Smuggler Archive
Thread: Help out Thunderheart Poll on Slicing experimentation
Ragnaat
Fri Feb 27, 2004 7:16 am
#340
gah.. even I could vote B with some of these "provisions" and "if onlys" 
"B, provided someone comes up with a scheme for modifying the ranges that doesn't screw up the current balance between master and slicers and its not *too* easy to get the top so there its some differentiation out of it instead of just a de facto change in the slice ranges (which the devs could do if they wanted without experimentation if that's what they wanted from slicing & game balance), and the devs don't make the resource requirements such that all but 2 servers are "gated" from the top tools due to a resource never spawning with high enough stats, and theres a promise from every non-smuggler that they'll never ever call the new "bottom" slice "crap" or complain because in a range of 34%-35% I gave them a 34% slice"
but no, i'm not changing my vote.. its still:
"A, its a nice wish, but I don't see how all of the above (or even most) could ever come together so lets move on and spend some quality time talking about something else like spicing or missions"
"B, provided someone comes up with a scheme for modifying the ranges that doesn't screw up the current balance between master and slicers and its not *too* easy to get the top so there its some differentiation out of it instead of just a de facto change in the slice ranges (which the devs could do if they wanted without experimentation if that's what they wanted from slicing & game balance), and the devs don't make the resource requirements such that all but 2 servers are "gated" from the top tools due to a resource never spawning with high enough stats, and theres a promise from every non-smuggler that they'll never ever call the new "bottom" slice "crap" or complain because in a range of 34%-35% I gave them a 34% slice"
but no, i'm not changing my vote.. its still:
"A, its a nice wish, but I don't see how all of the above (or even most) could ever come together so lets move on and spend some quality time talking about something else like spicing or missions"
Zhagadska
Fri Feb 27, 2004 10:32 am
#341
A
i would only vote if there's provisions...but since that's not an option, A
definitely A
yep, A
wait, lemme think...ok, A
Synkharra
Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:35 pm
#346
A Last time I checked we were smugglers, not Miners or Artisans. I want to be a Smuggler not someone who goes to check their harvesters all the time or search up and down every vendor looking for the best deals. Thats the great thing about slicing, you can use any resource available and it won't matter. If setting your slices apart from the rest of the pack matters to you guys so much then get Master Smuggler and petition the Dev's to help us out there as far as Average slices go, so that the lowest slices will be something like 28 - 30% for weapons and the lowest for armor would be 35-40 for Armor w/higher slices still possible for both. Leave experimentation to the Artisans !!!!!!!
Dunlop
Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:38 pm
#347
A
OK, I am actually piecing together a standard reply as to why experimentation on slicing equipment could only hurt smugglers. I am absolutely willing to listen to anyone who has an agrument that trumps anything that I say here, it is just I have never heard that argument. This was originally written as a reply to a Weaponsmith/Smuggler so it is bent a bit that way, but I will refine it as the debate rages on.
Here we go:
The idea of Slice experimentation seems like it would benefit some people who have good resources. I have tons of great old resources, like you might, and even though it seems like it would help me, it would not. I started out wanting to go weaponsmith and collected a ton of now unavailable resources because I thought they would be useful. I would be better off than the vast majority of master smugglers on my server if they did this, but it would still hurt me. You are thinking of your business model, how you want to sell weapons and slices. Please, think about other weaponsmiths and smugglers, not just yourself here. Weaponsmith X makes VKs. Hologrinder Y is working his way through the TK related trees. What does Y do when he needs to get unarmed? He buys a full or partial crate from X, then brings them to his friendly neighborhood smuggler for slicing. If he has 15 VKs, he probably spent about 225k on those weapons. He brings them to me and pays another 45k to get them all sliced. Chances are I will hit that one beautiful 32%+ Speed slice and the customer is ecstatic.
Last night, in the course of 2 hours, I had customers bring me crates of 15, 25, and 25 weapons.
X, Y, and me are all happy in this scenario. In your version the range is tightened up, and he just buys one from you for 45k. OK, so the customer saved money, but a guy who thinks he needs a 30+ speed slice on VKs probably has a few million credits to spare. Guess what - you would have sold more and made more on unsliced weapons. I promise you - you will make more money if you sell your stuff unsliced and then offer slicing to the customer at the time of sale. Heck, jack up your prices 3k and say you will slice any weapon made by you for free if they travel to you.
I understand that people want to sell the finest weapons on their server, and selling sliced ones is a way to do that. Another way is to sell Krayt/Nym loot enhanced weapons and slice them afterward.
As far as destroying your bad slices (as some Weaponsmith/Smugglers say they are forced to do)... that is foolish and just plain bad business. Put up another vendor called "Mr. Not Great Slices" and sell them for 1/2 or 1/3 of your normal price.
A few people have complainedaboutusing 99% tools and getting bad slices - why on earth would you be using 99% tools when you know it doesn't matter? Sell those resources or make pistols from it.
Experimentation is such a can of worms... If uber tools get you 25-45% slices then people will get ticked off when you give them a 30% slice. I think it is more likely that 15-35% slicing would only be able to be accomplished with perfect tools. 85% tools at that point would give a Master 13-30% range. Is that what you are hoping for?
tntkiller
Wed Mar 03, 2004 2:17 pm
#348
A
im not a crafter nor do i have the schematic for auk's and wuk's
i spend enough time already slicing for people(armorsmith and weapon smiths have theire factory do the job) it take time to report how much ##% slice you dont i dont wanna spend that time looking for the best resources and stanind at a craftying station experimenting.
also now i can keep my price low for slicing 2-3K per slice and i have a steady income with high quality resources prices go way up so i have to increase my slice prices
B is bad idea imho