"Digital Readiness Kits" versus Loadout Cards
I've got a bunch of Ingress loadout cards. Paid good money for them at anomalies past. Someone hikes 10 miles to a field blocker and is one refactor short? Here, have a loadout code. Out of gear when someone fields over my city? Loadout card. Out of gear during a hard-fought anomaly? Time for a few codes.
Automatic delivery of gear to my account at a time of Niantic's choosing? Not so much.
The last time I'd want to pay money for gear is right before an anomaly, when I'm at or over cap from all the fracking and community gear-sharing that goes on. Even when I bring hundreds (or even well over a thousand) of items to give to teammates from less-populated areas, I've never had a problem reaching my gear targets.
I know there are issues with redeeming gear codes, but please bring back this popular product, at least in digital form, instead of replacing it with something your most dedicated players have no interest in paying for.
(I've heard this many times in chat, but the only mention I can find in this forum is a possible altrnative at https://community.ingress.com/en/discussion/comment/36107#Comment_36107 which didn't get much response.)
Comments
there was a post by a few weeks back by @Ishira suggesting purchasable gift codes :-)
purhaps @Ishira has an update?
I did post about it but havent heard back on whether or not things will be changing yet. this was my post on it
https://community.ingress.com/en/discussion/8927/gifting-system-in-place-of-digital-code-packs
Now that they dont contain VR items or lvl8 bursters or resonators there should be option to gift them or store them for later use...
I have to wonder if there's some kind of technical limitation to the number of passcodes their database can hold that prompted the move to automatic delivery.
why not just purge the old codes?
If you only knew how much Hint water I've drank.
I have heard that the issue is the App and Play stores charging a commission on the redemption of passcodes, but that's not the kind of thing Nia can or should discuss.
Fortunately, HPWU and PoGo have shown us the workaround -- put free or nearly-free bundles in the store. A bundle in the store I can collect at a time of my choosing isn't as flexible as a gear code, but it's still a very useful thing.
Or be able to redeem the passcode through a website. Ingress has the intel page. Pokemon Go and Harry Potter have their own webpage as well.