darkSpyro

So at my 2nd job I noticed a few people buying one of everything we have and then returning them all within a few days. I figured they just went trigger happy and then realized they didn't want them or couldn't really afford them....but then I bought a crystal from work and it had already been used in its package to make a skylander. It then dawned on me people were buying them, unlocking the goodies and possibly the realms and type special moves and then returning them. They can all be used this way in their box. Seems smart but its pretty mean to lock in a battle type,of a crystal and then return it.

If you have SSA/SG for 3DS, you could use that to reset the returned crystals. I considered telling the local stores about it, but I didn't get around to it. Maybe next week.

I'm surprised Activision didn't do the Amiibo thing and just line the bottom of the box with a material that blocks the data transmission to prevent this kind of behavior. This is the biggest problem with the crystals, people locking them to a class and then returning them. What a mess.

Hit up Activision support on twitter about this, about what you're seeing. They need to do something.

Quote: kelpplankton

I'm surprised Activision didn't do the Amiibo thing and just line the bottom of the box with a material that blocks the data transmission to prevent this kind of behavior. This is the biggest problem with the crystals, people locking them to a class and then returning them. What a mess.

Hit up Activision support on twitter about this, about what you're seeing. They need to do something.

Hey if somebody buys a used crystal and doesn't know how to reset it, they'll have to buy another one. It's getting Activision 2x more money, so they won't do anything about it. Luckily, SSA on 3DS exists

This came up either here or on reddit several months prior to release, when the information that came out that we couldn't reset battle class. I have seen several people mention that this was absolutely going to happen. It sucks that is has happened. People suck.

Quote: TrapShadowFan

Hey if somebody buys a used crystal and doesn't know how to reset it, they'll have to buy another one. It's getting Activision 2x more money, so they won't do anything about it. Luckily, SSA on 3DS exists

Hopefully, instead of just living with it, people who buy already-locked crystals will return them to the place of purchase, inform the retailer (correctly) that the crystal is faulty, and exchange it for an unused replacement crystal.

The retailer can then send the locked crystal back to the manufacturer, and Activision will have to deal with a lot of returned 'faulty' crystals (which they'll probably just reset and then put out there again, but still, it'll be a pain for Activision).

I returned the crystals and told them what was going on. They exchanged them with no issues.

Quote: DGAFPolar

I returned the crystals and told them what was going on. They exchanged them with no issues.

Since you work there, do you know what happened to those locked crystals? Were they returned to the distributor, or put back on the shelf?

Quote: Darkling183

Quote: DGAFPolar

I returned the crystals and told them what was going on. They exchanged them with no issues.

Since you work there, do you know what happened to those locked crystals? Were they returned to the distributor, or put back on the shelf?

We defect them out if we know they've been used. The issue is someone has to buy them first then come back and tell us. This is an issue bc it wastes a person's time and it allows dishonest people to simply say its used and return it for a different one so they can recreate a skylander if they screwed up theirs lol

But can you still sell them (as defect)? That's probably the biggest issue, since these people would be throwing the store's money away. Someone probably wouldn't mind buying saved crystals if there was a tag with the class or a testing place to see which class it had.

I think it is good people are doing this, cus once Acti has enough kids crying over battleclasses they don't want, they'll do something about it by hopefully doing an update in consoles where we can switch battle classes.

This is one of the reasons I think they will eventually patch in a reset. Returned crystals that could have been used in the package. Stores won't refuse to accept returns of crystals that are unopened, and many cannot check them in store - so they will start sending them all back to factory if this continues to be an issue.

I returned a couple yesterday, they were unused - I got the triple pack on Amazon instead - but if the store told me I couldn't return unopened merchandise I would have been majorly upset.

One of my local stores used to have an interactive Skylanders display for every new game, with a portal and screen to preview toys with. This year - nothing. Has anyone seen an in-store portal display this year? If so, is it possible to check creation crystals with them?

I agree that Activision will probably eventually patch in the reset functionality, but not until they've made as much profit on the crystals as they think is possible. It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't enable resets until after wave 5 (if they do at all). After making the crystals reusable, Activision could then stop manufacturing them completely, if they so desired.

With more and more methods being found to reset crystals, some players will be content to buy only one of each element (if that many), meaning that crystal sales will slowly start to wane and retailers will get fewer of them into stock with each successive wave. Sky 7's gimmick (whatever it is or if we even get a Sky 7 next year) will probably take up plenty of shelf space on its own without also requiring retailers to stock crystals that most die-hard players will already own.

There's also "Return Protection" on a lot of major Credit Card companies. If the store refuses to return the crystal, within a specific amount of time, you can issue a claim with your Credit Card company and get the refund.

Stores won't refuse returns for unopened merchandise (unless you have a history of excessive returns). They will simply start returning to manufacturer if returned crystals if they cannot check them in store and it becomes an issue. I feel bad for people that get them and do not know how to reset them (or don't have a 3DS). This is a stupid problem that is easy to fix if they wanted to fix it.

I'm inclined to believe Activision may go the Amiibo route if this happens to much, but do it for all future figures and gimmicks.

ShaneG.

Quote: Plaag

I'm inclined to believe Activision may go the Amiibo route if this happens to much, but do it for all future figures and gimmicks.

Well, it doesn't need to be implemented on toys that can be reset, eg senseis. Traps were a non-issue because they had to be taken out of their packaging to be written to. And it was a lot of fun taking toys to the display in the store and putting them on the portal to see how they looked in the game.

But it's just baffling to me (or a sign of how late in the design process Activision decided to make the crystals unresettable) that no-one realised that making crystals lockable while still in the box was just asking for this kind of trouble.

Quote: kelpplankton

I'm surprised Activision didn't do the Amiibo thing and just line the bottom of the box with a material that blocks the data transmission to prevent this kind of behavior. This is the biggest problem with the crystals, people locking them to a class and then returning them. What a mess.

Hit up Activision support on twitter about this, about what you're seeing. They need to do something.

Not only surprised, but if they're going to enforce a one time decision in the game these things should require unboxing (and therefore no returns). Not even in the holiday season and they're going to have a colossal problem on their hands shortly. And we all warned them.

Quote: Bifrost

But can you still sell them (as defect)? That's probably the biggest issue, since these people would be throwing the store's money away. Someone probably wouldn't mind buying saved crystals if there was a tag with the class or a testing place to see which class it had.

1st time retailers aren't going to do this. 2nd hand stores are going to need to educate themselves and either know how to reset or document it for the consumer however.

Quote: Drawdler

The thing is, even if they added foil to Crystal boxes, figures this year are very easy to unbox and just put back in the box. Yes, there are those circle stickers, but I'd bet that most retail workers either don't notice or care about them, and you can easily replace or hold onto those anyway.

Speaking of, I find them pretty easy to open them from the bottom, without breaking any of the circle stickers at all (except Adventure Packs, which have one on the bottom as well).

Quote: Drawdler

Yes, there are those circle stickers, but I'd bet that most retail workers either don't notice or care about them, and you can easily replace or hold onto those anyway.

True. I returned some crystals after realising that there were different molds available at launch. (I had presumed there was only one for each element.) I hadn't opened or used them, but I had taken off the stickers. The store attendant gave me a refund for the crystals without checking to see if they were still sealed - just asked me if there was anything wrong with them.

Some of the crystal boxes had a very flimsy coating that came away attached to the stickers, which would have made it difficult to reuse them. The stickers clung to other boxes as if it were a matter of life or death.

I agree they should have known this was going to happen....they should have made them resettable....(like all figures can be)

When they return em should they ask if they were used? Or that's not how it works?

Quote: sky-dragon

When they return em should they ask if they were used? Or that's not how it works?

Reality is unless Activision educated retailers (doubtful) AND the retailer is educated and can execute (I have better chances winning the lottery) people will allow returns if it hasn't been "opened". Ethically/morally, it's disgusting that anyone is doing this unless they actually haven't used the object, but this is just a repeat of threads gone bad from past years. I'm not here to preach, but I do know right from wrong.

Quote: TakeYourLemons

Quote: sky-dragon

When they return em should they ask if they were used? Or that's not how it works?

Reality is unless Activision educated retailers (doubtful) AND the retailer is educated and can execute (I have better chances winning the lottery) people will allow returns if it hasn't been "opened". Ethically/morally, it's disgusting that anyone is doing this unless they actually haven't used the object, but this is just a repeat of threads gone bad from past years. I'm not here to preach, but I do know right from wrong.

Well, I returned a few to Gamestop and Target this week. I got the triples on Amazon much cheaper. I hadn't used them (Christmas gift), but there was absolutely no checking if I had and selected a Battle Class. And that would really suck for a kid to get one someone used and returned, but I primarily blame Activision for that. It would be no big deal if they included a full reset, preferably tied with "Taking Ownership" so it would clear it automatically. Like if you put a figure that you didn't already have ownership or new on the portal if it asked you if you would like to take ownership (which would reset it) or use it as a guest (for using/showing off figures at a friend's house).

If you buy it, don't use it and return it=FINE
If you buy it, use it and return it=DEBATABLE
If you buy it, take it out, use it, then re-package it and return it=ARE YOU KIDDING ME

I'm a bit concerned that locked crystals will get in consumer hands and more mud on the franchise, but I guess that's Activision's problem now.

Ohhh this is a problem. I work in a retail store that sells games...I'll give my coworkers the heads up tomorrow.

WiiU running in Wii mode with the Wii Giants software DOES WORK to reset Creation Crystals. I loaded and played the Giants Wii version on my WiiU with Tree Rex on the Imaginator portal. Went to the main menu, swapped on a magic crystal with a figure loaded then chose Settings and the Fix Toy option. Back in Imaginators, the magic creation crystal loaded as factory new. So now folks with a Wii or WiiU can reset crystals too using the Giants software for the Wii.
I tried the same thing with Spyro's Adventure (Wii disc) and Giants (WiiU disc) and neither worked. I picked up a copy of Giants (Wii) for $12 and am now free to experiment to my hearts content. And by the way, defeating the doomlander in the Cradle of Creation with a level two Tree Rex is possible, but I don't recommend it!