Ruined structural items like the bent dwarven plate

StabbityDoom · November 2020

Can someone at ZOS please explain (so I don't jump to conclusions) what the thinking is behind the ruining of structural items that are available for regular purchase such as the bent dwarven plate and the ruined grating in CWC?

These would be fantastic items if they weren't ruined. Is this to encourage us to buy things from the crown store? Or is there some other thinking behind it? Many of us are unhappy about this and would love to see a better version.

So as to not just throw negatives at you, I should also add that I am thrilled with the other new items on the furnisher like the broom and the pan. Thank you.

Raideen · November 2020

While I agree it would nice nice to have "perfect" versions of these items as you suggested, I think part of the reason they are created broken and bent is to make the environments feel older, lived in, used. Too much pristine stuff makes worlds look
and feel stale, fake, less immersive.

The screenshots below show how I have used some of these items. If perfect versions only existed, I don't think the "feeling" would be the same.

StabbityDoom · November 2020

That's fine for one-offs, like you've done there. But many people want to use this stuff as affordable structural items. Imagine the pattern issues with the brass plate, y'know? I tried to use the grating as a path once, wooo boy.

LadyAstrum · November 2020

Raideen wrote: »

While I agree it would nice nice to have "perfect" versions of these items as you suggested, I think part of the reason they are created broken and bent is to make the environments feel older, lived in, used. Too much pristine stuff makes worlds look
and feel stale, fake, less immersive.

The screenshots below show how I have used some of these items. If perfect versions only existed, I don't think the "feeling" would be the same.

These are good examples Raideen, I never think of using these things like this. I agree with you, perfect is nice to have too and the broken stuff has good functions as well.

Give us both, ZoS! Cheers.

Raideen · November 2020

StabbityDoom wrote: »

That's fine for one-offs, like you've done there.Which is why
But many people want to use this stuff as affordable structural items. Imagine the pattern issues with the brass plate, y'know? I tried to use the grating as a path once, wooo boy.

I conceded to the fact that folks want "perfect" versions.

You asked why ZOS does what they do, I explained to you why they do what they do.

I am not sure why you are arguing.

StabbityDoom · November 2020

Raideen wrote: »

StabbityDoom wrote: »

That's fine for one-offs, like you've done there.Which is why
But many people want to use this stuff as affordable structural items. Imagine the pattern issues with the brass plate, y'know? I tried to use the grating as a path once, wooo boy.

I conceded to the fact that folks want "perfect" versions.

You asked why ZOS does what they do, I explained to you why they do what they do.

I am not sure why you are arguing.

Wasn't arguing. I was explaining what I meant in a bit more detail.

Raideen · November 2020

StabbityDoom wrote: »

Raideen wrote: »

StabbityDoom wrote: »

That's fine for one-offs, like you've done there.Which is why
But many people want to use this stuff as affordable structural items. Imagine the pattern issues with the brass plate, y'know? I tried to use the grating as a path once, wooo boy.

I conceded to the fact that folks want "perfect" versions.

You asked why ZOS does what they do, I explained to you why they do what they do.

I am not sure why you are arguing.

Wasn't arguing. I was explaining what I meant in a bit more detail.

Fair enough, I just did not understand why I needed to have more detail explained to me when I thought I made it quite clear that "perfect" versions were desirable, meaning. I get it.

This is what I said..."While I agree it would nice nice to have "perfect" versions of these items as you suggested, I think part of the reason they are created broken and bent is to make the environments feel older, lived in, used. Too much pristine stuff makes worlds look
and feel stale, fake, less immersive."

So lets try this another way.

I get that a perfect version would be nice, I agree, I want them too. They would go a long way in allowing us to make custom buildings. But you asked why ZOS makes the imperfect versions. I gave an answer for that.

Jaimeh · November 2020

I would like to have both options: worn in and pristine. Especially for structural items such as the gratings, because in the worn in shape, if you try to align lots of them together to make a build, it's really difficult and doesn't look very good due to all the crooks and bends.

ivelbob · November 2020

These pieces are bent so distinctively that you can't even use multiples to make a place look 'lived in'
It looks artificial when you have several plates close together.

andreanub18_ESO · November 2020

The only Dwarven piece I couldn't justify getting was the bent plate. To me, it has very limited use. I would have bought many of that piece if it were flat, for walls, ceilings, floors, platforms, frames, paths, ramps, cobbles, etc.

j3z3b3l · November 2020

I agree the Dwarven plate is practically useless. I’ve figure in order to utilize it as a structural piece, you would have to purchase many to compensate for the bent portions to which I intend to do. The grating I’ve used as windows. It’s fine, not that bad but that bent Dwarven plate is gonna be a stickler.

spartaxoxo · November 2020

I do wish they would give us more cheap structure items. Honestly the structure items should be some of the cheapest to make and they are some of the most expensive.

Malvagor · November 2020

It seems like the designers have a stance where they want items to be a bit more roughed up and imperfect given ESO's setting, you can see it in most structural items and all the rumpled cloth items.

I actually agree with that design direction because it does make things feel more realistic (I really dislike the Elsweyr carpets for that reason, they're totally flat and look out of place most of the time), but I think there are definitely times when it goes too far and this item is one of those.

Small imperfections help make things feel more immersive, large imperfections actually make things less immersive because they stand out too much when you have multiple items and makes them almost unusable. Big offenders are this bent plate (it had so much potential!) and the big dark brotherhood carpet with the kink in the middle. Would be good if they were just slightly distressed, couple of small dents but not totally banged up like they are now.