Is this the biggest problem with Endless Archive - The Solo mode?

grewkshd

Obviously not going into the inability to save progress, are peoples biggest problem with Endless Archive the fact that Solo feels very unbalanced compared to Duo?

I brought up the issue before about the borrowed power from the visions/verses/unlocks being too weak, and after since playing Duo a few times, the problem becomes pretty clear that Solo just feels a complete waste of time unfortunately.

There needs to be some kind of rework involved, otherwise I can't see people who play this game Solo, wanting to keep playing the Archive. Now I understand that the new content was always aimed at Duos, which is of course perfectly fine, but I think either Solo needs a large rework, or Solo should simply be scrapped altogether, as it causes more problems and complaints that it should, and would actually over the long term take up potential resources that could be spent on updating the Duo mode.

Companions should be used on Solo mode

You're never going to get onto the Duo leader board with a companion, unless the game mode is so dead that nobody is playing it, and if we ever get to that stage, then we might as well scrap it. This is the perfect mode to let companions really shine, that could really be an 'Endless' part of the mode for solo players, where you can constantly upgrade your companions within the archive, via the currency you earn. That way you can continuously progress and progress more quickly, there should be a way for those who keep grinding, to have a companion capable of 200k+ dps within the archive, or have 200k health as a tank etc.
There should be a progression system for companions, even as basic as the riding trainer system, where you can increase their Damage/Health/Healing etc by percentage points, in exchange for the Archive currency.

The problem as a Solo player, is that you simply can't progress more quickly the more you play the Archive. The visions/verses are the same Solo as they're Duo, so you're always getting weaker and weaker and slower and slower the longer you play. Whilst that is also true as a Duo, the rate at which you hit the wall, comes much much later because of the extra base DPS you enter with, by having another player.

As a Solo player, you're simply wasting your time.
- Currency is earned slower
- Set items are earned slower
- Achievements are earned slower, and are significantly harder.
- Less Vision/Verse synergy compared to a Duo.
- It's just significantly less fun.

Disregarding the lack of Save function, let's assume there was one....
Is the biggest problem you have with Endless Archive, the fact that Solo play feels pointless and you feel as though you're hitting a wall too quickly?
Should Endless Archive have zero character power, instead, we take no power into the Archive, and only obtain power by systems within the archive itself?

ESO_player123

I recently started doing EA with a companion (that is basically solo since they die at bosses way too fast). I do not care about the leaderboards, and I know that I won't progress far. In fact, I cannot beat the second Tho'at evolution. So, arc 2 before the Tho'at will probably be my limit.

However, I do not want the EA scraped for solo at all. Reworked - maybe. But I still want an opportunity to move/grind at my own pace.

Edit:
I also do not care about the class sets. I'm here for the leads/recipes/furnishings/deck fragments. And I kind of like it, though some bosses are just frustrating.

Edit2:
I'm not completely sure if I understood your post correctly, but my objection is based on the assumption that you think that only a mode for two real players should exist (not a player and a companion).

AzuraFan

grewkshd wrote: »

Should Endless Archive have zero character power, instead, we take no power into the Archive, and only obtain power by systems within the archive itself?

That might have been a lot of fun, but also would have required ZOS to really get the difficulty progression right.

The two main problems I have with the EA are:

1. Difficulty progression doesn't apply to cycle bosses, which can ramp up in difficulty quickly.
2. No way to set the difficulty for the entire EA run (it's instanced, so this should be possible, just like there are normal and vet dungeons).

The EA was clearly designed for a duo, so I think there was a bait and switch too with what was advertised. At least it was free, so nobody paid for it.

jaws343

grewkshd wrote: »

As a Solo player, you're simply wasting your time.
- Currency is earned slower
- Set items are earned slower
- Achievements are earned slower, and are significantly harder.
- Less Vision/Verse synergy compared to a Duo.
- It's just significantly less fun.

Disregarding the lack of Save function, let's assume there was one....
Is the biggest problem you have with Endless Archive, the fact that Solo play feels pointless and you feel as though you're hitting a wall too quickly?
Should Endless Archive have zero character power, instead, we take no power into the Archive, and only obtain power by systems within the archive itself?

Going to have to disagree with most of your post, but this part in particular just hit me as odd criticism.

Having earned all of achievements here (minus the fragment ones which take time regardless), all of the achievements are perfectly reasonable solo. I only did duo last week, 1 run, to get the 60 rounds achievement with a partner. And every other run has been solo. I'd say, less than 2 weeks (on console) to clear achievements, is far from slow.

And really, the content is designed around duos, with solo being the larger challenge. And that seems intended, and welcome.

And as for hitting a wall, that is kind of the point isn't it. You are meant to hit that wall. And once you have the achievements for Arc 4, the wall is irrelevant mostly, outside of personal challenge. Time to farm things can literally be limited to ARC 1 only after achievements are complete. You can choose to challenge yourself against the wall or not and still get rewarded for not doing so.

And hitting that wall, surpassing that wall, is what makes the content engaging. My first run through the archive, I died ARC 2 thoat. The next few runs I died either during ARC 4 or to the ARC 4 thoat.

Completing ARC 4 solo was an achievement. One earned through build adjustments and different approaches to the content. Reaching ARC 6 solo was crazy. Making it through multiple rounds of ARC 6 was awesome. Seeing someone on the leaderboard above me at ARC 9 solo gives me insight into knowing that there is a way to build or approach the content to go further. That I have only reached "A" wall, not "The" wall.

If that challenge, and that amount of effort isn't what someone is interested in, just replay ARC 1 repeatedly until you have all of the rewards and move on from the content.

EdjeSwift

99% of my runs have been solo runs in EA and in all honesty, knowing when to stop is the key to solo play. I'm not expecting to beat Arc 4 regularly as a solo player, much less want to, it's too much time for too little reward, but even as a duo it's not much better speed wise if you're not both DPS.

Points for why solo isn't a waste of time:

Currency isn't earned much slower than a duo if you call it after Arc 2.
Set items are actually earned faster if you call it after Arc 1/2 and just restart, the later arcs just mean more time for at most 2 set items.
Achievements are fine except for the ones which require an Act 3 or 4 later run, the others are actually very solo friendly to complete.
Can't speak on synergy as my few duo runs were either completely for fun or one epicly long run to Arc 9.
Less fun is subjective, I have a blast going in there solo and blowing through enemies.

Here's the thing, if you bring in a heavy DPS with a little defensive capability, you can blow through Arc 1 in 20-25 minutes depending on side rooms/visions and Arc 2 in maybe an hour - hour and a half. After that your heavy DPS will most likely suffer, but that's usually when I shift gear set ups or call it. If you're trying to slog to Arc 7 solo yeah, it's gonna suck, but if you game the system, there's no reason you can't get the rewards you want.

Treeshka

Only reason i play solo sometimes that it has a leaderboard attached to it. Otherwise i would not play Solo because same content can be done with Duo with much more speed.

grewkshd

jaws343 wrote: »

grewkshd wrote: »

As a Solo player, you're simply wasting your time.
- Currency is earned slower
- Set items are earned slower
- Achievements are earned slower, and are significantly harder.
- Less Vision/Verse synergy compared to a Duo.
- It's just significantly less fun.

Disregarding the lack of Save function, let's assume there was one....
Is the biggest problem you have with Endless Archive, the fact that Solo play feels pointless and you feel as though you're hitting a wall too quickly?
Should Endless Archive have zero character power, instead, we take no power into the Archive, and only obtain power by systems within the archive itself?

Having earned all of achievements here (minus the fragment ones which take time regardless), all of the achievements are perfectly reasonable solo. I only did duo last week, 1 run, to get the 60 rounds achievement with a partner. And every other run has been solo. I'd say, less than 2 weeks (on console) to clear achievements, is far from slow.

And as for hitting a wall, that is kind of the point isn't it. You are meant to hit that wall. And once you have the achievements for Arc 4, the wall is irrelevant mostly, outside of personal challenge. Time to farm things can literally be limited to ARC 1 only after achievements are complete. You can choose to challenge yourself against the wall or not and still get rewarded for not doing so.

And hitting that wall, surpassing that wall, is what makes the content engaging. My first run through the archive, I died ARC 2 thoat. The next few runs I died either during ARC 4 or to the ARC 4 thoat.

If that challenge, and that amount of effort isn't what someone is interested in, just replay ARC 1 repeatedly until you have all of the rewards and move on from the content.

I did Arc 1 and quit every time before attempting a full run, to complete the mini games faster and therefore allow me to purchase the unlocks, but is this really the way you're promoting the game should be played? Promoting a mode as 'Endless', but then making people play the first level over and over again as the most efficient way to play the mode, is not really a good thing is it? I'd suggest the developers didn't want this.

As for hitting 'The Wall', again, how can a mode be advertised as 'Endless'. but then have a Wall. There is a very fixed wall currently, I dare suggest it is completely impossible, without the game being bugged, to get to Arc 15 solo, as mobs damage scales above the rate at which you scale.

If you get to Arc 10, you should somehow progress your character, in a way which increase your chances of getting above Arc 10 in the future...That doesn't happen. Again, labelling the mode as 'Endless' and talking about a 'Roguelike', they aren't really hitting either of those marks, that they themselves told us we should measure the mode against.

grewkshd

EdjeSwift wrote: »

99% of my runs have been solo runs in EA and in all honesty, knowing when to stop is the key to solo play. I'm not expecting to beat Arc 4 regularly as a solo player, much less want to, it's too much time for too little reward, but even as a duo it's not much better speed wise if you're not both DPS.

Points for why solo isn't a waste of time:

Currency isn't earned much slower than a duo if you call it after Arc 2.
Set items are actually earned faster if you call it after Arc 1/2 and just restart, the later arcs just mean more time for at most 2 set items.
Achievements are fine except for the ones which require an Act 3 or 4 later run, the others are actually very solo friendly to complete.
Can't speak on synergy as my few duo runs were either completely for fun or one epicly long run to Arc 9.
Less fun is subjective, I have a blast going in there solo and blowing through enemies.

Here's the thing, if you bring in a heavy DPS with a little defensive capability, you can blow through Arc 1 in 20-25 minutes depending on side rooms/visions and Arc 2 in maybe an hour - hour and a half. After that your heavy DPS will most likely suffer, but that's usually when I shift gear set ups or call it. If you're trying to slog to Arc 7 solo yeah, it's gonna suck, but if you game the system, there's no reason you can't get the rewards you want.

Quitting after Arc 2 with a Duo, is quicker than quitting after Arc 2 Solo, I don't understand the point you're making.
As for synergies, double the number of visions and verses will always have more synergies than half the amount. So Duos will simply always have more synergy. That's without the synergy of double the number of set bonuses/weapon bonuses etc.

I think your last sentence sums up the problem. Nobody wants to game for fun anymore, everybody wants some meaningless rewards on a virtual game that mean nothing, rather than have hours of fun. People would rather get rewards from playing content that isn't fun, than playing content that is fun for no rewards.

EdjeSwift

grewkshd wrote: »

Quitting after Arc 2 with a Duo, is quicker than quitting after Arc 2 Solo, I don't understand the point you're making.

Arc 1 and Arc 2 aren't much slower duo v solo, it's only after Arc 2 where you notice the big time save. Depending on mini-games solo can faster since they're easier solo.

grewkshd wrote: »

I think your last sentence sums up the problem. Nobody wants to game for fun anymore, everybody wants some meaningless rewards on a virtual game that mean nothing, rather than have hours of fun. People would rather get rewards from playing content that isn't fun, than playing content that is fun for no rewards.

Fun is subjective, and how people have fun depends on the game. My definition of fun in ESO has evolved from 'Wow! This is pretty and this story is great!" to "I've been here for a decade, what's left to do? Oh yeah! Antiquities and Stickerbook!" I still play this game for fun, it may not be YOUR definition of fun, but it's still fun to me. That's like saying that because I play a popular tower defense game to unlock better towers I'm not playing for fun. Heck, as I get older, I get more fun from finding out to game the system/efficiently use my time than slogging through stuff that young me would have enjoyed.

boi_anachronism_

This is all really interesting to me because when they first announced it way back when with the necrom preview the words rich used were "how does an endless dungeon with a buddy sound?". I think in progressive previews they got away from that leading people to believe its solo focused when its pretty obviously deigned with a duo in mind.

XSTRONG

Scrap solo mode is a bad idea, I dont mind Endless Archive getting harder as you progress further.

If Zos decide to scrap solo mode because some players find Arc 1 and 2 hard it would be a disaster.

Some kind of savepoint and maybe nerf Arc 1 so more people can clear it for daily and stuff.

Necrotech_Master

i agree that companions should not count your run as a duo

they becomes extremely worthless after arc 3, unless your running pearlescent and their being dead all the time is giving you a 33% dmg mitigation lol

running on a pure dps i dont have problems until arc 4, but having the healer companion is at least somewhat helpful

running on my tank setup a dps companion helps, but they do negligible dmg because they get no bonuses from verses/visions

the companions should at minimum get 1 random verse from a subset of them (since they couldnt really make use of some of them like transformation verses), and they should also get some kind of vision or scaling buff depending on the arc your on, because as it stands i have never ever seen a companion live through even arc 1 tho'at fight (they usually get nuked by eye beams)

overall i think the solo mode is going to be harder because the content is balanced around a 2 player group, you can opt to do it solo for more challenge, but the content is ultimately balanced for 2 players

jaws343

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

i agree that companions should not count your run as a duo

they becomes extremely worthless after arc 3, unless your running pearlescent and their being dead all the time is giving you a 33% dmg mitigation lol

running on a pure dps i dont have problems until arc 4, but having the healer companion is at least somewhat helpful

running on my tank setup a dps companion helps, but they do negligible dmg because they get no bonuses from verses/visions

the companions should at minimum get 1 random verse from a subset of them (since they couldnt really make use of some of them like transformation verses), and they should also get some kind of vision or scaling buff depending on the arc your on, because as it stands i have never ever seen a companion live through even arc 1 tho'at fight (they usually get nuked by eye beams)

overall i think the solo mode is going to be harder because the content is balanced around a 2 player group, you can opt to do it solo for more challenge, but the content is ultimately balanced for 2 players

I do agree that companions should be their own thing. Likely even a separate leaderboard for using one.

I will say, I actually found a way to mostly keep them alive and useful. Ironically, it involves the worst setup for every other piece of content: ranged DPS.

Generally, ranged DPS companions roll dodge out of fights and often reset bosses in dungeons and overland.

But, I found that I can keep a ranged Ember alive through all of ARC 1, minus the thoat fight, and most of ARC 2, minus maurader and thoat and a few of the bosses.

Necrotech_Master

jaws343 wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

i agree that companions should not count your run as a duo

they becomes extremely worthless after arc 3, unless your running pearlescent and their being dead all the time is giving you a 33% dmg mitigation lol

running on a pure dps i dont have problems until arc 4, but having the healer companion is at least somewhat helpful

running on my tank setup a dps companion helps, but they do negligible dmg because they get no bonuses from verses/visions

the companions should at minimum get 1 random verse from a subset of them (since they couldnt really make use of some of them like transformation verses), and they should also get some kind of vision or scaling buff depending on the arc your on, because as it stands i have never ever seen a companion live through even arc 1 tho'at fight (they usually get nuked by eye beams)

overall i think the solo mode is going to be harder because the content is balanced around a 2 player group, you can opt to do it solo for more challenge, but the content is ultimately balanced for 2 players

I do agree that companions should be their own thing. Likely even a separate leaderboard for using one.

I will say, I actually found a way to mostly keep them alive and useful. Ironically, it involves the worst setup for every other piece of content: ranged DPS.

Generally, ranged DPS companions roll dodge out of fights and often reset bosses in dungeons and overland.

But, I found that I can keep a ranged Ember alive through all of ARC 1, minus the thoat fight, and most of ARC 2, minus maurader and thoat and a few of the bosses.

i actually only set up my dps companions as ranged dps because i usually use them paired with a tank, so it keeps them as far from the action as possible

but yes a ranged build is likely the only way they can survive to any degree

EdjeSwift

jaws343 wrote: »

I will say, I actually found a way to mostly keep them alive and useful. Ironically, it involves the worst setup for every other piece of content: ranged DPS.

Generally, ranged DPS companions roll dodge out of fights and often reset bosses in dungeons and overland.

100% agree with this. I use the Archive to level up my companion's off-weapon skill lines just in case I wanna switch them up down the line. I find it super efficient, only a few grind spots in the overland beat it, but those are often camped already.

With all of them the results are the same in EA, even if I set up their skills to be all healing and ranged they still rush in to melee so it's always the same: S&B? Dead. 2H? Dead. DW? Dead. Destro Staff? Stays Alive. Bow? Stays Alive Resto Staff? Stays Alive

valenwood_vegan

*shrug* - Idk, I've personally found solo to be fine. Got all the achievements (except the slow ones that require fragments) and got on the leaderboard solo in the first week or so.

In fact I have pretty much only soloed EA, because it takes too long and I don't want to have to find another person to schedule such a long activity with / subject that other person to my real life whims (every run for me reaches a point where I just have to quit because of real obligations).

Don't get me wrong. group stuff is fun - but compared to when I was younger, it's much more difficult to schedule group gaming time now and it starts to feel like work. A lot of times I just want to hop on, do what I want to do for the amount of time I have free, and log off.

I solo most stuff in this game for the above reasons. And tbh if they were to scrap solo mode for EA, I would mostly stop running it (like other content that can't be done solo).

If anything, I would want them to add a easy / vet difficulty option so people who just want to run through it solo for fun can have that option, and people who want the challenge can still have that option as well. Maybe for "easy" solo, you could bring a (hopefully improved) companion who would benefit from their own verses and visions... while vet could stay solo as it is now.

And there's a lot of room to improve companions, no argument from me there.

AlterBlika

Solo is always a waste of time value-wise. You do it for fun or challenge, like with the rest of the game you can solo (anything aside from trials)

Tandor

I think those who are doing EA ok solo need to explain whether they are solo players in the rest of the game. Someone who regularly does trials, for example, will be more knowledgeable and better equipped than someone whose main playstyle is solo. I'm not saying what's right or wrong about soloing in EA, just that those who solo it ok should give some context to that.

Necrotech_Master

Tandor wrote: »

I think those who are doing EA ok solo need to explain whether they are solo players in the rest of the game. Someone who regularly does trials, for example, will be more knowledgeable and better equipped than someone whose main playstyle is solo. I'm not saying what's right or wrong about soloing in EA, just that those who solo it ok should give some context to that.

maelstrom and vateshran arenas are also solo activities

if you can clear those on vet, you should have no problem getting into at least arc 3-4 solo

as you noted, "solo" means anyone who runs by themselves, some people solo vet dungeons, and some people cant solo world bosses (base game non dlc)

you can be a good solo player without trials gear (there are even people who have posted doing naked arc 1 runs solo)

PrinceShroob

The only part of a solo run that needs adjustment is the random marauder spawns, in my opinion. Gothmau in particular does 21k damage with his light attacks--enough to kill a solo player or put them at death's door. It's no picnic tanking him, either, but at least there you're focused on staying alive and not also trying to do damage.

I accept that you won't get as far solo since you have to handle bosses by your lonesome, but the marauders really do sometimes feel like a "randomly lose a Thread" mechanic.

It's really not fair that using a companion puts you on the Duo leaderboard. They should at least have their own leaderboard if they can't be used solo--they're nowhere near as good as another human player.

I'd also make pets invulnerable (and unable to get aggro) since Sorcerers are badly disadvantaged by continually losing their pets from area effects, and make companions invulnerable to ground effects in all content, period (they're already immune to environmental damage, but they melt to Tho'at or Yolnahkrin because they have no awareness of ground effects and make no attempts to avoid or get out of them).

aaisoaho

I have been soloing EA. Just finished the Unending title for it solo and have went to 5-4-x at which point I ran out of time. My background, as per @Tandor requested: mid-end game player, have progged for example vKA HM, vCR+3 (was EC cro) and vSS HM (was portal dd on Nahvi). Also have done every trial on vet. Have done most of the dungeon HMs and some dungeon trifectas. Have cleared all the arenas on vet.

Primarily play EA solo, because I do not have a set schedule at the moment for group content, so I didn't feel like bothering people to run it with me. And yes, previous experience from other content have helped me quite a bit in handling EA. Even something like Cyrodiil tower farming has an application in it: to survive Gothmau in later arcs if I'm unsure about my survivability.

Braffin

I'm personally fine with solo mode in it's current state.

Yes, everything is earned slower this way and you'll have less verses and visions at hand than by going in as a duo. But that's something we know before and a rather quick run solo never was unenjoyable for me.

I agree tho, that treating companions as "duo" regarding leaderboards is odd. These runs should definitely be listed on a separate leaderboard to make things fair.

I'd also support improvements to companions. Can't say anything about details tho, as I personally never use them.

valenwood_vegan

Tandor wrote: »

I think those who are doing EA ok solo need to explain whether they are solo players in the rest of the game. Someone who regularly does trials, for example, will be more knowledgeable and better equipped than someone whose main playstyle is solo. I'm not saying what's right or wrong about soloing in EA, just that those who solo it ok should give some context to that.

Ok, to provide some context... I've actually never done a trial (in over 10k hours of playtime if you can believe it, lol) - but I've been on the leaderboard for vMA / vVH and have soloed every dungeon that doesn't have anti-soloing mechs (most on normal, some on vet). Have done all of them on vet with a group. So yes, definitely an "experienced solo" player, lol.

I do absolutely realize this probably isn't the norm, and I have nothing against adding an easier difficulty option to EA.

AlterBlika

Tandor wrote: »

Someone who regularly does trials, for example, will be more knowledgeable and better equipped than someone whose main playstyle is solo.

Untrue. Solo players (those who are really into it) will always be on the same level or above. When solo you need lots of sets, trial ones included; you also must be good at the game - it's not like parsing behind a boss with occasional mechanics.
Although I'm talking about players like myself who enjoy doing very hard stuff alone. I for example don't hesitate to join a guild/group to run a trial (although playing dd/tank role is boring for me), but my main playstyle is solo, and I hardly run them anymore as I have all the sets I need.

jaws343

Tandor wrote: »

I think those who are doing EA ok solo need to explain whether they are solo players in the rest of the game. Someone who regularly does trials, for example, will be more knowledgeable and better equipped than someone whose main playstyle is solo. I'm not saying what's right or wrong about soloing in EA, just that those who solo it ok should give some context to that.

I don't know about that really.

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

I think those who are doing EA ok solo need to explain whether they are solo players in the rest of the game. Someone who regularly does trials, for example, will be more knowledgeable and better equipped than someone whose main playstyle is solo. I'm not saying what's right or wrong about soloing in EA, just that those who solo it ok should give some context to that.

maelstrom and vateshran arenas are also solo activities

if you can clear those on vet, you should have no problem getting into at least arc 3-4 solo

as you noted, "solo" means anyone who runs by themselves, some people solo vet dungeons, and some people cant solo world bosses (base game non dlc)

you can be a good solo player without trials gear (there are even people who have posted doing naked arc 1 runs solo)

Echoing this, maelstrom and vateshran are better comparisons than trials.

Soloing 4 man content is better comparison than a trial.

If you can do normal maelstrom or normal vateshran, you can complete arc 1. The mechanics are far more difficult for each of those true solo instance than they are for any of ARC 1, any boss encounter you could possibly get as well.


I think only doing trials and endgame composition type content is a detriment to being able to solo content or do solo content. Now, there is overlap between the player types for sure. But if all a player does is get carried through normal dungeons with 3 other players doing the work, their experience in content solo, where they have to tank, dps, and heal, are going to be drastically worse for it.

And for information, things I have soloed:
All base game dungeons on vet (except ones with lockdown mechanics that are impossible to do)
All DLC dungeons on normal (except ICP, which has a door mechanic that makes completing the dungeon impossible solo)
Normal Black Rose and Normal Dawnstar
Vet Mael and Vet Vateshran, all achievements.

AlterBlika

PrinceShroob wrote: »

I accept that you won't get as far solo since you have to handle bosses by your lonesome, but the marauders really do sometimes feel like a "randomly lose a Thread" mechanic.

Marauders hit like some vDLC last bosses, the problem is either they start doing this so early or other bosses are badly adjusted. Of course ultimately they go even beyond that, but it's okay since EA doesn't have an end, but they're certainly manageable, it just depends on your build.

AlterBlika

Braffin wrote: »

I agree tho, that treating companions as "duo" regarding leaderboards is odd. These runs should definitely be listed on a separate leaderboard to make things fair.

No need for a separate leaderboard. Companions' only use in hard content is sacrificing them to get 33% mitigation from pearlescent, otherwise they aren't worth anything. Plus they don't get verses and visions, can't revive you. This way it would end up another solo leaderboard where people may run pearlescent. They should be moved to solo category, because when you solo other things in game you always bring a companion and if you don't use this specific set they don't do anything. Plus they're not other players, so you're still "solo".

Buuut I kinda like that now we can't bring companions to solo. I was forced to look into other builds to get mitigation, other than pearlescent, and I sort of liked it. Theorycrafting in ESO is amazing sometimes.

Tandor

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

I think those who are doing EA ok solo need to explain whether they are solo players in the rest of the game. Someone who regularly does trials, for example, will be more knowledgeable and better equipped than someone whose main playstyle is solo. I'm not saying what's right or wrong about soloing in EA, just that those who solo it ok should give some context to that.

maelstrom and vateshran arenas are also solo activities

if you can clear those on vet, you should have no problem getting into at least arc 3-4 solo

as you noted, "solo" means anyone who runs by themselves, some people solo vet dungeons, and some people cant solo world bosses (base game non dlc)

you can be a good solo player without trials gear (there are even people who have posted doing naked arc 1 runs solo)

The difference between what people solo in the rest of the game is precisely my point in seeking clarification of the context in which some say they can solo EA just fine. I gave trial experience as a "for example".

MidniteOwl1913

grewkshd wrote: »

Obviously not going into the inability to save progress, are peoples biggest problem with Endless Archive the fact that Solo feels very unbalanced compared to Duo?

I brought up the issue before about the borrowed power from the visions/verses/unlocks being too weak, and after since playing Duo a few times, the problem becomes pretty clear that Solo just feels a complete waste of time unfortunately.

There needs to be some kind of rework involved, otherwise I can't see people who play this game Solo, wanting to keep playing the Archive. Now I understand that the new content was always aimed at Duos, which is of course perfectly fine, but I think either Solo needs a large rework, or Solo should simply be scrapped altogether, as it causes more problems and complaints that it should, and would actually over the long term take up potential resources that could be spent on updating the Duo mode.

Companions should be used on Solo mode

You're never going to get onto the Duo leader board with a companion, unless the game mode is so dead that nobody is playing it, and if we ever get to that stage, then we might as well scrap it. This is the perfect mode to let companions really shine, that could really be an 'Endless' part of the mode for solo players, where you can constantly upgrade your companions within the archive, via the currency you earn. That way you can continuously progress and progress more quickly, there should be a way for those who keep grinding, to have a companion capable of 200k+ dps within the archive, or have 200k health as a tank etc.
There should be a progression system for companions, even as basic as the riding trainer system, where you can increase their Damage/Health/Healing etc by percentage points, in exchange for the Archive currency.

The problem as a Solo player, is that you simply can't progress more quickly the more you play the Archive. The visions/verses are the same Solo as they're Duo, so you're always getting weaker and weaker and slower and slower the longer you play. Whilst that is also true as a Duo, the rate at which you hit the wall, comes much much later because of the extra base DPS you enter with, by having another player.

As a Solo player, you're simply wasting your time.
- Currency is earned slower
- Set items are earned slower
- Achievements are earned slower, and are significantly harder.
- Less Vision/Verse synergy compared to a Duo.
- It's just significantly less fun.

Disregarding the lack of Save function, let's assume there was one....
Is the biggest problem you have with Endless Archive, the fact that Solo play feels pointless and you feel as though you're hitting a wall too quickly?
Should Endless Archive have zero character power, instead, we take no power into the Archive, and only obtain power by systems within the archive itself?

I totally agree that solo EA is no fun and a waste of time solo. Duoing is hard for me because I have limited playtime. Save function is a must.

I'm unclear on what you mean by take no power into the Archive.

Necrotech_Master

Tandor wrote: »

Necrotech_Master wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

I think those who are doing EA ok solo need to explain whether they are solo players in the rest of the game. Someone who regularly does trials, for example, will be more knowledgeable and better equipped than someone whose main playstyle is solo. I'm not saying what's right or wrong about soloing in EA, just that those who solo it ok should give some context to that.

maelstrom and vateshran arenas are also solo activities

if you can clear those on vet, you should have no problem getting into at least arc 3-4 solo

as you noted, "solo" means anyone who runs by themselves, some people solo vet dungeons, and some people cant solo world bosses (base game non dlc)

you can be a good solo player without trials gear (there are even people who have posted doing naked arc 1 runs solo)

The difference between what people solo in the rest of the game is precisely my point in seeking clarification of the context in which some say they can solo EA just fine. I gave trial experience as a "for example".

if thats the context your looking for, i have solo'd virtually every group dungeon on normal (minus the few that have lockdown mechanics), 98% of the world bosses, vet vateshran (the only thing ive ever gotten a trifecta on), and vet maelstrom (with no deaths)

i have done trials stuff, but group context is significantly different than solo context, and i consider endless archive to be solo context (even running in a 2 person group is significantly more limiting than a 4 or 12 person group)

YffresTrill

I've tried it as both solo and duo, and while I find this sort of content quite tedious in general, I vastly prefer solo.

I don't like having to modulate my pace to match someone else's. When solo, I can take things as slow, with as many little breaks, as I like.

I actually also prefer solo to with a companion; for me, companions are for roleplay, and having to manage them while in combat is just an annoyance.

I have made it to arc 5 solo, with one thread loss at the first attempt on Tho'at 4.0. Could I go further? Yes, I'm sure I could, but it was already getting massively sloggy by this point, and with no further achievements after that, I feel no motivation to do so, even if it was in a duo.

As for your proposed changes: sure, why not. Maybe I would try it with a companion properly if there was a companion buffing system implemented. I am indifferent on the character power coming completely from the archive.

(For context, as it has been asked: I am almost entirely a solo player, though I've dabbled in vet group content in the past. I've done vet MA and VH, but most of my playtime is dedicated to overland, as questing, exploration, and roleplay remain my primary interests.)