This is probably going to run counter to the general sentiment, but I do actually appreciate how the community managers have managed this PTS in comparison to past contentious nerf-heavy patches.

Unlike past patches, we've known the gist of PTS changes week to week before Monday morning. We've known ahead of time what to expect to get changed and what wasn't being changed each week. And while that allows players to focus their displeasure more acutely, it also helps players focus their substantive feedback on the areas the Devs are and aren't making changes.

For a clear example, we know from Gina's pre-patch update that the Vet boss/bannermen health reduction should be roughly 10% HP. Under the old method of waiting til Monday morning, we wouldn't know that from the patch notes and players would be scrambling to find out what the HP reduction was rather than just confirming that it was roughly 10% and on what bosses.

The biggest difference I've noticed this PTS cycle is fewer "ZOS said nothing, we're doomed" posts and more "ZOS said something, we're doomed" posts.

Now that may seem like a silly thing, but the latter makes for more substantive feedback and critique than the former.

VaranisArano wrote: »

This is probably going to run counter to the general sentiment, but I do actually appreciate how the community managers have managed this PTS in comparison to past contentious nerf-heavy patches.

Unlike past patches, we've known the gist of PTS changes week to week before Monday morning. We've known ahead of time what to expect to get changed and what wasn't being changed each week. And while that allows players to focus their displeasure more acutely, it also helps players focus their substantive feedback on the areas the Devs are and aren't making changes.

For a clear example, we know from Gina's pre-patch update that the Vet boss/bannermen health reduction should be roughly 10% HP. Under the old method of waiting til Monday morning, we wouldn't know that from the patch notes and players would be scrambling to find out what the HP reduction was rather than just confirming that it was roughly 10% and on what bosses.

The biggest difference I've noticed this PTS cycle is fewer "ZOS said nothing, we're doomed" posts and more "ZOS said something, we're doomed" posts.

Now that may seem like a silly thing, but the latter makes for more substantive feedback and critique than the former.

I actually think this has worked against them, at least it has for me.

When I hear things like "expect only minor tweaks and minimal balance updates in the remaining patches" I don't expect to read drastic changes to the base combat system.

When I read things like "we'll be making major changes to magicka warden, nightblade, and sorcerer in the final PTS patch" I expected those to be major changes.

In their defense, the shalk change to warden was pretty major, regardless about how vehemently against the change I am. They were correct in this sense, wardens who use Deep Fissure have had their entire gameplay destroyed and will need to relearn their class. I'd argue that no MagSorcs who read that update from Gina left satisfied after reading the resulting patch notes. It's very confusing to have these words elicit such counter-intuitive results.

Minor tweaks = drastic changes to LA/HA as well as DoT timers for all skills, abilities, and timers
Major changes = the skill changes we got in Week 4 and 5 for warden, nightblade, and sorcerer

I do appreciate them saying ANYTHING, but I won't extend that commendation to them for using verbiage that just simply turned out to be false.

What happened to the Q&A that was mentioned? Did they just bail on that in light of the overwhelming negative response to U35?