Would you prefer if ZOS postponed the graphical upgrades and got the class refreshes done in 2026?

moderatelyfatman · April 6

The DK updates kind of remind me of the ones that occurred some time between High Isle and Necrom: there were some good changes to skills but the class became overtuned and was the meta class until the arcanist came along. Then the nerfs came.

The current refresh seems to me to be more of the same but with some nice shiny new animations thrown in to blind the player.
The problem now is that while the DK is probably where it should be; the unrefreshed classes are now comparatively further behind which is an intolerable situation in PvP especially. It is a situation that will likely continue at least until the end of 2027 when the class refreshes are complete.

My question is this: if what's slowing down the class refreshes are the development of the new animations, isn't it better to get the skill update parts of the class refresh done for all the classes first with placeholder animations? At least players will get a better and fairer playing experience without having to wait the extra year.

spartaxoxo · April 6

Other (Comment below)

It's different teams, I think.

Bguk · April 6

Why can't people put simple options in a poll instead? Didn't choose any options.

With that said, no. Different teams working on different things. Over tuning, nerfs, adjustments, all part of getting to a balance. The life of an MMO. And at the end of a balance refresh, not everyone is going to be happy due to different thoughts and opinions on how a class should function.

DenverRalphy · April 6

Both need to go hand in hand. The intent behind the refresh is to bring back some semblance of class identity, which encompasses both visual/audio impact, as well as competitive performance. It'll take as long as it takes if it's to be done correctly.

rothan117 · April 6

Other (Comment below)

Two different teams, two different skill sets.

MaraxusTheOrc · April 6

If there’s one thing I can guarantee about player polls on these forums, it’s that they will be preceded by a very clear position by the poster and the poll answer choices will be biased in favor of that position.

I trust this new leadership team to take the time they need to do the class reworks.

nightbringer1993 · April 6

Yes. Get it all done this year and new flashy animations next year?

Necromancer class needs to be reworked as soon as possible. The class is the most destroyed one and they leave to the end in winter 2027. Another spit in the face of necro players.

They are charging 12,99€ for a class that is bugged and nerfed like hell, and that people are forced to drop because other classes are so much stronger.

The scam needs to end!

Freelancer_ESO · April 6

No. I prefer to wait two years.

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of the DK rework approach so I'm not really in a hurry for them to get to the others.

LunaFlora · April 6

Other (Comment below)

how do you envision that?

Hamish999 · April 6

Biased poll is a pointless poll.
I say do all the graphics at the same time. I actually like the new DK graphics refresh, I haven't played my DK main so much in years.
I also like the DK skill refresh and I'm really looking forward to the class mastery skill line that is coming in June with U50.

FurryCandyHearts · April 6

i would prefer that my 2400 ge processor with vega 11 graphics still to be able to play the game irrespective of what the do to the graphics or the balance to skills.

SilverIce58 · April 6

Other (Comment below)

Doesn't matter what we prefer, they've already said this is how its going to be done, so unless their corporate overlords say otherwise (or something game-breaking happens somehow), this is how its going to go.

AllenaNightWood · April 6

not the same teams this is irrelevant

Melivar · April 6

Other (Comment below)

As some other have mentioned different teams work on different parts of the game so getting other nice things at the same time has no bearing on the class refreshes.

I don't play a DK but from what I see on the forums they did a pretty decent job, will likely test mine after the anniversary event, as I have other focuses right now.

So given time they have done well. If you try to cram them all in a smaller time frame likely no one will be happy with the results. Let them cook a little and maybe try out something new while you wait for your mains time in the sun.

twisttop138 · April 6

Other (Comment below)

I always roll my eyes hard when people complain about poll options on the forums, but come on. Really?

noblecron · April 6

Different teams are working on different things. On top of that it takes time to make new animations and such like they're doing with all the classes. I'd rather wait than them rush it immediately and we get left with buggy and incomplete messes

Erickson9610 · April 6

The visual refresh is part of the overall refresh. ZOS explained this several times — you can't change things like the timing of abilities without getting a pass from the art team. I believe the final product of these refresh efforts will be worth the wait.

And in the meantime, why not try Werewolf when it gets its refresh in Update 50 while waiting for the next Class refresh?

LukosCreyden · April 6

No. I prefer to wait two years.

No, I prefer to wait 2 years.
Unironically.

valenwood_vegan · April 6

I'm glad they're doing the refresh and trying to do a good job and do it right.

Rushing through a lot of changes all at once is not necessarily better. Look at the nightmare subclassing created - that was clearly rushed out to meet a deadline without time for thought and feedback.

The team also has to be realistic about how much they can take on in one patch cycle.

I'd prefer if it could all be done tomorrow, but reality bites.

Nemesis7884 · April 6

No. I prefer to wait two years.

I kinda like that one comes after the other; gives a chance to test and experience one refresh before the next shows up...trying more than your usual main class...

CalamityCat · April 6

No. I prefer to wait two years.

I'd rather the job was done well, not rushed and botched up!

Placeholder animations still take time to create, so it makes no sense to add additional time to the work making two sets of animations. Or worse still, trying to make them sync with skills they weren't designed for. It doesn't take much imagination to guess how utterly awful that would look/feel for players.

If classes all get refreshed quickly it gives players very little time to play them and give feedback, or for the devs to act and fix anything that isn't right. Again, little imagination is needed to appreciate how that will work out. If you think PvP balance is bad now, I assure you a rushed revamp will be much worse!

I haven't finished my necro yet, but I have at least one of every class in ESO fully trained. So if I can wait and look forward to seeing my characters all revamped, I think others can too

katanagirl1 · April 8

Other (Comment below)

I don’t know about the two teams theory. It could be that all of them could work on one task versus the other, we don’t know that. Companies are big into cross-training people so no one sits idle.

I’m not keen on the flashy animations either so it would be nice to not have that at all.

Blood_again · April 8

Other (Comment below)

Classes refresh has to have a certain production cycle, like PTS->feedback->fix->release->feedback->tuning etc.
Well, don't laugh about feedback. I talk about an ideal world

Putting more than one class in a basket at a time would turn this cycle into a big mess.
I don't mind having all the good things at once tomorrow. But I guess having all the classes smoothly refreshed till the end of 2026 is unreal.
So I would let the devs work at their own pace. Don't push the horses.

coop500 · April 8

Other (Comment below)

Other because they're different teams working at the same time, and plus, visuals and mechanics go more hand in hand than it may seem.

Faltasë · April 8

No. I prefer to wait two years.

What and wait double the time for the game to feel actually refreshed? Yeah, no thanks. I'm cool with their current setup, and they've already completed the DK so let's let them finish what they've got.

Ratzkifal · April 8

No offense, but this is kind of a dumb poll question. Class refresh without graphical upgrades? Aside from different teams being responsible for this, you really want the new skills to be invisible because they have no assets? Or bright purple due to lack of textures? You want to know even less about what's going on in combat because the abilities simply don't have the highlights?

You might as well ask: Do you want 100€ or no 100€? Of course we all want it done in 2026, but that's simply not going to happen regardless of how many forum posts are made.

We are getting pure class passives. Your favorite class is not being neglected. Just wait and provide feedback until then. I don't get what's so hard to understand about that.

Estin · April 8

No. I prefer to wait two years.

I'd prefer to wait 2 years. My reasoning is because DK received a lot of dedicated attention during the PTS with several adjustments. It was easy for ZOS to focus on 1 style of feedback. If they suddenly dropped all refreshes at once without the graphical changes, then the PTS will be a war zone. There will be hundreds of threads of people complaining X class is too strong, X class is too weak, buff my class, nerf other classes, etc. All of that will be paired with thousands of suggested feedback, many that will end up unseen because too many are coming in. With only 4 weeks of PTS, there isn't enough time to read through and consider all feedback which would result in some of the refreshes being good with others being bad which means ZOS would have to spend more time post refresh going back to the classes that didn't get enough attention. One class at a time guarantees each class gets the attention it needs and comes out of PTS in its best possible form without needing to waste time post refresh to make adjustments.

Avran_Sylt · April 8

Other (Comment below)

Why do you think the sprucing up of animations of pre-existing abilities takes longer than: entirely reshuffling abilities to take into consideration subclassing, the redesign of ability raw stats and utiliy to take into consideration various playstyle builds and metas, while also shuffling and redesigning passives to promote pureclassing in an ever powercrept meta?

The Elder Scrolls Online

Would you prefer if ZOS postponed the graphical upgrades and got the class refreshes done in 2026?

Would you prefer if ZOS postponed the graphical upgrades and got the class refreshes done in 2026? 56 votes