No, I believe it's going by the Birthsigns. November is the Atronach (so it's a bit belated). December is, fittingly enough, the Thief.So I'm assuming fire and air themes come after this one
ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »This is the official discussion thread for the blog article ESO Welcomes Crown Crates. This Thursday, we'll be introducing the first season of Crown Crates to the ESO Crown Store. Check out the article for all the details.
In the hope that the devs are watching this thread, I'd like to highlight two issues related to the Crown Crates and then offer a solution.
1) Consumer Goodwill. Much like 'political capital', consumer goodwill is a finite, if non tangible, resource. I would say you have burned through a good bit of your accumulated stock with the release of Crown Crates. While I suspect the spread sheet will show this as a good short term move, long term I think you cooked the golden goose.
2) Product Toxicity. Even if I saw something in the Crown Crates that I greatly desired, I would be too ashamed to show it to the public. So why bother?
Proffered Solution
- Give one Crown Crate a month to subscribers of ESO Plus
- Have Crown Crates drop in the game world. Something small like 0.3%.
- Have one weekend a year where everything ever offered is put on sale in your Crown Shop.
If you did this you would reap the following benefits:
- Plausible deniability for consumers who wish to spend a good deal on Crown Crates but are now too embarrassed to admit to doing so.
- Increased value of the ESO Plus optional subscription.
- The start of Consumer Good Will regeneration once people know that they will have the chance to buy the items they truly desire at some point in the future.
- The Collector demographic, which I imagine is highly profitable, will be saved.
Lastly, there needs to be communication from on high. Moses needs to descend the mountain and tell us what is what. For example, if the company is in the red and this is a last ditch effort to keep it afloat I know all reasonable people would be much more sympathetic. In fact, I would buy some of the damn crates if that is what it took.
No disrespect is intended towards Ms. @ZOS_GinaBruno - she is a wonderful, charming community moderator who does an outstanding job. But we need a staff member higher up the chain to come to the forums and speak plainly. This would be seen as a sign of respect to the community and would help humanize your company in its hour of need. Silence is not your ally - it truly is exacerbating the situation. What people can imagine is usually far worse than the facts of the matter.
As for me, I plan to continue to support TESO with a sub and occasional direct purchase from the Crown Store. But as I am a Collector, i.e. I 'gotta have them all', and can no longer have them all through direct purchase, I will be spending much less.
I wish all of the dev team the absolute best. ESO is still the best MMORPG on the market, hands down. I wish I understood the motivation behind this strategy, though. You certainly don't "owe" me or any other consumer an explanation, but in doing so the medicine would be far easier to swallow.
Happy Holidays to everyone at ESO and to the Community Members that make these forums such a fun and informative place to visit.
Friendly reminder that adding in a gamble-for-content feature is exactly equivalent with ZOS saying "we are perfectly content with people spending money and not getting anything out of it". Every detail about the gambling boxes is a business psych trick to squeeze cash out of you without any promise that you're even getting the very cosmetic items that are supposed to keep this damn game afloat. The "gems" are just the latest in a list of refinements to make gambling more appealing. It is nothing more than fair banking, and is designed not even to let you actually buy what you wanted in the first place, but to increase the amount you are willing to spend before giving up.
We must fully reject gambling as a means of content delivery.
We must fully reject a gambling addition to a perfectly functional cash shop.
We must fully reject exclusive, high quality content being used to incentivize gambling.
We must embrace direct purchase of content as the only means of delivery.
We must embrace direct purchase as the only acceptable feature in a cash shop.
We must embrace honest, clear pricing for goods and services.
I can do both just fine. "But everybody does it!" isn't an excuse.TheForseti wrote: »Don't hate the player (ZOS), hate the game (monetary capitalism/profit motive).
I can do both just fine. "But everybody does it!" isn't an excuse.TheForseti wrote: »Don't hate the player (ZOS), hate the game (monetary capitalism/profit motive).
What's with you and mom-like behavior today? :PI can do both just fine. "But everybody does it!" isn't an excuse.TheForseti wrote: »Don't hate the player (ZOS), hate the game (monetary capitalism/profit motive).
This awakens my inner mom.
"If everybody was jumping off a bridge, would you too?" :P
What's with you and mom-like behavior today? :PI can do both just fine. "But everybody does it!" isn't an excuse.TheForseti wrote: »Don't hate the player (ZOS), hate the game (monetary capitalism/profit motive).
This awakens my inner mom.
"If everybody was jumping off a bridge, would you too?" :P
And no, I would not. I'd stand on the riverbank and shake my head at those madmen. Celebrating New Life by jumping into freezing water, them Nords be crazy.
No chickens in sight, I'm afraid, but I have borscht. Pretty good for sore throat too.What's with you and mom-like behavior today? :PI can do both just fine. "But everybody does it!" isn't an excuse.TheForseti wrote: »Don't hate the player (ZOS), hate the game (monetary capitalism/profit motive).
This awakens my inner mom.
"If everybody was jumping off a bridge, would you too?" :P
And no, I would not. I'd stand on the riverbank and shake my head at those madmen. Celebrating New Life by jumping into freezing water, them Nords be crazy.
I started playing Overwatch and I only played as Mercy and Ana, so...
And yes, they are going to catch a cold! Stay inside and eat your chicken soup, dearie.
In the hope that the devs are watching this thread, I'd like to highlight two issues related to the Crown Crates and then offer a solution.
1) Consumer Goodwill. Much like 'political capital', consumer goodwill is a finite, if non tangible, resource. I would say you have burned through a good bit of your accumulated stock with the release of Crown Crates. While I suspect the spread sheet will show this as a good short term move, long term I think you cooked the golden goose.
2) Product Toxicity. Even if I saw something in the Crown Crates that I greatly desired, I would be too ashamed to show it to the public. So why bother?
Proffered Solution
- Give one Crown Crate a month to subscribers of ESO Plus
- Have Crown Crates drop in the game world. Something small like 0.3%.
- Have one weekend a year where everything ever offered is put on sale in your Crown Shop.
If you did this you would reap the following benefits:
- Plausible deniability for consumers who wish to spend a good deal on Crown Crates but are now too embarrassed to admit to doing so.
- Increased value of the ESO Plus optional subscription.
- The start of Consumer Good Will regeneration once people know that they will have the chance to buy the items they truly desire at some point in the future.
- The Collector demographic, which I imagine is highly profitable, will be saved.
Lastly, there needs to be communication from on high. Moses needs to descend the mountain and tell us what is what. For example, if the company is in the red and this is a last ditch effort to keep it afloat I know all reasonable people would be much more sympathetic. In fact, I would buy some of the damn crates if that is what it took.
No disrespect is intended towards Ms. @ZOS_GinaBruno - she is a wonderful, charming community moderator who does an outstanding job. But we need a staff member higher up the chain to come to the forums and speak plainly. This would be seen as a sign of respect to the community and would help humanize your company in its hour of need. Silence is not your ally - it truly is exacerbating the situation. What people can imagine is usually far worse than the facts of the matter.
As for me, I plan to continue to support TESO with a sub and occasional direct purchase from the Crown Store. But as I am a Collector, i.e. I 'gotta have them all', and can no longer have them all through direct purchase, I will be spending much less.
I wish all of the dev team the absolute best. ESO is still the best MMORPG on the market, hands down. I wish I understood the motivation behind this strategy, though. You certainly don't "owe" me or any other consumer an explanation, but in doing so the medicine would be far easier to swallow.
Happy Holidays to everyone at ESO and to the Community Members that make these forums such a fun and informative place to visit.
@ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_RichLambert @ZOS_JessicaFolsom
I'm pinging you because I like you.
I will repeat it again. PLEASE, reconsider the addition of non-themed collectibles as crate exclusives.
No, "they are just recolors" do not cut it. Them being just recolors is exactly why they SHOULDN'T go in the crates.
Look at the people making suggestions! You would have almost no opposition to the crates if you just made this change. DO NOT PUT NON-THEMED COLLECTIBLES IN THE CRATES.
If it is too late now, CONSIDER SELLING THEM DIRECTLY DURING THIS CRATE'S OFF-SEASON. If people want to gamble for them and try to get them for cheaper than they usually go for and before everybody else, they can go for the Atronach Crates.
Please, reconsider.
Dev resources over time being filtered more and more into Crates, and not into content. Also, a bunch of mounts/pets being exclusive to Crates despite the fact that many people would buy them if they were released separately.If Crown Crates solely contain cosmetic stuff and consumables comparable to what's in the game (e.g. no tri-stat food with double bonus etc.), what is the issue?
Dev resources over time being filtered more and more into Crates, and not into content.
Dev resources over time being filtered more and more into Crates, and not into content. Also, a bunch of mounts/pets being exclusive to Crates despite the fact that many people would buy them if they were released separately.
Indeed. But the question was "what's the issue", and without finding someone's very detailed post, that's was the best I could come up with In the long run, I think it's that the money will go in that direction, meaning the combat team writing team, etc will just get smaller over time.Of course it would take exactly the same time and ressources to make new things for the "normal" crown store. Not to mention that there's different departments, and it's highly unlikely that the combat team is now puzzling some new costumes together. (Well, otherwise it would explain some of the costume issues, at least...)Dev resources over time being filtered more and more into Crates, and not into content.
So while I am not against any of this. It does take quite the nerve using the word "welcomes" in the title of this article. Really? Does it look like it is being welcomed? If I'd get such a welcome somewhere I'd be sure not to let the door hit me on the way out.
I have defended these crates, and I still don't really care they are there. But with such an outcry on the forums you dare say they are welcomed? If you want to make the impression that you do not read what your community thinks at all, well, congratulations, you hit it spot on.
Your marketing strategy keeps baffling me. It's almost an insult.
Still sad that those amazing mounts are in those *** crates
First:
Keep ESO Plus as it is, but add another modality, for example called ESO Plus Light or something of the sort, which is cheaper, still has access to all DLC, but has less extra crowns and a limited craft bag (won't suggest a number).
It would increase the income for the ongoing development of the game and give a chance for players who may be hesitant to commit to a subscription to try the experience of DLC and craft bag usage for a cheaper deal. I am sure most of them would eventually upgrade to ESO Plus.
Second:
Regularly show teasers and hints towards the next development stage in the game. Follow a discipline of communication with the community about what is coming next, even if you want to hold the secrets on what it actually is.
Ex: A screenshot of Vvardenfell without naming the area and teasing us with some of the features of what's next to come.
The first suggestion will revitalize your subscription base. The second will keep people interested, because they know that you are still developing ESO