ZOS_Finn wrote: »

So, to answer some questions on Challenge Difficulty and instancing combat. This is going to be a little bit technical to hopefully explain the limitations from that perspective.
[...]
Please DO keep providing feedback. We have some fixes in the works coming for CD. Mainly around the calculations we are making on the backend so that player damage is more in line with expectations but that is not exhaustive and we continue to monitor things. We are taking a look at the Master difficulty in particular as thats where I think most folks will find their groove and we want to make that as smooth as possible.

Thank you very much for this insight and clarifying the technical limitation @ZOS_Finn

I understand that having different instances for each difficulty is to heavy. Also the points that code made, highlighting additional problems with multiple instances make a lot of sense.

Since ESO overland is vast, i think in general the amount of times where this causes unsatisfying player experiences is limited. But with two exceptions that came to mind:

• newly introduced zones
• zones during a zone-specific event

Maybe it would be interesting to consider for the future to have the option to have separate instances for the difficulties for specific zones for a limited time (same idea as having additional campaigns during PvP event)
Since this would only affect one (or at least very few zones) at once it might be acceptable from a server load stand point.

It follows my not flushed-out idea how it could be structured and lore-wise implemented. Maybe there is something you find interesting. It would give the player the control about which experience they would like to have.

Lore-Aspect
Take a deadric prince that suits the concept of "alternative realities", maybe Ithelia. Have a small (tutorial) questline and at the end you obtain a item/tool that can put the char in and out a state of "reality flux. (This state is not saved and it is always inactive when logging in)
New Zones are experiencing "alternative realities" because they have not yet "settled". Zones for a event, well Ithelia also wants to take part and as a result there are also alternative realities there.


Player-Interaction
If a zone is experiences "alternative realities" there are 5 instances.
One (lets call it instance zero) is for everybody who is not in the state of reality flux. This zone will behave exactly as the system is implemented now. People of different difficulty can play togehter. you can change your difficulty within seconds and so on.

The other 4 instances are one for each difficulty. If you are in a zone with alternative realities and put your character in the state of reality flux, you will be ported to the instance corresponding to your difficulty. (or you activate it before you port to the zone and then you will be put directly in the correct instance)

If you change your difficulty while in the state of reality flux, you will be ported to the other instance.
The resulting problems that e.g. code describe with bosses not being there, is simple an result of this being a different reality (to not break the immersion aspect) and can be shortly explained during the (tutorial) quest, so people are aware of it.

If people deactive their "reality flux" they will be ported back to instance zero.