New Zone needs seizure warning

Hurbster

In the meantime, I'm wondering if playing around with gshade filters might help those on PC.

ZOS_Kevin

Hi Everyone. Thank you again for your feedback regarding photosensitivity concerns with the Deadlands zone and the impact on players. In response to some player feedback around photosensitivity issues in the Deadlands, we have reduced the frequency and timing of some lightning hazards in Annihilarch's Summit. We will continue to investigate ways to improve this experience and ensure the safety of those who are potentially sensitive to these visual effects.

In the short-term, we would also like to share some in-game adjustment options for visual effects in ESO that may help improve your experience.

• Adjust your gamma settings while in the area.
• Keep your camera zoomed as far out as possible to reduce the likelihood of a bright flash taking up much of your screen.
• Change your visual telegraphs coloration so you can better see where the lightning hazards are going to strike.

In addition to these short-term adjustments, we are working to address long-term additions to make ESO more accessible for players with photosensitivity. As noted previously, we will continue to pass on your feedback to the dev team to aid in this process.

Thank you again for your feedback and helping to make ESO a better game for all to play.

TheImperfect

I'm really glad that they are working on a hotfix to help anyone who is affected by the issues.

However I really hope that they make the hotfix something that can be optionally applied as I am not affected and like the zone as it is.

The only thing I would change is to remove the red markers where the lightning hits so there is no warning as it's kind of immersion breaking.

SilverBride

The thing that bothers me the most are the full screen bright white flashes of light after killing a quest boss, for example. I've even made threads in the past asking to please stop these. They are physically painful to my eyes if I don't turn away fast enough.

Kwoung

Sooo... I am curious, is there even a reason for the lightning in that zone? Was this explained in the story quest and I somehow missed it? Because quite honestly, I feel like they made the zone, test played it a bit and decided it was majorly lacking, completely barren and boring. So they tossed some lightning in to give it some pizazz and called it a day. I mean if it was lava balls falling from the skies I would get it... but lightning?

Hurbster

@ZOS_Kevin

As long as the devs realise the contrast between an incredibly dark zone and the screen-filling bright flashes is one of the main problems. I don't have any photosensitivity problems but I do dislike the zone for the above reason.

So the gamma has to go up to see where you are going, and then the lighting strikes...

VaranisArano

It's splendid to see that the Devs are paying attention to the concerns of players in this regard!

trackdemon5512

Kwoung wrote: »

Sooo... I am curious, is there even a reason for the lightning in that zone? Was this explained in the story quest and I somehow missed it? Because quite honestly, I feel like they made the zone, test played it a bit and decided it was majorly lacking, completely barren and boring. So they tossed some lightning in to give it some pizazz and called it a day. I mean if it was lava balls falling from the skies I would get it... but lightning?

The zone was to exemplify “destruction” but making it one big lava pit isn’t really interesting nor does it fully cover the subject. The Sever section was to be representative of the power of storms. Lightning is a constant as it immediately brings destruction.

IMO a theme could have been better conveyed with less lightning but a more volatile atmosphere. Constant hard rain that prevents you from seeing far (instead of the perpetually underlit lands). UI that simulates wind bands and torrents of rain. Large tornadoes and infrequent lightning crashes. A washed out, muted color palette.

Not only would these have made for a much better Sever but they would be incredibly unique. You don’t get weather that severe on Nirn as it would convey just how dangerous the atmosphere of the Deadlands is.

Kwoung

trackdemon5512 wrote: »

Kwoung wrote: »

Sooo... I am curious, is there even a reason for the lightning in that zone? Was this explained in the story quest and I somehow missed it? Because quite honestly, I feel like they made the zone, test played it a bit and decided it was majorly lacking, completely barren and boring. So they tossed some lightning in to give it some pizazz and called it a day. I mean if it was lava balls falling from the skies I would get it... but lightning?

The zone was to exemplify “destruction” but making it one big lava pit isn’t really interesting nor does it fully cover the subject. The Sever section was to be representative of the power of storms. Lightning is a constant as it immediately brings destruction.

IMO a theme could have been better conveyed with less lightning but a more volatile atmosphere. Constant hard rain that prevents you from seeing far (instead of the perpetually underlit lands). UI that simulates wind bands and torrents of rain. Large tornadoes and infrequent lightning crashes. A washed out, muted color palette.

Not only would these have made for a much better Sever but they would be incredibly unique. You don’t get weather that severe on Nirn as it would convey just how dangerous the atmosphere of the Deadlands is.

Oh okay. In that case they could have just taken a page from No Man's Sky, where storms can actually hurt you as well. Not insta-kill you or anything, but definitely require some healing or cover (like get in a cave or building) to come through unscathed. That would definitely make the place seem dangerous in a stormy way.

My wife says the current lightning can also damage you, like 4k or something? But I have seriously tried to get hit and never take any damage, even when right on the spot it hits.

Sylvermynx

@Kwoung - I took one character into Deadlands to grab attunables for the craftable sets. She got hit by the lightning in several places, and lost some amount of HP.... not enough to seriously hurt or disable. More a minor annoyance. The lighting doesn't bother me thankfully.

TheImperfect

Kwoung wrote: »

Sooo... I am curious, is there even a reason for the lightning in that zone? Was this explained in the story quest and I somehow missed it? Because quite honestly, I feel like they made the zone, test played it a bit and decided it was majorly lacking, completely barren and boring. So they tossed some lightning in to give it some pizazz and called it a day. I mean if it was lava balls falling from the skies I would get it... but lightning?

It's because it's a Mehrunes Dagon realm of Oblivion and his realm is all lightning and fire etc He has a very elemental apocalyptic side, his domain can include sending lightning storms, tsunamis etc I think. The elements are weaponised by him into natural disasters.

Fennwitty

Unfortunately it feels like the lightning strikes and whirlwinds are there taking the place of trees and bushes. A big, empty space with a bunch of environmental traps to feel like it's alive.

Would have preferred more atronachs and special elemental creatures of all sorts wandering around.

mickeyx

Nanfoodle wrote: »

Be honest, have had one playing the new zone?

[snip] How would you know how many players had seizures? not everyone comes to the forum or even post here.

[edited for baiting]

Giraffon

I can't remember which dungeon it is, but it's one of the newer ones. Maybe it's just my video settings. I have them set to Alchast recommendations for best FPS, but whatever dungeon it is, when I go in there, there are these static blinding white pillars of light shooting out of the floor. They are opaque and I wish they weren't there. Playing in 3rd person view, as I spin the camera around to deal with mobs, my view will cross into one of these beams of light and my entire screen turns blinding white. It's rather unpleasant and disruptive to my ability to tank and see what's going on around me.

StormRaven

When referring to graphics on the Xbox Series consoles I believe some visual aids may be required as in video streams I've seen from PC Players "The Deadlands" do not seem to suffer the same painful level of colors and lightning that the Series X Seems to lend itself to. Below are two screenshots that show the over-saturation held in the Deadlands:

http://ravenrosecomputing.com/images/eso/Perf-Default.jpg
The Deadlands, Series X, Performance Mode with Vibrant HDR.

http://ravenrosecomputing.com/images/eso/Perf-Vibrant.jpg
The Deadlands, Series X, Performance Mode with Default HDR.

Lastly, the next link is to a 2 minute video showcasing the lightning patters in the Deadlands. On an 85" TV connected to the Series X, the colors still looked about as saturated as in the Vibrant HDR Image above. However, transferring the video capture to my PC for processing and upload seemed to mute the colors a bit; Enough that I was able to watch the video without the induced nausea (yes, seriously.) that I felt when looking at the actual screen for 30 seconds.

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

In closing, because I cannot stand to look at the screen for any reasonable length of time while in the Deadlands, I've thus far had to forego questing there. I raced to grab the Skyshards... and I haven't been back except to make the video and images above.

Drammanoth

then the person who is prone to seizures must not play the game - Sorc's Lighting Form, Storm Atronach, Winged Twilight's fluttering, Mage's Fury, Warden's Betties, Dragonknight's Deep Breath, Cyro battles, Battlegrounds - there are too many opportunities for them to get the seizure.

Tandor

Drammanoth wrote: »

then the person who is prone to seizures must not play the game - Sorc's Lighting Form, Storm Atronach, Winged Twilight's fluttering, Mage's Fury, Warden's Betties, Dragonknight's Deep Breath, Cyro battles, Battlegrounds - there are too many opportunities for them to get the seizure.

Or at least not play it on an 85 inch TV, if that's what is causing the problem as per the post above yours. Don't get me wrong, I'm very sympathetic to health issues that are exacerbated by gaming, but I am also concerned at the additional problems that result from the extreme display level that a lot of gamers are opting for these days.