19 hours?

Syldras · November 13

Today, the Lens is there - but the beam is not.

jfgribbin · November 13

Xbox NA is showing 1 day & 6 hours. So that is 7pm tomorrow (Friday) evening. They are seriously going to kick off a 7 day window on a Friday night? I guess I won’t get to see whatever show they have in mind for putting the hole into the wall with the Meridian Lens.

Gabriel_H · November 13

jfgribbin wrote: »

Xbox NA is showing 1 day & 6 hours. So that is 7pm tomorrow (Friday) evening. They are seriously going to kick off a 7 day window on a Friday night? I guess I won’t get to see whatever show they have in mind for putting the hole into the wall with the Meridian Lens.

Syldras · November 13

Where will the timer show up? We've reached 100% now and the hole in the wall shows, but is still blocked.

Maitsukas · November 13

PC-EU:

Syldras · November 13

Well, that's sad.

themaddaedra · November 13

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

Danikat · November 13

I just saw the same on PC EU. It was something like 98.8% about an hour ago, then I logged in again and we're rewarded with a 24 hour timer.

I assume it's set to wait for the next prime time slot, even if it's in the middle of one.

But if the intention is to maximise the number of people who get to see it I would have thought a Thursday night would actually be better than a Friday when many people are likely to have other things going on.

If there's a cut scene or something to actually see the best way to ensure as many people as possible get to see it would be to tie it into the quest. Make it so once Phase 2 is complete you get sent to see the Wall being breached.

Mattymoo92 · November 13

Why is it 24h wait on PC EU? @Zos_Kevin

Syldras · November 13

People were waiting near the lens, playing music, dancing and spamming fireworks, waiting for the signal that the phase is completed. Everyone was ready to storm the fortress. If we had been able to, this could have actually been a fun community moment.

kind_hero · November 13

Gabriel_H wrote: »

Tra_Lalan wrote: »

What excacly are those players suppose to feel when, after all this grinding they finally hit 100% and instead of getting the reward (acces to the fortress/zone) they are just supposed to go somewhere for the next 19 hours and wait?
Was this really so hard to predict that it will make people upset??

Two options on how to handle this:

1) The Fortress immediately appears the moment it hits 100% - even if that's at 2am
2) The Fortress appears at primetime (7pm - 9pm) after it hits 100% so that the maximum number of players get to see it happen

Imagine how upset players would be if only 12 people got to see it?!

The Fortress doesn't disappear because of some law of physics that doesn't allow it to exist for longer, it's something fully in the control of ZOS, so they can make it last two weeks or make it permanent if they want, the same how they accelerated the progress of the wall, when so many people complained. There were lots of players waiting right there in Solstice, others preparing in chat to join. Why make them wait? I have also got upset and logged off, after waiting for 30 mins in the main camp.

twisttop138 · November 13

Gabriel_H wrote: »

twisttop138 wrote: »

Yes indeed. I guess what I should've said this morning was why on earth would there be a cool down before we get to the fortress? Who thinks of this inept unfun stuff? I guess it was early.

It's not inept. Inept would be allowing a major event to occur at 1am when nobody is playing. A cooldown ensures the event occurs in primetime

Dude, communication. In my company they have a stupid corpo slogan. Communication rules the nation. While it's just stupid stuff from some 80s book to business, it really is key here. I've already said, I'm super ok with prime time. They got 100 while I was asleep. Cool. Still cannot find anywhere it said there would be a cool down until prime time. If I missed it I missed it. Still doesn't change my opinion that this event was unfun and ineptly done.

Eldartar · November 13

twisttop138 wrote: »

So we got to 100% but it's gonna take 19 hours for the wall to break? Who thinks of this stuff?

Edit. I mean isn't this just the funniest thing? It seems the outcry of hate for this event was so loud that ZOS couldn't pretend anymore. They throw away their plans and speed it up now that we all have the update. The anger must've been loud and widespread lol. And we get 100% and it's broken. Guild mates were waiting at the wall as we hit 100 and the hole formed and you can't go through lol.

We got ZOS'd. Again lol.

We're at 23hrs and 5 mins on PC EU . . . you can't make this stuff up. . .

Syldras · November 13

So PS EU can already enter because they were lucky enough to reach 100% before 7 pm?

Gabriel_H · November 13

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

licenturion · November 13

Gabriel_H wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

If this was an event for the community they would

But is super obvious now that this is an event for the internal engagement number sheets at the end of the year.

You don't do a timer counting down to another timer.

I am usually postive. But it's all just sad what they did this year.

Gabriel_H · November 13

licenturion wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

If this was an event for the community they would

But is super obvious now that this is an event for the engagement number sheets at the end of the year.

You don't do a timer counting down to another timer.

It's all just sad what they did this year.

Of course you do a count down. If this activated at P2 100% on the dot, it could give access to the Fortress at 2am, and you will annoy a large chunk of the players who tend to play at primetime - and who would be here complaining they missed the big reveal.

I have plenty of issues with ZOS and the game, but this is standard practice for a community event. Honestly, ZOS can't win with some of you.

AScarlato · November 13

I appreciate the seasonal events that don't lock us out of content, but I feel 2025 was too anemic to keep players from the second half of the zone story.

If they really wanted the wall as a plot hook they should have just made it a quest in the story itself.

themaddaedra · November 13

Gabriel_H wrote: »

licenturion wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

If this was an event for the community they would

But is super obvious now that this is an event for the engagement number sheets at the end of the year.

You don't do a timer counting down to another timer.

It's all just sad what they did this year.

Of course you do a count down. If this activated at P2 100% on the dot, it could give access to the Fortress at 2am, and you will annoy a large chunk of the players who tend to play at primetime - and who would be here complaining they missed the big reveal.

I have plenty of issues with ZOS and the game, but this is standard practice for a community event. Honestly, ZOS can't win with some of you.

What 2 am do you keep talking about? It wasn't even 9 pm when PC EU hit %100. AND THE COOLDOWN IS 24 HRS LMAO it'll literally be up the same time tomorrow.

Skorro · November 13

themaddaedra wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

licenturion wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

If this was an event for the community they would

But is super obvious now that this is an event for the engagement number sheets at the end of the year.

You don't do a timer counting down to another timer.

It's all just sad what they did this year.

Of course you do a count down. If this activated at P2 100% on the dot, it could give access to the Fortress at 2am, and you will annoy a large chunk of the players who tend to play at primetime - and who would be here complaining they missed the big reveal.

I have plenty of issues with ZOS and the game, but this is standard practice for a community event. Honestly, ZOS can't win with some of you.

Gabriel_H wrote: »

licenturion wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

If this was an event for the community they would

But is super obvious now that this is an event for the engagement number sheets at the end of the year.

You don't do a timer counting down to another timer.

It's all just sad what they did this year.

Of course you do a count down. If this activated at P2 100% on the dot, it could give access to the Fortress at 2am, and you will annoy a large chunk of the players who tend to play at primetime - and who would be here complaining they missed the big reveal.

I have plenty of issues with ZOS and the game, but this is standard practice for a community event. Honestly, ZOS can't win with some of you.

What 2 am do you keep talking about? It wasn't even 9 pm when PC EU hit %100. AND THE COOLDOWN IS 24 HRS LMAO it'll literally be up the same time tomorrow.

Yup just after 8pm by me, a bunch of guildies had apparently grouped when they saw the slider was 99% to go check out the fortress (expecting a short delay like between phase 1 and 2).
Nowhere in any article did they mention "primetime".

The delay is wild, I can't think of anyone being super annoyed to wake up to phase 3 unless you were wanting to be the first to clear - the dungeon is there for a week anyway so that you can get your title in...

Personally I'm glad it's almost done, didn't get the house or the bone caltrops, but in fairness I stopped grinding pretty early 😁

Have fun solstice people!

Gabriel_H · November 13

themaddaedra wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

licenturion wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

If this was an event for the community they would

But is super obvious now that this is an event for the engagement number sheets at the end of the year.

You don't do a timer counting down to another timer.

It's all just sad what they did this year.

Of course you do a count down. If this activated at P2 100% on the dot, it could give access to the Fortress at 2am, and you will annoy a large chunk of the players who tend to play at primetime - and who would be here complaining they missed the big reveal.

I have plenty of issues with ZOS and the game, but this is standard practice for a community event. Honestly, ZOS can't win with some of you.

Gabriel_H wrote: »

licenturion wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

If this was an event for the community they would

But is super obvious now that this is an event for the engagement number sheets at the end of the year.

You don't do a timer counting down to another timer.

It's all just sad what they did this year.

Of course you do a count down. If this activated at P2 100% on the dot, it could give access to the Fortress at 2am, and you will annoy a large chunk of the players who tend to play at primetime - and who would be here complaining they missed the big reveal.

I have plenty of issues with ZOS and the game, but this is standard practice for a community event. Honestly, ZOS can't win with some of you.

What 2 am do you keep talking about? It wasn't even 9 pm when PC EU hit %100. AND THE COOLDOWN IS 24 HRS LMAO it'll literally be up the same time tomorrow.

Do I really have to explain that even ZOS couldn't gurantee when it would be finished? Example, last night one of the servers hit 100% at 1am.

NoticeMeArkay · November 13

This is PC EU spending the last remaining 5% waiting right underneath the lense for something to happen.

inchdixprb19_ESO · November 13

As far as I saw, Phase 2 was completed at around 5pm GMT on PC EU. (yes I was online at the time). Now I really have no idea what is considered "prime time" but 7pm-ish sounds about right. A 2 hour wait to accommodate this sounds fair enough..... but 24? not at all.

Danikat · November 13

Was there actually something to see when the timer finished? I know the Fortress itself is bugged and not completable for most people but was there a cut scene or an animation or something when the timer finished? Something that explained the wait?

I agree it doesn't make sense for it to be about ensuring Phase 3 starts during prime time when several servers got a 24 hour delay. That means it will start at the exact same time, just a day later (and for people in Europe that means shifting it from Thursday night to Friday night when more people are likely to be busy and unable to get online).

But if there's a one time cut scene or something I could kind-of understand giving the people who can schedule their life to make sure they're online at the right moment some notice. If it's literally just that you can enter the new dungeon I don't see the point in the delay, because that will be up for 7 days so no one's going to miss it just because they're not there the moment it starts.

Syldras · November 14

inchdixprb19_ESO wrote: »

As far as I saw, Phase 2 was completed at around 5pm GMT on PC EU. (yes I was online at the time). Now I really have no idea what is considered "prime time" but 7pm-ish sounds about right. A 2 hour wait to accommodate this sounds fair enough..... but 24? not at all.

The problem seems to be that they took 7.00 pm as the time for the fortress to spawn in case 100% were reached, but PC EU reached 100% at about 7.05 pm, 5 minutes too late. So we got scheduled for the next day.

NoticeMeArkay wrote: »

This is PC EU spending the last remaining 5% waiting right underneath the lense for something to happen.

Different instance, but basically the same:

And of course the Lens was missing again. First time I travelled to the camp, the Lens was there but the beam was missing, and the second time it was the other way around...

Generally, it wasn't the best experience. It was fun waiting for the bar to reach 100%, then that short text about having completed phase 2 popped up in the middle of the screen (comparable to the warning that pops up if a server is going offline soon for maintenance), a tunnel appeared in the wall, people were approaching it, believing they could get into the fortress now - only to realize that there's an invisible wall blocking it off.

I don't know of course, but I also don't believe that tomorrow at 7 pm there will be some visual effect. Probably just the next stage of the quest will pop up.

Gingaroth · November 14

Skorro wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

licenturion wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

If this was an event for the community they would

But is super obvious now that this is an event for the engagement number sheets at the end of the year.

You don't do a timer counting down to another timer.

It's all just sad what they did this year.

Of course you do a count down. If this activated at P2 100% on the dot, it could give access to the Fortress at 2am, and you will annoy a large chunk of the players who tend to play at primetime - and who would be here complaining they missed the big reveal.

I have plenty of issues with ZOS and the game, but this is standard practice for a community event. Honestly, ZOS can't win with some of you.

Gabriel_H wrote: »

licenturion wrote: »

Gabriel_H wrote: »

themaddaedra wrote: »

PC EU just finished phase 2 and it gave us a 24hr cooldown for phase 3.

This event is so anti-climactic lmao.

The climax is phase 3. Did you honestly think they'd grant access to the Fortress as soon as 100% was reached, even if at 2am?

If this was an event for the community they would

But is super obvious now that this is an event for the engagement number sheets at the end of the year.

You don't do a timer counting down to another timer.

It's all just sad what they did this year.

Of course you do a count down. If this activated at P2 100% on the dot, it could give access to the Fortress at 2am, and you will annoy a large chunk of the players who tend to play at primetime - and who would be here complaining they missed the big reveal.

I have plenty of issues with ZOS and the game, but this is standard practice for a community event. Honestly, ZOS can't win with some of you.

What 2 am do you keep talking about? It wasn't even 9 pm when PC EU hit %100. AND THE COOLDOWN IS 24 HRS LMAO it'll literally be up the same time tomorrow.

Yup just after 8pm by me, a bunch of guildies had apparently grouped when they saw the slider was 99% to go check out the fortress (expecting a short delay like between phase 1 and 2).
Nowhere in any article did they mention "primetime".

The delay is wild, I can't think of anyone being super annoyed to wake up to phase 3 unless you were wanting to be the first to clear - the dungeon is there for a week anyway so that you can get your title in...

Personally I'm glad it's almost done, didn't get the house or the bone caltrops, but in fairness I stopped grinding pretty early 😁

Have fun solstice people!

As for me, you're right, I would not have been annoyed waking up with fase 3 active at all. Especially since today is my day off for the week, and I was hoping and expexting to explore Eastern Solstice and the fortress at my leasure today.

Guess now I'll be vacuuming and doing the dishes till 8 o' clock in the evening, so I'll be ready to enjoy my 2-ish hours of fase 3 before my next workweek begins on Saturday.

IT'S FINE! IT'S JUST A GAME! IT'S NOT LIKE I AM SUPER ANNOYED WITH FASE 3 NOT BEING ACCCESSIBLE OR SOMETHING! After all, I might still have almost a whole day to experience my payed-for content at the end of next week, if I'm lucky.

DragonRacer · November 14

Danikat wrote: »

Was there actually something to see when the timer finished? I know the Fortress itself is bugged and not completable for most people but was there a cut scene or an animation or something when the timer finished? Something that explained the wait?

I agree it doesn't make sense for it to be about ensuring Phase 3 starts during prime time when several servers got a 24 hour delay. That means it will start at the exact same time, just a day later (and for people in Europe that means shifting it from Thursday night to Friday night when more people are likely to be busy and unable to get online).

But if there's a one time cut scene or something I could kind-of understand giving the people who can schedule their life to make sure they're online at the right moment some notice. If it's literally just that you can enter the new dungeon I don't see the point in the delay, because that will be up for 7 days so no one's going to miss it just because they're not there the moment it starts.

There was absolutely nothing to see. I was part of the 8:00pm Eastern PS NA Phase 3 launch group. When the timer hit, we had new quest markers at the Rampart camp to grab and a blue bubble portal looking thing appeared in the wall which is the Fortress entrance. After completing the Fortress (and, sadly, locking the entire rest of the server out from it functioning anymore due to The Bug To End All Bugs), we had quests to turn in to Skordo and the Prince, you activate the Meridian lens, the screen goes bright white with the power, then fades back into seeing the horizon again but now no Writhing Wall anymore.

Nothing dramatic or cinematic at start or finish.