YstradClud wrote: »

Seaviy wrote: »

How about a full-scale attack by the Worm cult?

I noticed since the last update I now have dolmens on my map even though none seem active yet. Looks we they are already getting ready for the Writhing Wall event.

• Seals of Endeavors vs. Wizard's Vault. Both are systems where you can get the RNG box content. GW2's implementation is more rewarding. For instance, I'm not limited in how many daily or weekly activities I can do. The stock also doesn't rotate out and isn't priced in a way where if I buy one thing, that means I really can't another thing until months later.
• Zone Design. Both games feature some really impressive zones. The zone designers in both games are really talented and the assets in both are incredible. However, I'm noticing in GW2 there's just more depth. Vertically, horizontally, the maps feel more dense and exciting. The zone events add to that vibrancy. Plus, ESO gets 1 large and 1 small zone a year, or used to. GW2 - way more.
• Combat. I love both game's combat systems, but GW2's is more responsive by a mile. I've never had a situation where a skill doesn't respond or the game lags like it does in ESO. And while you can the same weapon across multiple classes/professions in GW2, like in ESO, it feels different. The game respects class identity. This makes having alts more engaging.
• Mounts. GW2 overall has much more account wide benefits, but I feel like mounts was the big one to call out. Whereas ESO requires 6 months to fully upgrading your mount, or whipping our your wallet, GW2 has masteries that are account wide. Seems like the focus is on playing the game, rather than setting up a monetized problem-solution structure. Moreover, GW2's mounts are more than just speed boost, they are meaningful tools for overcoming obstacles.

Destai wrote: »

I don't think ESO being formulaic is necessarily a bad thing. It's what they deliver with that formula that needs work. That's where some features feel a little dull.

I'm once again in maintenance mode, where I'm just logging in to get endeavors and login rewards. I don't think a lot of the game's systems respect my time or ensure that I play the game. Feels like the intended experience is to be a burst player who uses the Crown Store for any convenience. Fundamentally, this game feels like a checklist to me.

I finally got a gaming PC after being a Mac user for years and returned to GW2 after being away for almost 8 years. While ESO and GW2 share many of the same concepts, I believe GW2 delivers on them in a more exciting - and ultimately rewarding - way.

Here's a few I've noticed.

• Seals of Endeavors vs. Wizard's Vault. Both are systems where you can get the RNG box content. GW2's implementation is more rewarding. For instance, I'm not limited in how many daily or weekly activities I can do. The stock also doesn't rotate out and isn't priced in a way where if I buy one thing, that means I really can't another thing until months later.
• Zone Design. Both games feature some really impressive zones. The zone designers in both games are really talented and the assets in both are incredible. However, I'm noticing in GW2 there's just more depth. Vertically, horizontally, the maps feel more dense and exciting. The zone events add to that vibrancy. Plus, ESO gets 1 large and 1 small zone a year, or used to. GW2 - way more.
• Combat. I love both game's combat systems, but GW2's is more responsive by a mile. I've never had a situation where a skill doesn't respond or the game lags like it does in ESO. And while you can the same weapon across multiple classes/professions in GW2, like in ESO, it feels different. The game respects class identity. This makes having alts more engaging.
• Mounts. GW2 overall has much more account wide benefits, but I feel like mounts was the big one to call out. Whereas ESO requires 6 months to fully upgrading your mount, or whipping our your wallet, GW2 has masteries that are account wide. Seems like the focus is on playing the game, rather than setting up a monetized problem-solution structure. Moreover, GW2's mounts are more than just speed boost, they are meaningful tools for overcoming obstacles.

Back to ESO. There's a lot of systems with potential, but the game feels very static in comparison to GW2. It's not to say it's lacking in fun; I've played it for 4000+ hours. But, I can see where it's lacking something that other games have. It would be nice if they could look at how GW2 gives each game system meaning, seeing them snowball together into a more fun experience. At this point in the game's life, I don't expect any major overhauls or additions. I just expect the same style content with a new marketing theme.

Seaviy wrote: »

I'm a solo player and I often play alone. I enjoy the generally relaxed pace of the game, as most of the content stays relevant, and you can always come back to it after taking a break.
But when I recently returned after a short break, I was surprised by the lack of depth and excitement in many types of content for the last chapters

Questing, exploration and small activities are probably the most common and preferred content in the game by many players like me. Every player does these things practically. So I would like to talk about them.

The quests themselves have become more trivial and predictable. They are too short to tell a good story or allow the characters to develop and be empathized with. We constantly meet new allies, only to lose touch with them for long periods of time. Even if we meet them again, they remain the same as they were originally written.
Side quests are even shorter and usually only involve one location near the quest giver. The Scribing quest chain is the only exception that I have enjoyed recently.

Very weak sense of exploration and reward for it. Overall, the dynamics of the exploration changed from “I want to explore this new place because it's interesting and I'll see something new and unusual” to “I'm only here because I have a quest or map marker.” And the quests you need to do are predictably placed near the delve or point of interest. And the NPC will definitely shout an annoying phrase so that the player definitely doesn't miss it.

And as a reward for completing Overland content, you will mainly receive green Overland set pieces or crafting materials, which most players are not seriously interested in. I'm not saying that there has to be some kind of shiny reward for what a player does in the game, but I also haven't felt the satisfaction of discovery in a long time.

Did you know that during the new moon, you can find vampire NPCs that can infect you with vampirism or lycanthropy? Why is such an unusual and immersive mechanic involving the changing moon phases not used anywhere else in the game except in this one?

We have day and night cycle, siege weapons, interactive objects, grappling hook, stealth, different character forms and resizing, temporary new abilities that are only occasionally used in the design of locations and encounters. In 1,400 hours of gameplay, I can only recall one quest that utilized siege weapons in the West Weald. There are already an infinite number of game mechanics and tools in the game itself, but they are simply not being used.

What surprises me most is that we have puzzles and unique mechanics in the dungeons, where they don't really resonate well with players' attempts to speedrun dungeons, but not in the open world.

I would also like to mention world events at locations. From the entire set, as Anchors, Geysers, Harrowstorms, Incursions, I would only highlight Dragons. They look epic, they are strong and cool. But overall, they are all very similar to each other.
Why can't they be made complex and have several stages? So that players can team up across the entire location and complete several tasks at once. How about a full-scale attack by the Worm cult? Players from across the location unite to interrupt an attack on a peaceful town or repel it from the cult to make it accessible to players for a certain period of time.
Firstly, destroy the scouts and capture the cult's outposts near the settlement. Then, summon allied NPCs from the location and help them fortify themselves for the upcoming siege. And then there's the assault using full-fledged siege weapons. After a while, the cult returns and can recapture the settlement if the players don't help defend it. Sounds like Cyrodiil, right? Maybe then many players will like it and decide to try their hand at a full-fledged battle with other players, already knowing how it works. And this is just one example that an event does not necessarily have to be flat and one-dimensional.

The overland content itself is fairly simple and does not present any challenges. As a result, there is little sense of character development through leveling up. I've had a Level 10 training set for the past couple of years that I use to level up other characters from levels 10 to 50. This is sufficient to avoid any problems for the leveling process. Most enemies can be defeated with your bare hands. As a result, most of the players I encounter in dungeons are unfamiliar with the game's basic mechanics. They don't even know that you can bash enemies to interrupt. I'm not saying that all enemies should have increased attack and HP. Enemies need to be more unique, with mechanics and reactions to player actions (and not just AoE spam, because I know you guys).
All players had to face the chimera during the Scribing quest line. There's no reason for the overland content to be easier than this fight.

Finally, I would like to mention the crafting. It's too confusing for new players and time-gated. The system itself is in a state of terrible stagnation and begins to collapse when attempts are made to make it accessible to new players. Why do old, unpopular crafting sets require so many traits while new ones don't? Other than resource gathering, we haven't had any content for crafters in years, like minigames, gear sets, or even quest chains. Fishing doesn't even have its own skill tree.
I understand that many people like fishing because of its simplicity. However, it's possible to please everyone. If you don't have any fishing skills and just want to chill, let's fishing would take 20 seconds, just like it does now. If you want to fish actively and participate in the minigame, it could take 12–15 seconds depending on your skill level.
Even F76 already has fishing with its own content.

Finally, I would like to say that well-designed content and deep systems keep players engaged for hundreds of hours. But artificially imposed golden pursuits and endeavors only for an hour or a few days.

Seaviy wrote: »

I'm a solo player and I often play alone.