what is stopping me from purchasing a lot of sets

[LordArtemis]

I dont' swap armor every 5 minutes. I found a look l liked and kept it.

 

I have a real problem with that. I am constantly changing my look. I swear they designed the market with me in mind lol.

Edited October 4, 2013 by LordArtemis

[well]

This is of course subjective and not everyone will agree, but that process sounds super boring :-)

 

It is boring but so are dailies.If you want something you have to put the effort out.I craft all my 156 gear except relics.The secret to farming is lots of coffee.That and your favorite music.Ctrl + S helps with Treek.

[LordArtemis]

It is boring but so are dailies.If you want something you have to put the effort out.I craft all my 156 gear except relics.The secret to farming is lots of coffee.That and your favorite music.Ctrl + S helps with Treek.

 

Music is a big one. Either I play classic Star Wars music in the background (not enough of that in this game IMO) or just regular music I enjoy.

[veevito]

I am definitely in favor of an appearance tab system ala LOTRO, but given the mod system here I was thinking about this instead.

 

How about a "Gear Manager" UI window? Try to picture this, sorry no illustration and it will sound more complex than it is, I did make a napkin sketch at work this morning...

 

1. A window that, at the top, has 5 "Gear" boxes (arbitrary number). Or tabs if space is an issue. Each box representing an orange gear set (head, chest, waist etc..). Providing 5 different appearances.

 

2. The bottom portion of the window contains 2 "Mod" boxes (1 for pve and 1 for pvp) with buttons above them for each gear slot. Depending on which gear slot you select, the mod box updates to represent those mods.

So now, using the "mod boxes", you can populate each gear slot with the mods that you want. One set of mods for pve, one for pvp.

 

Now, those mods that you set up will auto populate whichever gear set you have selected from the 5 gear set choices in the top of the window.

 

Exqmple: I'm out pve'ing in gear set 1, but I get the urge to pvp in gear set 2. So I open the gear manager UI and in 2 clicks i'm ready..1 click to select gear set 2 and 1 click to select the pvp mods set. Apply, close window and bam. Maybe that's 3 clicks..

 

I have no idea how feasible this is from a programming standpoint or anything like that. Probably would take until 2016 anyway. And yes, it minimizes the credit sink and i'm sure ruins a bunch of other things that I can't thnk of but i'm sure you'll all tell me.....Just spitballing here.

 

Shoot, you could even make money off of it from non subs. Subs get the max gear slots, freebies get 1 or 2 and can unlock more through the CM.

 

Thoughts? Or am I over complicating what would otherwise be accomplished with appearance tabs....? It is Friday and i'm a little loopy from the week.

[illgot]

I am definitely in favor of an appearance tab system ala LOTRO, but given the mod system here I was thinking about this instead.

 

How about a "Gear Manager" UI window? Try to picture this, sorry no illustration and it will sound more complex than it is, I did make a napkin sketch at work this morning...

 

1. A window that, at the top, has 5 "Gear" boxes (arbitrary number). Or tabs if space is an issue. Each box representing an orange gear set (head, chest, waist etc..). Providing 5 different appearances.

 

2. The bottom portion of the window contains 2 "Mod" boxes (1 for pve and 1 for pvp) with buttons above them for each gear slot. Depending on which gear slot you select, the mod box updates to represent those mods.

So now, using the "mod boxes", you can populate each gear slot with the mods that you want. One set of mods for pve, one for pvp.

 

Now, those mods that you set up will auto populate whichever gear set you have selected from the 5 gear set choices in the top of the window.

 

Exqmple: I'm out pve'ing in gear set 1, but I get the urge to pvp in gear set 2. So I open the gear manager UI and in 2 clicks i'm ready..1 click to select gear set 2 and 1 click to select the pvp mods set. Apply, close window and bam. Maybe that's 3 clicks..

 

I have no idea how feasible this is from a programming standpoint or anything like that. Probably would take until 2016 anyway. And yes, it minimizes the credit sink and i'm sure ruins a bunch of other things that I can't thnk of but i'm sure you'll all tell me.....Just spitballing here.

 

Shoot, you could even make money off of it from non subs. Subs get the max gear slots, freebies get 1 or 2 and can unlock more through the CM.

 

Thoughts? Or am I over complicating what would otherwise be accomplished with appearance tabs....? It is Friday and i'm a little loopy from the week.

 

free to play players can start with one appearance tab and no secondary modification tab while subscribers start with 2 appearance tabs and 1 secondary modification tab. Then allow the purchase of more through the cartel market.

 

Appearance tabs and modification tabs can be a great money sink for those that do not want to spend money in the cartel market and the modification tabs can help more than just PvPers. Additional modification tabs will help people that play more than one build.

 

Bioware is missing a lot of possible revenue by sticking to their original modification system they had in beta (yea in beta all gear was modable).

[LordArtemis]

Appearance tab was a HUGE topic during beta. I mean it was one of the top topics next to changing the name "wizard" and the changes that should be made to space combat.

 

I still strongly support the idea of an appearance tab. Short of that, I would like to see Mod extraction costs removed for subscribers.

 

I would also STRONGLY recommend they consider releasing all available colors as primary and secondary dyes that can be craftable, drops and rewards....the dual colors can remain primarily pack or rare items.

 

White, black, red, yellow and blue should be a given with individual primary or secondary color dyes.

[Sam_Skyrunner]

I think WoW's newer transmogrification system is the way to go. You have your gear with the stats, the a slot for appearance. It shouldn't cost more after you've already spent the currency, credits or $, to buy the armor to get the look. Can we please get a BW point of view on this?

[ELRunninW]

BW's point on this is already implemented in the game.

[LordArtemis]

BW's point on this is already implemented in the game.

 

But I think it wouldn't hurt to tweak it a bit. Just my view naturally, but I think removing mod removal cost for subs would be a nice step.

 

Not a necessary one...I'm fairly satisfied that some kind of appearance system exists today compared to launch, but I think improvement could be in order.

[Andryah]

"These days"? How many MMOs have you played? When MMOs first came out one of the priorities to all games were character appearance. It wasn't until recently that games started heavy restrictions on how players look because it didn't follow the "developers vision" on how the game should look.

 

I've played MMOs since 1999.

 

In the old days....... you had to grind for whatever you wanted.. and sometimes it was so scarce that it took months before you won the drop you wanted. Nobody complained about it.. they just did it.. because they understood it was the price to acquire

 

In the old days.... before there were in game trading houses.. you might be able to find some other player in game that had the item you wanted and that you could purchase. Might. Nobody complained about it.. they just did it.. because they understood it was the price to acquire.

 

In the modern era.... many people are intolerant of anything that represents any barrier to them dressing their characters the way they want to.

 

The approach of this game is superior overall to appearance tabs in other games. Why? because you still must pay the freight (either in labor or currency in game) for constant upgraded of equipment for stats anyway. In addition, in MMOs where there are appearance tabs.. in most cases the really desirable "looks" are expensive and scarce in the player economy. Not in this game though.. they are actually very common, they just operate on a bit different model. In case you have not noticed.. the end game gear progression is constantly moving forward....and that represents ther eal burden, just like every other game. An appearance tab and the complaints about it are simply a distraction to the real gear burden to players (which they rarely complain about).... constant stat upgrades.

 

Personally, I really like this particular MMOs approach. I can literally keep any piece of gear for as long as I want to wear it on a character. There is no artificial need to discard it because it's stats are now obsolete and non-competitive. I have complete freedom to mix, match, and modify to my hearts content. Is there a price for that freedom? Yes indeed. Like most everything else in MMOs.. there is indeed a price for that freedom (extraction fees)... and I'm fine with that. The entire player economy is in fact tuned with that feature in mind... so for average or better players.. it really should not be an economic burden. Hell, the progression of wealth in this game is such that it should really not even be an issue for newer players either.

 

IF credits in this game were hard to come by.. I would be supportive of the complaints here. But frankly... credits in this game flow much more freely then other MMOs where there are appearance tabs.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Andryah

[Helig]

I don't feel limited by that system, like, at all. I'm assembly line-crafting mk-9 augment kits and I've got no problem augmenting several sets of shells. Pulling mods out also isn't as expensive as it used to be - if you play the game (you know, craft, do quests, Flashpoints, etc - not just sit around on the Fleet switching mods in and out), you should have plenty of credits available for this very purpose, and then some..

[Andryah]

I still strongly support the idea of an appearance tab. Short of that, I would like to see Mod extraction costs removed for subscribers.

 

I personally am not against an appearance tab approach.

 

I just don't see it's absence as complaint worthy in this MMO. Game economy and inflation controls of the game are designed around mod swaps. If they ever pull them and go with appearance tabs.. a whole host of new complaints will hit the forum.. because economy controls are required in MMOs or you end up with absurd price indexes over time.

 

So this is definitely a "be careful what you wish for" topic of discussion. Because they are going to extract the liquidity out of the economy one way or the other.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Andryah

[ikinai]

I'm going to guess a large purple, or is that pur-nurple?, monster under the bed is stopping you.

[Helig]

I personally am not against an appearance tab approach.

 

I just don't see it's absence as complaint worthy in this MMO. Game economy and inflation controls of the game are designed around mod swaps. If they ever pull them and go with appearance tabs.. a whole host of new complaints will hit the forum.. because economy controls are required in MMOs or you end up with absurd price indexes over time.

 

So this is definitely a "be careful what you wish for" topic of discussion. Because they are going to extract the liquidity out of the economy one way or the other.

Love your sig so much.

[Heaviermetal]

This is just a suggestion that works for me; Run BlackHole (takes 15-20 minutes, I've timed it myself and you earn the amount it costs to change out everything. (more or slightly less) So each time I feel the need to change, I do a quick run there and bam, paid for.

 

But I would take an Outfitter system anyday.

Edited October 4, 2013 by Heaviermetal

[ArenCordial]

 

IF credits in this game were hard to come by.. I would be supportive of the complaints here. But frankly... credits in this game flow much more freely then other MMOs where there are appearance tabs.

 

No credits aren't hard to come by and I agree with you that the Orange shell system is great. That said I'd support no extraction costs for subs. Why? Because I think it would be beneficial to the game.

 

Here's just a small list of things that could help the game environment out.

 

-Potentially increase demand on Aug MK-9 kits/Augments since there's a much lower cost to appearance change. More work for crafters and rather just having credits be sunk they would circulate more in the economy. That's a good thing IMO

 

-Potentially increased demand for CM items. Again without that high initial cost to change appearances this may lead to more items being purchased/greater demand. That means more revenue for the game.

 

-Potentially more Alts being played. I confess that I don't play my opposite faction alts much simply because I don't want to pay a good chunk of change to legacy over items for a character I rarely play in order to do the things I like doing. 55 Ops and 55 PvP. That said if the cost was removed I can definitely see myself on those character more often, meeting more people and doing more content.

 

-Gearing Droid Characters. This is one of those things, if its going to cost me to gear a droid because I have to rip out all the mods its just not going to happen. Sorry HK/T7, if I was going to spend that type of money its to legacy gear to an alt. (Poor T7. T7 + Jedi doesn't = legend in Orange droid 50's.)

 

-CM items for Companion appearances. I'd love for more custom appearances for my companions. Again more increased demand. That said the cost of doing so stops me. I'd rather save that money for a piece of equipment one of my characters could use to make them more effective like a 72 mh.

 

That's just off the top of my head. The current system isn't bad at all, that said I think there's something for the game to gain if they did make such a change.

Edited October 4, 2013 by ArenCordial

[TUXs]

No credits aren't hard to come by and I agree with you that the Orange shell system is great. That said I'd support no extraction costs for subs. Why? Because I think it would be beneficial to the game.

 

Here's just a small list of things that could help the game environment out.

 

-Potentially increase demand on Aug MK-9 kits/Augments since there's a much lower cost to appearance change. More work for crafters and rather just having credits be sunk they would circulate more in the economy. That's a good thing IMO

 

-Potentially increased demand for CM items. Again without that high initial cost to change appearances this may lead to more items being purchased/greater demand. That means more revenue for the game.

 

-Potentially more Alts being played. I confess that I don't play my opposite faction alts much simply because I don't want to pay a good chunk of change to legacy over items for a character I rarely play in order to do the things I like doing. 55 Ops and 55 PvP. That said if the cost was removed I can definitely see myself on those character more often, meeting more people and doing more content.

 

-Gearing Droid Characters. This is one of those things, if its going to cost me to gear a droid because I have to rip out all the mods its just not going to happen. Sorry HK/T7, if I was going to spend that type of money its to legacy gear to an alt. (Poor T7. T7 + Jedi doesn't = legend in Orange droid 50's.)

 

-CM items for Companion appearances. I'd love for more custom appearances for my companions. Again more increased demand. That said the cost of doing so stops me. I'd rather save that money for a piece of equipment one of my characters could use to make them more effective like a 72 mh.

 

That's just off the top of my head. The current system isn't bad at all, that said I think there's something for the game to gain if they did make such a change.

 

Excellent list! I agree with all of these! It would be good for the game!

[LordArtemis]

I personally am not against an appearance tab approach.

 

I just don't see it's absence as complaint worthy in this MMO. Game economy and inflation controls of the game are designed around mod swaps. If they ever pull them and go with appearance tabs.. a whole host of new complaints will hit the forum.. because economy controls are required in MMOs or you end up with absurd price indexes over time.

 

So this is definitely a "be careful what you wish for" topic of discussion. Because they are going to extract the liquidity out of the economy one way or the other.

 

Yea, I have to admit, I kind of like the current system, despite perhaps a few flaws. Like to tinker with the mods, determine my own stats.

 

I like power. It seems to be the most useful stat across the board (except when I have to boost other stats out of necessity). Being able to fit mods gives me the freedom to determine my own stats for the most part.

 

So I like to tinker. The current system provides that.

[ELRunninW]

On the contrary, buy even more sets, only to sell some on GTN and use the credits you make this way to equip more gear and even more often. Rinse and repeat, cha-ching. The heat from hand rubbing by EA executives in contributing to global warming.

[Kheld]

Lotro's Appearance Tab pisses all over SW:Tors options.

 

I spend loads in Lotros store, I can buy EXACTLY the look I want, then drop them into 1 of 7 appearance slots & swap on the fly.

 

I spend way more real money in Lotro than I do here.

[Vinjar]

You simply add cosmetic slots to the character; dear old FlyFF had this in place is time time immemorial.

 

With cosmetic slots you leave your armor pieces in the regular armor slots and equip cosmetic pieces in, surprise surprise, your cosmetic slots. A cosmetic piece will simply overrule (visually) the respective armor piece. Done and done.

 

Psst...BW.... It would add diversity and promote Cartel Market sales.

 

Rift's cosmetic/vanity set up is great. They even sell vanity outfits with no stat value.

[Tsillah]

over the last 2.5 years of ABP I spent around 3,000 dollars. Mostly on customization items such as vehicles and clothing. Some on modifiable weapons which I can place my choice of mods in.

 

I drop money when I can customize freely. When I find that the cost in game over rides the cost in real life, I spend a lot less money, in the case of SWTOR no money but one month of subscription in the last year.

 

I could purchase a lot of cartel boxes and sell them on the GTN, then use that money to keep transferring my mods around, but for me that is a waste of resources. If I purchase a number of outfits off the Cartel Market, then pay more to unlock them account wide, the idea of constantly paying in game just turns me off. So I do not bother wasting my money.

 

You may have a lot of friends that switch out their mods almost daily for a new outfit, but I have not met a single person that does this, especially not end game.

 

I didn't say that. If you actually read my post you would've seen that I agree that it would a good idea to improve the system. When I speak of people spending cash in the CM to sell items, it's just to make creds, not specifically for swapping mods. What I was saying though is that occasionally swapping out mods is doable but the real cost is the augments.

 

I just disagreed with the incorrect reasoning in the post I replied to, not the idea of improving customisation. I fully agree with that, as I already stated.

[Aestel]

The overall cost of switching out the character looks is definitely limiting on how often I want to switch out gear. I upgrade a couple of my characters looks with the freelancer's pack and it was in the region of 800k each. Although the major cost of that would have been 600k for re-augmenting. It was probably a factor in not purchasing the pursuers pack as I didn't feel like any of the gear was tempting enough to want to re-update my look so soon afterwards.

[ArenCordial]

The overall cost of switching out the character looks is definitely limiting on how often I want to switch out gear. I upgrade a couple of my characters looks with the freelancer's pack and it was in the region of 800k each. Although the major cost of that would have been 600k for re-augmenting. It was probably a factor in not purchasing the pursuers pack as I didn't feel like any of the gear was tempting enough to want to re-update my look so soon afterwards.

 

Yeah I find when there's a something of barrier towards preventing you do something I'm a lot less likely to do it. Honestly the game gains nothing because of the mod extraction cost. But like that list I made I think the game potentially has something to gain if it was removed.

[Clarian]

Yeah, prohibitive costs for switching mods is at cross-purposes with the cash shop. Drastically reducing them for subscribers or something would be a nice perk.