Sick and Tired of Reading How Ungrateful People Are Over Free Crown Crates!

esp1992

For Kyne's Sake, can't we all just get along?
It's free stuff. Free is good!

JKorr

esp1992 wrote: »

For Kyne's Sake, can't we all just get along?
It's free stuff. Free is good!

Not when its free stuff you didn't want, don't like, and will never use and is instantly bound to your account, and can't be deleted or destroyed.

ZOS_KatP

Hi all,

We've gone through and removed some comments that were not constructive to the discussion at hand. We understand that disagreements will occur, but please keep the forum rules in mind when posting.

Thanks,
KatP

Storymaster

esp1992 wrote: »

For Kyne's Sake, can't we all just get along?
It's free stuff. Free is good!

Yasssss! To @esp1992 you listen!

MisterBigglesworth

ZOS is giving away a free heroin injection, and all you people do is complain!

Here's a thought: if you don't like heroin injections, don't buy heroin injections! Leave the rest of us alone to indulge our addiction.

Rohamad_Ali

MisterBigglesworth wrote: »

ZOS is giving away a free heroin injection, and all you people do is complain!

Here's a thought: if you don't like heroin injections, don't buy heroin injections! Leave the rest of us alone to indulge our addiction.

Pretty sure heroin is cheaper though .

WreckfulAbandon

And I'm sick and tired of hearing about people sick and tired of hearing about yet others who are sick and tired of getting free stuff!

davey1107

Consider me tattered and harmed

I wouldn't assume you'd feel battered because I pointed out something obvious, which isn't meant as an attack. I just pointed out that your post boils down to "I don't like posts where people are rude and opinionated," and...wait a sec, I have a call on the other line. Oh...it's for you...it's a Mr. Pot asking me to let you know that you're black, lol.

But you are condemning crown crates, free or otherwise.

Logical fallacy...I can condemn the entire crown crate system but have no problem with a marketing gimmick existing within the system. I think that crates are bad for the game as a whole, but if they're going to exist I don't really care whether ZOS tosses out a few freebies now and again. For example, I hate McDonalds. The food is nasty and they make people fat. But am I offended by the Quarter Pounder marketing campaign this fall? Meh...not really.

Snip

Lots of people manage to complain about crates without breaking TOS and getting censored...I think this should,clue you in on the fact that you're reacting a bit ridiculously.

I DO work in the vertical, and here is some of the data I use to assess these sort of sales gimmicks. (My numbers are based on a large industry-wide poll conducted at the beginning of the year.)

Micro transactions are defined broadly as in-game purchases, and they haven't been around long enough to assess how they affect a game's lifespan. The entire Crown Store is, FYI, a microtransaction system...not just crates. Marketing data indicates that 24% of gamers make these purchases...only 17% buy DLC content, so MTs outperform there. And 77% of gamers say they're in favor of MTs, so that's another favorable result for them.

However, 48% of customers who make MT purchases say they feel their purchase was overpriced, and they wouldn't make it again. That is a HORRIBLE result (although its industry-wide, so it doesn't directly correlate to ESO). In most industries that stat needs to stay under 5%...it's not good for customers to feel,they received a bad deal. So game companies need to improve in customer satisfaction.

There is also data that shows that customers are far more likely to feel ripped off by "vanity" MT items, versus useful items...which is problematic because gamers are also opposed to P2W strategies. This is a concern because ESO is all vanity items in the crown store, so this will saturate and then alienate the player base a little faster.

And other data that suggests that MT offerings slow down development of new content. This is important because MMOs are less elastic than other video games, but there is still a point at which customers will bail for a competitor's newer game (which I think ZOS recognizes, explaining the more aggressive quarterly DLC schedule).

None of this pertains to gambling microtransactions, but rather to the entire Crown Store concept. What these polls tell us is that developers need to proceed cautiously...their customer base is already on the fence about their pricing schemes, and if they push further they could hurt their bottom line. In my assessment, creating a gambling system that pushes the prices up past a point customers already assess as too high is a bad business decision.

So in short I'm saying that 1. I don't know why you feel you need to be rude to people writing posts they didn't ask you to read, 2. I disagree with your assessment about the crates helping make the game stronger because the consumer data we have doesn't indicate that this is the case, 3. No one who has any experience in marketing would want customers to be quiet if they feel dissatisfied. The angry posts about crates is useful data for ZOS. I say that as someone who helped redesign a UI system in an MMO last year, and the angry posts were very helpful in assessing where the old layout failed and offered many ideas on how we could improve it. If you don't like the posts, ignore them, they're formthe marketing team, not you.

Storymaster

davey1107 wrote: »

Consider me tattered and harmed

I wouldn't assume you'd feel battered because I pointed out something obvious, which isn't meant as an attack. I just pointed out that your post boils down to "I don't like posts where people are rude and opinionated," and...wait a sec, I have a call on the other line. Oh...it's for you...it's a Mr. Pot asking me to let you know that you're black, lol.

But you are condemning crown crates, free or otherwise.

Logical fallacy...I can condemn the entire crown crate system but have no problem with a marketing gimmick existing within the system. I think that crates are bad for the game as a whole, but if they're going to exist I don't really care whether ZOS tosses out a few freebies now and again. For example, I hate McDonalds. The food is nasty and they make people fat. But am I offended by the Quarter Pounder marketing campaign this fall? Meh...not really.

Snip

Lots of people manage to complain about crates without breaking TOS and getting censored...I think this should,clue you in on the fact that you're reacting a bit ridiculously.

I DO work in the vertical, and here is some of the data I use to assess these sort of sales gimmicks. (My numbers are based on a large industry-wide poll conducted at the beginning of the year.)

Micro transactions are defined broadly as in-game purchases, and they haven't been around long enough to assess how they affect a game's lifespan. The entire Crown Store is, FYI, a microtransaction system...not just crates. Marketing data indicates that 24% of gamers make these purchases...only 17% buy DLC content, so MTs outperform there. And 77% of gamers say they're in favor of MTs, so that's another favorable result for them.

However, 48% of customers who make MT purchases say they feel their purchase was overpriced, and they wouldn't make it again. That is a HORRIBLE result (although its industry-wide, so it doesn't directly correlate to ESO). In most industries that stat needs to stay under 5%...it's not good for customers to feel,they received a bad deal. So game companies need to improve in customer satisfaction.

There is also data that shows that customers are far more likely to feel ripped off by "vanity" MT items, versus useful items...which is problematic because gamers are also opposed to P2W strategies. This is a concern because ESO is all vanity items in the crown store, so this will saturate and then alienate the player base a little faster.

And other data that suggests that MT offerings slow down development of new content. This is important because MMOs are less elastic than other video games, but there is still a point at which customers will bail for a competitor's newer game (which I think ZOS recognizes, explaining the more aggressive quarterly DLC schedule).

None of this pertains to gambling microtransactions, but rather to the entire Crown Store concept. What these polls tell us is that developers need to proceed cautiously...their customer base is already on the fence about their pricing schemes, and if they push further they could hurt their bottom line. In my assessment, creating a gambling system that pushes the prices up past a point customers already assess as too high is a bad business decision.

So in short I'm saying that 1. I don't know why you feel you need to be rude to people writing posts they didn't ask you to read, 2. I disagree with your assessment about the crates helping make the game stronger because the consumer data we have doesn't indicate that this is the case, 3. No one who has any experience in marketing would want customers to be quiet if they feel dissatisfied. The angry posts about crates is useful data for ZOS. I say that as someone who helped redesign a UI system in an MMO last year, and the angry posts were very helpful in assessing where the old layout failed and offered many ideas on how we could improve it. If you don't like the posts, ignore them, they're formthe marketing team, not you.

Something tells me that he didn't read the post where I gave him a hug.

*stares into the camera Bugs Bunny style*

In all fairness, that was Gargath, but you get my point.

Eatmyface

I agree 100% @Storymaster

Next season they probably won't even bother. I imagine it's not worth the hassle.

Zhaedri

I love the free crates. As I got them before any of the other crates from the season, I got first look at some cool stuff. I'm really happy with what my free crates gave me -- sure, it wasn't apex mounts or a plague husk horse, but that's ok. I got nice mix of stuff, and stuff I extracted to gems.

I really like the little free crate promotions, and hope they do it more often. Even if you don't get the one item you want out of it, you do get something, and get to see Pacrooti deal you out some cards.

From my free crates I got a grim face mask thing, a shadowghost guar (so cute! squee!), a minor face tattoo (serpentine interface; its very low key), a crow divebombing memento, and a senche-lioness mount. As well as various consumables I extracted gems from. Pretty damn fine for free. 1200 crowns ($12 about) worth of crates. For free. Just for logging in and killing something. That's Awesome!

I hope they do free crate promotions more often, even monthly... and three seems to be a good number for it -- enough for a decent taste, enough to have the possibility of some cool stuff, but not enough to really get absolutely everything.

The free crate promotions helps with the sour taste I have had with the crown crates the last couple seasons. I like it. I'm really happy that they decided to do it, and think the free crates this time around were a neat little pre-Halloween gift.

Morgul667

I disagree with this post, People complain about RNG being awful in the crates is not a big deal.

Lord_Etrigan

I'm starting to think that the OP Might be an undercover ZOS BOT, LoL

But in all seriousness, give me quality items and services and I will gladly pay for it.
Sadly ESO Has turned the Crown Store into a Casino

newtinmpls

Storymaster wrote: »

Just know that, whether you realize it our not, your stance against crown crates means that you stand against new content for the game and that you stand against the perpetuity of ESO.

I disagree.

A stand against Crown Crates (gosh that sounds so overdramatic) is someone deciding not to buy/utilize them.

There are plenty of other concurrent revenue streams and participation in one does not say anything about participation in any of the others.

Tavore1138

I can only suggest if the OP doesn’t cope well with the opinions of others that they seal themselves away from human contact or at the very least avoid threads with titles like “Grrr crates sux”, for example.

Its always nice to get a freebie but it is naive to believe it doesn’t serve a commercial purpose rather than a solely philanthropic one.

Storymaster

Tavore1138 wrote: »

Its always nice to get a freebie but it is naive to believe it doesn’t serve a commercial purpose rather than a solely philanthropic one.

Eh? We've already clearly established that crown crates are a viable revenue stream that supports the game in two ways: paying for the production of new content and keeping it profitable. When an MMO is no longer profitable, it dies.

Feanor

Of course nobody would really complain about free stuff. The only issue I see is that those free events are like a dealer giving you the first rock of crack for free, because he knows you're going to be hooked if you're susceptible to it...

Storymaster

Feanor wrote: »

Of course nobody would really complain about free stuff. The only issue I see is that those free events are like a dealer giving you the first rock of crack for free, because he knows you're going to be hooked if you're susceptible to it...

Some people like to buy Magic: The Gathering Cards. Some people like to buy Baseball Cards. Some people like to buy Crown Crates. It's really just that simple.

It's unfortunate to project malevolent intent over something that's just not there. Sure, does ZOS hope they increase the sale of Crown Crates by a percent? Absolutely. It's in their best interest when their job is to be a profitable business.

It's unfortunate to believe that a business trying to be profitable is evil. It's not evil. It's practical. You're profitable as a business, or your business fails.

DarcyMardin

I don't like the crate system, and refuse to buy them. But I do open the free ones and use some of the things within (even if only to convert to gems). I actually got some rarer items this time -- a bear skeletal mount, a badger pet and the Sheogorath costume. So thank you very much! Unfortunately, I don't care for spooky skeletal mounts, and I hate the Sheogorath outfit because...shiver...it reminds me of how much I loathed Sheogorath.

So, despite my surprisingly good luck this time, I am still not tempted to gamble on crates. I DO buy things from the Crown Store, including several expensive houses, and I would no doubt spend more if many of the crate-only items were available to purchase with crowns. I believe there are a lot of us who feel this way, which is why there is so much complaining when these "free offers" (I.e., crate marketing ploys) occur.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Storymaster wrote: »

The next time you're given something for free, show a little appreciation. It just might rejuvenate your soul.

That's valid if someone really GIVES you something for free. With no ulterior motif.

A company giving away something for free ALWAYS has the ulterior motif. Usually it's meant to encourage people to buy more products, by letting you test it for free and giving you a taste of it for free.

There's nothing wrong with that, but there's nothing to actually THANK the company for. You just got a free sample, that's all.

That being said, the tone often used here by people who are unhappy with the crates, for "moral" reasons or simply because they got bad RNG, makes me often smile or cringe - depending on my mood.

SodanTok

Funny how the mindset of casual communities like ESO is so much different to the more hardcore mindset of dota, tf2 or csgo players where RNG crates exists for many years without much of complaining. Some people here complaining about crown crates were probably even underaged when first Mann-Co crate was released - tommorow it will be 7 years.

Guess what. TF2 is still here and kicking (tho csgo, dota and then overwatch - all of those with their own rng crates - made serious dent) and if someone was against them, then that someone is either forgotten and his protest irrelevant or he finally accepted them.

Dota2 economy is literally based only on crates. Nearly all items come from crates there. Guess why there was prizepool of nearly 25M USD (which is just 25% of sales). Because people were buying stuff to get more items. Most of which were again coming from crates.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Drakkdjinn wrote: »

You're only scammed if you take the bait, or in your case, don't know what bait is. I see no malevolent intent, only a lazy business practice involving a non-product being marketed to the uninformed.

It's amazing how well it works though.
I got the green glowing skeleton horse in my free crates (It's called plague husk horse or something like that). I was on TS with a friend when it happened so I showed him the mount ingame.
He immediately bought a pack of crates for another chance of getting that mount. Which he wouldn't have done if I hadn't got it.
And that guy (I've know him for years now) is anything but fragile, weak-minded, uneducated or uninformed. He's very smart. But still...
I guess people choose to catch their baits and how they spend their money, and there's nothing anyone can nor should do about that. But I was amazed at witnessing such a "Zenimax plain victory" live...

Storymaster

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

I guess people choose to catch their baits and how they spend their money, and there's nothing anyone can nor should do about that. But I was amazed at witnessing such a "Zenimax plain victory" live...

As I said before, some people like to buy Magic: The Gathering Cards. Some people like to buy Baseball Cards. Some people like to buy Crown Crates. It's really just that simple.

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

Storymaster wrote: »

The next time you're given something for free, show a little appreciation. It just might rejuvenate your soul.

That's valid if someone really GIVES you something for free. With no ulterior motif.

As I have said before, your verbiage illustrates fear of intention in something you believe to be sinister. The fear that someone is scamming you when it's just not the case. Again, it's unfortunate to project dark intent over something that's just not there. Sure, does Zenimax hope they increase the sale of Crown Crates a little? Of course. It's in their best interest when their job is to be a profitable business. It's unfortunate to believe that a business trying to be profitable is evil. It's not evil. It's practical. Businesses that are not profitable go the way of the dinosaur.

SodanTok wrote: »

Funny how the mindset of casual communities like ESO is so much different to the more hardcore mindset of dota, tf2 or csgo players where RNG crates exists for many years without much of complaining. Some people here complaining about crown crates were probably even underaged when first Mann-Co crate was released - tommorow it will be 7 years.

Guess what. TF2 is still here and kicking (tho csgo, dota and then overwatch - all of those with their own rng crates - made serious dent) and if someone was against them, then that someone is either forgotten and his protest irrelevant or he finally accepted them.

Ah, a refreshing voice of reason.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Storymaster wrote: »

As I have said before, your verbiage illustrates fear of intention in something you believe to be sinister. The fear that someone is scamming you when it's just not the case. Again, it's unfortunate to project dark intent over something that's just not there. Sure, does Zenimax hope they increase the sale of Crown Crates a little? Of course. It's in their best interest when their job is to be a profitable business. It's unfortunate to believe that a business trying to be profitable is evil. It's not evil. It's practical. Businesses that are not profitable go the way of the dinosaur.

My verbiage ? It was my first post on this topic.
Also, I have never said anywhere that it was evil.

What I say is :
1/ Gratitude is due when you've been gifted something, as a present. It is NOT due when you're given a promotional sample by a commercial company.
2/ Commercial relationships are what they are : someone wants to sell (as much and as highly priced as possible) and someone wants to or may buy (as lowly priced as possible). The interests at stake are antagonistic. Commercial relationships are not evil but they're not to be compared with human relationships such as friendship, sympathy or empathy. And it's better for the buyer to be educated about and aware of the antagonistic nature of commercial relationships.

Storymaster

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

What I say is :
1/ Gratitude is due when you've been gifted something, as a present. It is NOT due when you're given a promotional sample by a commercial company.
2/ Commercial relationships are what they are : someone wants to sell (as much and as highly priced as possible) and someone wants to or may buy (as lowly priced as possible). The interests at stake are antagonistic. Commercial relationships are not evil but they're not to be compared with human relationships such as friendship, sympathy or empathy. And it's better for the buyer to be educated about and aware of the antagonistic nature of commercial relationships.

The interests at stake are antagonistic? That clearly illustrates emotional projecting onto their intentions at giving you a free crown crate. Once more, it's unfortunate to project dark intent over something that's just not there. Sure, does Zenimax hope they increase the sale of Crown Crates? Absolutely. That's not antagonistic. It's a business decision, much like the one executed by Topps Trading Cards and Wizards of the Coast.

If WotC was running a promotion and they gave you three free card packs, something tells me you wouldn't appreciate that either. You would see their gesture as some kind of antagonistic scheme.

Unfortunate.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Storymaster wrote: »

Once more, it's unfortunate to project dark intent over something that's just not there.

No.
- It is an intent, it is not dark, but it is there.
- Yes, buyers and sellers interests are antagonistic. That's pure logic. In EVERY commercial relationship. It's not a projection. Not even an opinion. Just a plain FACT.

I explained my position, you don't explain yours. Come up with more arguments than just "you're so paranoid that you see things that aren't there".

Specifically regarding crown crates : I don't buy crown crates at all. I take the free ones, because they're free, and because I know it won't make me buy any more crates.
But I've seen enough guild mates and friends frustrated and angry because they bought them and didn't get what they expected. Crown crates are a trap, an evil trap. I know my mates take the full responsibility for falling into that trap, but it is an evil trap nonetheless.

Storymaster

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

Storymaster wrote: »

Once more, it's unfortunate to project dark intent over something that's just not there.

No.
- It is an intent, it is not dark, but it is there.
- Yes, buyers and sellers interests are antagonistic. That's pure logic. In EVERY commercial relationship. It's not a projection. Not even an opinion. Just a plain FACT.

I explained my position, you don't explain yours. Come up with more arguments than just "you're so paranoid that you see things that aren't there".

Not sure what else there is to say, really. You perceive folks giving you something for free as antagonistic. It's literally the lightest sales approach possible.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Storymaster wrote: »

Not sure what else there is to say, really. You perceive folks giving you something for free as antagonistic. It's literally the lightest sales approach possible.

Nope. It's not "the lightest" sales approach. It is A sales approach, among many others. And ALL sales approach are antagonistic to any buyers' approach.
The only reason I'm 100% happy with crown crates is that I never ever buy one. I just take the free ones.
That illustrates perfectly that buyer and seller's approaches are antagonistic. Because if everyone behaved like me, there wouldn't be any free crates. There wouldn't even be crown crates at all.

Storymaster

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

Nope. It's not "the lightest" sales approach. It is A sales approach, among many others. And ALL sales approach are antagonistic to any buyers' approach.
The only reason I'm 100% happy with crown crates is that I never ever buy one. I just take the free ones.
That illustrates perfectly that buyer and seller's approaches are antagonistic. Because if everyone behaved like me, there wouldn't be any free crates. There wouldn't even be crown crates at all.

You've established that you perceive even light sales approaches as someone trying to scheme and scam you. You don't like Crown Crates, including free ones. Out of curiosity, what is your opinion on collecting baseball cards or playing collectible card games like Magic or Hearthstone?

anitajoneb17_ESO

Storymaster wrote: »

You've established that you perceive even light sales approaches as someone trying to scheme and scam you. You don't like Crown Crates, including free ones. Out of curiosity, what is your opinion on collecting baseball cards or playing collectible card games like Magic or Hearthstone?

You are AGAIN putting words in my mouth.
I did NOT say that someone trying to sell something to me is someone trying to scheme and scam me. But it IS someone trying to sell something to me. For a price as high as possible, regardless if I truly need it or not, or if I can afford it or not. As the old saying states, "a good salesman is someone who sells a vacuum cleaner to someone who already owns three and has no electricity in their house".
I did not say either that I did not like crates. I just said I take only the free ones (and I love those ;-) )

I cannot comment on your examples since I have no clue what Hearthstone or Magic are. I remember receiving (as an ESO+ member) a free code for some digital card game a few days ago but I gave it away to one of my guildies who was collecting them. No further opinion on that.