The Elder Scrolls Online

Maintenance for the week of July 13:
• PC/Mac: No maintenance – July 13

ZOS, please stop locking threads that are still relevant

Leave a Reply
Beilin_Balreis_Colcan
Beilin_Balreis_Colcan
✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭
I've seen it occur more times than I can count. Someone replies to a thread, when its previous reply was a year or more ago, because the problem still exists, and therefore the thread is still relevant. What happens next? The thread gets locked of course: this is guaranteed. I don't think this helps anyone, instead it just stifles discussion on problems that are still relevant.

Yes, I could have emailed ZOS about this issue, as recommended by the very first paragraph in the "Community Rules" thread pinned to the top of the "General Discussions" sub-forum.
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/502831/community-rules
The only problem is: this email is not read by anyone. I've sent to this email previously and never got any reply, even when sending a follow-up email requesting a reply. So my only option is to create a thread highlighting the problem of relevant threads being locked.
PC(Steam) / EU / play from Melbourne, Australia / avg ping 390
  • ZOS_Kevin
    ZOS_Kevin
    Community Manager
    Hey @vsrs_au, we've noted before that if you believe a thread is still relevant but it gets locked because it is an older thread that looks like it's bumped, please feel free to DM or tag me. Happy to review and reverse the lock if it is indeed relevant.

    We'll also pass this along to our teams and talk about bettering this process so that DMs are not the core method of dealing with locked threads.
    Community Manager for ZeniMax Online Studio and Elder Scrolls OnlineDev Tracker | Service Alerts | ESO Twitter
    Staff Post
  • Pelanora
    Pelanora
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭
    The really interesting thread on servers and lag in australia which was still relevant was locked. So annoying.

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/458671/which-server-is-best-for-australians#latest
    Edited by Pelanora on January 31, 2024 5:26AM
  • Artim_X
    Artim_X
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭
    At the end of the day, there is nothing stopping someone from making a new post with the old information that is still relevant (providing link to opd thread) and adding some new information about what has been done about the topic.
    Pelanora wrote: »
    The really interesting thread on servers and lag in australia which was still relevant was locked. So annoying.

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/458671/which-server-is-best-for-australians#latest

    The last post from when the topic was fresh was February 2019 and then the next post is January of this year that isn't even engaging in the poll in the OP, but is essentially a stealthy way of telling people they're quitting (had they made their own post it would have been closed). Due to server changes it would've been better to make a new post with an updated poll to see if the changes were enough to make one of the two options viable for Australians.

    This is just one example of why it is typically better to just make a new post with updated info than digging up a post that has been dead for years.
    (AD) Artim X/Xirtām/Måtrix |PC/NA| Casual staff wielding vampire sorcerer/templar/arcanist
    Electric-Stun
    https://media.giphy.com/media/Av0zcKH3i2BkaY1GXW/giphy.gif/https://c.tenor.com/jQHdFftrgwMAAAAC/tenor.gif
    • Roleplay Damage Dealing Build.
    • Gear: 5 Infallible Aether (All apparel light and Divines with Max Mag Enchants), 1 Slimecraw Guise for max spell critical (Divines, light, Max Mag Enchants), Maelstrom's Perfected Lightning Staff (infused/shock enchant), and Kinras's jewelry (bloodthirsty with spell damage enchant)/lightning staff (infused/flame/weapon damage enchant). 1 Mora's Whispers.
    • Ability-Bar 1: Critical Surge, Boundless Storm, Mages' Wrath, Lightning Flood, Shocking Soul (Shock damage, Class Mastery Signature Script, and Empower), and Power Overload.
    • Ability-Bar 2: Storm Pulsar, Streak, Shock Reach, Unstable Wall of Storms, Shocking Burst (Shock Damage, remove 1 negative effect, and interrupt) and Thunderous Rage.
      Solo: Use Kinras's chest, replace Mora with Ring of the Pale Order, and use a heavy Slimcraw piece for max critical.
    Electric-Pets
    https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNHVjemwxZHI2ZmQ2bTg1ZG0xOTZ3b2QwajBzNGxmaHh6OXRpN3p6YSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/eBgWizk5dmZRS/giphy.gif
    • Stress free one bar pet build .
    • Gear: 5 Infallible Aether (All apparel light and Divines with Max Mag Enchants. No chest piece), 1 medium Slimecraw for max spell critical (Divines, medium, Max Mag Enchants), Lightning Staff of the Sergeant (precise/shock enchant), Sergeant's chest (Divines and max magicka enchant), and Sergeant ring and necklace (bloodthirsty with spell damage enchant), Oakensoul ring (bloodthirsty with spell damage enchant)
    • Ability-Bar: Daedric Prey, Summon Volatile Familiar, Bound Armaments, Unstable Wall of Storms, Summon Twilight Matriarch, and Greater storm Atronach.
    Electric-Heal
    https://media.giphy.com/media/5ibGIHneWS6ek/giphy.gif
    • My Healer Build.
    • Gear: 5 Spell Power Cure (All apparel light and Divines with Max Mag Enchants), 1 Slimecraw Guise for max spell critical (Divines, light, Max Mag Enchants), Maelstrom's Perfected Lightning Staff (Charged/shock enchant), and Infallible Aether jewelry (arcane with spell damage enchant)/restoration staff (Powered with absorb magicka enchant). 1 Mora's Whispers.
    • Ability-Bar 1: Power Surge, Boundless Storm, Blessing of Restoration, Energy Orb, Twilight Matriarch, and Replenishing Barrier.
    • Ability-Bar 2: Dark Deal, Overflowing Altar, Elemental Drain, Blockade of Storms, Twilight Matriarch, and Aggressive Horn.
    Electric-Ward
    https://media.giphy.com/media/Wa0TGmtDvwW3e/giphy.gif
    • My Meme Tank Build that uses high resistance and variety of wards.
    • Gear: 5 Brands of Imperium (All body pieces except Head and Shoulders, with Divine trait, and with Prismatic Defense Enchants), full Iceheart (1 light and 1 medium. Divines and Prismatic Enchant), and Combat Physician jewelry (bloodthirsty with Prismatic Recovery Enchants), Combat Physician restoration staff (Infused with hardening enchant), and combat physician ice staff (Infused with crusher enchant).
    • Ability-Bar 1: Critical Surge, Bound Aegis, Deep Thoughts, Boundless Storm, Healing Ward, and Replenishing Barrier.
    • Ability-Bar 2: Silver Leash (Elemental Drain if healer isn't running it), Bound Aegis, Frost Clench, Blockade of Frost, Empowered Ward, and Temporal Guard.
    Electric-Vamp
    https://media.giphy.com/media/ukDQiYZzRAxMZKcK86/giphy.gif
    • Tanky stage 4 vampire utility focused PvP healer that can take down very inexperienced players but is primarily focused on working alongside others in an organized group, PUGs, or zergs.
    • Gear: 5 Torug's Pact (medium chest and body pieces light. All Impenetrable with Prismatic Enchants). Gaze of Sithis and 1 light Mighty Chudan/Pirate Skeleton (light shoulders, and impenetrable with Prismtaic Enchants). Knight Slayer (Swift with spell damage enchant)/lightning staff (infused with oblivion enchant)/restoration staff (infused with oblivion enchant).
    • Ability-Bar 1: Structured Entropy, Boundless Storm, Soul Splitting Trap, Radiating Regeneration, Healing Ward, and Life Giver.
    • Ability-Bar 2: Drain Vigor (Elemental Susceptibility), Race Against Time, Rune Cage, Radiant Magelight, Regenerative Ward, and Shatter Soul.
    Dawnfang
    https://media.tenor.com/ogWfvDdsqBIAAAAd/anime-black-clover.gif
    • My casual one bar heavy attack Templar build that primarily utilizes Aedric Spear abilities.
    • Gear: 5 Noble Duelist (Head or Shoulder and body pieces except Chest. All body pieces Divines with Max Mag Enchants), 1 light Slimecraw for max spell critical (Divines, light, Max Mag Enchant), Lightning Staff of the Sergeant (precise/shock enchant), Sergeant's chest (Divines and max magicka enchant), and Sergeant's Mail jewelry (One Ring and one Neck. Both bloodthirsty with spell damage enchant). 1 Oakensoul Ring (bloodthirsty with spell damage enchant).
    • Ability-Bar 1: Puncturing Sweep, Aurora Javelin, Toppling Charge, Blazing Spear, Radiant Ward/Breath of life, and Crescent Sweep.
    Duskfang
    https://media.tenor.com/Jo8aG_ouy_oAAAAd/ac-odyssey.gif
    • Tanky stage 4 vampire utility focused PvP healer that can take down very inexperienced players but is primarily focused on working alongside others in an organized group, PUGs, or zergs.
    • Gear: 5 Torug's Pact (Heavy Chest with light Head, Waist, Hands, and Feet. All body pieces Impenetrable. Health enchant on chest/head/legs and everything else Prismatic Enchants), 1 Medium Mighty Chudan/Pirate Skeleton Shoulder (Impenetrable, Prismatic Enchant), Knight Slayer Restoration Staff (Infused/Decrease Health enchant), and Knight Slayer jewelry (One Ring and one Neck. Both Swift with spell damage enchant). 1 Oakensoul Ring (Swift with Spell Damage Enchant).
    • Ability-Bar 1: Radiant Oppression, Race Against Time, Aurora Javelin, Breath of Life, Resolving Vigor, and Life Giver.
    Eye of the Queen
    https://i.pinimg.com/originals/fd/44/1c/fd441c8242af6ec35ada94496feb0901.gif
    • My casual one bar heavy attack Arcanist build that primarily utilizes Herald of the Tome abilities.
    • Gear: 5 Noble Duelist (Head or Shoulder and body pieces except Chest. All body pieces Divines with Max Mag Enchants), 1 light Slimecraw for max spell critical (Divines, light, Max Mag Enchant), Lightning Staff of the Sergeant (precise/shock enchant), Sergeant's chest (Divines and max magicka enchant), and Sergeant's Mail jewelry (One Ring and one Neck. Both bloodthirsty with spell damage enchant). 1 Oakensoul Ring (bloodthirsty with spell damage enchant).
    • Ability-Bar 1: Escalating Runeblades, Pragmatic Fatecarver, Cephaliarch's Flail, Rune of Displacement, Inspired Scholarship/Evolving Runemend, and The Languid Eye.
    Eye of the King
    https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExOTAzdjV1eTgwbDFmM3lrZmxuMXRqdDR3Y3h1ZDRpajR0M3VjZzQ3NSZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/zXmbOaTpbY6mA/giphy.gif
    • Tanky stage 4 vampire utility focused PvP healer that can take down very inexperienced players but is primarily focused on working alongside others in an organized group, PUGs, or zergs.
    • Gear: 5 Torug's Pact (Heavy Chest with light Head, Waist, Hands, and Feet. All body pieces Impenetrable. Health enchant on chest/head/legs and everything else Prismatic Enchants), 1 Medium Mighty Chudan/Pirate Skeleton Shoulder (Impenetrable, Prismatic Enchant), Knight Slayer Restoration Staff (Infused/Decrease Health enchant), and Knight Slayer jewelry (One Ring and one Neck. Both Swift with spell damage enchant). 1 Oakensoul Ring (Swift with Spell Damage Enchant).
    • Ability-Bar 1: Escalating Runeblades, Race Against Time, Rune of Uncanny Adoration, Evolving Runemend, Resolving Vigor, and Life Giver.
    PvE Starter Gear
    https://media.giphy.com/media/6CovzgyTig7M4/giphy.gif
    • Gear: 5 Law of Julianos (heavy chest, gloves/belt light, and the rest can be light or 1 medium piece if you're not wearing medium anywhere else on your body. All in training if grinding for XP or divines), Armor of the Seducer or Magnus' Gift head, shoulder, and staves (light with 1 medium piece if you are not already wearing 1 medium Julianos piece. All in training or divines. The staves should be training or infused), and 3 purple Willpower Jewelry with Arcane trait (can be bought from trading guilds for relatively cheap.
    • Check tamrieltradecentre.com for the best deals if you're not using a price checking addon).
    Race
    https://media.giphy.com/media/sdEkeWpiaGz0A/giphy.gif
    • High elf, since you will not have issues with sustain, but other mag based races are also fine so this is more of a personal choice.
    Mundus Stones
    https://media.giphy.com/media/cT3wMhLGQWdKU/giphy.gif
    • PvP: The Steed for speed. Gotta go fast!
    • PvE Healing/Damage: The Thief for decent crit rate.
    • PvE Tanking: The Lady to get close to resistance cap.
    Current Champion Points
    https://media.giphy.com/media/l4FGDAx6u3hthMhgI/giphy.gif
    • DPS: Shadowstrike/ Master Gatherer, Meticulous Disassembly/Plentiful Harvest, Steed's Blessing, Sustaining Shadows, Exploiter, Weapons Expert, Fighting Finesse, Master-at-Arms, Celerity, Rejuvenation, Fortified, Boundless Vitality.
    • Healer Sorc: Shadowstrike/ Master Gatherer, Meticulous Disassembly/Plentiful Harvest, Steed's Blessing, Sustaining Shadows, Enlivening Overflow, Hope Infusion, Weapon's Expert, Arcane Supremacy, Celerity, Rejuvenation, Fortified, Boundless Vitality.
    • Tanky Sorc: Shadowstrike/ Master Gatherer, Meticulous Disassembly/Plentiful Harvest, Steed's Blessing, Sustaining Shadows, Ironclad, Enduring Resolve, Reinforced, Duelist's Rebuff, Bastion, Ward Master, Rejuvenation, Fortified.
    • PvP Sorc: Shadowstrike/ Master Gatherer, Meticulous Disassembly/Plentiful Harvest, Steed's Blessing, Sustaining Shadows, Enlivening Overflow, Weapon's Expert, Occult Overload, Arcane Supremacy, Bastion, Rejuvenation, Fortified, Boundless Vitality.
    • PvP Temp/Arcanist: Shadowstrike/ Master Gatherer, Meticulous Disassembly/Plentiful Harvest, Steed's Blessing, Sustaining Shadows, Enlivening Overflow, Weapon's Expert, From the Brink, Arcane Supremacy, Celerity, Rejuvenation, Fortified, Boundless Vitality.
    Favorite Foods and Potions
    https://media.giphy.com/media/3otPoTggaYFNd1FdAI/giphy.gif
    • Parse Food for PvE:(DPS) Ghastly Eye Bowl (increases Max Magicka by 4592 and Magicka Recovery by 459 for 2 hours).
    • Gold/Purple Food for Sorc PvP and Meme Tanking:(PvP) Clockwork Citrus Filet (increases Max Health by 3326, Health Recovery by 406 [useful if stage 1 vampire], Max Magicka by 3080, and Magicka Recovery by 338 for 2 hours). Witchmother's Potent Brew (Increase Max Magicka by 2856, Max Health by 3094, and Magicka Recovery by 315 for 2 hours.
    • Trash Potions when feeling cheap: Regular CP150 Essence of Magicka pots that I obtain frequently from playing the game or Crown Tri-Restoration Potion obtained from dailies.
    • Crafted Potions: Essence of Spell Critical (Bugloss, Lady's Smock, and Water Hyacinth). Without magelight this is my primary means of obtaining Major Prophecy on my Sorc, which increases my Spell Critical Rating. This also heals and restores magicka. Essence of Immovability (Columbine, Corn Flower, and Wormwood). I use this in PvP, since this gives me stealth detection, knockback immunity, and restores magicka (better to use it when competent allies are nearby, since it might reveal that you are surrounded by multiple players in stealth and you will not have an emergency pot available after use). Essence of Invisibility with only 2 ingredients (Blue Entoloma, Namira's Rot, Nirnroot, or Spider Egg). I use this in PvE content that requires stealth and if I need more speed I'll use Rapid Maneuver before using the potion. Essence of Invisibility with 3 ingredients (Blessed Thistle, Blue Entoloma, and Namira's Rot). Very useful in PvP alongside the vampire Dark Stalker passive, since you'll be invisible, ignore movement speed penalty while in Crouch, and you'll have a 30% movement speed boost from Major Expedition (I always have this slotted when riding from point A to B in PvP land, since gankers are always lurking). My templar/arcanist will mostly use Essence of Health (Tri-Stat Potion) Ingredients: (Mountain Flower, Columbine, and Bugloss).
  • Four_Fingers
    Four_Fingers
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭
    Make a new post and link the old post in it if still relevant.
    I'm surprised threads don't auto lock after a certain age like a lot of sites.
  • Syldras
    Syldras
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    The thing I find astonishing about this is that they actually invest time for this, because I don't see what purpose it serves (just wondering, it's not meant as criticism - of course they're free to do as they wish, it's their forum after all, so it's none of my business). If I was (still) owner of a forum, I wouldn't mind if people reply to old topics if they feel there's still something to add.
    @Syldras | PC | EU
    The forceful expression of will gives true honor to the Ancestors.
    Sarayn Andrethi, Telvanni mage (Main)
    Darvasa Andrethi, his "I'm NOT a Necromancer!" sister
    Malacar Sunavarlas, Altmer Ayleid vampire
    Soris Rethandus, a Sleeper not yet awake
  • Elsonso
    Elsonso
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Four_Fingers wrote: »
    Make a new post and link the old post in it if still relevant.
    I'm surprised threads don't auto lock after a certain age like a lot of sites.

    I agree. Auto-lock. Start new thread. Even if the topic is still relevant, sometimes the old thread has old information in it that is not relevant. When the thread pops to the top, people will often start reading from the beginning, since the thread appears new to them. Not everyone checks the date of the comments and goes to the bottom to find the new ones.

    If not auto-lock, there are a number of things, like that search should not prioritize old threads over new threads, and there should be an indicator, warning, or something, that alerts people when they try to add a comment that the thread is old so they can make the decision about whether to actually comment.

    Vanilla may only be able to auto-lock, though.
    XBox EU/NA:@ElsonsoJannus
    PC NA/EU: @Elsonso
    PSN NA/EU: @ElsonsoJannus
    Total in-game hours: 11321
    X/Twitter: ElsonsoJannus
  • JustLovely
    JustLovely
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭
    vsrs_au wrote: »
    I've seen it occur more times than I can count. Someone replies to a thread, when its previous reply was a year or more ago, because the problem still exists, and therefore the thread is still relevant. What happens next? The thread gets locked of course: this is guaranteed. I don't think this helps anyone, instead it just stifles discussion on problems that are still relevant.

    Yes, I could have emailed ZOS about this issue, as recommended by the very first paragraph in the "Community Rules" thread pinned to the top of the "General Discussions" sub-forum.
    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/502831/community-rules
    The only problem is: this email is not read by anyone. I've sent to this email previously and never got any reply, even when sending a follow-up email requesting a reply. So my only option is to create a thread highlighting the problem of relevant threads being locked.

    Just because it's old doesn't mean it's not relevant. Sometimes the same issue exists for years and still needs to be discussed.
  • Warhawke_80
    Warhawke_80
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭
    JustLovely wrote: »
    vsrs_au wrote: »
    I've seen it occur more times than I can count. Someone replies to a thread, when its previous reply was a year or more ago, because the problem still exists, and therefore the thread is still relevant. What happens next? The thread gets locked of course: this is guaranteed. I don't think this helps anyone, instead it just stifles discussion on problems that are still relevant.

    Yes, I could have emailed ZOS about this issue, as recommended by the very first paragraph in the "Community Rules" thread pinned to the top of the "General Discussions" sub-forum.
    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/502831/community-rules
    The only problem is: this email is not read by anyone. I've sent to this email previously and never got any reply, even when sending a follow-up email requesting a reply. So my only option is to create a thread highlighting the problem of relevant threads being locked.

    Just because it's old doesn't mean it's not relevant. Sometimes the same issue exists for years and still needs to be discussed.

    In situations like that the devs will pin a thread...like they did for overland combat...not just any thread deserves that though....
    ““Elric knew. The sword told him, without words of any sort. Stormbringer needed to fight, for that was its reason for existence...”― Michael Moorcock, Elric of Melniboné
  • Destai
    Destai
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    ZOS_Kevin wrote: »
    Hey @vsrs_au, we've noted before that if you believe a thread is still relevant but it gets locked because it is an older thread that looks like it's bumped, please feel free to DM or tag me. Happy to review and reverse the lock if it is indeed relevant.

    We'll also pass this along to our teams and talk about bettering this process so that DMs are not the core method of dealing with locked threads.

    @ZOS_Kevin We shouldn't have to message you on it, I'm sorry. Be reasonable with us; if someone's saying something's still an issue or clearly an evergreen topic, just leave it open. Right now, it seems like only timestamps are being compared.

    You've stated before the whole goal is to prevent confusion. I personally haven't seen much confusion when people necro a thread; I've seen issues still being issues, by and large. But if the whole goal is to prevent confusion, why not close every combat thread after each patch? Something could've changed and people could be using outdated information.

    And again, it's incumbent on the moderator to tell us what's out of date. If the whole goal is to prevent confusion, people will see something closed with malleable language - the "in many cases" boilerplate - and get no clarification on why there's recent comments. If anything, that's more confusing than someone adding "still an issue" to an old thread.

    There'd be a lot less frustration if threads just autoclosed after a year and the search feature had default sorting by most recent. You're already taking it upon yourself to reverse decisions. It seems like the least amount of effort would be to reopen one-offs rather than contend with the game of whack-a-mole that exists now.
    Syldras wrote: »
    The thing I find astonishing about this is that they actually invest time for this.

    Exactly. It just seems like their cycles could be better spent on other things like supporting players and compiling feedback. Would make for a warmer relationship, for sure.
    Edited by Destai on January 31, 2024 3:45PM
  • Syldras
    Syldras
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    Destai wrote: »
    Exactly. It just seems like their cycles could be better spent on other things like helping players get answers to questions and support tickets moving. Would make for a warmer relationship, for sure.

    Yes. Same goes for moving threads from the main forum to other subforums where they aren't read anymore and die. It seems like a task that costs time and effort, but has no positive outcome. So I don't really understand what it's about.
    @Syldras | PC | EU
    The forceful expression of will gives true honor to the Ancestors.
    Sarayn Andrethi, Telvanni mage (Main)
    Darvasa Andrethi, his "I'm NOT a Necromancer!" sister
    Malacar Sunavarlas, Altmer Ayleid vampire
    Soris Rethandus, a Sleeper not yet awake
  • Pelanora
    Pelanora
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭
    Artim_X wrote: »
    At the end of the day, there is nothing stopping someone from making a new post with the old information that is still relevant (providing link to opd thread) and adding some new information about what has been done about the topic.
    Pelanora wrote: »
    The really interesting thread on servers and lag in australia which was still relevant was locked. So annoying.

    https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/458671/which-server-is-best-for-australians#latest

    The last post from when the topic was fresh was February 2019 and then the next post is January of this year that isn't even engaging in the poll in the OP, but is essentially a stealthy way of telling people they're quitting (had they made their own post it would have been closed). Due to server changes it would've been better to make a new post with an updated poll to see if the changes were enough to make one of the two options viable for Australians.

    This is just one example of why it is typically better to just make a new post with updated info than digging up a post that has been dead for years.

    Please just no.

    Nothing in that thread was out of date, and it was interesting, and i would have liked it to continue to see what others thought.
    Edited by Pelanora on February 1, 2024 8:05AM
  • Destai
    Destai
    ✭✭✭✭✭
    ✭✭✭✭
    @ZOS_Kevin Here's one. Why consolidate duplicate bugs and then OTOH close threads when someone's clearly saying it's still an issue. It's fine to have duplicate discussions on old-but-unchanged issues after a year, but not current ones? I would think having the history of the issue in one thread makes it easier to support.
Sign In or Register to comment.