State of the Game Address

lotharlocnar_ESO · May 2014

Lol, legion666up17_ESO and frwinters_ESO aren't on the subject at hand, they are seemingly crying about people on the forums rather than the subject of the forum itself, that indicates to the rest of us educated ones that ignorance has infiltrated the internet as well as these forums and people can not or refuse to adhere to a standard forum topic. This post concerning them is a fine example of getting off topic and I apologize!

Back to the subject at hand, Buying the game as a collector's edition (the physical one) I sort of expected bugs to be minimal. I played all of the beta tests and saw the problems the MMO would have had if they'd released the game early. Unfortunately after launch 90% of the bugs remained. This to me signified a loss in concern and even respect for people who bought the game.So far the PvP is terribly unbalanced, it takes way too long to ride to a battle (5 mins to get there and die within 10 secs or so if one is actively fighting in it.) Vampire, ULT abilities= problematic. The pvp problem is almost opposite of Rift MMO combat problem with the OP problems included (spawn fast,get into battle fast,die fast like lemmings) I am happy to see spawn points cannot be camped as in Rift. I use Rift because it was the last MMO I played for years on end, and they're devs won't fix the pvp there either. It seems there is a common denominator here however, Once a games out and pvp has been established as not the focus of the game, PvP is on the back burner and possibly gets an expansion but not a balance fix and the MMO goes f2p as the PvPers leave for greener pastures.GW2 won game of the year for a reason, ok, many reasons, but I saw the balance of their pvp system and figured that was the way MMOs should do it.As evidently many others did as well. I guess next on down the road we will see some stability on quests and cosmetic items going up for sale and maybe even a new race, but the pvp here as it is is broke.

Hecubusprimeb14_ESO · May 2014

I can't Launch the GAME without using an IP Anonmizer, the Launcher gets stuck on LOADING, downloading an initial manifest over and over again, perpetually. I live in Alaska, for some reason your patch servers like to send me corrupt files, necessitating a redownload of said manifest file(s) over and over again. Your Tech service has been through the ringer with me and it has led nowhere.

how about fix that issue. I have read enough forum entries to discover that this is not a problem just associated with me.

everything was fine for me until your EASTER Patch, than this.

file: 061b8d0af8fa3d892fdc9723a00d5d6ccff18f5a.patchmanifest

In the Host.... directory under ProgramData directory.

Gravord · May 2014

Good job fixing Bat Swarm!

Cogo · May 2014

Gravord wrote: »

ruze84b14_ESO wrote: »

Gravord wrote: »

You are mistaken. Its not a hate. I like most aspects of this game and intend to continue playing it. But lack of dev response on official forum for so long time is disturbing while issue remain in game pushing more ppl to stop play it. And there is still no date for when patch is rolling out, to at least partially take care of this problem.

So you make your complaint starting late Saturday into Sunday? Do game designers not have weekends? Are they somehow slaves to gamers, forced to work for no pay and no days off?

And who has more priority? Gamers like me, who can't change characters and who still experience load failure when going through doorways? Macintosh gamers who can't PvP at all due to a memory leak? European gamers who have such severe ping that they can't do many boss fights?

What about players who cannot complete their main quest, or are missing items from inventory slots, or the botters who fill up local channels and server resources with spam?

What about their 'four-to-six week' content release promises, for those players who have already met VR10 and are even now bored, because they don't care a bit about PvP and are wanting that new content?

.

@Gravord

Hiya, I been playing ESO since the 5 day early launch. Still only level 31 though I play every day and don't have any alts. Been building a guild, and a damn good one. Also since our guildbank works scaringly good among our members, I have a lot of management to do on a daily bases.

I have been reading quote a bit of your posts. You get complaints about you, but I think that's mostly simply because you speak your mind and what you think is right (shouldn't everyone do that?)

I've noticed in a few posts that people "gang up" on you only because you are well stated and tell how it is from another view then mostly the people who wants ESO to turn into warcraft. These people have the highest "risk" to leave the game anyway (Good!). These forums needs every type of personality and view in order to get the best picture as possible so Zenimax can, as you clearly stated, Priorities. So far I am VERY impressed that Zenimax have NOT given in to the whiners. Well.....The Doshia quest maybe, but everyone isn't perfect.

Funny enough, when you ask (not accuse) what a person did to improve their game when they fail at something, dungeon, quest or what not, unless it is a confirmed bug, I don't think I ever seen an answer other then "I am unsubing"
I don't think I have seen a single complaint about how bad dungeons, instances/quests/exploring/tradeskill is when they have OTHER people they trust to group it with? Like a guild or friends, or a bit of both? Because then it would work just fine lol! Sure, the phasing makes it harder in early levels to find eachother, but again, I am stating what I think is why. As you level, there is an AI in the engine that puts people who met, grouped, are friends, in the same instance. They even said this feature would be in the game before BETA!

Also, I highly doubt we would have an almost lag less Megaserver without phasing. Again, I am just drawing from my experience, but even if we all are in the same server, our data is on different Virtual machines, which in turn dont need to coordinate 1 million players, but maybe 50 each.

I have not seen ONE complainer about lag saying how nice it is to move around almost seamless and lagless in the world at most times

I don't think your posts are negative, even when I don't agree with them.

In my view, you are just stating valid questions. Most which are adressed in Patch 1.1.

I think you guessed it, but the DEVS most likely didn't want to answer these posts here and there with anwers they had then, but are changed now.
If you look at the updated patch 1.1 which they posted an OUTSTANDING list over, I am sure they have other things in there, like making guildbank easier.

But why warn goldsellers about this, or even state it if they don't know yet if it will work. Without working or being affiliated in any way with the gamemakers . I have over 20 years experience in IT, specialiced in datacenters that deliver "services", and that tells me Zenimax is working on the guildbank issue. To be able to stack, to get longer reports. There was even someone who mentioned that it would be nice to know what guildstore and what item was sold! THAT part I know is not a problem to introduce, but maybe Zenimax is aware of possible new threats they need to counter before fixing a problem with another problem.

I have to correct you in this post. I am swedish and apart from bank "lag" (I highly suspect that's not lag, but a security for the bank somehow), chat lag...not just Euros get that, its on all Megaservers if I understood correctly, and in the updated patch 1.1, they did say something about limiting tells to people to 250 something? A silly number for the regular player, but feks up for goldsellers. I have little to no lag when I am playing, and that can be well over 12 hours a day. In primetime.

YES, zoning into Cyradriil takes a while, but when I get there, it's as lag less for me as out in the world.

Maybe I am lucky with a good system and isp? But I don't believe 100% of the problem lays in moving the EU datacenter to Germany. (They are doing that btw...just no timeplan yet. Business I bet. 24/7 datacenters that can handle specific software isn't like buying a desktop computer :-p)

You mention goldsellers at times.

Would you agree that the biggest problem with goldfarmers/sellers is not the poor, starving person across the globe....but the fat players sitting here and GOING to goldsellers sites and BUYS gold?

I might be to much of a businessman, but without demand, you have no product. Sure, these pesky goldfarmers pops up IN ALL online multiuser games! I dare ANYONE to tell me any MMORPG that's been completely free from these vermin. Sure, in the Ultima online and the everquest era, it wasn't gold spam, it was EBAY.....mostly started by the PLAYERS whom either wanted to buy accounts/items or sell em.

And people who keep yelling at Zenimax to "fix" the goldspammers, they have the right to express that. But the best tool they have are themselves. Report (Takes max 30 seconds in the game). TALK to your friends in game about how stupid it is to buy gold from these...people. And I don't CARE how impossible it would be for them to play if they didnt buy 20k gold from some site that more then likely will steal both their creditcard details, game ID and personal email.

Of course Zenimax needs to be their own police here and they already shown they can and have taken actions that have worked (I don't care if someone is unhappy they cant camp the same boss for hours and get phat lewt...the goldspammer/bot is far more important then someone who is to lazy to just explore a bit. Sure, quests gives good exp, sometimes loot or even a skillpoint, but they dont have tiiiiime, or something. Also, when you bought this product, one of the MAIN features was just that...point in a general direction and move there...you will find something...maybe nice and shiny or growling and hairy.

Go explore then, there are tons of stuff to pick up and SELL TO REAL PLAYERS. Who knows, maybe they understand that interacting with the player world is more then half the game then?

Am I wrong in strongly believing that if no one bought gold, there would be wastly less goldspammers?

You may wonder why I adressed all this to you? You would more then likely be able to say what my post is about, in a much smaller post :-p. Maybe not so diplomatic, but this is actually quite serious for some, or most players. We spend hours, days here. Meeting and getting to know people that becomes close friends, so people like myself tend to ramble on before I get to the point.

Please keep up your posts. Your "critisism" is far more quality in then that joker on youtube who sees bad in everything.

Gravord · May 2014

Sadly new problem occur, multiboxer, reported by plenty ppl but still in game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4MnpCrA3mo&feature=youtu.be

roadhog37_ESO · May 2014

pvp pvp pvp pvp pvp....blah blah blah. WHats happening to the rpg aspect of these games? The game doesnt need open world pvp...go play CoD on your console. Devs if you start catering to the idiots who cry for open world pvp and quicker leveling you will lose your core players and then yes this will be a f2p game.

coreymj78 · May 2014

Note to everyone: Stop complaining about the issues that are most important to YOU. They are doing all they can to attack all the issues one at a time and in a priority that makes sense. If that priority doesn't make sense to you just because your particular issue isn't being addressed first, then just stop for a second and recognize why that is not possible and try to be patient.

frwinters_ESO · May 2014

human151 wrote: »

[snip]

The PVPers are the same people that dont even bother listening to the quest givers or other characters and AOE grind and rush to end game then complain because end game does not meet their expectations...

I do both PvP and PvE but when it comes to a successfull Mmo its known that good PvP will help support the backbone of the game. Gamers are competitive. Whether its the first person to reach max level, get all the achievements and gear in PvE world, or the first person to be Emperor, get all the top PvP gear, have the largest Guild in Cyrodil and constantly beats down the enemy.

[edited to remove quote]

Calgrissom · May 2014

Gravord wrote: »

Sadly new problem occur, multiboxer, reported by plenty ppl but still in game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4MnpCrA3mo&feature=youtu.be

How is this a problem? If someone can afford multiple copies and has the rig to run them why is it and issue? You can easily do this as well. Download IS boxer This isn't exploiting at all.

Enkshar · May 2014

I would love to see a new thread from Zos with an update of what they are currently doing. Theres almost no info from ZOS of what to expect other than knowing that Carglon is coming and patch 1.1 should bring a lot of fixes, but thats its

coreymj78 · May 2014

steveb16_ESO46 wrote: »

I am enjoying this game way too much to cancel the sub. It's good now and will get better and better as issues are fixed and new content developed. It should not have been launched in the condition it was but there's nothing can change that.

Same here. I only make suggestions rather than bash the devs. Only immature idiots do that. Down with the haters. We don't need them in this community anway. there are plenty of people enjoying the game and playing the game rather than spending all their time bashing on the forums.

bg22 · May 2014

Calgrissom wrote: »

Gravord wrote: »

Sadly new problem occur, multiboxer, reported by plenty ppl but still in game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4MnpCrA3mo&feature=youtu.be

How is this a problem? If someone can afford multiple copies and has the rig to run them why is it and issue? You can easily do this as well. Download IS boxer This isn't exploiting at all.

How big of a loser to you have to be to buy digital friends to run around w/ you in Cyrodiil tho? haha

Anyway, the latest patch.... Why is nothing being done about broken passives? Why do I continuously have to relog for my Nightblade passives to function?

Nylan · May 2014

I like the game, I know it will expand and improve, and Im glad the QQ'ers are cancelling. Chat is cleaning up nicely.

Chryos · May 2014

Not sure where I can post this so the Dev's can see this so I'll put it here:

For us folks who want to play a harder version of ESO. Could we get switch ( a one time button) that allows us a harder ruleset? I'd like an xp loss punishment for death., you you have read my previous post titied "Bring back old school xp loss..."

Maybe those of us could get some kind of prestige title that shows we play "hardcore style".

Just a thought.

Sylveria_Relden · May 2014

Chryos wrote: »

Not sure where I can post this so the Dev's can see this so I'll put it here:

For us folks who want to play a harder version of ESO. Could we get switch ( a one time button) that allows us a harder ruleset? I'd like an xp loss punishment for death., you you have read my previous post titied "Bring back old school xp loss..."

Maybe those of us could get some kind of prestige title that shows we play "hardcore style".

Just a thought.

You've actually got a good idea here... they used to have it in some of the earlier SP TES games (Morrowind, etc.) in which you could adjust difficulty- however, I'm not exactly sure how it could be implemented without adjusting game code somehow- they'd likely have to "instance" the content so it adjusts to the player setting- and how to do that in an MMO "open" environment could be a significant challenge. In short... how would those around you affect or be affected, etc. In an "instanced dungeon" environment it's a little easier to do- like in WoW you can reset the area to the new difficulty setting, etc. I'm not a game programmer, so I'm theorizing a bit here.

Gravord · May 2014

Any news about fixing Cyrodiil lag or 5fps is new standard we should get used to?

Gravord · May 2014

Also now Auriels Bow EU swarmed by Aldmeri and Daggerfall multiboxers, fuuun game. Keep work on Craglorn and dont care whats going on servers, you will bring new content to ghost town.

morashtakb16_ESO · May 2014

I can weather the time it takes to fix the bugs. I can wait until they release more end game content. I expect improvements.
What I cannot stand is the rail-shooter questing - No racial zones to explore, no alternate quest zones, the recycling of the other two factions quest zones to reach levels that were not needed at launch. Only a linear quest line each and every time one levels a character. It rips the heart out of re-playability.
WoW's multiple areas and race-specific zones should have been an absolute base-line for this MMO. Quests to help a player understand their choice. Quests to help understand whys and hows.
Instead we got a shallow, average game.

KerinKor · May 2014

Calgrissom wrote: »

Gravord wrote: »

Sadly new problem occur, multiboxer, reported by plenty ppl but still in game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4MnpCrA3mo&feature=youtu.be

How is this a problem? If someone can afford multiple copies and has the rig to run them why is it and issue? You can easily do this as well. Download IS boxer This isn't exploiting at all.

It's against the TOS of every MMO in existence to use third-party software to play the game and last time I checked that software wasn't published by Zenimax.

It's true, 'boxing per se isn't breaking the TOS if you're playing each character separately, but key-echoers and the like (which is what that tool is) is patently THIRD-PARTY software and as such using it clearly breaks the TOS.

I play two accounts on a pair of PCs at the same time occasionally using a KVM to switch keyboard/mouse control from one to the other and when I press a button or click the mouse only ONE character responds: IS Boxer allows ALL characters to respond to ONE key-press something a PC without this third-party software cannot do!

IOW it's using third-party software to do what otherwise isn't possible on a standard PC, clearly breaking the TOS.

frwinters_ESO · May 2014

Calgrissom wrote: »

Gravord wrote: »

Sadly new problem occur, multiboxer, reported by plenty ppl but still in game:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4MnpCrA3mo&feature=youtu.be

How is this a problem? If someone can afford multiple copies and has the rig to run them why is it and issue? You can easily do this as well. Download IS boxer This isn't exploiting at all.

Its a big problem! I just made a post in the alliance war section where I witnessed members of my alliance use DK spear to pull up members of another alliance to get them over the wall without sieging it. Whether they had friends in our alliance that were doing it, or possibly multiboxing to do it, its wrong. It breaks the spirit of the game and they are getting around intended mechanics to win. I would say that is a problem.

ularis · May 2014

Game need , Aucion House real one not this "Guild Thing" and come on copy paste items i need verte 100 pages to find one item ... Smaller scale PVP for hardcore pvp players i reely dont enjoy spam 2-3 random buttons in some direction and maby to hit something .

Lilth · May 2014

ularis wrote: »

Game need , Aucion House real one not this "Guild Thing" and come on copy paste items i need verte 100 pages to find one item ... Smaller scale PVP for hardcore pvp players i reely dont enjoy spam 2-3 random buttons in some direction and maby to hit something .

I agree. I was all for the guild stores at first but the past few weeks I have changed my mind. ESO can consider allowing us to merge/ trade (stores) with other guilds or something. Anything. We really need a bigger trading market to make selling items worth it.

With all the fixes and known issues you mention there is still NO mention of fixing all the problems with class passives and skills. Night blade? I don't play a night blade but we know people who have already left the game because you guys still haven't even mentioned a fix for them. I don't understand why there is so much focus on bots/gold spammers and ZERO on fixing things that are more serious (IMO).

And why did you nerf the drop rate of items from wardrobes, chests, sacks, etc..knowing it would make exploring those things worthless for your legit players? I don't need or want anymore lock picks or hops! You did it to help with bots and gold spammers and that ISN'T going to slow them down all it did was punish the legit players. One of the main reasons ESO was still worth playing was exploring and finding cool items in the world. Well, for me its empty of that. I was lucky to find one green recipe (that I already have) in the past week in a Vet level 3 zone. Put less focus on bots/gold sellers and more on fixing the issues driving players to quit. I'd also like to know how much you nerfed reading the books with the chance for us to increase skills? It's been several weeks of reading all the bookshelves I come across and nothing.

Zenimax, you still have some loyal players but you are losing some of them. I don't want to see this game fall flat but you are already making the same mistakes other MMO"s have and that is ignoring what your players are saying.
I'm a vampire and not for pvp =x I have a plan IF the dark brotherhood is introduced. That said, consider making the vampires and ww feel like we are just that? I'm not mortal so the npc's shouldn't call me one and we should be seen as what we are like in the elder scrolls console games. NPC's in towns knew we were undead. Quest NPC's could make us do a small quest proving they could trust us or something so we are accepted in that town? Just a thought.

I don't pvp a lot but when I go to cyradiil I see where you can add to the pvp there and make it more fun. You should add smaller scale pvp options there in arenas or something. Add dueling there. So much space you guys can fill in with stuff to do for your pvp base.

Overall, I still enjoy the game but ONLY for the questing atm =x Once I am done with that I am hopeful you guys will have fixed and added some of the suggestions your players have put out there. Believe it or not, your players have a clue on what is needed for this game to succeed since we play it, we read chat, we hear from A LOT of in game players what is lacking to keep interest in the game.

Gravord · May 2014

Sooo, need name all 60 members of multiboxer here or can get some Customer Support handling this issue?

Sheneria · May 2014

Don't know if this is some kind of late aprils fool joke, but why on earth are you adding more Veteran Ranks to grind to your next patches (currently up to VR 15 as of the latest dev videos).

I haven't seen a single post that wanted more Verteran Ranks added, rather the opposite, people are tired of level grinding and all you will accomplish is driving more people out of cyrodiil that are not max level (thanks to the unbalanced items that will follow).
Bring out the PVP dungeon already and cut the stupid level increase, no one asked for.

lotharlocnar_ESO · May 2014

I agree with the auction house comment. To me it seems the situation arises when most guildies are looking for the same things and wouldn't put up for sale because they need it. So it gets to a situation that the five guilds one can belong to is so limited in selection one goes to public requests to buy or sell things. Hence we need a public AH for all to acquire items and sell things. However as seen in other MMOs this gets (eventually) to be the same thing. However, it takes awhile and item demands change with new players as well. If a guild is full of VR levels they probably won't be selling or buying lower level items as much as a public Auction House would have.

lotharlocnar_ESO · May 2014

Addressing the bot and high level PVP area, 10th levels obviously will quit PVP as is, pretty quickly. If my character can have 4-5 (or more) followers doing the same thing as my main character does against one opponent as a focus attack the adversary hasn't much chance to even run b4 it is killed. So why would an MMO company even allow this to work? I have always asked, what happens if everyone on my side were friends with voice connection, and focused fired on all enemies encountered one by one? This is I guess an MMO PvP nightmare. Obviously this is why there are so many solo quests the MMO company installed. We as players would breeze through all the quests as a small group and gain levels so quickly we would all be level 50 so fast the only thing to slow us down is the travel time in PVP areas. The MMO company has to rely on the tower of Babel effect, where we as players disagree and bicker about who we fight and where we go next so as to keep players from gaining top levels and just wait till new content comes out. With total communication and agreement between players,MMOs lose content very fast as well as interest of their players (except for the carebear types that just await new outfits and mounts).

steveb16_ESO46 · May 2014

lotharlocnar_ESO wrote: »

If my character can have 4-5 (or more) followers doing the same thing as my main character does against one opponent as a focus attack the adversary hasn't much chance to even run b4 it is killed. So why would an MMO company even allow this to work?

The number of actual players with the desire to do this, the technology to do it and the willingness to have that many accounts isn't really worth worrying about. Even if they exist you are highly unlikely ever to encounter them.

Gravord · May 2014

Encountering them every day/night on both opposite factions. 24 man multiboxer daggerfall and 48 man multiboxer aldmerii. Not sure if Ebonheart have one or not, didnt notice it yet.
This issue have to be adressed quickly, allowing cheaters stay in game will push out honest players who will start doubt in customer support and quality of the service.

steveb16_ESO46 · May 2014

You're saying that someone has 48 accounts and the technology to run 48 characters in PvP or is there some cheat hack that spawns 47 bots of some type?

I just don't believe anyone has 48 legitimate accounts and the tech to run them all at once. In Cyrodiil. And if they are - report them. Multi-boxing is allowed. controlling them all at once isn't.

KerinKor · May 2014

steveb16_ESO46 wrote: »

You're saying that someone has 48 accounts and the technology to run 48 characters in PvP or is there some cheat hack that spawns 47 bots of some type?

I just don't believe anyone has 48 legitimate accounts and the tech to run them all at once. In Cyrodiil. And if they are - report them. Multi-boxing is allowed. controlling them all at once isn't.

Well, it's not unknown though clearly not frequent, 'back in the day' there was a WOW player who single-handedly could clear the 40-man Blackwing raid.

Thing is, many games TOS forbids third-party software and also forbid 'unattended' play, but when challenged the software publisher chooses to focus on the latter and turns a blind eye or worse chooses to deliberately over-look the former.

So, Blizzard allow IS Boxer users because someone's pressing the buttons .. the fact that one button triggers 40 actions on 40 copies of the game is blissfully ignored . Turbine and Trion have also indulged in this double-think.

ZOS have yet to make a comment on their view but I suspect '$$$ >>>> consistency' so they too will refuse to accept the patently obvious: IS Boxer is a third-party app without which a 'boxer can't play the way they are.

I myself 'box a couple of accounts using a KVM to 'play' each copy separately and would argue to Hell freezes over this is not breaching the TOS in letter or spirit, IS Boxer users are breaking both and Blizzard et. al. let them get away with it on specious grounds.