Devs interview with Massively about upcoming content! (non-scribing/gold road story thread)

AzuraFan · January 2024

Darkstorne wrote: »

Story Mode for Dungeons - I think this one is pretty simple tbh. Allow us to take a full party of Companions with us into dungeons. Normal mode is already pretty easy to solo, and allowing three Companions to join us in solo mode would mean we can have a full setup of DPS, tank, and healer, and a guaranteed ~30k DPS before the player's DPS is factored in. It also provides a solid reason for us to level and gear multiple companions rather than picking only one of the 6 (soon to be 8) available and ignoring the rest.

I can't solo DLC dungeons, so I wouldn't say it's easy. Also, there are some dungeons that require more than one player to complete. Taking in only companions wouldn't work because you can't time interrupts with them, and the bosses with mechanics that eventually kill will often focus in on the player and ignore companions.

By "story mode", I want a true story mode, i.e. the mobs are really easy, the bosses are really toned down. And so is the loot, obviously.

Having said that, I'd love to fill a group with just companions for all group content. But that's a separate thing from a story mode.

LunaFlora · January 2024

XSTRONG wrote: »

LunaFlora wrote: »

yea the basegame of eso has the option to preview furniture plans.
it's the square button on PlayStation and i believe x button on Xbox and when using a controller on PC.

Am I the only one thinking preview for Leads needs to happen?

If you get a lead you can press square to see the furniture or Mythic, now when I just get a random lead drop somewhere i rarley scry it.

would be lovely yes.

majulook · January 2024

What about the PVP companion that they very quickly hinted at during the 2024 revel live stream? Any word about that?

Syldras · January 2024

majulook wrote: »

What about the PVP companion that they very quickly hinted at during the 2024 revel live stream? Any word about that?

They didn't. Companions will be available in Q4 this year, not in Q2 as usual. Q4 will also have a PvP update. But PvP update and companions are not related - so, no, it's no PvP companion.

SeaGtGruff · January 2024

majulook wrote: »

What about the PVP companion that they very quickly hinted at during the 2024 revel live stream? Any word about that?

I had the same reaction to that part of the reveal, but now I'm thinking we heard it wrong-- they're adding two new companions in Q4, and they're adding something PvP-related in Q4, although those are two separate things. But yes, when I was watching the reveal it did seem like they were hinting at companions for PvP.

If by chance it turns out that they are, I doubt it will mean we'll be able to start using companions in Cyrodiil, Imperial City, and Battlegrounds. What seems more likely is that they would add some kind of new PvP scenario where players can use their companions while fighting each other, or something like that. We'll just have to wait and see.

ADarklore · January 2024

Syldras wrote: »

majulook wrote: »

What about the PVP companion that they very quickly hinted at during the 2024 revel live stream? Any word about that?

They didn't. Companions will be available in Q4 this year, not in Q2 as usual. Q4 will also have a PvP update. But PvP update and companions are not related - so, no, it's no PvP companion.

Honestly, I think the ONLY reason they moved companions to Q4 is because, since it's a PVP DLC, they wanted add something to attract non-PVP players so they buy the DLC or subscribe. Otherwise, it would be a DLC that only a fraction of the players would be interested in.

SilverBride · January 2024

I just hope they give us the option to skip the Companion unlocking quests once we've completed it on one character. These quests keep getting longer and longer and less enjoyable.

spartaxoxo · January 2024

ADarklore wrote: »

Syldras wrote: »

majulook wrote: »

What about the PVP companion that they very quickly hinted at during the 2024 revel live stream? Any word about that?

They didn't. Companions will be available in Q4 this year, not in Q2 as usual. Q4 will also have a PvP update. But PvP update and companions are not related - so, no, it's no PvP companion.

Honestly, I think the ONLY reason they moved companions to Q4 is because, since it's a PVP DLC, they wanted add something to attract non-PVP players so they buy the DLC or subscribe. Otherwise, it would be a DLC that only a fraction of the players would be interested in.

It's possible it won't be a dlc at all like Infinite Archive. They did mention in their interview they are interested in improving base game.

Galeriano · January 2024

So they needed 7 years of development and 9 years for game to be online to "figure the game out"? These excuses are getting more and more silly every year.

Galeriano · January 2024

Year "Ten and beyond is about more content and improving the game tech and making it all more accessible"?. Pretty ironic to say that during a year which will have the least amount of content added to the game ever while performance and balance are in one of the worst states since release. I understand that certain amount of stretching the reality is needed in interviews like that but come on.

Syldras · January 2024

Galeriano wrote: »

Year "Ten and beyond is about more content and improving the game tech and making it all more accessible"?. Pretty ironic to say that during a year which will have the least amount of content added to the game ever while performance and balance are in one of the worst states since release. I understand that certain amount of stretching the reality is needed in interviews like that but come on.

I hope, I'm not too pessimistic, but what makes me wonder is that they make this distinctive cut:
years 1-9 finding out what people want and what works, basically a test run
years 10-? improvements and "content"
What do they mean with "content" in this case, if the "test run" is over? No more experiments? How about new systems? Will there still be new unique ideas or is everything from now on just adding to the categories and systems that were "tested" as "successful" in the first 9 years?

Btw, in general I don't think it's a good idea to say that there is a limited time of learning, and from then on, everything is set in stone. Things change, interests change, maybe other games come up with interesting new ideas. While "9 years to figure out what the game is" sounds extremely weird too, I agree, there still shouldn't be a date where the testing of the concept is finished. It should always, continuously, be looked over, if neccessary, questioned, and there should be adjustments if it shows that something is not favored by the players (anymore).

Then again, I see a lot of typical marketing phrases there. I always have a hard time taking them seriously. People can say a lot of things, and in the end, everything still turns out differently.

mb10 · January 2024

Any good pvp update is genuinely about 6 years too late now... you've lost most that playerbase already by neglecting them that much.
Your main core is a PVE base now so a PVP update will probably upset them if anything.

GGs but ya messed it up

SeaGtGruff · January 2024

mb10 wrote: »

Any good pvp update is genuinely about 6 years too late now... you've lost most that playerbase already by neglecting them that much.
Your main core is a PVE base now so a PVP update will probably upset them if anything.

GGs but ya messed it up

Nah, there are still PvPers playing the game. Maybe not as many as there were years ago, but they haven't all gone-- and when thers's a PvP event I see some of the old guard PvPers back again and streaming ESO again.

FluffyBird · January 2024

Syldras wrote: »

What do they mean with "content" in this case, if the "test run" is over?

Maintenance mode XD

Sarannah · January 2024

Instead of story mode, it would be better to have a +three companions dungeonqueue that grants transmutes. This way players can do dungeons at their own pace.
If storymode dungeons is their solution to speedrunners/fake roles, it won't work. There is a major difference between going slow(story mode), going fast(killing everything on the main path), and going "let's ignore everything in the dungeon and every other player" fast(speedrunner). Even I want dungeons done fast, just not ignore everything fast.

SeaGtGruff · January 2024

While the phrasing might not have been the best, I'd rather know that ZOS kept paying attention to who was playing the game and what kinds of activities they wanted to engage in, as opposed to making up their minds about the game during beta and then never budging on their vision of the game.

Braffin · January 2024

Sarannah wrote: »

Instead of story mode, it would be better to have a +three companions dungeonqueue that grants transmutes. This way players can do dungeons at their own pace.
If storymode dungeons is their solution to speedrunners/fake roles, it won't work. There is a major difference between going slow(story mode), going fast(killing everything on the main path), and going "let's ignore everything in the dungeon and every other player" fast(speedrunner). Even I want dungeons done fast, just not ignore everything fast.

This must not happen under any circumstances. The only reason transmutes are granted for rnd is to keep the queues healthy, therefore they are earned for grouping up specifically. If someone can't be bothered to play with others, they also shouldn't be bothered with the respective rewards.

Story mode dungeons (with adjusted rewards, so no transmutes) are a fine addition, as they make content (not rewards!) more accessible for players of lesser skill. To form groups, which reflect our custom preferences, we already have guilds, chat and group finder. Use this options instead of trying to enforce soloism.

Kendaric · January 2024

Braffin wrote: »

This must not happen under any circumstances. The only reason transmutes are granted for rnd is to keep the queues healthy, therefore they are earned for grouping up specifically. If someone can't be bothered to play with others, they also shouldn't be bothered with the respective rewards.

Story mode dungeons (with adjusted rewards, so no transmutes) are a fine addition, as they make content (not rewards!) more accessible for players of lesser skill. To form groups, which reflect our custom preferences, we already have guilds, chat and group finder. Use this options instead of trying to enforce soloism.

Wouldn't a story mode exclude transmutes anyway? Transmutes, as far as I'm aware, are granted by doing random dungeons in the groupfinder. Since storymode, as most envision it, wouldn't be accessed via the groupfinder queue it wouldn't give access to transmutes.

Also, transmutes can be gotten by solo activities anyway... like that dreadful card game or repairing keep walls in Cyrodiil.

Braffin · January 2024

Kendaric wrote: »

Braffin wrote: »

This must not happen under any circumstances. The only reason transmutes are granted for rnd is to keep the queues healthy, therefore they are earned for grouping up specifically. If someone can't be bothered to play with others, they also shouldn't be bothered with the respective rewards.

Story mode dungeons (with adjusted rewards, so no transmutes) are a fine addition, as they make content (not rewards!) more accessible for players of lesser skill. To form groups, which reflect our custom preferences, we already have guilds, chat and group finder. Use this options instead of trying to enforce soloism.

Wouldn't a story mode exclude transmutes anyway? Transmutes, as far as I'm aware, are granted by doing random dungeons in the groupfinder. Since storymode, as most envision it, wouldn't be accessed via the groupfinder queue it wouldn't give access to transmutes.

Also, transmutes can be gotten by solo activities anyway... like that dreadful card game or repairing keep walls in Cyrodiil.

The comment I replied to didn't suggest a story mode (which I'm in favor of as long as group-related rewards are excluded), but a "companion mode" for existing dungeons to be eligible for the queues.

Also, PvP activities aren't solo activities per definition, even if no actual fights are happening. Repairing a wall is contributing to the war, earns AP and therefore also transmutes.

Can't say much about ToT, as I don't play it. But afaik there aren't guaranteed drops over there, but only a small chance.

You are right tho regarding solo content: maelstrom and vateshran earn you 5 transmutes per veteran run. 5 additional crystals ate rewarded for hitting the weekly leaderboards (this is also true for IA).

Cheesing FG 1 with 3 companions isn't worth a single transmute and making them obtainable this way would severely hurt group play for those dependent on queues.

https://en.m.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Transmute_Crystals

Sarannah · January 2024

Really I get what you are saying about transmutes, but allowing the queue to become a place where players want to be would be better than having a placed where one player drags three players behind them and gives them horrible experiences or where one player refuses to do the role they signed up for and gives three players a horrible experience.

I get you think the queue wouldn't be healthy without all those speedrunners/fake role players, but I think they are actually hurting the queue more than they help. By having fewer and fewer players queue up as they do not want a horrible experience. As a tank half the time I queue'd up I got placed in an incomplete dungeon, or got placed in a DLC dungeon where a fake role player left immediately upon zoning in.

Having a +three companions queue that grants transmutes would be a win-win-win situation for every type of player:
-Speedrunners can get transmutes faster as they do not have to wait in queue and do not run the risk of getting kicked. They also would not have to drag three players behind them, granting these players horrible experiences.
-Fake role queue'ers would no longer matter as they can get their transmutes with companions instead of negatively impacting three other players. And no longer run the risk of getting kicked.
-Story mode/exploration mode is possible, as the three companion queue would allow players to go as slow/fast as they want. Without being rushed by other players or anything else.
-Regular dungeon playing with other players would be possible again, as those who want to meet others would queue up to meet other players still.
-New players would have a way to learn their role, both with other players or +three companions.

Granting transmutes in a +three companion queue would in my opinion be the perfect solution for everyone. Especially due to taking away all the horrible experiences that are now created in the dungeon queue.

I think the dungeon queue would actually become busier/healthier with all the speedrunners/fake role players gone, as more players who are now not queueing up will be queueing up(like me for example, I used to do a few dungeons a day for fun). And I think more players would queue up more often, as the chances they would have a negative experience in the dungeonqueue would be much much much smaller if +three companions queue with transmutes existed.

PS: ESO's "play your way" should also include +three companion dungeonqueueing with transmutes, if the player has unlocked that many companions.

Braffin wrote: »

If someone can't be bothered to play with others, they also shouldn't be bothered with the respective rewards.

This is exactly how I feel about speedrunners/fake roles, they shouldn't be in those dungeons and had no right to those rewards. As it is actually them who are not willing to play with others.

Braffin · January 2024

@Sarannah if a player is willing to play with others isn't dependent of the concrete type of the run but solely based on the fact, that they grouped up to do so.

It isn't relevant if those players queued solo for a full random experience or gathered likeminded people in guilds, chat or finder beforehand. They do the content as group anyways, thus helping each other. Choosing to queue solo doesn't suspend us from the necessity to communicate our needs to the rest of the group tho. It also doesn't suspend us from being overruled by a group's majority (If your way to play is preferred by the group's majority, you may simply kickvote a possibly not complying minority anyways.).

Further, there is no "right way" to run dungeons. A few examples:
1) 4 players agreeing to speedrun don't do any harm.
2) 4 players agreeing to play slowly don't do any harm.
3) A speedrunner paired up with 3 people, which don't mind a speedrun doesn't do any harm either.

Continue this list at your leisure.

What you are suggesting is something entirely different tho: You intend to hand out group-related rewards for single-player activities. This leads necessarily to less people doing group content, thus making it more difficult to form groups due to the reduced player pool. That's not even debatable imo.

Wanna earn rewards for grouping? Then group up.

It shouldn't be an issue to find likeminded people, if your playstyle isn't absolutely niche.

But harming group play just because a few people are too lazy/entitled/stubborn to use the easy-to -use solutions at hand (guilds, chat, group finder) won't happen nor should it.

On a sidenote: It's also possible to look out for likeminded people here in forums. There are people around for almost every possible playstyle. Getting in touch with each other is as easy as posting a comment and is most probably far more productive than trying to erase multiplayer-aspects of a MMO for personal short-term advantages.

Elsonso · January 2024

SilverBride wrote: »

I just hope they give us the option to skip the Companion unlocking quests once we've completed it on one character. These quests keep getting longer and longer and less enjoyable.

I would not mind as much if the companions were not account wide.

Well, I also minded that the Necrom companion quests were a whole lot of mindless running around, and I didn't like the public dungeon aspect. The Argonian unlock quest could have been written to stay entirely in the city of Necrom.

aspergalas4 · January 2024

FluffyBird wrote: »

"Figuring game out" for 9 years sounded more like "people that were doing stuff left the company and now we have to figure out what in Oblivion they made and how it works".

I mean... changing vision? Sure? "Figuring out"? Should have been finished way earlier.

It's just a slogan to keep people playing and spending in the hopes they actually do start to do even half of what competing MMOs do. I'll believe it when I see it. They need to pull their finger out big time or there wont be a 15 year anniversary at this rate.

It is quite amazing how they've managed to trundle along with such bare minimum content for so long. That's the power of TES franchise holding them up though. To think of all the money they could of made just from subscriptions if they gave this game half the content games like WOW give each instalment xD
Pretty sure the game would be at least 3x the size player count wise, as they wouldn't have just ES fans but general MMO enthusiasts too. If this game wasn't TES I think it would already have been in maintenance mode since at least Greymoor.
Their loss (and ours).

Sarannah · January 2024

Braffin wrote: »

@Sarannah if a player is willing to play with others isn't dependent of the concrete type of the run but solely based on the fact, that they grouped up to do so.

It isn't relevant if those players queued solo for a full random experience or gathered likeminded people in guilds, chat or finder beforehand. They do the content as group anyways, thus helping each other. Choosing to queue solo doesn't suspend us from the necessity to communicate our needs to the rest of the group tho. It also doesn't suspend us from being overruled by a group's majority (If your way to play is preferred by the group's majority, you may simply kickvote a possibly not complying minority anyways.).

Further, there is no "right way" to run dungeons. A few examples:
1) 4 players agreeing to speedrun don't do any harm.
2) 4 players agreeing to play slowly don't do any harm.
3) A speedrunner paired up with 3 people, which don't mind a speedrun doesn't do any harm either.

Continue this list at your leisure.

What you are suggesting is something entirely different tho: You intend to hand out group-related rewards for single-player activities. This leads necessarily to less people doing group content, thus making it more difficult to form groups due to the reduced player pool. That's not even debatable imo.

Wanna earn rewards for grouping? Then group up.

It shouldn't be an issue to find likeminded people, if your playstyle isn't absolutely niche.

But harming group play just because a few people are too lazy/entitled/stubborn to use the easy-to -use solutions at hand (guilds, chat, group finder) won't happen nor should it.

On a sidenote: It's also possible to look out for likeminded people here in forums. There are people around for almost every possible playstyle. Getting in touch with each other is as easy as posting a comment and is most probably far more productive than trying to erase multiplayer-aspects of a MMO for personal short-term advantages.

Lets just agree to disagree, so we do not derail this thread too much.

HappyTheCamper · January 2024

ADarklore wrote: »

Syldras wrote: »

majulook wrote: »

What about the PVP companion that they very quickly hinted at during the 2024 revel live stream? Any word about that?

They didn't. Companions will be available in Q4 this year, not in Q2 as usual. Q4 will also have a PvP update. But PvP update and companions are not related - so, no, it's no PvP companion.

Honestly, I think the ONLY reason they moved companions to Q4 is because, since it's a PVP DLC, they wanted add something to attract non-PVP players so they buy the DLC or subscribe. Otherwise, it would be a DLC that only a fraction of the players would be interested in.

It’s interesting too because they could potentially be the first free companions earned from just the base game.

Syldras · January 2024

HappyTheCamper wrote: »

It’s interesting too because they could potentially be the first free companions earned from just the base game.

You still need to own at least Blackwood to be able to use the companion system, no?

FluffyBird wrote: »

Maintenance mode XD

Maybe not yet, but I'm worried it won't be long until we reach that state, looking at how they reduce content more and more now.

Elsonso · January 2024

Syldras wrote: »

HappyTheCamper wrote: »

It’s interesting too because they could potentially be the first free companions earned from just the base game.

You still need to own at least Blackwood to be able to use the companion system, no?

Good question. I think the only way to not have Blackwood is to stay away from Collections and only buy single chapters, excluding Blackwood. Maybe someone here has done that and found they cannot use the four companions that came with High Isle and Necrom? The store page makes no reference to needing Blackwood.

Trejgon · January 2024

Syldras wrote: »

You still need to own at least Blackwood to be able to use the companion system, no?

Companion system is not locked behind blackwood chapter. You can get access to Azandar And Sharp with just as much a Necrom chapter owned, or Isobel/Bastian with only High Isle.

It is still up in the air for the moment being if this year pair of companions will be requiring owning Gold Road or not.

Braffin · January 2024

Syldras wrote: »

Maybe not yet, but I'm worried it won't be long until we reach that state, looking at how they reduce content more and more now.

They don't reduce content tho.

2023: 2 dungeons, 1 chapter (including story, new class, new trial), QoL-updates, PvE-system
2024: 2 dungeons, 1 chapter (including story, new system, new trial), QoL-updates, Housing-system, PvP-system

They reduced story content, but deliver approximately the same amount of content overall.

The reduction of the former may be unfortunate, but given their decision to keep story and challenging content separated, it's the only way to please a broader audience.

Now, if zos would overthink their stance regarding overland difficulty options, I'd be eager to see Q4 story dlc return. Until then I happily waive those stories in favor of more engaging content gameplay-wise, be it with something like IA, be it with a (direly needed) PvP-related addition.

aspergalas4 · January 2024

FluffyBird wrote: »

Maintenance mode XD

"Maybe not yet, but I'm worried it won't be long until we reach that state, looking at how they reduce content more and more now."

I still can't understand how you can be given the gift of the opportunity to develop an MMO set in the TES universe and therefore help write its lore, history and expand Tamriel as we know it as a whole and end up with a cash shop model game where open goals are missed for seemingly no reason and you only exist because of the IP you've been given to work with. It is crazy to think the amount of potential this game has had and even now continues to have and its just "meh" year on year with the big chapter reveals. To have such a cherished universe in gaming to play around with and you just use it as a vessel to sell overpriced cosmetics to fans of that universe while they wait for you to actually release some meaty content with lots of stuff we can earn ourselves because we assume all this money has to eventually turn into a big return for us through content. Only for your 10 year anniversary to be just another year essentially, but this time with less content.

Where are the new weapon types? (Spears, Unarmed, one handed with magic to name 3)
Even Crossbows could be interesting if you made it so you heavy attack to crank it up then light attack to fire it just to spice up ranged combat a bit (could be 100% crit too to compensate which opens up a whole new angle for the meta regarding crit builds).

Why after 10 years can't we use certain collectibles together like eyes and makeup? Horns and beards? Scale and fur patterns with tattoos?

Why can't I dye my mounts armour so it at least matches the colour of my outfit?
Why do certain styles have parts with a fixed colour I can't change and/or only 1 or 2 dye slots?

Why aren't dyes separated into colour and finish? and why can't we dye our character's hair?

Why can't I use magic without needing a big stick?

Why is there not a new equipment slot to make builds more interesting and shake up and broaden the meta? (Earrings, Book or Trinket in off hand, back slot for backpack or cloak etc)

Why are there new sub-race options added to the game that we can't play? (playable alternative Khajiit furstocks would of been another selling point of Elsweyr, as would Naga in Murkmire etc and would not of broken the lore at all)

Why are there new attack anims added to the game that we can't make use of?

Why aren't there more new hairstyles, horn styles, scale and fur patterns, tusk styles, makeup and beards/facial hair added every so often to broaden our character customisation options? We get next to nothing year by year.

Why can't we use parts of a costume in the outfit station such as the helmet or gloves by themselves?

Why haven't more ancestral sets been released, better yet, why were they released in the first place when you could of just updated all the base game motifs and their tiers as no one barely uses them now as they are so woefully outdated?

Why are all the skills I use the same as they were years ago?

Why is there no customisation of themed summons like the Daedric Summoning skill tree or Warden Ultimate? (Pet skins were introduced with Warden then just abandoned immediately)
Why can't we summon Elder Scrolls staples like Flame and Frost Atronachs, Dremora etc?

Why are the new customisable actions released one action at a time and not as a pack that includes all craft gathering animations with that set theme? (we can all take a guess)
Why can't we earn these ourselves through our crafting?

Why with a dwindling PvP community have you not added a "free for all" style arena mode that piggybacks on the rather successful concept of Battle Royale to accommodate solo PvPers and potentially expand the PvP portion of your game? As a PvP equivalent to IA which has proven a good concept and popular with PvE players.

Why do the players seem to care more about the success of the game than the people making it?

So many QoL and content things to be done that would really please your customers and earn ZoS money. That should have and could have been implemented years ago. You add content every year, and it’s often not worth the price charged, we want MORE and are quite happy to pay for it.