What do you think of Crown Crates? -- New Poll for PTS Implementation

WldKarde · September 2016

Negative: I have NOT tested the crates, and I dislike the idea/direction and/or I dislike what I have read.

As I got home from work and found that the server hamster had laid a turd once again I posted this in another thread...

WldKarde wrote: »

So I guess this is what I get for protesting the Gamble boxes by unsubscribing to ESO+ on 2 of my 3 accounts

It's looking like it will SOON(tm) be 3 out of 3

I've supported this game by subbing since the start on my main account (and yes I have all of the old loyalty rewards)...and the other two when purchased!

But those gamble boxes....and THIS BullSh!t...are making me wonder why I even bother.

"One Tamriel" might just soon be the count of the players left

I really hope not ZOS! But please quit Efing up my favorite game

Don't really have much more to share on either subject

arasysb14_ESO · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

This whole thing is getting ridiculous, if it's going to take another long thread to make ZOS see it, then that's just plain sad.

Negative feedback will keep piling up even when they are on live, considering those who'll get nothing useful after spending +10000 real crowns will also want to share some of their views here. But this time a lot of them will also move on thinking they were scammed.

ZOS might occasionally put few nice items on the crown store to make it seem like not everything will depend on crown crates gambling system (maybe they'll directly sell stuff like elk mounts to put a temporary band aid against growing distrust) but in the long run, it seems like it won't matter.

merryblues · September 2016

The part the burns me up is that i'm paying a sub for them to create an entire system to sell me items that i'll have to gamble real cash to acquire. I didn't authorize my money to spent this way. If you're creating things on my dime, then I want the option to buy it outright from the store if it's a worthy item. Christ, you want more sales then create some killer stuff I can buy.. Believe me i'm a sucker for cool stuff. No I didn't test. I know from experience that games with this gambling for exclusive items nonsense just sucks. That's why i'm here.

If you're the one saying 'it won't change anything for me because i'm not going to buy it,' you should be really pissed because you're already paying them to make this stuff you'll never own. I feel like I just got slapped twice.

Currently still loving this game. Don't make me regret it.

Atarax · September 2016

Negative: I have NOT tested the crates, and I dislike the idea/direction and/or I dislike what I have read.

If I were running an MMO, and saw that 80% of the voting playerbase who are aware of the issue do not like a feature I'm implementing, that would be a pretty clear signal to me that I need to rethink the feature in its entirety.

Sometimes it's okay to not do something you were planning to do, but if I had a choice, I would rather have seen them go through with the Justice PVP than to implement this.

GhostwalkerLD · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

Phinix1 wrote: »

Korah_Eaglecry wrote: »

The dont need small purchasing players. They want and need Big Ticket Item purchasing Whales that will fatten their profits.

If that were true then Walmart wouldn't be a successful global empire.

This is a total fallacy and surprising to see supposed AAA companies still chasing this delusion. It is like the economics "guru's" that honestly believe the Skinner study of caged rat survival instincts somehow predicts human entertainment behavior like TV ratings. The two are totally unrelated impulses.

Same with this "big ticket item" analogy. They are not a need like the food pellets in the Skinner rat study. So, since they are not needed to survive, the only value they hold is their PERCEPTUAL value, and that of course can change at the drop of a hat.

If ZOS is really going to throw their entire game down the toilet to become just another predatory whale chaser trying to cash in on gambling addiction, then maybe they should at least do a little research on Whale Psychology first? For example, the primary reason whales will buy overpriced items is so they can stand around showing off to all the people that don't have it.

Exclusivity is what gives it the value, because these types of people are shallow materialists and totally insecure and need to buy fancy things like Disney's Lord Farquat from Shrek in order to have people look at them and be impressed by all the quality their money can buy.

Or at least pretend they are.

So, if you throw away your small payments and SUBSCRIBERS to chase the whales, NO ONE WILL BE AROUND TO CARE about their attention disorder.

Which means, THE PERCEIVED VALUE WILL TANK.

WHICH MEANS, you have just thrown your game away chasing a delusion.

And if you think all the loyal customers you just s*** on with this greedy BS are going to come back and give you another chance after you send them the message "we don't even care enough about you to comment, short term whale profits are all that matters to us," well...

Way to learn from history.

Well said! *clap!*

Phinix1 · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

GhostwalkerLD wrote: »

Well said! *clap!*

I could probably state things a BIT more delicately but it was (sort of) a hypothetical rant.

Also, I am still extremely bitter after what I was suckered into with Black Desert Online, with all the hype and pretty window dressing only to see it turn into a total RNG-exploiting, Elion's Tear farming, 1-shot bullet sponge boss foisting, forced PVP griefing grind fest.

Then WoW started pulling the forced PVP and constant RNG/time-gating in Legion...

So much disappointment in the industry lately. To have a game like ESO, one that has been the last bastion of quality and sanity I could always return to and which I have supported financially and intellectually for 2+ years even hint at going that same self-destructive direction...

Part of me says I maybe overreact voicing my disappointment while another can't help not feeling sorry for it.

Panda_iMunch · September 2016

While I do not think the crates are a inherently a bad thing, the way ZoS has it put out is pretty bad from a business stand point. Drops too low, too many exclusives, high price when compared to money gained, etc.

I don't care much for the projections of this as most of it seems to be relative speculation. They know the dangers and know the community doesn't like this at all, so all I can hope for is they adjust the prices/drops and limit exclusives.

GhostwalkerLD · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

Morimizo wrote: »

Esquire1980g_ESO wrote: »

Way back in the last thread over these lockboxes, I asked the question, WHY? I even asked if all the people I saw running around were completely F2P and just don't spend their cash. Now, I got this today.

"Hi Jim,

We noticed that you recently cancelled your ESO Plus membership and would like to see if we can tempt you back with a special one-time, buy three months, get one month free offer.

Image

As you probably know, ESO Plus membership comes with the following benefits:
•Access to all DLC Game Packs as long as ESO Plus membership is current
•1500 Crowns per 30-day membership to spend in the in-game Crown Store
•Unlimited use of the Craft Bag
•A +10% Upgrade to character progression

If you would take us up on this unique offer, simply respond to this email. We'll get back to you as soon as possible.

In addition, if there is anything at all we can do to help make your overall ESO experience better, please let us know. We're here to help!

Warm Regards,
Petyr
The Elder Scrolls Online Support Team

The Elder Scrolls Online Tamriel Unlimited"

I haven't seen this type of stuff since Star Wars Galaxies/SOE went into panic mode. Lockboxes, cash grabs, creating a "shortage" of crown store items via taking them out, FREE month(s) - just please come on back and give us some $, etc etc etc. ROFL, I've seen this EXACT offer coming from Funcom for a game they released in 2000. I would expect it there but not for a 2 year old game.

There's something more going on here besides just corporate greed.

And for ZOS, don't waste your effort on me. I seen what lockboxes do to a game 1st hand. The last month that the wife and I played TESO, we spent about $100.00 (crown sale/subs/etc). Now? I spend that $100.00 on connection(s) for my own servers which runs a AAA MMORPG that is in direct competition with yours. Altho, we/I can't charge for anything to do with that game so there's no subs, no store, and NO lockboxes. EVER! We do that and pay the price, due to the fact that we want a game to play that DOESN'T try this type of cash grab and are that fed-up with AAA studios pulling this type of F2P crap/inciting kids to gamble with parents credit cards.

I got this as well, and responded:

This offer might have been appealing before the Crown Crates, but I refuse to do any more business with a company that engages in this predatory gambling scheme. The only reason I have not uninstalled this game and removed my account from your official page is because I hope you folks will come to your senses and ditch this atrocity. If it goes live, all the disposable income I had planned to invest in this game (and had significantly to this point) will go elsewhere, to honest merchants, who appreciate my business, and who don't want to receive ten times market value (or more) for their product.

It's despicable, deplorable, and should be illegal (or at least require a gambling license). The amount of time and effort you spent on the implementation of this system (filling the store with more items than have ever been available before), creating a hypnotic rhythm of soothing sound and appealing artwork, and utilizing a favorite character (Pacrooti) as a skeevy rogue charlatan is reprehensible.

Come back to ESO Plus? You'll be lucky if I darken the doors of Sentinel again. Go hunt your whales in other waters, Jabba.

I could have ignored the gambling and just been annoyed by the exclusives that I would not be acquiring, but seeing the Crown Crates in action removed all doubt of who this company is, what they're capable of, and the direction the game is headed. It's truly very sad.

Well said. I already had a negative opinion of the crates when I first heard about them, but after going on the PTS and testing them firsthand, I was even more disgusted, especially when I found out the sheer quantity of items that would ONLY be available through those crates. Being someone who enjoys RPing and putting my characters in the various outfits (which are the primary things I buy from the crown store, not the various mounts or other 'flashy' items), I was utterly incensed at this practice in full action, especially with ZOS's infamous "RNG" as we have seen in the past.

It is especially irksome to me because most of the things on the crown store, I haven't bought because I DON'T WANT THEM. I.e. most of the mounts other than a few of the senche-variety, I usually just stick with the regular horses. These crown crates are even more despicable because you only get the gems if you get a "duplicate" of an item you already have. Well, if I did get a crate and got, say, a kagouti mount, I would be utterly ticked off because I have no interest in a kagouti mount!

Just put the items on the crown store, available for everyone, with no time limit and at a simple, flat crown price! No more of this false-scarcity with the "LIMITED TIME ONLY OMG BUY NOW IT'S GONE FOREVER WITHIN THREE DAYS!" idiocy, and certainly none of these disgusting crown crates that at least 70% of the voters in the original poll said WE DO NOT WANT, and I'm betting upwards of 90% or more will say the same here!

GhostwalkerLD · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

Phinix1 wrote: »

GhostwalkerLD wrote: »

Well said! *clap!*

I could probably state things a BIT more delicately but it was (sort of) a hypothetical rant.

Also, I am still extremely bitter after what I was suckered into with Black Desert Online, with all the hype and pretty window dressing only to see it turn into a total RNG-exploiting, Elion's Tear farming, 1-shot bullet sponge boss foisting, forced PVP griefing grind fest.

Then WoW started pulling the forced PVP and constant RNG/time-gating in Legion...

So much disappointment in the industry lately. To have a game like ESO, one that has been the last bastion of quality and sanity I could always return to and which I have supported financially and intellectually for 2+ years even hint at going that same self-destructive direction...

Part of me says I maybe overreact voicing my disappointment while another can't help not feeling sorry for it.

I know exactly what you mean. I tried Black Desert Online with the same (cautious) hope, and was utterly disappointed. And I played WOW for a time many moons ago, came back (very) briefly to try the new expansion, and left in disgust after just a couple days.

Hopefully ZOS will listen to us and stop this idea the same way they decided not to implement the Justice system after all.

If they did, my trust in the company would at least be half-way restored.

But until then, well, the second these crates go live, my ESO+ is disappearing, and I'll be on the constant lookout for a new game to play.

AnnieBeGood · September 2016

Negative: I have NOT tested the crates, and I dislike the idea/direction and/or I dislike what I have read.

No. I spend real money on crowns, and when I spend money I like to know exactly what I am getting.
Lots of people crying the sky is falling! Well it isn't. But I want to know how much, and exactly for what and thats it. I am not spending on lottery boxes.... in this game my luck is not great even with rune nodes.

newtinmpls · September 2016

I will buy stuff of my choosing, for my reasons.

I will not spend real money for random things.

Heck, I don't even buy the in-game gold and telvar "boxes of stuff"

SublimeSparo · September 2016

Negative: I have NOT tested the crates, and I dislike the idea/direction and/or I dislike what I have read.

Phinix1 wrote: »

AmberLaTerra wrote: »

The problem with that is with no small ticket sales the day to day bills are never met. A business cannot survive on the rare big ticket item, and jacking up the prices on the small ticket items id just as detrimental.

Let's look at your example of Toys R'us. They have locked themselves into living and dying on the big ticket sale, and they are on the verge of bankruptcy due to it.

Which is why this is always something you see MMO companies pull shortly before they sell off their assets or shut down the servers. It is a last ditch money grab before the crash. Which is why it is mind boggling to see a company like ZOS pull this with the ELDER SCROLLS franchise just two years into production when by all accounts the game is doing well.

What are they THINKING?

Do they WANT to shut the servers down?

I think it's it time to face the fact that the game is done for.
Most of the original good content creators are gone, the DLC's that have been released were made long ago, and now that they've been released it's panic time.
The coders behind most of the complex systems no longer seem to work there anymore, the people left look at the spaghetti code left behind and are going wtf how do we fix these bugs- they fumble around break more and more while trying.
Cyrodiil is broken, they can't fix it- they know they can't, now cyrodiil problems creep into pve. Balance is a joke.
Look at the line of DLC's- Imperial City pretty much flopped and should have been in base game, and was pretty much filler until Orsinium- a decent sized DLC and good content but plagued with bugs. Then TG & DB which could have been one DLC combined with how small they were, more bugs. SotH- 2 dungeons and base game changes- now One Tamriel purely base game changes and the bedding for crown crate milking system, to be followed by Housing the final milk them for all they're worth while we still can.

Maybe I'm just a pessimist

hrothbern · September 2016

Other: My feelings are more complex than the above sentiments. (Comment below.)

My feelings are more simple than the options of this poll

The cost/benefit is just totally wrong.
Getting some of the items I want is way too expensive.

hamburgerler76 · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

For 4 days straight i got on each morning to test these crates i spent a total of 25k crowns on these for 12 crates a day opening 48 crates i ended up with not a single atro mount (witch is what i was aiming for) and only had about 200 or so gems at the end of it after it traded in all my cards i already had for about 5 gems an item. With atro mounts in store selling for 400 gems i would had to by another 230$ worth of crates to be able to buy it on my own if i did not get it one of those crates. i am complete against them adding these crates unless every item in them is only a time crate exclusive. then i can just not buy them ever and wait till i can spend money to actually get something.

kevlarto_ESO · September 2016

Neutral: I have tested the crates, and my feelings are neutral, noncommital, or do not apply.

After testing them and getting more junk than a dungeon run I will not spend real life money my rng luck is just to bad. I see nothing game breaking or p2w overall pretty benign just another way a for profit company makes profit I have no issues with that.

Every game that adds them there is always an outcry not to but they always do when it comes to the players they don't care what we think on issues like this it's all about more ways to make money and that's what they are in business for, they don't make these games because they love us as much as we might wish that were the case.

SantieClaws · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

To all those saying this is just another way to make profit khajiit she would say this.

They could make profit by putting these items straight into the store. Why do they not do that? From what this one she has read they are likely to make a good profit that way.

What kind of other transaction with a merchant would you accept where you do not know what you even buy? A mystery bag of groceries where you wanted to buy sweetrolls and came away with a bag full of beets perhaps? Then you are left with nothing but regret and beets.

There is profit yes and then there is that which goes beyond mere profit - the word scam has been mentioned once or twice khajiit she recalls.

Perhaps we are not so gullible and easily manipulated as someone somewhere appears to think yes? We can show them this only by our actions.

The paws of this one shall never hand over crowns for a mystery crate. Khajiit is quite sure of this.

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

Uphz · September 2016

Negative: I have NOT tested the crates, and I dislike the idea/direction and/or I dislike what I have read.

What I dislike the most is the amount of non-themed collectibles that are in those crates (or they seem to be in there on the pts).

Also I thought the crates were announced as a chance to get collectibles that were once but are no longer in the crownstore with a small chance of getting a special mount, but the majority of the items seem to be new?

Mandragora · September 2016

Negative: I have NOT tested the crates, and I dislike the idea/direction and/or I dislike what I have read.

Btw what if they added crates even though they knew players will not like it, because they will want to blame one Tamriel for the failure later? Statistics or their "hard data" will never tell the difference and it is not coincidence it is released together. What if their great smart merketing had such plan to cover their failure?
But I know I'm master of conspiracies

SantieClaws · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

Mandragora wrote: »

Btw what if they added crates even though they knew players will not like it, because they will want to blame one Tamriel for the failure later? Statistics or their "hard data" will never tell the difference and it is not coincidence it is released together. What if their great smart merketing had such plan to cover their failure?
But I know I'm master of conspiracies

The crates are not coming at quite the same time as OT. The crates will be coming a little later in the year. This one would suspect just before Fishmas.

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

AlienSlof · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

SantieClaws wrote: »

The crates are not coming at quite the same time as OT. The crates will be coming a little later in the year. This one would suspect just before Fishmas.

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

Yeah, they're looking to exploit the Fishmas trade, all the kittens spending their precious gift money on crates in the hope of a 'might have.'

This one's khajiits won't be laying paws on them either.

Elsonso · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

SantieClaws wrote: »

The paws of this one shall never hand over crowns for a mystery crate. Khajiit is quite sure of this.

AlienSlof wrote: »

This one's khajiits won't be laying paws on them either.

I won't be buying them, either.

We need a catchy name for our group....

SantieClaws · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

lordrichter wrote: »

SantieClaws wrote: »

The paws of this one shall never hand over crowns for a mystery crate. Khajiit is quite sure of this.

AlienSlof wrote: »

This one's khajiits won't be laying paws on them either.

I won't be buying them, either.

We need a catchy name for our group....

Positively Against Wrip-Off Stuff (PAWS)

Yours with PAWS
Santie Claws

WhiteCoatSyndrome · September 2016

Negative: I have NOT tested the crates, and I dislike the idea/direction and/or I dislike what I have read.

SantieClaws wrote: »

Positively Against Wrip-Off Stuff (PAWS)

Yours with PAWS
Santie Claws

I like it.

Do you have to be a Khajiit to join?

SantieClaws · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

SantieClaws wrote: »

Positively Against Wrip-Off Stuff (PAWS)

Yours with PAWS
Santie Claws

I like it. Do you have to be a Khajiit to join?

All of the peoples of Tamriel are most welcome - apart from Pacrooti.

Raise your PAWS together one and all! To the evil of Crown Crates we shall not fall!

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

Abeille · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

SantieClaws wrote: »

Positively Against Wrip-Off Stuff (PAWS)

Yours with PAWS
Santie Claws

I like it. Do you have to be a Khajiit to join?

(My Khajiit) Zadarri thinks wearing a cat mask should be enough, yes?

This one would rather babysit the rookies at the Academy for the rest of her life than ever talk to Pacrooti again.

reiverx · September 2016

I'd spend more time in the Crown Store if there was more variety. This game has the North Korea of online stores. We're starved for choice. It's a boring experience because there's very little that's actually interesting.

Why not fill up the Crown Store with stuff that catches our eye? Give us more choice. These crates are saying you guys have hit a creative roadblock.

cjthibs · September 2016

Negative: I have NOT tested the crates, and I dislike the idea/direction and/or I dislike what I have read.

SantieClaws wrote: »

All of the peoples of Tamriel are most welcome - apart from Pacrooti.

Raise your PAWS together one and all! To the evil of Crown Crates we shall not fall!

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

This Nord is in, and yeah, screw that Pac-doodie guy.

MadLarkin · September 2016

Negative: I have NOT tested the crates, and I dislike the idea/direction and/or I dislike what I have read.

SantieClaws wrote: »

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

SantieClaws wrote: »

Positively Against Wrip-Off Stuff (PAWS)

Yours with PAWS
Santie Claws

I like it. Do you have to be a Khajiit to join?

All of the peoples of Tamriel are most welcome - apart from Pacrooti.

Raise your PAWS together one and all! To the evil of Crown Crates we shall not fall!

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

I'm very much new to ESO and its community but you have some of the best posts.

SantieClaws · September 2016

Negative: I have tested the crates, and I do not want this feature to be implemented in the game.

MadLarkin wrote: »

SantieClaws wrote: »

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

SantieClaws wrote: »

Positively Against Wrip-Off Stuff (PAWS)

Yours with PAWS
Santie Claws

I like it. Do you have to be a Khajiit to join?

All of the peoples of Tamriel are most welcome - apart from Pacrooti.

Raise your PAWS together one and all! To the evil of Crown Crates we shall not fall!

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

I'm very much new to ESO and its community but you have some of the best posts.

Khajiit she thanks you for the kind words and if you are in European PC Tamriel then this one she may see you for a drink at The Rosy Lion sometime maybe yes?

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

Milvan · September 2016

Positive: I have tested the crates, and I like the direction this feature is headed.

There is two discussions going on on PTS, there is another topic here in general discussion that ende up in just blatant and shallow hate and yet we need another topic about these boxes? Did someone tell you guys that they are cosmetic and not mandotory to buy at all? I mean they don't affect any gameplay mechanic at all?

For the eight and our yet to be born lord and savior Talor, this is why there is always a interplanar demon thing trying to destroy Nirn. You guys makes me want to destroy Nirn too XD