This store.

[Ukase]

 

This is a silly post. Be warned. 

 

 

 

Some of you will be familiar with this store. Perhaps, some of you have even used it. A consistent pricing policy across every store. 
That natural damage origin enhancement costs the same as the technology damage origin enhancement, provided they're at the same level. 

But this store here - you probably know there are several locations, but this one particular location is way back in the NW section of IP. This is where the Unlucky badge is located, roughly. 

I ask you - does it make sense that these prices are the same as in every other store? Does the badge have that much draw power for the store? Do you stop in here to conduct business since you're there already? With HC, I don't believe I ever have. 

Is it not time to either make the stores more relevant in some fashion? Should they not pay more for used (well, enhancements that you cannot use, or simply wouldn't use) than Mender Roebuck in Ouroboros? 

In retail, the physical stores paid more, and that was good because we needed the inf more. Now, we don't really need the influence if we're at all familiar with the market. 

So, I don't actually care if the stores paid more or not - I'd just like to think about what kind of place they could be, rather than the nostalgic reminder of the way things used to be. 

I'm sure some folks still use stores - but I don't think anyone will use this one. It's just too far out of the way! There should be something unique they offer, like a used SG empowerment buff station. 

I didn't put this in suggestions, because as suggestions go, this is too silly. But still, I'd love for them to do something with these stores - just no idea what. 

 

[Enchantica]

3 minutes ago, Ukase said:

 

This is a silly post. Be warned. 

 

 

 

Some of you will be familiar with this store. Perhaps, some of you have even used it. A consistent pricing policy across every store. 
That natural damage origin enhancement costs the same as the technology damage origin enhancement, provided they're at the same level. 

But this store here - you probably know there are several locations, but this one particular location is way back in the NW section of IP. This is where the Unlucky badge is located, roughly. 

I ask you - does it make sense that these prices are the same as in every other store? Does the badge have that much draw power for the store? Do you stop in here to conduct business since you're there already? With HC, I don't believe I ever have. 

Is it not time to either make the stores more relevant in some fashion? Should they not pay more for used (well, enhancements that you cannot use, or simply wouldn't use) than Mender Roebuck in Ouroboros? 

In retail, the physical stores paid more, and that was good because we needed the inf more. Now, we don't really need the influence if we're at all familiar with the market. 

So, I don't actually care if the stores paid more or not - I'd just like to think about what kind of place they could be, rather than the nostalgic reminder of the way things used to be. 

I'm sure some folks still use stores - but I don't think anyone will use this one. It's just too far out of the way! There should be something unique they offer, like a used SG empowerment buff station. 

I didn't put this in suggestions, because as suggestions go, this is too silly. But still, I'd love for them to do something with these stores - just no idea what. 

 

   NoT a silly post! THIS WAS A BRILLIANT POST!                                                                                                                                               

 

[Bionic_Flea]

Back on live, when I first created Bionic Flea, the only store that sold tech SOs at my level that I knew of was way at the back of IP.  I was very happy when someone introduced me to the tech contact in Bricks that you had to run a mission for.  This was way before they added the quartermasters in RWZ that sold everything.

[Skyhawke]

Short lines, no waiting and free seafood whan Lusca pops up. What's not to love?

[Hedgefund]

You can get to that store in seconds from the Smuggler's Sub, it's only 140 yards away.

[Without_Pause]

I don't think I've entered one of the stores since Live.

[Uun]

I suspect this page is out of date.

 

https://homecoming.wiki/wiki/Freedom_Corps_Special_Forces

 

Freedom Corps Special Forces was ripping you off. They charged 25% more for DOs than the origin stores, but they gave you a really good deal on lvl 25 and 30 TOs. (Did anybody ever use TOs at that level?)

[Go0gleplex]

1 hour ago, Skyhawke said:

Short lines, no waiting and free seafood whan Lusca pops up. What's not to love?

Well...that explains why the Tsoo are all over the place there in IP. They're there for the takoyaki! 

 

I will say that the store's advertising sucks. Just thought it was more window dressing for abandoned buildings since I've never seen a customer enter or exit the place like ever. They must be a front for something if they're still in business with no clientele!

[Crysis]

Have a tech based Beam/TA alt who has an origin backstory based on Wentworth monopoly forcing all the SO/DO stores out of business.  Because that's effectively what happened in Homecoming.

 

That said I'm amazed when I still run across players new to the game who don't realize IO's exist and/or don't understand them.  So they get well into their builds just using SO's.  They are easy to obtain and use, just like Geranimals of yesteryear.  Sometimes I'll duck into one of the stores for nostalgia.  Talos used to be where'd I do most of my mid level enhancement commerce.

 

 

[Ukase]

On 11/9/2024 at 9:14 AM, Hedgefund said:

You can get to that store in seconds from the Smuggler's Sub, it's only 140 yards away.

Yeah? For whatever reason, the smuggler sub is always a lot farther away than any train or base portal for my characters. In fact, other than the Noble Intentions arc, I have never had a reason to even look for the smuggler sub unless it was for a day job. Must be a red-side thing. My vigilantes never have need of the sub. 

The point is - this store is in the back of a zone that most people don't even run radios in because you might have to go 2 miles to the next mission. It really doesn't serve much purpose, if any. 

[Snarky]

29 minutes ago, Ukase said:

Yeah? For whatever reason, the smuggler sub is always a lot farther away than any train or base portal for my characters. In fact, other than the Noble Intentions arc, I have never had a reason to even look for the smuggler sub unless it was for a day job. Must be a red-side thing. My vigilantes never have need of the sub. 

The point is - this store is in the back of a zone that most people don't even run radios in because you might have to go 2 miles to the next mission. It really doesn't serve much purpose, if any. 

but if you were at this store the smugglers sub would be close...

[Octogoat]

15 minutes ago, Snarky said:

but if you were at this store the smugglers sub would be close...

 

Big if true.

[Nerio72]

On 11/9/2024 at 9:42 AM, Go0gleplex said:

They must be a front for something if they're still in business with no clientele!

They should make it a Mattress Firm then!

[lemming]

37 minutes ago, Nerio72 said:

They should make it a Mattress Firm then!

 

[Hedgefund]

3 hours ago, Ukase said:

Yeah? For whatever reason, the smuggler sub is always a lot farther away than any train or base portal for my characters. In fact, other than the Noble Intentions arc, I have never had a reason to even look for the smuggler sub unless it was for a day job. Must be a red-side thing. My vigilantes never have need of the sub. 

The point is - this store is in the back of a zone that most people don't even run radios in because you might have to go 2 miles to the next mission. It really doesn't serve much purpose, if any. 

Here's the Smuggler's sub from the docks in Grandville, could not be easier to access.

 

 

I guess if you have "no use for the sub" you're not doing Abyss Hami raids because these subs are the only access.

 

Also I'm curious what day job you're getting from the Smuggler's Sub.

Edited November 10 by Hedgefund

[Ukase]

2 hours ago, Hedgefund said:

I guess if you have "no use for the sub" you're not doing Abyss Hami raids because these subs are the only access.

 

You know, I completely forgot about that sub. But I take that sub to the Abyss, never to IP.  I did mention I used them for the day job. 

And you're off topic. My post is not about the lack of utility of the subs, but the store in the far corner of IP. And I did say it was a silly post, didn't I? 


 

[huang3721]

On 11/9/2024 at 8:18 PM, Ukase said:

I ask you - does it make sense that these prices are the same as in every other store?

Probably because teleportation devices are common and cheap in this universe. Heck, their vendors could also send their wares this way.

 

Player's effort for coming in person to sell their enhancements is appreciated, of course. 

[jprewitt73]

7 hours ago, Nerio72 said:

They should make it a Mattress Firm then!

 

 

https://www.snopes.com/news/2021/07/07/mattress-firm-money-laundering/

 

Perfect for this city. 

 

[OEM61]

I don't know...  Stores are where they are.  (puts on semi-serious hat)

If I wanted to argue for "realism" then I would say something like "No more selling enhancements to field agents, contacts, nurses in hospitals, etc.  Can only sell enhancements at physical stores, and stores of the appropriate type offer a noticeably better price.  Can only buy enhancements of the appropriate type from a physical store (tech stores only sells tech DO and SO enhancements.  Mutation stores only sell mutation SO and DO enhancements, etc.).

But then I would also care a lot more about location and want all of the stores in either a central location or nearby the mission givers of the appropriate type (or both, with all of the contacts being reasonably central as well as the stores).  I guess I would also argue for removal of the 'remote" auction house.  You could look, but in order to sell things you would have to take those things to a physical AH.  If you wanted to buy something you would have to go to a physical AH (or maybe they could mail the stuff to you within an hour of your purchase or something).

But it's not worth the bother.  None of it is worth the bother.  People have gotten used to things.  Any added inconvenience would be seen as just that.  (takes off semi-serious hat)

But Freedom Corps?  They have other operations going on.  Retail is just a part-time gig.  Like the Girl Scouts selling cookies.  I am sure that they built that place to keep an eye on someone or some thing, or just to spread out to keep a better eye on the zone overall.

[Scarlet Shocker]

not such a silly post.

 

Personally I use the store in Talos quite a bit at lower/mid levels

 

I do like the  thought of stores having a secondary purpose but given that Origins are so unimportant now, it would be difficult to see how to make it work.

 

The only way I could see it work would be to reimagine the significance of character Origins and then create an ongoing mission arc through the stores, that can only be accessed by characters of the store origin - but that might get complex and would need to be offered a generic model for the LB vendors.

 

given that most stuff in game is now handed to us on a plate I don't really see it happening.