What I didn't see in the roadmap post: new leveling areas

loudent

While I know a there needs to be a focus on content for max levels (as eventually most characters will get there) we still need new content for characters still on the leveling journey.

I would like to know if there are any plans in the works to provide options for people who've already leveled up a couple of characters and aren't excited about running through the same content again.

Heck, I don't mind if you don't even add quests. Another area with some more group dungeons, boss fights, skyshard, mobs, interesting areas etc etc.

Just somewhere I can avoid running through the same areas over and over.

Audigy

I don't know an MMO that did this to be honest, they all focus on the max level content which I agree is not that nice for those who don't raid or do dungeons / pvp.

I am not that familiar with the ESO universe, but unless there are factions or races still uncovered, we most likely wont see new low level zones as I believe the only reason why they could be added is a new race or faction.


That said, we don't know how they add new NPC guilds, while I believe their quest´s will all be 50+, this isn't set in stone yet and adding them to the low level zones could be an option, high level chars could do those then in VR´s as well.

nerevarine1138

Presumably new regions are being saved for actual expansion packs. I'm actually a fan of them adding content to existing regions. That stops them from dying out once most people have out-leveled them.

Shimond

It's very rare for the core leveling content to change very much without an expansion. Not sure what propels expectations otherwise.

Alurria

Wait...how long has this game been out? A month really new leveling areas?

Ganacampo

Since I like to create various characters and don't want to go through the same low loevel content again and again I actually hope they will not only add new verteran content.

loudent

Audigy wrote: »

I don't know an MMO that did this to be honest, they all focus on the max level content which I agree is not that nice for those who don't raid or do dungeons / pvp.

That may be true, but the MMOs that I cut my teeth on included a number of leveling options from the get go. each Race had it's own starting area that eventually merged But there was always a couple of options to level through. ESO basically started with the bare-bones leveling areas. I'd like to see that fleshed out

Shimond wrote: »

It's very rare for the core leveling content to change very much without an expansion. Not sure what propels expectations otherwise.

Because ESO started out with one leveling path for everyone. Many of the most successful MMOs generally had one for each race at least.

pieceofyarnb14_ESO wrote: »

Wait...how long has this game been out? A month really new leveling areas?

No one is asking for it right now but they are outlining future plans. It's not unreasonable for them to plan new areas for sub-max level content.

mutharex

If you check the interactive map on the main site, you'll see that only about 40% of the land is in game right now. Not to mention all the rest of Nirn

devolutedub17_ESO

I'd venture a guess as to why they didn't reveal new leveling zones. They are wanting to keep the next zone under wraps until they are ready to let us know. Plus, Craglorn hasn't even been released yet, so I wouldn't even expect any hints as to the next zone until we get our first new one.

vyndral13preub18_ESO

Im confused, dont the three factions have different quest? That is pretty standard in every mmo i have played. Some mmos have different starter areas for different races, but everyone ends with a faction all sharing the same quest. I guess the main story quest are the same but the amount of story quest is really a small part in the over all quest experience. At least it has been up to level 38. Maybe some one can correct me. Or tell me what i am missing.

Shimond

loudent wrote: »

Because ESO started out with one leveling path for everyone. Many of the most successful MMOs generally had one for each race at least.

Hm? There's 3 different leveling paths, though it's true you end up doing all three if you're going to VR10.

I've not played an MMO that had a unique leveling path the entire way per race. I guess WAR did, initially. Usually it's just a starting area and then they all merge (which, actually this game does too since the starter islands are optional).

loudent

vyndral13preub18_ESO wrote: »

Im confused, dont the three factions have different quest? ... Or tell me what i am missing.

Sort of. What happens when you finish your faction. To continue progress there's some hoodoo about "seeing the conflict through their eyes" and you continue through other factions doing the exact same quests in the same areas except everything is leveled up. So to get to vr10 you will do all 3 faction quest lines. So you might start on different parts of the path, the path you walk is the same.
)

Drachenfier

The problem with voice over MMO's is that new content seems to be slim due to the cost of voice actors. Look at SWTOR, for example.

RazzPitazz

vyndral13preub18_ESO wrote: »

Im confused, dont the three factions have different quest? .

Yes and no. The three factions have different quests with (mostly) different characters. The thing is, a good chunk of these quests are not entirely unique. You have done quests like these before, in other factions. In fact, some of the quests don't really change much except for names and clothing (*AHEM*Group of banded "insert name" attemtping to overthrow the "insert name" kingdom in the name of "insert name").

vyndral13preub18_ESO

Well if it is about the VR content, then yes, the first major patch will have new leveling content in craghorn or whatever. I believe the trailer said it was designed for VR1 and up.

jdandrews108b14_ESO

Every zone so far has had a Tavern or Inn of some sort.
I would love to see them add a radiant quest system much like Skyrim's where the player could go grab a repeatable quest from the innkeeper or barkeep "Kill X amount of (this bandit group) at (this location in zone)".

Even if this had minimal rewards (and experience returns) I would still do this for the immersion it brings. I would love to protect my town from raiders and keep the streets clean of riff-raff.
This also gives my "random mob grinding" a direction.

AVCN

Sloads. Lets visit their lands. Or be visited by them...

Skyrim's Lost Vale (or something like that) from Dawnguard expansion could be a faster-to-build alternative.

I am really not looking forward re-doing the same basic quests with a new toon or grinding towards a high VR through them.

loudent

jdandrews108b14_ESO wrote: »

Every zone so far has had a Tavern or Inn of some sort.
I would love to see them add a radiant quest system much like Skyrim's where the player could go grab a repeatable quest from the innkeeper or barkeep "Kill X amount of (this bandit group) at (this location in zone)".

Even if this had minimal rewards (and experience returns) I would still do this for the immersion it brings. I would love to protect my town from raiders and keep the streets clean of riff-raff.
This also gives my "random mob grinding" a direction.

Excellent idea

To expand on that I'd even like to see randomly generated dungeons. they can use the same entrances to dungeons we have now, just the door takes you to a small, randomly generated dungeon that has the quest item at the end.

I created a system much like this in the NWN2 world I used to host and most players really liked it

zaria

loudent wrote: »

Audigy wrote: »

I don't know an MMO that did this to be honest, they all focus on the max level content which I agree is not that nice for those who don't raid or do dungeons / pvp.

That may be true, but the MMOs that I cut my teeth on included a number of leveling options from the get go. each Race had it's own starting area that eventually merged But there was always a couple of options to level through. ESO basically started with the bare-bones leveling areas. I'd like to see that fleshed out

Shimond wrote: »

It's very rare for the core leveling content to change very much without an expansion. Not sure what propels expectations otherwise.

Because ESO started out with one leveling path for everyone. Many of the most successful MMOs generally had one for each race at least.

pieceofyarnb14_ESO wrote: »

Wait...how long has this game been out? A month really new leveling areas?

No one is asking for it right now but they are outlining future plans. It's not unreasonable for them to plan new areas for sub-max level content.

WOW has only added new leveling areas in expansions, Dranei island and the blood elf start zone but it was only to 20.
Then Worgen and goblins in cataclysm who just had an small story based city.
Pandora might have an decent starting zone but has not played it.

SeñorCinco

One of the core elements that made TES such the success it has been is replay value. While the current available content does allow this, it is not enough for most.

It would be a shame to see all future content limited to veteran levels as a lot of players, myself included, will doubtfully ever progress a character through those levels. In fact i will be lucky to ever get a character to level 50, let alone beyond.

Tamriel is a big place, I can't see spending the rest of it on VL content.

loudent

zaria wrote: »

WOW has only added new leveling areas in expansions,

Yes, but WOW also had Unique starting areas 1-10 or so for each race plus a couple of zones available for each level range. In other words, it released with options in your leveling path.

I have an account that has the max characters all on one faction (I forget how many exactly it's been a long while since I've played) and, with a few exceptions they all leveled differently using different zones or parts of zones.

I'd love to see that as an option for ESO

Awesometographer

Ganacampo wrote: »

Since I like to create various characters and don't want to go through the same low loevel content again and again I actually hope they will not only add new verteran content.

As someone who plays only one character, playing end game content, I actually hope they spend zero dev time on content most people won't play.

loudent

Awesometographer wrote: »

end game content, I actually hope they spend zero dev time on content most people won't play.

Actually I would say that technically speaking, more people will play lower level content than higher level content since not everyone plays to max level. Certainly I think some people may spend more time at max level than leveling up but I know lots of people that get to cap then immediately roll another character.

Also, since we want this MMO to succeed that means getting new players to replace those leaving. All those new players will play low level content.

Korusus

SeñorCinco wrote: »

One of the core elements that made TES such the success it has been is replay value. While the current available content does allow this, it is not enough for most.

It would be a shame to see all future content limited to veteran levels as a lot of players, myself included, will doubtfully ever progress a character through those levels. In fact i will be lucky to ever get a character to level 50, let alone beyond.

Tamriel is a big place, I can't see spending the rest of it on VL content.

This is where ZeniMax is going to shoot itself in the foot. As of this moment they consider VR10 to be "max level" and are tuning their "end game" around this idea. The problem is players may not see it that way.

There are not 50 levels in ESO, there are 150 and a lot of people don't realize that yet. There are 150 and in order to max out one character you will have to experience the linear progression of every zone in the game (unless you really really really really really like pvp and/or grinding).

Ashigaru

loudent wrote: »

Awesometographer wrote: »

end game content, I actually hope they spend zero dev time on content most people won't play.

Actually I would say that technically speaking, more people will play lower level content than higher level content since not everyone plays to max level. Certainly I think some people may spend more time at max level than leveling up but I know lots of people that get to cap then immediately roll another character.

Also, since we want this MMO to succeed that means getting new players to replace those leaving. All those new players will play low level content.

And being new players it will be new content to them. Leveling is a gradual progression, you will leave to new content. If you are not lvling then your doing something wrong.

SeñorCinco

Ashigaru wrote: »

If you are not lvling then your doing something wrong.

I beg to differ. It's not all about getting to a top level or even leveling itself, for a lot of people. I speak for the TES fanbase as the general MMO player is of the arcade mindset. An RPG provides more than just combat and leveling. For a lot of players it's about the journey and not the destination.

I want to create many different characters and I have no interest or need to do everything with one character. However, I want more avenues to bring them through from ground level so they can tell me their story and follow their own path.

Audigy

That may be true, but the MMOs that I cut my teeth on included a number of leveling options from the get go. each Race had it's own starting area that eventually merged But there was always a couple of options to level through. ESO basically started with the bare-bones leveling areas. I'd like to see that fleshed out

Ya at ESO we have three of these starting zones, at wow we had 3 per faction if I am not mistakes, which makes six.

The difference between both games however was, that once you hit 15-20 you were all in the same zone. That said, I still believe that Vanilla wow was one of the best MMO`s story and lore wise.

Where Blizz lost me were the addons and I am very curious how ZO will do those. I believe they will all focus on high level content, like at wow (with the exception of the starter zones). I dislike that design, but maybe they have a way of doing it better than Blizz did.

As someone said, we have about 40% of the landmark yet, so there is still a lot of space for new lore, quest´s, etc. While I believe its all going to be high level content, maybe they can add it in such a way that it will fit and not feel like a third leg like in so many other MMO´s these days.

SantieClaws

I'd like to see them add some random inns along the side of roads and have them as new small quest hubs - would work lore wise too - we just built this inn and that's why it wasn't here the last time you passed by. That's one thing about the world I find odd. No random inns in the middle of nowhere. No place I can stop for a drink along the road on my travels and hang out with other travellers.

zaria

wenxue2222b16_ESO wrote: »

I'd like to see them add some random inns along the side of roads and have them as new small quest hubs - would work lore wise too - we just built this inn and that's why it wasn't here the last time you passed by. That's one thing about the world I find odd. No random inns in the middle of nowhere. No place I can stop for a drink along the road on my travels and hang out with other travellers.

Yes, more quest options would be nice, wonder how thief guild / DB will work out.
It might make alternate leveling options.

ElSlayer

So you want them to put month of work into low-level zone that will be completed by you for like 4 hours of gameplay or just opted to skip in favor of other area?

SantieClaws

I do go back to lower level areas and would do to complete any new quests. Though I am in Bangkorai I go back to Sentinel for all my crafting and banking. I often go back to lower areas to get mats for my alts, mop up the odd dungeon or just to have a walk round.