Best Of
Re: Pure class or subclass, what is it that you prefer guys and why
I used to hate subclassing, but now I'm really worried about what the class refresh is going to do to the Sorcerer class, and I suspect I'm going to have to rely on subclassing to stay true to my own character.
Re: When you ask for more repeatable content, what do you mean?
I appreciate this poll and topic and I think it is a conversation that needs to be had but before I answer I need to mention something I've said multiple times because it falls into the same pitfall as other similar topics: gamers are not a binary and their behavior is not always cut and dry as this or that. I frequently cite Quantic Foundry's poll+gamer motivation model because it is a better indicator and a healthier one of gamers' varying wants and needs.
It also accounts for the fact that people can do different things in a game but have different motivations and drives for those things. For example, I am high in creativity/immersion, personally. I can cite huge parts of the lore by memory or near memory. I have deep intricate backstories and personalities and details for all of my characters that I've worked on in this game for over a decade for some of them. I love cosmetics and fashion obsessively. I am also a high mastery/achievement gamer and do hardmode and tri dungeons/trials 4-5 times a week and frequently set challenging goals and if I don't feel I have those I get bored or frustrated. I frequently feel I don't fit in with casual or hardcore players despite doing and enjoying almost everything eso has to offer. I don't really neatly fit into a box. I am far from the only gamer in eso, or even in this forum, like this.
Because of the explanation above I had to go with other because it best fits. I desperately want to replay quests and go back to quest areas for screenshots and to play through them again on my main and characters I played through gorgeous and fun areas now that I don't have a potato of a pc like when I started so I can have high quality screenshots of my main in places like Elden Root's Orrery. Also, after briefly playing Infinity Nikki (gorgeous game but oof on the outfit gacha), I desperately want a screenshot mode like theirs in ESO to show off and highlight player fashion and help gamers like ones I know get pretty screenshots without relying on external programs. Seriously wish those two features would come to eso and are at the top of my list for things because they are imo something that really fills a void in this game on the cozy side.
At the same time, I want more to do with my friends in game that isn't a dungeon or trial and I miss hanging out with friends in fun but also challenging content. I heavily tested the Night Market on pts and fell in love with it on a lore/story level and gameplay level. I had a blast duoing with my tank friend or having a more casual run with part or all of my dungeon/trial groups just hanging out and being silly while we do something fun. Night Market also helps with the "too many people for some content but not enough for others but want to do something together" problem that can frequently happen with the set numbered group content. I also would not feel good about not having new dungeons/trials/etc because they are important to me gameplay wise and for when I feel the itch for a challenge.
So short answer is it needs to be both and we need to stop acting like it's an either/or dilemma and understand the same gamer can have different wants and needs and likes. This game has a knack for drawing a very diverse crowd of wants and needs in but has a hard time keeping them fulfilled long term. I think they need to explore more of their players' motivations and less checking boxes for content because that's going to be better for everyone in the long run.
It also accounts for the fact that people can do different things in a game but have different motivations and drives for those things. For example, I am high in creativity/immersion, personally. I can cite huge parts of the lore by memory or near memory. I have deep intricate backstories and personalities and details for all of my characters that I've worked on in this game for over a decade for some of them. I love cosmetics and fashion obsessively. I am also a high mastery/achievement gamer and do hardmode and tri dungeons/trials 4-5 times a week and frequently set challenging goals and if I don't feel I have those I get bored or frustrated. I frequently feel I don't fit in with casual or hardcore players despite doing and enjoying almost everything eso has to offer. I don't really neatly fit into a box. I am far from the only gamer in eso, or even in this forum, like this.
Because of the explanation above I had to go with other because it best fits. I desperately want to replay quests and go back to quest areas for screenshots and to play through them again on my main and characters I played through gorgeous and fun areas now that I don't have a potato of a pc like when I started so I can have high quality screenshots of my main in places like Elden Root's Orrery. Also, after briefly playing Infinity Nikki (gorgeous game but oof on the outfit gacha), I desperately want a screenshot mode like theirs in ESO to show off and highlight player fashion and help gamers like ones I know get pretty screenshots without relying on external programs. Seriously wish those two features would come to eso and are at the top of my list for things because they are imo something that really fills a void in this game on the cozy side.
At the same time, I want more to do with my friends in game that isn't a dungeon or trial and I miss hanging out with friends in fun but also challenging content. I heavily tested the Night Market on pts and fell in love with it on a lore/story level and gameplay level. I had a blast duoing with my tank friend or having a more casual run with part or all of my dungeon/trial groups just hanging out and being silly while we do something fun. Night Market also helps with the "too many people for some content but not enough for others but want to do something together" problem that can frequently happen with the set numbered group content. I also would not feel good about not having new dungeons/trials/etc because they are important to me gameplay wise and for when I feel the itch for a challenge.
So short answer is it needs to be both and we need to stop acting like it's an either/or dilemma and understand the same gamer can have different wants and needs and likes. This game has a knack for drawing a very diverse crowd of wants and needs in but has a hard time keeping them fulfilled long term. I think they need to explore more of their players' motivations and less checking boxes for content because that's going to be better for everyone in the long run.
Emeratis
2
Re: Some of my wishes for updating the companions system
Add 2 more ultimates per companion:
While companions are meant to be role customizable, I think for that purpose each companion should come with a set of 3 ultimates, one per role, instead of the current format where each only get 1 and its only for damage purposes. This is mostly to round out their role focus.
I'd be happy if they would make the existing Ultimates more reliable. Bastian's, for example, is essentially useless because it wont fire unless he's in melee range - and if he's equipped with a staff he is never in melee range unless he's backed into a wall and can't dodge roll away.
anadandy
1
Re: Update on the Snowbear Mount Currently on the Crown Store
Hi, Kevin.
Is there any update on this?
Re: Official Discussion Thread for "Loremaster’s Archive–Heart’s Day & Mother Mara"
@ZOS_Kevin it looks like two of my questions were answered, but only one question was copy/pasted into the article. The context of the second question changes the meaning of the answer significantly!
The Altmer revere Mara, yet their marriages are arranged in favor "lineage and heritage," to quote your compatriot Augustine Viliane. What part does love and Mara play in Altmeri unions?
How does the lady Mara feel about affairs? If one is stuck in a loveless marriage but has met someone new they've fallen for, surely the Goddess of Love would understand?
First, I do not know for certain how Mara views arranged marriages, but stories abound of unexpected love blossoming even in the most stone-hearted of unions. The Divine Mother is a patient gardener. Second, while I cannot say that all affairs are equal in Mara’s eyes, I do ask that those who partake in these secretive trysts ask themselves whose garden they are watering.
ESO on Xbox Game Pass and Xbox Play Anywhere
We wanted to give everyone an FYI - later this year, ESO for Xbox will be available with Xbox Game Pass as an Xbox Play Anywhere game, which will include PC. Over the next few months, you may run into it in various unplayable states in the Xbox store as we complete internal testing. But we wanted you to know in case you stumbled across it - yes, it is real. No, you can't play it from there yet. And yes, we will absolutely tell you more as we get closer to launching it. Also, if you download the ESO file from the Xbox app on Windows while it's in the unplayable state, it's just the screenshot, not the game.
Re: PTS Update 49 - Feedback Thread for Combat Refresh: Dragonknight
AFAIK the synergy on Talons only applies when the Immobilise effect fires, anything that can't be affected by Immobilise won't generate the synergy.
This makes it rather less useful than you would hope.
This makes it rather less useful than you would hope.
Re: Overland Content Feedback Thread
k, I think I have the perfect solution:
Gear Gates
Wear what you want? God mode.
Pick Vestige difficulty? You have a belt to hold your weapon… but nothing else.
No armour. No sets. Not even a weapon.
(Why do you even need the belt?)
Daily buffs? You can have them.
Potions? You can now carry a maximum of 5 health pots — that’s it.
Work backwards from those two extremes, and everyone will find their own level of challenge.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not really about the challenge.
If it was, we could already implement those rules ourselves. We don’t need ZOS for that.
The reason we need ZOS to add overland difficulty isn’t about engagement — it’s about bragging rights and meaningful achievement.
This is the same reason players rush to be first to complete trials and dungeons: for a few days, maybe even weeks, they get to strut their stuff with their sexy new outfit, a cool shimmering skin, or just sitting on a mount making it rear up for absolutely no reason.
The best solution would have been a new mode
Something like:
Cadwell’s Campfire Stories
Go see Cadwell sitting by his campfire, and let him tell you a story.
You queue into a dream sequence, and now you’re replaying those overland stories at a higher difficulty.
That gives:
true player engagement
a valid reward system
meaningful replayability
Because overland farming and average run-of-the-mill mobs in the world don’t really matter. They’re just environmental filler. You can make them harder or easier to bypass — but it doesn’t change much.
Nobody truly cares about running around Alik’r killing zombies in mass, especially if they’re now 80% harder.
What we do care about is this:
Now that I have a fully fleshed-out character, I’d love to go back and replay the story — and when I fight Molag Bal, I want it to feel like I’m actually fighting something that could destroy the world if I fail.
Last time I ran that quest, the “big bad boss” was basically put to bed with a teddy bear… and an apology from me for being mean to him.
Edited for poor grammar
Gear Gates
Wear what you want? God mode.
Pick Vestige difficulty? You have a belt to hold your weapon… but nothing else.
No armour. No sets. Not even a weapon.
(Why do you even need the belt?)
Daily buffs? You can have them.
Potions? You can now carry a maximum of 5 health pots — that’s it.
Work backwards from those two extremes, and everyone will find their own level of challenge.
Because at the end of the day, it’s not really about the challenge.
If it was, we could already implement those rules ourselves. We don’t need ZOS for that.
The reason we need ZOS to add overland difficulty isn’t about engagement — it’s about bragging rights and meaningful achievement.
This is the same reason players rush to be first to complete trials and dungeons: for a few days, maybe even weeks, they get to strut their stuff with their sexy new outfit, a cool shimmering skin, or just sitting on a mount making it rear up for absolutely no reason.
The best solution would have been a new mode
Something like:
Cadwell’s Campfire Stories
Go see Cadwell sitting by his campfire, and let him tell you a story.
You queue into a dream sequence, and now you’re replaying those overland stories at a higher difficulty.
That gives:
true player engagement
a valid reward system
meaningful replayability
Because overland farming and average run-of-the-mill mobs in the world don’t really matter. They’re just environmental filler. You can make them harder or easier to bypass — but it doesn’t change much.
Nobody truly cares about running around Alik’r killing zombies in mass, especially if they’re now 80% harder.
What we do care about is this:
Now that I have a fully fleshed-out character, I’d love to go back and replay the story — and when I fight Molag Bal, I want it to feel like I’m actually fighting something that could destroy the world if I fail.
Last time I ran that quest, the “big bad boss” was basically put to bed with a teddy bear… and an apology from me for being mean to him.
Edited for poor grammar
SugaComa
1
Re: Overland Content Feedback Thread
ESO_player123 wrote: »AlexanderDeLarge wrote: »AlexanderDeLarge wrote: »AlexanderDeLarge wrote: »I've said it a million times already ITT but it's strange that people draw the line at veteran overland when we have veteran dungeons, trials and arenas. Why should difficulty be the only reward in challenge difficulty for overland and what makes that different from perfected drops in arenas and trials?
The whole game's reward structure is more challenge = more reward in every other activity, so drawing the line here is arbitrary at best.
"Why should difficulty be the only reward in challenge difficulty for overland and what makes that different from perfected drops in arenas and trials?"
==> Because providing increased armors, weapons, and posts, has caused players to be over geared for standard game play and now they are demanding more challenging content because they are bored with dungeons and refuse to take the group dungeon gear off to complete standard content. Higher gear perpetuates the problem.
People complained about the gap in difficulty because there was a gap and now they've addressed it with this system scaling all the way up to 600% dmg received/20% output. They're not exacerbating a problem because the problem has been addressed.
Depending on how this scaling actually works in practice, this overland content may be more challenging than most DLC dungeons on veteran.
In arenas, you have perfected gear. In trials and dungeons you have epic and legendary tier drops. I've gotten gold jewelry from trials. The average person is still able to refine their gear up to gold if they want. I don't see any reason to break that consistency, reward structures should be consistent and predictable without having to wiki everything and discover the odd exception to a general rule. Purples should drop.
Quoting myself because I'm still not seeing any logical reason to draw the line at overland for veteran rewards. It's such an arbitrary line being drawn.
Arenas/trails/dungeons have limits on the number of people that participate in the activity. In overland we can have as many people pile up on the boss as the instance supports. So, dropping gold gear seems an overkill.
You could drop gold gear if they implementing a weighted system by having a minimum damage number calculatable to a max potential and assessing TTK potential V actual you can determine if a player is op and therefore not really being challenged. Checking if the level 3600cp player whose running on vestige is mathmatically making lower contribution to the action when compared to other engaged players by level+difficulty choice and provide clear tiered reward if your contribution falls short no reward for you
SugaComa
1
Re: Overland Content Feedback Thread
The new Overland Challenge Difficulty system sounds great in principle, but the current description (deal less damage / take more damage) raises a major shared-world maths problem that needs clarification. In a shared open world, players of different difficulty settings will often hit the same boss at the same time. If the boss has one shared HP pool, then a Normal/Adventurer player’s full damage will still burn the boss down quickly, meaning the Vestige player won’t actually experience a harder fight — they’ll just receive higher rewards.
Using real numbers from my own characters:
Character 1 contributes ~40k boss DPS in mixed fights
Character 2 contributes ~120k boss DPS to bosses
If Character 2 is Adventurer and Character 1 is Vestige (80% less damage → 20% output), the combined boss DPS becomes 120k + 8k = 128k, so a 500k HP boss dies in ~3.9 seconds. That completely overrides the Vestige challenge experience.
This leads players to conclude one of two disappointing outcomes:
Hard mode can be “cheesed” by nearby normal players, or
Boss HP is increased globally to preserve challenge, which makes it harder for everyone (including players who didn’t opt in).
Two solutions that would mitigate this are:
A) A shared-world contribution system where Adventurer damage is weighted down toward the boss HP bar when a higher difficulty player is engaged (prevents easy-mode melting).
A personal progress/reward system where higher difficulty rewards only apply if the player personally completes enough of the fight under their chosen difficulty (prevents free hard rewards from easy carries).
Which of these systems (or equivalent anti-carry math) have you implemented for shared-world bosses?
Using real numbers from my own characters:
Character 1 contributes ~40k boss DPS in mixed fights
Character 2 contributes ~120k boss DPS to bosses
If Character 2 is Adventurer and Character 1 is Vestige (80% less damage → 20% output), the combined boss DPS becomes 120k + 8k = 128k, so a 500k HP boss dies in ~3.9 seconds. That completely overrides the Vestige challenge experience.
This leads players to conclude one of two disappointing outcomes:
Hard mode can be “cheesed” by nearby normal players, or
Boss HP is increased globally to preserve challenge, which makes it harder for everyone (including players who didn’t opt in).
Two solutions that would mitigate this are:
A) A shared-world contribution system where Adventurer damage is weighted down toward the boss HP bar when a higher difficulty player is engaged (prevents easy-mode melting).
A personal progress/reward system where higher difficulty rewards only apply if the player personally completes enough of the fight under their chosen difficulty (prevents free hard rewards from easy carries).Which of these systems (or equivalent anti-carry math) have you implemented for shared-world bosses?
SugaComa
1