Isn't it time for Transmutation Charges to disappear?

The game evolved to a point where I'm not sure if having to pay to change armor skin is a good mechanic anymore. It sounds to me like Transmutation Charges come from a time where ANet didn't know yet that the game would be so cosmetic-focused. Now we can freely change our outfit, our dyes, our mount, our glider, our finisher, our gathering tools, our miniature, and our mail carrier, all for free. But armor and weapons still require Transmutation Charges. I understand that some people bought some for money and it wouldn't be nice for them to simply remove these, and there has to be some sort of compensation, but... This problem aside, is there any point keeping transmutation charges in the game?

I have ~1050 unused and want to keep them, thanx.

There is an existing thread on the frontpage you can post in about it

https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/48797/please-get-rid-of-transmute-charges-and-add-a-proper-wardrobe-system/p1

Honestly, I'm fine with the transmutation charges, especially since they're pretty easy to come by without even needing to buy them.

Play PvP/WvW and you'll be swimming in charges. With this many options to get them without having to buy them they don't need to change

@Buran.3796 said:I have ~1050 unused and want to keep them, thanx.

If you have so many what will it change to simply remove them?

@Blocki.4931 said:Play PvP/WvW and you'll be swimming in charges. With this many options to get them without having to buy them they don't need to change

And nothing for PvE players? Not everyone likes every mode.

@ROMANG.1903 said:

@Buran.3796 said:I have ~1050 unused and want to keep them, thanx.

@"Blocki.4931" said:Play PvP/WvW and you'll be swimming in charges. With this many options to get them without having to buy them they don't need to change

To your first point: " if having to pay to change armor skin is a good mechanic " you said, well Romang is refuting your statement in saying that you don't have to pay to change armor skin.

To your second point: there are many mechanisms through which a PvE only player can earn transmutation charges, the most readily method being map completion. Completing the map on a capital city rewards 1 charge. Completing any other core tyria map rewards either a BL key, or more likely 1 transmutation charge.

My wife who is a very casual player, and only steps into WvW to bang out a missing daily, still has about 30 unused charges in her wallet, after only playing this game for 4-5 months.

To answer your question, why remove a system that works fine?

I'm not going to defend this system by saying it's good (it isn't), but it was a design choice ANET made, and it works just fine, so we just roll with it.

It's unlikely that they'll ever remove them because it'd be too much trouble. Doing so would mean refunds for all recent purchases and having to compensate for any existing charges. They'd be far more likely to simply add them to merchants for gold or karma, while removing them from all other sources to turn the wardrobe into a sink. Maybe they'll revamp it if they ever get around to wardrobe slots / build templates.

@Turkeyspit.3965 said:

@ROMANG.1903 said:

@Buran.3796 said:I have ~1050 unused and want to keep them, thanx.

@"Blocki.4931" said:Play PvP/WvW and you'll be swimming in charges. With this many options to get them without having to buy them they don't need to change

There is not an infinite amount of maps to complete. I don't think having to recreate characters to dicovers the main cities and then delete them is a good way to obtain them. Sorry.As for others potential PvE ways to get them, I'm doing all my daily fractals, all daily PvE, a good amount of world bosses every day, and I don't get even one charge out of it. If you don't think the system should disappear, at least acknowledge that there is a large inbalance between PvP and PvE modes.

And I don't understand the first thing you said

@Healix.5819 said:It's unlikely that they'll ever remove them because it'd be too much trouble. Doing so would mean refunds for all recent purchases and having to compensate for any existing charges. They'd be far more likely to simply add them to merchants for gold or karma, while removing them from all other sources to turn the wardrobe into a sink. Maybe they'll revamp it if they ever get around to wardrobe slots / build templates.

Just turn them back into gems?

@ROMANG.1903 said:It sounds to me like Transmutation Charges come from a time where ANet didn't know yet that the game would be so cosmetic-focused.On the contrary, it sounds to me exactly as if they knew that. Which is why they charge for it.

Now we can freely change our outfit, our dyes, our mount, our glider, our finisher, our gathering tools, our miniature, and our mail carrier, all for free.Dyes, finishers, and miniatures never required transmutation. When introduced, gliders, mail carriers, and mounts also didn't require it. Part of the trade-off for Outfits is that they are free to swap.

is there any point keeping transmutation charges in the game?Yes, to generate revenue for ANet. Allowing for the pretense that we can ignore refunding those who purchased transmutation charges, what's you plan for maintaining the current income from people buying them on the gem store?

PvE players can get completing the map

As a role player I'm constantly using mine, so I don't really have a problem with them. In fact, I wish I had more sometimes.

It would be great if we could even just buy them from people who never use them and are drowning in ten of thousands somehow.

@ROMANG.1903 said:

@Buran.3796 said:

Play PvP/WvW and you'll be swimming in charges. With this many options to get them without having to buy them they don't need to change

Then play PvE and get the free completing maps.

Seriously dude, this is the MMO with the easiest life for wardrobe fashionistas.

@RazielSpecter.6295 said:PvE players can get completing the map

and after completing a map........?

I used to make a character named Mappy McMaperson. He would exist to complete the 6 starter maps then be deleted and reborn. These days I have more transmutation shards than I know what to do with.

As someone with over 3.2k transmutation charges they basically already do not exist for me, I can change skins whenever I feel like it (which is rare, also never using a hairstylist or complete makeover kit)

@RazielSpecter.6295 said:PvE players can get completing the map

Assuming that I get 1 charge per map, that leaves me with about 50 of them. Wow, my problem is sovled here, that will totally last me for the rest of my life, I'll never have to worry about it again.

I only play PvE and have plenty of transmutation charges, but I still think it's a silly system, like paying for an outfit twice. Once we buy or find or earn armor/outfits/skins I think we should be able to freely use and change them. Again, I'm not saying this as a whiner who wants more charges; I have enough.

@ROMANG.1903 said:

@RazielSpecter.6295 said:PvE players can get completing the map

Those who don't wvw or pvp at all run a key toon each week and do a couple of map completions as well. Several of the maps take 5-6 minutes (with practice).

But honestly, if your problem is not enough charges, then the solution is buying them from the gem shop. That is precisely the system that ANet intended.

@Illconceived Was Na.9781 said:

@ROMANG.1903 said:

@RazielSpecter.6295 said:PvE players can get completing the map

I don't think having to make a new character should be the way to get them. I should be able to get them on my main.And why should PvE players have to spend gold, while PvP and WvW players receive plenty of them for free? I'm sorry but PvE players already represent a good part of those who pay for gemstore things (mount skins, bank access, repair canisters... All of these, PvP and WvW players don't need). Can't it be the other way around, for once? Or better, can't it be equally difficult/easy to get them for everyone?

And no one is buying charges anyway. Removing them entirely would probably make people more willing to buy weapon and armor skins in the gem store, because they'd be able to change at will. That'd be a mutch better investment.

@ROMANG.1903 said:I don't think having to make a new character should be the way to get them. I should be able to get them on my main.And you can, via the gem shop.

And why should PvE players have to spend gold, while PvP and WvW players receive plenty of them for free?I don't have a good answer for that. I suspect that ANet grossly underestimated how quickly people would earn them and then haven't wanted to adjust the reward tracks, because they aren't sure what to replace it with.

I'm sorry but PvE players already represent a good part of those who pay for gemstore things (mount skins, bank access, repair canisters... All of these, PvP and WvW players don't need).First, until relatively recently, PvP & WvW players earned almost nothing (and WvWarriors often had to spend substantially on siege etc). The introduction of reward tracks, PvP season pips, and WvW skirmish pips closed the gap, but it's still easier to farm PvE than the other modes. That is, PvE players can more easily afford it.Second, WvW has exactly the same access to banks/repair/etc as PvE. I doubt very much if PvErs pay anything more for anything you mentioned except MountFits. Plus, PvPers & WvWarriors have an interest in Finishers, that cost gems or gold.

Can't it be the other way around, for once? Or better, can't it be equally difficult/easy to get them for everyone?What do you mean the other way around? On the whole, it's easier for PvErs more often.

And no one is buying charges anyway.What data are you using to make that determination? You want more charges badly enough to be insisting that ANet remove the system. Can't you imagine that some people are willing to pay cash or gold, rather than wait for ANet to change their mind?

Removing them entirely would probably make people more willing to buy weapon and armor skins in the gem store, because they'd be able to change at will.And what's your source for that? I can guarantee that it would make no difference to me. I simply don't change looks as often as I earn charges (despite having too many alt characters), and that was true even when I was a strict PvE-only player.

I'm not against ANet changing or overhauling the system. I wouldn't mind seeing less of a disparity between PvE and the other modes.

The point is that there's a reason why this system exists and reasons why it's unlikely to be in ANet's interests to change.

I'm okay with the system, because you can have these charges easily. But before the update, I was happy with my 150 transmut crystals and then only 30 charges after, I've lose at the change... for me swapping should be free, I don't care of your reasons telling they are everywhere.. It's not a question of rarity but of utilisations: I like to RP or change regulary the style of my characters and I run rapidly out of charges.

@Illconceived Was Na.9781 said:

@ROMANG.1903 said:I don't think having to make a new character should be the way to get them. I should be able to get them on my main.And you can, via the gem shop.Expensive. Again, why should I pay, but not PvP or WvW players?And why should PvE players have to spend gold, while PvP and WvW players receive plenty of them for free?I don't have a good answer for that. I

suspect

that ANet grossly underestimated how quickly people would earn them and then haven't wanted to adjust the reward tracks, because they aren't sure what to replace it with.If you're not going to fix your mistake, at least make it fair for everyone, and make PvE players earn them just as easily.I'm sorry but PvE players already represent a good part of those who pay for gemstore things (mount skins, bank access, repair canisters... All of these, PvP and WvW players don't need).First, until relatively recently, PvP & WvW players earned almost nothing (and WvWarriors often had to spend substantially on siege etc). The introduction of reward tracks, PvP season pips, and WvW skirmish pips closed the gap, but it's still easier to farm PvE than the other modes. That is, PvE players can more easily afford it.Second, WvW has exactly the same access to banks/repair/etc as PvE. I doubt very much if PvErs pay anything more for anything you mentioned except MountFits. Plus, PvPers & WvWarriors have an interest in Finishers, that cost gems or gold.When do you use repair canisters in WvW? When do you use bank access? I really don't see any situation where these would come useful. In PvE however, there are plenty of instances that you don't want to leave.Can't it be the other way around, for once? Or better, can't it be equally difficult/easy to get them for everyone?What do you mean the other way around? On the whole, it's easier for PvErs more often.If it was easyer for PvE players, they wouldn't get a hard time getting charges while PvP and WvW players drown under thousands of charges.

And no one is buying charges anyway.What data are you using to make that determination? You want more charges badly enough to be insisting that ANet remove the system. Can't you imagine that some people are willing to pay cash or gold, rather than wait for ANet to change their mind?I'll never spend cash on them. I'll go WvW or PvP until I get them, even if I don't like these modes. The point is, I shouldn't have to do that. I should be able to earn them in PvE. Or even better, I shouldn't have to pay just to use a skin I already own.Removing them entirely would probably make people more willing to buy weapon and armor skins in the gem store, because they'd be able to change at will.And what's your source for that? I can guarantee that it would make no difference to me. I simply don't change looks as often as I earn charges (despite having too many alt characters), and that was true even when I was a strict PvE-only player.You can't use your own situation and make it everyone's normality. We shouldn't have to pay extra to be able to use the item we just purchased.

@"ROMANG.1903" said:Expensive. Again, why should I pay, but not PvP or WvW players?It's a good question. I still don't have an answer.

If you're not going to fix your mistake, at least make it fair for everyone, and make PvE players earn them just as easily.First, I'm speculating as to why there's a big difference. We don't know if it was intended or not, a mistake or not. Second, no, not everything has to be exactly even for all players. But more importantly, how important is it to the game overall that this change? Likely, the solution would be reducing the PvP/WvW faucet, not increasing the PvE one.

When do you use repair canisters in WvW? When do you use bank access? I really don't see any situation where these would come useful. In PvE however, there are plenty of instances that you don't want to leave.When you do need those things in PvE? There are no PvE instances that have enough drops that you are forced to use bank access and running out of xyz is just as likely in WvW, and sometimes there isn't time to stop on the way between emergencies. Plus, how many people do you really think spend gems on either of those? What data do you have that suggests that people spend more on repair than transmutation?

If it was easyer for PvE players, they wouldn't get a hard time getting charges while PvP and WvW players drown under thousands of charges.My point is that historically, it's been harder for PvP and WvW to earn anything at all as fast as PvP. There are notable exceptions, of which transmutation is one.

I'll never spend cash on them. I'll go WvW or PvP until I get them, even if I don't like these modes. The point is, I shouldn't have to do that. I should be able to earn them in PvE. Or even better, I shouldn't have to pay just to use a skin I already own.Great, that's you. I get that you don't like the system; that's not sufficient to make it worth ANet's time to change it.

You can't use your own situation and make it everyone's normality.How ironic that you say that, since (a) you keep repeating that "no one is paying," when you can only speak for yourself and (b) I clearly spoke only for myself, to demonstrate that I was an exception to the "rule" you were trying to use to justify the change. The point is that neither of us know how much is spent by how many people on any of these things.

We shouldn't have to pay extra to be able to use the item we just purchased.Why shouldn't we? I'm not against a system that makes all gem-shop skins free-to-transmute, but I don't know how much that would affect gem shop sales. Do you?

There are no reason this system exist.I'm sorry that you can see the reasons. That does help explain why you want to insist it's simple to change.

If they really wanted to generate income with cosmetic changes, then swapping outfits, gliders, mounts, mail carriers, finishers would also cost transmutation charges.Sure, they could do that. How well would that go over do you think?

They just keep it because they don't want to make people with a lot of stored charges unhappy.I doubt very much that it's the reason, because lots of those people got their charges without going out of their way. It's far, far more likely that they haven't changed the system because the total cost outweighs the benefits.

But the game needs to move forward.And it has been moving forward since launch. It just isn't always be in the direction we want.