Hydrophidian

This.

I used to craft common IOs, 45s and 50s, blueside. Margin was small, but turnover was brisk.

Then I started flipping those same IOs. Buy low (120k or less, depending on the IO), sell high (175k - 400k profit, sometimes more).

This second approach monopolized slots and didn't bring in enough profit to warrant its practice in serious marketing, but, for characters I could log in 2-3 times a day, who didn't have a huge bankroll to begin with, it was easy money and it built up fast. Especially redside.

Problem: this area of the markets has changed a bit since MA. You can make (comparatively) a lot more Inf crafting high and mid-level commons than was typical before MA (example, redside lvl 50 run speeds were, at one point not too long ago, routinely going for 700-800k... which is just crazy to me). On the other hand, it's more difficult to get your hands on the salvage.

As for flipping them, while I'm certain it can still be done, I'm pretty sure the changes have impacted how easily it can be done. It might result in a lot of dead, unfilled bids these days. I haven't flipped commons in quite a while, so I don't know.

What I can point to, however, is being able to slot one blueside character entirely in lvl 45 IOs without spending more than 50k on any single IO, and frequently spending much less than that. This was post-MA. So, flipping's definitely possible, I'm just not sure how brisk it would be.

Aside from that, probably the easiest and safest way to make Inf on the market is still vendoring lvl 50 common IO recipes. All you have to do is make a list of what the vendor buys them for. It's a little boring, but it's zero risk.

Finally, I have to add my voice to the choir: messing with salvage is one of the least effective ways to turn a profit. It's probably worth doing for a little while, just to up your number of transaction slots... but I'd say you should have an eye towards quick "promotion" up and out of this practice into more lucrative assignments for your slots.

That's a very broad group, with many differing preferences represented... but... I think, as a whole, vets will be less likely to migrate.

CO, despite the obvious similarities to this game, offers a very different type of experience in many key ways. If we assume that vets enjoy the City experience--I think that's a reasonable assumption, because they are, after all, vets--I can't help but think that at least one of the ways in which CO drastically differs will probably be a turn-off for most of them.

Take me, for example. I've seen CO gameplay, and I think the animation looks awful. It's all jerky and twitchy and reeks of staccato button-mashing. No thanks. Another deal-breaker for me is that it's geared for console.

(Then there's the Emmert/Gecko factor, but that's likely a non-issue for most people).

Point is, I've been here 5 years. I'm obviously comfortable with this game. Something that gets me to leave would have to hit most of the same important notes. CO hits several different notes. If someone really thinks that CO's way is the better way, wouldn't they have dropped this game a while ago for something closer to CO?

An exception to the general rule: I think CO might draw away the PVPers, but, at this point, would any of us really notice?

If an exodus comes that is of a significant enough size to matter... which I think is a very big if... I don't think marketeers will be able to do anything other than what they do already: adapt to the changing dynamics.

Didn't say they were good. Just sayin' I've seen 'em.

Presumably, it's already been done and is active in the closed beta, or soon will be.

Contacts, as far as I know, will remain locked.

But all zones, save the ones previously mentioned, will no longer have security level requirements. Positron confirmed this in the post I linked to up-thread.

Mysterious_J: "Now just tell me you'll eliminate the Security Level requirements on hazard zones, so that teams don't have to avoid arcs that send you into them because there are SKs present"

Positron's response: "Yup, but the requirements still exist on the Hamidon zones and the PVP zones."

Oh, lessee, reasons given that I've seen...

1. It doesn't feel heroic. 'This isn't City of Stock Brokers'.

2. I don't want to spend my valuable online time standing around in the market all day.

3. I don't want to support filthy farmers/filthy manipulators/filthy RMT outfits.

4. I shouldn't have to pay X for Y.

5. Don't like markets, feels too much like RL.

It's part of the new Super Sidekickiing feature. Positron verifies it in the thread (single post). Level restrictions will only apply to PVP zones and the Hamidon zones.

So, unless something happens in beta that leads them to conclude it won't work, those restrictions are out the door come I16.

Also available at the Midnighter Club.

Level restriction on the RWZ is likely going to be gone come I16.

Noop.

Depends on what's being farmed. Sometimes the more people, the better. Like when you're going after defeat badges.

Which aren't the only things that can be farmed.

Technically, PLing can be farming (you're farming XP), which is why I think some people have started using "PLing" and "farming" interchangeably (but they really shouldn't).

Uhm. It took me just hours to get to level 20 5 years ago. Solo. And new to the game.

Oops?

If it is indeed rampant, I've every confidence that it'll be addressed in some way.

But, if past experience is any indication, it has to reach a certain point before the developers intervene. A certain level of it is to be expected.

For some people, that's precisely what it's about. I don't pretend to understand it, but there has been, and always will be, a segment of the population that is intent on getting to 50 as quickly as possible.

This is one of the reasons why I'm not so quick to jump on the 'AE is a detriment to the game' bandwagon, because I'm not so sure it's creating all that many power-levelers. It could be that the flood of 50s is simply due to AE making the process easier for people who always had that intention anyway.

I think you're still underestimating the impact of convenience. It's a time saver. Less time spent foraging for padders = more time spent farming = greater rewards.

When was the last time you got a /tell asking you to pad?

AE has created an easily accessible social hub--Atlas for blueside, Cap for redside--that concentrates farmers and PLers in one place, making teaming for their pursuits much, much easier. Naturally, under the current dynamics, that's going to be a very attractive scenario. It results in increased rewards for time spent.

That attraction largely vanishes with I16. At that point, I believe, the optimal farming formula will become a mix of AE and RC, and the crowds in AE will noticeably shrink.

In Influence, depending on drops.

Which, I imagine, is likely why there's still some farming going on in PI.

Otherwise, sure, AE is the preferred option.

Though, I think there is a big reason for this, which didn't make it onto your list: Convenience.

In that regard, I16 is going to change the dynamic considerably.

I look at farming and PLing as two different behaviors. As it stands, someone looking for the latter can benefit from the former, and someone pursuing the former has incentive to include someone wanting the latter.

That changes in I16, though. Farmers will no longer need padders.

I think that's going to result in a lot of "AE Babies" standing around looking for something to do, and a lot of crying on /broadcast.

But we'll see.

* Red Cross
* Reserve Corps
* Roman Catholic
* Real Cola
* Rubber Control (failed power set concept)
* Regular Content (read: dev created content)

lies!

I remember when 50 million was filthy, stinking, omgz-u-could-do-so-many-costume-changes-with-that rich!

And you could see a movie FOR A DOLLAR!


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NOW GET OFF MAH LAWN!