A-Merits to buy Hero - Villain unique costume pieces
By
IanTheM1,
Posted on: 2010-09-27 08:43 in Suggestions and Ideas
Because spending even one merit worth, according to the exchange, 40 merits and 20,000,000 (20 Million) inf, on a costume piece should be a no-no. From the get go.
Hells, spending a H/V merit shoud unlock ALL thje costume pieces currently on offer for one each. I mean, the availability on the market is pretty accomodating anyway. Who in their right mind would spend a merit on a recipe worth about 100,000, if that?
Pointless locks on costume pieces are not fun (looking at you Nemesis rifle and Commander epaulets! ¬¬ )
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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Spending A-merits on costume items is currently a semi-joke. The game will let you waste an A-merit on a costume recipe that's probably only worth 100 INF much less a 100,000 INF or 20 million INF. 
Having said that I don't mind the idea of the Devs providing more costume recipes for new types of costume items in general. In fact ever since they came up with the "costume recipe" concept I've been expecting them to add to what's craftable that way.
But I don't exactly like the idea of restricting costume items to any particular alignment (even if it's just a restriction on how you can buy them). So far in this game there's absolutely no restriction on any AT, alignment or origin as far as costume items go. I don't really see any advantage for them to start doing that now.
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
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There have been a few, like the witch hat and the plain epaulets. Not that I support the idea.|
Originally Posted by Lothic
But I don't exactly like the idea of restricting costume items to any particular alignment (even if it's just a restriction on how you can buy them). So far in this game there's absolutely no restriction on any AT, alignment or origin as far as costume items go. I don't really see any advantage for them to start doing that now.
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Though, I'd totally be on board with Techbot's idea since it would mean I would never have to deal with Vanguard Merits ever again.
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Originally Posted by Lothic
Spending A-merits on costume items is currently a semi-joke. The game will let you waste an A-merit on a costume recipe that's probably only worth 100 INF much less a 100,000 INF or 20 million INF.
Having said that I don't mind the idea of the Devs providing more costume recipes for new types of costume items in general. In fact ever since they came up with the "costume recipe" concept I've been expecting them to add to what's craftable that way. But I don't exactly like the idea of restricting costume items to any particular alignment (even if it's just a restriction on how you can buy them). So far in this game there's absolutely no restriction on any AT, alignment or origin as far as costume items go. I don't really see any advantage for them to start doing that now. |
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Originally Posted by IanTheM1
There have been a few, like the witch hat and the plain epaulets. Not that I support the idea.
Though, I'd totally be on board with Techbot's idea since it would mean I would never have to deal with Vanguard Merits ever again. |
Tyger (50), Mutation-Controller Mind/FF - oldest Mind/FF on Union
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Originally Posted by Dispari
I don't know why Dink thinks she's not as sexy as Jay was. In 5 posts she's already upstaged his entire career.
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Yes things like the witch hat and the plain epaulets were technically restricted to certain ATs (hero ATs specifically) but now I18/GR has removed that restriction by allowing villains to crossover and earn those items as well. |
Originally Posted by IanTheM1
There have been a few, like the witch hat and the plain epaulets. Not that I support the idea.
Though, I'd totally be on board with Techbot's idea since it would mean I would never have to deal with Vanguard Merits ever again. |
I'm not strictly against the idea of making costume items that require you to earn certain badges be made available via other methods (INF, recipes, etc.) but I'm not sure I'd make those alternate methods themselves restricted to having to be a certain alignment to buy them. If they ever offered things that strictly required A-merits to buy then what happens to those items if you get them THEN switch alignments? Would you lose them because you needed A-merits to have them in the first place?
Ultimately I think it's far better to minimize the "must use A-merits as the main/only way to get a costume item" concept as much as possible.
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
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You mean forcing people to change alignment wether they want to or not, and do all of pretty much the most boring TFs in the game (bar SSTFs) to get one costume piece?|
Originally Posted by Lothic
Yes things like the witch hat and the plain epaulets were technically restricted to certain ATs (hero ATs specifically) but now I18/GR has removed that restriction by allowing villains to crossover and earn those items as well.
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Oh, and the accolade if they don't have it.
And so help me should anyone go "No ones forcing you blah blah blah-" That is the ONLY way to get epaulets without spikes on. If that is what is required for a concept, that is the ONLY way.
Same as the Redcap daggers. Kill 333 of the little b*ggers? Easy on blueside. Redside? You're stuffed unless someone has the event missions on a loop.
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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Clearly you hate the things that the game currently "forces" you to do to get these costume items.|
Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
You mean forcing people to change alignment wether they want to or not, and do all of pretty much the most boring TFs in the game (bar SSTFs) to get one costume piece?
Oh, and the accolade if they don't have it. And so help me should anyone go "No ones forcing you blah blah blah-" That is the ONLY way to get epaulets without spikes on. If that is what is required for a concept, that is the ONLY way. Same as the Redcap daggers. Kill 333 of the little b*ggers? Easy on blueside. Redside? You're stuffed unless someone has the event missions on a loop. |
That's fine - you're free to have your own opinion on that.
But all I see with the suggestion to make these things available via A-merits it yet ANOTHER restriction on them: You have to be a certain alignment to have A-merits to begin with. As the classic line goes: "Two wrongs don't make a right."
If the Devs ever provide any other way to get these things they should be via a way that is open to everyone regardless of AT or alignment (such as regular Merits or INF).
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
a-merits, r-merits, I don't care just let us buy the unlockable costume pieces already.
total kick to the gut
This is like having Ra's Al Ghul show up at your birthday party.
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Oh no, you misunderstand me.|
Originally Posted by Lothic
Clearly you hate the things that the game currently "forces" you to do to get these costume items.
That's fine - you're free to have your own opinion on that. But all I see with the suggestion to make these things available via A-merits it yet ANOTHER restriction on them: You have to be a certain alignment to have A-merits to begin with. As the classic line goes: "Two wrongs don't make a right." If the Devs ever provide any other way to get these things they should be via a way that is open to everyone regardless of AT or alignment (such as regular Merits or INF). |
I'm saying locking costume pieces away behind pointless barriers is a BAD idea.
The Epaulets should be available from creation. End of. Weapon unlocks? Make them for killing 100-200 of ANY of the faction. Like the Council guns do. The recipe drops work fine as they are, as they are not uncommon and also sell commonly on the market.
Stuff like the Nemesis Rifle and the Redcap daggers should burn and die in a hole. Filled with snakes.
Undead, toxic snakes.
With flame breath.
Or they should be easier to get and suck less.
That is all.
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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Like I said you clearly don't like the requirements to get these things and that's fine.
Obviously you're suggesting some kind of shortcut method to get these things. More power to you.
I realize you're going to think the Devs are pretty twisted and mean after I say this but I suspect part of the reason why the Devs made these items rewards for completing these tasks is precisely because many of the tasks in question are boring and tedious. It's quite possible if there was no bonus reward then NO ONE would do them. Chicken, meet egg.
Now obviously you could counter that point by blaming the Devs for making sucky content to begin with. True, many of these TFs/missions could be vastly improved to make them more interesting. But here's the rub: No matter what the Devs do to make their game more fun to play there's always going to be some part of it that everyone thinks is the most boring/sucky part. And guess what: whatever that part is will likely have a bonus reward like a costume item attached to it to make people want to run it.
You can either let this issue continue to frustrate you or just let it go.
The choice is ultimately yours.
P.S. I've had all these things unlocked for years on many alts so I hardly give them a second thought even if it was a BAD idea... *shrugs*
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
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Sorry, I don't buy that.|
Originally Posted by Lothic
Like I said you clearly don't like the requirements to get these things and that's fine.
Obviously you're suggesting some kind of shortcut method to get these things. More power to you. I realize you're going to think the Devs are pretty twisted and mean after I say this but I suspect part of the reason why the Devs made these items rewards for completing these tasks is precisely because many of the tasks in question are boring and tedious. It's quite possible if there was no bonus reward then NO ONE would do them. Chicken, meet egg. Now obviously you could counter that point by blaming the Devs for making sucky content to begin with. True, many of these TFs/missions could be vastly improved to make them more interesting. But here's the rub: No matter what the Devs do to make their game more fun to play there's always going to be some part of it that everyone thinks is the most boring/sucky part. And guess what: whatever that part is will likely have a bonus reward like a costume item attached to it to make people want to run it. You can either let this issue continue to frustrate you or just let it go. The choice is ultimately yours. P.S. I've had all these things unlocked for years on many alts so I hardly give them a second thought even if it was a BAD idea... *shrugs* |
Reason? Well, these things were run before weapon customisation even existed. So the 'Running it for the reward' arguement is flawed from the get go. Not to mention most people run the TFs for the merits and, more importantly, the rather nifty accolade anyway. Isn't that enough reward without also gating a decent costume part behind some rather ardous content?
The weapon unlocks are, with the exception of the Council weapons, tied to specific badges. And, for the most part, it's these badge choices that suck.
Red Caps; Heroes get a whole zone full, totally inaccesible to Villains most of the year round
Fake Nems; Incredibly hard to find redside, spawn plenty blueside on Peregrine
Family Bosses; Better than they were, but still 1/2 don't actually give progress to the badge redside.
Paragon Protectors: Entire missions filled with nothing but in Portal Corps, very rare spawns in the Fab in GV Redside, and all at level 53
So...really, that arguement is so much hogwash.
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
|
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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If argument is hogwash then explain why -you- think the Devs designed it to work the way it does that doesn't include something like "They're just mean poopy-heads" or "the Devs hate villains". |
Originally Posted by Techbot Alpha
Sorry, I don't buy that.
Reason? Well, these things were run before weapon customisation even existed. So the 'Running it for the reward' arguement is flawed from the get go. Not to mention most people run the TFs for the merits and, more importantly, the rather nifty accolade anyway. Isn't that enough reward without also gating a decent costume part behind some rather ardous content? The weapon unlocks are, with the exception of the Council weapons, tied to specific badges. And, for the most part, it's these badge choices that suck. Red Caps; Heroes get a whole zone full, totally inaccesible to Villains most of the year round Fake Nems; Incredibly hard to find redside, spawn plenty blueside on Peregrine Family Bosses; Better than they were, but still 1/2 don't actually give progress to the badge redside. Paragon Protectors: Entire missions filled with nothing but in Portal Corps, very rare spawns in the Fab in GV Redside, and all at level 53 So...really, that arguement is so much hogwash. |
P.S. I've unlocked all these things on villains prior to I18/GR as well. It's hard but hardly impossible.
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
Costume/Accessory unlocks with merits... hmm. If this were to happen I might actually use them.
It's 106 miles to Grandville, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing faceless helmets
... Hit it ...
... Hit it ...
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As long as you're talking "normal" merits and not A-merits that'd probably be fine.|
Originally Posted by Jet_Boy
Costume/Accessory unlocks with merits... hmm. If this were to happen I might actually use them.
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Assuming of course the Devs ever consider -any- alternate method to get these things.
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
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Yet they gave a-merits to get purples and PVP recipes. Merits and a-merits to get other IOs.|
Originally Posted by Lothic
As long as you're talking "normal" merits and not A-merits that'd probably be fine.
Assuming of course the Devs ever consider -any- alternate method to get these things. |
So they gave two alternate paths to most IOs and one alternate (a-merits) for all IOs.
It's pretty ridiculous to maintain that costume unlocks are more precious than IOs and they increased the costume recipes drop rate when people objected to their rarity 3 years ago.
If anything having costumes as unlockable flies contrary to their other actions especially the recent ones.
total kick to the gut
This is like having Ra's Al Ghul show up at your birthday party.
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Actually, I think the worth of something is in the eye of the specific buyer. Tell me a house it worth 1 million dollars, but if I don't like the floor plan... it's not worth 1 dollar to me.|
Originally Posted by SwellGuy
It's pretty ridiculous to maintain that costume unlocks are more precious than IOs and they increased the costume recipes drop rate when people objected to their rarity 3 years ago.
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For example, My use of merits is limited to the occasional purchase of some rare piece of salvage that a friend might need (thanks to global inf emailing, I no longer even use them for auction-able items to provide easy cash for a newer toon because I don't want to find someone to play middleman.). Hell, I'd hand them out like Halloween Candy if I could. I very rarely use IOs and could care less about Purples, Proc, and Set Recipes. So... to me, these are worthless to me as are the merits themselves.
However I like costumes, especially accouterments and alt modes for powers. I also detest having to jump thorough hoops (like waiting for a Rikti event and gathering all three event badges just to unlock a Rikti sword) or waiting until a ridiculous level just to jump thorough hoops get an item for a costume (like 30+ so I can go harvest Family Bosses in St. Martial). So, for me... unlocking, say the Tommy Gun for a gangster character or Rocket Boots for a tech toon without having to deal with all the strings would be worth 1, 5, heck... 20 Normal and/or A-Merits.
So. while some players might value IOs quite highly, for myself and others of the same mindset costume unlocks are so very much much more precious than IOs to us.. I really can't see any reasonable reason why unlocks couldn't be offered as another option for merit use alongside of IOs and salvage.
It's 106 miles to Grandville, we got a full tank of gas, half a pack of cigarettes, it's dark and we're wearing faceless helmets
... Hit it ...
... Hit it ...
Personally, I'm all for this, for a couple of reasons:
1. It gives me a way to get level 40+ costume pieces, such as the Rularuu, Vanguard and Cimeroran weapons as early as level 20, as well as giving me a more fun way to get them than badge-hunting when I hate badge-hunting with a passion.
2. I want to see as many different ways to unlock these locked costumes to the point of this becoming trivial, just to show how bad of an idea locked costume are, especially if they're actually good.
Speaking of which, would anyone like to help me unlock the Rularuu sword on a character I may or may not be making at some point in the future?
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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So you want to try to convince somebody (in this case the Devs) to go through the extra effort to change the way they did something in order to retroactively prove to them that the original way they did that something was wrong? Basically your "evidence" for why locked costume items are bad is the mere fact that they -could- be offered to us unlocked?|
Originally Posted by Samuel_Tow
I want to see as many different ways to unlock these locked costumes to the point of this becoming trivial, just to show how bad of an idea locked costume are, especially if they're actually good.
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I realize you and others don't like locked costume items, but trying to claim they are bad simply because they are only one of many game design choices the Devs had at their disposal is probably not going to convince the Devs to do anything about this.
If you guys can come up with some valid evidence that locked costume items are somehow game-breaking or otherwise harmful to the game then you might have a case. Otherwise simply "not wanting to unlock them" is probably not going to be enough to do it for you.
Loth 50 Fire/Rad Controller [1392 Badges] [300 non-AE Souvenirs]
Ryver 50 Ele� Blaster [1392 Badges]
Silandra 50 Peacebringer [1138 Badges] [No Redside Badges]
--{=====> Virtue ♀
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I want to see unlockable costumes become entirely and completely trivial to unlock. That's the extent of it. Once they're trivial to unlock, I will no longer care about having to unlock them and just go from there. And who knows? Maybe somewhere along the line the triviality will be noticed and the locks will be outright removed.|
Originally Posted by Lothic
So you want to try to convince somebody (in this case the Devs) to go through the extra effort to change the way they did something in order to retroactively prove to them that the original way they did that something was wrong? Basically your "evidence" for why locked costume items are bad is the mere fact that they -could- be offered to us unlocked?
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I forget who it was, but someone was ranting about how costume recipes were so common they may as well be sold in shops at this point. That's the attitude I'm trying to foster.
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Originally Posted by Arcanaville
Samuel_Tow is the only poster that makes me want to punch him in the head more often when I'm agreeing with him than when I'm disagreeing with him.
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Hi!
Being the shop-aholic that I am, and they way I look is so important to me, after all why be a hero or Villain if you can't look good while doing your thing?
So I thought, would it not be really nifty, if the devs created some form of wearable jewelry (medals come to mind) or very special costume pieces that can only be acquired through alignment merits?
Hugs
Stormy