Hi folks,

 

We wanted to give you an early heads up about a change we’re making in the upcoming game update 6.3.

 

Previously, the refund timer for items purchased off of a vendor only counted down while that character was in-game. As of the 6.3 update, this will change to real time. What this means is if you purchase an item off of a vendor, and that item has a refund timer on it, the timer will count down whether that character is logged in or not.

 

This is in-line with how the current timer for Cartel Market items works. The ability to exchange items looted between party members in Flashpoints and Operations, which also uses a timer, will not change and count down via in-game time only.

 

The reason behind this change is we observed some unintended behavior where the mechanics of the refund timer were being used to store more resources than intended by limits intentionally set in order to balance the game economy’s inflows and outflows.

 

-Chris

So why not raise the limit? The only players with excess tech frags are those who do excess content. A lot of players, myself included up until recently, stored tech fragments so they could roll on Kai Zykken when he opened. By doing this, any game content I do would be an utter waste since I'd either be forced to spend tech fragments on things I do not want to, or any content after reaching the limit would not contribute. Either way, players are being punished for doing more than 10k worth of content. If this 10k limit must be adhered to, why not just keep Zykken open all week? Then there would be little to no reason for anyone to store fragments, and we wouldn't have to be punished for doing as much content as we like.

I hope this means you will be raising the cap of tech frags otherwise you're now punishing the players grinding for set gear otherwise this is a slap in the face to your core players.

So why not raise the limit? The only players with excess tech frags are those who do excess content. A lot of players, myself included up until recently, stored tech fragments so they could roll on Kai Zykken when he opened. By doing this, any game content I do would be an utter waste since I'd either be forced to spend tech fragments on things I do not want to, or any content after reaching the limit would not contribute. Either way, players are being punished for doing more than 10k worth of content. If this 10k limit must be adhered to, why not just keep Zykken open all week? Then there would be little to no reason for anyone to store fragments, and we wouldn't have to be punished for doing as much content as we like.

Amen to above

When the patch arrives, will tech fragment based items in storage continue their current timer or will you reset/lock them all?

Personally I have not bothered using the storage trick this but some of my friends have and I know they will feel better if you could clarify. In all fairness, they did invest the time and effort to earn those tech fragments.

I know there are a lot of people hoping to refund the items to use the new augment mats mission that's in 6.3 and they are concerned they will not be able to do so with this refund timer change. Please could you provide information about the "A Surprising Offer" datapad mission that was on PTS to let them know if it will be daily/weekly/per-character.

A change no one asked for, wasted dev time, etc.

Focus on better writing than Onslaught and more content instead of pointless changes k thx

Can you clarify when the "realtime" timer is going to start? Once the maintenance for 6.3 begins, or once the servers are back online?

Or in other words, are we going to lose tenthousands of techfragments and millions of credits, or not?

Also PLEASE increase the cap if you wont let us store tech frags anymore.

Wow, any more changes you want to make to ruin our day?

How about give us a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice in it?

I'm trying real hard to keep loving this game I've poured thousands of dollars into, but you are making it very hard.

Hi all,

 

I just wanted to clarify one point that's come up in this thread: the timer would not start when the patch is released. The timer will start when the item is purchased from the vendor, so I would not anticipate any ability to sell back any items currently being held in this way on alt characters once the patch goes live.

 

Part of the reason for this post was to give y'all ample time to sell back any items being stored in this manner before the patch goes live.

 

-Chris

please try to implement an alternative, so we don't waste TF

 

The reason behind this change is we observed some unintended behavior where the mechanics of the refund timer were being used to store more resources than intended by limits intentionally set in order to balance the game economy’s inflows and outflows.

 

-Chris

Care to elaborate how storing tech frags to be consumed on Kai Zykken on weekends is unbalancing the game economy? We don't gain any credits from Kai, we lose them. Kai Zykken is a credit sink only, and we can use this credit sink on weekends only. What is the point of limiting a credit sink for weekends?

I know we can buy the nim/pvp mats after 6.3. I'm sure plenty of people will be happy about that, although the prices will drop really soon. However I'm not interested in the mats. I don't need them and I don't need the creds I could get from selling them. I could craft new augments for my mains, but 1) I play several classes, 2) they would only be useful in one operation, so that's not going to happen. That would be a total waste of mats, credits and my time, and I really don't like wasting stuff.

I'm only interested in getting the last few pieces I miss from Kai Zykken, and I really don't see how would that affect the game economy at ALL.

Wow, any more changes you want to make to ruin our day?

 

How about give us a nice paper cut and pour lemon juice in it?

 

 

I'm trying real hard to keep loving this game I've poured thousands of dollars into, but you are making it very hard.

Really, addressing an exploit is ruining the experience now:rak_02: Jesus this entire thread is "making a storm on a cup of water" as we say in my country, y'all too mad about this.

Care to elaborate how storing tech frags to be consumed on Kai Zykken on weekends is unbalancing the game economy? We don't gain any credits from Kai, we lose them. Kai Zykken is a credit sink only, and we can use this credit sink on weekends only. What is the point of limiting a credit sink for weekends?

 

I know we can buy the nim/pvp mats after 6.3. I'm sure plenty of people will be happy about that, although the prices will drop really soon. However I'm not interested in the mats. I don't need them and I don't need the creds I could get from selling them. I could craft new augments for my mains, but 1) I play several classes, 2) they would only be useful in one operation, so that's not going to happen. That would be a total waste of mats, credits and my time, and I really don't like wasting stuff.

 

I'm only interested in getting the last few pieces I miss from Kai Zykken, and I really don't see how would that affect the game economy at ALL.

Simple, let's take tech fragments as an example you have 10k max storage. With this, you could potentially have "unlimited" tech fragments, you log into an alt, buy as many items as you can, log-off and have that "storage" ready to be returned in case you need more tech fragments beyond the cap. This is a tactic that has been used by storagers for years, long before Spoils of War came around.

Use currency to buy something, return item when you need more of that currency. While not exactly the most malicious thing in the game it is sort of an exploit as you're using the refund system in a way that's not its intended purpose, "oh I bought the wrong item" or "I don't really like this" so you'd return it, instead it turns into a way to have an extra amount of the endgame currency. Instead of continuously farming for that currency like the developers intended. Whether or not its fair its own separate discussion (one I don't really care for since I never used and never will use this tactic), but its pretty clear they're just patching a hole in their system that has been lingering for years.

Now that being said, I do agree with fellow posters when they say they should increase the cap on tech fragments, though I disagree with this change being the end of the world. But what will you do, its the forums after all, such behavior is not atypical.

Really, addressing an exploit is ruining the experience now:rak_02: Jesus this entire thread is "making a storm on a cup of water" as we say in my country, y'all too mad about this.

Spoken like someone who barely plays this game.

The exploit is a work around for the atrocious artificial cap to begin with.

I've lost hundreds of thousands of tech fragments that disappeared into thin air because apparently my 50 characters can only carry 10k fragments no matter what. And since I long ago outfitted all 50 of my characters with 306 gear, aug'd/min maxed for game play and crafting, the only thing I want is the achievements that were artificially hampered to begin with.

In a game where the achievements are .2% of getting achievement items you need from 3k tech fragments. And that .2% is not an exaggeration.

So please, save me your condescension.

Spoken like someone who barely plays this game.

 

The exploit is a work around for the atrocious artificial cap to begin with.

 

I've lost hundreds of thousands of tech fragments that disappeared into thin air because apparently my 50 characters can only carry 10k fragments no matter what. And since I long ago outfitted all 50 of my characters with 306 gear, aug'd/min maxed for game play and crafting, the only thing I want is the achievements that were artificially hampered to begin with.

 

In a game where the achievements are .2% of getting achievement items you need from 3k tech fragments. And that .2% is not an exaggeration.

 

So please, save me your condescension.

I actually do play the game and have been for nearly 8 years, but I won't get into a petty flame war. Have a good day and I hope you calm down.

S

 

 

I've lost hundreds of thousands of tech fragments that disappeared into thin air because apparently my 50 characters can only carry 10k fragments no matter what. .

I knew that even before this change and most currency is legacy wide.

I knew that even before this change and most currency is legacy wide.

Yeah we all know it, and the only thing worth spending them on for players that have been at it a minute is on the weekend at Kai Zykken.

I like that SWTOR copied the weekend vendor from ESO and other games. It's very successful there because it gives you a chance to get gear for credits or pvp tokens that is hard to get in the normal method (although in SWTOR's case it isn't hard... just luck involved).

But the difference is the ESO (for example) you don't have a hard cap of credits (gold) or pvp points so you don't have to temper your game play because you know you won't get any rewards for it.

In SWTOR if you do anything after you have 10k you just lost your reward. They are now adding a thing that most people aren't that concerned about (large cost, little reward for the new augments) that you could buy but you still are wasting them if the reward you want is the achievements. (And right now, there is nothing worthwhile until the weekends, the new thing isn't even added yet).

Care to elaborate how storing tech frags to be consumed on Kai Zykken on weekends is unbalancing the game economy?

I suppose that's their definition of "Play Your Way." When I first heard that slogan I was reminded of 1984. Justifiably so, it appears.

Hi folks,

 

We wanted to give you an early heads up about a change we’re making in the upcoming game update 6.3.

 

Previously, the refund timer for items purchased off of a vendor only counted down while that character was in-game. As of the 6.3 update, this will change to real time. What this means is if you purchase an item off of a vendor, and that item has a refund timer on it, the timer will count down whether that character is logged in or not.

 

This is in-line with how the current timer for Cartel Market items works. The ability to exchange items looted between party members in Flashpoints and Operations, which also uses a timer, will not change and count down via in-game time only.

 

The reason behind this change is we observed some unintended behavior where the mechanics of the refund timer were being used to store more resources than intended by limits intentionally set in order to balance the game economy’s inflows and outflows.

 

-Chris

Jesus, what happened to the guy who made the warzone commendation cap 200,000?

Also, this totally explains where the economy went wrong in the last couple years, the truth is out, total thumbs up Bioware.

For a somewhat casual player who does alot of conquest, I happen to spend alot of my tech fragments on mods and enhancements just to keep from overflowing as there are times I'm uncertain what new sets/tacticals I want to buy. but atleast I'll have plenty of mods to sort through (YAY BIG RNG NUMBERS) when it comes time to fill out a new set of shells.

My vote goes to increasing this absurd 10k limit and finding smarter talent than the guy who thought a 10k limit was a good idea. You can do better Bioware.

Instead of continuously farming for that currency like the developers intended.

But, I did do exactly that. In the last six days I've earned/deconstructed the equivalent of roughly 20000 tech fragments or so. However, I'm a smart shopper ... I do not wish to waste tech fragments on something I may earn in a conquest equipment crate or be on sale on Kai in about 25 hours from the time I post this. Why should I be penalized for being frugal and patient with my currency that I earned?

For the sake of argument, I can accept your rationalization that the system was intended for people who made mistakes (even though the mistake of buying the wrong gear piece is penalized, and heavily). But then the cap needs to be increased to something closer to 50000, so that people who are smart and patient with their currency are not penalized.