ESO PvP Update [Updated June 2022]

ZOS_MattFiror

It’s long past time to give everyone an update on where we are with PvP improvements. As many of you know, we did a series of tests over the last year to give us more data. These tests were successful and gave us the information we needed. We now have a plan going forward - but heads up: it is going to take some time.

In short – just like we did for the client a year or so back when we introduced multithreaded rendering to increase client frame rates – we are going to rearchitect our server. The version of ESO in 2022 is many magnitudes larger and more complex than the ESO that launched in 2014. So, in order to give everyone a good play experience in high-intensity situations like PvP and Trials, we need to essentially rewrite some of the foundational server code to account for it. This should dramatically increase server performance, but obviously we will need to test and evaluate as we go along.

We’ve been planning this for the last quarter and we’re starting work on it right now. But, as you can imagine, changing the fundamentals of a huge live game such as ESO is a delicate and multi-stepped process, so expect this to take up much of 2022. Much of the early work is going to happen behind the scenes and we are definitely not going to rush it. A re-architecture of this magnitude will require the entire game to be re-tested and evaluated, as this particular code is the foundation on which the game is built. It will take tons of QA and testing time as well, and I’m sure that when the time comes, we’ll do as large a test as we can on the PTS.

In the meantime, we’ll consider additional ways to keep Cyrodiil and Battlegrounds interesting and exciting (for example, potentially special rulesets or weekend events) and will continue to work on bug fixes affecting combat, but we won’t be adding any new features to PvP until the work mentioned above is complete. Doing so would not only prolong the fixes we want to implement but would also exacerbate the issue of poor performance.

We completely understand the frustration many of you are feeling, especially with lack of information about our PvP plans. This was a huge decision to make and we needed to make sure we had exhausted all other possibilities before announcing this. Thanks for bearing with us, and we will give you periodic updates about the re-architecture progress over the course of the year.

StabbityDoom

Thank you for the update. This is actually really good! I feel like you are listening and willing to sacrifice some profitable new content in order to fix a very important aspect of the game.

Muttsmutt

mrsninetales

This is a great update! Appreciate all of the hard work you guys do behind the scenes. We appreciate you communicating your plans and keeping the community in the loop.

Casul

I appreciate this.

I have been a long time supporter of this game, I talk nothing but praise until last December.

I understand tensions are high and sometimes that leads to less then desireable communication from both sides.

At this point I need more then a statement of good times to come though, this alone is not enough. I will however keep an eye on the community and notes. In the event that the game improves I have no issue returning and continuing the praise I had before.

MochaForumFiend

ZOS_MattFiror wrote: »

So, in order to give everyone a good play experience in high-intensity situations like PvP and Trials, we need to essentially rewrite some of the foundational server code to account for it. This should dramatically increase server performance, but obviously we will need to test and evaluate as we go along.

Does this mean that the other fixes that were implemented along the way will be reversed, since it was the underlying code that was causing the problems? Does that mean we will see 24-person groups again? Because that was nice, and reducing group size to 12 did not enhance the game experience or its performance for me in pvp.

Sylvermynx

Bravo, @ZOS_MattFiror.

dinokstrunz

Yeah yeah yeah can we just revert no CP cyrodiil back to how it was before the no proc tests. It's getting boring.

CyberOnEso

Thank you for the communication, it is really appreciated.

It is especially reassuring to hear that you are willing to do this 8 years after launch and it gives me faith that you plan on supporting the game for many years to come.

Wolfkeks

Thank you for listening to us! I appreciate this!

BloodyStigmata

Aside from the badly needed PVP performance fixes that this will supposedly address, what else can we expect from this revision of the foundational code? Will this potentially open up other avenues for different types of content or customization that weren't possible before?

M0R_Gaming

Thank you so much for letting us know! Stuff like this greatly helps us be informed that things are being worked on and is much more effective than the previous communication!

huskandhunger

Thank you for keeping us updated!

Dojohoda

Thank you for the PVP update. As always, I hope the team has great success!

Murky_Dregs

It's long past time that you upgrade your architecture. It's good to hear that plans are finally in work.

I've run many program, project, & development teams in my career ($600m+portfolio), and the offhand comments made by Rich's wife speak volumes regarding the mindset of the ZoS team.

Her remarks were incredibly candid and are definitely a real glimpse into how your people feel.

Given the glib customer disregard displayed, how do you plan to address that issue, meaning your team's professional resolve regarding the matter, in order to ensure delivery of the quality product that many of us pay well over hundreds of dollars a year for and deserve?

spartaxoxo

I'm so glad that this has an official post now. I hope to see more of this kind of communication in the future. I know this was probably not how you guys wanted this to debut, but I'm glad a post is finally here and appreciate the update. I'm of course disappointed how far out this going to be and how it will likely impact content in 2022, but this is what needed to happen!

Vevvev

Thankyou for the update and the plan. It means a lot us, Matt.

TelvanniWizard

This is a step in the right direction.

helloelli

this is great to hear! thank you for keeping us in the loop, looking forward to more communication like this in the future!

AuraNebula

Thank you for the update. This is what players have been asking for. The frustration between players and the devs shouldn't be there. We all love this game and we just want to know that you guys care. This shows us that you do.

Sorry for all the trolls and hate that came in the other post. It's not Rich's fault and personal attacks against him and his wife do not solve anything.

This amazing response by the devs is what helps to solve the problem.

Luke_Flamesword

That's a great news! I'm really happy that you don't rush it, because last thing we need is doing fundamental work too quick, just to make more game breaking bugs.

Also short events for PvP sound really good

Rohamad_Ali

Blessings to you and your family Matt. This one hopes your adventure to destroy Lag will be fruitful with as little finger cramps as possible.

LalMirchi

Excellent! @ZOS_MattFiror.

This is the type of communication I would like to say is very welcome to us who play your game.

Bugs are bugs, issues will emerge no matter what the platform or architecture is but engaging with the millions of players is invaluable in terms of continued commitment to your customers.

With communication one can have patience and endure current anomalies, without official comments like this: not so much.

gariondavey

M0R_Gaming wrote: »

Thank you so much for letting us know! Stuff like this greatly helps us be informed that things are being worked on and is much more effective than the previous communication!

Agreed!

Thank you for the communication.

AltmerGF

I suggest giving some rewards on the live server for participating in the coming PTS tests. Would incentivize people to give the PTS client a download and help out with stress testing.

MipMip

Sounds good! Excited to hear this - many thanks!

And meanwhile - things like weekend events: looking forward

BlossomDead

So should all PvPers cancel subs for the foreseeable next 2 years or so? This announcement tells me I shouldn't get my hopes high for an unacceptable amount of time. With the state of PvP now, it really means I'm expected to accept being unable to play for years more.

Software development is not that complicated as you make it sound. Maybe this statement would work with a clueless upper management, but certainly not with a community already waiting for years for significant fixes.

IMHO your priority should be this, and only this. Hire more people if you need to. Everything else is irrelevant.

This to me is only PR damage control.

Destai

Thank you for finally intervening. Respectfully though Matt, it shouldn't take a fire storm to get these updates. This game is 7+ years old and we all see - you, the players, media - how hungry players are for accurate, detailed, and timely information about updates. Especially on long standing issues. These are corporate process you should have well ironed out.

And with regards to the firestorm, I hope you or someone higher at ZOS can coach Rich on his communication. Too many instances of him - or his wife - incensing players on his streams have occurred and I think the general feeling is he's not being held to the same standard that players are. It makes your teams look bad and does nothing but perpetuate the toxic cycle this game seems to be stuck in. He needs to understand that repeated fiascos aren't something just to wait out - PVP complaints haven't abated since the game's inception.

We also need a very visible developer presence here on the forums giving us more detailed patch notes. My suggestion is if the developers themselves can't/won't, then a technical liaison(s) needs to be assigned. You have to see how much toxicity would be abated if players had it - the masses flocking to Rich's stream are evidenced enough. So I appreciate you empathizing with us, it's good damage control at this time, but you have to understand we're seeing through the "we're working on it" and "we understand". That's not enough anymore.

I wish you the best in your designs and tests and I hope the developers truly listen to our feedback once this hits PTS, rather than digging their heels in on what could potentially be another controversial change that adds more technical debt. Thanks for the hard work to get this game working.

MISTFORMBZZZ

good yous gave a statement

Flaaklypa

put skill loads back to client side and revert the block changes you implimented. doesnt really take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.

Trandaner

Keeping PvP interesting, yet you remove DM only queue.