As we all can see, there's been plenty of concern voiced on this forum with respect to what Bioware did this patch as it relates to the crew skill Slicing. I myself had taken this skill as a way to increase supplemental revenue, and so had a taste for what it was like prior to Patch 1.0.1 and after it.

 

I went ahead and did some preliminary tests, in light of people saying how much of a money sink it has become. Simply put, I wished to see for myself the impact Bioware's work had on this crew skill. I had initially attempted to complete orange- and yellow-quality quests, and five times in a row I failed, though I did garner completion points. I then elected to roll back the quests I was completing to grey and green, and here's what the results were (as a level 22 character):

 

1) Arranged Accidents (25-32, Green Rich Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 870 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 260

Rewards ~ Mission Discovery: Diplomacy (165) purple quality; Mission Discovery: Diplomacy (175) blue quality; Reinforced Large Credit Box with 2,378 credits; one skill point

 

2) Prince of Fools (25-32, Grey Bountiful Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 780 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 261

Rewards ~ Mission Discovery: Bioanalysis (175) blue quality; Heavy Medium Credit Box with 683 credits

 

3) Droid Madness (25-32, Grey Abundant Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 460 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 261

Rewards ~ Reinforced Small Credit Box with 549 credits

 

4) Arranged Accidents (25-32, [Now] Grey Rich Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 870 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 261

Rewards ~ Heavy Medium Credit Box with 1,108 credits

 

5) Missing Probes (33-40, Green Moderate Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 645 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 261

Rewards ~ Gilded Small Credit Case with 675 credits; one skill point

 

6) Spy Droid (33-40, Green Moderate Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 665 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 262

Rewards ~ Ornate Small Credit Case with 807 credits; one skill point

 

7) Pointing Fingers (33-40, Yellow Bountiful Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 1,250 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 263

Rewards ~ I failed this mission, but received two skill points

 

8) Missing Probes (33-40, Green Moderate Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 645 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 265

Rewards ~ Gilded Credit Case with 564 credits; one skill point

 

9) Be Careful What You Read (33-40, Yellow Bountiful Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 1,175 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 266

Rewards ~ I failed this mission, but received one skill point

 

10) Pointing Fingers (33-40, Yellow Bountiful Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 1,250 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 267

Rewards ~ Ornate Medium Credit Box with 1,881 credits; two skill points

 

11) Be Careful What You Read (33-40, Yellow Bountiful Lockbox Mission)

Mission Cost ~ 1,175 Credits

Slicing Skill ~ 267

Rewards ~ Ornate Medium Credit Box with 1,481 credits; two skill points

 

I'd also like to note that while Slicing a box in Taris, I not only received a lockbox, but also a Mission Discovery: Bioanalysis. Perhaps they've added this in with the patch as well (world spawns).

 

I'm quite aware that this isn't a gigantic sample size, but I felt it to be enough to illustrate the point. The more difficult missions, while apt to fail if not within the appropriate level range in light of slicing skill, they would still grant skill points. What people were used to seeing was doing these missions and succeeding (I can attest to this myself) AND getting skill points. What Bioware has appeared to have done is decrease the rate of success, thus making the more difficult missions of slicing a sort of "pay for the skill points." Honestly, this should be the point - and you're still being rewarded, only not in the way it [unfairly] used to be. Note that I succeeded with two yellow missions in a row thanks to a higher skill level (though with the randomness of this crew skill, whether this was truly due to having more points or just pure luck, either is admittedly possible). In stark contrast, it's the grey and green quality quests that appear to be "moneymakers" - albeit at much lower profit margins than what Slicers got used to in the past week.

 

I'm sure I'll be called an apologist for this post, but I just wished to provide a little more insight not fueled by emotion. Am I bummed that Slicing was hit with the nerf-bat? In a way I am, but I also feel like I'm not going to need to be tied to this skill as a pure moneymaker. It'll make for a great supplemental gathering profession as I level up, but I'd feel more free to later dump the skill and take on the crafting professions I really wish to have on my characters (Bioanalysis/Biochem/Diplomacy and Cybertech/Scavenging/Underworld Trading).

 

All in all, I'm sure that this change will be for the best, and within a week or two we'll be long past complaining about it (with a sporadic post here and there still complaining). I look forward to seeing the extent to which this will influence the GTN economy on my server - namely participation in it.

Edited December 28, 2011 by Aerithel

I see your point but what I am also seeing is now we are being forced into crafting skills. Things I don't like doing. As I want to enjoy the game, not spend hours and hours building stuff. Yet people cry about needing nerfs because they didn't agree with a crew skill. So Bioware nerfs slicing and now are trying to force players into crafting or pvp to make money or get good gear. Some some 'good, it's nerfed now go play the game'. Umm, I thought I was playing the game. Oh they mean go play the game they way they want it to be played.

 

I wish Bioware would actually fix things wrong with the game instead of nerfing things. Like oh, how about fixing Corso's damn harpoon never staying turned off? Gee, that's a character ability that should have been fixed in BETA. Or how about commendations in peoples physical inventory that can never be used or turned in? That was also in beta and not fixed. Or how about some players getting mission rewards for other classes that they can't use or sell in the GTN? A Gunslinger who gets a purple hilt as a Smuggler quest reward..yeah that was useful, thanks ever so much.

I noticed this as well! I'm glad I'm not crazy. It seems like I'll make a steady profit if I do green slicing and moderate yield yellows, but if I try orange and big yield yellows I either fail or lose money -- even green boxes don't come out with much profit. I got lucky a few times, but this seemed to be the general rule of thumb.

The problem with your theory is that the other skills provide rewards (mats) which translate at some point into profits, or at least into a reduction in future expenses (companion gifts, etc).

 

I'm not sure why slicing would get to be special in that it just flat out costs money to advance.

The problem with your theory is that the other skills provide rewards (mats) which translate at some point into profits, or at least into a reduction in future expenses (companion gifts, etc).

 

I'm not sure why slicing would get to be special in that it just flat out costs money to advance.

 

Slicing yields coins(at a loss), mission tasks(that you can sell or use), and augments(you can sell or use). You dont have to only take the mission that yields negative coins. You still harvest credits when out in world for free. Even if you have no desire to make/sell items to/for others, slicing yields coins. No having a backpack full of materials to sell that you don't want to sell or craft. Nothing but pure credit gain.

The problem with your theory is that the other skills provide rewards (mats) which translate at some point into profits, or at least into a reduction in future expenses (companion gifts, etc).

 

I'm not sure why slicing would get to be special in that it just flat out costs money to advance.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but can't every character take up to 3 different crew skills? Why does it sound like people who take Slicing only have Slicing? Can you not also take another mission skill or gathering skill and sell the materials you make from that as well?

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but can't every character take up to 3 different crew skills? Why does it sound like people who take Slicing only have Slicing? Can you not also take another mission skill or gathering skill and sell the materials you make from that as well?

 

if a person wishes to take slicing, and also want to make stuff, they are at a disadvantage. since their crafting profession will require items that can only be achieved through the mission running crew skills. as well as the open world gathering skill. taking slicing removes one of those two primary ways for crafters to craft their items.

 

the original idea was that the money gained from slicing would offset this and also increase activity on the auction house because these people would need to buy mats from others using money from slicing.

 

people however, saw slicing as a way to get an advantageous amount of money in the game, and the people who didn't take it, did not like that. so much complaining was done and it was nerfed. but the complainers didn't fully comprehend the negative impact slicing had on crafting professions. and how that extra money wasn't just sitting in the bank, it was being used.