I guess I'm just used to getting some sort of parallel or insert or something in a pack of anything I buy these days. As a non-completionist, I like a variety of sets started from any pack I buy. Panini is usually good for that.
I bought four packs at the store today. Here is what I received. Not grading the players themselves, because that is subjective, but the sets I got a card from:
2017 Donruss Optic football - $10 - 12 base cards
2018 Topps baseball - $5 - 31 base, 1 Topps Salutes, 1 Kris Bryant Highlights, 1 Legends in the Making, 1 Legends in the Making Black, 1 rainbow foil parallel
2017-18 Donruss basketball - $5 - 28 base, 1 Court King, 1 The Champ Is Here
2017-18 Panini Status basketball - surprisingly only $5 - 16 base, 2 Aqua parallel (thank you Panini for numbering the other colors so I could be sure these were aqua and not blue or green), 1 Factions, 1 Rookie Credentials
So the Optic was the only real disappointment. I will buy more of the Status cards. They look really cool, though many would be turned off by artificial backgrounds. They kind of remind me of the 1991-92 Skybox set. Didn't hurt that I got a Tatum RC and a Fox RC either. I feel like the price was a mistake at only $5 for 20 cards. Topps baseball gets the prize though, for giving me cards from six different sets.
I'm going to reevaluate how I collect after the new year. It's just getting way too expensive for the new stuff. Sometimes I just want to buy a pack, not a whole box or even blaster.