Why do expansions feel so...empty?

Haenk · June 2023

Apocrypha is just awful - IMHO.
Extremely few nodes to gather, few mobs, just a bit of forgettable main story. No wonder, nobody stays around. I don't think I'll ever head there again after doing the last bits&pieces.

Xenite · June 2023

chessalavakia_ESO wrote: »

For High Isle, they deliberately spun up a bunch of instances so it wouldn't be too crowded.

I'd assume they did the same thing for Necrom.

It works great for the solo content but, it can be sub-optimal for group content.

This and I am glad for it... I still remember playing an expansion in WoW on launch and my wife was stuck in a bug screen with 100 other players all in gyrocopters because the server couldn't handle it lol

rpa · June 2023

Seems to me the direction of gaem is to spread ever thinner layer of substance over given area to avoid consoles and older PCs and maybe servers too rupturing from bloat. I'm waiting for sale so I've only played new chapter on PTS - and not much cause I did not want to completely spoil it for myself - and both zones felt rather desolate for me.

Elsonso · June 2023

Haenk wrote: »

Apocrypha is just awful - IMHO.
Extremely few nodes to gather, few mobs, just a bit of forgettable main story. No wonder, nobody stays around. I don't think I'll ever head there again after doing the last bits&pieces.

I suspect that you are finding few nodes to gather and mobs to kill because there are others there farming them. One Day 1 I encountered a lot of both while I filled out the map.

FeedbackOnly · June 2023

A pre made group finder for people to join up to stuff would be the option

Maybe even a bounty board? Like 5k for a tank for this dungeon?

❤️

Reverb · June 2023

Necrom is the only chapter I didn’t buy. I had been on the fence about High Isle, but eventually caved and got it and if it hadn’t ended up with my getting Galen for free too, it wouldn’t have been worth the cost. I played Necrom on PTS and didn’t feel it’s at all worth $40 at a time when my money has to go a lot further than it used to.

Based on the chatter in my discord servers, a lot of people who bought all previous chapters decided not to this year. Reasons given include D2, poor value (not enough content for the $), ongoing dissatisfaction with the development and balance direction over the last few years, and 2 people said they were so put off by the Arcanist that they cancelled their pre-order and got a refund. One said “the game’s going all flashy carnival cash grab anime style. There are plenty of other MMOs I could play if I wanted that.”

For those who did buy, it’s a small zone that can be completed quickly, it’s underwhelming as a player hub, and without sets worth farming there’s no reason to stick around afterward.

All these contribute to why it’s probably feeling empty.

SpacemanSpiff1 · June 2023

i'd guess people are leveling new characters. there are skyshards to gather, guild skill lines to level, alliance skill lines to level. et cetera. player are scattered throughout the zones.

also the new zone is split into two, further reducing player concentration.

Parasaurolophus · June 2023

Common guys. Each new zone at the start is empty for many years. Starting around Blackwood, I noticed this. To be honest, the open world after completing all the quests becomes simply not needed, that's all.

ghastley · June 2023

The class was the primary new feature, not the zone, so everyone is leveling their new character where they know how to do so. Once they all get to 50, the zone will be next on the list.

And if you are waiting to purchase later, you aren’t there, just wishing you could go there to escape all the Arcanists everywhere else.