A refund option for bugged items

[sethdil]

With all the visual bugs that exist with armor or cartel items that has not received a fix yet I think a refund option for the cartel coins(aka real cash out of pocket) should be put into game.

 

could function like this.

 

A coin vendor on fleet would buy cartel items for coins. Value to be determined based on the rarity of the item, ways to obtain an item ect.

 

Example: Darth Sion's Pauldrons only obtainable by a cartel pack, is marked as "super rare"...minimum price for a cartel pack that this comes in is 320ccs

 

So to calculate the base price for the pauldrons in cartel coins you do the following. You have a chance for 2 rare items with a chance for a super rare/ that rare. This would be approx a 3% chance per the rare to be a super rare with the rest being trash stuff (based on sample rating of 2 hyper crates opened). That roughly translates to 6% chance to obtain a super rare per pack.

 

With this in mind the refund or exchange rate should be as follows:

320 =initial cost of pack

6 % = base chance to obtain the super rare (.06 for math computations)

X =is the final cost for the item

2 = number of chances for the rare to be that super rare

 

Formula: (320 * 2(.06) = X

 

Thus in the case of a super rare the rate would be something like

320 * 2(.06)= 38.4 cartel coins

Edited November 24, 2013 by sethdil

[Daewan]

This would only work if you were allowed one refund per item, and as soon as you refund something, the item is permanently removed from collections. Otherwise people would just use it to get cartel coins.

 

In general, it's just a strange idea with too many ways to go wrong.

[SunArau]

Buy items from GTN and refund them? Good idea!!!!

 

p.s No, it isn`t .

/dislike

[sethdil]

It would be easy to control abuse. The item must come from a pack you purchased. Must be bound to you (IE you have tried it on so you know its bugged) AND it would not be cost effective to abuse since you only get a small amount of coin back. Far less than if you tried to abuse the system.

 

In my example above you can see trying to abuse it would net you empty pockets since the item would have to been purchased and bound by you. To further enhance against abuse place a refund timer on it of 3 hours and restrict it to items that is within the standard pack lockout. This would only allow you to refund items you purchased yourself and at the same stop peeps who think they could purchase on GTN and refund to get free coins..

 

Restrictions would be

within your unlock window (this means you actually own the item and did not purchase it off GTN)

4 hour refund option

 

 

so the cases you describe in your posts are automatically void

[branmakmuffin]

It would be easy to control abuse.

See, you think that, but it would most likely be incredibly complex. What you propose is a solution in search of a problem.

[sethdil]

See, you think that, but it would most likely be incredibly complex. What you propose is a solution in search of a problem.

 

The fact people think it would be incredibly complex marks how easy it would be. A simple (if,then,else) would be the programming basis to begin building a catch to ensure the system was not abused .

 

But lets just end this conversation and agree to disagree. In my opinion it would be a noble step by Bioware for items that have been bugged for months with no fix in site. Other players maybe content to sit it out with more patience that others with bugged items I however am a little miffed at spending real cash for a bugged item.

[SunArau]

Item would be bound to you? okeey...Whats stoping me from buying A LOT of packs from GTN , opening them and getting my CC?

[sethdil]

Item would be bound to you? okeey...Whats stoping me from buying A LOT of packs from GTN , opening them and getting my CC?

 

This can be stopped by implementation of a counter check on the pack if the pack being opened has an expired bound timer it is flagged as not being eligible for content refund.. We know this timer already exists since when you purchase a pack or any item from the CC shop it has a timer lock. A simple (if,then,else) programing structure will check if the timer is still valid when the pack is opened if not it places a flag on all items within as automatically not eligible for the refund option.

 

Additionally there would be limits on per month refunds limit. So even if that check above would not exist go ahead and buy 50 packs it will take you a long long time to abuse the system to get free cartel coins by abusing the refund system that has a monthly limit lock of 2.

 

Second- The refund is only a rated amount of the item. It is not as though you will get 360CCs back if one item in there is bugged. The scale would be establish via a scale of chance to aquir/ rarity of the item ect. So the item would use a math equation to figure the refund and thus if you refund a jawagram you would end up getting 0CCs where if you refund relaxed vestment chest-piece you might get 160CCs (a math equation with sliding scale would keep peeps from flagging junk as bugged and getting coins.

 

Third- This system might seem harsh but could be a bridge between the users and bioware/EA to give back some measure of coin back to a user who is stuck with a bugged item that has never and may never be fixed.

 

Bottom line the counters already exist in game with some additional coding a refund option could be implemented with minimal problems and also be tight enough that worries of abuse is a non factor. It would allow users who feel they are ripped off using real money to purchase something that is bugged and not working to receive a measure of relief while those who are content to sit and wait may do so.

Edited November 29, 2013 by sethdil
cleanup

[TheNahash]

With all the visual bugs that exist with armor or cartel items that has not received a fix yet I think a refund option for the cartel coins(aka real cash out of pocket) should be put into game.

 

Wait a minute... why stop there?

I'm paying for the game, too!

Therefore for every single bug I come across and report, I should get back game time for the next month, Cartel Coins or, preferably, a % of my monthly fee back.

 

I understand what you're saying, but no, this wouldn't work and there are so many ways to abuse the system that it would be a nightmare for Bioware.

Edited November 29, 2013 by TheNahash

[sethdil]

Wait a minute... why stop there?

I'm paying for the game, too!

Therefore for every single bug I come across and report, I should get back game time for the next month, Cartel Coins or, preferably, a % of my monthly fee back.

 

I understand what you're saying, but no, this wouldn't work and there are so many ways to abuse the system that it would be a nightmare for Bioware.

 

The argument is moot, I do get what you are saying about bugs in the main game but micro transactions should come with a measure of expectation. You posed before I was done editing my post before yours take a look at it. Everyone claims abuse however you have to understand programming to know that there are ways to lock abuse down with just a few bollean checks and (if,then,else) trees.

 

If you understand programming it is not all that difficult to eliminate abuse. But back to your example of the main game, I do get what your saying about bugs in game and perhaps we should be holding them accountable for sloppy programming. For sake of argument lets separate that into a different discussion since I am talking about the microtransaction model they have taken with the cartel market.

 

In the Cartel Market the company has a duty to provide some form of expectation of quality and if that is not provided or if the representation of the product is not what the actual product is like(an example is the preview window of the relaxed chestwrap vestments reflect NO bug but once equipped this bug is rendered in game) then restitution should be available to those who spent real cash to acquire the packs to acquire this item.

[mashthekeys]

Or they could just fix the bugs ?

[branmakmuffin]

The fact people think it would be incredibly complex marks how easy it would be

Can't argue with logic like that.

 

[sethdil]

Can't argue with logic like that.

 

 

Nice misquote there buddy.... when quoting someone how about you quote in context since I clearly stated that the for programmers it not as complex as you would make it out to be.

 

Now I understand the misquote if you have no concept of computer programming and how an (if,then,else) statement works which makes commenting on programming stuff slightly embarrassing.

 

 

I would suggest this thread be closed since it is no longer yielding a healthy discussion about this suggestion!!

Edited December 2, 2013 by sethdil