Please get rid of transmute charges and add a proper wardrobe system

[Weindrasi.3805]

Absolutely not! I have thousands of transmutation charges. I do not want to lose them all and have to pay gems or gold just to change my character's clothing. The current system provides me more than enough transmutation charges to play with appearances on all 18 of my characters.

[Turkeyspit.3965]

While I've commented on threads like these before, and it's always just a waste of time, I figured I'd try another approach.

Currently Transmutations Charges are available off the store for 5/150 gems., or 30 gems each.Last I checked exchange rate for buying gems with gold was 130g / 400 gems, or roughly 0.33 silver per gem.

So, if ANET switched their system so players could transmute their armor by paying with gold, using the math above, each piece of armor you change would cost 9g 90s.

Sound good?

I vote no.

[Durzlla.6295]

I see no reason to change transmutation charges because they are ridiculously easy to get by the bushel if you PvP or WvW for like, an hour, or even if you map clear or crack open achievement boxes.

That being said, I would love to have a set of outfits that I make that I could change through for free! So I fully support them implementing that system!!

[Obtena.7952]

A big Downvote anything that reduces revenues to this game. If you want my thumbs up, you pay my monthly sub when Anet come to us saying the business model doesn't work because people want everything for free.

[Eloc Freidon.5692]

Last game I played there was a "gold" cost for changing the pieces and it really helped the economy as a gold sink.

[jhnsmth.2641]

I also think transmute charges are against using skins freely.I bought many skins, and gathered many charges, but there is a psychological barrier to use them when I would like to.

I think they would sell more skins if they would get rid of the charges.If Anet does not want to get rid of them (the charges) at least they should sell infinite charge for gems (500 to 1000).

[kharmin.7683]

@jhnsmth.2641 said:I think they would sell more skins if they would get rid of the charges.

I think that they sell both skins and charges for profit, or else they wouldn't be doing it this way. Of course, only ANet has the actual sales figures so this is all speculation on our part.

[Ayakaru.6583]

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Zaklex.6308 said:Do I get to turn my 1000+ Transmutation charges into Gems if they go this route? I presume that most people have more Transmutation charges than they know what to do with...you also forgot they drop from BLT Chests.

This.

Anybody playing WvW or PvP is swimming in charges. They are very easy to come by and it's not every day that you use them by the dozens

Which is actually kind of strange.Transmutation sounds like a very PvE-ish type of content. My main is constantly changing gear to fit the festivals, and the region of the story we're in.Yet i have to play pvp or wvw in order to accommodate these quantities

[Strider Pj.2193]

@Ayakaru.6583 said:

@Blocki.4931 said:

@Zaklex.6308 said:Do I get to turn my 1000+ Transmutation charges into Gems if they go this route? I presume that most people have more Transmutation charges than they know what to do with...you also forgot they drop from BLT Chests.

This.

Anybody playing WvW or PvP is swimming in charges. They are very easy to come by and it's not every day that you use them by the dozens

Which is actually kind of strange.Transmutation sounds like a very PvE-ish type of content. My main is constantly changing gear to fit the festivals, and the region of the story we're in.Yet i have to play pvp or wvw in order to accommodate these quantities

It’s actually in concert with several different things Anet has done with the game to encourage people (guess you could exchange ‘encourage’ with ‘force’) to play the different game modes.

All of the legendary weapons require you to PvE and do a little in WvW. Or pay outright which isn’t different from transmutation charges. And yes, the two are very different, but if I want a faster method of earning gold, I need to get out of WvW.

I would imagine it’s just their way of introducing people without forcing, to other modes.

[hugo.4705]

PvE needs more ways to earn transmutation charges. Why not adding them as potential drop of any World boss / Meta event? Could be awesome nah? With a 1/2 chances to loot? That way since world bosses are pretty fast, you do your little afternoon doing world-bosses and have around 72/2 -> 36 charges per 8h playing in a row doing them? Sounds legit, around 5 per hour.

[kharmin.7683]

@Strider Pj.2193 said:

It’s actually in concert with several different things Anet has done with the game to encourage people (guess you could exchange ‘encourage’ with ‘force’) to play the different game modes.

^ This. Yep.

[sorudo.9054]

i do agree with the template part, i have some characters with multiple armor styles but it's a hell to do.being able to change styles in the fly would be perfect, you already payed for the combo anyway and if they sell style slots they can even get something extra out of this convenience feature.

[kharmin.7683]

@sorudo.9054 said:i do agree with the template part, i have some characters with multiple armor styles but it's a hell to do.being able to change styles in the fly would be perfect, you already payed for the combo anyway and if they sell style slots they can even get something extra out of this convenience feature.

But if they sell these style slots, that's a one-time purchase. I'm sure ANet would prefer the current model?

[coso.9173]

i play everyday in pve, doing story and map events, probably around 1 hr a day. i change my looks like once a week or twice a week, and yet i only have like 3-5 charges usually.people who say they've got hundreds or more is probalby because you don't use them at all.by doing pve i get 6 bu login rewards and once with each new map, wich means 1 every 4 months or so. that's not really a lot, how do you guys get so many by doing Pve?

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

@"coso.9173" said:i play everyday in pve, doing story and map events, probably around 1 hr a day. i change my looks like once a week or twice a week, and yet i only have like 3-5 charges usually.people who say they've got hundreds or more is probalby because you don't use them at all.by doing pve i get 6 bu login rewards and once with each new map, wich means 1 every 4 months or so. that's not really a lot, how do you guys get so many by doing Pve?

Yes, I think you have it right: swapping looks 2x/month or more and doing only PvE means running out of transmutation charges.

This appears to be intentional. In effect, transmutation is meant to be free/nearly free for people who swap looks rarely and those who want more options to change are expected to pay for that (with gems or with gold converted to gems).

That begs the question: why do transmutation charges drop like flies from PvP and WvW reward tracks?I suspect the answer is that they needed some "filler" reward for lesser chests, something that would make sense to be in every track. And when the reward tracks first came out, there weren't all that many options to fit that.I think they'd have to a complete holistic revamp of reward tracks before they could replace transmutation charges with something else.

---

As I've said elsewhere, I think the status quo is fine. I have nothing against ANet adding more PvE sources, but I don't see it as a problem that the minority who wants to fashion change often pays for the privilege.

What I'd rather see ANet offer is a way to save looks, even if I still had to spend xmute charges to swap. For example, it's a pain to share e.g. ascended zerker gear between a charr and an asura. Right now, I tend to use outfits, but I'd rather be able to apply a template to restore the last previous skins plus dye channels.

[Turkeyspit.3965]

@"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:That begs the question: why do transmutation charges drop like flies from PvP and WvW reward tracks?I suspect the answer is that they needed some "filler" reward for lesser chests, something that would make sense to be in every track. And when the reward tracks firstcame out, there weren't all that many options to fit that.

You get 2 Transmutation charges per reward track, so I'd hardly call that dropping like flies. In fact I get most of my charges from login rewards and opening BL chests each week from my weekly key run.

The real source for those from WvW is the Skirmish Chest, but that's only if you choose the transmutation charge from it, rather than Testimony of Heroics, Unidentified Dyes, etc.

The same question could also be asked about Tomes of Knowledge, as you get several of those per reward track, as well as 1 every time you level up a rank in WvW.

Your theory could be correct, or as I and others in the thread have suggested, it could be that ANET is encouraging players to engage in more than one game mode.

Point is, there are plenty of ways to earn them in game. That a player doesn't want to do what is required to earn them is a choice they make, and along with that choice has to come the understanding that they must either limit their use of charges or they will have to buy them with gems.

I agree that ANET should add additional means of earning transmutation charges in PvE, be it via a new daily (similar to the Mystic Forge daily rewarding mystic coins) or as random drops like Spirit Shards for LV 80 characters. Map completion being the only way to "farm" them in PvE is restrictive, since you cannot "re-complete" a map, thus requiring you to level new characters, who then would also require transmutation charges for their wardrobe needs.

But remember we are talking about a Gem Store item here, and any additional means ANET creates for players to acquire these runs the risk of lost gem store sales, so I don't know how keen they would be.

[Strider Pj.2193]

@Turkeyspit.3965 said:

@"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:That begs the question: why do transmutation charges drop like flies from PvP and WvW reward tracks?I suspect the answer is that they needed some "filler" reward for lesser chests, something that would make sense to be in every track. And when the reward tracks firstcame out, there weren't all that many options to fit that.

You get 2 Transmutation charges per reward track, so I'd hardly call that dropping like flies. In fact I get most of my charges from login rewards and opening BL chests each week from my weekly key run.

The real source for those from WvW is the Skirmish Chest, but that's only if you choose the transmutation charge from it, rather than Testimony of Heroics, Unidentified Dyes, etc.

The same question could also be asked about Tomes of Knowledge, as you get several of those per reward track, as well as 1 every time you level up a rank in WvW.

Your theory could be correct, or as I and others in the thread have suggested, it could be that ANET is encouraging players to engage in more than one game mode.

Point is, there are plenty of ways to earn them in game. That a player doesn't want to do what is required to earn them is a choice they make, and along with that choice has to come the understanding that they must either limit their use of charges or they will have to buy them with gems.

I agree that ANET should add additional means of earning transmutation charges in PvE, be it via a new daily (similar to the Mystic Forge daily rewarding mystic coins) or as random drops like Spirit Shards for LV 80 characters. Map completion being the only way to "farm" them in PvE is restrictive, since you cannot "re-complete" a map, thus requiring you to level new characters, who then would also require transmutation charges for their wardrobe needs.

But remember we are talking about a Gem Store item here, and any additional means ANET creates for players to acquire these runs the risk of lost gem store sales, so I don't know how keen they would be.

I would say that Anet DID create more ways for PvE players to get them: city map completion, and playing PvP or WvW.

That’s not going to be a popular answer, but it’s simply the way they have instituted for people to get more if they don’t want to spend gold.

[Illconceived Was Na.9781]

@Strider Pj.2193 said:I would say that Anet DID create more ways for PvE players to get them: city map completion, and playing PvP or WvW.

Playing PvP or WvW isn't a PvE acquisition method.Map completion is a limited source (~30 core maps per character etc).

it’s simply the way they have instituted for people to get more if they don’t want to spend gold.Sure, as I've said, I don't think the system is unfair. It's designed so that infrequent fashionistas can transmute for free. Those who want the option to do it more often are expected to pay.

But that doesn't mean it's as easy for PvE-exclusive players to obtain them as it is for those who play a lot of PvP/WvW.

[Strider Pj.2193]

@Illconceived Was Na.9781 said:

@Strider Pj.2193 said:

But that doesn't mean it's as easy for PvE-exclusive players to obtain them as it is for those who play a lot of PvP/WvW.

Much as there is no exclusive way to get other items in WvW only. But a way exists that doesn’t cost gold, AND is available.

I did not say it was PvE exclusive.

[Turkeyspit.3965]

@Strider Pj.2193 said:

@Turkeyspit.3965 said:

@"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:That begs the question: why do transmutation charges drop like flies from PvP and WvW reward tracks?I suspect the answer is that they needed some "filler" reward for lesser chests, something that would make sense to be in every track. And when the reward tracks firstcame out, there weren't all that many options to fit that.

You get 2 Transmutation charges per reward track, so I'd hardly call that dropping like flies. In fact I get most of my charges from login rewards and opening BL chests each week from my weekly key run.

The real source for those from WvW is the Skirmish Chest, but that's only if you choose the transmutation charge from it, rather than Testimony of Heroics, Unidentified Dyes, etc.

The same question could also be asked about Tomes of Knowledge, as you get several of those per reward track, as well as 1 every time you level up a rank in WvW.

Your theory could be correct, or as I and others in the thread have suggested, it could be that ANET is encouraging players to engage in more than one game mode.

Point is, there are plenty of ways to earn them in game. That a player doesn't want to do what is required to earn them is a choice they make, and along with that choice has to come the understanding that they must either limit their use of charges or they will have to buy them with gems.

I agree that ANET should add additional means of earning transmutation charges in PvE, be it via a new daily (similar to the Mystic Forge daily rewarding mystic coins) or as random drops like Spirit Shards for LV 80 characters. Map completion being the only way to "farm" them in PvE is restrictive, since you cannot "re-complete" a map, thus requiring you to level new characters, who then would also require transmutation charges for their wardrobe needs.

But remember we are talking about a Gem Store item here, and any additional means ANET creates for players to acquire these runs the risk of lost gem store sales, so I don't know how keen they would be.

I would say that Anet DID create more ways for PvE players to get them: city map completion, and playing PvP or WvW.

That’s not going to be a popular answer, but it’s simply the way they have instituted for people to get more if they don’t want to spend gold.

Could be. Personally I think the price tag on the Gem store is a bit outrageous, but maybe it is what it is because ANET feels that transmutation charges are easy enough to acquire as is, so there is no fear of blowback for the high gem price. I can't say.

But at the end of the day, even if all anyone does is play PvE content, you can still acquire transmutation charges by:

1. Accumulating gold,
2. Turn that gold into Gems
3. Use the Gems to either buy the Transmutation Charges directly from the store, or purchasing Black Lion Chest keys, open up a BL chest, and use the Black Lion Statuette that's a guaranteed drop in exchange for 2 charges.

Now if the player doesn't want to spend their gold on gems because they want it for another purpose, again, that is a choice the player is making, not a problem with the system.

[Pifil.5193]

@"Illconceived Was Na.9781" said:

That begs the question: why do transmutation charges drop like flies from PvP and WvW reward tracks?

I believe that you get so many in PvP because before the introduction of the wardrobe system it was free to change your skins in PvP so when they introduced the wardrobe system they wanted to ensure that changing your looks would remain effectively "free" for PvP players.

When they added reward tracks to WvW they mostly copied the PvP reward tracks so now WvW gets loads too.

[sorudo.9054]

@kharmin.7683 said:

@sorudo.9054 said:i do agree with the template part, i have some characters with multiple armor styles but it's a hell to do.being able to change styles in the fly would be perfect, you already payed for the combo anyway and if they sell style slots they can even get something extra out of this convenience feature.

But if they sell these style slots, that's a one-time purchase. I'm sure ANet would prefer the current model?

and the current model ONLY benefits Anet, not the player.i don't mind the charges as long as i can also save a set, this will only add more benefit to both.

[Jokubas.4265]

In practice, the average player is never going to grind for something like Transmutation Charges. The average player is never going to spend significant money on something like that either. It's just not worth the bother, even if it's simple. They have other things to worry about, other things to grind for, other things to spend gold or gems on, other games to play. A good way to get Charges doesn't even matter to the person who isn't asking. Just because they're not asking though, doesn't mean they don't care about cosmetics.

Transmutation Charges create a barrier to the actual product. I honestly think that removing Transmutation Charges would benefit the players and Arena.net, because the players would have less restrictions in playing around with their look and Arena.net would thus get more sales from those very same people now free to experiment. Since cosmetics are one of the major gem store additions in each patch (and the carrots at the end of many sticks), there's a lot of potential there.

For the record, I like the wardrobe system in this game well enough and I was really excited when this version was announced. I'd certainly take some changes (like transmuting slots rather than gear), additions (saving outfits), and lifting some restrictions (I've seen MMOs that ignore armor type for cosmetics outside of PvP, and it never seems to be a problem, and the Outfits in this game already kinda set that visual precedent), but I like it overall. The problem is just that Transmutation Charges create that little bit of hesitation, and that's all it takes in a hectic world.

[kharmin.7683]

I don't see how transmutation charges creates a barrier. Anyone can get them through a variety of means.

[MiskoV.3856]

WildStar [*] and ESO had/have the best wardrobe systems.

Once you get an item and soulbind/salvage it/get the proper crafting motiff (just like in GW) you get the skin that you can apply to a corresponding slot in one of the costiume slots. You can have multiple costiume slots (which is where the money and gem transactions come into place) which override the look of your currently equipped armour.

So, imagine having multiple 'sets' of armour + weapons. One is obviously the actual equipped gear and all the other just equip the look over it, no matter what stat combination the item in a slot has or even if there is any item in there in the first place (the transmog is bound to a slot, rather than an actual item like now). You can hide helmet or whatever possible in the costiume slot or choose it to display the looks of the actual equipped item. The costiume slots were character rather than account bound in both games as far as I remember so the whole schticks was actualy profitable but do not quote me on that.

Please, make it happen. I will gladly ditch all my 200+ transmutation charges to get multiple costiume slots for my characters.