ZOS Ruins Housing for Profit!

Vipstaakki

Come on! It's not that hard! The quests are everywhere you just have to pick them up!

TheShadowScout

Getting those titls is soo darn easy... just do all the questings, rake in the XP/CP, and you'll have all the titles the first character gone through all of cadwells. Then buy the manors on that one, and use them on your favorite alt...

The price is more of a roadblock, really - but a good one, earning such a manor ought to be an -accomplishment-; and the smaller housing options are cheap enough that no vestige will have to sleep under a bridge in Tamriel...

And yeah, a great many people with more money then patience will shell out the crowns for the manors. So? More money in ZOS warchest to pay their code jockeys to make more content for all of us... I really don't see the problem here.

Gandrhulf_Harbard

I hope the Medium and Small houses also have pre-reqs, obviously not as stringent as the Manors.

Given that most of the cultures in ESO are based to some degree on some variant of Middle Ages feudalism it makes perfect sense to have players need certain achievements before qualifying to own land, because that is exactly how feudalism worked; if you wanted to own land you had to earn that privilege by doing favours for and serving the person(s) higher up the feudal rankings than you.

So it would make perfect sense to need to have obtained a certain achievement title in, for example, The Rift to be able to own land there.

All The Best

jedtb16_ESO

KingYogi415 wrote: »

So all you completionests and role players are OK with ZOS selling your reward to anyone?

99% of the player base will buy these manors and not earn them.

Zos's employee who created the never winter store, has a degree in psychology specializing in Video Game Addiction.

This huge grind wall manipulates people into spending money over playing the content.

It's disgusting and will lead to much much worse...

Cheers!

99%?

really?

what do you base that on?

AzraelKrieg

Gandrhulf_Harbard wrote: »

I hope the Medium and Small houses also have pre-reqs, obviously not as stringent as the Manors.

Given that most of the cultures in ESO are based to some degree on some variant of Middle Ages feudalism it makes perfect sense to have players need certain achievements before qualifying to own land, because that is exactly how feudalism worked; if you wanted to own land you had to earn that privilege by doing favours for and serving the person(s) higher up the feudal rankings than you.

So it would make perfect sense to need to have obtained a certain achievement title in, for example, The Rift to be able to own land there.

All The Best

The smaller ones don't have requirements like the manors.

Danikat

I'm more disappointed that some people think questing in an RPG is "meaningless grind". What happened to actually playing games instead of rushing through them as fast as possible so you can reach the "end game" and do the same tiny bit over and over and over hoping for the one item you need to...do the exact same thing with slightly higher numbers?

(And if your answer is "I already did all that in the first year!" then the question is not for you, because you've already completed the requirements and so have nothing to complain about.)

I'm glad they put in requirements beyond simply the gold price to own houses, because it fits with the precedent set by other Elder Scrolls Games and because it makes it feel more like an actual part of the game instead of something tacked on the side. People are forever asking for quests to obtain cosmetic stuff, like finding and taming mounts (or at least learning how to care for and ride them) or quests to obtain or earn the right to wear costumes. Now we're getting exactly what those people asked for.

(And yes it might well be just a way of pushing people towards the crown store, but lets be honest here: if they're going to charge 4,500 crowns for an elk the crown prices for houses are going to be absurd, especially the best ones. It wouldn't surprise me at all if as soon as we know the real-money prices for these actually having to play the game to buy them with gold will suddenly seem very reasonable even to "end game" players who hate the idea of leaving dungeons/trials.)

GaldorP

Just wanted to say, some of the large houses actually have just as much space as the noble ones if not more. Forsaken Stronghold and Hunding's Palatial Palace, for example, have lots of space for set crafting stations and test dummies. But not sure how many players can enter a large house at the same time.

Riga_Mortis

This is what happens when you dont do any quests and just grind mobs to speed level.

Gandrhulf_Harbard

AzraelKrieg wrote: »

The smaller ones don't have requirements like the manors.

Oh, OK.

From a gameplay perspective I can fully understand why ZOS would do that; but I am slightly disappointed - especially as they are giving us all a free apartment anyway.

All The Best

Gandrhulf_Harbard

Danikat wrote: »

I'm glad they put in requirements beyond simply the gold price to own houses, because it fits with the precedent set by other Elder Scrolls Games and because it makes it feel more like an actual part of the game instead of something tacked on the side. People are forever asking for quests to obtain cosmetic stuff, like finding and taming mounts (or at least learning how to care for and ride them) or quests to obtain or earn the right to wear costumes. Now we're getting exactly what those people asked for.

I think THIS ^ is what ZOS should be looking to do.

Instead of just throwing that cosmetic stuff in the Store gate it behind in-game questing, then put the DLC in the Store.

In other games I have worked hard to unlock titles, cosmetics, mounts etc. Steed Of Eriador in LOTRO took forever to get. And while I had enough Turbine points to buy any Store Mount I wanted I never bothered. The Mounts I earn through in-game content and achievements matter to me far more. In fact the Guild I was in used to have an irregular monthly Mount Rep Grind night, where we'd group up and help one another grind out the last deeds/quests needed to reach the Rep requirements.

Stick something in the Store and I may just buy it, but I'd need to be convinced it represented VFM for me. For the record the moment I saw the Elk I wanted it, and subbed for three months to get Crowns to buy it - but when it came in at 4500C I just thought there was no way on earth it represented VFM.

Stick something in a gambling-crate in the Store and I am just not interested, ever. If I'm spending money in your Store I want to buy exactly what I want to buy, I will not - EVER - buy a chance to get lots of stuff I'll never use.

Stick something in-game and make me complete quests, grind Rep to get it and you've just created in incentive for me to login and play A LOT. Because I'll be logging in an playing a bit anyway - put nice cosmetics/mounts/decorations at the end of if and I'll be there logging in and working towards them.

All The Best

Grabmoore

OP doesn't play this game it seems. I m wondering why would you want those ugly manors anyway...

Just prestige? In that case, just do it. Otherwise you don't deserve a faction house.

ChildOfLight

At least you have the choice to use Crowns to buy a non-in-game-helping feature.
Choice not given to the non-Esoplus members regarding the craft bag. Which is an extremely in-game-helping feature (to not say p2w).

Korah_Eaglecry

OMG they expect you to do some content to unlock things? Guess that whole rush to max level by killing a horde of zombies is backfiring isnt it?

smacx250

KingYogi415 wrote: »

So all you completionests and role players are OK with ZOS selling your reward to anyone?

Yes. Frankly, given the revenue model I would be somewhat unhappy if they didn't. The game needs to make money, and housing seems like a reasonable way to do it. It's likely I'll even buy some crown stuff for my house. I don't need to though, as I've got plenty of gold for multiple mansions, and my main is a maxed crafter. And I certainly meet all the requirements for any property (yeah, I went around and saved all the Kings/Queens rears, so you know, got some rep with them). And I guess I didn't realize being a dedicated "end game" player basically meant that you just skipped the game right to the end.

Mettaricana

Not everything has to be a grind barely even a single quest to get a home stead in skyrim and after almost 3ish years I've done all quests a few times over in all factions I damn well better get a home without grinding if I don't want too.

Skinzz

Ive done every overland quest in the game when i leveled my first character 1.5 years ago. I'm glad I did now lol

Dragonnord

KingYogi415 wrote: »

For the privilege to spend your 3.7 mil on a manor you will still need 40-80 hours of meaningless grinding.

What end-game player is going to stop running trials or pvp to quest?

Where are the houses unlocked for beating every vet trial?

This is like saying "What PvE player will stop questing to become an Emperor"? And 40-80 hours of grinding are nothing compared to trying to become Emperor in Cyrodiil.

Cherryblossom

You can buy with crowns if you want.

heaven13

Danikat wrote: »

I'm more disappointed that some people think questing in an RPG is "meaningless grind". What happened to actually playing games instead of rushing through them as fast as possible so you can reach the "end game" and do the same tiny bit over and over and over hoping for the one item you need to...do the exact same thing with slightly higher numbers?

This! Everyone I know was pushing me to brink Breda's mead and dolmen grind and dreugh grind to power level my character. I was like "nah", ignored the mead except on my crafter, and just wandered along my merry way. I want to play the game and enjoy the quests, not grind fast and save the quests until CP160 for extra profitably from the leveled rewards.

As for the housing, I am bothered that the manors are purchasable by crowns strictly because there is a title/achievement to go with them. The rest, sure sell with crowns! Real money shouldn't bypass the requirements or earn the achievements other people worked for. If I ever get those manors, it will be with in-game gold and the sense of accomplishment of having earned it. It does seem to be at the precipice of a slippery slope to me, but I'll reserve judgement for how buying achievements, etc is handled in the future.

TequilaFire

KingYogi415 wrote: »

This thread right now:

They got nerfed this patch! lol

drakhan2002_ESO

Finally my Tamriel Hero title is going to be meaningful for something other than an unused title on my character screen. Glad I did all of the alliance main quests.

Gandrhulf_Harbard

ChildOfLight wrote: »

At least you have the choice to use Crowns to buy a non-in-game-helping feature.
Choice not given to the non-Esoplus members regarding the craft bag. Which is an extremely in-game-helping feature (to not say p2w).

Having subbed for 3 months (even though I am only 2 weeks into that sub) I really can't imagine life without the Craft Bag. No more jumping between 3 or 4 bank alts just to keep hold of mats. I imagine that I will stay subbed for as long as I play now just because of that.

Having the Craft Bag as a subscriber perk is fine by me, I think these mixed-economy games should be offering something "special" for Subscribers.

I'd probably be happy to pay upto 4500C to unlock the Craft Bag via the Crown Store, more than that I'd probably just sub and spend the Crowns on other stuff.

All The Best

Gandrhulf_Harbard

KingYogi415 wrote: »

This thread right now:

I think anyone who remembers me from 2015 before I took a long break from the game knows full well I am anything but a White Knight.

But I do feel the Homestead prices are, broadly speaking, OK.

All The Best

Carbonised

Waffennacht wrote: »

I think the majority of players have most of this already completed and most will be happy participants in finishing them.

I'm surprised by your outrage

68 agrees with the above answer proves the complaint raised by OP is a non-issue.

There are certainly many things to complain about or be unhappy about in the new update, but I don't believe this one is one of them.

Let's abandon this thread already.

essi2

The 'Hero Of' achievements are a perfectly reasonable prerequisite for buying the biggest house in your Alliance.

Surely if you've been playing the game long enough to have 3,7M gold to burn you have all 3 already.


As for Crown Store purchase to buypass, if you have the real cash for that, why not. Has zero influence on gameplay.

Gandrhulf_Harbard

heaven13 wrote: »

This! Everyone I know was pushing me to brink Breda's mead

I only realised the Mead gave an XP boost AFTER the event was over.

Doubt I would have used had I known anyway.

Why rush to end-game just to complain there's nothing to do? Makes no sense to me. For me MMORPGs are about "the journey", not "the destination".

All The Best

Lieblingsjunge

Nah. I like this.
You're "forced" to explore the entire map - do the quests. If you did the Alliances' main story line, you're already ~50% done. I've got 10 quests left in The Rift, then I've cleared both AD & EP. DC remaining. It's not a problem doing the quests. Do them while you wait for Dungeon Finder Queue, Queue to a full campaign - when you try to make a group for pledges.

I like that Achievements *ACTUALLY* has a purpose for other than... Smexy dyes/Titles & points.

Edit: Did you, HONESTLY, think that the "best" and "most expensive" housing would come for free? Du-uh, it's a company that runs the game. They have to make money somehow.
Just be glad they don't introduce BiS gear, faster mounts etc. in crown store !

NewBlacksmurf

I didn't pay attn to it cause I've done literally almost every quest I could find in the vanilla sections on my first character

LadyNalcarya

Danikat wrote: »

I'm more disappointed that some people think questing in an RPG is "meaningless grind". What happened to actually playing games instead of rushing through them as fast as possible so you can reach the "end game" and do the same tiny bit over and over and over hoping for the one item you need to...do the exact same thing with slightly higher numbers?

(And if your answer is "I already did all that in the first year!" then the question is not for you, because you've already completed the requirements and so have nothing to complain about.)

I'm glad they put in requirements beyond simply the gold price to own houses, because it fits with the precedent set by other Elder Scrolls Games and because it makes it feel more like an actual part of the game instead of something tacked on the side. People are forever asking for quests to obtain cosmetic stuff, like finding and taming mounts (or at least learning how to care for and ride them) or quests to obtain or earn the right to wear costumes. Now we're getting exactly what those people asked for.

(And yes it might well be just a way of pushing people towards the crown store, but lets be honest here: if they're going to charge 4,500 crowns for an elk the crown prices for houses are going to be absurd, especially the best ones. It wouldn't surprise me at all if as soon as we know the real-money prices for these actually having to play the game to buy them with gold will suddenly seem very reasonable even to "end game" players who hate the idea of leaving dungeons/trials.)

This!
As much as I love group content in this game, I agree that its an Elder Scrolls title in the first place. These quests are very good for mmo standarts and at the same time they can be done very quickly if you install any quest tracker addon and skip dialogues.
Honestly, I'd be more disappointed if there were no requirements... I mean, even in Skyrim you had to do quests to earn the right to buy a house.
And since these houses only serve rp/cosmetic purposes (there's no extra storage etc), selling them in crown store cant possibly do any harm. Theyre just "vanity items", and only you and your friends can see them anyway.

Fudly_budly

Waffennacht wrote: »

I think the majority of players have most of this already completed and most will be happy participants in finishing them.

I'm surprised by your outrage

^^
OP:
- PvE players who played game content = Win!!
- "power levelers, "dungeon grinders," = experience the story line!
BTW, to enlighten you, only the massive homes (3 of the 39 available) have this global hero requirement. On PTS yesterday, I acquired 3 residences for under 100k. These required only the zone story line quests which were a paltry 5-9 quests in zone all of which award a skill point. So, your rage is really unfounded in the facts.
ESO housing is pretty well done actually.