FEEDBACK: Luck Elixirs/Enhancers are Evil?

[Nightarcher]

EDIT: as of the newest Luck upgrade to include pinks, these 100% Luck Enhancers need to be abolished. I'm changing my opinion from just feedback to adamant opposition. This is a warning of what will happen come the next level cap if these remain.

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Just to let you all know, I've always been a critic of Plat-purchased advantages in-game.

When PL first came out and I had to pay for campaigns, I loved it! And when vanities appeared, I gladly dished out some cash for a nice decorative helm. However, when they completely changed the Elixir system, things started to go downhill in terms of player-quality and skill (in my humble opinion.)

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But let's get to the point, shall we! I'm not saying I'm right, but here's the issue as I see it.

1. The game revolves foremost upon the in-game economy, including in-game currency and non-Platinum gear. Prices depend on supply/demand, upcoming content, etc. Besides leveling, everybody strives to obtain the best gear or make money.


2. Until the elixir update, this economy was the only area we couldn't easily "buy our way through." Xp/damage elixirs make leveling easy, requiring no skill. But with old luck elixirs well-balanced out, and the plat-to-gold rate not worth it, the economy was almost independent of the Plat system. This is the way it should be.


3. In the past, the droprate was an area everybody was equal on. No matter if you could do runs faster or more of them, everybody always had the same chance to get an item. (I say this because Luck elixirs were so minimal in effect in the past.) My confirmed fear is that these beefed-up Luck pots will create a HUGE imbalance in the Droprate and Economy, favoring Plat-purchasers. I think that, if anything, this one area of the game should be the area where everyone is equal and cannot buy their way through.


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Because of changes since I've made this thread, this is a necessity. I support and devs, and I have tons of Plat-purchasing friends who are extremely skilled. However, this is a major problem. I'm not just thinking about me, as I could purchase Platinum if I wanted. It's about the SL (and possibly PL) economy in general, and I love this game and want to see it thrive.

[TANKKAAR]

I wouldnt worry....lol used 2 of those luck pots with 100% reroll so far and havent got a single drop while on it yet.... However elixer free have landed 3 great drops... Hmmm...

[Nightarcher]

Have you used them today? Today was the big change in Luck Enhancers, and the 100% Enhancers changed as well.

[Kahlua]

Have you used them today? Today was the big change in Luck Enhancers, and the 100% Enhancers changed as well.

All you get now is a green flashgun every drop lol. I got 5+ in each level ive run with the 100% elixir now.
They also don't change purple drops to pinks...so yeah.

[Hullukko]

In spite of purps not turning to pinks I am afraid this may adverse effects for the new campaigns early on when purps are still rare. Then those with plat stand a lot better change of getting purps early on and cash in on their limited supply and high demand.

And for the record, I'm one of those that will benefit from this change because I'm a heavy plat spender. Even so, I think the best gear should be worn by those that have earned it in game.

But I have to think on the matter a bit more. For now that's just speculation.

[Elyseon]

I used the 100% luck elix and didnt get a single reroll in Mt Fang

[Slant]

you can catch up easily to anyone using the luck elix by simply playing more games, they do not have a clear advantage at this point

update changed that

[Nightarcher]

Ok, as of today's elixir update, these Luck pots are overpowered. This is an extreme lack of insight on the Devs' part: now Plat-purchasers can have many times the luck of anyone else.

I usually can deal with Plat-purchased advantages, but this is too far. It's unwise, because I don't think they realize how much this will effect the economy. I've seen picture of double Pink drops today already... Both the result of a reroll.

[ProSophist]

They over-improved the luck elixirs, making the pink items more platinum purchasable item rather than a legendary grind item.

But player greed also contributes for market instability. These people are pricing an item in million which will lose relevance in a few weeks.

[roufus]

I agree there what happened to the first pinks that were available in slouch ehh noone cares and the new pinks will probably end up the same way since new content comes out next month

[Xaphan Fox]

But player greed also contributes for market instability. These people are pricing an item in million which will lose relevance in a few weeks.

Why sell it for a reasonable price when I can sell it for 1,000,000 knowing darn well someone bored with 150$ will plat it up and get the credits he/she needs in seconds.

If you dont buy plat, gl seeing pinks without elixir or buying it from auction without bought credits.

[Nightarcher]

They over-improved the luck elixirs, making the pink items more platinum purchasable item rather than a legendary grind item.

Agreed: this is what I was afraid of when they first announced "100% Luck Enhancers!" Now it's happening.

[Ardon]

The thing is, this doesn't only effect legendary weapons. It effects every rare item out there. What's the point of farming for a non plat person. I someone with plat can easily do it with miner's luck. They'll make all the money and when non-plat people get a rare drop, it's worth maybe even 5k, at the most.

Once people figure out that they can farm like crazy with these elixers, the market will be in their favor.

I was against these elixers from the start. Though I didn't see it going this far when they were released.

Instead of having these elixers, STS could have had a higher drop rate then the previous pinks.

I'm sure these guns were meant to keep us busy until the next update, but there's no reason now, since you can buy miner's luck and you're pretty much guaranteed a gun.

[Noobbe]

This is a question of the SL Monetary Policy and the desired goals. Platinum is effectively an STS 'government' instrument to influence the credit/item economy. So the first question is what are the economic goals? I have to guess its:

1. Sell platinum at a rate that funds STS business objectives
2. The number of items or credits should be a function of the desired rarity and the number of total players, with a fixed distribution by rarity. E.g. Legendary items should be 5perc, epic 10perc, rare 15 perc, uncommon 20 per common, common 30 perc, trash 20 perc.

In support of #1, I think the effectiveness of Miners shoul drop to less than 100, maybe 25 percent. I don't think this would reduce the purchase rate significantly since this is probably a price in-elastic item. This would also improve the likelihood of a long term sustained purchase rate (conversion rate). If left as is, the market will be flooded with premium items, dropping credit prices and the reducing the value of the elixir.

Somewhat related, I think #2 needs a bit of rebalancing. I think it's a shame that common and even uncommon items have little value in the CS, much less in terms of player use. Increasing rarity for rare, epic and legendary items will make the lesser items more desirable and would also increase player satisfaction. Imagine, being excited to loot an uncommon type III flashgun ;-).

While this economic policy doesn't need to be as robust as Eve Online, I do think STS games are getting to a critical mass where these types of MMO questions need more complex strategy and execution to maximize player satisfaction and ensure sustained business growth.

That's my 2 cents.

[Slant]

uh just tried out the new elixers thoroughly, and I have a big BIG problem with them, and agree completely to all the points in the frst post, especially number 2
this luck elix destroys the in game economy, destroys relationships between people, and even hurts the farmers who use it and get good drops... because the more you use it the less your stuff is worth... this is a bad thing to bring into the game, the initial luck elixes were good enough, didnt have a problem with those, but these ones drop items waay too much, basically the platinum-for credit ratio carefully maintained by STS goes for a toss because this 20 plat elix is worth 60000 credits at a minimum, 90000 easy and much more if used even better... dont like the elix one bit

im all for IAP and microtransactions, and wudnt even mind more plat items in the store, or so to speak plat purchasable advantages, what I am against is how this particular elix brings about changes in the economy that destroys so much of people's progress in the game so far, and one of the main reasons why people play the game beyond a few days after level cap at all

[Breadkeeper]

Why sell it for a reasonable price when I can sell it for 1,000,000 knowing darn well someone bored with 150$ will plat it up and get the credits he/she needs in seconds.

If you dont buy plat, gl seeing pinks without elixir or buying it from auction without bought credits.

If anything its the other way around, pinks will be more common and prices will fall fast. Spending large amounts of money on pinks is the biggest waste. When you can solo the first 3 levels of a campaign you dont need the best gear. i didnt buy my 35 purples until after i was lvl 36. Didnt need them, and prices were way to high.

[Nightarcher]

If anything its the other way around, pinks will be more common and prices will fall fast. Spending large amounts of money on pinks is the biggest waste. When you can solo the first 3 levels of a campaign you dont need the best gear. i didnt buy my 35 purples until after i was lvl 36. Didnt need them, and prices were way to high.

Yes, it does make items more common and cheaper to buy. But it also makes money-making for non-Plat-purchasers a heckofalot harder.

[Deadbeathc]

Just a heads up. 25% is also affected by the updates. Even though that's only a 1/4 chance, still a decent chance.

[Slant]

not the pinks that are a problem, in fact, the pinks were always worthless, people who have the millions of credits now got it by selling recipes and good purp drops from boss, not by buying a lot of plat credits or reselling vanities... its items across the spectrum, including the greens, that are a problem for example it took 100 runs on rockfall and 200 on dmc before you could get about 20 elite chests from which if you were lucky maybe you would get 3 items of a neutronic/iridium/gallowtech set, now if you farm these levels using the elixer, you get one item from these sets for every elite chest... this is as good as these sets being available in the store for 3 plat, which makes these items basically worthless
those hurt most by this "evil" elix are the farmers who grinded through these runs to get these sets together

[Breadkeeper]

Yes, it does make items more common and cheaper to buy. But it also makes money-making for non-Plat-purchasers a heckofalot harder.

And that in turn does not matter since items will be cheaper and wont need lots of creds to buy. Unless you need to have lots of credits in the bank to prop the ego.
Id rather have the items i want and no gold.