Was housing designed for "whales"?

DarkWombat

What are whales? Whales drive cash shops, they are the 1 to 2% of rich gamers who spends thousands of dollars a month on games, making up for some of us who spend hardly a dime. They are most common in free2play games with a cash shop.

Last week I visited someones house in ESO. It was huge and was furnished with some pretty amazing things. Things that I think are not available in game. Many things that cost 4000 crowns each. This guy must had spent thousands of dollars since housing came out. Good for him.

But my question is this. Are all of those items available in game? And if not, are you okay with that? I know Zenimax has to make money, but I kind of miss housing like Ultima Online, where everything is available and obtainable in game for free, if you had the luck or patience.

Avran_Sylt

Things such as the mundus stones are not available in game (at least to my knowledge). Pretty sure most of the rest of it is obtainable in game, though some stuff may be locked behind the RNG interactions of the luxury furnisher in Coldharbor. This week there are some large statues which may be what you're referring to.

1mirg

DarkWombat wrote: »

Are all of those items available in game?

That completely depends on what items your talking about exactly.

MLGProPlayer

95% of furnishings are available in-game. Most people (myself included) bought and furnished their houses with in-game gold, without spending a single crown.

kunquatb16_ESO

I think there a few crownstore exclusive items, but most things can be crafted or earned in game. My house only has crafted items, and vendor stuff.

notimetocare

There are only a few housing item that are 4k each, and that is a few mounts (that get close) and assistants that are more. So why are you blatantly lying?

It is very easy to furnish a house without crowns

DarkWombat

Mundus stones

notimetocare wrote: »

There are only a few housing item that are 4k each, and that is a few mounts (that get close) and assistants that are more. So why are you blatantly lying?

It is very easy to furnish a house without crowns

How can someone who asks a question be lying. Try reading next time...I quote myself below..

"Are all of those items available in game?"

It was a question..

DarkWombat

What about crafting stations?

Avran_Sylt

DarkWombat wrote: »

What about crafting stations?

Crafting stations are purchasable via writ vouchers obtained from master crafting writs. They can be regular or unattuned ones (that are unavailable in the crown store)

kunquatb16_ESO

DarkWombat wrote: »

Mundus stones

notimetocare wrote: »

There are only a few housing item that are 4k each, and that is a few mounts (that get close) and assistants that are more. So why are you blatantly lying?

It is very easy to furnish a house without crowns

How can someone who asks a question be lying. Try reading next time...I quote myself below..

"Are all of those items available in game?"

It was a question..

Some people seem to think these forums are a Hollywood courtroom drama.

Sausage

Housing was meant to be progression/content for those who cant get enough of ESO, so obviously the ones who are willing to spend big bucks on the game too.

Korah_Eaglecry

Welcome to the rabbit hole that is B2P/F2P games. It usually takes game companies about a year plus to really start to dive deep into the "Haves and Have Nots" once they cross over into MT Stores and B2P/F2P business models. Where you start to see a serious divide with what is offered in the games shop and it goes from reasonable, even unimaginative customization options to some of the coolest things you will see ever in game being introduced. There is no turning back at this point. Mounts will continue to become insanely over priced. Crown Crates will swallow up any and all cool items that would otherwise sell like hotcakes but will be just another drop in the bucket for the whales as they march to Apex Rewards. Housing will be the ultimate "I have a lot of money and have no where else to spend it" unit measuring contest.

lordhakai

mundus stones are available in game through crown store in housing editor

MLGProPlayer

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

DarkWombat wrote: »

What about crafting stations?

Crafting stations are purchasable via writ vouchers obtained from master crafting writs. They can be regular or unattuned ones (that are unavailable in the crown store)

You can also buy them from other players for cheap (going rate is 60k right now).

Recremen

I think it's designed to extract as much profit from all income and engagement levels as possible. The crafting material grind is absolutely atrocious meaning if you're just looking for One Last Piece for your house it'll still take you hours, OR you could splurge and buy it. Meanwhile the wealthy can just buy everything forever and go truly decadent. I like the idea of housing, I like that I can (and have) spent money to get the houses, but the furniture crafting/purchasing system is definitely exploitative and not fun.

Cardhwion

DarkWombat wrote: »

But my question is this. Are all of those items available in game? And if not, are you okay with that? I know Zenimax has to make money, but I kind of miss housing like Ultima Online, where everything is available and obtainable in game for free, if you had the luck or patience.

As long as the items exclusive to the cash shop are just things like: Styles, furniture, costumes, mounts and so forth, aka things that do not give the char an advantage in a fight, I am totally fine with them being cash shop only. I absolutely don't mind ZOS making money of shells and e-preening items. As far as I am concerned they can go ahead and milk people's vanity for what it is worth, if that keeps the game going and going well.

Illurian

This is tangential and pedantic but your phrasing is a bit funny. "Are all these items available in game" where else would one get them but in game? People certainly aren't getting Mundus Stones shipped to them irl.

In relation to your point, I think that Mundus Stones are the only furnishing items that you can buy (with crowns) that can't either be crafted or bought with in-game currency. It's fine, imo. I would never pay 4000 crowns for something you can have by traveling for 30 seconds, and I'm not too bummed that I can't get them with in-game currency either.

The thing about housing and the crown store in general is that it is all aesthetic. Nothing you can buy with crowns would give you a combative advantage over other players. This is the difference between b2p/p2p games and f2p. F2p games are often p2w, with upgrades to gear being tied almost directly to either the cash shop (for the more audacious ones) or to to an exorbitant amount of in-game currency, unachievable for players that don't either farm 8 hours a day or spend RL currency to convert to in-game currency.

Doctordarkspawn

Korah_Eaglecry wrote: »

Welcome to the rabbit hole that is B2P/F2P games. It usually takes game companies about a year plus to really start to dive deep into the "Haves and Have Nots" once they cross over into MT Stores and B2P/F2P business models. Where you start to see a serious divide with what is offered in the games shop and it goes from reasonable, even unimaginative customization options to some of the coolest things you will see ever in game being introduced. There is no turning back at this point. Mounts will continue to become insanely over priced. Crown Crates will swallow up any and all cool items that would otherwise sell like hotcakes but will be just another drop in the bucket for the whales as they march to Apex Rewards. Housing will be the ultimate "I have a lot of money and have no where else to spend it" unit measuring contest.

Basicly this.

Of course it was. Homestead was the first sign the bottom line was more of ZOS's priority than game health. Hence the balance changes that followed, and the needless difficulty increase that nobody liked from Homestead which was just bigger health numbers.

Rohamad_Ali

It was designed with Whales in mind . The Island and the Mansions are pretty expensive items and lots of people posted they bought them . I don't really mind if ZoS taps into their big gaming budgets for cash . If they have the money to burn then let ZoS charge them . People with that kind of money to throw around buy them fully furnished . It's all cosmetic so big whoop .

ScytheNL

I bought Autumn's Gate with my own money. Did the work to get the achievement needed to buy it, saved up my cash (I was only around lvl 30 then), and put in the few furnishings I had accumulated by then which were in my free inn-room.

Now I am a bit higher in level (CP122) and I can craft some stuff myself, en I get some through other means (Fishing, stealing). It's a pretty nice house now, although still a bit empty. My horse is in the yard in his own stable, my jackal is also out there guarding the house. I have a bed to sleep, a fireplace to sit, a desk to do business and a small kitchen area. What more could I want?

ScytheNL

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

DarkWombat wrote: »

What about crafting stations?

Crafting stations are purchasable via writ vouchers obtained from master crafting writs. They can be regular or unattuned ones (that are unavailable in the crown store)

Question: What's the difference between crafting stations??? I mean... Say I want to make a Hunding's Rage set. Do I need a specific 'Hunding's Rage Station' for that? Or can it be crafted everywhere?

I say this because I see crafting stations at one of my guild's bases, with different names but I'm not high enough in crafting to know what they're for

kunquatb16_ESO

ScytheNL wrote: »

Avran_Sylt wrote: »

DarkWombat wrote: »

What about crafting stations?

Crafting stations are purchasable via writ vouchers obtained from master crafting writs. They can be regular or unattuned ones (that are unavailable in the crown store)

Question: What's the difference between crafting stations??? I mean... Say I want to make a Hunding's Rage set. Do I need a specific 'Hunding's Rage Station' for that? Or can it be crafted everywhere?

I say this because I see crafting stations at one of my guild's bases, with different names but I'm not high enough in crafting to know what they're for

Set crafting station are specific, they're generally hidden out in the world, rather than in towns. If you get an attunable crafting station (either by doing master writs for vochers, or buying from another player), you can take it to one of these set crafting places, attune it to that set, then place the attuned station in your house to use.

Valkysas154

I think there getting a bit to greedy with it
The orc cave and island was ok
The MW tower is not we should be able to at lest buy that with gold i don't care if its 10mil we all paid for MW !
And then we have mundus stones for crowns only
Not liking the direction at all so might as well stop putting any gold or money into housing it had so much potential to.

Linaleah

I dislike that certain small touch items are crown store only, some of the flowers and trees, etc. but.. all things considered, vast majority of decorative items and all but 3 houses - are purchasable with gold. and if people buy them with crowns - that's more moeny for game maintenance. if people buy them with gold - that's more gold removed out of the system, slowing down the inflation. win/win.

P.S. IMO, some of the nicest houses are not even all that expensive. Autumn's gate, Black Vine Villa, Twin Arches - all nice houses with decent yards under 100k that can be bought with base game only (imperial homes are nice, but require imperial edition. these 3 - do not) oh and attunable crafting stations as far as I know - cannot be bought with crowns anyways. regular crafting stations and much MUCH cheaper to just buy with gold from someone, or get yourself, if you are progressed enough with your crafting to be able to get and complete master writs

Enslaved

Not sure if housing was ment only for whales, I think it is leaning more toward RP community. I have nothing against RPers, but for me, housing have no value atm. No stash space, crippled vendor/banker/fence, and afaik placing books was a nightmare of its own. Also, books have no real value, since they do not count for mages guild at all. All these needs to be improved imho, and only then, housing will become something desirable by all "10 000 000" players.

Some of the stuff they might introduce that would make players want to have as many houses as possible:

1. Lorebooks that drop in that exact zone could count toward MG progression if read inside house in that zone. This would speed up MG leveling a lot, without it being immersion breaking, and still would make players wanna travel/own properties all around Tamriel.
2. Each mansion would give player option to buy extra character slot from crownstore, for same price as we have now. This would help altoholics such as I am get even more characters, while stimulating us to buy expensive mansions. If done like this, each crown crate exclusive house should provide an extra char slot. This might give a potential whale an iniative to buy some 100 euro mansion from crown store. Altoholics win, zos gets coin - all are happy.
3. Each house should give you upgrade to stash space. Smaller homes would net you small stash improvement, while mansions would provide the most. This would add real value to all houses, and in the end all would profit, both players and Zos.
4. All houses need better internal craftable walls. Right now, one poor soul in our guild tried to build a wall inside Ebonheart Chateau and all she used were some large cut rocks. Should I mention that she quit ESO? I don't say I blame walls for that, but I do blame walls for that.
5. Assistants that we placed inside houses should not be cripples anymore. Merchant should be able to fix your gear, Banker should provide link to your guild banks, and fence should launder stolen goods. When summoned inside some random dungeon, I see the logic of being unable to provide all the benefits one would need, but when put inside homes, anchored as stations, there is really no excuse for them being crippled.

Turelus

I don't think it was designed that way, but I do imagine at some point the marketing team saw it and got a little excited at how they could make more cash from it.

Also I hate the term whales, it's an insulting name from idiot people and it's sad to see us gamers labelling one another with it these days.

MLGProPlayer

Rohamad_Ali wrote: »

It was designed with Whales in mind . The Island and the Mansions are pretty expensive items and lots of people posted they bought them . I don't really mind if ZoS taps into their big gaming budgets for cash . If they have the money to burn then let ZoS charge them . People with that kind of money to throw around buy them fully furnished . It's all cosmetic so big whoop .

I know tons of people who bought the mansions with gold (I had the gold to buy one too but preferred one of the large houses instead). They're definitely accessible to players who don't want to spend crowns. 3-4 weeks of casual farming, and you can buy one. The alternative is spending $100. There isn't really much incentive to spend crowns on these (unless you've been subbing for ages and don't know what to do with your stockpile of crowns).

The crown store exclusive homes, on the other hand, were 100% designed for whales.

Cloudless

Cpt_Teemo

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

Rohamad_Ali wrote: »

It was designed with Whales in mind . The Island and the Mansions are pretty expensive items and lots of people posted they bought them . I don't really mind if ZoS taps into their big gaming budgets for cash . If they have the money to burn then let ZoS charge them . People with that kind of money to throw around buy them fully furnished . It's all cosmetic so big whoop .

I know tons of people who bought the mansions with gold (I had the gold to buy one too but preferred one of the large houses instead). They're definitely accessible to players who don't want to spend crowns. 3-4 weeks of casual farming, and you can buy one. The alternative is spending $100. There isn't really much incentive to spend crowns on these (unless you've been subbing for ages and don't know what to do with your stockpile of crowns).

The crown store exclusive homes, on the other hand, were 100% designed for whales.

Yeah I mean Hundings is as big as 2 of those mansions from the outside the Daggerfall & Ebonheart and costs 1/3rd the price and also the manors only have a minor upgrade for furniture inventory within the house.

I was tempted to finally get a manor as well but I had 2nd thoughts cause of how big hundings was anyway since I already bought that one awhile ago and I almost fully decorated it by now, I still have 10 more motif pages to buy to complete every motif yet again (Armiger of course), also trying to buy as many patterns I don't know yet as well for furnishing getting to the point where I have to spend kind of big on most of them now.

Maybe if I make some more gold later I'll probably eventually buy one of the mansions after I get the majority of the furniture recipes I would think.

KerinKor

DarkWombat wrote: »

where everything is available and obtainable in game for free, if you had the luck or patience.

Worst kind of method to obtain anything, RNG kills fun in games when over-used.

Enderus

I think the mid-range homes (200k-400k) are probably your fair prices for the average player. Just need to invest yourself a little into the economy, maybe save gold, and have a little patience. Same goes for furniture, except I do think that the crafting material costs for even green tier furniture is a bit steep. Especially where heartwood is concerned.