After looking at the colors I have planned (over 100 different colors in just foliage) and the limitations of the algorithms used to generate colors, I have come to the conclusion the only way to get my builds done is by getting the developers to expand on the spray system.
The problems I see:
Limited spray capabilities
High price/block sprayed
Limitations on fixes:
Must remain viable in the economy
Goo comes from exos/must remain unsustainable
Proposed fixes:
Expand sprays to all blocks
Increase the blocks sprayed per unit
Right now sprays are expensive for the cost of the item, but they are only useful if you happen to be building with certain materials. If you want to build with other materials, they cannot be sprayed. Increasing the sprays viable uses will create more of a need. At the current moment, I cannot use it for many of my needs because I cannot spray those blocks. This is supposedly an easy fix by changing a true/false for the item (Still time-consuming I’m sure.)
The second idea is to increase the number of blocks sprayed per unit of paint made. It doesn’t have to be 100 blocks per item, and I honestly think that would be too high. Even if it is only 10 blocks per paint, that moves the price per painted block to be around 2.5-3c each for common colors and only up to 10c for most of the rare types. Since it is made from goo and has an amount of RNG added in (both in exo spawn base color and mutation), the market will correct itself in price. Even if the paint doubles or triples in price, it would still be more viable for casual players than it is now. I do not know if it would be easy for them to change the number of blocks per can of paint without completely redoing them.
While I would love to see goo become 100% sustainable with 0 pigments during mutations, I do not think that would be good for the balance of the game. With goo being exo only, it provides a limit to the amount of paint that is available at any given time to make sure there is still a market for rare processed blocks. It also ensures there will always be a market for the goo. Why spend time farming on eight different planets when you can spend a few hundred coins and do your accent work with paint when its available?
Please let me know what thoughts and ideas people have. Pros and cons. All that fun stuff. Give @james some stuff to think about along with hopefully preventing all of our paint makers from giving up the trade.
While I do like the idea I think that the cost to paint any block should not ever be 10c. I would think the spray should paint 50 blocks. If pigment is selling for 50-60c then this is essentially 1c to a paint a block. If you are engaged in a large build with hundreds of thousands of blocks and need a color that has not or will not spawn, then you should be able to paint blocks at a reasonable cost. It should not cost more for the paint then it did for the blocks.
I am not convinced that goo should not be sustainable. With the need to go through possibly several migrations in order to get the color you want and the random mutations that can occur even when you have the color you want, I think there are enough obstacles to getting the correct color and enough of it to use in large builds
I think if you’re growing for mutation there should be a way to get a 100% kernel drop and a zero or near zero percent chance for a pigment drop. It’s really frustrating to try to work towards a certain color just to run out near the end.
As someone who has made millions from selling you goo, I appreciate your input!
The change to recipes and processes are historically met with serious negative feedback. Its one of the reasons I proposed expansion and buffing instead of making goo easier.
Yeah, if the process isn’t changed. Then I can see this as a good thing. I am having trouble maintaining certain colors that are in high demand. People come in buy 14,400 of a spray, a whole stand. Which I am happy for completely, but I feel bad because:
I probably didn’t have enough for their project if they bought me out.
It took me 2 months to fill that stand.
I will not be able to supply the next person that needs it for their build.
I think this could potentially alleviate these problems. Without hurting me financially.
Perhaps less technical heavy lifting would go into increasing the pigment to spray output, i.e. the pigment nets more spray. Then the cans can stay 1:1 they just tweak the recipe?
It’s definitely an idea, but I’m not sure sellers will lower the prices with that type of change so it stays as a luxury item that isn’t available to casual players. Then again, they may just raise prices to be equal to the number of uses. Which is a serious detractor for the paint system. Its really only for a few dozen players in the game right now. Nobody else can really afford to use paint to do a build without millions of coins.
I could then lower the cost of all my paints to 3c each which would be a linear link to what I sell now.
Currently 1 spray is 30c
If changed where 1 pigment makes 10 sprays (1 per can) I could sell each can 3c each.
My limiting factor is price of goo. Typically people want a lot of coin for goo. So right now I buy for 70c per goo kernal.
So I dont start making profit until the 2nd round of planting.
Goo kernal seed cost 74 (including tax)
2.4 sprays per goo harvested.
27c profit x 2.4 cans = 64.8c on first harvest.
So I have to plant twice to make any profit which is a huge sink of time for so little profit.
It may seem like a lot of coin to buyers, but it takes me a dozen hours a week to harvest all my goo once.
Edit: if there was a beneficial change to sprays in some way. I would probably make it to where I make 1c profit per can just so I can continue to justify my time.
Cant do it right now. But if one of the suggestions are made reality then I could have more wiggle room.
I would lower mine with this change, if I got back into selling. I should have elaborated previously but I like the 1:1 can to block because then you don’t have to mess with charges or durability for each can.
The only thing that I can think that might hurt, is this would have to affect all current sprays too, or paint sellers will lose millions in coin because no one will want to buy current stock. Instead wanting the improved paints.
I would think if they make it so every can in the game can paint 50 blocks then even the ones in inventories would be affected. If you change it so each pigment drops more than one spray then yes the current players with spray in inventory are negatively affected.
I have been a huge proponent for this suggested fix for the spray paint system ever since its initial conceptualization and release. Limiting what can be sprayed has pretty much made sprays a no-go for me with my builds.