anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

I'm not sure what you guys are complaining about.

• If you think the assistants are not worth having because they lack features => fine, don't buy them, this is none of your business, it doesn't affect you.
• If you think the assistants are worth having but too expensive and people won't buy them => if you're right, just wait, the price will be adjusted downwards. If you're wrong, then many people will buy them, it will make money for the game and we'll get extra features and functionalities in the base game without having to pay extra cash for it because they'll be financed buy these crown shop items.

I fail to see in what situation you'd loose anything.
And finally, every penny earned by ZOS is a penny more for game stability and development (well that's an assumption on my side because nothing tells us they invest all profit back into development, but it's a security for the long term future of the game).

Stop bashing, start thinking. Noone forces you to buy.

While I agree with the sentiment of your post, I can't agree with your base assumptions. I've owned this game for almost two years and I've subbed the entire time. I've never been closer to cancelling my sub than I am right now.

I kept my sub alive because of your sentiment: "every penny earned by ZOS is a penny more for game stability and development." Now, after almost two years and spending several hundred dollars supporting the game, I think it's fair to ask how much of an obligation I have to keep supporting a game that remains broken.

And to be clear: I'm not talking design elements I disagree with; I'm referring to bugs and broken systems which have been acknowledge by Matt Firor as broken but without any ETA for repair or improvement. "It's a big game," he says. "Repairs have to be made incrementally." Okay, then my subscription should be paid incrementally.

When ESO announces a crown store item that costs any extraordinary amount of money, it is reasonable for players to ask what they're paying for. And why aren't bugs getting fixed in the meantime? What about the acknowledged problems in Cyrodiil? What about announced developments in the game that we've been waiting years for (e.g. spellcrafting). Sure, we don't have to buy the item if we think it's over-priced. On that point, you're correct. But it's still fair to question how this improves the game when so many other things need improvement.

And before anyone chimes in, let me address some predictable forum arguments:

1. You're assuming the same Zenimax employees who make the Crown Store items are the same employees who would fix the bugs and lag. You're wrong!!

Fair enough. Then how about Zenimax hire some people who know how to fix the stated problems with the game?

C'mon, some players may have owned the game for six weeks, but others of us have owned the game since release. We're tired of this. I remember when there were deer and torchbugs in Cyrodiil. Removed to make the game work. But the game still doesn't work. We see a lot of stuff going into the Crown Store but we don't always see a lot of game improvement or bugs getting fixed.

2. Do you have any idea how hard it is to make a game? Do you work in IT? Do you have a degree from yada, yada, yada?

Oh please. I am so tired of this argument. You know, I don't know how to make an Audi either, but the one I drive works perfectly fine - and is so much more complicated than this game. And if it doesn't work, it gets fixed and without excuses. Imagine what it would be like to say: "Wow, it must be really hard to make a car that goes 180 mph ... so feel free to leave off a few safety features ..."

I cannot understand the sentiment within the video game industry that states "It's okay to sell a broken product because, wow, making this product is hard." Meh. Grow up. Take responsibility for your product.

3. True but your Audi cost a hell of a lot more than this game.

Price is relative. When I bought the Imperial Edition of ESO in April of 2014 is was $79.99, making it one of the most expensive video games on the market.

4. You (and others like you) just don't want to support the game. You just want to complain.

Wrong again. I've had an unbroken subscription since 2014. I even kept my sub alive when I was working in a foreign country for two months and didn't have time to play. Yeah, I'm a casual - and I kept my sub alive because I want to like this game.

Honestly, some of us are beyond wondering what we get with our monthly subs. Crowns that we don't need? No. Experience that we REALLY don't need or even want? No. Access to DLC that we already own? No.

So what are we doing? We're subbing to support a game that we want to see improved.

5. If you're so frustrated, why don't you just leave?

Again, a fair question. And maybe it's something to think about.

The reason some of us post our complaints and frustrations on this forum is because we hope that @ZOS_GinaBruno and @ZOS_JessicaFolsom and others from Zenimax will read them and at least consider what steps need to be taken to improve the game. It's a fair and legitimate use of the game forum.

But really, asking people to leave gets you nothing. The more people leave, the less money the game makes and the worse the game gets. This should be obvious. If people leave because they don't like a particular design feature, that's one thing. Nothing is going to make them stay. But if people start leaving or unsubbing because of they've reached a critical frustration level with the game bugs that aren't getting fixed, then maybe it is time for Zenimax to evaluate what it's doing with it's available resources.

5000 crowns? None for me, then. Not even if she looks like Lydia.

flguy147ub17_ESO wrote: »

DaveMoeDee wrote: »

flguy147ub17_ESO wrote: »

That is almost $40 for a freaking assistant? WTF, i preorder new releases from Best Buy and it cost me 38 bucks plus tax. This might be the biggest ripoff i have ever seen in a video game. One assistant cost as much as i pay for entire games. Crap i bought this game on sale for $40 in December plus it gave may something like 8000-9000 crowns with it. But one assistant is 5000 crowns which is equivalent to almost $40?

More like $22. Just make sure you only buy crowns when they are on sale 5500 for $24.

No they aren't, I pulled up the PS4 store right when I posted this. It was 40 bucks for 5500 crowns

Don't buy them now. Buy them when they are on sale. Just like buying games.

Ritzey01 wrote: »

Lol 5k a good price yeh mate whatever....can buy 2 versions of the game and have money left over or 1 merchant...bargain, money well spent.

This is what i did, bought a second game for my wife, who doesnt play anymore :-( . So i just mail all my loot to this account and log on and return it about once a week. Never need to worry about full packs.

But the postage!

I think the price point is okay because I'd rather not see bankers running around all over. However, if the banker has no guild function and the merchant does not repair, I'll be passing anyway.

petraeus1 wrote: »

lookstwice wrote: »

Wow, unbelievable timing. I actually quit playing this when it became free because I have never been a fan of that model. I quit LOTRO for the reason.

But about week or two ago, I decided to sign up for month to check things out and I was starting to drink the kool aid. I only found this thread because I was actually looking for the feedback forum and was going to give ZOS some credit. And to maybe say I was partially wrong about this whole free to play business.

The store didn't seem that intrusive and I figured I would just remain an ESO+ because I was thinking okay maybe these guys aren't so bad. Add a few little things here and there and that would be fine.

LOL!!! I guess I should have stuck to my instincts. I guess glad it happened now and not later.

Except LOTRO is a pain in the arse to go around without microtransaction, whereas these assistants are hardly useful.

Of course there's marketing behind this, of course they want to make money when the inevitable sale comes.

I'm however happy with the price. I'd hate to see identical bankers running all over the place to the detriment of bristling hubs.

I'm also happy they're not very good. It's an indication that the general banking and vendoring experience isn't very bad, and that ZOS isn't interested in selling OP stuff for insane prices. They sell crappy stuff for insane prices, so I don't feel inclined to buy them.

This is great actually. Imagine if these were actually really good and actual banks and vendors were few and far between. My poor wallet. Now I can shrug and smile and notice how reasonably priced the DLC is by comparison.

Good points!! Maybe my reaction was a little too much. I guess I still just have my doubts about free to play games. LOTRO probably just added to it.

I just really like the game and I worry about that slippery slope. You can see others repeating the mistakes of the past and just hope they don't succumb to it.

IrishGirlGamer wrote: »

While I agree with the sentiment of your post, I can't agree with your base assumptions. I've owned this game for almost two years and I've subbed the entire time. I've never been closer to cancelling my sub than I am right now.

I kept my sub alive because of your sentiment: "every penny earned by ZOS is a penny more for game stability and development." Now, after almost two years and spending several hundred dollars supporting the game, I think it's fair to ask how much of an obligation I have to keep supporting a game that remains broken.

I never understood this. ZOS isn't charity. There's no need to 'support' them. You buy their product, whether that be the base game or the subscription with additional perks. They deliver that product. There's no relationship of obligations established apart from the customer making the payment and the company delivering the product as advertised.

Now I can understand when there's bugs introduced that break the game up to a point it doesn't function as can reasonably expected anymore. Thinking especially of Cyrodiil. Then there's reason to complain. But outside that, it's an illusion to think we should have a say in development pipelines. Let alone that money spent on the game, buys that right.

I've talked before about the weird way ZOS and customer share the product, as in ZOS retains the right to patch it without asking the customer's consent. With all due consequences, mostly for the better, but sometimes to its detriment. Either way, it's all covered in the TOS. You don't owe them a dime, nor do they owe us anything, apart from ensuring basic functionality and follow-up on advertisement. The price of Crown Store items doesn't fall among those.

lookstwice wrote: »

petraeus1 wrote: »

lookstwice wrote: »

Wow, unbelievable timing. I actually quit playing this when it became free because I have never been a fan of that model. I quit LOTRO for the reason.

But about week or two ago, I decided to sign up for month to check things out and I was starting to drink the kool aid. I only found this thread because I was actually looking for the feedback forum and was going to give ZOS some credit. And to maybe say I was partially wrong about this whole free to play business.

The store didn't seem that intrusive and I figured I would just remain an ESO+ because I was thinking okay maybe these guys aren't so bad. Add a few little things here and there and that would be fine.

LOL!!! I guess I should have stuck to my instincts. I guess glad it happened now and not later.

Except LOTRO is a pain in the arse to go around without microtransaction, whereas these assistants are hardly useful.

Of course there's marketing behind this, of course they want to make money when the inevitable sale comes.

I'm however happy with the price. I'd hate to see identical bankers running all over the place to the detriment of bristling hubs.

I'm also happy they're not very good. It's an indication that the general banking and vendoring experience isn't very bad, and that ZOS isn't interested in selling OP stuff for insane prices. They sell crappy stuff for insane prices, so I don't feel inclined to buy them.

This is great actually. Imagine if these were actually really good and actual banks and vendors were few and far between. My poor wallet. Now I can shrug and smile and notice how reasonably priced the DLC is by comparison.

Good points!! Maybe my reaction was a little too much. I guess I still just have my doubts about free to play games. LOTRO probably just added to it.

I just really like the game and I worry about that slippery slope. You can see others repeating the mistakes of the past and just hope they don't succumb to it.

LOTRO is hardly the same as it is free to play. You dont buy a box or anything just download it and go. Also in LOTRO you can earn the turbine points (crowns) in the game through finishing deeds (achievements). So you can theoretically earn the points to buy the dlc for the game without ever spending a nickle.

ZOS_GregoryV wrote: »

Greetings all,

We are glad to see everyone voicing their opinions in regards to the assistance. Now as this thread has become rather heated, we have removed a few posts for Flaming to help keep this civil and constructive.

Flaming: It’s okay to disagree and debate on the official ESO forums, but we do ask that you keep all disagreements civil, constructive, and on-topic. If a discussion gets heated and turns into a debate, remember that you should stick to debating the post and/or thread topic. It is never appropriate to resort to personal comments or jabs about those participating in the thread discussion.

But are you people actually TAKING NOTE of the sentiments here? This is GREED, pure and simple. Greed.

Did someone say: 'Let's see how far we can fleece our players before they stop paying'?

That price for full functionality, then maybe, yes, but for gimped services that you can get better in town? NO.

I am a fool, I guess.

Yes, I think the banker is a bit overpriced for it's limited features. But it is something I have wanted since I began to play this game and I have the crowns from my sub.

The merchant... is just absurd. Even if they did add repair to it I would be hard pressed to buy. I mean I never repair at merchant anyway, it's always grand repair kits I use. For 5k they would have to add repair and a chance of him selling exclusive gear. Even at 1k they would have to add repair, really just don't see him being useful. I could just put excess items in bank and sell later at merchant, especially when crafting bags come into play and all of a sudden I have more inventory room.

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

Brrrofski wrote: »

I don't know why people defend them.

Because a business model where necessary stuff (DLC) is cheap and unnecessary stuff (assitants, mounts, pets, costumes) is expensive is GOOD FOR ME, and good for all of us.

I agree with you there, but that fluff stuff should be comparable. They're more useful than cosmetics, so that puts them above 1,000. They're more niche than mounts, so that puts them above 1,800. But is an assistant with such limited functionality worth as much as a Gold motif? They're both time-savers, but buying a motif saves a lot more time than going to the nearest city, and has no downsides.


Also you seem to have a random dot at the bottom of some of your posts, which is visually jarring

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

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