Droid Engineer Archive
Thread: Droid Price / Droid Merchant Guide
heres my take on it
ADV Probot with 2 level 6 armor, 1 level 6 medical, & chem. craft station
Shopping List: ADV probot
361 Chemical
142 Metal
110 Extrusive Ore
107 Steel
56 Copper
40 Inert Gas
29 Polymer
26 Low Grade Ore
18 Ferrous Metal
16 Siliclastic Ore
yes this assumes you are a Master artisan
Shopping List: level 6 armor
70 Duralloy Steel
25 Link-Steel Aluminum
20 Ferrous Metal
10 Fiberplast
1 composite plate
or
10 Metal
8 Steel
yep that’s all it takes for a composite plate
Shopping List: level 6 medical
54 Metal
25 Duralumin Aluminum
22 Polymer
12 Copper
9 Inert Gas
9 Low Grade Ore
Shopping List: Chem. craft station
75 Metal
25 Inert Gas
now lets say I buy 20 Armor units from a armor smith for 1k each that’s 20k
now add up the rest
361 Chemical
271 Metal
110 Extrusive Ore
107 Steel
68 Copper
74 Inert Gas
51 Polymer
35 Low Grade Ore
38 Ferrous Metal
16 Siliclastic Ore
25 Duralumin Aluminum
70 Duralloy Steel
25 Link-Steel Aluminum
10 Fiberplast
ok now to brake it down
(361 Chemical can be 361 Polymer + the 51 we got = 412 Polymer)
so on and so forth
145 Extrusive Ore
418 Steel
68 Copper
74 Inert Gas
412 Polymer
16 Siliclastic Ore
25 Duralumin Aluminum
70 Duralloy Steel
25 Link-Steel Aluminum
10 Fiberplast
now buy some of each at 3c a unit
we can say oh look ill need lots of steel and lots of polymer
2k Extrusive Ore
5k Steel
1k Copper
1k Inert Gas
5k Polymer
1k Siliclastic Ore
1k Duralumin Aluminum
1k Duralloy Steel
1k Link-Steel Aluminum
1k Fiberplast
19k X 3 cr a unit = 57k
for the armor add in 20k
ok my cost is now 77k
hell make it 80k for price difference
now I have enough stuff to make 10 probots lets say I fail 3 finale combines
I still got 7 probots
I when I get there will this model for 18k
that’s 126K a profit of 46k and lets take a look at what’s left in the parts bag
550 Extrusive Ore
820 Steel
320 Copper
260 Inert Gas
880 Polymer
840 Siliclastic Ore
750 Duralumin Aluminum
300 Duralloy Steel
750 Link-Steel Aluminum
900 Fiberplast
well look at that
hand sample 20 units of steel and buy 4 armor plates I can make 2 more
but for the sake of argument I fail one ok and sell the last for 18k
now take out the price of the armor 4k and that’s 12k profit
now add that to the rest of the totals
cost 84K
sales 144k
profit 60k not bad at all in my book
now your logic shows sell for 45k each remember we made 12 total w/4 fails at a 25% fail rate
so that 8 x 45k
cost 84k
sales 360k
profit 276k that’s a 328% profit margin
sorry but in my book you are a ripping players off
I will still sell my droids for what I do and still make money
I think we can agree to disagree. =)
As for cars and computers, again, two examples you can look at differently...
When Henry Ford came around and made cars cheaply that everyone could afford I'm sure there were quite a few people making expensive cars that bitched and moaned that he was ruining the industry. He wasn't ruining the industry, he was creating it. And in the process drove a few short-sighted automakers out of business. =)
As for computers, they're quite possibly the only product in modern history that have consistently both improved AND gotten cheaper as time has progressed. And all the companies that started making those expensive computers? DEC? Wang? Long gone... =)
Maybe if I could make a gold-plated Probot with leather trim and burled walnut inlay I'd charge 45K for it. But unfortunately we don't have that level of customization...
I guess since I don't reallycare aboutamassing virtual wealth I don't see the need to charge a lot more than something costs me to make, even if I can get it. But we all play the game differently, that's what makes it interesting... =)
FYI, the Probot you mention I sell for 20K which as far as I can tell is pretty reasonable for my server.
First, I'm raising my prices. I was selling at 4Cr per resource USED in making the droid. Instead I'm going to charge 7Cr per. That effectively brings my average price to 10K per droid. I've found that usually there is only call for a crafting station, a level 6 medical module, and maybe some armor. Probots are bottom rung Combat Droids as it stands, so I'm not sure how much I'll charge for them. Their Armor is a BIG selling point with 40% medium. They can soak up a LOT of damage.
Second, I hate overpricers. It amazes me the way some people over price. Origins on Bria overpriced his weapons and now I never buy from him. Why? Not because he doesn't make among the best, if not the best, weapons on Bria, but because I don't have that cash. Ultimately high priced DE's are focusing their sales only on powergamers. People who can sit at a computer and complete the same boring missions over and over again, and moreover, actually take pleasure from doing so. My customer is the poor Medic/Doctor begging for tips in the hospitals. My customer is the casual gamer who wants to try an artisan skill. And beyond being amazed at overpricers in general, I'm amazed at the justification for doing so. I'm a Henry Ford of DE's. I want EVERYONE to have one. The belief that once everyone has a droid the market will fall is short sighted and false. Once everyone has a droid, the devs will make new ones. And of course every powergamer will scramble to be the first on their block to have the new IG assassin droid, or the new Droideka, Right?
Dossa [CDeli]
North of Tyrena, Bria
I make a lot of things. From Gurrecks to Heavy Harvestors and Large Houses to Droids.
My pricing is always pretty much "whatever the market will bear", unless I have some special reason to offer you the best price I can.
While I did laugh at the original example of the "cost" that goes into making something, I don't have the slightest problem with charging an absolutely huge markup on what it "cost" me to make something. Of all my products, things from BE, are by FAR the most profitable percentage wise, things from Architect are the lowest percentage.
If your going to cite RL examples, of car manufacturer's or record labels or anything else, you'll have to realise that "cost" of producing something is irrelevant to it's eventual price, all that sets is the possible minimum you can charge, not what you will actually price it for(on a side note Vampire, I figure cost a lot more realistically than you do, I like to know my actual profits from any venture, so I can accurately decide if it's worth doing).
I watch what others sell for, decide how much I can possibly get away with charging, take a close look at my actual cost of production, then decide if it's a venture I should be doing or not. If I don't like the answer, I'll go make something that is more profitable to me. It really isn't more complex than that, no one is forced to buy anything from me, if they choose to do so, they will be paying what I want to sell the item for.
Vorgus on Bria
Shredzdroid wrote:
What is the OQ of your resources babyblue? I think if you use cheap resources, that is the only reason why you charge cheap prices!
the Q of my resosrses Does not meen any thing in the terms of 18k vs 45k om sorry i buy my reseoses at 3 credits a unit or cheeper i DO NOT harvist my own and i DO NOT pay more than 3 credits a unit Why shouldI it cost the harvister .6 - 1.5 per unit. I try to only buy the best and make the best. If you Ask Celinda, or Akme of inteped who make the best master artisen items thay will most likely say me my DSC are at 96% my Control units 93%my powerdisttributers 91%. I strive for the bestI do the same with my droids the best I can make is what Isell maby you dint meen that as an attack but i took it that way. please dont tell me i sell cheep becuse i sell a bad product. I sell Cheep Becuse my Customers Deserve i little respect not to be "taken for a ride" is that not what we have all been preaching to the Devs?
sorry to rant, and Shredzdroid im shure you make a wonderfull droid, so good luck to you 
& i do wish good health and many credits to ALL DE's we just all feel difrently on pricethan each other and we all have our own opinion and that is what keeps the market healthy.
The sad truth is the experimentation and resource quality have no effect yet. It is, I hope the one thing they fix before putting in new Battle Droids.
Dossa [CDeli]
North of Tyrena, Bria
What is the OQ of your resources babyblue? I think if you use cheap resources, that is the only reason why you charge cheap prices! I use the best I can fine, 700-989 OQ and that gives you a better droid.
I made a ADV probot the other day for a costomer and the HAM came to 821.. So I sold it for 25k with 2 lvl 6 armor and med 6 of course. Hemsg me today and said he loved his bot! The good thing is he said he only had 20k and it was np for him to run more missions to makeup for the 5k!!! That blew me away cause most of the cheap people try to talk you down..lol....
Well, I just wanted to share this to the struggling DE's......
DossaOfBria wrote:
Experimentation and quality of resources does not yet make a better droid, unfortunately. I have an advanced probot made out of junk resources and with no experimentation except for the crafting station (I'm paranoid about them). It has 820 HAM 40% Medium Armor, 54 - 58 damage at 1.55 attack speed. No better than what I can make with the best resources available to me.
The sad truth is the experimentation and resource quality have no effect yet. It is, I hope the one thing they fix before putting in new Battle Droids.
Dossa [CDeli]
North of Tyrena, Bria
Thats cool Baby.. I guess its always going to be different for ever server..Many cr blessings to you..
Dos, How can you explain the HAM differences from 820 to 825? What achieves that? I thought it would be the different OQ resources.. I think this question applies to all DE's.. I guess...
And, back on topic, I have upped the price, still selling, and on a couple occasions (when I wasn't expecting to be asked to make a droid) I up the price a tad bit more. I am also willing to sell BLL's as walking billboards, and use one myself for this task, but charge a bit more than my base rate for it. comes out to about 30 to 50 thousand depending on what they exactly want out of it.
Dossa [CDeli]
North of Tyrena, Bria
The problem i am seeing here is you all are just taking into consideration on how much it cost you to make it according to 3cpu per unit of material.
First off...who ever set that standard needs to be shot.
second off, i have not really seen one post where someone takes into consideration the usefulness of said droid, and or profit that can be gained from the droid.
FOr example, the probot. Granted its nerfed quite a bit but still 820 ham is a nice thing to have when you need something to stand in the way of another object. If your telling me i am over charging b/c i am not selling for what i put into it, i will tell you now to wake up and realize you are giving away a product that is VERY useful.
The problem i am seeing here is you all are just taking into consideration on how much it cost you to make it according to 3cpu per unit of material.
When this game released (or probably months before, a few geeks like myself ran the numbers on harvesters on 80% lots, powered by wind generators on 50% lots. The numbers fellin at about .9 cpu. (You can find all that work on pages like swgcraft.com, if the logs go back so far).
Then the 200% mark up was applied (because this is a game, and we want substantial gain for our time. That, and it wasdead easy to run2k gnort missions for so long).
The cost of raw materials are paramont in determining the cost of a final product that can, in no significantway, be different from another masters product.
Shredzdroid wrote:
Dos, How can you explain the HAM differences from 820 to 825? What achieves that? I thought it would be the different OQ resources.. I think this question applies to all DE's.. I guess...
Shredz, there are no differences. pull out that uber 825 HAM probot, target it and hover your mouse pointer over it's HAM bars on the target window... that's right. 810 HAM 810/810 (810)... Just because it SAYS 820-825 doesn't make it true.