Alfiq Banker and Merchant

Marginis

While I kind of agree and would like to see a discount for players who already bought the original assistants, I can easily see why ZOS is doing it the way they are. I mean, they don't give a discount on mounts to someone who has already bought another mount. Plus, this way one can put multiple bankers in their player owned homes so that players don't have to run all the way to the other side of the house just to use a banker. Stuff like this is just the nature of the game as far as I can see, as much as I can sympathize.

AlienSlof

They are listed under the heading of 'upgrades' in the article. One can only hope that is the case, a cheaper reskin than buying a whole new one.

grannas211

AlienSlof wrote: »

They are listed under the heading of 'upgrades' in the article. One can only hope that is the case, a cheaper reskin than buying a whole new one.

Thats just the category in the crown store. The same place as the original banker and merchant.

Lady_Rosabella

FierceSam wrote: »

Lady_Rosabella wrote: »

In the meantime, since the launch of Elsweyr, our banker and merchants have reverted back to walking away immediately upon summoning them, causing us once again to have to chase them down to use them. It is happening to tons of people as we have been discussing it in guild chats and in zone chat.

So what's the fix for this @ZOS_GinaBruno? You bring out new banker and merchants for sale and for those of us who have the original ones, we have to keep dealing with the constant chasing down of our banker and merchants just to interact with them???? Or is the fix having to purchase the new ones in the Crown Store?

Yes, I would have thought that having paid literally a king’s ransom to rescue my banker from a life of dull servitude, he’d at least be grateful enough to STAND WHERE HE IS BLOODY TOLD TO and not rush off in a hissy fit.

Next he will be expecting real gold wages and changes of clothes and all that.

If I have to chase him one more time he’ll be going in the Iron Maiden with thieving Pacrooti.

I told my husband that I wish, at least once a day, that I could kill my banker or merchant for walking away when I summon them. What makes it even worse is that when you start to walk toward them, they take off running. All I know is if I don't see people having to chase their new kitty ones down, I'm going to go on a ranting spree all over social media! Lol.

NorthernNightmare

I know its too much to ask that we can straight out swap em

I waited to buy the banker until these cats came out
but I have the merchant from a while ago

Wildberryjack

I already have the banker and merchant but would much prefer the cat ones. So does this mean I have to shell out 10k crowns to get them and then have two bankers and two merchants, which I simply don't need? Or will those of us with the banker and merchant already get these for a much reduced price? Or will we be able to exchange them? Because if we have to shell out a small fortune to get them this is going to leave a VERY bad taste in the mouth, ya follow?

bluebird

Marginis wrote: »

While I kind of agree and would like to see a discount for players who already bought the original assistants, I can easily see why ZOS is doing it the way they are. I mean, they don't give a discount on mounts to someone who has already bought another mount. Plus, this way one can put multiple bankers in their player owned homes so that players don't have to run all the way to the other side of the house just to use a banker. Stuff like this is just the nature of the game as far as I can see, as much as I can sympathize.

The difference is that mounts are a separate cosmetic category and everybody was aware from the start that there would be different versions of mounts in the game, with newer ones added over time. But Assistants are account upgrades.

That's like selling a Character Slot and then years later adding better looking character slots (stupid example I know but just go with it - a character slot with a special cosmetic border around it or whatever ). Or selling storage chests which people buy for their account because of functionality and ZOS later adding different reskins that are more cosmetically appealing.

Price concerns are the main issue here I think - the suggestion people mentioned above that ZOS could sell the banker and merchant at the usual high price for their functionality and then sell skins for them at a lower price would be a better solution imo, and they could continue making money that way with future reskins.

Jayne_Doe

Won't be bothering to get these unless they are a "skin" and sold at a reduced price. Even then, I don't really care about having cat assistants. I guess I'm in the minority in that I don't consider these new merchants to be "better" or "more appealing." Even if they introduced the other datamined ones, I wouldn't care about getting them either, since I don't think either is really "better" than the originals. Although I might consider getting the Altmer and using her as a barmaid in my home.

reoskit

The one concern I have with the base + skin concept is the outcry there would be for those who've waited to buy a banker/merchant. They'd find that they have to buy the OG *and* the skin to get the Alfiq.

I have no skin (see what I did there) in that game, since I already have the two base, but I think people would be a bit miffed to be made to buy the banker/merchant they don't want and then have to pay to skin them.

So much skinning + cats commentary in here; I'm shocked no one has pointed it out.

xaraan

Tasear wrote: »

xaraan wrote: »

I wish they'd sell them as skins. And offer more variety - I'd love to have argonian versions of merchant and banker.

Long term would be more profitable. Have base + skins

definitely, I would collect skins, where as for these, idk, I might get the alfiqs cuz they are neat, but wouldn't buy any others unless they offered argonian ones in future.

Kuramas9tails

I think it should be treated how the Warden bear is. You should be able to slot what look you want for the Banker but not cost a full amount from when you first buy it. Pay a base cost for the banker and additional for "skins".

This should also be added to Sorc pets as well.

Darkhorse1975

When I'm doing crafting writs and see 3-4 bankers standing around the turn-in location I head cannon that its the Andromo Brothers Moving Company there to pick up the goods to take to Cyrodiil (to explain the similar looks and uniforms). Any suggestions for adding a glaring of cats there too?

Marginis

bluebird wrote: »

Marginis wrote: »

While I kind of agree and would like to see a discount for players who already bought the original assistants, I can easily see why ZOS is doing it the way they are. I mean, they don't give a discount on mounts to someone who has already bought another mount. Plus, this way one can put multiple bankers in their player owned homes so that players don't have to run all the way to the other side of the house just to use a banker. Stuff like this is just the nature of the game as far as I can see, as much as I can sympathize.

The difference is that mounts are a separate cosmetic category and everybody was aware from the start that there would be different versions of mounts in the game, with newer ones added over time. But Assistants are account upgrades.

That's like selling a Character Slot and then years later adding better looking character slots (stupid example I know but just go with it - a character slot with a special cosmetic border around it or whatever ). Or selling storage chests which people buy for their account because of functionality and ZOS later adding different reskins that are more cosmetically appealing.

Price concerns are the main issue here I think - the suggestion people mentioned above that ZOS could sell the banker and merchant at the usual high price for their functionality and then sell skins for them at a lower price would be a better solution imo, and they could continue making money that way with future reskins.

I absolutely see what you're saying, and while I disagree with the notion that assistants are special (ever since the update like... 4 years ago? mounts are account-wide upgrades that you can swap out with differently skinned ones that you can buy, in my opinion just the same as the assistants) the concerns about monetization we agree on, and how ZOS handles stuff like this should be different. There should be a better way around this.

I'd say what should happen is give all the players that bought the original assistants the new cat ones for free (or give the original purchasers refunds), and then introduce the original assistants as unlocks from gameplay for everyone. That way they're more similar to other crown store upgrades, and it gives them the freedom to and the probability to release more cosmetic assistant upgrades in the future. In that case, even for those that aren't fans of cats, there's a likelyhood we might get I don't know... dwemer machine assistants, or atronach assistants.

It's unlikely, because ZOS could just decide to release the new stuff without giving refunds and make more money, but I think that would make it more fair at least. I mean, mounts should be cheaper, but that's just how things are. Even though they're just reskins for something you already have, they can cost upwards of 30 bucks each.

My bet too is that their response to something like this would be "well, you already got use out of the assistants, so we can't really give you a refund. That's what live service means". I didn't get refunded for my subscription before the craft bag and before DLC, and for... so many other things, and while I disagree with a lot of it, it's a live service game so it should be expected.

My striped senche mount is one of the most boring looking mounts out there, because it released years ago, but I still enjoy it, despite so many better and more exciting cosmetic versions of the senche mount being released. Hell, I still find uses for that old imperial horse and the default brown horse, just like I'd still find a use for the boring storage chests we have now if ZOS released cosmetically superior versions of them, and just like I can use the assistants in my house still even though I have the clearly superior cat assistants.

Hauteecole_Rider16

They’re there because someone has tuna or catnip or moon sugar (your choice) in their pocketses . . .

Jamdarius

I still want some Dunmer merchant female, Nuzhi is just meh... TBH I counted more on different kinds of NPC;s that could be used in our homes like stablemaster or bard... guess only Khajiit folks can fill their home with their race.

I say it is unfair and I want skins for all races =]

blnchk

It's just been confirmed by Rich Lambert during ZOS' AMA on Reddit:

There is no upgrade feature or program for the banker/merchant.

grannas211

Hi everyone,

Re: Crown Store Showcase – June 2019 / Alfiq Banker & Merchant

Will there be a way for people who already have the old banker and merchant to upgrade to the Alfiq ones rather having to purchase at full price?

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ZOS_RichLambert
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just now
There is no upgrade feature or program for the banker/merchant.

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For confirmation

AlienSlof

Well, that's crap.

StormChaser3000

I don't have a banker, so I'll grab that cat (dark elf is too ugly indeed). But as for the merchant, no cat can replace my Nuzi. I like her much more.

Synnastix

I would like to use one of my alts for banker / merchant please. At least let me use my other toon as a skin so i could make them look however I want.

Svenja

As already reported here, there won't be an upgrade function. This is from the AUA with ZOS Devs on reddit.

Loralai_907

As cute as the new assistants are, I'm not getting them. I have the originals, and paying another 10k crowns isn't working for me. There has been no improvements to their functions either. So I'm not interested.

blnchk

mommadani907 wrote: »

As cute as the new assistants are, I'm not getting them. I have the originals, and paying another 10k crowns isn't working for me. There has been no improvements to their functions either. So I'm not interested.

I guess they're (literally?) banking on the whales to spend this outrageous sum a second time. Not surprising, but still disappointing.

MasterSpatula

Offering the new assistants at a discount to anyone who already has the old assistants would turn a lot of Nopes into Yesses. It would be outright foolish of them not to do so.

However, ZOS does seem to be a company that would often rather sell to a few whales than sell to many proles.

LordLomax

Am I the only one that is hoping they are going to put the originals on sale so can buy them then ? As don’t like the cat ones ?

Acrolas

Nemesis7884 wrote: »

However, ZOS does seem to be a company that would often rather sell to a few whales than sell to many proles.

I mean, if that's the binary choice you're giving us, make me a *** whale. Proles is NOT a compliment.

Aimora

Wow that is totally ridiculous, so basically if they do another banker/merchant option later in the game you are expected to fork out another 5K crowns, I honestly didn’t think ZO$ could actually any greedier, but with each crown store showcase they prove me wrong every time lol

mistermacintosh

I want the new assistants, but would have preferred skins for my current ones. As far as whether ZOS is treating us unfairly, I guess I would say that technically, no, they are not because this is a luxury item.

It's like buying a car then seeing the new model and regretting your purchase. Do you need a new car when your current one functions just fine? Did the company wrong you buy not giving you the new one for a fraction of its cost? No, they did what companies do - change the product slightly, call it new and sell it again.

The primary difference here is that you can trade in your current vehicle toward the price of the new one because a car has resale value. Unfortunately, a digital assistant does not.

So is it worth it for ZOS to lose money on full-priced assistants purely to keep their customers happy? I would like to think subscribers who have already pumped hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars into this game since its launch would be given special consideration, but I'm not holding my breath.

I guess we will find out tomorrow.

Mik195

MasterSpatula wrote: »

Offering the new assistants at a discount to anyone who already has the old assistants would turn a lot of Nopes into Yesses. It would be outright foolish of them not to do so.

However, ZOS does seem to be a company that would often rather sell to a few whales than sell to many proles.

Well ZOS might have missed the mark on that then. I probably could be considered someone who is a high spender. I bought a notable Reapers March house this weekend because it is right next to the Clothing survey. I'm not a little bit tempted to drop 20k crowns to replace my banker/merchant on both servers at full price.

WhyMustItBe

Anyone have a link to where ZOS said they would offer an option for people that already had the banker/merchant to replace them with skins at a discount?