Are you a fan of the "year-long adventure" system?

Kr3do

Nairinhe

Other

It's ok, I think.

I first thought about having a longer story but the whole daedric arc was like, what, 2 chapters + a DLC long? With lots of setting variety too.
Reducing some of the strain on the designers - it didn't save Greymoor from having very poor quality (I mean bugs and overall raw-ness). And let me say I really-really hope it's because of pandemic, but I have doubts, because chapter had to be already some time in the making when it struck =(
It also means that those who aren't interested in year's theme have literally nothing to look forward to for the whole year.

But I was excited to have the whole year of Khajiiti culture and I'm very much looking forward to the next Q4 (especially having some spoilers from peeking into PTS prologue feedback thread).
And it brought us those "season's events" which is nice.

If in the end it will mean that we will still get the same zones, and themes, and stories, but in different order - fine.

Edit to add: for me there are still more cons that pros, but it's doesn't bother me enough to be really against this system.

Gythral

Other

Really need to be sperated more, or have a 'storymode', as tryihg to do 'story' with the should have done this 20mins ago mob is not what the games is about (for me)

Luke_Flamesword

Other

It's ok, but I don't like idea of one theme whole year - you can have one, big story in different settings, but it's too much work I guess...

JD2013

Other

I like the idea of the year long adventure system. It is a neat concept that allows for some order to the stories they tell in ESO.

The problem with this though, is that the stories have become very similar in scope and nature.

Elsweyr - the forgotten, plucky princess and putting her on the throne, dethroning a comically evil villain amidst turmoil and dragons.

Greymoor - The plucky princess who ends up on the throne, dethroning a comically evil villain amidst turmoil and vampires and Reachmen.

A problem is, of course, none of these stories have ANYTHING to do with The Vestige. We seem very third wheel in all of these plots, and it feels like, with Greymoor at least, things would have turned out exactly the same had we not gone.

I am also noticing a trend of them making our characters fit to NPC's who become the leads of the story as opposed to other ES games where the hero is the main character. They have also started to give The Vestige less personality than a petrol station egg and cress sandwich that basically boils down to "VESTIGE SMASH!" And everyone just pointing us in a direction to hit things like "Aw look at the hero they can kill things! *pats The Vestige on the head*"

Kind of like - these are the NPC's of the world, please like them! Look at how quirky and plucky and daring they are! You like them, right? RIGHT? So far this year, the only character I have liked is Lyris, and even she doesn't seem quite as she was in base game.

The stories have been getting less interesting since Summerset, and it's a shame. If they want to keep the year long stories, they need to ramp up their writing back to being like Orsinium or Clockwork City standards.

casparian

Other

No. I play MMOs for endgame content -- PVP and raids -- and I need that content to work. Instead of focusing their resources on that, ZOS has been focusing their money, time, and effort on creating story content and weaving it into a mix of endgame, midgame, and early-game PVE. They release this story content as a breakneck pace, far faster than an MMO needs to, and as a consequence have no time to focus on the core elements of a solid endgame -- balance and performance.

Thoragaal

Other

Don't really care about the theme.

AdamBourke

Other

I liked the way elsweyr went. I think having the little bonus tie-up missions for those who had completed both DLCs was quite nice. And it was nice to have the threat of dragons cover two zones instead of just one.

But I don't like the dlc dungeons being part of the story. I only did one (after i already finished the story for that year) and it didn't contribute that much, but I had to run through it because the rest of the group wasn't waiting. So I feel like I am missing part of the story.

I also don't like that you can start the dlc without doing the prologue quest. For the start of elsewhere, that's a pretty major part of the story!

Hurbster

Other

Greymoor was a step down in quality and feels rushed. We need a release cadence like WoW, every 2 years. Stories have no time to grow.

What will they do next year when they don't have the Skyrim nostalgia to fall back on?

VaranisArano

No, for storytelling reasons. It's just bizarre.

New players can't possibly experience the story in chronological order due to dungeons, prologue quests, and the brand-new tutorial.

Also, it feels like the Chapter story (the one we pay cash for) is deliberately incomplete because the writers have to save something for the Q4 DLC to finish off the year.

I would prefer something more like Orsinium: a large zone with numerous features, filled with a self-contained story that actually fully resolves its plotline.

Kaerithia

Other

I like the year long storys but sometimes they get borring and have no connection. First you get some daedric plot in Vvardenfell and Clockwork. After that some Murkmire stuff some dragons for no reason at all...the return of some dragon hunters...and now Vampires. Dunno how Vampires are a greater thread than dragons. Why not follow the dragons or some of them to skyrim? Why not connecting all those storys? Why does it feel like a puzzle without fitting parts?

I say yes to more storys but with connection. Take your time and please fix the stuff. No one wants story if you can't enjoy it.

Rungar

No, I'd prefer if every DLC had it's own theme so we could get a larger variety of content each year.

I usually come back for the chapter, i give up on the dlcs long ago but i feel the chapters are $20 expansions and not $60 expansions especially with the bad reviews. Its pointless to put the story in the dlc dungeons. No one will buy them for that. If they want to sell dlc dungeons they should consider selling a product that players actially want instead of trying to tack it on to something else.

starlizard70ub17_ESO

Other

I don't mind the year long system but wouldn't care if they stopped it.
Some year long themes I liked, such as Elsweyr. Since I play Khajiits mainly, learning about Khajiit culture and history was fun. (Barely noticed the dragon event going on, it was just a side story to the Khajiit history really. LOL . )
Summerset and the lore of the high elves didn't interest me as much. So that year kind of dragged on.
If it's a good story, then it's fun. If the year's theme is a weak story line, then the year is more of a grind just to get through it.

Lady_Sleepless

No, I'd prefer if every DLC had it's own theme so we could get a larger variety of content each year.

I said no, but I do like continuing stories I just think Elsweyr and Western Skyrim have been a little open ended and weirdly written. I liked how Morrowind, CWC and Summerset connected but were all separate stories. I don't like finishing a Chapter and the story ending with a "tune in next DLC to see how the big bad gets defeated". That's lazy writing to squeeze more out of one story instead of writing a new fresh storyline with interesting undertones of something growing behind the scenes.
I also miss the end of year wild child DLC, CWC and Murkmire were fantastic and felt really fresh and intriguing where as Southern Elsweyr was just more of the same (didn't even have a new soundtrack or architecture for the zone).

rexagamemnon

Yes, I want ZOS to continue releasing content of the same theme for each calendar year.

Yes, but instead of dungeon packs for q1&3, instead let them be the story content like q4. It should be
Q1- story dlc with 1 dungeon
Q2- chapter
Q3- dungeon pack 2 dungeons
Q4- story dlc with 1 dungeon

Tandor

Other

I'd vote No, but not for the reason attributed to it in the poll. Polls would be so much better with simple options unbiased by unnecessary additional wording in my view - in this case, a straight "Yes, No, Other" would serve the purpose admirably. People can then explain their own position in their comments.

I have no problem with the principle of telling a story over a year, but it doesn't work in the way that ZOS apply it because not everyone is interested in all the content releases. Personally, I have no interest at all in group dungeons so I miss half of the story episodes.

x48rph

No, I'd prefer if every DLC had it's own theme so we could get a larger variety of content each year.

No for the simple reason being if you don't like the theme you have no hope of anything different for an entire year

Gorreck

No, I'd prefer if every DLC had it's own theme so we could get a larger variety of content each year.

VaranisArano wrote: »

No, for storytelling reasons. It's just bizarre.

New players can't possibly experience the story in chronological order due to dungeons, prologue quests, and the brand-new tutorial.

Also, it feels like the Chapter story (the one we pay cash for) is deliberately incomplete because the writers have to save something for the Q4 DLC to finish off the year.

I would prefer something more like Orsinium: a large zone with numerous features, filled with a self-contained story that actually fully resolves its plotline.

Wrothgar was excellent.

Whilst some of the year long stuff has been good (Dragon fights were well done, both in the fights, and how you could see what was going on on the map), it hasn't really been up to the quality of Wrothgar.

I think perhaps the biggest issue is locking so much of the story in dungeon expansions, IMO ESO really needs a dungeon "story mode".

Aendruu

No, I'd prefer if every DLC had it's own theme so we could get a larger variety of content each year.

VaranisArano wrote: »

No, for storytelling reasons. It's just bizarre.

New players can't possibly experience the story in chronological order due to dungeons, prologue quests, and the brand-new tutorial.

As a new player, I completely agree. It's also incongruous that a Summerset Celebration reward is the Skyrim Snowhawk Mage outfit!

Cactus_Back

No, I'd prefer if every DLC had it's own theme so we could get a larger variety of content each year.

I actually don't mind them continuing the Chapter story in the Q4 DLC but I would prefer the dungeon DLCs to remain separate from the main chapter theme. Q1 this year was more or less fine but Stonethorn seems rather boring because we already got a fair share of vampires and werewolves in Greymoor and doubtless will get even more in Q4 with Darkstorm.

TheImperfect

Yes, I want ZOS to continue releasing content of the same theme for each calendar year.

I love it but I think it causes some people to pass total judgement on a chapter before seeing the whole thing from a finished perspective at the end of the year.

Rungar

No, I'd prefer if every DLC had it's own theme so we could get a larger variety of content each year.

I would prefer they released one single player dungeon with story, one casual oriented dungeon packed with it and the other dlc would be a hardcore dungeon and a 6 or 8 man mini trial. Everyone would win that way. The way they have it now no one wins...not even zos. Its like they lack a certain reasonability or something.

Radiance

Yes, I want ZOS to continue releasing content of the same theme for each calendar year.

I appreciate storyline continuity.

the1andonlyskwex

Other

I'm so far behind on keeping up with new content that it doesn't really matter. That said, something that I would find really helpful is an in-game guide to the "proper" order in which to do things. You could do this by level before One Tamriel, but ever since then it's been too easy to do stuff out of order (in a way that negatively impact the narrative, particularly within zones).

Tommy_The_Gun

Yes, I want ZOS to continue releasing content of the same theme for each calendar year.

Still waiting for Argonian year - long story. Looking back at Murkmire DLC & Lore we had there... it should be Awesome...

Sylvermynx

Other

I don't mind a year-long story. What I do mind is that a chapter like the current one is something I wasn't interested in at all - the Elsweyr year was wonderful, but it's dollars to doughnuts that I won't do anything with Greymoor EXCEPT the antiquities once it's a DLC, because I have zero use for vampires, werewolves and the Reach people (yeah.... nope). So no money from me for ZOS for this one....

The other issue is dungeons. Don't have any interest in them, way too burned on stuff like that after years of other MMOs, and of course group content is out with my ping and connection situation even if it was content I really wanted to play. REALLY need story mode for dungeons....

So I suppose my answer is really leaning more toward wishing we had varied content over the year. But I really did love the year of Elsweyr.... so yeah - definitely "Other" here.

Dusk_Coven

Other

It's okay except they lock story in group dungeons. You can't experience the story properly when everyone just wants to rush to get their loot.
We need SOLO STORY MODE for all dungeons.

Ectheliontnacil

Other

It really depends on the theme. If its's a theme you like, great! If not you're stuck with it for a year.

Tandor

Other

Gorreck wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

No, for storytelling reasons. It's just bizarre.

New players can't possibly experience the story in chronological order due to dungeons, prologue quests, and the brand-new tutorial.

Also, it feels like the Chapter story (the one we pay cash for) is deliberately incomplete because the writers have to save something for the Q4 DLC to finish off the year.

I would prefer something more like Orsinium: a large zone with numerous features, filled with a self-contained story that actually fully resolves its plotline.

Wrothgar was excellent.

Whilst some of the year long stuff has been good (Dragon fights were well done, both in the fights, and how you could see what was going on on the map), it hasn't really been up to the quality of Wrothgar.

I think perhaps the biggest issue is locking so much of the story in dungeon expansions, IMO ESO really needs a dungeon "story mode".

Or else make the Dungeon DLCs appeal to a wider market by including a couple of delves in them, and put the storyline in the delves.

Emmagoldman

Yes, I want ZOS to continue releasing content of the same theme for each calendar year.

Id like to see more added for pvp. A feel year lacking any sort of content is bland

emilyhyoyeon

No, I'd prefer if every DLC had it's own theme so we could get a larger variety of content each year.

JD2013 wrote: »

A problem is, of course, none of these stories have ANYTHING to do with The Vestige. We seem very third wheel in all of these plots, and it feels like, with Greymoor at least, things would have turned out exactly the same had we not gone.

I am also noticing a trend of them making our characters fit to NPC's who become the leads of the story as opposed to other ES games where the hero is the main character.

I agree with pretty much everything else you said, but I honestly like when the vestige/player character isn't the one that the story is centered around. I always pretend/headcanon that none of my characters are the vestige, or the hero of Kvatch, or the dragonborn, etc. I always pretend my characters are always the people on the side assisting the mains if that's not already the plot.

I think this is a personal preference thing rather than an objectively better approach though. I honestly can't say which I think is better, and as you said one is traditional TES plot style and one isn't.