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What happened to the EU population?

olda90
olda90
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Am I the only one that feels this way or really there is no more population after Dragonhold with the damage/sustain nerfs, the EU server instability, the group finder broken, the Faction Lock and the trading bid system from Scalebreaker. When I used to go to Craglorn Belkarth was always full of people and when i was listing things in guild stores normally i could sell anything quite quick on all main trading spots. Now Craglorn is quite empty and feels quite hard to sell stuff if not main goods as crafting materials. When i move to other zones they are even emptier then Craglorn as always but now really feels that there is no more population around. I know that everyone could say yes of course after all the EU server problems its obvious no one wants to play here anymore but really i never saw anything like this before. Even Alcast disappeard from Youtube since Dragonhold came out, like if this is the right moment for everyone to leave the game. In my small non hardcore raiding guild we also normally didnt have much problems having players, now that we wanted to progress a bit more many stopped playing while others moved somewhere else. How can a MMORPG develop a solid community when it becomes drastically hard for guilds to do anything (trading guilds loosing spots with a system that brings only instability, PVE guilds loosing players becouse of instability of the combat system, PVP guilds quite same + the issue of the faction lock) and the game gets always more oriented on a casual playstyle. How is possible for trading guilds to stay alive when a Master Merchant scan takes +8h? Guilds have no tools, guild finder completley ridiculus. Does it even still have a sense to run or join guilds with the current game state? Feels that the only thing that keeps this poor circus alive are the event tickets, this wasnt the game i knew some time ago even though it always had many issues.
  • JamuThatsWho
    JamuThatsWho
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    Well, I only log on to collect my daily login reward, do some dailies and complete my writs.

    Then I log off and play WoW Classic all evening.

    I really really hope ZOS pulls their finger out and fixes the game; when it works, it's amazing. But I have no motivation to invest any serious time right now.

    I work 40+ hours a week and have 2 year old twins to look after. My free time is too precious to waste on being told my account is already logged in over and over again.
    @JamuThatsWho - PC EU - CP2100

    Main:
    Vasiir-jo - Khajiit Magicka Necromancer, AD

    Alts:
    Sul-Mael Hlarothran - Dunmer Magicka Sorcerer, EP

    Ushaar-Ixaht - Argonian Magicka Nightblade, DC

    Rorbakh gro-Khraag - Orc Stamina Templar, AD

    Anduuroon - Altmer Magicka Warden, EP

    Travanius Braelia - Imperial Stamina Dragonknight, DC

    Daeralon - Bosmer Stamina Arcanist, AD
  • codierussell
    codierussell
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    It's because the EU server doesn't work. When you have the majority of the population that struggles to log in people stop playing. Not to mention if you can actually log in how long until you get booted off the server? The endgame community looks like it is dying because people like Alcast have competed all the content. Why would Alcast play hours every day when he has Godslayer which is currently the most difficult achievement in the game to get. As for guilds having issues filling rosters, in my experience it is because players don't want to put in the time to get completes, they would rather join an already established group to clear a vCR+3 or at least that's the state of PS4 NA currently.
  • vibeborn
    vibeborn
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    I personally am still determined to play, because I have different goals I want to achieve, such as reaching 810 (which I'm still a good way from doing), becoming level 50 in all crafting etc. and I still enjoy playing

    But I do understand players who feel like there's nothing more to come after, especially with all the problems the EU server has had in recent times. Tbh I don't know if I would play as much as I do, if I didn't have a goal in game
  • Somber97866
    Somber97866
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    You should try it on console! Lol, it's terrible right now for me. Ppl in my raidin guild are taking breaks and I cannot get a good parse out of magnecro bc it's casting skills that aren't even on that bar or it moves like it's in jelly! Everything in my house turns sideways when I play it and have disconnect and lag super bad with 12ppl in trials!
    So worn out over it all. Never asked for the nerf's and have been screaming at them to fix performance! Their answer..........maybe a year and half from now it might work properly !
  • ArielSira
    ArielSira
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    Personally after all the server drama I've started playing on NA server so I only log in on EU for daily rewards now.
  • HalvarIronfist
    HalvarIronfist
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    From what I can understand from EU friends/guildmates who've come to NA from the EU servers..

    I have to imagine those servers are on fire, and they've been trying to put out the fire with gasoline for the past... how long.
  • Ekzorka
    Ekzorka
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    olda90 wrote: »
    Even Alcast disappeard from Youtube
    I heard from one streamer/blogger that YouTube has changed its algorithms and become less attractive to streamers. So it might just be a coincidence.
  • mandricus
    mandricus
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    I work 40+ hours a week and have 2 year old twins to look after. My free time is too precious to waste on being told my account is already logged in over and over again.

    add on top of that: if and when you are able to login, more often than not you encounter other issues in crucial components of the game, like the finder.

    I mostly play battlegrounds, so for me "no finder no party".

    The last two weeks have been a complete disaster, I have been literally unable to play the game. At first most of the evenings it was just :

    - wait 20 mins in a queue
    - get a popup
    - stare at the loading screen for 5 mins
    - be ported back to your original location.

    Some evenings I was unable to get a popup at all, while some evenings (well, actually last friday and saturday evenig) I was finally able to play some battlegrounds.
    Yesterday evening, same story: dungeon finder not working again, stuck in endless queue.

    It's hard to find a reason to login and enjoy the game if you know this is the situation you have to deal with.

  • Artorias24
    Artorias24
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    Ye, PvP guilds also had some Problems with the faction lock. I Had two PvP guilds. One EP and one DC. EP had some "events" in tuesday and DC mostly in weekends. Had to say goodbye to one guild cause of this change. Thanks ZOS for cutting me away from them. I am still mad af
  • FierceSam
    FierceSam
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    mandricus wrote: »
    I work 40+ hours a week and have 2 year old twins to look after. My free time is too precious to waste on being told my account is already logged in over and over again.

    add on top of that: if and when you are able to login, more often than not you encounter other issues in crucial components of the game, like the finder.

    I mostly play battlegrounds, so for me "no finder no party".

    The last two weeks have been a complete disaster, I have been literally unable to play the game. At first most of the evenings it was just :

    - wait 20 mins in a queue
    - get a popup
    - stare at the loading screen for 5 mins
    - be ported back to your original location.

    Some evenings I was unable to get a popup at all, while some evenings (well, actually last friday and saturday evenig) I was finally able to play some battlegrounds.
    Yesterday evening, same story: dungeon finder not working again, stuck in endless queue.

    It's hard to find a reason to login and enjoy the game if you know this is the situation you have to deal with.

    BGs depend on the group finder way more than dungeons.

    I think it would be helpful if ZOS were to provide some kind of update about BGs specifically. I don’t know anyone who has been able to reliably play BGs since U24 was unleashed.

    I would love the opportunity for guilds/groups to host their own BGs (although there would have to be no rewards), or for individual premades to challenge one another in leagues. I think these might resolve some of the grouping/matching issues.
  • Mayrael
    Mayrael
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    EU population tired of Login Minigame. ZOS claims they are fixing things, yet every event ends with same issues. You probably won't remember this but there used to be precedence of this back in the past. When ESO was still mostly PvP oriented we had really big and dedicated PvP population, each faction had their own very good ball groups fighting eachoter and then meteor rain happend. The issue was so big that some of the best players ESO ever had left the game. It was really bad time, ESO dark ages where game future was unsure. I'm really far from saying it will happen this time again, because we have much much larger population but still, if nothing changes who knows?
    Say no to Toxic Casuals!
    I am doing my best, but I am not a native speaker, sorry.


    "Difficulty scaling is desperately needed. 9 years. 6 paid expansions. 24 DLCs. 40 game changing updates including A Realm Reborn-tier overhaul of the game including a permanent CP160 gear cap and ridiculous power creep thereafter. I'm sick and tired of hearing about Cadwell Silver&Gold as a "you think you do but you don't"-tier deflection to any criticism regarding the lack of overland difficulty in the game." - @AlexanderDeLarge
  • gepe87
    gepe87
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    People realising about ESO true state: empty promises and fixes that will never happen.
    Gepe, Dunmer MagSorc Pact Grand Overlord | Gaepe, Bosmer MagSorc Dominion General

    If you see edits on my replies: typos. English isn't my main language
  • redlink1979
    redlink1979
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    Ekzorka wrote: »
    olda90 wrote: »
    Even Alcast disappeard from Youtube
    I heard from one streamer/blogger that YouTube has changed its algorithms and become less attractive to streamers. So it might just be a coincidence.

    Coincidence.

    @Alcast is working on his thesis, that's why he's streaming/playing less.
    "Sweet Mother, sweet Mother, send your child unto me, for the sins of the unworthy must be baptized in blood and fear"
    • Sons of the Night Mother | VforVendetta | Grownups Gaming EU | English Elders [PS][EU] 2360 CP
    • Daggerfall's Mightiest | Eternal Champions | Legacy | Tamriel Melting Pot [PS][NA] 2190 CP
    • SweetTrolls | Spring Rose | Daggerfall Royal Legion | Tinnitus Delux [PC][EU] 2345 CP
    • Bacon Rats | Silverlight Brotherhood | Canis Root Tea Party | Vincula Doloris [PC][NA] 2090 CP
  • rpa
    rpa
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    I play casualy and mostly out of prime time so when I get serious problems it is usually when server is so borked it affects everyone. However I've noticed some veteran players have taken time out of game because of frustration and stress.

    When I did recently the Craglorn zone quest it did feel bit deserted. Few lowbies doing the solo delves and the usual looking for folks for pug raids in chat but not lively. I found out I could almost solo a thing I wanted to do but nobody else was doing it and because almost is not enough I skipped that.

    Plus side, felt it flickered much less than last time I tried (months ago) when I had to leave the zone because headache. Dunno if something was changed in client or it was just my graphics settings being closer to default.
  • Tyrion87
    Tyrion87
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    I totally share your concerns...


    ...but as the devs already said that...


    bjQ8Tzp.png


    And I must admit they have been pretty successful at this.


  • Mitrenga
    Mitrenga
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    Ekzorka wrote: »
    olda90 wrote: »
    Even Alcast disappeard from Youtube
    I heard from one streamer/blogger that YouTube has changed its algorithms and become less attractive to streamers. So it might just be a coincidence.

    Coincidence.

    @Alcast is working on his thesis, that's why he's streaming/playing less.

    I saw him playing Fallen Order the other day, looked like enjoying himself rather than getting angry in Cyro lagfest.
    Edited by Mitrenga on November 25, 2019 10:32AM
  • FierceSam
    FierceSam
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    Alternatively, we’re all waiting until tomorrow’s Dragonguard event, when we can once again crash the servers.
  • Alcast
    Alcast
    Class Representative
    Mitrenga wrote: »
    Ekzorka wrote: »
    olda90 wrote: »
    Even Alcast disappeard from Youtube
    I heard from one streamer/blogger that YouTube has changed its algorithms and become less attractive to streamers. So it might just be a coincidence.

    Coincidence.

    @Alcast is working on his thesis, that's why he's streaming/playing less.

    I saw him playing Fallen Order the other day, looked like enjoying himself rather than getting angry in Cyro lagfest.

    Ye I am working mainly on my Bachelor Thesis till mid january.

    I used to keep pushing ESO content even if I had exams and stuff, now this time I decided to just chill and play some other games while I finish my thesis. Sure I could keep pushing ESO content on youtube and twitch, but impressions there are on an all time low so I figured I can just do nothing on these platforms and it won't matter anyway till the new chapter hype begins.

    There is new content on the website every week.
    For some reason ppl always compare me to youtube and twitch, even though these two platforms are secondary to what I do. I guess it is a visibility thing. I also have to maintain https://alcasthq.com/, https://eso-sets.com/, https://eso-skillbook.com/, https://eso-housing.com/ and other projects that Woeler and I are working on.

    That being said, i am not at all happy with ESOs performance, especially when we look at the PC EU server(that is only one small portion of the problem though). I have no plans to leave the game anytime soon tho, I will be here for the next 5 years for sure.
    Edited by Alcast on November 25, 2019 11:14AM
    https://alcasthq.com - Alcasthq.com Builds & Guides
    https://eso-hub.com - ESO-Hub.com Sets, Skills, Guides & News
    https://dwemerautomaton.com - Discord, Telegram & Twitch Command Bot



  • mandricus
    mandricus
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    FierceSam wrote: »

    I would love the opportunity for guilds/groups to host their own BGs (although there would have to be no rewards), or for individual premades to challenge one another in leagues. I think these might resolve some of the grouping/matching issues.

    I suggested that too, long time ago. I would LOVE the possibility to create my own bg instances to challenge premades team and / or my guildmates. Make it in an "unranked" bg (no rewards / no ap earned / no exp gained / no leaderboards scores) and I don't see an issue into allowing players do to that. This would open up the possibility to create leagues and / or tournaments. One could dream..

  • daemonios
    daemonios
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    I can only speak for myself. Got tired of the terrible performance and the feeling of being conned by ZOS with their promises that "it will get better". I didn't renew my sub, have no ESO+, and am logging in just for daily rewards, checking researches and doing dailies in Southern Elsweyr and the odd dungeon.

    Balance changes don't matter to me, I'm all for shaking it all up from time to time, otherwise there would be nothing at all to do once you reach CP810 and have your gear farmed. I'm all for it. It's the performance, the crashes, the bugs, the panicked, reactive communication with players, that put me off the game.
  • zaria
    zaria
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    mandricus wrote: »
    FierceSam wrote: »

    I would love the opportunity for guilds/groups to host their own BGs (although there would have to be no rewards), or for individual premades to challenge one another in leagues. I think these might resolve some of the grouping/matching issues.

    I suggested that too, long time ago. I would LOVE the possibility to create my own bg instances to challenge premades team and / or my guildmates. Make it in an "unranked" bg (no rewards / no ap earned / no exp gained / no leaderboards scores) and I don't see an issue into allowing players do to that. This would open up the possibility to create leagues and / or tournaments. One could dream..
    Had been an fun idea, both for fun and for training.
    Grinding just make you go in circles.
    Asking ZoS for nerfs is as stupid as asking for close air support from the death star.
  • Gythral
    Gythral
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    Check you have a valid internet connection
    Account already logged in
    etc...
    is what happened to the PC/EU population!
    “Be as a tower, that, firmly set,
    Shakes not its top for any blast that blows!”
    Dante Alighieri, The Divine Comedy
  • mandricus
    mandricus
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    I have to add on top of that, based on the feedback I had from some guildmates (i'm part of 2 guilds), while the issues with finder / login where absolutely the no.1 reason why people stopped to play, there are other 2 key issues that for sure played a role into the population declining that we are seeing in the last 2 weeks.

    1) The DPS nerf was hard to swallow for most of the PVE players, to the point that some of them simply quit the game, having no incentive into running the same content again without having the possibility to mark an high score, or having to struggle to complete a content that was a lot easier in the previous patch.

    2) The two big, radical shifts in the meta (Dot meta, then Dot nerfed into oblivion) of the last two patches, and the rework of a lot of old sets, destroyed in the process a lot of old, stable, common and quite effective PvP builds (e.g. Fury / 7th legion). They were not OP, or really min / max builds; They were just well rounded builds, that had been in this game since the beginning. PvP People are tired to have to refarm / regold all their stuff every two months.
    Imho It's ok to have this pattern for PvE, as PvE is centerend around the "need to close the new trial because need to farm the new trial sets" pattern at every release, and people need an incentive to run new PvE content. It's not ok for PvP, where most of the players just want to be able to play Cyrodiil / IC / Battlegrounds and enjoy their characthers, without constantly having to run again PvE content to farm their gear. We are now to a point where lot of veteran players have a lot of characters (I myself have 8 fully gold geared toons). Having to rebuild them from scratch at every new patch looks like an unachievable task, so lot of people give up even before trying.
    Edited by mandricus on November 25, 2019 1:15PM
  • Damocles
    Damocles
    Alcast wrote: »
    Mitrenga wrote: »
    Ekzorka wrote: »
    olda90 wrote: »
    Even Alcast disappeard from Youtube
    I heard from one streamer/blogger that YouTube has changed its algorithms and become less attractive to streamers. So it might just be a coincidence.

    Coincidence.

    @Alcast is working on his thesis, that's why he's streaming/playing less.

    I saw him playing Fallen Order the other day, looked like enjoying himself rather than getting angry in Cyro lagfest.

    Ye I am working mainly on my Bachelor Thesis till mid january.

    I used to keep pushing ESO content even if I had exams and stuff, now this time I decided to just chill and play some other games while I finish my thesis. Sure I could keep pushing ESO content on youtube and twitch, but impressions there are on an all time low so I figured I can just do nothing on these platforms and it won't matter anyway till the new chapter hype begins.

    There is new content on the website every week.
    For some reason ppl always compare me to youtube and twitch, even though these two platforms are secondary to what I do. I guess it is a visibility thing. I also have to maintain https://alcasthq.com/, https://eso-sets.com/, https://eso-skillbook.com/, https://eso-housing.com/ and other projects that Woeler and I are working on.

    That being said, i am not at all happy with ESOs performance, especially when we look at the PC EU server(that is only one small portion of the problem though). I have no plans to leave the game anytime soon tho, I will be here for the next 5 years for sure.

    Honestly without these sites, i'd be lost alot of the time. Thanks for your effort. It's only a shame they can't all be put together in one site and made even easier for the masses.Such as wowhead or futbin.
  • Huyen
    Huyen
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    Ekzorka wrote: »
    olda90 wrote: »
    Even Alcast disappeard from Youtube
    I heard from one streamer/blogger that YouTube has changed its algorithms and become less attractive to streamers. So it might just be a coincidence.

    Right now on youtube you get adds durig a video as well. No wonder alqast stopped.
    Huyen Shadowpaw, dedicated nightblade tank - PS4 (Retired)
    Huyen Swiftpaw, nightblade dps - PC EU (Retired)
    Huyen Lightpaw, templar healer - PC EU (Retired)
    Huyen Swiftpaw, necromancer dps - PC EU (Retired)
    Huyen Swiftpaw, dragonknight (no defined role yet)

    "Failure is only the opportunity to begin again. Only this time, more wisely" - Uncle Iroh
  • ThePedge
    ThePedge
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    Ekzorka wrote: »
    olda90 wrote: »
    Even Alcast disappeard from Youtube
    I heard from one streamer/blogger that YouTube has changed its algorithms and become less attractive to streamers. So it might just be a coincidence.

    Coincidence.

    @Alcast is working on his thesis, that's why he's streaming/playing less.

    Also playing Jedi Fallen Order every time he has streamed. But I think he is irrelevant to this conversation, he's just one person and I don't believe anyone else plays or doesn't based on if alcast has streamed/uploaded on the past week.

    Group finder broken, hard to find dungeon groups. Even worse for battlegrounds.
    Lag
    Loading screens
    Login issues
    Faction Lock and Zerg-odil
    No new end-game content since Wrathstone
    New games being released
  • Odovacar
    Odovacar
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    Always love that Alcast keeps it real! Most of us will be here for the foreseeable future too.
  • TheImperfect
    TheImperfect
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    They are probably all doing the new Elsweyr stuff
  • Sarousse
    Sarousse
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    - Perma FPS drops in large battles in Cyrodiil : never fixed,
    - Tank meta at its finest,
    - random muddy textures : never fixed,
    - PvP lag : never fixed,
    - No hide tabard option,
    - No overland difficulty : doing new content is boring, why would I pay 50€ a new zone it there's no challenge ?

    Recently canceled my ESO+ after many years. Zenimax doesn't want to put the efforts on building a strong team to fix the game, I'm out.




  • AKBear
    AKBear
    Soul Shriven
    I restarted new on NA, the menus are a bit laggy, but everything else is just so much better and a 1000x more stable than on EU

    I don't care if I have to regrind CP again, at least I can go into a boss fight without random lag spikes getting me killed all the time
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