What is the biggest difference in how you play now versus when you first started?

Glaiceana

When you first began the game, to how you play now, what is the biggest change?

For example, I used to play with the camera zoomed super close to my character, and perfectly centred, now I play zoomed out to max, so I can see what is going on. The cursor is quite far above the head of my character as well to make sure I'm hitting my target for light attacks etc!

I also remember thinking no way was I going to be using potions and food, that sounds like a crazy way to play! Cut to me now; spending unspeakable amounts of gold on both!

Another thing was refusing to use any addons, right up until I first completed the main story. I was convinced they would be too risky to download and install lol. Of course I use so many now and couldn't imagine playing without most of them.

Tsar_Gekkou

I started out coming from Dark Souls, so I played as a nord stamplar wearing heavy armor and 2-handed. These days I run a slightly more optimized setup so my damage isn't as bad.

Vevvev

I actually have a spammable slotted and didn't slot my attributes like I did in the single player games.

After fixing my first character I made over 5 years ago last week I realized I maxed out all the nightblade skill lines but Shadow because I thought it was for tanking.

I have come a long way from light attack spamming and using abilities like spells in Oblivion to having proper rotations and an understanding of how to build characters.

Casul

I light attack weave and utilize min maxing techniques to increase my viability. Pretty much the same way I played dark souls after I became a vet.

EdmondDontes

When I first started there were AOE's galore, and no lag. Back then, ZOS communicated openly with the community.

The differences between how I play now and how I played then are dictated by the software/hardware changes that have been made since then.

Mindcr0w

Well my first characrer couldn't have possibly been built any more incorrectly if I'd been trying intentionally to build him wrong, being a PvE focused Breton StamDK in heavy armor and a 2 hander. So there's that.

ArchMikem

I actually pay attention to Gear Sets.

out51d3r

I analyze what's effective, and choose from the effective options that seem fun to me. Originally I picked what looked fun and hoped it was effective.

That's my natural progression in most games, tbh. I'm not one to follow a guide, I play for a while and analyze things. Second character usually becomes my main.

deevoh1991

I used to just play daily dungeons and grind aimlessly to get to 861 .
Now I'm way more interested in crafting and furnishings. My time goes studying the vendors to find good deals for reselling stuff and if I'm bored I do a dungeon just to feel alive again .
What never changed is wanting to acquire more gold

AlnilamE

I played in first person and by myself until I got a guild.

I also had no clue how stats worked, so I was wearing a mix of medium and light armor and had a bow and a resto staff back bar for a while.

I also didn't think cloak was a good skill because it was only a few seconds in duration.

And I thought DKs were vampires because the Dragon Blood skill makes their beating heart show up.

VaranisArano

I discovered food buffs. Made a world of difference.
I also used to play in 1st-person like it was Skyrim.

The biggest change, however, is that I'm no longer afraid of PVP.

Tandor

No difference at all, except that I have two accounts now and play on both regional servers. Everything else is the same in terms of camera angle, settings, lack of add-ons (I play on PC), and general approach to gameplay i.e. overland PvE with no PvP, dungeons, guilds or trading.

lolo_01b16_ESO

At launch I was fighting enemies in pve. I was careful not to engage too many enemies at once and actually thought about in what order I killed the npcs. Now I just ride to my destination / run to the boss and slaughter everything I pulled with some aoe.

I really miss the times when you actually had to think to survive in combat and didn't have enough dps to just burst everything and ignore mechanics.

BigBragg

Honestly, less wonder in the game and more jaded with it's course. Shame too, really not how I want to be towards ESO. At it's core I really do like.

Glaiceana

These are interesting answers! And you guys reminded me of a few things too! Yes the attributes
, I remember setting it evenly in all of them. I also remember thinking I would die if I didn't have at least my chest piece heavy, always. I played StamDK, (still do), and refused to try dual wield, I loved having a huge battle axe And yes I remember when it was scary to do fungal grotto on vet mode haha. The first time I saw end game players just wipe through everything like it was nothing was a real eye opening moment. Now I'm at that stage and it's kind of cool to look at the improvement over the years!

Milchbart

I went accidentally into a dungeon (fungal grotto 1 on normal of course ) met 2 other players there and we couldn't kill the first mob group ...

At least I now know what a group dungeon is and how to play there.

Yukon2112

MY first character orc dk is still lvl 38. Split points and I just have not fixed him. I started him when the game went live

SilverBride

I spend a lot of gold, crowns and time decorating houses now.

MurderMostFoul

I sucked a lot, now I suck only a little bit.

Hapexamendios

I'm not running a different armor set in every slot.

volkeswagon

i am not as shy towards other players as when I started and don't suck as much.

volkeswagon

but i still suck though

IsharaMeradin

When I started, I played the game. I played with each alt that I had. Now, aside from some vet dungeons and trials, I've done everything I have access to with at least one character and I'm finding it not as fun to do it again with other characters. I pretty much log in for the daily reward, maybe do some crafting dailies or just pick up that chest in the Dragonguard headquarters to see what motif page I might get.

When I can afford the next chapter or story zone, I pick it up and play it with the "main". If a zone event is coming up and story wise it fits for another character to run it, I'll start that zone with said character so they can clear world boss and delve achievements while running the event. Otherwise, I don't play as much any more.

tomofhyrule

I came from the TES games, so first-person RP walk all the way. And I'd play solo as much as possible.

Now I'm in 3rd person all the time and have a lot more of an idea about playing this as an MMO versus just a TES game. I still like to go back to solo questing when I get a chance, but I don't know if I can go back to first-person. Otherwise I found a guild that really helped me out, and I've really started having fun learning how to do group content.

opaj

There are the obvious things like technique and learning the mechanics, but I think that's already well covered.

Back when I started, I'd jump into the game and just play quest after quest after quest after quest, and finish a whole zone in a couple of days. Now I cycle through my characters, allowing them to take breaks after their adventures. Allowing time to actually pass makes it feel like they're actually living in the world, instead of just murder-hoboing their way across the continent.

I also used to RP a whole lot more, but having a kid basically murdered my tolerance for social play. All of my friends are asleep or winding down by the time I put the little one to sleep and log in, soooo...

Smitch_59

I used to play a lot more. But the grind is getting old, RNG is tired, and I'm getting rather disillusioned with the game. I still log on most days but I now play much less.

Adernath

Back in the days of launch, overland was much more challenging without CP creep and the changes of One Tamriel. And in Cyro there was already considerable lag, but not to this extreme as it is today, as far as I recall.

zaria

Well back then overland was leveled, remember finding the tunnel from Grathwood to reaper march and well it had lvl 40 mob and I was 20
And yes overland was harder, granted few knew how to play.

And tend to not wipe repeatably on first trash in fungal 1 normal

Knootewoot

First I played, now I don't

Pauwer

I don't use rubedite maul of fire anymore as my primary weapon.

Elwendryll

It's so long ago that it feels like I always played this game.

I think the main difference is that now I have my own community, I lead a group and I teach people, while I used to play alone, a lot, and run solo whatever could be soloed. And obviously, I got better, so much better.