Official Discussion Thread for Crown Crates

UncannyLinderman

General feedback:
Anything that costs money, should NEVER be left to chance in an attempt to get MUCH more money out of it. Anyone who purchases such things are absurd.
Put things in the crown store, if I want it I'll buy it, but I'm never paying to gamble. I'd rather go to a casino and have a shot at real life monetary wins than gamble my money away on random digital consumables to try to get something I would buy to begin with.
What a stupid, stupid idea.

JimT722

The_Linderman wrote: »

General feedback:
Anything that costs money, should NEVER be left to chance in an attempt to get MUCH more money out of it. Anyone who purchases such things are absurd.
Put things in the crown store, if I want it I'll buy it, but I'm never paying to gamble. I'd rather go to a casino and have a shot at real life monetary wins than gamble my money away on random digital consumables to try to get something I would buy to begin with.
What a stupid, stupid idea.

I think this is the way most feel. It's unfortunate because some of the stuff in the crates I wanted to buy. Never will now.

It looks like they don't value their customers because they appear to be going ahead with them. It is depressing to see gem currency listed on the ps4 crown store at the launch of one Tamriel.

Nickernator

Remove the consumables from the crown crates or decrease the price to something like 100 crowns.

Donum-Dei

This is for fools.

JimT722

Donum-Dei wrote: »

This is for fools.

Of course it is. Only fools think these are good. I expected that the developers of an elder scrolls game would show more integrity. Every time they change their games name, be concerned.

Elder scrolls online. ZoS says Subscription only payments method is what works for us.

Eso unlimited. In game store. Pay for things the way that works for you, subscription or direct purchase.

One Tamriel. Developers completely sell out. Decides to run schemes used in other games to rip people off. Money is all that they care about, to hell with their customers.

Donum-Dei

Indeed @JimT722 ...
Have they even try to explain why? I guess this changes are being added because of how japan players like to buy crap on in game shops. That is a hugely and vast different market. They do like to spend money on stupid things like this.

TheSwanKing

I'm not going to even try using the crate, they are a terrible idea. If ZoS is true to their word about listening to the people (All polls point towards most not wanting them) then they will not implement them into the game. I'm all for you making expensive costumes because at least with that you know what you are getting.

MornaBaine

And the silence from ZOS remains deafening.

Enodoc

MornaBaine wrote: »

And the silence from ZOS remains deafening.

What are you expecting them to say? There's not really anything more to be said.

MornaBaine

Enodoc wrote: »

MornaBaine wrote: »

And the silence from ZOS remains deafening.

What are you expecting them to say? There's not really anything more to be said.

I expect a company that has some integrity and a modicum of respect for their customers to be willing to engage with them. There is plenty still to be said, questions to be answered. I'd like to see ZOS do so. This thread is called: Official Discussion Thread for Crown Crates. This implies some participation from official sources.

Elsonso

.

MornaBaine wrote: »

And the silence from ZOS remains deafening.

I get to use my made-up quote again!

If ZOS is aware of us at all, it is as little more than ants…and we have as much chance of communicating with them as an ant has with us. We know. We've tried. And we've learned we can either stay out from underfoot, or be stepped on.

But Enodoc is right, there really isn't any more for them to say. If they are listening, it does not matter. Nothing we say or do will change the course of events. The bones have been cast. The portents are clear.

MornaBaine wrote: »

I expect a company that has some integrity and a modicum of respect for their customers to be willing to engage with them. There is plenty still to be said, questions to be answered. I'd like to see ZOS do so. This thread is called: Official Discussion Thread for Crown Crates. This implies some participation from official sources.

If you didn't have so many stars below your name, I would welcome you to the forums!

MadLarkin

MornaBaine wrote: »

Enodoc wrote: »

MornaBaine wrote: »

And the silence from ZOS remains deafening.

What are you expecting them to say? There's not really anything more to be said.

I expect a company that has some integrity and a modicum of respect for their customers to be willing to engage with them. There is plenty still to be said, questions to be answered. I'd like to see ZOS do so. This thread is called: Official Discussion Thread for Crown Crates. This implies some participation from official sources.

*Mic Drop*

I feel like threads such as these that end up having almost no dev involvement are designed to let us essentially tucker ourselves out so that we're numb by the time the poor idea in question is implemented. Except, I don't think the greedy and disrespectful nature of crown crates will ever become blase' to me. If they do, then this industry truly needs to hit the reset button.

xryanvb16_ESO

Gambling crates are a dispicable practice, that I would expect from a terrible company like Perfect World Entertainment or Cryptic and the like. I expected more from this company that up until now has been very fair in their monetization IMO.

Are you really in such dire straits as a company that you need to resort to tactics like this? ( I seriously doubt it ) .

PS: I should add I just came back to play this game from Neverwinter because I was tired of the money grabbing practices and thought this game looked very fair in regards to the pay system. However, this new addition changes my viewpoint substantially.

GhostwalkerLD

VerboseQuips wrote: »

I just saw the Crown Store Showcase.

I got that zombie horse and the two weird polymorphs when they sold during the first Witches Festival. And you know what, I am happy for all those who missed the first opportunity to get them and who will get them now.

You know who will be upset about this move of yours? Nobody. None will be unhappy that you brought them back for direct purchase.
See, was it difficult? No it wasn't. You probably just had to tick a box and make it go from hidden to public in the rear gears of the Store.

Now can we just get out of the total hypocrisy in which we're drowning and admit that the Crates are only about the exclusives? They have been since conception, and always will be only about the exclusives, and about how to overprice them.

Don't ever say anymore that it is the single only way you found to bring the former time-limited collectibles back without player uproar, because you just demonstrated that it is a lie, plain and simple.

Hypocrisy and lies aren't a virtue that I praise, ZOS.

Complete agreement with this, couldn't have said it better.

GhostwalkerLD

The_Linderman wrote: »

General feedback:
Anything that costs money, should NEVER be left to chance in an attempt to get MUCH more money out of it. Anyone who purchases such things are absurd.
Put things in the crown store, if I want it I'll buy it, but I'm never paying to gamble. I'd rather go to a casino and have a shot at real life monetary wins than gamble my money away on random digital consumables to try to get something I would buy to begin with.
What a stupid, stupid idea.

Agreed, most feel this way.

ZOS, just ditch the crown crates entirely and put the exclusives on the crown store for a flat price. If we want something, we will buy it. If we don't, we won't, simple as that.

The reason why there is still stuff on the crown store that I don't yet own is simple: I never wanted it to begin with, and thus didn't buy it. Why would I game with a crown crate to risk getting stuck with something I do not want in the first place, with no option to refund it for gems unless I got a duplicate of something I already have?

Put the crown crates on the store, and I can tell you right now that not only will I not buy the crown crates, but I won't buy anything else from the crown store again.

I have no problem buying something I want for a flat price, knowing full well what I am paying for and what I will get, every time, from the transaction. Gambling? No effing way.

JimT722

GhostwalkerLD wrote: »

The_Linderman wrote: »

General feedback:
Anything that costs money, should NEVER be left to chance in an attempt to get MUCH more money out of it. Anyone who purchases such things are absurd.
Put things in the crown store, if I want it I'll buy it, but I'm never paying to gamble. I'd rather go to a casino and have a shot at real life monetary wins than gamble my money away on random digital consumables to try to get something I would buy to begin with.
What a stupid, stupid idea.

Agreed, most feel this way.

ZOS, just ditch the crown crates entirely and put the exclusives on the crown store for a flat price. If we want something, we will buy it. If we don't, we won't, simple as that.

The reason why there is still stuff on the crown store that I don't yet own is simple: I never wanted it to begin with, and thus didn't buy it. Why would I game with a crown crate to risk getting stuck with something I do not want in the first place, with no option to refund it for gems unless I got a duplicate of something I already have?

Put the crown crates on the store, and I can tell you right now that not only will I not buy the crown crates, but I won't buy anything else from the crown store again.

I have no problem buying something I want for a flat price, knowing full well what I am paying for and what I will get, every time, from the transaction. Gambling? No effing way.

I agree with this. If something is on the store I like, I will gladly buy it. I have already spent a lot more money on this game than any other game I have ever played. I however have no illusions that they will discard their plans for the crates. As far as ZOS is concerned, if we don't like them we can go to hell.

If they listen to their players they would have already decided to remove these crown crates. The inclusion of gems in the store ui means they don't care how dishonest and controversial this system is, they are not changing their plans.

If people can accept them, fine. Myself and surely many others cannot. I just hope these have a huge negative impact on the game or developers will keep pulling this crap. If they are profitable, the consumers are telling the company this sort of business practice is acceptable.

MornaBaine

It saddens me because not only have I already cheerfully spent a fortune on this game and made a ton of awesome friends... but it means I am going to be looking for my next game once these actually hit. Probably ZOS does not care, as long time players like myself who maintain subs have already spent most of what we are going to and their new cash cows are new players trying to "catch up" and are dropping larger chunks of money. MMOs no longer seem interested in retaining players, they've long since given up on that. What they want are new players.

Elsonso

MornaBaine wrote: »

It saddens me because not only have I already cheerfully spent a fortune on this game and made a ton of awesome friends... but it means I am going to be looking for my next game once these actually hit. Probably ZOS does not care, as long time players like myself who maintain subs have already spent most of what we are going to and their new cash cows are new players trying to "catch up" and are dropping larger chunks of money. MMOs no longer seem interested in retaining players, they've long since given up on that. What they want are new players.

I expect that this is true. They are looking at MMO players as nomads, and we certainly talk like we are. Not a day passes where someone has not threatened to walk to another game, or actually done it. Crown Crates might not be a hit with the existing players, but as nomads, we are always coming and going. The people who come after Crown Crates will be much more accepting of them and will buy them because they are neat and were in the game before they got there. They don't care that the game has been "ruined" by them, because it hasn't been "ruined" at all. It just is.

Combine this with Free To Play and suddenly there is a whole world of nomads attracted by the name Elder Scrolls, and a game they would never pay for; they really don't care enough about it to drop $25 on a game. A whole world of nomads that will join a game that has Crown Crates already in place and well established. A world of nomads where, at any given time, just 1% of them need to buy Crowns like they are candy before moving on to some other game.

If ESO was a game that promoted loyalty and encouraged players to stick around, Crown Crates would be a very bad idea. Such a game would require more work, more expensive development, and more attention than I think ZOS wants to give. The nature of gamers is to be nomadic, and long term players get needy and demanding.

MornaBaine

lordrichter wrote: »

MornaBaine wrote: »

It saddens me because not only have I already cheerfully spent a fortune on this game and made a ton of awesome friends... but it means I am going to be looking for my next game once these actually hit. Probably ZOS does not care, as long time players like myself who maintain subs have already spent most of what we are going to and their new cash cows are new players trying to "catch up" and are dropping larger chunks of money. MMOs no longer seem interested in retaining players, they've long since given up on that. What they want are new players.

I expect that this is true. They are looking at MMO players as nomads, and we certainly talk like we are. Not a day passes where someone has not threatened to walk to another game, or actually done it. Crown Crates might not be a hit with the existing players, but as nomads, we are always coming and going. The people who come after Crown Crates will be much more accepting of them and will buy them because they are neat and were in the game before they got there. They don't care that the game has been "ruined" by them, because it hasn't been "ruined" at all. It just is.

Combine this with Free To Play and suddenly there is a whole world of nomads attracted by the name Elder Scrolls, and a game they would never pay for; they really don't care enough about it to drop $25 on a game. A whole world of nomads that will join a game that has Crown Crates already in place and well established. A world of nomads where, at any given time, just 1% of them need to buy Crowns like they are candy before moving on to some other game.

If ESO was a game that promoted loyalty and encouraged players to stick around, Crown Crates would be a very bad idea. Such a game would require more work, more expensive development, and more attention than I think ZOS wants to give. The nature of gamers is to be nomadic, and long term players get needy and demanding.

I think you've nailed it. I was hoping, because of the particular fan base of TES, that this would be a game that not only tried to cultivate but to KEEP that player base. In a world where MMOs, free and semi-free, flood the market, players are indeed nomands... mostly because we're looking for a quality game that will hold our interest. It's really unfortunate to see this company apparently decide to reject that demographic in favor of players they know are going to come and go and therefore adopt a strategy of just getting as many of them as they can to stop in and dump cash before they drift off to the next shiny thing that captures their attention. Because it means future development and improvement are going to suffer or become next to non-existent. And that kinda breaks my heart. It just becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Zeni says to itself, "Gamers aren't loyal anyway and so we have to do XYZ (like gamble boxes) to remain profitable!" And that is actually what drives away players like me who WANT to be long term.

Abeille

MornaBaine wrote: »

lordrichter wrote: »

MornaBaine wrote: »

It saddens me because not only have I already cheerfully spent a fortune on this game and made a ton of awesome friends... but it means I am going to be looking for my next game once these actually hit. Probably ZOS does not care, as long time players like myself who maintain subs have already spent most of what we are going to and their new cash cows are new players trying to "catch up" and are dropping larger chunks of money. MMOs no longer seem interested in retaining players, they've long since given up on that. What they want are new players.

I expect that this is true. They are looking at MMO players as nomads, and we certainly talk like we are. Not a day passes where someone has not threatened to walk to another game, or actually done it. Crown Crates might not be a hit with the existing players, but as nomads, we are always coming and going. The people who come after Crown Crates will be much more accepting of them and will buy them because they are neat and were in the game before they got there. They don't care that the game has been "ruined" by them, because it hasn't been "ruined" at all. It just is.

Combine this with Free To Play and suddenly there is a whole world of nomads attracted by the name Elder Scrolls, and a game they would never pay for; they really don't care enough about it to drop $25 on a game. A whole world of nomads that will join a game that has Crown Crates already in place and well established. A world of nomads where, at any given time, just 1% of them need to buy Crowns like they are candy before moving on to some other game.

If ESO was a game that promoted loyalty and encouraged players to stick around, Crown Crates would be a very bad idea. Such a game would require more work, more expensive development, and more attention than I think ZOS wants to give. The nature of gamers is to be nomadic, and long term players get needy and demanding.

I think you've nailed it. I was hoping, because of the particular fan base of TES, that this would be a game that not only tried to cultivate but to KEEP that player base. In a world where MMOs, free and semi-free, flood the market, players are indeed nomands... mostly because we're looking for a quality game that will hold our interest. It's really unfortunate to see this company apparently decide to reject that demographic in favor of players they know are going to come and go and therefore adopt a strategy of just getting as many of them as they can to stop in and dump cash before they drift off to the next shiny thing that captures their attention. Because it means future development and improvement are going to suffer or become next to non-existent. And that kinda breaks my heart. It just becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Zeni says to itself, "Gamers aren't loyal anyway and so we have to do XYZ (like gamble boxes) to remain profitable!" And that is actually what drives away players like me who WANT to be long term.

At this point, I wonder if they even have plans to continue the story left hanging by Orsinium. You know, the Daedric Princes war, Darien being alive and needing some rescuing and everything.

If the long-term player base of TES fans do not interest them, then why make an overarching story that persists through multiple DLCs? The nomad player will eat up self-contained DLCs like TG and move on. They won't see a cliffhanger and wait until the next part of the story, they will just move on to the next game.

It's been a year and we had no updates on that plot line, other than a little dialogue with Gabrielle in Anvil where you inform her of the letter you found from Darien, after all. I'm starting to get suspicious. If Vvardenfell doesn't touch the plot line I'll assume they abandoned it.

Alucardo

My cat threw up a hairball on my bed once, and I thought to myself, that's really disgusting. You know, it's not just a ball of hair like one would imagine, there's actually vomit surrounding the ball of hair.
I basically had the same reaction when I saw the crown crates on the PTS. Get rid of them.

shadoza

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

This is the official feedback thread for Crown Crates. Specific feedback that the team is looking for includes the following:

• Did you like/use the consumables you received from the Crown Crates?
• Do you have any general feedback?

If Crown Crates are like TSW mystery boxes then, YES, I would love them. I buy the mystery boxes when I have a few points left over and want to purchase nothing else from the store. Since I receive crowns routinely with my sub, those crowns will just stack up going nowhere if there is nothing in the store I want to purchase. A box with random items would give my extra crown a home.

shadoza

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

This is the official feedback thread for Crown Crates. Specific feedback that the team is looking for includes the following:

• Did you like/use the consumables you received from the Crown Crates?
• Do you have any general feedback?

I was thinking on it some and thought I would add some suggestions based on my experience with other games that have grab bag options.

Have more than one size:

1. Small crate with a couple items in it. (make it affordable, say 100-200 crowns since most items can be obtained in game.) Items like 100,000 crowns small chance/50,000 crowns larger chance. (with housing coming some players might need an income (crown) boost to purchase a home.) Items for crafting like simple recipes, mimic stones, attribute gems, rune stones...items that can be found in the game but are more difficult to obtain. And items of lower cost from the crown store like the mimic stones, experience scroll, and some of the potions, poisons, and meals.
2. Large crate with 3-4 items in it. (this will cost more, say 400-500 crowns, since it will include a chance at more expensive items.) The larger crate should contain 1-2 of the items from the small crate list as well as more desirable items such as motifs, higher number of mimic stones or crowns, items that can only be found in group events/dungeons (if there even is any) so solo players do not get ignored there, There should be a chance at a purple of gold item in the larger crate because it does cost more.

List the items that could be found in the crate so players know what they are getting into. It's also great advertisement.

Keep the rate tables fair. Nothing kills a random item faster that having the most desirable items never drop unless it is having the least desirable item Always drop.

Create special crates for holiday events and anniversaries. Those players that feel they haven't enough time to grind during limited-time events or cannot compete with the CP levels will appreciate the chance to pick up some of the holiday items from a crate purchase.

If you keep the drop rates fair, the cost reasonable, and the items desirable, the Crown crates could very well be you best selling item in the crown store. Whether or not players admit it, nearly everyone enjoys getting a gift; buying a loot crate is kind of like buying yourself a gift.

newtinmpls

GhostwalkerLD wrote: »

The reason why there is still stuff on the crown store that I don't yet own is simple: I never wanted it to begin with, and thus didn't buy it.

Well said.

This is exactly my attitude as well.

DaveMoeDee

Delpi wrote: »

Rosveen wrote: »

10400 crowns later, I'm 40 gems away from the Red Pit Wolf.

And even without using real money it's hurts...

PTS is a great place to waste money.

VerboseQuips

silvereyes wrote: »

Scenario 2: the new recipe's crafted consumables are not affordable

This is the more cynical example. If the ingredients include something like Perfect Roe or some other rare drop, that isn't something people will actually use.

In this scenario, ZOS can claim that there is technically something crafted that is better than the crown store, but it is so expensive in game that most people can't or won't use.

This is simply smoke and mirrors to allow ZOS to change the de facto inequality "crafted > crown store". It will not be a satisfying resolution. It is dishonest, and another step down the slippery slope towards P2W that everyone is up in arms about.

Just quoting this because it now seems prophetic. However, not sure it qualifies as P2W. One of my friends recently called that "Pay To Skip" instead, because there exists a hard level cap. But anyways I agree with the rest...

Circuitous

These are still a thing, seriously? C'mon, ZOS.

Tyrion87

Circuitous wrote: »

These are still a thing, seriously? C'mon, ZOS.

Yes, and there are at least two proofs that crown crates are coming...
1. The recent crown store showcase for November includes no mounts, no pets, no costumes (like never before).
2. The recent introduction of new experience recipe to be in pair with crates crates exclusive experience scrolls.

Elsonso

Circuitous wrote: »

These are still a thing, seriously? C'mon, ZOS.

It is the most important thing for ZOS to do between now and the end of the year. They will battle floods and hurricanes, erupting volcanoes, imminent asteroid strikes, and even a plague or two, to get into the office to deliver these to us.

JimT722

Tyrion87 wrote: »

Circuitous wrote: »

These are still a thing, seriously? C'mon, ZOS.

Yes, and there are at least two proofs that crown crates are coming...
1. The recent crown store showcase for November includes no mounts, no pets, no costumes (like never before).
2. The recent introduction of new experience recipe to be in pair with crates crates exclusive experience scrolls.

Don't forget the inclusion of gems as a currency in the store ui.

I think the assumption that we won't see them on the PTS again will be accurate. With their reception on the pts, who will pay to test these. I can't seem to shake the feeling these are designed for people with far more money than sense.