Sure, but all these people up in arms about the "Change in price" and "Lack of physical items" are complaining about something we've had for more than a year. The format is the same and the price is the same.
I wasn't specifically responding to you, just in general.
For context, I've bought VR packs at every anomaly I've taken part in. I have no issues paying Niantic for these, or the concept of limited time packages with high end gear for anomalies. I was disappointed to see physical swag slowly fall out of the package, which reduces the value to me, and I'm not happy to see Aegis appearing now, but neither are or were deal breakers. I figure I owed Niantic a little lost value after Cassandra Prime Vancouver anyways.
I will not be buying any of the packages for Umbra.
The reason, for me, is pretty simple. The value was entirely in having passcodes that I could distribute to other people. Character badges became IFS prizes (and, notably, Niantic doesn't really sell much else suitable). Gear, mostly, was an ace up the sleeve for ops, where someone might desperately need bursters or flip cards, or occasionally as prizes as well. I actively don't want the character badges myself, and I don't have any particular need for the gear either.
Niantic will get my $15 for my badge, since I need to buy that now, and that's it.
And some of us are now frustrated about what appears to be a trend toward less actual Niantic participation / presence / value at events for increased cost.
I will be buying the 3 packs sometime between mission day and the day after depending on gear status.
I love the instant medals but I do hate that we don't get load cards as I use to save mine for ages like a backup. If anything this change will limit the amount of high level gear people can buy and while it removes the FS reward gift (most AP et), the real injustice was that Niantic didnt supply each POC with a load card etc for a reward.
As an Aussie the cost for the 3 packs is only a little more expensive then previous times.
People will always find something is to complain about if I provided free coke all they could talk about was that I did have Pepsi also.
@NianticBrian to help you getting up to speed why people think the pricing might be a little over the top.
This is what we got just one year ago for 51 €:
Now we have to invest 109.99 € so we can buy the Ultra Bundle for 100.000 CMU or 55 € respectively.
The bundle effectively is 5 € more expensive, doesn't include the anomaly participation fee (which is 15 €, so let's just say an anomaly became 20 € more expensive) and has no physical items.
I have no problem sinking some money into these type of things for the profitability of ingress but the pricing is getting a bit out of hand @NianticBrian .
Its barely a year ago the same money (okay, 10 euro's more but the anomaly medal was free) you now have to pay for a digital only kits got you an actual physical VR supporter pack with biocards, a high quality coin and pin, stickers and biocards with codes for all the digital stuff.
The incentive to continue to invest in this, on top of all the frackers i already get, is getting really thin.
@EisFrei my understanding of the July 27 Nemesis: Myriad anomaly events, the last anomaly series, is that agents had the option to purchase the following bundles:
Digital Readiness Bundle: 1 Anomaly Site-Specific Character ($19 USD)
Includes 1 Nemesis character medal and a bundle of in-app items to prepare you for the anomaly.
Digital Readiness Bundle: All Characters Pack ($59 USD)
Includes all 3 new Nemesis character medals (Victoria Kureze, Stein Lightman, and Martin Schubert) and a major bundle of in-app items to prepare you for the anomaly.
I wasn't aware that the Nemesis: Myriad bundles also included physical merch.
Myriad packs were digital only, and did not have physical swag. But packs for pretty much every other anomaly going back to their introduction in Persepolis (I think) did.
I'm personally like the price reduction compared to a Myriad anomaly - all 3 character badges was $59 while now it's only $50. But there is no way for delayed use of "loadout" and no way to make such a gift for someone as a character badge. It's already sad that there is no physical items like coins, pins and cards. But without codes there is no more "extended" inventory - I got all the L8 items instantly at purchase time. This is double and triple sad.
[In reply to xxxxxxx) So is it the ability to trade stuff you miss most, or something else? ]
That and the ability to physically have something. I remember when I first started, the original players who had already attended a few anomalies had these magic coins n patches, wristbands and pins. Weird badges on their profiles. Me and others were like "**** did you get that stuff". A year later I was flying to first anomaly. Now, just buy online, from anywhere...
Actually, Cassandra was the last physical swag with a medal. Abaddon had physical swag with no medal, and Digital Readiness Packs for the price that @NianticBrian listed.
None of the Digital Readiness stuff is a change, except for the instant delivery/no code part. We haven't had physical merch with the medals for more than a year.
For me, the issue is definitely the lack of a passcode that can be slotted at need - I usually count on that in the field. The fact that you can make the transaction in real time reduces that problem some, but it does add a friction term in the middle of a fast paced event. That said, I do like the trend towards being able to handle more through the app (as opposed to having to go to another site). On cost, Ingress has to pay the bills, and I'd rather pay my membership fee this way than by PoGo-like mechanisms. But exactly what folks will regard as a fair price point will vary....
Help! Yesterday I purchased the Umbra: Misty Bundle but I am yet to receive my order. No character badge/ no gear load out. I have an email receipt showing my order was processed.
I have a bunch of patches and pins from anomaly packs. This digital thing is ok but the physical things are more of a drawcard for me. Also, I know how to farm so don't want to buy gear, it would be good if I could just get the character medals without all the stuff i can get by playing ingress.
@spacehogg I can see the Umbra: ADA, Umbra: Lynton-Wolfe, and the Umbra: Misty character medals on your @spacehogg profile. Nice looking set of medals! Thank you for your support.
Could such posts be posted as a new discussion in news (or a new section for "minor" updates)? Just so we don't need to scan through dozens of threads finding these updates?
@XQlusioN I've been doing one thread for a specific Store item or set of items that indicates they're coming soon, have been added, and have been removed. Creating 3 separate forum threads for each Store item or set of items seems a bit much.
If you prefer updates for a specific Store item to be captured in one thread, can you Like this reply?
If you prefer updates for a specific Store item to be split into three threads (coming soon, added, removed), can you Disagree this reply?
Comments
Sure, but all these people up in arms about the "Change in price" and "Lack of physical items" are complaining about something we've had for more than a year. The format is the same and the price is the same.
I wasn't specifically responding to you, just in general.
For context, I've bought VR packs at every anomaly I've taken part in. I have no issues paying Niantic for these, or the concept of limited time packages with high end gear for anomalies. I was disappointed to see physical swag slowly fall out of the package, which reduces the value to me, and I'm not happy to see Aegis appearing now, but neither are or were deal breakers. I figure I owed Niantic a little lost value after Cassandra Prime Vancouver anyways.
I will not be buying any of the packages for Umbra.
The reason, for me, is pretty simple. The value was entirely in having passcodes that I could distribute to other people. Character badges became IFS prizes (and, notably, Niantic doesn't really sell much else suitable). Gear, mostly, was an ace up the sleeve for ops, where someone might desperately need bursters or flip cards, or occasionally as prizes as well. I actively don't want the character badges myself, and I don't have any particular need for the gear either.
Niantic will get my $15 for my badge, since I need to buy that now, and that's it.
I purchased the ADA Pack and if i had have enough CMU, I could have purchased the other 2 Packs too.
And some of us were frustrated about it then.
And some of us are now frustrated about what appears to be a trend toward less actual Niantic participation / presence / value at events for increased cost.
As I said on the same topic to people on Telegram. Vote with your feet if it's a problem. If you keep paying, they'll assume you're ok with it.
Already done.
So we're now at step two, where we air the grievances.
I will be buying the 3 packs sometime between mission day and the day after depending on gear status.
I love the instant medals but I do hate that we don't get load cards as I use to save mine for ages like a backup. If anything this change will limit the amount of high level gear people can buy and while it removes the FS reward gift (most AP et), the real injustice was that Niantic didnt supply each POC with a load card etc for a reward.
As an Aussie the cost for the 3 packs is only a little more expensive then previous times.
People will always find something is to complain about if I provided free coke all they could talk about was that I did have Pepsi also.
@NianticBrian to help you getting up to speed why people think the pricing might be a little over the top.
This is what we got just one year ago for 51 €:
Now we have to invest 109.99 € so we can buy the Ultra Bundle for 100.000 CMU or 55 € respectively.
The bundle effectively is 5 € more expensive, doesn't include the anomaly participation fee (which is 15 €, so let's just say an anomaly became 20 € more expensive) and has no physical items.
Purchased all 3 packs because now its really convenient, thanks!
PS
I still think that difference (R vs VR stuff) in bundles should be somehow highlighted
I have no problem sinking some money into these type of things for the profitability of ingress but the pricing is getting a bit out of hand @NianticBrian .
Its barely a year ago the same money (okay, 10 euro's more but the anomaly medal was free) you now have to pay for a digital only kits got you an actual physical VR supporter pack with biocards, a high quality coin and pin, stickers and biocards with codes for all the digital stuff.
The incentive to continue to invest in this, on top of all the frackers i already get, is getting really thin.
@EisFrei my understanding of the July 27 Nemesis: Myriad anomaly events, the last anomaly series, is that agents had the option to purchase the following bundles:
Digital Readiness Bundle: 1 Anomaly Site-Specific Character ($19 USD)
Includes 1 Nemesis character medal and a bundle of in-app items to prepare you for the anomaly.
Digital Readiness Bundle: All Characters Pack ($59 USD)
Includes all 3 new Nemesis character medals (Victoria Kureze, Stein Lightman, and Martin Schubert) and a major bundle of in-app items to prepare you for the anomaly.
I wasn't aware that the Nemesis: Myriad bundles also included physical merch.
Myriad packs were digital only, and did not have physical swag. But packs for pretty much every other anomaly going back to their introduction in Persepolis (I think) did.
I believe the screenshot he included was of Cassandra Prime, not Nemesis: Myriad.
I'm personally like the price reduction compared to a Myriad anomaly - all 3 character badges was $59 while now it's only $50. But there is no way for delayed use of "loadout" and no way to make such a gift for someone as a character badge. It's already sad that there is no physical items like coins, pins and cards. But without codes there is no more "extended" inventory - I got all the L8 items instantly at purchase time. This is double and triple sad.
Posting this from Telegram:
Simon Shaw (Res 🇦🇺)
[In reply to xxxxxxx) So is it the ability to trade stuff you miss most, or something else? ]
That and the ability to physically have something. I remember when I first started, the original players who had already attended a few anomalies had these magic coins n patches, wristbands and pins. Weird badges on their profiles. Me and others were like "**** did you get that stuff". A year later I was flying to first anomaly. Now, just buy online, from anywhere...
But physical swag onsite from the organizers who sell it to support the after parties. I always get t shirts.
So your complaint is... this doesn't make you feel special enough?
Dude, Ingress is not all about you.
Actually, Cassandra was the last physical swag with a medal. Abaddon had physical swag with no medal, and Digital Readiness Packs for the price that @NianticBrian listed.
None of the Digital Readiness stuff is a change, except for the instant delivery/no code part. We haven't had physical merch with the medals for more than a year.
For me, the issue is definitely the lack of a passcode that can be slotted at need - I usually count on that in the field. The fact that you can make the transaction in real time reduces that problem some, but it does add a friction term in the middle of a fast paced event. That said, I do like the trend towards being able to handle more through the app (as opposed to having to go to another site). On cost, Ingress has to pay the bills, and I'd rather pay my membership fee this way than by PoGo-like mechanisms. But exactly what folks will regard as a fair price point will vary....
Help! Yesterday I purchased the Umbra: Misty Bundle but I am yet to receive my order. No character badge/ no gear load out. I have an email receipt showing my order was processed.
What do I do???
It's not on your profile? The character badge, that is
I still have 2 unused rare and 2 unused very rare loadout cards. Will these remain valid indefinitely?
I have a bunch of patches and pins from anomaly packs. This digital thing is ok but the physical things are more of a drawcard for me. Also, I know how to farm so don't want to buy gear, it would be good if I could just get the character medals without all the stuff i can get by playing ingress.
@spacehogg I can see the Umbra: ADA, Umbra: Lynton-Wolfe, and the Umbra: Misty character medals on your @spacehogg profile. Nice looking set of medals! Thank you for your support.
The Umbra: ADA, Lynton-Wolfe, Misty, and +Ultra bundles have now been removed from the Store. Thank you.
Could such posts be posted as a new discussion in news (or a new section for "minor" updates)? Just so we don't need to scan through dozens of threads finding these updates?
@XQlusioN I've been doing one thread for a specific Store item or set of items that indicates they're coming soon, have been added, and have been removed. Creating 3 separate forum threads for each Store item or set of items seems a bit much.
If you prefer updates for a specific Store item to be captured in one thread, can you Like this reply?
If you prefer updates for a specific Store item to be split into three threads (coming soon, added, removed), can you Disagree this reply?
Liked of course, but that would require the thread to be locked to only Niantic responses so random chatter doesn't clutter the info.