51 crown crates = zero apex rewards

SydneyGrey

ChaosWotan wrote: »

Now, all those who are not interested enough in ESO and high-end gaming in general will obviously feel that it's a total waste of money to pay $100 for some "nice pixels on a screen".

I liken it to buying tickets to a movie theater, or going to a concert. When you pay to see a movie or concert, you're not getting a physical product. You're getting an intangible product that you enjoy and then is over in two hours.

With game add-ons, you're getting a virtual product that you can enjoy over and over again so long as the game exists. So, logically, you're getting a better deal buying game DLC/add-ons than you would if you went to a concert or theater.

Entertainment is not always a physical product.

RoyalPink06

With the storm crates, I only had to spend 1500 crowns cuz I got exactly what I wanted in the 3rd crate. I knew I would not be that lucky this time around, so I was very much prepared. It took about 30 crates this time to get my wild hunt wolf (got the doom wolf too so I was pretty stoked for that). I also got the wild hunt camel (I strongly dislike the camels and will never use it) and the wild hunt horse (its kinda nice I guess so I might use it). I got the Bravil retriever and that disgusting banekin about 8 times each, plus a bunch of weak costumes I will never use. I was able to get the wild hunt wolf by cashing in (cashing ousside?) all the crap plus that huge apex hircine banner (got 133 gems out of that sucker).

Was it worth it? Mostly. I got what I wanted in the end and the urge to buy more crates was satisfied. But now I imagine other people, when they see me standing there on my green wolf, saying something like "wow what a loser. How many crates they must have had to buy!", instead of "hey cool mount!".

I still feel slightly burned, but it could have been worse. But I figure, I don't sub so I gotta earn my keep somehow - they aren't running this game for free out of the kindness of their hearts. I imagine in my case it probably all evens out in the end (I hope, anyways). Others aren't so lucky, and that sucks.

An interesting thing, the human psyche is.

SydneyGrey

RoyalPink06 wrote: »

... But now I imagine other people, when they see me standing there on my green wolf, saying something like "wow what a loser. How many crates they must have had to buy!", instead of "hey cool mount!"....

I would say "Hey, cool mount." I play a sorceror, and the spriggan mounts (and storm atronach mounts, too) look like something a sorceror would conjure up magically with a spell. I absolutely love them for this reason. Plus, I think they look amazing.

Elwendryll

Well, in my opinion, crown crates perform very well. If you don't want to use it, you don't, and you're perfectly fine. The rewards are attracting enough compared to the drop rate to make people pay for it. And you even have a guaranteed chance to get what you want if you open enough crates, just imagine how happy vMA farmers would be if a system like this were implemented for maelstrom weapons. Furthermore, it requires not this much work compared to other features, and they keep adding new content. That's an efficient way to make money without impacting the gameplay of those not willing to pay. There is nothing to complain about how they work, they're perfectly performing their function. I don't know what they're doing with this money, and I truly don't care, but i'm happy to see this company succeed, as they're doing great work in my opinion. And I really appreciate the efforts they take into not unbalancing the game for those who don't spend money into the store.

Yes, the drop rates are low, but that's how a 'first prize' drop rate must be.

ChaosWotan

The disadvantage of the very expensive crown crates is that riding an apex mount is a bit like sitting in a red Ferrari in the middle of a traffic jam in London, with everyone around literally looking down on you, thinking you are a cliche. (One needs a lot more unique car than a red Ferrari to create a sense of awe in common people nowadays).

The crown crates are catering to enthusiasts, "the rich", and gamblers, a very small minority, while probably alienating a majority of gamers who didn't buy ESO only to discover that many of the coolest items are behind an insanely expensive wall of gambling.

Freezoide

2x4 crates. First 4 crates gave me an atronach storm mount; this time I got the forest bear thingie. Not bad for subscriptioncrowns tbh.

Compared to where the original system of "crates" came from (SWTOR) I consider chances for the highest classed rewards very high (used to be an average of 0.05%-0.1% for the most epic reward there). Oh and there you got like 500 crowns a month.

Slurg

SydneyGrey wrote: »

ChaosWotan wrote: »

Now, all those who are not interested enough in ESO and high-end gaming in general will obviously feel that it's a total waste of money to pay $100 for some "nice pixels on a screen".

I liken it to buying tickets to a movie theater, or going to a concert. When you pay to see a movie or concert, you're not getting a physical product. You're getting an intangible product that you enjoy and then is over in two hours.

With game add-ons, you're getting a virtual product that you can enjoy over and over again so long as the game exists. So, logically, you're getting a better deal buying game DLC/add-ons than you would if you went to a concert or theater.

Entertainment is not always a physical product.

That only applies if the entertainment you are enjoying is gambling.

When I pay to see a movie or concert I get to pick which movie or concert I see. I don't pay money and take whatever tickets they give me.

If you don't enjoy gambling you are not getting a good deal at all.

The pro gambling crowd just needs to stop with these analogies that are not even relevant and admit they like gambling as their form of entertainment.

Edit: Of course it's your money and you have every right to spend it the way you want. But trying to rationalize it by saying that obtaining virtual items through gambling is exactly like spending money on every other hobby or form of entertainment is just false. The choice in what you receive for your money is removed.

If you enjoy spending your money on gambling just proudly declare it. Don't try to justify it through verbal gymnastics if you feel you have nothing to be ashamed of.

AdamBourke

So I bought 4 crown crates - I don't agree with them, but I wanted the Ancestor Moths, and I only needed 13 more gems to get them - and I had my ESO+ crowns already. If I didn't have a load of gems already, I wouldn't have bothered.

Anyway, I finished opening them, Pacrooti said:

Pacrooti wrote:

It seems that you have no more crates left... but you can always buy more...

Seriously???

Come on ZOS... you can do better than that.

Or... maybe not :-(

Peekachu99

I had crowns left over from the last sale, bought 15 crates, got the Stag (only one I wanted), thanked RNGesus, called it a day. Knowing when to back out when things are good is one of the mainstays to hobbyist gambling. Throwing hundreds of dollars and trying to force a result rarely ends well.

Peekachu99

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Oompuh wrote: »

Oreyn_Bearclaw wrote: »

Do gems from the last round carry over?

Yes

Damn, that means I gotta buy some more crates. If Apex mounts are same price, I am over halfway there. haha.

Yeah l'm sitting on 1k now (went a little nuts last round o' crates). Make sure you cash in all the garbage consumables and such, too.

JKorr

ChaosWotan wrote: »

"ESO is a hobby I'm happy to spend money on. So is target shooting. But when I spend $100 on bullets they need to be the right kind or they're useless to me. I wouldn't walk out of the store with whatever random assortment the clerk hands me. That would be insane. I feel the same about spending money on my ESO hobby."

As already mentioned, I knew I would get enough crown gems to get one apex mount, and it turned out that I also got the black panther, and had enough gems to buy the non-apex doom wolf, which I have always wanted since I saw it the first time. If I had been lucky on the gamble itself, I might have got two extra apex mounts, like I did last time.

The crown store is 50% gambling, 50% regular payment for items. Only buy crates if you first see items in the store that you really want, so that you don't feel "cheated" if the gamble doesn't work in your favour.

Agree, however, that crates are so expensive that it creates a divide between a minority which can afford it, and the majority which will probably get a bad vibe toward ESO when they can't have the same cool items, at that price, a price which really is insane in itself, unless you have ESO as one of your main hobbies (and a $2000 -$3000 gaming rig perhaps).

I think I'm missing something here. Are you saying that only the people who can't/won't spend stupid amounts of cash are going to "get a bad vibe" about the rng clown crates?

I have every senche mount they released, except the dromathra one [wasn't able to log on when it was available], all the matching cubs, the larger senche pets, the wolf mounts and pups, and a guar I apparently bought for some reason that I can't recall. I have all the costumes, tattoos, and hats/masks that I liked. I've bought bank/inventory space and riding lessons. I buy mimic stones. I have the tiger loyalty reward, and still have a sub on one of my two accounts. I've bought crowns to duplicate items I really liked on my second account.

I have purchased no clown crates outside of the testing on the pts when it wasn't my real crowns I was using.

Comparing the two ways, outright purchase of the specific shiny I want, and clown crates that guarantee "consumables" but not the shinys, which method has gotten ZOS more of my money? I can afford to spend on my hobby. When I do spend, however, I prefer to know what I'm buying. I don't walk into a craft supply store and throw $100 + at the clerk and say "Random items please." and hope I'll get the materials I need for what I want to do. I also don't want "store credit" for duplicate items randomly thrown into my order by the clerk so I can go and buy what I really wanted in the first place. I have spent stupid amounts of money on this game/my hobby, but only when I know what I'm buying.

ChaosWotan

Those who claim that crown crates are nothing but gambling, please read the whole thread before making this claim once again. Tired now of repeating that crown crates are 50% gambling and 50% regular purchase of items. If you spend 100 bucks, you will have enough crown gems to buy the apex mount you want. That is not gambling.

Then we can debate whether $100 for an apex mount is worth it or not, but that all depends on your interests, priorities, and whether you are a casual gamer or have ESO as one of your main hobbies.

AGAIN: PLEASE READ ALL THE POSTS IN A THREAD BEFORE PUBLISHING STATEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED.

Slurg

ChaosWotan wrote: »

Those who claim that crown crates are nothing but gambling, please read the whole thread before making this claim once again. Tired now of repeating that crown crates are 50% gambling and 50% regular purchase of items. If you spend 100 bucks, you will have enough crown gems to buy the apex mount you want. That is not gambling.

Then we can debate whether $100 for an apex mount is worth it or not, but that all depends on your interests, priorities, and whether you are a casual gamer or have ESO as one of your main hobbies.

AGAIN: PLEASE READ ALL THE POSTS IN A THREAD BEFORE PUBLISHING STATEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED.

Yelling in all caps does not make what you are saying true. I'm sorry you're in denial. But repeating the same thing over and over again without facts to back it up is not convincing.

Stopnaggin

Again, lol. The crates are here to stay. Complain all you like, take your stands or whatever. Wanna quit because of your morals do it, don't threaten to do it. Don't like them, don't buy them. Don't like the monetization of eso, the door is that way---->. Give it a break.

Edited to add.
How do you know where the money goes? Do any of us have access to their books? Updates, patches, dlcs and expansions all cost money. So can anyone positively show me where the money is or isn't going? Bottom line people, value is subjective, it's different for everyone. If you see no value in crates, do not buy them. If you have an addictive personality don't go to the crown store. Seek help from a professional. Admitting to it on these forums is asking for trouble.

ChaosWotan

It's a fact that it's not gambling when one is guaranteed to get an apex mount for a 100 bucks, so please stop repeating that this is a gamble.

However, if your mindset is that you want to spend perhaps 40-50 dollars, hoping that the RNG will be good, then that's a gamble.

This has already been discussed.

SydneyGrey

Slurg wrote: »

The pro gambling crowd just needs to stop with these analogies that are not even relevant and admit they like gambling as their form of entertainment.

I've already said in a couple of different threads that I like the "mystery grab-bag" aspect of the crates. I think they're fun. I'm sorry I don't say it in every single post I make on this forum.

I've also said before that I think it's gambling, although as someone else just mentioned, it isn't 100% gambling, because you're able to buy the things you want the most with the gems you get. So, you get a lot of fun random things, plus you're able to get what you really want with the gems if you don't get them as a random drop.

Why does this bother you so much? Maybe you can just have your fun, and we'll have ours. Stop trying to rain on everyone's parade.

Slurg

Stopnaggin wrote: »

Again, lol. The crates are here to stay. Complain all you like, take your stands or whatever. Wanna quit because of your morals do it, don't threaten to do it. Don't like them, don't buy them. Don't like the monetization of eso, the door is that way---->. Give it a break.

I agree, they're here to stay and we all have the choice to buy or not buy, complain or not complain, stay or not stay. I have absolutely no arguments with that.

But people can at least call it what it is instead of trying to sugar coat it.

Giraffon

I just buy a couple at the beginning of each season. I know I'm going to spend 800-1200 crowns and then stop. I figure I'm at least giving myself a chance to win something and if I do then I'm lucky. If I don't get anything good then I forget they even exist and wait for the next season.

cjthibs

ChaosWotan

Who is sugarcoating it?

Have already criticized several aspects of the crown crate system. As already mentioned, the problem with this model is that items that are actually cool are not that cool to have after all, because many (casual) gamers will just think you are a dumb clown if you spend money on crown crates. In a way, one can say that the *** factor is too high.

(Seems like a word got censored in the last sentence, but it's supposed to be "d.o.uc.he factor")

Stopnaggin

Palidon wrote: »

Sorry if my comment offends some. But if the shoe fits you wear it. There are a lot of idiot's playing this game. Who would announce they spent $100 dollars on the new crown crates and got nothing. Then say oh well it was worth it because they got enough crown gems to get one of the apex mounts. Anyone who believes spending 100 bucks on the crates was a deal to be able to get one of the new apex mounts must be a compulsive gambler in real life and needing some serious help.

Or maybe they can afford to spend that money. Maybe they enjoy their hobby enough to spend $100. Calling someone and idiot because you don't share their view, well that's pretty short sighted and narrow. Someone who has to resort to name calling needs some serious education. I make over $1000 a week, I can afford to buy them if I so choose. As long as my bills are paid I don't see a problem with it.

Stopnaggin

PlaceboSoul wrote: »

jircris11 wrote: »

ChaosWotan wrote: »

Used about $100 on the new crown crates, and basically got nothing. Only two non-apex mounts. Last time I got 3 apex mounts from the same numbers of crates, and several non-apex mounts. I know this is a gamble, and don't mind supporting ESO in any case, but a bit curious if the RNG is worse this time.

Still got enough crown gems to buy one apex mounts. I knew I would get enough gems to buy one such mount, so took this into consideration before playing the cards.

spent 40 and got 2 of them, its all about RNG its a risk we take when we spend money on it. much like a casino.

I guess this is my biggest beef. I don't want to load up eso to play a digital real money casino. I play online poker for that. I load up eso to well, play eso. I don't want ZOS's focus to shift from the game, to running their own online casino out of the crown store. Also, I was under the impression gambling with real money online was illegal in my country......

You do know you can play without anything in those crates. You are not technically gambling with real money, you are gambling with an in game currency bough with rlm. That's the technicality to get around gambling laws.

R1ckyDaMan

klowdy1 wrote: »

Trayzard wrote: »

locking content exclusive to crates? Scumbag move...

Wait, I don't get certain zones, dungeons, classes, abilities etc if I don't spend money on crates?

If it is a cosmetic item, it isn't considered content, it's cosmetics. They have no bearing on the actual game, only what things look like. You still get everything the gameplay has to offer, you just have a different appearance.

They could add them as rewards for difficult quests or clearing very hard trials or dungeons etc then they would be content.

rotaugen454

Gotta love the people who think shaming others here into not buying crates will stop the crates. The vast majority of the player base will never see these posts.

Slurg

SydneyGrey wrote: »

Slurg wrote: »

The pro gambling crowd just needs to stop with these analogies that are not even relevant and admit they like gambling as their form of entertainment.

I've already said in a couple of different threads that I like the "mystery grab-bag" aspect of the crates. I think they're fun. I'm sorry I don't say it in every single post I make on this forum.

I've also said before that I think it's gambling, although as someone else just mentioned, it isn't 100% gambling, because you're able to buy the things you want the most with the gems you get. So, you get a lot of fun random things, plus you're able to get what you really want with the gems if you don't get them as a random drop.

Why does this bother you so much? Maybe you can just have your fun, and we'll have ours. Stop trying to rain on everyone's parade.

I am glad gambling for random items is fun for you. Gambling for random items in a game is not fun for everyone. Gambling for a random quantity of a fake currency that can be converted into other items after an undetermined amount of dollars spent is is not fun for everyone. Some people would prefer to just buy the things they want, and you might have missed the part where they aren't being allowed to do that so you can have fun gambling for those items instead.

You don't have to care what anyone else thinks about it though. Carry on having fun gambling.

SydneyGrey

rotaugen454 wrote: »

Gotta love the people who think shaming others here into not buying crates will stop the crates. The vast majority of the player base will never see these posts.

There seems to be a concerted effort to shame anyone who buys Crown Crates. It's like they're on a mission to try to destroy the crates, so they troll and criticize and shame anyone who says anything positive about them.

I was against the elk costing so much. I didn't buy it, and I made one comment on the forums about how I thought the price was too high. However, I would never shame people for buying it. That's just crappy and mean. It's no one's business how other people spend their money.

Balamoor

Slurg wrote: »

ChaosWotan wrote: »

Those who claim that crown crates are nothing but gambling, please read the whole thread before making this claim once again. Tired now of repeating that crown crates are 50% gambling and 50% regular purchase of items. If you spend 100 bucks, you will have enough crown gems to buy the apex mount you want. That is not gambling.

Then we can debate whether $100 for an apex mount is worth it or not, but that all depends on your interests, priorities, and whether you are a casual gamer or have ESO as one of your main hobbies.

AGAIN: PLEASE READ ALL THE POSTS IN A THREAD BEFORE PUBLISHING STATEMENTS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DISCUSSED.

Yelling in all caps does not make what you are saying true. I'm sorry you're in denial. But repeating the same thing over and over again without facts to back it up is not convincing.

Not to split hairs...but yourself and the other handful of Crown Crate haters say the same things over and over again on any thread that so much as mentions them.

As I said earlier the forum mods seem to be okay with the hate machine blowing up every forum with their CC protests, so I guess he is free to repeat whatever Ad nauseam.

cjthibs

SydneyGrey wrote: »

rotaugen454 wrote: »

Gotta love the people who think shaming others here into not buying crates will stop the crates. The vast majority of the player base will never see these posts.

There seems to be a concerted effort to shame anyone who buys Crown Crates. It's like they're on a mission to try to destroy the crates, so they troll and criticize and shame anyone who says anything positive about them.

I was against the elk costing so much. I didn't buy it, and I made one comment on the forums about how I thought the price was too high. However, I would never shame people for buying it. That's just crappy and mean. It's no one's business how other people spend their money.

So...because some people disagree there must be a vast forum conspiracy to drag a subset of consumers' good names through the mud? ...seriously?

What you're seeing here is someone complaining because they don't understand how gambling works and others having a giggle about it.

Balamoor

rotaugen454 wrote: »

Gotta love the people who think shaming others here into not buying crates will stop the crates. The vast majority of the player base will never see these posts.

Yeah....I have to admit I never have seen any forum that allows such nonsense (well okay maybe LoL but that's a cesspool of 4chan proportions) As I said previously, it's not only here it's starting in game too, folks are getting harassed just for riding a CC mount. I just tell my guildies to ignore it because /report does jack and shirt. Something I learned a long time ago the devs/Community leaders that are in house decide what type of community they want to have, we can try to foster a better one but without any consequences this is what we get.

Stopnaggin

ChaosWotan wrote: »

Who is sugarcoating it?

Have already criticized several aspects of the crown crate system. As already mentioned, the problem with this model is that items that are actually cool are not that cool to have after all, because many (casual) gamers will just think you are a dumb clown if you spend money on crown crates. In a way, one can say that the *** factor is too high.

(Seems like a word got censored in the last sentence, but it's supposed to be "d.o.uc.he factor")

Personally I have never given much thought to what others think of me, especially when online. I worry about my character, because that's who I really am as a person, not my reputation, because that's only what others think of me. I have enough friends ingame that know me well enough to become real friends, and that's all good with me. Those are the people I choose to spend my spare time with. Some random calling me a whale or any other myriad of names doesn't bother me. If I feel like getting crates I will, and not one thing I will be called is going to change that. As a matter of fact everytime one of these post come up I feel like going out and buying $100 worth of crowns just to by crates.