Hey Console players! When the patch finishes today, try to do this...

React · March 2023

In update 37 on PC NA, Zenimax completely broke multiple core combat mechanics on controller specifically. These issues were not fixed in the PC NA incremental that happened yesterday (3/27), so it is very likely you are about to receive these same exact bugs with today's patch! These are being caused by a simple minor bugfix they tried to do, but instead of rolling that bugfix back they have decided to let us once again deal with a broken combat system. This marks the second patch in a row where a core combat function has not worked properly, due to minor bugfixes!

So when the console patch finishes downloading, I urge you to try the following.

Jump and cast an ability assigned to your bumpers simultaneously. On an xbox controller, the default keybind for this would be A+LB or RB. Your ability will not fire, because they broke this!
Break free by quick-tapping the button combination. On an xbox controller, the default button combination is LT+RT. You can no longer consistently break free by quick tapping the two triggers, as they broke this and you now must hold one and press the other, or hold both! This means every break free on a controller is now delayed.
Break free of a stun, and cast an ability. You will not see any animations for the 1-2 abilities, light attacks, or barswaps that you do following a break free. Your opponent can't see them either! Another wonderful feature added in update 38.

There are also numerous other issues that I and many others have been experiencing since the patch released on PC two weeks ago. Among these are general delayed breakfrees, issues dodge cancelling and barswap cancelling abilities, issues casting ultimates where they frequently will register a bumper input rather than a LB+RB input and cast a regular ability, issues where light and heavy attacks simply will not fire at all, issues where bash weaving cancels your light/med/heavy attacks before they fire, and much more. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have never in 7 years playing this game experienced the combat system in such a poor state.

Here is the patch note for the bugfix that is very likely causing these issues.

Here are a couple of videos demonstrating and explaining the bugs you're about to receive!

https://youtu.be/r7LYcjzYRa4

https://youtu.be/N40J8NT7kDM

Velocious_Curse · March 2023

Yay us amirite? Lol

Side note, miss you over here man. PI will forever be with us

Surak73 · March 2023

React wrote: »

[*] Jump and cast an ability assigned to your bumpers simultaneously. On an xbox controller, the default keybind for this would be A+LB or RB. Your ability will not fire, because they broke this!

So jumpers can't cast abilities? That's not a bug, that's a feature!!!...

React · March 2023

Surak73 wrote: »

React wrote: »

[*] Jump and cast an ability assigned to your bumpers simultaneously. On an xbox controller, the default keybind for this would be A+LB or RB. Your ability will not fire, because they broke this!

So jumpers can't cast abilities? That's not a bug, that's a feature!!!...

Please don't bait.

This is a core movement/combat mechanic that has been in the game for it's entire life. It only applies to bumper abilities as well and doesn't happen on mouse & keyboard, so it is an obvious bug related to button combinations.

beer781993 · March 2023

Oh boy I pray this doesn't happen on ps5.
Pressing a synergie causes you to have a delay on the animations of the next la and skill and then fast forward 2 las and 2 skills in 1 second.

NordSwordnBoard · March 2023

Good job with that first video, I watched it in your other post. Irrefutable evidence like that is hard to ignore, or should be.

The same people who think this is some kind of "gotcha" for people who jump will also conclude that there are now suddenly more cheaters using lag switches and marco slices due to the masking of abilies mentioned in #3. Nobody wants to get hit with things they can't see or counter play.

I said the same in a discord: The enthusiasm for new sets is tempered by the reality of the lag.

beer781993 · March 2023

Will be a new feature for the next 3 months. Block still buggy after 1 year.

React · March 2023

beer781993 wrote: »

Oh boy I pray this doesn't happen on ps5.
Pressing a synergie causes you to have a delay on the animations of the next la and skill and then fast forward 2 las and 2 skills in 1 second.

Very likely going to be an issue on PS as well.

ZOS_GinaBruno · March 2023

Hey all, just wanted to let you know that while this will be an issue with today's console patch, we are aware of these issues and are working on getting some fixes tested. We'll keep you posted on when you can expect the fixes to go live.

React · March 2023

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Hey all, just wanted to let you know that while this will be an issue with today's console patch, we are aware of these issues and are working on getting some fixes tested. We'll keep you posted on when you can expect the fixes to go live.

This is the exact same comment we received two weeks ago from Kevin.

These are core combat issues. They are not just some minor bugs that can be avoided or worked around - combat is heavily and directly impacted by these, and certain parts of it (such as PVP and certain PVE) become unbearable because of them.

Last patch, it took two months for the decision to be made to simply roll back the bugfix that broke block. We know for a fact that block was fixed by rolling back this bugfix, because the bugs that were originally fixed returned to the game when block was fixed two months into the patch.

It is great to hear that you're working on testing fixes - but why haven't you rolled back the bugfix that caused this in the mean time? We shouldn't be forced to wait months for a fix that might not actually come (again, see the block timeline last patch) when you could immediately alleviate the issue by reverting the bugfix that caused it until you can come up with a verifiably working solution to the problem.

Necrotech_Master · March 2023

your 3rd point about not being able to see animations after a ccbreak is not limited to using a controller, i exclusively use KB/M and still have that issue

it is very weird for sure

FluffWit · March 2023

@ZOS_RichLambert @ZOS_MattFiror

You intentionally released another broken update? What happened to all that stuff about how much better you were going to do this year?

And again, you cant even manage to use the word sorry. It's ridiculous.

React · March 2023

@ZOS_BrianWheeler @ZOS_MattFiror

Here is the section on core combat functionality in ESO from the December "ESO Developer Deep Dive" post from Brian.

How can you say that you value these things, when you're allowing them to be non-functional for the second patch in a row? If this statement actually represented the core values of your team, you absolutely should not have let these things get past the PTS. At the bare minimum, you would have rolled back the obviously untested bugfix that caused the issues in this post.

mikemacon · March 2023

Update 37.

React · March 2023

mikemacon wrote: »

Update 37.

Thanks

Queen_Rhaenys · March 2023

Thank you for the heads up and thank you for posting the videos too. I'm used to none of my buttons working in pvp anyway but pve was usually a safe area for me to come back to and regain some sanity.

And nowwww, probably not for the foreseeable future lol.

Destai · March 2023

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Hey all, just wanted to let you know that while this will be an issue with today's console patch, we are aware of these issues and are working on getting some fixes tested. We'll keep you posted on when you can expect the fixes to go live.

So you're aware of core combat bugs being an issue and rolled out the patch anyways? Am I reading that correctly?

Steel_Heart777 · March 2023

Imagine my shock. Although since the game is basically unplayable in Cyrodiil PS5 NA and my skill bar frequently, inexplicably greys out and becomes unusable (and when it's not greyed out, skills will not fire even after multiple button presses - especially ultimates), I expect not to notice anyway.

FluffWit · March 2023

Steel_Heart777 wrote: »

Imagine my shock. Although since the game is basically unplayable in Cyrodiil PS5 NA and my skill bar frequently, inexplicably greys out and becomes unusable (and when it's not greyed out, skills will not fire even after multiple button presses - especially ultimates), I expect not to notice anyway.

That one drives me nuts. Bar swapping fixes it.... when bar swapping actually feels like working.

alternatelder · March 2023

They should just put this game out of its misery already.
I have no doubt the rest of this year will be a disaster as well. Glad I found Destiny fun again. Diablo 4 can't come soon enough though. I have a somewhat bad feeling my D4 play will bleed through my gamecation during ESO chapter.

igormaxbr03 · March 2023

I played couple Bg with my stam Dk on PC NA last week i was wondering whats wrong with break free is my ping lag or someting but now there 2 more issues with combat that i dint know great job zos.

Lets wait another 15-60 days so Zos can fix that ,on my 7 years playing the game never see so many broken update in a row .if someting with crow store they fix day one or super fast but if is core combact experience ,balance on broken sets ,skills they dont care, also when a critical bug on new gen console happen since the next gen update xbox series s/x and PS 5 that perfomace mode dont work after you set the first time you need do workaround to get 60 fps instead

TechMaybeHic · March 2023

Leaving this on PC is bad enough but could be brushed off with keyboard and mouse being the primary mode there. But to know it's there and push it to consoles? Lol

Xandreia_ · March 2023

This is still ridiculous 2 weeks later and the lack of urgency speaks volumes! These are core combat and for alot of people they are game breaking. It's unacceptable to keep this bug on live servers and to release a broken patch to console since they already have a worse time than us on pc

OutLaw_Nynx · March 2023

I’m not seeming to have issues with the first bug on ps5.. is this only for Xbox/PC?

React · March 2023

OutLaw_Nynx wrote: »

I’m not seeming to have issues with the first bug on ps5.. is this only for Xbox/PC?

It's possible. I don't have a ps controller to test, but I did test it on four seperate xbox controllers.

Edit: You have to press jump and the ability simultaneously or extremely (<50ms) close together, and it has to be an ability assigned to your bumper. At least for the xbox controller, this is how to replicate it.

Icy_Waffles · March 2023

Wow.

Thank you for sharing this. As a console player it’s really helpful to know what’s coming- thank you for the effort and being detailed.

Also seeing how ZOS knowingly greenlit a patch to consoles that was broken again with no up front communication to even show an urgency… come on

Caribou77 · March 2023

@React I can confirm that the controller bugs, as described and documented, are now live on Xbox after today’s update.

[Snip]

When a business does not respect its customers, one really must stop supporting it and go elsewhere.

[Edited for removed content]

Velocious_Curse · March 2023

I hope break free makes it into the next dlc. That'd be an awesome feature to have. I feel like we could all benefit from that.

jhall03 · March 2023

The only dev that can fix this is probably working on a different game.

Neoauspex · March 2023

I did notice the break free bug, but since Xbox NA servers are still just a bunch of fax machines and hamster wheels soldered together with bubble gum you can't really break free or cast skills anyway.

blktauna · March 2023

Steel_Heart777 wrote: »

Imagine my shock. Although since the game is basically unplayable in Cyrodiil PS5 NA and my skill bar frequently, inexplicably greys out and becomes unusable (and when it's not greyed out, skills will not fire even after multiple button presses - especially ultimates), I expect not to notice anyway.

This and I'm on PC keyboard and mouse...