Is ZOS going in the wrong direction [title edited]?

Megabear

There have been some good things and also bad things in 2017. That being said even with all the good stuff it's in my believe that ZOS is steering itself off-course, albeit slowly, and frankly the game's long term outlook doesn't look so good. Given increasingly aggressive push toward sales of Crown store items, it feels as if ZOS is trying to squeeze as much juice from us as possible because they also feel the same. But that's just me and I'm sure at least half the people here feel otherwise. Below are some of the pros and cons I have seen in the last few months:

The Good
- New contents such as Morrowind & Horns of the Reach
- Balancing
- High quality content

The Bad
- Morrowind "expansion" paywall toward future DLC's
- Questionable Crown store item prices (i.e. motifs)
- Lag & crashes

Do you also believe that ZOS has been steering the game off-course? Let's hear from you.

Cadbury

Other

They should have made a left turn at Albuquerque

Megabear

Agree that ZOS has recently been steering ESO in the wrong direction

Cadbury wrote: »

They should have made a left turn at Albuquerque

Are there competent programmers there?

Cadbury

Other

Megabear wrote: »

Cadbury wrote: »

They should have made a left turn at Albuquerque

Are there competent programmers there?

Blizzard is in Albuquerque?

Tandor

Disagree, ZOS has been leading the game in the right direction

I have no problem with the game's direction. For me it was a great game when it launched on PC and has steadily improved even further with every major update. I've never had any significant performance issues.

As for the Crown Store, I largely have no interest in the items in it but if there are players prepared to pay the prices asked for fluff then that's fine by me, it all helps to fund the game's ongoing development without coming even remotely close to "P2W". The one exception to my lack of interest in the Crown Store has been the houses, a few of which I have bought in the Crown Store because that's a lot more viable for me than buying them in-game given that I hate the trading system (the one thing I'd change about the game), don't participate in it, and therefore don't have a gazillion gold in the bank. Those purchases have been largely funded by my subscription Crowns in any event. I haven't got excited over Crown Crates, I don't want to buy them so they don't bother me and if others want to buy them knowing perfectly well what they're about then that's fine by me.

A lot of this is down to playstyle. I know there are people with performance issues and balancing concerns etc, but I don't PvP, do competitive PvE or group dungeons, and don't use addons. For my playstyle the game is nigh on perfect as is, and I'm fine with the direction in which it's going. Now, about that trading system...

Ir0nB34r

Disagree, ZOS has been leading the game in the right direction

Did you forget what question you asked when you were filling out the answers? You asked a yes or no question and the only answers are if we agree with it lol

Anyway, yeah I think they are going the right direction.

Megabear

Agree that ZOS has recently been steering ESO in the wrong direction

Ir0nB34r wrote: »

Did you forget what question you asked when you were filling out the answers? You asked a yes or no question and the only answers are if we agree with it lol

Anyway, yeah I think they are going the right direction.

You're right, I've edited the post accordingly

Megabear

Agree that ZOS has recently been steering ESO in the wrong direction

Tandor wrote: »

I have no problem with the game's direction. For me it was a great game when it launched on PC and has steadily improved even further with every major update. I've never had any significant performance issues.

As for the Crown Store, I largely have no interest in the items in it but if there are players prepared to pay the prices asked for fluff then that's fine by me, it all helps to fund the game's ongoing development without coming even remotely close to "P2W". The one exception to my lack of interest in the Crown Store has been the houses, a few of which I have bought in the Crown Store because that's a lot more viable for me than buying them in-game given that I hate the trading system (the one thing I'd change about the game), don't participate in it, and therefore don't have a gazillion gold in the bank. Those purchases have been largely funded by my subscription Crowns in any event. I haven't got excited over Crown Crates, I don't want to buy them so they don't bother me and if others want to buy them knowing perfectly well what they're about then that's fine by me.

A lot of this is down to playstyle. I know there are people with performance issues and balancing concerns etc, but I don't PvP, do competitive PvE or group dungeons, and don't use addons. For my playstyle the game is nigh on perfect as is, and I'm fine with the direction in which it's going. Now, about that trading system...

I somewhat agree with you about the Crown store, but I feel that they are actually prioritizing Crown store a bit too much. I would even call it shameless practice.

Rawreak Rovyre

Disagree, ZOS has been leading the game in the right direction

Disagree; game's great. Crown store items affect no one. People will pay for a Lexus if they have the money despite the fact that it has the same engine as a Toyota. Doesn't mean Lexus is steering in the wrong direction. Luxury goods for some; regular goods for most.

*sunglasses*

Tandor

Disagree, ZOS has been leading the game in the right direction

NesNes wrote: »

Disagree; game's great. Crown store items affect no one. People will pay for a Lexus if they have the money despite the fact that it has the same engine as a Toyota. Doesn't mean Lexus is steering in the wrong direction. Luxury goods for some; regular goods for most.

*sunglasses*

That's more to do with wheel balancing, I think.... !

CMFan1966

Unsure

I'm no expert...which is why I answered unsure. As long as I'm having a good time playing the game, then they could take it to Pluto for all I care. I'll continue playing, subscribing and purchasing things from the crown store that interest me.

I'm not all that upset about Morrowind being called a "chapter" and costing extra. I played the Sims 1, 2 and 3 plus all expansions and stuff packs for years and years paying full price and buying computers that would run it all only for them to come out with a new base game with the Sims 4. I decided then that enough was enough.

I feel as though I'll have a better understanding of the direction of ESO after the next DLC. Once I have more information about it and what it includes and entails, then I believe I'll know whether or not I'm being taken for a ride.

tinythinker

Drdeath20

Agree that ZOS has recently been steering ESO in the wrong direction

Seems like the game originally was a completely different game and somehow now were here. Its like playing a game that has been pieced together with mixed parts. Plus it took them almost 4 years to get the classes somewhat balanced.

ArcVelarian

Agree that ZOS has recently been steering ESO in the wrong direction

Megabear wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

I have no problem with the game's direction. For me it was a great game when it launched on PC and has steadily improved even further with every major update. I've never had any significant performance issues.

As for the Crown Store, I largely have no interest in the items in it but if there are players prepared to pay the prices asked for fluff then that's fine by me, it all helps to fund the game's ongoing development without coming even remotely close to "P2W". The one exception to my lack of interest in the Crown Store has been the houses, a few of which I have bought in the Crown Store because that's a lot more viable for me than buying them in-game given that I hate the trading system (the one thing I'd change about the game), don't participate in it, and therefore don't have a gazillion gold in the bank. Those purchases have been largely funded by my subscription Crowns in any event. I haven't got excited over Crown Crates, I don't want to buy them so they don't bother me and if others want to buy them knowing perfectly well what they're about then that's fine by me.

A lot of this is down to playstyle. I know there are people with performance issues and balancing concerns etc, but I don't PvP, do competitive PvE or group dungeons, and don't use addons. For my playstyle the game is nigh on perfect as is, and I'm fine with the direction in which it's going. Now, about that trading system...

I somewhat agree with you about the Crown store, but I feel that they are actually prioritizing Crown store a bit too much. I would even call it shameless practice.

Prioritizing the cash shop over actual playable content is what finally killed SWTOR, and it's a really disappointing trend that MMOs are beginning to follow. Zenimax needs to lay off the Cash Shop and also change its' content release cycle. I would rather see larger DLC released once a year as opposed to really rushed tidbits every fiscal quarter. Combined with the paid mods now in Fallout 4 and Skyrim, Bethesda/Zenimax is beginning to look an awful lot like EA (that's not a compliment).

SanTii.92

Disagree, ZOS has been leading the game in the right direction

ArcVelarian wrote: »

Megabear wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

I have no problem with the game's direction. For me it was a great game when it launched on PC and has steadily improved even further with every major update. I've never had any significant performance issues.

As for the Crown Store, I largely have no interest in the items in it but if there are players prepared to pay the prices asked for fluff then that's fine by me, it all helps to fund the game's ongoing development without coming even remotely close to "P2W". The one exception to my lack of interest in the Crown Store has been the houses, a few of which I have bought in the Crown Store because that's a lot more viable for me than buying them in-game given that I hate the trading system (the one thing I'd change about the game), don't participate in it, and therefore don't have a gazillion gold in the bank. Those purchases have been largely funded by my subscription Crowns in any event. I haven't got excited over Crown Crates, I don't want to buy them so they don't bother me and if others want to buy them knowing perfectly well what they're about then that's fine by me.

A lot of this is down to playstyle. I know there are people with performance issues and balancing concerns etc, but I don't PvP, do competitive PvE or group dungeons, and don't use addons. For my playstyle the game is nigh on perfect as is, and I'm fine with the direction in which it's going. Now, about that trading system...

I somewhat agree with you about the Crown store, but I feel that they are actually prioritizing Crown store a bit too much. I would even call it shameless practice.

Prioritizing the cash shop over actual playable content is what finally killed SWTOR.

How is it that they are prioritizing the cash shop, there is literally nothing there that i'd want or hinders my gameplay in any way or form.

DenMoria

Other

To infinity and beyond!

Tannus15

Disagree, ZOS has been leading the game in the right direction

Firstly, you've phrased the question opposite to the poll answers.

"Is ZOS going in the right direction?"

this is a yes or no question, and Agree would align with Yes.

I had to read the damn things twice to work out which option to select. Bias poll is bias.

The balancing done this year has been awesome. The sustain nerfs and the CP changes in Morrowind were desperately needed. Regardless of the bitching about "heavy attack meta" and so on, it needed to be done and was done well.
The continued balancing in HotR is the best balance patch since forever.
It's getting harder and harder to pin down a BiS setup for any class. you can approach your build in a dozen different ways, using traits and mundas and CP to fill the gaps and bring up your viability. good sets are still good, other sets can now be used.
A great example is the leviathan set which was bad before because the only good DPS mundas was the thief so you already had good crit chance. don't have sharpened weapons or spriggans? Get the lover mundas and stack some penetration CP.
Do have them? Drop that penetration and grab the warrior. Sick of using hundings rage? bad luck, it's awesome (jks)

I love it.
For the first time in ages I feel like I can craft a build based on a general theme and fill the gaps so my off meta isn't so far behind.

They need, desperately, to address FPS and LAG. Which they are clearly attempting to do within the confines of the system they have built. They took away the amount of active effects in an attempt to bring up FPS and clarify combat. they are working on it, but complete re-write isn't on the cards and tinkering around the edges of such a complex system they have to be very careful not to break things or make things worse.

the cash shop basically just keeps their art department busy. I don't care. they can make as many pretty outfits and mounts as they want. It has no impact on the game and it'll be a different dev group dealing with it. Pricing on store items is irrelevant if you don't buy them. That would be my suggestion if it bothers you.

The only serious gripe I have with ZoS this year is making battlegrounds exclusive to Morrowind. Having some maps or whatever exclusive is one things, but the entire system? that's bad.

Morgul667

Disagree, ZOS has been leading the game in the right direction

I do like the last update, to me, it shows they are going in the right direction.

What bums me out though, is that they dont fix old and penalizing bugs (group finder, loading screen, that kind of stuff)

idk

OP, you said all the good stuff was steering ESO off course and named Morrowind and Horns as an example of the good stuff.

How do they steer ESO off course?

And as others have pointed out the poll is setup backwards. Also, the OP is clearly setup to taint the answers since the title and the post before the poll are all written clearly in the negative. A poll not worthy of any attention from Zos for multiple reasons.

Nifty2g

Agree that ZOS has recently been steering ESO in the wrong direction

Not sure who gets the most say in the direction of ESO, but ever since Morrowind it's been steering away from how it was. It's no longer as fast paced as was, a lot of stuff was overly simplified and they even stated they don't feel like an MMO anymore.

What a shame, Homestead was the best ESO we have ever had, if Morrowind was basically Homestead with the Stamina changes and a few others then the game would be in it's perfect state. Hell, even Homestead had some bad simplified ideas placed in it but oh well.

At least I can be glad to say I played the game during its peak, I'm sure eventually they will make the way back around to how it was back then anyway.

ZOS need to take a huge step back and listen to the community a bit more instead of doing it how they want to.

ThePrinceOfBargains

Agree that ZOS has recently been steering ESO in the wrong direction

When were they ever going in the right direction? That's what I want to know.

Nerouyn

Both agree and disagree (mixed opinion)

It's a mixed bag.

They have very slowly been moving in the right direction with some things, eg. One Tamriel. And there have been lots of little changes which add up to genuine improvements. Plus obvious big improvements like housing, even though they're only cosmetic.

The crown store seems to be heading in the wrong direction IMO. Unless their whales are throwing insane amounts of money at the game. Only they would know and I doubt they'd tell us.

Cosmetically I feel like the game peaked early. The basic racial motifs and the early ones like glass and the alliance styles are the best. Most after it, while not bad, don't really scream Elder Scrolls. That's why I think they made motifs count towards writ chance, to create some incentive to learn them all.

Occasionally we see something new that's great, like the Telvanni wizard robes costume. At the same time they gave us those abominable Telvanni Tumor Towers. I can't comprehend how those made it into the game. It was insane of them to mess with what was one of the most distinctive and popular game houses in the first place. Replacing them with giant diseased you-know-whats is mind-boggling.

rotaugen454

SSW?

SydneyGrey

Both agree and disagree (mixed opinion)

You say: "Do you also believe that ZOS has been steering the game off-course?" then the poll asks "Is ZOS going in the right direction?" These contradict each other, because the answers would be different for each question. I understand what you meant now, but it took a minute.

I think they've *mostly* been going in the right direction. They're putting out a lot of good new content, which is awesome. My biggest complaints are the excessive nerfing, the rising prices in the crown store and some aspects of how they're handling the crown crates.

ak_pvp

Both agree and disagree (mixed opinion)

-Terribad broken/useless abilities and simplified combat without counters.
-Iffy direction with irl money
-Listening to players
-Paywalling


+Diversified gearing/itemization options
+Stability and speed of fixing
+Large amount of content, and upkeep on such content. (Bugfixes, motifs, BG modes)

For PvE I'd say everything is pretty decent, every class bar warden is good, interesting mechanics, lots of options on gear as I said above, a decent variety of non casual content. The overland sets are usable, stories and worldbuilding are nice, housing system is good. Lots to do.

PvP cyro is abysmal. Add roaming caravans to protect/rob, resources far out to claim bonuses and make PvP profitable, Like almost PvE integrated quests that pop up and factions can compete to help and gain the favour of areas. IC emperor stuff. Passive resets, daedra and bosses attacking keeps and a hard reset at the end of a campaign so they all don;t become circlejerks of one faction only. God so damn much could happen to make the zone alive, and they don't do ***.

Zorgon_The_Revenged

Unsure

Cadbury

Other

tinythinker wrote: »

Oh Em Gee! BTR is totes hawt!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUOdO5dqPeU

newtinmpls

Other

weird poll and apparently it was re-written after people started it.

I think that ZoS really didn't understand who their most potential/lucrative market was at first (the more mature, RP, fun types as opposed to hardcore PvPers). The opened up One tamriel, made sittable furniture, housing, dueling, a lot of ways to interact with and in the world. I think that this is a good direction.

Not saying there aren't longterm hardcore PvPers, but I'm suspecting that overall, the things that have been done are directed at the explore-the-world crowd rather than the conquer-the-world crowd.

Rohamad_Ali

Both agree and disagree (mixed opinion)

Zos seems to do fine with making PVE and costumes . They add a ton of new crown store and crown crate items . This is the right direction for those that enjoy those aspects of MMOs . ZOS is going in the wrong direction with bug fixes , handling boting , removing cheaters from the game and maintaining good performance . PVP is a after thought and that is where the game is going in the wrong direction and suffering .

Balancing abilities and resources , Wroble is getting better but the improvements have cost the game too many people already . That effects PVP the most and that is where you see the declining population .

Matt Firor being silent now and saying things like the game has 8 million players instead of saying anything about active population is a smoke and mirrors campaign to brush off the true health of the game . The entire "Silence" about important issues has always been the wrong direction in PR .

If everything was fine then the forums and social media would not be flooded with these types of topics . A healthy game going forward has forums filled primarily with questions regarding Ingame life and not threads about direction and quitting .

That's as unbiased of an assessment of the game I can make . Personally I like the people in ZoS but liking people has nothing to do with qualification to be running a game . Most if not all have made many new game company mistakes dispite coming from prior MMOs .

SaintSubwayy

Both agree and disagree (mixed opinion)

So in the last few Patches after One Tamrial it had both sides i think.

+ Balancing (in PVP and PVE)
+ New PVE and PVP Content (Trials and Battlegrounds)
+ Adapting PTS Templates etc.
+ Upcoming Style Transmorg System


- Big Change diff between PTS and Patch (HoTR, shadow mundus and presice)
- Getting the Geargrind started again (HoTR, when ppl dont have BIS for MW yet)
- Nerfing DLC Dungeons (vWGT, vCOS ect.)
- Patchnote timing (get them out as soon as the servers go offline for patching, not like 10mins after servers are live again)
- Fixing Bugs (Masterwrit style for example)
- Crwon store skins and motifs (they should be ingame availability only, or differ in style (ebon skin, mazzatun style)

Bombashaman

Disagree, ZOS has been leading the game in the right direction

Like the game better. No lag. No crashes. Don't use Crown shop. Only solo Pve.