Do you schedule Time Off for Chapter Launches?

ArchMikem

It's kind of become my "tradition" the last couple years. Every June for a Chapter release I take two weeks of Vacation time in order to just fully immerse myself into the new content without worrying about going back to work soon. (I work three 12hr shifts over the Weekend). I know I'm not the only one but how many of you actually take Vacation time specifically for the new Chapters?

RomanRex

No I don't, or can't

given the server issues before the new chapter has even dropped, taking time off might be a disappointment.

i am dreading the increased traffic and inevitable lag/disconnects.

Enemy-of-Coldharbour

No I don't, or can't

I tend to avoid the new zone quests for at least a month or so. There is nothing more immersion breaking than 100 players all crammed around quest givers or the new scribbing room. I'll just ride around to unlock all the wayshrines and complete all the WB's since there will be plenty of players camping them. I'll probably knock out the fishing achievement for the new zone as well. I'll do the quest once everything has settled down.

Soarora

For anyone who doesn't know: never take off the Monday it releases, it's always unplayable for one reason or another. Tuesday should be fine. Always see someone on the forums make a thread about how they took off just for the servers to be down all day haha.

Elvenheart

Yes I take Vacation

Although I voted this, I need to add “if I can.” Sometimes work is too busy

Danikat

No I don't, or can't

I'm way behind on the story so I'm never ready to start it as soon as a new chapter comes out. But I also use all my holiday time for other things. Most of it goes on visiting family and friends, and going to concerts, but sometimes I get to visit places just for fun as well.

LunaFlora

No I don't, or can't

no i just explore the new chapter when i can.
which is usually right after maintenance, but maintenance sometimes gets extended and sometimes i log in late at night

G1Countdown

No I don't, or can't

I used to do that. There have been way too many rough launches to bank on that. Anyways, now I use my vacations in a more active manner, enjoying life.

Elvenheart

Yes I take Vacation

Oh, I wanted to add that when I said yes, I meant I only take a day or two, not a whole week or anything. And I don’t take it the day of the launch , I try to take a day or two later in the week just to have a little more time to get started.

I can’t wait to do the scribing quest for the story and the scribing unlock of course, I’m just not sure which character I want to use first. I’m thinking one of my sorcerers.

CalamityCat

Yes I take Vacation

I'm fortunate that I can schedule when I work and do extra hours in the lead up to a new chapter. Or switch to working in evenings so I can play new ESO content when it's a bit less crowded. It depends how much I want to play the new chapter.

TaSheen

No I don't, or can't

I wouldn't even if I was still working. And now, retired as I am for many years, I don't even play the day of release other than to do necessary daily writs on my mains. I don't even go to new chapter zones for a couple of weeks even for skyshards, exploration, antiquities. WAY too many people for me....

darvaria

No I don't, or can't

I've made it a point to be off on TBC, WOTLK, Cata, WOW Classic, WOW WOTLK and WOW Cassic SOD. And off on SOD Phase 2 and 3. But WOW was so disappointing I'm not even playing until phase 4. In WOW launches there are "levels" to get to. In ESO, it's just new content and no rush to get there. Only time in ESO was when they released that Oakensoul ring. I don't see anything urgent on this release. Not sure about scribing. I have my own business and can take off any time I want now days. But I won't make any special time off for Gold Road, although I have purchased Delux Edition. I have put off upgrading my gear for Cyro until tip sites update. But really, what is the rush to get back to Cyro? Nothing changes. I won't need more CP. No urgency because there is no where to really "go". I'll check out the new PVP meta's but will prob stay with my templar (could play necro, warden or arcanist because they are all maxed .... I really should max out a DK one of these days. Only time there is a "hurry" is if something is really broken in PVP and you KNOW they will patch it soon. So you want to enjoy it for as long as you can.

Nharimlur_Finor

No I don't, or can't

I wait the full 12 months.

tsaescishoeshiner

The first week or two is usually way too crammed--during High Isle they added more instances/shards, which was SO nice! You didn't see huge corpses of main quest bosses before you've even killed them yourself, and you could finish quests without seeing 5 players run past you, which always takes me out of the RPG experience.

Warhawke_80

Nope I wait until the craziness dies down at least a month I only recently finished Necrom and the area was still crowded

vsrs_au

No I don't, or can't

Danikat wrote: »

I'm way behind on the story so I'm never ready to start it as soon as a new chapter comes out. But I also use all my holiday time for other things. Most of it goes on visiting family and friends, and going to concerts, but sometimes I get to visit places just for fun as well.

Same here. I used to do all quests (main/side) in each zone, while I was still working on the Cadwell achievements on my main character, but I could see I'd never catch up to the newer content, so I started skipping the side quests and only doing the main. I've been working my way through the chapters and zones in chronological order on my main character (and just leaving the side quests for when I feel like doing them), and I recently finished the Galen chapter. So I won't be doing the West Weald chapter any time soon.

SilverBride

I used to but I'm not working right now.

tom6143346

No I don't, or can't

No it’s just not worth it . And there are almost always bigger problems during the first days Eso is a really nice game but I don’t dedicate my life to it. There are 1000 better things out in the real life, that I can do during my vacation.

WhiteCoatSyndrome

No I don't, or can't

Several reasons:

• For story content I usually play through on the PTS, so there’s no need to rush to avoid spoilers, I already know what happens
• There are frequently issues on launch day
• My internet is slow enough even if everything goes perfectly on ZOS’ side…odds are I’m still not going to have it downloaded until the weekend
• Most Chapter releases I wait until at least the fall sale to buy because I’m spending most of my summer outdoors, or otherwise occupied with non-gaming things (this year is an exception)
• I generally have better things to spend my vacation time on

I still haven’t gone through Necrom on live, so after I burn through Scribing on my main I’ll probably backtrack and do that first.

ArchangelIsraphel

Yes I take Vacation

I do- I usually take 2 weeks and just enjoy myself, even if there's problems with the game. I like the atmosphere of the hype and the crowds in a new zone.

After it all settles down a bit, then I start doing actual questing. But I'll grind world bosses and dailies, and generally soak in the atmosphere of a new zone.

I also take time off for Whitestrakes Mayhem as well.

I make a whole stay-cation out of new zone releases and Whitestrakes. Buy myself snacks, drinks, and meals I love. Get a bottle of my favorite wine. And immerse myself in Tamriel.

Of course, I get out of the house as well- I also use this time to go on lengthy trail rides with my horses, with nobody but me and my horse and dogs.

It's my yearly "me" time. I rarely buy myself things, so I treat myself to the pre-order of the chapter every year, and then let myself have leisure time doing absolutely nothing but the things I enjoy most. And that would be gaming, crochet, art, and riding my horses.

Sakiri

crap I need to finish necrom on my templar before this launches so I can do the epilogue. I had planned to main switch but only my current main has done it.

><

I'm a housewife, I don't need to take vacation. But I wouldn't recommend it, game expansion releases tend to have server issues. I mean, I have a few blind runs for the new trial scheduled, and I don't expect either of them to go.

liliub17_ESO

No I don't, or can't

Danikat wrote: »

I'm way behind on the story so I'm never ready to start it as soon as a new chapter comes out. But I also use all my holiday time for other things. Most of it goes on visiting family and friends, and going to concerts, but sometimes I get to visit places just for fun as well.

Yep. Just got home a few days ago from my annual vacation, in fact.

Gaming may be a blast (most of the time), but it's fantasy. Real life friends and family is where it's at for me.

Danikat

No I don't, or can't

liliub17_ESO wrote: »

Danikat wrote: »

I'm way behind on the story so I'm never ready to start it as soon as a new chapter comes out. But I also use all my holiday time for other things. Most of it goes on visiting family and friends, and going to concerts, but sometimes I get to visit places just for fun as well.

Yep. Just got home a few days ago from my annual vacation, in fact.

Gaming may be a blast (most of the time), but it's fantasy. Real life friends and family is where it's at for me.

One of the things I like about video games is that I can fit them around other stuff in my life. I've never had a predictable schedule, and there was a time I thought that meant I wouldn't be able to play MMOs - this was back when the options were basically Ultima Online, Runescape or Everquest and they were all big time sinks. UO especially (which I prefered) really needed you to be online regularly, at the same time every day (or at least the same time on the same days every week) to build up a community and get things done, and that wasn't an option for me.

That was over 20 years ago and if anything it's less practical for me now, so I really enjoy having games, including MMOs which I can play as and when I have time, and either just do a little bit of something or take on a bigger challenge if I have time. But it does mean they're always going to be a lower priority to things which do have to be done at fixed times, especially seeing my friends and family.

Vonnegut2506

No I don't, or can't

I'm already off as my school is out by Memorial Day and chapter drops are usually in June. So I am off, but I don't take it off specifically for the chapter.

Oznog666

No I don't, or can't

I'm retired already so off fooooooooooorever

Xandreia_

No I don't, or can't

nope, the servers usually die on the first day anyways lol

N3CR01

No I don't, or can't

Never done it for this or a ES game but back in the day I'd take a week off work to play the latest Call Of Duty or Gears Of War game.

valenwood_vegan

No I don't, or can't

Nah, there are almost always some hiccups at chapter launch. But more than that, I guess I prefer to go on vacation when I'm on vacation.

Syldras

No I don't, or can't

I prefer to wait for a few days (or a week or so) after release, until it's less crowded. Not only because of server instabilities, but also because, coming from the single player games, I find it more atmospheric if I delve into old forgotten ruins alone, not surrounded by dozens of other people.

Back when I started playing ESO, I did play whole weekends at times. Now, progressing slower, doing maybe 2 or 3 quests per evening, feels like a better decision for me. Not wanting to run out of content too fast is a reason, too. Without a Q4 story DLC and with the Q2 chapter now also having less content compared to Morrowind and Summerset, it's a long time until the next story content and zone drops, after all. (Yes, I do know there will be companions in Q4 this year).

liliub17_ESO wrote: »

Gaming may be a blast (most of the time), but it's fantasy. Real life friends and family is where it's at for me.

Fantasy or not, I think everything that helps people relax, brightens their mood, gives them new strength or even sparks their creativity is fine (as long as important obligations aren't ignored, of course). Whether it's reading, gaming, drawing or going on long hikes, or anything else, is just a matter of pesonal taste.

sarahthes

No I don't, or can't

I took time off for Greymoor launch.

Never again.

RaddlemanNumber7

No I don't, or can't

Naptime is sacrosanct