crystal cove - btc

[Munkenmo]

changes to event items like this suck, it's around once a year, you make changes to our toons, ui, other epic items weekly now.

reconsider this change please, these items aren't the best out there, some of them are good twink items, (the ML:5 trinkets)

BTC items = lame, dumb and not working as players want.

consider the players for a change.

[blkcat1028]

You do realize that the change will only effect items that are upgraded after the hotfix next week, right? If you have fully upgraded trinkets, they will remain BTA.

According to the Dev thread here (http://forums.ddo.com/showthread.php?t=343397) even slotting epic crystal will not effect the binding status.

[cdemeritt]

I'm not thrilled that this is the case, but, I was expecting it... it isn't the first time a BtA item was later BtC... Not gonna worry about it....

Just a shame only 1 account got all the trinkets and things for passing... and at the same time I lived without these things long before the cove, I'll be fine without them...

[Avenging_Angel]

The main problem some people pointed out is most of not-lv20 items will become almost worthless. BtA to BtC is not really a shock (even if I'm unhappy with it, since I missed last event), I guess I'll have to level up all my worthy toons during the next week...

[alexdesuu]

What about all the doubloons and gems? Will all of those become BtC too?

[Avenging_Angel]

What about all the doubloons and gems? Will all of those become BtC too?

No. Ingredients and unupgraded items will still be BtA.


The ingredients remain BTA, as are the items when they're fresh out of the box with no upgrades.

[Grace_ana]

It would be nice if they were BtA unless they were epic, in which case they would be BtC. I could get behind that as a fair compromise.

[Aelonwy]

It would be nice if they were BtA unless they were epic, in which case they would be BtC. I could get behind that as a fair compromise.

That is a fair compromise, I could easily accept that change. I wish they had at least had the courage to tell us prior to the event coming up again... or better still that they would give an explanation of why they felt this change was needful and appropriate.

[redspecter23]

I can see why they feel that epic items, especially once upgraded should be BtC. I don't agree with changing it now for this time around and don't see the danger of leaving it the way it was, but I can see where they're coming from.

But, I really don't think any of the non epic items should be BtC. I think the point of crafting these up was for passing them around to get maximum use out of them. I suppose if you plan on TR'ing... a lot, then you could still get some use out of it, but in general I'm not going to go out of my way to craft up an item that I'm only going to use for a couple levels at most. There is even a good chance I could level my way past the item just from xp from running the cove itself.

I will grind for endgame gear that I can only use on one toon. I will not grind for twink gear I can only use on one toon.

[Zipwire]

It definitely only makes items good for crafting the epic version for a specific toon.
It was nice last time around to craft a variety of items that could be passed and used on multiple toons, that way you would never outgrow it and it would have a useful life. Those with only lower level toons will be at a disadvantage due to this.

Now I will only be upgrading something that will be of use on each toon. It is not so much of a problem for players that have high level toons because they can farm high level gems needed to get epic items and pass to lower toons to craft.

If I remember correctly for the Mabar event items were BTA until equipped and then became BTC. A bit more forgiving. Makes me wonder if the same change will be in store for when Mabar returns again.

[Nysrock]

That is a fair compromise, I could easily accept that change. I wish they had at least had the courage to tell us prior to the event coming up again... or better still that they would give an explanation of why they felt this change was needful and appropriate.

This

A
First the bad: Crystal Cove items are going to become Bound to Character (BtC) when the items are updated. This is how it is supposed to be. We noticed this issue back during the event, and decided at the time to leave it alone, it was our birthday at the time and bigger prizes the better for the celebration.
But now this is ‘fixed’, and is like all the other places with this kind of loot in the game. Sorry. We should have had this in the release notes, but I will admit I did not cast my net far enough into the past to notice the fix. Sorry for the confusion. So, before Crystal Cove goes live, if you have items that you want to upgrade (which will make them Bound to Character), move your items to the characters that you want to own them! Note that this only affects items that will be upgraded when Crystal Cove returns, your current loot should not see its bind state change unless you try to upgrade it.
1. BTA cove items with Epic slots remained BTA when a crystal was slotted in the past. Will they remain BTA if a crystal is slotted right now? yes
2. Will old BTA Epic items remain BTA if you slot a crystal after the hotfix? yes
3. Will old BTA Epic items remain BTA if you clear the slot right now? yes
4. Will old BTA Epic items remain BTA if you clear the slot after the hotfix? yes
The only time it will become BTC is if you put it in the barter box and upgrade it.


Go Pats!
Major Malphunktion

[Vellrad]

So that means if you want to make character using one of cove items, you can do it only in one time of year?
Excelent, really.
Exchange box should at least stay somewhere then.

[Hikup]

A lot of people have trust that the old items will remain as are. IF the hotfix actually works, and doesnt bind the old items or delete them. I'm sure some brillant person from turbine will decide they're still OP 3-6months from now and sneak a fix that binds all the old stuff.

[Jay203]

/yawn.....
saw this coming the moment i saw the post about the change

[BOgre]

This is such a non-issue. The cove items are a bonus. They're dirt easy to make. Making them BtC is good.

[Rumbaar]

Mabar items are all BtC, I don't know why CC were BtA in the first place.

[Drekisen]

Honestly I was quite shocked this stuff was BtA to begin with.......I was expecting this change to BtC back when CC first appeared for the b-day event.

[stripe1001]

my only thought on the matter =

since I have all the items epic'd already from the last event I can now ignore cc forever because the farming for low level twink items is not an option anymore(i.e. can only run for item in your CURRENT level range). I only hope that there are others now in my boat to quest with when the event comes back

[stille_nacht]

i do not think crystal cove should have come back in the first place.... for a once in 5 year event or whatever it was fine to have epics and whatnot, but now the rewards area little too good for the effort...

personally i wish they wouldnt repeat events so much...

[blkcat1028]

my only thought on the matter =

since I have all the items epic'd already from the last event I can now ignore cc forever because the farming for low level twink items is not an option anymore(i.e. can only run for item in your CURRENT level range). I only hope that there are others now in my boat to quest with when the event comes back

Actually that's not 100% accurate. The ingredients and stuff are still going BTA, so you can run with your capped toon and pass the stuff to your lowbies. The only difference is that the stuff you buy from the barter box will btc on (edit) upgrade.

[EvilI]

If you'd care at all about such things, you'd make sure epic shards and seals as well as green steel mats were BtC. They're not though.

[Snapdragoon]

i thought the reason they were BTA the first time is to sell shared banks (as they went on sale during the event) and it worked, me and 4 friends all bought it during the event.

and while it anoys me, i have a bunch of BTA stuff from the first time that im not going to upgrade or finish so it stays BTA. the only people i see this hurting is the new people.

[jaegarnel]

I'm wondering why people felt it necessary to make that change.

Sure, having BtA Epic items may have been exaggerated, and making those BtC makes sense, but the lower level versions?
If you're worried about that twink gear enabling players to overpower low-level content with their alts, all I can say is: too late.

Since stuff like Carnifex, the chrono sets or even more importantly ship buffs exist, all the challenge is gone from any low and mid level content for any player who's spent some time in the game and wants to not be challenged in that content.
A few more powerful ML 4 BtA items wouldn't change a thing about that.

[waterboytkd]

Actually that's not 100% accurate. The ingredients and stuff are still going BTA, so you can run with your capped toon and pass the stuff to your lowbies. The only difference is that the stuff you buy from the barter box will btc on aquire.

This isn't 100% accurate (like the turn around? :P). It's only when you upgrade an item that it becomes BtC. That means that all tier 1 items, even the level 20 ones, are BtA. That's your twink gear. The upgraded versions are much stronger (at least, that's the theory), so that's your BtC gear.

[blkcat1028]

This isn't 100% accurate (like the turn around? :P). It's only when you upgrade an item that it becomes BtC. That means that all tier 1 items, even the level 20 ones, are BtA. That's your twink gear. The upgraded versions are much stronger (at least, that's the theory), so that's your BtC gear.

You are correct. My post should have said BtC on upgrade, not aquire. I'll fix that.

But I was actually referring to the comment in red below.


my only thought on the matter =

since I have all the items epic'd already from the last event I can now ignore cc forever because the farming for low level twink items is not an option anymore(i.e. can only run for item in your CURRENT level range). I only hope that there are others now in my boat to quest with when the event comes back

[waterboytkd]

But I was actually referring to the comment in red below.

Ah. I admit, I've never run CC below level 20, and vast majority of runs were 25. But, I was under the impression that you could select a much lower level to run it so you could get the right gems to make twink gear. Again, never tested it, but I thought that's how it worked.

That said, they really need to add a trade option in the box so that you can trade down a grade or two or three on the gems (I can trade 2 emeralds for 1 diamond, but can't trade 2 emeralds for 1 pyrite? weird...).

[cdemeritt]

Ah. I admit, I've never run CC below level 20, and vast majority of runs were 25. But, I was under the impression that you could select a much lower level to run it so you could get the right gems to make twink gear. Again, never tested it, but I thought that's how it worked.

That said, they really need to add a trade option in the box so that you can trade down a grade or two or three on the gems (I can trade 2 emeralds for 1 diamond, but can't trade 2 emeralds for 1 pyrite? weird...).

No the lowest setting one could run lvl 20 toons and get gems was a lvl 16 (rubies &?) Run a lvl 20 on 15 or less, no gems....

[mjknehr]

would adding an alchemical enhancement at the stone of change make one of these items BTC? I finally collected anough LSSW that i was thinking of adding the Resistance bonus to a CC trinket. WOuld that change it to BTC, or only upgrades done in Euphonia's box that make them BTC?

[LucidLTS]

I guess some people will run more cove runs so they can equip all of their characters with sets, but in my case, at least, it means I won't be running cove much.

I'll run a few because I love the Kobolds, and maybe I'll grab a trinket or two for specific characters, but in general this change drops the CC gear below the threshold of grindworthy. I have limited gaming time, I'm not going to grind for hours for something I have to discard in a few levels.

Of course, the people who are really good at it are fast enough to grind efficiently, and they will, widening still further the gulf between power and casual.

I took time off work for the last CC event, this time I'll be playing other games while CC is running.

[jamesp1234567]

If they are changing this one, then they may change that one too. I liked the ability to use my items on the next toon, but that will stop now.
Unbound - CRAFTING is the way to go (till they decide that is a problem too).

These events are getting less interesting...

[Lilliana]

It would be nice if they were BtA unless they were epic, in which case they would be BtC. I could get behind that as a fair compromise.

Wonderful idea!

[Aelonwy]

"This is how it is supposed to be. We noticed this issue back during the event, and decided at the time to leave it alone, it was our birthday at the time and bigger prizes the better for the celebration."

That is not an explanation. That is like a parent answering a child's question with the single word "Because."
Why is it "how it is supposed to be" ? If the issue was noticed during the bday event why not tell us then that the items would eventualy become BTC? This feels more like bait and switch, it isn't exactly, but it feels that way. Furthermore, it amounts to more inventory clutter with all the lower level items becoming BTC (when upgraded at all). As i said before I would be 100% behind Epicupgraded items being BTC. That makes sense. That is logical, rational, and fair. It is the 4-16th lvl items becoming BTC if upgraded that bugs me.

[Grond123]

I really don't have a problem with this as long as they bring CC back regularly so that I can upgrade the items as my toons level up.

If my Rogue needs the duelist leathers, cutthroat smallblade and a spyglass at 8th level, she will still need them at 12th, 16th and 20th. It will be fine as long as their usefulness scales with her level. If my 4th level bard needs duelist leathers too he'll just have to get his own set.

I think returning every 6 months should be about right.

[LucidLTS]

"This is how it is supposed to be. We noticed this issue back during the event, and decided at the time to leave it alone, it was our birthday at the time and bigger prizes the better for the celebration."

That is not an explanation. That is like a parent answering a child's question with the single word "Because."


LOL! Exactly!



I would be 100% behind Epic upgraded items being BTC. That makes sense. That is logical, rational, and fair. It is the 4-16th lvl items becoming BTC if upgraded that bugs me.

I'm not sure I see the reason for it, but that wouldn't bother me nearly as much because in the TR cache they don't take up active inventory space so you don't have to throw them away when you "outgrow" them.

It also wouldn't bother me as much if CC was always available.

But overall BTC hurts casual players proportionally more than power gamers. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, Turbine may carve themselves a very comfortable niche catering to power gamers. I personally will be disappointed with that as I like the 3.5 rule set, but it may be a valid business decision none the less. It seems like they tested the casual waters and found them not to their liking, now they are back-pedalling a bit.

[zpfpzps]

deleted

[Xenostrata]

I'm wondering why people felt it necessary to make that change.

Sure, having BtA Epic items may have been exaggerated, and making those BtC makes sense, but the lower level versions?
If you're worried about that twink gear enabling players to overpower low-level content with their alts, all I can say is: too late.

Since stuff like Carnifex, the chrono sets or even more importantly ship buffs exist, all the challenge is gone from any low and mid level content for any player who's spent some time in the game and wants to not be challenged in that content.
A few more powerful ML 4 BtA items wouldn't change a thing about that.

+1 rep, well said.

I disagree however. Any non-raid items are essentially twinkable before creation, since you can just shift the ingredients over to the toon that wants them and craft it at any time. This doesn't apply to cove items now, because they can't be made at any time - only once or twice a year. My suggestion, therefore, would be
Make any newly upgraded items BTCoE, so that they can be crafted now and twinked later ONCE (like regular epic crafting) OR
Leave the barter box available in the harbor year round so that people can stock up on ingredients and craft the item they want when their character is ready to use it (again, like normal epic crafting)

Making them all BTC just makes them only worth making for toons you already have, punishing most new players. It's the reason I mostly skipped Mabar last year.

[Chai]

The main problem some people pointed out is most of not-lv20 items will become almost worthless. BtA to BtC is not really a shock (even if I'm unhappy with it, since I missed last event), I guess I'll have to level up all my worthy toons during the next week...

This.

There was once a reason to craft level 16 versions of the items.

[smatt]

"This is how it is supposed to be. We noticed this issue back during the event, and decided at the time to leave it alone, it was our birthday at the time and bigger prizes the better for the celebration."

That is not an explanation. That is like a parent answering a child's question with the single word "Because."
Why is it "how it is supposed to be" ? If the issue was noticed during the bday event why not tell us then that the items would eventualy become BTC? This feels more like bait and switch, it isn't exactly, but it feels that way. Furthermore, it amounts to more inventory clutter with all the lower level items becoming BTC (when upgraded at all). As i said before I would be 100% behind Epicupgraded items being BTC. That makes sense. That is logical, rational, and fair. It is the 4-16th lvl items becoming BTC if upgraded that bugs me.


MORE inventory clutter.... That may not be the reason, but anything they can do to encourage people to buy more inventory/bank space.... :eek::D

[Qaliya]

Of course, the people who are really good at it are fast enough to grind efficiently, and they will, widening still further the gulf between power and casual.


It also further widens the gulf between old and new players.