Never thought I'd be doing this in an MMO - Open Letter to Zenimax

melcene · May 2014

Zenimax,

I am a long-time MMO player, and long-time Elder Scrolls fan, so when this game was announced, I was excited. Even in beta, when I crashed constantly, I still looked forward to launch because I knew that would be fixed and I couldn't wait to actually get to PLAY the game. Sure the game wasn't perfect, but what game is at launch? I have a pretty busy schedule, but still enjoyed playing on the weekends. Speaking of weekends, I'm American, so guess what that means? I was looking forward to a nice long holiday weekend of getting some extra gaming in, and ESO was my game of choice!

Recently, my husband and I discussed cancelling our subscriptions to another game we're currently subscribed to, but haven't played in months. I have to say I'm glad I hadn't gotten around to it yet. I am one of the people who cannot log into the game at all since the patch. I get the immediate crash and error report screen whenever I press the play button. I've tried the various solutions posted in the support forums, many of which come from emails from Support.

I see people (who can get into the game) complain about additional charges for /stuck use. This boggles my mind. I can't think of a game I've played that has done this. We already take a hit on repair bills because /stuck doesn't attempt to simply move us first. Paying a fee because a bridge or stairway in town fails to fully load by the time I get to it is ridiculous.

I see people (who can get into the game) complain about the changes to armor graphics, especially at the lower levels. As someone who doesn't rush through my leveling due to time constraints and actually enjoying the game, everything I'm seeing described is incredibly disappointing. For example, this post completely describes how I expect I'd feel once I can finally get into the game. Of course I don't expect epic-looking gear at lower levels, but I agree in that I was already disappointed with many of the game's drab-looking armors, and this will be a complete turn off.

So here's where I get to the "Never Thought I'd Be Doing This" part. Since 1999 when I started playing MMOs, of course I've had frustration with games, but never have I gone to the game's forums and threatened to quit, or announced I was cancelling my subscription because of dissatisfaction with changes. Then again, in all those years I'd never encountered a problem like this where I just couldn't even log into the game at all - during a holiday weekend, no less! Even upon the early release and launch of Vanilla WoW when the server load was horrendous, at least I could still eventually get into the game after a long queue. Given that it's a holiday weekend, I don't expect this to truly be resolved until at least Tuesday. Even if it is fixed, I doubt we will hear anything about free days added to our subscriptions until then (if Zenimax even goes that route).

TL;DR version:
At a time when I am trying to figure out which subscription to cancel, this patch has almost certainly decided it for me. I will likely give it a few days to see how Zenimax handles this debacle, but it's likely I'll be cancelling. Perhaps I'll come back some months later when they've had more time to work out some issues.

Gilandred · May 2014

If you didn't have any issues logging into vanilla WoW during launch, then I'm afraid your memory isn't that great. I don't doubt that you are having issues logging into ESO; however, I am not having these issues, nor are many others. This means it's not a universal problem, and therefore more difficult for ZOS to troubleshoot and fix, and that's assuming it's not a problem on your end. Issues are par for the course during the first few months of every new MMO.

wrlifeboil · May 2014

You have to admit though, with WoW, even with the 10 hour shutdowns and multiple server restarts, people were still crazy positive about the game. The mood was upbeat even with all the b*tching.

I thought the negativity about eso would be cresting at the two month mark. The truly disgrunted players would have canceled leaving the more committed dedicated players. Instead, the negativity seemingly continues to build. Amazing.

nerevarine1138 · May 2014

wrlifeboil wrote: »

You have to admit though, with WoW, even with the 10 hour shutdowns and multiple server restarts, people were still crazy positive about the game. The mood was upbeat even with all the b*tching.

I thought the negativity about eso would be cresting at the two month mark. The truly disgrunted players would have canceled leaving the more committed dedicated players. Instead, the negativity seemingly continues to build. Amazing.

So... did you have access to some special WoW forums or something? Because those things have been non-stop complaint-fests for a decade now.

Saerydoth · May 2014

wrlifeboil wrote: »

You have to admit though, with WoW, even with the 10 hour shutdowns and multiple server restarts, people were still crazy positive about the game. The mood was upbeat even with all the b*tching.

I thought the negativity about eso would be cresting at the two month mark. The truly disgrunted players would have canceled leaving the more committed dedicated players. Instead, the negativity seemingly continues to build. Amazing.

You're wrong. I was on the WOW forums back then, and they were ANYTHING but positive. The forums were (and still are) a gigantic mess of complaining, with people saying each new change was going to "kill the game". Each new expansion was going to kill the game too.

The ESO forums are about normal for an MMO. Basically, for the most part, people only come to the forums to complain, while the people happy with the game are (for the most part) playing the game, instead of wasting time on the forums. I would be playing myself, but right now I'm at work, so the forums are the best I can do.

The really amusing thing, the people whining about the shield bash nerf...everything they say is *word for word* exactly the same thing people on the WOW forums said when <insert FOTM build here> was nerfed. I find all of the QQ on this hillarious. It's like listening to an army of Daleks. Except instead of saying EX-TER-MIN-ATE they're saying NERF.

Vlaxitov · May 2014

melcene wrote: »

Zenimax,

I am a long-time MMO player, and long-time Elder Scrolls fan, so when this game was announced, I was excited. Even in beta, when I crashed constantly, I still looked forward to launch because I knew that would be fixed and I couldn't wait to actually get to PLAY the game.

How did you KNOW things would be fixed? When exactly did you start having faith in the development of a video game despite the evident track record of most games is poor at best per capita?

melcene wrote: »

Recently, my husband and I discussed cancelling our subscriptions to another game we're currently subscribed to, but haven't played in months. I have to say I'm glad I hadn't gotten around to it yet. I am one of the people who cannot log into the game at all since the patch. I get the immediate crash and error report screen whenever I press the play button. I've tried the various solutions posted in the support forums, many of which come from emails from Support.

Exactly why are you glad you didn't cancel another online game subscription? Afraid to go outside? Its exactly this mentality that allows people who make games to be lazy just like a crack dealer who only calls you back half the time because they know you aren't going anywhere.

melcene wrote: »

I see people (who can get into the game) complain about additional charges for /stuck use. This boggles my mind. I can't think of a game I've played that has done this. We already take a hit on repair bills because /stuck doesn't attempt to simply move us first. Paying a fee because a bridge or stairway in town fails to fully load by the time I get to it is ridiculous.

To what extent does the umbilical cord stop nourishing our insatiable entertainment needs before we cut it and start swimming towards the exit?

melcene wrote: »

I see people (who can get into the game) complain about the changes to armor graphics, especially at the lower levels. As someone who doesn't rush through my leveling due to time constraints and actually enjoying the game, everything I'm seeing described is incredibly disappointing. For example, this post completely describes how I expect I'd feel once I can finally get into the game. Of course I don't expect epic-looking gear at lower levels, but I agree in that I was already disappointed with many of the game's drab-looking armors, and this will be a complete turn off.

Outside of a wider variety of choice, the low level armor in this game is about as "drab" as the low level armor in Skyrim. That is part of the appeal. Armor in ES games look like well... armor and not some comic book character's super suit like in most other mmos.

melcene wrote: »

So here's where I get to the "Never Thought I'd Be Doing This" part. Since 1999 when I started playing MMOs, of course I've had frustration with games, but never have I gone to the game's forums and threatened to quit, or announced I was cancelling my subscription because of dissatisfaction with changes. Then again, in all those years I'd never encountered a problem like this where I just couldn't even log into the game at all - during a holiday weekend, no less! Even upon the early release and launch of Vanilla WoW when the server load was horrendous, at least I could still eventually get into the game after a long queue. Given that it's a holiday weekend, I don't expect this to truly be resolved until at least Tuesday. Even if it is fixed, I doubt we will hear anything about free days added to our subscriptions until then (if Zenimax even goes that route).

I've been playing all video games since pong, and no its not a credential. It doesn't add credibility to my arguments. Its way too easy to hit a couple of buttons and cancel your account to "threaten" it. Its also way too easy to hit a couple of buttons to resubscribe to warrant this level of lamentation over it.

I can't say right now whether I'll continue to play this game or not. If decide its not for me I won't be outraged because I knew I was rolling the dice when I bought it to begin with.

wrlifeboil · May 2014

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

wrlifeboil wrote: »

You have to admit though, with WoW, even with the 10 hour shutdowns and multiple server restarts, people were still crazy positive about the game. The mood was upbeat even with all the b*tching.

I thought the negativity about eso would be cresting at the two month mark. The truly disgrunted players would have canceled leaving the more committed dedicated players. Instead, the negativity seemingly continues to build. Amazing.

So... did you have access to some special WoW forums or something? Because those things have been non-stop complaint-fests for a decade now.

If you've played WoW long enough, you know there is always a period of peak b*tching and moaning after a major patch. One class getting nerfed because of pvp or attunement requirements or rated BG or arena ratings or b*tching over dailies. It peaks after a certain period of time then tapers off to more typical level of qq.

In eso, the b*tching seemingly hasn't peaked yet. Just keeps building.

Requiemslove · May 2014

wrlifeboil wrote: »

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

wrlifeboil wrote: »

You have to admit though, with WoW, even with the 10 hour shutdowns and multiple server restarts, people were still crazy positive about the game. The mood was upbeat even with all the b*tching.

I thought the negativity about eso would be cresting at the two month mark. The truly disgrunted players would have canceled leaving the more committed dedicated players. Instead, the negativity seemingly continues to build. Amazing.

So... did you have access to some special WoW forums or something? Because those things have been non-stop complaint-fests for a decade now.

If you've played WoW long enough, you know there is always a period of peak b*tching and moaning after a major patch. One class getting nerfed because of pvp or attunement requirements or rated BG or arena ratings or b*tching over dailies. It peaks after a certain period of time then tapers off to more typical level of qq.

In eso, the b*tching seemingly hasn't peaked yet. Just keeps building.

Yes, and I daresay it WONT peak until Zenimax learns to run and maintain an MMO properly. Maybe its a bit much to expect this of them after only a couple of months LIVE service, but can the same be said for the level of customer care and all around communications skills and culpability when things go drastically wrong on some level? [as has unfortunately happened far too much] And no, I do not mean bugs, I do not mean unforeseen situations, I don't even mean the massive infestation of bots and gold/resource spammers, I mean, as example the memory leak issue many are going on about right now. This is the first big update to the game and some already have this problem with ESO...does not bode well for future updates, don't you think?

People surely will cry about mundane things to do with class skills etc and all things game related, but its hard to stay positive for a game when you cant get on it, and I believe that's what the OP is talking about.

temjiu · May 2014

Sadly I agree with the OP. Been playing MMO's for decade + more. This is the first time that I have real doubts about a game from this perspective.

all you bulldogs can nitpick at her analogies and comparisons all you want. it will only push other people away from the game. your doing the game more of a disservice then you are helping it.

no matter what, this games survival depends on its ability to balance mechanics, bugs, overall quality of life play experience, and difficulty levels to appeal to the general populace. At least it needs to do this enough to keep subscribers.

And her experience unfortunately is the same experience i've seen with many players. I had a buddy at work with a large group of friends that were involved in this game since beta. he was looking more forward to this release then many in a long time. And he's not currently playing. "taking a break" was his explanation.

good luck with this one guys. hope Zenimin's gamble pays off for ya.

EDIT: Oh yeah, and something else interesting. You cancel your subscription, and there's no box to fill out explaining why, no categories you can check to let them know why you were dissatisfied. Companies that actually care about their customer base USUALLY care why they decided to stop paying them. This one obviously doesn't....So unless they read the forums, they may be completely surprised as to why people are dropping right and left...