Everyday the CE is costing more crowns! As of now, it cost about almost 3200c just to buy 100CE! Most people would only get around 2700c when completing the first 8 depths. I remember in a few days ago, it only cost about 2500c back then. What is it going on?! This is crazy! Is it these Merchant Clans that are ruining the value of stuff in the game? D= Not cool yo!
Buying CE is getting expensive each day! What is going on?
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 01:41
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 01:53
#2
CE cost 10k cr at one
CE cost 10k cr at one point.
I don't know what you're complaining about.
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 02:20
#3
I will explain
Economy. If you think this is too much wait until it hits 6k or even 10k =)
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 02:41
#4
More options
Saying "I don't know what you're complaining about." doesn't add anything of value to the conversation. Not everyone was in beta. I may not be the average player, since I have to pay a lot of bills and medical school loans. However, I also realize that the developers need to make money off of the game to continue to offer it to us. I just don't like where the game is headed, and I may find myself turning into a "super casual" SN player if it gets to the point of me only being able to use my 100 energy a day. I honestly can't afford that "few bucks a month". But I'm in the minority here, most people aren't in my situation or they have their parents credit cards. I'd still like to see some sort of revision. Maybe (like some games do) we could fill out some silly surveys or offers to gain CE in the future? I'd like to see more options than "play for an hour a day or pay".
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 02:41
#5
Not Beta
I think too many people are putting too much value into their time during the Beta and expecting things to go exactly the same way now that it's live. I'm not saying this discredits everything they say, as there's a lot of stuff I agree with, but still too much assuming going on here.
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 03:24
#6
The fact that you can
The fact that you can exchange cash energy for in-game currency leads less people to buy any cash energy with real money, and thus the fewer people that actually buy it are able to raise the prices even higher.
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 04:37
#7
I can see myself quitting
I can see myself quitting when it costs more to do runs using CE then you actually gain money.
Heck, it might even be a week. I refuse to pay for a cashdump that is any microtransaction. I also refuse to play a game that I only can play for what, an hour a day?
I realize this is a free game and all, they have to make money, etc. But making the game nigh-unplayable for non-payers is a bit extreme, and I will be one of the first to get driven off the game. It's not THAT good of a game, its very simplistic right now and needs something else to make it anything other then a never-ending grindfest. If/when that time comes, Ill pay for CE, but not before then.
Again, this is my personal stance on this. I realize they are providing a free service to us.
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 04:47
#8
I can see myself quitting
(Accidental Doublepost)
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 05:26
#9
Honestly, if you want someone
Honestly, if you want someone to blame for the rising prices, blame your fellow players.
Blame those who buy out the low prices fast, and blame those who sequentially set the price higher and higher.
Don't blame Three Rings for the price of CE in crowns.
All they do is provide CE for real money. Everything else done with CE is by the hands of players.
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 05:50
#10
CE has gone up again?
*rushes
CE has gone up again?
*rushes to sell his stocks*
Hehehe, easy money. This stuff better keep raising in price.
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 05:53
#11
As players hit Tier 2 and 3,
As players hit Tier 2 and 3, the number of crowns you can earn with 100 CE goes up. Accordingly, those players can pay more for CE and the price will go up. This includes not only the raw crowns you earn from the run, but the crowns those players earn by selling materials.
The price of CE will stabilize at the average number of crowns earned by running 100 energy worth of dungeon levels. That will probably be somewhere around 10k crowns.
This is basic economics, and occurs in every game that includes items that grant gameplay time.
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 06:56
#12
Yes, but that horribly limits
Yes, but that horribly limits T1 newer players. I dont even want to know how long it will take a new player to hit t2 if all he can do is one dungeon run a day.
Sun, 04/10/2011 - 09:00
#13
A full T1 run, which costs
A full T1 run, which costs 60-70 energy, gives someone around 2500-2800 crowns in pure coins. Add the money from excess materials to that, and even a T1 player gets more than enough crowns to keep running the clockworks still, unless they don't take the time to break grass, explore forks in the road, or pick up stuff that drops from enemies.
Join a good guild that helps each other out, and things get even easier. Play smart. Don't expect to be catered to, cause that's not fun.
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 10:37
#14
Another thing to keep in mind
Another thing to keep in mind is that all the players who bought CE during beta got it back in one huge lump at launch. Suddenly there were players with a big pile of CE and a need for crowns to buy equipment and recipes. That made CE very cheap during the beta-players-only preview weekend. Now we're seeing it rise again.
I was expecting the price to jump tremendously after the official launch, but that didn't really happen, even though there's a ton of new players. The CE cash shop must be doing pretty well.
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 10:45
#15
It's pretty simple supply and
It's pretty simple supply and demand here. Expect to see it continue to rise until people are unwilling or unable to pay for it anymore.
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 14:06
#16
The idea is to make CE cost
The idea is to make CE cost to much to play the game totally for free.
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 14:13
#17
Actually, when I sell CE, my
Actually, when I sell CE, my idea is "I need some crowns."
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 17:39
#18
It'll be brilliant fun once
It'll be brilliant fun once everyone who sells CE gets all the gear they want and no longer needs crowns for everyday play.
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 20:44
#19
The problem isn't the price
The problem isn't the price but so much as morons screwing with price floors. I'm buying at a nice steady pace in the low 3100s and some moron comes in and sets a new price floor at 3200.
Then I have to wait and wait and wait while the market chews through his 25 stacks of CE and then some other joker that just wants CE starts putting up at 3201 and the next clown puts through at 3202 and ugh.
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 21:51
#20
Isn't the CE market one of
Isn't the CE market one of the ways to turn real money into crowns, or just to make a profit by buy/sell/speculating? It is an auction house of sorts.
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 22:50
#21
Both.
The bid/ask spread of
Both.
The bid/ask spread of CE is usually pretty far ahead of the transaction price so if you have time, patience and are a quick draw you can make decent amounts of money. It's about level running a Tier 1 dungeon but without the energy usage. It does peak and trough though. Tonight my spread has gone from buying on one side at 3100 and selling on the other at 3295 (129 crowns per trade god I wish I had more seed cash for right at that moment) right down to buying at 3171 and selling at 3254 (17 crowns a trade).
The biggest problem you have are people being idiots and either accidentally or deliberately (lol) attempting to set a new price floor. There's enough liquidity that the price will typically fluctuate by +/- 100 crowns in a 5-10 minute period so even if you for example buy at 3150 to sell again at 3289 and some moron comes in selling 25 stacks at 3200 (OMG I NEED CROWNS FOR MY 10 DORRUS) all you have to do is wait and wait and wait.
Mon, 04/11/2011 - 22:53
#22
Yes, flarex9. One tab allows
Yes, flarex9. One tab allows you to convert real money into CE, which you can sell for crowns. Also, yes, you can make a profit buy/sell/speculating, heck I bought three pieces of tier 2 equipment having only stepped in a dungeon about a dozen times thanks to that market. A little basic economics skill can get you FAR in the market.
Tue, 04/12/2011 - 00:49
#23
In my opinion they should
In my opinion they should raise steam gain rate and cap to 150 or 200 (a day).
It's not really affecting the issue of rising prices, but at least new players arent forced to buy ce THAT badly.
Yes it is ridiculous to have to chose between crafting 1-2 items or doing a full run.
Tue, 04/12/2011 - 06:51
#24
In theory...
I'll readily admit. I fumbled like a noob through my first 2 days, getting to grips and wasting money. (I bought a crystal bomb from the vendor lol).
Then a week ago, when CE prices were still 2k to 2k+ (never quite hitting 3k), I finally got into steady rhythm. With my Mist tank (I'm such a cheapo) and the CE I bought sparingly with crowns, I made my 2* gear (and until yesterday, got my 3* sword and bomb), and now sit on a small cache of crowns ready to buy CE just to fuel my runs.
I'm technically a parasite to those cash-paying folk (whom I salute and respect btw for keeping the game alive.....somewhat).
Trouble is, as I analyze my week's worth of runs, some things stand out like sore fingers. They're not game-breaking. But they concern me greatly. (OMG subjectivity! Flame flame!)
-I literally pray for Arena/those-energy-costing-monster-laden-areas because I know they'll give me the crowns I need badly. It's a problem because instead of having fun with come-what-your-way-may, it's become a big deal just to have and have-not monsters to kill.
-Did a solo run. Now I feel like soloing everything. I'm not Tier 3 content material I know that, but when that Iron Gear/Swordstone matters so much in terms of monetary (in turn ce) returns that you rather not share in the fun, (I feel) something's not quite right.
-I know people have said this many times and deep down inside I know the game can TECHNICALLY be played all the way for free. It's just not going to be fun to do that.
"That's why you're the cheapskate see? You want to have it all for free! GTFO!"
True that. I swallow the bitter pill. At my current method I'll just have to spread out more runs over a longer period of time to get where people pay real dollars to get. I just think something's not going to work out if ce prices continue to rise.
Then again, the game's only been live for a week. Doomsayers and pundits should ease on the gas :p /bonks self.
Wed, 04/13/2011 - 02:59
#25
Crystal boosting might have
Crystal boosting might have been the plan for an endgame crownsink. Players at the top would demand crowns to unlock new content, rather than to get new gear since they're already at the max.
In practice, though, I don't know if it's any good.
Wed, 04/13/2011 - 10:21
#26
Interesting idea, dabian. I
Interesting idea, dabian. I like the expanded mist tank. I'd love it if it still filled at the same rate - 22 Hrs/100ME, or ~1ME/minute - but had an expanded size (150, 200 ME)
Maybe it could be an upgrade you pay CE for, for 30 days or something (like the trinket slots)
I would dig that hard.
Wed, 04/13/2011 - 12:58
#27
You may find that prices drop
You may find that prices drop over the weekend as well. This is the case in other games where gametime can be traded. Basically, the people with disposable income to spend on CE to resell for crowns are, for the most part, working jobs during the week and play at the weekend. Therefor, most of the CE floods into the market at weekends and drops the price (due to higher supply). Those playing during the week are generally probably not earning as much disposable income (college students, school kids, etc), and the demand they create is constant regardless of what day it is.
Before people jump on this, I know the above examples are not 100% representative; but they are the majority cases.
I wouldn't make any guesses about where the market is going untill I saw samples over several weeks, comparing cost/CE at a given time against the same time in previous weeks, not previous days.
Wed, 04/13/2011 - 15:58
#28
Given the past few days since
Given the past few days since Sunday the market seems to have stablized, but I feel that the most active periods (weekends) will see the most fluctuation of prices, mostly up, because people have disposable time to attempt to sabotage the market. Eventually people will just say "no" and refuse to buy, just as the newbies are right now (or more like, "I can't" instead of "no"), but until then...
Wed, 04/13/2011 - 18:33
#29
I also would not be surprised
I also would not be surprised if prices for energy jump up a bit around the end of the month when a lot of players need CE to buy trinket / weapon slot upgrades.
Supply and demand. Each and every purchase of crystal energy with crowns drives the price up by some sort of fractional degree. This is by design. It's supposed to get harder and harder to buy your CE with crowns, until there comes some sort of breaking point where it evens out.
Why? Because at some point, the company that created, published, and maintains the game has to make some actual money off of it, and the only way to do this is if there's some kind of incentive for a player to pay a few real-life dollars into the system. If the majority of players can self-sustain perpetual playability almost as effectively as those who pay-to-play, then the system won't work, and the servers will be shut off within weeks. The game'll go bankrupt, haha.
I suggest you get used to the idea of either having to quit after 1-2 hours of play a day, and maybe being able to buy a bit of extra time once every 1-3 days, or shelling out $5-$10 a month to maintain what you're used to. The days of being able to pay for a full tier-clear from the proceeds of your last tier clear are nearly over. Intentionally so.