Why only 6 abilities at a time?!!

DanteYoda · April 2014

I agree op its very restricting, 6 skills is kinda lame, i only use the same few skills anyway so oh well.

PF1901 · April 2014

Brimsurfer wrote: »

So why can we use only 6 abilities at a time? In pre-launch interviews Devs were talking about how they want to give freedom to players and stuff....... now they restrict us to only 6 abilities, this doesn't make sense. Its not freedom at all.

We should be able to use as many abilities as we like (just like some of the other major MMOs out there). If a player wants to use only a few abilities then its up to them but most of us would like to use all the abilities available to us, at least all the players that I know would like to be able to use all.

Please remove this restriction of using only 6 abilities at a time. Give us a big long customisable toolbar and anyone who wants to use just 6 abilities can only go for 6 but the most of us who want the whole repertoire to be available will be able to use all our abilities. Lets turn this game into FUN.

Thanks

If you can't even press this one button for the search functionality in this interface then why the heck would you want to have more than six buttons to press ingame?

PS. Sorry that was mean but I just could not resist.

mutharex · April 2014

To the ignorant people talking about console limitations: this has been TES interface since FOREVER. Since before there were console ports. Actually in other TES games you don't even have an hotbar, you have to pause the game to select various skills or spells. It's also a tendency of mother MMO to give you a large pool of skills and force you to strategic choices. This isn't WoW. Deal with it.
Have a nice day

Gohlar · April 2014

mutharex wrote: »

To the ignorant people talking about console limitations: this has been TES interface since FOREVER. Since before there were console ports. Actually in other TES games you don't even have an hotbar, you have to pause the game to select various skills or spells. It's also a tendency of mother MMO to give you a large pool of skills and force you to strategic choices. This isn't WoW. Deal with it.
Have a nice day

Wrong. You could bind things to the 1-0 keys, which gave you a hotbar along the bottom. Try not playing with a controller.

Also, a lot of people have the view that because World of Warcraft didn't do something well, no game should ever do it again. As if WoW controls the universe of mmos.

It's obviously a short sighted way to think about things. I suspect the nonsensical fear of every game becoming WoW comes from a lack of experience and previous failures while playing WoW. It's the only reason to think every game must be compared constantly to WoW and that every feature must work exactly like WoW.

This is what you are implying: "WoW lets you use more than 6 skills so any game that lets you use more than 6 skills is WoW and therefor bad."

It's just really, really stupid. Maybe you guys should go back to WoW considering it's all you can think about.

Greydog · April 2014

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

It has nothing to do with consoles.

Actually it does. Console players will be in the game so they had to set it up for standard gamepads.

I'd be happy with another potion quick slot though. That wheelie thing they have now is ridiculously bad.

This isn't WoW. Deal with it.

Is anyone else as tired of hearing this as I am?

nerevarine1138 · April 2014

Brimsurfer wrote: »

Guys please don't be delusioned. This 6 ability thing is mostly for console compatibility and it has pretty much nothing to do with character uniqueness or stuff. We PC gamers are use to of more depth in games then just using a few buttons.
[snip, snip, snip]

Wrong, wrong, wrong and oh-so-wrong.

More buttons does not mean more depth. Plenty of PC Games use a limited hotbar to add depth and strategy to character builds. And this game has always been designed this way. If you want 1/3 of your screen covered with buttons, you have WoW, and all the "depth" there.

Gohlar · April 2014

Greydog wrote: »

This isn't WoW. Deal with it.

Is anyone else as tired of hearing this as I am?

Yeah it's pretty crazy. It's the go to answer for people who can't be bothered to think of a response that actually makes sense. Everything is WoW to them. Not sure if it's inexperience, fanboyism or fear of repeating the failures they experienced in WoW, but they use this line even when it makes no sense at all.

If ESO didn't have autorun, and someone asked for it, they would be told to go back to WoW. It's so silly.

nerevarine1138 · April 2014

Gohlar wrote: »

Yeah it's pretty crazy. It's the go to answer for people who can't be bothered to think of a response that actually makes sense. Everything is WoW to them. Not sure if it's inexperience, fanboyism or fear of repeating the failures they experienced in WoW, but they use this line even when it makes no sense at all.

If ESO didn't have autorun, and someone asked for it, they would be told to go back to WoW. It's so silly.

WoW is the largest MMO on the market with the excessive-buttons-clogging-up-the-screen design. It's a natural comparison to draw.

And yes, those tons of shiny buttons result in absolutely no build diversity, because everyone has exactly the same rotation.

Gohlar · April 2014

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

WoW is the largest MMO on the market with the excessive-buttons-clogging-up-the-screen design. It's a natural comparison to draw.

And yes, those tons of shiny buttons result in absolutely no build diversity, because everyone has exactly the same rotation.

I understand that, but saying "this isn't WoW" to any suggestion is dumb. We are talking about the number of skills available, and you told someone to go play WoW. Because any game with more than 6 skills available is WoW. It's just so incredibly stupid and you guys should really stop. Maybe you should go back to WoW if it's literally all you can think about.

Stick to why you think we should limited to a small skill set and let go of your WoW obsession. You give that game WAY too much importance if you think every other game ever needs to be designed around it. Guild Wars had 8 skills, I thought that worked well. I think 5 and an ultimate is a little too strict.

See there are different ways to do things other than WoW. Crazy huh?

nerevarine1138 · April 2014

Gohlar wrote: »

I understand that, but saying "this isn't WoW" to any suggestion is dumb. We are talking about the number of skills available, and you told someone to go play WoW. Because any game with more than 6 skills available is WoW. It's just so incredibly stupid and you guys should really stop. Maybe you should go back to WoW if it's literally all you can think about.

Because after 3 pages of people literally being incapable of comprehending that this is a design choice, it's clear that if they can't handle the game, they should go to one with a design philosophy they'd like. Like WoW.

Gohlar · April 2014

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

Because after 3 pages of people literally being incapable of comprehending that this is a design choice, it's clear that if they can't handle the game, they should go to one with a design philosophy they'd like. Like WoW.

People are discussing if the design choice is optimal. You want to talk about WoW. There are many games that let you use more than 6 skills but to you, everything is WoW.

So what's up with the WoW obsession? Seems you have a love/hate relationship with the game, you're clearly still hung up on it. Maybe you should just go back and play it so people here can talk about ESO.

slander36 · April 2014

The skills on your bar are tired to leveling your skill lines and those skills in particular. What you are suggesting would break the system and is stupid. Shut up, stop trolling, and people please stop wasting your time arguing with a troll when I'm sure there are people who actually need help and advice along questions in other threads. Let this thread, and it's awful ideas, die.

Gohlar · April 2014

slander36 wrote: »

The skills on your bar are tired to leveling your skill lines and those skills in particular. What you are suggesting would break the system and is stupid. Shut up, stop trolling, and people please stop wasting your time arguing with a troll when I'm sure there are people who actually need help and advice along questions in other threads. Let this thread, and it's awful ideas, die.

Actually glad you brought this up as the current system is a little broken itself. With the removal of exp gains in group content, it's hard for tanks and healers to level up their skills. They have to leave them on their bar while they solo.

So yeah, the current system could definitely use some work.

Crumpy · April 2014

"Greydog wrote: »

Actually it does. Console players will be in the game so they had to set it up for standard gamepads.

This

slander36 · April 2014

Healing does need changes in how it levels, I'll give you that. But that is for a different thread and I don't believe will end up with so many arguments. You're basically punished for healing right now in this game if you don't also dps.

cromica81_ESO · April 2014

The simple fact is it would take a major redesign of the game to change this, and unless they pull a Final Fantasy ARR it will never happen.

Ps. It will never happen.

Nate · April 2014

Arguing with Brimsurfer is pointless. There are just "those people" out there who want everything to be exactly how it was before. This isn't ESWOW, it's an ES game. You've never been able to use all your abilities at a moments notice and you shouldn't be allowed to here.
I would argue that the ability limitation is one way of staying true to the original ES vision.

timebandit_b16_ESO · April 2014

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

It has nothing to do with consoles.

You're truly naive if you cant see that this poor design choice was because of the consoles.

I seriously hope they ditch consoles and bring back a full abillity bar so we can have an unlimited mmo. Dont listen to the "choice" fanboys.

Versatillity and the abillity to access any spell at all times is true mmo gaming.

This point is by far what I think brings down ESO at the moment and it really needs to be fixed.

Kayvee · April 2014

I agree with the OP to an extent... What I would like to see is maybe 2 bars of 5 with a passive/defensive ability bar and an active/offensive bar.

Abilities like Magelight or the Light Armor ability Annulment would fall under the first category whereas weapon and class skills like Destructive Touch and Firey Breath would fall under the second.

At the very least it would be nice if you could have something like Magelight on your secondary loadout, cast it for its effect, then switch back to your primary loadout and have it remain active.

Edit: In thinking more about this, I also realized that with such a limited amount of skill slots I find myself avoiding acquiring more active skills simply because I don't have room for them. It makes passives far more enticing than I think they necessarily should be because they're far less of a waste of the skill point.

TheRedMage · April 2014

Players DO have freedom, as you can honestly use every class to do every role! Its nice being able to roll the oddball combos.

As for the 6 skills thing, what are you wanting it to be like wow where we have 9000+skills to use? Having to use strategy and plan your character is a good thing

!

Crumpy · April 2014

Yeah but.... It'd be better if you could use strategy without having to change your skills - as in, just pressing the one you wanted at that particular time.

But, it is what it is and I still love the game

Seraseth · April 2014

I do like not having bars upon bars of abilities, but I so wish it was just 1-3 more slots. Like 6-8 + ultimate, so you can have a couple attack, buff, and cc abilities.

I can live it as is of course, but would have been nice.

Gohlar · April 2014

7 + Ultimate would be just right imo.

loops73 · April 2014

Greydog wrote: »

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

It has nothing to do with consoles.

Actually it does. Console players will be in the game so they had to set it up for standard gamepads.

I'd be happy with another potion quick slot though. That wheelie thing they have now is ridiculously bad.

This isn't WoW. Deal with it.

Is anyone else as tired of hearing this as I am?

consoles have their own megaservers,if anything they could have expanded the action bars for pc players seeing as they will not be playing alongside console players.

7788b14_ESO · April 2014

Auric_ESO wrote: »

nerevarine1138 wrote: »

It has nothing to do with consoles.

It's to force you to use strategy in your loadouts and to help create unique builds. It prevents you from having a screen full of fancy looking abilities that you never use. It's a design choice, and it's a dead horse. Kindly stop beating it.

Of course the game is designed for consoles. Who would go into the console market without designing for it?

loops73 · April 2014

I wouldn't doubt they add extra action slots to the store for $15 each.

jorill · April 2014

9-10 would be good i think. You essentially have two distinct mmo play styles in the market now. You have lots of action bars with tab targeting that you can hit anything as long as you have line of site and are in range. Rotation is critical in this type of build The other is limited action set where movement and position is important to combat. I dont think you will see the two be combined where you have lots of action bars and movement is important as the controls would start to become unmanageable for a good amout of people.

It wasnt a secret in what style this game was going to be and has been known even before beta and i think they would of turned off a good amount of eso fans if the went with the tab targeting lots of action bar approach but neither style is "wrong" although i prefer less action bars and more action.

Aria · April 2014

While I agree its far more limiting then other mmos I have played, have to say I like the way it is!

Honestly hope they do not decide to revamp just because a few people think it should be more like almost every other mmo out there!

ManiacMcLaughton · April 2014

I admittedly did not read all of these, but let me summarize what you need to understand about the design choice of 6 ability slots.

You want something but you don't realize the consequences of your request. Right now, as it stands, 75% or more of the skills and abilities available in the game are open to each and every single player. The only skills locked out are class specific ones. This means that EVERY player would have the capacity to be able to do basically everything every other player did. This means there would be zero uniqueness, strategy, or forethought put into your character, and once you reached the 300 skill points, you would basically be a swiss army knife of nonsense that couldn't be stopped.

Right now, as the game is, level 10 players can, with stat increases, compete with level 50's in PVP. Why? Because they have the same number of abilities, and the same basic stats. Sure, the abilities are different, but that's the POINT.

Class balance, as it is now, isn't about "nerf this class into the ground because they are OP"... its "this ability is a little out of hand", and they can adjust what needs adjusting... instead of having to deal with the mouth foaming masses that cry when they loose.

The 6 slots (12 really) forces thought, it forces strategy (especially in small group engagements), and it forces choice. If you don't WANT to choose, this isn't the game for you. That's not a useless swat at you, its the honest truth. This game is about meaningful choices that impact your play. From wearing heavy armor as a caster, to wearing half leather as a tank... those choices are yours to make, and they impact you, your play style, and your ability to handle each situation you are handed. The point of this game is for it to be a challenge, and for you to have to think.

I understand it can be difficult to see the consequences of changing systems like this, and I can understand "gimme now, I want cause its mine". Make choices. Play the game with this design as a core part of its foundation, or go play another and let the game continue without you. Don't try to ruin a good game with poorly planned out ideas.

Sarenia · April 2014

I'd like a bitcoin for every one of these threads.

We don't need another Everquest 2 with 50 skill buttons, 25 clicky buttons, and 15 macros all on the screen at the same time.

My RSI flares up just thinking about that.