Skyshards locked behind PvP-restricted gates?

Swordbreaker · July 2019

So first off, i despise PvP in MMOs. It's just not fun to me and i avoid it as much a possible. The only PvP stuff i enjoy is stuff like Battlefield and other shooters. ESO is objectively a PvE-focused game that also includes a substantial PvP element, but is still mostly PvE focused. Lucky for me, ESO does a great job of making PvP and PvE very separate and doesnt force you to play PvP like other games such as Destiny, where PvP is required to get most exotic weapons...

...except if you wanna get all Skyshards. Apparently i need two final skyshards for the Tamriel Skyshard Hunter achievement (a goal i've been working all week for on my crafter since he had the most shards to begin with, so the lack of DPS has made this a slog), only to discover that they're locked behind the Aldmeri Dominion gates that i cannot open and are heavily guarded. Tried joining other campaigns only to have the same result.

Am i just expected to wait and wait and wait, potentially for weeks until my side dominates enough to open the gates? It's absurd to lock these behind PvP gates. And i know i'm not the first to complain about this, so i'm wondering if ZOS has explained their reasoning behind this braindead gameplay decision?

Edaphon · July 2019

Swordbreaker wrote: »

Am i just expected to wait and wait and wait, potentially for weeks until my side dominates enough to open the gates?

No, you're expected to capture the necessary keeps with some of your buddies and open the gates yourself. It's easier than you may think.

Gandrhulf_Harbard · July 2019

PvP here is bad, its always been bad, and until they separate the skills for PvP and PvE it will always be bad.

Because it is bad fewer and fewer people engage with it.

One way to offset this is gate Non-PvP stuff behind PvP, in the hope people who don't PvP will start doing so to get it.

Unfortunately, every game I have ever played that tried this approach soon discovered it doesn't work, some people just don't want to PvP.

In fact, across the MMORPG industry as a whole, only approximately 20% of players do engage with PvP on a regular basis. I suspect it is higher in ESO, but I doubt it gets anywhere close to 50%.

I too tried farming the Shards in Cyro, gave up; you don't need them,except for the achievement, and ZOS knows some dedicated Achievement Hunters will overcome theit loathing of PvP to get them, and that will justify their design choices.

All The Best

Amdar_Godkiller · July 2019

Gandrhulf_Harbard wrote: »

PvP here is bad, its always been bad, and until they separate the skills for PvP and PvE it will always be bad.

Because it is bad fewer and fewer people engage with it.

One way to offset this is gate Non-PvP stuff behind PvP, in the hope people who don't PvP will start doing so to get it.

Unfortunately, every game I have ever played that tried this approach soon discovered it doesn't work, some people just don't want to PvP.

In fact, across the MMORPG industry as a whole, only approximately 20% of players do engage with PvP on a regular basis. I suspect it is higher in ESO, but I doubt it gets anywhere close to 50%.

I too tried farming the Shards in Cyro, gave up; you don't need them,except for the achievement, and ZOS knows some dedicated Achievement Hunters will overcome theit loathing of PvP to get them, and that will justify their design choices.

All The Best

You are unlikely to run into 3 people in Cyrodil your entire time skyshard hunting. There are a few shards in towns, but the rest of them are pretty much off the beaten path that most PVPers tend to travel.

The only place where you will have to fight a lot is imp city, and there are only 13 skyshards there.

Swordbreaker · July 2019

Gandrhulf_Harbard wrote: »

PvP here is bad, its always been bad, and until they separate the skills for PvP and PvE it will always be bad.

Because it is bad fewer and fewer people engage with it.

One way to offset this is gate Non-PvP stuff behind PvP, in the hope people who don't PvP will start doing so to get it.

Unfortunately, every game I have ever played that tried this approach soon discovered it doesn't work, some people just don't want to PvP.

In fact, across the MMORPG industry as a whole, only approximately 20% of players do engage with PvP on a regular basis. I suspect it is higher in ESO, but I doubt it gets anywhere close to 50%.

I too tried farming the Shards in Cyro, gave up; you don't need them,except for the achievement, and ZOS knows some dedicated Achievement Hunters will overcome theit loathing of PvP to get them, and that will justify their design choices.

All The Best

Yeah i’ve never seen a hybrid PvP/PvE game that’s well-balanced. They all seem naive enough to think that you can balance having guns/skills/stats that work well in both modes. As a result, PvE players often get their favorite skills nerfed for no valid PvE reason, simply due to that skill being too strong in PvP.

I dont mind MMOs having PvP as long as i’m not forced to play that mode, but i hate how 6 skyshards are locked behind PvP gates

BrianLovesLisa · July 2019

Swordbreaker wrote: »

So first off, i despise PvP in MMOs. It's just not fun to me and i avoid it as much a possible. The only PvP stuff i enjoy is stuff like Battlefield and other shooters. ESO is objectively a PvE-focused game that also includes a substantial PvP element, but is still mostly PvE focused. Lucky for me, ESO does a great job of making PvP and PvE very separate and doesnt force you to play PvP like other games such as Destiny, where PvP is required to get most exotic weapons...

...except if you wanna get all Skyshards. Apparently i need two final skyshards for the Tamriel Skyshard Hunter achievement (a goal i've been working all week for on my crafter since he had the most shards to begin with, so the lack of DPS has made this a slog), only to discover that they're locked behind the Aldmeri Dominion gates that i cannot open and are heavily guarded. Tried joining other campaigns only to have the same result.

Am i just expected to wait and wait and wait, potentially for weeks until my side dominates enough to open the gates? It's absurd to lock these behind PvP gates. And i know i'm not the first to complain about this, so i'm wondering if ZOS has explained their reasoning behind this braindead gameplay decision?

Not the best of choices and as much as I hate to say just Roll a AD character, get ALL the AD skyshards and buy the achievement on your character, its an option that would take less time then waiting for pvp land to have the gate open.

Nitribit · July 2019

I've waited 4 month to get the last to shards in Cyrodiil.

All I read here is, i want the achievement, I want the furniture and I want it now. And even if you have to wait 6 months for that, what is the problem?

BigBragg · July 2019

It amazes me how so many love to blame PvP for everything on these forums.

If you want something in a game, work towards the achievement. Simple.

Vrenk · July 2019

I don't want to mindlessly grind dungeons for hours on end to get armour sets or try and get vet hm dungeon achievements with little 200cp legolas wannabes when grinding undaunted, or spend my time grinding mages/psijic skillines....for each character(or now recently pay crowns to so so).
when vma weapons were top tier in Cyrodiil you realise the amount of time one has to waste to get those things just to pvp? Yet it's expected of PvPers to spend hours on each character to make them viable for Cyrodiil.
[snip]

[edited for non-constructive/flaming comments]

MrBrownstone · July 2019

Locking skyshards behind PvP content is pretty normal, skyshards are not PvE exclusive items. They're required for both PvE and PvP so you can't just consider them PvE items. Skyshards are both PvE & PvP items, the ones in Cyrodiil being PvP items.

If you want to have everything, you have to do everything the game has to offer. You can't just ignore PvP but want to have PvP achievements. Collecting something in a PvP zone is a PvP achievement.

darkblue5 · July 2019

Think you can set for PvP alerts to occur in any zone, esp. picking up scrolls, so you'll know when to zergsurf your way to the shiny rocks.

Turelus · July 2019

Join some PUG/Zergs and see if you can help push them to the gates and open them, it can be a lot of fun.

HappyLittleTree · July 2019

Easiest is to go to a low population campaign with some buddies (same faction) and just get the necessary keeps to open gates.

May take roughly 30min-1h depending of defense

TheShadowScout · July 2019

Eh.
Its easy enough to manage. Yeah, you gotta go through some gates now and then... two skyshards each will always be behind the other fractions gates, and you gotta find a time and campaign when those are open, when your alliance controls the map.
Or get some guildmates together, and -make- it so. All it really takes to open a gate are two keeps, you know...

But even if you don't PvP yourself, and cannot find enough friends who do, its still only a matter of time before someone else storms the gates. All you really have to do it spend some time in cyrodil now and then, see how the situation is, and when your time may come...

That's the thing about getting all the 'shards, you gotta do various stuff for it. PvE lovers have to go across PvP-town for it. PvPlayers have to fight through public dungeons for it. Noone gets to only grab them "their way". And noone should.

Kadoin · July 2019

Oh no, an achievement that is actually challenging to get!

Cerotonin · July 2019

Getting all Cyrodiil Skyshards was a pain for me. I did have my shields for the guards at the gates since they do use a lot of magic. I did mine before the faction lock, but I think now you have to time when you’re going to go and get skyshards. Some campaigns do night-capping so they can catch up a little bit in points. I’m in AD and it used to be my only chance when EP covered the map. I died so many times lol.

If you’re a NightBlade, you could run a high magicka regen build (Julianos) with swift jewelry. You could also use a speed buff to allow you travel faster as well. If you want, even to Vampire with the Dark Stalker passive to make use of Darloc Brae resource regen while you sneak without penalty (basically jogging speed, but still maintaining sneak. For the gates, you can roll-dodge throng in case the guards detect you.

I like PvP, but getting the achievement did feel more rewarding since the difficulty is much higher than the rest of the zones. That’s excluding crafkorn group delves and perhaps Imperial City Sewers.

Coatmagic · July 2019

BrianLovesLisa wrote: »

Not the best of choices and as much as I hate to say just Roll a AD character, get ALL the AD skyshards and buy the achievement on your character, its an option that would take less time then waiting for pvp land to have the gate open.

Does anyone know if that works for the actual achiev...? Was afraid to crown-out just for to be able to buy the skyshard furnishing, in case there's some loophole...?

Has anyone done this?

Samadhi · July 2019

Swordbreaker wrote: »

... And i know i'm not the first to complain about this,...

Oh good, at least you are aware of that

Swordbreaker wrote: »

... so i'm wondering if ZOS has explained their reasoning behind this braindead gameplay decision?

mmm,
while attempting to avoid the snarky "lol ZOS can't explain y ur so braindead that you make decisions like this about how you play the game"
the more concrete answer is that, at the time, it was a completionist achievement that required players to engage a bit with every part of the game

in the broader perspective,
it is considered healthy for MMO ecosystems under the Bartle Taxonomy
for achievers (ie: those who will hunt down all Skyshards just because the game give imaginary points for doing so) to be pitted against killers (ie: those players who derive their enjoyment in-game entirely from out-performing someone else)
even tho one expresses disdain for the other, that disdain ends up manifesting as player engagement (ie: you are more likely to come to the forums and discuss your issue with other players than to actually quit from hitting a small wall)

r34lian · July 2019

Swordbreaker wrote: »

So first off, i despise PvP in MMOs. It's just not fun to me and i avoid it as much a possible. The only PvP stuff i enjoy is stuff like Battlefield and other shooters. ESO is objectively a PvE-focused game that also includes a substantial PvP element, but is still mostly PvE focused. Lucky for me, ESO does a great job of making PvP and PvE very separate and doesnt force you to play PvP like other games such as Destiny, where PvP is required to get most exotic weapons...

...except if you wanna get all Skyshards. Apparently i need two final skyshards for the Tamriel Skyshard Hunter achievement (a goal i've been working all week for on my crafter since he had the most shards to begin with, so the lack of DPS has made this a slog), only to discover that they're locked behind the Aldmeri Dominion gates that i cannot open and are heavily guarded. Tried joining other campaigns only to have the same result.

Am i just expected to wait and wait and wait, potentially for weeks until my side dominates enough to open the gates? It's absurd to lock these behind PvP gates. And i know i'm not the first to complain about this, so i'm wondering if ZOS has explained their reasoning behind this braindead gameplay decision?

Same I too despise pvp in mmo and specially in eso where it is more a skill less button mash with gear cheese that's why prefer shooter games and yeah me too waiting for that single skyshard locked behind dc for achievments damn Zos

Kadoin · July 2019

Coatmagic wrote: »

BrianLovesLisa wrote: »

Not the best of choices and as much as I hate to say just Roll a AD character, get ALL the AD skyshards and buy the achievement on your character, its an option that would take less time then waiting for pvp land to have the gate open.

Does anyone know if that works for the actual achiev...? Was afraid to crown-out just for to be able to buy the skyshard furnishing, in case there's some loophole...?

Has anyone done this?

If that's true, then that's honestly quite sad and really does diminish the value of the achievement...

redlink1979 · July 2019

Swordbreaker wrote: »

i'm wondering if ZOS has explained their reasoning behind this braindead gameplay decision?

You're expected to conquer the keeps to open the gates...

redlink1979 · July 2019

Swordbreaker wrote: »

So yes, getting all skyshards IS necessary

No it's not, my main is the crafter that does PvE n PvP. Majority of the line are maxed out. And I have 20-25 unspent skills points atm on live.

ryzen_gamer_gal · July 2019

Swordbreaker wrote: »

So first off, i despise PvP in MMOs. It's just not fun to me and i avoid it as much a possible. The only PvP stuff i enjoy is stuff like Battlefield and other shooters. ESO is objectively a PvE-focused game that also includes a substantial PvP element, but is still mostly PvE focused. Lucky for me, ESO does a great job of making PvP and PvE very separate and doesnt force you to play PvP like other games such as Destiny, where PvP is required to get most exotic weapons...

...except if you wanna get all Skyshards. Apparently i need two final skyshards for the Tamriel Skyshard Hunter achievement (a goal i've been working all week for on my crafter since he had the most shards to begin with, so the lack of DPS has made this a slog), only to discover that they're locked behind the Aldmeri Dominion gates that i cannot open and are heavily guarded. Tried joining other campaigns only to have the same result.

Am i just expected to wait and wait and wait, potentially for weeks until my side dominates enough to open the gates? It's absurd to lock these behind PvP gates. And i know i'm not the first to complain about this, so i'm wondering if ZOS has explained their reasoning behind this braindead gameplay decision?

Well the good news is that once the gates are open, you can spam healing and charge the gate and run through it and unless there are pvp active at the gate, you can make it through and not be chased very far. Also, going in as aldmeri dominion seems to increase the chances of being able to do that in my brief experience. I did it once a year and more ago. Seemed like aldmeri was dominant at the time.

Haenk · July 2019

I hate PVP. I hate Cyrodil.
That's the reason I still don't have any of the dolmen, skyshards, dungeons etc.pp. from Cyrodil.
I simply refuse to do them.

JerzeeDevil · July 2019

redlink1979 wrote: »

Swordbreaker wrote: »

So yes, getting all skyshards IS necessary

No it's not, my main is the crafter that does PvE n PvP. Majority of the line are maxed out. And I have 20-25 unspent skills points atm on live.

They don't know buddy, they just like to whine and have everything handed to them. I despise = I am afraid/or just not good.

Buck up little camper, you will be fine if you try the big bad pee vee pees...

And NO, you cannot buy the skyshards if you have not discovered them.

Silly cheesers!

Everyone have a wonderful day!

GeorgeBlack · July 2019

I bet a ton of PvE only players have gotten those sky shards without making a non constructivrle topic. Go deal with it

therift · July 2019

"I hate PvP and refuse to do it"

Then certain achievements and furnishings in the game are not for you.

I hate vMA and refuse to do it.

Thus those juicy bow and staff weapons are unavailable to me. I accept that and continue to enjoy the game.

[snip]

[edited for non-constructive comment]

Reverb · July 2019

If you want all the achievements you need to do all the content. Even the parts you don’t like. It’s that simple.

Vietfox · July 2019

Swordbreaker wrote: »

Am i just expected to wait and wait and wait, potentially for weeks until my side dominates enough to open the gates? It's absurd to lock these behind PvP gates. And i know i'm not the first to complain about this, so i'm wondering if ZOS has explained their reasoning behind this braindead gameplay decision?

Everything is locked behind something (PvE or PvP). Just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's a braindead gameplay decision.
[snip]

[edited for flaming/non-constructive comment]

AlnilamE · July 2019

OP, first of all, if you are only missing the AD skyshards, then you have already gone through 2 alliance gates to get the other two.

Second, if you know of a campaign that gets night-capped regularly by a non-AD faction, you can set that as your home and just check the Cyrodiil map every time you log in. Also set up Cyrodiil alerts.

If you see that the gates are open, run to Cyrodiil and try to get them. Sneak as soon as you are away from the gate and make your way to the shard. If the alliance that opened the gate is not yours, you have to get back out through the gate to the other one if it's also open. If your alliance opened the gates, suicide at the scroll temple and revive at the other gate keep.

I have a couple of characters that have only the skyshards behind enemy gates because I made that a priority.

My DC character is still waiting for one of the EP shards, though.

Good luck!

Puzzlenuts · July 2019

When I needed those skyshards I would check Cyrodiil early in morning after the "nightcapping" was completed and not alot of people were on. After a couple of days of this the map was in my favor and I hauled ass to get them before the gates got shut. It maybe took a week of checking the map.