Can someone explain to me how the Crown Store works these days?

moderatelyfatman · June 20

I've only recently come back to the game and I see this:

So I remember the Crown store used to work like this:
You pay money for crowns ---> you spend crowns on what you want.

And then crown crates appeared and it became:
You pay money for crowns ---> you spend crowns on crates ---> you gamble until you have lots of gems ---> you buy what you want with gems

And now it seems to be:
You pay money for crowns ----> you spend crowns on crates ---> you gamble until you have enough gems to buy two rare items you don't want ----> you get the item you want.

Is this correct? I'm very very confused. Why can't I just give someone $20?

Sarannah · June 20

No, it works the same as before, as the regular three radiant apex mount's prices haven't changed... it is just that certain crown crate items combined grant two extra radiant apex's with these crates. These two radiant apex mounts have no cost to them!

However, the base items to unlock them do have a cost... but those costs are the same as they have always been, as players bought those items for those prices already.

moderatelyfatman · June 20

Sarannah wrote: »

No, it works the same as before, as the regular three radiant apex mount's prices haven't changed... it is just that certain crown crate items combined grant two extra radiant apex's with these crates. These two radiant apex mounts have no cost to them!

However, the base items to unlock them do have a cost... but those costs are the same as they have always been, as players bought those items for those prices already.

This sounds even more convaluted and grindy than farming the latest mythic!

spartaxoxo · June 20

It's the first time they did something like this.

I'm personally hoping it's the last. It's pretty outrageously priced imo

Sarannah · June 20

spartaxoxo wrote: »

It's the first time they did something like this.

I'm personally hoping it's the last. It's pretty outrageously priced imo

This seems more like an issue with the regular crown crate prices for radiant apex mounts and radiants, than it is for these new combined mounts. As these combined mounts are free, though the base costs are as high as they have always been.

Something that is free can't be overpriced!

Personally I see these new mounts more as bonus items for those who were already going to get the radiant apex and radiants anyways.

spartaxoxo · June 20

Sarannah wrote: »

spartaxoxo wrote: »

It's the first time they did something like this.

I'm personally hoping it's the last. It's pretty outrageously priced imo

This seems more like an issue with the regular crown crate prices for radiant apex mounts and radiants, than it is for these new combined mounts. As these combined mounts are free, though the base costs are as high as they have always been.

Something that is free can't be overpriced!

Personally I see these new mounts more as bonus items for those who were already going to get the radiant apex and radiants anyways.

It's not free in the true sense of term. It requires the user to purchase other items they may not want to get it. It's a bonus for purchasing those items, sure. But "requires xyz" other purchases can most certainly be criticised for being overpriced

Quackery · June 20

This is insanely confusing. I have no idea which items to buy in order to get the free mount and skin. I've never felt more stupid than right now.

Asikoo · June 20

I remember a time when there was pride in making players happy.
The main rule back then was:
"Make the players happy, and they'll make us (the company) happy. They're the best publicity we have."

Now, all I see is this:
"Grab the players' money, no matter what they say, like, or ask for.
We (the company) only care about money.
Players can leave—because once they’ve spent some money, we don’t need them anymore.
We just need new ones to come in and buy everything from the store again.
We exist to make money; they (the players) exist to spend it."

Players may win, players may lose… but companys always wins!

LPapirius · June 20

Quackery wrote: »

This is insanely confusing. I have no idea which items to buy in order to get the free mount and skin. I've never felt more stupid than right now.

Me too, although for different reasons.

This marketing is just shameless. No other way to put it.

tsaescishoeshiner · June 20

It's pretty simple. They made a cool Living Armor radiant apex mount, and two polymorphs. If you own the mount and one of the skins, your mount gets a cool new matching outfit.

I just think they should all be Apex or one should be a legendary, not an Apex and a Radiant. That said, luckily I don't like them because they have that glare effect (like torches and some lighting sources) that makes the mounts hard to look at and hurts my eyes a bit.

SilverBride · June 20

Sarannah wrote: »

Personally I see these new mounts more as bonus items for those who were already going to get the radiant apex and radiants anyways.

What about those that did not already plan to get the other items? Calling it free lures players that didn't originally plan to purchase these other items to do so because it's hard for people to pass up "free" things.

sarahthes · June 20

SilverBride wrote: »

Sarannah wrote: »

Personally I see these new mounts more as bonus items for those who were already going to get the radiant apex and radiants anyways.

What about those that did not already plan to get the other items? Calling it free lures players that didn't originally plan to purchase these other items to do so because it's hard for people to pass up "free" things.

Are they forcing you?

SilverBride · June 20

sarahthes wrote: »

SilverBride wrote: »

Sarannah wrote: »

Personally I see these new mounts more as bonus items for those who were already going to get the radiant apex and radiants anyways.

What about those that did not already plan to get the other items? Calling it free lures players that didn't originally plan to purchase these other items to do so because it's hard for people to pass up "free" things.

Are they forcing you?

Of course not. But the way it is marketed pulls in others that may not have been interested except for not wanting to miss out on a "free" deal.

Sluggy · June 21

moderatelyfatman wrote: »

Is this correct? I'm very very confused. Why can't I just give someone $20?

It is normal to be confused because that what it's supposed to do: obfuscate the cost. They don't want your $20. They want your %250-$500. But they don't want you to know that's how much you spent.

redlink1979 · June 21

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/679286/akatosh-living-armor-senche-free/p1

ghastley · June 21

The original buy/spend crowns scheme applies to one part of the content. Some items in that category are furnishings bought through the housing editor, that do not appear in the store. No RNG is involved.

The gambling crates scheme is a separate part of the content, and no item is in both. In order for the crate contents to be acquired without gambling, they can also be bought for Seals of Endeavor, which are earned in-game. (Gems are second-chance gambling payouts, so Seals are the no-gambling route.)

Seals cannot be used to buy the crown-only items, whether in the store or the housing editor.

It is not clear to me if this "Buy two, get the third" involves the crates, but the practice of including a bonus item with a crate pack already blurs a lot of lines.

SerafinaWaterstar · June 21

I agree with OP. I just want to purchase crowns & then buy stuff I like in the store.

I do not like gambling - I consider it irresponsible of this game to encourage it. Have never liked crown crates.

If they want to increase their revenue, allow us to just buy the items. People would, especially those who don’t agree with gambling, and they would still get the money. After all it’s just pixels, everything in store/crates is just profit.

Cooperharley · June 21

moderatelyfatman wrote: »

Sarannah wrote: »

No, it works the same as before, as the regular three radiant apex mount's prices haven't changed... it is just that certain crown crate items combined grant two extra radiant apex's with these crates. These two radiant apex mounts have no cost to them!

However, the base items to unlock them do have a cost... but those costs are the same as they have always been, as players bought those items for those prices already.

This sounds even more convaluted and grindy than farming the latest mythic!

It is lol

I wish games never had these alternative currencies. Just put this stuff up for a flat $ amount. It’s really just an economic gimmick to make you pay for more than what you need and pretty much all live service games with a microtransaction shop employ this.