Noob Question: How do I reply in game-email? Plz don't make fun

marshill88 · March 2021

I feel really stupid asking this, but a really nice player just sent me some free items (emailed them to me in game) and I'm trying hard to find a way to reply to him right this moment. I can't find a reply button. I asked in chat but didn't get an answer. One guy in chat just said "you can't." but I know that has to be false. He probably was picking on the new guy. I estimate almost a 0% chance Zenimax would program an in-game email system with no ability to reply to people. So I'm embarrassed asking this because I feel like one of those computer idiots who needs help on using a mouse. here I am asking help on how to reply to an email.

AlextheMuspel · March 2021

You can type their ID(e.g. @name) in the "send" tab, and send them a new email instead.

driosketch · March 2021

Hover your mouse over the character name of the sender and you will get the @ game name. Open the compose letter tab and address a new letter to that name.

I'm serious, no bulli, you can't reply to a letter. You need to compose a brand new message.

marshill88 · March 2021

driosketch wrote: »

Hover your mouse over the character name of the sender and you will get the @ game name. Open the compose letter tab and address a new letter to that name.

I'm serious, no bulli, you can't reply to a letter. You need to compose a brand new message.

wow, the guy was right! I'm glad I didn't say anything to him or I'd be apologizing. What an odd in-game email system. No ability to reply? So strange. I can't believe that would simply be an oversight by Zenimax and has to be deliberate, right? But if it's deliberate, then there is a rationale behind it, though I fail to reason what that could be.

At any rate, thanks so much, mate!

JustACasualTemplar · March 2021

I had the exact same problem a while back, then i installed the Postmaster addon: https://www.esoui.com/downloads/info850-PostmasterMail.html

SeaGtGruff · March 2021

But you can reply, there is just no "reply" button that sets up a reply enail automatically for you; you must do it yourself as the other replies said.

A quicker way to reply might be to hit Enter to switch to your chat window and type "/tell username" where "username" is the character name or account name of the person you want to whisper to, then tell them "thank you" that way.

Gythral · March 2021

No-one can make fun
ZOS didnt put a reply into the mail functions
so you have to 'send' them a mail

& yes it is as annoying as hell!

zaria · March 2021

marshill88 wrote: »

driosketch wrote: »

Hover your mouse over the character name of the sender and you will get the @ game name. Open the compose letter tab and address a new letter to that name.

I'm serious, no bulli, you can't reply to a letter. You need to compose a brand new message.

wow, the guy was right! I'm glad I didn't say anything to him or I'd be apologizing. What an odd in-game email system. No ability to reply? So strange. I can't believe that would simply be an oversight by Zenimax and has to be deliberate, right? But if it's deliberate, then there is a rationale behind it, though I fail to reason what that could be.

At any rate, thanks so much, mate!

I asked for an reply button back during beta

Still waiting.

Magdalina · March 2021

marshill88 wrote: »

driosketch wrote: »

Hover your mouse over the character name of the sender and you will get the @ game name. Open the compose letter tab and address a new letter to that name.

I'm serious, no bulli, you can't reply to a letter. You need to compose a brand new message.

wow, the guy was right! I'm glad I didn't say anything to him or I'd be apologizing. What an odd in-game email system. No ability to reply? So strange. I can't believe that would simply be an oversight by Zenimax and has to be deliberate, right? But if it's deliberate, then there is a rationale behind it, though I fail to reason what that could be.

At any rate, thanks so much, mate!

Just to clarify - while I do personally think ESO is a great game that just clicks right with me, don't expect too much from ZOS. They're...to put it lightly, below average at managing the game in a lot of aspects.
- a lot of important QoL things are only available via addons (and if you're on console - not at all). I'll give it to them that they've been adding some things over the years, but that's a very long list. Reply button would be one nice QoL thing. Quests reset timer would be another since there're quests that reset at set time every day and then there're also quests that reset 20 hours after you finish them, which can be much harder to track. There are quite a few really.
- there has never ever been an update that didn't break something (usually quite a few somethings, often completely unrelated to the original patch subjects too), for example right now friend/guildlist is broken, you can't see when your friends or guildies last logged in
- it takes ZOS forever to fix the bugs from the previous paragraph (friend/guildlist has been this way for how many weeks now?). The only bugs that get patched QUICK are crown store related ones.
- there are bugs in the game that have been there for years and don't appear to be in any hurry to be fixed (breakfree bugs, especially with fear, being the first example that comes to mind)
- they have a very weird policy when it comes to listening to player feedback, they can ignore it for years then when no one is expecting any changes anymore SUDDENLY go and completely revamp something, treating with a hammer what should've been treated with a pincer. They also never EVER communicate about their decisions or ongoing line of thought on forums (patch notes aside).

So...yeah. Just thought I'd put it out here. ESO can really be a great game if you can look past all that, just don't expect from it what it's not and end up disappointed:) Enjoy your stay here!

AlnilamE · March 2021

If you are on PC, there are addons that will add a reply button. I use wykkyd's mail (also to delete something without confirmation), but there are other addons out there that will do it.

Another thing that wykkyd's does that's handy is, it auto-returns any mail that starts with 'return' or 'rts' so it's very easy to bounce mail off someone who uses that, because as soon as they look at their mail box, it gets returned to the sender.

Very handy to sort inventory for your alts.

Varana · March 2021

The initial design philosophy for ZOS' UI was to be as barebones as possible - only the absolute minimum of information and functionality. I don't know why (some blame trying to emulate Skyrim's clean screen space but that doesn't explain the lack of functionality in other areas) but they implemented very few features except those that were absolutely necessary.
They've slowly turned around on that front, and added various quality of life features over time, but the important word in that sentence is "slowly".