Crown Store Items, pulled for Crates

heaven13

Since crates appear to be here for the long haul, I wish the dev team would stop pulling direct purchase content so they could put it in the crates. I've missed buying things before (even things that weren't labeled 'limited time only') to find them later put in the crate rewards for a season.

Example: Cyrod Patrician Formal Gown. When I started playing (December 2016) it was in the store. In March/April, it was still there. Around that time, I needed to upgrade my PC and ended up building a new one, which resulted in an unintended absence from the game for awhile. I had no reason to believe that content would be pulled. (Yes, I know the TOU states they can change whatever they want without notice). It just sucks to have come back, realized it and some other costumes and things were gone, only to be returned as crown crate rewards.

I mean, really, I'd just like to be able to purchase the things I want directly in general. But, at least, please just let things introduced as direct stay direct. Don't remove stuff from the store just so you can sell us the horrid RNG chance to get it later.

notimetocare

Honestly, I fond it good to bring old removed items back.

Want it for sure? Buy it
Dont want to pay for it? Gamble later

heaven13

Yes, in a perfect world that makes sense. But some people can't log in every day (looking at a few things that were up for less than a week, then pulled). Some people might be waiting for their ESO+ to renew to get crown allotment and item wasn't stated to have a removal date.

For the example I stated above, I was on the fence about which costume I wanted and, since I didn't realize they would be removed, I was sitting on the fence trying to decide since I do not have an unlimited crown allowance and can't purchase every single thing I want. Real life intervened before I decided and when I came back, it was gone. "Alright, sucks but oh well" was my initial reaction...until I realized the dress had been put in this season's crate rewards.

Which is pretty much the entire marketing strategy. "Pay now or lose it forever!" Creating frenzy/artificial sense of rarity to get people to spend money immediately rather than thinking about it. See other threads here regarding limited time offers, etc.

What I'm wishing for (and not expecting in the slightest) is a clear separation between crown store assets: direct purchase items and crate items. Stop pulling from the former to supplement the latter. There's already a decent amount of stuff that is crate exclusive, we don't need to keep having our limited direct content removed to bloat crate content.

DoctorESO

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GaunterODim

In my opinion its not bad to have older costumes in the crates as its much worse when they make new costumes and put them in the crates.

The example you mentioned makes sense to me, but think of it in another way:
If there was a cool costume released during your pause and you didnt notice it or were absent when it was available, wouldnt it be a cool thing to see it come back even if its RNG crates? Most costumes dont cost more than 40 crystals anyway.

LadyAstrum

I'm beginning to think the point of crates isn't the gambling part, it's the fact in order to buy gem items you have to buy the crates for the gems. The crates are just a gateway to the gem currency.

When something is up for direct purchase, especially limited-time stuff, you have to make a decision there and then. Buy it now, or risk never having it, because chances are, if you wait for it to appear in a crate it will be more expensive to obtain.

heaven13

LadyAstrum wrote: »

I'm beginning to think the point of crates isn't the gambling part, it's the fact in order to buy gem items you have to buy the crates for the gems. The crates are just a gateway to the gem currency.

When something is up for direct purchase, especially limited-time stuff, you have to make a decision there and then. Buy it now, or risk never having it, because chances are, if you wait for it to appear in a crate it will be more expensive to obtain.

Haha, you may be right. I don't participate in crates; have never wanted to since I don't want to gamble for something I want (even when most crate stuff I want is just costume/pet/hairstyles). I did get the latest free ones, but I wasn't trying for them, just doing what I generally do each day. Got a couple duplicates initially and then once I extracted gems from the consumables, I had 36 gems. Almost enough for the gown at 40, but not quite. One might have been tempted to buy at least one more crate after that, but I held out. My gems will just there for now.

LadyAstrum

heaven13 wrote: »

LadyAstrum wrote: »

I'm beginning to think the point of crates isn't the gambling part, it's the fact in order to buy gem items you have to buy the crates for the gems. The crates are just a gateway to the gem currency.

When something is up for direct purchase, especially limited-time stuff, you have to make a decision there and then. Buy it now, or risk never having it, because chances are, if you wait for it to appear in a crate it will be more expensive to obtain.

Haha, you may be right. I don't participate in crates; have never wanted to since I don't want to gamble for something I want (even when most crate stuff I want is just costume/pet/hairstyles). I did get the latest free ones, but I wasn't trying for them, just doing what I generally do each day. Got a couple duplicates initially and then once I extracted gems from the consumables, I had 36 gems. Almost enough for the gown at 40, but not quite. One might have been tempted to buy at least one more crate after that, but I held out. My gems will just there for now.

You're a stronger person than me because I've been in that position (not quite enough gems for something), and then I've given in and purchased some crates just to get some more gems. Just what ZoS wants I imagine.

Kwik1

Everything on the store is optional. ZOS can make changes however they fell will earn them more money.

My personal opinion is the more money they can suck down from people who buy points means better product for me. Granted a lot of people complain about being booted and having lag and game freezing and pvp being to one sided, but I have zero lag unless I go to cyro and even there it is mild and only occasional, my game never freezes (knock on wood), I have been booted once but I would blame that on my own internet connection and not the game, and I don't pvp because I simply don't enjoy it.

So please, keep buying overpriced store items and making ZOS money because for me I am getting a great game I really enjoy at a good price. I pay for ESO+ for a month for less than what I would pay to go to a movie and get a drink and popcorn for one evening. It really is a great deal for me. I use my points on things I need, usually motifs or sometimes a character slot if a family member wants to play, but I rarely buy crates unless I feel lucky, which I never end up being.

You are playing the game for the game, not what ZOS decides to put in the store, those are all optional and nothing is P2W which is refreshing. Destiny 2 was the biggest failure of a sequel I have ever played and I won't go back, and a few other games I have played do have P2W which ruins the game for me.

heaven13

@Kwik1 I'm not sure what your point is? I didn't complain about the prices. I wasn't suggesting the store is P2W. I was discussing my frustration with items available for direct purchase being pulled from the crown store to later be put in crates on top of the 'always has been crate exclusive' items. I didn't even say "now I'm never buying anything because I didn't get my way" so I'm not sure why you're telling me to "keep buying overpriced items".

I also find it amusingly ironic that you state "everything on the store is optional" and then two paragraphs later you state "I use my points on things I need".

"clear separation between crown store assets: direct purchase items and crate items" - I feel I've been clear enough (and admitted I'm realistic enough to know this is wishful thinking only) that I don't need to explain further.

Kwik1

You found my statement ironic about items I need? It was a basic typo. What I am saying is I just hoard my points until I see a mount that I love and really want to have. I don't NEED anything but I want it bad enough that I choose to spend points on it.

You didn't complain about prices and that was a jump I made and I apologize for, BUT I personally LIKE that some items will never be sold again as that makes them unique but that is my personal opinion.

If ZOS feels that putting these items in crates will help store sales then I am for it as well. Again the store is 100% optional and if you want something then buy it when it is available. if you miss out due to a computer issue then I feel for you but blame your computer.

I like that the store changes it up. It makes you buy it when you can or risk losing the chance to get the item.

ZOS is here to make money...period. If they want to play the beanie baby game they certainly can (kudos to those who know Beanie Baby history). Beanie Babies were designed by a single individual who had a theory if he made a certain style then discontinued it, kids would go out of their way to buy it when it was available therefore increasing sales on each item. Permanently discontinue the item and then the next NEW version which was a little different would get kids to buy it up again.

What he did not anticipate is that adult collectors got into it and suddenly demand was impossible to meet but his sales flew through the roof.

My theory is ZOS wants players to understand that items will be available for a period of time and you need to buy them ASAP or risk losing the item. Now they might release the item later or they may not, but that is a risk each player decides for themselves. I have a feeling this causes a lot of sales when new items hit the store as people are afraid of losing out on the item.

Again I apologize for the price remark as I had it stuck in my mind for something else and applied it to you.

I would appreciate it next time if you would read the intent of my post and not exactly what I type as I tend to use the wrong words at time but it should be apparent in my post what I was trying to say, and that was I only buy items I really want and just ignore the rest.

I think ZOS does an amazing job and not making anything P2W on the store and I really appreciate that they do it this way, but I also do not begrudge them trying to earn every dollar they can when it comes to the store since it is all optional to us and in no way mandatory.

Girl_Number8

DoctorESO wrote: »

"Pacrooti admires your persistence!"

Where is the blade of woe when you need it

Stewart1874

If they are going to reuse stuff you should be guaranteed not to get it again if you already own it.

I don't see why I should be penalised by the developers laziness. I've already been a chump and paid full whack for it, then on top of that it wastes one of my gambling rolls.

Poor. Unless you want me to just stop buying stuff from the crown store and only use crown crates?

IMO the Crownstore should have more stuff and more of the 'lorefriendly' sort of items and leave the crown crates for quirkier items (like the Apex mounts), Its very poor how since crown crates have been introduced items within the crown store have been consistently removed and likely other items have been held back for exclusive crown crate use. Bare bones is an understatement for the current state of the crown store.