The maths...

[Ukase]

The math tells me that spending another 50-80k on rare salvage, above what I deem "the fair price" of 500k isn't going to hurt me that much. 

But my brain tells me that if I buy that salvage, I am taking influence out of my stack and adding it to someone else's stack. If I knew, with 100% certainty that the someone else wasn't the player(s) that seems to be gobbling up all the rare salvage and relisting it at a higher price, I'd be okay with it. Really. But, I don't know - and since I do not with to arm this mercenary marketer with my influence, I have been thinking about how to quench my desire for the rare salvage. 

I thought: Do AE for tickets. It literally only takes a minute or so to get the ticket cap, because the ticket cap is so low. It takes about 2 sets of 5 asteroid maps to cap a character with AE tickets. The dilemma is while I can exchange the 10K ticket cap for 18 pieces of rare salvage, even at a million each, that would only give me 18 million. 

I could run that same farm for standard xp and drops, potentially get a few rares, purples, etc. and those drops would certainly bring in more than 18M. A lot more. Probably 4x or 5x, depending on what dropped, of course. 

But then - if I'm to craft the lower tier recipes that require the lower tier salvage (level 1-24), I'd have to fork over the inf for that salvage.  That does a couple of things. It would satisfy some of the bids that this mercernary marketeer would have, potentially allowing others to buy more reasonably priced salvage. But, we all know this Merc is just going to relist my reasonably priced salvage at a higher price. I think that just adds fuel to their fire. 

So, I am saying screw the math! I'm now farming for tickets to grab the lower tier rares, costing myself millions just so I don't have to pay this merc. It's certainly faster than crafting and converting. And it does save me some time, and some converters. 

But, I wonder...what if I made a farm, specifically for my fire/fire tank that has burn at level 18, and can run the map at level 21, and fight the npcs at -1/8? And do that for standard drops. I would think that the dreck map would give a fair amount of rares, uncommons, maybe even some decent recipes. 

It may be counterproductive, but I can't condone spending over 500k for a rare salvage. That path leads to madness. 
Just as an FYI, I have a number of bids in for the rare salvage at 500k. They haven't filled in weeks. This Merc has held me hostage for the last minute!

 

[Bionic_Flea]

*Bids 500,001 and disappears*

[lemming]

Hmm, threw a rare on the market for an inf, sold for 600k.   A bit high, but not the most I had seen.  Last week, sold one for 450k.

[robopop]

I feel your pain, Ukase! I've settled on just paying the new, exorbitant prices, but it sure is tempting to just farm the salvage, even if the maths don't work out.

 

I'm curious if others think this rare salvage price spike is due to a mercenary marketeer. It certainly feels that way. Yet in less conspiratorial moments, I wonder if the natural supply of rare salvage has taken a hit in some way... perhaps from less fire farming, which got significantly harder with page 4? What do people think?

[brasilgringo]

Gotta be market manipulation, like what was happening in Yellows, as it started well before the patch went live yesterday.  I expect the price of everything will continue to go up in short-term due to higher demand post patch (new toons), and restricted farming (lower supply) where people are having to rebuild / redesign to try to return to pre-patch speed and rewards.  So in the short term the ebil marketer(s) will continue to win.

Edited October 19, 2022 by brasilgringo

[Ironblade]

Well, @Yomo Kimyata said, "I can tell you exactly what's going on in rare salvage, and it has nothing to do with a shadowy cabal manipulating prices.  Well mostly nothing."

 

We're still waiting for elaboration.

[Troo]

still waiting..

 

so what's the deal @Yomo Kimyata?

the pile of rare salvage I'm waiting on is holding up production.

 

 

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Troo

[Mister Mass]

Well, I guess this proves it - a Magical Conspiracy is holding up production! 😮

Edited October 28, 2022 by Mister Mass

[Ironblade]

2 hours ago, Troo said:

still waiting..

 

so what's the deal @Yomo Kimyata?

the pile of rare salvage I'm waiting on is holding up production.

 

 

Yomo did post, but in another thread.