Corporate Economics 101
Before I lambaste EA below, I would like to state that overall I like the changes and updates that have been made.
Having said that I am left with a very sour taste in my mouth. This game is my first experience with any like this. And as value is removed or shifted or even leveraged elsewhere in the game I have to ask myself if I am going to continue to have fun and whether it is worth the time and effort. But then, a 2,200% decrease in the value of 'Profit Mining' in order to induce players to spend real money will do that.
When playing the game becomes paying the game and feels more like a chore than a relaxing past time, it's time to check out.
Rapid and arbitrary shifts in economics of the game leave an incredibly bitter taste in my mouth, and I suspect others.
Such is the case with how EA has gutted the value of the profit and droid mining features in the wake of the introduction of the Jedi packs.
Savvy players could allow their Energy replenish over time, then spend 2x50 crystals and have their Energy level at 350+. That would allow the player up to 7 turns in credit/droid mining. In Tier II this meant a player could earn many more 5* & 6* Training Droids than would be attainable elsewhere and/or come away with as much as 110,000 Credits per 50 Energy spent with up to 770,000 Credits for those 100 Crystals spent.
For the sake of discussion and illustrating the drastic shift in value which EA has administered - lets divide 770,000 by 100 Crystals.
The result is 7,700 Credits per Crystal or - putting it in terms of a common crystal increment - 385,000 Credits per 50 Crystals spent.
With that unfavorable (to EA) fiat Credit & Droid mining system now abolished via EAdict, let us consider our current alternatives...
Shipments
65,625 Credits / 85 Crystals = 772 Credits per Crystal or 38,603 Credits per 50 Crystals
525,000 Credits / 595 Crystals = 882 Credits per Crystal or 44,118 Credits per 50 Crystals.
Events
"Profit Mining" at Tier II offers a 'base' reward of 8,300 Credits per 24 Energy and up to 25,200 Credits (w/ 'multipliers').
8,300/24 = 346 Credits per 1 Energy unit spent; or 17,291 Credits per 50 Energy spent.
25,200/24 = 1,050 Credits per 1 Energy spent; or 50,500 Credits per 50 Energy spent.
Here is my message to EA... my budget is my budget. Leveraging the launch of the most highly anticipated character is perfectly understandable. But completely reworking the economics of the game to Force your customers (many of whom are kids) to lay down $60.00 or be locked out of having a chance at obtaining this release is as obvious as it is slimey. Its so overt that it pushes me toward the conclusion that to this point (w/ the exception of Lumi & JC) Jedi have been intentionally unattractive to invest time, effort & resorces.
I spent over $100 last month trying to play catch up. I do not intend to do so again. With the farming of Gear components already unnecessarily excessive, time consuming and expensive - my interest had already begun to wane after just 10 weeks of playing. Now with the drastic changes in intragame economics, I am eeconsidering whether my time and energies are best put to use elsewhere.
Alienating discretionary leisure customers via money grab is never good business practice.
EDIT: I changed the title of this thread. You have the right to voice your opinion, but please do not call out EA in a discussion title. -EA_Jesse
Having said that I am left with a very sour taste in my mouth. This game is my first experience with any like this. And as value is removed or shifted or even leveraged elsewhere in the game I have to ask myself if I am going to continue to have fun and whether it is worth the time and effort. But then, a 2,200% decrease in the value of 'Profit Mining' in order to induce players to spend real money will do that.
When playing the game becomes paying the game and feels more like a chore than a relaxing past time, it's time to check out.
Rapid and arbitrary shifts in economics of the game leave an incredibly bitter taste in my mouth, and I suspect others.
Such is the case with how EA has gutted the value of the profit and droid mining features in the wake of the introduction of the Jedi packs.
Savvy players could allow their Energy replenish over time, then spend 2x50 crystals and have their Energy level at 350+. That would allow the player up to 7 turns in credit/droid mining. In Tier II this meant a player could earn many more 5* & 6* Training Droids than would be attainable elsewhere and/or come away with as much as 110,000 Credits per 50 Energy spent with up to 770,000 Credits for those 100 Crystals spent.
For the sake of discussion and illustrating the drastic shift in value which EA has administered - lets divide 770,000 by 100 Crystals.
The result is 7,700 Credits per Crystal or - putting it in terms of a common crystal increment - 385,000 Credits per 50 Crystals spent.
With that unfavorable (to EA) fiat Credit & Droid mining system now abolished via EAdict, let us consider our current alternatives...
Shipments
65,625 Credits / 85 Crystals = 772 Credits per Crystal or 38,603 Credits per 50 Crystals
525,000 Credits / 595 Crystals = 882 Credits per Crystal or 44,118 Credits per 50 Crystals.
Events
"Profit Mining" at Tier II offers a 'base' reward of 8,300 Credits per 24 Energy and up to 25,200 Credits (w/ 'multipliers').
8,300/24 = 346 Credits per 1 Energy unit spent; or 17,291 Credits per 50 Energy spent.
25,200/24 = 1,050 Credits per 1 Energy spent; or 50,500 Credits per 50 Energy spent.
Here is my message to EA... my budget is my budget. Leveraging the launch of the most highly anticipated character is perfectly understandable. But completely reworking the economics of the game to Force your customers (many of whom are kids) to lay down $60.00 or be locked out of having a chance at obtaining this release is as obvious as it is slimey. Its so overt that it pushes me toward the conclusion that to this point (w/ the exception of Lumi & JC) Jedi have been intentionally unattractive to invest time, effort & resorces.
I spent over $100 last month trying to play catch up. I do not intend to do so again. With the farming of Gear components already unnecessarily excessive, time consuming and expensive - my interest had already begun to wane after just 10 weeks of playing. Now with the drastic changes in intragame economics, I am eeconsidering whether my time and energies are best put to use elsewhere.
Alienating discretionary leisure customers via money grab is never good business practice.
EDIT: I changed the title of this thread. You have the right to voice your opinion, but please do not call out EA in a discussion title. -EA_Jesse
