5000 Crowns for the upcoming assistants. Worth it ? ^^

Garldeen · March 2016

Bit late to this news source, as I have never played the game, but compared to this the assistants seem quite the bargain... (from Oct last year)

"A patch went live today for Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain that includes, among other things, the ability to buy insurance for your base with in-game currency either earned or purchased with real cash.

The FOB (Forward Operating Base) insurance compensates you for any materials and staff lost due to rival infiltrations during the insurance period.

"Staff/materials stolen by the rival will in fact remain on your base, and an identical amount of staff/materials will be handed over to the rival instead," according to the official description of the insurance.

The insurance is purchased with MB coins which can either be purchased with real money or earned in-game. MB coins are sold in bundles that range in price from $0.99 to $49.99."

Hope499 · March 2016

OrphanHelgen wrote: »

I bought the bank pet for 5k, even tho I was mad at zenimax and found the price too high. Its kind of the same situation when you are mad at your girlfriend, but still have sex with her.

...

...

...

A little different maybe...

One is, you know, getting laid, and the other is spending an insane amount of money on overpriced content and promoting this kind of ***.

The whales with the deep pockets are going to ruin it for everyone else.

Hope499 · March 2016

wonkydog wrote: »

The insurance is purchased with MB coins which can either be purchased with real money
or earned in-game
. MB coins are sold in bundles that range in price from $0.99 to $49.99."

Guess I am just slow, but where do you earn crowns in game? Must have missed that mission/quest.

Thornen · March 2016

wonkydog wrote: »

Bit late to this news source, as I have never played the game, but compared to this, the assistants seem quite the bargain... (from Oct last year)

"A patch went live today for Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain that includes, among other things, the ability to buy insurance for your base with in-game currency either earned or purchased with real cash.

The FOB (Forward Operating Base) insurance compensates you for any materials and staff lost due to rival infiltrations during the insurance period.

"Staff/materials stolen by the rival will in fact remain on your base, and an identical amount of staff/materials will be handed over to the rival instead," according to the official description of the insurance.

The insurance is purchased with MB coins which can either be purchased with real money or earned in-game. MB coins are sold in bundles that range in price from $0.99 to $49.99."

Completely wrong game we are talking about, and just because 1 person jumps off a cliff do the rest have to follow?

MissBizz wrote: »

Thornen wrote: »

MissBizz wrote: »

SuraklinPrime wrote: »

I think the cost is too high but then I have a bunch of crowns in my account sitting about and so will probably buy one of them anyway and then feel mild irritation when they go on sale in 2-3 months time for some holiday or other.

It is definitely too much if ZOS are looking to shift a lot of them but if they are simply looking to use them as a bit of a crown sink for those who are sitting on lots of them and a high end luxury item for those who don't mind spending a bit of money
then fine.

And they are a luxury - a high end item that is more about mild convenience that real practical application simply there for the occasional time you really can't be bothered to get to a wayshrine.

There are lots of genuine problem,s with the game but over pricing an item that you have absolutely no need to buy is not a reason for rage - buy them if you feel like it, don't buy them if you don't. If you really want them and can't justify the crowns then wait for the inevitable sale

Boom. All this.

I was glad to see the limitations on these on the PTS. I was concerned everyone and their pet guar would have one - and no limitations would cause city hubs to be a lot less bustling. If I knew they were going to be priced so high (so that due to price everyone and their dog would NOT have one) I would have definitely suggested some more options be added to them.

It is what is it is though, and I'll be picking up the banker when I get online tonight.

I found multiple convenient uses for the banker while I was on the PTS and would happily skip some loadscreens and use him instead. The merchant, eh, that's a bit useless as I'll just put my sellable junk into the bank via my banker until I get back to a town.

Yes, they are priced high. Yes, it's a bit ridiculous. Although those who have the spare crowns (or purchased crowns on sale earlier this month because we KNEW these assistants were coming today) can buy them. Those who don't can pony up a bunch of cash or wait for a sale. As pointed out multiple times - this really just is a convenience item. No one needs it to be better or do better in the game - so it's fine if it's not bought by everyone and their pet guar.

I subscribe because I enjoy the bonuses, and it's just "normal" for me as I subscribed before the game went buy to play. So yes, I have crowns. As well, when crown sales go on - I buy one of the largest packs. This ensures my pocket is always padded with crowns when they decide to release something overly expensive (usually it's limited items) that I would like.

It's besides the point if you picked up crowns on sale or have a tonne from eso+ the items are still priced at $40 each. I'll definitely not be buying these or anything else in the future if they continue this trend, on sale or otherwise.

Edit: for some reason I keep typing prices rather than priced ><

That's up to you how you look at it. If I hadn't bought crowns on sale or had a pile from subscribing - I wouldn't have purchased crowns full price to buy these. Simple. It does make a difference when it will make the decision on if you choose to buy it or not. I'm not saying they aren't ridiculously expensive - they are - but I'm willing to spend the money I paid for crowns on those little 2 minute savings over the lifespan of my time playing ESO.

Sometimes your fingers just do what they want, haha. It's all good

Unfortunately its not how I look at it but how it is, Zenimax has priced these at $40 each. People using the get crowns on sale or oh it'll be 50% off in a few months doesn't change the fact that they are $40 dollars each period.

Cernow · March 2016

OrphanHelgen wrote: »

I bought the bank pet for 5k, even tho I was mad at zenimax and found the price too high. Its kind of the same situation when you are mad at your girlfriend, but still have sex with her.

Well at least you're brave enough to admit it.

But expect to pay similarly inflated prices for future Crown Store items, because all you've done is justify their pricing policy and in doing so made yourself part of the problem.

Garldeen · March 2016

Sorry having issues quoting so will paste "Completely wrong game we are talking about, and just because 1 person jumps off a cliff do the rest have to follow"

Yes, a different game but look at DLC. They are everywhere for every game now. Once other companies saw what people would be prepared to pay for they soon starting adding them to their games. I doubt ESO will ever offer insurance, I more highlighting that game companies are on the lookout for new ways to make revenue from current users

Tyrion87 · March 2016

What's wrong with you people? Do you have no respect for your own money if you buy this deficient product at this cost? No surprise ZOS sets their prices that high if people's attitude is: "yeah, maybe it's overpriced, but I'm gonna buy it cause I've been waiting for this for ages". If this trend continues, we will be seeing such prices more often and the next mount will cost 5k, and when the player housing and barber shop are introduced, we'll cross the magic barrier of 5k...
I really hoped that the critical voice of the community will be eventually heard and ZOS will decrease the cost but apparently the greed prevailed.
Not to mention that the current description of these assistants is misleading and there might be some people who will buy them in the belief that they provide the same services as the standard merchant/banker.

Toxic_Hemlock · March 2016

No thanks, but at least when I look at the prices for them, I feel better porting when my bags are full.

If they keep hooking the whales with stuff like this the next DLC will be 20000 crowns, mark my words.

Thornen · March 2016

Hard to hear anything when

Lynx7386 · March 2016

Not worth it. Zos needs to reel in their prices, this crap is getting out of hand.

Wish the Crown store had never made it into the Game. I'm fine with a subscription, but I cannot stand the corruption that micro transactions bring to the gaming industry.

Tyrion87 · March 2016

Thornen wrote: »

Hard to hear anything when

Yeah... I have lost the remains of my respect and faith in ZOS... actually as much as I love the game, their policy and attitude to the community (especially ignoring people) discourage me to play...

Brrrofski · March 2016

OrphanHelgen wrote: »

I bought the bank pet for 5k, even tho I was mad at zenimax and found the price too high. Its kind of the same situation when you are mad at your girlfriend, but still have sex with her.

It's more like a choice between:

Going into the bedroom and having sex with your girlfriend for free. There's a bit more time spent but the job get's done.

Or

Paying someone so you don't have to move an inch and.. well... do it to yourself quickly so you can return to what you were doing previous.

phreatophile · March 2016

IrishGirlGamer wrote: »

While I agree with the sentiment of your post, I can't agree with your base assumptions. I've owned this game for almost two years and I've subbed the entire time. I've never been closer to cancelling my sub than I am right now.

I kept my sub alive because of your sentiment: "every penny earned by ZOS is a penny more for game stability and development." Now, after almost two years and spending several hundred dollars supporting the game, I think it's fair to ask how much of an obligation I have to keep supporting a game that remains broken.

And to be clear: I'm not talking design elements I disagree with; I'm referring to bugs and broken systems which have been acknowledge by Matt Firor as broken but without any ETA for repair or improvement. "It's a big game," he says. "Repairs have to be made incrementally." Okay, then my subscription should be paid incrementally.

When ESO announces a crown store item that costs any extraordinary amount of money, it is reasonable for players to ask what they're paying for. And why aren't bugs getting fixed in the meantime? What about the acknowledged problems in Cyrodiil? What about announced developments in the game that we've been waiting years for (e.g. spellcrafting). Sure, we don't have to buy the item if we think it's over-priced. On that point, you're correct. But it's still fair to question how this improves the game when so many other things need improvement.

And before anyone chimes in, let me address some predictable forum arguments:

1. You're assuming the same Zenimax employees who make the Crown Store items are the same employees who would fix the bugs and lag. You're wrong!!

Fair enough. Then how about Zenimax hire some people who know how to fix the stated problems with the game?

C'mon, some players may have owned the game for six weeks, but others of us have owned the game since release. We're tired of this. I remember when there were deer and torchbugs in Cyrodiil. Removed to make the game work. But the game still doesn't work. We see a lot of stuff going into the Crown Store but we don't always see a lot of game improvement or bugs getting fixed.

2. Do you have any idea how hard it is to make a game? Do you work in IT? Do you have a degree from yada, yada, yada?

Oh please. I am so tired of this argument. You know, I don't know how to make an Audi either, but the one I drive works perfectly fine - and is so much more complicated than this game. And if it doesn't work, it gets fixed and without excuses. Imagine what it would be like to say: "Wow, it must be really hard to make a car that goes 180 mph ... so feel free to leave off a few safety features ..."

I cannot understand the sentiment within the video game industry that states "It's okay to sell a broken product because, wow, making this product is hard." Meh. Grow up. Take responsibility for your product.

3. True but your Audi cost a hell of a lot more than this game.

Price is relative. When I bought the Imperial Edition of ESO in April of 2014 is was $79.99, making it one of the most expensive video games on the market.

4. You (and others like you) just don't want to support the game. You just want to complain.

Wrong again. I've had an unbroken subscription since 2014. I even kept my sub alive when I was working in a foreign country for two months and didn't have time to play. Yeah, I'm a casual - and I kept my sub alive because I want to like this game.

Honestly, some of us are beyond wondering what we get with our monthly subs. Crowns that we don't need? No. Experience that we REALLY don't need or even want? No. Access to DLC that we already own? No.

So what are we doing? We're subbing to support a game that we want to see improved.

5. If you're so frustrated, why don't you just leave?

Again, a fair question. And maybe it's something to think about.

The reason some of us post our complaints and frustrations on this forum is because we hope that @ZOS_GinaBruno and @ZOS_JessicaFolsom and others from Zenimax will read them and at least consider what steps need to be taken to improve the game. It's a fair and legitimate use of the game forum.

But really, asking people to leave gets you nothing. The more people leave, the less money the game makes and the worse the game gets. This should be obvious. If people leave because they don't like a particular design feature, that's one thing. Nothing is going to make them stay. But if people start leaving or unsubbing because of they've reached a critical frustration level with the game bugs that aren't getting fixed, then maybe it is time for Zenimax to evaluate what it's doing with it's available resources.

You are absolutely correct.

UrQuan · March 2016

One thing that a lot of people saying things like "Who cares - if it's not worth it to you just don't buy it" are missing is that this isn't just about whether we think the price is too high for us. It's that this price is actively bad for ZOS.

There are generally 3 types of Crown Store purchases, and they need different pricing strategies to be successful.

DLC: These should always be priced significantly lower than the actual amount of effort that goes into creating them would seem to indicate. DLC = content, and content is what's going to keep people playing the game, potentially get new players interested in the game, and potentially draw old players who stopped playing back into the game.

As such, it needs to be at a price point where the majority of players will see the value in it - especially as any group content in the DLC will fail utterly if most of the player base doesn't see the value in getting the DLC, because then anyone who did get it will have trouble finding groups for that content.

Cosmetic items: These should be priced in all ranges. Some cosmetic items should be cheap, some should be moderately priced, and some should be expensive. Cosmetic items are aimed at a different target audience than DLC. Purely cosmetic items automatically have a smaller target audience, as there's always a portion of the player base that only cares about gameplay and not at all about cosmetics. Additionally, different people have different taste in cosmetics, so there will never be a cosmetic item that appeals to everyone who cares about cosmetics.

As such, you want to price some cosmetics (usually ones that look more "common" in the game world - example: the various common horse skins) cheap enough that everyone who cares about cosmetics can look at them and say "yeah sure, at that price I'll get it". You want to price some (usually ones that are a bit less "common" in the game world, and more specialized - example: the various guar skins) moderately so that the smaller subset of people who would be interested in those ones anyway will look at them and say "hmm, that's more expensive than X but not that expensive, and I like it enough to get it at that price". Then you want to price some (usually ones that should be exotic in the game world, and generally ones that people may look at as something extra special or cool - example: the Frostmare mount) expensively as it's going to appeal to a more narrow market of people anyway, and the people who it appeals to are likely to say "that's cool enough that I'm willing to pay more than I normally would for it".

Convenience items: These should never be priced too low (if they're too low they'll generally take away from the base game as people find it way easier to buy these than to play, and then it becomes a game of nothing but tons of micro-transactions), and they should never be priced too high (I'll get into that). Instead they should be priced moderately, or on the low end of expensive.

The target market for convenience items is the entire player base, but you don't want the entire player base using them excessively (particularly if they are consumable). You want people to look at it and say "hmm, that's a pretty good item at that price so I'll buy it" but you don't want people feeling like they have no choice but to buy it, because then the game quickly becomes P2W and people get pissed off and leave. If you price it too high, far far fewer people will buy it and you'll simply make less money. If only 10% of people will buy it at 5,000 Crowns (not a number I pulled out of my ass: in this poll 90% of people have said they won't buy the assistants at 5,000 Crowns), but 30% of people will buy it at 2,000 Crowns then you're simply going to make more money by pricing it at the lower price point.

Additionally, when you price a convenience item at a price that the majority of people see as being far too high, people get pissed off and are more likely to feel like there's an attempt to rip them off (you also see this when cosmetic items are priced particularly high, but as more people are likely to say that they didn't want a particular cosmetic item anyway, the effect is more noticeable with convenience items). This leads to people vowing not to support the company anymore, not to buy anything from the store, etc. Not everyone, naturally, but the more this happens the more customers you lose.

So the bottom line is that when an item like this is priced too high, it's a big deal because it's bad for ZOS and bad for the game in the long-term.

Slurg · March 2016

It'll be interesting to see the in game chatter about these now that people are buying them and can really tell us after using them if they are worth the 5,000 crowns.

As a casual player I don't think personally either of these are worth spending the crowns I purchased during the last sale to determine whether they are "worth it". I suppose people who really hate to spend an extra two minutes porting to town or those who regularly lead groups with members who show up with full inventories and/or who forgot to retrieve needed items from the bank first would have a different opinion.

Gidorick · March 2016

UrQuan wrote: »

So the bottom line is that when an item like this is priced too high, it's a big deal because it's bad for ZOS and bad for the game in the long-term.

THIS is my chief concern @UrQuan . ZOS is designing them into corners. I call it the "Dilution of Possibilities". By releasing these I think ZOS is giving players too much. Giving players the ability to sometimes call upon a merchant out in the wilderness is one thing but a on-call at-will merchant, banker, and fence will mostly just devalue towns but will also limit what ZOS might be able to release in the future.

UrQuan · March 2016

Gidorick wrote: »

UrQuan wrote: »

So the bottom line is that when an item like this is priced too high, it's a big deal because it's bad for ZOS and bad for the game in the long-term.

THIS is my chief concern @UrQuan . ZOS is designing them into corners. I call it the "Dilution of Possibilities". By releasing these I think ZOS is giving players too much. Giving players the ability to sometimes call upon a merchant out in the wilderness is one thing but a on-call at-will merchant, banker, and fence will mostly just devalue towns but will also limit what ZOS might be able to release in the future.

And that's why I disagree with people who are saying that the banker should provide access to guild banks and guild stores, and the people who are saying that the merchant should provide repairs and sell pots etc, and the people who are saying that the fence should launder stuff and not take a cut. If they did all of those things then there would almost never be a reason to go to towns/refuges.

I'm not sure I agree with the specific limits ZOS has placed on the assistants, but I think that there definitely need to be limits that mean that people will still go to towns for these services.

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO · March 2016

Housing is going to be its own DLC package. Like with hearthfire for skyrim. Id guess its probably going to run around 5000 crowns for the package. I just hope the houses arent cookie cutter with no free form placement of items.

Gidorick · March 2016

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO wrote: »

Housing is going to be its own DLC package. Like with hearthfire for skyrim. Id guess its probably going to run around 5000 crowns for the package. I just hope the houses arent cookie cutter with no free form placement of items.

I don't think housing will be a DLC package, it'll be more like assistants. ESO+ members get access to DLC, they don't get access to Crown Store fodder. They couldn't have a system where people have a home but then they let their sub lapse and they loose access to that home...

Or at least I don't think they would do that.

Divinius · March 2016

[Redacted]
I decided to delete my post before a mod did it for me...

wesly.backersb16_ESO · March 2016

"Don't buy when you have doubts, wait until there is none left. Then you know for sure if you would have purchased it or not."

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO · March 2016

Gidorick wrote: »

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO wrote: »

Housing is going to be its own DLC package. Like with hearthfire for skyrim. Id guess its probably going to run around 5000 crowns for the package. I just hope the houses arent cookie cutter with no free form placement of items.

I don't think housing will be a DLC package, it'll be more like assistants. ESO+ members get access to DLC, they don't get access to Crown Store fodder. They couldn't have a system where people have a home but then they let their sub lapse and they loose access to that home...

Or at least I don't think they would do that.

Thats why I think it will be a DLC package you can purchase as well as get with your monthly sub. That way if you stop being a plus member you can just purchase it. I wouldnt put it past them to lock you out of your house if you dont pay. They do that IRL too hehe.

Leogon · March 2016

Hope499 wrote: »

Titansteele wrote: »

Thats loads of money but screw it, I am filthy rich!

If you think $50 EACH for this is reasonable, than I think the only way you could have become rich, was selling your body on the street corner.

This or thanks to his mommy and daddy.

Mwnci · March 2016

I was quite enjoying my coke, right up until I was browsing the crown store and saw those prices. Thanks for the good laugh, ZOS.

Thornen · March 2016

Mwnci wrote: »

I was quite enjoying my coke, right up until I was browsing the crown store and saw those prices. Thanks for the good laugh, ZOS.

Usually people put coke up their nose not snort it out ^^

jamesharv2005ub17_ESO · March 2016

Leogon wrote: »

Hope499 wrote: »

Titansteele wrote: »

Thats loads of money but screw it, I am filthy rich!

If you think $50 EACH for this is reasonable, than I think the only way you could have become rich, was selling your body on the street corner.

This or thanks to his mommy and daddy.

Hell I have plenty of money and Im not buying them. If one day the merchant has repair function and the banker has guild bank function then I might buy em.

Dunkmeister · March 2016

Once assistant is more expensive that an entire expansion. What is the justification for it being so expensive? This is a total money grab. I'm all for economy driven marketplace, but this is a bit ridiculous. Dial it back Zenimax, you're getting too greedy with these.

Mwnci · March 2016

Thornen wrote: »

Mwnci wrote: »

I was quite enjoying my coke, right up until I was browsing the crown store and saw those prices. Thanks for the good laugh, ZOS.

Usually people put coke up their nose not snort it out ^^

Mid-snort can result in an explosive exhale when faced with something so mind-buggeringly-hilarious as those assistant prices.

deadlock007 · March 2016

I have already bought and used both. They are pretty neat (repair option and guild bank access would make them awesome of course) and I can see them being useful when I am running dungeons, trials, while farming, doing writs etc..... I don't understand why people are so shocked at the price when some motifs were 5k also.

Thornen · March 2016

deadlock007 wrote: »

I have already bought and used both. They are pretty neat (repair option and guild bank access would make them awesome of course) and I can see them being useful when I am running dungeons, trials, while farming, doing writs etc..... I don't understand why people are so shocked at the price when some motifs were 5k also.

$40 for a motif is also ridiculous but at least you can acquire those in game for gold.