Feedback On Console Environmental Sustainability Features

VouxeTheMinotaur

I noticed the change made to this feature, and just want to say thank you for the change, makes the game run and look smoother.

I also noticed that the feature is still (somewhat) implemented, I was a little upset to see it not an option, but the way it was "decreased" in a sense made it much more bearable, or just nonexistent so long as I'm not idle for too long, which is fantastic and how it should stay. After i realized this, i wasn't upset anymore about it not being an option. The only times i've ever seen it in action is when i leave to use the restroom and come back to see it in effect, never in menu as it was, and it doesn't cause the game lag / FPS drop anymore, awesome.

Thanks again for taking in the feedback. Game is looking great!

WolfieVZ

VouxeTheMinotaur wrote: »

I noticed the change made to this feature, and just want to say thank you for the change, makes the game run and look smoother.

I also noticed that the feature is still (somewhat) implemented, I was a little upset to see it not an option, but the way it was "decreased" in a sense made it much more bearable, or just nonexistent so long as I'm not idle for too long, which is fantastic and how it should stay. After i realized this, i wasn't upset anymore about it not being an option. The only times i've ever seen it in action is when i leave to use the restroom and come back to see it in effect, never in menu as it was, and it doesn't cause the game lag / FPS drop anymore, awesome.

Thanks again for taking in the feedback. Game is looking great!

Then you are not paying attention, nothing has been changed about console environmental sustainability since it was launched, you would have to intentionally never use a menu to not notice the absolutely disgusting fps loss in the menus.

As I said to another poster on here, the dimming after afk is not the issue, the stuttering from having to constantly go between60fps in game play and 30fps in menus is causing migraines, nausea., and quite possibly, photo sensitive seizures.

Read the very first post on this thread to understand the problem.

VouxeTheMinotaur

WolfieVZ wrote: »

VouxeTheMinotaur wrote: »

I noticed the change made to this feature, and just want to say thank you for the change, makes the game run and look smoother.

I also noticed that the feature is still (somewhat) implemented, I was a little upset to see it not an option, but the way it was "decreased" in a sense made it much more bearable, or just nonexistent so long as I'm not idle for too long, which is fantastic and how it should stay. After i realized this, i wasn't upset anymore about it not being an option. The only times i've ever seen it in action is when i leave to use the restroom and come back to see it in effect, never in menu as it was, and it doesn't cause the game lag / FPS drop anymore, awesome.

Thanks again for taking in the feedback. Game is looking great!

Then you are not paying attention, nothing has been changed about console environmental sustainability since it was launched, you would have to intentionally never use a menu to not notice the absolutely disgusting fps loss in the menus.

As I said to another poster on here, the dimming after afk is not the issue, the stuttering from having to constantly go between60fps in game play and 30fps in menus is causing migraines, nausea., and quite possibly, photo sensitive seizures.

Read the very first post on this thread to understand the problem.

nope, I am paying attention. I've compared the current way it is to previous video captures I've saved on my system, it definitely looks better and does not cause any fps loss, or even anywhere close to the previous fps loss. I even have multiple guildmates and players saying pretty much the same thing, "much better, but not gone," hence my comment on "the way it was 'decreased' in a sense made it much more bearable'" for me and quite a number of others.

I read the first post in the thread, as I have previously, thanks, and my comment still stands as feedback on the feature. Whether this is ZOS progressively fixing it or just better internet performance on my end, it seems better and more bearable to me personally.

continued efforts to fix the feature are needed to better help photosensitive players, I agree with you on that.

WolfieVZ

VouxeTheMinotaur wrote: »

WolfieVZ wrote: »

VouxeTheMinotaur wrote: »

I noticed the change made to this feature, and just want to say thank you for the change, makes the game run and look smoother.

I also noticed that the feature is still (somewhat) implemented, I was a little upset to see it not an option, but the way it was "decreased" in a sense made it much more bearable, or just nonexistent so long as I'm not idle for too long, which is fantastic and how it should stay. After i realized this, i wasn't upset anymore about it not being an option. The only times i've ever seen it in action is when i leave to use the restroom and come back to see it in effect, never in menu as it was, and it doesn't cause the game lag / FPS drop anymore, awesome.

Thanks again for taking in the feedback. Game is looking great!

Then you are not paying attention, nothing has been changed about console environmental sustainability since it was launched, you would have to intentionally never use a menu to not notice the absolutely disgusting fps loss in the menus.

As I said to another poster on here, the dimming after afk is not the issue, the stuttering from having to constantly go between60fps in game play and 30fps in menus is causing migraines, nausea., and quite possibly, photo sensitive seizures.

Read the very first post on this thread to understand the problem.

nope, I am paying attention. I've compared the current way it is to previous video captures I've saved on my system, it definitely looks better and does not cause any fps loss, or even anywhere close to the previous fps loss. I even have multiple guildmates and players saying pretty much the same thing, "much better, but not gone," hence my comment on "the way it was 'decreased' in a sense made it much more bearable'" for me and quite a number of others.

I read the first post in the thread, as I have previously, thanks, and my comment still stands as feedback on the feature. Whether this is ZOS progressively fixing it or just better internet performance on my end, it seems better and more bearable to me personally.

continued efforts to fix the feature are needed to better help photosensitive players, I agree with you on that.

You got used to it maybe, but there has not been a single patch related to this issue In the patchnotes, so it hasn't been changed by zos.

Once again, the negative views on this are from capping menus and maps at 30fps, causing stuttering, tearing, strobing effect on those screens.

Groterdan

Horable

reb101

Not sure if this is related but when I got idle for a few mins on PS5 the resolution changes. Please see pictures.
ure

Hotdog_23

When are we going to get the option to opt in or out of this same as PC master race does.

Or did you you just create this thread to give us a place to complain and never respond again to us in a meaningful way.

Respect you more if you would would just come out and say suck it up buttercup this the way it's going to be, we have spoken. Sure be better then a wall of silence we are getting now.

Stay safe 🙂

SkaiFaith

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/662942/xbox-patch-notes-v1-36-2-0

• Map
Disabled the energy sustainability 30 FPS cap on the in-game map when playing on Xbox Series in performance mode.

(Today's patch notes, July 24th)

DragonRacer

reb101 wrote: »

Not sure if this is related but when I got idle for a few mins on PS5 the resolution changes. Please see pictures.
ure

Yes, that is part of the intended environmental sustainability changes.

Hotdog_23

SkaiFaith wrote: »

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/662942/xbox-patch-notes-v1-36-2-0

• Map
Disabled the energy sustainability 30 FPS cap on the in-game map when playing on Xbox Series in performance mode.

(Today's patch notes, July 24th)

Noticed that in the PS notes as well. So thankful they listened to us. Many thanks ZOS.

Stay safe 🙂

CAB_Life

Why half-fix the issue? Patching the map while leaving this horrible feature largely operative in the game and making it unable to be toggled highlights the development disconnect. In Elder Scrolls Online, you spend an inordinate amount of time staring at Champion Point, inventory or other UI screens. The constant shifts back-and-forth, particularly on consoles and titles that boast “60 FPS” is something that simply should not occur and is misleading if you read the title info on the respective stores. The blurring when the console is idle is also simply hideous to behold. I am not convinced any of these measures on any scale do anything even remotely close to lowering the carbon footprint of, say, Bill Gates, not using one of his ten private jets for one month.

It doesn't matter, but until they patch this properly, I will not purchase the expansion or continue my subscription.

D4rk

Yeah, i noticed they removed the feature for maps. But everything else is the same.

SkaiFaith

SkaiFaith wrote: »

https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/662942/xbox-patch-notes-v1-36-2-0

• Map
Disabled the energy sustainability 30 FPS cap on the in-game map when playing on Xbox Series in performance mode.

(Today's patch notes, July 24th)

In light of these recent changes I want to point out to you: now that you fixed the map (thanks!), the strobing light/screen issue caused by 30fps and VRR is solved while using the map, BUT it still persists in every other area you left at 30: loading screens the most apparent, and inventory, looting, antiquities, ecc...

Recently Digital Foundry discussed about this strobing problem caused by VRR paired with "jumping fps".
What you did on the map today clearly solve this issue. Deciding to keep the issue present in other areas when it can cause sickness to people, when you are able to fix it... Sounds odd.
Please rethink this through and return the game, in every aspect, to its former glory.

Running around and using the map now feels awesome! But it also feels a different game than what I see in every loading screen, inventory, loot etc, which instead looks like broken.
Seriously, please, fix this otherwise gorgeous game, now headache inducing... (I can imagine someone suffering from epilepsy would have a really hard time with current state)

@ZOS_Kevin @ZOS_GinaBruno

To players having issues with loot stuttering: as a momentary workaround activate auto-loot, 'til it get properly fixed.

SeaGtGruff

WolfieVZ wrote: »

Personofsecrets wrote: »

I'm posting to give a positive feedback to the sustainability feature.

My experience may not be the average use case, but there have been some good effects for me personally.

The sustainability feature that I notice is the screen dimming.

Historically, I've had some issues with leaving my game idle. For the longest time, the login screen would cause my graphics card to emit a coil whine. Over the past year, I've noticed my fans having to constantly rev up while the game was idle.

Since sustainability feature, I haven't noticed my fans needing to rev up. I often leave the game on when walking away to do other things, so it could be that there is some marginally good return on the environmental impact from my computer use. If there is such return, then that's a-okay by me.

I also sometimes am reminded to complete dailies when the screen dims after I've started to do something else on the computer. This is sort of a nice side-effect to the sustainability feature.

I don't play at a high-graphics setting, so again, I may not be as impacted by the feature as other users. I could play at higher graphical settings, but am just not that interested in doing so. Hope this all helps.

This has nothing to do with the problem, screen dimming for afk is not what people have been complaining about, it's mostly about the fact that the menus and map are causing migraines and nausea.

This thread is for posting feedback about the feature and he posted his feedback about the feature. His feedback and your feedback are both valid feedbacks.

Some people definitely have complained about the screen dimming for AFK, because for them it has caused problems-- not for me, and perhaps not for you, but for them it has.

I'd like to add my own positive feedback about the feature. It has not created any issues for me personally, I appreciate the thought behind it, and the screen dimming alerts me to the fact that I've been idle too long if I've paused in whatever I was doing to browse Twitch or read the forums on my iPad, gotten up to see to the cats, etc.

As for any FPS changes while using menus, inventory, bankers, etc., I have not experienced any ill effects myself, and barely notice the change if at all.

On the other hand, it would be good to have a toggle so players who are experiencing problems due to one or another aspect of the feature can easily turn it off if they wish to.

So to summarize my own feedback-- which is mine and doesn't negate anyone else's:

Feature itself = good idea.
Implementation = needs improvement.

Necrotech_Master

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

WolfieVZ wrote: »

Personofsecrets wrote: »

I'm posting to give a positive feedback to the sustainability feature.

My experience may not be the average use case, but there have been some good effects for me personally.

The sustainability feature that I notice is the screen dimming.

Historically, I've had some issues with leaving my game idle. For the longest time, the login screen would cause my graphics card to emit a coil whine. Over the past year, I've noticed my fans having to constantly rev up while the game was idle.

Since sustainability feature, I haven't noticed my fans needing to rev up. I often leave the game on when walking away to do other things, so it could be that there is some marginally good return on the environmental impact from my computer use. If there is such return, then that's a-okay by me.

I also sometimes am reminded to complete dailies when the screen dims after I've started to do something else on the computer. This is sort of a nice side-effect to the sustainability feature.

I don't play at a high-graphics setting, so again, I may not be as impacted by the feature as other users. I could play at higher graphical settings, but am just not that interested in doing so. Hope this all helps.

This has nothing to do with the problem, screen dimming for afk is not what people have been complaining about, it's mostly about the fact that the menus and map are causing migraines and nausea.

This thread is for posting feedback about the feature and he posted his feedback about the feature. His feedback and your feedback are both valid feedbacks.

Some people definitely have complained about the screen dimming for AFK, because for them it has caused problems-- not for me, and perhaps not for you, but for them it has.

I'd like to add my own positive feedback about the feature. It has not created any issues for me personally, I appreciate the thought behind it, and the screen dimming alerts me to the fact that I've been idle too long if I've paused in whatever I was doing to browse Twitch or read the forums on my iPad, gotten up to see to the cats, etc.

As for any FPS changes while using menus, inventory, bankers, etc., I have not experienced any ill effects myself, and barely notice the change if at all.

On the other hand, it would be good to have a toggle so players who are experiencing problems due to one or another aspect of the feature can easily turn it off if they wish to.

So to summarize my own feedback-- which is mine and doesn't negate anyone else's:

Feature itself = good idea.
Implementation = needs improvement.

the FPS change in menus was something only implemented on console

the only sustainability things that were on PC was the screen dimming, and the FPS cap when either alt-tabbed or when the screen dimming kicked in

for me it was extremely noticeable on the FPS cap when i jiggled the mouse due to the screen dimming when it would switch from 30 to 100 fps, part of the reason why i disabled it

i also found the screen dimming just annoying because there are times i turn around to watch tv for a few min while waiting for something to spawn, and its hard to tell when its spawned when the screen was like almost black

console users got a super short end of the stick because they cant disable the sustainability settings, and got the awkward 30 fps menus

Atedos

As already said here, why half the fix? Dont devs play their own game on consoles? I spent in menus like 30% of all the time with inventory and guild management. Not now though, as i can not and do not play with this “feature” always on (came to check the patch, still unplayable)

BarbarianWay

Hi there!

Yay for map being 60fps!

Boo for leaving the majority of our menus at 30fps.

Please make this option a toggled feature, our brains are breaking.

WolfieVZ

Man that map update sounds awesome, too bad I can't play the rest of the game still.

Why was this fixed when the inventory is equally/more important?

Just admit this change was terrible and give us the option to turn it off entirely.

SkaiFaith

WolfieVZ wrote: »

Man that map update sounds awesome, too bad I can't play the rest of the game still.

Why was this fixed when the inventory is equally/more important?

Just admit this change was terrible and give us the option to turn it off entirely.

Thing is they could fix just the inventory next but this would leave the game broken still, since looting stutters every time and on every loading screen the screen strobes.

It's the whole feature that cause issues, sadly...

FlopsyPrince

ZOS_Kevin wrote: »

Hi all. We're gathering some feedback regarding the Environmental Sustainability Features added in U42. Specifically, we would like feedback on the following patch note:

• Reduced GPU use in Contextual Menus (Xbox Series X|S and PS5): When viewing most menus, (eg. managing inventory, achievements, quest journal, etc) framerate is now capped to 30fps. Some menus are exempt on a case-by-case basis (eg. conversations, various mini-games). Testing in Performance Mode while in these menus shows a 50% reduction in GPU consumption, resulting in overall power consumption going from approximately 63% of the maximum possible on a console down to 37%.

We're seeing your feedback about menus capped to 30fps is causing issues for some of you. Please let us know how it is impacting your play experience. We are sharing this with our teams to better inform them of your feedback and how we can improve the experience overall. Additionally, if you are experiencing other framerate issues with either your menus or player character, please note those here as well. Thanks, all.

Fix it so it honors the "music" setting on the initial page(s) for the PS5. It has ignored that as long as I have known. It will turn it off if you clear it, but the music will be back to playing loudly if you drop back to that screen, no matter what the setting is! (I have tried to turn it back on then off again - that does fix it, which clearly shows it is normally ignoring the setting.)

DragonRacer

Why on Earth was this changed only for the map and not the other menus we constantly use?

It's like having a bleeding cut on all 10 fingers, but only bandaging one finger. We just gonna let the other nine fingers keep bleeding all over everything?

SeaGtGruff

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

the FPS change in menus was something only implemented on console

I didn't realize that! It's odd that the feature was implemented differently on console than for PC/Mac.

CAB_Life

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

the FPS change in menus was something only implemented on console

I didn't realize that! It's odd that the feature was implemented differently on console than for PC/Mac.

PC players would riot if ZOS arbitrarily throttled their Starforge rigs. They did it to us console plebs because we’re a captive audience.

WolfieVZ

Still waiting on literally any official communication as to when this will be fixed.

It is egregiously anti consumer to not give us a choice to whether these features are worth it to us.

Pc players have had the ability to turn it off (and most probably have) the entire time, treating console users as second class is not a good look for zos.

The map being reverted doesn't fix the huge accessibility problems from having the inventory and other menus 30fps, so why hasn't it been reverted entirely.

WolfieVZ

SkaiFaith wrote: »

WolfieVZ wrote: »

Man that map update sounds awesome, too bad I can't play the rest of the game still.

Why was this fixed when the inventory is equally/more important?

Just admit this change was terrible and give us the option to turn it off entirely.

Thing is they could fix just the inventory next but this would leave the game broken still, since looting stutters every time and on every loading screen the screen strobes.

It's the whole feature that cause issues, sadly...

You are absolutely right, the change was terrible and it needs reverted ASAP.

I've already un-installed because I can't play anymore.

SeaGtGruff

CAB_Life wrote: »

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

the FPS change in menus was something only implemented on console

I didn't realize that! It's odd that the feature was implemented differently on console than for PC/Mac.

PC players would riot if ZOS arbitrarily throttled their Starforge rigs. They did it to us console plebs because we’re a captive audience.

I don't have a "Starforge rig" and don't even know what that is. My HP "all-in-one" PC is probably way down there in terms of its specs versus ESO's minimum requirements and recommended specs. I keep the game's graphics settings turned down to "low" for better performance. I just checked, and my "FPS Limit" is set to 30. I'm not sure if that's just for when ESO is pushed to the background, but I regularly Alt-Tab to push ESO to the background and I don't notice any appreciable difference in what I'm seeing behind the foreground program (which is typically the ESO launcher).

Actually, I just enabled the FPS display in the corner of my ESO screen, and ESO is running at about 28 or 27 FPS-- and that's while it's in the foreground, not pushed to the background! Edit: It's actually dropping down to 25 or 24 DPS, so for me it seems to range from 24 to 28. Edit #2: I'm in the Deadlands doing an Oblivion Portal, and my FPS is varying between as much as 31 to as little as 14, but I'm not able to detect any obvious differences while it's fluctuating.

I'm inclined to think that the video device (TV or computer monitor) might be at least part of the equation. What are you using, what are its specs, and what options are available? I'm wondering if some tweaking might help in some way.

CAB_Life

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

CAB_Life wrote: »

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

the FPS change in menus was something only implemented on console

I didn't realize that! It's odd that the feature was implemented differently on console than for PC/Mac.

PC players would riot if ZOS arbitrarily throttled their Starforge rigs. They did it to us console plebs because we’re a captive audience.

I don't have a "Starforge rig" and don't even know what that is. My HP "all-in-one" PC is probably way down there in terms of its specs versus ESO's minimum requirements and recommended specs. I keep the game's graphics settings turned down to "low" for better performance. I just checked, and my "FPS Limit" is set to 30. I'm not sure if that's just for when ESO is pushed to the background, but I regularly Alt-Tab to push ESO to the background and I don't notice any appreciable difference in what I'm seeing behind the foreground program (which is typically the ESO launcher).

Actually, I just enabled the FPS display in the corner of my ESO screen, and ESO is running at about 28 or 27 FPS-- and that's while it's in the foreground, not pushed to the background! Edit: It's actually dropping down to 25 or 24 DPS, so for me it seems to range from 24 to 28. Edit #2: I'm in the Deadlands doing an Oblivion Portal, and my FPS is varying between as much as 31 to as little as 14, but I'm not able to detect any obvious differences while it's fluctuating.

I'm inclined to think that the video device (TV or computer monitor) might be at least part of the equation. What are you using, what are its specs, and what options are available? I'm wondering if some tweaking might help in some way.

This is a feedback thread for console environmental sustainability features. Respectfully, I'm not sure why you're posting here when this thread does not affect you or your hardware based on your reply. The problem being discussed is that people using newer consoles, which previously ran the game in performance mode at 1440p/ 60FPS are now experiencing variable frame rates, resolution and FPS drops when doing something as banal as opening a menu. If you're on PC and have always played with a 30 FPS cap this thread is twice as irrelevant to you and your experience. PC players have the option to completely disable this feature regardless.

SeaGtGruff

Apologies then, although I still wonder whether any adjustments in the settings to your video display device might help.

Necrotech_Master

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

CAB_Life wrote: »

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

the FPS change in menus was something only implemented on console

I didn't realize that! It's odd that the feature was implemented differently on console than for PC/Mac.

PC players would riot if ZOS arbitrarily throttled their Starforge rigs. They did it to us console plebs because we’re a captive audience.

I don't have a "Starforge rig" and don't even know what that is. My HP "all-in-one" PC is probably way down there in terms of its specs versus ESO's minimum requirements and recommended specs. I keep the game's graphics settings turned down to "low" for better performance. I just checked, and my "FPS Limit" is set to 30. I'm not sure if that's just for when ESO is pushed to the background, but I regularly Alt-Tab to push ESO to the background and I don't notice any appreciable difference in what I'm seeing behind the foreground program (which is typically the ESO launcher).

Actually, I just enabled the FPS display in the corner of my ESO screen, and ESO is running at about 28 or 27 FPS-- and that's while it's in the foreground, not pushed to the background! Edit: It's actually dropping down to 25 or 24 DPS, so for me it seems to range from 24 to 28. Edit #2: I'm in the Deadlands doing an Oblivion Portal, and my FPS is varying between as much as 31 to as little as 14, but I'm not able to detect any obvious differences while it's fluctuating.

I'm inclined to think that the video device (TV or computer monitor) might be at least part of the equation. What are you using, what are its specs, and what options are available? I'm wondering if some tweaking might help in some way.

fps fluctuations are pretty normal, however theres certain thresholds where it becomes noticeable

for consoles most of the hardware is pretty fixed (the console and its cables to connect to the tv) so at that point its then on how it runs the game, and the tv (though most typical tvs are usually only 60hz which means they cap at 60 fps)

i would say in your case, your base FPS is really really low, and a change of fps between like 14-31 is not going to be noticeable

on avg i think 60 fps is what people consider "smooth" and some prefer higher, i usually cap my games to run at 120 fps, but i dont really notice it being "laggy" until it gets under about 40 fps

if its constantly flipping back and forth between 30 and 60 fps like it would on console, i could see that being headache inducing

Ishtarknows

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Apologies then, although I still wonder whether any adjustments in the settings to your video display device might help.

It's not the fact the menu runs at 30fps at all, it's the sudden drop from 60fps to 30fps when entering a menu and equally sudden change back to 60fps after that people are complaining about.