Xbox NA Population Cap changes?

TrvpEriith

First off I would like to start off by saying the hardware refresh has done wonders for pvp on Xbox NA and for the first time in a long time I am having nothing but fun playing ESO again. It has been a wonderful experience, however does anyone else feel like the population cap has been lowered again? It is 3 bar across the board primetime and 50+ ques on all alliances, but it only feels like 1 fight happening anywhere on the map at a given time. For an upgrade/fix we have been wait for, for literal years you would think Cyrodiil would be more packed than ever but it feels even more empty than it was. @ZOS_Kevin @ZOS_GinaBruno are you able to provide any official insight? Tbh if the population was decreased again that would be very disappointing, the large scale combat of this game is what makes it feel so unique on console and is what has drawn so many of us too the game. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

ArchMikem

Xbox had our server upgrade already? I thought that was later in the year.

virtus753

ArchMikem wrote: »

Xbox had our server upgrade already? I thought that was later in the year.

XBox NA did. XBox EU has to wait longer than they anticipated due to certain work that needs to be done in Frankfurt.

CGPsaint

I haven't seen a queue under 65 in days and it's taking 30-60 minutes to get in. That being said, it definitely feels like less players even with 3 bars. Maybe that was the "upgrade." Less players equals less load on the antiquated servers? More information would definitely be welcome. In the meantime I guess that I'll continue to just harass red and blue resources solo...

Jabbs_Giggity

Definitely noticeable for GH NA. Queue times are pushing 90+. Among other issues, accepting group invites is causing Queue to reset, or Queue will bug out at either 2 or 16 and force us to reset ourselves.

Meanwhile, BR is now seeing 3-Bar pops and Queue is still instant.

Pop-Caps have definitely had to have been lowered for GH. Every other line in ZC is complaints about Queue time or that it feels like there is not enough players in Campaigns to actually do anything.

Meanwhile, AD alliance seems to have full zergs in 3 areas spread across the map simultaneously and consistently for GH NA - where AD has NEVER had these types of numbers...
BRK = 30+ AD
DClaw = 30+AD
Ash = 30+AD

React

I'm glad that you guys are noticing it as well. They did the same thing on PC NA and PC EU.

PC NA is already back to lagging as badly as it had before they replaced the servers - so does that mean with the lower population caps, performance is actually worse than it was a year ago?

virtus753

React wrote: »

I'm glad that you guys are noticing it as well. They did the same thing on PC NA and PC EU.

PC NA is already back to lagging as badly as it had before they replaced the servers - so does that mean with the lower population caps, performance is actually worse than it was a year ago?

Not necessarily. If the population cap was lowered with the new hardware, and performance initially was better, it might be the case either that they raised the cap again (the queues at the time I play are now almost always gone, down from a slow-moving 30+ regularly) or that they redistributed resources so that we’ve now reached the same level of performance as before. They said they didn’t expect to see performance gains as a result of the new hardware, which would give them leeway to manage resources if they found other areas needed the help more.

Jabbs_Giggity

React wrote: »

I'm glad that you guys are noticing it as well. They did the same thing on PC NA and PC EU.

PC NA is already back to lagging as badly as it had before they replaced the servers - so does that mean with the lower population caps, performance is actually worse than it was a year ago?

Depends on your definition of worse...
1. Skills actually work now, which is good and bad.
The GOOD - less frustrating to play the game over all. Easier to apply combos or use skills that didn't work in Lag.
The BAD - Comp groups have returned to ruin the experience and are now nearly unkillable. Tank META with high health/high burst also CAN use abilities reliably...Often getting 1-shot due to multiple combos now landing effectively before any time to react due to high burst accessibility/proc sets/DC-PB-VD

Now that performance (in general) is much healthier in PVP, serious rebalancing needs to be done across the board.

CGPsaint

Jabbs_Giggity wrote: »

Definitely noticeable for GH NA. Queue times are pushing 90+. Among other issues, accepting group invites is causing Queue to reset, or Queue will bug out at either 2 or 16 and force us to reset ourselves.

Meanwhile, BR is now seeing 3-Bar pops and Queue is still instant.

Pop-Caps have definitely had to have been lowered for GH. Every other line in ZC is complaints about Queue time or that it feels like there is not enough players in Campaigns to actually do anything.

Meanwhile, AD alliance seems to have full zergs in 3 areas spread across the map simultaneously and consistently for GH NA - where AD has NEVER had these types of numbers...
BRK = 30+ AD
DClaw = 30+AD
Ash = 30+AD

Xbox or PC, because I definitely haven't seen a single AD zerg anywhere in GH with 30+ players. AD on Xbox/NA has been absolutely no-existent and has pretty much just been holding on to BB, BM, and Fare since the update. I always queue solo and have no had a single response for LFG either, so I generally just go harass resources since nobody seems to want to work together on AD.

Quackery

Edit: this is on Xbox, thought it said PC. Never mind.

Jabbs_Giggity

CGPsaint wrote: »

Jabbs_Giggity wrote: »

Definitely noticeable for GH NA. Queue times are pushing 90+. Among other issues, accepting group invites is causing Queue to reset, or Queue will bug out at either 2 or 16 and force us to reset ourselves.

Meanwhile, BR is now seeing 3-Bar pops and Queue is still instant.

Pop-Caps have definitely had to have been lowered for GH. Every other line in ZC is complaints about Queue time or that it feels like there is not enough players in Campaigns to actually do anything.

Meanwhile, AD alliance seems to have full zergs in 3 areas spread across the map simultaneously and consistently for GH NA - where AD has NEVER had these types of numbers...
BRK = 30+ AD
DClaw = 30+AD
Ash = 30+AD

Xbox or PC, because I definitely haven't seen a single AD zerg anywhere in GH with 30+ players. AD on Xbox/NA has been absolutely no-existent and has pretty much just been holding on to BB, BM, and Fare since the update. I always queue solo and have no had a single response for LFG either, so I generally just go harass resources since nobody seems to want to work together on AD.

Xbox NA. Not sure what times you're playing on, but EST daytime-10PM has been a massive influx of AD presence across the map [snip]. DC has 1-2 solid 12-man's and a few 2-3 groups that hold their own. EP generally doesn't shine until late primetime, or late night.
Most of the EP regulars are stuck in 90+ queues that often glitch, causing resets, or give up due to time spent in queue now for GH.

Something is definitely different...

[edited for rude/insulting comment]

CGPsaint

Jabbs_Giggity wrote: »

Xbox NA. Not sure what times you're playing on, but EST daytime-10PM has been a massive influx of AD presence across the map [snip]. DC has 1-2 solid 12-man's and a few 2-3 groups that hold their own. EP generally doesn't shine until late primetime, or late night.
Most of the EP regulars are stuck in 90+ queues that often glitch, causing resets, or give up due to time spent in queue now for GH.

Something is definitely different...

I have been playing during the day until midnight EST, and it's a ghost town for most of the map. I generally end up just watching the map and trying to support keep assaults or try to keep our resources yellow, or if all else fails will ride north and harry enemy resources to be annoying.

[edited to remove quote]

Karivaa

AD needs to come home. That’s all. They will.

KronikFlatulenz

Id really like an answer on this, too.

bachpain

TrvpEriith wrote: »

First off I would like to start off by saying the hardware refresh has done wonders for pvp on Xbox NA and for the first time in a long time I am having nothing but fun playing ESO again. It has been a wonderful experience, however does anyone else feel like the population cap has been lowered again? It is 3 bar across the board primetime and 50+ ques on all alliances, but it only feels like 1 fight happening anywhere on the map at a given time. For an upgrade/fix we have been wait for, for literal years you would think Cyrodiil would be more packed than ever but it feels even more empty than it was. @ZOS_Kevin @ZOS_GinaBruno are you able to provide any official insight? Tbh if the population was decreased again that would be very disappointing, the large scale combat of this game is what makes it feel so unique on console and is what has drawn so many of us too the game. Any insight would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

That feeling also exists on PCNA since the hardware refresh. There are almost always queues at prime time but somehow the servers don't seem anywhere near "full".

gp1680

How has there been no answer from anyone on this yet? @ZOS_GinaBruno @ZOS_Kevin ? Another top-secret PvP change?

KronikFlatulenz

Bump. Still awaiting an answer...

Fruity_Ninja

Agree re: the performance Erith. Seriously amazed at how little skill delay and lag I’ve experienced. It’s like night and day.

I really hope it lasts, not sure I could go back to the way it was now.