Also, in-game chat is also a thing. People don’t need to use a third-party voice chat to zerg. [/quote]

in-game (voice) chat is not a thing on PC.

It's hard to say for me what the average story-focused soloist might know or think, or not, especially considering that we forum people are only a tiny minority of the playerbase as a whole. Most people never come here, and I guess many don't even read the news articles on the website. So how informed people are on average - I don't know.

My personal experience as a lore-focused player who knows many other lore- and story-content-focused players, is that people are still informed about the different content types in ESO, and about their different difficulties, even if they don't (regularly) play group content themselves. I don't think I ever came across a person who thought they were a very skilled player just because they've done overland questing for a decade. I think people are aware that overland is easy. Then again, of course, I only know forum people, who could generally be better informed.

In any way, we can see there's a lot of disappointment right now, and that the cause is partially wrong expectations (people believing the Night Market was easier to solo) and partially misconceptions (believing there is no story content this year, or that the Night Market replaced the old story zones). I think there would be a solution: Clearer communication.

Not "There's some challenging content where a solo player might want to seek help" (which sounded like at least some content, except for harder enemies or bosses, was soloable for everyone without grouping - and while I get that done, factually many more casual players can't even get past the trash mobs, at least I've read that so often in the past few days) - but clearly: Group content, vet content. So people clearly know if the content is for them or not, and don't only notice after they've gone through that faction choice process and explored the plaza and then suddenly, after half an hour or longer, they notice they can't progress alone at all, and they do absolutely need to group, which is not the playstyle they enjoy. That's unnecessary frustration.

It doesn't matter if one feels the same way, or has a different view; and I know some people said they can't understand the reaction at all, but that doesn't matter - it's the way it is: There are a lot of frustrated people right now. And that's a problem for a game that needs constant participation and revenue.

Ahhhh I'm so happy someone else appreciates the critters and npcs in the plaza. It was one of my favorite things about the Night Market when I first went in and still is. I only hope we have some ways to interact with them in the future maybe.

The reward for these is not worth the effort. Will stop once I have the achievement

My opinion has changed from mostly negative (initial reaction) to mostly positive. As long as you're prepared to die a lot, and are willing to invest some time into learning the lay of the land so to speak, it can be fun.

A lot of people have been talking about soft grouping here... Except that there's nobody to group with. I don't know if there are too many instances, or if I've been getting on at bad times, but I can sit by the door in a district for an hour and never see another player come through, the whole place is like a ghost town. Where and how are these soft groups supposed to form?

i love the character names too.
And always happy to see Maormer.

oh Andresselia, she is similar to Lharsa who also sings at a fountain.
She is in Fargrave City, near the daily job brokers.
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Lharsa