Let’s Chat – Cartel Market and You: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Category Packs

[Roubador]

It has been stated that the intended goal of the new cartel pack design is to make it easier to collect the items we want. I believe the opposite has happened. It is far harder to get the item you want from these new packs.

 

I usually purchase one or two hypercrates for new packs when they are released. In the Force Alliance hypercrate about half of the items were stronghold decorations. I got 2 gold items, and 4 silver items. The rest were bronze. Of the non decoration items, one third of them were duplicates. (The Underworld pack yielded similar results.)

Stronghold decorations are fun and I enjoy getting a few of them, but 50%? That's too much. I am mainly hoping for the other items. I don't imagine I am alone in this sentiment.

 

The silver/gold/bronze packs are a slightly better option. The chances of getting a specific item you want is still astronomically low due to the large number of items, but at least you will get something you can flip on the GTN for credits to buy what you want. There is a problem with this as well, though. Most people sell armor sets (and some vehicles and toys) for FAR more than the credit limit on a free-to-play account. I am a subscriber, but you have essentially priced free accounts out of the market.

 

I really hope you are considering making another pass at this system. If not, I won't be buying any more new releases. The item distribution just doesn't justify the price.

[DraonaiMimnov]

Hi everyone,

 

I’m Toby McCall, a designer on Star Wars: The Old Republic and a member of the Cartel Market Design Team. I’ve asked community to set up this thread so we can discuss the changes that the 4.0 expansion brings to the Cartel Market. My hope for this post is to create a place where we can answer some of your questions and clear up any confusion surrounding the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Category Packs in Fallen Empire. We would like to focus this thread specifically around the new Armor, Mount, Decoration, and other Category packs (Crystals, Dyes, Weapons, etc), all of which have been packaged into Bronze, Silver, and Gold varieties. If you have thoughts on the new Underworld Alliance pack design, I invite you to join the discussion in a separate thread, found here.

 

• How do the new Bronze, Silver, and Gold Packs feel? Do you feel they are worth their cost? What suggestions do you have?
  
• What are your thoughts on the new Category packs? Do you enjoy opening them? If so, what do you enjoy most? If not, what do you like least?
  
• Are you more or less likely to purchase packs from the Market and why?
  
• Can you share any experiences or first impressions you’ve had with the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Category packs?
  

As always, let’s try to keep the posts constructive and on point. If you haven’t had a chance to read the blog post about the 4.0 changes to the Cartel Market, you can find that here.

 

I definitely won't be buying anymore packs.

 

Although I will remain subscribed to the game, I won't be using the gambling pack service you provide.

 

Also, please return the Embargoed Items vendor.

[TikkyLightmaker]

Why are there armour sets that you can buy directly from the market in the boxes?

 

I feel less inclined to open these types of crates due to this.

I feel the same way - armors that can be bought directly should absolutely not be in those boxes - if i want one, i will buy it directly.

 

Another point: as time goes on, it becomes less and less likely that we would get the armor set we are hoping for, since all new armors get added to the pool. I'd suggest having box sets that cover a specific range of cartel packs for their pool of possible armors.

 

And one last point: reputation tokens should also be added to packs somewhere - i'd feel that armor packs that cover a specific range of cartel packs would be a good place to put the old reputation tokens.

Edited November 21, 2015 by TikkyLightmaker

[KurttBaine]

1) How do the new Bronze, Silver, and Gold Packs feel? Do you feel they are worth their cost? What suggestions do you have?

 

2) What are your thoughts on the new Category packs? Do you enjoy opening them? If so, what do you enjoy most? If not, what do you like least?

 

3) Are you more or less likely to purchase packs from the Market and why?

 

4) Can you share any experiences or first impressions you’ve had with the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Category packs?

 

1) Based on my first (and currently last) interaction with the Gold Armor pack, it is not worth it. It's actually infuriating to get an armor set that's being sold on the Equipment tab for the same 1200 CC price. I ended up with the "Malevolent Interrogator Armor Set". None of those items being directly sold should be in the random packs. I'd say "unless it's worth more than the Gold Pack", but then I'd be afraid that all future additions will just be priced higher than the Gold Pack to make it seem like a deal. So, yeah, nothing that can be directly purchased should be in the "grab bags". It's feels like getting prize shafted at a carnival game.

 

2) I've only purchased a Gold Armor and Gold Mount pack. I don't even remember what I got in the Mount pack because the anger from the Armor one took precedence. I'm guessing it's not out of the realm of possibility that the same thing will occur with Mount packs. So I'd say to not include direct buys in those packs either. Do I enjoy opening them? After that Armor pack result, I'm actually fearful of opening them. Which is why I haven't bought another one since.

 

3) I'm Less likely to buy from the Market, by miles. I used to buy hypercrates before the change. Won't do it again. 2 items per box is not worth it; especially when people keep getting the same 1/3 armor packs over and over (Supplementary boxes, or Lower Armor boxes, etc.) It doesn't help that my ticket from Nov 7th still has not been addressed

 

4) First impression was horrible. Like, OnTrac horrible. My Gold armor "prize" is one that's been sitting in the store for weeks/months/years. The ticket that I submitted right after that has been sitting untouched by CS. I even updated it 9 days later, and still nothing. So I've stopped buying packs of any type and stopped with CC purchases.

[Keepsake]

I wish we could just buy what we wanted with cartel coins instead of gambling for it. I mean I know it's another way for Bioware to get your money, but... it sucks.

[RemyLee]

Throwing some new hairstyles into these packs would be an awesome idea. It doesn't make any sense that you can wear all sorts of new armor but have to keep the same old hairstyles that don't even match. It would be awesome if you guys can actually create: A long curly ponytail, Side swept curls, highlights for hair, Beachy waves, etc. I can even draw the hair for you to save you some effort if you need me to. lols

[Nihilatelife]

Here is my suggestion for what should be in a Cartel Pack:

 

1. The original Tracer Missile animation with original sound effects

 

That is all.

[Shivetya]

Probably repeating another response however my opinion is such.

 

All Armor, Weapon, Vehicle, and Pet, packs are vastly overpriced because there are just too many possible outcomes. The weapon and pet packs should be no more than 50cc. As for the bronze, silver, and gold, packs the could use a twenty five percent reduction. Mount packs need to be half of what they are.

 

What I would pay 1000cc for is a Platinum pack, whose contents is determine by market pricing. Meaning it will contain an armor or vehicle from the top 25 most expensive GTN sales.

[Lyresa]

I do not like the cartel market, nor have I ever really cared for the way its done. I would be WAY more inclined to purchase cartel coins and buy items if I knew what I was getting. I do not like the mystery pack thing. I at this point in time will NEVER buy cartel coins unless it is to purchase something that I know what i am getting.. i.e. a specific mount or something. I think you would do better off with an item by item store. I have bought packs with my coin allotment and never gotten anything of interest to me. The way the packs are now, I will prob not spend my coins on them again. bought 2 and got crap. scrap.. whoo hoo... companion gifts that are a dime a dozen in the game now, oh wow I am excited now. Come on get real. I think yall can do better than that.

[jamyz]

Do more collection unlock sale offers. So, I may be ending buying more packs to get what I want, but waiting to the date of those unlock sales. The people that is super eager to get the stuff fast can pay full price [400 cc = 5 bucks + pack sale price], while patient people can wait for a sale and unlock and spend more to unlock 5 sets, instead of 2.

[Caldonia]

How do the new Bronze, Silver, and Gold Packs feel? Do you feel they are worth their cost? What suggestions do you have?nope feels like a waste the direction the cartel market has gone is garbage so it feel like you wanted to try and create a money sink rather than finding a better way to provide value to customers

What are your thoughts on the new Category packs? Do you enjoy opening them? If so, what do you enjoy most? If not, what do you like least? Same thing with these you get a gold open and its one of the ****** sets you sell on the market making it not worth the coins your better off rotating all the sets and items weekly for sale directly rather stiff people out of money by claiming its gold quality

Are you more or less likely to purchase packs from the Market and why? I was averaging two to three hypercrates a check now I wouldn't even consider buy a single pack

Can you share any experiences or first impressions you’ve had with the Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Category packs?

yeah they are equally as bad not a big dif... when all the stuff in them are not worth cartel coins

 

Cartel market was a huge part of my swtor experience now im looking for other games to support one of my favorite games but I want support money sinking tactics.

[VixenRawR]

I will never spend my coins on these packs. I hear the drops are horrendous for the price paid. Honestly the Stronghold packs were probably some of the best packs in the game. The amount of items and resale value felt like you were paying for what you got.

[Jevnaker]

For me the armor ones was the best packs to ever hit the cartel market because i wouldn't have to get all the other hsite i didn't want but only armor sets and i might finally be able to get the two last items fro the classical revan armor set. because i don't had the about 100mill credits required on my server before thet were added, the price on those two items decreased quite a bit after the announcement but was still way too expensive for me at around 9mill credts for both items off the gtn so i hooped i would get the revan set from those boxes and when i now came back after a while cus irl stuff school and so on happend, i find that they have removed the best packs they ever added and added a ***** new one. that is in the style of all the ones with a random bit of this and random bit of that like gear and mount and other stuff. i onoly buy the packs for the armor so you guys wouold have earned some extra money from me at least by keeping the armor packs. because i would buy them, to try to get the armor sets completed in my collection. as it is now i have no reason to buy the new pack because i do not want any of the stuff in it because it contains stuff that is not armor sets. mgiht be fine and dadny to some to get a new one with different stuff that is fine but to remove the one thing that gave me a hope that i might actually get armor sets off the cartel market was sadly dashed.

[ImJustLion]

I looked the other day to buy one of the armor packs and I couldn't find them on the cartel market, is there a time when they are going to be coming back in the near future??

[Mornok]

My feedback: love these! When are they coming back?? Why were they removed exactly?

[TriggerBlade]

I loved these things, why were they removed? I was throwing more money at these packs than I ever did the original packs.

[Mornok]

I loved these things, why were they removed? I was throwing more money at these packs than I ever did the original packs.

 

Same here! I have no idea why they removed them.

[Raooki]

Same here! I have no idea why they removed them.

 

Lets hear it, I think we all deserved an answer here as to why these packs were taken away and when we can expect them back!

[Sierp]

Till these new boxes showed up, I typically got 2-3 hyprecrates a month. Like many others have posted, I'll not be doing this till this is fixed to my mind. Adding 6 boxes to a hypercrate, and "improving the drop rates" while lessening the number of items per box while maintaining the cost is not an improvement. I'm very happy for those of you that have gotten the RNG to smile upon you and grant you some good loot out of the boxes, I really am. Unfortunately, the RNG hates me now more than it did before, and with less items in the box than before, 2 as opposed to 6 (or so), it simply is not worth it to me.

 

I know you guys are trying to do your best, but this one is a flop, I'm sorry to find.

[LordDelectus]

Seriously...nobody has an idea? I probably quadrupled the money I was dropping on these things. It was a smart move and I have no idea why they pulled them

[ColonelBaryl]

I would much rather have the opportunity to buy sets in the market outright instead of through new category boxes. I've been a player since launch and the thing that has irritated me the most is how really cool sets have gone up for INSANELY high prices on the GTN. I've wanted a Tulak Hord set for a while and my only options have been wildly expensive to say the least.

 

If there were a way to guarantee that we could get the sets we wanted (even at a higher cost) I would be much happier than having to gamble my money away to get what I wanted.

[Tooie]

Hello guys I am disappointed they removed the Category Packs so far I havn't seen them back I just hope they fix them so it will be easier to get things like armor and decorations much easier.

 

I have read some of the posts here and I do agree if theirs a certain armor set that you want ya should go and buy it not buying and buying and buying a category pack and hope for an armor or the armor set box to drop.

 

I propose to have the Old CC Armor Sets on the armor section of the CC panel so that way you can buy the armor that you want then waiting for the armor set or armor to be found on the GTN which usually start on high credit costs. For the armor sets I would recommend a resonable CC cost depending on the Armor level. Bronze armor will yield the cheapest price, Silver armor, be a bit higher, and the Gold will be pretty expensive but not tooo expensive.

 

Same should go for the weapons, Stronghold Decorations, Color Crystals, Dyes, and Mounts. But I am really not worried about that to me just bring back the Category Pack for the rest of the items but better so the items can be dropped evenly on Bronze for bronze, silver, and gold items so that way you don't get to much of the same item when you use the Packs.

 

Its just my thought.

 

I just hope we do either get those Category Packs back or the old packs to continue on getting the items we wanted. I just hope they have fixxed the Category Packs if they do bring them back.

[JouerTue]

i always bought packs rarely, prioritizing collection unlocks or char modifications, but this new system feels so badly..two items one is a gift? lol

[Ennrael]

I think that the whole economy system needs to be changed.

 

First, gambling is a terrible idea in an MMO. We are not in a casino. The main goal, after all, is to motivate players to finance the game through the cash shop.

 

All old packs items should be available in the CM.

 

If you want to promote economy BETWEEN players, you should remove all NPCs which sell armor modifications. Artisans should be the only ones who can craft them.

 

A player wants to be powerful? Encourage him to go to the Galactic Market to buy armor pieces made by other players.

 

On one hand, CM items will always be sold via the Galatic Market. As a consequence, some items will certainly be more popular than others. On the other hand, reluctant players will be more tempted to buy the armor or the decoration of their dreams (without forgetting that they will have to buy sometimes a HUGE number of the same decoration)

 

Zones, planetary conquests and operations items will always be more expensive because it takes a lot of requirements to loot them (luck, guilds, etc ...). You can also add decorations or armor pieces that require a lot of resources to craft.

 

This way, you can be sure to please players who want to sell expensive objects without depriving all the others of the work you have already done with the old packs items. Furthermore, crafting will be, at last, useful and some players will be able to do a living through their craft.

Edited January 7, 2016 by Ennrael

[Anubyys]

PLEASE BRING BACK THE BSG PACKS!!!!!!!!