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The issue is resolved, and the North American and European megaservers are now available. Thank you for your patience!
personal Review of ESO -for players and developers
I began playing Elder Scrolls online during beta and have played often since that time. I would like to discuss the pros and cons of this game as seen through my eyes only.
I would like to also say that I am a big fan of the elder scrolls series, specifically oblivion and skyrim stand out as being the most fun.
Currently I am playing a veteran 10 nightblade 'vampire'.
CONS
-am not satisfied with paying an additional 20.00 to receive the imperial bonus pack just so I can play an imperial. money-hungry game developers lose in the long run because this is seen as a greed motivated move, not really a community benefitting move. schemes to sell improvements to your character or that add gameplay features is a big turn off.
in oblivion, you could choose any race, I think I like that option the best.
I don't think mmos should be about money. I am not receiving any real product for the money I put down, I am merely renting time on a server. stop being so damn greedy.
-I don't like that if I make a new character I start out at level 1. after achieving veteran rank and unlocking all the abilities (basically all of them) I don't feel that I should have to slow level up again if I want to try a new class. that would be an immeasurable waste of my personal time. I suggest to allow people to be able to create any new character at the highest level achieved by the player, and then just start them out with no gear and no gold.
-I don't like that all combats are the same in veteran level, except for the unique and scripted combat tactics of the bosses. basically I just throw down a mageguild/volcano rune and spam it, and it kills any amount of mobs. this is not intelligence or fun. a repeat action over and over does nothing for me.
-I don't like that I can't modify my characters appearance, not even slightly.
-I don't like the endgame content wherein it is just looting and slaying. this is not intelligence or depth and definitely not role-play. hack and loot is not for intelligent people. if the game comes down to it, just throw away all the plot.
-endgame loot is pathetic. the item rewards are minuscule in upgrade value. and quite boring to receive this loot. I think those set item bonuses are a bit more imaginative.
-am not impressed with monster gold drops, or selling stacks of weapons to vendors for puny amounts of gold, just so I can buy a respec. that is terrible economy.
-horses are overpriced. not to say that having a summonable invulnerable horse shouldn't be expensive, but the economy Is terrible, and i'm not going to grind 40,000 (1GP) mobs so I can buy the speedy steed. sure that is an exaggeration, maybe the mobs drop 2 gold, or some random sellable item, but then I have to pay 10-20 thousand every time I want a bag increase. when is this non-sense going to stop. in oblivion right out the sewers, if you are good, you can steal a horse and a suit of valuable platemail from a guard patroller.
-people spamming the zone chat with incessant trade offers clogs up the zone chat. i'd rather just see people in zone chat that want to meet or do groups. I think item sellers should get their own chat channel. these are item farmers clogging up the zone chat. they definitely are not adding to any sense of role-play to the environment.
-I don't like guilds. I was not impressed with any guild features that would make me want to be in one or help one succeed. I think if a player wants to sell items, he should be able to summon an INSTANT tent. and then just put his sellable items into a user interface and name his own prices. he shouldn't have to work through a guild to sell items.
-I have reported plenty of bugs already, in the spirit of being a kind traveler and helping out the community. but there were so many bugs to report that this in itself became work to me. so on my paid time I was often helping by describing in detail and taking screenshots these bugs. I felt that there should be some monetary compensation for active bug reporters. being helpful and getting no reward in return added to the cheapness of my eso experience.
-quests are too narrow minded. they are all the same format, kill x x amount of creatures, light xx amount of braziers, then return to NPC xx. ok I got it. am 40 years old now. I found myself uninterested in the NPC conversations and I am almost always pressed '1' to skip through it. the NPCs could give a damn less about my character from a role-play point of view, they just want some errand boy to do something for them. And since there is no other method of advancing the plot than to do errand boy quests, then that's what I did. and in doing that I received no gratification.
-I didn't enjoy crafting. Crafting felt like a waste of time. I found that it was easier to just find a random green item or random treasure loot than to craft out some item with the same stats or a puny bonus.
-I didn't enjoy PvP. the first time I went to cyrodil for the pvp grouping I was already mid veteran rank. I explored around a lot, I noticed that 95% of the map was controlled by Aldmiri. I was playing on the side of Ebonheart pact, so we controlled maybe 3% of the map. I attacked random npcs in cyrodil trying to start up my own conflict with whoever. And I realized that all the npcs I cyrodil are veteran uber elite except the wolves. this was very discouraging as I had just spent the last month developing my character and achieving a veteran status, hopefully so I could be better than npcs.
-I think the grouping feature is utterly bad. what is the point of having a group. if people want to do an instance, just have 4 people go in. if 2 people fight against a group of monsters, then just divide the rewards by 2. id prefer a non group system, that is more like a first person role-player mode. where I don't have to screw with any group finders, I can just continuously play my character. all grouping features should be automated. players shouldn't have to wait in queues and spam zone channels for friends to join them. everyone is born solo and alone, they should travel the world solo and alone. when I meet someone in the game I shouldn't have to know whether its a player controlled or npc ai. to me, from a role-play immersive viewpoint they are just a unit.
PROS
-I like that vampires are supported as player characters. there could better depth involved as far as reaction towards npcs after you have been turned into the living dead.
-I like the free and flexible way to build a character. I like choosing random skills and seeing if they work together. I think that 5 slots is a sufficient amount of keys for combat when using 1 hand, 1 finger per slot is fine. I don't think that having 20-30 hot keys is a solution. so in this department you have exceeded other popular mmos with a superior and simple method.
-unfortunately I could not think of any other strong PROS. I delved deep within the dungeon in my heart and found not. but fortunately for anyone who has patiently read this in entirety the pro here is that I am going to finish up this post real soon ;O
FINALLY
-if you use my ideas I would like to be paid for them. sure there is some clause that says if you present an idea on the forum that you have no ownership over it, but cut the c r @ p. if you use someone's idea and it improves the performance of your game, then you should offer them something of value as a sign of appreciation.
I would like to also say that I am a big fan of the elder scrolls series, specifically oblivion and skyrim stand out as being the most fun.
Currently I am playing a veteran 10 nightblade 'vampire'.
CONS
-am not satisfied with paying an additional 20.00 to receive the imperial bonus pack just so I can play an imperial. money-hungry game developers lose in the long run because this is seen as a greed motivated move, not really a community benefitting move. schemes to sell improvements to your character or that add gameplay features is a big turn off.
in oblivion, you could choose any race, I think I like that option the best.
I don't think mmos should be about money. I am not receiving any real product for the money I put down, I am merely renting time on a server. stop being so damn greedy.
-I don't like that if I make a new character I start out at level 1. after achieving veteran rank and unlocking all the abilities (basically all of them) I don't feel that I should have to slow level up again if I want to try a new class. that would be an immeasurable waste of my personal time. I suggest to allow people to be able to create any new character at the highest level achieved by the player, and then just start them out with no gear and no gold.
-I don't like that all combats are the same in veteran level, except for the unique and scripted combat tactics of the bosses. basically I just throw down a mageguild/volcano rune and spam it, and it kills any amount of mobs. this is not intelligence or fun. a repeat action over and over does nothing for me.
-I don't like that I can't modify my characters appearance, not even slightly.
-I don't like the endgame content wherein it is just looting and slaying. this is not intelligence or depth and definitely not role-play. hack and loot is not for intelligent people. if the game comes down to it, just throw away all the plot.
-endgame loot is pathetic. the item rewards are minuscule in upgrade value. and quite boring to receive this loot. I think those set item bonuses are a bit more imaginative.
-am not impressed with monster gold drops, or selling stacks of weapons to vendors for puny amounts of gold, just so I can buy a respec. that is terrible economy.
-horses are overpriced. not to say that having a summonable invulnerable horse shouldn't be expensive, but the economy Is terrible, and i'm not going to grind 40,000 (1GP) mobs so I can buy the speedy steed. sure that is an exaggeration, maybe the mobs drop 2 gold, or some random sellable item, but then I have to pay 10-20 thousand every time I want a bag increase. when is this non-sense going to stop. in oblivion right out the sewers, if you are good, you can steal a horse and a suit of valuable platemail from a guard patroller.
-people spamming the zone chat with incessant trade offers clogs up the zone chat. i'd rather just see people in zone chat that want to meet or do groups. I think item sellers should get their own chat channel. these are item farmers clogging up the zone chat. they definitely are not adding to any sense of role-play to the environment.
-I don't like guilds. I was not impressed with any guild features that would make me want to be in one or help one succeed. I think if a player wants to sell items, he should be able to summon an INSTANT tent. and then just put his sellable items into a user interface and name his own prices. he shouldn't have to work through a guild to sell items.
-I have reported plenty of bugs already, in the spirit of being a kind traveler and helping out the community. but there were so many bugs to report that this in itself became work to me. so on my paid time I was often helping by describing in detail and taking screenshots these bugs. I felt that there should be some monetary compensation for active bug reporters. being helpful and getting no reward in return added to the cheapness of my eso experience.
-quests are too narrow minded. they are all the same format, kill x x amount of creatures, light xx amount of braziers, then return to NPC xx. ok I got it. am 40 years old now. I found myself uninterested in the NPC conversations and I am almost always pressed '1' to skip through it. the NPCs could give a damn less about my character from a role-play point of view, they just want some errand boy to do something for them. And since there is no other method of advancing the plot than to do errand boy quests, then that's what I did. and in doing that I received no gratification.
-I didn't enjoy crafting. Crafting felt like a waste of time. I found that it was easier to just find a random green item or random treasure loot than to craft out some item with the same stats or a puny bonus.
-I didn't enjoy PvP. the first time I went to cyrodil for the pvp grouping I was already mid veteran rank. I explored around a lot, I noticed that 95% of the map was controlled by Aldmiri. I was playing on the side of Ebonheart pact, so we controlled maybe 3% of the map. I attacked random npcs in cyrodil trying to start up my own conflict with whoever. And I realized that all the npcs I cyrodil are veteran uber elite except the wolves. this was very discouraging as I had just spent the last month developing my character and achieving a veteran status, hopefully so I could be better than npcs.
-I think the grouping feature is utterly bad. what is the point of having a group. if people want to do an instance, just have 4 people go in. if 2 people fight against a group of monsters, then just divide the rewards by 2. id prefer a non group system, that is more like a first person role-player mode. where I don't have to screw with any group finders, I can just continuously play my character. all grouping features should be automated. players shouldn't have to wait in queues and spam zone channels for friends to join them. everyone is born solo and alone, they should travel the world solo and alone. when I meet someone in the game I shouldn't have to know whether its a player controlled or npc ai. to me, from a role-play immersive viewpoint they are just a unit.
PROS
-I like that vampires are supported as player characters. there could better depth involved as far as reaction towards npcs after you have been turned into the living dead.
-I like the free and flexible way to build a character. I like choosing random skills and seeing if they work together. I think that 5 slots is a sufficient amount of keys for combat when using 1 hand, 1 finger per slot is fine. I don't think that having 20-30 hot keys is a solution. so in this department you have exceeded other popular mmos with a superior and simple method.
-unfortunately I could not think of any other strong PROS. I delved deep within the dungeon in my heart and found not. but fortunately for anyone who has patiently read this in entirety the pro here is that I am going to finish up this post real soon ;O
FINALLY
-if you use my ideas I would like to be paid for them. sure there is some clause that says if you present an idea on the forum that you have no ownership over it, but cut the c r @ p. if you use someone's idea and it improves the performance of your game, then you should offer them something of value as a sign of appreciation.
10
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Laura✭✭✭✭✭
✭many of your cons I think are pros and the others I found to be nit picking.
If you don't like a game you don't have to think of a million reasons why. Its ok not to like something. Just find something you do enjoy.7 -
dharbert✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭TLDR;
I hate everything about this game, except for Vampires. And Zenimax, you should pay me for any changes you make to the game based upon my critique.
Yeah, that's not gonna happen.8 -
Aett_Thorn✭✭✭✭✭
✭Honestly, it just doesn't seem like you want an MMO at all, and would be better off playing single-player games. MMOs undergo constant development, which costs money, along with you using server time, which costs money for the company. And why shouldn't MMOs be about money? Certainly, some MMOs are all about money grabbing (mostly the free-to-play ones), but this one certainly isn't bad.
But most of the features that you don't like are pretty much staples of MMOs, or at least things that please a decent portion of MMO players (such as crafting and guilds). So again, this isn't an insult, but it just doesn't seem like you're going to like MMOs.2 -
BBSooner✭✭✭✭✭
✭many of your cons I think are pros and the others I found to be nit picking.
If you don't like a game you don't have to think of a million reasons why. Its ok not to like something. Just find something you do enjoy.
This 100%.
Also, lol@ the OPs 'finally' statement. Your ideas are not unique.Edited by BBSooner on August 11, 2014 11:45PM3 -
cyqa✭✭✭My friend, if you are 40 years old surely you can see that ZOS needs to turn a profit on this game or else we would have no game. They have facilities, servers, and employees to pay for as well as funding for future developments. I agree with the posters above who say perhaps an MMO just isn't your speed. A lot of the things you dislike about this game are integral to a massive multiplayer format. This is, in its essence, a multiplayer game; if you prefer a non group system there is another genre for that.
As for questing.. well, I don't know what to tell you. This has one of the most immersive questing systems of any MMO on the market. Due to its nature as a massive multiplayer platform, this game cannot operate under the same parametres that Oblivion and Skyrim does. Maybe MMOs just ain't your thang, and that's cool. But you need to recognise that many of your complaints have no substance in an MMO arena. Basically what you are saying is, "I don't like multiplayer games or any of their features. I like single player role playing games."3 -
Kalann_Pander✭✭✭They have facilities, servers, and employees to pay for as well as funding for future developments.
And don't forget the return on investment for shareholders
Opinions are like buttholes : Everybody has one, and they usually stink.
3 things to reduce stamina/magicka imbalance :
- Use magicka to block abilities costing magicka, instead of stamina.
- Add % damage reduction to heavy armor.
- Add block penetration to 2H.0 -
SirenofEntropy✭✭✭Grym_forum wrote: »
-I don't like that if I make a new character I start out at level 1. after achieving veteran rank and unlocking all the abilities (basically all of them) I don't feel that I should have to slow level up again if I want to try a new class. that would be an immeasurable waste of my personal time. I suggest to allow people to be able to create any new character at the highest level achieved by the player, and then just start them out with no gear and no gold.
....Can't tell if trolling or.....
"You have spirit in your eyes. I may take those from you when this is over."Daggerfall Covenant ~~ Breton ~~ Sorcerer ~~ Vampire1 -
traigusb14_ESO2✭✭✭✭✭SirenofEntropy wrote: »Grym_forum wrote: »
-I don't like that if I make a new character I start out at level 1. after achieving veteran rank and unlocking all the abilities (basically all of them) I don't feel that I should have to slow level up again if I want to try a new class. that would be an immeasurable waste of my personal time. I suggest to allow people to be able to create any new character at the highest level achieved by the player, and then just start them out with no gear and no gold.
....Can't tell if trolling or.....
I was on the fence until the "pay me" bit at the end... just a little too much...0 -
Micallef✭✭✭Thanks for the laugh, OP, and for restoring my faith that 'one' is born every minute.
16 cons vs. 2 pros (that last 'pro' is in the wrong list) ... why are you even still playing?
[Moderator Note: Edited per our rules on Trolling & Baiting]Edited by ZOS_JuhoJ on August 12, 2014 9:31AM0 -
Slaunyeh✭✭✭Grym_forum wrote: »-am not satisfied with paying an additional 20.00 to receive the imperial bonus pack
Well. If you don't think the Imperial pack is worth the money, you shouldn't have paid for it? Is playing an Imperial really important for some reason? (and if you just cared about cross-faction races, you could probably find an Explorer Pack addon for, like, a buck.)Grym_forum wrote: »-I don't like that if I make a new character I start out at level 1.
Good news! You can start at level 3.Grym_forum wrote: »-I don't like that I can't modify my characters appearance, not even slightly.
Oh god, so much this.Grym_forum wrote: »-people spamming the zone chat with incessant trade offers clogs up the zone chat.
I don't mind the trades in zone chat (it beats what else zone chat could get clogged up with) though a separate trade channel would be a good idea. If people would use it.Grym_forum wrote: »-quests are too narrow minded. they are all the same format
And here I was really impressed with the quest variety in this game. I guess we have very different expectations, you and I.Grym_forum wrote: »-I think the grouping feature is utterly bad. what is the point of having a group.
Grouping is pretty bad right now, but thankfully ZOS seems to be aware of this and are adding features to make it a better experience. I, for one, can't wait for that to happen.Grym_forum wrote: »-if you use my ideas I would like to be paid for them.
What was that you just said about greed?
1 -
Azzuria✭✭✭✭✭Cons... you use that word... I do not think it means what you think it means.
A number of your 'cons' are intentional design choices that, obviously, you don't like. Fair enough. Some of them are valid, I believe, like changing character appearance, since that has precedent in MMOS -and- the ES RPGs.
Where you and I really part ways is your dismissal of the crafting system. To my mind it is by far the most thorough, useful and fully developed system I've ever experienced, with the exception of provisioning, which levels too quickly, and enchanting which doesn't seem to level at all. Ever. That said, with 3 active toons and three other back-up characters ( and 1 mule ), I have every tradeskill almost fleshed out, keep all my characters in high quality gear and make a pretty penny selling stacks of materials on the guild bank or open market ( read: zone chat ).
There is plenty to do in ESO. Sorry to hear that you're not enjoying it.
Now, pay me.Brunhilda Icehammer - Nord Dragonknight, 'Smith & Enchantress 'What is 'ranged? I need to hit something!!'
Laehl Direthorn - Bosmer Nightblade, Purveyor of fine Clothes, Bows and Staves
Reeza gra-Zuni - Orc Templar 'War Shaman' and Apothecary
Noemi Snowpaw - Kajiit Dragon Knight - I laugh... or I'd have to kill you.
Kitera Dreamon - Breton of The Dominion: Because those Daggers don't appreciate a great Mage.
Lysara Shadowcroft - Dunmer Bloodmage: This will only hurt a lot.0 -
KariTR✭✭✭✭✭I don't think this is serious. If it is, I can't take it seriously.
But you can craft your own gear and/or improve dropped gear.endgame loot is pathetic
Oh...I didn't enjoy crafting. Crafting felt like a waste of time
It isn't just the Imperial race that opens up for you, each character gets access to a horse for one piece of game gold.am not satisfied with paying an additional 20.00 to receive the imperial bonus pack just so I can play an imperial
But..but...Imperial pack.horses are overpriced
OK, definitely a troll here.quests are too narrow minded. they are all the same format, kill x x amount of creatures
0 -
AoEnwyr✭✭✭✭Grym_forum wrote: »I am not receiving any real product for the money I put down, I am merely renting time on a server. stop being so damn greedy.
You are paying for all of the development costs to produce the game that you are playing on that server. You are also paying for the experience whether it is a "physical" product or not. It costs millions to make a game like this so of course you need to pay for it, you are not "just renting time". I don't like outright greed by any coorporation but...Grym_forum wrote: »I don't think mmos should be about money.
Well of course they are, it's a business not a charity. This game isn't pay to win so things like the Imperial Edition are one of the ways they can make money outside of subs that won't unbalance gameplay between those who can afford to fork out additional money.Grym_forum wrote: »-I don't like that if I make a new character I start out at level 1. [snip] I suggest to allow people to be able to create any new character at the highest level achieved by the player, and then just start them out with no gear and no gold.
You need to earn your right to play each class at max rank, not just have it handed to you. Rank does not make the player, experience does. Don't be lazy.Grym_forum wrote: »am not impressed with monster gold drops, or selling stacks of weapons to vendors for puny amounts of gold, just so I can buy a respec. that is terrible economy.
Why are you respeccing so much then? Consider your choices before committing your points.Grym_forum wrote: »-I didn't enjoy crafting. Crafting felt like a waste of time. I found that it was easier to just find a random green item or random treasure loot than to craft out some item with the same stats or a puny bonus.
Perhaps you need to familiarise your self with some of the craftable sets and bonuses more. Far better than some of the drops you will get.
As for getting paid for your ideas, they were mostly gripes not constructive solutions to actualy game play bugs or development issues.
Now I believe I read a thread that duels should be implemented and initiated by slapping your opponent with a trout. This I find an idea worth paying for.Edited by AoEnwyr on August 12, 2014 6:57AM0 -
Raash✭✭✭✭many of your cons I think are pros and the others I found to be nit picking.
If you don't like a game you don't have to think of a million reasons why. Its ok not to like something. Just find something you do enjoy.
This 100%.
Also, lol@ the OPs 'finally' statement. Your ideas are not unique.
I would like to hand out 3 lols to everyone that gave this post "Awesome".
Can any of you who did elaborate what was so good with it?0 -
My friend, if you are 40 years old surely you can see that ZOS needs to turn a profit on this game or else we would have no game. "
-you are already going to give zenimax all the perk money they want. turning a profit at my expense is not in my best interest.
I'm speaking from a consumer perspective only.
I gain nothing (no real property) by giving this franchise more money (money is real property and real asset). its not an honor for me to rent server-time and play a character that ultimately I don't own or have rights to.
what does the investor (the paying customer player) get for contributing to elder scrolls online? what real lifetime thing (that is actually worth something) do I get? game-time? only to be dumped a month later if I don't keep on paying. that's not a meaningful investment. they are selling to me a product that doesn't exist. the mmo franchise operates at sub-levels of integrity.
so with that in mind, I feel that this game and franchise needs to supersede the players expectations so that after paying for it, it seems worth while.
Edited by Grym_forum on August 12, 2014 9:56AM0 -
EQBallzz✭✭✭✭✭
✭Grym_forum wrote: »FINALLY
-if you use my ideas I would like to be paid for them. sure there is some clause that says if you present an idea on the forum that you have no ownership over it, but cut the c r @ p. if you use someone's idea and it improves the performance of your game, then you should offer them something of value as a sign of appreciation.
lmao. Thanks for the laugh.0
