Regarding Lobi, Zen and Refined Dilithium parity...

sirsitsalot

On more than one occasion, I have expressed my opinion that in order to give Zen and RD equal priority in terms of exchange values and usability, both need to be used for ALL items Cryptic intends to monetize. But I have realized thatLobi Crystals also need to be factored into the equation, as their nature by definition is linked to Zen, even more directly than Dilithium...

For this posting, I am using the Dyson Science Destroyer as an example. And yes, I realize that the numbers I use are ridiculously high, they are directly based on established values using Zen as the base. Regarding the RD price, as I understand it that the minimum amount of RD a single Zen can go for on the exchange is 50, and the maximum is 500. I have averaged these values to come up with an arbitrary value that is smack-dab in the middle: 275 RD to one Zen

Let's get to it...

Right now, the Dyson Science Destroyer is only available at a price tag of 600 Lobi Crystals. Keys cost 125 Zen. A lockbox drops a minimum of 4 Lobi Crystals, meaning it could take up to 150 lockboxes to generate the Lobi needed. So we are going to use these figures to calculate a direct Zen price that could be attributed to the ship, and it works out to be 18,750 Zen.

Now, using the 275:1 RD to Zen rate, the RD cost for this ship comes to 5,156,250 RD.

This leaves the Lobi price the most cost-effective means of getting it, as there's always the chance of getting more than 4 Lobi per lockbox. PWE has decided what real dollar value to associate with whatever they've attached a currency that can have a direct monetary value calculated based on in-game metrics. There's no point in fighting them on that. But one of the things I maintain is that there needs to be parity between methods of purchase so that their goals are considered while giving players options on how to make it happen. At no monetary cost whatsoever, it would take a maximum of 645 days to grind RD at the base refinement rate of 8k per day. Almost 2 years. It's a doable but very long-term process. Plunk down 18750 Zen and you guarantee having it immediately. Buy keys and unlock the boxes to raise the Lobi, and it may take a little effort to open up to 150 lock boxes, but you can get it fast and likely with far fewer than 150 key purchases.

At the Dyson command facility, there could be a requisition officer facilitating the purchase of the ship. A Mixed currency interface would ideally be used that allows a player to combine the different currencies similar to how resources are added to a reputation or fleet holding slot. The amount of the currency being deposited would decrease the balances remaining for the other two currencies. This will allow players to use all currencies towards obtaining the ship. For example, put 4 lobi crystals into the lobi slot, the lobi price reduces to 596 Lobi, the Zen price reduces to 18625, and the RD price would decrease to 5,121,875.

We know that PWE really only cares about key sales, so employing a parity standard like this encourages people to buy keys to reduce the overall cost in both time and money to obtain the item, but not mandating a single thing. It would be up to the individual player to decide which is the most valuable commodity: Time or money.

Please treat this post as an analysis of existing comparative values and what those values would mean in terms of establishing parity between all three real money focused currencies. Do not take this as something that I am expecting Cryptic to do. It's simply what the values would have to be while still ensuring that PWE get their key sales which is all they seem to care about.

I doubt very seriously that anyone would want to spend nearly 2 years grinding RD to get a science destroyer at no monetary cost. Nothing would stop them from doing this, but it is clearly the most undesirable way to get a ship that would be rendered totally irrelevant before it could be obtained. And I hardly think anyone would want to plunk down over 18k of zen up front, but they could if so inclined. Based on the number of keys being sold on the EC exchange, and considering keys must be purchased with Zen and Zen only enters the game when someone has spent real money, Clearly key sales are massively profitable. So... there we have it.

I personally hate lockboxes as they are nothing more than casino slot machines in a different form. But they are not going anywhere. The keys are PWE's grand commodity, not the game itself. So I'm just keeping it real.

You can look at these figures and understand just how much money has been spent especially when you look at something available only for Lobi.

So do you think that currency parity should be a thing? If so, and if you do not agree with my assessment, How do you feel it would be achievable without TRIBBLE with PWE's expected real money revenue expectations?

Let's talk about it.

davefenestrator

So do you think that currency parity should be a thing? I

Can you recap why it should be? You start by assuming this is true but why? I currently have no preference for or against.

Also, in addition to the flaws @westmetals pointed out, you ignored that a player would be earning mountains of EC during the same period (including from selling the contents of the the lock boxes), and that keys are sold for EC.

Lock box contents: besides the weapon and trait packs, if you are going to open 100 boxes you have a 33% chance of getting a T6 ship token before you open any boxes. (1:250 odds, (0.996)^100 chance of 0 ships = 33% chance of at least one ship.)

davefenestrator

"Look, maybe I didn't read every tiny syllable, no. But basically I read them, yeah."

Klaatu...barada...Iu necktie. Nectar, n - nickel. Noodle. It's an 'N' word. It's definitely an 'N' word.

live8evil

i guess just adding lobi to phonix boxes would make a big difference. maybe 1-5 random lobi crystals per box...

rattler2

That... would be interesting. Phoenix boxes are obtained via DL, and it would be something people want and would be willing to dump mountains of DL for.
On the other hand it would affect Key sales, which in turn affects Cryptic's income...

Its a mixed bag. I can see both sides of the argument on that one.

live8evil

It would "eat into" just one of the aspects of those keys. We get much more, than just lobi from infinity boxes: rare ships, traits, doffs, weapons,... I would even go as far as make getting lobi from phoenix boxes a better option vs infinity. In the end, if someone want's lobi and doesnt have a mountain of dil, will still have to buy zen and convert it to dil.

legendarylycan

Well, Cryptic can't be all that fussed about lobi being rare anymore...they just dumped over 2k of it on thousands of players over the past year, after all.​​

rattler2

They may have given away lobi, but don't forget the method to obtain. A choice after a long, multi event campaign. That's different from just dropping DL on Phoenix Boxes at will.

I'm not opposed to the idea myself, as it would revive a good sink, but again... I can see both sides of the argument. Sometimes being a reasonable personality comes with the curse of being able to see both sides objectively.

legendarylycan

Well, maybe not a permanent thing, then - but a once-in-a-while thing like the experimental tokens.

Of course, there's amounts to be figured out, but I know one thing...epic cannot provide anything less than 900 lobi because of how utterly stupid the drop rate is.​​

vetteguy904

the harsh reality is that it is far too easy to get Dilithium, and with the ability to have so many alts, too easy to refine it. IMHO, the only way to balance the exchange rate is to drastically cut the supply of dilithium, as in eliminating it from admiralty and boff assignments. It may also be necessary to limit the amount that can be refined PER ACCOUNT.

YMMV