If keys fell into a price range that made purchasing them outright with EC more viable than Zen, I would expect that to have a negative effect on Cryptic's bottom line. But if a particular lockbox was in heavy demand, key prices in EC would undoubtedly rise during that promotion.
My speculation anyway.
Tradable Lobi would never happen in STO because it would greatly affect the sale of Lock Box keys.
You have to remember that the only reason that the Lobi exist in the first places is so that players that have lots of money but rotten luck when it comes to chance boxes might be able to find something to ease their pain in the Lobi store.
If Lobi ever became freely tradable the secondary draw of lock boxes would take a huge hit when players that would usually shell out some cash for Lock box Keys with the mindset that at the very least they'll be able to put the Lobi that there sure to get towards something in the Lobi story they may want would now have an option to just buy the Lobi off the Exchange or trade for it some other way without having to part with any of their real life cash.
In most cases the player will always chose the least expensive path.
Trading Dil for Zen doesn't affect the bottom line as the Zen is paid for somewhere along the line.
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EC = Lock Box Key that = Lobi
Ex.: Toon A has 221 lobi from opening boxes trying to get the new ship, he buys a gizmo for 200, he'd like to buy the gizmo for another character as well but the gizmo is "bound on pickup". Instead of opening 40 boxes on Toon B to get the needed lobi, he would open 35 boxes and trade the lobi to Toon B. Meaning less keys have been used, which means less money has been converted into zen (assuming all keys are bought with money and not the zen stipends).
It becomes tradable between players and available from "unregulated source" (Buy 1000 lobi for $9.99 Visit www.LobiScam.com).
Ex.: Having bought what he wanted, Player A is left with 3 lobi, puts it in the exchange. Player B (C, D, Etc.) do the same. Player Z comes along and buys the lobi he needs with e.c., having bought Lobi without converting any money to zen, without using any keys, meaning PWE didn't make any money from this lobi purchase. In the current situation, even if you buy a key from the exchange, that key was bought using zen/money. Trading left over lobi means less keys needed to be bought overall. Instead, now with your leftover lobi you need to buy more keys to spend your leftovers on what you want.
Depending on what novelty is being introduced into the lobi store, I could imagine an overall increase in e.c price, as people try to make more money to buy more lobi. I don't see how it would affect Dilithium/Zen exchange, maybe less people will trade dil for keys? Who knows?
Not being able to do so just shows greed and is the reason why I don't support this currency.