Patch notes read: "Character bound Color Crystals and Weapon Tunings from the Cartel Market (direct sale or packs) can no longer be moved across characters via Legacy Weapons."

What is the community's view on this?

My opinion is that this is a bad change. I appreciate that Bioware probably want to make more money by eliminating a way to avoid paying for account-wide unlock. However, it's going to be a real pain to share weapons via legacy storage from now on. Personally, I think that the inconvenience to players is going to annoy more people and cause more problems than whatever is gained via the cartel market. And, actually, colour crystals might seem less attractive and less likely to be purchased due to this change.

Patch notes read: "Character bound Color Crystals and Weapon Tunings from the Cartel Market (direct sale or packs) can no longer be moved across characters via Legacy Weapons."

 

What is the community's view on this?

It better be a joke that they are removing a feature of legacy weapons and a serious quality of life issue for players who use the same weapons on mirror toons in order to try to make a buck for the company.

Where are the dropped weapons tunings to be used on these legacy weapons? Oh, they don't exist. So you can't put a tuning or a cartel crystal on any legacy weapons effectively. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

It seems to me that they're tired of people getting free Collection unlocks and are putting a stop to it.

I imagine that it'll still be possible to use them in Legacy weapons, just not unlock them on more than one character.

I don't think most people will like this change, but it wasn't supposed to be like this from the start. When something takes so long to get fixed people get used to it and then feel frustrated when it's being taken away. It's sad, but I feel like I can't really fault them for it as it was a bug. Hopefully in the future they'll notify that bugs like these will get changed eventually! Or just fix them sooner really.

I guess today is your last chance to unlock them on all your toons for free! I have.

This is a major issue for my guildies since they all use legacy weapons with CM color crystals. Any chance to make an exception if the item was unlocked account-wide in Collections?

Alternatively, how about you change the Collections so we can only get copies of crystals/tunings after paying the CC unlock? Then players can no longer get a second crystal for their offhand without paying CC, but there'd be no need for a restriction like this.

Otherwise, my guildies will probably go back to non-CM crystals to avoid the hassle of removing the crystal each time. I can see why you'd do this for tunings, but it's always been tolerated to move color crystals via legacy weapons, so not sure why you want to prevent it now.

No, I don't see why a cartel market item we already paid for has to be repaid for again.

Paying twice is not okay.

No, I don't see why a cartel market item we already paid for has to be repaid for again.

 

Paying twice is not okay.

Well, to be fair, that's exactly how the rest of collections work, and I don't actually mind. If I really like a set of armour, I'll happily pay to unlock it for my whole legacy. I only buy armour with credits, though, so ultimately I'm only paying with CC once (and even then I just use my stipend from the sub; I don't buy CC just to unlock stuff).

What's a bit of a problem in this case is that we had pretty much no warning for this change. We have unlock sales about twice a year and I generally save up my CC and only buy unlocks then. I thought about spending CC on a crystal so that I could access it on other servers... but, ultimately, the way legacy weapons worked meant that it felt like better "value" to spend the CC on armour. If I'd known this was going to happen, though, I probably would've unlocked a few crystals.

So while I'd really rather they didn't make this change at all, I'd suggest a compromise of a) not applying the limitation in any case where the crystal or tuning is unlocked account-wide, and b) having a special unlock sale for crystals at the same time as they apply this change.

No, I don't see why a cartel market item we already paid for has to be repaid for again.

 

Paying twice is not okay.

Anything to punish new money grabs.

This is a major issue for my guildies since they all use legacy weapons with CM color crystals. Any chance to make an exception if the item was unlocked account-wide in Collections?

Alternatively, how about you change the Collections so we can only get copies of crystals/tunings after paying the CC unlock? Then players can no longer get a second crystal for their offhand without paying CC, but there'd be no need for a restriction like this.....

I'd be fine with either of these changes as the would accomplish what they seem to be trying to do with out punishing those who use legacy weapons the way they are intended to be used.

I am fine with them wanting to get money for collection unlocks instead of people being able to transfer crystals and tunings to all of their alts in legacy weapons and unlocking it for their entire account through "character unlocks."

What I am NOT fine with is this change essentially making CM tunings and crystals unusable on legacy weapons. It will become a serious pain to send a weapon to your alts using any CM tunings or crystals. This will be the death of CM tunings/crystals for most players as they will not put up with the hassle of having to put a new tuning and crystal into their legacy bound weapons every time they transfer legacy weapons (which for me is at least 4 times a day).

I know that if this change goes through I will be using non-CM crystals and no tunings on all of my legacy weapons (which are literally all of the weapons that I actually use) to not deal with this. Which means I won't be buying new tunings/crystals or unlocking them in collections like I have been in the past. Which means, at least from me, they will actually be making less money because I won't spend cartel coins this way in the future.

Alternatively, how about you change the Collections so we can only get copies of crystals/tunings after paying the CC unlock? Then players can no longer get a second crystal for their offhand without paying CC, but there'd be no need for a restriction like this.

This idea I don't like so much. It's a nice perk to get a second crystal for the offhand via just one purchase, regardless of legacy weapon issues.

I know that if this change goes through I will be using non-CM crystals and no tunings on all of my legacy weapons (which are literally all of the weapons that I actually use) to not deal with this. Which means I won't be buying new tunings/crystals or unlocking them in collections like I have been in the past. Which means, at least from me, they will actually be making less money because I won't spend cartel coins this way in the future.

This is honestly what I expect the majority reaction to be, resulting in less revenue overall for Bioware from these items.

I am ok with it, if something is worth having on several characters I unlock it with cartel coins.

I don't mind the intent (stopping people from going around the unlock cost). I do mind the method as this also punishes those that use legacy weapons as intended by forcing removal of components to share gear. I especially mind as one who has paid out the unlock cost already and am being forced to choose between using the tunings I paid to unlock, or having a freely shared weapon to use with my many alts.

This will basically mean that legacy weapons that are shared will have to use crafted crystals and no tunings.

I guess time will show how the player reaction changes or doesn't change this initial move. I don't think there is time at this point to stop it from happening.

I guess time will show how the player reaction changes or doesn't change this initial move. I don't think there is time at this point to stop it from happening.

You may be right. I don't understand why, but some things in the game (especially cartel market things) seem able to be changed quickly and dynamically, without a patch, and other things seem to need a long, involved process. Maybe this could be something they can still stop...? But otherwise, yes, it'll show how they handle community reaction.

It would seem we are being systematically punished for having alts. Having to grind command rank for each one separately, and now the inability to use a legacy weapon with a cartel market crystal.

I understand the desire to remove the loophole of unlocking CM items via legacy weapons instead of paying for the unlock. But after the change (going by the wording here, I reserve judgement until the actual implementation) I am guessing I will not be able to use a CM crystal in a legacy weapon even if I pay the account unlock without having to rip out (and spend credits) the crystal when I want to move it to an alt for actual usage.

So I will not be paying the unlock cost anyway, and as a bonus, people who paid actual money will now be pissed off. Someone have not thought this through.

You could have at least delayed this nonsense until after you add weapons to outfit designer.

I am fine with them wanting to get money for collection unlocks instead of people being able to transfer crystals and tunings to all of their alts in legacy weapons and unlocking it for their entire account through "character unlocks."

I agree.

The fact that Tunings can now be unlocked via collections means most players that like a particular Tuning will in fact unlock it and instantly have infinite copies across their account (not just legacy).

As for crystals... it never made sense to me to use Legacy Weapons as crystal-mules anyways. Again.. if it's a crystal you like, you will unlock it and use it often across your account.

What this does is restore Legacy weapons to their original intent. And this new restriction does not apply to other mods.

What I am NOT fine with is this change essentially making CM tunings and crystals unusable on legacy weapons. It will become a serious pain to send a weapon to your alts using any CM tunings or crystals. This will be the death of CM tunings/crystals for most players as they will not put up with the hassle of having to put a new tuning and crystal into their legacy bound weapons every time they transfer legacy weapons (which for me is at least 4 times a day).

While it is true that some Legacy weapons are craved for their appearance and sounds, the change in no way prevents continuing to use them across characters. And let's be honest, the most common use of Legacy weapons was to mule items from character to character and bypass the Collections system completely. Made sense for very expensive items like Tunings that were not collectable, but it never really made sense in terms of crystals.

You don't even have to pay the cost to pull a crystal as you can just slap a non CM one over top of it before you move it. For the Tunings, yeah.. I guess you have to pull them to move the weapon..... but it's not costly to do so, so I really do not understand the angst now that Tunings from the CM are Collections unlockable.

It would seem we are being systematically punished for having alts. Having to grind command rank for each one separately, and now the inability to use a legacy weapon with a cartel market crystal.

 

I understand the desire to remove the loophole of unlocking CM items via legacy weapons instead of paying for the unlock. But after the change (going by the wording here, I reserve judgement until the actual implementation) I am guessing I will not be able to use a CM crystal in a legacy weapon even if I pay the account unlock without having to rip out (and spend credits) the crystal when I want to move it to an alt for actual usage.

 

So I will not be paying the unlock cost anyway, and as a bonus, people who paid actual money will now be pissed off. Someone have not thought this through.

 

You could have at least delayed this nonsense until after you add weapons to outfit designer.

Use Collections as it is intended, and no alt across your account (not just legacy) is penalized by this change.

I'm sure there is a compromise somehow on this. Perhaps if you have unlocked a cartel tuning/crystal in your account, the legacy weapon can have them equipped, otherwise you can't put them in a legacy weapon.

Downside there, is someone who is using a legacy weapon for it's looks on only one player and doesn't share it would get caught in the cross-hairs with that change. not sure how prevalent that case is, but I'm positive it exists.

Use Collections as it is intended, and no alt across your account (not just legacy) is penalized by this change.

You are missing the point. Even if I have the crystal unlocked for account (again, expectation based on the wording of the note, not actual implementation), I may not be able to transfer a legacy weapon with the crystal in it, I will need to rip it out, transfer the weapon, reclaim the crystal on an alt and put it back in. This will cost me credits each time I want to do it, despite paying money for the unlock already, if not for the crystal itself.

Do you see the issue here?

Use Collections as it is intended, and no alt across your account (not just legacy) is penalized by this change.

No, legacy weapons all have crystals and will be rendered useless if you happen to have a cartel market crystal or tuning in that weapon.. Even crystals/tunings you acquired in-game (via the DvL event) and were non-collectible and BoP will make your legacy weapons non-legacy....

This change shouldn't be made until they make weapons work in the outfit designer...

You may be right. I don't understand why, but some things in the game (especially cartel market things) seem able to be changed quickly and dynamically, without a patch, and other things seem to need a long, involved process. Maybe this could be something they can still stop...? But otherwise, yes, it'll show how they handle community reaction.

I think since patch is less than 24 hours away, the items in it are probably pretty concrete since removal of anything would require testing to make sure it doesn't inadvertently break something else by removing the code for it.

You are missing the point. Even if I have the crystal unlocked for account (again, expectation based on the wording of the note, not actual implementation), I may not be able to transfer a legacy weapon with the crystal in it, I will need to rip it out, transfer the weapon, reclaim the crystal on an alt and put it back in. This will cost me credits each time I want to do it, despite paying money for the unlock already, if not for the crystal itself.

 

Do you see the issue here?

Play smarter. You do not need to rip out the crystal. Just slap any non CM crystal in over top of it (a low level one that costs virtually nothing to insert) and then move the weapon.

For players using Tunings (which have been a minority of players until they were collectable) .. which have always been expensive to acquire, it looks like you would have to remove it, and since you could buy them to begin with.. clearly the cost to pull one is not a hurdle. Don't want to take that extra step.. then don't put Tunings in Legacy weapons. Yes.. it's now a trade-off.. but you the player are in complete control of making your choice in the trade-offs.

No, legacy weapons all have crystals and will be rendered useless if you happen to have a cartel market crystal or tuning in that weapon.. Even crystals/tunings you acquired in-game (via the DvL event) and were non-collectible and BoP will make your legacy weapons non-legacy....

 

This change shouldn't be made until they make weapons work in the outfit designer...

Play smarter. You do not need to rip out the crystal. Just slap any non CM crystal in over top of it (a low level one that costs virtually nothing to insert) and then move the weapon.

If it is a weapon you love to move around your legacy a lot ... then just put a non-CM crystal in and never worry about it again.

Within the various challenges players face in this, or any, MMO... this is a mole hill being reimaged as a mountain by some here. Yes.. we have to adjust and adapt to a change in game mechanics. Welcome to MMOs.