Reverse engineer randomness kills the crew skill fun

[Soulflames]

So usually when I reverse engineer I get the recipe in on average 4-5 tries. I've been unlucky once before when it took 10 times.

 

Now I am on 15 crafts and still nothing on the reverse engineer.

It is the Overkill Hyperaccelerated Rejuvenation Relay (a Cybertech blue).

This thing costs a decent amount to make and this is really starting to be stupid and kill all the fun I have in the crew skills.

 

Random crafts I think are a mistake. Crafts are supposed to be a way to fill gaps in your gear or provide an alternative route to a good item when you are unlucky with normal drops from mobs.

The randomness of the prefixes combined with the randomness of reverse engineering completely kills this.

 

Not only are there 10 green earpieces, which can become 30 blue ones and a whopping 150 epic recipes (!) it is random which one you will get. Meaning you could spend a LOT of time and money to get the item you want. We're talking millions here (I already spent more then 100k on my crafts so far and I dont even have 1 epic recipe. And when I do, there is a good chance it won't be the best that I want so I'll have to keep re-engineering).

 

 

This whole system just feels wrong.

And we're not even talking about the fact that commendations which you can collect can grant you similar or better rewards.

 

I implore you Bioware, look critically to the system, because when more people find this out, the crafting will be out of the window.

Luckily I have 1 ace card as Cybertech, and those are the epic shaceship mods, which do sell and luckily DONT need reverse engineering to get. That's my only profit margin for this profession, and the only thing that makes me not bang my head against my monitor every time I reverse engineer yet another earpiece.

[Agroovesak]

The only thing I really hate is that I can reverse engineer and get a schematic I already know when there are schematics I do not know still. Gotten 4 epic aim/crit schematics procs but only learned 2 since the I got the same one 3 times.

[Rhinoplat]

It's the RNG because I've not had the same unfortunate experiences you have. I have a level 47 ear piece that I got all the blues for, and have not tried for purples yet but I know I will eventually get it. I have a level 30ish earpiece that I got all blues and all purples. When you think about this game lasting longer than a month, it makes sense that we might have to take a bit of time to have all the recipes in purple.

[ZingFreelancer]

I think most of the system should be left as it is.

 

They should add a reverse engineer progression to each item. Every time you RE an item you have a chance to learn a new recipe, but if you fail the current item will get +1 chance to grand item on next RE. Then adding progression bar will give a sense of control to players, when you reverse engineer a green item and fail, progression bar gets +1 creating visual progression and avoid the nagging feeling of stagnation.

 

Granted we need some sort of control over abundant amount of recipes available to us, like OP said 30 blues can become 150 purples and at this point *insert epic face palm here*.

[Torja]

Have you had any luck with the overkill hyperaccelecrated rejuvenation relay ive crafted nearly 150 so far and still nothing with the reverse engineer

[Gogg]

I've crafted over 150 of the Overkill Fusion-X Blaster, it's a level 50 Blue. And not once gotten a Purple schematic from it. Never had this much trouble reverse engineering anything before.

[Slayd_]

The issue for me is the randomness, plus the issue of, do I make 100 items and RE them one after another, OR, do I make 5 items at a time and RE them? Is there some mechanic in the background that acknowledges the amount of REs I have done which will eventually put me over a threshold and give me a schematic? If this is the case, can I log off after 5 RE's and come back the next day and continue or has this progress been lost? I don't mind spending a lot of resources getting a good schematic, it is the randomness I have an issue with.. one person might get a schematic very easily purely through luck and dice rolls.. while someone else might take 100 RE's... that is not fair.

 

A progression system would be nice.. I'm not looking to make it easier or cheaper I just want to feel that roleplay element of crafting that I am actually making some progress, right now I feel like I'm throwing ingredients into the oven without any order or controlled assembly and hoping they magically assemble themselves into something, but all I end up doing is salvaging what I can from the rubbish that gets produced.. I need to see some tangible progress being made here.

 

Perhaps for instance, let's say synthweaving.. make it much easier to make a good item that's BoP (bind on pickup) so at least the crafters can get some reward for their investment without being able to flood the market with great gear too quickly.

[floodplanet]

i too am beginning to become disenchanted with this current system, I have been crafting Critical Blast-Dampening Armguards(lvl 41, medium armor, wrist) over 40 times in the past two days. I have still not gotten the recipe for the purple peice. This is beginning to become ridiculous.

[Apax]

I've mentioned this elsewhere, but it applies here. I really hope that the chance of successfully reverse engineering an item is not truly random. I hate random. Random can provide a success on your next try or literally never. And that's just not fun for a game.

 

What I would rather see (and I doubt it actually works this way) is an element of randomness tied into a guaranteed reward for effort. For example, if I attempt to reverse engineer an item there is (pulling number out of the air) a 10% chance that I learn how to create a better version of that item. Let's say I don't beat the odds and fail. However, I "learn" something in the process, and the next time I reverse engineer the item I now have a 15% chance of being successful. If I fail again, I still get closer to figuring it out and my next attempt has a 20% chance of success.

 

This bonus continues to stack until eventually (if I'm unlucky enough to go that far) I have a 100% chance of a successful RE. That's a guarantee to the crafter: your efforts are paying off and you will eventually figure out how to reverse engineer this item within a reasonable number of attempts. Or you may get lucky and figure it out sooner. And that's a whole lot more appealing than rolling the dice every single try and attempting to beat the same percentage chance over and over.

[Axvil]

Agreed, crafting level should provide a bonus to successful reverse engineering. Someone with 400 skill should get much better chance to RE an item, especially a lower level item. Also, REing multiple same items should increase the chance of a successful RE as well. And when the RE procs, you should be able to pick which of the blue/purple version you want to unlock..

At 400 artifice (and lvl 47), I have no purple schematic unlocked. I don't even have all blues, just the ones I actually needed. Between the cost/time of gathering rare components for blues and the randomness of crew gathering skills, by the time I unlocked just the blue version, I was already high enough level to use the next tier item..

[Vespertilius]

The only thing I really hate is that I can reverse engineer and get a schematic I already know when there are schematics I do not know still. Gotten 4 epic aim/crit schematics procs but only learned 2 since the I got the same one 3 times.

 

Yes, this is IMO unfair and stupid , and must be changed ASAP! Nerfing the RE % down so much i can acept and anderstend , but this mechanic you talk about , no, it's just plain wrong.

 

Turning things more dificult can be usefull, but this is just bad and sadistic:(

[Joe_Danger]

I don't want it to sound like I'm a masochist or anything, but I really like the low% and randomness of REing (with the exception of learning the same schematic twice, gross). I know not everyone will feel this way, but here's my feelings:

 

Getting a specific schematic may be a huge investment. Yeah. But once you know the schem, you get to reap the rewards as long as you have your character. That could be a long time. Assuming you're making items you can sell, you will make your money back.

 

You need to really decide which items you are going to go with. You won't be making every item with every purple stat combo. You say, ok, this thing here, I'm going to dump time and money into this. This makes every crafter, even in the same discipline, unique. It's unlikely many other players will dig into the exact item you are for the exact stats, so you have a nice corner on that market.

 

If it were too easy to get just what you wanted, you'd be indistinguishable from every other player with the same crew skill. Just remember, you have time. You don't have to master everything. It will be okay.

[Reico]

I don't want it to sound like I'm a masochist or anything, but I really like the low% and randomness of REing (with the exception of learning the same schematic twice, gross). I know not everyone will feel this way, but here's my feelings:

 

Getting a specific schematic may be a huge investment. Yeah. But once you know the schem, you get to reap the rewards as long as you have your character. That could be a long time. Assuming you're making items you can sell, you will make your money back.

 

You need to really decide which items you are going to go with. You won't be making every item with every purple stat combo. You say, ok, this thing here, I'm going to dump time and money into this. This makes every crafter, even in the same discipline, unique. It's unlikely many other players will dig into the exact item you are for the exact stats, so you have a nice corner on that market.

 

If it were too easy to get just what you wanted, you'd be indistinguishable from every other player with the same crew skill. Just remember, you have time. You don't have to master everything. It will be okay.

 

 

Yeah it's real fun when you RE 70 blue implants and learn nothing, even more fun when you RE 60 green implants and learn nothing.

 

Take your "okay" and shove it.

[Joe_Danger]

Take your "okay" and shove it.

 

Alright then.

[DarthDemens]

Getting a specific schematic may be a huge investment. Yeah. But once you know the schem, you get to reap the rewards as long as you have your character. That could be a long time. Assuming you're making items you can sell, you will make your money back.

 

The problem with MMOs is that its generally only profitable until the next expansion. Then there's a whole new set of gear that has to be done and learned. Turns 'life of the character' into a fairly short time.

[Joe_Danger]

The problem with MMOs is that its generally only profitable until the next expansion. Then there's a whole new set of gear that has to be done and learned. Turns 'life of the character' into a fairly short time.

 

There certainly may be something to that. And I should probably disclose I haven't hit the level cap yet, here or in another mmo. But my experience now is that I REed about 100 items to get the perfect level 29 blaster, and have been selling them steadily since. I just passed my 'break-even' point, so I can look forward to each one turning nothing but profit now (-mats, obvi). Now I'm deciding what item I want to perfect next.

 

I guess it could be that I'm looking at it as a way to make money and get some good gear for mid level guildmates rather than maxing out a level 50 with the perfect gear.

[_Flin_]

I like it as it is. Makes those artifacts really mean something. And, it isnt really a big thing, just send your companions off and you usually get a schematic in a few hours.

 

BUT...

 

There is the "you already know that".

 

Now this really bugs me if I RE'd a useless schematic, and then I get this message after 35 blues RE'd.

[KTheAlchemist]

I like it as it is. Makes those artifacts really mean something. And, it isnt really a big thing, just send your companions off and you usually get a schematic in a few hours.

 

BUT...

 

There is the "you already know that".

 

Now this really bugs me if I RE'd a useless schematic, and then I get this message after 35 blues RE'd.

 

Okay, but do blues really need to "mean something"? Not so much. Blues at least need a significant bump in proc chance. I do agree that "you already know that" needs to go.

[DarthDemens]

Don't get me wrong, there can be a fair market in providing gear for twinks. But the market for those will never be as strong as the top-tier market for max-level gear.

[fleeZy]

i've been on a 49 blue for about 100 reverses now...i've gotten epics but not the one i want

[Rhyn]

*** is up with this REing system? I am REing endowmernt entropic defense waist wrap superior rating 126. i have Re'd about 70 of them which i have no issue with but what procs a level 23 purple set of boots. I personally, think that is garbage why isn't it level appropriate? is this so randome that the cost of trying for the tier 2 epic isn't even worth it?

[BlindWuzi]

Its bugged or not a good system. I'm having a huge problem with the success rate of reverse engineering for heavy armor 45+.

[Stealthknighter]

*** I am REing endowmernt entropic defense waist wrap superior rating 126.

 

You already have the top one thats why

[Hawc]

I understand the intent behind the system (money sink, give different people some "uniqueness" to their crafting), however at the moment it seems entirely unfair. Think about it -- Joe Schmoe over there could RE ten pieces and get two blues and purple. Then Fred over here could RE 200 recipes and get just one blue (or nothing at all!).

 

This means that Joe gets a far better result for far less time and money invested. Now some randomness is okay -- clearly not every mob should always drop the exact same thing every time. But if the mob doesn't drop that rare item you were looking for? It still drops credits, or gray/green items you can sell. You get something out of doing ops or flashpoints or hunting for rare items. But in this crafting system, you can RE all day and end up with nothing at all. In fact, you can (and will) end up with less than you had when you started! For absolutely no gain.

 

Clearly there is something wrong here.

[Fubbik]

I don't want it to sound like I'm a masochist or anything, but I really like the low% and randomness of REing (with the exception of learning the same schematic twice, gross). I know not everyone will feel this way, but here's my feelings:

 

Getting a specific schematic may be a huge investment. Yeah. But once you know the schem, you get to reap the rewards as long as you have your character. That could be a long time. Assuming you're making items you can sell, you will make your money back.

 

You need to really decide which items you are going to go with. You won't be making every item with every purple stat combo. You say, ok, this thing here, I'm going to dump time and money into this. This makes every crafter, even in the same discipline, unique. It's unlikely many other players will dig into the exact item you are for the exact stats, so you have a nice corner on that market.

 

If it were too easy to get just what you wanted, you'd be indistinguishable from every other player with the same crew skill. Just remember, you have time. You don't have to master everything. It will be okay.

 

Couldn't agree more, well put.

 

Just get rid of the "You already know this schematic" bug and fix REing of Scatterguns/Vibroblades and I would be pretty happy with how the mechanics work.

 

Itemization at various levels is a totally different story though, lots of work there.