How to instantly make ToT more popular.

NoSoup

For those of us that are hooked on this game and don't just see it as a gimic, we would all now the playing population has dropped off massively. One really simple change which would result in a huge uptake would be to introduce AP points for a win.......

If we consider that BGs rewards AP and you arn't locked to an alliance with the players in your group and the opposition then why not the pvp portion of ToT?

Necrotech_Master

it makes sense, if your playing other players as it is a form of pvp lol

i personally dont enjoy playing against other players, and usually just play npcs if i want to relax (or using it as a farming method while im working lol)

Daoin

at first i could not stop playing, for me the reason i stopped playing is theres just not enough time to keep on playing constantly without carrying on doing the things i have enjoyed more over the years so its not a thing that just fits in nicely with, if for example you X amount of time for eso each day. even making a change to rewards would not make me play again. I dont think the people stopped because its seen as a gimic, as you said yourself you enjoy it and are hooked, but made a decision that time spent doing something else was better. some guilds have a ToT night with a dedicated few hours. but that about as main stream popular as it will ever get.

Luke_Flamesword

Even AP won't bring much population to it. It's not big fun for casual to play againsts other players when most players who actually still play are hardcore veterans of it (so they will easily destroy any amateur) or delayers who use maximum of time of every turn for cheesy win.

Soarora

I think theres good rewards from ToT, I just think ZOS added it for themselves. I want the rewards but it’s such an out of place activity that I forget it exists. Haven’t played since it’s release.

NeKryXe

I believe that many players are quitting because of the absurd ranking system. At least everybody I knew in game and guilds abandoned TOT because of it. For many players the ranked PVP was the main motivation, but since you need to win dozens of matches to recover one single loss, it requires too much time.

I think that a more honest and transparent ranking system and better rewards, would motivate the players who enjoy ToT but can't or don't want to waste so much time playing an infinite number of matches for a few points because one loss is taking all points.

Credible_Joe

Alternative: Mobile app. Allow account linking and cross-play. Allow guest players (non ESO players). Earn rewards while you're away from the game, as well as refreshing & boosting the player pop. Drastically lower ranked and casual queue times.

valenwood_vegan

I played it a bit when it was new... actually did quite enjoy it, but the issue for me is that... if I wanted to play a card game, I'd be playing one... not a MMORPG. Just feels out of place and I don't want to devote my limited eso time to it. Not sure more rewards would really get me playing it more.

A standalone / mobile app version is an interesting idea, and I could see myself giving ToT a bit of love at times when I'm away from my PC and not able to play eso. Could definitely help boost the population. But again, for me personally... if I really wanted to play a card game, i'd be doing that already. And I imagine there are better ones out there... idk.

SeaGtGruff

I play every day, twice a day-- or once a day on two servers-- but I play the NPCs. I'd guess that on average it takes me 30 to 45 minutes to play 3 matches, which is short enough that it doesn't interfere with the other things I want to do in the game.

As far as playing against other players, I tried that briefly with the intention of just winning 1 game each day for the daily, but it generally took me a few losses before I could get my 1 win, so with having to wait for the queue plus having to play multiple matches just to get 1 win, it took longer than I'd have preferred.

With respect to the suggestion about AP, my first impulse is to say that one's Alliance has nothing to do with it, hence AP does not make sense. But one's Alliance has nothing to do with Battlegrounds, either, so... sure, why not?

DinoZavr

Without the complete rehaul of time control, ToT will not become massively popular.
i have stopped playing versus players when realized one of 3 or 4 games i have to match a player who deliberately delays theirs moves till the last seconds. Even the first no-brainer moves.
Some players start delaying theirs turns after they see they are losing to mess you up.
No fun at all!

Time control may be and IS exploited by players, thus very few would like to spend 20..25 minutes for a single match,
regardless of how good the rewards are. Humans life is not that long to entertain trolls.
(this is one of many examples of what i am talking about)


Implementing more complex time control (only for players vs players) requires considerable efforts
(as it should account potential combos, cards discards and grabs, etc) and will be met negatively
by players who like to think a lot, so the proposed solution is to run two concurrent tournaments
"Classic" and "Blitz" (exactly like in chess), with the later adding 15..25 seconds for each next move.

LunaFlora

i think people who don't like tales of tribute don't like other card games either

tsaescishoeshiner

I think they should buff the transmute drops for the first win/day. Maybe a guaranteed 5-10?

Might slightly reduce the amount of daily random dungeon racers.

SilverBride

NeKryXe wrote: »

I believe that many players are quitting because of the absurd ranking system.

This is exactly why I quit playing.

We have asked multiple times about how this system works and I would still like and official explanation, but at this point even a new ranking system probably wouldn't bring me back.

TybaltKaine

The biggest obstacle to growing the player base is the lack of appropriate ranked matches for newcomers. When you throw your hat in the ring for actual PVP games, you end up facing someone who has been playing since release and has all the decks. For a new player to come in and get mopped for easy rewards by the older players is nonsense. You end up with one tier of players and everyone who tries to break in just gets destroyed over and over until they quit or go back to NPC matches only.

Daoin

if the made x5 rheum a 100% drop after every match i would play again after some thought probably a few matches per week

Deter1UK

LunaFlora wrote: »

i think people who don't like tales of tribute don't like other card games either

oh I don't know; I quite like a game of Hearts, cribbage is fun, gin rummy and canasta are both good.

Played TOT once, hated it immediately.

NeKryXe

Deter1UK wrote: »

LunaFlora wrote: »

i think people who don't like tales of tribute don't like other card games either

oh I don't know; I quite like a game of Hearts, cribbage is fun, gin rummy and canasta are both good.

Played TOT once, hated it immediately.

Oh! That explains a lot. This is not the kind of game you play once and immediately enjoy.

I believe that all players needed a lot of involvement with ToT before they started enjoying it. At least I didn't immediately left Elder Scroll Legends to strictly play ToT. It took some time.

Solariken

AP is a good idea honestly, despite the fact that I think ToT is a dumb gimmick and I wish it was never introduced.

Taggund

Adding AP would be more just to benefit those already playing, and not to attract new players. I don't think it would help with retention either, as there must be other issues with ToT leading to the dropoff of players.

Personally, I'd keep playing Cyro for my AP. I'm here to play a MMORPG, not a card game. I have not played ToT since the first week it was introduced, with the exception of one quest that forced us to play a game. I don't see that changing regardless of the reward (same as nothing will get me to do Trials, even though they have nice rewards).

colossalvoids

LunaFlora wrote: »

i think people who don't like tales of tribute don't like other card games either

Not really, generally I hear people saying that they just don't enjoy it in this exact manner and in this exact title, it kinda disrupts gameplay flow and feels out of place. Personally have nothing against good card game, but tot isn't there and feels like a cheap mobile game that I do not enjoy. If I'd like a card game, I'd get into one, while ESO is for way different kind of entertainment that they actually can be good at.

KlauthWarthog

It would get more popular if it could by played through an app. As it stands, it competes with other activities for in-game time. and the other activities win.
Changing the reward only goes so far when the activity itself is not interesting enough.

kwinter

I agree with others that an app that allows you to play would increase the popularity

ArielSira

Being able to play through an app is nice, but I'd love to see the rewards, points and achievements be open to NPC matches too.

SimonThesis

I they want to revive that game they need a better ranking system, better MMR so your facing someone at your skill level, and better rewards. AP is not good enough unless its a crazy amount, I could see Telvar being a good reward since everyone hates IC, but I think it should be guaranteed gold mats your first win of the day.

The best way to combat the slow trolls is for zos to pair them with eachother.

Rouz

The main issue isn't rewards. Its design. ToT is just poorly designed. Yes, there's some people who like it. But if this was a stand alone card game, it would've died by now

1. Almost half the patrons and just frustrating and unfun to play against. Especially Orgum
2. Balance is a disaster
3. Developers don't want to put resources into fixing it because it wont help sell any expansions
4. Excessive RNG ruins many matches
5. PvP matches just last way too long
6. Lack of players = people who are way high in ranks fighting people who are more than a few hundred below them in rank

Seriously I'm actually amazed how bad this game has become and how they seem to not care at fixing it. At all.

Past four matches it seems like I've fought against orgum. I don't know what happened. But everyone is choosing that patron now. I'm so over it. I really want to like ToT. But god damn everytime I play it I think "What amateur designed this and why do they refuse to fix it".

I mean the top complaint is the RNG situation and how they 1-3 early game turns basically decide the win in some cases. They recognized this and instead of fixing it, they try to make it into a "feature" to sell Necrom with a new ToT patrom. Which didn't solve the issue and made it worse.

It legitimately frustrates me how they think this mini game is in a good state.

ToT will continue to die with small bumps for new Patron releases. Then once people realize nothing has changed, it goes back to the dumpster bin.