TF2 Newbs (Team Fortress 2) Blog

As some of you may know, today we had an event where I opened 100 crates, with 100 keys, and recorded the results for all to see!!! 

The full results can be seen at http://tf2newbs.com/box_results.txt the first column is crate type, then second is the name of the item found.   If someone wants this in csv, let me know and I’ll put that up too.  Or you can just look at the backback and see all the goods (in the order they were found) http://www.tf2items.com/id/tf2newbs_crate_event  the 2 items on page 3 were random drops.

Unfortunately no unusuals were found, but all is not lost.  Through fuzzy mathematics it appears I broke about even on the entire endeavour.

Lets break down the items, and the math….

Columns are number found, crate type, item name, estimated value (based on valve store)

     11 #1 distinct lack of hue (2.49)
      7 #2 duel game (0.99)
      7 #1 equalizer (1.99)
      6 #2 australium gold (2.49)
      6 #1 vita saw (0.49)
      5 #5 name tag (4.99)
      5 #1 gunslinger (2.45)
      4 #3 bushwacka (4.99)
      4 #2 l’etranger (2.49)
      4 #2 blackbox (2.49)
      4 #1 scottish resistance (0.49)
      4 #1 old guad (2.49)
      3 #2 shortstop (2.49)
      3 #1 name tag (4.99)
      3 #1 abundence of tinge (2.49)
      2 #5 southern hospitality (0.49)
      2 #5 powerjack (2.49)
      2 #4 whoopee cap (4.99)
      2 #4 pain train (1.99)
      2 #3 distinct lack of hue (2.49)
      2 #1 nappers (2.49)
      1 #4 duel game (0.99)
      1 #4 battalion backup (4.99)
      1 #4 abundence of tinge (2.49)
      1 #3 stout shako (4.99)
      1 #3 homewrecker (2.99) [cost of buying things to craft it]
      1 #3 duel game (0.99)
      1 #3 description tag (2.49)
      1 #2 stuntman (4.99)
      1 #2 puglists (4.99)
      1 #2 pain train (1.99)
      1 #2 chieftains challenge (4.99)
      1 #2 a deep commitment to purple (2.49)

I based prices either on how much it’d cost to craft, pricing of similar items, or just what what it is worth in trade / etc.  For example: nappers are nearly worthless to trade, but crafting two of them gets you another hat, which is probably worth at least 4.99 in the steam store.  

Summing up the total for all those brings us to MSRP of $244.50  – thats even with me considering the chieftan and the stout shako as $4.99 hats, when they can trade higher than that. 

For this event I spent $249.00 (in two chunks, since steam wallets can’t hold that much) to get 100 keys.  I begged and pleaded for free crates.  So if we ignore the interest I could of been earning on this money if I had invested it instead of spending it on keys in a video game I came out about even.   I might be a little off with the values, but if you consider that it brought a bunch of people together, and that a lot of people had a good time I think it was worth it.

So I’m pleased that I broke about even on store value, unfortunately in game value of many of these items is pretty weak compared to the store price.

My results lead me to believe that opening crates isn’t necessarily a bad method of attaining items, as long as the crates are found or were obtained for nearly nothing. 

If anyone out there wants to donate a unusual hat to a good cause, let me know on steam  http://steamcommunity.com/id/octodhd