Housing - How should it be monetized?

DUTCH_REAPER · September 2016

I will pay stupid sums of money if there is a dungeon in the home with a NPC there in chains to beat on (insert evil laugh)

Divinius · September 2016

Full Paywall - Individual Purchases

DaniAngione wrote: »

Full Paywall - everything related to Housing will be locked behind store purchases and you can only access the content by spending crowns.
Individual Purchases: everything related to housing is locked in the Store and each part and aspect of it is a different, individual purchase: each house, each piece of furniture, each feature, etc...

I will pretty much guarantee it will be this, and that's honestly how it should be.

Faulgor · September 2016

Everything will be available via in-game means, be it gold or crafting furniture, etc.
Decoration packs and individual furniture will be sold in the Crown Store.
In-game prices will be so outrages that you are pushed to buy it in the Store.
After some time, we will see exclusive decorations and furniture in the Crown Store and Crown Crates.

So, basically the model they have for crafting motifs. That's my bet, anyway.

RebornV3x · September 2016

I still think its too early to tell honestly ZOS could go one of 2 routes with housing:
1. Something simple just to satisfy casual players like "here we did player housing now STFU" and it will probably a huge disappointment. This might include limited cosmetics or functions and probably serve manly as a storage place or a huge gold sink like oh cool you have a house but that's about it and it being just one huge vanity item like look at me I spent 1 million on a house look how cool I am while housing is just meh.

2. Or they go all out with housing ie interior decorations, trophy/mementos shelf, storage, crafting even housing upgrades which can be crown store and ingame stuff we have these trophies in game like fish and item drops there should be a place to display those items etc...

Seeing that ZOS has slowly added player housing the past few updates leads me to believe #2 there will probably be Crown housing with decorations and even trophies and misc items in the crown store.

Hopefully they will have a way to buy a house and decorations with in game gold since currently there's no major gold sink in the game what do you really need to buy when your fully kitted out in all legendary yellow items so TESO needs a endgame gold sink there are plenty of players sitting on alot of gold what can they do with it really nothing so hopefully well see that.

I don't think they will package housing as a standalone DLC or for ESO+ members only it seems to me that having both ingame and crown options for housing makes the most since.

hrothbern · September 2016

The poll is too complex for me

I guess that you get a minimal housing package from being a sub or buying the Q1 DLC.

I guess also that housing upgrades and furnishings will become an important part of future new crown store items.
New mounts, pets, costumes, etc will ofc continue to be offered, but we have already heaps of them.

I hope ZOS finds a decent solution for both people with a small RL wallet, including ingame gold possibilities for housing upgrades and furnishings, as for people that can afford the crowns.

Dubhliam · September 2016

Layered Paywall - Limited Features & Aesthetic

Make All houses purchasable with ingame currency (gold), combined with gold weekly taxation.

Make all Features and Aestetics purchasable from the Crown Store.

If ZOS is smart, this is the best way to approach it.
Make houses available to everyone, and give whales enough room for large cash dumping.

jedtb16_ESO · September 2016

Full Paywall - Complete Package

Erasure wrote: »

jedtb16_ESO wrote: »

Erasure wrote: »

If there's a single thing in housing which benefits the player, be it a test dummy, a storage chest, a crafting room, or what have you... it needs to be gold purchasable. Cosmetics for Crowns sticks with the theme, but function should not be tied to additional purchases in a subscription game.

i would agree...

if it were a subscription game...

Feel how you like about the option, buy it or don't, but people paying for constant access to all DLC and account perks should have access to all DLC and account perks, right? That would include functional house features.

my point was the subscription is optional.

DaniAngione · September 2016

Layered Paywall - Limited Advancement

Hey, everyone!

Woah, what a discussion over the night (for me). Pretty good.
I see a lot of interesting options, some that unfortunately couldn't be developed further since I was limited to only 10 poll choices and some that really never crossed my mind. This is awesome.

Although there's a lot of skepticism about whether these posts are relevant for ZOS or not, I do think that they are important. As a big company that should pretend to be responsible for all the good (and the bad) they do, I don't suppose they can go around saying "this was implemented because of John's suggestion, this was implemented because Mary asked it in the forums, etc.." but if you notice, there are a lot of changes and decisions made around the game that were born, yes, from community suggestions, opinions and insights.
A lot of things that are now taken for granted - like... some class skills having both a magicka and a stamina morph - were ideas first mentioned by users in this very forum we're using right now.

My point is: we can, indeed, make a difference. And this kind of discussion will be taken into account when the time comes. They want to sell stuff, of course (they have to eat too, after all )- but they know that if they '***' the community enough, there won't be anyone to sell stuff to. So it's not like they don't care about what we think. Of course they do. The tricky part is finding the balance between what is fair and what is profitable enough to keep the game running.

Being 'fairness' a rather subjective thing, however, what's best than gathering a lot of opinions and looking for a middle ground?

So, for now, it seems that most people agree that Housing should be limited to just a single DLC pack (like other DLCs) with potential furniture and things like that available in the future through more purchases...

OR

To a free-for-everyone BASIC experience where everyone can enjoy a little house and some stuff but, beyond that, we get into paid content territory: bigger houses, nicer furniture, etc...

To be honest, I think both means are rather reasonable and plausible. If EVERYTHING in Housing is an individual purchase, the game will need a very good - VERY GOOD (as in... The Sims like, lol) - system for people to even consider spending that much. No one would spend hundreds of crowns for a cheap and lame system like LOTRO had, with few "hooks" around the house and so. I don't think they'd risk that.

I'm honestly hoping for Layered Paywall - Limited Advancement but we're probably getting Full Paywall, single purchase.
At least that's how I'm feeling. Not too bad, I guess.

It's too soon to speculate, yes - but remember: sooner than later is always the best time to change and modify game design and plans. We'd never be able to have an input AFTER the system was announced, featured, showcased... Just future input, but hardly a makeover.

So NOW is the BEST time to keep this discussion hot

Thank you everyone!

Cously · September 2016

I think we all can win from this situation.

Take SWTOR model for instance, the purchasing house part of it. You can either spend millions to buy the best house or spend thousand Cartel Coins (their Crowns). That allows both players who can't afford in real life to have a chance in game if they save enough gold and players who have real life cash to buy the house instead, saving them gold, a convenience.

House upgrades such as unlock X room is done the same way, either in game gold or real life cash. Again both sides profit. And ZOS. I see no possible way someone can be unhappy with this model.

I'd also be for them to make simple houses be available for gold or crowns, such as the tavern rooms or small houses without a patio. And make huge houses like the Daggerfall castle be Crown exclusive. Whilst that would leave a bunch of folks with a bitter taste in their mouth, it wouldn't really lock people out the housing system because they can't afford in real life.

If they lock housing behind Crowns completely, I think there will be a huge backlash and bitterness from the community. I believe the amount of Crowns they would make over the other models won't be worth the stress with the player base.

The last thing I could possibly stomach is have the right to own a house be gated behind ESO+ or a DLC. I don't believe in free meals so I'm for the subscription model, both for my convenience and to keep the game floating. So if you want the house, invest in the game.

Osteos · September 2016

Cously wrote: »

I think we all can win from this situation.

Take SWTOR model for instance, the purchasing house part of it. You can either spend millions to buy the best house or spend thousand Cartel Coins (their Crowns). That allows both players who can't afford in real life to have a chance in game if they save enough gold and players who have real life cash to buy the house instead, saving them gold, a convenience.

House upgrades such as unlock X room is done the same way, either in game gold or real life cash. Again both sides profit. And ZOS. I see no possible way someone can be unhappy with this model.

I'd also be for them to make simple houses be available for gold or crowns, such as the tavern rooms or small houses without a patio. And make huge houses like the Daggerfall castle be Crown exclusive. Whilst that would leave a bunch of folks with a bitter taste in their mouth, it wouldn't really lock people out the housing system because they can't afford in real life.

If they lock housing behind Crowns completely, I think there will be a huge backlash and bitterness from the community. I believe the amount of Crowns they would make over the other models won't be worth the stress with the player base.

The last thing I could possibly stomach is have the right to own a house be gated behind ESO+ or a DLC. I don't believe in free meals so I'm for the subscription model, both for my convenience and to keep the game floating. So if you want the house, invest in the game.

In SWTOR you got a house if you were a subscriber for a certain period of time before the houses came out. Also you could earn different furnishing by participating in the festivals.

Soundwave · September 2016

For ZoS to fully profit from this idea, is to use the same concept that DCUO did with players lairs.

Subs perks-
-can purchases any house /or castle with in game currency.

Non subs-
Must purchase house (no castle, sub only) thru crown store.

Crown store items-
Crafting tables 400 crowns each
Banker 600 crowns
Test dummy 600 crowns
Respec and skill change station 1500 crowns
Stables 1500 crowns
AP vendor 3000 crowns
Dye station 1500 crowns
Crafting vendors and merchants 1000 crowns each

While this look expensive, if you r sub, you would get these at discount price. The dlc update should be free to everyone. Also all furniture, fixtures, statues, tables, chairs and anything else should drop from enemies across tamriel and be able to sell on guild traders.

mlstevens42_ESO · September 2016

I would suggest having the option to purchase in game for gold as well as an option to buy for crowns if one desires.

I suggest that all furnishings and functions to be also under this gold/crown options.

This idea allows those who have to have it now and real cash to spend to get items that others might work for in game.

I also suggest that crown exclusives as far as housing is concerned be kept at a minimum. Perhaps make certain styles of furnishing more costly in gold or perhaps as motifs are now some more difficult to obtain. Making store purchases a convenience not a necessity.

subtlezeroub17_ESO · September 2016

Full Paywall - Complete Package

Soundwave wrote: »

For ZoS to fully profit from this idea, is to use the same concept that DCUO did with players lairs.

Subs perks-
-can purchases any house /or castle with in game currency.

Non subs-
Must purchase house (no castle, sub only) thru crown store.

Crown store items-
Crafting tables 400 crowns each
Banker 600 crowns
Test dummy 600 crowns
Respec and skill change station 1500 crowns
Stables 1500 crowns
AP vendor 3000 crowns
Dye station 1500 crowns
Crafting vendors and merchants 1000 crowns each

While this look expensive, if you r sub, you would get these at discount price. The dlc update should be free to everyone. Also all furniture, fixtures, statues, tables, chairs and anything else should drop from enemies across tamriel and be able to sell on guild traders.

Oooor you could just pay 15 dollars a month and not have to pay more than 100 bucks to get things that should be obtainable in game with in game currency.

Soundwave · September 2016

subtlezeroub17_ESO wrote: »

Soundwave wrote: »

For ZoS to fully profit from this idea, is to use the same concept that DCUO did with players lairs.

Subs perks-
-can purchases any house /or castle with in game currency.

Non subs-
Must purchase house (no castle, sub only) thru crown store.

Crown store items-
Crafting tables 400 crowns each
Banker 600 crowns
Test dummy 600 crowns
Respec and skill change station 1500 crowns
Stables 1500 crowns
AP vendor 3000 crowns
Dye station 1500 crowns
Crafting vendors and merchants 1000 crowns each

While this look expensive, if you r sub, you would get these at discount price. The dlc update should be free to everyone. Also all furniture, fixtures, statues, tables, chairs and anything else should drop from enemies across tamriel and be able to sell on guild traders.

Oooor you could just pay 15 dollars a month and not have to pay more than 100 bucks to get things that should be obtainable in game with in game currency.

That means ZoS wouldn't be making a big enough profit, and if profits aren't made then why do it on first place. Housing is good way to generate more funds to improve eso in the near future. Also this is good way to increase subs.

crowfl56 · September 2016

ESO plus here and if they want to charge for any housing above that then I will be sleeping under the stars

Housing doesn't appeal to me anyway, so if I get a free Keep then I take it, if not, no biggie

.

subtlezeroub17_ESO · September 2016

Full Paywall - Complete Package

Soundwave wrote: »

subtlezeroub17_ESO wrote: »

Soundwave wrote: »

For ZoS to fully profit from this idea, is to use the same concept that DCUO did with players lairs.

Subs perks-
-can purchases any house /or castle with in game currency.

Non subs-
Must purchase house (no castle, sub only) thru crown store.

Crown store items-
Crafting tables 400 crowns each
Banker 600 crowns
Test dummy 600 crowns
Respec and skill change station 1500 crowns
Stables 1500 crowns
AP vendor 3000 crowns
Dye station 1500 crowns
Crafting vendors and merchants 1000 crowns each

While this look expensive, if you r sub, you would get these at discount price. The dlc update should be free to everyone. Also all furniture, fixtures, statues, tables, chairs and anything else should drop from enemies across tamriel and be able to sell on guild traders.

Oooor you could just pay 15 dollars a month and not have to pay more than 100 bucks to get things that should be obtainable in game with in game currency.

That means ZoS wouldn't be making a big enough profit, and if profits aren't made then why do it on first place. Housing is good way to generate more funds to improve eso in the near future. Also this is good way to increase subs.

Making prices too high will just *** off non subscribers and making subscribers have to pay money for housing additions will *** off subs. There is a very precise psychological aspect of business people overlook. Your way is gonna just make a lot of angry players.

It is best to just make it a sub only pack and get everything at once. That will also encourage subs just as much imo. Subs can pay for this game very well, look at WoW and ffxiv. You don't need major content things to be crown store only and quite frankly eso has a comparable population to ffxiv in the first place so there's really no excuse.

It is best to keep the crown store limited to utility, individual aesthetics and services. Y'know Stuff that wont limit your in game experience.

Soundwave · September 2016

subtlezeroub17_ESO wrote: »

Soundwave wrote: »

subtlezeroub17_ESO wrote: »

Soundwave wrote: »

For ZoS to fully profit from this idea, is to use the same concept that DCUO did with players lairs.

Subs perks-
-can purchases any house /or castle with in game currency.

Non subs-
Must purchase house (no castle, sub only) thru crown store.

Crown store items-
Crafting tables 400 crowns each
Banker 600 crowns
Test dummy 600 crowns
Respec and skill change station 1500 crowns
Stables 1500 crowns
AP vendor 3000 crowns
Dye station 1500 crowns
Crafting vendors and merchants 1000 crowns each

While this look expensive, if you r sub, you would get these at discount price. The dlc update should be free to everyone. Also all furniture, fixtures, statues, tables, chairs and anything else should drop from enemies across tamriel and be able to sell on guild traders.

Oooor you could just pay 15 dollars a month and not have to pay more than 100 bucks to get things that should be obtainable in game with in game currency.

That means ZoS wouldn't be making a big enough profit, and if profits aren't made then why do it on first place. Housing is good way to generate more funds to improve eso in the near future. Also this is good way to increase subs.

Making prices too high will just *** off non subscribers and making subscribers have to pay money for housing additions will *** off subs. There is a very precise psychological aspect of business people overlook. Your way is gonna just make a lot of angry players.

It is best to just make it a sub only pack and get everything at once. That will also encourage subs just as much imo. Subs can pay for this game,e very well, loom at WoW and ffxiv. You don't need major content things to be crown store only and quite frankly eso has a comparable population to ffxiv in the first place so there's really no excuse.

Well I beg to diff, look at how much it cost to buy race change and name. Player still buy it, so having thing expensive in crown store won't matter.

CombatPrayer · September 2016

If it's behind a pay wall they can keep their silly housing given my character has done very well without housing and after today's yet again server/maintenance issues, I cannot justify giving these people another penny....

JungleBoot · September 2016

Free just like your player bank. It's another added feature added to lure players to the game and it's not necessary. This is just something hardcore MMO WoW-like fans want because game XYZ had it like SWTOR. It's a frill.

daroule1982 · September 2016

Full Paywall - Complete Package

But let upgrades be quest related. And, with achievements.

daroule1982 · September 2016

Full Paywall - Complete Package

Bryanonymous wrote: »

If the houses can't be purchased with game gold currency, the game will have sunk to a new low. The game needs more gold sinks to fight inflation. I propose after buying houses with gold, players also pay taxes on the property. Then they can sell housing cosmetics in the crown store, as we've already seen images of.

Excluding cosmetics option. I agree here. There should be both and option Crown vs Gold. Nice catch.

ComboBreaker88 · September 2016

Erasure wrote: »

jedtb16_ESO wrote: »

Erasure wrote: »

If there's a single thing in housing which benefits the player, be it a test dummy, a storage chest, a crafting room, or what have you... it needs to be gold purchasable. Cosmetics for Crowns sticks with the theme, but function should not be tied to additional purchases in a subscription game.

i would agree...

if it were a subscription game...

Feel how you like about the option, buy it or don't, but people paying for constant access to all DLC and account perks should have access to all DLC and account perks, right? That would include functional house features.

House's will not be dlc.. they will be base game. And like fancy crown store mounts, they will all cost real money. And if those houses happen to include crafting tables, dps dummies, extra storage and a place to grow plants or farm live stock it will be the same concept. These features enrich a players experience and do not give them any real advantage overy other players other than convenient access. Wake up people. This game cost money to make and produce, hence they will charge money to continue doing so. Let them lock all of housing behind a sub and crown store. It will be good for the game in the long run.

Soundwave · September 2016

@ComboBreaker88 I agree it will better for game in the long run. It will generate a lot of funds to improve game. Just depends how they things r sold thru in game and crown store.

BrianDavion · September 2016

my guess is basic housing will be free but there will be no shortage of crown store tie ins. charge money for a house an df people walk away, let people buy a house, and suddenly there is a whole new market for pretty things to sell them

Caligamy_ESO · September 2016

Poll is a bit too complicated and lacks what I would prefer to see for housing.

My ideal outcome would be all content available for purchase via in-game currency with high pricing, but also available via crown store for those that prefer to take the crown shortcut instead of paying their hard-earned gold. If these are neighborhood instances with preset plots, there is going to have to be some kind of maintenance or taxation with plots that expire if a player does not log in within a set time frame.. or it could be too much strain on the server. Perhaps circumvented by ESO+ subscribers as an additional perk for supporting ESO each month..?

(If they're smart..) Furniture and decorations should be made via crafting to stimulate the in-game economy and give us crafters something worthwhile to put in our guild traders, but again also available for individual purchases in the crown store. This would give us something to use the hordes of crafting materials on that we gather, instead of just jamming it into crafting bags or guild banks to sit there until we have to respec/rebuild a character for some new content.

Though I doubt this will be the case this is what I have my hopes set on, as I have seen it implemented in other MMO's with great success.

inflaburwb17_ESO · September 2016

Simple, players hould have one of 2 options:

1.) Buy a house in Crown Store. You get deed of ownership, its your house for eternity, done and dusted.
2) A la Everquest 2, players can obtain a house without Crown Store purchase, but then have to pay a weekly gold fee to retain house.

Furniture etc should be craftable.

LadyDestiny · September 2016

I think it would be a stupid move to limit all housing behind crown store purchases. Not everyone has tons of real life cash to spend. Being a subscriber or even buying the dlc, I would be irritated that I had to fork out hundreds or thousands of dollars just to decorate my house or get a decent one. I think enabling each crafter types to craft deco would have been a great idea. Give them basic deco to start, then have schematics and deco pieces as drops for bigger and better items for the home. Sorry, not forking out 25 bucks for a four piece bedroom set. If I can't spend my time in my house peacefully decorating or crafting, then what are we paying for in the dlc? Most of this has to be obtainable in the game world. I don't care if they sell a few elaborate pieces for crowns. People will buy it as usual. Just not everything please.

Ghanima_Atreides · September 2016

I predict that we'll be able to buy/acquire some very basic furnishings in game, some wooden chairs, a straw mattress bed and the like, while being tempted with fancy items exclusive to the Crown Store and possibly the new Crown Crates. I can see it now: "Daedric Furnishing Pack", "Blacksmithing Station" and so on, buyable with real $$$ only.

subtlezeroub17_ESO · September 2016

Full Paywall - Complete Package

Soundwave wrote: »

subtlezeroub17_ESO wrote: »

Soundwave wrote: »

subtlezeroub17_ESO wrote: »

Soundwave wrote: »

For ZoS to fully profit from this idea, is to use the same concept that DCUO did with players lairs.

Subs perks-
-can purchases any house /or castle with in game currency.

Non subs-
Must purchase house (no castle, sub only) thru crown store.

Crown store items-
Crafting tables 400 crowns each
Banker 600 crowns
Test dummy 600 crowns
Respec and skill change station 1500 crowns
Stables 1500 crowns
AP vendor 3000 crowns
Dye station 1500 crowns
Crafting vendors and merchants 1000 crowns each

While this look expensive, if you r sub, you would get these at discount price. The dlc update should be free to everyone. Also all furniture, fixtures, statues, tables, chairs and anything else should drop from enemies across tamriel and be able to sell on guild traders.

Oooor you could just pay 15 dollars a month and not have to pay more than 100 bucks to get things that should be obtainable in game with in game currency.

That means ZoS wouldn't be making a big enough profit, and if profits aren't made then why do it on first place. Housing is good way to generate more funds to improve eso in the near future. Also this is good way to increase subs.

Making prices too high will just *** off non subscribers and making subscribers have to pay money for housing additions will *** off subs. There is a very precise psychological aspect of business people overlook. Your way is gonna just make a lot of angry players.

It is best to just make it a sub only pack and get everything at once. That will also encourage subs just as much imo. Subs can pay for this game,e very well, loom at WoW and ffxiv. You don't need major content things to be crown store only and quite frankly eso has a comparable population to ffxiv in the first place so there's really no excuse.

Well I beg to diff, look at how much it cost to buy race change and name. Player still buy it, so having thing expensive in crown store won't matter.

The difference, is that race and name changes aren't really considered necessary considering you can always just level up a new character if push comes to shove. Yeah, housing is not considered "necessary" either but A LOT of people have wanted housing and forcing people to by crown store purchases AS WELL as pay a subscription for a discounted cost (which would still end up forcing you to spend a lot of money regardless) is gonna make a lot of people pissed off.

Looking at history though, right now, there's a horse in the crown store for 55 bucks or 5500 crowns, that by its' self has created a lot of raised eyebrows but is hush hush because it is a horse and everyone can get a mount. If what you say comes true and gets implemented it is gonna cause a public relations sh!t-storm the likes that you have ever seen, doubly so if they make people spend like 20 bucks for something small.

ESO already had their sh!tstorm when the game was released. Matter fact, till this day there's a massive segment of gamers who still will not give ESO a chance because of how the game was released. I do not think ZoS wants to make a scene now that they've made so much progress in the past 3 years and have clawed their way to the top with WoW and FFXIV.

Defilted · September 2016

I am assuming based on other prices in the crown store that the houses will cost crowns period.

Guild hall will be 15 to 20k crowns and everything else will work down from there.