One of the best features regarding Strongholds in the entire game is the ability to decorate Guild Strongholds (and Flagships) with items that the members of said guild have already collected, by paying an unlock fee. While this does not work for items that are crafted, looted, or in a CM Decoration pack, it is a very neat feature that allows access to a lot of expensive decorations that would otherwise be much harder to obtain due to their GTN prices.

 

With the continuous expansion of our personal Stronghold collection, as well as the increasing scarcity of old CM pack decorations (due to the recent overall CM pack changes), it is becoming increasingly difficult to decorate personal strongholds. This is especially true for new and casual players, who do not have the money (or time) to spend on acquiring these decorations, the prices of which are only rising. Considering the price to fully unlock each stronghold, added to the cost of fully furnishing it, decorating personal Strongholds is becoming a tedious money-grind fest, rather than a fun decorating experience.

 

My suggestion would be to expand the unlock system that is currently in place for Guild Strongholds and Flagships to personal strongholds. This way, all of the CM pack decorations in game will become available to more players as they are, to name one example, no longer looking at spending 1 million credits per statue of which they may want 5 (which would not be feasible), but spending that 1 million once, after which it can be unlocked x amount of times for a lowered price.

 

I know I would cheer at a change like this, because as it currently stands, I do not have the ability to decorate my personal Strongholds the way I would like to simply because a lot of these decorations have prices more befitting of mounts (which can be unlocked!!!).

I second that notion, an excellent idea that I've mentioned on more than one occasion myself in-game.

I disagree with many others in game, already ways to obtain them and if you don't like the prices just wait it out alot have already spent way to many multiple decors to use in there personal strongholds and also the time needed to obtain them like it always has been.

 

If they added a way to give collections to obtain them for free basically then that defeats the whole purpose of the strongholds rarity and diversity compared to others. Also it would be a P2w idea as well of how the Prestige is setup.

 

Why are there so many threads about only a few wanting bait and switch ideas anyway, there's ways to obtain them still if you don't have it so what just earn it like everyone else did.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Theeko

I agree with this as long as you already have the item. I know there are individuals that have the items and sometimes they think they have enough and then a new stronghold is added or like they are doing they are adding the ability to have 5 and there may be decorations a person already has that they would like to use on a new stronghold and not able to.

 

Sometimes this is not because they don't have the credits to buy it but due to the fact that they are not on the gtn because the pack they were in is no longer able to purchase. If not this way, then add them to the decorations window in the cartel shop and allow people to get them that way.

 

As far as prestige it really doesn't matter considering how some people just throw things down and don't really decorate just to get the conquest bonus. I can't tell you how many strongholds I have visited that have high prestige that have horrible looking strongholds where people I know have a lower prestige and their stronghold is actually decorated.

I've seen many strongholds that have decorated plenty nice and would hate to see them all devalued to something like this idea

I've seen many strongholds that have decorated plenty nice and would hate to see them all devalued to something like this idea

 

I do not quite understand how those strongholds would be "devalued" if an unlock system made it into the game. By your logic, the game and its mechanics could then never change, because any change to the status quo would "devalue" the achievement of those that went before. People made this same argument to oppose a lowered price on ranked PvP gear, to oppose 224 gear dropping in HM instead of solely in NiM, to oppose the companion and streamlined leveling changes. The game changes and regardless of that, the achievements of those that were the first still remain. All those changes offer is opportunities for others to enjoy a certain piece of gameplay that, until that time, was only for the elite few.

 

Of course I understand that many people have put a great deal of effort into decorating their strongholds, but a change like this would not detract from that effort. As it currently stands, a lot of CM pack decoration items (note: crafted, looted or items for the special CM decoration packs are not included in the unlock system) are simply unobtainable to quite a number of players. This is due to a combination of the decorations' rarity because a lot of them are no longer available, as well as the current game price inflation. An unlock system like this would not be pay-to-win, you would still have to acquire the decoration once, as well as pay for each unlock. It would simply make subsequent copies of items a little easier to obtain and make decorating multiple strongholds a little more fun.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Iryfindel

A change like this will resort in every stronghold being in the 200k+ prestige IE: P2w, just seems alot of people want these things for no where near the cost.

 

I know alot of people that have spent good time and money using nearly maxed rare decor and didn't care about reselling it but rather use it to make there stronghold more unique and worth looking at compared to others.

 

A system like this will just crash the idea of the personal strongholds rarity and uniqueness.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Theeko

I can understand your concern, however, the idea that prompted this suggestion had nothing to do with the prestige system. To be quite frank I do not even care for it because, oftentimes, those strongholds with the highest prestige are not actually decorated, they are simply filled with high-prestige items. While it is everyone's own choice how they decorate their SH, my suggestion for an unlock system for personal strongholds is not based on the idea that it will be easier to obtain prestige, rather, that it will be easier to acquire some rare decorations for more than one stronghold.

 

If prestige is the concern, I am sure other measures could be taking against abusing the system, such as a cap on the number of unlocks available through this system, or a cap on the number of high-prestige items one can place in each stronghold. This would prevent abuse of the system for prestige reasons, while still making a wider array of decorations available for a larger number of people now the CM packs have changed so dramatically.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Iryfindel

Well it's not just the prestige I was aiming at, but how rare the decors are as well those that have used them want them to be rare and unique compared to the others that are easy to get. They will just do whatever nets them more money in the end, so who knows what will happen Edited February 27, 2016 by Theeko

The rarity of some of these decorations is exactly why I propose this system. With the recent changes to the CM packs, a lot of casual or newer players will hardly ever be able to obtain more than a few of these pieces. Moreover, a lot of mainstream players will never be able to decorate with these pieces across multiple strongholds because they are becoming increasingly more rare and thus increasingly more expensive.

 

I understand your point of view, I simply do not share your idea that the increasing rarity of these decorations is something that should be cherished and protected. Old decoration pieces will remain rare, even with an unlock system, they will just become a little more accessible for more players, as well as for decorating across multiple strongholds.

 

Of course you are free to disagree with me.

Edited February 27, 2016 by Iryfindel

Then every stronghold will be basically the same at 1% of the work others had to go through, which I don't think alot will be happy with, tbh they already have done way to much anyway to allow us to donate the CM decor to the guild now, people used to drop tons of those into the Guildbank and now regretted it Edited February 27, 2016 by Theeko

My suggestion would be to expand the unlock system that is currently in place for Guild Strongholds and Flagships to personal strongholds.

 

I do not agree with this and I will tell you why.

 

First the GTN market for decorations would crash, there would be no use to sell high valued decorations if they could be unlocked for a credit fee instead. It is very common to use more then one of the expensive decorations in a stronghold.

 

Second, they would sell much less decorations for cartel coins if the decorations could be bought with ingame credits.

 

Third, all players can do what we decoraters have done from the start. Begin with lesser decorations and change them to better ones along the way., They will increase the number of decorations we can have in 4.3 so there will be plenty of decorations to buy and decorate with (4.3 test server patchnotes).

Edited February 28, 2016 by Icestar

I disagree with many others in game, already ways to obtain them and if you don't like the prices just wait it out alot have already spent way to many multiple decors to use in there personal strongholds and also the time needed to obtain them like it always has been.

 

If they added a way to give collections to obtain them for free basically then that defeats the whole purpose of the strongholds rarity and diversity compared to others. Also it would be a P2w idea as well of how the Prestige is setup.

 

Why are there so many threads about only a few wanting bait and switch ideas anyway, there's ways to obtain them still if you don't have it so what just earn it like everyone else did.

I bought some of the first hypercrates, have some decorations that in this era are extremely rare and my ownership of which is an incredible achievement, and have bought multiple of plenty of these decorations. But I would GLADLY have all my decorations lose all their value and become absolutely WORTHLESS to make decorating more enjoyable for everyone and make decorations from older Cartel Packs easier to obtain.

I bought some of the first hypercrates, have some decorations that in this era are extremely rare and my ownership of which is an incredible achievement, and have bought multiple of plenty of these decorations. But I would GLADLY have all my decorations lose all their value and become absolutely WORTHLESS to make decorating more enjoyable for everyone and make decorations from older Cartel Packs easier to obtain.

 

That's you, not other collectors though

To be quite frank I do not even care for it because, oftentimes, those strongholds with the highest prestige are not actually decorated, they are simply filled with high-prestige items.

 

There are no high-prestige items actually, every decoration grants the same amount of personal prestige: +100 on first unlock +2 on any further unlocks. A stronghold's prestige rating is just the personal prestige multiplied by the stronghold's completion percentage and x2 for subscribers.

 

The trophies from operation and flashpoint achievements alone will bring you to 100k prestige, the extra +2 for each unlock in the proposed unlock system won't matter much here.

 

The prestige number can only serve as a gauge of the stronghold's potential. A player with a 200k+ stronghold ought to own quite a few CM decorations on top of the gazillion of operation trophies and cheap vendor stuff, but he might concentrate on another stronghold, and the one you're about to visit could be just a trophy dump for conquest bonus.

 

A 100k+ stronghold may be the same owned by a F2P, or the conquest dump of a raider who has no interest in strongholds otherwise, or it could be the nicely and lavishly decorated SH of a player who doesn't do ops or fps and rather spends his time decorating the stronghold.

 

Time for a vote system.

Edited February 28, 2016 by Mubrak

But I would GLADLY have all my decorations lose all their value and become absolutely WORTHLESS to make decorating more enjoyable for everyone and make decorations from older Cartel Packs easier to obtain.

 

While I do want everyone to enjoy decorating the strongholds I do not agree with that decorations should become worthless.

 

What is the joy of decorating a nice stronghold if basicly everyone has the same pool of decorations to choose from, without any effort? Chasing or saving up to a good decoration is a way of entertainment that would go away if everyone could simply click to get one for a few credits.

While I do want everyone to enjoy decorating the strongholds I do not agree with that decorations should become worthless.

 

What is the joy of decorating a nice stronghold if basicly everyone has the same pool of decorations to choose from, without any effort? Chasing or saving up to a good decoration is a way of entertainment that would go away if everyone could simply click to get one for a few credits.

 

What people should admire is the decorating skill of the owner, NOT the rarity of the decorations. My suggestion: Anything that makes the SWTOR economy less brutal and gives newer and more casual decorators a chance to go all out on their Strongholds. I am open to ANYTHING that properly accomplishes that goal. I don't care if it devalues some of my older decorations such as my Cyan Crystals or my commemorative statues or my old Banners. All I care about is decorators being able to enjoy the experience.

What people should admire is the decorating skill of the owner, NOT the rarity of the decorations. My suggestion: Anything that makes the SWTOR economy less brutal and gives newer and more casual decorators a chance to go all out on their Strongholds. I am open to ANYTHING that properly accomplishes that goal. I don't care if it devalues some of my older decorations such as my Cyan Crystals or my commemorative statues or my old Banners. All I care about is decorators being able to enjoy the experience.

 

And for those that have used 10-50 of the rarest decors in game already?

IE: Underworld bars, Massive anti turrets, revan zealots / statues.

 

I'm sure everyone could agree if they would bring back the Grand Decor packs so that more decors could be flowing on the market alot more than as of now. But in the end Bioware does whatever makes them the most $ in the end, and adding decors + dyes to the unlocks is sure not one of them.

What people should admire is the decorating skill of the owner, NOT the rarity of the decorations. My suggestion: Anything that makes the SWTOR economy less brutal and gives newer and more casual decorators a chance to go all out on their Strongholds. I am open to ANYTHING that properly accomplishes that goal. I don't care if it devalues some of my older decorations such as my Cyan Crystals or my commemorative statues or my old Banners. All I care about is decorators being able to enjoy the experience.

 

This and I have some rare decorations but would not mind as well if people were able to decorate and enjoy it.

This and I have some rare decorations but would not mind as well if people were able to decorate and enjoy it.

 

Yeah those that say this are the ones that haven't really added much compared to the ones that really worked for it.

Yeah those that say this are the ones that haven't really added much compared to the ones that really worked for it.

 

Excuse me? Because I think people should have some decorations that might be rare I haven't worked for the items that are rare? I think you may want to rethink your comment as it sounds like sour grapes when someone thinks other people should be able to get other items.

 

I am still decorating Yavin as I am being particular on the items I want for it as I want specific statutes that I am willing to work to get but that is because that is the type of person I am but not everyone is like me and I don't expect them to be.

Excuse me? Because I think people should have some decorations that might be rare I haven't worked for the items that are rare? I think you may want to rethink your comment as it sounds like sour grapes when someone thinks other people should be able to get other items.

 

I am still decorating Yavin as I am being particular on the items I want for it as I want specific statutes that I am willing to work to get but that is because that is the type of person I am but not everyone is like me and I don't expect them to be.

 

All I'm saying people put alot more effort into obtaining decorations than others like myself. I have used multiple 30-50 decorations to the max which I could have sold for like 3-10m each now a days. That's what I meant about putting so much effort into it compared to others.

 

Also like I said before, Bioware will only do whatever nets them the most income and for someone to only want to add 1 of each decor then make unlimited copies for no where near the price of what others have put into it will not compare to anything what they have going on now.

Edited March 1, 2016 by Theeko

All I'm saying people put alot more effort into obtaining decorations than others like myself. I have used multiple 30-50 decorations to the max which I could have sold for like 3-10m each now a days. That's what I meant about putting so much effort into it compared to others.

 

No one in this thread is trying to downplay the effort people have put into obtaining all their decorations and decorating their SHs. However, that does not mean that everyone shares your belief that this effort is, first and foremost, why an unlock system as proposed in this thread is a bad idea.

 

Casirabit made the argument that, despite all her efforts and all her collected (rare) decorations, she would not mind such an unlock system because it would allow more people access to these decorations for their decorating purposes. Your reply, in which you accuse her of "those that say this are the ones that haven't really added much", is both rude as well as extremely judgmental. While it is obvious that you can not know how much effort she has put into her collection, this becomes irrelevant in light of that fact that you can not even expect everyone to share the same opinion you do.

 

Your response inadvertently claimes that everyone who has put in the effort to collect their decorations will be opposed to this suggestion. This is simply a short-sighted statement which automatically disregards everyone who does not conform to your opinion because, if they do not agree, obviously they are not in the same league as you are. While I am sure there will be people who agree with you, I am also sure that there will be people who disagree with you, some of whom will have put in just as much time and effort as you have. In fact I know a few those last people in-game myself.

 

You have made it clear you are against this idea, and I respect your opinion and can even understand your reasons for arguing to maintain decorations their exclusivity. All I ask if you, is that you treat another's opinion as I do yours, rather than blatantly dismissing them under the illusion of "obviously you have not put as much effort in as I have if you are of this opinion".

Edited March 1, 2016 by Iryfindel

I wasn't disagreeing to the fact that decorations are nearly impossible to get now, but just to simply have them multiplied with no effort at all just like how you can donate them to the guild now seems way to greedy imo.

 

My thought was that they should just return the Grand packs atleast for each item section as they have before and do away with the chance cubes but then again in the end they will do whatever makes them the most $. That is why Dyes & Decorations were never added to the unlocks because they know people would pour credits into obtaining multiples of them.

I support this because many of the older items are often not even found on my server. With the new extra stronghold I would like to have some of these items to use but it won't happen. This force players to only use the most recent decorations or swap from older strongholds to new one. They could also do the same with cartel coin unlock system that we have for mounts/clothes etc. As the system is already created and all they have to do is add them to collections. That or start giving out item bundles like Jedi Bundle so we can get more of these items. I prefer the credit one to be honest.