The Best MMO Of 2019? An Interview With Alcast On Balance, Performance, Necromancer

JackDaniell · March 2019

I had a great talk with the one and only Alcast about this past year of ESO, how the game has changed and how it ranks among other MMOs. A huge shoutout to Alcast for taking the time to chat with me! Hope yall enjoy~

https://youtu.be/jNAkFU6UgI8

Synnastix · March 2019

Summary?

MentalxHammer · March 2019

Jack, your videos are always interesting. Thanks for the wide variety of content covered. Also I love the hand drawn cover art for your videos, keep up the good work.

D0PAMINE · March 2019

@JackDaniell Great post Jack. Also, keep those builds coming please

We appreciate what you do.

Huyen · March 2019

To bad Alcast isnt casual like 90% of the playerbase...

ezio45 · March 2019

decent points

i think the biggest misstep of the yr was shield nerfs not the recycled arena but then again im not into pve content that much

Elwendryll · March 2019

I'm actually impressed. They just totally skipped the runners.

Zacuel · March 2019

jonswowgothackedub17_ESO wrote: »

Summary?

This.

Ladislao · March 2019

Is there a chance for a text version? It's tiring to listen to 40 minutes of what can be read in 10 or less minutes.

Tandor · March 2019

Ladislao wrote: »

Is there a chance for a text version? It's tiring to listen to 40 minutes of what can be read in 10 or less minutes.

Agreed, this is a discussion board after all rather than a video library.

Anhedonie · March 2019

Short summary:
Servers need improvements
ZOS is kinda slow at implementing things, even though they move in the right direction
ESO has the best combat with highest skill cap among MMOs
New dev team looks promising (wholeheartedly agree)
Hopes for necromancer (I'm pretty sure these guys already know what's it gonna be)
Alcast didn't like Murkmire, since it's mostly reused assets, new arena is kinda meh
Liked psijic line and JC
Right now is the best time for new players

correct me if something is wrong, I was distracted a bit while listening.

Bhaal5 · March 2019

Best mmo, if its the only one you've played

Jameliel · March 2019

Bhaal5 wrote: »

Best mmo, if its the only one you've played

This all day. Or if it's one of only the several worst you have played.

MLGProPlayer · March 2019

Bhaal5 wrote: »

Best mmo, if its the only one you've played

It is the best, though.

WoW:

- 15 years old and looks even older (it wasn't a cutting edge engine even back then)
- Outdated tab target combat
- Monthly sub AND invasive cash shop
- Most quest content is just fetch/kill junk

GW2:

- On its last legs (NCSoft just laid off most of the dev team)
- Not a bad game otherwise
- Mostly fetch/kill quests, but engaging combat and fun classes
- Slow to add content (and will get even slower now)

FFXIV:

- Tries to be WoW too much (albeit it improves on the formula a bit)

BDO:

- Rampant P2W
- No PvE content (it's a PvP-only MMO)
- Infuriating grind
- Great combat and graphics, but those are the only redeeming qualities

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

Tasear · March 2019

Anhedonie wrote: »

Short summary:
Servers need improvements
ZOS is kinda slow at implementing things, even though they move in the right direction
ESO has the best combat with highest skill cap among MMOs
New dev team looks promising (wholeheartedly agree)
Hopes for necromancer (I'm pretty sure these guys already know what's it gonna be)
Alcast didn't like Murkmire, since it's mostly reused assets, new arena is kinda meh
Liked psijic line and JC
Right now is the best time for new players

correct me if something is wrong, I was distracted a bit while listening.

Surprised usually he is all complaints.

Commancho · March 2019

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

Haha, seriously? xD

HowlKimchi · March 2019

Commancho wrote: »

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

Haha, seriously? xD

Why are you still playing if you dont think the combat system is solid tho

Ilithyania · March 2019

I love the fast combat, no cool downs. no tabtarget.
Animcancel, barswap cancel, HT LT weave etc etc.

will never go back to a old school MMO combat system. that stuff is dead to me

MLGProPlayer · March 2019

Commancho wrote: »

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

Haha, seriously? xD

It's currently 1 of only 2 western MMOs that have some form of action combat.

Commancho · March 2019

HaruKamui wrote: »

Commancho wrote: »

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

Haha, seriously? xD

Why are you still playing if you dont think the combat system is solid tho

For the other reasons he has mentioned plus a couple of more/

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

Commancho wrote: »

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

Haha, seriously? xD

It's currently 1 of only 2 western MMOs that have some form of action combat.

It's true, but lack of competition is a poor excuse for a medicore combat. MMOs have died some time ago, now they are rising slowly again. It's just a matter of time when we will get new generation of MMOs. Ofcourse every game has a life cycle, but lets be honest - Zenimax was just lucky to do it in the right time and to have rights to TES franchise.

Sanctuary_Reaper · March 2019

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

Bhaal5 wrote: »

Best mmo, if its the only one you've played

It is the best, though.

WoW:

- 15 years old and looks even older (it wasn't a cutting edge engine even back then)
- Outdated tab target combat
- Monthly sub AND invasive cash shop
- Most quest content is just fetch/kill junk

GW2:

- On its last legs (NCSoft just laid off most of the dev team)
- Not a bad game otherwise
- Mostly fetch/kill quests, but engaging combat and fun classes
- Slow to add content (and will get even slower now)

FFXIV:

- Tries to be WoW too much (albeit it improves on the formula a bit)

BDO:

- Rampant P2W
- No PvE content (it's a PvP-only MMO)
- Infuriating grind
- Great combat and graphics, but those are the only redeeming qualities

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

Trouble with this post right here ^^ is that you have listed the bad points of other games, and only 2 good things about TESO, add to your TESO list the bad points of the game. I will help you.

An infuriating grind for a lot of gear in the game.
To effectively manage inventory you have to sub.
Quests are mostly go to point A speak to D then go to B collect E and take it back A and give it to D.
Performance sucks, from ping to fps drops for no reason other than the servers are crap.
The Devs break more things than they fix when they patch the game.
The new content they release is buggier than whats already at the table, and they bury there heads in the sand hoping it will go away.

COMMUNICATION with playerbase - Stinks.

HowlKimchi · March 2019

Sanctuary_Reaper wrote: »

Quests are mostly go to point A speak to D then go to B collect E and take it back A and give it to D.

While I agree with your other points to an extent, I'd have to disagree on this one. By your statement itself, that's already more engaging than "kill x wolves beside me" quests of other mmos. But you also fail to mention how engaging the stories of these quests are. Story-wise, your going to point A to speak to D for a reason, etc.

I really enjoy the stories of the quests in ESO. Especially the ones that aren't part of the zone story, but are also a chain of quests. Personally, the argonian who wanted to be a high ranking mage in morrowind to save a loved one was a very nice quest line.

MLGProPlayer · March 2019

Sanctuary_Reaper wrote: »

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

Bhaal5 wrote: »

Best mmo, if its the only one you've played

It is the best, though.

WoW:

- 15 years old and looks even older (it wasn't a cutting edge engine even back then)
- Outdated tab target combat
- Monthly sub AND invasive cash shop
- Most quest content is just fetch/kill junk

GW2:

- On its last legs (NCSoft just laid off most of the dev team)
- Not a bad game otherwise
- Mostly fetch/kill quests, but engaging combat and fun classes
- Slow to add content (and will get even slower now)

FFXIV:

- Tries to be WoW too much (albeit it improves on the formula a bit)

BDO:

- Rampant P2W
- No PvE content (it's a PvP-only MMO)
- Infuriating grind
- Great combat and graphics, but those are the only redeeming qualities

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

Trouble with this post right here ^^ is that you have listed the bad points of other games, and only 2 good things about TESO, add to your TESO list the bad points of the game. I will help you.

An infuriating grind for a lot of gear in the game.
To effectively manage inventory you have to sub.
Quests are mostly go to point A speak to D then go to B collect E and take it back A and give it to D.
Performance sucks, from ping to fps drops for no reason other than the servers are crap.
The Devs break more things than they fix when they patch the game.
The new content they release is buggier than whats already at the table, and they bury there heads in the sand hoping it will go away.

COMMUNICATION with playerbase - Stinks.

Most of those are universal complaints that apply to all the games on that list.

- They all have grind (and other than GW2, more than ESO)
- Quests will always be formulaic to some extent. Whether you're playing Mass Effect or Skyrim or ESO, quests will be written this way. I'm not sure what you're complaining about as there is literally no other way to write a quest.
- There has never been an MMO that didn't run like crap
- Every MMO is chock full of bugs
- Communication with players sucks in every AAA game (and certainly all the ones on that list)

zyk · March 2019

Breaking news: two eso enthusiasts enthusiastic about eso.

I'm just kidding. All I know about the video is what's in the thread. The part that caught my eye was 'best mmo'.

I guess the definition of MMO is very broad now, but even Matt Firor has said ZOS prefers to look at ESO as an Online RPG and not an MMO. I think by traditional MMO standards, it's really difficult to compare ESO to some of the other games referenced.

Roboplus · March 2019

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

It is the best, though.

WoW:

- 15 years old and looks even older (it wasn't a cutting edge engine even back then)
- Outdated tab target combat
- Monthly sub AND invasive cash shop
- Most quest content is just fetch/kill junk

GW2:

- On its last legs (NCSoft just laid off most of the dev team)
- Not a bad game otherwise
- Mostly fetch/kill quests, but engaging combat and fun classes
- Slow to add content (and will get even slower now)

FFXIV:

- Tries to be WoW too much (albeit it improves on the formula a bit)

BDO:

- Rampant P2W
- No PvE content (it's a PvP-only MMO)
- Infuriating grind
- Great combat and graphics, but those are the only redeeming qualities

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

WoW:
= Comparing a slow-paced tab-target RPG to a fast-paced Action RPG (it's a different kind of game).

GW2:
+ Probably the actual best Action MMO on the market at this exact moment.
- But NCSoft. Ew.

FFXIV:
= Comparing a slow-paced tab-target RPG to a fast-paced Action RPG.
+ Possesses the most functional, easiest to learn (yet still varied) raid mechanics in the entire MMO genre. Ever.
- Group dungeons are part of the main story, which means they aren't optional and you can't put them off.
- Much like Warframe, you should really have someone guiding you when you first start.

BDO:
+ Fantastic combat system leagues better than ESO.
+ The contribution system (and what you can do with it) is the coolest thing any MMO has done since City of Heroes released.
= PvP doesn't activate until level 50.
= Garbage story, but surprisingly very robust world-building.
- - Criminal customer service.

SWL:
+ Rerelease of the game with the single best story and story-presentation in the entire MMO genre.
- - They actually managed to make the combat worse. And they refuse to fix it.

TERA:
+ Still has the best action-combat system in the entire MMO genre.
+ No, seriously. How is it still the best? This game has been out for 8 years. How has nobody improved on this? Blade and Soul, what happened?
- - There is nothing to do in this game. And everything that's there takes FF11-levels of time commitment.

CO (Yep, it's still around):
+ While not the most robust character creation system, what is there allows you to create far more varied characters than anything else on the market.
+ The most fun I've ever had with PvP in an MMO.
- Terribly balanced. There is no difficulty to be found.

ESO:
= Basically the new WoW, only for Action MMOs. Based on a pre-existing IP, so it's automatically more popular than it would be as a new IP (which means there's always people playing). And they hit a lot of key points while not fumbling too often. But just like WoW of old, they don't do anything especially well.

JediCody · March 2019

Ladislao wrote: »

Is there a chance for a text version? It's tiring to listen to 40 minutes of what can be read in 10 or less minutes.

Tandor wrote: »

Ladislao wrote: »

Is there a chance for a text version? It's tiring to listen to 40 minutes of what can be read in 10 or less minutes.

Agreed, this is a discussion board after all rather than a video library.

How about thanking the man for his work in putting this together. Both of you. Probably millennials.

Thanks to OP. Great interview.

todokete · March 2019

Eso is not action combat. You have auto aim pressing alt. You only need to be looking at your target. Same as in wow you can't fire skills to somewhere you're not looking at

Facefister · March 2019

todokete wrote: »

Eso is not action combat. You have auto aim pressing alt. You only need to be looking at your target. Same as in wow you can't fire skills to somewhere you're not looking at

Wrong.

Alucardo · March 2019

todokete wrote: »

Eso is not action combat. You have auto aim pressing alt. You only need to be looking at your target. Same as in wow you can't fire skills to somewhere you're not looking at

You've never used AOEs before, have you?

todokete · March 2019

Facefister wrote: »

todokete wrote: »

Eso is not action combat. You have auto aim pressing alt. You only need to be looking at your target. Same as in wow you can't fire skills to somewhere you're not looking at

Wrong.

Tell me why? Lol you *** don't even explain your argument. Wrong wrong wrong that's all you have to say. SO stupid

ArchMikem · March 2019

Sanctuary_Reaper wrote: »

MLGProPlayer wrote: »

Bhaal5 wrote: »

Best mmo, if its the only one you've played

It is the best, though.

WoW:

- 15 years old and looks even older (it wasn't a cutting edge engine even back then)
- Outdated tab target combat
- Monthly sub AND invasive cash shop
- Most quest content is just fetch/kill junk

GW2:

- On its last legs (NCSoft just laid off most of the dev team)
- Not a bad game otherwise
- Mostly fetch/kill quests, but engaging combat and fun classes
- Slow to add content (and will get even slower now)

FFXIV:

- Tries to be WoW too much (albeit it improves on the formula a bit)

BDO:

- Rampant P2W
- No PvE content (it's a PvP-only MMO)
- Infuriating grind
- Great combat and graphics, but those are the only redeeming qualities

ESO:

- Best quest content of any MMO
- Solid combat system
- Actively updated with new content

Trouble with this post right here ^^ is that you have listed the bad points of other games, and only 2 good things about TESO, add to your TESO list the bad points of the game. I will help you.

An infuriating grind for a lot of gear in the game.
To effectively manage inventory you have to sub.
Quests are mostly go to point A speak to D then go to B collect E and take it back A and give it to D.
Performance sucks, from ping to fps drops for no reason other than the servers are crap.
The Devs break more things than they fix when they patch the game.
The new content they release is buggier than whats already at the table, and they bury there heads in the sand hoping it will go away.

COMMUNICATION with playerbase - Stinks.

Negative nancy over here.