I hope it is accidental.
The changes to the material exchange discourage higher level players from doing patrol missions.
I had been saving up materials to exchange for Vanguard Marks. I can no longer do that. The new system only allows you to buy materials. I have loads of materials I don't need to get them any quicker. There is now no reason for players to do patrols.
I had already found that there were often too few people to take part in public events now there will be even less.
I find that playing the same few strikes over and over again to get a few Vanguard Marks gets boring. Playing a few missions to collect some materials broke it up and made it more interesting. I like the public events but they can be difficult on your own.
Please re-instate the ability to sell materials AND also keep the new system for buying them. It is a more realistic system to be able to buy and sell and it will encourage people to play more parts of the game.
Thank you.
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Everybody doesn't have an over abundance of gathered materials or marks. Most people are still using marks to purchase faction armor and even more so when the DLC drops. There will still be plenty of people farming. You will see less raid geared people farming, that's it. Bounties will still send people to do patrols as well and patrol missions will still give rep and exp. There's more than one reason to do patrols.