New Event Box Timers

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trippcap
trippcap
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Hey, can anyone confirm that boxes only drop every 5 minutes or so? Even if you get some from sources that should drop them one after the other (like incursions). Trying to farm set pieces has now lead to us just world boss camping and was hoping this was just some bug.
  • Aylish
    Aylish
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    Can confirm. Did two world bosses and the second one (around 3 minutes after the first) didn‘t drop a box.
  • freespirit
    freespirit
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    I have also found running from one boss to the next in a Public Dungeon can result in kills rewarding no box whereas camping one boss will get you a box pretty much every respawn.

    So I think the cooldown is 4 to 5 minutes. :)
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • Arunei
    Arunei
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    This is always the case. Event boxes follow the same rule as general loot when it comes to the timer, at least in regards to bosses.
    Character List [RP and PvE]:
    Spoiler
    Stands-Against-Death: Argonian Magplar Healer - Crafter
    Krisiel: Redguard Stamsorc DPS - Literally crazy Werewolf, no like legit insane. She nuts
    Kiju Veran: Khajiit Stamblade DPS - Ex-Fighters Guild Suthay who likes to punch things, nicknamed Tinykat
    Niralae Elsinal: Altmer Stamsorc DPS - Young Altmer with way too much Magicka
    Sarah Lacroix: Breton Magsorc DPS - Fledgling Vampire who drinks too much water
    Slondor: Nord Tankblade - TESified verson of Slenderman
    Marius Vastino: Imperial <insert role here> - Sarah's apathetic sire who likes to monologue
    Delthor Rellenar: Dunmer Magknight DPS - Sarah's ex who's a certified psychopath
    Lirawyn Calatare: Altmer Magplar Healer - Traveling performer and bard who's 101% vanilla bean
    Gondryn Beldeau: Breton Tankplar - Sarah's Mages Guild mentor and certified badass old person
    Gwendolyn Jenelle: Breton Magplar Healer - Friendly healer with a coffee addiction
    Soliril Larethian- Altmer Magblade DPS - Blind alchemist who uses animals to see and brews plagues in his spare time
    Tevril Rallenar: Dunmer Stamcro DPS - Delthor's "special" younger brother who raises small animals as friends
    Celeroth Calatare: Bosmer <insert role here> - Shapeshifting Bosmer with enough sass to fill Valenwood

    PC - NA - EP - CP1000+
    Avid RPer. Hit me up in-game @Ras_Lei if you're interested in getting together for some arr-pee shenanigans!
  • Mathius_Mordred
    Mathius_Mordred
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    Yes it's 5 minutes annoyingly, so take your time.
    Skyrim Red Shirts. Join us at https://skyrimredshirts.co.ukJoin Skyrim Red Shirts. Free trader. We welcome all, from new players to Vets. A mature drama-free social group enjoying PVE questing, PvP, Dungeons, trials and arenas. Web, FB Group & Discord. Guild Hall, trial dummy, crafting, transmutation, banker & merchant. You may invite your friends. No requirements
  • licenturion
    licenturion
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    Arunei wrote: »
    This is always the case. Event boxes follow the same rule as general loot when it comes to the timer, at least in regards to bosses.

    But this is new, no?
    I remember previous years I would do harrow storms in the reach with a group and got a box every minute.

    Must say I am a bit disappointed with this timer. We weren't going to start the new Diablo 4 season before this ESO event was over to grind out some stuff. But this timer will probably make us play way less than other years. We were already debating starting the new Diablo 4 season anyway yesterday now.
  • Arunei
    Arunei
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    But this is new, no?
    I remember previous years I would do harrow storms in the reach with a group and got a box every minute.

    Must say I am a bit disappointed with this timer. We weren't going to start the new Diablo 4 season before this ESO event was over to grind out some stuff. But this timer will probably make us play way less than other years. We were already debating starting the new Diablo 4 season anyway yesterday now.
    Certain bosses, like Delve bosses, have always been on a timer in terms of loot drops. Or rather...back when the game first came out there weren't timers, but people were camping certain Delve bosses so badly that people trying to kill them for clear credit wouldn't be able to get a hit in when they spawned before they died again. It was because people were farming loot drops, and ZOS responded by adding in the timer to keep people from immediately burning bosses whenever they spawned from a person who hadn't killed the boss before showing up.

    But how the heck would you be traveling between and defeating Harrowstorms once per minute?

    Anyway I've noticed occasionally if Dolmens are getting mowed down too quickly that I don't always get loot from the boss. If I had cleared one and then show up at another and help clear that one and it hasn't been 5 minutes, I won't get anything other than some gold from the boss and whatever the Chest drops. It's been like that...for a while now, afaik.
    Character List [RP and PvE]:
    Spoiler
    Stands-Against-Death: Argonian Magplar Healer - Crafter
    Krisiel: Redguard Stamsorc DPS - Literally crazy Werewolf, no like legit insane. She nuts
    Kiju Veran: Khajiit Stamblade DPS - Ex-Fighters Guild Suthay who likes to punch things, nicknamed Tinykat
    Niralae Elsinal: Altmer Stamsorc DPS - Young Altmer with way too much Magicka
    Sarah Lacroix: Breton Magsorc DPS - Fledgling Vampire who drinks too much water
    Slondor: Nord Tankblade - TESified verson of Slenderman
    Marius Vastino: Imperial <insert role here> - Sarah's apathetic sire who likes to monologue
    Delthor Rellenar: Dunmer Magknight DPS - Sarah's ex who's a certified psychopath
    Lirawyn Calatare: Altmer Magplar Healer - Traveling performer and bard who's 101% vanilla bean
    Gondryn Beldeau: Breton Tankplar - Sarah's Mages Guild mentor and certified badass old person
    Gwendolyn Jenelle: Breton Magplar Healer - Friendly healer with a coffee addiction
    Soliril Larethian- Altmer Magblade DPS - Blind alchemist who uses animals to see and brews plagues in his spare time
    Tevril Rallenar: Dunmer Stamcro DPS - Delthor's "special" younger brother who raises small animals as friends
    Celeroth Calatare: Bosmer <insert role here> - Shapeshifting Bosmer with enough sass to fill Valenwood

    PC - NA - EP - CP1000+
    Avid RPer. Hit me up in-game @Ras_Lei if you're interested in getting together for some arr-pee shenanigans!
  • licenturion
    licenturion
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    Arunei wrote: »
    This is always the case. Event boxes follow the same rule as general loot when it comes to the timer, at least in regards to bosses.
    But how the heck would you be traveling between and defeating Harrowstorms once per minute?

    In The Reach. This only has 3 storms, on a very small map and all very close to a wayshrine.

    There are in the evening always running massive groups between them and the storm usually melts in about 30 seconds, which gives you 30 seconds to run to the next one. For 2 storms you don't even have to teleport and you can just run over a hill.

    That is what I usually did, but this doesn't work anymore for boxes now with the timer. So while working I put the game on my second screen with a stopwatch and put myself in a far away delve. Those bosses are also having 5 minute timers like boxes. It is way less exiting though than what it did in the previous years. Meh for gatekeeping stuff.

    Edited by licenturion on January 24, 2025 9:25AM
  • Arunei
    Arunei
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    In The Reach. This only has 3 storms, on a very small map and all very close to a wayshrine.

    There are in the evening always running massive groups between them and the storm usually melts in about 30 seconds, which gives you 30 seconds to run to the next one. For 2 storms you don't even have to teleport and you can just run over a hill.

    That is what I usually did, but this doesn't work anymore for boxes now with the timer. So while working I put the game on my second screen with a stopwatch and put myself in a far away delve. Those bosses are also having 5 minute timers like boxes. It is way less exiting though than what it did in the previous years. Meh for gatekeeping stuff.
    Oh wow, I didn't know people still did Harrowstorms in big numbers like that. Good to know for if I ever wanna do achievements tied to them...

    Anyway yeah, I don't see the point in this timer being applied to things like Incursions. It just seems silly.

    Character List [RP and PvE]:
    Spoiler
    Stands-Against-Death: Argonian Magplar Healer - Crafter
    Krisiel: Redguard Stamsorc DPS - Literally crazy Werewolf, no like legit insane. She nuts
    Kiju Veran: Khajiit Stamblade DPS - Ex-Fighters Guild Suthay who likes to punch things, nicknamed Tinykat
    Niralae Elsinal: Altmer Stamsorc DPS - Young Altmer with way too much Magicka
    Sarah Lacroix: Breton Magsorc DPS - Fledgling Vampire who drinks too much water
    Slondor: Nord Tankblade - TESified verson of Slenderman
    Marius Vastino: Imperial <insert role here> - Sarah's apathetic sire who likes to monologue
    Delthor Rellenar: Dunmer Magknight DPS - Sarah's ex who's a certified psychopath
    Lirawyn Calatare: Altmer Magplar Healer - Traveling performer and bard who's 101% vanilla bean
    Gondryn Beldeau: Breton Tankplar - Sarah's Mages Guild mentor and certified badass old person
    Gwendolyn Jenelle: Breton Magplar Healer - Friendly healer with a coffee addiction
    Soliril Larethian- Altmer Magblade DPS - Blind alchemist who uses animals to see and brews plagues in his spare time
    Tevril Rallenar: Dunmer Stamcro DPS - Delthor's "special" younger brother who raises small animals as friends
    Celeroth Calatare: Bosmer <insert role here> - Shapeshifting Bosmer with enough sass to fill Valenwood

    PC - NA - EP - CP1000+
    Avid RPer. Hit me up in-game @Ras_Lei if you're interested in getting together for some arr-pee shenanigans!
  • blindsink
    blindsink
    Soul Shriven
    For some reason, I got 2 boxes within 2 minutes

    image.png?ex=6794b782&is=67936602&hm=9373e86e14d223a65c07a240b08226d4621689546c946a88f6b4bdbc56f9b0d5&
  • ScottPickrell
    ScottPickrell
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    Arunei wrote: »
    Certain bosses, like Delve bosses, have always been on a timer in terms of loot drops. Or rather...back when the game first came out there weren't timers, but people were camping certain Delve bosses so badly that people trying to kill them for clear credit wouldn't be able to get a hit in when they spawned before they died again. It was because people were farming loot drops, and ZOS responded by adding in the timer to keep people from immediately burning bosses whenever they spawned from a person who hadn't killed the boss before showing up.

    But how the heck would you be traveling between and defeating Harrowstorms once per minute?

    Anyway I've noticed occasionally if Dolmens are getting mowed down too quickly that I don't always get loot from the boss. If I had cleared one and then show up at another and help clear that one and it hasn't been 5 minutes, I won't get anything other than some gold from the boss and whatever the Chest drops. It's been like that...for a while now, afaik.

    I remember last year during the Jubilee event I was farming dolmens for the box drops and you were able to get those boxes on every boss, regardless of a timer. I remember you could even get 2 or 3 boxes on the same dolmen if the boss encounter had multiple bosses. But then the Witches Festival towards the end of the year had boxes on a timer. So it seems like it's not always one or the other. I'm not entirely sure how they make that decision on their end to have the boxes on a timer or not.
  • zaria
    zaria
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    Arunei wrote: »
    Certain bosses, like Delve bosses, have always been on a timer in terms of loot drops. Or rather...back when the game first came out there weren't timers, but people were camping certain Delve bosses so badly that people trying to kill them for clear credit wouldn't be able to get a hit in when they spawned before they died again. It was because people were farming loot drops, and ZOS responded by adding in the timer to keep people from immediately burning bosses whenever they spawned from a person who hadn't killed the boss before showing up.

    But how the heck would you be traveling between and defeating Harrowstorms once per minute?

    Anyway I've noticed occasionally if Dolmens are getting mowed down too quickly that I don't always get loot from the boss. If I had cleared one and then show up at another and help clear that one and it hasn't been 5 minutes, I won't get anything other than some gold from the boss and whatever the Chest drops. It's been like that...for a while now, afaik.
    Group dungeons don't have this restrictions, reason was that in an dungeon some wanted to camp and other wanted to do the dungeon fast.
    Grinding just make you go in circles.
    Asking ZoS for nerfs is as stupid as asking for close air support from the death star.
  • freespirit
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    It's sad that things like Harrowstorms are now on a timer, I have farmed them in previous events.

    It also needs pointing out that whilst Group Dungeons and Arenas did not have timers in previous events, this event only the final bosses drop boxes so really they are now tedious to farm!

    During Witch's Festival I often run normal Maelstrom, it's fast and every arena boss dropped a plunder skull, now with it just being the final boss, it's not fast enough to be worth the effort!!
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • NineGG
    NineGG
    Soul Shriven
    can confirm, spammed fungal grotto 1 and only got 3 boxes in 15 min even though we did somewhere between 8-13
  • JemadarofCaerSalis
    JemadarofCaerSalis
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    One thing I wish they would implement is a visible timer between getting the boxes, it can be difficult to time, and while on PC you can get an addon that will keep track of the time, if you aren't on PC you can't.

    That, and maybe a more nuance thing where unique boss kills always give boxes, so if you go from WB A to B you will get two boxes, even if it hasn't been five minutes, and if you go from B to A you still get it. But sitting there waiting for A to respawn (if it isn't on a five minute timer) won't get two boxes.

    I could see how this could be farmed with bosses that are close together though.
  • Icy_Waffles
    Icy_Waffles
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    That is hilarious. I wondered. I got lucky with random normals last night and got two non dlc back to back and the second was fungal 1… did not get a box as the run was too fast 😅
  • freespirit
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    Fyi currently camping a Harrowstorm in the Reach on PC-EU. it is taking 5-6mins for the group that's running to take down the others and return, so I'm getting a box every time......

    This ofc relies on the group continuing their efforts! :D
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • Orbital78
    Orbital78
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    freespirit wrote: »
    Fyi currently camping a Harrowstorm in the Reach on PC-EU. it is taking 5-6mins for the group that's running to take down the others and return, so I'm getting a box every time......

    This ofc relies on the group continuing their efforts! :D

    Yeah some of the event s you could do both dragons in southern elsewhere but now you can only get loot from one. I've opted just to camp one easy thing that spawns every 5 minutes and watch YouTube or do something else.
  • freespirit
    freespirit
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    Orbital78 wrote: »

    Yeah some of the event s you could do both dragons in southern elsewhere but now you can only get loot from one. I've opted just to camp one easy thing that spawns every 5 minutes and watch YouTube or do something else.

    Yep last night I picked a PD boss, tonight Harrowstorms....... mainly because I like vampiric furniture and could do with restocking my vile coagulent, which this is doing :D
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
  • SeaGtGruff
    SeaGtGruff
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    freespirit wrote: »
    It's sad that things like Harrowstorms are now on a timer, I have farmed them in previous events.

    People farming them is probably why they were changed to be on a timer. /shrug
    I've fought mudcrabs more fearsome than me!
  • demonology89
    demonology89
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    The hidden timer on all loot drops needs to go. And adding a 5 minute timer for event boxes? Imagine them doing that for plunder skulls. IMO, a horrible decision that makes farming this event tedious and just not worth it. This screams Zenithar all over again. "We didn't like players unloading master writs during this event. Now it's 1 per trade per day."
    PS5 NA
    ESO Plus: Nope
    Favorite Activities: Cyrodiil PVP and Dungeons
    #MakeHealersSquishyAgain #AdjustPolarWind
  • davidtk
    davidtk
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    I remember previous years I would do harrow storms in the reach with a group and got a box every minute.

    Last year there WAS a cooldown for reward boxes from HS first time. Year before was terrible because game almost crashes when milion ppl doing one HS in several seconds. Yea you could get boxes every minute but performance was terrible.
    Last year it was far better with 5min CD.
    Really sorry for my english
  • davidtk
    davidtk
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    On PC I know that there is Item Cooldown Tracker addon what informs you in the tooltip about CD on loot specific motifs loot. But in last events was a mess when you get more than one motif.
    So I think it shouldn't be a problem, at least for PC, to make an addon with a timer for event boxes. That is, if it doesn't already exist.
    But yes, as well as a visible event buff for 100% XP boost (but this is called every event and the devs still and still nothing), there could be some sort of timer for CDs on event boxes. Preferably with a debuff icon of some sort.
    Edited by davidtk on January 25, 2025 8:48AM
    Really sorry for my english
  • licenturion
    licenturion
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    davidtk wrote: »

    Last year there WAS a cooldown for reward boxes from HS first time. Year before was terrible because game almost crashes when milion ppl doing one HS in several seconds. Yea you could get boxes every minute but performance was terrible.
    Last year it was far better with 5min CD.

    For me getting more loot per minute is way more important than performance during an event. (I didn't experience any issues myself back then)

    But I am doing now what everyone seems to be doing: camping a spot and wait until my pets/companion kills a delve boss or a group cycling through an incursion. And then I can pick up 3 boxes every 15 minutes on my second screen while I am working. It is a shame they did this, but it is what it is.

    But in general I am not a fan of all these cooldown timers on overland sets, motif drops, event boxes etc. It is the worst part of the game IMO. The game has so much content after all these years that we shouldn't have to deal with tracker addons to see if we can open a box or not from a mission we already done 45 times. Cause god forbid we get 1 item too soon out of al the million items that exist already.
    Edited by licenturion on January 25, 2025 10:10AM
  • davidtk
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    But in general I am not a fan of all these cooldown timers on overland sets, motif drops, event boxes etc. It is the worst part of the game IMO. The game has so much content after all these years that we shouldn't have to deal with tracker addons to see if we can open a box or not from a mission we already done 45 times. Cause god forbid we get 1 item too soon out of al the million items that exist already.

    Honestly I'm not one of those players who has to immediately start the super grind right from the start of the event.
    I'm not saying I don't mind the cooldown, but I don't swear about it either.
    It would be enough for ZoS to officially admit publicly a list of ALL cooldowns that are in the game for loot. What's on youtube isn't exactly accurate or there's something you don't know. So if one knew exactly that there is such-and-such cooldown on such-and-such loot, and what the rule is for that (does the blue/purple recipe loot apply CD for loot blue/purple furnish plan?) it would probably be better for everyone.
    For me getting more loot per minute is way more important than performance during an event. (I didn't experience any issues myself back then)
    For me, the quality of the loot content is more important. Honestly if the box content is useless and *****, I don't need to have it immediately every time, but I'm fine with a 5min cooldown. I don't know why I'll have 50 boxes full of nothing, I'd rather have fewer boxes with better quality and more valuable content. Plus being ****** because the server can't handle 150 players on one boss or HS. And yes in the Reach I had occasional big FPS drops and lags with HS when a hundred players destroyed HS in 3s.
    Of course the reality of today is that I'm upset because I have fewer boxes with zero content. Because what's the point of grinding 10 purple boxes if there's nothing of value in them, only to get something in the 11th? I don't have time for this in this game.
    Edited by davidtk on January 25, 2025 10:32AM
    Really sorry for my english
  • belial5221_ESO
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    Ingame economy hasn't gotten better after last anniversary event,and we close to the next one.Longer timers,or limited boxes would help reduce the killing of market.It's good for noobs and buyers,but not for traders,and people trying to make gold to buy things from content they don't play,or have time for.Longer timers would also be nicer since there's a top 12 limit on loot,would deter ppl who got loot from farming same bosses and leaving others wih no loot.This is probably a test to see the effects on economy.
  • Avran_Sylt
    Avran_Sylt
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    Eh. Means players don’t get too pressured about trying to find an “optimal farm” as there’s decent enough downtime between boxes.
  • freespirit
    freespirit
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    The hidden timer on all loot drops needs to go. And adding a 5 minute timer for event boxes? Imagine them doing that for plunder skulls. IMO, a horrible decision that makes farming this event tedious and just not worth it. This screams Zenithar all over again. "We didn't like players unloading master writs during this event. Now it's 1 per trade per day."

    Plunder Skulls have been on a timer for many years, not on every task but certainly in Public Dungeons, Dolmens, Dragons and World Bosses.

    There has been a Plunder Skull timer addon for at least three years that I can recall maybe longer.

    Group Dungeons and Arenas were exempt from this timer/cooldown, which is why as I mentioned somewhere else normal Maelstrom was my fav place to farm them, quick, easy and no competition for damage to enable loot drops!!

    I just checked the Minion page for the Plunder Skull addon, it has info going back to 2018 but was updated in 2022, from page.....

    Plunder Skulls have no cooldown in group dungeons, trials and arenas. In other areas they have a 3 minute cooldown.

    :)
    When people say to me........
    "You're going to regret that in the morning"
    I sleep until midday cos I'm a problem solver!
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