perwira
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Posts
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Like the OP, I'm also looking for another MMO to try out. Although I'm a veteran wargamer (both on the board and on the PC) and RPG'er (dating back to the original P&P 20-sided dice D&D), CoX is the first and only MMO I've played to date.
From all the responses I've read so far, D&DO and LotRO look like what I'd be most interested in next, and perhaps STO when it comes out. What I'm looking for are:
1. A wide range of archetypes/classes and associated powers/capability combinations to choose from, with plenty of 'alt' space in the account
2. Full early/mid game content as well as open-ended end game content (more the journey than the destination, or even no destination)
3. A logical, balanced and robust game mechanics and combat resolution system, with a reasonably intelligent (possibly player-adjusted for difficulty) AI.
4. Ease of solo ability as well as online team play.
5. Varied, multi-branched quests, storylines, campaigns/arcs, with choices even at the lower levels.
6. An integrated economy and crafting/building capability, but not so dominant that it detracts too much from play time or becomes a requirement to create an effective character at their relative level
7. Difficulty level adjustable by player (from easy to impossible, least to most, with more than one variable)
8. Design-your-own (DYO) quests/battles/missions/maps/enemies
9. Preference to buy game, then play free or buy/download game, then play a flat subscription fee without having constantly pay for extras to improve/enhance characters (i.e., how good your characters can be/look does not depend on paying RL money for extras).
One reason I've stayed with (and will continue to stay with) CoX for almost a year now is that it provides for all of these things in one way or another.
Question, then: How do the other MMO's (including D&DO and LotRO) stack up given these 9 criteria?
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Quote:If market behavior is any indication, we're actually not past the point of pent up demand for purple recipes. There is a large base of players with inf to spend who are still seeking to improve the slotting and sets for their 50th level characters.Originally Posted by Panzerwaffen
I'm definitely surprised that prices have not dropped much more sharply. I expected there to be some pent up demand that would take a bit to work itself out, but I think we're way past that point now, yet prices are still up there.
Cat posted a thread a while ago about supply, demand and elasticity, and it appears that the demand for purple recipes is relatively inelastic, i.e., players are still willing to pay premium prices for difficult-to-obtain premium sets even though the supply has increased moderately.
I'm currently bidding on 4 sets for two toons and just obtained one at about 75% of the going rate. Given the current and possibly long-term inelastic market behavior, it will (continue to) be difficult to obtain them at less than that. -
Quote:You'll get what you're asking and probably quite a bit more.Originally Posted by eryq2
Troo, i placed a BAS. GAZE quad up for an unrealistic amount for a lev 21, but the 30 is 3x as high and there are no other ones avail. near that level. We'll see. lol.
I have one red-side toon working the whole level spread on a different (proc) recipe, and while the faster-moving top and bottom ones are going for and getting snapped up at premium prices, the whole range in between is up for grabs with patient bids. Just on this proc alone with a login every other day or so, over about 3 months he is well over the 1b mark. -
Quote:Everything else (including market play) aside, we play this game to enjoy doing what we do with our characters, from conception to level 50 and beyond. The whole purpose of influence/infamy (as well as merits) is to apply it towards improving our characters' capabilities.Originally Posted by Rodion
The problem with any market scheme is that if more than a couple of people do it, it no longer works. You wind up competing with someone else for the same market niche, outbidding each other for the same items, until it's no longer profitable.
You need to take the general principle "buy low/sell high" and find some unique niche to apply that to. Getting the specific items to buy and sell from suggestions on the forums guarantees you're going to be competing for that niche with someone else.
Find your own niche (something that sells for a lot that you know how to get cheaply) and keep mum about it. Odds are you won't be able to keep that niche forever; you'll need to adapt over time as conditions change.
Time was you could buy base salvage in bulk for pennies, craft base components from that and then sell the components for a hundred or thousand times profit. I have no idea what people were using those components for (self buffs maybe?), but that stopped working when they unified base and invention salvage. I made millions that way, back when millions was real money
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There is no one trick to getting rich. The "easiest" way is to just play the game and have fun with your level 50 character, defeating tons of level 50 mobs. One day, when you're least expecting it, a purple recipe will drop and you will become much richer. Or you might just want to use that recipe for yourself. Just make sure your salvage and recipe inventories are never full!
Inf comes from both play and trade. How much of it comes from play and how much from trade is a personal preference that also reflects on how our characters are built.
As far as the market goes, perhaps it's more a market service than it is a "market scheme". There are many players in the game who prefer the immediate convenience of an offered item than to go through the time and logistics to bid and gather the materials and craft it. In short, crafters and marketeers are earning influence/infamy by taking the time and effort in providing this immediate convenience to other heroes/villians.
As a gamer, it's a boon to give my characters the best advantages they can get so that they can contribute with a team as well as take on things on their own through skilled game play and market play. -
Quote:Well, that's half of it right there. Once you find a good niche or three, you can settle on it, although some more experienced folks might move around between a larger number of niches.Originally Posted by BalleRyan
I'm still trying to find the right recipes to buy, make, and then sell.
Having played this game still less than a year, I'll just say I know it took me a while to understand the whole IO system and offerings (comprehensively listed on Paragon wiki) as well as scrolling through the market offerings to see how it plays out. Go for it. Decide to invest a chunk of your inf, find a niche (just one can be enough!), experiment a little bit where it makes sense, maybe spread your bids. Inf is easy to make. -
Quote:Totally agree here. I can spend only several minutes to work the rack and craft while earning a huge amount of inf that I've never been able to get through normal play in the same amount of time. In fact, it's not even close, with crafted sales profit being in the tens of millions for minutes of effort. I can see, however, how a fast and furious farm build might regularly get the top-end (purple) drops and earn just as much in the same time frame as a shrewd crafter and marketeer.Originally Posted by Fulmens
There may be faster ways.
EDIT: For instance, I just bought two recipes for 23 million (each), instantly buying them, added 2.5 million of instabought salvage, crafted (.5 million) and listed for 43 million. Last 5 sales are 50-60 million and they're all in the last 24 hours. If I get ONLY what I asked, instead of the 50 million I expect, that's 26 million in, 4.3 million to Mr. Wentworth and 12.7 million profit. I did it twice, so call it 25 million inf in less than 20 minutes' work (with roughly a 24 hour delay for inf delivery.) And that's villainside, where it's relatively hard to make money. -
Quote:So then go at 0/x8 or 0/x-whatever you're capable of? The very rare drops carry a lot of weight in inf earning capability, but is the difference between 49 and 50 that great? At least from what I've seen on the market, this seems to be the case.Originally Posted by Another_Fan
Yes it allows for purples the downside is all your pool A drops come in at 49
A question for you: What about a 45th level bots/traps mm who can handle the Cim wall (51+)? What setting would you suggest then? I've been running with a +2/2 for content but I'm not sure that's the best setting either. -
Quote:Hot dragon breath.Originally Posted by Postagulous
"No Dragon Tail, Fail."
Although forum rep has its limitations and opportunities for abuse, it's moderately useful. I've gotten quite a few positive comments about posts I considered carefully. And frequently I've shared quite a few positive reps with posters who make positive, creative, informative posts which accumulates with their existing positive rep, and this in large part is where my own rep comes from. Very rarely have I given a negative rep, and none recently, with the basic philosophy that if I don't have something nice to say (or give) then I don't give it at all. -
Quote:Yup, that sounds about right. It'll vary between AT power sets and this looks to be in the right ballpark for many of them. I've got an mid/upper 20 Ill/Storm Controller and Kheldian, both franken-slotted along with a few 4-sets. A few cheap lower level IO's obtained earlier in the teen levels gradually got replaced with better ones at 22+. By my estimate, each spent about 8-10m, although I did it progressively over the levels instead of in one shot. Often a major cost item wasn't the recipes but the rare salvage bits that sometimes goes for over 1m inf but will occasionally drop for a quite a bit less with a patient bid. You make a good point that an economy build can still be a highly effective one with careful power selection and slotting.Originally Posted by dave_p
Followed this thread from the one about shortage of mid level IOs. Just to share my recent experience...
So, conservatively 10~12M to fully frankenslot a lvl 27 toon w/o being particularly cheap about it (but w/o paying silly NAO! prices either). I could prolly do it for 8M too, I just didn't feel like it. Really, sounds about right, and far, far superior to any SO or generic IO slotting even w/o any set bonuses (of which there are a few useful ones, even through frankenslotting). -
Quote:Not to be too nit-picky with you (having studied 2 years of college undergrad economics), but these graphs show the Price/Demand slope, not the Supply/Demand slope! There is no supply variable here. All these two graphs serve to show is the comparison between elastic and inelastic demand relative to price - that is, how many people are willing to pay what price, with more people willing to pay a lower price and fewer willing to pay a higher price. If people are more sensitive to prices, then the demand is more elastic. Also in real world (and I'm sure within game) context, the graphs are rarely linear, but curved instead.Originally Posted by Catwhoorg
http://www.coatingsworld.com/article...ess-corner.php
Whilst doing one of those busy for a minute then wait for 5 repetitive tasks laboratory work is famous for, I was catching up on my background reading.
Came accross the above article in my paper copy, then wen to find the online versions.
Its a nice little primer on supply and demand, and some of the reasons why in real-life somethings have s/D curves which are elastic and others are inelastic.
Edited to add: In real world and game terms, the article does make a point of interest: "Demand elasticity is based on two critical criteria—availability of substitutes and, urgency of need." This where the lack of a substitute (i.e., for a rare or unique enhancement) and the urgency (i.e., nao!) come into play.
For an article that combines all three factors of supply, demand and price: http://www.investopedia.com/universi...economics3.asp and the following page on elasticity. The same factors are mentioned regarding elasticity:
1. The availability of substitutes
2. Amount of income available to spend on the good
3. Time -
Just as there are different archetypes, there are different kinds of people playing those archetypes. People will have varying levels of overall game play experience and skill, archetype experience and skill, risk aversion (habitual cautiousness on one end and constantly pushing the limit on the other end), seriousness/playfulness attitude, chattiness, and so on. You can take the same 8 characters and 8 different people will play those characters in a completely different way, both individually and as a team, depending on who they are.
Unless you always play with the same group of friends and SG members, you're going to experience a wide range of players with different types of play, skilled or unskilled, cautious or daring, attentive or not attentive to details, and so on. It comes with the turf. I think in some ways it tests you even more as a player (and a person) than if you're playing with people you already know. It's a test of your patience, your willingness to communicate and give suggestions, as well as a test of how well you can play your character under less than ideal circumstances.
In almost a year, I've never kicked anyone from a team, although there have been a few times it crossed my mind or a teammate's mind. I have been on TF's before where initially it looked like it was going to be impossible to accomplish it given the way a player or some players were playing. But as many times as not, people adjust to each other, particularly when they do chat and give suggestions to each other and when things are actually done right we get a morale boost from a successful battle or mission, when things start to click. Sometimes players don't even realize what other AT's are on the team (not looking it up, which I try to make a habit of doing, but can't claim to always do) until they've experienced a few battles with their team mates and then adjust their tactics and play style accordingly.
And I would never presume to know best what another player's role is. They know themselves best as a player and their character's capabilities. Maybe their build is designed for a slightly unorthodox 'role' or an alternate 'role' more typical of a another archetype. True, sometimes a player doesn't know better and has built up some bad play habits that will take some effort for them to change. People are like that - creatures of habit - so I also wouldn't assume that they would change their play habits even after they react positively to suggestions on how to improve them.
In short - at least from the way I see it, having played with many different varieties of pick up teams - grin and bear it. Sometimes I've had the most fun with a gaggle of inexperienced players, even it meant I had to be that much quicker on my feet and test my own character's limits in situations where there is less than ideal individual or team play.
Sometimes a 'problem' can be an opportunity.
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Quote:Yes, click on the Badge option on your Nav bar, pull it down and click on the Invention radio button. Here, it will show all of your invention badges. There will (or should) be an entry for the Colonel. If it's there and full, you have it. If it's there and the bar is less than full, you can move the mouse over the bar, where it might say something like "14 of 17 completed" (I forget the exact wording). If it's less than 17, you'll need to cook up a few 25 and/or 30 Accuracy.Originally Posted by Catwhoorg
There should be a progress bar for the colonel saying something like 16 of 17 completed.
My guess is that it was just a hiccup, but if it is saying 17 of 17 and not giving the badge, then it needs to be bugged
I have three field crafters and I can say from experience that there have been times I was short when I thought I had crafted what was necessary. (Edited to add: And there were a couple of times I thought I didn't have it when I already did, but it was buried below the other most recent badges!)
Hope this helps and good luck on getting your field crafter badge! It's a boon to have, although it takes a lot of work. -
Quote:Hey, aren't we supposed to take the offensive against the mobs we face? (pun intended)Originally Posted by SunGryphon
For once, I have the perfect image to post AND I can actually post THE IMAGE.
(FWIW, I like Young 14 for a soft Asian look. However, the number 14 is not considered an auspicious one in that part of the world. Even office and hotel elevators will have a 13 and 13A instead of a 14.) -
Quote:Pretty much this. Good post.Originally Posted by Rodion
You actually don't need to store everything up front. If you just buy IOs on the market ahead of time as you can use them starting at level 12...
The key is to keep the IOs you'll need for the next couple of levels on your character. Then you can also buy or craft what you need ahead of time at your leisure.
If you have a crafter character you can outfit your alts with level 30 IOs for much less than the cost of SOs (excluding salvage)...
I adopt the same basic philosophy of collecting what I need 2-3 levels ahead with patient bids that will fill by the time I reach those levels. As much as possible, I plan the set IO's in advance, usually starting with multi-aspect IO frankenslots and putting generics in those powers that don't take sets.
I have one field crafter on each side & server where I have characters and they'll be the ones who craft the generic IO's for storage in the base and later slotting by the lower-level alt characters. (I even provide this as a service to other established SG members who are free to take the generic IO's off the rack.)
It's surprising how these lower-level characters will still accumulate quite a lot of inf even without much market play while slotting their builds with IO's. -
Quote:Yup.Originally Posted by Aggelakis
I believe perwira is directing the OP - not the lowbie - to kill some dudes, as a level 50 gets TONS of influence per kill, and can make 50k in about 2 mins of lazy work, 10 seconds of quick work.
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Quote:Or the simple physics of magnetic metals, medals aside.Originally Posted by Doughboy
He deserved that. He might have been top 10 at West Point, but I guess they didn't teach him how to use his compass.
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Quote:Just 50K? Sheesh, go take out a Rikti monkey or two.Originally Posted by Fusion_7
So last week I was gathering at the RWZ at the Vanguard Compound with my fellow teammates awaiting others for a TF when all of a sudden a level 2, yes that's right a level 2 Scrapper was inside the building running about begging for 50,000 in influence..lol. The question we were all asking ourselves was how in the heck did he get inside the RWZ being under the required level 35 to enter? Maybe it was just a glitch but it was funnier than hell to watch him jump around like his pants were on fire from one toon to another begging for influence...hehe. Anyone know how he might have got in?
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I'd settle for an unlimited respec option. A makeover, a tweak here, a tweak there, and I can handle the rest of it.
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Quote:True. In military history throughout the ages, as a general rule (no pun intended), the higher the rank, the less likely they are in proximity of actual combat.Originally Posted by Arcanaville
This does simultaneously illustrate the fact that ranks higher than Lt are less likely to be literally in combat (usually due to their higher responsibilities: its hard to see the bigger picture when you are also ducking from rifle shots), but it also shows their proximity to combat, at least under some conditions.
However, there are some notable well-documented exceptions. Alexander the Great and his Companions often enjoined in direct combat to turn the tide of the battle after it was initiated. In WW2, Rommel (widely considered a tanker, but just as much a highly skilled infantryman as his treatise on Infantry Tactics shows) was often found on the front line, sometimes with the advance recon units to personally assess the battlefield situation for himself, with numerous close calls. Likewise in WW2, after Stalin's purge of the officer corps earlier in the decade, Russian colonels were expected to be on the front line to keep their command intact and prevent desertions. Also, at least in 20th century warfare, some mission-critical special forces operations have been led by Colonels, although the force they command on the field for a specific operation may be a subset of their total command.
While it is rare for a commissioned officer, from Colonel up and even at the General level, to be in the line of fire, it isn't unheard of. -
Quote:Even as a non-leader of a TF team, I always ask what the plan is. I've seen already too many instances of a TF or even a mission group go completely astray in play without understanding how we intend to approach it and achieve our objectives as a team. The onus of this responsibility falls upon the team leader - as in real world combat, the squad leader.Originally Posted by StarGeek
The speed groups don't tell you what the plan is... Definitely in the not fun category for me.
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Quote:From experience, /signed.Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
I shouldn't have included the AFK example.
Zero debt isn't the problem... If people dont want to take part in the invasions, this is disrupting how they play the game, and enforcing things on them that shouldnt be.
Conceptually as well, it makes no sense for the trainers to be DANGEROUS areas.
Hereinafter, I'm at the trainers fully toggled and shielded. Blame me for the spamming. -
Quote:I care. I'm training, I have a next mission in the arc to carry out. And this? Nonsense.Originally Posted by Ironblade
And? So you died at the trainer. And? You got ZERO DEBT, so who cares?
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Quote:Trip mine = toe bomb.Originally Posted by brophog02
It's decent for what it does.
What it is, however, is replaceable by Trip mine, thereby making it functionally irrelevant. -
Quote:Actually, the AT's get along just fine. You are more correct in stating that it might be *individual players* playing those AT's who might not get along. But I wouldn't go so far as to say 'the tanker crowd'. I'm sure there are other illusionists here, as well as my own, who have never had a tanker (or a scrapper, or any other AT) take issue with an illusionist being on their team. Indeed, I've gotten some good compliments from the tankers and scrappers on my teams about how well we fight together. A good illusionist can accelerate the pace and speed at which enemies are taken out by the team.Originally Posted by EverStryke
So, it makes for 2 AT's that will probably never get along. Doesn't mean I am right and it doesnt mean you are right, it just means be prepared to meet those among the tanker crowd that can't stand and will not allow you to team with them.
Sure, in the hands of a poor player, an illusionist can mess things up. That's true, though, of any AT. On the other hand, to blindly exclude an AT from your team might mean missing having the asset of a highly skilled player on your team. But, as in all things in this game, that's your choice - neither right or wrong - just a chosen limitation. -
Quote:In actuality, there already is a price cap exactly a hundred times that amount.Originally Posted by RagManX
Good point. Devs, please put price caps in. Low millions? 20M tops.