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Forums > Home› Star Trek Online General Discussion

After 50 Lockboxes, I'm Done; Keep Your Ship...

guardianhopeguardianhope Member Posts: 3 Arc User
in Star Trek Online General Discussion
I've seen stories of people going through 300 lock boxes and still not getting the JJprise. I decided my limit would be 50 (53, turned out I had 3 extra master keys). 53 lockboxes and no ship. This has been the one and only time I partook in the lockbox lottery but my God, eff lockboxes. While I got some nice phasers out of it and some new DOFFs, this was such a waste of money that I'm back to the "TRIBBLE lockboxes, Cryptic isn't seeing anymore of my money."

Wow, what a waste... this has put a bad taste on the new season for me. Why not just sell the bloody ships in the C-Store? I'd have been happy to fork over even $60 for each ship but no... we had to go the lottery route.

I will admit to falling for it with this one... don't waste your time. The new ships look nice but they can keep them.
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Comments

  • scarlingscarling Member Posts: 708 Arc User
    Only 53? lol
  • daveynydaveyny Member Posts: 8,227 Arc User
    edited July 2016
    Those 53 keys probably would have got you enough EC's to buy it in a few weeks anyway, if you had sold them on the Exchange.
    B)
    STO Member since February 2009.
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  • guardianhopeguardianhope Member Posts: 3 Arc User
    daveyny wrote: »
    Those 53 keys probably would have got you enough EC's to buy it in a few weeks anyway, if you had sold them on the Exchange.
    B)

    Well, fortunately I do have another stack of keys I intend to throw on the exchange. More than enough keys to pretty much buy the ship now if I wanted to. That's actually a good idea.
  • drazursouthclawdrazursouthclaw Member Posts: 223 Arc User
    Well done OP, that's the correct response to lockboxes.
  • teknesiateknesia Member Posts: 860 Arc User
    edited July 2016
    Yeah.. That's why I just ignore the shinies. I did buy the Temporal Operative pack and am extremely happy with it, but I've had my own feelings hurt when I tried to get the Temporal Science Vessel for a klingon. Did grab a few keys for this one (opened maybe 5-6 of them?) but that was more for the lobi and the off chance that I get a weapon or something.

    Wanna make money incidentally? There are idiots on the exchange selling one of the traits for less than what you can sell it to a store. Buy that, then sell it to a store and you're instantly up some.
    heh, no wonder folks have a hard time with number puzzles.
    edbf9204-c725-4dab-a35a-46626a4cb978.jpg
  • guardianhopeguardianhope Member Posts: 3 Arc User
    drazursouthclaw wrote: »
    Well done OP, that's the correct response to lockboxes.

    I guess we all have to get duped every once in a while. It keeps us on our toes. I've ignored every lockbox till now (why I had so many master keys and why I still have so many master keys that I'm probably going to sell for the JJprise.)
    teknesia wrote: »
    Yeah.. That's why I just ignore the shinies. I did buy the Temporal Operative pack and am extremely happy with it, but I've had my own feelings hurt when I tried to get the Temporal Science Vessel for a klingon. Did grab a few keys for this one (opened maybe 5-6 of them?) but that was more for the lobi and the off chance that I get a weapon or something.

    Wanna make money incidentally? There are idiots on the exchange selling one of the traits for less than what you can sell it to a store. Buy that, then sell it to a store and you're instantly up some.
    heh, no wonder folks have a hard time with number puzzles.

    I too was going to buy one of the temporal packs and than I realized that I already have the Constitution from the Collectors Edition to this game plus I've already bought my favorite T1-T6 ships. Vesta - greatest ship the galaxy has ever seen. I might have T6s but I always use the Vesta as a T5-U which seems to always outclass my T6s when it comes to science.

    I noticed that too. I've started picking up the traits for less and selling them for more. Easy way to make money since everyone likes to undercut the other on the Exchange. No one seems to realize it's marketable and thus people will buy it.
  • eltecheltech Member Posts: 146 Arc User
    I rarely partake in the lockbox lotto, maybe 1 box every 6 months, but this time in a moment of insanity, I opened 55 of them. Best results? 1 mirror ship, and 10 R&D packs, plus assorted trash. Lucky to get 20mil by selling them all. I'll stick to selling the keys like I normally do, at least with ec, you know exactly what you'll be getting.​​
  • farmallmfarmallm Member Posts: 4,630 Arc User
    The only way I would open lock boxes is for the lobi. IF I'm after something from the store. Since that is the only way to get lobi. Even that won't be cheap, unless its not very expensive on the Lobi.
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  • bernatkbernatk Member Posts: 1,089 Bug Hunter
    1. sell the loot from the boxes.
    2. buy the desired ship on exchange.
    3. ...
    4. Profit?
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  • kekvinkekvin Member Posts: 633 Arc User
    Guess i was lucky got mine after 40
  • jorantomalakjorantomalak Member Posts: 7,133 Arc User
    If i want the ships i will grind the ec for them , thas if they ever go to the exchange so far i havent even seen the KT rom or the KT klingons ship, let alon the connie or vengeance on the exchange.
  • meimeitoomeimeitoo Member Posts: 12,594 Arc User
    guardianhope wrote: »
    Wow, what a waste... this has put a bad taste on the new season for me. Why not just sell the bloody ships in the C-Store?

    Because ppl are willing to open hundreds of lockboxes instead, is why.

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  • jorantomalakjorantomalak Member Posts: 7,133 Arc User
    meimeitoo wrote: »
    guardianhope wrote: »
    Wow, what a waste... this has put a bad taste on the new season for me. Why not just sell the bloody ships in the C-Store?

    Because ppl are willing to open hundreds of lockboxes instead, is why.

    This is the reason for lock boxes , because people are just so naive to throw tons of cash in the hopes of winning the ship, but the only winner is cryptic because they are tossing loads of bucks at it.

    so meimetoo speaks truely and wisely
  • berginsbergins Member Posts: 3,453 Arc User
    Nothing new to see here, move along.
    "Logic is a little tweeting bird chirping in a meadow. Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers which smell BAD." - Spock
  • jorantomalakjorantomalak Member Posts: 7,133 Arc User
    bergins wrote: »
    This is not the thread you are looking for, move along.

    you did it wrong but i fixed it :)
  • berginsbergins Member Posts: 3,453 Arc User
    @jorantomalak
    I considered it, but it doesn't actually say what I meant. Sometimes it's a matter of "Say or say not. There is no try."
    "Logic is a little tweeting bird chirping in a meadow. Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers which smell BAD." - Spock
  • jorantomalakjorantomalak Member Posts: 7,133 Arc User
    bergins wrote: »
    @jorantomalak
    I considered it, but it doesn't actually say what I meant. Sometimes it's a matter of "Say or say not. There is no try."

    it was just a little sci fi humor :)
  • berginsbergins Member Posts: 3,453 Arc User
    Laugh it up, fuzzball.
    "Logic is a little tweeting bird chirping in a meadow. Logic is a wreath of pretty flowers which smell BAD." - Spock
  • seaofsorrowsseaofsorrows Member Posts: 10,918 Arc User
    edited July 2016
    bergins wrote: »
    Nothing new to see here, move along.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NNOrp_83RU
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  • xyquarzexyquarze Member Posts: 2,120 Arc User
    guardianhope wrote: »
    53 lockboxes and no ship.
    (...)
    this has put a bad taste on the new season for me.

    Yeah, lockboxes certainly aren't worth it for the ships, dunno if the combined worth somehow makes it better, though considering that you will get a ship for one toon only, I doubt it. But the bad taste is also due to not getting your information before throwing your money in. With odds of about 1 ship in 200 from previous lockboxes, you had a chance of slightly under 1 in 4 to get a ship with 53 keys. It is always a gamble, but moreso if you play less - and unfortunately 53 keys is not enough despite the insane amount of money spent to get the odds in your favor.

    My mother was an epohh and my father smelled of tulaberries
  • tarran61tarran61 Member Posts: 827 Arc User
    These ships are what the Temporal Special Agent Pak should have been. Don't waste your Zen on boxes or real $$ buying Zen. Don't take it wrong, the ships are works of art and the designers get my salute but it's not Star Trek in my Book. What a waste. Wished they placed them in the C-Store but I see why, bigger profit, unlike the C-Store the box ships are not account wide ships.

    Side note, I'm not sure if I will even go see JJ's new Trek coming out. I'm just not excited about Trek anymore!
    Positive thoughts.
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  • nikephorusnikephorus Member Posts: 2,744 Arc User
    Great story op. How wet is your tap water?
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  • gradiigradii Member Posts: 2,824 Arc User
    Unless you're ridiculously lucky you won't get a ship after 200 boxes.
    "He shall be my finest warrior, this generic man who was forced upon me.
    Like a badass I shall make him look, and in the furnace of war I shall forge him.
    he shall be of iron will and steely sinew.
    In great armour I shall clad him and with the mightiest weapons he shall be armed.
    He will be untouched by plague or disease; no sickness shall blight him.
    He shall have such tactics, strategies and machines that no foe will best him in battle.
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    He is Tovan Khev... and he shall know no fear."
  • nccmarknccmark Member Posts: 1,083 Arc User
    I got the ship in key 82 out of 100 that I bought, and I consider that **extremely** lucky...that's only 1/3 of the keys that an average person would need to use to win the T6 Connie.

    My goal in opening boxes was to get another 767 lobi (already had 133 of the 900 I need for Vengeance ) but ended up with only 756. I'll buy 2-3 more keys for the last 11 lobi that I need.

    If I hadn't won the lockbox ship, I wouldn't be using the forums to post sour grapes though. The calculus involved in winning, or buying, a lockbox ship is well posted.

    And the "you can keep your ship" part....they already did that.
  • tarran61tarran61 Member Posts: 827 Arc User
    azrael605 wrote: »
    @tarran61

    JJ didn't direct ST Beyond.
    Sorry JJ, didnt know that Justin Lin did. Still.

    Positive thoughts.
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  • doubleohninedoubleohnine Member Posts: 818 Arc User
    Ever wonder how the boxes are even programmed? I mean, as they come from the server, is a specific box marked to be a grand prize winner, no matter how many times its passed around? Or is every box really a dud, and it depends on the exact moment you open it and connect to the server. I didnt think about it till too late and I blew my $25 allotment, but based on how often the winners were announced on the game, its almost like theres a specific second that the server assigns a winner. Next time, I'll observe a pattern in the winners, and track the exact second a winner declared. What if the winners come from whoever opens a box at the top of the minute? Maybe someone should track the frequency of winner announcements, maybe its top of the minute, every 5 minutes or something. I noticed an English announcement, then followed by German, maybe the server assigns a winner to each region, in order, waits a few minutes, and roles out another round of winners, spreading the love across the globe.
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  • xyquarzexyquarze Member Posts: 2,120 Arc User
    doubleohnine wrote: »
    Ever wonder how the boxes are even programmed? I mean, as they come from the server, is a specific box marked to be a grand prize winner, no matter how many times its passed around? Or is every box really a dud, and it depends on the exact moment you open it and connect to the server. I didnt think about it till too late and I blew my $25 allotment, but based on how often the winners were announced on the game, its almost like theres a specific second that the server assigns a winner. Next time, I'll observe a pattern in the winners, and track the exact second a winner declared. What if the winners come from whoever opens a box at the top of the minute? Maybe someone should track the frequency of winner announcements, maybe its top of the minute, every 5 minutes or something. I noticed an English announcement, then followed by German, maybe the server assigns a winner to each region, in order, waits a few minutes, and roles out another round of winners, spreading the love across the globe.

    I doubt any of that, well apart from the open questions. It would be a hassle programming such stuff, when - with large enough numbers as given here - the odds will work out in Cryptic's favor with every so often a message flying through your screen. The difference between "A box is assigned a prize when found" and "A box is assigned a prize when opened" make absolutely no difference from a player's perspective, since there would be no way to know, but my guess would be on the latter, since otherwise (a) there actually may be a way to know, cutting deep into Cryptic's profits, and (b) keeping track of the unopened boxes, while still stacking them with different prizes which would make them technically different (and which of the 9 boxes you have do you open with your key? The first you got? The last you got? Random?), would be a completely useless excercise in programming, since again, it doesn't matter.

    Long story short: in my opinion the most probable scenario is: the moment you open a box, a RNGod decides what you gonna get. Until then it's like a box of chocolates.
    My mother was an epohh and my father smelled of tulaberries
  • nateham101#2745 nateham101
    nateham101#2745
         Member Posts: 420 Arc User
    edited July 2016
    Yep, the lockbox lottery is a scam that has showed itself in many games. Best thing to do is sell the keys and use the credits to get what you want. Let the sorry saps that continue to open boxes keep at it, at least you are not losing out to the company. This is why I continue to enjoy games like WoW. I pay my sub, I can obtain anything that I want by playing the game. I do not have to spend real $$.
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