Empty game since the U46?

Zodiarkslayer · June 6

My experience is that I never got faster ques for dungeons in all these years, that I have played.
As a DPS it is something between 60s and instant. Ever since monday.

So, I am pretty sure what everybody is doing.

Elsonso · June 6

DreamyLu wrote: »

What I have noticed these last days, is that at times I'm playing, areas are populated same than usual. It's a bit surprising, because usually, when there is a new zone, the places where I wander are empty because all players have gone to discover the new zone. So, it seems to me that many players kept with "old" content for now.

Now of course, it's only an impression based on what I see during my - quite limited - playing time in ESO.

The new content is not exactly an optimal value for the amount of money spent.

The first two weeks of the new content is when everyone is out doing world bosses. It starts out with crowds, which decline over the days that follow. Early on, the world bosses seem to be always dead. Later, they get to the point where people are waiting a few minutes for other players to show up. That transitions to the "Help with WB" zone chat pleas. After time, they are like every other zone and are just standing there and no one is around.

Based on what I saw in Solstice yesterday, four days into the new content, it feels like Solstice has been out for a couple weeks.

shadyjane62 · June 6

KalevaLaine wrote: »

Hey

Yes, I also dislike the update, but I try to give it a chance. But I noticed that the new zone is quite empty, no one at the dailies to get them, five people at world bosses... Chat is empty most of the time.

Have they created more instances or is the boycott real?

It will be better later in the year when all of us who didn't get full price, get it for much less.

Elvenheart · June 6

bmnoble wrote: »

It is a small part of a zone, I took my time on the quests, listened to all the dialogue, barely used my mount, whited the map excluding the trial which I don't do, finished all that up yesterday.

The lack of a world event like dolmens/dragon/geysers etc... has also reduced the likely hood of any one using the new zone to grind levels.

Now I am focusing more on levelling up the sub class skill lines, while questing on one of my alts to get skill points at the same time, in no rush to return to the new zone any time soon at this point.

I guess the new mini incursion that can happen in multiple zones took the place of the new zone’s world event? I got to see my first one in Shadowfen last night.

Fiennes · June 6

I haven't been to the new zone (no urge to do so, yet). That said I am seeing players everywhere else I am travelling, so it is definitely not an "Empty Game". PCEU, if that matters.

Mesite · June 6

I visited Vvardenfell today to do my crafting and it was busier than I've seen it on any of my recent visits.

karthrag_inak · June 6

Khajiit is seeing many folks all over Solstice. Then again, they may be protesters, this one is unaware.

cyclonus11 · June 6

I just got through using the vault to organize my furnishings & haven't had much time for other stuff. I should be in the new zone this weekend.

Elsonso · June 8

Elvenheart wrote: »

bmnoble wrote: »

It is a small part of a zone, I took my time on the quests, listened to all the dialogue, barely used my mount, whited the map excluding the trial which I don't do, finished all that up yesterday.

The lack of a world event like dolmens/dragon/geysers etc... has also reduced the likely hood of any one using the new zone to grind levels.

Now I am focusing more on levelling up the sub class skill lines, while questing on one of my alts to get skill points at the same time, in no rush to return to the new zone any time soon at this point.

I guess the new mini incursion that can happen in multiple zones took the place of the new zone’s world event? I got to see my first one in Shadowfen last night.

I thought that the zone's "world event" was the glowy blue wall thing.

I am curious if the mini-incursions replace the old Coldharbour portals that would appear and drop 5-6 daedra or are different.

Cooperharley · June 8

So, ultimately i'd imagine it's due to a few things:

1) The zone is relatively small. It's essentially the size of half of a chapter zone or a smaller Q4 DLC zone from previously, so finishing the zone isn't going to take that long.

2) The big feature of the update is subclassing and I imagine people are grinding those skill lines up elsewhere (eg, master writs, skyreach, nBRP)

3) There's also quite a bit of community divide in this update, so I wouldn't be surprised if this content pass didn't sell all that well relative to previous releases and many are waiting for more reviews to come out and/or a sale.

Desiato · June 8

Something to consider is that what launched this week is only half of the season. So it's possible the value will improve.

My belief is Zenimax planned for a smaller ESO audience this year with a smaller budget for the annual expansion. The reason is that they expected the Oblivion remaster to occupy the time of traditional ESO story chapter players.

Additionally, ZOS is known to be working on a new product that has yet to be officially announced and it is thought that developers normally assigned to ESO are working on that or other Zenimax projects like TES6 -- which is expected to be announced this year.

But it's possible the season is backloaded and will ultimately compare to a chapter in terms of total content after the second half is released.

It seems to me the trial community took a big hit after the first wave of information came from PTS and hasn't recovered. That doesn't mean it won't, but many players I know are extremely unmotivated to adapt to the emerging new metas.

Anecdotally, the members of a social trial guild I'm in seem extremely unmotivated to work so hard to adapt to the new meta just to play the same content over and over again. I think less than 1/4 of us have adapted or seriously started to adapt.

Outside of the new trial, there's no new interesting combat related content, so what is the point of subclassing to most enthusiasts when almost all combat content is already ridiculously easy? I think a major new combat update like this needed to come with a LOT more new gameplay to make it interesting.

amiiegee · June 8

Its kinda dead ngl

SeaGtGruff · June 8

I think the zone is actually larger than the map makes it look-- maybe not as large as previous chapter zones, but not as small as the zoomed-out view of the map makes it look. Different zones have different map scaling; for instance, a small DLC zone such as Hew's Bane has different scaling than a large chapter zone such as Northern Elsweyr. The fact that half of the zone is hidden and inaccessible until later this year, makes it seem like the zone is small-- but when you go riding around it seems a bit more spacious than the "half map" would lead you to believe.

preevious · June 8

I don't think the game is empty.
I base that on the fact that I sell far more now than before, so, I suspect there a more buyers wich leads to more players.

Also, my DPS queues seems shorter.

barney2525 · June 8

KalevaLaine wrote: »

Hey

Yes, I also dislike the update, but I try to give it a chance. But I noticed that the new zone is quite empty, no one at the dailies to get them, five people at world bosses... Chat is empty most of the time.

Have they created more instances or is the boycott real?

I think the first thing people do is knock out the Golden Pursuits. I figure people will get around to new zones when they decide they want to. It's a large world with a Huge number of different things players can do. I don't know why people keep pushing the " the game is dying " button yet won't provide any actual factual data.

GMdoghunter · June 9

So after completing the first new part of the story i will say Honestly is this what we are getting this year?
This content feels and looks as if it has been thrown out of the door really quickly with next to no thoguht on it.

Far far less content and the story writing is next to awful.

For example one of the main story quests has you going into a manor which highly resembles the Bismuth Baths house in a lot of ways.
While you are on that quest it take s you back to the very beginning of th manor only to drag you all the way through it again to get to where you were originally to get the quest giver.

This has happened with quite a few of the main story quests in te new zone.

To add to this everythig is more or less a copy and paste of a lot of summerset stuff,typical copy and paste to be honest.

From start to finish the new part of the story will take around 3 hours roughly.
Very dissapointing.

The Bismuth Baths is for sure not worth the crowns they are asking either,do the quests get the achievement and purchas eit with gold.

I can honestly see this driving more players away from the game than bringing them back which is a real shame indeed.
New zone is next to empty when it in theory should be much busier just after release.

tsaescishoeshiner · June 9

My friends and guild lists have been busier than ever. Sometimes they seem to open more "instances" of new zones when new DLC drops, which is honestly very nice compared to seeing players kill every story quest boss as you're trying to run there.

ImmortalCX · June 9

When they announced the pricing for the content pass, i filed it under "no way am i buying it" and almost forgot about it.

Antiquity system is filling up with solstice leads. whatever.

The problem is that i am still working through BlackWood and all subsequent zones while completing vet dlc dungeons, unlocking scribing, mages guild for a new toon, etc. Havent even touched subclassing.

There is too much other content, that a new mini zone doesnt have any appeal. If i had completed everything else, maybe id be interested.

It does seem that the new sets are quite good, so it may be that they are introducing vertical progression moving forward. I dont think they can keep that up very long without creating a divided society.

Desiato · June 9

tsaescishoeshiner wrote: »

Sometimes they seem to open more "instances" of new zones when new DLC drops, which is honestly very nice compared to seeing players kill every story quest boss as you're trying to run there.

The game does this dynamically based on the player population in the zone.

Dojohoda · June 9

Lots of players are at dolmans. I'd guess that the subclass feature is more popular than the zone.

Legate_Lanius · June 9

I genuinely don't understand the hate for U46 and subclassing. ESO players have to be the most obnoxious ones when it comes to complaints.

It's a great feature, sure not perfect but no system is. Maybe try not to be a meta-slave and enjoy the possibilities by exploring yourself ?

I'm having a good time personally.

As for the DLC I did not buy it yet because I have some others to finish since I returned.

Woozywyvern · June 9

I started a new character to experience subclassing from scratch - the starter zones are full of new characters, moreso than recent months.

NeoniKa · June 9

KalevaLaine wrote: »

Hey

Yes, I also dislike the update, but I try to give it a chance. But I noticed that the new zone is quite empty, no one at the dailies to get them, five people at world bosses... Chat is empty most of the time.

Have they created more instances or is the boycott real?

Probably not boycott. At least I've been playing way less since the horrible U46 downgrade, but I have absolutely no intention of boycott this game. I love the game, but now I absolutely hate the new UI and all the mess added into the game that no one wanted. I already replaced the UI with the good original one, but it's all a big mess now. I'll prefer to play something else for now, but I'll return full time to ESO as soon as they restore the original UI.

Rungar · June 9

im seeing players everywhere i go. Seems subclassing is pretty popular for the moment.

Xarc · June 9

steam stats for ESO

Elsonso · June 9

Now that Dune MMO is out, sad times for ESO? Aging game and their fix has been a lackluster zone and story, a half completed controversial UI update, and subclassing.

LesserCircle · June 9

I'm part of the problem, taking a break because I don't enjoy subclassing or the new UI or any new change really, also didn't buy the new content. Still reading forums to keep up with what's going on just in case.

AzuraFan · June 9

I'm not sure about the rest of the game, but I did the prologue for Solstice over the past couple of nights, and I was surprised at how few people were doing it. Then I went to Solstice, and it did feel as if there weren't too many players there.

Also, I did the anniversary safebox achievement last week, which took me to a lot of cities across Tamriel. Some were hopping, but others were ghost towns. And there are zones I like to visit to do endeavors because they're never busy. I rarely see more than a couple of players there.

Due to instancing, it's difficult to tell what's the population really is, though. Yesterday on the XBOX showcase, the ESO ad said "join 26 million players." That's got to be an exaggeration. Accounts, sure. But active players? No way.

Cooperharley · June 9

Xarc wrote: »

steam stats for ESO

Every year, June numbers have gone down, which is historically when chapters release. Not good.

fizzybeef · June 9

KalevaLaine wrote: »

Hey

Yes, I also dislike the update, but I try to give it a chance. But I noticed that the new zone is quite empty, no one at the dailies to get them, five people at world bosses... Chat is empty most of the time.

Have they created more instances or is the boycott real?

It does indeed feel empty