Slicing working as intended now? Dev response please.

[Arconon]

I just want to know what to do now.

Will Slicing stay like this, is it working as intended?

Or will it be readjusted in the not-so-distant future (aka "soon")?

Or will it be completely redesigned or even dropped completely?

 

If I know that the extent of the nerf is really intended and not accidentally nerfed too much or even bugged, then I can happily dump my 400 skill and take a new gathering or mission crew skill.

 

But as of now - since I can't really believe that they are being serious and I hope that they will again tweak the lockbox missions - I feel gimped with 2 crew skills instead of 3. I have slicing on my main with all the companions sitting around now because I don't send them on pointless missions anymore.

 

Instead I have sent my lvl 10 alt on those other missions every one is whining about because they supposedly lose them so much money....

 

AND guess what?

 

I make far more money with selling those mats on the GTN than with all my pre-nerf slicing missions. I mean I wasn't really surprised: You just have to sell your stuff instead of using all up on your crafting profession. If you did that, which is what slicers did because they can't use their credits for crafting, you would also make credits but that's probably a strange concept:

Selling mats that I can use for crafting? But, but I can use them for crafting.....? Why should I sell them, or some of them to make a profit?

 

And no, I don't want to pick lockboxes in the open world, I want to send my companions on missions! I hate the fact that they are standing there in my ship doing nothing while I'm running around.

 

So, can I hope for a change or can I please drop this useless skill now?

 

A dev reply would be much appreciated,

Arc

Edited December 31, 2011 by Arconon

[ZingFreelancer]

Post nerf, to me, slicing was something that could make a tidy profit and sometimes bring missions or blue prints.

 

Past nerf, to me, slicing is something that eats into your wallet and almost never return mission or cybertech blue prints.

[DAntiVirus]

They have not made a single reply to any of the topics about slicing. Heck, we don't even know if they even read the boards.

 

It seems since the game went live, all we got from them was the occasional sticky and mostly silence.

 

Dunno why. One would think they would take a few minutes and respond to the issue.

 

Wait! That's logical. Nevermind, logic is not on the EA payroll.

Edited December 31, 2011 by DAntiVirus

[Vagran]

I'm also curious about slicing. I came to this section hoping to get some advice, points of view from other players.

 

Previously, I used slicing to bring in missions, and credits. Since I only had one other gathering skill, the credits I made went into the GTN(other players wallets) so I could buy the materials I needed to craft.

 

Now that I wind up losing money on slicing missions, I'm wondering if I would be better off dumping it, and taking the complimentary gathering skill.

[Serazil]

Did you all not read the patch notes?

 

Slicing

- Rewards from Slicing have been reduced to bring them into balance with other skills.

- Adjusted incorrect values for medium slicing boxes.

 

It is working as intended. However, it sounds to me that selling mats on the GTN may need to be fixed to bring it in line with slicing. Maybe make them bind on pickup? Discuss.

[DAntiVirus]

Did you all not read the patch notes?

 

Slicing

- Rewards from Slicing have been reduced to bring them into balance with other skills.

- Adjusted incorrect values for medium slicing boxes.

 

It is working as intended. However, it sounds to me that selling mats on the GTN may need to be fixed to bring it in line with slicing. Maybe make them bind on pickup? Discuss.

 

Saying it brings them into balance with other skills. That's not really an explaination as we don't know what skill balance should actually should be. Some more detail from the devs would be appreciated.

[Serazil]

I was being sarcastic. An explanation would be nice but since they're silent I'll assume they either have no good news or all the smart ones are on vacation.

[DarthTHC]

Seems like a lot of overreaction and too little analysis.

 

Slicing is still profitable, based on my tests. After 353 missions, here's how it breaks down:

 

Rank 1: 6 missions for an average loss of 99 credits per mission. This is the only rank that loses money. Get over it.

 

Rank 2: 41 missions for an average profit of 5 credits per mission. Not stellar? It's rank 2. Get over it.

 

Rank 3: 61 missions for an average profit of 109 credits per mission. Getting better...

 

Rank 4: 88 missions for an average profit of 288 credits per mission.

 

Rank 5: 101 missions for an average profit of 335 credits per mission.

 

Rank 6: 56 missions for an average profit of 216 credits per mission.

 

Notice how Rank 1 starts you off with an average loss of about 100 credits per mission and then your average profit per mission increases by something around 100 credits per rank after that?

 

The "sweet spot" seems to be Rank 5 Rich and Bountiful missions. Once you max out and run only those, you might average over 500 credits profit per mission.

 

Slicing is profitable. You just have to know how to do it and get through the lower levels. If you do the math on the above, you'll see that I've made just over 71,000 credits of profit on slicing missions (ONLY missions; I'm not tracking nodes I find while adventuring) since the "nerf".

 

In the immortal words of the Governator, "Stop whining!"

Edited December 31, 2011 by DarthTHC

[Serazil]

I guess this is the issue. Whose data do we believe? But thanks for the info I'll give those level 5 missions a try.

[aceospadez]

I jumped on the slicing boat since I heard it was "easy" to get 48k credits before hitting 25 and having to pay for a mount+skill.

 

It turned out some dough it really did... too much? I'd say no. Here is why;

 

1) I also did Biochem & Diplomacy

 

2) Since I didn't get thrust into bio-analysis I was, sometimes, able to pay for the mats I needed for bio-chem leveling.

 

3) I have lvl 400 slicing & a few friends & I have done the same. We made money pre-nerf sure, its all spent now on just basic leveling skills, crafting, day to day etc.

 

We've been trying to keeping track... via spreadsheets

 

Just a rough idea of what we've discussed, out of 25 abundant/bountiful/rich or better slicing missions pre 41-48+49-50 tree (no fails, no mako, no huge companion rep) we all had negative 1500+ credits. 25 slicing missions x 26-36 minutes a piece is about 13+ hours of "mission" running.

 

I think I got 1 "mission" from this and it sells for 400 credits on gtn.

 

Now I have a level 400 skill that nets me negative money & crappy augments that no one seems to want... <awesome!>

 

Why don't I just run around and grab "credit boxes" - I'm not a farmer. I don't see people with diplomacy shaking hands and kissing babies to get the payoff for their skills. I don't see underworld traders with brief cases under their arms lurking around dark alleys.

 

I like most of what I've read of others posts supporting slicing since it already has a terrible life span in its current state. Credits will devalue over time. period. Look at any MMO and tell me that doesn't happen. Slicing does not "increase" its rewards over time as the value depreciates.

 

If it is OP or unfair or whatever. Think of something really COOL for this long sought after trade skill. We have lots of smart starwars nerds here in the forums, why not borrow some ideas from us?

[JCShooter]

Seems like a lot of overreaction and too little analysis.

 

Slicing is still profitable, based on my tests. After 353 missions, here's how it breaks down:

 

Rank 1: 6 missions for an average loss of 99 credits per mission. This is the only rank that loses money. Get over it.

 

Rank 2: 41 missions for an average profit of 5 credits per mission. Not stellar? It's rank 2. Get over it.

 

Rank 3: 61 missions for an average profit of 109 credits per mission. Getting better...

 

Rank 4: 88 missions for an average profit of 288 credits per mission.

 

Rank 5: 101 missions for an average profit of 335 credits per mission.

 

Rank 6: 56 missions for an average profit of 216 credits per mission.

 

Notice how Rank 1 starts you off with an average loss of about 100 credits per mission and then your average profit per mission increases by something around 100 credits per rank after that?

 

The "sweet spot" seems to be Rank 5 Rich and Bountiful missions. Once you max out and run only those, you might average over 500 credits profit per mission.

 

Slicing is profitable. You just have to know how to do it and get through the lower levels. If you do the math on the above, you'll see that I've made just over 71,000 credits of profit on slicing missions (ONLY missions; I'm not tracking nodes I find while adventuring) since the "nerf".

 

In the immortal words of the Governator, "Stop whining!"

 

 

Killing level 1 mobs at the starting area is profitable too.. there's all sorts of other things to think about too, such as it really being nice you got 71K credits in profit, but you spend so many hours playing it doesn't nearly cover your expenses for one.

[WickedDemiurge]

Seems like a lot of overreaction and too little analysis.

 

Slicing is still profitable, based on my tests. After 353 missions, here's how it breaks down:

 

Rank 1: 6 missions for an average loss of 99 credits per mission. This is the only rank that loses money. Get over it.

 

Rank 2: 41 missions for an average profit of 5 credits per mission. Not stellar? It's rank 2. Get over it.

 

Rank 3: 61 missions for an average profit of 109 credits per mission. Getting better...

 

Rank 4: 88 missions for an average profit of 288 credits per mission.

 

Rank 5: 101 missions for an average profit of 335 credits per mission.

 

Rank 6: 56 missions for an average profit of 216 credits per mission.

 

Notice how Rank 1 starts you off with an average loss of about 100 credits per mission and then your average profit per mission increases by something around 100 credits per rank after that?

 

The "sweet spot" seems to be Rank 5 Rich and Bountiful missions. Once you max out and run only those, you might average over 500 credits profit per mission.

 

Slicing is profitable. You just have to know how to do it and get through the lower levels. If you do the math on the above, you'll see that I've made just over 71,000 credits of profit on slicing missions (ONLY missions; I'm not tracking nodes I find while adventuring) since the "nerf".

 

In the immortal words of the Governator, "Stop whining!"

 

Now run a credit per hour profit, and it doesn't actually improve with rank. On my Bounty Hunter, I click one button, kill a group of mobs, loot them, and have made an hour's worth of slicing cash with a single AOE attack and a click to loot.

 

If your profession gives you almost an immeasurably low benefit, there's a problem. After all, unlike scavenging, my slicing isn't feeding my crafting profession mats all day. It gives me augments, and I have yet to see any gear with an augment slot, barring one or two overpriced, incorrectly statted pieces on the GTN.

 

I'm just wagering BW isn't incompetent enough to not buff slicing, which is the only reason I haven't dropped it.

Edited December 31, 2011 by WickedDemiurge

[kiolov]

i have 400 slicing, i dont see why everyone is complaining. i still make money and get items to sell for doing the lock box missions. sure i dont make over 30k/h now but i still make enough to make it worth while.. i get a crit about 1/3 of the time. still lots of items to give to guildies.

[ronnex]

If your profession gives you almost an immeasurably low benefit, there's a problem. After all, unlike scavenging, my slicing isn't feeding my crafting profession mats all day. It gives me augments, and I have yet to see any gear with an augment slot, barring one or two overpriced, incorrectly statted pieces on the GTN.

 

As someone with Synthweaving at 400 i seen a crapload of green items with Augment slot occasional a rare or purple however most ppl woudnt put em on the GN during the time they lvl since most will prolly try to upgrade there schematics via reengineering.

 

I am just puzzled about everyone complaining about how they cant afford the skills and other stuff without slicing .... i never picked it up and doing just fine at 48 with all skills trained 2nd speeder bike max Synthweaving/Archaeology and Underworld trading without selling any of the stuff i gathered.

 

Also correct me if i am wrong but Augments come from Slicing only ???? besides here and there as mission reward.

 

If thats true i see that Slicing will have still a big value especially once more ppl hit 50 and want the best gear which mostly will all have augment slots.

 

I am just puzzled how ppl believe Slicing should had been the sole way to make cash that's just rediculus , and from reading the patch notes and all the complains it seems like it does indeed work/cost like any other Gathering Skill if i compare it to my Archaeology and Underworld Trading.

[topwebcomics]

Its my feeling, based on people I talk to (anecdotally I know), that most people want orange equipment. They seem to want to fill every slot with orange equipment.

 

"I" want to fill every slot with orange equipment.

 

Orange equipment doesn't have augment slots, even when crafted by crafters. This one small oversight by the devs has rendered the crafting system somewhat weak, and slicers dependent on earning credits directly since augments are mostly only useful as a novelty.

 

Slicers "shouldn't" be doing missions for 1-time missions to sell, because mathematically you'd have to charge so much for the missions to earn back the cost of doing the vast amount of slicing missions that it wouldn't make sense.

 

Luckily for most servers, the majority of slicers aren't doing the math and are selling missions dramatically under what they cost.

 

The game is fantastic, I have faith the devs will be heavily modifying many parts of the crafting system, when they do, I'd like to see green rich missions become the norm for lockbox missions, because I think then you'd have something to sell that would have variable value to different people. And to me, what makes the other gathering professions so valuable (and my wife rich) is the fact that no one truly knows what their time is worth and thus what materials are worth.

[Arconon]

Did you all not read the patch notes?

 

Slicing

- Rewards from Slicing have been reduced to bring them into balance with other skills.

- Adjusted incorrect values for medium slicing boxes.

 

It is working as intended. However, it sounds to me that selling mats on the GTN may need to be fixed to bring it in line with slicing. Maybe make them bind on pickup? Discuss.

 

Yes, I'm aware of the patch notes. It doesn't mean that it's working as intended though. I'm not sure if you are an MMO veteran as I am, but my experience with other MMOs is that very often a fix creates other unwanted problems or is even bugged - especially when the patch is applied so quickly without proper consideration.

 

They had plenty of time to fix the slicing problem during beta, so the only reason for not having fixed it then, is that they thought it was fine.

 

If they thought it had been broken all the time, then they would have been incredibly [insert appropriate word here] to let it go live because changing sth. as important as that always causes an enormous uproar in the community and has a huge negative impact on the community and sales/subscriptions of the game.

 

IOW I don't want to give up my 400 skill lvls only to learn that there had been a bug with lockboxes and that it was never intended to make people lose credits with lockbox missions and that they are going to change it again.

 

THAT would really [insert appropriate word here] me off!

 

Just for the record: I understand that they had to do sth. about slicing but I'd rather they got rid of the skill instead of making it useless and leaving me wondering what to do now.

[Arconon]

Seems like a lot of overreaction and too little analysis.

 

Slicing is still profitable, based on my tests. After 353 missions, here's how it breaks down:

 

Rank 1: 6 missions for an average loss of 99 credits per mission. This is the only rank that loses money. Get over it.

 

Rank 2: 41 missions for an average profit of 5 credits per mission. Not stellar? It's rank 2. Get over it.

 

Rank 3: 61 missions for an average profit of 109 credits per mission. Getting better...

 

Rank 4: 88 missions for an average profit of 288 credits per mission.

 

Rank 5: 101 missions for an average profit of 335 credits per mission.

 

Rank 6: 56 missions for an average profit of 216 credits per mission.

 

Notice how Rank 1 starts you off with an average loss of about 100 credits per mission and then your average profit per mission increases by something around 100 credits per rank after that?

 

The "sweet spot" seems to be Rank 5 Rich and Bountiful missions. Once you max out and run only those, you might average over 500 credits profit per mission.

 

Slicing is profitable. You just have to know how to do it and get through the lower levels. If you do the math on the above, you'll see that I've made just over 71,000 credits of profit on slicing missions (ONLY missions; I'm not tracking nodes I find while adventuring) since the "nerf".

 

In the immortal words of the Governator, "Stop whining!"

 

The problem is not that slicing isn't "profitable" any more, it's how bad the profit is compared to other mission skills.

 

If I spent all that mission time (your examples) on other mission crew skills, I would have got mats that EASILY sell for over 1 million credits (I know the prices on the GTN because my alt mentioned above sells these mats for crazy amounts of credits).

 

That's why I want to know whether they want to keep it like this so I can finally drop slicing for a mission skill that is MUCH MORE PROFITABLE at my lvl and that put all my companions to use much better. Call me a min-maxxer but I definitely don't run 100s of hours of missions like you did for this pathetic profit!

Edited December 31, 2011 by Arconon

[Cormanthor]

The problem is not that slicing isn't "profitable" any more, it's how bad the profit is compared to other mission skills.

 

If I spent all that mission time (your examples) on other mission crew skills, I would have got mats that EASILY sell for over 1 million credits (I know the prices on the GTN because my alt mentioned above sells these mats for crazy amounts of credits).

 

That's why I want to know whether they want to keep it like this so I can finally drop slicing for a mission skill that is MUCH MORE PROFITABLE at my lvl and that put all my companions to use much better. Call me a min-maxxer but I definitely don't run 100s of hours of missions like you did for this pathetic profit!

 

Repeat after me. Slicing is not a mission skill. Slicing is not a mission skill. Slicing is not a mission skill.

 

Slicing is a GATHERING skill. Therefore the most profit is when you go out into the world and slice nodes. Do the nodes need a bit of adjusting? Maybe, but the mission are pretty much fine.

[Kotli]

It is broken no 2 ways about it.

 

All the data I seen shows that it is broken, when the lvl 1 baby mission returns as much profit as the all the rest apart from the lvl 6 boxe which never gave a good profit return & the now nerf into the floor "Rich & Bountiful" missions (all boxes missions return ~20 creds/min average return if they are the profitable missions).

 

If they are meant to return ~20 creds per minute then make them return that for ALL of the mission lvls instead of some returning 20/min and others negative or having ~2/min.

 

Also maybe reduce the random effect boxes have to much variation in there returns I mean start missions that is lvl 1 moderate lock boxes giving 70-160 credits white boxes is just daft (thats a return of -25 to +65 from the same mission). Why cant the boxes return cash in the range of 115 +/- 10-15 credits instead? means all moderate lvl 1 box runs will return a profit (of 5-35 credits if it returns a box) instead of returning anything from a lost to a huge % profit that pre-crits. Also it reduces the effect of the RNG (with something like Slicing you want to minimize the effect of the RNG).

 

 

As it stands I can make 100* that profit just by running through a low level area and firing 1 AOE skill at a bunch of greys mobs then move on to the next bunch and do it again. Hell I can do the same by killing a bunch of standard mobs at my level and get XP as well (most still die in 1 AOE cast).

 

As for the guys who keep saying that we shouldn't make a profit from the missions as its a gathering skill.

 

I reply this I can make money from the other "gathering missions" it called selling via the GTN either as raw mats or as a finished crafted product. Where my guaranteed sellable/crafting item from my lock-box missions hmm?

 

Slicing is it own type of skill it sits half way between gathering and mission crew skills.

Edited December 31, 2011 by Kotli

[Arconon]

Repeat after me. Slicing is not a mission skill. Slicing is not a mission skill. Slicing is not a mission skill.

 

Slicing is a GATHERING skill. Therefore the most profit is when you go out into the world and slice nodes. Do the nodes need a bit of adjusting? Maybe, but the mission are pretty much fine.

 

True but I had to give up a mission skill for it and would rather have a useful mission skill to send my companions on!

 

Most players sacrificed their corresponding mission skill for slicing so they can still lvl their craft with their other gathering skill. So for me (and I guess) most it's a substitute for a mission skill, even though it is technically a gathering skill.

 

That is probably the problem with the skill: the way it worked initially, it was a great substitute for a mission skill and that's why people chose it (they didn't primarily choose it for gathering). Now for me it's useless because it is NOT a substitute for a mission skill anymore. That's why I want to get rid of it ASAP.

 

And that's why I want a dev response so I know it's not going to be changed again with the next patch......................

[Ixalor]

Seems like a lot of overreaction and too little analysis.

 

Slicing is still profitable, based on my tests. After 353 missions, here's how it breaks down:

 

Rank 1: 6 missions for an average loss of 99 credits per mission. This is the only rank that loses money. Get over it.

 

Rank 2: 41 missions for an average profit of 5 credits per mission. Not stellar? It's rank 2. Get over it.

 

Rank 3: 61 missions for an average profit of 109 credits per mission. Getting better...

 

Rank 4: 88 missions for an average profit of 288 credits per mission.

 

Rank 5: 101 missions for an average profit of 335 credits per mission.

 

Rank 6: 56 missions for an average profit of 216 credits per mission.

 

Notice how Rank 1 starts you off with an average loss of about 100 credits per mission and then your average profit per mission increases by something around 100 credits per rank after that?

 

The "sweet spot" seems to be Rank 5 Rich and Bountiful missions. Once you max out and run only those, you might average over 500 credits profit per mission.

 

Slicing is profitable. You just have to know how to do it and get through the lower levels. If you do the math on the above, you'll see that I've made just over 71,000 credits of profit on slicing missions (ONLY missions; I'm not tracking nodes I find while adventuring) since the "nerf".

 

In the immortal words of the Governator, "Stop whining!"

 

 

Now much did you make per minute? How long in minutes did take for you to do the missions. 100 missions x 3 people with the average 15-30 minutes missions 10hrs? for 71k credits?

 

For 5 hours and 40 minutes of doing missions with one companion I received a profit of 14,186. This is mission time mind you.

 

Companion 2 and 3 did not do nearly as well as the guy with +2 critical to slicing.

#2

3.5hrs over 10 missions gained 7.3k profit

 

#3

 

1857 credits over 3hrs and 20 minutes is sad.

 

I would be happy to share with you my 10 mission stats I did yesterday for all 3 companions.

[Dekadez]

Post nerf, to me, slicing was something that could make a tidy profit and sometimes bring missions or blue prints.

 

Past nerf, to me, slicing is something that eats into your wallet and almost never return mission or cybertech blue prints.

 

I assume you meant Pre nerf.

[Arconon]

*snip*

 

I like most of what I've read of others posts supporting slicing since it already has a terrible life span in its current state. Credits will devalue over time. period. Look at any MMO and tell me that doesn't happen. Slicing does not "increase" its rewards over time as the value depreciates.

 

*snip*

 

So true.

I've played WoW (sorry to bring up this example but most know what I'm talking about... ;^) since the first day of EU beta and most of the AH prices have increased between 100 and 1000 times of vanilla prices....

[Zennshi]

Seems like a lot of overreaction and too little analysis.

 

Slicing is still profitable, based on my tests. After 353 missions, here's how it breaks down:

 

Rank 1: 6 missions for an average loss of 99 credits per mission. This is the only rank that loses money. Get over it.

 

Rank 2: 41 missions for an average profit of 5 credits per mission. Not stellar? It's rank 2. Get over it.

 

Rank 3: 61 missions for an average profit of 109 credits per mission. Getting better...

 

Rank 4: 88 missions for an average profit of 288 credits per mission.

 

Rank 5: 101 missions for an average profit of 335 credits per mission.

 

Rank 6: 56 missions for an average profit of 216 credits per mission.

 

Notice how Rank 1 starts you off with an average loss of about 100 credits per mission and then your average profit per mission increases by something around 100 credits per rank after that?

 

The "sweet spot" seems to be Rank 5 Rich and Bountiful missions. Once you max out and run only those, you might average over 500 credits profit per mission.

 

Slicing is profitable. You just have to know how to do it and get through the lower levels. If you do the math on the above, you'll see that I've made just over 71,000 credits of profit on slicing missions (ONLY missions; I'm not tracking nodes I find while adventuring) since the "nerf".

 

In the immortal words of the Governator, "Stop whining!"

 

Profitng 20 credits on 30 minute missions over the course of 100000 missions will indeed yield 2mil credits, which is profitable. However, you are missing the part where ...

 

 

It really isn't worth it when you compare it to other professions. This is not about gathering vs crafting vs mission skills, this is about a crew skill that the angry kids got nerfed into a skill NOT being worth the time invested

[Zakkana]

Profitng 20 credits on 30 minute missions over the course of 100000 missions will indeed yield 2mil credits, which is profitable. However, you are missing the part where ...

 

 

It really isn't worth it when you compare it to other professions. This is not about gathering vs crafting vs mission skills, this is about a crew skill that the angry kids got nerfed into a skill NOT being worth the time invested

 

Exactly. It's only profitable if you just sit there doing it over and over again... or you bot.