I'm sick of everything going into the crates

TelvanniWizard

I finally became too frustrated by the lack of direct purchase items, and the general unavailability of them. I started playing SWTOR and, oh my, that's an awesome store they got in there!

mikejezz

I bought 14 storm crates from my eso plus and I got fregging dresses I can't sell. I'm playing as a male character so I have no interest in dresses.

CaptainVenom

People shouldn't really mind... it's all about cosmetics and consumables anyways. Very cool ones, true, but nothing life-changing.

mikejezz wrote: »

I bought 14 storm crates from my eso plus and I got fregging dresses I can't sell. I'm playing as a male character so I have no interest in dresses.

Too bad, You could have been a gorgeous drag queen.

Goregrinder

In order to gamble, I need some sort of monetary currency I can pay rent with, that I can possibly lose and gain absolutely nothing of any value in return (empty handed), but also the house could lose and I win (come up ahead from very little). That's 3 different sets of criteria.

Let's apply that to crates:

I buy crowns and then pay my rent or buy a car with them? No that doesn't quite fit. Wait I win an item with said purchased crowns then...put a down payment on a house with said item? Hm no that doesn't work.

Ok well let's see if I can lose everything. I buy a crate and get nothing in return....wait no I always get items. There's at least 4-items, and it happens every crate. There hasn't been a single crate I have opened where zero items dropped, which is part of the gambling criteria. Ok so the house can't just take my money and give me nothing in return, so that's also a bust.

Ok well what about the other way around? Can I bet $5 and then walk away with my original $5 plus extra? Well no my money is spent the moment I buy crowns so I can't ever convert it back to real currency again....but I can potentially win an item that would have cost a lot more than $5 to get, so I guess the player CAN walk away ahead.

So basically what we have here is a standard consensual transaction rather than a gamble of a currency. The player can never walk away empty handed, neither can the house, and no valuable currency is actually exchanged, it's just a service being provided similar to Netflix, paid Email boxes, or Resume building websites.

Well hot damn...I was really hoping to nail ZOS for gambling crates, but I guess if I am a man of definitions, this does not count...better luck next time I guess.

darthgummibear_ESO

Goregrinder wrote: »

In order to gamble, I need some sort of monetary currency I can pay rent with, that I can possibly lose and gain absolutely nothing of any value in return (empty handed), but also the house could lose and I win (come up ahead from very little). That's 3 different sets of criteria.

Let's apply that to crates:

I buy crowns and then pay my rent or buy a car with them? No that doesn't quite fit. Wait I win an item with said purchased crowns then...put a down payment on a house with said item? Hm no that doesn't work.

Ok well let's see if I can lose everything. I buy a crate and get nothing in return....wait no I always get items. There's at least 4-items, and it happens every crate. There hasn't been a single crate I have opened where zero items dropped, which is part of the gambling criteria. Ok so the house can't just take my money and give me nothing in return, so that's also a bust.

Ok well what about the other way around? Can I bet $5 and then walk away with my original $5 plus extra? Well no my money is spent the moment I buy crowns so I can't ever convert it back to real currency again....but I can potentially win an item that would have cost a lot more than $5 to get, so I guess the player CAN walk away ahead.

So basically what we have here is a standard consensual transaction rather than a gamble of a currency. The player can never walk away empty handed, neither can the house, and no valuable currency is actually exchanged, it's just a service being provided similar to Netflix, paid Email boxes, or Resume building websites.

Well hot damn...I was really hoping to nail ZOS for gambling crates, but I guess if I am a man of definitions, this does not count...better luck next time I guess.

This is the kind of BS pedantic argument that allows companies to get away with this crap. It's a matter of time before they change the legal definition of gambling, and to deny that this follows the same predatory behavior just makes you another sheep.

alaskasnowgirl

darthgummibear_ESO wrote: »

CeroSerotonin wrote: »

I noticed the Auroran Knight is now purchasable in crown gems. In a way, the price of it went up because you have to gamble more crates to get it (100 gems in comparison to the previous 2000 crowns/1600 crowns with ESO+) or who knows, the RNG may be kind.

This is another issue I've noticed lately. They keep taking way stuff that has been on the store for direct purchase just to shove it into the crates.

@darthgummibear_ESO

While I understand that some people dislike that, I actually don't mind this because it's nice to be able to access something that I wouldn't spend the crowns directly purchasing. Every crown crate season I spend about 5k-10k crowns on the crates. This season I spent about 6.5k. I had the black Auroran horse drop and bought the costume and the other horse with gems. I actually saved crowns this way and got other loot including an Apex on top of that. Depending on how good your RNG is you can actually save a lot of crowns just by buying loot crates. I like having the ability to purchase things directly in the store but I also enjoy being able to get them for less total crowns through the crates as well.

mikejezz

alaskasnowgirl wrote: »

darthgummibear_ESO wrote: »

CeroSerotonin wrote: »

I noticed the Auroran Knight is now purchasable in crown gems. In a way, the price of it went up because you have to gamble more crates to get it (100 gems in comparison to the previous 2000 crowns/1600 crowns with ESO+) or who knows, the RNG may be kind.

This is another issue I've noticed lately. They keep taking way stuff that has been on the store for direct purchase just to shove it into the crates.

@darthgummibear_ESO

While I understand that some people dislike that, I actually don't mind this because it's nice to be able to access something that I wouldn't spend the crowns directly purchasing. Every crown crate season I spend about 5k-10k crowns on the crates. This season I spent about 6.5k. I had the black Auroran horse drop and bought the costume and the other horse with gems. I actually saved crowns this way and got other loot including an Apex on top of that. Depending on how good your RNG is you can actually save a lot of crowns just by buying loot crates. I like having the ability to purchase things directly in the store but I also enjoy being able to get them for less total crowns through the crates as well.

Well what can I say. Congrats on being lucky?

I bought 14 crates and just got enough gems to get mind shriven after destroying everything except a stupid dress I'm not allowed to remove from my account even though I only play male characters.

OneForSorrow

They're annoying. I buy crates with my monthly crowns sometimes just to spend crowns on something but only if it's a crate season with NUMEROUS items I want. Overwhelming majority I sit out completely.

They could at least give us crates as a log in bonus again.

Or, better yet....not do the crates at all.

kensan62_ESO

I dont mind the crates too much. Sometimes it gets out of hand with the amount they offer with the crates and crown gems vs the actual crown store offerings. Crown crates would be a more positive thing if they made the regular crown store more robust with items on a regular basis with the crown crates serving as only those extremely hard to get mounts and such. Lately, everything is going into the crown crates and cost crown gems to buy. I would absolutely buy a specific mount for alittle more money vs rolling the dice on a crown crate. Unfortunately, they do seem to charge alot for subpar looking mounts while still filling the crown crates with the epic ones. Not sure there is a fix until those in charge become more creative and less greedy.

Scion_of_Yggdrasil

Just thought I'd revisit to read through others thoughts since I've been away, and its very interesting hearing both sides of the argument.

When I have leftover crowns I will sometimes buy a few to, over time, collect crown gems for when something inevitably gets added that I absolutely need lol, but I cringe when feeding the machine. The sheer idea of me giving you my money (because I love housing and occasionally buy crowns outside of ESO+ monthlies for furniture) for a chaaaance to get what I want... disgusting. Combined with how few gems you can get from one crate, and how expensive gem items are.....

The exclusivity of these crates, not to mention how grossly overpriced they are, is the main issue. There should be free crates distributed, as part of the daily rewards calendar, or as a reward for a daily quest (potential for 1 crate a day/week, especially with how rare some of the drop rates are). If the whole point is to increase play time, and revenue, why alienate players and cater your market to whales? A big spender might do just that, spend a lot of money, but then how much longer do you think they play before getting bored? Whereas you have a large audience of players who not only play regularly, but are also willing so spend, within reason, regularly.

A popular mobile MMO I used to play had similar methods of making money. "Summons" that worked against players to make big spending the only way to get the exclusive heroes, which eventually were made useless by the latest and greatest exclusive heroes which were even MORE rare to obtain, resulting in even more spending. Its outrageous.

While crown crates don't offer a competitive edge, being mainly cosmetic stuff, the message is very clear. Crown crates only care about money, not players, not long time ES fans. You are only leaving a sour taste in the majority of players mouths. And when new players come along, they are going to see these greedy practices for what they are, and immediately get turned off, and not give ESO a chance. Combine that with the performance issues... its a shot in the foot.

MagicalLija

I would like a Travelling merchant system to be introduced in the Crown Store (Could be called Pacrootis Store of Mystical Wonders)

Sweaty lucky mounts: 5000 Crowns
Apex Mounts: 2500 Crowns
Legendary Items: 1250 Crowns
Epic Items: 700 Crowns
Superior items: 500 Crowns

Probably not by these prices, but I would still like them to be completely NON-RNG based.

Veinblood1965

Personally people will find a way to spend money on foolish things. If ZoS got rid of crates would you be willling to pay $30 a month for a subscription - ESO plus? I think the howling would never end if that occured. ZoS has financial goals to answer to and taking a loss is not good for business or job positions.

mikejezz

MagicAndrej wrote: »

I would like a Travelling merchant system to be introduced in the Crown Store (Could be called Pacrootis Store of Mystical Wonders)

Sweaty lucky mounts: 5000 Crowns
Apex Mounts: 2500 Crowns
Legendary Items: 1250 Crowns
Epic Items: 700 Crowns
Superior items: 500 Crowns

Probably not by these prices, but I would still like them to be completely NON-RNG based.

If you'd put two zeros behind each price I think it's more possible zenimax would put it in.

Scion_of_Yggdrasil

MagicAndrej wrote: »

I would like a Travelling merchant system to be introduced in the Crown Store (Could be called Pacrootis Store of Mystical Wonders)

Sweaty lucky mounts: 5000 Crowns
Apex Mounts: 2500 Crowns
Legendary Items: 1250 Crowns
Epic Items: 700 Crowns
Superior items: 500 Crowns

Probably not by these prices, but I would still like them to be completely NON-RNG based.

Literally anything other than gambling is an improvement.

DreamsUnderStars

I would love it if they got rid of the auto-add feature from loot boxes. I have SO many mounts, pets, and cosmetics I never wanted and can't get gems from because of this.

Zer0_CooL

Today i learned that there are actually people playing a game for its ingame store.

dhboy123

Unfortunately this will never change because the 5% of people who are buying these crates most likely spend 80-90% of the money that ZOS are trying to raise from releasing them.

Go look on Youtube, people spending £500+ to get one mount, it's crazy and it is gambling, ZOS need to realise this and stop preying on these people addicted to buying them.

Scion_of_Yggdrasil

dhboy123 wrote: »

Unfortunately this will never change because the 5% of people who are buying these crates most likely spend 80-90% of the money that ZOS are trying to raise from releasing them.

Go look on Youtube, people spending £500+ to get one mount, it's crazy and it is gambling, ZOS need to realise this and stop preying on these people addicted to buying them.

I don't watch streamers or much gaming in general, but the occasional house tour, or strategy guide (like dungeons, or how to unlock things) on youtube, so I didn't even know there were people actually doing this. You would think there would be more of an outcry with video proof of how much money it can take before your gambling gets you what you want. Eesh.

Starlock

Scion_of_Yggdrasil wrote: »

dhboy123 wrote: »

Unfortunately this will never change because the 5% of people who are buying these crates most likely spend 80-90% of the money that ZOS are trying to raise from releasing them.

Go look on Youtube, people spending £500+ to get one mount, it's crazy and it is gambling, ZOS need to realise this and stop preying on these people addicted to buying them.

I don't watch streamers or much gaming in general, but the occasional house tour, or strategy guide (like dungeons, or how to unlock things) on youtube, so I didn't even know there were people actually doing this. You would think there would be more of an outcry with video proof of how much money it can take before your gambling gets you what you want. Eesh.

There is if you look in the right places. For reasons of obvious self-interest, video game publishers don't want these stories circulating. It can (and has) attracted legal trouble for them. Deservedly so.

However, a lot of kids growing up these days are unfortunately normalized to unscrupulous monetization of video games now. They think it's normal. Education is really the only recourse for that. One of my favorite resources for that has become The Psychology of Gaming, which is put together by a Ph.D. whose research focuses on that very subject. He writes in a fairly accessible style even if you don't have a background in psychology and presents things in a fairly neutral fashion. Good coverage of how game designers take advantage of how our brains work to monetize themselves.

TropicsDelight

TelvanniWizard wrote: »

I finally became too frustrated by the lack of direct purchase items, and the general unavailability of them. I started playing SWTOR and, oh my, that's an awesome store they got in there!

I was looking at Skyrim mods to look at some potential hairstyles for ESO that could be discussed and saw some new mods that added dozens of additional styles that did not even exist back when I quit skyrim. I then saw a huge number of new armor styles and the vast number of cosmetics options that simply crushes the available options in ESO.

As one who very much likes to work on the cosmetics side of the game and tweaking my characters appearance I am starting to question whether to keep playing ESO and paying the ESO+ sub (the only way to really play it as I craft) or if I simply quit ESO and go back into Skyrim with it's vastly superior character creation system and vastly more extensive cosmetics options.

Not only does ESO not have the selection their customers want, they flat out ignore each and every thread asking about more cosmetics options being added, [snip]

[Edited to remove Discussion of Moderator Action]

LADYKiLLER

I would spend more money, more reliably, if I could guarantee getting what I want in exchange. If I want to gamble, I'll go to Vegas. At least they give you free drinks while they're stealing from you.

Scion_of_Yggdrasil

LADYKiLLER wrote: »

I would spend more money, more reliably, if I could guarantee getting what I want in exchange. If I want to gamble, I'll go to Vegas. At least they give you free drinks while they're stealing from you.

As would most, I feel. I personally don't mind spending crowns on furniture. Are the prices still a bit ridiculous? Of course! But at least I am getting what I want, without any "bologna sandwiches." The price of houses? Absurd, but I was willing to buy Alinor Crest Townhouse.

The part that drives me mad is hearing that they eventually increased crown pricetags (i.e. the cost of homes). It makes no sense, its not like the cost of manufacturing went up. Its just plain greed.