Random stats on materia - WHY?

[Frein]

The more I think about this, the more it bothers me. Why was the decision to make materia stats random made? For example, a quick look at Mooglebox reveals that Bloodthirst VI can have a +HP stat of anywhere between 55 and 70. +15 HP is like an extra gear slot or another materia. Why would anyone spend the millions it costs to buy a +55 HP materia, only to purge it later when they find a +70?

Even if YoshiP didn't think that was a big deal, there is also the additional problem that arises when trading non-standardized items. The Item Search Counter cannot tell the difference between materia of different qualities, so you have to enter the wards and go through each retainer. There is a reason why exchange traded assets are all standardized and this is that reason.

Usually when YoshiP has something implemented in a certain way, even if I disagree with him (like about forbidden materia crafting), he usually has some kind of reasoning to back it up, which was a welcome change from the seemingly random decisions of the previous team, however, this is one of those decisions that I simply cannot fathom. There is no upside, it pisses off min-maxers and it's incompatible with the current and potential future trading platforms. So why exactly was it done the way it was? Any ideas?

This is the second time he has done this, Dzemael Darkhold was the first. Does it make sense within the lore that the default course of action when entering a hostile dungeon is to madly run through hordes of monsters? No? Well, is it intuitive and/or good gameplay? Still no? So why?

[Raldo]

They said that they were working on a way for the market ward item search to show you the specific materia values.

No one should be "spending millions to buy a +55 HP materia" when it's the lowest possible option from that particular type. The market will bear whatever the masses will pay, give it some time and they'll likely go down in price. Right now, I have no tier IV materia slotted because I refuse to pay those exorbitant prices. Also, if you're ripping your +55 materia out when you find a +70, perhaps you should consider buying a new version of that piece of gear and slotting the +70 as opposed to just vaporizing the materia. Yes, I realize that the current market item search doesn't support showing the different stats of gear due to materia, just like it doesn't show the different stats of materia itself, but you could easily end the price in a 1, 2, or 3 (as to indicate higher quality) to get people to come look at your pre-slotted gear.

I really don't see a problem with differing qualities of materia.

[Lienn]

All the gear changes, including new recipes, new gear and materia was a whole a disaster...just like expected.

I'm hoping, though, that since Yoshida did confirm it was a planning mistake and failed on its purpose that they fix it very soon...or at least start a long-term fix since it might take a while to clean all this sh- Ahem!

But with this charging time drawing near i REALLY think they are running out of time...and i don't think all this mess can be fixed before the first billing...

Anyway...i sent them already a whole lot of feedback since 1.19 (probably even more than i did after 1.18), in special regarding materia, class/rank restrictions, gears and dyeing...which were the major flaws of 1.19. Now i just hope they do the things right this time.

[Frein]

No one should be "spending millions to buy a +55 HP materia" when it's the lowest possible option from that particular type. The market will bear whatever the masses will pay, give it some time and they'll likely go down in price. Right now, I have no tier IV materia slotted because I refuse to pay those exorbitant prices. Also, if you're ripping your +55 materia out when you find a +70, perhaps you should consider buying a new version of that piece of gear and slotting the +70 as opposed to just vaporizing the materia. Yes, I realize that the current market item search doesn't support showing the different stats of gear due to materia, just like it doesn't show the different stats of materia itself, but you could easily end the price in a 1, 2, or 3 (as to indicate higher quality) to get people to come look at your pre-slotted gear.

I really don't see a problem with differing qualities of materia.

Why would I make a second item with +70 HP? The old one would be useless. I suppose I could try selling it, but that would be extremely difficult because I'd have to price it far from the normal range of the item and people would never check my retainer.

Also, the random stats means the optimal materia becomes exceedingly rare. I have yet to actually see a +10/+10 STR/DEX materia for sale and the same goes for every other G4 materia I've actually been looking for.

[Jinko]

Agree they should have made each stat difference equate to a new tier, there would have been a lot more tiers of materia obviously but it would at least make more sense and be easier to find the type of materia you were looking for.

[Jet]

Though it doesn't really address a lot of the problems mentioned above, (half of) market wards sellers have been ending their sale price in whatever bonus the materia gives, just like we've done with HQ +1/2/3.

For instance, Savage Might IV: Crit+42 you'd might list for 1,000,042.

It really helps when the sellers do this.

[FluttershyPony]

Materia being random stat is good, it gives more possibilities for min/maxing and adds an element of luck and randomness.

Market wards being pure garbage is the problem.

[SeleneVenizelos]

It's a lot more exciting to convert a materia anticipating what materia you're going to get. Adds some much needed random intrigue to what we do, and helps seperate it from the endless grind it would be if we knew exactly what materia we were going to get.

Look at it this way, it's like opening a present without knowing what's in the box. Whilst you've opened presents before you don't know you're going to get the same thing, which only excites you and makes you want to open the present some more.

Whereas if you knew what was inside the random element and surprise would be eliminated, making opening the present a repetitive act you're not too excited about. Same deal with materia, the random element keeps it interesting.

It also stops individual items being so overpriced only Bill Gates could afford to buy them. If people found out that Dated Linen Shortgloves gave HP+70 you wouldn't find a pair cheap, and some popular materia fodder for gatherers and crafters would become unobtainable.

Possibly a poor example, since it's a common item, but you get the point I hope.

[Frein]

Materia being random stat is good, it gives more possibilities for min/maxing and adds an element of luck and randomness.

Market wards being pure garbage is the problem.

Did you misunderstand my post? How does one Bloodthirst VI being +65 HP and another being +70 HP give more possibilities? You're by definition not min-maxing if you settle for anything less than max quality.

It's a lot more exciting to convert a materia anticipating what materia you're going to get. Adds some much needed random intrigue to what we do, and helps seperate it from the endless grind it would be if we knew exactly what materia we were going to get.

Look at it this way, it's like opening a present without knowing what's in the box. Whilst you've opened presents before you don't know you're going to get the same thing, which only excites you and makes you want to open the present some more.

Whereas if you knew what was inside the random element and surprise would be eliminated, making opening the present a repetitive act you're not too excited about. Same deal with materia, the random element keeps it interesting.

It also stops individual items being so overpriced only Bill Gates could afford to buy them. If people found out that Dated Linen Shortgloves gave HP+70 you wouldn't find a pair cheap, and some popular materia fodder for gatherers and crafters would become unobtainable.

Possibly a poor example, since it's a common item, but you get the point I hope.

I'm not talking about getting random materia from conversion, I'm asking why said materia has different levels of quality. You cannot tell what the stats on a piece of materia are by simply seeing its name. Unless you get a materia with max or near max stats for its tier, you just opened garbage. Merry Christmas!

[Reika]

Random stats isn't so bad. Tho, i wish rank40+ gear wouldn't ever turn into grade I or II materia... that's my only qualm.