PTS : Coldharbour accessibility issues

anitajoneb17_ESO

I found a Coldharbour treasure map in a thieves' trove somewhere. It points to the north of Coldharbour (add-on tells me so ), but I can't pick it up, because you can't go as you please in Coldharbour, you must first solve the problems of the Fighters' Guild and of the Mages' Guild.

Regardless of the treasure map, I think that if the entire philosophy is to do things in whatever order we choose, then Coldharbour needs some adjusting.

Seravi

Yeah I couldn't get into Coldharbour either.

Lumbermill_Emperor

you can ask for taxi in your guilds

BNOC

Unfortunately, there are so many issues in this game that are in serious need of work but this is the kind of change they will make instead, just so a few people can get their troves - I'm not trying to bash you for it, that's fair enough if you want to do that.

But take yesterday for example, I read one of the PTS posts - Everyone in there is kicking off about actual issues and then there was a guy in there talking about how his Khajit claws don't appear when he's wearing a certain type of gloves and another one saying I cannot find a book(Non Lorebook so literally pointless) - I mean, how irrelevant to the bigger picture and sadly, these are the kind of changes that are included, however trivial over something more game breaking.

On a more related note, Coldharbour is the end-of-grind quest zone isn't it, it wouldn't make sense for you to have access to quest-only areas where there's nothing to offer you unless you're on the quest - I mean there's a delve and a few chests probably lurking around but it's a bit of a waste of time and resources, no?

EDIT: I might have read it wrong, I've read it as the OP couldn't navigate freely around Coldharbour without completing quests - Not that they simply couldn't get there on their own merit.

anitajoneb17_ESO

I'm not asking for a workaround.
I'm not demanding a change.

I'm reporting a design inconsistency. That's what PTS is for. It makes no sense that we cannot navigate freely around Coldharbour without completing quests since the very concept of One Tamriel is to be able to navigate freely without having to unlock objectives or to complete quests first.

Whether anyone thinks other issues are more or less important is totally irrelevant. Missing books, disappearing claws and whatever other non functioning stuff is worth mentioning. That's the feedback that ZOS is asking for.

BNOC

I know you're not asking for any of that - like I said I wasn't trying to bash you.

Also, whilst ZOS are asking for feedback, it doesn't mean everything should be implemented and my feedback is that this is one of them that shouldn't, it's a waste of time for seemingly nothing.

Coldharbour, whilst is still a playable zone, isn't a starter zone and acts very different than other areas, it's accessible as soon as you start the game as any faction, providing you can get there. The changes they've made affect areas that were out of reach competely.

Besides all of the other areas offer something to everyone, something they would have missed out on until they completed Cadwells Bronze/Silver -

Serious question though, 'design inconsistency' or not, why are you promoting this as a change, what does the locked part of Coldharbour offer to people that they already don't have access to because I can't think of anything?

anitajoneb17_ESO

BNOC wrote: »

Also, whilst ZOS are asking for feedback, it doesn't mean everything should be implemented and my feedback is that this is one of them that shouldn't, it's a waste of time for seemingly nothing.

Coldharbour, whilst is still a playable zone, isn't a starter zone and acts very different than other areas, it's accessible as soon as you start the game as any faction, providing you can get there. The changes they've made affect areas that were out of reach competely.

Besides all of the other areas offer something to everyone, something they would have missed out on until they completed Cadwells Bronze/Silver -

Serious question though, 'design inconsistency' or not, why are you promoting this as a change, what does the locked part of Coldharbour offer to people that they already don't have access to because I can't think of anything?

It's roughly ONE THIRD of a zone that is totally inaccessible unless you have finished a couple of quests. On top of that, those "couple of quests" are the final stages of the main quest line that lead you to Molag Bal. So if someone decides to do them just for the sake of exploring that area, basically he f*cks up the narrative of the entire main quest.

There's nothing you can get there than isn't available elsewhere in terms of farming, but exploration matters, don't you think ? It's the whole point of One Tamriel.

ZOS could decide to keep that zone quest-locked since it's part of the main quest and not the actual zone-questing, but in this case they should hide it from the map (just like Eyevea or Earthforge don't appear before you have access to it), and there definitely shouldn't be treasure chests or survey maps spawning up there. Either something shows up on your map and you should be able to get there freely, or it is quest locked and it doesn't show up at all. In One Tamriel, there's no more "you can't get there yet because you haven't done this and that first".

So the issue seems very important to me. Yes Coldharbour is special as a zone, and should be given a little bit of dedicated thought and care.

Junipus

I wouldn't call it a design inconsistency. This is on the PTS and assuming you're not using template characters, all areas are accessible without doing the quest provided you can have someone help you port to any wayshrine north of the city. All the other areas are then accessible from that point and can be discovered.

I'd prefer they keep gated access if you haven't done the quest since access is tied to progression in the quest line and counts as a big part of the next step in the battle against Molag Bal.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Junipus wrote: »

I wouldn't call it a design inconsistency. This is on the PTS and assuming you're not using template characters, all areas are accessible without doing the quest provided you can have someone help you port to any wayshrine north of the city. All the other areas are then accessible from that point and can be discovered.

I'd prefer they keep gated access if you haven't done the quest since access is tied to progression in the quest line and counts as a big part of the next step in the battle against Molag Bal.

Wrong assumption. Of course I was on a template, and of course if I had used a copy of my main, I couldn't possibly have noticed.
Now if your argument to "negate" the issue by suggesting everyone to open the wayshrine by porting to another player, well, that could be done before, there's no point in One Tamriel at all if you see it this way.

As to your third point, yes it would make sense that they keep it gated, but then they should hide it from the map until we get there via the quest. But they could also open access - nothing we could see there would actually prevent us from enjoying the main quest when we're ready for it. Not sure, I don't remember those quests in such details.

Asardes

Just ports to Vaults of Madness, which is beyond the pass that you have not unlocked yet, and exit dungeon. I think the location is marked on map by the undaunted chars at the bar in Hollow City if you talk to them.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Asardes wrote: »

Just ports to Vaults of Madness, which is beyond the pass that you have not unlocked yet, and exit dungeon. You can queue for it from the tool then exit and leave group. It's the fastest way.

Lol. Please read. I'm reporting a design issue, I'm not looking for a workaround.

Asardes

Well, this is working as intended. Then the main quest for the are wouldn't make sense. It has been like that since the beginning. There is a similar "issue" in Deshaan I think, where you can't go to Mournhold unless you clear a specific pass. It's there by design and probably it will stay like that.

Junipus

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

Junipus wrote: »

I wouldn't call it a design inconsistency. This is on the PTS and assuming you're not using template characters, all areas are accessible without doing the quest provided you can have someone help you port to any wayshrine north of the city. All the other areas are then accessible from that point and can be discovered.

I'd prefer they keep gated access if you haven't done the quest since access is tied to progression in the quest line and counts as a big part of the next step in the battle against Molag Bal.

Wrong assumption. Of course I was on a template, and of course if I had used a copy of my main, I couldn't possibly have noticed.
Now if your argument to "negate" the issue by suggesting everyone to open the wayshrine by porting to another player, well, that could be done before, there's no point in One Tamriel at all if you see it this way.

As to your third point, yes it would make sense that they keep it gated, but then they should hide it from the map until we get there via the quest. But they could also open access - nothing we could see there would actually prevent us from enjoying the main quest when we're ready for it. Not sure, I don't remember those quests in such details.

You're also assuming that ZOS didn't intend to leave things as they are based on quest progression. One Tamriel and the changes on the PTS might be about allowing access to anywhere upon discovery, but it doesn't necessarily mean they can't keep artificial progression barriers in place when it's tied to quests.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Junipus wrote: »

You're also assuming that ZOS didn't intend to leave things as they are based on quest progression.

Asardes wrote: »

Well, this is working as intended.

Well, I don't think it is working as intended because it makes literally no sense, since the whole purpose of One Tamriel is to detach exploration from quest progression entirely. But... it up to ZOS now. I've reported it, they do as they please.

bebynnag

i know some treasure maps have moved because it says so in natch potes, so the treasure map i am thinking of may of been moved,

but the top half of coldharbour & the treasure map IS accessable if you travel to the correct wayshrine

yes there is a locked door & big barrier that blocks you from walking wherever you want to walk in coldharbour

but guess what coldharbour itself is locked to you unless you have eithercompleted you home factions main quest line OR travelled to player!

so simply ask the friend you travelled to to travel to the wayshrine at the top of the map, travel to them the hollow city wayshrine is automatically unlocked on traveling to coldharbour so the whole of coldharbour is now open to you, every delve, evry treasure trove, every treasure map, every lorebook!

anitajoneb17_ESO

@puffytheslayer : I didn't travel to a friend. ANd I'm not looking for a workaround. I'm reporting a design issue. (Please read the thread).

It's quite possible that the treasure map has been moved and the addon has not been updated. THat's a possibility. But my issue is having one third of Coldharbour quest-locked - the treasure map I don't really care...

Coldharbour itself isn't locked. There's a portal in the fighters' guild halls to there now. So the zone itself is unlocked and not quest-dependant.

anitajoneb17_ESO

I changed the thread title to avoid confusion.

bebynnag

anitajoneb17_ESO wrote: »

@puffytheslayer : I didn't travel to a friend. ANd I'm not looking for a workaround. I'm reporting a design issue. (Please read the thread).

It's quite possible that the treasure map has been moved and the addon has not been updated. THat's a possibility. But my issue is having one third of Coldharbour quest-locked - the treasure map I don't really care...

Coldharbour itself isn't locked. There's a portal in the fighters' guild halls to there now. So the zone itself is unlocked and not quest-dependant.

i did read the original post & i read the natch potes
and in neither the original post nor the natch potes was there mention a portal to coldharbour, so my respose assumed that the area itself was still quest locked read my post.

Asardes

Well, One Tamriel is about moving the choice of which alliance you go to do solo questing from level 50 where is now to level 4. Which is good. But does not mean it gives you the choice of going to Grahtwood before you cleared Auridon (it's a boat ride), or going to the end of Coldharbour (it's a portal) before you completed at least one alliance quest line. This will break the whole purpose of quest progression.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Asardes wrote: »

Well, One Tamriel is about moving the choice of which alliance you go to do solo questing from level 50 where is now to level 4. Which is good. But does not mean it gives you the choice of going to Grahtwood before you cleared Auridon (it's a boat ride), or going to the end of Coldharbour (it's a portal) before you completed at least one alliance quest line. This will break the whole purpose of quest progression.

You're wrong : that's precidely what One Tamriel does : allow you to go to Grahtwood before going to Auridon, the Rift before Shadowfen or ColdHarbour even straight before your starter island. That's the whole point of One Tamriel : Go anywhere with anyone in ESO ! (look above, it's written...)

When asked about it at Pax West, the devs answered that now, quest progression is up to the player. We're free to do things in an order that makes sense, or no sense at all.

Coldharbour should be freely and entirely accessible, just like any other zone.

Enodoc

Asardes wrote: »

Just ports to Vaults of Madness, which is beyond the pass that you have not unlocked yet, and exit dungeon. I think the location is marked on map by the undaunted chars at the bar in Hollow City if you talk to them.

It's interesting that this is possible. Almost certainly an oversight, but given the intention of One Tamriel, I agree with the OP that there should be some officially-implemented way to access the north of Coldharbour in advance of the main quest unlocking the Chasm.

A similar situation already exists in Bangkorai; you are required to complete a set of quests to unlock Bangkorai Garrison, which grants access to the Fallen Wastes of Bangkorai, but the Sunken Road allows access to the Fallen Wastes all the time, even before the Garrison is opened. Coldharbour needs an equivalent "side passage" to Bangkorai's Sunken Road. Perhaps a secret passage or portal linking Aba-Loria to Mal Sorra's Tomb, or a second portal exit from the Cliffs of Failure.

Lumbermill_Emperor

its not an issue
i can freely roam to all CH if i have friend who taxi me

easy

anitajoneb17_ESO

I_Like_Teabag wrote: »

its not an issue
i can freely roam to all CH if i have friend who taxi me

easy

So can I - but it's not the issue here. Please read the thread ... !

Asardes

If every content scales, why not be able to circumvent all the game? Like let you grind enough in the Wailing Prison and reach level 50 by beating the same mobs that continually spawn scale to your level, then go directly to the side door to Molag Bal and kick his daedric ass? Then return a triumphant hero to the starting island, go to the Harborage in the 1st zone and tell the prophet and the other companions that have escaped following the God of Scheme's downfall that there's no need to sacrifice anyone, because you are Ubermensch and you have beaten the crap out of him already

susmitds

Don't forget that Cold Harbor is NOT a part of Tamriel, it is not surprising for it to have its own limitations even after One Tamriel.

Enodoc

susmitds wrote: »

Don't forget that Cold Harbor is NOT a part of Tamriel, it is not surprising for it to have its own limitations even after One Tamriel.

Ooh, a lexicological technicality. Nice one!

Still, given that you can get into northern Coldharbour before opening the Chasm, whether that's through the Vaults of Madness or via porting to another player, there should be an "official" way to do it as well.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Enodoc wrote: »

susmitds wrote: »

Don't forget that Cold Harbor is NOT a part of Tamriel, it is not surprising for it to have its own limitations even after One Tamriel.

Ooh, a lexicological technicality. Nice one!

Still, given that you can get into northern Coldharbour before opening the Chasm, whether that's through the Vaults of Madness or via porting to another player, there should be an "official" way to do it as well.

Or lexical ? I've been thinking about that too... technically Coldharbour is NOT in Tamriel, and going there on your own free will requires some sort of story... but nonetheless, it's a zone, not a instanced quest area, so it should be accessible imho...

Also, I made some deeper testing, and found out that the wayshrine in Hollow City was open only because I had a CP300 template. But if I start fresh with a completely new character (not a template), then Coldharbour is NOT ACCESSIBLE AT ALL.

In fact, there are 3 areas that are completely inaccessible without questing or porting to players : Betnikh, Bal Foyen and Coldharbour.
Also, the boat drivers are a bit broken right now, some of them don't offer to take you where they're supposed to as per "map pin tooltip", and sometimes they don't take you where they're supposed to as per dialogue.

Please fix ?

redspecter23

I also want a portal to the end chest of vMSA and directly to the end fight of vSO. I'm supposed to be able to freely roam anywhere. Please read the thread.

/sarcasm

Freely roaming does NOT mean you automatically get access anywhere you choose. There will still be some locked areas. That doesn't mean you can't go there. There are ways to get there.

anitajoneb17_ESO

redspecter23 wrote: »

Freely roaming does NOT mean you automatically get access anywhere you choose.

Except that's EXACTLY what it means. I'm just reporting a bug/design issue here, mind you. And yes, read the thread, thank you.

Taleof2Cities

redspecter23 wrote: »

I also want a portal to the end chest of vMSA and directly to the end fight of vSO. I'm supposed to be able to freely roam anywhere. Please read the thread.

/sarcasm

Freely roaming does NOT mean you automatically get access anywhere you choose. There will still be some locked areas. That doesn't mean you can't go there. There are ways to get there.

Normally I'd agree with you @redspecter23 ... the zone is tied to quest progression and is one of the very few zones that is quest reliant. You can even get a port from another player to undiscovered wayshrines without doing the zone questline (as an above forum-goer pointed out).

However, this is PTS and the zone should be accessible for doing testing. It's as simple as that.

anitajoneb17_ESO

Taleof2Cities wrote: »

redspecter23 wrote: »

I also want a portal to the end chest of vMSA and directly to the end fight of vSO. I'm supposed to be able to freely roam anywhere. Please read the thread.

/sarcasm

Freely roaming does NOT mean you automatically get access anywhere you choose. There will still be some locked areas. That doesn't mean you can't go there. There are ways to get there.

Normally I'd agree with you @redspecter23 ... the zone is tied to quest progression and is one of the very few zones that is quest reliant. You can even get a port from another player to undiscovered wayshrines without doing the quest.

However, this is PTS and the zone should be accessible for doing testing. It's as simple as that.

@Taleof2Cities : it is available for testing on a template. That's not the issue. The issue is, as you say, that it is quest reliant, and according to the very definition/concept of One Tamriel, it shouldn't be. Porting to players is a workaround, not a design fix.