What is being tested? - Faction Lock

idk · April 2019

We all know Zos stated they are testing faction lock in Cyrodiil and starting with the most active campaign. I might have missed it which is why I am creating this thead but I do not recall them saying why they are testing (other than some asked for faction lock) or specifically what is actually being tested.

So I ask for clarity as I admit I do not know everything (I probably do not know anything) and I certainly do not hear everything.

Without clear parameters of what is being tested the test is dubious at best. Zos can say whatever they want to about the results and just say the test showed we need faction lock without any reasoning why.

This is especially important since Zos this is because some players asked for it and even though Zos did not elaborate, the related threads gave generalized reasoning of which Zos should already be able to monitor to see if the claims are in fact real and at a level worthy of a change.

That last point is most important because if Zos cannot monitor it now and they do not tell us what exactly is being tested then we have no reason to trust any of this.

So again, if someone has real information to shed light and dissolve some of this doubt please share it. This is not about if you hate or love faction lock but credibility.

Taleof2Cities · April 2019

idk wrote: »

So again, if someone has real information to shed light and dissolve some of this doubt please share it. This is not about if you hate or love faction lock but credibility.

Here you go, @idk .

@Shimmer has a pretty good summary in her video ... when she visited ZOS for necromancy play-testing. I’ve linked it for you.

Any more details are going to have to wait another week and a half ... when the PTS patch notes drop around 4/15.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQZ7pOqxAnI

idk · April 2019

Thx. Pretty much the same limited information as Rich provided. Hopefully Zos actually communicates their reasoning and what exactly they are testing. Otherwise we have no reason to trust them.

Shantu · April 2019

idk wrote: »

Thx. Pretty much the same limited information as Rich provided. Hopefully Zos actually communicates their reasoning and what exactly they are testing. Otherwise we have no reason to trust them.

I doubt player trust or credibility is high on their priority list. It's been demonstrated repeatedly they do what they want for their own reasons.

NordSwordnBoard · April 2019

This may be an "innovative" way to try and split up the populations more. PS4 NA Vivec has a large que even on weeknights, but the other camps are pretty open. I think they are trying to break up the Vivec population. The faction loyalty and spies stuff is just a by-product of the main objective.

VaranisArano · April 2019

I had theorized that faction lock was to spread out players to more campaigns - something we know ZOS says would help the lag. I'd theorized that ZOS wanted to curtail faction hopping just to farm transmute stones in the 30 day campaigns.

I was told that, no, ZOS did it because they were convinced by vocal players that this was something that vocal PVPers desired.

TequilaFire · April 2019

VaranisArano wrote: »

I had theorized that faction lock was to spread out players to more campaigns - something we know ZOS says would help the lag. I'd theorized that ZOS wanted to curtail faction hopping just to farm transmute stones in the 30 day campaigns.

I was told that, no, ZOS did it because they were convinced by vocal players that this was something that vocal PVPers desired.

Told by whom? The sour grapes elite clique of small scale players that hang out on discords trying to decide the fate of the game without most of the players even aware of what goes on?

VaranisArano · April 2019

TequilaFire wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

I had theorized that faction lock was to spread out players to more campaigns - something we know ZOS says would help the lag. I'd theorized that ZOS wanted to curtail faction hopping just to farm transmute stones in the 30 day campaigns.

I was told that, no, ZOS did it because they were convinced by vocal players that this was something that vocal PVPers desired.

Told by whom? The sour grapes elite clique of small scale players that hang out on discords trying to decide the fate of the game without most of the players even aware of what goes on?

Here you go.
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/5935829#Comment_5935829

So I suppose I should clarify my original comment. ZOS is doing it because vocal PVPers have continued to offer this as a solution to people abusing AP gains by swapping factions.

TequilaFire · April 2019

I rest my case.
But at least that is a valid source.
And they do listen.

VaranisArano · April 2019

TequilaFire wrote: »

I rest my case.
But at least that is a valid source.

Yeah, sorry, I should have hunted up Joy_Division's comment when I first brought it up.

idk · April 2019

NordSwordnBoard wrote: »

This may be an "innovative" way to try and split up the populations more. PS4 NA Vivec has a large que even on weeknights, but the other camps are pretty open. I think they are trying to break up the Vivec population. The faction loyalty and spies stuff is just a by-product of the main objective.

All the servers probably have one campaign that is full. We know that faction lock does not affect it in itself. We had faction lock when the game released and we all still gravitated to the same campaigns. Of course we had more players and could fill two campaigns even with larger populations per campaign.

Of course we have gone without faction locks for awhile. So if Zos is trying what you want and it has an affect then it is because Zos forced it and, as usual, has not thought things through. It is a common problem since before the game launched and due to poor management skills from the guy who runs the show. As long as he is still in charge there will still be major problems introduced.

idk · April 2019

VaranisArano wrote: »

TequilaFire wrote: »

VaranisArano wrote: »

I had theorized that faction lock was to spread out players to more campaigns - something we know ZOS says would help the lag. I'd theorized that ZOS wanted to curtail faction hopping just to farm transmute stones in the 30 day campaigns.

I was told that, no, ZOS did it because they were convinced by vocal players that this was something that vocal PVPers desired.

Told by whom? The sour grapes elite clique of small scale players that hang out on discords trying to decide the fate of the game without most of the players even aware of what goes on?

Here you go.
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/comment/5935829#Comment_5935829

So I suppose I should clarify my original comment. ZOS is doing it because vocal PVPers have continued to offer this as a solution to people abusing AP gains by swapping factions.

This is a good link but it still does not suggest Zos has looked into the issue and found what has been said to be true and significant. Of course, Zos also has to take into account cross faction help increasing, but they really cannot measure that.

Regardless, Zos knows they have a communication issue and in that light they pull this crap and choose to purposely not communicate well with us. It is still the same crap different day and we all know who we can blame for that. The same person who has managed this game since well before it released. He is the reason for the crap in crap out problems.

Wing · April 2019

the hope of a more competitive campaign without people jumping back and forth to farm AP or trade / sell emp etc.

the fact that people will have to nut up and fight instead of just lol swapping to the winning faction.

and hopefully the reduction in zone spy's

Beardimus · April 2019

idk wrote: »

Thx. Pretty much the same limited information as Rich provided. Hopefully Zos actually communicates their reasoning and what exactly they are testing. Otherwise we have no reason to trust them.

Not too sure where you are coming from, regarding trusting them. What's your trust of them got to do with this? Trust them on what exactly?

If they give you the test parameters say "we are doing this to see a reduction in AP boosting by alliance switching" then after the test period say "we saw a reduction. Locks stay" will you trust them more?

My take on the word 'test' is that its mainly political, and if the sky falls as many say it will, vivec is one colour and everyone's left PvP they will see that from the data and revert it. Or adjust - say unlock Vivec and lock shor. I think that's about it.

But I'm unsure what you trusting them is about however.

idk · April 2019

Wing wrote: »

the hope of a more competitive campaign without people jumping back and forth to farm AP or trade / sell emp etc.

the fact that people will have to nut up and fight instead of just lol swapping to the winning faction.

and hopefully the reduction in zone spy's

The first week this game was out one player helped a player from another faction get behind the closed gates and steal a scroll. Yea, reduction in spies lol.

Guilds formed alliances cross faction to help with imp pushes., This even happened in the most active campaigns. It also happened with AP farming.

So what you suggest will end happened from the beginning of this game and we had faction lock back then,.

Zos knows this very well which is probably why they have been coy and purposely held information back. They know better.

TequilaFire · April 2019

While I welcome the lock, what truly should have been done was giving more reward for staying loyal to an alliance for the length of the campaign and a loss if you switched alliances during the campaign.
It was more about balancing population and discouraging faction hopping to me.

Ohtimbar · April 2019

I don't like the lock. Its the least creative solution to faction hopping. Better a cool down than a lock, in my opinion. Cyro is a hot mess either way though.