I thought the stories were gonna last

Libonotus · January 20

I thought the idea behind the new chapter stories were that they were gonna run for a while….. not just two expansion. May as well have just kept it how we had previous chapters and DLC instead of stretching it over 2 years 🙄

Soarora · January 20

We don’t know its ending this year though? I assumed it’d be 3 years like Daedric War.

WhiteCoatSyndrome · January 20

Soarora wrote: »

We don’t know its ending this year though? I assumed it’d be 3 years like Daedric War.

Agree with this, until they start advertising ‘The CONCLUSION of the Epic Insert Name Here Multi-Year Story Arc’ I’ll be surprised if the current year Chapter ends the aforementioned arc.

OtarTheMad · January 20

Unfortunately it is ending. This is from the article on the website:

“Arriving March 11 for PC/Mac and March 26 for Xbox and Playstation consoles, the Scions of Ithelia dungeon DLC pack continues the story from last year's Necrom Chapter. Learn more about the spreading threat via the two dungeons featured in this pack, then experience its stunning conclusion in the upcoming Chapter, The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road (arriving June 3 for PC/Mac and June 18 for consoles).”

WhiteCoatSyndrome · January 20

OtarTheMad wrote: »

Unfortunately it is ending. This is from the article on the website:

“Arriving March 11 for PC/Mac and March 26 for Xbox and Playstation consoles, the Scions of Ithelia dungeon DLC pack continues the story from last year's Necrom Chapter. Learn more about the spreading threat via the two dungeons featured in this pack, then experience its stunning conclusion in the upcoming Chapter, The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road (arriving June 3 for PC/Mac and June 18 for consoles).”

Oh. I stand corrected then!

OtarTheMad · January 20

aspergalas4 wrote: »

OtarTheMad wrote: »

Unfortunately it is ending. This is from the article on the website:

“Arriving March 11 for PC/Mac and March 26 for Xbox and Playstation consoles, the Scions of Ithelia dungeon DLC pack continues the story from last year's Necrom Chapter. Learn more about the spreading threat via the two dungeons featured in this pack, then experience its stunning conclusion in the upcoming Chapter, The Elder Scrolls Online: Gold Road (arriving June 3 for PC/Mac and June 18 for consoles).”

[snip]

Completely agree. LoL.

[edited to remove quote]

Syldras · January 20

Libonotus wrote: »

I thought the idea behind the new chapter stories were that they were gonna run for a while….. not just two expansion. May as well have just kept it how we had previous chapters and DLC instead of stretching it over 2 years 🙄

Honestly: When they first announced that they'll remove the Q4 story dlc, my first thought was that they'll stretch the same content over 2 years now and call the usual dlc a chapter (and sell it for the chapter price).

Libonotus · January 22

Syldras wrote: »

Libonotus wrote: »

I thought the idea behind the new chapter stories were that they were gonna run for a while….. not just two expansion. May as well have just kept it how we had previous chapters and DLC instead of stretching it over 2 years 🙄

Honestly: When they first announced that they'll remove the Q4 story dlc, my first thought was that they'll stretch the same content over 2 years now and call the usual dlc a chapter (and sell it for the chapter price).

And you were correct. [snip]

[edited for bashing]

xclassgaming · January 22

i mean, The daedric war trilogy, Morrowind, clockwork and summerset also ran for this long?

Libonotus · January 22

xclassgaming wrote: »

i mean, The daedric war trilogy, Morrowind, clockwork and summerset also ran for this long?

and that was a multi-chapter story that included the Q4 DLC. Not just an expansion and the Q4 DLC rebranded as an expansion. It is very clearly stated on the ESO website Gold Road is the end of this story

CameraBeardThePirate · January 22

Libonotus wrote: »

xclassgaming wrote: »

i mean, The daedric war trilogy, Morrowind, clockwork and summerset also ran for this long?

and that was a multi-chapter story that included the Q4 DLC. Not just an expansion and the Q4 DLC rebranded as an expansion. It is very clearly stated on the ESO website Gold Road is the end of this story

So Morrowind Expansion -> Clockwork Q4 -> Summerset Expansion. The exact same as Necrom Expansion -> Q4 Infinite Archive -> Gold Road Expansion.

What exactly is the problem?

Elsonso · January 22

From the Dev interview:

'There is a very distinct ending to this story' in regard to Gold Road, but Lambert is coy about whether any loose threads will be picked up in the future.

This is what makes me think that all of this would extend into a third Chapter in 2025, as part of the 10th Anniversary. (Edit... not this exact story, but more on the same path)

But, then again, I question whether they can really extend the "10th anniversary party" until the anniversary of the console launch. I figure that, by the middle of 2025, the feedback will be, "are they still doing that?"

This is the year. Amsterdam is the event.

edit fix quote

Kendaric · January 22

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

Libonotus wrote: »

xclassgaming wrote: »

i mean, The daedric war trilogy, Morrowind, clockwork and summerset also ran for this long?

and that was a multi-chapter story that included the Q4 DLC. Not just an expansion and the Q4 DLC rebranded as an expansion. It is very clearly stated on the ESO website Gold Road is the end of this story

So Morrowind Expansion -> Clockwork Q4 -> Summerset Expansion. The exact same as Necrom Expansion -> Q4 Infinite Archive -> Gold Road Expansion.

What exactly is the problem?

Do you really think a modified arena (Infinite Archive) equates to a zone DLC (Clockwork City)? Seriously?

Braffin · January 22

Kendaric wrote: »

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

Libonotus wrote: »

xclassgaming wrote: »

i mean, The daedric war trilogy, Morrowind, clockwork and summerset also ran for this long?

and that was a multi-chapter story that included the Q4 DLC. Not just an expansion and the Q4 DLC rebranded as an expansion. It is very clearly stated on the ESO website Gold Road is the end of this story

So Morrowind Expansion -> Clockwork Q4 -> Summerset Expansion. The exact same as Necrom Expansion -> Q4 Infinite Archive -> Gold Road Expansion.

What exactly is the problem?

Do you really think a modified arena (Infinite Archive) equates to a zone DLC (Clockwork City)? Seriously?

Yes, I do. I even prefer the "modified arena" IA compared to yet another story zone without any meaningful gameplay and combat.

Seriously.

CameraBeardThePirate · January 22

Kendaric wrote: »

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

Libonotus wrote: »

xclassgaming wrote: »

i mean, The daedric war trilogy, Morrowind, clockwork and summerset also ran for this long?

and that was a multi-chapter story that included the Q4 DLC. Not just an expansion and the Q4 DLC rebranded as an expansion. It is very clearly stated on the ESO website Gold Road is the end of this story

So Morrowind Expansion -> Clockwork Q4 -> Summerset Expansion. The exact same as Necrom Expansion -> Q4 Infinite Archive -> Gold Road Expansion.

What exactly is the problem?

Do you really think a modified arena (Infinite Archive) equates to a zone DLC (Clockwork City)? Seriously?

Well yes, I do. For one, it was free.

It also has way more replayability than Clockwork City. Clockwork City is also rather small - I think it's only like 4 main quests and a couple dailies + the "trial".

The point is that IA still contributed to the overarching storyline, and you're just moving the goalposts because you didn't like IA.

Darkstorne · January 22

Kendaric wrote: »

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

Libonotus wrote: »

xclassgaming wrote: »

i mean, The daedric war trilogy, Morrowind, clockwork and summerset also ran for this long?

and that was a multi-chapter story that included the Q4 DLC. Not just an expansion and the Q4 DLC rebranded as an expansion. It is very clearly stated on the ESO website Gold Road is the end of this story

So Morrowind Expansion -> Clockwork Q4 -> Summerset Expansion. The exact same as Necrom Expansion -> Q4 Infinite Archive -> Gold Road Expansion.

What exactly is the problem?

Do you really think a modified arena (Infinite Archive) equates to a zone DLC (Clockwork City)? Seriously?

Whether it equates or not, the timespan is the same. Two Chapters. As much as I adored Q4 zones, and will forever be sad that the majority of ESO players cheered when ZOS announced with a statement surely spun by Mephala herself that they were doing us all a favour by stopping Q4 DLC zones and stories, they were never the same length as Chapter stories nor the size of Chapter zones. And IA still fits into the narrative arc.

What I'd find interesting though is if the encroaching forests of Valenwood are also setting up the start of a new multi-Chapter story that leads to Falinesti.

Syldras · January 22

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

The point is that IA still contributed to the overarching storyline

In a very limited way. There's plenty fighting, you can keep yourself busy with it for weeks, I won't deny that. But there's still almost no story content.

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

It also has way more replayability than Clockwork City. Clockwork City is also rather small - I think it's only like 4 main quests and a couple dailies + the "trial".

Even if it were only 4 quests, it's still more narrative content and lore than we are given with the archive.

Btw, it were 8 main story quests, 17 normal side quests, 20 repeatble daily quests.

Elsonso wrote: »

This is what makes me think that all of this would extend into a third Chapter in 2025, as part of the 10th Anniversary. (Edit... not this exact story, but more on the same path)

It's up to interpretation. I rather interpreted it as "there might be lore from the last 2 chapters we'll continue" - so maybe Ithelia is not really banished again at the end of Gold Road? But it may not be content of the directly following chapters during the next years.

CameraBeardThePirate · January 22

Syldras wrote: »

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

The point is that IA still contributed to the overarching storyline

In a very limited way. There's plenty fighting, you can keep yourself busy with it for weeks, I won't deny that. But there's still almost no story content.

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

It also has way more replayability than Clockwork City. Clockwork City is also rather small - I think it's only like 4 main quests and a couple dailies + the "trial".

Even if it were only 4 quests, it's still more narrative content and lore than we are given with the archive.

Btw, it were 8 main story quests, 17 normal side quests, 20 repeatble daily quests.

Elsonso wrote: »

This is what makes me think that all of this would extend into a third Chapter in 2025, as part of the 10th Anniversary. (Edit... not this exact story, but more on the same path)

It's up to interpretation. I rather interpreted it as "there might be lore from the last 2 chapters we'll continue" - so maybe Ithelia is not really banished again at the end of Gold Road? But it may not be content of the directly following chapters during the next years.

Good catch - it's 4 skill points from the quests which is why I was thinking it was 4 quests.

And don't get me wrong, I loved Clockwork City. The lore is some of the best in ESO.

But I also think criticizing them on amount of content or duration of the story is silly. IA might not have been everyone's cup of tea, but I can guarantee you it took just as much (if not more) developer time/effort as Clockwork City.

Syldras · January 22

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

And don't get me wrong, I loved Clockwork City. The lore is some of the best in ESO.

I fully agree on that! To me, personally, the time between Morrowind, CWC and Summerset feels like ESO's "Golden Age". Of course people have different opinions, and it probably also very much depends on what you look for in this game. Some people care less for narration, some don't care for the lore at all, and that's fine.

Maybe the feeling of a decrease comes from the tendency I've been witnessing for several years already. As a personal perspective of someone who's mainly here for the lore: Since Summerset, the number of quests per new chapter got reduced (it's easy to check on the UESP wiki, there are full lists of all quests per chapter/dlc). And not because they've left out short fetch quests, sadly, it's the opposite: In the quests remaining, the percentage for short fetch quests was even higher than before. Also, the length of quests was reduced, too, not only the number.

So we got less quests, shorter quests, and then also the writing quality got worse and worse - both including quest design as well as dialogues. I found High Isle horrible in that regard. Not only are there many quests where you do nothing than just run around fetch things - the npcs also often don't say anything interesting or even contributing to lore, instead, they just repeat the same useless info all over, as if it was to have a lot of talking, but without having to put much effort into creative writing. There are so many dialogues along the lines of "Bring me a hammer and nails. - Yes, I said you should bring me a hammer. - Now, go and bring me the hammer, bye. - Now that you've brought me the hammer, bring me the nails. - Yes, bring me nails, see you later. - Now, that you've brought me hammer and nails..." It felt like talking to a parrot! And it was so void of information (and obviously new lore), they could have just removed 95% of the talking and there wouldn't have been any info loss.

And after that disaster, the next thing that happened was that they announced there won't be q4 story dlcs anymore. And now, the year after that announcement, in the next chapter reveal they say that now also companions (which I've always seen as another story and lore device) won't be part of the chapter anymore. Which feels like another thing they now take away from the usual chapter content (yes, I know, they will be added in q4 instead, they said, but who knows what they might reduce in 2025?). It's this whole tendency over several years that makes me worried.

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

But I also think criticizing them on amount of content or duration of the story is silly. IA might not have been everyone's cup of tea, but I can guarantee you it took just as much (if not more) developer time/effort as Clockwork City.

Who knows. I see that the Archive has new mechanics and the developers had to create the verses, I don't say that's nothing. They also created a few new characters and maps (or level backdrops). But it weren't many new characters, almost no new lines of dialogue (even the watchling dialogues repeat so fast), and other than that, the whole archive is mostly asset recycling. The enemies used were already in the game (except for Thoat and a few others), they just reuse the same old models. Same voice lines too, during the boss fights. So much content is just recycled. To me it does look like they're reducing production costs. Artists, including voice artists, people who do graphic and world design, and writers for stories and dialogues are costly. And if it's really like that and they are reducing costs, what does it mean for the future of ESO? That's what worries me. Together with what I mentioned above, the tendency of reducing all kind of things (and quality) over several years.

This is what bothers me. Whether I like the Archive or not (I actually do play it every now and then), doesn't matter. I understand very well that ESO's content has to cater to different interests and that there might always be systems that I don't care for, but other people love.

Syldras · January 22

I can only emphasize: My criticism is not due to personal preferences. It's not about not wanting ZOS to include new systems that personally don't interest me. That's completely fine. I don't play PvP at all, but I'm very happy for the PvPers that they finally get new content in autumn, and I hope it will be decent.

The thing I care for is that ESO survives. I don't want to see another reduction in 2025 and 2026 (maybe even whitewashed with the "argument" "We've found out in our first 9 years that players aren't that interested in this, so we want to concentrate our production efforts on other aspects"), maintainance mode in 2027, and 2029 it's over.

OtarTheMad · January 22

Syldras wrote: »

I can only emphasize: My criticism is not due to personal preferences. It's not about not wanting ZOS to include new systems that personally don't interest me. That's completely fine. I don't play PvP at all, but I'm very happy for the PvPers that they finally get new content in autumn, and I hope it will be decent.

The thing I care for is that ESO survives. I don't want to see another reduction in 2025 and 2026 (maybe even whitewashed with the "argument" "We've found out in our first 9 years that players aren't that interested in this, so we want to concentrate our production efforts on other aspects"), maintainance mode in 2027, and 2029 it's over.

Agreed on that, somewhat. I want this game to last on the simple fact that Bethesda has increased the time between games so we will probably only get 2 TES titles from them in the next 20 years. There is the opportunity for this game to fill that void for players like me who just love TES franchise.

With that being said the Tamriel map is very full, now I know we got Akavir and Atmora (sort of), Maomer island to go to if we run out but that’s not all up to ZOS. We also have other planes of existence as well.. yeah. However, just in terms of Tamriel we got left it’s about 13 chapter sized areas. So slowing down content for 2023 and 2024 seems smart to me.

I don’t want this game going anywhere.

Syldras · January 22

OtarTheMad wrote: »

With that being said the Tamriel map is very full, now I know we got Akavir and Atmora (sort of), Maomer island to go to if we run out but that’s not all up to ZOS. We also have other planes of existence as well.. yeah. However, just in terms of Tamriel we got left it’s about 13 chapter sized areas. So slowing down content for 2023 and 2024 seems smart to me.

13 areas in Tamriel alone. With the old formula of 1 chapter in Tamriel and 1 dlc in another place (CWC, daedric realm), that would last for 13 years already. Then we still have different islands, whole Akavir, and who knows that else lies there on Nirn that wasn't charted yet. Plus daedric realms, and we "know" that the planes of Oblivion are endless. We don't have to agree, but I personally don't think the map being filled too fast is a problem for ESO.

Generally, I've been wondering if some people maybe can't remember anymore what we got with the Morrowind chapter, not even only quality- but also quantity-wise. Not only did we get a wonderful detailed new map with masses of new items, furniture, plantlife and all that, we got 74 new quests (only surpassed by Summerset that had 76; in comparison: Blackwood had 49, and now the regular number has remained around 50), a new class, a new PvP type (and only 5 months later, the CWC dlc was published, with - again - wonderful world building, no asset recycling, well written quests and lore). Now we don't have a q4 story dlc anymore, and no one even seems to question anymore that there's only 1 new thing we get with each chapter (only a card game, only a new class).

OtarTheMad · January 22

Syldras wrote: »

OtarTheMad wrote: »

With that being said the Tamriel map is very full, now I know we got Akavir and Atmora (sort of), Maomer island to go to if we run out but that’s not all up to ZOS. We also have other planes of existence as well.. yeah. However, just in terms of Tamriel we got left it’s about 13 chapter sized areas. So slowing down content for 2023 and 2024 seems smart to me.

13 areas in Tamriel alone. With the old formula of 1 chapter in Tamriel and 1 dlc in another place (CWC, daedric realm), that would last for 13 years already. Then we still have different islands, whole Akavir, and who knows that else lies there on Nirn that wasn't charted yet. Plus daedric realms, and we "know" that the planes of Oblivion are endless. We don't have to agree, but I personally don't think the map being filled too fast is a problem for ESO.

Generally, I've been wondering if some people maybe can't remember anymore what we got with the Morrowind chapter, not even only quality- but also quantity-wise. Not only did we get a wonderful detailed new map with masses of new items, furniture, plantlife and all that, we got 74 new quests (only surpassed by Summerset that had 76; in comparison: Blackwood had 49, and now the regular number has remained around 50), a new class, a new PvP type (and only 5 months later, the CWC dlc was published, with - again - wonderful world building, no asset recycling, well written quests and lore). Now we don't have a q4 story dlc anymore, and no one even seems to question anymore that there's only 1 new thing we get with each chapter (only a card game, only a new class).

Yeah I get what you’re saying and I agree to a point. I’ll miss the zone DLC’s for sure but they can’t do 1 in Tamriel and 1 in another plane every year, that’ll get boring fast but that’ll also mean the chances that they do 2 in Tamriel are good, like they did with Elsweyr, Greymoor and High Isle years.

I’m not saying the new format is perfect, I just get why. Plus, it seems to give them time to polish the game a bit.

Kidgangster101 · January 22

Libonotus wrote: »

I thought the idea behind the new chapter stories were that they were gonna run for a while….. not just two expansion. May as well have just kept it how we had previous chapters and DLC instead of stretching it over 2 years 🙄

Honestly I say this everywhere...... If you want long good stories eso is not the game for that. The game for that is Final Fantasy 14. Each dlc is the same exact price as eso. It's one expansion is equal to almost every expansion that launched so far (no joke). Each expansion comes with 5-6 huge zones, 6 dungeons, between 4-6 trials, they introduce 3 24 man raids over the course of the first year after each dlc, they give you 12 more trials and 12 hard mode trials in the first year. They also introduce new dungeons every few months, you also get 2-3 new classes every expansion too..........

You get all that for the same price as 1 eso expansion that is half a story. The story mode in eso also takes 3-4 hours to beat and done where ff14 literally gives you 30+ hours of story content. Just saying there's a huge difference and eso seems to always cut corners and provide the least amount while still getting you to pay more imo.

I_killed_Vivec · January 22

OtarTheMad wrote: »

Syldras wrote: »

I can only emphasize: My criticism is not due to personal preferences. It's not about not wanting ZOS to include new systems that personally don't interest me. That's completely fine. I don't play PvP at all, but I'm very happy for the PvPers that they finally get new content in autumn, and I hope it will be decent.

The thing I care for is that ESO survives. I don't want to see another reduction in 2025 and 2026 (maybe even whitewashed with the "argument" "We've found out in our first 9 years that players aren't that interested in this, so we want to concentrate our production efforts on other aspects"), maintainance mode in 2027, and 2029 it's over.

Agreed on that, somewhat. I want this game to last on the simple fact that Bethesda has increased the time between games so we will probably only get 2 TES titles from them in the next 20 years. There is the opportunity for this game to fill that void for players like me who just love TES franchise.

With that being said the Tamriel map is very full, now I know we got Akavir and Atmora (sort of), Maomer island to go to if we run out but that’s not all up to ZOS. We also have other planes of existence as well.. yeah. However, just in terms of Tamriel we got left it’s about 13 chapter sized areas. So slowing down content for 2023 and 2024 seems smart to me.

I don’t want this game going anywhere.

I'm happy to slow down on new zones, but slowing down on new content is a bad idea.

High Isle was bad: poor story telling, poor quests, poor content. For the first time I decided not to pre-order the next chapter (Necrom). Originally I was going to wait until this year, but I weakened and bought it in last autumn's sale.

Now I've been playing since beta (monkey to prove it), subscribed throughout the first year (senche mount to prove it) and have been ESO+ since it became a thing. I've pre-ordered all DLC/Chapters.

It hurt to admit it to myself, but with High Isle I had to acknowledge that the value was no longer there. I'm still ESO+. I still play almost every day. But High Isle coupled with 2023's removal of the DLC in favour of "QoL and bug fixes" I had to face facts: chapters just aren't delivering the content and ESO+ has been devalued.

This has been particularly clear given the current event - IC, Wrothgar... in the day they weren't even "chapters"! But there is so much content there, and I'm happy to go back just to experience the zones and do the dailies. Even good old Maelstrom! I cannot say the same about High Isle or Necrom (I quite enjoyed IA, but to progress further than I have without a save will be more of a trial of endurance than skill).

Alinhbo_Tyaka · January 22

Syldras wrote: »

Libonotus wrote: »

I thought the idea behind the new chapter stories were that they were gonna run for a while….. not just two expansion. May as well have just kept it how we had previous chapters and DLC instead of stretching it over 2 years 🙄

Honestly: When they first announced that they'll remove the Q4 story dlc, my first thought was that they'll stretch the same content over 2 years now and call the usual dlc a chapter (and sell it for the chapter price).

This goes along with my thinking. I found the ending to Necrom lacking and when they announced Gold Road one of my first thoughts was they broke up the old 1 year story arc into a two year delivery.

WhiteCoatSyndrome · January 22

OtarTheMad wrote: »

With that being said the Tamriel map is very full, now I know we got Akavir and Atmora (sort of), Maomer island to go to if we run out but that’s not all up to ZOS. We also have other planes of existence as well.. yeah. However, just in terms of Tamriel we got left it’s about 13 chapter sized areas. So slowing down content for 2023 and 2024 seems smart to me.

I don’t want this game going anywhere.

I’d rather they expand things instead like they did with Fargave - before the conclusion notice I thought they were going to have a Chapter in Mirrormoor, and that’s why.

If we get off Nirn and into Oblivion there are suddenly a LOT more possibilities even without bringing in places like Thras or Pyandonea. In addition to the dozen or so currently-unused Daedric planes, we’ve got Soul Cairn, places like Infernace that are too off the beaten path to ever show up in a single player game, the various afterlives like Sovngarde…and they can squeeze in more completely new stuff (EX: Fargrave) without it raising the question of ‘why hasn’t this shown up before?’

(Also, I still want my Alinor Sunbirds.)

Libonotus · January 22

Kidgangster101 wrote: »

Libonotus wrote: »

I thought the idea behind the new chapter stories were that they were gonna run for a while….. not just two expansion. May as well have just kept it how we had previous chapters and DLC instead of stretching it over 2 years 🙄

Honestly I say this everywhere...... If you want long good stories eso is not the game for that. The game for that is Final Fantasy 14. Each dlc is the same exact price as eso. It's one expansion is equal to almost every expansion that launched so far (no joke). Each expansion comes with 5-6 huge zones, 6 dungeons, between 4-6 trials, they introduce 3 24 man raids over the course of the first year after each dlc, they give you 12 more trials and 12 hard mode trials in the first year. They also introduce new dungeons every few months, you also get 2-3 new classes every expansion too..........

You get all that for the same price as 1 eso expansion that is half a story. The story mode in eso also takes 3-4 hours to beat and done where ff14 literally gives you 30+ hours of story content. Just saying there's a huge difference and eso seems to always cut corners and provide the least amount while still getting you to pay more imo.

ZoS remain doing the bare minimum and charging full price for it

spartaxoxo · January 22

Braffin wrote: »

Kendaric wrote: »

CameraBeardThePirate wrote: »

Libonotus wrote: »

xclassgaming wrote: »

i mean, The daedric war trilogy, Morrowind, clockwork and summerset also ran for this long?

and that was a multi-chapter story that included the Q4 DLC. Not just an expansion and the Q4 DLC rebranded as an expansion. It is very clearly stated on the ESO website Gold Road is the end of this story

So Morrowind Expansion -> Clockwork Q4 -> Summerset Expansion. The exact same as Necrom Expansion -> Q4 Infinite Archive -> Gold Road Expansion.

What exactly is the problem?

Do you really think a modified arena (Infinite Archive) equates to a zone DLC (Clockwork City)? Seriously?

Yes, I do. I even prefer the "modified arena" IA compared to yet another story zone without any meaningful gameplay and combat.

Seriously.

Clockwork City had a trial AND a story though. It wasn't one or the other with story zone dlc. The small DLCs gave us transmutation and arenas too.

ETA

I think we've been getting less and less content over the years. I greatly enjoy IA but it's definitely a trend that we are getting less stuff. Before, I chalked that up to the pandemic. But, now, I think it's a sign they are slowing down.

OtarTheMad · January 22

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

OtarTheMad wrote: »

With that being said the Tamriel map is very full, now I know we got Akavir and Atmora (sort of), Maomer island to go to if we run out but that’s not all up to ZOS. We also have other planes of existence as well.. yeah. However, just in terms of Tamriel we got left it’s about 13 chapter sized areas. So slowing down content for 2023 and 2024 seems smart to me.

I don’t want this game going anywhere.

I’d rather they expand things instead like they did with Fargave - before the conclusion notice I thought they were going to have a Chapter in Mirrormoor, and that’s why.

If we get off Nirn and into Oblivion there are suddenly a LOT more possibilities even without bringing in places like Thras or Pyandonea. In addition to the dozen or so currently-unused Daedric planes, we’ve got Soul Cairn, places like Infernace that are too off the beaten path to ever show up in a single player game, the various afterlives like Sovngarde…and they can squeeze in more completely new stuff (EX: Fargrave) without it raising the question of ‘why hasn’t this shown up before?’

(Also, I still want my Alinor Sunbirds.)

Oh I’d love that too for sure. I’d love to revisit Soul Cairn and Battlespire, see what Mirrormoor is and also the Alinor Sunbirds. Summerset Isles have like 16 total islands or something like that and we’ve only see 3 so… fingers crossed. I want to see Imga and see some Snow Elven ruins and I think this will be just about the only game to give me those.

I just get why they slowed down, bugs piling up, Cyro is a mess, burn out. I wouldn’t be at all surprised tho if they changed up the release format again when they catch up on things.

Elsonso · January 22

I_killed_Vivec wrote: »

High Isle was bad: poor story telling, poor quests, poor content. For the first time I decided not to pre-order the next chapter (Necrom). Originally I was going to wait until this year, but I weakened and bought it in last autumn's sale.

I didn't think that High Isle was bad, compared to what came before it. Yes, the Big Bad was rather predictable, but on reflection, I decided that the Legacy of the Druids was not a bad diversion. I turns out that the whole volcano spirit theme was better than other stories they have done. It reminded me of cargo cults.

I didn't pre-order High Isle until it hit PTS, and that was based entirely on two really poor Chapter showings in Greymoor and Blackwood. Both of those also had predictable bad guys, making High Isle the third episode in that trilogy.

I am hoping Gold Road is better than Greymoor and Blackwood. I am not expecting it to be as good as Necrom.

I will say that ZOS needs to step up the quality of their story telling, if they are going to continue with the scaled back story content.