Test Discussion Episode 28: Update to Rewards

I'm very disappointed with this decision. I can't believe the OP cost wasn't adjusted at all. I find it to be ridiculous, due to the fact you need those OP items to be at max CR. With SM coming out, you'll HAVE to have them if you want your group to get far. We're not in a revamp world yet, so CR is king. If the OP items weren't required to be max CR, then I wouldn't have a problem with the costs. But the fact they're REQUIRED to be at max, is just so upsetting. I'm all for a grind. But this is just ridiculous. We grinded for the AF3 OP items, for the Starro OP items, just to find out they'll be replaced in this episode (most, not all). So to sit here and think these OP items will actually be "OP", is not true. The work it takes to get them, does not match the time we get to enjoy them.

It's even more frustrating feeling like the feedback given was just disregarded.

Actually, it's 8 TC drops now, not 4. Each piece only grants 1 point, not 2. I don't have a problem with the OP items being something very special, I think that's appropriate. But they shouldn't have feats attached, if they're designed for just a few people to obtain. I guess time will tell how the majority of the player base reacts.

I'm mostly just wondering why the major decrease in the value of Replay Badges hasn't been addressed. 70% less value for your badges is pretty significant.

I'm not understanding what the difference is when you're still using the word "patience". I mean patience for finishing an OP item can be 8 months to a year or slightly longer. Even in the 8 month scenario, that's 64 stabilizers for a person on 1 acc. $10 for the DLC compared to 2 extra premium accounts. That's 192 stabilizers. Which can easily get you either everything in a time capsule or enough to trade for what you have left. Last time capsule specifically, I got 2 flash bio's within 100 capsules and a friend got 4 with 200 openings. Even if you don't get the rare, you could at least get 2-3 of the lesser rare collections to trade for it after collecting the first. If we're talking patience, then they're both guaranteed ways to get something. Doesn't change the fact that they take too long regardless and shouldn't have feats attached to them when that wasn't a principle in the game earlier in its history. And in regards to the non-vendor collections for op pieces dropping in price, if we're referring to use of the broker, that makes finishing the time capsule feats easier because you can sell things directly and with "the current status of materials in the broker", it's not that hard to get one.

I quit

I do think the OP gear costs could have been less. Maybe even the vendor gear/elite gear to an extent too.

I suppose an interesting question is which will be live sooner? HH SM or Stats Revamp? HH SM has a fairly set time per year when it goes live, but Stats Revamp is in refinement phase, and there's probably most of June for testing (besides maybe a week for SM/seasonal). Anyways might be one to watch in relation to this. Would even be nice if HH SM was pushed back a few weeks to mid-late July to allow for more Stats Revamp testing time, as well as EP28 gear grinding.

I was simply quoting the person's own words to not fight about how many pieces of gear it is. He said 4 so I used his own words. The point is still the same, even if it is 8, which is unconfirmed for this specific TC but will most likely end up being the case. I personally see it in a different way. You could pick up the feats in 2 years time and it'll probably cost nothing (for the collections off the broker). By that time you'll also have enough marks for the vendor collections. The actual OP pieces will be useless though. The real problem isn't how there is a feat attached to it but getting the OP piece whilst it's actually relevant. That's just my perception though.

I've been looking for a reason to confirm my impulse to quit and now I have it.

The game has gone from a fun, casual mmo with great lore to an endless hamster wheel that never gives the player a chance to enjoy their spoils or to relax.

Thanks for the fun times.

I'm out.

That's the million dollar question. I would be very happy if SM was just pushed way back and hopefully we'd see the revamp first and then get to experience HH SM and the revamp instead of it being CR SM. But, I'm not holding my breath.

The Flaming Phoenix Feather and the Phoenix Material go for around 150 million still on EU. I can get all of the AF3 OP collections for around 10-15 million (might be even less, I didn't properly look through all of them). That is the point I was trying to make regarding using the broker. That 10-15 million will continue to drop and drop. Will the Phoenix Material ever drop so low? I doubt it.

"That wasn't a principle in the game earlier in its history"... Neither was crafting OP pieces or getting them as collection rewards. Would you rather we go back to random OP drops? I wouldn't. I'm still running DP and PZ daily and still haven't seen the OP pieces drop for myself.

So your matching episode 28 prices with episode 27 prices...

Y'all knew that there would be a 6 month gap between these two episodes... Can we now assume that is the same timeline for 28 to 29?

Eh. I just come back once the revamp, Water and styles/gear unlocking are up.

I'd rather go back to random OP drops lol I liked the idea of crafting op items from starro more than the collection based version if anything. Phoenix Material on US side was 75mil in broker yesterday (person selling in trade rn for 72). And the op collections for the neck are:
breath of underworld - 2.5mil
broken minotaur horn - 3.9mil
chthonic ore - 630k
demagorgon's blood - 430k
demonic ember - 200k
faust's demonic essence - 15mil
harpy claw - 40k
hecate's silver moonbeam - 90k
hell hound's fang - 45k
medusa's coil - 1mil
typhon's scale - 5mil

total - 28.8mil.

39% of the price of the phoenix material compared to 10% for EU. And when the new dlc comes out and everyone stops running AF3, the price of those collections is actually going to go up because there's going to be less people getting them.
We have void material down to 59mil and negative speed force material to 80mil as well currently.

Actually, not to sidetrack the issue too much, but OP collections from past episodes actually climb in price once less people are running them. The same collections that used to cost 200-300k now go for 3-4 mil a piece. I know because I have to finish one on an alt so I've been checking every day.

But you're right that at close to the 3 or 4 month mark the prices go way down. Then they go back up even higher.

You and me an many others, I only regret the purchased of an annual membership, and have to wait, to be gone for good. still have two more months left

lol

I don't think more content is needed, reduce the number of open world dailies because that is just too much. It makes running alts nearly impossible. Everything about the game is becoming more and more grindy without consideration for customer satisfaction or feedback.

How does the game and its management feel about making this game into a chore for its players instead of fun? The gear progression is way out of line and quite oppressive to committed/hardcore players if you think only hardcore players chase after OP items.

Most casual players in the last DLC opted to get the OP items and reach max CR without which the same would be impossible. Are you saying that your end game community should not reach max CR ?

I am a hardcore player but not the most hardcore, I barely step into LPVE and the OP item grind is much like that in the upcoming DLC. I can somehow manage the grind on one character but most of my alts will be deprived of these rewards because more content requires additional time and cumulatively, I can't spend 6+ hours every day to play my alts as well.

This is way too much.

Please reconsider.

If that's how op items are viewed they shouldn't be required to reach max Cr. The 3 helmet styles shouldn't have feat points attached to them. Should be the way the minotaur head was, optional.

There is a Special Forces Mod Removal Kit on the Allied Equipment Supplier vendor in the Time-Torn Area 51 or War-Torn Village. It cost 20 Marks of Victory. There is also an Olympian version on the Episode 27 vendor. There is still a plan for Stats Revamp and mods but we have no news on that right now.

While I applaud you attempt to help with Pricing; I don't believe you understand Math, nor Player Psychology.
Take for example Weapon Vendor Prices.
Weapons used to cost 70 Marks.
Alerts would give 5 Marks.
Thus Earning a Weapon would take 70/5 or 14 Alert runs, to earn a Weapon.
Now Weapons cost 200 Bonds
Alerts give 3 Bonds.
Thus earning a Weapon will take 200/3 or 66 Alert Runs to Earn a Weapon.
IN AF3 it took 40 Alert Runs to get a Weapon.
Giving us more Alerts to run does not make the fact that it takes 66 Alert to get a Weapon more palatable.
On a Weekly basis, there may be more to do; but in reality we are doing much more and getting much less.
The carrots are too small and too far away to be seen as a motivating factor.
IMHO That's my take as a player.