The Gold Road Chapter – which includes the Scribing system – and Update 42 is now available to test on the PTS! You can read the latest patch notes here: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/656454/

An Open Letter to Zenimax Regarding the Hero Costumes

  • Thevampirenight
    Thevampirenight
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    Acrolas wrote: »
    Zenimax's venture capitalists don't give a flying *** about a costume. They care about that nice return on investment every time a game pack drops. Because that's Zenimax's only real weakness - they have a slower than average production schedule.

    But if you think your boycott of a costume is going to somehow hurt the company or its parts, then you don't really have a comprehension of how privately-owned company finances work. They're swimming in development funds, and they only really need to return 20% to 50% annually to be in good standing across the board.

    We're not the special snowflakes. The special snowflake was the person who gave them $1.2M in venture capital last June. Want to be a special snowflake? Be an investor. I'm sure somebody might put more value in Gidorick's fat stack of fan fiction if it had a few million dollars attached to it. But it doesn't. So it's just fan fiction.

    But being a loud fan doesn't get you anywhere except super butthurt when things don't go your way. Sometimes you just have to lean back and realize that they know what they're doing, with or without you. If that makes you less of a fan, that's probably for the best. There's a very fine line between love and hate, after all...

    Well I was refering to the fact people want to be speical for having something not many players have, like limited time items, and I don't hate and I love the fact they are doing good with the game so far, I am just saying what I think needs to be said, when it comes to certain things. But yeah I don't judge them by thinking they are bad, they have done a good job and have put a lot of good work into the game, Main thing I am judging right now is tje limited time crown store items. But I have good reason to.
    Edited by Thevampirenight on February 1, 2016 2:41AM
    PC NA
    Please add Fangs to Vampires.
  • Lysette
    Lysette
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    Cazzy wrote: »
    daemonios wrote: »
    Cazzy wrote: »
    I spend my 1500 crowns on the monthly store additions. It's one of the ways I support the game, which I say in the letter.
    If you already subscribe, you don't need to spend your crowns in order to support the game. I'm strongly opposed to the crown store model, have been a subscriber from early access on PC, and am sitting on 22k+ crowns because I refuse to validate the microtransactions model.
    Cazzy wrote: »
    Plus with no warning on the cost of the costume I was unable to save in advance. Therefore, I would be expected to pay for 3000 crowns just to buy the outfit.
    That is precisely what you get with microtransactions. Artificial scarcity, short deadlines for special offers to catch people off guard (i.e. low on crowns and needing to top up their accounts to grab those exclusive pixels).

    To be fair, ESO isn't the WORST microtransactions-based game ever. But the seeds of something very rotten are there.

    Yeah, I totally agree with you. I've been reconsidering spending any more money tbh. I've just won a court case so can afford to continue making my own games now. It may be near the time to say "...and thanks for all the fish."

    From my experience "making a game" and "playing a game" are 2 sides of a coin. You can decide for one or the other, both will not happen, because if you create and develop the game, it will have no magic for you and you will just "test-play" it, looking for if the animations are correct, if the lighting is fine, if the NPC AI could be better and stuff like this. As a developer you will never experience the magic of your game, it will be your work in progress, endlessly - you just see the technical or gameplay development side of the game. This is the downside of "making an own game", you won't enjoy your own game "playing", but you might still enjoy it "making" - both will not happen, because you know all about your game, there is no magic left.
  • Didgerion
    Didgerion
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    Gidorick wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    There is a special discount for ESO + members: you get the subscription's crown equivalent back to your account.

    Technically you pay 0 dollars for the costumes while being loyal to ESO by subscribing to it.

    I don't think you understand what a discount means...
    dis·count
    /ˈdiskount/
    noun
    noun: discount; plural noun: discounts
    1. a deduction from the usual cost of something, typically given for prompt or advance payment or to a special category of buyers.
      "many stores will offer a discount on bulk purchases"

    synonyms: reduction, deduction, markdown, price cut, cut, rebate
    students get a 10 percent discount"

    There is more than 1500 crowns worth of items that are sold each month... if a subscribed player buys ALL of them... they get no special deals for being an ESO+ subscriber.

    Skew your perspective all you want in your ZOS colored glasses... Crown Store items cost the same crowns for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.
    You are very kind sir to explain me what discount means.

    I'll try to return the favor and explain the ESO+ discount:

    Lets say you are an ESO+ member for a month. And you decide to buy several xp potions that cost you 1500 crowns and one nord costume that costs you 2000. In total it will costs you 3500 crowns. But because you were an ESO + member for a month it costs you only 2000 CP. So you get a 42% discount....it is a much better discount than a 10% you are asking for.
  • bedlom
    bedlom
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    Free crowns every month is not enough for you?
  • Cazzy
    Cazzy
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    Ohhh dear. If I don't laugh I'll cry :tongue:
  • MrDerrikk
    MrDerrikk
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    bedlom wrote: »
    Free crowns every month is not enough for you?

    The free crowns were apparently meant to replace the subscription rewards when the game was P2P, in that you can now choose what you want. Also, you're paying more for just the crowns than if you were buying crown packs as the packs have discounts at higher levels, meaning it's much less worth it to sub.
    I have departed into the great unknown that is outside the game and the forums, and wish you well in your Tamriel adventures!

    DC - PC - EU - Australian
    VR11 Mrderrikk: Breton Stam Sorc (Vamp) | VR16 Derrikkinblack: Dunmer Mage DK | VR3 Cuts-Until-It-Dies: Argonian Magicka NB

    Oh look, Anook.
  • Lysette
    Lysette
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    Didgerion wrote: »
    Gidorick wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    There is a special discount for ESO + members: you get the subscription's crown equivalent back to your account.

    Technically you pay 0 dollars for the costumes while being loyal to ESO by subscribing to it.

    I don't think you understand what a discount means...
    dis·count
    /ˈdiskount/
    noun
    noun: discount; plural noun: discounts
    1. a deduction from the usual cost of something, typically given for prompt or advance payment or to a special category of buyers.
      "many stores will offer a discount on bulk purchases"

    synonyms: reduction, deduction, markdown, price cut, cut, rebate
    students get a 10 percent discount"

    There is more than 1500 crowns worth of items that are sold each month... if a subscribed player buys ALL of them... they get no special deals for being an ESO+ subscriber.

    Skew your perspective all you want in your ZOS colored glasses... Crown Store items cost the same crowns for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.
    You are very kind sir to explain me what discount means.

    I'll try to return the favor and explain the ESO+ discount:

    Lets say you are an ESO+ member for a month. And you decide to buy several xp potions that cost you 1500 crowns and one nord costume that costs you 2000. In total it will costs you 3500 crowns. But because you were an ESO + member for a month it costs you only 2000 CP. So you get a 42% discount....it is a much better discount than a 10% you are asking for.

    You just forgot to take the subscription fee into your "calculation" - that is milk maid math, what you do. The actual price paid is subscription fee plus those 2000 crowns. So there is no discount at all, you paid more than for those 3500 crowns, what is ok, you are getting as well more (like DLC access and so). But there is no discount on items bought, whatsoever.

    in short - 1 month sub fee 13 euro + 2000 crowns (14 Euro) = 27 Euro
    in relation to 3500 crowns (about 24.50 Euro) without a subscription

    You see, no discount whatsoever.
  • Duiwel
    Duiwel
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    I think they should have made these costumes not be costumes at all but be like the Imperial edition change style by right clicking it ( it thus bounds to your character's armour so you cannot trade it ). In other words keeping it exclusive, but not limiting it so that you cannot - wear a tabard, HAVE to look like the entire outfit... Ect.


    Unfortunately OP $$$ is more important.


    But +1 to your request you have my support
    @Duiwel:
    Join ORDER OF SITHIS We're recruiting! PC EU

    "Dear Brother. I do not spread rumours. I create them..."
  • Didgerion
    Didgerion
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    Lysette wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    Gidorick wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    There is a special discount for ESO + members: you get the subscription's crown equivalent back to your account.

    Technically you pay 0 dollars for the costumes while being loyal to ESO by subscribing to it.

    I don't think you understand what a discount means...
    dis·count
    /ˈdiskount/
    noun
    noun: discount; plural noun: discounts
    1. a deduction from the usual cost of something, typically given for prompt or advance payment or to a special category of buyers.
      "many stores will offer a discount on bulk purchases"

    synonyms: reduction, deduction, markdown, price cut, cut, rebate
    students get a 10 percent discount"

    There is more than 1500 crowns worth of items that are sold each month... if a subscribed player buys ALL of them... they get no special deals for being an ESO+ subscriber.

    Skew your perspective all you want in your ZOS colored glasses... Crown Store items cost the same crowns for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.
    You are very kind sir to explain me what discount means.

    I'll try to return the favor and explain the ESO+ discount:

    Lets say you are an ESO+ member for a month. And you decide to buy several xp potions that cost you 1500 crowns and one nord costume that costs you 2000. In total it will costs you 3500 crowns. But because you were an ESO + member for a month it costs you only 2000 CP. So you get a 42% discount....it is a much better discount than a 10% you are asking for.

    You just forgot to take the subscription fee into your "calculation" - that is milk maid math, what you do. The actual price paid is subscription fee plus those 2000 crowns. So there is no discount at all, you paid more than for those 3500 crowns, what is ok, you are getting as well more (like DLC access and so). But there is no discount on items bought, whatsoever.

    in short - 1 month sub fee 13 euro + 2000 crowns (14 Euro) = 27 Euro
    in relation to 3500 crowns (about 24.50 Euro) without a subscription

    You see, no discount whatsoever.

    The subscription gives you already in game perks such as: access to DLCs, XP bonus, Gold bonus...and more are coming. The crowns you get back - that is your Eso+ discount and not a bad one.
  • SymbioteKing26
    SymbioteKing26
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    I feel the same way. There seems to be many problems and slow-up-keep. I get that they are low on devs and everything, but it would be nice to have frequent correspondence to feel "in the loop".
    EP/ Breton Nightblade Healer. Is fond of cheese. And scamps.
  • Kevmeister
    Kevmeister
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    Didgerion wrote: »
    Lysette wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    Gidorick wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    There is a special discount for ESO + members: you get the subscription's crown equivalent back to your account.

    Technically you pay 0 dollars for the costumes while being loyal to ESO by subscribing to it.

    I don't think you understand what a discount means...
    dis·count
    /ˈdiskount/
    noun
    noun: discount; plural noun: discounts
    1. a deduction from the usual cost of something, typically given for prompt or advance payment or to a special category of buyers.
      "many stores will offer a discount on bulk purchases"

    synonyms: reduction, deduction, markdown, price cut, cut, rebate
    students get a 10 percent discount"

    There is more than 1500 crowns worth of items that are sold each month... if a subscribed player buys ALL of them... they get no special deals for being an ESO+ subscriber.

    Skew your perspective all you want in your ZOS colored glasses... Crown Store items cost the same crowns for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.
    You are very kind sir to explain me what discount means.

    I'll try to return the favor and explain the ESO+ discount:

    Lets say you are an ESO+ member for a month. And you decide to buy several xp potions that cost you 1500 crowns and one nord costume that costs you 2000. In total it will costs you 3500 crowns. But because you were an ESO + member for a month it costs you only 2000 CP. So you get a 42% discount....it is a much better discount than a 10% you are asking for.

    You just forgot to take the subscription fee into your "calculation" - that is milk maid math, what you do. The actual price paid is subscription fee plus those 2000 crowns. So there is no discount at all, you paid more than for those 3500 crowns, what is ok, you are getting as well more (like DLC access and so). But there is no discount on items bought, whatsoever.

    in short - 1 month sub fee 13 euro + 2000 crowns (14 Euro) = 27 Euro
    in relation to 3500 crowns (about 24.50 Euro) without a subscription

    You see, no discount whatsoever.

    The subscription gives you already in game perks such as: access to DLCs, XP bonus, Gold bonus...and more are coming. The crowns you get back - that is your Eso+ discount and not a bad one.

    As you've said, the ESO Plus Member buff is just a perk for being their subscriber, we technically still paid for the Crowns. We don't get a Crown Store discount as a benefit of being an ESO Plus Member, no matter how you perceive it.
  • Didgerion
    Didgerion
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Kevmeister wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    Lysette wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    Gidorick wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    There is a special discount for ESO + members: you get the subscription's crown equivalent back to your account.

    Technically you pay 0 dollars for the costumes while being loyal to ESO by subscribing to it.

    I don't think you understand what a discount means...
    dis·count
    /ˈdiskount/
    noun
    noun: discount; plural noun: discounts
    1. a deduction from the usual cost of something, typically given for prompt or advance payment or to a special category of buyers.
      "many stores will offer a discount on bulk purchases"

    synonyms: reduction, deduction, markdown, price cut, cut, rebate
    students get a 10 percent discount"

    There is more than 1500 crowns worth of items that are sold each month... if a subscribed player buys ALL of them... they get no special deals for being an ESO+ subscriber.

    Skew your perspective all you want in your ZOS colored glasses... Crown Store items cost the same crowns for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.
    You are very kind sir to explain me what discount means.

    I'll try to return the favor and explain the ESO+ discount:

    Lets say you are an ESO+ member for a month. And you decide to buy several xp potions that cost you 1500 crowns and one nord costume that costs you 2000. In total it will costs you 3500 crowns. But because you were an ESO + member for a month it costs you only 2000 CP. So you get a 42% discount....it is a much better discount than a 10% you are asking for.

    You just forgot to take the subscription fee into your "calculation" - that is milk maid math, what you do. The actual price paid is subscription fee plus those 2000 crowns. So there is no discount at all, you paid more than for those 3500 crowns, what is ok, you are getting as well more (like DLC access and so). But there is no discount on items bought, whatsoever.

    in short - 1 month sub fee 13 euro + 2000 crowns (14 Euro) = 27 Euro
    in relation to 3500 crowns (about 24.50 Euro) without a subscription

    You see, no discount whatsoever.

    The subscription gives you already in game perks such as: access to DLCs, XP bonus, Gold bonus...and more are coming. The crowns you get back - that is your Eso+ discount and not a bad one.

    As you've said, the ESO Plus Member buff is just a perk for being their subscriber, we technically still paid for the Crowns. We don't get a Crown Store discount as a benefit of being an ESO Plus Member, no matter how you perceive it.

    Ok here you go...you've paid 15 USD for your membership. This gave you 1500 crowns plus in game perks.
    I'm not an ESO member so I've paid 15 dollars to get 1500 crowns....but no in game perks.

    So if you(ESO+ member) claim that you technically bought that 1500 crowns then your discount is those ingame perks ....because I bough 1500 too but I got no ingame perks....looks like there is a discount there.

  • Islyn
    Islyn
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    People are still on about this ? It's 2000 crowns get over it half the other stuff cost way more than it. The Halloween polo were what 1500 the special horse mounts are 2500 and 3000 the glass motif which is even uglier cost 5000.

    ZOS needs to pay there employees some how and plus the artiest and programmer probably spent weeks to months making this outfit with the thought in mind that their gonna be rewarded for there hard work but instead they get nothing but rage comments saying "to damn high".

    So what you players expect ZOS to either give away all there work for non-profitable price or for free just cause you cry about it?

    Useless post.
  • Islyn
    Islyn
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    Lysette wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    Gidorick wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    There is a special discount for ESO + members: you get the subscription's crown equivalent back to your account.

    Technically you pay 0 dollars for the costumes while being loyal to ESO by subscribing to it.

    I don't think you understand what a discount means...
    dis·count
    /ˈdiskount/
    noun
    noun: discount; plural noun: discounts
    1. a deduction from the usual cost of something, typically given for prompt or advance payment or to a special category of buyers.
      "many stores will offer a discount on bulk purchases"

    synonyms: reduction, deduction, markdown, price cut, cut, rebate
    students get a 10 percent discount"

    There is more than 1500 crowns worth of items that are sold each month... if a subscribed player buys ALL of them... they get no special deals for being an ESO+ subscriber.

    Skew your perspective all you want in your ZOS colored glasses... Crown Store items cost the same crowns for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.
    You are very kind sir to explain me what discount means.

    I'll try to return the favor and explain the ESO+ discount:

    Lets say you are an ESO+ member for a month. And you decide to buy several xp potions that cost you 1500 crowns and one nord costume that costs you 2000. In total it will costs you 3500 crowns. But because you were an ESO + member for a month it costs you only 2000 CP. So you get a 42% discount....it is a much better discount than a 10% you are asking for.

    You just forgot to take the subscription fee into your "calculation" - that is milk maid math, what you do. The actual price paid is subscription fee plus those 2000 crowns. So there is no discount at all, you paid more than for those 3500 crowns, what is ok, you are getting as well more (like DLC access and so). But there is no discount on items bought, whatsoever.

    in short - 1 month sub fee 13 euro + 2000 crowns (14 Euro) = 27 Euro
    in relation to 3500 crowns (about 24.50 Euro) without a subscription

    You see, no discount whatsoever.

    Yep.
    Edited by Islyn on February 1, 2016 9:17AM
  • Lysette
    Lysette
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    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Didgerion wrote: »
    Lysette wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    Gidorick wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    There is a special discount for ESO + members: you get the subscription's crown equivalent back to your account.

    Technically you pay 0 dollars for the costumes while being loyal to ESO by subscribing to it.

    I don't think you understand what a discount means...
    dis·count
    /ˈdiskount/
    noun
    noun: discount; plural noun: discounts
    1. a deduction from the usual cost of something, typically given for prompt or advance payment or to a special category of buyers.
      "many stores will offer a discount on bulk purchases"

    synonyms: reduction, deduction, markdown, price cut, cut, rebate
    students get a 10 percent discount"

    There is more than 1500 crowns worth of items that are sold each month... if a subscribed player buys ALL of them... they get no special deals for being an ESO+ subscriber.

    Skew your perspective all you want in your ZOS colored glasses... Crown Store items cost the same crowns for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.
    You are very kind sir to explain me what discount means.

    I'll try to return the favor and explain the ESO+ discount:

    Lets say you are an ESO+ member for a month. And you decide to buy several xp potions that cost you 1500 crowns and one nord costume that costs you 2000. In total it will costs you 3500 crowns. But because you were an ESO + member for a month it costs you only 2000 CP. So you get a 42% discount....it is a much better discount than a 10% you are asking for.

    You just forgot to take the subscription fee into your "calculation" - that is milk maid math, what you do. The actual price paid is subscription fee plus those 2000 crowns. So there is no discount at all, you paid more than for those 3500 crowns, what is ok, you are getting as well more (like DLC access and so). But there is no discount on items bought, whatsoever.

    in short - 1 month sub fee 13 euro + 2000 crowns (14 Euro) = 27 Euro
    in relation to 3500 crowns (about 24.50 Euro) without a subscription

    You see, no discount whatsoever.

    The subscription gives you already in game perks such as: access to DLCs, XP bonus, Gold bonus...and more are coming. The crowns you get back - that is your Eso+ discount and not a bad one.

    Nonsense, I just became ESO plus member and I did not get any gold bonus with it, simply because there is none - XP bonus (which costs them nothing at all) and DLC access, that's it .- Í do care less about the DLCs, because I own them already. The only reason, why I subscribed is the announced ESO+ exclusive crafting bag, and if ZOS is messing that up or is selling it for crowns in the cash shop, I will not prolongue my subscription and my trust into them would be deeply broken.

    ESO plus membership as it is is just like a contract to buy crowns on a regular basis and you "rent" DLC access with it. The rental part is that what you pay more for those "free" crowns (as if they would be free, ridiculous), this amounts to a value of about 35 Euro per year - I would say that is not even near to being any cheap and I do not even own it afterwards.

    You are simply wrong with your view on the ESO plus membership - or a white knight fighting to justify ZOS's greed. The crafting bag is for me the first things which would make it worthwhile, given that they do not mess it up and make it's usage unpractical (what could happen, they still want to sell bank slots). So I wait and see, I subscribed, but if I will keep it active, depends on that they get this right.
  • Chelos
    Chelos
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Just one thing that completely put my off from buying this costume:
    Did you check the horrible clipping errors you have when you have a shield (on your back).
    2K for something that hasn't even been designed correctly...
    • Ich bin nicht merkwürdig ich bin eine limitierte Auflage!
    • I'm not weird I'm limited edition!
  • Cazzy
    Cazzy
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    Bump.
    Edited by Cazzy on February 1, 2016 12:31PM
  • Kevmeister
    Kevmeister
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    Didgerion wrote: »
    Kevmeister wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    Lysette wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    Gidorick wrote: »
    Didgerion wrote: »
    There is a special discount for ESO + members: you get the subscription's crown equivalent back to your account.

    Technically you pay 0 dollars for the costumes while being loyal to ESO by subscribing to it.

    I don't think you understand what a discount means...
    dis·count
    /ˈdiskount/
    noun
    noun: discount; plural noun: discounts
    1. a deduction from the usual cost of something, typically given for prompt or advance payment or to a special category of buyers.
      "many stores will offer a discount on bulk purchases"

    synonyms: reduction, deduction, markdown, price cut, cut, rebate
    students get a 10 percent discount"

    There is more than 1500 crowns worth of items that are sold each month... if a subscribed player buys ALL of them... they get no special deals for being an ESO+ subscriber.

    Skew your perspective all you want in your ZOS colored glasses... Crown Store items cost the same crowns for subscribers and non-subscribers alike.
    You are very kind sir to explain me what discount means.

    I'll try to return the favor and explain the ESO+ discount:

    Lets say you are an ESO+ member for a month. And you decide to buy several xp potions that cost you 1500 crowns and one nord costume that costs you 2000. In total it will costs you 3500 crowns. But because you were an ESO + member for a month it costs you only 2000 CP. So you get a 42% discount....it is a much better discount than a 10% you are asking for.

    You just forgot to take the subscription fee into your "calculation" - that is milk maid math, what you do. The actual price paid is subscription fee plus those 2000 crowns. So there is no discount at all, you paid more than for those 3500 crowns, what is ok, you are getting as well more (like DLC access and so). But there is no discount on items bought, whatsoever.

    in short - 1 month sub fee 13 euro + 2000 crowns (14 Euro) = 27 Euro
    in relation to 3500 crowns (about 24.50 Euro) without a subscription

    You see, no discount whatsoever.

    The subscription gives you already in game perks such as: access to DLCs, XP bonus, Gold bonus...and more are coming. The crowns you get back - that is your Eso+ discount and not a bad one.

    As you've said, the ESO Plus Member buff is just a perk for being their subscriber, we technically still paid for the Crowns. We don't get a Crown Store discount as a benefit of being an ESO Plus Member, no matter how you perceive it.

    Ok here you go...you've paid 15 USD for your membership. This gave you 1500 crowns plus in game perks.
    I'm not an ESO member so I've paid 15 dollars to get 1500 crowns....but no in game perks.

    So if you(ESO+ member) claim that you technically bought that 1500 crowns then your discount is those ingame perks ....because I bough 1500 too but I got no ingame perks....looks like there is a discount there.

    You're misusing the term, discount. A 'discount' is considered a discount when someone makes a purchase, and ones' purchase is made cheaper. The only actual discount players get is if they subscribe longer. Full price of 1,500 worth of Crowns goes with the 30-day subscription, it's cheaper by a $1 (in total) if you subscribed to 90 days, and $2 (in total) if you subscribed to 180 days; that is a measly discount, but still a discount.

    Again, reiterating, that the ESO Plus Member buff is a perk, not a discount. I seriously doubt you understand the term.
  • Draxys
    Draxys
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    ✭✭
    Making you feel undervalued as a customer is the zos way. They cherry pick which customer feedback to utilize, almost always choosing to make changes that do more harm to their product than good. They take many months to fix game breaking things, but then hotfix a grind in a matter of a few hours. This is why the pvp community is especially cynical about pretty much everything. Balance is the worst it's ever been, and their idea of buffing the worst pvp spec (magicka DK) is to make DK dots last longer. The devs really are clueless, and the business as a whole has chosen not to hide the fact that they make the most of cash grabs like this costume thing, while doing the least amount of work on the game as they can possible not muster.
    2013

    rip decibel
  • Sausage
    Sausage
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Better this way, one thing is for sure, if Bethesda doesnt make enough money with costumes, they find another way.
  • ADarklore
    ADarklore
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    nimander99 wrote: »
    Edit: I do not believe this game is struggling financially so I think that was straight up overvalued greed on the Marketing Departments part.

    Have you considered the original cost of game development? Have you considered that it took an EXTRA year of development to completely redevelop the console version before it was ready for launch? If what has been rumored (but never confirmed by Bethesda) that it cost $200M for the original game development- then add an additional year for console development outside of that original figure, then add in continuous day-to-day maintenance, overhead, etc... there is no way they're in the black financially. The game has sold, what, roughly 800,000 copies give or take... even at $70 a copy, that's still far from them making back their original investment. Then consider how they've reduced their staffing in various departments, it is easy to see how that they are still having financial issues. I could see how ESO+ subscriptions may be helping cover the day-to-day maintenance, but that doesn't help the still considerable gap in regaining the initial development costs. So yes, investors want to start seeing a return on their investment, so ZOS needs to come up with ideas on how to generate fast cash in the short term to appease them.
    CP: 1950 ** ESO+ Gold Road ** ~~ Magicka Warden ~~ Stamina Arcanist ~~ Magicka Sorcerer ~~ Magicka Templar ~~ ***** Strictly a solo PvE quester *****
  • daemonios
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    ADarklore wrote: »
    nimander99 wrote: »
    Edit: I do not believe this game is struggling financially so I think that was straight up overvalued greed on the Marketing Departments part.

    Have you considered the original cost of game development? Have you considered that it took an EXTRA year of development to completely redevelop the console version before it was ready for launch? If what has been rumored (but never confirmed by Bethesda) that it cost $200M for the original game development- then add an additional year for console development outside of that original figure, then add in continuous day-to-day maintenance, overhead, etc... there is no way they're in the black financially. The game has sold, what, roughly 800,000 copies give or take... even at $70 a copy, that's still far from them making back their original investment. Then consider how they've reduced their staffing in various departments, it is easy to see how that they are still having financial issues. I could see how ESO+ subscriptions may be helping cover the day-to-day maintenance, but that doesn't help the still considerable gap in regaining the initial development costs. So yes, investors want to start seeing a return on their investment, so ZOS needs to come up with ideas on how to generate fast cash in the short term to appease them.

    You have NO facts to base your arguments. I could just as easily claim that they're transitioning to a minimum-cost, maximum-revenue phase now that development's basically done (save for new content). Sack as many employees as possible, milk players for as much as possible with crown store items/DLC, line shareholders' pockets.

    We don't know how many copies sold, nor for how much (huge differences between standard, imperial, and numerous discounted sales that have happened so far). We don't know how many active accounts there are, or how many of those are current subscriptions. We don't know how much the average player spends on the game. We don't know how much the original investment was, nor how much their fixed costs are for maintenance, DLC and crown store development.

    What we DO know is that a character skin is selling for roughly $20, mounts for $30, crafting motifs (which they made hellishly difficult to gather by playing the game normally) as much as $50. I've said before that I don't buy a single thing in the crown store because I'm against the model. But if you ask me, the prices ARE excessive.
  • Kevmeister
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    With a little over an hour left, I'm glad I made the choice of not buying it.

    It's purely aesthetic, and while I'm a completionist and a collector, I don't see a point in paying for something that has no value to the gameplay, aside from bragging rights.
    Edited by Kevmeister on February 1, 2016 1:47PM
  • ADarklore
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    daemonios wrote: »
    You have NO facts to base your arguments. I could just as easily claim that they're transitioning to a minimum-cost, maximum-revenue phase now that development's basically done (save for new content). Sack as many employees as possible, milk players for as much as possible with crown store items/DLC, line shareholders' pockets.

    While this article may not be concrete proof, it does show that the costs of developing an MMO are not cheap, and when you add an extra year without additional revenue while you finalize a product (console version), that only adds to the RED, not black. Anyone who knows anything about business practice and accounting will understand the point I was making... that ongoing revenue is the only means that ESO stays afloat, and as a B2P model, their only means of continuous income beyond the initial game purchase is ESO+ and Crown Store sales.
    CP: 1950 ** ESO+ Gold Road ** ~~ Magicka Warden ~~ Stamina Arcanist ~~ Magicka Sorcerer ~~ Magicka Templar ~~ ***** Strictly a solo PvE quester *****
  • Lysette
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    Kevmeister wrote: »
    With a little over an hour left, I'm glad I made the choice of not buying it.

    It's purely aesthetic, and while I'm a completionist and a collector, I don't see a point in paying for something that has no value to the gameplay, aside from bragging rights.

    Same here, I have like 14k crowns left on my account waiting for the camel and other stuff and motifs which will come with the new DLC, but this nord hero armor is just a disappointment and I just hope that it will not be the same with the altmer armor, I just love the art version of it - given that a lot of the beauty of the armor comes from the lovely real life actress filling it. and well, her beautiful long hair flying in the wind is as well something what makes the beauty of the artwork.

    I would like to see as well motifs for casual clothes, which might have no actual armor value, but would provide special features like high exploration, running and sprinting speed boni with a much lower stamina drain when sprinting. Something like this would be useful for the sneaky types among us. If you attack from stealth, your armor is the least you have to worry about, because no one is going to seriously hit you anyway, if you are doing your job correctly. For this type of player such casual motifs with these special boni but no armor values would be wonderful - and for all others the sheer creativity which can come from this, dying and recombining the set pieces. A lot of NPCs have very nice casual clothes, so why don't we have motifs to craft those as well?- Crafting was advertised as a major point in this game, to just limit this to armor is a poor choice IMO.

    Edit: and this is not untypical for Bethesda games as well - for example fallout 3, those settler outfits had no DR value, but they had perception and agility boni. Or take fallout 4 clothes, some have perception, agility, endurance and/or luck boni to them. This makes them worthwhile to use - my stealth melee character in fallout 4 is rarely wearing any armor (well in the glowing sea and major battles this is an exception), but I rather go for the agility, endurance and perception boni - I would like to see something like this in ESO as well.
    Edited by Lysette on February 1, 2016 2:26PM
  • Gidorick
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    Rosveen wrote: »
    Gidorick wrote: »
    On a more personal note... I'm very slowing being turned off of ESO. Mechanics are getting added that is making ESO act more like an action/arcade type game than an RPG and then there are mechanics and features that I would love to see in ESO that I'm coming to realize will never be part of the ESO experience.

    As much as I love ESO and I adore the Tamriel ZOS has created, the pressure they are under from the MMO side of this community and from the investors to make SHORT TERM money is leading to a focus, direction, and a game that is off-putting to me. I'm not at the point of walking away, but things like portable crafting stations (a datamined item which I hope is never included in ESO), the abandonment of Justice System PVP, the inclusion of a passive only skill line for the Thieves Guild (which seems to be a copy/paste of the Legerdemain passives), and the lack of any narrative choice in the DLC (we MUST be a thief in the Thieves Guild DLC) does more to convince me that ESO will never be, and doesn't aspire to be, the game I was hoping it would be.

    Oh, and I fully acknowledge that the blame for my expectations lie squarely on my slumped shoulders.
    I understand your general feelings, but one part I don't quite get. We never had a choice in previous TES games either. Skyrim tried to give us one regarding the Dark Brotherhood, but it was executed rather poorly (fault of the heavy hand-holding that game suffered from). So I normally wouldn't mind the lack of choice because it's exactly what I learned to expect from TES. If TG and DB were parts of the base game, it wouldn't be a problem.

    Of course, if we have to pay 2000 crowns, we might expect more than a one-sided storyline... But then, why buy it at all if you aren't a thief? That's like complaining a PvP DLC is poorly thought out because it forces you to PvP.

    In other TES games things like the dark brotherhood are part of the core package. I would just not do those quests and I would still see just about every part of the world with the main storyline. With ESO's model, if I buy the thieves guild DLC and I go to Hew's Bane and I DON'T want to be a thief, will there be much to do? I imagine there will be side quests and whatnot. I hope there will be! I guess I'll know when it launches on the PTS.

    But you are right... it's not like I could choose NOT to be the Dovakiin in Skyrim, The Hero of Kvatch in Oblivion, the Nerevarine in Morrowind, or the Vestige in ESO. As much as TES games allow freedom of play the narrative of the character always seems to remain the same and they couldn't exactly offer one narrative where the Thieves Guild is strengthened by the player and one where the Thieves Guild is weakened by the player. It would be a nightmare to try to consider both possibilities moving forward with the story of ESO.

    ZOS could however have made the story in such a way that early on you are given the opportunity to at as a sort of "undercover" agent of the Iron Wheel that infiltrates the Thieves guild from the inside and then at the end you must make the choice to betray the Thieves Guild to the Iron Wheel or betray the Iron Wheel to the Thieves Guild. In the end the Thieves Guild either gets stronger from you supporting them or gets stronger from surviving your betrayal. Either way, they're stronger...

    Of course, since we haven't seen the thieves guild story line we might just be treated to something like that... Now I'm really curious.

    Mostly I just hate the idea that to play the Thieves Guild DLC I MUST be a thief. My main isn't a thief. He doesn't even use magic... doesn't trust it. All skills are weapon skills or "weapon like" skills. He even tries his best not to use wayshrines. It makes me do a lot of riding. :lol:
    Edited by Gidorick on February 1, 2016 3:06PM
    What ESO really needs is an Auction Horse.
    That's right... Horse.
    Click HERE to discuss.

    Want more crazy ideas? Check out my Concept Repository!
  • WalkingLegacy
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    I'm sitting on 10k crowns and still didn't buy the costume.

    Until they make them mold over your characters body like the armors in game, they're not worth the money.

    Lazy game leads are successfully making a quick buck off their mediocre and lazy designs. I applaud them since it's working but my crowns will probably rot before I spend them.
    Edited by WalkingLegacy on February 1, 2016 3:11PM
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