Purchase materials

[Almondclint]

The materials needed for Engineers are all rng based and super grindy. They are also another form of in-game currency.

Please allow us to swap credits for materials.

Or.

Allow us to request specific materials when choosing missions.

I dont mind small grinds, but anything that is totally rng is super grindy.

 

[CMDR Caderyn Abbadon]

Agree. 100%. I should be able to exquisite focus crystals, gosh darn it.

 

[Sandro Sammarco]

Hello Commander Almondclint!

I think it's unlikely that we will allow the purchase of materials. They exist specifically as a new resource to manage.

That does not invalidate your complaint, of course, so things that we might look into could be: trade materials for higher class or different types at material broker contacts (probably at some loss), tweak the algorithms so that materials for pinned blueprints had better chances of being generated, more rewards that were materials based.

 

[Imo]

I have not seen any mission with a modified embedded firmware as a mission reward since ED 2.2. The only four pieces I found as mission rewards were in the late ED 2.1. Since then nothing.

 

[Mephane]

Hello Commander Almondclint!

I think it's unlikely that we will allow the purchase of materials. They exist specifically as a new resource to manage.

That does not invalidate your complaint, of course, so things that we might look into could be: trade materials for higher class or different types at material broker contacts (probably at some loss), tweak the algorithms so that materials for pinned blueprints had better chances of being generated, more rewards that were materials based.

You are aware that MMOs usually allow free trading of crafting materials between players, and this is a major driver in non-combat player interaction, player specialization etc?

 

[Cocalarix]

Hello Commander Almondclint!so things that we might look into could be: trade materials for higher class or different types at material broker contacts (probably at some loss), tweak the algorithms so that materials for pinned blueprints had better chances of being generated, more rewards that were materials based.

Oh Sandro, if you go down that path you're going to trigger so many people that wouldn't like the magical increase of resources just because you pressed the Pin Blueprint button.

I personally wouldn't oppose it, but if you really want to help in that area and make everyone happy, I would suggest you talk with the UI team to add some kind of filter in the Contacts Panel for materials of your choice. Or something similar to make what you're looking for easy to spot.

And since we're on the topic, I would also highly recommend of adding more engineers for the same modifications, but requiring completely different gameplay to acquire the materials necessary. Give people multiple paths to their modules so they don't feel forced in doing gameplay they don't enjoy.

It's nice to see you looking at the engineers again and trying to make them better. o7

 

[Sandro Sammarco]

Hello Commander Cocalarix!

We'd not tell folk that we'd done it

 

[Athan]

I dislike the idea of tweaking dropped materials based on pinned blueprints. The limit of one pinned blueprint per engineer means you can't necessarily pin all the blueprints you're actually interested in. Thus it would be possible to have a set of pinned blueprints influencing the materials made available to you whilst somewhat actively preventing you from seeing a reasonable amount of materials for some other blueprint you do want to utilise.

It would also be easy to forget about this. When combined with only being able to pin a blueprint when you're actually docked at the pertinent engineer base it doesn't allow for easy management.

 

[CMDR Cosmic Spacehead]

Hello Commander Almondclint!

I think it's unlikely that we will allow the purchase of materials. They exist specifically as a new resource to manage.

That does not invalidate your complaint, of course, so things that we might look into could be: trade materials for higher class or different types at material broker contacts (probably at some loss), tweak the algorithms so that materials for pinned blueprints had better chances of being generated, more rewards that were materials based.

Trading sounds good, I'd suggest trading one high grade material for another though, not lower class for higher class.
That'd lead to some odd, probably unintended things.
For example, i can find 100s of Focus Crystals if i want, with no effort (just have a limpet or two follow you around a RES).
If i can trade those up for Refined Focus Crystals, then trade those up for Exquisite Focus Crystals, it'll kinda ruin the whole "rare" thing.
It'll just become farming low grade materials, then swapping for high grade.

I did suggest a negotiation idea a while back, so you can "reroll" your current reward, or increase your current reward, at the cost of other things, like cash, rep, influence, etc (and negotiate with the other rewards too)
I'll see if i can find it.

Edit: found it!
Mission Reward Negotiations

CMDR Cosmic Spacehead

 

[stormyuk]

I dislike the idea of tweaking dropped materials based on pinned blueprints. The limit of one pinned blueprint per engineer means you can't necessarily pin all the blueprints you're actually interested in. Thus it would be possible to have a set of pinned blueprints influencing the materials made available to you whilst somewhat actively preventing you from seeing a reasonable amount of materials for some other blueprint you do want to utilise.

It would also be easy to forget about this. When combined with only being able to pin a blueprint when you're actually docked at the pertinent engineer base it doesn't allow for easy management.

I agree with this it seems like a massive cludge. Surely there is another way?

 

[Phoenix_Dfire]

Hello Commander Almondclint!

I think it's unlikely that we will allow the purchase of materials. They exist specifically as a new resource to manage.

That does not invalidate your complaint, of course, so things that we might look into could be: trade materials for higher class or different types at material broker contacts (probably at some loss), tweak the algorithms so that materials for pinned blueprints had better chances of being generated, more rewards that were materials based.

Hi Sandro,

Wasn't there a plan for a kind of player's market/ebay for engineers materials only?

Is that still in the plan or has that been dropped due to the possibility of goal farmers/ balance?

Cheers

C

 

[JetsonRING]

The materials needed for Engineers are all rng based and super grindy. They are also another form of in-game currency.
Please allow us to swap credits for materials.
Or.
Allow us to request specific materials when choosing missions.
I dont mind small grinds, but anything that is totally rng is super grindy.

None of the materials are super difficult to find or to acquire with just a little work. Exquisite Focus Crystals? I get so many as mission rewards I constantly chuck 'em over the side. Cracked Industrial Firmware? Just got to know how. Pharmaceutical Manipulators? Scoop them up in space. Modular Terminals? Are you kidding me?

All these things are there, they're in the game, git gud, go find 'em. o7

 

[nrage]

.. tweak the algorithms so that materials for pinned blueprints had better chances of being generated ..

I've always liked this idea. It's subtle and you might not realise it's happening, but you'll still have more "fun" because your goals aren't being blocked by simple "bad luck", at least, not as often.

 

[Shadowdancer]

We'd not tell folk that we'd done it

First "Material drops are officially rigged heres[sic] why" thread in 3… 2… 1…

 

[nrage]

..add some kind of filter in the Contacts Panel for materials of your choice. Or something similar to make what you're looking for easy to spot.

I'd go one step further and have a filter which controls collector limpets or similar, so you only collect those materials you want. This is especially useful if you're pressed for time and can't just collect it all and vent the useless dregs.

And since we're on the topic, I would also highly recommend of adding more engineers for the same modifications, but requiring completely different gameplay to acquire the materials necessary. Give people multiple paths to their modules so they don't feel forced in doing gameplay they don't enjoy.

I don't really like this idea, for a couple of reasons.

I think spreading the same modifications round multiple engineers devalues them somewhat. Perhaps this would be ok for lower level mods, like I wouldn't be too concerned if all grade 1 mods were craftable at all engineers.

I like the fact that certain gameplay is required for certain mods, removing that would devalue those mods. If I were to do anything here, I would instead ensure that not too much of the activity was required to get materials for at least a few rolls. Perhaps the pinned blueprint idea, or something similar.

- - - Updated - - -

First "Material drops are officially rigged heres[sic] why" thread in 3… 2… 1…

I believe, and I may be wrong, that the game was at one stage rigging POI types based on active missions.. The new mission system replaced this by having a more fixed location /planet / etc for POIs to appear. In any case, people didn't complain about POIs being rigged, they either didn't notice or they were happy not to spend too long searching for them.

 

[Hydrino]

Hello Commander Almondclint!

I think it's unlikely that we will allow the purchase of materials. They exist specifically as a new resource to manage.

That does not invalidate your complaint, of course, so things that we might look into could be: trade materials for higher class or different types at material broker contacts (probably at some loss), tweak the algorithms so that materials for pinned blueprints had better chances of being generated, more rewards that were materials based.

If they could be purchased like other items on the trade boards it would be logically consistent and could still be RNG, hard to find in the galaxy.

So I would prefer just easier to find the rarer materials in having Engineers guidance and missions that points the player to close proximity of the needed components. Exploration tools that make it easier to know what is likely to be mined on a planet. I think some of this has already been done (i.e. suggesting on where to find stuff via text).

 

[CMDR CODY]

None of the materials are super difficult to find or to acquire with just a little work.

About a week trying to find one material, and its not even a hard one to get according to the videos.
I'd rather be heading for Colonia, than wasting day after day trying to get mats for upgrades.
Meanwhile I jettison lots because I have too many. How about some balance.

 

[metatheurgist]

That does not invalidate your complaint, of course, so things that we might look into could be: trade materials for higher class or different types at material broker contacts (probably at some loss), tweak the algorithms so that materials for pinned blueprints had better chances of being generated, more rewards that were materials based.

Dear god no. That's a terrible idea. As terrible as wings and MC getting magical bounty bonuses just because there's more of them (I thought players that work harder would get paid more, or are you suggesting people in Wings and MC are at a disadvantage to lone wolf CMDRs?).

On the subject, the idea that you can only see only 1 "pinned" blueprint per engineer is also terrible. It's time there was a "Lore" button on our ship's computers that we can bring up and read - somewhere ALL the blueprints can be seen.

 

[Shadowdancer]

My rough idea would be to have a suitable limit per material or maybe per rarity instead of one single bucket. That way, overall storage capacity as well as per-material quantity and bursty spending speed could be "balanced" to taste without wasting that one ultra-rare on an inventory full of trash. Trading for higher or lower quality materials would also be cool.

 

[Dbrn47]

Hello Commander Almondclint!

I think it's unlikely that we will allow the purchase of materials. They exist specifically as a new resource to manage.

That does not invalidate your complaint, of course, so things that we might look into could be: trade materials for higher class or different types at material broker contacts (probably at some loss), tweak the algorithms so that materials for pinned blueprints had better chances of being generated, more rewards that were materials based.

I like your ideas there. Would you let us change pinned blueprints while away from Engineers?