A solution to zerg lag

ChaosWotan

Solution #1:

Each time the game detects that too many players are fighting in one place there is a 50% chance each minute that a dragon arrives and kills everybody in that overcrowded area.

Solution #2:

War is all about logistics. When the game detects that there are more players in Cyrodiil than the server can handle, which is usually during prime time, the following rule of engagement should govern how people can attack and defend keeps: around the keep, the attackers must set up three camps with supplies, while defenders must protect supplies within the three resources surrounding the keep. The more resources are sabotaged by the attackers, the easier it is to break down the gates and walls of the keep. The defenders, on the other hand, can strengthen gates and keep walls by sabotaging the supply camps of the attackers.

Solution #3:

During prime time gaming, attackers can only do damage to keep gates and walls as long as they have captured each flag placed on top of the three resource buildings surrounding the keep.

The hp bar of the keep gate/wall can be divided into three colors, one for each resource building surrounding the keep. A color is highlighted when the attackers have captured the top flag of one of the resource buildings. All three colors of the keep's hp bar must be highlighted in order to do damage to the gate or wall.

Once inside the keep, a dragon or some kind of monster will start to randomly kill players if defenders and attackers don't protect their supplies in the resource buildings and logistic camps surrounding the keep.

The map can show how many players from each faction are at each resource, like this for example: 5/2/8, each number having the color of each faction (red, blue, yellow). Players can then check the map to see where they must ride to attack/defend a resource.

Those fighting to attack or defend their supply areas outside the keep get the same amount of alliance points as those fighting inside the keep, after winning the battle for the keep.

Solution #4:

Integrate IC and Cyrodiil in such a way that players can sneak into a keep in Cyrodiil by attacking from the sewers in IC.

Solution #5:

In addition to IC and Cyrodiil, create one or two new maps for large-scale PvP fighting.

Aznarb

The #1 would make me go PvP just to see that xD

ChaosWotan

Sheogorath's water cannon is also a possibility

Athyrium93

#1 would be epic, make it the vet hardmode version of Elsweyr dragons so there is a slim chance that a large coordinated group could kill one, with associated bonus/title/whatever but make it immune to proc sets and able to one-shot even the tankiest builds

Red_Feather

More skills like Magicka Detonation.

Like OP's suggestion the summoning of a dragon could be one. You mark an large aoe circle on the ground and if 20 players are standing in it, it summons the beast.

Pinja

Sounds rather chaotic Wotan. I see the idea is to spread people out by making the objectives more meaning full, but depending on how the server resources are divided, you still have one giant combat region. I've seen someone 3v1 in a tower and lag and fights at Vlastarus lag. Server lag wont be affected much in other words but client lag may go down for lower preforming PCs.

Sheo's water cannon would have completely unpredictable results, but fixing the lag is the predictable one.

Banana

Spend some money in the server so it could handle the load would be good idea as well.

ChaosWotan

" ... depending on how the server resources are divided, you still have one giant combat region. I've seen someone 3v1 in a tower and lag and fights at Vlastarus lag. Server lag wont be affected much in other words ..."

2014/15 was the epic era of large-scale combat in Cyrodiil, before a disappointing IC dispersed players and ruined the (EP) community in Cyrodiil. Back then we had zergs all the time, almost 24/7, literally. Outside keeps, zerging was basically smooth, little or no lag (as I've experienced it), except during head-on clashes between two organized trains (if the blues or yellows used ultis like Elemental Storm). Inside keeps, we had massive battles, with 2-3 organised trains fighting at the flags. A lot of lag. But the lag, as I experienced it, occurred in such a way that it was tolerable, kind of in sync with all the rumbling and shaking during these firework battles. My best K/D ratio was 148/0, as a stamblade up front in a 24 player train (led by Subhuman). Best fighting experience since Battlefield 1942 revolutionized online gaming, in around 2003.

Until the summer of 2019, the lag was kind of tolerable in Cyrodiil. But after a year pause I returned to ESO and discovered that: 1) relatively far away from very large battles, my FPS and ping is about 100/100. 2) right next to keep gates the FPS is usually between 60 and 90 if there are medium-sized battles going on. 3) playing solo hundred meters away from an open world zerg (or large organized train) drops the FPS down to 30, in a way that makes the game unplayable. 4) playing solo at the periphery inside a keep during large battles brings the FPS down to 15/17, with a ping between 150 and 200. This is in Norway, with a relatively high-end computer, but it's a wi-fi connection however (which has not been a problem in earlier years).

So, I don't play in Cyrodiil anymore, which is disappointing, since large-scale battles have always been my main interest.

Guess the increased lag is caused by an overloaded Internet in general now that people are working from home. More classes, skills and gear sets may also contribute to the lag. Using a dragon to forcefully disperse crowds in Cyrodiil, and spreading people on new medium-seized maps during prime time gaming, appears to be a better alternative than to introduce a delay in how often players can spam AoE skills.

If ESO creates new medium-sized maps for large-scale fighting which are only open during prime time gaming, then many players will probably join these maps when seeing that Cyrodiil is full of lag because of high populations. If these medium-sized maps are closed when Cyrodiil doesn't have full pop, there will be enough players inside the very large map of Cyrodiil to create fun and dynamic fights, without lag (hopefully).

Pinja

That's assuming AoE's the actual problem. I'm a skeptic, but a test's a test. Would a world boss be a better solution to than blanket nerfs, maybe. I'm not sure If they could code quick enough for a test five. The closest mob to having it's own global was the vamplord form the harrow storms. and that was a bug in pts that made it chase forever until it gets too far and vanishes.

finehair

*zerg lag*

I've been in fights between 50v50 + other faction's smallscales in keeps without no lags.

But as soon as some ball group comes barging in shooting whirling blades and purges all around poop hits the fan and it becomes a turn based combat.

JackAshes

How about #6. Create a new overland experience that is not faction based but group based (can go in with premade. Maps are no larger than 1/3 of Cyrodiil. With 5 man groups max no raids. That use both objectives and opportunity to open world PvP. Point system, Leaderboards, all the perks.

This would drop Cyrodills pop enough to not worry about lag anymore ........... and then I wake up. We are overdue for a PvP expansion!

TineaCruris

Or, they could change nothing other than giving Cyrodiil some dedicated server resources.

There. Problem solved....like they did during the MYM event.