1495 TP for new pack, Turbines most expensive pack ever!

[Hokiewa]

If they implement some prestiges in U13, maybe they'll charge for that too.

I would count on it. I would find it very surprising if they did not find a way to implement a charge for prestige enhancements in the future.

[danotmano1998]

So I see you've discovered the Challenge Pack!

Yes, this is our most expensive pack, but it is also our most value packed. We have also for the first time implemented new access options that continue our trend of letting players choose how they want to pay for content.

The Vaults of the Artificers pack has 12 unique challenges that span level ranges 4-25. They also have some great loot and rewards (and might see some better ones added in the future). We feel that the pack is appropriately priced for any player who plans to run one or more characters from level four to cap as the challenges will service them the entire way through.

However if you don't plan to take advantage of the Challenge Pack's breadth of content, you can use Universal Challenge Tokens (and the free dailys) to access the challenges you want at a reduced price. The Universal Tokens are also unbound and can be given to your friends (or given to you by them!), removing a barrier that has previously prevented people from playing together.

We hope you enjoy these new access methods and the Challenge Pack itself!

I have to applaud the fact that Turbine is trying to make this more universally available to the player base, and I can understand that they want people to have a taste of the goods, thereby enticing them to buy the pack.

What I don't understand is why it is so expensive as compared to all the other packs.
Or any of the other inflated new convenience prices in this update.

[Dandonk]

So I see you've discovered the Challenge Pack!

Yes, this is our most expensive pack, but it is also our most value packed. We have also for the first time implemented new access options that continue our trend of letting players choose how they want to pay for content.

The Vaults of the Artificers pack has 12 unique challenges that span level ranges 4-25. They also have some great loot and rewards (and might see some better ones added in the future). We feel that the pack is appropriately priced for any player who plans to run one or more characters from level four to cap as the challenges will service them the entire way through.

However if you don't plan to take advantage of the Challenge Pack's breadth of content, you can use Universal Challenge Tokens (and the free dailys) to access the challenges you want at a reduced price. The Universal Tokens are also unbound and can be given to your friends (or given to you by them!), removing a barrier that has previously prevented people from playing together.

We hope you enjoy these new access methods and the Challenge Pack itself!

It has 12 challenges... whee... that are more or less the same stuff. It has mediocre xp, a very few interesting items... while stuff such as The Vale has three raids, among the most run in the game, and 5 quests. And costs a lot less.

It's a silly price, IMO. I'll not be paying this insane amount for what is, IMO, the least fun update in a year.

[smatt]

Yup, this pack is not staying at that preposterous price for long.

Turbine apparently has decided to make some quick cash on those who are super eager to own everything the moment it releases no matter the cost and has made the calculation that the sales lost by not having the pack at a competitve price point upon release will be less then the sales gained from the forementioned over eager buyers.

Not this one since I'm still ViP for good or bad.. Although ,I refuse to pay the stupid prices for the conviencance upgrades from the DDO... While the prices really are rather trivial somewhat... It's the point now...

As far as new content.. I used to LOVE to jump right in and do it fast checkign out every little nook and cranny I could for days on end... Now.. I wait a few months for it to go through live Beta, and to possibly be "fixed" before I even bother.... And Iv'e havent' bothered iwht actualyl DL'ing the Lama client after the 3rd time their stupid update push corrupted my live client last year.... I simply don't feel compelled to even lift a finger to help them considering they make it so hard to report a bug when you actually CAN report a bug, and most bug reports never get anywhere, let alone get fixed anyway..... I'll just tinker along as best I can.... Till DDO-ME goes the way of Windows ME....

[Mellkor]

anything more than 300 TP's is insane.

[cdr]

As I said elsewhere, I've purchased every single pack to date. I will not ever buy U12 at the current price. The pricing is that bad.

[ArkoHighStar]

So I see you've discovered the Challenge Pack!

Yes, this is our most expensive pack, but it is also our most value packed. We have also for the first time implemented new access options that continue our trend of letting players choose how they want to pay for content.

The Vaults of the Artificers pack has 12 unique challenges that span level ranges 4-25. They also have some great loot and rewards (and might see some better ones added in the future). We feel that the pack is appropriately priced for any player who plans to run one or more characters from level four to cap as the challenges will service them the entire way through.

However if you don't plan to take advantage of the Challenge Pack's breadth of content, you can use Universal Challenge Tokens (and the free dailys) to access the challenges you want at a reduced price. The Universal Tokens are also unbound and can be given to your friends (or given to you by them!), removing a barrier that has previously prevented people from playing together.

We hope you enjoy these new access methods and the Challenge Pack itself!

sorry it has 4 challenges, with slight variations.I am V.I.P. and to be quite honest challenges will be seeing little activity from me as I level my TR's, maybe just once or twice to get some twink loot, but not as a levelling tool.

[smatt]

They priced it so high so that us poor VIP's feel as though we're still getting something special and worthwhile... I guess I'll have to run them so I an get favor for the "free" Arti class... So I too can have 1k damage blade barriers I'm sure I'll enjoy collecting 30 more new items to keep in my stack of ingredient bags in the shared bank.... Jeez... I'm tellin' ya...

[Hokiewa]

sorry it has 4 challenges, with slight variations.I am V.I.P. and to be quite honest challenges will be seeing little activity from me as I level my TR's, maybe just once or twice to get some twink loot, but not as a levelling tool.

Yup, calling it 12 unique challenges is akin to calling one specific quest 5 unique challenges (assuming it has casual-epic). Maybe I don't get it. I don't recall the player base being up in arms to have this tech introduced. That being said, I'm sure hundreds of man-hours were spent developing it. That's fantastic, seriously.

It just seems super odd that the things players are actually asking for, are continually ignored. Maybe there is some massive database somewhere with data contrary to that but I doubt it.

[OldCoaly]

So I see you've discovered the Challenge Pack!

Yes, this is our most expensive pack, but it is also our most value packed. We have also for the first time implemented new access options that continue our trend of letting players choose how they want to pay for content.

The Vaults of the Artificers pack has 12 unique challenges that span level ranges 4-25. They also have some great loot and rewards (and might see some better ones added in the future). We feel that the pack is appropriately priced for any player who plans to run one or more characters from level four to cap as the challenges will service them the entire way through.

Emphasis mine.

There is a disconnect between the value that the player participants in this thread perceive and that which Quartermaster (and likely other decision makers within Turbine) perceive.

Perhaps if you could support your position that this pack offers challenges that will well and truly serve a character all the way from level 4 through level 20, you'll have more people supporting your pricing model.


Hype it up a little!

Be Specific!

BE VERY SPECIFIC. Seriously.


Please try to illuminate me as to how exactly this pack will add value that is consistent with its price point.

It would be a welcome change to find myself reflecting upon anything that Turbine did with thoughts such as "You know, that makes sense and really seems reasonable".

[ArkoHighStar]

Yup, calling it 12 unique challenges is akin to calling one specific quest 5 unique challenges (assuming it has casual-epic). Maybe I don't get it. I don't recall the player base being up in arms to have this tech introduced. That being said, I'm sure hundreds of man-hours were spent developing it. That's fantastic, seriously.

It just seems super odd that the things players are actually asking for, are continually ignored. Maybe there is some massive database somewhere with data contrary to that but I doubt it.

Challenges are similar to the LOTRO skirmish system which was very popular, by virtue of this popularity they automatically assumed it would be a huge addition to DDO. Unfortunately they forgot to ask the playerbase.

Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the challenges and they have a place in DDO, they are just not worth the price of admission.

[mystafyi]

If they implement some prestiges in U13, maybe they'll charge for that too.

expect this^^

[Ovrad]

No kidding, I was really on the fence about buying this pack when I expected it to be around 500 TP. The quests themselves and the whole challenge thing do not appeal much to me (considering half of the pack is reheated crystal cove). But in the end I would've probably bought it for the favor for artificers.

At 1495? No way, that's just ludicrous. This will be the first pack I won't buy... unless maybe at a 70% sale.

[GregorianPL]

tbh this pack isnt worth that much a lot of new epic.... trash items thats all

[Yalann]

No kidding, I was really on the fence about buying this pack when I expected it to be around 500 TP. The quests themselves and the whole challenge thing do not appeal much to me (considering half of the pack is reheated crystal cove). But in the end I would've probably bought it for the favor for artificers.

At 1495? No way, that's just ludicrous. This will be the first pack I won't buy... unless maybe at a 70% sale.

Exactly how I feel. Disliked the quests before the update but was willing to get it before when it was 550 TP. For 1500 TP, there is no chance of it. Claiming it is 21 quests to level from 4 to 25 on is misleading considering many of the quests only change 1 or 2 aspects of the quest, use the same maps, same objectives, and the exp is very bad.

[Bladedge]

When saw the price of the challenge pack I looked at my point balance, look at the pack again, laughed, said Iam not buying it until its on sale (at least 50% off). I can live with daily token.

At least I still got all of U10 and U11 quests to do and all of a few other games I bought within the last few months.

[Darkshire]

You know, you really CAN make it up on volume when you essentially have an unlimited amount of product.

I understand that there has to be a bit of a premium at the outset on new DDO store items, especially when you can grind out a bit of the store currency for free, but really.

Between the barter UI for the new epic items being broken, old Reaver/Abbot loot not being upgradable yet, Shroud blade damage going out of whack for a non-level cap quest, and the hilarious price on the Challenge pack, I am glad there's a lot of old content I still need to work with to upgrade my character's gearset, because U12 is so disappointing to me I'm simply going to avoid anything associated with it for now.

And you can bet that's not a unique mindset among your playerbase. You can take THAT to the bank, because at those prices you won't be taking my cash there.

[Delt]

Challenges are similar to the LOTRO skirmish system which was very popular, by virtue of this popularity they automatically assumed it would be a huge addition to DDO. Unfortunately they forgot to ask the playerbase.

Don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the challenges and they have a place in DDO, they are just not worth the price of admission.

The skirmish system provides some legitimate benefit in LotRO, and beyond that, since the majority of the non-skirmish content is still of the kill-x variety, I can't blame people who already know what traits they need who choose to level and gear mainly off skirms. Also, I never was crazy about the dailies (tasks) in LotRO (nor the price to increase the limit, easier to just ignore it all and the cash grab).

That said, I'd love to see the numbers of people that actually buy the new pack at 1495. Shame Turbine doesn't release those numbers.

[Svet]

At 1495? No way, that's just ludicrous. This will be the first pack I won't buy... unless maybe at a 70% sale.

^ This. Actually I'm happy with having one less grind to do, Mabar and CC once a year is enough "challenge" for me. Also, if the 1 favor per start per specific challenge mechanic from Lama still stands, I do not envy those that will be unlocking the Arti class "for free". Poor VIPs.

[Monkey_Archer]

So I see you've discovered the Challenge Pack!

Yes, this is our most expensive pack, but it is also our most value packed. We have also for the first time implemented new access options that continue our trend of letting players choose how they want to pay for content.

The Vaults of the Artificers pack has 12 unique challenges that span level ranges 4-25. They also have some great loot and rewards (and might see some better ones added in the future). We feel that the pack is appropriately priced for any player who plans to run one or more characters from level four to cap as the challenges will service them the entire way through.

However if you don't plan to take advantage of the Challenge Pack's breadth of content, you can use Universal Challenge Tokens (and the free dailys) to access the challenges you want at a reduced price. The Universal Tokens are also unbound and can be given to your friends (or given to you by them!), removing a barrier that has previously prevented people from playing together.

We hope you enjoy these new access methods and the Challenge Pack itself!

I'm actually very encouraged by this insight into pack pricing.

I can't wait for the next pack that has 12 unique epic raids that only span the level ranges 18-25 and is appropriately priced around 1200 points because of its lack of value