New Life Decorations (Edited)

acastanza_ESO · December 2023

I really enjoyed the decorating that ZOS did for the Witches Festival and was really hoping to see a new iteration for New Life. I'm sure its a not insubstantial amount of work but it really adds a nice festive touch to the game. Sad to see that it didn't end up happening. Hopefully ZOS will extend the decorating to other events next year.

Edit: After seeing your comments I went and took another look and you're right, they're there, at least on Wayshrines in main cities. The garlands are just really subtle on some of them and blended in with the surroundings a bit. Way less noticeable than the Witches Festival decorations, guess I was just hoping for more.

Bo0137 · December 2023

I'm pretty sure the wayshrines are decorated for the NLF. I saw one myself in Blackwood

Soarora · December 2023

Bo0137 wrote: »

I'm pretty sure the wayshrines are decorated for the NLF. I saw one myself in Blackwood

Can confirm. The decor is less extensive than Witches Festival which is a little disappointing but I'm glad to see that the wayshrines are decorated!

Elvenheart · December 2023

Earlier this week when I was zoning into Leyawiin I briefly saw the decorations, they lasted a few seconds, and then disappeared. It’s kind of like how sometimes when a companion is summoned they are in their skivvies until their outfit shows up.

LunaFlora · December 2023

yea there's decorations!
just not every wayshrine.
i believe it's the big towns like Daggerfall, Leyawiin, and Elden Root.

Ragnork · December 2023

Some of the taverns have external decorations also. A little too muted in my opinion.

TaSheen · December 2023

Windhelm wayshrine has decor....

Finedaible · December 2023

The first one I noticed was the decorated cookies on the table in Davon Watch's Inn (The Watch House).

Beilin_Balreis_Colcan · December 2023

Personally, I play ESO to temporarily escape from real life (which I'm pretty unhappy with), so to see Earth decorations displayed in Nirn is a bit unsettling. I realise Christmas is a big deal to many people, but does it have to be shown in the game?

P.S. This is not an anti-Christmas or anti-religious post, by the way, I just happen to think that the game and real life should be separate, so please don't flame me for politely expressing an opinion.

Soarora · December 2023

vsrs_au wrote: »

Personally, I play ESO to temporarily escape from real life (which I'm pretty unhappy with), so to see Earth decorations displayed in Nirn is a bit unsettling. I realise Christmas is a big deal to many people, but does it have to be shown in the game?

P.S. This is not an anti-Christmas or anti-religious post, by the way, I just happen to think that the game and real life should be separate, so please don't flame me for politely expressing an opinion.

You can still immerse yourself in the elder scrolls world during events. Just like how Witches Festival is in celebration of Hollowjack, New Life and Saturalia (not Saturnalia) have lore reasons for existing. New Life festivities vary by culture, as we learn from the event quests. Saturalia is a Sanguine holiday. I don’t really consider elder scrolls holidays of this time of year to be Christmas at all. After all, there’s not the same religions as we have IRL. Hope this doesn’t come across as flaming, I mean it as a suggestion to try reframing the event into something that can still bring you peace by rooting you to the elder scrolls experience.

AzuraFan · December 2023

There are definitely wonderful decorations in some areas. I first noticed them in one of my favourite inns (Kaladas Inn) and then on the Lleyawin wayshrine. A fantastic festive touch and much appreciated!

spartaxoxo · December 2023

vsrs_au wrote: »

Personally, I play ESO to temporarily escape from real life (which I'm pretty unhappy with), so to see Earth decorations displayed in Nirn is a bit unsettling. I realise Christmas is a big deal to many people, but does it have to be shown in the game?

P.S. This is not an anti-Christmas or anti-religious post, by the way, I just happen to think that the game and real life should be separate, so please don't flame me for politely expressing an opinion.

New Life is part of the game and is decorated similar to Christmas since jump. Lots of things from Elder Scrolls have real world influences.

MidniteOwl1913 · December 2023

vsrs_au wrote: »

Personally, I play ESO to temporarily escape from real life (which I'm pretty unhappy with), so to see Earth decorations displayed in Nirn is a bit unsettling. I realise Christmas is a big deal to many people, but does it have to be shown in the game?

P.S. This is not an anti-Christmas or anti-religious post, by the way, I just happen to think that the game and real life should be separate, so please don't flame me for politely expressing an opinion.

Many cultures have a solstice theme winter holiday. The sun retreating and then finally starting to return has been celebrated for thousands of years. The symbols for the most part are far older than Christianity. The evergreen symbolizes the hope of life returning in the spring, the bonfires are light in the darkest longest night.

I guess that doesn't really deal with that they are real life things, but it would be odd for a culture like the one represented in Nirn to not have something to mark the solitice.

Of course, the summer solstice should also be marked, but that celebration has been lost in general. I guess ancient peoples were more worried about starving and dying in the cold and dark rather than burning from the heat and endless day...

Sorry to hear real life is bad for you right now. I hope it gets better.

Araneae6537 · December 2023

First, I want to express my appreciation for the added decorations during both the Witches Festival and New Life events this year!

Second, I wanted to make a suggestion: Since New Life is celebrated in very different ways across Tamriel, wouldn’t it make sense for the traditional decorations to differ as well? While I don’t know the geographical history of the tradition and symbolism irl, it would make sense to me that the evergreen might be especially meaningful in lands where most trees are not, lands with long cold winters, like Skyrim. I would think tropical regions might have different symbols in celebrating the solstice and the New Year. And then there are considerations specific to Tamriel that should be important — surely the Bosmer of Valenwood wouldn’t use plant cuttings in their traditions and decorations!

I feel like this would make the event feel more immersive, a Tamriel holiday that does not look so strongly like one particular irl holiday, which likewise might be helpful and more inclusive for those with negative associations with that holiday or who celebrate other holidays.

Pelanora · December 2023

Elvenheart wrote: »

Earlier this week when I was zoning into Leyawiin I briefly saw the decorations, they lasted a few seconds, and then disappeared. It’s kind of like how sometimes when a companion is summoned they are in their skivvies until their outfit shows up.

Oh I'm so glad its not just me! Gives me a hell of a fright when it happens. It's only Isobel, but i feel she would really hate it, and that makes it worse. Putting her into a costume seems to stop it.

I absolutely love the decorations. I love the change. It's weird living in a city that never ever ever ever changes, I was thrilled when I saw them in Alinor.