PTS Patch Notes v11.2.1 – E & W Solstice Antiquities Combined is Bad News

MoonPile · September 22

The patch note:

Western and Eastern Solstice Antiquities have been combined under "Solstice" in the Antiquities Codex, as dig sites can appear on either side of the zone for any of the Antiquities from Solstice.

If most of these are from "Treasure" Maps again, that's terrible news.

As explained here:
https://moonpile.tumblr.com/post/794955600375283712/eso-u48-pts-new-furnishings-i-want-to-love

Assuming these U48 Antiquities will be locked behind Solstice Treasure Maps again. Meaning: if drop rates aren’t improved, these items won’t see any use from most players. It’s such an unfortunate waste of great assets [and Housing team's work].
+
Potentially even worse: 12 new furnishings can be earned from Antiquity Leads in Solstice. We don’t yet know if Molag Bal’s severed body parts will litter the Map loot pool as well. 😑 Can’t emphasize enough how much I don’t ever want to get his “Fractured Head” instead of these Stone-Nest Structures.

Granted, the assumption could be wrong! Maybe they won't come from Maps. If any PTS testers have gotten any naturally, please say.

Below is my latest data from testing Solstice Treasure Maps on the Live server. Ending today; I will not buy more maps. While I'm glad the 1/3 codex appears to be curated, the 2/3+ grind is ridiculous. If it remains this way, I'd urge anyone who values their time and gold to ignore this system in Eastern Solstice.

I did this test to speak up for many of us in the community, including those who do not interact on the Forums. Many of us in Housing have already learned enough from Apocrypha, West Weald, and Solstice and have given up. This system hinders the actual gameplay: building our ideas. Which consequently damages the community. It's hard to believe this is the intent. I'd guess there's a disconnect between data ZOS might be getting about us using this system vs. our actual experience that you're not seeing / hasn't bubbled over into quantitative data yet.

My data as of Sept 22

TOTAL Solstice maps spent ONLY on 2/3+ codex = 102
EMPTY maps (no leads) = 99
Empty maps in the gap btwn July 30 & Sept 21 = 76

Last & ONLY 2/3+ codex Leads:
July 28: Geometric Stone-Nest Totem 2/3
July 30: Geometric Stone-Nest Totem 3/3
...
Sept 21: Large Solstice Bismuth Tower 2/3
Sept 22: Geometric Stone-Nest Totem #4

If everything in Eastern Solstice will also come only from "Treasure" maps, this will look even worse in non-completion.
(I also don't advise trying to 3/3 any of the blue items because currently you can't buy them post-unlock anyway.)

tomofhyrule · September 22

MoonPile wrote: »

(I also don't advise trying to 3/3 any of the blue items because currently you can't buy them post-unlock anyway.)

This highly annoys me. There are also a lot of West Weald antiquities in that limbo.

With the number of random treasure furnishing antiquities, they really need to expand them to also drop from generic zone chests instead of just maps.

SJK87 · September 22

It took me 230 treasure maps to fully complete the 3/3 codex in Western Solstice.
Looks like the new leads don't come from treasure maps, but from random drops—I've had a few already. I didn't actually check the maps on PTS, though.

LunaFlora · September 22

yea i really despise treasure map antiquities

Kappachi · September 22

meanwhile on opposite end I enjoy how they keep treasure maps relevant, and values of them high. Makes them feel good to find as a drop so you can decide to dig or sell to another player who wants a specific item from it and I hope they keep adding interesting things to treasure maps to keep their prices high.

SJK87 · September 22

Kappachi wrote: »

meanwhile on opposite end I enjoy how they keep treasure maps relevant, and values of them high. Makes them feel good to find as a drop so you can decide to dig or sell to another player who wants a specific item from it and I hope they keep adding interesting things to treasure maps to keep their prices high.

More “Interesting things”, but no more lead pls ;-)

btw, I like the system in Deadlands or High Isle where you could get motifs as drops, sell them, and actually make your money back—or even earn a profit! It wasn't just throwing money away to complete a codex.

MoonPile · September 23

SJK87 wrote: »

It took me 230 treasure maps to fully complete the 3/3 codex in Western Solstice.
Looks like the new leads don't come from treasure maps, but from random drops—I've had a few already. I didn't actually check the maps on PTS, though.

Interesting, I've been wondering about this! Which leads did you find from random drops please?

MoonPile · September 23

tomofhyrule wrote: »

MoonPile wrote: »

(I also don't advise trying to 3/3 any of the blue items because currently you can't buy them post-unlock anyway.)

This highly annoys me. There are also a lot of West Weald antiquities in that limbo.

With the number of random treasure furnishing antiquities, they really need to expand them to also drop from generic zone chests instead of just maps.

(Edited; I'll just say I agree.)

MoonPile · September 23

SJK87 wrote: »

Kappachi wrote: »

meanwhile on opposite end I enjoy how they keep treasure maps relevant, and values of them high. Makes them feel good to find as a drop so you can decide to dig or sell to another player who wants a specific item from it and I hope they keep adding interesting things to treasure maps to keep their prices high.

More “Interesting things”, but no more lead pls ;-)

btw, I like the system in Deadlands or High Isle where you could get motifs as drops, sell them, and actually make your money back—or even earn a profit! It wasn't just throwing money away to complete a codex.

Right, interesting things sure. But this is not interesting.

Again they are SO expensive and take SO MANY to get anything to drop (1.75 months of nothing, 75 empty =~ 2 million gold totally wasted on PC NA on avg at time of purchase) that it's not rewarding at all and we stop buying them. I no longer buy WW maps since months ago; never finished WW codex. I just finished my Solstice stock for testing and I'm no longer buying those either. I quit, I don't care if I finish even though I loved this item set and had plans for them. Now all I have left is a bad taste about it. That's true for other housers too: they try 10, 25, maybe more maps... and quit in frustration, giving up on their ideas. Besides the few grinders/completionists, that can't be helped.

Also, I have Azandar's folios and farm containers a lot. I've had MAYBE 3 Solstice Maps drop naturally in all the months Solstice has been out. So re: "feels good when they drop" – they barely do, it doesn't feel good or rewarding. You can't even farm these maps. For those who want to sell things, as I do, our time is WAY better spent doing Solstice dailies or farming urns. I can do a few Solstice dailies and definitely make ~50-100K+ instead of wasting time hoping for maps.

+ Woe to the poor soul who "who wants a specific item from it" and doesn't know what they're getting into. But already explained in the OP and related linked posts, so I won't repeat.

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