Dear whomever is responsible for releasing items.

Keylara · October 2016

After a frustrating exchange with the customer support team, I've decided to bring this topic to the attention of people who might actually be able to answer it. As such: @ZOS_GinaBruno , please read my message and save me from this terrible state of unknowingness. Thank you in advance.

Now follows the harrying tale of a player attempting to communicate with someone who can reply to her question, presented to you in the form of emails. (Names of the CS team have been removed for their privacy, even though they're probably fake.)

Email Nr. 1.
Dear Customer Support person,

I have an issue with one of my characters, who has become increasingly more annoyed with me as a result of the following.

Dinara cut her hair, but the haircut she got is unfortunately still not released. I was wondering if we were ever going to get an ETA on the Portside Shave haircut? Dinara looks really good with it and would like to sport that dashing do in the game, rather than just in my imagination. Thank you.

Kind regards,

Keylara.

ps. Keep up the good work

Email Nr. 2, the reply.

Hail and well met, Keylara

Thank you for taking the time to contact us at The Elder Scrolls Online Team. My name is Sarah and I would be happy to help guide you today, my friend ~ !

We are sorry to hear that you may have possibly ran into some problems with your Elder Scrolls Online game. We would be glad to help you out with any troubles that you could be having to ensure you are pleased with your game time.

However, in order for us to ensure we provide the best help to you we must find out some more information on your situation! With your next reply back to us again here, if you could please inform us with a detailed description of your troubles you have encountered. I know you have mentioned that your beloved character has had a haircut, but you informed that this is not a released hair cut in the game? Could you please provide more details on this matter or a possible screen shot?

Looking forward to your reply,

Thank you for your patience and support!

Email Nr. 3, my reply: The story of Dinara.

Greetings!

So, enclosed are links to several images. These will illustrate my situation as I go along.

http://i.imgur.com/AsdEgj2.png

Here is Dinara. She used to have really long hair which she braided tightly. She's a warrior born into a family within House Redoran, though being infected with Lycantrophy had her fleeing to Daggerfal to hide her affliction. She doesn't dare to go back, even though her family doesn't know, because she's too ashamed to let them know she's a Werecreature now.

Here is Dinara and her Lycan form, which is a fox. Not one of the known forms, but I felt it suited her better.

http://i.imgur.com/hrxeB6o.jpg

At some point, Dinara had a pretty nasty run in with an Ancient Vampire. He clawed her up badly, as can be seen from the clawmark scratches in the following picture:

http://i.imgur.com/xd9Y6b2.png

As you can see if you look at the left side of her head, part of the scars cover that. Her friend, Zariah, had to shave off her hair on the left side of her head in order to heal the scars. Resulting in that particular haircut, which can also be seen here:

http://i.imgur.com/HDm38S6.png

In this work in progress here:

https://orig07.deviantart.net/5022/f/2016/283/f/4/www_by_overweight_cat-dakiium.jpg

and here: http://i.imgur.com/8ZanIQ8.jpg

Now, on the Public Test Server, the following has been available for months now:

http://i.imgur.com/A8p79oD.png

Do you not agree, that not only does her story warrant the change of haircut, but also she looks pretty glorious with it? I mean. She was badass before, but with that haircut, that I've been waiting for for months now, she'd look even better!

It's called the Portside Shave and I'd really like to know when I can actually expect to see it in game because... I need this in my life like my hot chocolate needs marshmallows. I could do without, but why should I have to?

Kind regards,

Keylara.
Player of Dame Dinara R'athil, Dunmer Werewolf and Knight of the Barony of Elnwick & Saliah, Redguard Mages Guild Apprentice and former Necromancer.

Email Nr. 4, their reply. The beginning of frustration.

Hey there, Keylara and Dinara

Thank you for taking the time to contact The Elder Scrolls Online support team. My name is JD. It would be my pleasure to help guide you today, my friend.

First I want to thank you for all the information about Dinara and her life. And the great art as well. But As of right now we do not have any information on this hair style. But we will love for you to share this with the devs and other ESO Players.

The fastest way to let our developers know, is to submit feedback by using the /feedback command in the in-game Chat Box.

We also encourage you to take part in the discussions taking place on the official Elder Scrolls Online forums at www.forums.elderscrollsonline.com. I you do not have a Forums account please let us know so we can help you set you up with one.

Please let me know if you have any further questions or concerns.

We look forward to hearing back from you.

Whilst the emails that followed were increasingly more frustrating and less helpful, I shall spare you the spam and simply summarise them:

I was told to use the /feedback option. This does not allow for information to be copied from outside the game. I informed them of this and was told to try attaching my pictures to said email. Upon informing them that I was using the in game feedback option, I was told once again to use the forums. Hereby I am using the forums. Please answer my question?

I would really like an answer.

Thank you.

Regards,

Keylara.

Saoirse_Siobhan · October 2016

I think they mean that they do not know when they will release said haircut, but by discussing it on the forums, if people show enough interest in this particular haircut, they may decide to release it sooner rather than later.

Sigtric · October 2016

Cool effort and story you've put into your character, but I am thinking a more simple: "I'd really like to see the port side shave haircut in the live game, do you have an ETA?", might save some of the frustration of dealing with support and feedback forms.

BigBragg · October 2016

Coming to a Crown Crate near you.

Vorcil · October 2016

Zos don't give a flying mudcrab. You have purchased your crowns already. That is all they care about.

Keylara · October 2016

Sigtric wrote: »

Cool effort and story you've put into your character, but I am thinking a more simple: "I'd really like to see the port side shave haircut in the live game, do you have an ETA?", might save some of the frustration of dealing with support and feedback forms.

I tried that before and got this:

Greetings,

Thank you for contacting The Elder Scrolls Online team. Due to high ticket volume, we apologize for how long it has taken us to get back to you, and appreciate your patience.

If your issue has not been resolved, please respond back to this email so we can continue to assist you.

Thank you again for your time and patience.

Warm Regards,

The Elder Scrolls Online Team

We will assume your issue has been resolved if we do not hear from you within 96 hours (4 days).

If your issue has not been resolved, you can respond directly to this email. We look forward to working with you again should you need us!

And then nothing. So I sent in another ticket and got the same reply. Then I replied to that reply with: It's not been solved at all, can someone answer my question? Which is when the first email from above took place.

Rune_Relic · October 2016

Vorcil wrote: »

Zos don't give a flying mudcrab. You have purchased your crowns already. That is all they care about.

Now that's an idea

Enodoc · October 2016

Lore and RP are great, but loreing up emails to Support is probably not a good idea. While they're interesting to read, they dilute the actual issue that you're trying to tell them. The first response you get (the one asking you to reply to keep it open) is almost always automated, so to get someone to actually read it, all you usually need to do is reply with exactly the same info you sent in the first place.

If you want to use /feedback as the Support people have suggested, all you need to say is something like:
"Please release the Portside Shave haircut on the Live servers soon! The haircut is currently only available on the PTS, but it would be a great hairstyle for my character because <reasons>."

Then of course you have the forums where you can put all the excellent background story info, as you have done, and you could add the URL of the forum page to your /feedback if you want to direct the devs here.

TheSwanKing · November 2016

The only thing I have to say is I'm slightly triggered by you RPing as a Werefox lol
Werewolves are the most common form among men, mer and extremely rarely, beastfolk. They can be found in all areas of Tamriel, particularly Skyrim.
Werebats sometimes serve as guardians to vampire clans and are commonly found in Valenwood.
Werebears can be found in Solstheim and also in Skyrim, however they make no appearances in the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.[4]
Wereboars are located almost exclusively in High Rock.
Werevultures are reportedly rare in Valenwood.
Werelions can be found in the jungles of Elsweyr.
Werecrocodile are known to lurk in isolated swamps of Black Marsh.
Weresharks are said to roam the seas, according to M'aiq the Liar, but little is known about them.
((I guess if you don't RP with other people and just RP alone it's fine, but I doubt you will get anywhere if you do it with random people, kinda. Lore nut))

Keylara · November 2016

TheSwanKing wrote: »

The only thing I have to say is I'm slightly triggered by you RPing as a Werefox lol
Werewolves are the most common form among men, mer and extremely rarely, beastfolk. They can be found in all areas of Tamriel, particularly Skyrim.
Werebats sometimes serve as guardians to vampire clans and are commonly found in Valenwood.
Werebears can be found in Solstheim and also in Skyrim, however they make no appearances in the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.[4]
Wereboars are located almost exclusively in High Rock.
Werevultures are reportedly rare in Valenwood.
Werelions can be found in the jungles of Elsweyr.
Werecrocodile are known to lurk in isolated swamps of Black Marsh.
Weresharks are said to roam the seas, according to M'aiq the Liar, but little is known about them.
((I guess if you don't RP with other people and just RP alone it's fine, but I doubt you will get anywhere if you do it with random people, kinda. Lore nut))

Not entirely sure why you're replying with that to this post. It doesn't contribute to the discussion, nor does it actually have anything to do with the topic at hand.

That said, I do appreciate that you read everything enough to come to that point. As for me having decided to RP a Werefox, I don't see what the issue is. Lore states that there are 7 KNOWN kinds of weres, not that these are exclusive. I've never made it a secret in my community that my character is this, though ICly it's known only to a very select few. OOCly, everyone knows because it's in both my profile and has been mentioned multiple times. Never once has anyone raised it as an issue.

If they do find issue with it, I don't -name- the beast as being a fox and they are more than welcome to consider it a wolf if they do encounter it.

Enodoc wrote: »

Lore and RP are great, but loreing up emails to Support is probably not a good idea. While they're interesting to read, they dilute the actual issue that you're trying to tell them. The first response you get (the one asking you to reply to keep it open) is almost always automated, so to get someone to actually read it, all you usually need to do is reply with exactly the same info you sent in the first place.

If you want to use /feedback as the Support people have suggested, all you need to say is something like:
"Please release the Portside Shave haircut on the Live servers soon! The haircut is currently only available on the PTS, but it would be a great hairstyle for my character because <reasons>."

Then of course you have the forums where you can put all the excellent background story info, as you have done, and you could add the URL of the forum page to your /feedback if you want to direct the devs here.

Thank you for this, I admit I wasn't really considering that when I wrote the message itself. I am going to provide the piece of feedback in the way you suggested, then just hope my prayers are answered soon!

TheSwanKing · November 2016

Well.. There is a race known as the Limothliit which are a beastrace native to black marsh, they basically look like a Werefox in the description.
You could always RP as one of them, it's always sketchy to RP something you don't have concrete evidence on though.

redspecter23 · November 2016

You are adding way too many details to a customer service request. They don't care about your lore related reasons for wanting this haircut, nor should they. Your question is basically,

"I would like to know when hairstyle X will be made available on the live game as it's been on PTS for some time"

That's it. Leave extra details out as it's just nonsense for the support team to sift through. I've found that the support team has great difficulty answering even short, easy questions properly on the best of days. Why would you make it harder on them? You're not going to appeal to their feelings or inner roleplayer at all. Adding lore to a support email is similar to adding RP lore to a job resume and showing up to the interview in character. You'll be looked at as crazy/insane. They are under no obligation to give you any info as far as release dates are concerned on pts related systems and items.

Keylara · November 2016

TheSwanKing wrote: »

Well.. There is a race known as the Limothliit which are a beastrace native to black marsh, they basically look like a Werefox in the description.
You could always RP as one of them, it's always sketchy to RP something you don't have concrete evidence on though.

I am aware of them, yes. One of my characters actually dressed up as her interpretation of them during the Witches Festival. I believe, however, that RPing a race that's been said to be extinct would raise far more questions than RPing something which may or may not be a thing and which can be ignored or seen as something which is acceptable.

redspecter23 wrote: »

You are adding way too many details to a customer service request. They don't care about your lore related reasons for wanting this haircut, nor should they. Your question is basically,

"I would like to know when hairstyle X will be made available on the live game as it's been on PTS for some time"

That's it. Leave extra details out as it's just nonsense for the support team to sift through. I've found that the support team has great difficulty answering even short, easy questions properly on the best of days. Why would you make it harder on them? You're not going to appeal to their feelings or inner roleplayer at all. Adding lore to a support email is similar to adding RP lore to a job resume and showing up to the interview in character. You'll be looked at as crazy/insane. They are under no obligation to give you any info as far as release dates are concerned on pts related systems and items.

As I said in the post above, I have resubmitted my feedback and my query. Thank you for the comment, though

NewBlacksmurf · November 2016

Well at least this was worth reading and great story.....I don't think customer service is from English speaking countries at times and at others I simply think they don't care cause they don't have to in order to stay employed.

My two cents but great story and nice way to request info.
Possibly the customer service team lacks context to what game they even are supporting.