Lightsaber Pike

[Kaze-Yama]

It is kind of a joke that this is only obtainable as a plat item. That would be like making vibro blades a plat item and only making one kind of them. Make a simple version of the pike either as gold or buyable from CM or as part of the new expansion in some way. I'm assuming it is plat because of the extra animation on the hilt but many people would want just a normal hilt pike anyways.

 

I got a couple hyper crates and got nothing and don't have enough credits even after being a sub for a long time and playing since launch but I have several thousand CC saved up that I would be more than happy to spend on something worthwhile.

 

I don't even think the vented sabers should be plat either though. Plat items should be truly unique with special animations and blade effects or built in tunings. I don't know why luggerwahl was a plat item besides the fact that it is from force awakens it doesn't even have special flourish or effects or anything and is lesser than many other mounts previously released.

 

Obviously they think packs are the way to make money but when the top .1% of the player base has enough credits or in real cash to spend and get items you make the rest of your player base feel like they are wasting their time. With the rampant inflation and the rich players manipulating the in game economy this is becoming a game exclusively for a small group of players.

[Nightblazer]

For something like this I don't see them selling it directly. I mean it would be great but I just don't see it happening.

 

There are reasons to sell things individually but why it's preferred to put items in packs.

 

 

It's an older video but the ideas still hold as to why items are sold in packs vs individually. They could improve how they do it but I see why it is that way.

Edited October 31, 2016 by Nightblazer

[Ratajack]

For something like this I don't see them selling it directly. I mean it would be great but I just don't see it happening.

 

There are reasons to sell things individually but why it's preferred to put items in packs.

 

 

It's an older video but the ideas still hold as to why items are sold in packs vs individually. They could improve how they do it but I see why it is that way.

 

I think it is obvious why those highly desired items are placed in packs with platinum rarity.

 

I think some players simply do not care. They simply see something they want and cannot easily or cheaply obtain. What I seem to see from those players is "How dare BW not bend over backwards to make what I want easily and cheaply available".

 

This thread is just one more of the many that echo that theme.

[Kaze-Yama]

Here is a question would they make more money of having a highly desirable item available for direct purchase vs. having it be available randomly at a very small percentage. It ultimately depends on the item, but I would really like to know why items like thexan armor and saber are direct purchase and senya saber is in a pack. If the items are so rare then people will lose any desire to buy packs because it is a waste of money whereas they could consistently spend money on direct purchase items. There are also two types of customers. Some people just won't gamble period but they will spend plenty of money to get exactly what they want.

 

Also that video is largely about trading cards which are a totally different property than an MMO. Random packs of trading cards are different than MMO items. The shiny or gold cards are vanity you can get a normal card and it functions the same in the game. In card games your gameplay is directly part of getting rare cards. Card games have an established history of being pay to win or requiring you to buy lots of packs or pay more for better cards whereas that is viewed as a negative in RPG type games.

 

They also brought up the fact that if you buy packs in hearthstone you can use the crafting system to offset your expenses which creates a feedback loop. This is something that you can't do in swtor. I wish I could turn my bronze items to dust in order to craft a senya pike but I can't. There is also not a silver or gold version of the pike which is what people want there is only the platinum version. It would be like if a card game introduced a great card which the only version was super rare shiny and foil with no other versions. People would be very upset.

 

I don't think swtor system is comparable to a card game system but even if you use that comparison there are plenty of things that swtor is doing wrong with its system. Compared to other games and even hobbies that operate on real money.

[Ratajack]

Here is a question would they make more money of having a highly desirable item available for direct purchase vs. having it be available randomly at a very small percentage. It ultimately depends on the item, but I would really like to know why items like thexan armor and saber are direct purchase and senya saber is in a pack. If the items are so rare then people will lose any desire to buy packs because it is a waste of money whereas they could consistently spend money on direct purchase items. There are also two types of customers. Some people just won't gamble period but they will spend plenty of money to get exactly what they want.

 

Also that video is largely about trading cards which are a totally different property than an MMO. Random packs of trading cards are different than MMO items. The shiny or gold cards are vanity you can get a normal card and it functions the same in the game. In card games your gameplay is directly part of getting rare cards. Card games have an established history of being pay to win or requiring you to buy lots of packs or pay more for better cards whereas that is viewed as a negative in RPG type games.

 

They also brought up the fact that if you buy packs in hearthstone you can use the crafting system to offset your expenses which creates a feedback loop. This is something that you can't do in swtor. I wish I could turn my bronze items to dust in order to craft a senya pike but I can't. There is also not a silver or gold version of the pike which is what people want there is only the platinum version. It would be like if a card game introduced a great card which the only version was super rare shiny and foil with no other versions. People would be very upset.

 

I don't think swtor system is comparable to a card game system but even if you use that comparison there are plenty of things that swtor is doing wrong with its system. Compared to other games and even hobbies that operate on real money.

 

I'm only guessing, but I'm gonna guess that they make more money with the platinum rarity method versus the direct purchase for a pittance method. I think if they thought they would make more money with the direct purchase for a pittance method, then that is what they would use.

 

Let's not forget that there are people that purchased three or more hypercrates and did not get the pike. That is over 15,000 CC's from one person alone. There are many people who spend that much or more trying to hit the jackpot--some to keep the jackpot for themselves, some to sell that jackpot on the GTN.

 

There are also probably more than a few people who will spend those thousands of CC's to hit the jackpot multiple times.

 

Let's not forget the many people that spend those thousands of CC's for hypercrates to sell on the GTN to earn the credits to purchase their pikes directly on the GTN.

[Kaze-Yama]

I'm only guessing, but I'm gonna guess that they make more money with the platinum rarity method versus the direct purchase for a pittance method. I think if they thought they would make more money with the direct purchase for a pittance method, then that is what they would use.

 

Let's not forget that there are people that purchased three or more hypercrates and did not get the pike. That is over 15,000 CC's from one person alone. There are many people who spend that much or more trying to hit the jackpot--some to keep the jackpot for themselves, some to sell that jackpot on the GTN.

 

There are also probably more than a few people who will spend those thousands of CC's to hit the jackpot multiple times.

 

Let's not forget the many people that spend those thousands of CC's for hypercrates to sell on the GTN to earn the credits to purchase their pikes directly on the GTN.

 

 

There are also many new, casual, or other players who don't have tons of cash either real or ingame that would be willing to drop 10,20,30 bucks for items they want but won't partake in high stakes gambling. It isn't an either or model. The reason why they put the Nathema armor set for direct purchase is likely for new players who are willing to drop some cash in an initial investment to look cool. If they couldn't make money off of direct purchase options they wouldn't put them in the game yet they continue to do so.

 

It seems odd that a high profile item like a saber pike be made purposefully so rare. I mean you meet dozens and dozens of enemies in game that have them yet you can't loot them or just buy one directly seems counterproductive and like bad marketing. Making force awakens items like the luggerwahl and vented sabers rares I don't have an issue with because those things are not commonly found in the game world. Making standard equipment seen all over the trailers, screenshots, and gameplay have a 1% drop rate seems silly. If a random kid sees the trailer and wants a saber pike they will quit the game when they realize it costs either 100mil credits or 100 bucks in real money.

 

I don't find it unreasonable that players would want a more commonly available simple option for saber pikes. There are vibro blades and then there are cathar honor swords. There are tons of bronze and silver armors that are retooled or simple versions of gold ones. Giving different types of players what they want just makes smart business sense.

[Ratajack]

There are also many new, casual, or other players who don't have tons of cash either real or ingame that would be willing to drop 10,20,30 bucks for items they want but won't partake in high stakes gambling. It isn't an either or model. The reason why they put the Nathema armor set for direct purchase is likely for new players who are willing to drop some cash in an initial investment to look cool. If they couldn't make money off of direct purchase options they wouldn't put them in the game yet they continue to do so.

 

It seems odd that a high profile item like a saber pike be made purposefully so rare. I mean you meet dozens and dozens of enemies in game that have them yet you can't loot them or just buy one directly seems counterproductive and like bad marketing. Making force awakens items like the luggerwahl and vented sabers rares I don't have an issue with because those things are not commonly found in the game world. Making standard equipment seen all over the trailers, screenshots, and gameplay have a 1% drop rate seems silly. If a random kid sees the trailer and wants a saber pike they will quit the game when they realize it costs either 100mil credits or 100 bucks in real money.

 

I don't find it unreasonable that players would want a more commonly available simple option for saber pikes. There are vibro blades and then there are cathar honor swords. There are tons of bronze and silver armors that are retooled or simple versions of gold ones. Giving different types of players what they want just makes smart business sense.

 

 

I'm not against a plain generic lightsaber pike for direct sale.

 

I'm just giving my two cents as to why the existing one is platinum rarity and not for direct sale.

[DewyMossEmpire]

I'm not against a plain generic lightsaber pike for direct sale.

 

I'm just giving my two cents as to why the existing one is platinum rarity and not for direct sale.

 

On that we agree. If it is stylized for a specific character & bears her name, then yes it ought to be rare. But if we did get a more 'generic' one, like the ones we see the Knights carrying throughout the cinematics & gameplay, it would surely do well as a direct sale. They are desired & they have been for a long time. If you think 1500-1800 CCs is a pittance, of course it is if compared to what the blokes that played the odds over & over again until they got one. But as far as regular CM prices, 1800 is most often the highest you'll see for something that isn't a pack. So on its own that would be an expensive piece.

[Capella]

On that we agree. If it is stylized for a specific character & bears her name, then yes it ought to be rare. But if we did get a more 'generic' one, like the ones we see the Knights carrying throughout the cinematics & gameplay, it would surely do well as a direct sale.

 

That's not a bad idea. There's the Knight of Zakuul armor already - a Zakuulan Knight's saber and saberpike for direct sale would be a good idea. It would still have the general pike model, but a different hilt style and something else to differentiate it would work.

[DewyMossEmpire]

That's not a bad idea. There's the Knight of Zakuul armor already - a Zakuulan Knight's saber and saberpike for direct sale would be a good idea. It would still have the general pike model, but a different hilt style and something else to differentiate it would work.

 

Precisely. They've already sold the Knight armor on the CM, it would only be appropriate to add their weapon to match the set!

[Saito_Hiraga]

I support this as I support the permanent removal of platinum rarity its totally *********** the game economy more than it already was.

[Eshvara]

Pikes and lightsabers are around 60-80 millions these days. The Revan reborn set, which is gold goes for more than that.

I don't think it's a bad idea to have rare items from packs, even though I'd like to have them all. And no, I don't own any platinum items except from a premium red dye.

 

So no, not signed:rak_03: