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• PC/Mac: No maintenance – September 8
• PC/Mac: EU megaserver for maintenance – September 9, 22:00 UTC (6:00PM EDT) - September 10, 16:00 UTC (12:00PM EDT) https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/682784
What's going on with ESO's Development?
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Xinihp✭✭✭✭✭Gaeliannas wrote: »They elephant in the room is, why are they so short staffed on leads and senior people suddenly? Based on the water cooler comment they made, maybe their pay rate is stuck back in the 20th century as well, and all their good people left for greener pastures.
Sadly after a tour of the latest expansion on the PTS I have to say, it shows. I am seeing a marked drop in quality across the board. Graphics and world design is a massive step back. Things like lava vents with no context, no attention to detail, no steaming cracks or tectonic fissures, just a hole in the ground with lava just sitting there with green plants all around it.
The whole zone feels tiny, every monster is copy paste with moderate reskinning, the world design feels flat, scale is off so you feel like a ship in a bottle, and the textures are muted with a washed out color pallet. Blending is bad with obvious jarring transitions. Compare that to the care given to avoid even the slightest tiling on the sands in the original DC zones.
Honestly the zone currently on the PTS, does not even feel like the same game to me. Comparing it even to Summerset it is a dramatic regression in complexity, quality, immersion, and attention to detail.
But I hear people on the PTS forums talking about how excited they are for the new Crown Store dresses. So I guess that is just where we are now.
Inevitably in the life of any MMO, one reaches the dreaded "maintenance mode" stage. I had hoped it would be far longer in the future but the signs are not looking good and I am feeling some pretty serious buyer's remorse right now.
Edited by Xinihp on April 21, 2022 5:28AM9 -
LordRukia✭✭✭✭SerafinaWaterstar wrote: »@LordRukia
Please try & be a bit less condescending & harsh to console players - we have as much right as you to enjoy the game, and our money is just as good.
PS5s are still quite scarce & hard to get hold of in some places, so arbitrarily closing ps4 users off from the game would be horrid. And very bad publicity. Especially in such times when the cost of living is increasing & not everyone can afford to spend over $400 on a gpu.
And why does the game have to have new classes & skills anyway? People either can play around with a wide variety now, or more likely they just follow the meta and use a very small % available!
I have console too I was only spitting facts. PS5 can barely handle ESO in 4k and playing in fidelity is suicide. This is why I suggest solutions like more settings options to adjust certain graphics elements that wouldn't kill the visuals but increase performance. Its a fair benchmark since I compared it to a gpu released only a couple months after the 5 and I imagine most people with console are playing on a 4k tv since they love to advertise that they can play on 4k. Also, I said by next chapter which would make the console over 10years old.
Whats less fair, some people on a 10 year old console losing access to a game cuz they won't upgrade regardless of the excuses or a 10 year old console holding the games development hostage for the rest of the players? Did you really just ask why we need new classes and skills in an MMO -_- btw the same rule applies to people with ancient PCs everyone has to upgrade at some reasonable point and I think 10 years is fair.Edited by LordRukia on April 21, 2022 5:22AM5 -
Gaeliannas✭✭✭✭✭Inevitably in the life of any MMO, one reaches the dreaded "maintenance mode" stage. I had hoped it would be far longer in the future but the signs are not looking good and I am feeling some pretty serious buyer's remorse right now.
I hypothesized a similar thought in another thread. That further investment in this game has no long term payout for them at this point from a business perspective. Better MMO's are in the works, Elder Scrolls VI will kill this game when it releases regardless, and they probably can't see any long term viability at this point, or at least not enough to justify any large investments in hardware and talent, that they may never see a return on. I also wondered if they had a 8 year plan for the game (based on other games lifecycles) and it caught them off guard to see ESO still going strong past the point they thought it would become irrelevant. Anyways, who knows what they think and why they make the business decisions they do, we can only wonder.3 -
Xinihp✭✭✭✭✭Whats less fair, some people on a 10 year old console losing access to a game cuz they won't upgrade regardless of the excuses or a 10 year old console holding the games development hostage for the rest of the players? Did you really just ask why we need new classes and skills in an MMO -_- btw the same rule applies to people with ancient PCs everyone has to upgrade at some reasonable point and I think 10 years is fair.
Especially considering upgrading a console is like what, $500 bucks compared to at least $1200 for a decent new PC?
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LordRukia✭✭✭✭Whats less fair, some people on a 10 year old console losing access to a game cuz they won't upgrade regardless of the excuses or a 10 year old console holding the games development hostage for the rest of the players? Did you really just ask why we need new classes and skills in an MMO -_- btw the same rule applies to people with ancient PCs everyone has to upgrade at some reasonable point and I think 10 years is fair.
Especially considering upgrading a console is like what, $500 bucks compared to at least $1200 for a decent new PC?
Digital edition current gen console is $400, but yeah with current covaids inflated gpu prices its crazy right now but at retail value which we hopefully close to within the end of the year is $800-1000 for a beast pc is far more realistic so about double the price of a console. I've never paid over $1000 in all my years of building PCs. I never buy the best, but it outperforms any console that will ever release. I do like ESO on console for no addons in pvp and area speak but damn do they make them weak. PS4 loading times actually started driving me insane, but I liked the DS4 with the back button attachment (because lol weapon swap on dpad) so much I use it on my PC now. 10/10 controller its basically a scuff for $800 -
Marto✭✭✭✭✭
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Inevitably in the life of any MMO, one reaches the dreaded "maintenance mode" stage. I had hoped it would be far longer in the future but the signs are not looking good and I am feeling some pretty serious buyer's remorse right now.
If you think ESO is in maintenance mode, you've never seen an MMO in maintenance mode.
It's still getting nonstop updates. 2 new zones and 2 new dungeon packs every year, without a fault, and without delay.
If ZOS started to cut dungeon packs or only offer 1 zone per year, yeah, maybe you'd be right. But that's not going to happen until many years from now.
The devs are also constantly working on the servers and doing changes for the sake of performance. Any MMO nearing "maintenance mode" would just not bother to improve anything, they'd just shrug and say "50 fps is enough".
Guild Wars 2 is probably getting there, if you want an example. ArenaNet still has outstanding server infrastructure and update delivery, but their engine is an unoptimized mess that struggles to hit 60fps in scenes that look considerably worse than even the blandest vanilla ESO zones.
[snip] you cannot argue they're neglectful. A neglectful dev wouldn't even try.
[edited for bashing]
Edited by ZOS_Exile on April 21, 2022 12:38PM"According to the calculations of the sages of the Cult of the Ancestor Moth, the batam guar is the cutest creature in all Tamriel"0 -
Xinihp✭✭✭✭✭If you think ESO is in maintenance mode, that just proves you've never seen an MMO in maintenance mode.
It's still getting nonstop updates. 2 new zones and 2 new dungeon packs every year, without a fault, and without delay.
Quantity of content is not the only metric I judge by. Yes they have been keeping up the "year long" formula. However, if you read the rest of my first post on this page, the quality has massively declined. But it isn't just me saying it. I have no anti-ESO agenda. I have been here supporting the game since beta. I am one of the biggest ESO fans, in terms of investment of time and resources.
But just because I have spent a lot of time and money on the game doesn't give me blinders to the steady decline in the substance of those boxes being checked. The current zone on PTS, feels like a totally different game to me. Just download it and see for yourself.
Also if we are never getting new classes, new weapons, new gear slots, or new combat features again because old consoles can't support it and they refuse to develop separately between old and new hardware versions of the game, that too is the sort of plateau I put in the category of maintenance mode.
Not adding anything mechanically new (card games don't count IMO), not innovating, not improving the engine. Just MAINTAINING the formula of what they have, with declining quality and increasing prices. What would you call that?
I hate to see it, really it tears me up inside. But I have to face the facts.
Edited by Xinihp on April 21, 2022 6:33AM3 -
Xinihp✭✭✭✭✭So people who don't have the bandwidth to download the PTS can see what I mean:
(Just look at the first coastline picture in the "old" section vs. the coastline in the "new" section!)
Older ESO content:
New ESO content:
To me, the drop in quality and attention to detail is like day vs. night and frankly it breaks my heart.
Edited by Xinihp on April 21, 2022 7:28AM12 -
SerafinaWaterstar✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭@LordRukia
Whats less fair, some people on a 10 year old console losing access to a game cuz they won't upgrade regardless of the excuses or a 10 year old console holding the games development hostage for the rest of the players?
Wow.
As I said, it’s not “won’t” but “can’t”.
Please take the time & perhaps think about those less fortunate than you who don’t have oodles of cash lying around to splash on a hobby. But like to play games none the less, as a way to relax & escape from the troubles of the world. And pay their way.
And you want to take that enjoyment, that connection they may have with friends made in the game away just because you want a slightly different way to kill something.
And yes, I did question the necessity of new classes & skill lines. As I said, it’s only recently that hybrid playing even became vaguely viable, but still most chase the meta, which is generally using only a fraction of skills, gear & classes available. Be much more interesting if you could mix it up much more than is done now & still be competent to do vet trifectas.
By the way, Do you think this game would survive if it was PC only?2 -
blktauna✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭VaranisArano wrote: »
Yep. Morrowind with the Warden and Battlegrounds cost $40. When ZOS released Summerset with only two new skill lines, it cost $30.
So that's my benchmark.
And both these chapters contain far more than High Isle...PCNA
PCEU7 -
ADarklore✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭So people who don't have the bandwidth to download the PTS can see what I mean:
(Just look at the first coastline picture in the "old" section vs. the coastline in the "new" section!)
I think people should reserve judgment until the game actually goes Live... who knows what they could fine-tune in between PTS and Live. However, I think for the majority of players, this is a non-issue.
I honestly believe there are a lot of ESO haters starting threads simply because they're still upset about AwA and are looking for anything to bash ZOS and ESO right now. Which is why I think players should wait until the release and make a judgment for themselves instead of allowing someone's clearly selective screenshots to alter their views.CP: 2078 ** ESO+ 2025 Content Pass ** ~~ ***** Strictly a solo PvE quester *****
~~Started Playing: May 2015 | Stopped Playing: July 2025~~3 -
Xinihp✭✭✭✭✭I honestly believe there are a lot of ESO haters starting threads simply because they're still upset about AwA and are looking for anything to bash ZOS and ESO right now.
Not this guy. I have loved and invested in ESO since beta and had no issue with AWA. I do however believe that customers have a right to be informed (without downloading the PTS themselves) before deciding to make a purchase.
There has never been an expansion in the history of this game that has changed the fundamental world design from PTS release to actual release. Could it happen here? Sure, anything is possible. However, the sheer level of missing detail and lower quality does not seem like something they could fill in within the ~1 month timeframe they have until release. But, that is why I added the caveat, it would be nice to hear from ZOS if they were at least planning to try.
I have no agenda other than concern for a game I love. Again the previous analogy holds. If I loved a particular sandwich, and the restaurant serving it started using socks instead of meat but charging me the same price, I wouldn't expect to be called a "hater" for being a little disappointed.
Edited by Xinihp on April 22, 2022 9:59PM7 -
Necrotech_Master✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭✭Whats less fair, some people on a 10 year old console losing access to a game cuz they won't upgrade regardless of the excuses or a 10 year old console holding the games development hostage for the rest of the players? Did you really just ask why we need new classes and skills in an MMO -_- btw the same rule applies to people with ancient PCs everyone has to upgrade at some reasonable point and I think 10 years is fair.
Especially considering upgrading a console is like what, $500 bucks compared to at least $1200 for a decent new PC?
if you want a decent PC that you wont have to upgrade for 5-7 years your looking closer to $2000-3000 even if you self-build it
$1200 now would barely cover the CPU + graphics card + maybe ram
in regards to other posts, i agree that they are going to have to drop support for the ps4/xb1 eventually, but the question will be timing of when to do that, its probably dependent on % of total playerbase using each of those methods to play, and stuff like the PS5 shortages dont help eitherplays PC/NA
handle @Necrotech_Master
active player since april 2014
i have my main house (grand topal hideaway) listed in the housing tours, it has multiple target dummies, scribing altar, and grandmaster stations (in progress being filled out), as well as almost every antiquity furnishing on display to preview them
feel free to stop by and use the facilities1 -
katanagirl1✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭You make PS5 sound so bad, but I have been very happy with mine and the Enhanced version I downloaded last patch.
I don’t do trials, but I have done some group dungeons, world bosses solo with a Companion and PVP regularly. Fidelity setting so far.
Everything looks spectacular. Frame rate is so much better than we had on PS4, even PS4 Pro. Draw distance is much greater, sometimes I can’t even see it. Pop-in (or is it pop-up? can’t remember) is almost non-existent.
The only time I have seen a problem was with the recent event and the necromancer boss in Murkmire that I can never remember his name. There were massive frame-rate drops whenever he summons the group of skeletons. Could have been better on Performance mode but didn’t try it.
So, I do a lot of content but not trials. They have bugs of their own regardless of platform.
Just m own experience but like I said, I do a lot of different things each day.
EDIT: right, forgot to mention PVP has it’s own problems too. Much better on PS5 but skills not firing and failed bar swaps are something that is probably a server-side issue.
Edited by katanagirl1 on April 23, 2022 5:38AMKhajiit Stamblade main
Dark Elf Magsorc
Redguard Stamina Dragonknight
Orc Stamplar PVP
Breton Magsorc PVP
Dark Elf Magden
Khajiit Stamblade
Khajiit Stamina Arcanist
PS5 NA1 -
LordRukia✭✭✭✭SerafinaWaterstar wrote: »@LordRukia
Whats less fair, some people on a 10 year old console losing access to a game cuz they won't upgrade regardless of the excuses or a 10 year old console holding the games development hostage for the rest of the players?
Wow.
As I said, it’s not “won’t” but “can’t”.
Please take the time & perhaps think about those less fortunate than you who don’t have oodles of cash lying around to splash on a hobby. But like to play games none the less, as a way to relax & escape from the troubles of the world. And pay their way.
And you want to take that enjoyment, that connection they may have with friends made in the game away just because you want a slightly different way to kill something.
And yes, I did question the necessity of new classes & skill lines. As I said, it’s only recently that hybrid playing even became vaguely viable, but still most chase the meta, which is generally using only a fraction of skills, gear & classes available. Be much more interesting if you could mix it up much more than is done now & still be competent to do vet trifectas.
By the way, Do you think this game would survive if it was PC only?
Yes it would survive.
[snip] 400 is not a lot of money, much less 800. I'm a butcher by trade, I don't make zillions.. I just manage my money well.
[edited for baiting]Edited by ZOS_Icy on April 24, 2022 1:01PM2 -
K9002✭✭✭✭✭
[snip][snip] 400 is not a lot of money, much less 800. I'm a butcher by trade, I don't make zillions.. I just manage my money well.
We also pay double for ESO expansions. The Blackwood collector's edition that used to cost 40 USD on launch was 80 euros here. I heard it was pretty expensive in Canada too. Take your head out of wherever you're keeping it.
[edited for back-and-forth & to remove quote]Edited by ZOS_Icy on April 24, 2022 1:02PM2
