EQ Crown

Toz · May 2017

Destiny 2 hype. Baby don't hurt me again.

Illikaal · May 2017

Dato said:
There is no question that crown is essential to ALL eq classes, granted some more than others. But all equilibrium classes need it to use the class as effectively as possible.

However, I really fail to see the economy influence of it. All you need to do is make the refunds in bound credits and it has no impact on the economy. Those who have the crown can't re-sell the credits and most would find some artifact they want instead, or maybe invest in a new class. Either way, its a sort of swap (crown for artifacts/lessons).

The economy stays the same as it is currently, ( of course, all equilibrium skills need to be sped up by 7% ) and problem fixed.

As for the argument that people wouldn't buy credits because of the credits refunded by crown, that's not really true, I'm sure new shiny things to play with can be introduced by the admin. And they are just 850 credits, they'll get used up one way or another.

I really don't see how bound credits mess up the economy, so can someone please explain that part to me?

Because as stupid as it is, you could technically liquidate bound credits into gold or IC or even unbound credits due to the fact that you can just buy chalices with bound credits and reselling them to players at a lower cost. Now idk if anyone has ever done i'm just saying, people could game the system that way.

Trikal · May 2017

@Tiur rip my gauntlet nerf, 2k credits spent for this to get nerfed for free. If only we could fix combat like the economy, with the same regard for actual balance instead of other considerations that are ultimately lesser than making the game balanced, fair, and fun.

Satomi · May 2017

-continues to just build up mists on the gauntlet so I can turn them in once it hits 5k for moneyz-

Ishin · May 2017

Lol @ trash tier pkers talking about combat balance. @Tiur, I feel like if refunding crown will dump 170k bound credits back into the game, that in and of itself should say a vast amount. To be honest, back in the day a crown was a thing you bought if you had the extra, way back before the times of these newfangled AI's and such. Back when I could target someone and stormhammer them four times as a Magi and kill them straight up. Didn't have to vibes or anything unless I really wanted to be like f you. Now days, the combat scene is vastly different.

I saw on an earlier page someone was talking about weapon runes and stuff being a similar thing, and that's true - or it probably should be, since I'm fairly sure it's NOT true. I used to forge 180 speed weapons for people all the time. Sometimes it'd take a bit because RNGesus, sometimes not. But after you get 180 speed, then damage/prec is simply gravy on top of that. Nobody cares because the extra damage/prec you get from runes simply doesn't matter. It's trash, and will likely never affect the outcome of a fight except in the rarest of circumstances. If you want weapon runes to matter in a way similar to how EQ Crown matters, then you should probably reassess what effects those other two stats have on each class's PK.

If they're not going to baleet crown, that's probably the direction I would go in. Going back to sleep, night night.

Ishin · May 2017

Also, if any of you don't believe that 7% is a lot - make weapon runes give a 7% balance bonus, non-stacking, for a day or a week or whatever. Watch what that does to balance classes, and then say @Toz doesn't have a point with how ridiculous crown is for EQ classes.

Lim · May 2019

Not sure how things have changed or improved since this discussion, but it caught my eye so I thought to add my two cents.

I think it doesn't need to be disputed that EQ crown represents a barrier to entry for performing at top tier PvP. Unlike regen boosts or stat boosts, an EQ boost has a significant impact on combat efficacy. I don't think the admin dispute this either (see Tiur's post where the issues he raises are entirely different) - there's no point arguing over this.

The issue then should be how to balance/solve the issues that Tiur raised. (To be fair, I think Trikal made a fair point that a refund of 850/170k bound credits can't have that much of an impact to the economy. Nonetheless, let's just assume the issue raised is an issue.)

I think it is helpful to look at it from a business angle, not just a 'fairness' or 'please give us this please' angle. Most of us should be full working adults right now, and know the value of a dollar - it's not easy to run a business, and so making an argument that aligns interests with the gamemakers is better than a plea solely backed by righteous anger.

As I see it, the business question, distilled, is whether (i) the game gets more revenue from people who buy the EQ crown because they need it to perform in PvP, v.s. (ii) the game loses out on potential revenue from the people who did not pick up these EQ base classes because of the cost of an EQ crown.

Put another way, if the EQ crown is refunded and all EQ classes get their EQ boosted to current EQ crown levels, would IRE then make more money from people who would now (but not before) buy more credits to pick up the EQ classes?

My guess is that there is more money in the status quo (i.e. option (i)), because PvP junkies are addicts, and addicts will cough up the dough for 850cr. My guess is there aren't a whole bunch of people not picking up certain classes just because of the EQ crown - the vast majority of the customer base is largely indifferent to the cost of the EQ crown in picking a class. My guess is also that not a lot of people are leaving or deciding not to spend money just because the EQ crown exists.

(I assume that there is some degree of data analytics being done at the business/producer level that confirms the above, otherwise that's just bad business management.)

So let's think of compromises and suggestions:

As a compromise, I like that the problem classes are getting their boosts (e.g. I think Praenomen got their eq boost). If classes are broken or effectively behind a paywall, this should be flagged up because it is in IRE's interests to have all classes being played (and paid for).

As a suggestion to the admin, (if it is not already being done) then the EQ crown should go on promotion more often, or at least attention be put to the fact that the EQ crown is on promotion (to address the perception that it is inaccessibly expensive).

Maybe give a special discount on EQ crowns for characters who have picked up the relevant EQ-effected classes.

I was thinking of consumables for temporary EQ boosts, but I am still a little on the fence on that - I never liked consumables or temporary artifacts because I always feel insecure and prefer to hoard rather than use them. But if the rest of the playerbase would actually use these instead, then that's another compromise solution that other people may be happy with.

My personal preference(s) is to tier the EQ crown:

Option 1: Create a lower tier crown that costs maybe 400cr and gives EQ boosts to only the following classes: Shaman, Luminary, Praenomen, Archivist (I'm assuming that they use EQ like Cabalists - I haven't checked them out fully yet), and each of the mage classes (assuming they still use EQ post revamp (which is coming soontm).

Then let the current crown be tier 2. Give people who have have the crown right now have the option of getting a refund to pick up the lower tier crown instead. Chances are, the lot of us are going to stick with the old crown out of status quo bias/risk adversity.

Option 2: Create class-specific EQ boost artifact powers, e.g. it costs 200cr to pick up EQ boost for Shaman, a separate 200cr to pick up EQ boost for Luminary, a separate 200cr to pick up EQ boost for Ascendril, or you could just get the regular 850cr one for EQ boost across the board (which includes if you decide to switch tether and use the other side's classes).

Just have to figure out which option is the one that generates the most revenue while leaving the least worst taste in the playerbase's mouth.