Older Toon Discounts

Kerrigan

I have a suggestion to add additional tiers to the character roll-out sequence (just like a character going from shop only, to shipments, to holotables). Currently there is no distinction in cost for any sort of power increase between a new character and an old character, whether that be credits for leveling, ability mats, gear, or shards for increasing stars. Older characters could be given discounts based on their time in game (or perhaps time spent activated) for various things. The discount is not retroactive of course. If you invest in the character when it's new, you don't get the discount when it is old. This is an example layout of what I'm talking about (doesn't have to be this exactly of course)

Six months after going to holotables: credit cost to level discounted
After 1 year: non-zeta ability mats get discounted
After 2 years: omega and zeta ability mats get discounted
After 3 years: shard collection doubled (any time you get a shard, it's doubled just like double drops, probably only available for holotable farming, not shipments or events)
After 4 years: gear requirements discounted (perhaps through a refund-like set up, a carbanti on an old old character still initially costs the full 50 normal salvage, but then the mail refunds some of them)

There is a discussion on the zeta situation in the general discussion forum. This is one possible solution to a number of problems, including the zeta problem. Should an old character's zeta really cost as much as a new zeta? Should an old character's gear cost the same as a newer character's gear? The power creep has rendered old characters so useless, there is never a reason to invest in them. However, some of them are very fun characters. I really want to enjoy playing with those characters, but cannot justify investing in them when new characters are so much more valuable, and are coming out at a rate that can't be kept up with.
Love the new content. Love the new characters. Want to enjoy the older characters too.

GhostTruckin

If you want to play with them, then build them. Praying/hoping/begging for some kind of discounted way to build older chars is a pipe dream and remarkably ridiculous

Kerrigan

There's no way to justify spending gear on Lobot when Malak is not fully geared. That's the point.

A number of people believe (in this thread: https://forums.galaxy-of-heroes.starwars.ea.com/discussion/202118/can-the-zeta-situation-be-improved/p1 ) that there's a zeta mat acquisition rate problem. I'm saying that this is one possible solution to that problem. I also believe the gear crunch that means no older character will ever be geared since the rate at which new characters are coming out outstrips the acquisition rate of gear at the free to play level.
This solution solves both problems, without affecting those who are willing to spend for the latest greatest character. If they were to solve either of these problems by increasing the rate at which we acquire things for free, it would mean the paying players would not need to pay as much. But the game is designed to be able to be played as free to play if you choose. This allows the free to play a way to catch up without giving much (if any) benefit to the paying customers. This would then force the paying players to pay more to keep ahead (which is a win for CG).

RandomSithLord

What if a two year old toon gets a rework a week after you zeta'd that certain toon at a discount. Since the radical rework, let's say you get an investment refund. Will the system keep track whether you invested the full price or a discounted amount of zeta materials in that toon? Does everyone get 20 mats back?
What if a 3-4 year old toon suddenly becomes part of the meta, due to a new toon added that synergises well with it? Do you expect CG to let you farm that toon at double speed and reduced gear requirements?
These are just some of the loopholes. Probably older toon shards could be more accessible, but not gear and zeta materials.

Waqui

Kerrigan wrote: »

There's no way to justify spending gear on Lobot when Malak is not fully geared. That's the point.

Then don't spend gear on Lobot, or any other character, which you don't use, until Malak is geared. That's another point.

A number of people believe (in this thread: https://forums.galaxy-of-heroes.starwars.ea.com/discussion/202118/can-the-zeta-situation-be-improved/p1 ) that there's a zeta mat acquisition rate problem.

I disagree. If you have a good zeta income and don't waste them, you will have enough for the 'important' characters and abilities. See my comments in that same thread.

I'm saying that this is one possible solution to that problem. I also believe the gear crunch that means no older character will ever be geared since the rate at which new characters are coming out outstrips the acquisition rate of gear at the free to play level.

So, you're saying that old characters like GMY, JKA and GK will not be geared up for JKR teams, and HK-47 will not be geared for DR teams, and B2, Assaj, GG and possibly others will not be geared up for padme's event? Interesting.