Anet we need to talk about research notes

[HonesltlyX.7164]

Research notes has been a personal point of contention of mine. It is essentially a gold sink that needed to be done for legendary weapons and new Jade Bot features. I have been able to farm materials on my own and developed a reasonable routine to easy make plenty. However with the new map I feel I need to voice some criticism with regards to using research notes as a map currency.

 

So for those who are unaware we need Mine Keys to open the abundant chest in the new map. This is nothing new. However, what is new is how we go about getting them. Instead of just farming them by completing events there appears to be a soft daily cap - I do not know if this is intentional and this may for all I know change in the future. However, there are NPC who do sell this key in exchange for raw materials. There is an alternative option to exchange them for...YOU GUESSED IT. Research notes and Karma.

 

Okay ANET I get you are trying to sell us research notes, but as a map currency I think this is a terrible idea. I think you should be using imperial favor/writs in conjunction with Karma at a daily cap. Please don't force us to gold sink for keys. This is stupid.

[Khisanth.2948]

So there are multiple options for doing the purchase. One of which is to use research notes but this is somehow forcing you to use this one option? Please try to make sense.

[Farohna.6247]

Why wouldn't you just trade off some cheap raw materials instead of your hard earned research notes?

[HonesltlyX.7164]

2 hours ago, Khisanth.2948 said:

So there are multiple options for doing the purchase. One of which is to use research notes but this is somehow forcing you to use this one option? Please try to make sense.

This is more of a pre-emptive post for constructive feedback for Anet. My fear is that what we are currently seeing is a "beta" approach of sorts before Anet says okay we are gonna roll out this model for future upcoming maps. I'm just posting this while the it's at this stage so that in the event this is what I think it is to hopefully "nip it in the butt". I'm hoping anet will see this and take it under consideration.

 

I have no problems with the primary exchange using raw materials. Just the research notes.

[Khisanth.2948]

7 minutes ago, HonesltlyX.7164 said:

This is more of a pre-emptive post for constructive feedback for Anet. My fear is that what we are currently seeing is a "beta" approach of sorts before Anet says okay we are gonna roll out this model for future upcoming maps. I'm just posting this while the it's at this stage so that in the event this is what I think it is to hopefully "nip it in the butt". I'm hoping anet will see this and take it under consideration.

 

I have no problems with the primary exchange using raw materials. Just the research notes.

You are also wrong about research notes being a gold sink. They are a material sink. They were added to cause crafting materials to get used. Sure you could use gold to buy the materials but ultimately that material needs to be consumed via crafting to get the notes.

[Boogiepop Void.6473]

Research notes are bad and have been bad since their introduction. They should be removed, not put in more things.

[AgentMoore.9453]

To me, the biggest failing of Research Notes is how you obtain them and how unnatural and limiting the current method is.

The existing ways to get Research Notes, stinky as they are, can probably stay, but give me a Jade Bot recycler module that lets me passively convert junk loot into research notes as it enters my inventory. I still won't enjoy Research Notes, but at least I'd be able to collect them while playing the game instead of staring at a crafting UI crafting and destroying items ad nauseam.

At the moment, I have my Bot converting junk into Jade Slivers, and I can tell you the rate is exactly what you'd want it to be: Slow, but steady. Slow enough that many will prefer to use the gold/material sink method to speed things up, but steady enough that others can engage with the content they enjoy while still making progress.

[Sobx.1758]

7 minutes ago, AgentMoore.9453 said:

give me a Jade Bot recycler module that lets me passively convert junk loot into research notes as it enters my inventory

That... kind of goes against the point of the notes?

Edited March 1, 2023 by Sobx.1758

[Bast.7253]

1 hour ago, AgentMoore.9453 said:

To me, the biggest failing of Research Notes is how you obtain them and how unnatural and limiting the current method is.

The existing ways to get Research Notes, stinky as they are, can probably stay, but give me a Jade Bot recycler module that lets me passively convert junk loot into research notes as it enters my inventory. I still won't enjoy Research Notes, but at least I'd be able to collect them while playing the game instead of staring at a crafting UI crafting and destroying items ad nauseam.

At the moment, I have my Bot converting junk into Jade Slivers, and I can tell you the rate is exactly what you'd want it to be: Slow, but steady. Slow enough that many will prefer to use the gold/material sink method to speed things up, but steady enough that others can engage with the content they enjoy while still making progress.

I like the idea of the jade bot module, especially if this is a one off currency over the course of this expansion. The majority of the time we're salvaging unidentified gear for mats, then crafting things for research notes in the crafting window. Along with the ui gear we also get crafting mats. This would cut out the middle man and just give us an option to directly create research notes. 

The one thing I see impeding this is if they considered creating an endless kit in the gem store but without knowing their intention of this currency beyond the lifespan of this expansion cycle, it's difficult to say whether an endless kit would be of any real value long-term. (Maybe they already have one and I missed it?)

Some people just like to endlessly browse the forum to vehemently defend/argue as if it's their day job. Not really sure why but I like this suggestion and it gives the jade bot a bit more use. I'm still a little disappointed they haven't iterated on improving it beyond plopping terminals in major capitals but this time next year people will likely forget it exists beyond the extra stam from the slot. 

Then again they could have added the filter system as a mastery line to the jade bot for this and they didn't so I'm guessing it wasn't in the budget. (Or they realized it was likely more work than it was worth for a one-off environmental effect on one map but then why not just make it a permanent buff you get account-wide from completing a story step prior to entering the map or something?) 

[Eloc Freidon.5692]

At this point, research notes are a mithril/silk sink making Valkyrie Helms to get 5 notes a piece. It is a shame that Research notes ended up devolving into a pointlessly added annoying step to making anything new.

[Boogiepop Void.6473]

5 hours ago, Sobx.1758 said:

That... kind of goes against the point of the notes?

The point of notes is inherently broken so just remove them.

[Biziut.3594]

I am fine with research notes. I finally have a reason and tool to salvage all those ascended items that were crowding my bank.

[Ashantara.8731]

10 hours ago, Khisanth.2948 said:

So there are multiple options for doing the purchase. One of which is to use research notes but this is somehow forcing you to use this one option? Please try to make sense.

If I recall correctly, the Materials options have a daily purchase limit while the Research Notes option has not - it just becomes more expensive after so and so many purchases, like the keys at Drizzlewood Coast.
 

Edited March 2, 2023 by Ashantara.8731

[Khisanth.2948]

3 hours ago, Eloc Freidon.5692 said:

At this point, research notes are a mithril/silk sink making Valkyrie Helms to get 5 notes a piece. It is a shame that Research notes ended up devolving into a pointlessly added annoying step to making anything new.

It fluctuates. It could be mithril and silk but also orichalcum and gossamer. Sometimes it is potions.

24 minutes ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

If I recall correctly, the Materials options have a daily purchase limit while the Research Notes option has not - it just becomes more expensive after so and so many purchases, like the keys at Drizzlewood Coast.
 

Well that certainly makes more sense.

[Sobx.1758]

12 hours ago, Boogiepop Void.6473 said:

The point of notes is inherently broken so just remove them.

Not really, you disliking it doesn't make it inherently broken.