What's the point of factions after 1 Tamriel?

TequilaFire · October 2016

Because PvE players can't ruin everything.

C0wrex · October 2016

I'm pretty confused with how the story works with One Tamriel but hey... at least I get to play with other factions now

Complete freedom

yodased · October 2016

Cyrodiil is a battleground and soliders fight there, but the surrounding areas are fine for civilians to go to.

Its like their is a war in idaho by montana and nebraska. You can still go to ohio and chill if you are not the fighting type.

Integral1900 · October 2016

It's the same perpouse as the factions in skyrim, or fallout, or the mountain of lore this game has to explore, it's fodder for us to tell our stories. If the story you want to tell is that of a warrior utterly educated to their alliance then do so and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Mine is a former street rat and theif who had a rather brutal epiphany, she looks at the world from the peasants upwards, to her the alliances are just part of the world, and to be honest a large part of the problem, after all the dark anchors would never have worked without the three banners war to muddy the waters, she's bent on saving the world whether it likes it or not and if that means putting cultists and corrupt nobles in body bags then so much the better.

Tell your tale your way, with one tamriel that's basically the point

ShaylonShayton · October 2016

illuminousflux wrote: »

yep, factions are all about pvp. they've never had any true relevance pve side imo

@illuminousflux

Yes this seems to be the general consensus.

I'd like to add that since the lines are so blurred between factions, even before 1 Tamriel, it would make more sense to allow players to pick the faction they wish to fight for, for the duration of a campaign. Especially now that you can meet and play with people of any faction. Why not let you choose to fight with them in PvP, without having to re-roll a new toon.

Probably won't happen for free though, cause ZoS needs to get paid.

malchior · October 2016

PvE had the consequences of Cyrodiil. PvP bonuses were applied in the early days to everyone outside of Cyrodiil. So there was some reason to participate in PvP whereby it made you stronger in PvE.

I'm sure some people remember faction XX's home campaign etc.

Tabbycat wrote: »

The factions were always about the war in Cyrodiil and had no point for PvE anyway.

If the mages guild and the fighters guild are neutral in the three banners war, and you are a member of either or both, that makes you neutral in the three banners war as well, unless you set foot in Cyrodiil to do some PvP.

For those having problems with the change messing with immersion, I offer that up as reasoning as to why you can now freely move among the provinces.

Mandragora · October 2016

I was thinking about it more and actually it would be cool if it would be more about PVE really. Actually it would be a lot about my desire of system of factions, which could give players another goal to reach - something else to do other than in PvP.
(without mages/fighters - they would be still connected to the main quest and thieves/DB still mending their business)

it could be:
if you would like to RP a scout/soldier/healer in an army, you could join the 3 alliances army/secret police/churches and doing quests for them (the main zone quests) could give you some points in that alliance or simply make you worthy of entering Cyrodiil in their name:
lion guards (Emeric army), Ring of Daggers (secret Daggerfall police), priests there - forgot which one, but some with priory.
First Mariners? army, Eye of the queen, church of Auriel
Ebonheart would be a bit problematic - because there are strong Dark elves and Nords, but it could be both for the same points.

And Cyrodiil would be PVE zone, where you could disguise yourself, doing sabotages, infiltrations or just fightning with NPCs soldiers in some scripted battles for a fort, or you would be sent to guard a cargo etc.

PVP Cyrodiil map would be a different zone, smaller with less forts and more controlled - so it could be fair - it could have different matches and because it would be only themed (not a real map) it could be with less lag.

xaraan · October 2016

My immersive side kind of wishes they'd work on the story a bit in a future update, changing some of the "faction" soldiers in pve as well to be more independent groups from those factions and not like official soldiers. And change the pvp portion of the game to be something like mercenary groups or something similar and just move past the whole "faction war" thing at this point.

Mettaricana · October 2016

Just drop factions entirely let players enter cyrodiil by queueing into a faction they want and fight for whatever color they want until that campaign ends lock all their characyers to that campaign so no one cant spy for the other.

Idea probly needs work but I assume no harder than queueing up a pvp faction war in any other game

Mandragora · October 2016

xaraan wrote: »

My immersive side kind of wishes they'd work on the story a bit in a future update, changing some of the "faction" soldiers in pve as well to be more independent groups from those factions and not like official soldiers. And change the pvp portion of the game to be something like mercenary groups or something similar and just move past the whole "faction war" thing at this point.

which groups exactly in PVE should be more independent?
And in PVP how it would work different - those mercenary groups?

sounds good, just I'm not sure about the concept.

Doctordarkspawn · October 2016

Danikat wrote: »

I suspect that, like many MMO creators recently (Wildstar being the most extreme example) ZOS over-estimated the popularity of PvP and the emphasis it should have in the game.

I can't find the topic now but someone on here recently used leaderboards and achievements to calculate that something like 18% of ESO players actively engage in PvP. The remaining 82% stick to PvE.

Whereas I suspect ZOS expected the majority of us to see the PvE campaign as "training" for PvP - we'd choose an alliance, play the story to get an introduction on why we're fighting for them and then gradually spend more and more time in PvP as we progressed through the game.

So they built the game to accommodate that and then had to make adjustments when it became apparent that most players were more interested in exploring the PvE maps and playing the storyline and were more concerned at being locked out of 2/3 of the game and the ability to play with their friends than imagined loyalty to a fictional regime.

This.

The PVE content was noticeibly small when the base game released, dungeons ment to drill rolls into people to get a semblance of teamwork to work up to the big stuff. Now it's become the main event because ZOS has realized "Oh ***, barely anyone actually PVP's."

Mandragora · October 2016

NVM I got that idea of the previous post of xaraan - he wants to drop the whole faction concept.

Doctordarkspawn wrote: »

Danikat wrote: »

I suspect that, like many MMO creators recently (Wildstar being the most extreme example) ZOS over-estimated the popularity of PvP and the emphasis it should have in the game.

I can't find the topic now but someone on here recently used leaderboards and achievements to calculate that something like 18% of ESO players actively engage in PvP. The remaining 82% stick to PvE.

Whereas I suspect ZOS expected the majority of us to see the PvE campaign as "training" for PvP - we'd choose an alliance, play the story to get an introduction on why we're fighting for them and then gradually spend more and more time in PvP as we progressed through the game.

So they built the game to accommodate that and then had to make adjustments when it became apparent that most players were more interested in exploring the PvE maps and playing the storyline and were more concerned at being locked out of 2/3 of the game and the ability to play with their friends than imagined loyalty to a fictional regime.

This.

The PVE content was noticeibly small when the base game released, dungeons ment to drill rolls into people to get a semblance of teamwork to work up to the big stuff. Now it's become the main event because ZOS has realized "Oh ***, barely anyone actually PVP's."

That is why I wish it would be possible to use Cyrodiil in PVE only too - even with the war concept. It can be made interesting - to be able to roleplay a soldier, to fight with NPCs soldiers, but maybe it wouldn't be fun to play anyway - that zone is so huge. If there would be some city rebuilding, it would be only 1 time event without PVP. I miss something more there, something really cool. Even for PvP it is really big - I think that 1/3 of it could be enough for limited, locked campaign, or not?

NewBlacksmurf · October 2016

They do mean a lot for PvP however...outside of PvP it means nothing.
Possibly they'll change campaigns too tho cause ppl want to jump around and not reroll

Azuramoonstar · October 2016

lore wise we predate Tiber Septim dynasty in a time of wars, and civil unrest. Anyone familiar with TES know there was wars before Tiber lead the great unification of tamriel, this from what i understand what lead to the creation of the dragon stone necklace that seals off oblivion.

go into older TES games and read the lore books

Just see Tamriel one being the slow unification of tamriel.

Drummerx04 · October 2016

The separation of the factions before 1T for me gave a sense of faction pride for PvP. When I needed to relax after a long day of battling the evil orange horde, I could retreat to my faction and pick flowers, run a dungeon, or just generally hang out. All the players I was fighting were over there somewhere and I pretty much would never encounter them.

Having said that, despite the occasional, "Crap, Haxus is here to tank us to death! Oh wait, right we aren't in Cyrodiil..." I've adjusted to the 1T change and I have to admit that overall it has improved the PvE overworld to be more lively and vibrant. It is pretty cool to occasionally go to Grahtwood and realize how many more people swarm to the AD zones.

Osteos · October 2016

The 3 faction war is an important part of the ESO story. It is just that some pve players cant handle pvp in any form so they ignore or downplay its importance to the story.

Teronell · October 2016

War is about advancing forces and capturing objectives, not how many people you can kill. If the goal is Imperial City, then all the objectives would be in Cyrodiil.

All members of a country don't become soldiers just because their country is at war, and all the members of the country you are at war with don't become enemy combatants.

That kind of thinking is how internment camps happen.

Before you say this is just a game...art imitates life.

Kram8ion · October 2016

After 1T cyrodil is now "the Matrix"
We have battle each other to the death to please our mechanical overlords that we've created

Prabooo · October 2016

invading zones would be awesome, this would be an evolution in this game for sure

Azuramoonstar · October 2016

Prabooo wrote: »

invading zones would be awesome, this would be an evolution in this game for sure

saw this in Aion... it was crappy.

people would stall their level and use the invade daily to get pvp point to get high end pvp gear.

not everyone who prefers pve hates pvp.

It just gets dull being ganked. look how dcuo turned out heroes and villains were on top of each other and high level players just spawn camped players, making progression harder then needed.

but getting stuck in load screen hell from load screen death isn't fun.

serenity_painted · October 2016

There shouldn't have been factions to begin with if you ask me. It's just something that was popular in MMO's at the time when they started development and maybe cus the game director's previous game was a 3 faction PvP game.

Cyrodiil has it's own factions like Colovia and Nibeney, there's probably a third, we could've just joined one of them.

TheShadowScout · October 2016

ShaylonShayton wrote: »

What's the point of factions after 1 Tamriel?

PvP - so you know who to bash in cyrodil, and what cvolor flag you wanna wave - bluebloods, yellowbellies or the bloodred glory of the pact!

Roleplaying. So you know who to kowtow to, the whiney merchant king of wayrest, the stuck up elf queen of the sumerset isles, or the redbearded nord skald king. And of course, where your character comes from, if they grew up stealing moonsugar snacks in elsweyr or dodging dunmer slavers in black marsh, getting kicked out of breton taverns or chopping wood with frozen fingers in skyrims winter, nomming on your cousin in valenwood or burning sage to the false gods of the tribunal, whatever...

For those who don't have the "Any Race, Any Alliance" unlock, also race options.

That's it.

Asardes · October 2016

PvP, just as before. You could explore every part of Tamriel regardless of faction even before and group together in dungeons with players from other alliances even before the update.

MornaBaine · October 2016

The factions are as relevant and make as much sense as ever. The Three Banners War continues with no sign of peace or victory ever being attained. Much like in the US, this war is perpetual, endless, and horrible. It is a HUGE part of the lore of this game. As such, factions remain meaningful as part of that lore. I am personally glad there is no longer an artificial mechanic that keeps all the people magically separated from each other. That isn't the case in the real world, nor should it be in Tamriel. But just because the invisio walls are gone (and good riddance!) it doesn't mean the war is over.

Digiman · October 2016

ShaylonShayton wrote: »

Should ZoS change the game description when advertising the game now?

@ShaylonShayton nothing really changed, before you could still do the other alliance quests the problem was the lack of population for group events that required a lot of players were dead zones.

It didn't make sense to cordon off the areas with Veteran Ranks gone either. With the new system you have so many new players and can play with your friends on any alliance who level alts.

Personally I love One Tamrial I just wished they fixed the class balance just as effectively.

Bobby_V_Rockit · October 2016

Same as before, none.