Returning player after.. 5(?) years away. Thoughts.

Tandor · April 7

TaSheen wrote: »

I wonder if the "bareness" of your characters (all of you returning after so long I mean) is due to the "cold storage" setup they put in place a while back (couple or three years now maybe?) Anyone on long hiatus supposedly had their accounts moved into that cold storage "server" (assuming that's what it was, a separate server space), and while I've never yet been gone, so I don't know for sure, I just wonder if part of the cold storage system would be unequipping/resetting.

That's certainly possible, but I also wonder if a main cause of returned players not getting back into the feel of the game as they remember it is sometimes because they no longer have the familiar UI setup which was originally based on add-ons which they no longer have installed so they're running the vanilla UI, don't remember which add-ons they had, and don't feel comfortable with the game as a result. Perhaps the answer is for a departing player to make a note or screenshot (if that's possible, I don't know as I never use add-ons) of the add-ons they have installed before they uninstall everything.

Another solution might be for someone to maintain a stickied post on the forum listing/linking just a few add-ons that cover the main requirements players who use add-ons normally have. Literally just a few though, otherwise that in itself would be overwhelming!

TaSheen · April 7

Tandor wrote: »

TaSheen wrote: »

I wonder if the "bareness" of your characters (all of you returning after so long I mean) is due to the "cold storage" setup they put in place a while back (couple or three years now maybe?) Anyone on long hiatus supposedly had their accounts moved into that cold storage "server" (assuming that's what it was, a separate server space), and while I've never yet been gone, so I don't know for sure, I just wonder if part of the cold storage system would be unequipping/resetting.

That's certainly possible, but I also wonder if a main cause of returned players not getting back into the feel of the game as they remember it is sometimes because they no longer have the familiar UI setup which was originally based on add-ons which they no longer have installed so they're running the vanilla UI, don't remember which add-ons they had, and don't feel comfortable with the game as a result. Perhaps the answer is for a departing player to make a note or screenshot (if that's possible, I don't know as I never use add-ons) of the add-ons they have installed before they uninstall everything.

Another solution might be for someone to maintain a stickied post on the forum listing/linking just a few add-ons that cover the main requirements players who use add-ons normally have. Literally just a few though, otherwise that in itself would be overwhelming!

Definitely another possible part of the problem for returnees. I do screenshot a lot of stuff, but that might be more problematic for those on console? [Something I don't know - I've never owned one, never had any interest in them.]

sans-culottes · April 7

TaSheen wrote: »

Tandor wrote: »

TaSheen wrote: »

I wonder if the "bareness" of your characters (all of you returning after so long I mean) is due to the "cold storage" setup they put in place a while back (couple or three years now maybe?) Anyone on long hiatus supposedly had their accounts moved into that cold storage "server" (assuming that's what it was, a separate server space), and while I've never yet been gone, so I don't know for sure, I just wonder if part of the cold storage system would be unequipping/resetting.

That's certainly possible, but I also wonder if a main cause of returned players not getting back into the feel of the game as they remember it is sometimes because they no longer have the familiar UI setup which was originally based on add-ons which they no longer have installed so they're running the vanilla UI, don't remember which add-ons they had, and don't feel comfortable with the game as a result. Perhaps the answer is for a departing player to make a note or screenshot (if that's possible, I don't know as I never use add-ons) of the add-ons they have installed before they uninstall everything.

Another solution might be for someone to maintain a stickied post on the forum listing/linking just a few add-ons that cover the main requirements players who use add-ons normally have. Literally just a few though, otherwise that in itself would be overwhelming!

Definitely another possible part of the problem for returnees. I do screenshot a lot of stuff, but that might be more problematic for those on console? [Something I don't know - I've never owned one, never had any interest in them.]

It’s very easy to take a screenshot on, say, a PS5. As someone who likes many different kinds of games, I enjoy consoles as well as computers for digital media. It’s nice to not have to wait for folks to develop emulators and so on just so I can play Zelda, for example.

ImmortalCX · April 7

tibbz2020b14_ESO wrote: »

It seems like a lot of emphasis is being put on the gameplay and new content. I don't think that's what OP and myself find most daunting. Its picking up where we left off with our character, equipment, classes. What used to be there before isn't any longer or has changed to a varying degree, which of course is to be expected of popular mmos. Update, polish, buff, nerf - standard stuff. In the case of OP, having come back after 5 years there is going to be more unrecognizable than recognizable and will likely take a significant amount of time of catching up on updates over those years for every added equipment set, every update to a skill, champion points, passives; the character and class portion of the game prevalent to how he used to play. Having only the knowledge of what you did back then, and no path or guideline to how those translate to the current game prevents you from even playing the game.

I understand the sentiment of creating a fresh character, but for me personally, I'm not going to roll a new sorcerer as a guinea pig to reset my old one. It just doesn't make sense. My thought coming back was, "I'd love to play a mmo again, ESO was a ton of fun and I'll pop back in and scratch the itch for however long its lasts." I'd expect having some knowledge coming back after 450hrs, but it its all brand new. Thats something I don't typically expect of mmos, at least not to this degree (Maybe I'm just getting old lol).

Currently, I have 8 tabs open for various class guides for sorcerers, equipment to look out for, skill options that I've never heard of as a returning player and some of which are locked entirely. I have an end game character, so I'd like to do end game content even if its the old stuff that I remember the most, but I can't because I'm locked out of certain new skills or the equipment I have now is no longer the most viable. I won't wing it and potentially cause issues for an instance party, so I'm going to keep reading into these guides periodically until I can (hopefully) form a baseline build that is similar to what I had before.

I just picked a random stamblade guide and assigned cp points. Found an old one for dw/bow that matches my golded weapons.

Then I put skills on the bars, but eventually my hands remembered my old rotation and I put back old skills I used to use. Its not optimal, but it is enough to do zone content. I had stacks of food and weapon power potions to use.

And installing addons for writs, farming nodes, etc was another hurdle. I would say it took about two weeks to get the addons installed and remember my old rotation. Its not optimal but it works. When I get a chance I will copy a good build which involves farming a particular 2h vma weapon.

I used antiquities to farm the Oakensoul ring which is cornerstone of many 1-bar builds and should make vma easy to farm.

I think you are feeling as I did, but just logging on and playing with addons the first week, I eventually got the hang of it, although I was lost and not wanting to play.

ImmortalCX · April 7

Tandor wrote: »

TaSheen wrote: »

I wonder if the "bareness" of your characters (all of you returning after so long I mean) is due to the "cold storage" setup they put in place a while back (couple or three years now maybe?) Anyone on long hiatus supposedly had their accounts moved into that cold storage "server" (assuming that's what it was, a separate server space), and while I've never yet been gone, so I don't know for sure, I just wonder if part of the cold storage system would be unequipping/resetting.

That's certainly possible, but I also wonder if a main cause of returned players not getting back into the feel of the game as they remember it is sometimes because they no longer have the familiar UI setup which was originally based on add-ons which they no longer have installed so they're running the vanilla UI, don't remember which add-ons they had, and don't feel comfortable with the game as a result. Perhaps the answer is for a departing player to make a note or screenshot (if that's possible, I don't know as I never use add-ons) of the add-ons they have installed before they uninstall everything.

Another solution might be for someone to maintain a stickied post on the forum listing/linking just a few add-ons that cover the main requirements players who use add-ons normally have. Literally just a few though, otherwise that in itself would be overwhelming!

This was a big part of it. Once I had the right addons installed, and joined a guild, at least I could play the economics side of the game.

But when you first come back, no addons, no CP, no skills on your bars, I was thinking, "do I really want to play this?" I would log on the first week and feel like an outsider. Like going back to visit your old High School and wondering why you are there.

luc76985 · April 7

ImmortalCX wrote: »

It's nice to see this old favorite with fresh eyes. I have 2500 hours according to steam, I have three max level characters. My CP level is 700-something.

The last purchased chapter was Greymoor, and I really loved that expansion, especially the underground section that gave the game a new feel.

But when you return to the game you are faced with a number of challenges:
- Respend all the CP points
- Rebuy all the skills
- Nothing I had set up before even works. I have to relearn rotation and skills to adapt to all the changes over five years.
- Need to find and install add ons. (Which ones were they?)
- No guild or guild trader.
- My G9 monitor is super ultrawide, but I can't choose ultrawide with a browser/discord screen to the side. (Why?) It seems like its all or nothing.
- Text looks wonky and small (can it be made bigger?)
- What should I even be doing?

I got the idea to play again because I picked up one of the chapter expansions a couple years ago during a sale and never played. So there is some content I haven't seen. I also want to farm some antiquities because I like that system. Maybe put together a solo build for Archive....

But I feel like I have to relearn the whole game. And after walking through my home for a few minutes, I just log out and don't have the gumption to play.

So how can I rekindle my desire to play? Should I be reading the ESO build sites for a new build idea? Join a guild? What are the carrots? What should I be doing?

Hey! I returned in December (I think?) after a 2-ish year hiatus, I get it. I also had to abandon my old accounts because I went from PSN to XBOX. I am as in love with the game as I ever have been. The learning curve is still there, but it was there back at the beginning too. I have been focusing on the main game questline and zone stories, because I love the lore and exploration. If you do this, it takes ALL the pressure off of figuring out a build for a while. I haven't even spent my CPs and I'm still chugging right along. I just plugged in my skill points as I go, focusing on crafting early and basic class/race skills. Anyway I hope you have fun, whatever path you pick. Welcome back.

beth6230_ESO · April 7

I am just now returning, last played sometime around Summerset. I found everything reset too, but it my case it was very good to go through the exercise of reassigning everything. It helped me remember specs and how-to-pay.

Ragnarok0130 · April 8

ImmortalCX wrote: »

It's nice to see this old favorite with fresh eyes. I have 2500 hours according to steam, I have three max level characters. My CP level is 700-something.

The last purchased chapter was Greymoor, and I really loved that expansion, especially the underground section that gave the game a new feel.

But when you return to the game you are faced with a number of challenges:
- Respend all the CP points
- Rebuy all the skills
- Nothing I had set up before even works. I have to relearn rotation and skills to adapt to all the changes over five years.
- Need to find and install add ons. (Which ones were they?)
- No guild or guild trader.
- My G9 monitor is super ultrawide, but I can't choose ultrawide with a browser/discord screen to the side. (Why?) It seems like its all or nothing.
- Text looks wonky and small (can it be made bigger?)
- What should I even be doing?

I got the idea to play again because I picked up one of the chapter expansions a couple years ago during a sale and never played. So there is some content I haven't seen. I also want to farm some antiquities because I like that system. Maybe put together a solo build for Archive....

But I feel like I have to relearn the whole game. And after walking through my home for a few minutes, I just log out and don't have the gumption to play.

So how can I rekindle my desire to play? Should I be reading the ESO build sites for a new build idea? Join a guild? What are the carrots? What should I be doing?

If you still have your old add on folders using Minion will allow you to update your addons in the hassle free way. After using Minion I’d never go back to manually using addons.

And in a meaningful way you do have to relearn how to play the game (I took an extended break in Greymoor and returned with Blackwood so I understand) but it will come back quickly especially if you join a guild where you can ask questions. I recommend looking up some build guides to show you where you should spend your skills and CP so you don’t need to agonize over decisions. The game has had many ups and downs since Greymoor such as U35 so things don’t play like they used to.

I use an ultra wide monitor not a super ultra wide so I can’t give you a solution to those issues unless you want to use a second monitor for discord.

allochthons · April 8

For PvE, very few of the new sets are really worth farming, at least to start. Especially if you main a DPS.
They added the crafted set Order's Wrath a few years ago, which is great. It works for any class DPS, and even beginning healers. I use it on my baby (<CP) tanks as well.

2 items: Adds 15-657 Critical Chance
3 items: Adds 3-129 Weapon and Spell Damage
4 items: Adds 15-657 Critical Chance
5 items: Adds 21-943 Critical Chance
5 items: Increases your Critical Damage and Critical Healing by 8%.

It only requires 3 traits to craft, which can be learned pretty quickly. All guild halls have it if you don't have access to High Isle, and it's often for sale pretty cheap on guild traders. Or ask in a guild / zone chat for someone to craft it for you.

Pair that with something easy to farm like Mother's Sorrow, Spinners Garments, or Spriggan's Thorns, and an easy-to-get monster like Selene, Ice Heart, or Stormfist, or Oakensoul/Slimecraw, and you have a solid build on which to re-learn the game, and to farm the gear you decide you need for your class, play-style, and role.

And learn the Armory (or your similar Add-on of choice.) It makes trying new builds, new combos of skills, and similar really easy, and it's much cheaper than visiting the respec shrines. I leave one armory slot basically blank, with nothing assigned except things like Continuous Attack which I always have on every build. So I can reset fast when trying new things.

allochthons · April 8

Also, under Activity Finder, there is now an option for Home Tours. You can use that to find a guild hall, if you don't have access to one. You can also use it to travel to some places if you don't know a wayshrine close.

Under Browse Homes, you can filter for specific houses. I found a great Snugpod crafting guild house on PS/NA that way.

You can then favorite them for easy travel.

maxjam · May 2

Returning player here - been playing a lot of the new Oblivion Remaster and it gave me the itch to play ESO again

According to my account details I haven't subbed to ESO+ since late 2021/early 2022 and had done pretty much all of the content up to that point with a CP1000 character.

I am a little confused as to what I have missed out on since and the new changes that are coming up in the near future. Can someone provide me a very quick list of the new areas/xpacs etc I have missed and the best/cheapest way to buy them all?

Thanks

allochthons · May 3

@maxjam I'd recommend starting a new topic. This one was started with a fairly different question, and people will assume any new posts to it are discussion on the original poster's questions.