[Discussion] Economic Changes in Patch 1.1.5

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http://www.swtor.com/blog/economic-changes-patch-1.1.5

Hi everyone,

Massively Multiplayer Online games are built around living, breathing worlds that are always evolving, and Star Wars™: The Old Republic™ is no different. In our upcoming Game Update 1.2, we’ll be introducing a wide assortment of new features and content, while also introducing a number of improvements and changes to the in-game economy.

As we work to create a more player-driven economy, you can expect significant improvements to Crew skills, and an extension of Crew skill gameplay, such as item creation and research, into the Elder-Game content. You’ll also see new items brought into the game, including new schematics, Legacy items, a new tier of Player vs Player and Player vs Environment weapons and armor, Legacy items, new schematics, and the ability to extract base-mods from purple items, as well as many other changes and improvements.

Weekly patch 1.1.5 (which is now on the Public Test Server) implements a number of changes in preparation of the upcoming Game Update, including the much requested removal of Light Side / Dark Side requirements on color crystals.

As it is expected when large scale changes are made to an economic system, enterprising players often find interesting opportunities to benefit from their knowledge about the changes beforehand (for example by studying test server patch notes).

With patch 1.1.5, we’ve decided to embrace these economic entrepreneurs and even go a step further:
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By publishing a series of rumors and stories that are coming in across both the Imperial and Republic news wires, we are providing all of you with advance knowledge about some of the things to come in the near future…

Korrealis Corporation, a family-owned personal transportation company based out of Balmorra, has announced that, in response to a sharp increase in customer complaints, all production of the ‘Sovereign’, ‘Prince’, 'Baron' and 'Commander' speeder lines has been halted indefinitely. This announcement comes on the heels of the rumor that Tirsa Industrial Consortium has quietly ceased production of their less than successful 'Prime' model, which faced similar blowback.

Vehicle Vendors across the galaxy have been advised to clear out any remaining stock of these models, and many Vendors have begun offering steep discounts to entice potential customers. Collectors and investors may want to take note that the previous limitations governing the resale of some vehicles seem to have been lifted and are encouraged to use the opportunity to purchase these legacy vehicles while they are still available.
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After several months of deliberation, the Republic Senate's Committee on Transportation and Public Safety has passed new regulations that, among other things, adjust the cost of speeder licenses. Once these regulations are signed by the Supreme Chancellor in the coming weeks, prices for Tier I and Tier II speeder licenses across the galaxy are expected to see a significant decline. To help offset the loss of revenue generated by these licenses, taxes on all models of Tier III speeders will be significantly increased once the new regulation takes effect.

Critics claim that the resolution will only add to the serious strain on the Republic’s finances, while others see this as a vain attempt to keep on pace with the Imperial Transportation Authority, which recently passed a similar law.
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It’s been reported that Operatives of the Republic Strategic Intelligence Service have recovered several new variations of color crystal prototypes during a daring raid on a cutting edge Imperial Science Bureau outpost on Ilum. Among the items recovered are a number of rare, purple-hued color crystals, usually exclusive to Imperial-held worlds.

Republic scientists are confident that they will be able to reverse-engineer and potentially replicate the captured Imperial technology, including the color crystals, in a matter of weeks. While most of the prototypes are still being analyzed, it has been confirmed that the Imperial Science Bureau's "Project Expertise" at the Ilum outpost scored a major breakthrough in the crystal cutting process. While information on the new technology has been kept tightly guarded, we know that the process can create several variants of existing crystal colors which improve the crystal’s natural properties.

The seizure of this technology by the Strategic Intelligence Service has led to a race between the Sith Empire and Galactic Republic to mass produce the crystals. Advance shipments of these crystals have already been dispatched to their respective fleets for field testing, and both sides say that once they have cleared any safety concerns, and have finalized a safe and efficient means of mass distribution, the crystals will become available.
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In related news, a very limited number of pure white color crystals have been recovered by a Hutt-sponsored expedition into uncharted space. As of today, small stocks of these extremely rare and expensive crystals have started to appear in Vendor stocks at the primary Imperial and Republic transportation hubs. With no new shipments expected for several months, those wealthy enough to afford these crystals may find themselves in possession of a highly sought-after collectable.

Georg Zoeller
Principal Lead Combat Designer

Personally I love the story (lore if you want to call it) behind some of the changes that they're making. It makes it feel like there is a reason for the changes instead of "here, we're flipping a switch, have more stuff."

Edit~ Video's!

[Deleted]

OK, so all I can tell from that is that the 1.5M vehicles will be gone so you can never buy them again, ever, and then there's something about a discount as well.

Would someone like to clarify which vehicles will be gone forever and when, and whether those vehicles will be available at a discount before they're gone? I'm having a hard time decoding this piece of news.

Guessing the vehicles in question are those Korrealis Sovereign, Korrealis Prince, Korrealis Baron, Korrealis Commander (http://www.torhead.com/search/korrealis) and Korrealis Prime (no idea what this is)?

Also, apparently those 1.5M vehicles will then be BoE and can then be sold to other people and in the GTN as well?

Nasty little trick this, taking them away forever and making them tradeable... Now I feel like I have to make money to buy as many of them as I can before this change.

[Raeli]

I think it says this:

1.5Mill Vehicles will be CHEAPER, BIND ON EQUIP, and with the arrival of 1.2, no longer be available for purchase.

So yes, buy lots, and sell them slowly over the next year or two.

However, I would expect a bunch of new, cool looking Vehicles to arrive with 1.2 too, so be weary.

Also, the Colour Crystals will be BoE, however, I'd expect new, better ones for 1.2 also.

[LaughingMan]

This is amazing. If they could just add all of those to some kind of holonet or something in game, it would be pure gold.

[Deleted]

I can see the crystals having some use, but I don't much care for the vehicles. They are too big and too ugly. But then again I never went for any cosmetic stuff in WoW either, I was riding my normal NE epic mount (me being a NE) from vanilla to cata. And while I do have the cash to buy 10-15 of those, I won't bother.

The crystals may be useful though, at least I'm sure I'm gonna pop a few mil getting some of the more interesting ones (stat wise, I don't care much about color as both my 50s are non-jedis).

[Raeli]

Considering you can get the same stat crystals from Kaon Under Siege, I'm not seeing much point in the crystals. Certainly they'll be sold from the vendor well now, people want White and Purple crystals, however, they're not going to sell after 1.2 when they introduce crystals (and gear in general) with better stats.

[Deleted]

they're not going to sell after 1.2 when they introduce crystals (and gear in general) with better stats.

Well... It depends on what color those new crystals with better stats are, and what kind of a stat increase they give. Something like +2-5 to a single stat is hardly anything to write home about. If the new crystals are the same old boring colors, then I'd say the only ones switching to the new crystals will be math min-maxers who are only interested in seeing a higher number on their character screen, mainly because...

people want White and Purple crystals

In fact, if you ask me - and I know you didn't and wouldn't - the color crystals should never have had any stats on them whatsoever. It should be a purely cosmetic choice. Oh well...

[Koalachan]

Considering you can get the same stat crystals from Kaon Under Siege, I'm not seeing much point in the crystals. Certainly they'll be sold from the vendor well now, people want White and Purple crystals, however, they're not going to sell after 1.2 when they introduce crystals (and gear in general) with better stats.

People on my server don't like doing Kaon. It's the hardest thing to get a group for, so most people don't even have the Kaon crystals.

[ohnoto]

People on my server don't like doing Kaon. It's the hardest thing to get a group for, so most people don't even have the Kaon crystals.

I do Kaon a couple nights a week with my guild. We've got it down to getting through in less than a hour, knowing which groups to skip and what to pull.

[Koalachan]

I do Kaon a couple nights a week with my guild. We've got it down to getting through in less than a hour, knowing which groups to skip and what to pull.

Yea, my guild is so slow to level. We're up to 4 50s now, one of which is the tank I was always pugging with, and the other two I haven't seen much since they hit 50.

[Raeli]

People on my server don't like doing Kaon. It's the hardest thing to get a group for, so most people don't even have the Kaon crystals.

Strange, it's very easy and quick if you skip the annoying trash, and it's 2 columi helms as well, it's not bad loot.

In fact, if you ask me - and I know you didn't and wouldn't - the color crystals should never have had any stats on them whatsoever. It should be a purely cosmetic choice. Oh well...

Yeah, I think they should have just been random things you could get, like the Magenta Crystal, but giving no stats. Of course, you get some basic ones pretty easily, from a vendor here and there, the common ones, and then the rare ones should require you to do some stuff like the Magenta one, however, once you have it, then you have it.

The problem is, everyone would just get those crystals and then there would never be any point in that slot any more. I get the reasoning for having stats, and it makes sense, but yeah, I would like to just be able to hoard all the colours and switch as my mood changes :P

[Deleted]

Hey guys, long time lurker, first time poster here.

I got a question concerning the mounts that require a specific social and valor level (respectively the red one requiring level 65 and the yellowish one requiring social X). Can we buy them eventhough we don't meet the requirements? I'm a mount collector, and Eventhough i do not meet requirement to use the mount item at the moment, i was wondering if I could buy them anyway, let the "mount item" sleep in my bank while i raise my valor / social level? I'm at work at the moment and can't check.

Thanks in advance for your answers!

[Idoru]

I think it says this:

1.5Mill Vehicles will be CHEAPER, BIND ON EQUIP, and with the arrival of 1.2, no longer be available for purchase.

I'm not so sure about the BOE part.

Collectors and investors may want to take note that the previous limitations governing the resale of some vehicles seem to have been lifted and are encouraged to use the opportunity to purchase these legacy vehicles while they are still available.

After seeing some PTS reports I'm pretty sure this means that they are removing the use/buy restrictions. The Korealis Baron is currently limited to the VIP vendor, but on the PTS it is available from the normal speeder vendor on Fleet.

[Deleted]

I guess that answers my question, at least not for now, but for later. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Shamburger]

I'm not so sure about the BOE part.

After seeing some PTS reports I'm pretty sure this means that they are removing the use/buy restrictions. The Korealis Baron is currently limited to the VIP vendor, but on the PTS it is available from the normal speeder vendor on Fleet.

I did see a video of the PTR where the mount vendor on the Fleet had all three of the Korrealis mounts for sale so I assume that yes, that's what it means.

[Deleted]

The mount fiend that i am is happy.

[Qwell]

[url]
Personally I love the story (lore if you want to call it) behind some of the changes that they're making. It makes it feel like there is a reason for the changes instead of "here, we're flipping a switch, have more stuff."

totally agree. this was great toilet material!

but on a serious note, purple crystals for rep and cyan for imps, and WHITE crystals for err-ey-body? new/limited stock vehicles (gotta collect 'em all)? this is awesome stuff. every day i get more reasons to log in. good shit.

[quras]

Of course it all has to be done right but I think this is a good move.

BW will do their best to bleed a good bit of the excess money from teh players.

As far as mounts goes, They can give those away for free for all I care.

The crystal restriction change is good cause there is no restrictions in canon. Maybe a social looked down on restriction but anyone could use any color. I'm good with that.

The riding cost was never anything but a credit sink anyway. The little each step gives you in speed is a joke. Again, they could give it away and it would be no big deal.

The selling of crystals - This is good for now as long as BW indeed fixes professions.

It will bleed a little more cash from the players and opens the door for the major change to artifice coming. I'd almost bet that the changes to artifice that come with 1.2 will give better patterns than +41 to artifice, though not by a huge amount. Maybe +51 but it will open the door for Artifice marketing where there had not bee one before to any great extent.

Makes me wonder whats going to happen to the other professions. Exciting times coming in SWTOR.

[Shamburger]

This game definitely needs more credit sinks and this was a good way to do it.

Edited the OP with the videos from Brum's channel that I couldn't find earlier.

[Profyrion]

Interesting. Thanks.