Over the years, many people have had one type of issue or another, with the way the Crown store functions, in regards to "drops" from the crates, the worth of the items, etc. Sometimes, you just have people who complain all the time- there are those- they are mostly in the minority.
Then you have people such as myself. I've been buying Crown Crates for over 5 years. Never ONCE have I gotten a "Radiant Apex Award". I'm a loyal player. A faithful player. I help where & when I can. Having the health issues I do, it's not as often as it used to be, sadly. And money? Extremely hard to come by anymore, as well. And in WELL over a thousand crates? Not one. Just recently, after years of saving crown gems, I was finally able to BUY a couple. It's been extremely costly.
Unlike so many in the guilds I'm in, where, if they don't get a "Radiant Apex" reward in 60 crates? THEY get upset. Recently/ 3 people, almost in a row, got one, 2 within 30 crates, the other after 40. Now, people can call me a complainer I guess- except, this is the first time I've posted about this part of the game. In over 5 years. THIS part.
How is this "Fair"? Zos, over the years, keeps talking about making the game "equal"- in combat, in abilities, in class... why is this something, "I just have to deal with"? I pay my money, just like everyone else. Why is it fair that I've NEVER won a single RA reward?
15 Crates tonight- What I got? What I always get- an XP scroll not worth 100 Crowns to myself- but, to "WIN" this? If I wish to have the "Crown Gems"? I only get 33. For a 100 Crown Gem item. Who came up with THIS formula? YOU, the game creators? Tell us it's value is 100 crown gems. So, if we wish to have one? We can either "win" it, or purchase one, with 100 crown gems. But if we "WIN" it? And would rather not use something that last 1/2 the time a normal, less expensive one lasts, even though it's only 100% XP boost, instead of 150%? We have to LOSE 66.333 crown gems to do so, getting just 33 crown gems.
Our "Win"? Actually costs us crown gems.
But allow me to show something even more devious: Of the last 60 crown crates I bought? I "won" one "Apex Reward"- supposedly the 2nd highest thing we can "win". The problem? I already HAD that mount. Was I offered my choice of one of the mounts I don't already have? No. It' automatically stripped me of 266.666 crown gems, and gave me 132. So I did NOT "Win" the mount it said I did, because, bad me, I already have it- So I'm punished for this, by getting LESS than 1/3rd, of what I supposedly just "won".
There's a "Muffin" we can win? Doesn't matter if you "already have one", you still get ALL 400 crown gems for it. Same type prize- Apex, yet we do NOT get "punished" for winning that again. Know what it's like to not have won anything in a long time, something I'd actually like to have had, then see that "Apex" card pop up, and it's a mount... not "Muffin", but I already have it- so it does it's calculations, dividing it in thirds, and it gives ME, the "Winner", THE LOWER 1/3rd 132 crown gems, while the other 2/3rds, 133.3333, (twice), go "back to the house", I guess is how we put it?
It makes you feel... Punished, for "Winning".
The last 60 crates I've gotten? All I keep seeing are "Blue", "rewards". Almost all, already owned. So many things I'd never, in a million years purchase for myself- rarely? Sometimes something I didn't think I'd really like? Finds a useful purpose. But this is rare indeed. I don't need any of these things- so my only other choice? "Cash them in", for a mere pittance of what we're told they're worth. The only "higher" rewards? maybe 1 or 2 purple/gold, in 15 crates- 99% of the time? the purple xp scroll, or the gold one- worth 13 & 33 crown gems respectively, to a person who wishes to have the gems instead-
The total crown gems I received for the 15 crates I just opened, at a cost of nearly $40.00 America dollars? 159, approx. I believe I'm within 2-3, accuracy wise. I also got a "skein Pet". In the 15 crates before this? One, I received around 130- which included 2 gold repeats, of "skein pets", and the other, approx. 180 crown gems. The one before these? Was the Duplicate Apex mount, where I received 132 crown gems, plus approx. another 100, for a total of 232 crown gems.
So, in 60 crates? I "won" approx. 701 Crown Gems. This counts ALL won that could be converted to crown gems- then there were some "Mimic Stones" I kept, approx. 7, 2-3 tattoos, and the Skein pet I'll never use.
3 people in my guild? All won the 2500 Radiant Apex mount, in 40 crates or under.
At this rate, I'm sure people understand how hard it is then, and how expensive, to save up enough crown gems, to get a mount we're told is worth 2500 crown gems. It takes years, if you're poor, as I am. And when you finally do get enough? You might be like myself, and choose from the lesser valued ones, so you can actually have two- So, in reality? They are not REALLY "Radiant Apex" rewards- because that would be the "very special", 2500 crown gem one- which supposedly has special looks, actions, and graphics, no other mount does. Hence it's insanely high price. So I do NOT actually have a "Top" reward- I choose to go the other route, so I could get two 1200's instead.
Most don't have to dig & save, trying to find money for crown crates, where most things are already owned- just so they can get minuscule amounts of crown gems, (at 1/3rd.. less, actually, of what we're TOLD these "prizes" are worth), while missing out on so many other things they'd dearly wish to have, just so they can get ONE "reward"- the very best one- or... for two, lesser ones.
Again, how is this "fair"?
In the end, it will mainly be these people, who know nothing of having to endure such a thing, who will come and attack me on this- it's happened many times. They are never told to stop or be stopped from doing so.
It's never really discussed, as people used to do- because people such as myself, are few & far between. Best to just attack us into being silent once more, than to find answers to this extremely unfair practice.
Because most people DO win. They DO get to experience the joy of winning something special- even if only rarely. However, if you reversed the situation? You can bet everything you own, & ever will own, they'd be posting much more fiercely than I.
I've been told that things like this can be construed as "conspiracy theories". However, I don't see how this can be- since the proof is their, for the GMs to see. I have two RA mounts, the lesser versions- purchased with my saved up crown gems. Period. I've never won a single RA reward, in my entire time playing and purchasing crates- If I'm lying? Boot me from the game. You must be able to check the history, which will prove me accurate. Please, do so.
As I first began, I've never posted in this fashion, on this subject, this entire time. I've had some other, similar issues- where I quite literally have PROOF- screenshots & video, of the issues I was posting on- None wanted them. Something I never understood- So I just never bothered with this.
But it has become so bad of late? I had to.
$160.00. Used to by 8.. that's EIGHT video games- ENTIRE GAMES. Spent on Crown crates here, to get, in the end- 701 crown gems. This took me about 9-10 months to save up to get. I also try to use gold? But I can't make gold like other people in this game- I don't complain about this- it's just another thing I have to deal with however- I don't even talk about this one. But at this rate, you can see why it takes so long, just to have an ATTEMPT at winning a RA mount. double that time? 20 months, and the CGs? that's still only 1402.
The "Endeavor" system? Was a nice addition. And will be the only way I'll ever be able to finally get my 2500 Radiant Apex mount. One. And that's still at least a few months off.
Games don't last forever. Having to sit around, watching other players with their RA mounts, when I work just as hard, but usually far harder, than most others do, just to get a couple of lower RA mounts, after more than 5 years? Just isn't right.
Most? Won't even bother to read this post. They'll skim it, take what they feel they can attack with, and do so. Because this isn't happening to them. And if it's only happening to a few people? Why not just silence them, bully them into never talking about it again- so the problem just "goes away", right?
Or, maybe they'll just decide to get rid of me altogether- after being a loyal, hard-working, ESO-loving player, from the very start of the series. Then they'll not have to deal with me posting the truth anymore, as well. Right?
I just can't do it anymore. It's wrong. I've tried the very best I could, done all I could think of, while never saying a word about this here- only filed maybe 2 reports on this specific issue- it just never changes as they say it will- you know, "it will all eventually balance out". It's been more than 5 years. How much longer am I supposed to wait, for this "balance" to occur?
I've invested so much into this game, trusting and hoping for this so-called "balancing out," to take place. Yet, nothing.
Games don't last forever.
May take me a bit to respond- but to all honest responses, with real intent on solutions, and not attacks? I will do my best to get back to you.
Thanks for allowing me to vent.