[UPDATED] Changes to GWENT’s economy and full mill value refund policy

[Luckless_Jack]

In the Beta, to transmute a full standard collection to premium would cost 197600 powder. In Homecoming, the cost would be 143700. (Leaders aren't included as they now unlock as premiums. Thronebreaker premiums obviously aren't included either, but the total does include projected transmutation cost for the starter cards based on normal rates.)

If you had a full Beta premium collection that was milled for scraps and powder, you could craft a full HC premium collection and would have 53900 powder left over (plus 33280 scraps, depending on exactly how premium starter cards are actually crafted in future). This could be used on future premium cards, e.g. those premiums that you had in Beta that were removed for HC (Redanians, Svalblods, Vampires, etc.). Instead, you now just have spare scraps.

If you had used real money to buy that Beta premium collection, you may well be feeling ripped off that you no longer have the powder value that you paid for. Spare scraps are nice, but they won't get you those premiums any more. More money will very probably be required.

Have CDPR been generous with Gwent in the past? Absolutely. Some may say too generous.

Was the full mill for HC generous? Definitely.

Did full mill as scraps only vs scraps + powder matter? Not until they reneged on allowing crafting of premiums with scraps only.

Is this latest change fair? That's a complicated one to answer. If premiums really matter to you, and if you paid real money to get them, then you probably have extra reason to answer "no". We all understand the need for Gwent to be profitable for CDPR, but the way this was done feels clumsy at best.

So CDPR is risking upsetting most those who did actually invest money into Gwent for the cosmetics CDPR are relying on earning their returns from. Perhaps they think that they have already made as much money from those players as they can and that there is nothing to lose. Perhaps they have misjudged this?

Maybe occasional promotions where you can craft premiums with scraps only, or convert a limited amount of scraps to powder at old rates (say, 2 scraps = 1 powder) would be a reasonable compromise?

PS - Full disclosure - yes, I did spend far too much money buying a Beta premium collection.

 

[Archan6el]

This should have been rolled out with the patch.

My thoughts are that this should have been implemented with HC going live, with the collection mill that should have given full scraps and MP. I don't think anybody would have objected then. Perhaps not even if only the first copy of a card (normal and premium) would have been milled for full scrap and MP value, and the additional copies for normal value (to attenuate some ridiculous amounts of scraps).

HC was very generous with milling all cards and additional copies for full scraps. But why not follow normal mill procedure and give scraps and MP for premium cards? This was asked, but never explained as far as I know. Now it seems clear: Because vanity stuff / MP has to become scarcer asap.

Don't get me wrong, I fully agree with the change and I think the new reward system will make it work. It's the implementation and communication that leave a lot to be desired.

 

[Aldaijini]

So if I understood correctly, there will be no full refund to milling cards? As per example, Archspore that costs 100 scraps but rather it would only be 10 scrap as 10% of it.

 

[LessThanRichy]

There should be an extension on this - I've being playing since beta and now cause I didn't see this notification I now have tons of scraps with nothing to spend on. The premium collection I had in beta is now gone and it's really taken away some of my motivation to keep playing.

Really unhappy with it - 2 weeks over the hols with people on vacation isn't a fair amount of time. And either way there should be an option to spend these now useless scraps on dust!?

Otherwise why did I spend money during beta on kegs!

 

[H1gH_4F_MuFf1n]

I do get what you're going for with making premium cards special and all, I'm all for that... but you can buy meteorite powder with real money, that throws the "pride and accomplishment" argument out the window (although this is not as bad as an EA move)

 

[Archpriest]

I do get what you're going for with making premium cards special and all, I'm all for that... but you can buy meteorite powder with real money, that throws the "pride and accomplishment" argument out the window (although this is not as bad as an EA move)

That "pride and accomplishment" was a bad choice for "explanation". I get it, they can't just come out and say it but it's definitely a monetary decision. Which I have no problem with whatsoever, given that it's all about cosmetics. But they should've known better than "accomplishment".

 

[LessThanRichy]

What are the chances of getting an extension on this?

I feel it was really unfair to do this over the holidays when some people were away on vacation. I've tried communicating that on reddit but completely shutdown (Bombarded with bad karma for having a conflicting opinion).

Sure, if you got in on time great. But I've been playing since the beginning and had a full premium collection and because I didn't realize there was a deadline I no longer have that.




It's really annoying and makes me not want to buy anything from this game ever again.

 

[croloris]

I know that as reasonable people, we realize that sales end. Even if the official announcement took until December 18th, everyone noticed the original collections were all milled to scrap with no powder. Then a few items that were purchasable with powder only appeared in the shop.

At that point you knew it was only a matter of time before powder became rare. Was it too big a leap to think things associated with powder would become rare as well?

As for not noticing the announcement,

IT IS YOUR FAULT...YOU WERE INATTENTIVE, NEGLIGENT, AND/OR PROCRASTINATING.

it has been 2 years of all kinds of unannounced bonuses from CDPR that you had to watch the forums to notice. Or in the case of the Meteorite Sale occuring RIGHT NOW, have to just open up the shop tab to find. It is sort of their Modus Operandi. Most sales last a weekend, the biggest giveaway they ever did lasted exactly 24 hours.

By this point, you should check the forums once a week, or every normal business day if you want the best deals. Don't expect the company that cannot keep the same abilities with the same card art not to change everything.

We are gamers, we let stuff slide all the time in real life and pay the price for it. Sorry you missed the boat this time, but that is life, but don't worry, you'll have other chances to catch up in CDPR's cycle of brilliance/insanity.

 

[LessThanRichy]

Maybe so...

But regardless, it doesn't make me want to play this anymore.

2 years playing and 2 weeks notice to have a whole premium collection disapear.

Why bother paying money into this cash cow now.

 

[partci]

... IT IS YOUR FAULT...YOU WERE INATTENTIVE, NEGLIGENT, AND/OR PROCRASTINATING....

Sometimes people that are reading on dem platforms are getting rewarded with nice bonus weekends, but when you actually TAKE stuff from the player... well, that's a whole other story.

You do have a point but you also have to remember not everybody will come daily and search for news on the forum, twitter or reddit for whatever is in the devs/management heads today. People are right in that there should have been at least an implemented in-game countdown timer for this actually really important economy change.

 

[croloris]

I agree, but I came to this game from Street FIghter 5 and Madden. I feel like life is soft here.

 

[Mastercut0r]

at least an implemented in-game countdown timer for this actually really important economy change.

At least they should have posted the in-game notice which we see now BEFORE they actually made this change to economy. Otherwise it looks like they trying to make me pay twice for the same cards i already have had!

 

[LessThanRichy]

it looks like they trying to make me pay twice for the same cards i already have had!

^This.

What is the likelihood of an extension here? Is this all futile now ? Miss the notification and your're screwed for a premium collection?

 

[Mastercut0r]

What is the likelihood of an extension here?

I did not found any possibility to sign a support ticket with this question and I doubt some one from management reads this forum.

 

[LessThanRichy]

I sent a tweet to Burza and managed to send a support ticket through.

If enough people do maybe fingers crossed we might get an extension.

 

[XyleDaylight]

Well this is pretty disappointing. Premiums everywhere was beautiful, wonderful and a great way to cull extra scrap that vets and beta grinders had. The worst part is that there was no warning. You should have told us so we could spend our scrap as we please. This essentially feels like I've been robbed of tons of meteorite powder out of nowhere, no warning.

 

[TheNorse]

They announced it two weeks ago before the economy change. If you missed it, it's on you. Besides, it's funny how people whine about cosmetics. I'd trade my 10k meteorite powder for scaps any day.

 

[Archan6el]

Besides, it's funny how people whine about cosmetics. I'd trade my 10k meteorite powder for scaps any day.

How is that funny? Cosmetics are important. The world would be less beautiful and interesting if people didn’t care. People do care and grind or pay for cosmetics. In fact, for several popular games, cosmetics are the biggest moneymaker. This change isn’t made for nothing.

 

[CashPrizes]

I guess I will just uninstall the game then. I have 374,000 scraps. I never crafted a full premium set after the reset (altho I nearly had one before Homecoming just from opening packs on premium weekends), I only crafted full premium on Monsters cause it is the faction I play the most.

I was waiting to see how the economy would change with new pack types being added to the game. Now my scraps are worthless for premiums, which is what I really cared about collecting.

This is incredibly unfair, and should have been messaged in game before the change. I am now sitting on a mountain of scraps, even if I crafted every non-premium I don't have I would have probably 200k+ scrap left. Please create an extension for people like myself, and sounds like several others in thread. Or just give me a full premium collection and take my scraps to zero, that would be fine.

How do you create a support ticket? Honestly if this isn't addressed I won't play a game I very much enjoy ever again. I won't grind/buy dust to get back cards I already had from spending a lot of time and money.

 

[Pruny]

How is that funny? Cosmetics are important. The world would be less beautiful and interesting if people didn’t care. People do care and grind or pay for cosmetics. In fact, for several popular games, cosmetics are the biggest moneymaker. This change isn’t made for nothing.

I only craft premiums for cards that i realy like, i have 5 so far