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Re: More on the Microsoft lay offs, it's grim.
Hopefully once they figure it out they'll let us know. We shall see.
They already did. They told us at around the beginning of the year how ESO is changing. They ended the chapter model. We can see the result in the game right now.
I keep repeating myself because I'm amazed that people can't see what's right in front of them. They didn't just change the name of the annual update for no reason. ESO has entered a new phase.
It's an 11 year old game, so this kind of thing is to be expected.
Let's not forget that some people in these forums had been complaining for years about how the annual chapter releases had become formulaic in structure-- every year, there was a new dungeon DLC in Q1, a chapter in Q2, another dungeon DLC in Q3, and a zone DLC concluding the year-long story in Q4. To be sure, there were also people who defended that formula and said they liked the year-long stories. But if I remember correctly, there were even some people posting polls about this topic.
ZOS responded by announcing that the year-long story formula was going to be changed up by making story arcs spanning multiple years. Naturally, some people reacted negatively to that announcement.
Also, there had been people complaining for years that there were too few bug fixes. Again, some people suggested dropping one of the quarterly DLCs each year for a release of bug fixes, and even posted polls in these forums about that topic.
ZOS responded by announcing that the Q3 and Q4 DLCs would focus more on fixing bugs and adding new game systems. It may have been part of the decision to do away with year-long story arcs and do more story arcs that span multiple years-- I'm hazy on the specifics-- but my point is, it was more or less something that people had been suggesting in these forums, and of course some people reacted negatively to it.
I could go on.
The card game that a vocal percentage of the playerbase loves to hate on and has said ZOS needs to delete from the game? A response to people in these forums asking ZOS to incorporate Legends into ESO (which I don't think would have worked) or add some kind of "tavern game."
The first version of the Vengeance test where we had very limited templates of skills and sets to reduce the calculations the server needs to deal with? A response to people in these forums voicing their opinions about how unbalanced PvP is, how ZOS needs to balance PvE and PvP separately, praising other MMOs where PvP and PvE have separate gear sets, etc.
And etc. (Destructible bridges.) And etc. (Update old zones with new graphics.) And etc. (You get the idea.)
It seems to me that ZOS has been bending over backwards for years listening to the playerbase and trying to give the people some workable version of what have they been asking for. And whenever ZOS has announced some change that's essentially a response to suggestions or complaints in these forums, somebody starts yelling about "maintenance mode."
It seems to me like it's tiime for the players to go look in their bathroom mirrors for answers.
SeaGtGruff
28
Re: More on the Microsoft lay offs, it's grim.
katanagirl1 wrote: »For those of us who want to be able to continue to support the game amidst all this, it could be challenging.
I’ve already done all of the new season content and am running out of things to do. I usually spend my time in Cyrodiil, and could entertain myself there indefinitely, but the combat imbalances due to former classes, OP gear and subclassing, with ball groups thrown on top, can make it really frustrating. Some days I just log out because I can’t do anything.
New players have a whole world to explore, but those of us who have kept up all these years aren’t excited about overland questing, running pledges, and such anymore because we have done that so many times before. If we get less new content this year and even less than that next year, we need to feel like the future will be better. I doubt they are looking that far ahead though. So it’s just wait and see at this point.
That's the boat I'm in. I still have a few things to do, mainly leads to get or achievements I want to get/finish, but after that, I won't have anything to do. I'm glad we'll get more content in October. It's 2026 I'm worried about. My annual sub renews in November, and I'll be cancelling it and going to a shorter sub period. I have serious doubts that there will be enough to do to keep me around until November 2026.
Part of the problem is that the systems they're introducing have no variety. Right now, endeavors and golden pursuits rehash the same activities and content over and over again. I wish they'd introduce something random, so it's not all the same. Daily bounty quests where some random NPC in the game is chosen (and it's not the same for everyone). Scavenger hunts. More collections activities like Vivec's books. Stuff like that, all of which can be implemented with no new zone required. They have a vast world now, and it would be great if they'd make more use of the zones beyond the usual WB, delve, and incursion dailies.
AzuraFan
3
Re: More on the Microsoft lay offs, it's grim.
moderatelyfatman wrote: »As tempting as it is to lay 100% of the blame on Microsoft, ZOS has to take some of the blame here.
ESO lost a bunch of long term players (mini whales) from the tone deaf changes in patch 35 and then tried to replace them with newer players, most of which moved on after a few months after spending $20.
It was a poor long term strategy to fluff up the numbers which eventually caught up with them.
Hm, if a game has to rely on rich players then something ain't right imo. Besides, do you have any actual statistics?
Mostly the steam chart numbers for general population trends. The lack of activity in my three guilds and also Cyrodiil being dead outside of US primetime despite the reduce pop-caps.
FYI:
It is possible to keep an MMO running with just whales. You just need enough people to keep buying new stuff from the in game store when it appears and the company will keep the servers running.
Re: More on the Microsoft lay offs, it's grim.
For those of us who want to be able to continue to support the game amidst all this, it could be challenging.
I’ve already done all of the new season content and am running out of things to do. I usually spend my time in Cyrodiil, and could entertain myself there indefinitely, but the combat imbalances due to former classes, OP gear and subclassing, with ball groups thrown on top, can make it really frustrating. Some days I just log out because I can’t do anything.
New players have a whole world to explore, but those of us who have kept up all these years aren’t excited about overland questing, running pledges, and such anymore because we have done that so many times before. If we get less new content this year and even less than that next year, we need to feel like the future will be better. I doubt they are looking that far ahead though. So it’s just wait and see at this point.
I’ve already done all of the new season content and am running out of things to do. I usually spend my time in Cyrodiil, and could entertain myself there indefinitely, but the combat imbalances due to former classes, OP gear and subclassing, with ball groups thrown on top, can make it really frustrating. Some days I just log out because I can’t do anything.
New players have a whole world to explore, but those of us who have kept up all these years aren’t excited about overland questing, running pledges, and such anymore because we have done that so many times before. If we get less new content this year and even less than that next year, we need to feel like the future will be better. I doubt they are looking that far ahead though. So it’s just wait and see at this point.
Re: More on the Microsoft lay offs, it's grim.
A game dev shop with unionized QA has got to be expensive to run. I mean, how did this even happen? QA jobs are the lowest rung of the tech ladder. Whoever made that decision or manifested it to happen, is at least partially responsible for this. I hope upper management at least pushed back.
Playtests video games all days and "deserves" job security? You can't make this stuff up. If I had to guess, remaining projects will be reallocated to another studio and ZOS will disappear in a socially acceptable timeframe. I hope all the people working maintenance are given the option to work remotely at the new studio.
I think this will be the cautionary tale of what happens when a software shop unionizes.
Playtests video games all days and "deserves" job security? You can't make this stuff up. If I had to guess, remaining projects will be reallocated to another studio and ZOS will disappear in a socially acceptable timeframe. I hope all the people working maintenance are given the option to work remotely at the new studio.
I think this will be the cautionary tale of what happens when a software shop unionizes.
Re: More on the Microsoft lay offs, it's grim.
spartaxoxo wrote: »spartaxoxo wrote: »
Besides, this thread is not about that. It is about our feelings about how the employees at ZOS have been treated. And I think they should have been given notice.
They are still being paid with benefits!!
Good. They should have also been given notice IMO.
Technically speaking.. if they're still getting paid, and still receiving benefits.. then they have been given notice. They're currently in the "you've been notified" portion of being let go.
Re: Could someone help me understand percentage based ult cost reduction?
% based ult cost reduction works the way you first described it (aka not additive).
Re: Could someone help me understand percentage based ult cost reduction?
How is this setup impacted by the change around cooldowns on class skill ult gen they are currently proposing on PTS:
'Based on player feedback earlier in this PTS cycle, we are reverting the week 1 adjustments to class ultimate generation passives. They now all generate a unique form of Ultimate again – however these effects put all similar passives on cooldown, so they cannot be stacked.
Affects the following: Prism, Transfer, Mountain's Blessing, Savage Beast, Implacable Outcome, and Corpse Consumption.
This cooldown works by taking the first effect to activate and using the cooldown of that effect to prevent any of these other effects (including itself) from activating for the listed duration. If you have Corpse Consumption and Prism and trigger Corpse Consumption first – you will not be able to trigger either for 16 seconds. If you trigger Prism after that cooldown window, the next cooldown would be 6 seconds.'
With respect to your actual question I dont know.
'Based on player feedback earlier in this PTS cycle, we are reverting the week 1 adjustments to class ultimate generation passives. They now all generate a unique form of Ultimate again – however these effects put all similar passives on cooldown, so they cannot be stacked.
Affects the following: Prism, Transfer, Mountain's Blessing, Savage Beast, Implacable Outcome, and Corpse Consumption.
This cooldown works by taking the first effect to activate and using the cooldown of that effect to prevent any of these other effects (including itself) from activating for the listed duration. If you have Corpse Consumption and Prism and trigger Corpse Consumption first – you will not be able to trigger either for 16 seconds. If you trigger Prism after that cooldown window, the next cooldown would be 6 seconds.'
With respect to your actual question I dont know.
Re: Add More Major Resolve Sources for PvP
LittlePinkDot wrote: »Maybe they just don't want people to choose 3xDD skill lines without making a sacrifice?
I do think healing skill lines should have major resolve and not just restoring light.
I'm using Chudan right now because Assassination, animal companions and earthen heart skill lines don't have Major resolve. But I guess that's the sacrifice I have to make in order to be able to use fossilized unlockable stun and Corrosive armour with relentless focus and cutting dive.
I also have to use Night Mother's gaze just to get a reliable source of major breach.
Except the benefits of sacrificing a major resolve line like restoring light or storm calling isn't worth it to use 1 extra skill and Chudan. Meta builds will have the bar space to get everything needed on 1 build, so Chudan is unnecessary. Meanwhile non meta builds need to use Chudan. Adding a universal major resolve will make non meta builds slightly more competitive by using a good monster set and open up more build diversity.
This proves my point. No offense but this isn't a good build. You aren't using a set like bloodspawn to get higher ult gen. The time between your corrosives will be too long. If I was fighting this, I'd just turtle up during your corrosive and then afterwards I'd have like 30 - 40 secs or more to play offensive before your next corro. And if I was hit by your fossilize I'd break free and immediately roll dodge your relentless.
You don't need corrosive. You have enough burst with deep fissure, merciless, spammable and incap. And if you still wanted a unblockable stun, there's streak in storm calling along with major resolve source. Or even warden charm on healing soul.
No reason to use earthern heart with those lines and with storm calling or restoring light you can use balorgh for more pen, then you can kill anyone in 1v1. Why are you using nmg when you have access to animal companions deep fissure with major and minor breach?
You don't need fossilize anyway because you are using cliff racer or could use surprise attack - both of these can proc off balance. You can stun an off balance target with a medium attack. SA into medium weave relentless/ merciless with fissure and ult will kill almost everyone. And if you wanted it to be unblockable/ undodgeable either use healing soul with charm or streak.
I myself use dizzy off balance medium into db and merciless. I use warden charm for the combo to be unblockable and undodgeable. See for yourself if interested.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEN5NwUHzg8
Namacc
2
Re: More on the Microsoft lay offs, it's grim.
Hopefully once they figure it out they'll let us know. We shall see.
They already did. They told us at around the beginning of the year how ESO is changing. They ended the chapter model. We can see the result in the game right now.
I keep repeating myself because I'm amazed that people can't see what's right in front of them. They didn't just change the name of the annual update for no reason. ESO has entered a new phase.
It's an 11 year old game, so this kind of thing is to be expected.
Desiato
4