Does anyone use the Crown store alt-convenience options?

AlnilamE

@Sylvermynx As others suggested, keeping an eye on the extra campaigns right now during MYM is a great way to get the skyshards behind the gates on any character. You just need to rush through the gate and then stealth when you lose the guards and make your way to the skyshard.

If your alliance holds the gate keeps for the gate you are going through, suicide at the temple and rez at the other gate to get the other skyshard (you can't go between the gates from the inside.

worrallj

For those on this thread saying they grudgingly buy a skill line and even though its annoying they don't see the harm - just ponder for a moment the way this business model changes the game.

Consider the auger of the obscure psyjic quest. I'm fairly confident that ENTIRE quest chain was created for the sole purpose of creating a pay wall (or perhaps a 'pay fence' is a more appropriate term since you can climb over it if you want to take the time). The pay2skip business model incentivizes putting more and more deliberately obnoxious content into the game.

Paying for cosmetic stuff like housing items - fine its just some fun icing on the cake. Paying for race change tokens - eh ok sure its not as though there's an ingame way to change your race but people still want to do it. But I think paying to skip actual gameplay dramatically changes the incentive structure of the game developer in a negative way.

AlnilamE

worrallj wrote: »

For those on this thread saying they grudgingly buy a skill line and even though its annoying they don't see the harm - just ponder for a moment the way this business model changes the game.

Consider the auger of the obscure psyjic quest. I'm fairly confident that ENTIRE quest chain was created for the sole purpose of creating a pay wall (or perhaps a 'pay fence' is a more appropriate term since you can climb over it if you want to take the time). The pay2skip business model incentivizes putting more and more deliberately obnoxious content into the game.

Paying for cosmetic stuff like housing items - fine its just some fun icing on the cake. Paying for race change tokens - eh ok sure its not as though there's an ingame way to change your race but people still want to do it. But I think paying to skip actual gameplay dramatically changes the incentive structure of the game developer in a negative way.

The Psijic quest line was there way before there were buyable skill lines, so no. This is the result of countless threads from players *begging* to be able to skip content so they can treat ESO like a MOBA.

Leave the Augur alone!

Prof_Bawbag

The only thing i have bought was the cyrodiil AD shard bundle. Getting those gate shards is always a proper pain. EP gate shards are never a problem, though. I'm not in Cyrodiil often so every time I tend to be there, those gates are never open. Nothing else is worth it. Even some skill lines.

worrallj

AlnilamE wrote: »

worrallj wrote: »

For those on this thread saying they grudgingly buy a skill line and even though its annoying they don't see the harm - just ponder for a moment the way this business model changes the game.

Consider the auger of the obscure psyjic quest. I'm fairly confident that ENTIRE quest chain was created for the sole purpose of creating a pay wall (or perhaps a 'pay fence' is a more appropriate term since you can climb over it if you want to take the time). The pay2skip business model incentivizes putting more and more deliberately obnoxious content into the game.

Paying for cosmetic stuff like housing items - fine its just some fun icing on the cake. Paying for race change tokens - eh ok sure its not as though there's an ingame way to change your race but people still want to do it. But I think paying to skip actual gameplay dramatically changes the incentive structure of the game developer in a negative way.

The Psijic quest line was there way before there were buyable skill lines, so no. This is the result of countless threads from players *begging* to be able to skip content so they can treat ESO like a MOBA.

Leave the Augur alone!

True, but it followed shortly after. That questline is so dang ridiculous - retreading every zone you've already been in with a random aussie skull whinging in your ear the entire time - I have to think there was some forethought there.

Sylvermynx

I love the Psijic questline. I run it on nearly everyone.

Katlefiya

Sylvermynx wrote: »

I love the Psijic questline. I run it on nearly everyone.

Don't understand the hate for it, either.

DreamsUnderStars

It's convenience store pricing. You could pay less for a pad of paper at Walmart, but you're at the gas station and walmart is 30 minutes away. Do you *really* need the paper now?

That's what they are doing with sky shards and the like. Also whales don't care how much money they spend on the game (it's an addiction almost).

The *only* one I would even kinda consider getting would be the Cyrodil skyshards, and even then it's not that much of a PITA during the non-event times. Other than that, never have... especially that rip-off item for the outfit tab at 1500 crowns (I would if it was account wide for sure).

sarahthes

When trying to level an alt in 3 days to be ready for endgame content... yes I buy skyshards. It's 50 crowns per shard and means I can use my time power leveling skills while I do mages guild, undaunted, and fighters guild.

Kiralyn2000

I honestly think I wouldn't get most of them even if they were free. As others have said, why skip playing the game?

DreamsUnderStars wrote: »

It's convenience store pricing. You could pay less for a pad of paper at Walmart, but you're at the gas station and walmart is 30 minutes away.

Or, do you want to go out to find a convenience store to get a soda... or pay through the nose for the one in your hotel room's mini-bar?

Fennwitty

I did for the Psijic line on one character to prep for Midyear Mayhem.

I just couldn't go through it again.

I've considered the skyshards when I made a new character recently but sticker shock drove me off. Way too high for 1-2 skill points.

Mik195

AlnilamE wrote: »

worrallj wrote: »

For those on this thread saying they grudgingly buy a skill line and even though its annoying they don't see the harm - just ponder for a moment the way this business model changes the game.

Consider the auger of the obscure psyjic quest. I'm fairly confident that ENTIRE quest chain was created for the sole purpose of creating a pay wall (or perhaps a 'pay fence' is a more appropriate term since you can climb over it if you want to take the time). The pay2skip business model incentivizes putting more and more deliberately obnoxious content into the game.

Paying for cosmetic stuff like housing items - fine its just some fun icing on the cake. Paying for race change tokens - eh ok sure its not as though there's an ingame way to change your race but people still want to do it. But I think paying to skip actual gameplay dramatically changes the incentive structure of the game developer in a negative way.

The Psijic quest line was there way before there were buyable skill lines, so no. This is the result of countless threads from players *begging* to be able to skip content so they can treat ESO like a MOBA.

Leave the Augur alone!

Sure, get rid of addons for lore books, treasure maps (ledgermain leveling) and skyshards and we can talk. Or, I'm fine if these items are limited to console.

caperb

Kiralyn2000 wrote: »

I honestly think I wouldn't get most of them even if they were free. As others have said, why skip playing the game?

Because this maybe 30 hour grind for mages, fighters, psijic, undaunted and skyshard prior to being able to play an is not considered playing the game by many, especially when you have done it many times already.

Still the cost of the upgrades is way too high to be a viable option.

Goregrinder

Oh yeah it's a big time saver. Not having to grind Alliance line, Psijic, Fighters guild etc on alts has been a godsend. Same with Skyshard unlocks....I don't know who has the time to spend all day running around all zones, but I don't. Or rather I value my time higher than that and would rather spend my time logged in doing things other than grinding for something....I'd rather just log into an alt, unlock every skill or passive they need for a build with a few clicks, then get to PVPing.

Ascarl

worrallj wrote: »

Hell no. I'm already a subscriber, that's how I support the game. I will not normalize & encourage the cancer that is videogame cash shops.

If you are subscriber you should have enough crowns to buy these things from time to time. At least this is what I do with the crowns I get from subscribing. If I remember correctly that about 20k crowns per year.

WoppaBoem

PVP player here, paid for all undaunted and spijic skill lines since they made this possible. I am using alliance change token every 2 months and spend many race change tokens.

Zulera301

I have 33 characters over two accounts, and both accounts are subbed.

Add up all the alt upgrades abd multiply that by 31 (since I have a "main" on each account). Think I'm paying that much? lol, no.

rpa

The day I feel urge to pay to not play a game is the day I quit that game. But it's just me. By all means feel free to.

Florial

I'm usually a slow paced player and don't mind visiting various places for skyshards, etc. I do have to admit that I bought some skyshard crown packages when I was leveling up a second character for archelogy. I needed a quick boost of skill points and this was a quick and easy way. Now I'm back to discovering skyshards are my own pace. I like that the option is there and for me, it was very useful.

Oreyn_Bearclaw

I have bought the psijic line on a few toons (i did it the long way I believe 7 times) as well as a handful of skyshards, usually when I am in a pinch and need a skill for a raid or something.

For me, it comes down to cost benefit. How much time am I saving, how much could I make in real life money in said time frame at work, etc. I don't love doing it, but I have. I don't really care about most things in the CS, so might as well spend by sub crowns on something useful.

cjdean128ub17_ESO

renne wrote: »

Alinhbo_Tyaka wrote: »

The only one I've ever considered is for Cyrodiil Skyshards since I don't go there except during MYM for tickets. Of course this assumes I collect them all on my main at some point and the gates to the other alliance areas are open for me to get to the ones I haven't completed.

Honestly, MYM is probably the best time to get them, as you can bounce from campaign to campaign looking to see if the gates are open and there's way more likely to be scroll raiding happening.

If you are going for them and you've never done it before (or for other first timers), my suggestions are as follows:

- check out the maps of where the skyshards are specifically online before you go in there and drop a marker
- if you're not on a nightblade, craft some invisibility pots, because even when the gates are open there's still guards unless you follow a zerg through.
- if you are on a nightblade, unlock shadowy cloak and make sure you have enough mag to keep it up
- if you don't want to go the invisibility way, getting in as close as you can and hitting rapids (if you have them unlocked) or having any other speed boost is a bonus
- have a spam heal if you can
- once you get through the gate and out of aggro with the gate guards, crouch ASAP to get into stealth from them AND any players

You don't have to be of the Alliance who opened the gates either, they're open for EVERYONE.

I also recommend once you get through the gate heading left or right at a right angle the moment you get through the gate and especially once you can get into stealth safely, because that means any unfriendly players coming to the gate won't see you once you're crouched because you're effectly invisible unless they're close to you.

Take a breather to let the adrenaline settle, then go get your skyshard. Stay off roads, stay in the wilderness. People generally ride on the road or in a direct line between their home base and the gate so avoid that. You don't have to stay in stealth but you can if it makes you more comfortable.

Get the skyshard and let the good in.

Rinse and repeat three more times.

This is a ton of wisdom hidden in a relatively unrelated post. I really appreciate you posting this. I've copy pasted this into a word document I use for valuable ESO info I collect.

Hopefully more people can read it. That's why I quoted it in full.

Thannazzar

Only the Cyrodil Skyshards, anything that avoids having to do PVP is a sanity saver.

cjdean128ub17_ESO

Would anyone who said no consider it if ZoS dropped the prices by like, 5x?

150 for Skyshard zone.
500-750 for a skill line.
Etc

I can see some people are 100% opposed because it monetizes something that is free, but to those on alt #2 or #3, what do you think?

Araneae6537

I create alts because I want to play them, obviously, but that doesn’t mean I want to do all the same content repeatedly. However, I rarely get any of these upgrades because of the price — two times I bought a three skyshard achievement and the first time I did so, it was because for some reason I thought I couldn’t access other Alliance starting zones. (I was a newb, which I think is what most of these things, take advantage of. Who else would pay Crowns for a respec scroll??? Anything more than 10 Crowns is grossly overpriced for such a thing. )

Sylvermynx

cjdean128ub17_ESO wrote: »

Would anyone who said no consider it if ZoS dropped the prices by like, 5x?

150 for Skyshard zone.
500-750 for a skill line.
Etc

I can see some people are 100% opposed because it monetizes something that is free, but to those on alt #2 or #3, what do you think?

I'm on alt 56. I still am perfectly happy to gather my own skyshards and work on my own skill lines. I LOVE leveling alts.

QuebraRegra

was tired AF, and wanted to just complete mages guild (console no addon) on an alt... looked at prices and NOPE!

aurorable

Nope way to expensive, I don't have money to burn.

renne

cjdean128ub17_ESO wrote: »

renne wrote: »

Alinhbo_Tyaka wrote: »

The only one I've ever considered is for Cyrodiil Skyshards since I don't go there except during MYM for tickets. Of course this assumes I collect them all on my main at some point and the gates to the other alliance areas are open for me to get to the ones I haven't completed.

Honestly, MYM is probably the best time to get them, as you can bounce from campaign to campaign looking to see if the gates are open and there's way more likely to be scroll raiding happening.

If you are going for them and you've never done it before (or for other first timers), my suggestions are as follows:

- check out the maps of where the skyshards are specifically online before you go in there and drop a marker
- if you're not on a nightblade, craft some invisibility pots, because even when the gates are open there's still guards unless you follow a zerg through.
- if you are on a nightblade, unlock shadowy cloak and make sure you have enough mag to keep it up
- if you don't want to go the invisibility way, getting in as close as you can and hitting rapids (if you have them unlocked) or having any other speed boost is a bonus
- have a spam heal if you can
- once you get through the gate and out of aggro with the gate guards, crouch ASAP to get into stealth from them AND any players

You don't have to be of the Alliance who opened the gates either, they're open for EVERYONE.

I also recommend once you get through the gate heading left or right at a right angle the moment you get through the gate and especially once you can get into stealth safely, because that means any unfriendly players coming to the gate won't see you once you're crouched because you're effectly invisible unless they're close to you.

Take a breather to let the adrenaline settle, then go get your skyshard. Stay off roads, stay in the wilderness. People generally ride on the road or in a direct line between their home base and the gate so avoid that. You don't have to stay in stealth but you can if it makes you more comfortable.

Get the skyshard and let the good in.

Rinse and repeat three more times.

This is a ton of wisdom hidden in a relatively unrelated post. I really appreciate you posting this. I've copy pasted this into a word document I use for valuable ESO info I collect.

Hopefully more people can read it. That's why I quoted it in full.

You're welcome. This is just from my experiences because I've done it on a nightblade and a templar - which I didn't use invisibility pots for, I just went as fast as possible. Which reminds me, I didn't mention that for that I was on a horse, too, so I got through as far as I could with the buffer of the horse's stam before I was knocked down - it means you can get a little further in than just running - then I ran like the blazes spamming Breath of Life until I could successfully disengage.

Literally the only time I died on my templar was when I encountered an enemy player because I didn't go off at a right angle to the gate, I made the mistake of going too far straight ahead. Hence the going left or right tip.

FantasticFreddie

I value my time, I bought psijic and mages guild skill lines for a trials healer I wanted to level up fast, and psijic on a dps.
I have 5 toons I completely leveled up in psijic, 3 more under construction that I feel compelled to finish, and 7 toons that have never touched it... No lie if I realize I need it on another I'll just buy it. I hate it so much.
I've bought a handful of skyshards here and there.

Starlock

cjdean128ub17_ESO wrote: »

Would anyone who said no consider it if ZoS dropped the prices by like, 5x?

150 for Skyshard zone.
500-750 for a skill line.
Etc

I can see some people are 100% opposed because it monetizes something that is free, but to those on alt #2 or #3, what do you think?

Allowing cheat code functions or NewGame+ functions (which is basically what this stuff is) should simply be built into the game and not monetized at all. Other games do this. Historically, this is how games simply worked. It was built-in. Or, at most, it was a feature included alongside a more substantive DLC expansion that you paid for ONCE. Consider the face sculptor in Skyrim, for example. Infinite appearance changes, paid for by the customer ONCE and it wasn't even the main feature of the DLC. Same deal with the respec system they added in Dragonborn DLC. That's how this stuff should have been handled in this game. Add a NewGame+ feature or cheat codes feature as part of a chapter or DLC and sell that to the customer ONCE.