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Grizzly Beast Pack disappointment

2
AuthorMessage
Captain
Oct 16, 2012
619
It took me nearly 70,000 crowns to get the first bear, the Witchdoctor. And then I'm serious as to what I said next, "It would be great to get a second tonight..........I GOT A SECOND BEAR!!!!!" The second bear was the Musketeer bear literally three packs after the first one lol! Then, to wrap it all up, I got the Battle Standard! However, it shows that a lot of crowns are needed to get these guys. Just give it some time and keep your hopes up! Also, for those of you who are interested, the Musketeer bear's first shot can hit ANY enemy on the map, no matter how far away, unless they are behind an obstacle. I don't know if this is a glitch or a built-in Sniper Shot, but I have to say, I like it!

Petty Officer
Jan 13, 2009
94
Captain Rosethorn on Sep 9, 2014 wrote:
Actually, it's not random at all but programmed to be a 1 in 100 chance to get ultra rare items per pack opened. This was confirmed to me by a member of KingsIsle when I sent in an email complaining about spending over $100 in buying crowns to get a pack. I was after a mount at the time. I honestly hate that they programmed it that way because that 1% chance is so extremely low. Like Jack, I've been involved with plenty of other games both online and live that had rare things to collect. W101 & P101 was the first time where I felt the balance was wrong, and how it's not worth even trying for the ultra rare items. If you take out the fun, joy, and want of effort to try and get anything then you're left with nothing. My friend was nice enough to gift me a few packs so I could just see the few things they had to offer, but I won't be getting any myself simply because I know I will not get what I would most want.

Yes this is a long complaint rant, and one I will probably always bring up. I don't like the rewards system, and never will (unless it's changed). To those who get the items they truly want, I'm happy for them. To others who spend way too much money, I feel your pain.
Yeah, 1 percent is extremely low. It should be at least 5 percent, IMO. It might encourage many more people to buy crowns trying for all 5 companions if they knew they had a better chance at it.

Captain
Oct 16, 2012
619
Captain Rosethorn on Sep 9, 2014 wrote:
Actually, it's not random at all but programmed to be a 1 in 100 chance to get ultra rare items per pack opened. This was confirmed to me by a member of KingsIsle when I sent in an email complaining about spending over $100 in buying crowns to get a pack. I was after a mount at the time. I honestly hate that they programmed it that way because that 1% chance is so extremely low. Like Jack, I've been involved with plenty of other games both online and live that had rare things to collect. W101 & P101 was the first time where I felt the balance was wrong, and how it's not worth even trying for the ultra rare items. If you take out the fun, joy, and want of effort to try and get anything then you're left with nothing. My friend was nice enough to gift me a few packs so I could just see the few things they had to offer, but I won't be getting any myself simply because I know I will not get what I would most want.

Yes this is a long complaint rant, and one I will probably always bring up. I don't like the rewards system, and never will (unless it's changed). To those who get the items they truly want, I'm happy for them. To others who spend way too much money, I feel your pain.
Hey, 1% is actually pretty good lol! Compare that to the chance of catching a Shiny Pokémon (AKA Pokémon with colors different than what they should be) in any Pokémon game. That chance is 1 in 8192. I have four of them that I personally found, stretched across 3 different games. I have two bears and two dinosaurs, and I will continue to try and get more. By the way, if you don't want to buy crowns, press the Free Crowns button on the upper right hand corner while you're in game and just watch a few videos! Save up then buy 1 or 2 packs basically for free!

Ensign
May 16, 2011
37
I've spent more than my fair share on the Grizzly packs.

I understand how they work but I would have seriously expected that with all the crowns I sunk into them that I would have snared at least one bear companion.
What made things worse for me was that when the Grizzly packs were going half price, everyone turned up with bear companions. So I started buying more. What did I get? So many hoggles I nearly wanted to cry.

Haven't bought a Grizzly pack since then. What's more I will stop and think before I get burnt buying everyone else's bad luck for them while they score.

So there is a downside to making the rare items so rare that people just won't bother buying.

Petty Officer
Jan 13, 2009
94
Ozzie Mozzie on Nov 10, 2014 wrote:
I've spent more than my fair share on the Grizzly packs.

I understand how they work but I would have seriously expected that with all the crowns I sunk into them that I would have snared at least one bear companion.
What made things worse for me was that when the Grizzly packs were going half price, everyone turned up with bear companions. So I started buying more. What did I get? So many hoggles I nearly wanted to cry.

Haven't bought a Grizzly pack since then. What's more I will stop and think before I get burnt buying everyone else's bad luck for them while they score.

So there is a downside to making the rare items so rare that people just won't bother buying.
That's exactly what I was saying. It's seems like common sense that if you made it just a bit easier, many more people would buy crowns and packs and KI would make more money from volume sales. I know if it was me, I would much rather have 100 people spending $10 than 1 person spending $120.

Ensign
Mar 21, 2009
1
gee that many I spent 10000 crown for that almost all my money for it and did not get one but that ok I just put in more

Bosun
Dec 16, 2012
331
warriorscreed on Nov 9, 2014 wrote:
Hey, 1% is actually pretty good lol! Compare that to the chance of catching a Shiny Pokémon (AKA Pokémon with colors different than what they should be) in any Pokémon game. That chance is 1 in 8192. I have four of them that I personally found, stretched across 3 different games. I have two bears and two dinosaurs, and I will continue to try and get more. By the way, if you don't want to buy crowns, press the Free Crowns button on the upper right hand corner while you're in game and just watch a few videos! Save up then buy 1 or 2 packs basically for free!
As someone who loves Pokemon, I get the comparison but there is a big difference between shiny Pokemon and these companions. 1. Shiny Pokemon don't have an effect in battle. 2. Catching Pokemon is free. Once you have the game, you don't have to spend any money to get a shiny Pokemon. Imagine that everytime you encountered a pokemon, you had to pay a dollar. That would really kinda suck. 3. The chances of catching a shiny is around 1/4000 and this can be lowered easily (breeding, Mesuda Method, etc). On the other hand, the companions are very powerful in combat, people pay about a dollar every time you buy a pack, and the chances are completely random! Anyway I really with they could make the chances of getting a companion the same. Like, keep Baar at 1/100 but have the others be like 1/30 or 1/40. Just so that people are not flushing money down the drain to get these guys.

Gunner's Mate
Feb 05, 2015
230
I know what you mean. There may be other good stuff that is useful, but you shouldn't have to spend that much to get a companion. Why would you keep going after like 10,000 crowns I would feel like I'm wasting my time. You should have took the other crowns to buy a companion or something.

Admiral
Nov 23, 2011
1407
I try not to notice how many crowns I am spending...

-Indigo

Petty Officer
Feb 27, 2009
94
Lol, I found a video of this one guy opening Grizzly Bear Packs until he got a companion. On his 114th pack he got one.

114 packs x 399 crowns = 45,486 crowns spent

I'm pretty sure I can by a full squad and more in the crown shop with that many crowns. Whenever there's a new pack, I'll buy 2-3 and if I get lucky, then it's cool. But I don't get bummed.

Quentin Davenport, lvl 65

Marcus Davenport, lvl 25

Bosun
Dec 16, 2012
331
So I have decided that unless they change the chances for getting the bears I will only get the pack when I run out of pet snacks. I only need 2 things from the pack otherwise, the bears and a ram-a-lam, which are the rarest thing in the pack. I just hope that if I do get a companion it will be the witchdoctor, the swashbuckler, or Baar himself.

Captain
Mar 24, 2013
732
I open some packs on the other day, got tons of housing items and pet snacks. I was trying for a second bear companion for that character hoping for the bear, or the bear both are rear and hard to find. Didn't got either or the other 5 bear companions. I'm still looking for that cat pet,but still elusive.

Bosun
Dec 16, 2012
331
Monkrinx2024 on Feb 21, 2015 wrote:
I open some packs on the other day, got tons of housing items and pet snacks. I was trying for a second bear companion for that character hoping for the bear, or the bear both are rear and hard to find. Didn't got either or the other 5 bear companions. I'm still looking for that cat pet,but still elusive.
I have one, if you want to morph at some point. I think I have all of them but the hawk now.

Captain
Feb 11, 2010
644
Sorry for YOHR bad luck. We've LAARNed these BAARs are hard to get. I ATOHR these bears and think they're GOHRious companions. You reKHORDed how many packs you bought? That's a lot.

Okay, I'm done.

Ensign
Apr 11, 2013
4
Yeah, I have spent probably $1000 on just packs and I still don't have all of them... I really enjoy the game and think they are doing a great job however I think they really need to have a scaling return on % based on number of packs purchased. I don't care if that scale resets after you get an item, but there should be some sort of mechanism like this in the future. I really am disappointed with the packs in the game. =

Ensign
Nov 20, 2012
6
The Loyal Swashbuc... on Sep 7, 2014 wrote:
I understand exactly how you feel! The same happened to me with the tribal crew pack, and I decided to let it go. I will say that "random" can be very hard to deal with knowing that some people got bear companions after a couple of packs and how some people got them after tons of packs. Good luck!

The Loyal Swashbuckler
Noble Ryan Thompson
For my what I call "second-in-command" pirate, of whom is Fiery Pedro Norrington, I got a tribal crew companion in i think less than 10 packs. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for my best pirate, of whom is Marcus.

Marcus level 47 swashbuckler
Fiery Pedro Norrington level 15 swashbuckler

Lieutenant
Oct 29, 2012
107
Gosh.... wow, KL should consider boosting up chances with the more crowns you spend...

I posted as topic like this, with the other pack. it's not long, here it is; ( i edited out the important parts )

" you should get one companion by 15 - 35 packs.
which is 5,985 - 13,965 crowns
which could drain about $24.00 from your wallet ( forgot the other balance, almost $11 however )
by these results: an ultra rare item can happen about 1 - 5% of the time "

Ensign
Nov 19, 2014
8
pack on base on luck 1-100

for example

(want real train spell drop from boss or dungeon) be same amount of drop 1-100 chance of getting it!

not all people get lucky (best chance getting luck) not spending crown all in once! I don't luck on drop pack or dungeon either (be patient or saving and listen not spending crown not all at one (better chance) then be lucky

(why save crown) never know when test realms come out (chance of a new mount) after last day of test realms over! have chance getting then wasting money (be patient or saving) patient is a virtue clued waiting for book 15 less you think about it and will come sooner but more you think of it take longer!

Ensign
Jun 13, 2014
48
Nice to see a post I made a while ago is still alive.

With the sale last week, I decided to try and get a bear for myself (the first was for my son). It cost me exactly 6060 crowns to get my bear. A lot better than what I spent on my sons, and it was actually on the last one I was going to buy- because I was out of crowns.

Ensign
May 24, 2009
12
I have spent so much money trying to get the companions, I wish they would just do a companion pack only and with no other mess or offer them for sale at 20k or 30k crowns because we spend more trying to get them. It sucks that people do need to by these because the companions the gave gives are out match by them so one's without them dies in pvp very quick you guys need to make it a little more easier for anyone to gain them

Ensign
Jan 31, 2011
8
I have spent over $200 since the pack came out (not all at once) and have focused on buying packs when crowns are on sale or the packs are on sale. I have not received one bear yet. Here is the downside for me: the bears are unique companions that I think would fit certain pirates that I have made and be unique to have in a battle. I have the standard and it would be fun to build a "beast" strategy. That is what makes the game play compelling and not just be the same thing every time. I buy companions occasionally for this reason (including non-popular ones to try things out) or to build a crew that fits a pirate.

In other games with rare "packs" the items are "sellable" so you can save and eventually buy the rare item that never came up in the pack for you. It makes it a little more equitable. My suggestion is to have a credit per pack and a rare item store where similar items can be bought. Then the disappointing packs lead to something. My example for a game that has both these things is Star Trek Online. Honestly, I can only have so many kitties and hedgehogs and animal toys! We are talking real money working real hours to buy...another squeaky virtual ball?

Dread Pirate
Jun 17, 2013
2743
Riverdog7 on Jul 30, 2015 wrote:
I have spent over $200 since the pack came out (not all at once) and have focused on buying packs when crowns are on sale or the packs are on sale. I have not received one bear yet. Here is the downside for me: the bears are unique companions that I think would fit certain pirates that I have made and be unique to have in a battle. I have the standard and it would be fun to build a "beast" strategy. That is what makes the game play compelling and not just be the same thing every time. I buy companions occasionally for this reason (including non-popular ones to try things out) or to build a crew that fits a pirate.

In other games with rare "packs" the items are "sellable" so you can save and eventually buy the rare item that never came up in the pack for you. It makes it a little more equitable. My suggestion is to have a credit per pack and a rare item store where similar items can be bought. Then the disappointing packs lead to something. My example for a game that has both these things is Star Trek Online. Honestly, I can only have so many kitties and hedgehogs and animal toys! We are talking real money working real hours to buy...another squeaky virtual ball?
Hey there Riverdog7, I actually think that is a pretty good idea-- a kind of rewards shop.

I really enjoy going after the Epic companions and fully understand that is a gamble and risk vs. reward scenario. But I think it would be a good idea if there was some kind of 'capped' system to prevent players from just clicking on a button, tossing away too much money and still never get that Epic reward after spending that ton of real money. I have all 5 Dinos & all 6 Bears on 1 pirate and yesterday added 2 more Baars, 2 more Laarns and 1 Ghor to my other pirates, but I have spent quite a bit of coinage in the process.

I like the idea of there being a 'reward system' based on how much you are putting into those packs, while going for those Epic companions. It may affect KI revenue a little but it would ensure that players are not completely flushing money away and that at some point (after they reach a rewards plateau or Crowns-spent/Packs purchased Cap) they would at least be 'guaranteed' a major reward. Even if it was still a random Epic companion reward, I think assuring that you get something Epic from all that Epic spending would be nice. Being able to choose and purchase 'the right' Epic reward would be quite nice too, but I'd settle even for just the random variety of Epic rewards being handed out, once we 'qualify'.

But that is the nature of the beast...or those Beast Packs, I should say. They are quite a bit of a gamble and we all know what we are getting into when we go hunting Epic companions. But maybe a more money/player-friendly way of guaranteeing at least one Epic Companion would someday be possible. I always feel so bad for those that spend a ship load of hard-earned, real-world money and still don't strike companion gold and even worse when they see someone buy 2 packs and get that companion (I'm still happy for the player that got it though). But again, we all know how it works.

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