How many skittles is that?

I'd really like to get the opalescent material. It's very pretty, and would be perfect for one of my toons. The price has been lowered to about 5500q... but jeez.. if I save every quark I ever get (without replays or TC purchases) that will take maybe about two years to get. Two years is a very long time.
The new stealth material is also pretty cool.
No matter how much I like it I won't be spending more than I can reasonably afford in game, and at present that makes it very unobtainable. To be precise, I'd need about.. a Lot of TCs.
This isn't a post about it being a rip off or something. But, what is the idea behind it? Who are these items aimed at? In what way do the Devs consider them to be obtainable?

completely agree...what will all these pretty bloated whales do when the pond is empty...all the real players having left??!!

I think of the millions they've undoubtedly lost in broker fees, only to see a Phoenix feather returned as "item expired," and it makes it a little more tolerable not having that feat completed/material.

Reminds me of the two happiest days in a boat owners life...

buying it ...and the day you finally sell it in disgust??!!

It would probably take a lot. I cannot even think of going after them, and truthfully I can't even really pretend to care. I currently own all the materials that existed prior to these new ones. Cosmic, Void, Time-Torn, Negative Speed Force, and Phoenix I believe? At first it was cool. For about a day. I got lucky and got most of them before everything quadrupled in price. The cosmic was the last one I got and truthfully it felt like a waste since there was not a feat associated with it. Out of all of them I use the void material on my legs and that is about it. I refuse to be one of those goofy people who are covered head to toe with 3 different materials. They just look goofy to me.

As for these new materials. I have a system that allows me to get pretty much everything out of a new Time Capsule within the first few days. So in order to do that properly I cannot waste my stabilizers opening capsules that have nothing for me to gain. Even if I did get a "big ticket" item I wouldn't have the heart to sell it. It would go to a league mate. Even with a small group of friends there is kind of a "chain" that I have operating that works out well. Sadly this new system kind of killed that a bit since it means that I can take a reward over a duplicate. Still, I would clearly take the dark blue drop if it presented itself and it would go to a friend. This used to help out in the past capsules.

I am a pretty plain person when it comes to styles so that is a plus. I seriously doubt that I would wear any of the items. I am a pretty patient person so I will get it someday. No rush here. I think that was part of the developers plan really. I believe that the plan was that you would get the main item from the capsules, but if you did not you had something to work towards in the background. I think it was a decently implemented system. I never understood the "wah wah I can't get the feats" complaints over TCs because truthfully nothing is really unobtainable. The emblems and gear styles will become dirt cheap incredibly quick. They're also the more commonly dropped items. The collections are the big part but there is really only one collectible per collection to get. Even now you can get those auras for less than 18 million, and you can bet that thanks to that qwarks vendor they will continue to drop in price. Same goes for pretty much everything really. I admit that the initial system was terrible. Exactly what made me stop paying for them. The provisions capsules and tactical mods capsules were pure trash. I can understand the outrage back then, but ever since they narrowed it down to the three main items I still feel like they are a good thing. As far as the new materials it is clear that they are targeted towards those idiots who are going to spend every dime of their parent's money to be that "cool" guy/gal for all of 20 seconds. This allows the whales to fund the game, helps kill the broker prices for most items from the capsules, and since they are not related to any kind of feats it shouldn't really be a big deal to anyone who doesn't have them. Just have patience and you'll get them someday. Odds are there will be a discount somewhere down the line that makes them even cheaper.

I agree, they don't always look good - sometimes they work on a toon, and that's cool, but not something I have ever wanted before for mine. The opalescence would work nice, and I would use that one if I had it. (I quite like the Diamond Misted Aura too )
Yes, that's a good attitude towards the capsules. I agree, the rewards are decent now, not just junk. Yes, I thought the idea was to work towards the big items that we might want, and I am prepared to do that... but two years or more? That is a bit much. I'm patient, but that's too long! Yes, I'm hoping it will be obtainable some other way at some point, which has happened before with other stuff.
Thanks for the interesting comment.

They're mostly aimed at people who buy some Stabilizers here and there ($20-$40), as well as the big whales. The thinking is that as you open a capsule hoping to get a gear piece, collection(s) for an aura or material, or emblem, you'll get a little something opening that box. And if you wind up getting duplicates, particularly the ones that don't sell well in the broker, you can opt for more Quarks. As you casually open boxes, you'll build up a sizable amount of Quarks which you can then use for a secondary prize (the stuff in the Time & Space vendor).

Now, looking at the price, it would seem that the items in that vendor are completely out of reach, or at least would take a very long time. And it would...if all you ever got was the minimum amount of Quarks from each box. That doesn't take into account the fact that RNG could be in your favor and give you more than the minimum of 10 Quarks. Yeah, at first glance it sounds like a crappy system, but you have to keep in mind that this is a side-prize you get to choose on your way to getting the main prizes in Time Capsules. If you're only opening boxes with free keys, it will take a decently long time depending on how many bonus Quarks you get. But if that's the case, you're better off just putting that second prize out of your mind.

it's like the real world, they are aimed at the top 1%

You're better off if you just accept TCs are literally only a way to make money off people.

The outrageous prices already tell you this is for elite (rich).

The time and effort isnt worth the pixels. Cause guess what? Most people cant see your style in the heat of battle

They could have made the TC content 1 star feats to at least say "Hey, we at least have some common sense", but TCs are basically a last ditch milking effort.

These styles are luxury, it exists in real life and in games, get over it.

the idea is fine, but the vendor prices are too high to ever reach. Yes, you're right, that opalescence will only ever be a dream..

Too high is a matter of perspective and luck. At 5129 (if you're a member) the opalescent material would cost $512.90 in stabilizer keys if you ONLY ever got the minimum of 10 Quarks and never took the Quark option from the sub-capsules. Put in Free keys terms, that would be 146 free keys in a calendar year. So 1460 Quarks in one year if you ONLY ever get the minimum EACH and EVERY time (bad RNG or not, nobody's odds should be THAT terrible...but we'll include it for sake of argument) AND never take the extra Quarks from the Sub-Capsules. It would take approximately 3 1/2 years to get the material with free keys only, getting just the minimum while not taking the Quark option from the Sub-Capsules. Since RNG is RNG, there's no way to predict what amount above the minimum you'll get or how often.

Taking that randomness into account, that could easily cut the amount/time in half or possibly a little more (depending on how lucky you are). Add the Sub-Capsule option and the time/amount is cut even shorter. This is all without spending money. For those who spend a little ($20-$60 max) and partake in the Sub-Capsule option, the time gets cut significantly. You can also use Loyalty Points/Monthly Station Cash to buy some keys. And of course, the Whales can get it day one or two (depending on how may capsules they can get their hands on.

Anyone thinking this is solely aimed at the whales is mostly bitter and/or jealous that others can spend that much without care. The truth is somewhere closer to the middle. It's aimed at the whales to keep things going as well as the moderate spenders who can wait a little while as they amass the amount necessary to get the luxury goodies (they are not necessary in any way shape or form especially once they took out the 4 star feat). Those who chose to partake in the Stabilizer event but refuse to or can't afford to buy keys, they have the long road ahead of them....which should be expected taking the free route, but if they stick around that long, there might come something they'll like better than what's currently there and might even be cheaper.

The trick is to not care about these things, and to not spend real money to get them. The trick is to avoid giving in to the greedy twists the developer has turned our requests for more styles into. Once you understand and embrace this, you will be set free and feel better about a style that no one will be looking at while your'e fighting, and that no one will care about once they've seen it on two or three players. The trick is not playing the devs game and waling into their trap they set for us all.

I see the prices still being defended

I see people are still not able to comprehend that others can have a different and completely valid viewpoint to their own when the topic is something subjective like "what's too epensive."

I see people still complaining about every aspect of the game, even though they participate in said aspects of the game, while pretending to take a stand.

See, we can do it too.

"Luxury" SP..they call them...the Khards of DCUO...(laughs)...the devs crossed the line when they put a single SP into this sh!tsandwhich...but sure...us whinig and not overspending is the REAL problem...

That really is a great explanation and break down. Thank you!
Yes, so free route I'm looking at about two years, with reasonable RNG. At 1700 stationcash/loyalty for 20, I do think stabilisers are expensive, and I have never bought any yet. Having it mapped out so nicely like that does actually give me some hope, although still that would take a two year supply of an in-game currency, which I probably wouldn't feel prudent to spend on one item.

they are meaned to be payed for with keys they sell in MP. you are not supposed to get it for free.
now, you would only need like 300 keys (depending on luck9 to get enough quarks... what a snap...!

'Rock is overpowered, but Paper is perfect.' - Scissors. Love that <3