QoL Request w/ Artifact Update

When Ranks 180 and 200 get released, the catalyst required should go up to 24 and 27. Would it be possible to change the way catalyst cache's work and have them as a currency/catalyst in themselves to remove the need to pick the ranks and then also pick the individual type? I've heard from a few people that they're just annoyed by how long it takes to pick the individual catalyst and breakthrough from rank 20 up to 120 or 140 when they have a new artifact. It'd be easier if you just have the seals already there in your inventory, buy X amount of catalyst cache's from the broker, and then just go to doing breakthroughs without having to spend 5 or more minutes opening boxes.

I second this. Opening cache after cache to just get 1 catalyst is annoying enough.

Couldn't agree more. Suggested the same 6 months ago.
https://forums.daybreakgames.com/dc...-how-about-a-single-artifact-catalyst.300834/

Reinheld

The reason against this that I've always seen so far is that it's all about convenience' sake. You can open all the cache boxes or you can purchase the cache pack and have it all readily available to you. They should be releasing catalyst packs for the new ranks too.

They should just make 1 catalyst for 10 marks.
Add all 3 different catalyst in one.
3+4+5=12 catalyst

Do you really think there are people who are spending 7 bucks or more(only logical 180 and 200 will be more) to get the MP packs only because they don't want the hassle of opening the Cat Caches? I kind of assumed that those were for people who did not have the marks to buy the Cats. I mean it's a hassle, but I don't think people are spending money to squash it.

BTW....coming soon to trade chat.... "WTT set of level 160 cats for $6.50...PM me, Reinheld".

Reinheld

I've seen it as a reason in previous threads about this exact problem. Honestly I wouldn't put it past anyone or be surprised that people actually purchase it for that reason, but the convenience certainly will make some actually question getting it. Otherwise they may as well remove the packs since you know... you can just buy source marks now. Besides, if they got the money certain types of people will be like "new artifact ranks? MUST. BE. FIRST. TO. MAX." *purchases XP packs, catalyst packs, seals of completion*

No...I get that. I've seen that objection too...and obviously there are those that buy the packs since they are still sold...but I always figured it was necessity(no marks) not convenience(no time) driving those sales. I get the XP packs when running for *MAX* but the difference in getting 75K Nth over natural drops and saving 10 min of opening boxes is pretty big. If people are spending 7 bucks for that....shame on them for driving the next thing we'll have to endure.

Reinheld

like condense electrum/all the others into 1 single catalyst type, then each rank needs that currency the usual number of times? like 1st breakthrough is 2 electrums so it costs 2 catalyst marks? that would make everything alot more simple. same amout of marks to buy them, but they are all the same & u just need a larger quantity for higher ranks.

exactly.. generic name but it is used at all ranks

Was always wondering anyway, why there were different catalyst types. Since they have been removed from alert, they have all the same worth (10 marks each). So 1 Catalyst Type would make this way easier, no choosing etc.

That was to encourage people to run different instances. Each of those catalysts would drop in older content, and the type would dictate what mission type (solo/duo, alert, raid) in which you would find them.

Catalyst caches and catalysts can be used by players to generate some in-game currency. So rather than changing the behaviour of the catalyst caches and catalysts, like reducing the number of catalyst types (which requires a conversion method for players with banks full of catalysts and/or catalyst caches), perhaps the simplest method is adding the relevant Rank Breakthrough boxes in the vendor.

Right now, there are 8 Artifact ranks (from 20 to 160). In the future, it will be 10 ranks (from 20 to 200). Current Source Mark costs are 20/30/60/90/120/150/180/210. Rank 180 and 200 will likely have Source Mark costs of 240 and 270.

Just have the relevant Rank Breakthrough boxes available in the Vendor. So, say someone wants a Rank 160 breakthrough. Just go to the Vendor, purchase the Rank 160 box for 210 Source Marks. Open the box and have the 3 Catalyst Types appear in the inventory.

For me, that is the simplest solution with the least possible impact.

How is that easier? 1 catalyst (taking the place of the catalyst cache now sold) would be a single item across the board...you just need more single to break through depending on the level (it also means future levels like 180 and 200 would be covered...just need more cats). All things being equal, like the price is not jacked up to 50 source per cat....and that any existing electriums or Mystic Energy or whatever all convert to 'catalyst', or become a consumable like the TRK did....converting to 'catalyst' when consumed... screws no-one over. You could still sell cats to make money and I've honestly never understood why anyone in their right mind would buy the opened, single rank cats in the broker when the caches are normally cheaper and can become any of the individual ones.

It would also make it tougher to buy a set. Granted, most of us have plenty of source marks available, but for those that do not, or those that have other things to spend them on...they need to pile up 270 (I'm guessing) to buy the '200 rank kit' you are proposing vs being able to buy one or 2 at a time, trade a few other from alts or buy a few in the broker/trade to get there.

Afraid of having to push the 'buy' button 27 times on the single cat from Constantine? Fine....have him sell 1, 5 or 10 cat quantities at 10, 50 and 100 source marks.

At a bare minimum, as of today(in live or test at least) there are no 180 and 200 level cats....that means someone will need to spend more than 10 seconds deciding on what they will be named, what their icon will be and coding them into the game. Why bother? If they were just 24 and 27 'catalyst' to level up we're done.

Reinheld

If the catalyst types are simplified, that means you also need to add a conversion method to allow people sitting on banks of catalysts for trading purposes. That means more coding work involved, and more potential for errors cropping up and people complaining etc.

Whereas my proposed solution is simpler, less coding work involved since you don't have to account for letting people convert their catalysts, less testing required, less everything. Only needs 2 clicks to get the required materials. 1 click to buy the box from the vendor. 1 click to open the box.

Not forgetting also, if you change the catalyst types to just one catalyst type used at all ranks, you also have to change the Fortify screen. That's additional coding. Simple, yes but it adds up, especially since you already have to do coding work to allow players to convert their current catalyst stockpiles to the new single catalyst type.

So from an impact analysis perspective, my proposed box solution is easier and simpler.

Yes, I was assuming that existing catalysts would be converted to the single 'catalyst'....No one should be losing any...if you have 5 mystic lightning, the day after the change you'd have 5 catalysts and so on. I'm no coder, but I'd guess that it would basically boil down to a simple update to change all different cats or cat caches to the generic 'catalyst' across the board. The fortify screen is a good point, and would require coding....but so would adding the 2 new ranks and boxes which would come with them. Tomato-Tomato (that loses something in written format)...in the end though the single cat would mean less code in the game. There are 22 cats today, soon to be 28 more than likely...there would be 8 'boxes' of cats, soon to be 10 that Constantine would sell. Then there's inventory, bank and broker space. Not like you would carry them around, but each of those 10 box items, or 28 if broken open, are separate and won't stack on each other, meaning wasted space if you don't go and buy them right before. A single cat eats up 1 slot....you can carry around 1 or 100 and cover any rank you need on the fly and only visit Constantine when you decide to.

It's not up to us in the end, and as 2 devs have weighed in, I'm guessing it's already written. I guess we'll see in a month what the change is.

Reinheld

You can purchase a pre-made cache that contains all of the catalysts necessary to advance your artifact.

No it wouldn't. The pre-made cache would cost the same as if you bought all of the catalyst caches individually. Nothing in all of this says that the individual, unattuned catalyst cache box would go away. You can still purchase the one for 10 source marks and go through the open process.

It's a convenience and a removal of repetition. How many times have you accidentally selected the wrong level for a cache when you open the box you just bought from Constantine? I know I've done it several times. Having the ability to go to Constantine and purchase a "Level 120 Catalyst Cache Kit" for 150 source marks and then open it and find the 6, 5, and 4 catalysts needed for breakthrough would be a huge QoL improvement without having to invest too much development time when compared to other options.

As far as the coding goes, I'm not sure one method is worse than the other....and honestly none of us do. I've never purchased the MP cat boxes, but I believe when you purchase one, the individual cats show up...not a box you then open....so that's 10 new 'boxes' they'd need to code. I suppose if a 'level 160' box is what shows up and you open it, it would save some coding as those exist in game already. However, I can tell you that every item in game eats some amount of resources and has code to make it work...however small. Right now the cat system is maintaining 22 different cats (soon to be 28), the cat boxes Constantine sells, the 8 'rank #' boxes(soon to be 10) that open from those, +3 slots in the fortify system(2 for level 20). All of that would be reduced down with a single cat and single cat slot in fortify if streamlined how I'm proposing.

Reinheld