Future Cartel Reputation systems incoming...

[notorious98]

Your 'proof' is in fact not proof. It is your interpretation of evidence and I have a differing interpretation.

If you can show me where I said I had "proof", I'd be more than willing to see it. Don't worry, I'll continue waiting for that and your evidence to the contrary of what I've said. I.E. Show me the benefits they've implemented for the subscriber with this particular implementation of "content". Or how the Cartel Market is "content" for the subscriber. Show me how I can possibly interpret what we've all seen in the same manner that you are. Explain why the Cartel Packs have far better looking armor than currently in game along with better mounts ("Pleasure skiffs" vs. "Shitty Blue Eyeball").

So, now we are back to the old standby of insinuating that person is a fanboy. Nice job, I am so devastated.

Nobody insinuated that you're a fanboy. I merely said that you are wearing some very rosy shades if you can't possibly see the validity of the arguments presented. Many of which are extremely well thought out. Personally, I've acknowledged your side and have said that I understand the thought process. From what I've seen from your responses, the same can't be said for you.

Do you understand business? If BioWare isn't making the money EA wants to see, they 'close the doors'. That would mean no more content and running the servers until the subscribers fall below a level where they shut down the servers. You can come up with many possibilities as to why they are doing what they are doing, but unless you are in the meetings, it is ALL conjecture.

Yes. I understand business thoroughly. I also understand that no other F2P MMO in business currently has this type of horrid content outside of STO. Not LotRO, TSW (which is also an EA game), DCUO, DDO, etc. All of the actual content from these companies are IN game for their subscribers. This does nothing but benefit those who spend extra money to buy these packs. And it isn't conjecture to say that this is a cash grab. What else would it be for? Shits and giggles?

---------- Post added 2013-03-14 at 05:18 PM ----------

What does the cartel rep actually allow you to get? Like if I were to go crazy and "purchase" my rep all the way to max...what can I get for it?

Not trying to stir anything up, I just am unaware is all, just came back to the game a few weeks ago

There's cosmetic armor that you can purchase with credits that nobody else (including subscribers) would have access to.

[sxar]

Your reception of the statement is a potential subconscious impulse. Nothing was said about you being a fanboy. Please don't bring out that term in some vague attempt at getting people infracted. It's not very becoming.

Please. You can dance around it all you want and word it differently, but you and others have implied it.

Neither is blindly defending something that doesn't contribute anything of merit to a game. I mean really..give me a break...this thread was created by someone who loves this game, has put up with every bad decision that has been made, and continues to give multiple subscriptions to something that many of us feel is worthless. Even he said he feels sick with this recent trend.

Jamos is a fanboy in every positive sense of that word and all of us respect his decision and desire to spend money on it. We don't agree with everything he thinks and v/v, but I would respect his unbiased position when giving critical feedback because he is one least likely to be bothered by something we would already be sharpening pitchforks for.

How am I blindly defending it? I am not blind to where this could go with BioWare, I just do not think at this point it is doomsday like you. I pay a subscription and I have since day 1. Jamos has his opinion and I have mine. You may not like mine since it doesn't proclaim the sky is falling, but it does not make it any less valid than yours.

Please forgive us that we aren't going to take kindly to some unknown person waxing poetic about the glory of BiowarEA in the face of all of this.

Where am I waxing poetic about the glory of BioWarEA? Again, dance around it all you want, but you are calling me a fanboy simply because my opinion does not match yours. You are also implying that post count determines whether your opinion is of value. It seems all you resort to is veiled insults.

So they aren't implementing this to make more money?

Of course it is to make more money. Not only are they giving a bonus to those who buy the packs already, they are trying to squeeze out some more from those who may buy/buy more due to the rep. This is not mandatory and everyone has a choice.

---------- Post added 2013-03-14 at 05:27 PM ----------

If you can show me where I said I had "proof", I'd be more than willing to see it. Don't worry, I'll continue waiting for that and your evidence to the contrary of what I've said. I.E. Show me the benefits they've implemented for the subscriber with this particular implementation of "content". Or how the Cartel Market is "content" for the subscriber. Show me how I can possibly interpret what we've all seen in the same manner that you are. Explain why the Cartel Packs have far better looking armor than currently in game along with better mounts ("Pleasure skiffs" vs. "Shitty Blue Eyeball").

Ahh, the old you show me proof and I'll show you mine. Classic.

It is in a way content for the subscriber. The items from the packs are sold on the GTN, and many of the prices are out of the range of F2P. Do I like the fact that some of what I deem to be cool items are in the packs? Nope, I would like to see more of this added to the game outside of the packs. While you may consider the new Gree mount ugly, others like it. It still comes down to these items being simply cosmetic. If it looks like all they are going to be adding to the game is cosmetic items, then I will cancel my subscription. Cosmetic items will not keep me playing the game, nor will having cosmetic items in cartel packs stop me from playing.

Nobody insinuated that you're a fanboy. I merely said that you are wearing some very rosy shades if you can't possibly see the validity of the arguments presented. Many of which are extremely well thought out. Personally, I've acknowledged your side and have said that I understand the thought process. From what I've seen from your responses, the same can't be said for you.

I can see some validity to the arguments, just nowhere to the extreme people are trying to take them.

Yes. I understand business thoroughly. I also understand that no other F2P MMO in business currently has this type of horrid content outside of STO. Not LotRO, TSW (which is also an EA game), DCUO, DDO, etc. All of the actual content from these companies are IN game for their subscribers. This does nothing but benefit those who spend extra money to buy these packs. And it isn't conjecture to say that this is a cash grab. What else would it be for? Shits and giggles?

If you understand business, then you know they are out to make a profit. Why do you assume all the money made from the packs does not have a percentage put back into the game? At this point in time it could a simple take the money and run, or it could lead to game improvements additions we may not have seen with just a subscription base alone. You do not know and neither do I. It is far too early to tell. I still remember when Blizzard opened their store and the outcry and gnashing of teeth that it was changing to a P2W system.

Again, this change did grab my attention, but it didn't change my enjoyment (negative/positive) of the game. I will simply keep an open mind and keep evaluating whether or not I keep subscribing.

[Deleted]

Each shipment is considered to be 5 packs with the first 2 of these 5 being the Enforcer and Regulator ones released yesterday. We have 3 more new packs to go before the next shipment and consequently the next Cartel Reputation.

My guess would be that the next shipment hits in 4 months time basing that on a once a month schedule (pack 3 in Apr, 4th in May, 5th in June, new shipment in July). Leaves little time to grind up before the next but it does help explain the weekly cap on these being pushed to 36k to allow those in a 'rush' to binge on packs.

All gleamed from http://www.swtor.com/info/media/trai...ider-episode-5 Bruce still has his 'deer in headlights' facial expression imo but I've lost my TOR mojo so I'll stick to passing on info instead of commenting on it.

EDIT: Oops, looks like I commented anyway, damn!

[notorious98]

Ahh, the old you show me proof and I'll show you mine. Classic.

It is in a way content for the subscriber. The items from the packs are sold on the GTN, and many of the prices are out of the range of F2P. Do I like the fact that some of what I deem to be cool items are in the packs? Nope, I would like to see more of this added to the game outside of the packs. While you may consider the new Gree mount ugly, others like it. It still comes down to these items being simply cosmetic. If it looks like all they are going to be adding to the game is cosmetic items, then I will cancel my subscription. Cosmetic items will not keep me playing the game, nor will having cosmetic items in cartel packs stop me from playing.

Another deflection. Why deflect unless you can't produce said evidence that I could be wrong? All I've seen from you so far is deflection and nothing tangible.

If you understand business, then you know they are out to make a profit. Why do you assume all the money made from the packs does not have a percentage put back into the game? At this point in time it could a simple take the money and run, or it could lead to game improvements additions we may not have seen with just a subscription base alone. You do not know and neither do I. It is far too early to tell. I still remember when Blizzard opened their store and the outcry and gnashing of teeth that it was changing to a P2W system.

Again, this change did grab my attention, but it didn't change my enjoyment (negative/positive) of the game. I will simply keep an open mind and keep evaluating whether or not I keep subscribing.

Yeah, I get that they're attempting to make a profit. But the way to go about making a profit is by creating a better product that people want to buy. This doesn't create a better product. Case in point. We've seen more content produced for the Cartel Market than we've seen since they moved to F2P. And, no, I don't consider anything outside of 1.7 to be new content because they had been working on 1.4-1.6 since, at the latest, June of last year. Hell, for the next set of tier gear, they can't even be bothered to create unique sets for Sorcs and Inquisitors (or any other separate advanced classes). But they sure as hell can churn out those new gear models for the Cartel Market, can't they?

---------- Post added 2013-03-14 at 06:57 PM ----------

Each shipment is considered to be 5 packs with the first 2 of these 5 being the Enforcer and Regulator ones released yesterday. We have 3 more new packs to go before the next shipment and consequently the next Cartel Reputation.

My guess would be that the next shipment hits in 3 months time basing that on a once a month schedule. Leaves little time to grind up before the next but it does help explain the weekly cap on these being pushed to 36k to allow those in a 'rush' to binge on packs.

All gleamed from http://www.swtor.com/info/media/trai...ider-episode-5 Bruce still has his 'deer in headlights' facial expression imo but I've lost my TOR mojo so I'll stick to passing on info instead of commenting on it.

EDIT: Oops, looks like I commented anyway, damn!

That's some funny shit. "For new content we have double XP weekends and the return of an event with some PTS shit. Now head over to Cory Butler for double my talk time for our REAL "content" focus, the Cartel Market."

[Lugor]

It seems to me that this is a way for EA to give the whales who waste a lot of money a way to get the shiny item they want if the RNG is unkind to them.

What's wrong with that?

If I still played the game, I don't see how it would bother me if you get this shiny new mount that serves the same purpose and same speed as my plain old one.

[Kelimbror]

It seems to me that this is a way for EA to give the whales who waste a lot of money a way to get the shiny item they want if the RNG is unkind to them.

What's wrong with that?

Don't focus on the fact that it's cosmetic items for people who want to buy them. People can't say enough how that isn't the issue. The issue is two fold:

1) Subscriptions are become more worthless by the minute as now there is even 'content' (not my words) unavailable to them

2) Outright and admitted focus is on the Cartel Market and people who buy gambling boxes.

If you don't see how there's a problem with either of those things, you are a part of the problem. And I mean that in the most general sense, not the pointing fingers at you the quotee sense.

[notorious98]

It seems to me that this is a way for EA to give the whales who waste a lot of money a way to get the shiny item they want if the RNG is unkind to them.

What's wrong with that?

If I still played the game, I don't see how it would bother me if you get this shiny new mount that serves the same purpose and same speed as my plain old one.

Here's how. Instead of being an in-game reputation with in-game rewards, it's been attached to their cash shop. That is already content that has been diverted away from the game in favor of promoting "pay us more money".

Just for the record, if the game was B2P, I'd have absolutely no problem with it. The fact that it is not creates the issue for me.

[quras]

So what we have is a corporate rep level you can get by buying it, that you get to show off in game?

I wonder if you max it out, can you use the penthouse bathroom in Texas?

[Bizzaro Stormy]

Buyer rewards Program like many business have. Not required nor needed, and all rewards are cosmetic.

If you didn't rage at the Supermarket when thy offered a Club Card, or rage at your Bank when they offered a Rewards Credit/Debit card, you shouldn't be raging at BioWare for offering their frequent buyers a rewards program.

Spot on! +1 to you!

Playing SWTOR is roughly the equivalent of going grocery shopping (except this grocery store has a cover charge), stopping by the bank (except this bank has a cover charge), or flying coach on a domestic flight.

Well played. Sadly, I find those tasks pretty boring, and certainly don't treat them as forms of entertainment. I'll be over here, playing actual video games in my free time But by all means, have fun shopping!

[anyaka21]

I think the main issue I have with the packs and the items is that I think a lot of this should be available as OPS loot. Because it seems all of the cool skins, mounts, armor shells, and weapon shells are only available via the Cartel Market. Sure those will be available on the GTN, but some of them are quite expensive and pricing out a lot of people. The Luxury Skiff as an example is going for 3mil min on my server.

Don't get me wrong here. I do like the way the game has implemented mods on armor and weapons, and people can improve their gear with better modding, however, as said, it does seem like all the cool looking stuff is only available and only will be available via the Cartel Market, and they are relying on people spending real life money to get the stuff.