[Community Debate] Token System, How Would You Do It?

Turelus

Continuing from a discussion which was started here: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/328200/with-master-writs-now-could-we-get-change-trait

How would you implement a token system into ESO? This isn't a discussion for if ESO should get a token system, but how you feel it could best be done if one was added.

The idea is to debate the pros and cons of one another systems with each other and give ZOS a pool of information to look through should they wish to go down this route.

My own thoughts on it.

Would function like key fragments from Imperial City, players would gather x number of tokens at which point they could purchase a dungeon set from an NPC.

• Con: If tokens are generic tokens like IC then players could run easier content to gain items from harder content, such as farming Wayrest Sewers and spending tokens on sets from Imperial City Prison.
• Con: If tokens are specific to the content run then inventories or UI would become cluttered even done as a currency like writ vouchers.
• Con: A large number of individual NPC's would be required (one for each dungeon) to avoid one massive mess of a store, these

Undesired BoP items are the tokens, trade in x number of unwanted boss helms for 1 single desired one.

• Issues with inventory management for holding onto so many items whilst waiting for enough to purchase the desired one.
• Would open up to player trading to boost one member in a group/guild to get a desired item much faster (due to dungeon trading).

The final boss/completion chest of content would hold a token, 100% for Veteran and 20% for normal.

• Issues stem from content such as DSA and MSA where players could farm much easier normal modes for access to items which currently only drop in veteran modes. The flip side of this is it would open items up to players who are not as skilled but they would be forced to invest more time (due to lower drop rates on tokens).

Isellskooma

You're cute AF!

Jitterbug

A simple system would be preferred. Nothing too convoluted and 3rd party site dependent.

Grind tokens. Buy gear.
Better gear costs more tokens.

Items could be converted into tokens on site via a prompt.

AzraelKrieg

If we go with key fragments similar to IC idea, it could worked out like this.

Mini bosses in group dungeons drop 1 token in normal mode, 2 in vet
Main bosses (those that are associated with the pledges) drop 2 on normal and 3 on vet.
Final boss drops 4 on normal, 5 on vet, 6 on hardmode.

Tokens are universal similar to IC is now so inventory clutter won't be an issue. They can be sold similar to the IC key fragments.

Now, for how they can be used. A vendor at the Undaunted enclave where you can redeem them for monster helms, and a vendor in the main city of each zone where a group dungeon is that will sell a lock boxes for each dungeon set that will give a random piece from that set.

Turelus

Isellskooma wrote: »

Youre cute asf

Thanks, if there wasn't a large pool of water between us I'd ask if you wanted to go for drinks.

Any thoughts on a token system however? I enjoy theory crafting debates and would love to know your views on how you feel a system could be added (as ZOS have expressed interest in adding one).

Jitterbug wrote: »

A simple system would be preferred. Nothing too convoluted and 3rd party site dependent.

Grind tokens. Buy gear.
Better gear costs more tokens.

Items could be converted into tokens on site via a prompt.

Agreed on a simpler system being better.

What would the mark on better gear be though? As right now BSW is BiS for many builds, but it could be argues CoA is harder to farm for tokens than say Wayrest Sewers. Would you consider the value of a Wayrest set the same as CoA set?

Or are you speaking more on terms of Boss Helms costing more than say a global boss drop from a dungeon?

Jitterbug

Turelus wrote: »

Isellskooma wrote: »

Youre cute asf

Thanks, if there wasn't a large pool of water between us I'd ask if you wanted to go for drinks.

Any thoughts on a token system however? I enjoy theory crafting debates and would love to know your views on how you feel a system could be added (as ZOS have expressed interest in adding one).

Jitterbug wrote: »

A simple system would be preferred. Nothing too convoluted and 3rd party site dependent.

Grind tokens. Buy gear.
Better gear costs more tokens.

Items could be converted into tokens on site via a prompt.

Agreed on a simpler system being better.

What would the mark on better gear be though? As right now BSW is BiS for many builds, but it could be argues CoA is harder to farm for tokens than say Wayrest Sewers. Would you consider the value of a Wayrest set the same as CoA set?

Or are you speaking more on terms of Boss Helms costing more than say a global boss drop from a dungeon?

I'm thinking the sets would have to be normalized at one value at the monster sets at a higher value. That way you could still farm the easiest dungeons to finally one day afford the gear, but as it still drops in the actual dungeon grinding there would shorten that time. That's a point I forgot to mention; if this token solution is completely void of RNG it needs to cost a boatload of tokens to buy anything. That way it would still make sense to actually do the specific content, and for the people doing that the grind would just be shortened by tokens.

Kodrac

Isellskooma wrote: »

You're cute AF!

Awww you got a stalker.

On topic though:

Some games that use token systems have you run dungeons and all you get is tokens' I find that boring and tedious. I want something from the dungeon. Maybe you can get jewelry from the bosses and tokens for armor and weapons at a vendor. Or the mini bosses drop gloves and boots but the big boss at the end drops a jewelry piece and tokens. Something along those lines.

Turelus

Jitterbug wrote: »

I'm thinking the sets would have to be normalized at one value at the monster sets at a higher value. That way you could still farm the easiest dungeons to finally one day afford the gear, but as it still drops in the actual dungeon grinding there would shorten that time. That's a point I forgot to mention; if this token solution is completely void of RNG it needs to cost a boatload of tokens to buy anything. That way it would still make sense to actually do the specific content, and for the people doing that the grind would just be shortened by tokens.

Yeah. I mean I would ideally like a system where you have to play the dungeon you want the item from to get the relevant tokens, but as mentioned in the opening post it causes a lot of bloat in item types to enforce.

Kodrac wrote: »

Isellskooma wrote: »

You're cute AF!

Awww you got a stalker.

Sadly I am not the only one: https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/3891887/#Comment_3891887
Thought I had finally found the one for a moment there.

Kodrac wrote: »

Some games that use token systems have you run dungeons and all you get is tokens' I find that boring and tedious. I want something from the dungeon. Maybe you can get jewelry from the bosses and tokens for armor and weapons at a vendor. Or the mini bosses drop gloves and boots but the big boss at the end drops a jewelry piece and tokens. Something along those lines.

I would want to see tokens on top of the current system, not to replace it entirely. They should be used as a means to help out people who have done a dungeon tens or hundreds of times and got loads of the item they want but always in an undesired trait.

Flaminir

If they are going to implement something for Morrowind then I'd say that to increase the likelihood of it happening then it needs to be simple, and also utilize existing systems/mechanics.

Creating an entirely new and elaborate system is going to make it less achievable.

WHAT ITEMS SHOULD THE TOKEN SYSTEM COVER?

My opinion... it needs to cover the hardest stuff to get, it should NOT cover every piece of armor, every weapon, every jewellery item from every set in the game. That would be hell on toast and unmanageable, hence having to define specific stuff...

• VMA & Master weapons & their future versions
• Weapons from dungeon/Trials sets (Due to the crazy RNG on these & The importance to builds... armour slots are more flexible in builds, weapons arent)
• Undaunted Helms and shoulders

HOW COULD IT WORK?

Use existing 'Tokens' in the game to purchase items from specific vendors.

Undaunted helms / Shoulders.... we already have undaunted keys... all they need to do is add a vendor option to the 3 NPC's who give the different undaunted quests, and have them offer the helms/shoulders from their dungeon for a certain number of undaunted keys.

This way you have a choice.... you open the Undaunted RNG chest for a single key... or save up XX number of keys to buy the single item you want. (This mechanic already in use in IC with the sets there for Tel Var).

For the dungeon related stuff...well there is a link between dungeons, arenas, trials etc & the undaunted. We have the item 'Undaunted Plunder' in the game... and also the mechanic of different quantities of it dropping in different places.

Extend this in the same way... Vendors at the appropriate venues (NPC outside each dungeon... saying he 'found' certain items while looting the crypts and will sell them to you for a fair price etc... maybe a Khajit member of the thieves guild?).

The cost of the item should reflect the difficulty to get it: EG vMA weapons should cost a LOT of undaunted plunder, and a normal set weapon a bit less.

The drop of plunder should also reflect the difficulty of the content EG Normal dungeons drop a single piece, vet dungeons 3, DLC vet 5, Trials 3 on normal 10 on vet, 15 on vMA / vMOL etc