The Contraband Slot Machine

[LordArtemis]

I don't blame sellers for trying to protect their revenue. That is understandable. I was a bit disappointed when comms were unified, embargoed items were added to NPCs on the fleet and when the CM started selling crystals (all three caused me to have to change my crafting to adapt to the new market).

 

But in the end I still found plenty of ways to make money on the market.

 

This is a huge improvement to crafting IMO, but not the kind of improvement I wanted to see. It hurts high end mat sellers substantially, others not so much. The market will adjust as it always does, and it will not crash as it NEVER does.

 

Prices will drop in the short term and stabilize over time. The time for gouging with high end mats is likely over.

 

Even if this machine remains as it is, which i doubt, Bioware already made it clear they wanted level 11 mats to be more accessible. This was not the way to do that, but who am I to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Edited February 8, 2015 by LordArtemis

[captpickles]

Someone posted somewhere in all the rants about these slot machines that the actual cost of artifact grade 11 mission mats with the machines was between 1k and 3k, depending on which material. Plus it's an immediate return. In an hour, it seems like you can get a whole lot of materials.

 

From mission running, cost of artifact grade 11 mission mats is between 3k and 6k. Also, when you run missions, you get to wait 30-60 minutes for the return and you have at best around a 20% chance to get those mats after the wait. You have to keep running the missions to get the mats. In an hour... maybe you get nothing, maybe you get a few.

 

The machines have absolutely, completely, perfectly killed mission running for artifact level materials.

 

This I will agree with the speed of collection is what is affecting value.

[LordArtemis]

Someone posted somewhere in all the rants about these slot machines that the actual cost of artifact grade 11 mission mats with the machines was between 1k and 3k, depending on which material. Plus it's an immediate return. In an hour, it seems like you can get a whole lot of materials.

 

From mission running, cost of artifact grade 11 mission mats is between 3k and 6k. Also, when you run missions, you get to wait 30-60 minutes for the return and you have at best around a 20% chance to get those mats after the wait. You have to keep running the missions to get the mats. In an hour... maybe you get nothing, maybe you get a few.

 

The machines have absolutely, completely, perfectly killed mission running for artifact level materials.

 

That would NOT be a death that would be lamented I would expect.

 

But an easy way to fix that is to increase the payout from missions and increase the coin cost to 2k per. Problem solved, still great for crafters AND it is a great credit sink.

 

Again, I have to say....

 

1) Coins at 2k per.

2) Chance of critical return in crew missions increased by 10 percent across the board.

3) Payout of mats in crew missions increased by 50 percent across the board.

4) Reshuffle button for mission display.

 

After all, for base materials you get a FAR HIGHER return simply going out and making scavenging runs on Rishi and Yavin right now due to the fast respawn rates. They beat crew missions hands down.

 

AND crew missions are still appealing to get crafting mats....they are much more expensive on the vendor.

 

And this, IMO, would solve most of the issues, except for the loss of being able to inflate prices for high end mats.

Edited January 16, 2015 by LordArtemis

[JonnyRay]

The machines have absolutely, completely, perfectly killed mission running for artifact level materials.

This is true. At least at some tiers of materials. For now. Long term effects remain to be seen.

 

For me, and my approach to crafting, I don't expect this to effect me overall. Certainly not for very long.

[Jeweledleah]

Someone posted somewhere in all the rants about these slot machines that the actual cost of artifact grade 11 mission mats with the machines was between 1k and 3k, depending on which material. Plus it's an immediate return. In an hour, it seems like you can get a whole lot of materials.

 

From mission running, cost of artifact grade 11 mission mats is between 3k and 6k. Also, when you run missions, you get to wait 30-60 minutes for the return and you have at best around a 20% chance to get those mats after the wait. You have to keep running the missions to get the mats. In an hour... maybe you get nothing, maybe you get a few.

 

The machines have absolutely, completely, perfectly killed mission running for artifact level materials.

 

yep. and its only a bad thing because... mission running is somehow more acceptable source or something?

 

like I said - the solution is to FIX the mission running. return on those was way too low.

 

how low? prior to 3.0 I used to check GTN daily for blue slicing mats. every other day or so, I'd find them listed for UNDER vendor price, so I'd buy those and vendor for quick minor profit. also worked with underworld trading mats.

 

and it was not just general stupidity. it was becasue in endless grind of trying to get purples, people would end up with so many of those blues, that they just tried to offload them undercutting each other absentmindedly into oblivion.

 

this is NOT a good game mechanic. for someone who crafts rather then just runs missions... steadier source of mats is a good thing.

 

so maybe, just maybe... they should make missions more attractive rather then people running them becasue they had no other option prior to jawa vendor update.

Edited January 16, 2015 by Jeweledleah

[captpickles]

Someone posted somewhere in all the rants about these slot machines that the actual cost of artifact grade 11 mission mats with the machines was between 1k and 3k, depending on which material. Plus it's an immediate return. In an hour, it seems like you can get a whole lot of materials.

 

From mission running, cost of artifact grade 11 mission mats is between 3k and 6k. Also, when you run missions, you get to wait 30-60 minutes for the return and you have at best around a 20% chance to get those mats after the wait. You have to keep running the missions to get the mats. In an hour... maybe you get nothing, maybe you get a few.

 

The machines have absolutely, completely, perfectly killed mission running for artifact level materials.

 

what will be interesting is this. the affect of non-artifact items over the next week.

 

There are whole for profit guilds farming these things in bulk. when purps bottom out the 600-1000 credit blue and greens will be next on the list and then the people cutting their losses will dump into even lower grade mats.

 

Aught to be pretty hilarious ... Especially when the slot machines start costing under 250k each when the credit farmers flood the market.

[DarthTHC]

That would NOT be a death that would be lamented I would expect.

 

But an easy way to fix that is to increase the payout from missions and increase the coin cost to 2k per. Problem solved, still great for crafters AND it is a great credit sink.

 

Maybe. But I always hated the cycle of mission running. Takes too long to spin through the RNG to see if I'm going to get anything of value. And I had to, too often bounce between strongholds to force a reload of the mission list.

 

I like the near immediate return of the slots because it mitigates the RNG factor. I like that the cost of materials is lower on the slots. I like that I don't have to recycle missions. I like that I don't have to log through a dozen characters to send their companions on missions, I can do it with one character and some Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

 

What I like less is that it has completely demolished my desire to craft. Yeah, with the lower cost of materials, there's still decent profit margin percentage-wise. But a nice percentage of maybe 10k credits material cost is still way too little to bother with.

 

But I guess that's OK too. There are probably still people who will craft for those lower margins / more work per credit, and I already have more than enough to last me until the game closes, even if that's a decade from now.

[DarthOvertone]

[*]The Contraband Slot Machine is not bugged.

[*]It is 100% not an exploit to use the Slot Machine.

 

Sweet! I'm not an exploiter!!

[LordArtemis]

Maybe. But I always hated the cycle of mission running. Takes too long to spin through the RNG to see if I'm going to get anything of value. And I had to, too often bounce between strongholds to force a reload of the mission list.

 

I like the near immediate return of the slots because it mitigates the RNG factor. I like that the cost of materials is lower on the slots. I like that I don't have to recycle missions. I like that I don't have to log through a dozen characters to send their companions on missions, I can do it with one character and some Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

 

What I like less is that it has completely demolished my desire to craft. Yeah, with the lower cost of materials, there's still decent profit margin percentage-wise. But a nice percentage of maybe 10k credits material cost is still way too little to bother with.

 

But I guess that's OK too. There are probably still people who will craft for those lower margins / more work per credit, and I already have more than enough to last me until the game closes, even if that's a decade from now.

 

Fair enough, but i would make a few points....if they do make adjustments to crew missions and the machine like I feel they should.

 

Crew missions are generally hands off. Yes, you have to send them out, but then you go do what you want. With the slot machine you have to stand there and use it.

 

Call it "hands on" crafting or resource gathering, if you will.

 

Now, compared to gathering for level 11 mats I get FAR more running around scavenging than I do from the machine, but I can't get blue or purple mats....so....

 

Crew missions provide hands off resource gathering and the ability to also grab schematics, high end mats and the like.

 

The slot machine provides hands on resource gathering, high end mats and reputation/certs.

 

 

Scavenging provides more base mats than both combined by a WIDE margin, but no high end mats and it is hands on.

 

So now you have three options.

Edited February 8, 2015 by LordArtemis

[TheSeventhJedi]

Maybe. But I always hated the cycle of mission running. Takes too long to spin through the RNG to see if I'm going to get anything of value. And I had to, too often bounce between strongholds to force a reload of the mission list.

 

I like the near immediate return of the slots because it mitigates the RNG factor. I like that the cost of materials is lower on the slots. I like that I don't have to recycle missions. I like that I don't have to log through a dozen characters to send their companions on missions, I can do it with one character and some Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

 

What I like less is that it has completely demolished my desire to craft. Yeah, with the lower cost of materials, there's still decent profit margin percentage-wise. But a nice percentage of maybe 10k credits material cost is still way too little to bother with.

 

But I guess that's OK too. There are probably still people who will craft for those lower margins / more work per credit, and I already have more than enough to last me until the game closes, even if that's a decade from now.

 

I'm crafting the augments, and while I'm certainly making less, I'm also spending less and making money more quickly - my profit margin has actually gone up slightly.

[Kanwulff]

I just open my Contraband Slot Machine in my stronghold and got the Smuggler's Gambit Machine, an non-working machine. Is it just a crapshoot on wether you get a playable machine? Edited January 16, 2015 by Kanwulff

[Jeweledleah]

I just open my Contraband Slot Machine in my stronghold and got the Smuggler's Gambit Machine, an non-working machine. Is it just a crapshoot on wether you get a playable machine?

 

the machine you want only drops in the newest pack. basically? you opened a pack from the wrong set.

[DarthTHC]

Fair enough, but i would make a few points....if they do make adjustments to crew missions like I feel they should.

 

Crew missions are generally hands off. Yes, you have to send them out, but then you go do what you want. With the slot machine you have to stand there and use it.

 

Call it "hands on" crafting or resource gathering, if you will.

 

Now, compared to gathering for level 11 mats I get FAR more running around scavenging than I do from the machine, but I can't get blue or purple mats....so....

 

Crew missions provide hands off resource gathering and the ability to also grab schematics, high end mats and the like.

 

The slot machine provides hands on resource gathering, high end mats and reputation/certs.

 

Scavenging provides more base mats than both combined by a WIDE margin, but no high end mats and it is hands on.

 

So now you have three options.

 

Mats obtained via gathering are irrelevant. Stacks and stacks of them were already priced way below cost of acquisition via missions.

 

Schematics from missions are irrelevant, too, because by the time you've got the mission skill leveled, you already have all of them.

 

The only gate to crafting was the artifact level mission only materials. Now that gate is gone. They are now plentiful and unless BioWare nerfs the slot return dramatically (I don't think they will), they will stay plentiful.

 

I mean, if you want to hit nodes while you're out and about adventuring, if that's fun, that's great. But it was never a necessary thing to be profitable crafting because those materials never made up any appreciable portion of the cost of materials.

 

So, really, you're down to just one option. Click the slot machine. Or wait a few days until all the credit farmers have them on macro and buy the artifact level materials for 10% over cost, or 1.1k to 3.3k each.

 

It's good for players who don't want to craft but want to buy crafted stuff from GTN cheap. They'll get that.

 

Its's also good for players who don't mind crafting for a pittance of credits per item. They'll get that.

 

It's good for me, too. It means I'll be more motivated to do stuff that's not crafting.

[Kanwulff]

Thanks for the reply but, I figured it out. I was looking under the wrong tab in decorations an put the wrong one out. I did not realize I had the non- working one from a previous pack. Edited January 16, 2015 by Kanwulff

[arinbatastini]

I just open my Contraband Slot Machine in my stronghold and got the Smuggler's Gambit Machine, an non-working machine. Is it just a crapshoot on wether you get a playable machine?

 

Make sure you are looking under utilies tab under decorations and contraband slot machine. The other machine is not a utility item. A friend had the same concern and thought he didn't get it then found it there.

[chosonman]

Very good point about the credit farmers. I see this as easily exploitable. Time will tell.

[Imasithbanana]

Mats obtained via gathering are irrelevant. Stacks and stacks of them were already priced way below cost of acquisition via missions.

 

Schematics from missions are irrelevant, too, because by the time you've got the mission skill leveled, you already have all of them.

 

The only gate to crafting was the artifact level mission only materials. Now that gate is gone. They are now plentiful and unless BioWare nerfs the slot return dramatically (I don't think they will), they will stay plentiful.

 

I mean, if you want to hit nodes while you're out and about adventuring, if that's fun, that's great. But it was never a necessary thing to be profitable crafting because those materials never made up any appreciable portion of the cost of materials.

 

So, really, you're down to just one option. Click the slot machine. Or wait a few days until all the credit farmers have them on macro and buy the artifact level materials for 10% over cost, or 1.1k to 3.3k each.

 

It's good for players who don't want to craft but want to buy crafted stuff from GTN cheap. They'll get that.

 

Its's also good for players who don't mind crafting for a pittance of credits per item. They'll get that.

 

It's good for me, too. It means I'll be more motivated to do stuff that's not crafting.

 

This. Now I can use other companions and not waste time sending them on worthless missions and do more content with out having to worry about a timer on another alt. Heck maybe it's a plan to get rid of the gathering skills at some point. For end game if you're looking at making a lvl 37 armoring you still need a matter transubstantiator and those are not available (or I might have missed them). Just looks like they are making it easier for people to get geared up. Which means more play time vs farming for c's or mats that is just boring.

[Jeweledleah]

you know I was just thinking about rng and mission skills vs slot machines, while planning out which augments to craft for my operative healer (I think I'll try cunning again, there seems to be a mixed opinion on cunning vs power.. so.. yeah, but I digress)

 

when crafting - I also need fluxes, or processors, powders - things I cannot gather in a wild and need to either buy from a vendor or run missions for. but even though I have unlimited supply from a vendor - I still run missions. why? because overall, its cheaper then vendor, even if it takes more time, and even if I don't crit, I'm still guaranteed to get at least some of the processors/flux/etc that I need.

 

and this is the RIGHT way to give people options. running missions for purple mats on the other hand, even before jawa vendors was a crapshoot. you didn't do it becasue it was a better for you option, you did it becasue it was the ONLY way to get those mats.

 

so. IMO. they need to fix mission returns. make the return higher. make it so that rich missions are guaranteed to return at least 1 purple mat even if you don't crit. just removing that uncertainty will make mission running for mats viable again.

[DarthOvertone]

Oh, I'm completely convinced that we'll see a new Slot machine for each of the cartel reps. Acolyte packs and hypercrates are undoubtedly selling like crazy right now.

 

Until this week, I had never purchased a cartel pack from the CM and I have been subbed to the game since EGA. I bought 10 of them this time around in hopes of scoring a slot machine. While I was unsuccessful in my ten attempts, it did make me use my CC, which I rarely do.

 

Certainly, no reason for people who are already maxed out on the Cartel Market reps. That said, I'm sure there's a sizable percentage of the player base that don't buy Cartel Packs often enough or in large enough quantities to be at Legend with all of them.

 

Thanks to the slot machine (I used my brother's for the past two days - he got one in the first pack he opened lol), my Legacy is Champion or whatever with the Contraband group, something I would have never bothered with otherwise. When I look at my Legacy Rep screen, I have numerous Rep Affiliations that are completely blank. Contraband now is not one of them, even though it was completely blank just a couple days ago.

 

This morning I bought a slot machine from the GTN for $2 million credits. I am now perfectly happy. If more slot machines were to be released, I would certainly have an interest in obtaining them too.

 

 

The problem with the drop rate is not because of "jawa junk barons" or anything like that, it's that it makes mission skills completely irrelevant. It is currently both faster and cheaper to get purple mats from the slot machine than it is to run the mission skills.

 

I actually see the slot machine as a good complementary item to crew skill missions. Now I don't sell purple crafting mats on the GTN. I actually use the purples I acquire for crafting. So the slot machine is currently filling an important void for me in my crafting enterprises.

 

I still run those crew skill missions for purples. However, it's a real boon to not have to rely entirely on their success for component inventories.

[Rafaman]

Woot! Thanks Eric!

 

Now I can max out that CM rep and get all of those cool items. And get some certs in the process. Well done BW. Well done!

[grombrinda]

You will feel better if you Buy a slot machine and 6000 tokens I promise ...

 

I know that's right!!!

[phillynew]

How about fixing our Nightlife achievements, I was 100% completed on it and now 0%. Tickets go unanswered for it in game.

[Kanwulff]

Thanks again to those who offered me advice. After buying 100 tokens, when all was spent I netted 22 Scavenged Scraps, 24 Assorted Droid Parts, 37 Jawa Junk, and 8 Cartel Market Certs.

[Jeweledleah]

Thanks again to those who offered me advice. After buying 100 tokens, when all was spent I netted 22 Scavenged Scraps, 24 Assorted Droid Parts, 37 Jawa Junk, and 8 Cartel Market Certs.

 

could you lend me your luck?

 

becasue my normal yield for 99 tokens is 2 certs (on average - I've gone with 99 tokens and only one cert, and I've had 3 of them drop in the next stack used), 12ish jawa junk, about 20 of each scraps and parts and the rest - rep items. this is tested across buying multiple stacks of 99 tokens.

[XiamaraSimi]

Oh, I'm completely convinced that we'll see a new Slot machine for each of the cartel reps. Acolyte packs and hypercrates are undoubtedly selling like crazy right now. I'm hoping we get to see some on the GTN soon. The only ones on JC are single packs that are ranging from 750k up to 3mil. That's per 'Pack', not Hypercrate.

 

Yeah on Jung Ma the packs are 500k, and the crates are 10m

 

 

Now 3/4 of the -crates- i buy are bought off the gtn, but i wont spend more then 4.5m on a crate, and usually wait for the people who toss several up for 3.5m and just buy those (psst favorite crate seller, im ready to buy 4 from you!)

 

Now if you ever see my strongholds, you can tell i buy packs for decos, decorating is my -thing- and thats why id love more altering rep machines, more decorations!

Edited January 16, 2015 by XiamaraSimi