That seems very wrong. I don't want to play in IC anyway but did plan to go there just for any sky shards or things to collect. I was going to keep my ESO plus just for this but it looks like there may be no reason to keep it another month now.

You can't make purchase decisions based on the Public Test Server. Nothing on the PTS is set in stone.

Hows about you wait for the actual announcement before deciding not to buy, instead of assuming?

Personally I think having paid content gated by how well your alliance is doing in your campaign (along with restricting it so that you can't switch to another campaign where your alliance does have access) is a bad idea. Having said that, @Alnilam is correct that the access mode hasn't yet been decided, and that different methods are going to be tested. There is also a lively discussion (that I have stayed out of) on this topic in the PTS forum.

AlnilamE wrote: »

danew6 wrote: »

That seems very wrong. I don't want to play in IC anyway but did plan to go there just for any sky shards or things to collect. I was going to keep my ESO plus just for this but it looks like there may be no reason to keep it another month now.

The way it's right now, though, it will be hard to get the sky shards without getting ganked, so you'd be paying for DLC one can 't access without being good at PvP either way.

Exactly why I am not looking forward to this and don't plan to use it much anyway. However if I did want to go there and paid for it is expect to be able to go there whenever I wanted.

This is one decision they likely will have to reverse or change in some form by giving an option at least to always have access to it somehow.

I've got zero issue with PVP , ganking , and so on, but simple population imbalances that can lead an entire faction(s) from being locked completely out doesn't fly in the long run.

It's an unfortunate situation, and I agree that you should not be locked out of content you've paid for (that was why I was pushing for Imperial City to be free). Conversely, being able to lock out the other alliances would be very useful for PvE players, as it gives them a safety net to play in Imperial City without so many enemy players.

I think the best solution therefore would be to have a couple of campaigns where access is available to everyone, and a couple where access is based on keeps. Then people who always want to be able to get into IC can join one of the open ones, and people who want either PvE relative safety or a reward for PvP can join one of the keep-based ones.

P3ZZL3 wrote: »

The problem with this, primarily @Endoc , is the combination of the gear, crafting and TelVars.

IF you can give people access to everything, without the Keep control and the fundamentals of what the expansion is (PVP) then you mitigate the whole reason of it being there.

Why would I go through the pains of PVP when I can walk into a campaign, without threat, and then craft everything I need/want and walk out again, with no risk/reward.... ?

Now, from aPVE players perspective, I to full understand the complaints/concerns, but people really do need to recognise this is a PVP expansion. The next release closer to Christmas is the PVE Expansion... *shrugs*.

I'm not sure what you mean... if there's no keep control in a campaign, you can't walk into IC without threat of PvP; if there is keep control in a campaign, then PvP in Cyrodiil means something, which it should do for a PvP expansion. So which side are you arguing for?

Realistically imperial city should be a neutral zone with very strong guards keeping the peace. if you wanna try your luck by fighting others, deal with the guards, I think there should also be a Colosseum of some sort inside where people can duel it out if they want.

Then jump in and fight for your alliance.

Simple as.

firstdecan wrote: »

Apparently your alliance has to have a certain number of keeps to get into the Imperial city. If you don't happen to have access to the right buff server, you won't be able to get to the content you paid for.

http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/202328/there-cannot-be-access-gates-to-the-imperial-city-paid-dlc#latest

Does this seem wrong to anyone else? What is the point of this? I understand this is supposed to be a "hardcore PvP" expansion, but how many people are going to pay for content they can be locked out from?

If all 3 sides have access at the same time (like on PTS right now) it is just a gank fest and nothing PVE wise can even be accomplished. But when you add the control mechanics of alliances locking out other alliances the PVE inside actually becomes controlled and things can be done and accomplished inside. Yes your side maybe locked out at times BUT when you do have access you can go there and actually get stuff done. PVPwise it is also better because the enemy alliance zergs get killed off and the only fighting you will encounter is small skirmishes that are much more balanced.

This system was done in Darkage of Camelot with an allianced controlled Dungeon called Darkness Falls and the system worked very well and was the best experience I ever had in an MMO. It gave you a valuable prize to fight over on the battle field.

Pvp expansion caters to Pvp players.......weird........

On a less sarcastic note most content released so far and from there plans that they speak off, there is gonna be lots of pve expansions coming up.

badmojo wrote: »

That's like saying we can't access Cyrodiil because the server is all yellow and they're camping our gates.

Wait a minute, there's about 5 other campaigns....right?

You clearly haven't been paying attention to the upcoming PVP changes that make it so that you can't access a campaign that isn't your home or guest campaign in the ways you can now, and that make it more difficult to change your campaign. Once IC drops you won't be able to just go into a different campaign like you can now.

MikeB wrote: »

AlnilamE wrote: »

Second, nobody has to buy anything.

The whole point of a DLC is to make money, so locking people out of paid content is a HUGE mistake. But this game is full of huge mistakes so I wouldn't put it past ZOS to make this one too

So how do you expect ZOS to keep the doors open and the lights on? They need to make money.. Whether its sub, or "strong arming" people to pay for content, it has to happen.... Pick your poison.

I am not saying you necessarily do, but so many gamers have this sense of entitlement these days.

So if this is a thing. Then why do people care so much about other pvpers killing them and getting their stones?

firstdecan wrote: »

Pirhana7_ESO wrote: »

firstdecan wrote: »

Apparently your alliance has to have a certain number of keeps to get into the Imperial city. If you don't happen to have access to the right buff server, you won't be able to get to the content you paid for.

http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/202328/there-cannot-be-access-gates-to-the-imperial-city-paid-dlc#latest

Does this seem wrong to anyone else? What is the point of this? I understand this is supposed to be a "hardcore PvP" expansion, but how many people are going to pay for content they can be locked out from?

If all 3 sides have access at the same time (like on PTS right now) it is just a gank fest and nothing PVE wise can even be accomplished. But when you add the control mechanics of alliances locking out other alliances the PVE inside actually becomes controlled and things can be done and accomplished inside. Yes your side maybe locked out at times BUT when you do have access you can go there and actually get stuff done. PVPwise it is also better because the enemy alliance zergs get killed off and the only fighting you will encounter is small skirmishes that are much more balanced.

This system was done in Darkage of Camelot with an allianced controlled Dungeon called Darkness Falls and the system worked very well and was the best experience I ever had in an MMO. It gave you a valuable prize to fight over on the battle field.

So what you're saying is that in order to access the content you have paid for, you have to spend hours in Cyrodiil trying to get the requisite number of keeps, and then you'll have access to PvE rewards since someone else will get locked put. This seems to be a recurring theme with ZoS' game design: forcing players to spend a painful amount of time on things they don't want in order to get to things they do want.

This makes no sense since this is supposed to be a PvP update. I understand that IC is a gank fest right now, that's the way the content is designed. It's supposed to encourage smaller scale PvP, not offer a PvE reward for PvP griefing. How many PvPers are going to say "Thank goodness we have Cyrodiil locked down, now I can PvE in the IC in peace." Very few. The PvPers want PvP, not another PvE zone (which is all IC is when you lock out the other alliances).

Nothing about this makes any sense. Pay for content that you can't always access (which is a factor to people who have jobs / school / family / IRL obligations), having to spend hours of time to even attempt to get that access, needing to be opportunistically available for when the access is available, all for the privilege of what is nothing more than another PvE zone because you've locked the other alliances out.

I've played the IC content, it's a well designed environment that is fun enough when you're in the mood for a gank fest. There needs to be a rethink about the fundamental premise and availability. Another PvE zone is not a reward the PvPers want, and many players don't have the time to invest in PvP to get to that PvE content. Additionally, this is supposed to be a PvP update, where is the second 'p' when they've been locked out of the content?

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First you dont get to have everything when you want it just because you paid for it. You paid for the game but you cant just go to any zone right away just because you want to. You cant have legendary gear just because you want it. Like everything else in teh game you have to work towards it and earn it. The IC is no different your working towards it with your alliance and trying to get it as a reward.

Having access to IC is a reward for winning in Cyrodiil. Its an accomplishment, something to aim. An actual reason to hold your home keeps in Cyrodiil. It gives purpose and makes things exciting. When you can actually lose something it makes it more important and special to you. When you do lose it there is balancing mechanic in place to help you get it back. Your HOME territory and the enemy allaince losing half their army to access the IC.

Paid content.... Your paying for the oppurtunity to compete for the prize of the IC just like you compete, level, farm and work for everything else in the game. When your side has access to IC you can go there. When you dont have access you can try to get it back and help your alliance or just go do something else while you wait for your alliance to get it back, Your NOT" forces to spend hours of time". Its not like the game stops for you just because you dont have IC access.......

You want 24/7 access to the IC, which sounds good. But trust me its not. You can go there 24/7 but you cant get anything done. You know how hard it is to do the PVE content or farm stones with enemy zergs coming around the corner every 2 minutes and you lose all your stones each time. You want access to your paid content fine, but you will never get to do it. and no PVE players will ever go there. Now you have the system where you fight for control. Yes you will not have access alot of times BUT when you do you can actually do the content. its very simple. Fight in Cyrodiil, do Trials, vet dungeons, gather, whatever But eventually you will see the message that your alliance has IC access, now its exciting! you can go there and clear out the enemy, you can do the content, and farm stones. its actually an adrenaline rush and can even change your plans for the night.