Warning before you purchase Crystal Tower Sapiarchs' Gown

bluebird · May 2019

Just to let you know before you buy the item (still no way to preview dyes before purchases *sigh*) that it has undyeable white parts and doesn't take dark dyes at all. The default bright colours are the only ones that show up even remotely similarly to the actual dye (white is white, pale blue is pale blue), but the gown washes out all dark colours into a paler or lighter version. Furthermore the fabric is sort of default shiny so there is very little difference between 'matte' and shiny dyes that on normal fabrics look quite different.

Even though it was somewhat of a letdown, I won't be asking for a refund because the permanently white parts and the pale colours accidentally work for my Psijic character's looks, but I was really disappointed that it can't take any darker blue or other darker colours, so be warned.

zzz · May 2019

And the hemline of its bodice sits horriblly around your hips and to the front and back. Should've been a slightly adjusted mesh to the other two. Instead, they've not put a texture where the frilled hem is on the others, but that leaves it floating very unnaturally. Even on the cheaper two, if you look closely at the shape of the bodice above their hems it's just wrong, but you can see why they've done that to accommodate the frills, which at least mask it a little.

It's so frustrating because many costumes are almost amazing, but it's small details like these in meshes and dye channels that make it seem like they sell these without any sort of honest peer review in place.

Syuko · May 2019

I was thinking about spending some crowns on them but after this I change my mind. It's a shame some amazing costumes dye so horribly, many thanks! 🙂

bluebird · May 2019

zzz wrote: »

It's so frustrating because many costumes are almost amazing, but it's small details like these in meshes and dye channels that make it seem like they sell these without any sort of honest peer review in place.

Syuko wrote: »

I was thinking about spending some crowns on them but after this I change my mind. It's a shame some amazing costumes dye so horribly, many thanks! 🙂

Yeah, it's a shame that we can't see how it will dye before the purchase, and that many items' fabrics/textures/colours often end up quite disappointing.

Would be nice if they designed these from a customer's viewpoint: 'if I were a player looking to wear this, would I like undyable parts on it, and would I like most of my most intense dyes to be pale?'

Maybe if they thought like players they could improve these little things you mentioned that clearly annoy people enough to not want to buy their new items.

xF1REFL1x · May 2019

Thanks for sharing.

E7216 · May 2019

Isn't it like proxy queen Alwinarwe's gown? The white sleeves, i mean?

DeadlyRecluse · May 2019

I just want to share my appreciation for those who buy costumes early, dye them, and post the results. It's very helpful when making decisions.

...I know that doesn't help you, now that you're stuck with a kind of sub-par dyeable, but I appreciate it and I know others do also!

heaven13 · May 2019

It would be really lovely if the developers would establish some kind of consistency in regards to dyes and their channels.

bluebird · May 2019

E7216 wrote: »

Isn't it like proxy queen Alwinarwe's gown? The white sleeves, i mean?

Yes, we first saw this dress in a datamine from Morrowind (it took so long to actually get added to the store, wow!

) and then on NPCs, notably Proxy Queen Alwinarwe in Summerset. However, on NPCs there is no way to tell what the dye channels will be, and how they will take dyes.

This image could easily be Soul Gem purple, Colossus Brass, and Birch White. But since they dyed both the dress and the skirt purple, it's harder to tell that it's two purple dyes and one gold, with undyable whites.

The preview image also uses white dyes twice on the dress so it's impossible to tell that they're permanently white.

It's also hard to tell from these images that dark colours won't show up on the dress at all. Alinarwe's double purple gown looks like it could be a lighter Soul Gem Purple, but based on the way the dress fades Daedric Red into a pale pink, even the darkest Voidstone or Grand Warlord's Violet would look like that pale lavender colour.

Jayne_Doe · May 2019

I bought the costume yesterday anyway, as I like the way it looks in white. Thanks for sharing how it dyes (or doesn't). It's disappointing to have that little bit of sleeve be permanently white, as it's really odd. However, I think I can work around it for my Altmer should I choose to dye the gown.

I had a thought yesterday when I saw the showcase and that all three costumes were coming to the store at the same time (and without any ESO+ exclusive deal/discount - as they did with the Bosmer male costumes, e.g.), that there might be issues with these dresses. That they held off so long on putting them in the store to build up enough hype so that players would buy them regardless of any issues since they'd waited so long for them.

Living_Ded · May 2019

It still looks nice with the white sleeves

TheCabbageborn · May 2019

that dress looks like it belongs on the cover of a Sun Ra album

huntgod_ESO · May 2019

Thank you, that un-dyeable section is a deal breaker, saved me 1000 crowns.

max_only · May 2019

At least the sleeves don’t disappear on male characters like that other dress

bluebird · May 2019

Living_Ded wrote: »

It still looks nice with the white sleeves

You know what would look nicer? If people could choose to have white sleeves, or not-white sleeves

SydneyGrey · May 2019

I hate costumes that are shiny by default.

GaunterODim · May 2019

How is it with the other two dresses that are in the shop alongside this? Do they dye properly? Im thinking of buying one of those.

yooqi · May 2019

@GaunterODim check this thread out https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/6024720

Hymzir · May 2019

bluebird wrote: »

Thanks for all the investigative effort, it is much appreciated. Thought the gigantic dongle shaped apron ZOS tacked onto this thing, kinda makes it a hard pass for me anyway... No matter how it dyes.

GaunterODim · May 2019

Oh nice, thank you

@yooqi

BretonMage · May 2019

Thank you for the comparison image. I like light-coloured and satiny dresses anyway, so this is particularly good for me. The dress does tend to exaggerate shiny colours, so I've gone with the Common and Uncommon dyes that I had mostly ignored until now. Very happy with my purchase

heaven13 · May 2019

BretonMage wrote: »

Thank you for the comparison image. I like light-coloured and satiny dresses anyway, so this is particularly good for me. The dress does tend to exaggerate shiny colours, so I've gone with the Common and Uncommon dyes that I had mostly ignored until now. Very happy with my purchase

I think the problem with this (in general, not in regards to the dress specifically) is that a lot of the richer, deeper colors are inherently shiny anyway. I tend to prefer a less shiny look but often have trouble finding a color that's just want I want. Either it's too washed out but matte, or it's dark/rich but shines like you've put 12 coats of varnish on it.

Hotdog_23 · May 2019

Thanks for sharing.

Ye_Olde_Crowe · May 2019

Even though I agree it's a pity that dark colors don't work with this dress, I think it's gorgeous when paired with the Auroran warhorse.

I muted the gold, though, by using mat decon color no. 4

Atallanta · May 2019

I love this dress as it is, but agree it would be nice to be able to dye it dark for more dramatic look 8-)

Valkysas154 · May 2019

I would of bought this dress long ago but not any more now i have a better looking dress
if you did not lag for about a year to release something that was in game on summerset release you would of made more money since i would of bought that +the better one that came out about 2 months ago