Dev Discussion Update: Time Capsules, Quarks, and Costs

Discussion in 'Concluded' started by Mepps, Sep 28, 2017.

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  1. Mepps Sr. Community Manager

    Hi all. We wanted to take a moment to respond to some of the feedback following the launch of Quarks and the Rewards From Time And Space Vendor.

    First, we will reduce the cost of the Blue Smoke material, and re-evaluate the costs of the Stealth material and Resplendent Cache before they are released. (If you've already purchased the Blue Smoke material, we'll fix you up.)

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    Let's take a step back. Time Capsule-like systems are featured in numerous, even most, games these days. Many players are highly vocal in their dislike of them, while others voice support, and while many, many more show their support with their actions participating in-game. This isn't specific to DCUO. That said, that topic is really entirely separate from the addition of Quarks. The addition of Quarks straight up adds value to the existing Time Capsules without taking anything away.

    About that, currencies and vendors like the Quark system are pretty common as well. Most work more similarly to Quarks than to the player suggestions for re-offering existing items. That's a fine suggestion. This is the start of the system. It will likely expand in many ways over the years.

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    About the Time Capsule system overall. Some people choose not to participate. That's expected and understandable - the system is optional and it supports the overall game in a tremendous way. The currency and vendor will not really impact people who completely opt out.

    Some people choose to participate in the Time Capsule system a little bit. Still others choose to participate a lot. The currency and vendor will impact these players. If you were opening Time Capsules before, now you get more cool stuff as you continue to participate. We have a range of items with a wide range of costs, so that there is something of value to most players.

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    About feats. Players have expressed concerns about feats in Time Capsules, so keeping those concerns in mind, we purposefully made almost all vendor items without feats. This absolutely makes each item less valuable to most players, but we wanted to go out of the way to make these an extra bonus. These items are primarily cosmetic, so if you don't desire that specific visual, the item isn't necessarily something you want.

    And that's okay. The contents of the vendor will change and be added to over the long term, so players will have time to save up for the big items they are interested in, don't feel obligated to get every single thing, and will see new items over time that might interest them more.

    ---

    At the end of the day, Time Capsules exist as an optional way for players to further support the game, if interested, in exchange for primarily cosmetic items that are super cool. Quarks and the Quark vendor exist to add even more value to those already participating, and we'll continue to refine each system over time with your feedback in mind.
    • Like x 15
  2. Sleepy Healer Steadfast Player

    Will the price be reasonable though mepps
    • Like x 3
  3. StillDeathern Dedicated Player

    Since this is such a wonderful revenue stream, what can we expect to see as a return for our money on these things?

    Simply put, I think you're killing the game, focusing too much on capsules to release quality updates.
    • Like x 13
  4. RealTegan Dedicated Player


    As long as there are feats attached to items in the Time Capsules, this is a complete and utter lie.
    • Like x 27
  5. monaka Well-Known Player


    It's not optional by a long shot.

    It has feats tied it it and that represents character progression.

    Remove the feats and it becomes optional.

    You are sooner or later going to run out of end game players and completionists like me and it will be too late to save your bottom line.
    • Like x 28
  6. Black Dawn Steadfast Player

    Thanks for listening* to the feedback and I look forward to seeing what you guys have come up with as a solution.
    • Like x 2
  7. SasquaT Dedicated Player

    Why we cant choose betwen tactical mods that we dont need and quarks in old tactical mod sub box ?
  8. ChillCat Loyal Player



    [IMG]
    • Like x 1
  9. Mohican378 Dedicated Player

    A logical and well reasoned explanation of things. This forum will never accept it. I appreciate the attempt though Mepps, I really do.

    And I still personally believe that there should be no feats attached to the vendor at all if you wish to treat it as a bonus. I think that description is a bit misleading as long as there's even a little progression.

    Honestly your explanation of that does leave me with a question. If you took into consideration that some people really hate the feats attached to TCs, why attach any feats at all to the vendor? You burn off so much good will you could have gotten if you'd just left the feat off the vendor.

    I think this is what some players are talking about when they say they are frustrated with the way you guys implement some of our ideas that are given via feedback here. Between the feat and completely ignoring many forumites push to have a vendor like this that allows players to attain gear they couldn't from previous TCs, it leaves a bad taste in players mouths. And the good will you would have gotten by doing these two things would have more than made up for the lack of interest because a feat wasn't attached.

    I've stated before that DBG has no responsiblity to justify their decisions on pricing et al. and that is true.

    But there's a valid argument made here on the forums that not EVERY addition to this game has to be built with profit as the primary and overbearing motivation for everything.

    That said, reductions in quark prices actually do show that you're not deaf to those concerns about monetization at the expense of player happiness. I hope players who are constantly complaining that the Devs and executives above them don't ever listen and react to feedback will take note, this is just the latest in a series of game changes that the Devs have made based on player feedback, and give credit where credit is due.

    Thank you for showing that players voices are being heard, and attempting a well reasoned explanation of TCs and quarks.

    I fear it won't get you very far with this forum, but it is appreciated all the same.
    • Like x 8
  10. Fatal Star 10000 Post Club

    I'm sure I speak for many when I say the prices are out of wack all over the place. Only thing really worth the money is the RND box with 60 simples and 20 complex, it would take quite a bit of content runs to build up that much material, everything else unfortunately is way out of wack.

    The RNG on marks doesn't help it's case either. Some will get lucky and have the items without spending a fortune while others will have to blow their wallet apart. Costs should have been set in accordance to how much you would have charged if it would have been put on the marketplace as well as making each capsule give a flat rate on how many marks you get, that way people could just easily calculate how many they would have to open to get what they want.

    For example, say you gave each capsule a fixed rate of 10 marks, if you were to put a material on the marketplace for say, 3000 MC, it should have cost only 300 marks on the vendor. At 5000 marks, even if you got lucky enough to hit the 100 mark jackpot each time, it still would take at least around 45 capsules to get the material, which is a very highly unlikely outcome, therefore people with average to terrible luck could have easily blown through 200 capsules, that's alot of money for strictly a cosmetic item.

    Edit: yes I read where he said the costs are being lowered, was more so explaining the outrage
    • Like x 7
  11. jflusson Well-Known Player

    remove feats for emblems, auras, collections and you have everybodys thumbs up. you guys make a lot of cool stuff people will want regardless if attached to a feat or not. but this is not optional when your putting skill points attached to them.
    • Like x 12
  12. spack2k Steadfast Player

    aslong its just styles i have no problem with it , but if its tied to my char progression like with feats i want my sub to cover it meaning leave the feats out of it and everything is fine.
    • Like x 11
  13. Harlequin Devoted Player

    Either remove quarks from sub-capsules or return the ability to sell them on the broker anyway. Buying 10 quarks on the broker will not break your system.
    • Like x 3
  14. WilderMidnight Steadfast Player

    way too late.

    too much money for a game thats just plain broken.
    • Like x 7
  15. AntiHero702 New Player

    You say all of that and yet you still RELEASE a TC with feats attached. Some of us care more about the feats attached to the TCs than the styles themselves, but you already know that by now. Add me to the list of long-time players unsubscribing.
    • Like x 11
  16. >>>KIra<<< Dedicated Player

    Well Said:)
    • Like x 1
  17. BumblingB I got better.

    Feats are not optional when your stats matter and the fact that your gear will constantly be going up and so will SP caps. I appreciate the fact that you didn't add feats to the new vendor, but even outside of time capsules, you can't outright purchase these items. Which is what players wanted and asked for. More cosmetic items they could get through the MP.

    This vendor is not fair to a player that may simply want the item in it but not the TC items. You say that it is an addition to time capsules. And that you could opt out of time capsules if you want. But that doesn't let you to opt out of time capsules if you really wanted to support the game, but not buy time capsules. Why weren't these items added as a single purchase? Those for the player that choose to help support the game, but not wish to participate in an RNG loot box.
    • Like x 15
  18. Fatal Star 10000 Post Club

    What I'm getting out of this whole system is that the vendor is simply an add-on to try to boost stabilizer sales so people get more out of their purchase. This stuff could have easily gone in the marketplace on the side of the Gotham capsule. I might have actually bought the stealth material, even if it went for $30. I'm sure it would be less then relying on RNGesus.
    • Like x 10
  19. Norwegian ninja Well-Known Player



    I believe that everyone understands that TC's are a way that DCUO brings money in, similar to other games. However, what people get upset about is the extreme you take it to. While I applaud your dropping of the price, how did anyone think setting it that high was a good thing? You can talk cosmetics all you want, but if there are feats attached it isn't cosmetic it is meaningful progression that people can pay to get ahead at.

    Clearly TC's have been a seller, but some have frequently expressed disappointment that the money going into DCUO isn't being reinvested back into the game. For example, content has been very lackluster as of late. Very lite on quantity of the content and the quality of content is very poor. The current duos are exactly the same except for what ads and bosses are in it. Plus, they are all previous maps just being run a different way. How much of the incoming resources actually went into this?

    There continue to be bugs and balancing issues that are well documented throughout the forums and haven't been addressed, yet here comes another time capsule, with a new vendor and currency designed to milk players of more money. Forget the magical stones that don't let you finish Khandaq, we have a shiny new material for $500 (price to be lowered at a later date).

    For some the perception is that you take the money and reinvest it in making more styles and visuals for additional TC's instead of creating engaging content that people want to pay to play or fixing problems that currently exist. You have been around for a long time Mepps, can you honestly say with a straight face that the most recent run of content can hold a candle to AF1 and 2, WotR 1 and 2, Ho 1 and 2? It isn't even close.
    • Like x 15
  20. TheLQ-DCUO Loyal Player

    I really thought the vendor was for existing TC rewards, not new rewards altogether. And it still irks me that sub-capsules still aren't tradeable - or was the whole point of making sub-capsules untradeable related to the quark earning thing? Ugh.

    I think the vendor should be only for existing TC rewards, just my two cents. And make sub-capsules tradeable again.

    Oh and remove feats from all TC rewards. I personally don't mind the cost to my SP.
    • Like x 4
  21. 1 ncmike Dedicated Player

    To me the whole thing is why can't different versions of these auras and materials be put in the marketplace as well just change the colors. I think if that happens alot of people might not hate the whole quarks vendor.
    • Like x 2
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