If you completely removed slicing from the game, i assure you all the threads would be saying crafting is too expensive.

 

Mission skills are too expensive, you dont make enough money for the amount of materials you need, crafting is inefficient, especially armor and weapon crafting, with the amount of commendations that get thrown at you, and how easy it is to gear up in flashpoints, NOTHING you make is worth buying unless it is epic with an augment slot, guess how many green, blues and epics you need to reverse engineer to get to that point.

 

Slicing is OP, but in all reality every other crew skill is just inferior really. I have leveled underworld trading to 100, never made it past 2000 credits when i was doing so, ive had moments were i was stuck on the fleet because ive absently spent my last bit of credits on a mission only to fail. I dropped that nonsense a day or two ago, my slicing is at 400 now, ive broken the 200k mark on my credits several times over. I dont make any of my gear like i planned, i simply buy it all. With dropped epics raining from the sky and commendations ive been able to keep myself and my companion in a full set of epic gear for the last 20 levels with zero problems. All from slicing.

 

Heres the problem with crafting, i shouldnt be forced to spend money on missions to get my rare components, this has never been done before, usually you can have a small chance of getting these from the nodes themselves, as it should be, i should be able to spend hours on a planet gathering and come back with not only white gathering mats, but green, blue and purple ones as well. It used to be like that for crew skills, but now, you cant make a single item of note unless you dump millions on the crew skill, which is completely absurd.

 

I agree the crew skills should provide a more direct route to rare materials, but it shouldnt be the ONLY route to rare materials.

 

I knew bioware didnt take crew skills seriously when they only had one article about it a year ago and never spoke about it again, just like in every other MMO, crafters get the shaft.

 

First, With that terrible unsorted auction house that has every item in one category making it damn near impossible to sell your armor to anyone but the extremely patient, the lack of global market kiosks on every major planet. I mean lets face it, if im going to run from the heart of the dune sea in tatooine back to the fleet just to check the auction house for upgrades, i might as well take an additional 15 minutes and do a couple flashpoint runs mandelorian raiders / Cadamimu, im probably going to find those upgrades anyway.

 

Followed by the last minute change to the obnoxious crew skill system, requiring crafters to take up not only a gathering skill but a mission skill at the same time, which is a completely absurd system obviously designed by a group of people who have never crafted seriously in an MMO before in their lives. Crafters have always been broke while leveling their trade, but now you have made it so they are guaranteed to struggle, removing their ability to commit actual time and effort into gathering their materials, by removing the option to simple gather blue and purple materials from nodes. Buying materials has always been the route taken by crafters who didnt want to gather, but now we are forced to pay for our mats, cmon bioware, that is just absurd.

 

Another contributing factor is the mod system, im sorry but someone needs to explain to me how an armormech and synthweaver can make armor, but we cant make armoring mods. But apparently armstech can make guns and the barrels to go with it. Its like someone was only half thinking about this system. An obvious change should be armormechs can make aim + end, and Cunning + end armoring mods, while synthweavers can make strength + end and willpower + end armoring mods. and give cyber tech with the ability to make mods and aim/cunning enhancements. completely removing it from artificer and leaving them with the ability to make hilts and only strength/willpower enhancements. But the simple truth is, the people who make armor, should be the ones who make the armoring mods, period.

 

But the biggest offender is the commendation system, ive done every quest on nar shada, balmorra, almost finished tatooine, by the end of it, ive left every planet with well over 70 commendations, more then enough to buy every orange piece of armor and just mod the hell of them, completely removing the need to buy crafted gear, sure it isnt the absolute best gear, but its good enough to get by till the next leveling bracket. Which the heck should spend any money when i have these commendations i cant use for anything else but gear.

 

Cmon bioware, make an effort and prove to the crafters that you actually give a damn about crew skills, and take a serious look at the current system, it needs to go back to the drawing board. I dont mind starting over from scratch with this time based system as long as i know its going to be worth it, and as it stands now the only gear worth crafting is epic, which isnt worth crafting in the long run.

 

Remember the gear hierarchy should always be, raid > dungeon dropped gear > crafted /worldboss > dropped gear > commendation vendor gear > vendor gear.

 

Vendor gear should be a last resort, not the first avenue! When did that simple rule change.

I completely agree. The type of gear you can easily get from vendors pretty much puts crafters out of business. It may sometimes not be as good as crafted, but it''s just flat out easier to get access to. The market system is so clunky and many people don''t bother with it. It''s just easier to run to a vendor and boom, you have an orange you''ll never ever have to replace again if you feel so inclined. Mods? Commendations.

Well said. This makes me very sad because I absolutely love crafting and putting the time in to be able make great gear that people want and pay me for. I have yet to gather any blue or purple mats from arch(if they have any), and I have tons of schematics I haven''t been able to touch because there have been 0 mats for them to be found anywhere. I sincerely hope that Bioware corrects this huge issue. Edited December 22, 2011 by zgodsill

i agree that there are definitely a lot of issues with crafting right now. I''m cybertech and ive been spending much more money than im making. im also trying to RE my stuff to get better schematics because greens dont really sell but ive had very little luck. So far i must have crafted dozens of the same mod to RE it and every time im just left with less mats then i started with and still no new schematic. i know the chance is suppose to be small to get better schematics but this is a bit much. My CT skill is way passed my own level at this point but i can barley make any cash off of it so far. Ive been making most of my money from looted equipment. Ill also be lucky if I could actually sell a droid part too, im still working out the kinks of cybertech and figuring out a way to make actual profit but it shouldnt be so difficult early in the game.

I do believ it is something they will go into, of course it will be unorganized at first, I never had unpacked my things then instantly they became put away and arranged. (yes bad analogy)

I actuallt like the crew skills system, I like to make stuff but at the same time I get tired of sitting for an hour clicking things to level while not doing anything else. Yes the missions cost a lil to send companions to collect things but considering I have made about the same 200K or so just questing and vendoring everything I loot and I have my cargo holds and Inv slots, I dont think its a problem. It is something new, something fresh and something different from the old SWG and WOW crafting systems.

I actuallt like the crew skills system, I like to make stuff but at the same time I get tired of sitting for an hour clicking things to level while not doing anything else. Yes the missions cost a lil to send companions to collect things but considering I have made about the same 200K or so just questing and vendoring everything I loot and I have my cargo holds and Inv slots, I dont think its a problem. It is something new, something fresh and something different from the old SWG and WOW crafting systems.

 

You dont thin it is a problem that i can spend 2400 credits to make back 12000 credits?

 

Slicing is 100% profit, it supports everything and always nets gain, there is no risk to slicing what so ever the same way there is a risk to crafting, and as for your other points, i made a long detailed list as to the other problems hemorrhaging crew skills.

 

Your post has basically proved my point, you start by saying you like the crew skill system, then go on to say youve made just as much money as i have by simply vending quest items, which means you haven''t actually turned any sort of profit from crew skills or done anything worth while with it.

 

Being new and fresh doesnt make it better, and at least when i crafted in WoW i didnt feel like it was a complete waste of time. I had the lingering thought that said hey, at least i will use the stuff i craft. I dont even want to use the stuff im crafting.

Shockingly, I actually agree with the OP 100%.

 

The GTN is terrible, so nobody wants to sell on it, let alone buy from it.

 

Crafting takes forever, and why would you want to buy crafted stuff if orange is so easy to obtain and everyone wants orange anyways because they can choose how they want to look and just mod it?

 

I honestly didnt have any problem with mission skills until later levels, when I found it extreemly difficult to level them due to the money cost. I thought at first that this would balance out in the long run by just selling some of the mission skill matts for money, but people are not really buying simply because of the unaccessability of the GTN.

 

I hope BW looks at the mission and craft skill system and trys to work something out.

 

In the meantime with slicing, I''m going to buy all of my inventory slots and bank slots and mounts on my main and the next future alts, and get to a million credits before I decide to try a mission skill out.

Shockingly, I actually agree with the OP 100%.

 

The GTN is terrible, so nobody wants to sell on it, let alone buy from it.

 

Crafting takes forever, and why would you want to buy crafted stuff if orange is so easy to obtain and everyone wants orange anyways because they can choose how they want to look and just mod it?

 

I honestly didnt have any problem with mission skills until later levels, when I found it extreemly difficult to level them due to the money cost. I thought at first that this would balance out in the long run by just selling some of the mission skill matts for money, but people are not really buying simply because of the unaccessability of the GTN.

 

I hope BW looks at the mission and craft skill system and trys to work something out.

 

In the meantime with slicing, I''m going to buy all of my inventory slots and bank slots and mounts on my main and the next future alts, and get to a million credits before I decide to try a mission skill out.

 

You and like every crafter in our guild had this thought, sad that everyone has come to this realization to ride slicing till the wheels fall off.

I agree that there is a disparity in the market so far. Currently i''m making good money selling materials from underworld trading but at the same time I''ve all but given up leveling my Armormech crew skill as it''s insanely expensive to buy materials and the items I produce can''t be sold on the market, even if I run the price down way past my materials cost, even if I sell them as vendor trash I''m loosing money like there is no tomorrow.

 

In my opinion either materials will have to become more readily available to that crafting becomes a viable endavour or the items we craft will have to become much better so that they can compete in the market with commodation items and such.

actually I like the crafting system as it is, leave it alone!

I can't believe people are judging the economy already. The entire thing will change once people start hitting 50, once a majority of your server hits 50, and once people start creating alts and using main-character-level income to gear those alts.

I agree that there is a disparity in the market so far. Currently i''m making good money selling materials from underworld trading but at the same time I''ve all but given up leveling my Armormech crew skill as it''s insanely expensive to buy materials and the items I produce can''t be sold on the market, even if I run the price down way past my materials cost, even if I sell them as vendor trash I''m loosing money like there is no tomorrow.

 

In my opinion either materials will have to become more readily available to that crafting becomes a viable endavour or the items we craft will have to become much better so that they can compete in the market with commodation items and such.

 

The reason this is happening is because materials are at a premium right now and gear itself is low in demand because EVERYBODY is leveling a crafting profession and EVERYBODY is running Flashpoints/questing for gear and upgrades.

 

I really, really find it hard to believe that so many seemingly intelligent people are even paying attention to the economy right now, because the way it is right now is NOT indicative of how it will be once it stabilizes.

 

Sit back, relax, enjoy the content, and wait for the dust to settle.

The reason this is happening is because materials are at a premium right now and gear itself is low in demand because EVERYBODY is leveling a crafting profession and EVERYBODY is running Flashpoints/questing for gear and upgrades.

 

I really, really find it hard to believe that so many seemingly intelligent people are even paying attention to the economy right now, because the way it is right now is NOT indicative of how it will be once it stabilizes.

 

Sit back, relax, enjoy the content, and wait for the dust to settle.

 

Do you actually craft?

 

I am reading your posts and i find it hard to believe you have read my original post, or that you actually craft.

DustomaticGXC is right. Let your server's economy settle before making noise about the Crew Skill system. Slicing will taper off at 50, because the few people still making stuff worth buying will make a killing off those low supply high demand items.

 

Also, I don't really have a huge problem with the GTN at the moment other than the lack of two features:

 

1) Being able to Shift+Click an inventory item to automatically filter everything to that one item on the buy tab.

 

2) I forgot number two. Derp.

DustomaticGXC is right. Let your server's economy settle before making noise about the Crew Skill system. Slicing will taper off at 50, because the few people still making stuff worth buying will make a killing off those low supply high demand items.

 

Also, I don't really have a huge problem with the GTN at the moment other than the lack of two features:

 

1) Being able to Shift+Click an inventory item to automatically filter everything to that one item on the buy tab.

 

2) I forgot number two. Derp.

 

Dude my thread has nothing to do with the economy. will the economy suddenly make crew skills not pointless?

 

Will it suddenly make crafted gear easier to obtain then commendation and flashpoint gear? will it suddenly fix the god awful sort function?

 

read my post before you respond please.

Your skills are inferior

Your skills are inferior

Your skills are inferior

Your skills are inferior

Your skills are inferior

Your skills are inferior

 

Thank you for your input, you are a credit to this community.

I have managed to make a profit from artifice... But only because I had the color crystal market completely for myself for the first 2-3 days, and then only the low level crystals started getting flooded. It allowed me to charge 999 cr for a blue red fortitude crystal, and 1499 for the advanced version, 1999 cr for a red resolution crystal etc.

 

However, I realise that this only holds true because there was an unsatisfied market on my server, and that now that it is satiated (With everything but red crystals), then the profit ratio has dropped by a lot.

Like all things it is a balancing act on how to acquire gear. Should crafted gear that is better than dungeon drop be easier to obtain than a random drop from dungeon. I think not.

 

The fact that green crafted gear is replaced easily by quest loot/commendations should be no surprise to anyone. This is standard fair. For the people who invest the time and resources to craft epic gear the rewards should be there for them I agree.

 

The real problem is Slicing. All other gathering professions are either a time or money sink. Slicing is effectively neither. This is bad design. And should be fixed by removing the lock boxes. This will in turn remove the credit making side and put slicing back on par with other garthering professions.

 

To all players out there, enjoy slicing while it lasts in this form, I don't think it can go on this way for much longer.

While I agree with you about slicing being OP, I disagree with you on almost every other point.

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but almost every MMO crafting community has been absolutely plagued by crafters wanting to be made artificially important.

 

Basically crafters keep wanting the DEVs to force normal players to have to buy from them so they can be rich off of other people's money.

 

That's like PvPers wanting the DEVs to force people to PvP with so they have someone to beat up.

 

And the OP, intended or not, to me, comes off as just that kind of sentiment.

 

I agree that slicing makes money almost obsolete. I agree that the mods should be spread around more intelligently, I agree that the GTN is in desperate need of some revamping, but in my opinion the rest of it just comes off like you think you should have a right to my money.

Edited December 23, 2011 by Jydradi

While I agree with you about slicing being OP, I disagree with you on almost every other point.

 

I can't speak for anyone else, but almost every MMO crafting community has been absolutely plagued by crafters wanting to be made artificially important.

 

Basically crafters keep wanting the DEVs to force normal players to have to buy from them so they can be rich off of other people's money.

 

That's like PvPers wanting the DEVs to force people to PvP with so they have someone to beat up.

 

And the OP, intended or not, to me, comes off as just that kind of sentiment.

 

I agree that slicing makes money almost obsolete. I agree that the mods should be spread around more intelligently, I agree that the GTN is in desperate need of some revamping, but in my opinion the rest of it just comes off like you think you should have a right to my money.

 

So you disagree with me on every other point, except every point at which you agreed with me on?

 

I dont recall saying anything about everyone should have to come to crafters, gear should be prioritized by how difficult it is to obtain, commendation gear at the moment is the best gear before raids, why, because its good for the level you get them at, and you get thrown so many commendations that its not even a matter of money anymore, you dont need money to gear up. I didnt say anywhere that you should be forced to buy crafted gear, but since crafted gear is harder to make, more expensive and more time consuming to acquire, who would get it when they can get equal gear for free from doing quests.

 

I dont know what community you speak for, but ive yet to play a single western MMO where the crafters were ever important. This is the same old song and dance for every MMO ive played, crafting sound great, then you actually do it and come to the realization that it is a waste of time. You know why you are plagued by crafters wanting to be important? BECAUSE THEY NEVER ARE! Can you name a few games were you cared about crafted gear over dropped dungeon/raided gear?

 

The only crafter focused games ive ever played were final fantasy 11, and 14, there arent any others which give crafters any sort of respect.

 

And for your pvp argument, you have grossly over generalized it, the argument i know of is, pvpers want people who want pvp gear to earn it in pvp, not simple raid to their hearts content, then curbstomp a dedicated pvper who decided to focus his time on the battlefield instead of the raid zones.

Edited December 23, 2011 by deserttfoxx

I don't really think Slicing is as OP as everyone says it is. It's capped. It doesn't scale with inflation. In a few months, the other mission skills will be the things that make the most money because the items gotten from them will continue to increase in value as inflation causes the worth of one credit to decrease.

 

 

The GTN is just awful though. It somehow managed to be even worse than WoW's unmodded AH, which is also awful.

Really? You can't sort armor by parts? Give me a *********** break. You can't search for items with specific stats like in LotRO. You can't search for armor by part. You can't put an item in the sell box and see what that item is currently selling for which forces you to search for that item in the buy section first so you can appropriately price the item like you can with Auctioneer in WoW.

 

The GTN is just so freaking bad. There is no excuse for that. The guys making Auctioneer and Auctionator for WoW making amazing AH mods. Why can't any game dev make one better? It's like all the devs of major MMOs just look at WoW's unmodded AH and thinks that's all they need to do. It's not. It's not even close. You need to look at WoW's modded AH to know what you should be aiming for.

Slicing is OP, but in all reality every other crew skill is just inferior really. I have leveled underworld trading to 100, never made it past 2000 credits when i was doing so, ive had moments were i was stuck on the fleet because ive absently spent my last bit of credits on a mission only to fail. I dropped that nonsense a day or two ago, my slicing is at 400 now, ive broken the 200k mark on my credits several times over. I dont make any of my gear like i planned, i simply buy it all. With dropped epics raining from the sky and commendations ive been able to keep myself and my companion in a full set of epic gear for the last 20 levels with zero problems. All from slicing.

 

Contrary to your already expressed opinion, the issue here is obvious to a blind person: Slicing is OP. There is no way that the intention of the devs with this crafts is to create a situatio n where you can say, "my slicing is at 400 now, ive broken the 200k mark on my credits several times over. I dont make any of my gear like i planned, i simply buy it all. With dropped epics raining from the sky and commendations ive been able to keep myself and my companion in a full set of epic gear for the last 20 levels with zero problems. All from slicing."

 

Really? That's not OP? Seems like the other crafts are fine. This one is just out of whack. I do agree that the GTN needs work or that they should open it up to modders, but...

 

But the biggest offender is the commendation system, ive done every quest on nar shada, balmorra, almost finished tatooine, by the end of it, ive left every planet with well over 70 commendations, more then enough to buy every orange piece of armor and just mod the hell of them, completely removing the need to buy crafted gear, sure it isnt the absolute best gear, but its good enough to get by till the next leveling bracket. Which the heck should spend any money when i have these commendations i cant use for anything else but gear.

 

The intent here is obvious: They want people to be able to gear up in different ways. You can go through commendations, money, flashpoints and ops, pvp or crafting. To say that one replaces the other doesn't mean that it invalidates it. Your play style isn't for everyone. But it works in this game along with several others.

I lol'd at all the posts where people were disagreeing with things the OP never said. Maybe try reading the argument before you throw in your 2 cents? I love leveling my crafting for the simple fact that I want to make myself some great gear and I want to be able to turn a profit. I was very successful with this in WoW. I realize that the economy isn't set up yet, but even when it is established, it isn't going to make crafted gear any less obsolete.