mod comm vendor changes...

[notanmmmonewbie]

So looking at what all changes they made today. Since the kind of stuff i do in game is pretty limited i didnt even bother to check patch notes. But this one was kinda unexpected. The mod comm vendors only sell premium quality mods now? and this next one kinda made me go "wtf" but the same vendors also have barrels and hilts at premium quantity BUT they require artifact authorization?

I guess this is their way of getting people to rely more on crafters and less on the mod comm vendors or something? or to get f2p to buy artifact authorizations?

[KesselRunner]

So looking at what all changes they made today. Since the kind of stuff i do in game is pretty limited i didnt even bother to check patch notes. But this one was kinda unexpected. The mod comm vendors only sell premium quality mods now? and this next one kinda made me go "wtf" but the same vendors also have barrels and hilts at premium quantity BUT they require artifact authorization?

I guess this is their way of getting people to rely more on crafters and less on the mod comm vendors or something? or to get f2p to buy artifact authorizations?

I noticed this as well. Also, my cartel color crystals now make most of my weapons unusable. They never required artifact authorization before, but now they do. These are either unintentional bugs or a great big middle finger to all f2p and preferred players.

Fun times, huh?

[notanmmmonewbie]

Yah when i was seeing all these things i was pretty much going: artifact crystals no longer useable? ehh whatever i guess. Mod vendor only has premium quality mods now? no big deal i suppose since i only do flashpoints and quest anyways. Mod vendor barrels and hilts need artifact equipment authorization despite being premium quality? ok wtf is going on here?

I guess it didnt help either that my one and only tactical flashpoint for the night was in Taral V and the group itself was a bit below average. I left the group after the second boss cause there were just too many "derp" moments so i dropped group and logged off for the night.

[xenogear3]

You guys are late to the party.

2 years ago, you can buy "artifact authorization" for 350k from GTN.
All unlocks are very cheap.

It was very friendly for F2P players.

[Edge-]

You guys are late to the party.

2 years ago, you can buy "artifact authorization" for 350k from GTN.
All unlocks are very cheap.

It was very friendly for F2P players.

I can't remember the last time I saw an artifact authorization unlock on the GTN on my server for 350k.

Seriously.

The credit cap and the way the markets work basically defeats the whole purpose of allowing unlocks to be sold on the GTN, because so few are priced below F2P/preferred cap.

[palswim]

The credit cap and the way the markets work basically defeats the whole purpose of allowing unlocks to be sold on the GTN, because so few are priced below F2P/preferred cap.

Well, probably to EA's delight, now you have to first save up to purchase Credit Escrow transfers and establish some Credit Escrow. And then you can use the Escrow Transfers to unlock enough credits to purchase the unlocks. Unfortunately, I think I saw the Artifact Authorization cost over 4m on my server.

[Katchii]

The credit cap and the way the markets work basically defeats the whole purpose of allowing unlocks to be sold on the GTN, because so few are priced below F2P/preferred cap.

Still can't wrap my head around why people would put unlocks on the GTN for prices higher than the credit cap. The amount of effort required to break that cap for F2P/ Preferred players makes selling them like that go SO slow it's not even worth it. And credits are stupid easy to come by and, IMO, are almost worthless now that you don't even have to gear your companions (which is basically all I spent credits on).

Only thing I'll be spending my credits on now are new adaptive armor sets... some of them are stupid expensive.

[RohanV]

Still can't wrap my head around why people would put unlocks on the GTN for prices higher than the credit cap.

Player bankers are a thing in this game. A F2P player deposits money with the subscriber when she approaches the cap. When she needs to buy something expensive, the subscriber acts as her agent and buys it for her.

It's much easier than dealing with escrow, but does require a subscriber you can trust.

[notanmmmonewbie]

I can't remember the last time I saw an artifact authorization unlock on the GTN on my server for 350k.

Seriously.

The credit cap and the way the markets work basically defeats the whole purpose of allowing unlocks to be sold on the GTN, because so few are priced below F2P/preferred cap.

Also...the artifact authorization costs 1200 cartel coins now...did it also cost 1200 cartel coins last year? if so, then who in their right mind would sell 1200 cartel coins worth of stuff for only 350k credits?

Still can't wrap my head around why people would put unlocks on the GTN for prices higher than the credit cap. The amount of effort required to break that cap for F2P/ Preferred players makes selling them like that go SO slow it's not even worth it. And credits are stupid easy to come by and, IMO, are almost worthless now that you don't even have to gear your companions (which is basically all I spent credits on).

Only thing I'll be spending my credits on now are new adaptive armor sets... some of them are stupid expensive.

I thought about that a little bit...and my theory is that the people buying the unlocks and putting them on the GTN are no longer targetting fresh f2p players, or preferred. Instead they are targetting people who actively have a sub and are about to switch to F2P. How often have you heard people talking on game chat that they can just sub for a month, farm up all that credits (because earning currency in every game ever made is easy as hell apparently) then while still subbed you buy all those unlocks for 900k, 1.5mil, 1.8mil and so on. Or...maybe they are jacking up the prices on stuff the same people are also putting escrow stuff on there in the hopes that f2p/preferred people will buy their escrows and then their items.

[Deleted]

Also...the artifact authorization costs 1200 cartel coins now...did it also cost 1200 cartel coins last year? if so, then who in their right mind would sell 1200 cartel coins worth of stuff for only 350k credits?

Long ago, I bought an account-wide unlock; I don't remember what it cost. Is that even available any more, or did it somehow disappear from my sights after buying it? Or is this 1200 CC unlock the one? Haven't really looked at them lately.

[notanmmmonewbie]

Long ago, I bought an account-wide unlock; I don't remember what it cost. Is that even available any more, or did it somehow disappear from my sights after buying it? Or is this 1200 CC unlock the one? Haven't really looked at them lately.

1200cc is the only one I see on the cartel market...but it might be because I only have 50something cc left on my account. Maybe the option to see the account wide artifact equipment auth doesnt become visible until you have at least 1200cc? I dunno i'm just guessing.

[Goshko]

Also...the artifact authorization costs 1200 cartel coins now...did it also cost 1200 cartel coins last year? if so, then who in their right mind would sell 1200 cartel coins worth of stuff for only 350k credits?

It did cost that and yes people sold it for 350k (very rarely mind you, but it happened). I bought an account one for 1.7 mil (of 1.4 mil it was a long time ago) and that was 2700 points.

Prices have really skyrocketed with the huge influx of new people around KotFE. Yesterday I thought I'll buy an account cargo hold unlock and the cheapest was 5 million (last time I bought one it was ~900k). I mean I still bought it since it'll cost me more to do it for each toon, but still.

[xenogear3]

The credit cap and the way the markets work basically defeats the whole purpose of allowing unlocks to be sold on the GTN, because so few are priced below F2P/preferred cap.

Actually, before the escrow, the credit cap HELPED to keep the unlock cheap.

The subscribers have no intention to unsub. They do not buy unsub.

A few rich people bought unlocks to help the F2P players.
They keep the price below the credit cap (at that time, no escrow yet).
Hard to believe, but it is true.

The artifact authorization I bought is account wide.
It may be more than 350k, but the individual one is no more than 350k.

I think it is January 2013.
At that time, many sub don't even know the game is F2P.

[KesselRunner]

From reading patch notes, it looks like they fixed the purple cartel market items requiring artifact authorization. But from playing the game, green barrels and hilts still require artifact authorization. Must have been separate bugs.

[notanmmmonewbie]

From reading patch notes, it looks like they fixed the purple cartel market items requiring artifact authorization. But from playing the game, green barrels and hilts still require artifact authorization. Must have been separate bugs.

There is one other thing that i think i heard people talking about when the patch first hit but i didnt pay much attention to it. I'm looking at the level 8 vendor that sells initiate/trainee moddable gear. I see focus and generators for sale for SW/SI/JC/JK which look like they can be used by anyone. But the Trooper generator and shield require artifact equipment authorization? that has to be a bug too but if it is why hasn't it been fixed yet? if its intentional and not a bug then obviously it doesnt make any sense.

[KesselRunner]

There is one other thing that i think i heard people talking about when the patch first hit but i didnt pay much attention to it. I'm looking at the level 8 vendor that sells initiate/trainee moddable gear. I see focus and generators for sale for SW/SI/JC/JK which look like they can be used by anyone. But the Trooper generator and shield require artifact equipment authorization? that has to be a bug too but if it is why hasn't it been fixed yet? if its intentional and not a bug then obviously it doesnt make any sense.

Yeah, some of the level 8 modifiable gear is requiring artifact authorization right now, too. I'm assuming they don't care about fixing it because it's a preferred/f2p only issue. If subscribers or the cartel market were involved, they would have fixed it by now.

[KesselRunner]

Well, I'm a bit surprised. Looks like with patch 4.0.2, this will be fixed.

[WoWGoneBad]

Long ago, I bought an account-wide unlock; I don't remember what it cost. Is that even available any more, or did it somehow disappear from my sights after buying it? Or is this 1200 CC unlock the one? Haven't really looked at them lately.

The account wide Artifact unlock is still available but it costs 2700CC. When I heard bout KotFE and the bonuses(which I have YET to use any of) I stayed subbed from June to November. I had 3300 CCs and bought my unlocks.