How would you feel about having one "elite" zone for solo play?

Alphashado · July 2014

In light of the VR changes, there has been much debate about unforgiving quest content and how there is very clearly a demand for it. Personally I supported a slight nerf for various reasons, but there are many that are concerned about losing an element of the game they enjoy. Difficult solo play.

How would people from both sides of the isle feel about having one zone designed purely for hard mode solo content with decent rewards? I believe this was the basic idea behind VR content, but the flaw lies in the sheer size of it and that it feels like mandatory progression.

So what about a special zone set aside just for this with mobs, quests, and bosses designed specifically for solo "heroic" play?

I understand that some people would complain about certain rewards being locked behind difficult content, but most games already have this with heroic group content. I really believe this could be a revolutionary idea that could go a long ways towards scratching an "itch" that many people seem to have.

Thoughts please.

Pele · July 2014

Make it so.

Animus0724 · July 2014

I would support this, but the rewards for playing in these areas should match the difficulty. 600 gold for a quest line that took 2 hours to complete is not a good match.

Guppet · July 2014

Or they could just up the difficulty of some if the delves, since they are optional.

fromtesonlineb16_ESO · July 2014

I have no problem with non-critical parts of the game tuned for groups only or well-geared and skilled soloers, as long as character PROGRESSION (meaning leveling and skills) isn't locked by it I'm not affected so if others enjoy it, why not.

Teevesnacks · July 2014

fromtesonlineb16_ESO wrote: »

I have no problem with non-critical parts of the game tuned for groups only or well-geared and skilled players, as long as character PROGRESSION (meaning leveling and skills) isn't locked by it.

This....was exactly what I was thinking

Alphashado · July 2014

fromtesonlineb16_ESO wrote: »

I have no problem with non-critical parts of the game tuned for groups only or well-geared and skilled soloers, as long as character PROGRESSION (meaning leveling and skills) isn't locked by it I'm not affected so if others enjoy it, why not.

Right. If done correctly, there would be only gear, gold, and something prestigious such as titles and achievements. But no skyshards or skill points.

Hilgara · July 2014

Why not have one easy mode zone and leave the rest alone?

schroed360 · July 2014

Would actually love an "elite" solo ONLY zone. But a one in wich grouping would not be possible at all . And to avoid it being nerfed only reward =tittle or costume,no special gear.

Alphashado · July 2014

Hilgara wrote: »

Why not have one easy mode zone and leave the rest alone?

You know the answer to that. Please. Isn't 200 pages of debate over the issue enough for you? If you want to debate the problems with locking progression behind 2/3s of a game with unforgiving content Hilgara, please feel free to scroll in any direction on this forum and you will find a thread.

Ninnghizhidda · July 2014

Yes, if implemented properly, would be an attractive idea, for those wishing to enter the zone and experience the increased difficulty.

Rewards could be increased amounts of gold, increased amount of XP gained from mobs, and perhaps slightly better items given upon completion of quests (something a bit better than your usual crappy "Green" that you mostly deconstruct). Maybe slightly better drops from mobs too, in terms of grade and frequency.

And, indeed, it would require solo mode, otherwise people would go in parties to "exploit" and farm the extra XP, gold etc.

Hilgara · July 2014

Alphashado wrote: »

You know the answer to that. Please. Isn't 200 pages of debate over the issue enough for you? If you want to debate the problems with locking progression behind 2/3s of a game with unforgiving content Hilgara, please feel free to scroll in any direction on this forum and you will find a thread.

This was a hypothetical questions to which I posed another hypothetical question. If having an area set aside to appease an unknown percentage of the games population would work then having an area with easy content is just as valid an idea as having an area with harder content.

A for the 200 pages of debate, interesting isn't it that a week or so ago there was only me and a few others defending the difficulty. Then when the changes were confirmed all those who had been happily playing the game suddenly found a voice. On this forum at least its the nerfers who are in the minority now.

Personally I'm amazed at the amount of dummy spitting before we any of us have even had a chance to see what's going to change and by how much.

Booba · July 2014

I already have several of them: Skyrim, Oblivion, Morrowind, etc. Why would I pay monthly for them?

Alphashado · July 2014

Booba wrote: »

I already have several of them: Skyrim, Oblivion, Morrowind, etc. Why would I pay monthly for them?

There are many demographics to an MMO. It doesn't have to be about grouping 100% of the time. Just wearing gear from a zone like this or sporting a title for everyone to see would be the difference. There are many people that play MMOs purely for the social interaction. And there is nothing wrong with that.

Audigy · July 2014

Alphashado wrote: »

So what about a special zone set aside just for this with mobs, quests, and bosses designed specifically for solo "heroic" play?

Thoughts please.

Why only one zone and why isolate MMO driven players from the community?

The VR zones right now are optional as well and many people enjoy them. Its a small vocal minority that cant accept that there is something they might not be able to do yet and because of this all have to suffer?
If people don't want to play through the VR zones then they can make an alt and play through them from 1-50, cant they?

I think its wrong to push everyone who wants an MMO experience into a corner and say "well, go do dailys for months now so you get a pony". This is what Blizz and EA did and it doesn't work out, the loss of subs speaks for itself.

Not just one, but many zones should be for solo and small scale groups. People don't need to visit them if they don't want, the game offers so much content for easy mode gamers - why change the last bit of a challenge?

You know, I don't raid so should I now demand that the whole ESO only has one raid for years because I don't want to use it? That's naïve, a good MMO offers content for all groups and not just one, especially if its a vocal minority.

martinhpb16_ESO · July 2014

Great idea OP I have seen this work in other MMOs

Alphashado · July 2014

Audigy wrote: »

Alphashado wrote: »

So what about a special zone set aside just for this with mobs, quests, and bosses designed specifically for solo "heroic" play?

Thoughts please.

Why only one zone and why isolate MMO driven players from the community?

The VR zones right now are optional as well and many people enjoy them. Its a small vocal minority that cant accept that there is something they might not be able to do yet and because of this all have to suffer?
If people don't want to play through the VR zones then they can make an alt and play through them from 1-50, cant they?

I think its wrong to push everyone who wants an MMO experience into a corner and say "well, go do dailys for months now so you get a pony". This is what Blizz and EA did and it doesn't work out, the loss of subs speaks for itself.

Not just one, but many zones should be for solo and small scale groups. People don't need to visit them if they don't want, the game offers so much content for easy mode gamers - why change the last bit of a challenge?

You know, I don't raid so should I now demand that the whole ESO only has one raid for years because I don't want to use it? That's naïve, a good MMO offers content for all groups and not just one, especially if its a vocal minority.

The only vocal minority I see here are people like you that actually believes that a multi million dollar company would make a business decision by listening to a vocal minority. Funny how this "silent majority" you speak of all the time doesn't have a premier MMO designed for them yet.

Hilgara · July 2014

Alphashado wrote: »

The only vocal minority I see here are people like you that actually believes that a multi million dollar company would make a business decision by listening to a vocal minority. Funny how this "silent majority" you speak of all the time doesn't have a premier MMO designed for them yet.

They are changing things because the vet areas are empty and people are leaving the game. They are then assuming this is because the content must be too hard. They even said they have listened to the feed back. I.E the forum.

It remains to be seen if this was the correct conclusion but I think not. The vet zones will be just as empty next week as they are now because difficulty had very little to do with the reason why they are empty.

Alphashado · July 2014

Hilgara wrote: »

Alphashado wrote: »

The only vocal minority I see here are people like you that actually believes that a multi million dollar company would make a business decision by listening to a vocal minority. Funny how this "silent majority" you speak of all the time doesn't have a premier MMO designed for them yet.

They are changing things because the vet areas are empty and people are leaving the game. They are then assuming this is because the content must be too hard. They even said they have listened to the feed back. I.E the forum.

It remains to be seen if this was the correct conclusion but I think not. The vet zones will be just as empty next week as they are now because difficulty had very little to do with the reason why they are empty.

There are hundreds of thousands of people playing this game with a /feedback option. It's silly to assume any major decision would be made by a few hundred people on this forum. This has all been debated to the point of nausea. I was hoping to see a civil conversation about the OP. Not continue the same debate raging on 200 other threads

Audigy · July 2014

Alphashado wrote: »

Audigy wrote: »

Alphashado wrote: »

So what about a special zone set aside just for this with mobs, quests, and bosses designed specifically for solo "heroic" play?

Thoughts please.

Why only one zone and why isolate MMO driven players from the community?

The VR zones right now are optional as well and many people enjoy them. Its a small vocal minority that cant accept that there is something they might not be able to do yet and because of this all have to suffer?
If people don't want to play through the VR zones then they can make an alt and play through them from 1-50, cant they?

I think its wrong to push everyone who wants an MMO experience into a corner and say "well, go do dailys for months now so you get a pony". This is what Blizz and EA did and it doesn't work out, the loss of subs speaks for itself.

Not just one, but many zones should be for solo and small scale groups. People don't need to visit them if they don't want, the game offers so much content for easy mode gamers - why change the last bit of a challenge?

You know, I don't raid so should I now demand that the whole ESO only has one raid for years because I don't want to use it? That's naïve, a good MMO offers content for all groups and not just one, especially if its a vocal minority.

The only vocal minority I see here are people like you that actually believes that a multi million dollar company would make a business decision by listening to a vocal minority. Funny how this "silent majority" you speak of all the time doesn't have a premier MMO designed for them yet.

If you would read the forum and don't just insult those who disagree with you, then you would find out quickly that they said the nerf is due the feedback at the forum.
The forum saw a new "I am too bad" post every day, mostly by the same crowd. This is a vocal minority, like it or not.

And yes the MMO is designed for your kind a lot. The whole 1-50 content is for you and offers barely a challenge. Most MMO´s don't let people quest from 1-50 all alone, ESO however made that compromise so that you can play until 50 without any sweat, while those who are here for the MMO have the VR zones.

But of course that compromise is not enough for you, so you kept on crying and now you have your wish and the whole game can be done in a very easy manner.

That you now want to throw those that had 50% of the game into a single zone is not only disrespectful but rude. Why is it so hard to co exist in an MMO? Were 50% not enough for you? We were fine with that compromise, why not you?

Zones were empty due the fact that Craglorn offered much more xp, that it offered exploits and better rewards. People leveled from VR1-VR 12 in a few days, never even touching the VR 1-10 zones.
If you look at it, the people that didn't like the VR 1-10 zones were again offered a second choice. Not only could they do the VR zones in easy mode from 1-50, no they also got Craglorn so they could get to VR 12 a lot easier and faster.

It is beyond me why all these compromises were never enough. Its like people cried for the sake of crying alone, to ruin the fun of those who actually enjoyed the game.

Alphashado · July 2014

Audigy wrote: »

Alphashado wrote: »

Audigy wrote: »

Alphashado wrote: »

So what about a special zone set aside just for this with mobs, quests, and bosses designed specifically for solo "heroic" play?

Thoughts please.

Why only one zone and why isolate MMO driven players from the community?

The VR zones right now are optional as well and many people enjoy them. Its a small vocal minority that cant accept that there is something they might not be able to do yet and because of this all have to suffer?
If people don't want to play through the VR zones then they can make an alt and play through them from 1-50, cant they?

I think its wrong to push everyone who wants an MMO experience into a corner and say "well, go do dailys for months now so you get a pony". This is what Blizz and EA did and it doesn't work out, the loss of subs speaks for itself.

Not just one, but many zones should be for solo and small scale groups. People don't need to visit them if they don't want, the game offers so much content for easy mode gamers - why change the last bit of a challenge?

You know, I don't raid so should I now demand that the whole ESO only has one raid for years because I don't want to use it? That's naïve, a good MMO offers content for all groups and not just one, especially if its a vocal minority.

The only vocal minority I see here are people like you that actually believes that a multi million dollar company would make a business decision by listening to a vocal minority. Funny how this "silent majority" you speak of all the time doesn't have a premier MMO designed for them yet.

If you would read the forum and don't just insult those who disagree with you, then you would find out quickly that they said the nerf is due the feedback at the forum.
The forum saw a new "I am too bad" post every day, mostly by the same crowd. This is a vocal minority, like it or not.

And yes the MMO is designed for your kind a lot. The whole 1-50 content is for you and offers barely a challenge. Most MMO´s don't let people quest from 1-50 all alone, ESO however made that compromise so that you can play until 50 without any sweat, while those who are here for the MMO have the VR zones.

But of course that compromise is not enough for you, so you kept on crying and now you have your wish and the whole game can be done in a very easy manner.

That you now want to throw those that had 50% of the game into a single zone is not only disrespectful but rude. Why is it so hard to co exist in an MMO? Were 50% not enough for you? We were fine with that compromise, why not you?

Zones were empty due the fact that Craglorn offered much more xp, that it offered exploits and better rewards. People leveled from VR1-VR 12 in a few days, never even touching the VR 1-10 zones.
If you look at it, the people that didn't like the VR 1-10 zones were again offered a second choice. Not only could they do the VR zones in easy mode from 1-50, no they also got Craglorn so they could get to VR 12 a lot easier and faster.

It is beyond me why all these compromises were never enough. Its like people cried for the sake of crying alone, to ruin the fun of those who actually enjoyed the game.

Not even worth responding to.

Dayel · July 2014

With regard to the issue of how many people in the forums or not participating in the forums do or do not subscribe to changing the VR difficulty, remember that silence means consent.

However, I would very much like an elite solo zone.

Soloeus · July 2014

Alphashado wrote: »

In light of the VR changes, there has been much debate about unforgiving quest content and how there is very clearly a demand for it. Personally I support a slight nerf for various reasons, but there are many that are concerned about losing an element of the game they enjoy. Difficult solo play.

How would people from both sides of the isle feel about having one zone designed purely for hard mode solo content with decent rewards? I believe this was the basic idea behind VR content, but the flaw lies in the sheer size of it and that it feels like mandatory progression.

So what about a special zone set aside just for this with mobs, quests, and bosses designed specifically for solo "heroic" play?

I understand that some people would complain about certain rewards being locked behind difficult content, but most games already have this with heroic group content. I really believe this could be a revolutionary idea that could go a long ways towards scratching an "itch" that many people seem to have.

Thoughts please.

I would support this.

I would like one really hard spot; just not 2/3 of the zones which was the prior model. I think having one really hard zone for groups will be for the better. So will having a Battlegrounds/Arena PVP Zone. Just like having an elite solo zone.

I think each playstyle has something to offer and the best MMO is the one that appeals to everyone. Let the core zones be less elite, and have zones for everything else outside of that.

EinionYrth · July 2014

Dayel wrote: »

With regard to the issue of how many people in the forums or not participating in the forums do or do not subscribe to changing the VR difficulty, remember that silence means consent.

However, I would very much like an elite solo zone.

I'm only VR2 - I've not found it too difficult yet but I didn't think I'd really seen enough to have an opinion, so it's not strictly consent.

Cogo · July 2014

I love Solo game. I have a lot of them. Civ 5, Skyrim, Fallout...list is long.

I like playing MMO as well.

BBSooner · July 2014

I would love a solo zone that is exclusively solo with difficult content.

Id also like VR repeatable quests from the mages and fighters guilds (with varying difficulty) that generates a solo instance via a portal that is a randomly chosen dungeon from all the dungeons in tamriel - randomly populates it with mobs and a few bosses, and the mobs/ bosses gain or lose mechanics based on the difficulty chosen to prevent a "harder = more hp" experience. This would provide content for people who do and don't desire difficult content.

Nathano · July 2014

I am very much in support of the recent nerfs as I found the VR zones frustratingly difficult but I would also support the OPs idea. Most people are no opposed to hard content, they just want it to be optional. So if you had a zone that was pre-patch VR difficulty then I would be fine with it as long as there was an alternative leveling zone for people who don't want the harder content. And to be honest if it was just 1 zone and the rewards were good I would probably go there.

Alphashado · July 2014

Cogo wrote: »

I love Solo game. I have a lot of them. Civ 5, Skyrim, Fallout...list is long.

I like playing MMO as well.

MMO doesn't stand for Massive Group Play Online. It stands for Massive Multiplayer Online.

There are many different demographics to an MMO. Showing off your stuff to other people is one of them. Standing in a busy area strutting around with a title or gear that was earned in a solo area is a perfectly viable example of this. Bragging rights. Doing this content and then discussing it with your friends in game or showing off the results would be an example of the social aspect to an MMO.

You might be amazed at how many people don't enjoy group content, but yet still enjoy an MMO. It's the population. The buzz. The activity. The social interaction. The thrill of seeing other people running around in cities or out in the countryside.

I honestly don't see the downside to this idea. Isn't something like this exactly what certain people want?

Because otherwise it seems to me that what people are upset about losing is the "haha, you are forced to do this stuff, you can't, I can and you suck" thrill.

Requiemslove · July 2014

Forum needs a [tick] emote. This will have to do though, as a poor substitute.

TheVindelator · July 2014

For me solo play is the bread and butter of the game. I'd love it if leveling up in harder zone was an option.

Lonestryder · July 2014

I support this as well.

Oh, and I don't support the recent nerf - heck, it's only the beginning of many stages and it concerns me where it will all end up.

That's what makes the idea of a "challenge" zone appealing - for those times when I can't or don't want to group.

I want any combat situation to be a challenge, period. I just don't want all the challenging stuff to be locked away behind a group requirement - most, yes, but not all of it.

If "easy" mode is the new "normal" mode, I need places to escape that mainstream design concept.