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Rethinking the Mess of Woodhearth (For the Roleplayers!)

ForestGuard
ForestGuard
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Elden Root is a mess of wasted potential, and not even partially desirable to roleplayers. From afar it's beautiful, but when you're running in and around it, there's literally nothing of roleplayable value to it, particularly when compared to the other factions' capitols. But this isn't about Elden Root, this is about Woodhearth, currently being populated as the Aldmeri Dominion Roleplaying Community's "Hub". While the location is ideal because of it's inclusive nature and the representation of all three races, there is a clear lack of thought and effort put into making this city a cohesive and lively location. This is my attempt to give feedback on some of the many things that are wrong with Woodhearth, and how you can fix them to strengthen and support your dedicated roleplaying community.

Beyond everything I could possibly say, I really just think some designers need to walk around the place and have a discussion about the usage of space and question the poor decision making that went into this hashed together location.

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1: This middle tree spire is turned the wrong way, you should be able to walk into it on the ground level from the marketplace as it is a shop. Turn the entrance toward the khajiit tavern. The whole concept of the shop should be reconsidered too.

2: Here there is a perfect opportunity to merge the tree structures via a bridge, I think having that access from the market place to the tree tops right here would be great.

3: Beneath this individual tree structure, I feel like there should be a large leather tent coming off the trunk, with plenty of merchants and citizens circling under it.

4: This area has an obnoxious NPC problem. The khajiit woman comes to talk to the bosmer man frequently, and their conversation is very intrusive to roleplay while adding nothing to the city's value. There is also what I've called the "Bench Goldilocks" who wanders around the central tree, trying out each bench... My character was sitting down next to one, using it as a "market stall" of sorts, setting his jars and potions down on it... And then she'd come push him out of the way or sit in front of him.

5: The khajiit have so little representation here in Woodhearth, I think the least we could do is make their tavern one of the larger variety, like the one found in Rawl'kha. It would also be really interesting if there was a cellar leading to a skooma den in the imperial underground.

6: This is the perfect place for a beautiful park but it's really not designed well, it needs some attention, maybe move a painter here, and a musician, some bosmer just laying in the grass next to each other. Clean it up, make it look like a desirable public hangout.

7: This tree is facing the wrong direction in my opinion. The entrance should be pointed toward the other trees or the city's entrance, and it probably should have a ramp leading up to the second level... and the second level should be turned into a tavern / drinking / eating area... OR, the bottom sleeping area should be moved up and the tavern should be on bottom. Two bosmer taverns isn't necessary. I would say turn the Improbable Cutlet into a housing structure, moving it's top level to the bottom of The Greenbower (#1) and The Greenbower's bottom level to it's top (eliminating the current top level of The Greenbower entirely or moving it to the market).

8: The entrance to Woodhearth is lacking. It needs something that stands out more and makes it clear that you're entering a city.

9: You can't enter this bosmer building and it's placed awkwardly, "outside" of the city.

10: This is wasted space between the bosmer district and the horses, I say fill it up with a small "village" area, with farmer-looking types, goats, bosmer tents, some khajiit "slums" and shivering skooma addicts.
Edited by ForestGuard on December 15, 2014 12:15PM
  • ForestGuard
    ForestGuard
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    Bump. We really need some support AD-side. Our RP community is struggling to hold it together, and I feel like the game needs to do a better job of facilitating the RP that keeps us subscribed. This would be a huge step in the right direction.
  • stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO
    stefan.gustavsonb16_ESO
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    Good and well considered points, but I wouldn't expect much in terms of a response from ZOS.

    Between the huge problems for PvP, the overhaul of the VR level system and the dysfunctional LFG tool, I really don't think there is a lot of attention from ZOS on RP issues at the moment. (Wow, that was a sentence packed with acronyms.)

    This is a level design problem, not a coding problem, so maybe they will listen, but I suspect the level designers are way too busy designing upcoming content for the crazy schedule of "new major updates every 4-6 weeks".
  • morvegil
    morvegil
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    Are you people for real?!
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  • ZOS_TristanK
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    Thanks for sharing your thoughts, @ForestGuard. We have moved this discussion to the PvE Discussion section to encourage other folks to chime in. Thanks for your understanding!
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  • Ysne58
    Ysne58
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    I agree with the OP in terms of how that city is poorly laid out. I'm not much of a role player but I can see how changing that market and adding that tent would really add to rp environment.
  • Elf_Boy
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    I do agree that one of the levels of Elden Root is backwards.

    The second floor is a mirror image of the way it should look.

    Since that is artwork and level design is ti fixable?
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  • kimboh
    kimboh
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    Agree
    Edited by kimboh on December 19, 2014 4:36AM
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  • ForestGuard
    ForestGuard
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    Just for some insight as to what we're doing in Woodhearth, aside from random RP / bumping into eachother... We have two weekly tavern nights here, we have a weekly market, we have guild and public storylines and we're planning a New Life Festival here since there are no holidays being worked into TESO. This is what I've thrown together for the AD-RP New Life Festival, and one example of why it's worth it to make sure the world is made well:
    Woodhearth New Life Festival

    Though it's origins lie with a long forgotten god of debauchery (perhaps Sanguine himself) the New Life Festival is celebrated across Tamriel, and Woodhearth is no exception. In the taverns there are free drinks to be had, in the streets there are parades and for one night all is a wild party where even some of the wood's most timid creatures let loose, dance and play games. Gift giving is a central aspect of the holiday, and many spend weeks preparing presents and small mementos for friends and strangers alike.

    The festivities should be focused outside the Thalmor Headquarters, with more wild celebrants preferring the bosmeri district's atmosphere. No matter your location, there should be plenty to do, and should you end up passing the bosmeri Rite of Revelation, you will be taken to The Greenbower to claim your reward before returning to the party.

    The Rite of Revelation
    The Rite of Revelation is a game of sorts, created by the the merging of various bosmeri customs, mythologies and totemic animal spirits. First, a bosmer steals something of value to the participant (often specified by the "victim"), then hides with it somewhere inside the city. If the participant finds the object it is returned and they are asked upwards of five questions to determine the participant's kindred animal spirit. They are then brought to a collection of bone-carved animal totems and rewarded with the one that the bosmer feels is best for them. If for some reason the participant can't find their valued item by the end of the festival, the bosmer must return it to them and demand something of equal value, likely a story or favor of some kind.

    Example Questions:
    "Which do you value more, your wit, your weapons or your wisdom?"
    "You see bandits harassing a traveler. What do you do? Wait to see what happens? Mimic a wolf call? Attack and disable them? Trick them into believing you're a powerful sorcerer?"

    Animal Totems
    It's said by some tribes of Valenwood that each animal named by Y'ffre was given shape under a particular formation of the stars. It is because of this that all animals are imbued with attributes representative of the guardian constellations and their wards, and can be organized under them.

    The Warrior
    Wolf: Teamwork
    Senche: Strength
    Crocodile: Ferocity
    Bear: Protectiveness
    Boar: Fearlessness
    Mammoth: Fortitude
    Stag: Vigilance
    Woodpecker: Determination
    Ant: Unity
    Bee: Fertility
    The Thief
    Snake: Stealth
    Hoarvor: Opportunism
    Spider: Cunning
    Scorpion: Precision
    Slaughterfish: Tenacity
    Chameleon: Deceptiveness
    Eel: Elusiveness
    Monkey: Impishness
    Sparrow: Speed
    Hummingbird: Liveliness
    The Mage
    Owl: Intelligence
    Turtle: Wisdom
    Torchbug: Illumination
    Vulture: Patience
    Butterfly: Gracefulness
    Raven: Mystery
    Deer: Spirituality
    Ferret: Inquisitiveness
    Beaver: Ingenuity
    Fish: Memory
    Edited by ForestGuard on December 20, 2014 9:05AM
  • xaraan
    xaraan
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    Most of my roleplaying experience is from old school D&D, not mmo's, so I'm sure there is a difference in expectations for me and you guys. That being said:

    I think a good many of the cities are poorly thought out in terms of layout for player access - which is why there are only a couple cities players tend to hang out at. Even when adding the vendors, it was a good chance to revamp or draw attention to other cities, the failed to do it well in many places. (example: they were willing to stack vendors on top of each other and crowd it all by the bank/shrine in Rawl'ka, but in Riften, where there was plenty of room, the put them outside the city, far away from vendors/shrine/bank.)

    But, if you look at that city of woodhearth from a purely RP standpoint - it looks like it was built over an old castle and has had all three races adding structures to it. Sometimes when a city grows up in a haphazard way, the organic way that it forms isn't always the most useful for shopping, moving around, etc. Ex: you can't pick which way a tree grows or faces, why a road is connecting here instead of there, etc. I'd think that type of thing would be value by roleplayers for not being designed from a top down view all at once and instead sticking to that city grown over time, odd layout design.

    That's just a thought about the issue, not an argument against it. In the end, I agree. Of all the city designs, woodhearth is probably one of the oddest in terms of sense.
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  • ForestGuard
    ForestGuard
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    I do get where you're coming from. Woodhearth was originally an imperial outpost, and before the bosmer were welcomed in / allowed to grow their tree structures they were tearing down the walls with destruction magic. That sort of chaotic history is shown though, I think, in the ruins themselves, it doesn't need to render the entire city a mess, and even little things like that park would instantly up the value of the city to roleplayers.

    I just feel like, as a symbol of The Dominion's cooperation it needs to be a bit more "shiny" and well kept. Elden Root, while the Dominion's capitol, doesn't give a feeling of coordination and unity, it actually leaves a really sour taste in my mouth, particularly with the themes of Altmeri invasion into Valenwood around it.

    Woodhearth is where everything seemed to turn in the storyline... After Cormount, after General Endare, after Prince Naemon and his Shade... you see the Treethane Fariel, you crack down again on the Heritance and the maormer, The Dominion finally starts to feel like it stands a chance of holding together-... we need to see that in the city, we need to see the spirit of cooperation at every step, not the sort of reluctant acceptance of each other's existence and general lack of care.
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