Contraband Slotmachine

[Nirethell]

My question is, has anyone gotten the Nar Shadaa golden certs from this yet? I want to know if they exist or not haha

[Elracor]

Good credit sink IMO. I think they should also bring back the original slot machines as a regular game feature, and allow us to place one of them in our Stronghold as well.

I find it curious that some folks would advocate a REDUCTION in rewards.

 

If it does turn out that the reward level is some kind of glitch or bug, so be it. But I can say that the cartel certificate rewards has me seriously considering purchasing one of these things. Normally I would not do so.

 

If anything does get nerfed, I think the certs should remain as they are. That is a huge selling point IMO.

 

It's only a credit sink it's more expensive than the alternatives.

 

As it stands now, the Slot Machines seem to give ~10 purple scraps per 100 tokens. That's 50,000 credits (minus what you get from vendoring rep tokens) for 10 purple crafting items + you get green scraps, blue scraps and possibly some certificate.

50,000 credits worth of Rich/Bountiful Treasure Hunting/Underworld Trading/Investigation missions are not going to give you that much in return.

 

In my opinion, it really shouldn't be a better solutions for crafters to use a Slot Machine than to use Crew Skill Missions which are made for crafting.

Edited January 14, 2015 by MFollin

[Halinalle]

My question is, has anyone gotten the Nar Shadaa golden certs from this yet? I want to know if they exist or not haha

 

594 chips = 0 gold certs

[LordArtemis]

I don't find it that curious (although i also don't actually share their view). Value is largely determined by scarcity, there are certain items that some people want to see remain valuable and an increase in the number of those items in the market will reduce that value.

 

It is more important to remove credits from the game IMO. However, I defer to Bioware's judgement in that regard.

[Nirethell]

594 chips = 0 gold certs

 

Yeah im up to about 500 as well and nothing to show for it..

[Darth_Wicked]

Anyone on the Red Eclipse willing to rent their Contraband Slotmachine?

[Mowermanx]

It's only a credit sink it's more expensive than the alternatives.

 

As it stands now, the Slot Machines seem to give ~10 purple scraps per 100 tokens. That's 50,000 credits (minus what you get from vendoring rep tokens) for 10 purple crafting items + you get green scraps, blue scraps and possibly some certificate.

50,000 credits worth of Rich/Bountiful Treasure Hunting/Underworld Trading/Investigation missions are not going to give you that much in return.

 

In my opinion, it really shouldn't be a better solutions for crafters to use a Slot Machine than to use Crew Skill Missions which are made for crafting.

 

Selling on the gtn or to other players is not creating credits, just shifting them around the place.

It doesnt matter what you can sell them to other players for, its still sinking credits from the game.

[Vanisher]

I think this needs to be adjust abit but I think taking away the grade 11 mats from the jawa vendors is what is needed. That will balance out the issue of the market for those mats crashing and fix the ease of getting augments.

 

I think the slot machine is a good idea allows some different end game content to provide other distractions at end game and that's why I think adding new items every so often would be a good idea. Tho for those players not lucky enough to get a slot machine I think they should be added in game maybe a side room to the cartel market area on fleet where the hutts are or in marsh adds I think marsh adds makes the most sense. I think having on in the strong hold is a good perk. Something I hope they keep in game and maybe months down the road offer it as say 100 cartel certs to buy one. And possibly add new slot machines with different prizes could work as well.

 

This isn't an exploit. The slot machine runs as it was intended to do so. But a readjustment is in order. I am ok that it's a decent way to earn credits if you run an hour of dailies and make 200k so be it let the slots make you the same. It's time put in. Money only goes so far in this game it's skill that sets the players apart.

Edited January 14, 2015 by Vanisher

[Shoraan]

It is more important to remove credits from the game IMO. However, I defer to Bioware's judgement in that regard.

 

The problem with this is that it seems to remove less credits from the game than running crew missions for the same result.

 

My motive in expecting a nerf isn't based on rarity of grade 11 purple mats, so I can sell more. I sold 90% of mine on Monday when I read the patch notes about grade 11 mats being added to Jawa vendors.

 

If I vendored the rep tokens from my sample size of 99 coins I'd get 33K credits. That leaves an investment of 16500 credits for 17 purple, 6 blue and 13 green scraps. Plus two Certificates. That's not a good credit sink by a long shot. That's like 100% crit rate on crew missions.

 

If I didn't care about the overall economy I'd welcome it if it stayed the way it is. That would be the perfect way to spend time between queue pops. But I don't think purple grade 11 mats for 3K per piece on the GTN would be a good idea, simply because running crew missions would be waste of credits.

[Elracor]

Selling on the gtn or to other players is not creating credits, just shifting them around the place.

It doesnt matter what you can sell them to other players for, its still sinking credits from the game.

 

You're not understanding my point then.

 

Sending a companion out on a Crew mission (Slicing, Treasure Hunting etc) costs Credits. Sometimes they return with purple mats, sometimes they don't.

The Rich/Bountiful missions cost 3000-4000 credits and yield 2-3 purple mats on crit. AFAIK missions have a 20% crit chance, so statistically it's 5 rich missions (3800 credits each) = 19000 credits for 3 purple mats, so over 6k per purple material.

 

With the Slot Machine, (and the 10% chance of winning purple scrap according to reddit), you pay 50000 credits for 10 purple scraps, that's 5k per purple material.

 

The Rich missions also yield some blue materials you can use or vendor, but the Slot Machine yields so many other items you can use or vendor as well.

 

Granted, some purple materials at the scrap vendor cost more than 1 purple scrap per 1 purple item (Adaptive Circuitry for example), but in the end this Slot Machine seems much more efficient per credit.

[NimTheRat]

Sending a companion out on a Crew mission (Slicing, Treasure Hunting etc) costs Credits. Sometimes they return with purple mats, sometimes they don't.

The Rich/Bountiful missions cost 3000-4000 credits and yield 2-3 purple mats on crit. AFAIK missions have a 20% crit chance, so statistically it's 5 rich missions (3800 credits each) = 19000 credits for 3 purple mats, so over 6k per purple material.

 

With the Slot Machine, (and the 10% chance of winning purple scrap according to reddit), you pay 50000 credits for 10 purple scraps, that's 5k per purple material.

 

You also have to consider the throughput.

 

It takes 15 minutes max to run through a stack of chips on the slot machine. You'd need to run 15 Rich-500 missions to get roughly the same result, which you might be able to do if you've got several characters with that mission skill capped. But once you start those missions, you have to wait for them to complete. When you finish pumping your chips through the slots, you can turn around and immediately do it again.

 

(Also, my results so far have been 15 purples per stack, not 10)

 

It looks to me like the slots devalue the mission skills. They don't actually hurt the gathering skills much, because the slot machine is NOT a cost or time-efficient way of getting blue or green mats in bulk. Slicing stays pretty good, but drops slightly because the Crew Mission drops will be less valuable.

Edited January 14, 2015 by NimTheRat

[JattaGin]

So I got this in the Acolyte's Shadow Pack, for anyone wondering how it works and what you get from it. Here's a quick video:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8KuYr5eGyA

 

I've so far gotten junk/scrap, reputation items and cartel market certificates.

 

Thanks for this info. I thought these are only decorations without functionality. Junk/scrap and cartel market certificates are exactly what I need at the moment. Time to gamble.

[Mowermanx]

You're not understanding my point then.

 

Sending a companion out on a Crew mission (Slicing, Treasure Hunting etc) costs Credits. Sometimes they return with purple mats, sometimes they don't.

The Rich/Bountiful missions cost 3000-4000 credits and yield 2-3 purple mats on crit. AFAIK missions have a 20% crit chance, so statistically it's 5 rich missions (3800 credits each) = 19000 credits for 3 purple mats, so over 6k per purple material.

 

With the Slot Machine, (and the 10% chance of winning purple scrap according to reddit), you pay 50000 credits for 10 purple scraps, that's 5k per purple material.

 

The Rich missions also yield some blue materials you can use or vendor, but the Slot Machine yields so many other items you can use or vendor as well.

 

Granted, some purple materials at the scrap vendor cost more than 1 purple scrap per 1 purple item (Adaptive Circuitry for example), but in the end this Slot Machine seems much more efficient per credit.

 

I understand what you mean now, so they need to tone down the drop rates of those.

[NimTheRat]

One possible nerf they could apply would be to limit the number of times the machine can be played per day. That would hit it from several angles...including creating a use for having multiple machines.

 

Currently, if you have one or even have a key to a stronghold that contains one, you're set. No need to try to get another or get one of your own; you're good. Rate-limiting it would maintain some demand for additional slots.

Edited January 14, 2015 by NimTheRat

[Elracor]

You also have to consider the throughput.

 

It takes 15 minutes max to run through a stack of chips on the slot machine. You'd need to run 15 Rich-500 missions to get roughly the same result, which you might be able to do if you've got several characters with that mission skill capped. But once you start those missions, you have to wait for them to complete. When you finish pumping your chips through the slots, you can turn around and immediately do it again.

 

(Also, my results so far have been 15 purples per stack, not 10)

 

It looks to me like the slots devalue the mission skills. They don't actually hurt the gathering skills much, because the slot machine is NOT a cost or time-efficient way of getting blue or green mats in bulk. Slicing stays pretty good, but drops slightly because the Crew Mission drops will be less valuable.

 

Another good point.

 

As for putting a cooldown or limit on how many times you can play the Slot Machine, I think that would be a good idea. Slot Machines would still be good, people could get some good stuff but without making Mission skills useless.

Edited January 14, 2015 by MFollin

[NimTheRat]

Another good point.

 

As for putting a cooldown or limit on how many times you can play the Slot Machine, I think that would be a good idea. Slot Machines would still be good, people could get some good stuff but without making Mission skills useless.

 

Personally, I'd rather see a per-day ceiling (or a small random chance of the machine 'breaking' for the remainder of the day each time you use it) than a cooldown. A cooldown would destroy the 'pumping tokens over and over' compulsive feel that makes it actually feel like a slot machine

[MaximusRex]

Hmm I think I've maxed all CM rep so those are of no use and I'm sitting on about 50 certificates ( pity I just can't sell them as is and have to go and buy stuff to sell ) but the jawa junk is always useful especially for conquest.

 

Some users of the slot machine are selling the rep items and making back almost as many credits as they are spending on coins.

 

Cartel Cert Decorations sell for a decent amount on the GTN.

[EnkiduNineEight]

I've spent some time this morning and I am definitely in the camp that the slot machine is _entirely_ too generous.

Using just my 'Mule'/GTN Proxies I found that I had basically the same results with a small variation between them each time.

 

My experiment consisted of purchasing 2 full stacks of the cartel tokens for $99,000 on each of the characters and then clicking the slot machine for 198 times + an additional number of times based on how many times the slot machine rewarded me with another token or 'free spin'.

 

I did this across 4 different characters. I started reporting the results via a bug submission.

 

On the last two 'runs' these were my results... just for your information:

 

Run #3

17 - Scavenged Scrap

29 - Droid Parts

24 - Jawa Junk

33 - Banned Holo

19 - Prohibited Med

10 - Confiscated Art

2 - Cartel Certs

 

Run #4

18 - Scrap

23 - Droid Parts

29 - Jawa Junk

19 - Banned Holo

22 - Prohibited med

13 - Confiscated Artwork

7 - Cartel Certs

 

My prior two runs were even more 'lucrative'. So there is definitely something off.

 

I _WOULD NOT_ remove the Tier 11 Mats from the Jawa Vendors. Its important that the basic mats be available there as a 'reward' for people who buy a cartel pack and get the Scrap, Parts or Junk.

 

What needs to be done is that the rate of return/wins on these slot machines needs to be _drastically_ reduced. If they are not, this is FAR more lucrative than any other form of currency farming. Certainly the basis for the farming is selling mats and there is a diminishing market for mats over time, but in the short term, I can very easily clear well over $750,000 in net profit after paying for the tokens for the machine and paying the GTN share of my transactions. I can clear more if I want to advertise mats on fleet but that takes up too much of my time so instead, to the GTN it goes. And that's based on a relatively conservative pricing (less than half the current lowest price for certain mats on the GTN) so I could completely gut the market to start though I am certain to have more competition as soon as people realize how easily it is come by.

 

In most every case, the bulk of my initial investment of $99,000 for two stacks of tokens was returned to me from selling the reputation items alone.

 

They must have a decimal point misplaced or something. This is really bad.

 

I also saw the same pattern over most of my runs, I was ending up with a significant number of the Jawa Junk items in a proportion related to the other Scrap and Parts that seemed off. EG, I shouldn't ever end up with more Jawa Junk than Scavenged Scrap but the majority of times I performed this 'test' I did.

 

If I were in control, I would definitely significantly reduce the rate of return. Its a great idea to add these into the game as a currency sink to pull cash out of the economy and help combat inflation. At present, they are going to do the exact opposite.

 

So, drop rate of returns, and then I would suggest maybe throwing in the ability to win reputation items (at a much reduced rate) from all the various reputation items. Then, throw in a chance to win companion gifts, and items from prior packs, though these should be significantly infrequent wins.

 

Additionally, I think what I would do is make an additional award with odds only slightly better than the Kingpin Rancor, to draw an 'ultra rare' item from any of the previous shipments, and update that as each shipment is completed. So, for example, You could get on a 'major jackpot' Ultra Rare item from any of the following packs:

 

Cartel Packs, Contraband Packs, Bounty Packs, Starfighter, Nightlife, or Stronghold. But not the current shipment of Shadow Packs.

 

This puts a mechanism in the game to try to get items that were very rare from packs you very rarely sell anymore so it shouldn't hurt the Cartel Coin market/revenue stream for EA/BioWare but would become a significant currency leech/money sink (Considering it was over 2mil, average, spend to win a Kingpin Rancor)

 

But at present, the rewards are significantly game breaking and I would suggest immediate suspension of the Slot Machine until it can be more appropriately balanced.

 

Basically, the vast majority of 'wins' on the slot machine should be a 'push'.. EG another Token to spin.

And maybe 1 out of every ten spins should result in one of the current rewards, with the rarity of the item making it increasingly harder to find.

 

So, 1 in 10 wins a 'base' prize.

1 in 10 base prizes wins an enhanced prize.

1 in 10 enhanced prizes wins a rare prize.

1 in 10 rare prizes is an very rare prize.

1 in 10 vary rare prizes in an Extremely rare prixe...

 

etc.

 

Where the 'base' prizes are the Scavenged Scarp, Green Reputation Items, Blue Companion Gifts,

Enhanced Prizes are a step up, so droid parts, blue rep items, Purple comp gifts, common items from prior shipments.

Rare prizes are Jawa Junk, Purple Rep items, Cartel Certs, uncommon items from prior shipements

Very Rare prizes are very rare items from prior cartel packs

Extremely rare are things like various Thrones, Revan's Mask, White Crystals, etc.

 

This would convert the current slot machine into an effective tool to remove currency from the economy while still having 'fun' associated with it.

 

The current Slot Machine is a cash bonanza for the player. its not a good thing.

[EnkiduNineEight]

Some users of the slot machine are selling the rep items and making back almost as many credits as they are spending on coins.

 

Cartel Cert Decorations sell for a decent amount on the GTN.

 

And this is something I hadn't thought of, but yes, with my Cartel Market Certificates I can use these to buy even more stuff to sell and at a significant rate of return as well. So my above post selling just purchased mats and clearing $750,000 easy has just jumped up a lot, and all of that for less than 30 minutes of 'work'.

[Vanisher]

I think all the items you can buy with cartel certificates are bound on pick up so those certificates are not that big of a deal really.

 

As far as the slots go I think removing the grade 11 materials from those jawa vendors is the best course of action and the simplest. Those new grade 11 mats only affect the current market of gear and stims so I think that should only be ontainable try Crew skills and harvesting in the world.

 

I strongly think say you spend 30mins playing why not make say 50-100 k that same amount of time doing dailies nets you the same amount. Just needing the grade 11 mats from the jawa junk vendors would level it out.i also like the slot machine because now besides say having and hosting a PVP duels in your strong hold the addition of the slot machine and maybe a few more mini games would make throwing a party that much better.

 

What other fun mini games with rewards can they bring out.

[OddballEasyEight]

Right, so the slotmachine will net you maby 6-10 purlple mats per 99 stack of chips.

That's 6-10 purple mats per 50.000 spent (or something around that).

Now, you'll make maby half of that back from selling the rep items, so let's call it 25.000 credits.

 

Running crew skill missions will average a few purple mats every 10 or so missions. (less if you have maxed out reps and using companions with + crits)

It will cost you maby 30.000 for those 10 missions.

You'll make back around half that by selling the leftover mats on the GTN (or crafting something and selling that).

(Not to mention that you can run around gathering mats manually while those missions are running)

 

So, the only main problem I see here is the time difference.

 

Sending out crews on those 10 missions will take alot of time.

Pumping through 99 chips will take alot less time.

 

I'd say the solution would be to limit the use of the machine per day or per hour.

Possibly limiting the use to one 99 stack per hour or even per day.

 

I'm not sure I'd call this an exploit as some do, though.

It's not a bug.

It's simply poor planning by BW.

They underestimated the usefulness of the machine compared to crew missions (or the willingness of players to sit through hours upon hours of clicking).

 

There is one thing that should be taken into account though.

You can't use the machine while "playing the game".

You can't go around playing PvP or PvE or Ops or FP's while using the machine.

You can do that while doing crew missions.

 

So sure, people could spam the machine (and will, at least initially) but then you wouldn't be playing the game.

Edited January 14, 2015 by OddballEasyEight

[DarthDymond]

I think all the items you can buy with cartel certificates are bound on pick up so those certificates are not that big of a deal really.

Decorations like the Twi'lek Bartender, etc. cost Certs but aren't BoP.

I strongly think say you spend 30mins playing why not make say 50-100 k that same amount of time doing dailies nets you the same amount.

There is one thing that should be taken into account though.

You can't use the machine while "playing the game".

You can't go around playing PvP or PvE or Ops or FP's while using the machine.

You can do that while doing crew missions.

 

So sure, people could spam the machine (and will, at least initially) but then you wouldn't be playing the game.

 

I think one of the major concerns is the potential to abuse the hell out of this via bots.

 

Heh, it would be wonderfully amusing however if one of BW's goals with this was to get the botters to move from the chests to these slot machines so BW can have an easier time identifying and banning them.

Edited January 14, 2015 by DarthDymond

[Vanisher]

Anyone using them find that they gave out less today than yesterday to me felt like I got a lot less certificates and purples today. I didn't notice a patch or fix. Maybe I just got lucky yesterday. I do think this is a good item and I don't think there should be a limit of someone wants to spend 4 hours on the slots vs 4 hours running dailies and farming let them. I think the slot machine give out should reflect the pay out you would from doing dailies. I think time played should equal the payout regardless. If someone isn't running dailies that means less waiting for spawns on missions where u are having to do something but someone just did it before you.

 

Plus I think more mini games like this would make throwing a party more fun in a persons strong hold. I think this slot machine is the best thing they have given out of the cartel market let's not Nerf it too much. And let's challenge bioware to make a few more mini games or maybe a another slot machine that gives out different rewards.

 

Maybe a slot machine that gives out a different rep as well as the big prizes of say a speeder maybe grab some old mounts from old cartel packs not in service any more. Have these prizes bound to legacy but also have a nice high value when sold to a vendor as junk. So it doesn't flood the market but rewards the player te chance to get some speeders for all of their toons.

[OddballEasyEight]

Some users of the slot machine are selling the rep items and making back almost as many credits as they are spending on coins.

 

Cartel Cert Decorations sell for a decent amount on the GTN.

 

Yeah, but you average maby 1 cert for every 99 uses on the slot machine.

 

And in the end, all it will do is lower the prices of those decorations on the GTN.

Edited January 14, 2015 by OddballEasyEight

[Nostroo]

You know on Reddit is a post about the percentage to win a specific item on the contraband slot machine?