Noob impression

Lighthope

I’ve been trying to get into ESO a few times, but keep giving up.

The combat system is truly awful. It totally turns me off as a new player. I know that this is a source of constant complaint. But am saying as a new person that it really is off-putting.

I know some people like it. I'm sure most everyone on this forum does. I'm just giving my personal opinion.

Second, there is no organization to the storyline that I can find in that cave with all the portals. I have no idea where to start. Sure, I know they fixed it so you can start anywhere, but at least give me a bloody roadmap so I can see where in the timeline I am! Maybe I’ll start at the beginning, maybe in the middle. Maybe I’ll just jump to the end. But as it stands, I have no idea where anything is, timeline-wise.

Lastly, the gear. Can’t for the life of me figure out what to wear. I just pick the highest stat, but end up with a mishmosh of gear. Maybe that is a good thing ultimately, but again confuses the heck out of a new player.

I know there are guides online that I can look up. But come on, if the game can't take the time to help me with an in-game guide, I'm not going to take the time to search and look the stuff up. I'm playing the game to have fun, not start a new job. This (hopefully) isn't World of Warcraft where you need to have a doctorate to understand how to do things.

I know that sounded like a rant. I didn't mean it that way. It's just some thoughts as I try for a fifth time to get into this game. Thankfully it's free. But if I get far enough, I dread what crafting must be like!

WiseSky

The combat system is truly awful. It totally turns me off as a new player. I know that this is a source of constant complaint. But am saying as a new person that it really is off-putting.

Do you have a MMO mouse ?
how did you set your skills and role dodge and break free buttons?

MidniteOwl1913

So much this! The combat, the gear, complicated, confusing and so very poorly documented! Really sometimes I feel like I need a math degree just to decide what option is best. When I can even find out what the options are. Why should I be so dependent on third-party content providers for information?

The maze of this adds value here, but this other thing conflicts with the buff so this other 3rd thing is actually the best choice drives me crazy. Sometimes I think that no one actually knows how all the moving parts fit together, and if they figure it out today tomorrow a new update will change everything anyway. It's maddening!

BlueRaven

As a veteran player, I too dislike the combat system.

I accept it, I work with it, but to me it is the games weakest element. (Although I have a feeling that if you were to ask what exactly any of us in this thread do not like about it, you will get several different answers.)

I can also understand how with the huge amount of content this game has, it is easy to get overwhelmed. I think the base game plot line still holds really well and should be emphasized (although not required) for new players. Once the base game plot line is done, all the other chapters, in any order you wish to do them, flows much better.

Also until you get to champion point range, builds and gear are really not a consideration. Just try to level up various class skill lines you come across. I wish the game just said that.

There is a built in “build guide” for abilities but it really should be updated. My quick advice is to play what and where you are interested in.

If you want more specific advice on what you should do first, I would be happy to help. I assist new players in my guilds all the time.

TaSheen

I am definitely not fond of the combat in ESO. But then, I'm not fond of combat in any game really. In ESO it's supposed to be fast and active, and it can be of course; but not for me because I have aging reflexes AND mega high ping. So all it is for me is painful.

XSTRONG

Combat in this game is fine

zaria

MidniteOwl1913 wrote: »

So much this! The combat, the gear, complicated, confusing and so very poorly documented! Really sometimes I feel like I need a math degree just to decide what option is best. When I can even find out what the options are. Why should I be so dependent on third-party content providers for information?

The maze of this adds value here, but this other thing conflicts with the buff so this other 3rd thing is actually the best choice drives me crazy. Sometimes I think that no one actually knows how all the moving parts fit together, and if they figure it out today tomorrow a new update will change everything anyway. It's maddening!

Follow some simple guides, not the one focusing on endgame as its another league, tons of decent sets who always works overland and in an pug rnd.
Trying to figure out the meta? Rater playing Kerbal space program is just rocket science so rater intuitive.

robwolf666

I guessed someone clicked through the conversation with the guide in the portal room, it's not difficult to know which are the Alliance portals.

Combat is fine.

Armours are mis-match until you learn how to craft and make your own sets.

I_killed_Vivec

One of the standard features of TES games is the lack of direction - you are supposed to explore, pick up quests, progress, adventure further.

ESO follows this ethos, but only in part. There is so much help given via quest markers, that you don't have to literally speak to everyone in a bar, the quest markers are right there over their heads!

Do some quests, see where they take you!

SeaGtGruff

I actually like the combat system, although I don't worry a lot about having a rotation of skills, rotating in the "correct" order, swapping back and forth between two bars during a fight, etc. To be clear, I do have a rotation of sorts, and it does involve swapping bars, but I don't get hung up about using it constantly, and don't practice it on dummies for hours on end until it all becomes "muscle memory"-- especially since, in my experience, it's better to be paying attention to how long it takes for my skills to fire after pressing their buttons so I can adapt fluidly to circumstances instead of mindlessly pressing buttons in a rote pattern and pace that's prone to failure if everything isn't responding precisely as expected. But as far as fighting overall, I love that aspect of ESO.

FeedbackOnly

I find the combat system fast and engaging. It tests my reactions. Most people enjoy the combat system and isn't a contast complain so it is incorrect to assume so.

Dojohoda

What to do is confusing. There are many zones that can be ignored when you first start playing the game.

If you see "The hooded figure" lurking near a wayshrine take that quest and do it. That one will get you started and lead to the quests from the Harborage and then Coldharbor.

Check which alliance you are. You don't have to, but I recommend doing your alliance quests before you do the other alliance quests. Your Harborage quests are connected to your alliance's zone.

If you are in the alliance of:
DC -Daggerfall Covenant (blue lion) go to Stros M'Kai (a starter zone) or go to Glenumbra.
DC zones are: Stros M'Kai, Betnikh, *Glenumbra, ^Stormhaven, Rivenspire, Alik'r Desert, Bangkorai,

AD- Aldmeri Dominion (yellow, eagle) go to Khenarthi's Roost (a starter zone) or go to Auridon.
AD zones are: Khenarthi's Roost, *Auridon, ^Grahtwood, Greenshade, Malabal Tor, Reaper's March

EP- Ebonheart Pact (red, dragon) go to Bleakrock Isle (a starter zone) or go to Stonefalls.
EP zones are: Bleakrock Isle, Bal Foyen, *Stonefalls, ^Deshaan, Shadowfen, Eastmarch, The Rift

Be sure to join The Fighter's Guild and The Mages Guild and The Undaunted. You can find those places early-on in the zones marked with an asterisk *.

To sum this up:
Quest in your alliance zones first while also doing quests from:
The Harborage, then Coldharbor
The Fighter's Guild and The Mage Guild

-> You can ignore everything else for now but you are free to go anywhere and do any quests <-

Note: At level 45 you will receive a letter in the mail that invites you to the Undaunted Enclave in your Alliance Capital. (Above, I marked the alliance capitals with this: ^.) When you get this letter go the the Enclave, sign the book and talk to the NPC that game guides you to.

Syldras

I'm astonished no one posted the list of story chapters/dlcs in their chronological order yet. In addition to the 3 main faction quest lines from the base game and the two criminal guilds (Thieves Guild / Dark Brotherhood), it is:

Orsinium

Daedric War story:
Morrowind
Clockwork City
Summerset

Murkmire

2-part Elsweyr story:
Elsweyr
Dragonhold

2-part Skyrim story:
Greymoor
Markarth

2-part Cyrodiil/Oblivion story:
Blackwood
Deadlands

2-part Breton story:
High Isle
Firesong

While I still find playing them all in their chronological order makes the most sense because recurrent characters have different dialogues then (but only if you've played their content in the right order - like, in High Isle you can ask a few npcs about what they've been doing since the last time you met them, if you did meet them before), skipping a few chapters you're not interested in isn't that much of a problem (except for a few missed dialogue options). Most important probably is that you play the 2-part or 3-part stories complete and in their right order. But other than that, you can choose which one you'd like to play first.

Sarannah

Sorry you feel this way, I do hope you stick with the game as it is a lot of fun! Freedom is one of the things which is best about MMO's, it allows you to do anything you want, whenever you want.

Though you may need to check up online on where to get started questing. Some players here have posted where to start and how to do things in order. But make sure to check this online. And to do the correct prologues before the zone content.

For gearing, you can find gear from similar sets in the same zone you found the first piece in. (or in the same dungeon) So if there is a set you like, keep playing the same zone to get all the other pieces. Maybe find a guild, so they can help you figure out which sets to use. But don't worry about being optimal, or even the best, this is only needed for higher content.

Could you as a new player maybe go into detail on why the combat is awful? ... This may help ZOS in trying to fix it some day.

Have fun, enjoy the game. And don't stress too much about everything, you will figure things out!

Shihp00

Don't worry, you can Hold left click in this game and deal as much damage as the guy who quit his job to perfect his rotations so don't be discouraged, you really don't need to play like the elites to enjoy this game.

danno8

Syldras wrote: »

I'm astonished no one posted the list of story chapters/dlcs in their chronological order yet. In addition to the 3 main faction quest lines from the base game and the two criminal guilds (Thieves Guild / Dark Brotherhood), it is:

Orsinium

Daedric War story:
Morrowind
Clockwork City
Summerset

Murkmire

2-part Elsweyr story:
Elsweyr
Dragonhold

2-part Skyrim story:
Greymoor
Markarth

2-part Cyrodiil/Oblivion story:
Blackwood
Deadlands

2-part Breton story:
High Isle
Firesong

While I still find playing them all in their chronological order makes the most sense because recurrent characters have different dialogues then (but only if you've played their content in the right order - like, in High Isle you can ask a few npcs about what they've been doing since the last time you met them, if you did meet them before), skipping a few chapters you're not interested in isn't that much of a problem (except for a few missed dialogue options). Most important probably is that you play the 2-part or 3-part stories complete and in their right order. But other than that, you can choose which one you'd like to play first.

edit: This is missing the most recent updates, but is an excellent visual for the starting player.

edit2: I noticed the guide is also missing both Maelstrom Arena in Wrothgar, and Veteshran Hollows in Western Skyrim. These solo arenas are excellent "test your metal" opportunities that have some of the best weapons in the game, even all these years later.

https://i.redd.it/lfzcb3da62t51.png

Redguards_Revenge

Lighthope wrote: »

I’ve been trying to get into ESO a few times, but keep giving up.

The combat system is truly awful. It totally turns me off as a new player. I know that this is a source of constant complaint. But am saying as a new person that it really is off-putting.

I know some people like it. I'm sure most everyone on this forum does. I'm just giving my personal opinion.

Second, there is no organization to the storyline that I can find in that cave with all the portals. I have no idea where to start. Sure, I know they fixed it so you can start anywhere, but at least give me a bloody roadmap so I can see where in the timeline I am! Maybe I’ll start at the beginning, maybe in the middle. Maybe I’ll just jump to the end. But as it stands, I have no idea where anything is, timeline-wise.

Lastly, the gear. Can’t for the life of me figure out what to wear. I just pick the highest stat, but end up with a mishmosh of gear. Maybe that is a good thing ultimately, but again confuses the heck out of a new player.

I know there are guides online that I can look up. But come on, if the game can't take the time to help me with an in-game guide, I'm not going to take the time to search and look the stuff up. I'm playing the game to have fun, not start a new job. This (hopefully) isn't World of Warcraft where you need to have a doctorate to understand how to do things.

I know that sounded like a rant. I didn't mean it that way. It's just some thoughts as I try for a fifth time to get into this game. Thankfully it's free. But if I get far enough, I dread what crafting must be like!

Every new game I try the controls are off putting when I am moving away from another game I played for some time. I have to take the time and learn the controls of the new game.

Sets. Just wear mish mash stuff until you are CP 160. Destroy the sets or toss them until CP 160.

CP 160 is after you hit level 50. Then you start to acquire Champion points. The highest set levels go is CP 160. That is where you want to spend your resources collecting sets and stuff.

The usual set is 5, 5, 2.

5 set pieces, 5 set pieces, two set pieces.

Each 5 set piece is an average set that can be farmed, bought, etc.

The two set pieces are monster helms and shoulders. The helm come from the final dungeon vet bosses. The shoulder comes from the undaunted daily quest by keys.


Now there are one set pieces called mythics. I personally don't use them. They are one set pieces that can have the power of 5 set pieces or 2 monster helms. There was one that had the power of 10 set pieces. A new one usually comes out every year that makes all other sets obsolete for about 3 months. However, that might change this year. Those are gotten in ways you'll have to ask someone else about.

Now for the combat. This isn't a point and click game. you have to move, roll dodge and attack.

You'll start with 5 skills, but then at like level 15, a second bar will open up for a second weapon. this allows you to switch between two bars using the "~" button. (TBH I just went in and changed the keybindings, my bar swap is "F")


Just focus on slotting the skills and trying them out. See what they do until cp 160. Find what you like and dislike about the skills. Speak to others in guild forums or find guides about the skills.

TBH I play one main class since 2014. I only played the others to find out what the skill do.

I put my skill bindings to 1,2, 4,5,6, My ring finger hits 1 and 2, my index finger hits 4, 5, and 6.

3 is my interact button that I use my middle finger for ...(lol no pun intended)

You'll be bad at pvp for some time. Took me years to finally get decent. Then get drowend out by people with mythics. If you follow the brand new meta you'll have some ease killing people in pvp.

LittlePinkDot

Lighthope wrote: »

I’ve been trying to get into ESO a few times, but keep giving up.

The combat system is truly awful. It totally turns me off as a new player. I know that this is a source of constant complaint. But am saying as a new person that it really is off-putting.

I know some people like it. I'm sure most everyone on this forum does. I'm just giving my personal opinion.

Second, there is no organization to the storyline that I can find in that cave with all the portals. I have no idea where to start. Sure, I know they fixed it so you can start anywhere, but at least give me a bloody roadmap so I can see where in the timeline I am! Maybe I’ll start at the beginning, maybe in the middle. Maybe I’ll just jump to the end. But as it stands, I have no idea where anything is, timeline-wise.

Lastly, the gear. Can’t for the life of me figure out what to wear. I just pick the highest stat, but end up with a mishmosh of gear. Maybe that is a good thing ultimately, but again confuses the heck out of a new player.

I know there are guides online that I can look up. But come on, if the game can't take the time to help me with an in-game guide, I'm not going to take the time to search and look the stuff up. I'm playing the game to have fun, not start a new job. This (hopefully) isn't World of Warcraft where you need to have a doctorate to understand how to do things.

I know that sounded like a rant. I didn't mean it that way. It's just some thoughts as I try for a fifth time to get into this game. Thankfully it's free. But if I get far enough, I dread what crafting must be like!

I pretty much only use crafted sets because they're easier and less annoying to obtain than dungeon or trial sets. That being said I'm primarily a PVPer. As for the story, I would start with the original main story before going on to the DLCs.


This game isn't skyrim. I found skyrims leveling boring and simple.

I love the combat, it's fast paced.
You need to animation cancel. Alternate between a skill and light attack, skill, light attack.

When you're CP 160 you can get your top level gear.

What class are you using and do you want to primarily be a magicka user or a weapons user??

I recommend going to Alcast's website for a good starter build. There's alot to learn in this game.
I've got 9 characters.

https://alcasthq.com/

SaffronCitrusflower

ESO has a very steep learning curve is all.

It's the combat system that makes ESO outstanding in it's genre. Once you get familiar with it you won't like anything else because everything else will feel slow and clunky.

It's a real shame ESO is moving away from focusing on what makes it great and instead focusing on cosmetics for the crown store.

Xandreia_

Honestly kinda shocked people dislike the combat system, it's one of the things that makes eso unique, I wish there was another game with combat like it but better managed. The combat system and pvp is THE only reason I keep coming back

Holycannoli

Get some add ons. Some of them I consider essential, as in without them I wouldn't even bother playing.

And the combat is basic MMORPG combat. None so far have done a good job with it. It's the nature of the genre. But you don't play these games for the combat even if it's a large part of the game.

merpins

Vet player here.

Personally, I like the combat of this game. I wish it was a bit more dynamic without needing so much bar swapping to pull off god mode builds, but it's fine as is. Combat is hard to get right in MMOs unless you do the WoW method, but I think ESO did well to make something different but familiar for elder scrolls fans while still being an MMO.

Armor is... Fine. When you're first starting out, you do not by any means need to pay attention to the armor. Put on whatever is higher level until level 50, and whatever is highest level until you are at champion point 160. Before that point, armor doesn't matter much, and you can just wear what gets you medium, heavy, and light armor levels, and play with whatever weapons you like. Once you get to CP 160 and are level 50, then you can start thinking about armor you might want to use.
There are tons of guides online that tell you the sets that are worthwhile when it comes to DPS, tanking, or heals, as well as sets for solo play, for both pvp and pve. There's a lot of bad sets in the game, and it really boils down to maybe 20-30 sets of armor total that anyone uses for PVE, and another 20-30 sets total that anyone uses for PVP with a little overlap. There are hundreds of sets in-game, and it's upsetting to me that most of it is complete garbage. I wish they'd go in and rework all the sets no one uses one at a time slowly over a year or two rather than releasing a ton of new sets every year. Rather than having a million bad sets, just revamp old sets so everything is viable imo. It shouldn't just be every PVE DPS build MUST use Relequen or Pillar's, one of two monster helm sets or one of two mythics, and a choice out of 3 other sets. I'd like to make cool builds out of any set and get comparable DPS out of them, rather than having to do a trial to get the best set in the game. I hate trials.

The new setup for new players is garbage. It's great for veteran players like me that might want to do an old intro, but it really lacks guidance for new players since the game is marketed as play how you want. Some people WANT to play from the oldest content first and make their way into the new content, in fact I'd wager the majority of new players would want to do that, but nothing guides them in that direction.

Last, one thing new players don't see is the not so great monetization of this game. I wish there was more to do at end game, more to hunt and achieve outside of trials (and even those are basically one and done things to do if you're good at the game), but there isn't. All good cosmetics for mounts and costumes and personalities are cash shop exclusive, and new updates don't really add anything to bring back old players. WoW keeps players coming back by bringing in mounts you have to grind for by killing mobs or bosses, and very few are locked behind trials and super hard content. Eso doesn't do that at all. There is one or two mounts you can earn in game (not the horses from the stable I mean), and they're trial mounts only. If you don't like trials, there's no real cosmetics to earn in game without paying for them, and that's a shame. What's worse is most of the mounts you can't even BUY. you have to buy loot boxes and hope you get a cool mount. But I've been playing ESO since 2014, I've bought the loot boxes a few times with my subscription cash shop currency, you get a lot each year when you sub for a year... And I've never once gotten a top tier mount. I've gotten the 400 gem mounts a few times, maybe 4 or 5 of them over the years. But have never gotten the best despite paying ~100 bucks a year on this game for years.

AzuraFan

I'm also not fond of the combat system. It's different from other MMOs, yes, but not better in most aspects.

I really like that I, the player, aim and shoot whatever weapon I'm using, unlike in some other MMOs where it's all about pressing a skill button to swing/whatever. But I hate the bar switching, and I hate the buff rotations. It would have been so much better with just one bar, and with buffs being toggles or something. I know they tried with a very unpopular update to standardize cooldowns so that combat isn't all about managing timers, but changing the way buffs work would have been better.

boi_anachronism_

Combat is by far and away the most unique feature of eso and a huge part of why I play. A lot of vet players will say the same. It has a steep learning curve as others have said but if you don't like the combat this may not be your game.. what styles of game do you enjoy for comparison? Mmos in general have similar play styles although not as fast paced in my opinion but it's a reach to say that most people hate it, they really don't or they wouldn't play. Additionally mmos will always have some kind of mathematics involved once you reach end game because it requires optimization. That said if you are a casual player you really need not worry about it and you can enjoy it plenty by just sticking a few skills on your bar and clicking your mouse. Overworld and questing is very, very forgiving for new player.

TaSheen

boi_anachronism_ wrote: »

what styles of game do you enjoy for comparison?

I don't like combat in any game. It's something I do as little of as possible.

Northwold

ESO is a horrific experience for a new player. Nothing is clear in the game itself and because it's been added to regularly over time, there are quest markers everywhere and anywhere for completely different things, and trying to figure out what's going on from zero is extraordinarily confusing. Doesn't help if you have no MMO experience that players and Zenimax themselves speak in a foreign language of shorthand like "dailies", "writs", etc that the game itself barely explains.

I tried it and dropped it three times. On the fourth time I found out there is an underlying main quest which (at the time I played -- it's slightly better now) had exactly the same quest icon as every other quest in the game and wasn't called "main quest". That is probably still the best place to start to lead you through your early steps in the game and I'd Google how to find the main quest beginning.

I recently had a look at the new "choose your start" cave and I don't think it helps much. Just EVEN MORE choices without clearly explaining how they fit into the story sequence of the game. How on earth is a new player supposed to choose except "ooh that looks nice"?

PS it really helps when playing to remember that the game launched with three different regions. Originally you couldn't travel between them until you'd done the main quest, so if you were Daggerfall Covenant you had to do the DC zones at the start, Aldmeri Dominion players started in the AD zones, etc.

That restriction was removed but the story still acts like it's there, so a lot of stuff doesn't make sense without that context. Unless you're doing player versus player content, your "alliance" basically doesn't matter any more except in terms of which zones you will have to work through the story for to finish the main quest. You won't be trapped in them and unable to do content in other zones.

But BEWARE: you will have the option later in the game to do the main quest from the perspective of other alliances. It is a good idea NOT to, for example, start the main quest in Daggerfall Covenant but then immediately head off to do the main story quests of, say, Aldmeri Dominion zones, because you may create gaps in the Aldmeri Dominion version of the main quest by completing chunks of it by accident. That will then cause chunks of the Aldmeri Dominion version of the main quest to be missing when you try to play it from their perspective later on. This only applies to the original game zones, not any DLC or chapters released afterwards.

jtm1018

Lame.
But I think I am just more of a fan of elder scrolls game than you are.
If you cant get yourself to try harder to understand the game it just means its not for you.
I was bewildered, actually over burden when I played the game on 2018, too many skills to many gears, but as a fan of elder scrolls I tried hard to understand the set skills and overwelming gear sets the game have and finally settled down to actually enjoy the game a lot.

boi_anachronism_

TaSheen wrote: »

boi_anachronism_ wrote: »

what styles of game do you enjoy for comparison?

I don't like combat in any game. It's something I do as little of as possible.

I'm very confused. If you don't like combat games why are you trying to play a combat based mmo? Because that's most definitely what it is..? What is it you want exactly?

Anifaas

I'm still newish. I used to dislike the combat system but at some point it just became muscle memory and I no longer think about it. Setting my dodge button to my mouse's thumb/back button and my bar switch to my mouse's scroll button made a big difference for me.

My first character was one in which I tried to gear properly. But that ended up being a waste of time. My second character leveled to 50 using basic level 1 training gear and it was a smooth and efficient process.

Builds can be daunting at first but I found starting with beginner builds found at https://alcasthq.com/ helped me immensely. There are other sites with more advanced builds which are great to try out once you form an intuition with the beginner builds at alcast. The builds also helps with gearing at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

Crafting seemed really confusing to me at the start, for some reason, but it feels smooth as butter to me now. Once I learned to focus on researching every trait the rest of the intricacies of crafting fell into place.

Syldras

boi_anachronism_ wrote: »

TaSheen wrote: »

boi_anachronism_ wrote: »

what styles of game do you enjoy for comparison?

I don't like combat in any game. It's something I do as little of as possible.

I'm very confused. If you don't like combat games why are you trying to play a combat based mmo? Because that's most definitely what it is..? What is it you want exactly?

I can imagine that there are people who like TES lore or who just love experiencing stories and exploring the world in a game and don't care for fighting much. I mean, there aren't many alternatives without fighting. Maybe a few indie games. Graphic adventure games are almost dead nowadays.

And honestly, ESO has a lot of activities that don't require much fighting anyway. Of course not PvE dungeons or PvP, but questing would work very well. In many dungeons, you could probably sneak around most enemies except for the endboss (or npc you have to kill for the quest), and there are also quests that don't include fighting at all. And then there's things like housing, fishing, excavations or the card game. Some of these things aren't interesting to me at all, personally, but I can see other players enjoying them.

TaSheen

boi_anachronism_ wrote: »

TaSheen wrote: »

boi_anachronism_ wrote: »

what styles of game do you enjoy for comparison?

I don't like combat in any game. It's something I do as little of as possible.

I'm very confused. If you don't like combat games why are you trying to play a combat based mmo? Because that's most definitely what it is..? What is it you want exactly?

There's a huge amount of non-combat content, to begin with. Basically the only combat I do is what quests require. I also don't really consider this a "combat-based mmo". Because there's so much else to do, you know.

Different strokes.