Late in the evening, after doing several Kartia runs for my toons, I was in Giran again as usual to look around the shops there and check the prices. It's been 2 days since the Underground Update and I could sense quite a change already. Some players quitting the game but some others coming back to L2 after 3 years or even 8 years of break...Kelbim prices went up almost a double! and I got to see the NEW Soul Crystal Options! All had additional +5% PvP! NOW! OMG!
By checking the buying and selling prices at each and every shop, I could sense the flow of trend and the player population on my server, chronos.
I saw one shop in particular "PuppetMaster" the player's ID showed, and he was buying Maphr's box for 85kk each...I checked the Nstore and quickly did my math. Hmm...85kk divided by 240 Ncoins = 350K per Ncoin.. not bad...
I knew if I waited for about a month or two...Freya event was coming and there was the news about a NEW LAVIEN Rose Jewels! too...But 350k per Ncoin was a good price offer so after looking around more and thinking about it for like one more hour, I ended up buying 150 x Maphr's boxes and sold the guy the whole thing, getting about 13B from that single transaction.
But..somehow...I could sense a sad sinking feeling widening in my heart. I couldn't figure out why...but definitely I became sad. "I need to CHEER UP!
Let's Gamble!" So here I went again...getting sold to another Nstore gambling promotion. 2 x 5000 ultimate gambler's boxes! Yeah for 10,000 Ncoins I got to open 50 Pandora boxes and 2,000 Gambler's boxes. The result was ....
well I won the Zigor's Gem awards, 10 each, 2 x times; So, 2B I got from the Grocery shop, the rest were irrelavent, some R-crystals, 2,000 Rgems(about 2B worth) so for 10,000 Ncoins I got 4B + lots of random stuff again(had to create a new LvL1 dwarf to keep all the stuff again...lol)
I was still melancholy blue...so I started organizing my warehouse clan inventory hoping that would change my mood... but! suddenly realized there were 120 x EWR sitting in the clan warehouse ALL from my Kartia Box RUNS I did for the last 3-4 months! EWR = 12kk at the AH so I sold them easily for 10KK each, making 1.2B in the end. WOOT! My hard work finally paid off!
At this moment, my heart became filled with joy and a sense of fulfillment again. No more sadness, but a happiness. Yes...it took me just a couple of clicking at the Nstore option menu to make 13B, but months of hard work to make 1.2B(10 times less) and yet somehow that 1.2B was worth way more to me...probably cuz I knew I got them all by myself with honest hard work. I must say...K85, K90, K95 Duo Trio run is an ART in itself. I had to fail 8-9 times in my first attempt to get it right the first time and after that I got to learn the minimum specs, minimum levels for Duo or Trio runs, good class combo, techniques for each phase and each boss but most of all...character balance I am learning and experiencing better with each run.
I was making the one last round look at giran merchants, when I finally came across a Orc character buying the matts and Rgems for... just for......all for...1 x TW armor... I was kinda stunned...an old school L2 player...
I felt like helping him a little so I sold him the Rgems I had.
"Thank you!" he whispered!
!!!! An old school L2 player was actually sitting there Body and soul in that present moment as he was in store buying mode! Anyways, we got to chat a little...and it turned out he just came back to L2 after 8 years and was trying his luck with TW Armor Crafting. ****...suddenly I became jealous of him...Billions and Billions of Adena I had but I was not happy most of the time and always had to have more...and yet he seemed to be more happy and energetic more than anyone I knew...and all his gears were Ghetto...too...
Oh...My...I didn't know that...I guess I never paid close attention in detail to what each SA did before. LOL I guess I am not perfect...anyways...
now we have SKill critical damage and SKill critical Chance SA!!!
Isn't this something?!! I am getting those for my Yul NOW!
Every time I read a dreamseeker thread about spending... I can only think of some ditzy rich housewife running around spending at will with the husband's credit card. Not happy in L2? Spend more money. Really?
I tried to like the guy, but all these spending exploits, then reporting back to us just wears on my eyes. Nobody likes someone that brags. And people that brag the most, either look like liars or a holes. Spare us...nobody cares.
I was making the one last round look at giran merchants, when I finally came across a Orc character buying the matts and Rgems for... just for......all for...1 x TW armor... I was kinda stunned...an old school L2 player...
I felt like helping him a little so I sold him the Rgems I had.
"Thank you!" he whispered!
!!!! An old school L2 player was actually sitting there Body and soul in that present moment as he was in store buying mode! Anyways, we got to chat a little...and it turned out he just came back to L2 after 8 years and was trying his luck with TW Armor Crafting. ****...suddenly I became jealous of him...Billions and Billions of Adena I had but I was not happy most of the time and always had to have more...and yet he seemed to be more happy and energetic more than anyone I knew...and all his gears were Ghetto...too...
This is also what I do for fun and for my alts' armor sets.
But instead of buying, I farm the key mats from mobs and doing the quest in fairies.
Took 1 week to complete the key mats for 1 TW peice. Then I'll craft it in giran.
Right now I have made full TW heavy set and TW robe is on going.
So yeah nothing can compare the happiness you get from your hard work if you succeed.
This is also what I do for fun and for my alts' armor sets.
But instead of buying, I farm the key mats from mobs and doing the quest in fairies.
Took 1 week to complete the key mats for 1 TW peice. Then I'll craft it in giran.
Right now I have made full TW heavy set and TW robe is on going.
So yeah nothing can compare the happiness you get from your hard work if you succeed.
Thank you for understanding the point of my original post.
Every time I read a dreamseeker thread about spending... I can only think of some ditzy rich housewife running around spending at will with the husband's credit card. Not happy in L2? Spend more money. Really?
I tried to like the guy, but all these spending exploits, then reporting back to us just wears on my eyes. Nobody likes someone that brags. And people that brag the most, either look like liars or a holes. Spare us...nobody cares.
I assume you are the type of player who don't do much Nstore if at all. Well, I can respect that.
To be honest, I just wish NCsoft or one of the GMs like NCJuJi do some thorough testing before the release of every single Nstore promo and at least make sure there is no bug or error and it's Win-Win for both NCwest and the players. Some events are ok but mostly they are not, almost to the point feeling like it's a scam...
My goal is to test the success-rates and drop rates and make the results public, so people will know, and the game company will know better to be careful next time. I just wish NcJuJi post the testing in his 'Juji's Lab' with the beginning of every promo.
But yeah...what I really want is not the endless spending of $$.
I just wish they had a more concrete plan and system...like
1. Free to Play(people are welcome to come and enjoy the game for free, however as they play and level up, they would want the 2,3 and 4)
2. $15 prestige pack monthly with 100% exp + 100% drop
3. $45 Prestige pack monthly with 200% exp + 200% drop
4. Reasonable Nstore promos.
I think when above 4 things are implemented, the game becomes a lot better. Right now...it's just too much Nstore stuff...RUINing the GAME ECONOMY...
I don't think 100% exp for $15, 200% exp for $45 is a problem. Cuz for the people who play for free...you guys are still enjoying this game for free..so what more can you ask?
What I want is NOT 100 people spending $2,000 USD a month per server. What I want is 40-50,000 people spending $20 a month per server.
(on average that is) Until that happens, I won't be stopped.
I could've ignored your response but you seem like an intelligent guy, so I am caring to write. Anyways, thanks for you insight and concern.
I assume you are the type of player who don't do much Nstore if at all. Well, I can respect that.
Look, I appoligize for that comment....my job comes with a lot of stress and sometimes I come here with some stress still on me and then post in my "sick of things" mood. I actually in a hypocritical way did spend my fair share a while ago. I'm one of the unlucky ones. I NEVER get the "chance" items. I ALWAYS fail at enchanting, etc. No matter what I spend I can never seem to "win" lol. So it's created animosity in me towards NC's store. I did better years ago when I had a subscription....we grinded forever back then to earn mats and create our items....sometimes we'd fail and have to grind all over again forever, but in the end we were proud of our accomplishments. Things nowadays are just all dangling out there for whoever can afford it, or is impulsive enough to buy it. And I can afford pretty much whatever I want too, but my "old school" mentality just won't let me do it. So I know I've said some strong things about people spending, including you....I'm sorry. I can't take it back, what's been said is said. I'm just saying I understand.....some people gamble, some people drink, some people collect things, some people spend in games. To each their own. As I look back at the things I've said, I think how silly and mean it is to pick on someone personally for their hobbies. Feel free to hate me forever or block me for that matter. Maybe I'm just having one of those days today, but either way for what it's worth, I'm sorry. Keep on keeping on.
Look, I appoligize for that comment....my job comes with a lot of stress and sometimes I come here with some stress still on me and then post in my "sick of things" mood. I actually in a hypocritical way did spend my fair share a while ago. I'm one of the unlucky ones. I NEVER get the "chance" items. I ALWAYS fail at enchanting, etc. No matter what I spend I can never seem to "win" lol. So it's created animosity in me towards NC's store. I did better years ago when I had a subscription....we grinded forever back then to earn mats and create our items....sometimes we'd fail and have to grind all over again forever, but in the end we were proud of our accomplishments. Things nowadays are just all dangling out there for whoever can afford it, or is impulsive enough to buy it. And I can afford pretty much whatever I want too, but my "old school" mentality just won't let me do it. So I know I've said some strong things about people spending, including you....I'm sorry. I can't take it back, what's been said is said. I'm just saying I understand.....some people gamble, some people drink, some people collect things, some people spend in games. To each their own. As I look back at the things I've said, I think how silly and mean it is to pick on someone personally for their hobbies. Feel free to hate me forever or block me for that matter. Maybe I'm just having one of those days today, but either way for what it's worth, I'm sorry. Keep on keeping on.
No need to apologize my friend. I must admit, a lot of times, I have the tendency to be sarcastic, funny or overly dramatic in whatever I do. It's probably because what I hate the most in life is... Boredom...
For example, when I read the works of other people, it doesn't matter if it's good or not. If it's boring and not entertaining...I just don't wanna read it!
I always tell other people..."Don't give me the boring stuff!"
So, you didn't really offend me with your past remarks, for it was me who wrote things deliberately funny with the intention of ridiculing and criticizing the current state of L2...and I guess my skill in writing is not yet really good enough to make people see my messages while enjoying the jokes at the same time. I always tell the truth by the way. It's just that the way I tell my stories is not skilled enough to achieve both.
Anyways,
Thank you for your thoughtfulness. You are very kind.