People completely ridiculous on Santa Crates

[Battlecruiser_Siegfried]

I'm typically NOT one to defend Wargaming (hell, if you're feeling adventurous, feel free to probe the depths of my post history - I am generally pretty unforgiving). But I gotta say: the whining with the Santa Crates is just absurd. While Wargaming can't actually introduce a pay-for lottery system into the game without violating commercial law, let's be honest here - the crates are this:

And that's okay. It's okay to introduce factors of risk - it's okay that not everybody wins. Because Wargaming has been 100% upfront about what you're getting - a chance at the really good stuff. And, otherwise, you receive some flags or whatnot. And that's all you were ever buying: an opportunity. You weren't ponying up the dough for favorable odds, a promise, a prize, or even a gift. You were buying a wager.

In fact, I don't look at the crates as anything other than gambling. The fun for me is in opening them - same as the fun for people at casinos is in pulling the lever and watching the icons spin. Because you never know what you're going to get. That's the draw - that's the addicting quality of the thing: betting. And we shouldn't be dumping on WG any more than picketing outside your nearest casino - YOUR ACTIONS ARE 100% VOLUNTARY, AND YOU KNEW THE RISKS GOING IN. 

So please, stop with all the "oh, the algorithm has changed, it's just not what it was last year" nonsense. Maybe it has changed, but I went into this with most of the crop of premium ships, spent $120, and still managed to net 7 new boats, 8,000ish doubloons, and a bunch of flags. But I did it knowing that, just as easily, I could have struck out. And people struck out last year, too. Just because you didn't draw a bad hand 12 months ago doesn't mean other people weren't; it also doesn't mean that you were going to score again this year. 

Wargaming is here to make money. The crates can pay off. They can also be a bust. That's the entire point - it's the entire point for them, and it should be the entire point for you.

 

[Ghostdog1355]

I don't push a button to open my crates. I bite the nails off and premium ships with 19 point captains fly out and go straight into battle.

[BrushWolf]

While never officially stated the boxes appear to always have something in them of at least the cost of the box. Now getting the most valuable and desirable things is pure luck I have always gotten my monies worth.

[Battlecruiser_Siegfried]

Just now, BrushWolf said:

While never officially stated the boxes appear to always have something in them of at least the cost of the box. Now getting the most valuable and desirable things is pure luck I have always gotten my monies worth.

Precisely. In the most technical sense, nobody ever "loses" at this. They just don't win.

[BrushWolf]

Just now, Battlecruiser_NewZealand said:

Precisely. In the most technical sense, nobody ever "loses" at this. They just don't win.

It would be interesting to see the odds of getting a ship which is the grand prize is in each type of box but at least for the Mega boxes it seems to be somewhere between 5% & 10%. They are addicting yet oddly when I go into a casino I will lose interest in the slots in a couple of minutes, black jack is another matter but I don't have the money to play that so I don't.

[Battlecruiser_Siegfried]

Just now, BrushWolf said:

It would be interesting to see the odds of getting a ship which is the grand prize is in each type of box but at least for the Mega boxes it seems to be somewhere between 5% & 10%. They are addicting yet oddly when I go into a casino I will lose interest in the slots in a couple of minutes, black jack is another matter but I don't have the money to play that so I don't.

I don't gamble. The most I have ever spent is $20 in one sitting on slots. Why is that? Because I don't like throwing away money.

Funny thing is, I don't feel like that's ever happened with the Santa Crates.

[Skarp_AGW]

This game is rife with players that go into every situation with unrealistic expectations. The Santa boxes are no different. Some people are actually expecting certain percentages of ships, or. even specific ships!

The boxes were tweaked from last year. No more Modules, no more Tier II duplicates (or any Tier II, II or IV at all). 

Don't buy expecting anything in particular, and you will not be disappointed. I swear, if you give some people a Maserati, they would complain about the gas mileage.

[Wowzery]

1 minute ago, Battlecruiser_NewZealand said:

I don't gamble. The most I have ever spent is $20 in one sitting on slots. Why is that? Because I don't like throwing away money.

Last time I went to Vegas, I played the penny slots and craps table.  Wish I had been betting full on the penny, I'd have won the jackpot instead of $300.

[CaptGodzillaPig]

Just now, Battlecruiser_NewZealand said:

Precisely. In the most technical sense, nobody ever "loses" at this. They just don't win.

Technically not true.  You win every time.  It is just that you may not win what you were hoping for.   Say, for example, I received 50 reduce fire time flags.  I would fall out of my chair and be happy as a clam.  Someone else might just shrug and say "oh well".  I got 300 dubloons out of one of the few I have opened and was like..  Ok.  Cool, but not really super exciting as I usually keep a rolling total of around 2-3k dubs stashed just for whatever purposes.  BUT..to someone that never buys dubs..  Those 300 would be a totally awesome win.  (FYI anytime I receive anything that has a "hard cash" equivalent like dubs, premie time, etc  I call it a "win".)

[IronMike11B4O]

Spent $50 got a Kidd, Gremy, Nikolai I, Okhotnik, Huang Meh plus 12K doubloons so I bought a Lo Yang and Yubari I got no complaints on my haul. 2 ships you can't even get any more like the Gremy and Nik were worth the $$ I spent. Not to mention all the flags and camo.

[m373x]

33 minutes ago, Battlecruiser_NewZealand said:

the crates are this:

 

 No, they are like this:

[Ghostdog1355]

11 minutes ago, BrushWolf said:

It would be interesting to see the odds of getting a ship which is the grand prize is in each type of box but at least for the Mega boxes it seems to be somewhere between 5% & 10%. They are addicting yet oddly when I go into a casino I will lose interest in the slots in a couple of minutes, black jack is another matter but I don't have the money to play that so I don't.

I bought 20 crates for myself. Received a tier 6 French cruiser with a 10 point captain, 60,000 XP, 2,000 doubloons, 30 frosty tree camos, 20,000 change and numerous signals. I'm cool with what I got really.

[Ghostdog1355]

16 minutes ago, Skarp_AGW said:

I swear, if you give some people a Maserati, they would complain about the gas mileage.

Excellent analogy.

[Kizarvexis]

41 minutes ago, Battlecruiser_NewZealand said:

I'm typically NOT one to defend Wargaming (hell, if you're feeling adventurous, feel free to probe the depths of my post history - I am generally pretty unforgiving). But I gotta say: the whining with the Santa Crates is just absurd. While Wargaming can't actually introduce a pay-for lottery system into the game without violating commercial law, let's be honest here - the crates are this:

And that's okay. It's okay to introduce factors of risk - it's okay that not everybody wins. Because Wargaming has been 100% upfront about what you're getting - a chance at the really good stuff. And, otherwise, you receive some flags or whatnot. And that's all you were ever buying: an opportunity. You weren't ponying up the dough for favorable odds, a promise, a prize, or even a gift. You were buying a wager.

In fact, I don't look at the crates as anything other than gambling. The fun for me is in opening them - same as the fun for people at casinos is in pulling the lever and watching the icons spin. Because you never know what you're going to get. That's the draw - that's the addicting quality of the thing: betting. And we shouldn't be dumping on WG any more than picketing outside your nearest casino - YOUR ACTIONS ARE 100% VOLUNTARY, AND YOU KNEW THE RISKS GOING IN. 

So please, stop with all the "oh, the algorithm has changed, it's just not what it was last year" nonsense. Maybe it has changed, but I went into this with most of the crop of premium ships, spent $120, and still managed to net 7 new boats, 8,000ish doubloons, and a bunch of flags. But I did it knowing that, just as easily, I could have struck out. And people struck out last year, too. Just because you didn't draw a bad hand 12 months ago doesn't mean other people weren't; it also doesn't mean that you were going to score again this year. 

Wargaming is here to make money. The crates can pay off. They can also be a bust. That's the entire point - it's the entire point for them, and it should be the entire point for you.

 

 

20 minutes ago, BrushWolf said:

While never officially stated the boxes appear to always have something in them of at least the cost of the box. Now getting the most valuable and desirable things is pure luck I have always gotten my monies worth.

 

14 minutes ago, BrushWolf said:

It would be interesting to see the odds of getting a ship which is the grand prize is in each type of box but at least for the Mega boxes it seems to be somewhere between 5% & 10%. They are addicting yet oddly when I go into a casino I will lose interest in the slots in a couple of minutes, black jack is another matter but I don't have the money to play that so I don't.

 

10 minutes ago, Skarp_AGW said:

This game is rife with players that go into every situation with unrealistic expectations. The Santa boxes are no different. Some people are actually expecting certain percentages of ships, or. even specific ships!

The boxes were tweaked from last year. No more Modules, no more Tier II duplicates (or any Tier II, II or IV at all). 

Don't buy expecting anything in particular, and you will not be disappointed. I swear, if you give some people a Maserati, they would complain about the gas mileage.

 

9 minutes ago, CaptGodzillaPig said:

Technically not true.  You win every time.  It is just that you may not win what you were hoping for.   Say, for example, I received 50 reduce fire time flags.  I would fall out of my chair and be happy as a clam.  Someone else might just shrug and say "oh well".  I got 300 dubloons out of one of the few I have opened and was like..  Ok.  Cool, but not really super exciting as I usually keep a rolling total of around 2-3k dubs stashed just for whatever purposes.  BUT..to someone that never buys dubs..  Those 300 would be a totally awesome win.  (FYI anytime I receive anything that has a "hard cash" equivalent like dubs, premie time, etc  I call it a "win".)

 

Yeah, I usually try to have some doubloons on hand and 300 doubloons from a $1 box is a port slot or 2 slots during a sale. Or that last bit you needed to get something. I'm happy with what I got in boxes and bought more boxes for others than for myself. For those that want to tally up the haul, here is what I bought for myself. I felt what I got was worth it even tho I didn't get any ships in the $1 boxes. May RNGesus ever be in your favor. (Except when you are shooting at me in game. Then may he stick it to you. )

 

20 $3 ($47.99)
15 Frosty Fir Tree camo (detection and dispersion bonus, +125% Cmdr XP, +100% XP & +50% Free XP)
15 Red Dragon 100% Cmdr 100% XP
15 Frosty Fir Tree
15 Frosty Fir Tree
1,000 doubloons
1,000 doubloons
15 Hydra Flags 50% XP, 150% Cmdr, 250% FXP
Okhotnik + 10pt Cpt and port slot
1,000 doubloons
15 Dragon 333% Cmdr XP
Huanghe + 10pt Cpt and port slot
1,000 doubloons
15 Ouroboros  777% FXP
1,000 doubloons
1,000 doubloons
1,000 doubloons
15 Dragon 333% Cmdr XP
Hood + 10pt Cpt and port slot
15 Frosty Fir Tree
15 Frosty Fir Tree

20 $1 ($16.99)
50 Zulu Hotel +50% Cmdr XP
5 Frosty Fir Tree
50 Papa Papa +300% FXP
300 doubloons
5 Frosty Fir Tree
50 Equal Speed Charlie London +50% XP
10,000 FXP
300 doubloons
5 Frosty Fir Tree
50 Papa Papa +300% FXP
10,000 FXP
10,000 FXP
50 Zulu Hotel +50% Cmdr XP
300 doubloons
10,000 FXP
300 doubloons
50 Zulu Hotel +50% Cmdr XP
300 doubloons
300 doubloons
50 Zulu +20% credits

[cavscout1739]

The pull of the crates gets stronger when I win. Maybe I could get a Nik too

 

with all the rest of my money...

[Sovereigndawg]

I never had much luck at chance stuff, I bought gift boxes because I needed only the Gremy and Nik, I had $200 set aside for Santa crates. I bought 5 big gifts and got both ships between those 5 and the 2 free ones. I then proceeded to buy my friends Santa bundles because I had what I came for already. It is after all Christmas and the gift, truly is in the giving.

[Kizarvexis]

Just now, cavscout1739 said:

The pull of the crates gets stronger when I win. Maybe I could get a Nik too

 

with all the rest of my money...

 

I got really lucky last year with the Nik and Gremy in Santa crates. Of course there were no other premiums to fight for space in my port due to a lucky break at work and the Armada bundle. May RNGesus be in your favor, except when shooting at me. :)

[Kizarvexis]

1 minute ago, Sovereigndawg said:

I never had much luck at chance stuff, I bought gift boxes because I needed only the Gremy and Nik, I had $200 set aside for Santa crates. I bought 5 big gifts and got both ships between those 5 and the 2 free ones. I then proceeded to buy my friends Santa bundles because I had what I came for already. It is after all Christmas and the gift, truly is in the giving.

 

Shiny. Spread the cheer around. Awesome work.

[BearlyHereBear]

32 minutes ago, Battlecruiser_NewZealand said:

I don't gamble. The most I have ever spent is $20 in one sitting on slots. Why is that? Because I don't like throwing away money.

Funny thing is, I don't feel like that's ever happened with the Santa Crates.

Because you win every time.

[surratus]

It doesn't feel like gambling to me.  I like opening the crates and packages and I'll rarely open them one after another without going back to port.  Often I'll switch to different ships and let each one open a package.  I don't do it that way just to be weird.  I do it that way because it seems to annoy the heck out of that animated jerk that keeps looking at his watch on the Liberty Ship.  Doesn't he ever pitch in and help polish or mop? (Harrumph... officers!)

[sbcptnitro]

I gifted two "Santa's Big Gifts: 5-pack" and I know they both got more than the $13 each pack cost me, and I know one them got way more than $13 worth.

Seems like a good deal to me.

[My_no_no_spot]

31 minutes ago, Ghostdog1355 said:

I bought 20 crates for myself. Received a tier 6 French cruiser with a 10 point captain, 60,000 XP, 2,000 doubloons, 30 frosty tree camos, 20,000 change and numerous signals. I'm cool with what I got really.

Creepy, I spent the same amount and your gift list looks exactly like mine....

[Kizarvexis]

19 minutes ago, surratus said:

It doesn't feel like gambling to me.  I like opening the crates and packages and I'll rarely open them one after another without going back to port.  Often I'll switch to different ships and let each one open a package.  I don't do it that way just to be weird.  I do it that way because it seems to annoy the heck out of that animated jerk that keeps looking at his watch on the Liberty Ship.  Doesn't he ever pitch in and help polish or mop? (Harrumph... officers!)

  Yeah, officers do paperwork mostly.

 

7 minutes ago, sbcptnitro said:

I gifted two "Santa's Big Gifts: 5-pack" and I know they both got more than the $13 each pack cost me, and I know one them got way more than $13 worth.

Seems like a good deal to me.

 

Shiny.

 

 I sent out some $1 boxes and I know they got more than $5 worth in FXP, flags, camo and/or doubloons. One got a Mutsu with 10pt cpt and port slot.

[Parliament_Funkadelic]

Gambling is very finite. You either win or lose, and you typically know exactly what you will win. At least with sport betting and casino games. This isn't gambling, its more like a box of chocolates, you just hope you get less chocolates with jelly or cream in the middle.

[BrushWolf]

4 minutes ago, Sweetsie said:

Gambling is very finite. You either win or lose, and you typically know exactly what you will win. At least with sport betting and casino games. This isn't gambling, its more like a box of chocolates, you just hope you get less chocolates with jelly or cream in the middle.

Good corollary, in true gambling the chance to get little, less the the wager, or nothing is always there and is usually a much higher chance than to actually win. The games where you need to buy keys to open boxes collected while playing are really gambling because the odds of getting at least your investment back is very low.