Writhing fortress broken?

Taggund · November 15

This event is just laughable at how bad it has been.

alternatelder · November 15

alternatelder wrote: »

The worst experience I've ever had in this game. How am I supposed to experience this? I went through only the East side and killed a few bosses with randoms, I guess...? Now the main boss is up, tried running there but there's no way to access it?? What is this garbage? Now I'm going to miss out on it?

Managed to finish it by leaving and going back in, doing west side. Guess there was a grapple point to main boss that isn't even telegraphed or anything, unless you do the west side, you wouldn't even know about oit or see it probably. Still the worst event, worst experience I'll ever have here. This feels like my Destiny 2 moment, it ended on a good (story) note, but feels like the game should just stop at the rate of failures we've seen the past couple years, and I should move on and retire.

Thelvamar · November 15

UPDATE: I was able to complete the Fortress by randomly entering an instance that was only half-way through completed. I was able to contribute to the killing of the 3rd boss and the main final boss. I have to say, as a group event it was very satisfying. I am sad that the instance was half completed and I was not able to see all bosses, but I understand the rationale behind this as you need a big group of players to successfully kill the bosses.
We just need a way to block entrance to an instance when it's past a certain point, and then the quest automatically updated to the stage the current instance is in, so we don't spend time going to areas that are already done, thus wasting time and potentially missing the final boss. Also using the mount inside this instance would be very helpful.
Skordo has gone on an early vacation for me and I cannot complete the quest, but I am not that worried about this. Hopefully it will be fixed soon

Darzaka · November 15

I am still unable to complete this. I will keep trying to get a new instance. But It's blocked for me.

CoolBlast3 · November 15

Posting again for some feedback & reports

1) Infernium still bugged on EU, making it impossible to complete. No matter the instance, it's bugged. I stayed up last night trying from 11pm-5am, not a single instance worked.

2) The fact this fortress, something that from what I've seen (on videos, of course

) is really cool when it works is a temporary, time limited 7 day thing is extremely sad. You all clearly put effort into this, so why remove it? We have countless other things that stay beyond making "lore sense", such as literally every single World Event. Keep it permanent. Add a motif drop or something, or don't- but just keep it playable!!

3) The fact this fortress, the climax of this event, is basically impossible to play through start to finish due to functioning like a public dungeon is an extraordinarily weird design choice. We'll have the sliver-est of chances to actually get the full story because of this. This fortress should've had an optional group-only mode, akin to Bastion Nymics or other instanced content. Whilst leaving the groupless gameplay as an option for those who want it.

rothan117 · November 15

Bugged. Ballista stop doing any damage after knocking the thing down to 90% health. Left to play a different game, not playing a buggy mess, limited time or not.

agelonestar · November 15

I've had to run the public dungeon Writhing Fortress twice - the first time I couldn't hand in the quest as Skordo was absent, the second time the boss is bugged at 73% just before the Soul Spire, before you can cross via grapple to the final stage.

I am so utterly sick and tired of this season's event. I have never ever known a game with so many bugs, so poorly thought through, and so badly managed. 2025 has been an appalling year for ESO. And more than anything I'm utterly sick of "we're investigating".

So, @ZOS_GinaBruno or @ZOS_Kevin - how do I get a refund? I'm done with it. Seriously. I bought this on three accounts and I just can't run this garbage even one more time, for no rewards, only for something to be bugged, broken, or just plain not up to standard. I'd like my money back, three times over, and I'll happily drop Solstice and never set foot there again.

gusthermopyle · November 15

CoolBlast3 wrote: »

3) The fact this fortress, the climax of this event, is basically impossible to play through start to finish due to functioning like a public dungeon is an extraordinarily weird design choice. We'll have the sliver-est of chances to actually get the full story because of this. This fortress should've had an optional group-only mode, akin to Bastion Nymics or other instanced content. Whilst leaving the groupless gameplay as an option for those who want it.

Absolutely this.

In fact, if ZoS wants to rescu something good from all of this, then they will do exactly that and keep it permanent. Might be the only way some of us could ever get the entire experience.

Ezhh · November 15

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom

Can we please get a confirmation the event will be extended? This would go a long way to helping right now.

Smitch_59 · November 15

I've decided to not even attempt to finish this thing. Complete waste of time.

DenverRalphy · November 15

Ezhh wrote: »

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom

Can we please get a confirmation the event will be extended? This would go a long way to helping right now.

Exactly this!

I decided to not even attempt it until it is as bug free as it can get. I just want to be able to experience one aspect of this whole event bug free. However I fear time may run out on me.

Titler01 · November 15

I was in one of the first runs when it went live for NA/PC, after accidentally logging in just as the Stage 3 popped; Did they just boost it the last 20% or so? Anyway, I got to see the whole run that time, but it must be a nightmare for those with disabilities, as the mechanics are exceptionally confusing; if I didn't have sound on, and heard the NPC explain to get parts, I'd have never found out how to use the siege weapons repairs barrels. I don't think I even saw what you had to do under all the particle effects on the first stage on the left hand path.

I tried running a good friend through it today, and we went right at first, and because it's effectively a public dungeon, a group was far ahead of us and we missed the first element of the fight I think. My friend got fed up with the endless grinding fights, and the final boss disappeared after leaping into the air around 25% done... people hung around for about half an hour, when I had to force close down the client via Task Manager as I couldn't get out of combat to log out.

Very, very anticlimactic end, really.

ectoplasmicninja · November 15

Jumped into a broken instance where the final boss was stuck at 74%. Exited and re-entered until a fresh instance popped. Ran through everything, final boss stuck at 74% just like last time. We have been trying to get everyone to die to attempt to reset the boss, but more people keep showing up and ignoring chat. Having this be the culmination of this big "once in a lifetime event" is absolutely ridiculous.

SeaGtGruff · November 15

zoegrey wrote: »

PC-EU
Phase 3 completely bugged, tried abandoning quest and starting again but just keeps putting me in the same instance. Infernium stuck at its original place. Trying to get through the gate to the Harvester but there is no magical barrier and gate remains closed.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom

I'm currently in an instance on PCNA which is apparently bugged at Zysax. The bar seems to be stuck at 73% (I don't see any percentage but that's what someone else said it's at), and Zysax hasn't appeared in the 15+ minutes that I've been here, firing at the glowing crack in the stone (where we're supposed to be able to enter the Monolith Room or whatever it's called), since Walks-in-Ash keeps saying to focus on the stone. But unlike when I was able to complete the Writhing Fortress on PCNA last night, Zysax is never appearing for us to shoot at. Can anyone please confirm what we are supposed to be firing at with the ballistae at this third-and-final stage? Does firing at the stone do anything at all, or are we supposed to be firing at Zysax-- if or when he ever appears and lands?

Edited to add: Is there something we're supposed to be doing to trigger Zysax to appear and land? Do the Protective Resonance Orbs and the Xivlai guarding them play any role at all in this, or are they just put there to be annoying distractions that keep interrupting us-- like the idea of placing the barrels of Ballistae Parts in the lake of Coldfire (which is totally where I would place them if I were an actual person who were involved in this fight and felt like the Ballistae Parts needed to be readily available and easy to get to so all of my fellow combatants could keep the ballistae repaired)?

AnnieK · November 15

Even those instance that are up - No One knows what to do or where to go and EVERYTHING IS GLITCHED. This is the worst thing I've ever seen. This is absolutely horrible and we paid for THIS?????

ectoplasmicninja · November 15

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

Can anyone please confirm what we are supposed to be firing at with the ballistae at this third-and-final stage? Does firing at the stone do anything at all, or are we supposed to be firing at Zysax-- if or when he ever appears and lands?

The orbs are to give you a shield from the plasm for one minute so you can run through it. It seems like you shoot Zysax, he flies around, you kill the stormbringers or whatever they're called, Zysax reappears, you shoot him again, etc. Firing at the giant glowing rock behind him didn't seem to do anything despite what Walks-In-Ash was saying. If he bugs out at 73 or 74%, everyone present needs to die in order to reset him, or leave and try another instance.

BergisMacBride · November 15

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

zoegrey wrote: »

PC-EU
Phase 3 completely bugged, tried abandoning quest and starting again but just keeps putting me in the same instance. Infernium stuck at its original place. Trying to get through the gate to the Harvester but there is no magical barrier and gate remains closed.

@ZOS_JessicaFolsom

I'm currently in an instance on PCNA which is apparently bugged at Zysax. The bar seems to be stuck at 73% (I don't see any percentage but that's what someone else said it's at), and Zysax hasn't appeared in the 15+ minutes that I've been here, firing at the glowing crack in the stone (where we're supposed to be able to enter the Monolith Room or whatever it's called), since Walks-in-Ash keeps saying to focus on the stone. But unlike when I was able to complete the Writhing Fortress on PCNA last night, Zysax is never appearing for us to shoot at. Can anyone please confirm what we are supposed to be firing at with the ballistae at this third-and-final stage? Does firing at the stone do anything at all, or are we supposed to be firing at Zysax-- if or when he ever appears and lands?

Edited to add: Is there something we're supposed to be doing to trigger Zysax to appear and land? Do the Protective Resonance Orbs and the Xivlai guarding them play any role at all in this, or are they just put there to be annoying distractions that keep interrupting us-- like the idea of placing the barrels of Ballistae Parts in the lake of Coldfire (which is totally where I would place them if I were an actual person who were involved in this fight and felt like the Ballistae Parts needed to be readily available and easy to get to so all of my fellow combatants could keep the ballistae repaired)?

Zysax bugged out on our instance like this at just over 25%. When this happens everyone in the encounter needs to die to reset the encounter. We had probably 40 folks or so and it took about 10 minutes to get everyone to listen and cooperate, like herding wet cats, lol. When it reset and we all ressed, we completed it quickly. It seemed to me the encounter reset at the exact point where he bugged out and not at full health.

SeaGtGruff · November 15

To anyone who has been in a working instance and who was involved in moving the Infernium to the gate-- What did you do to move the Infernium? I realize that a lit of instances seem to be bugged at this stage and the Infernium will not budge, but how are we supposed to move it if the instance is working correctly? What are the actions we are supposed to take to move it?

KiltMaster · November 15

It seriously is one thing after another with this whole event ... can't turn in the quest IF you do manage to get an instance that you can clear the fortress in. Can't get the skyshards if you already got all the western solstice ones. Ridiculous at this point that it just keeps ... happening ...

UrQuan · November 15

SeaGtGruff wrote: »

To anyone who has been in a working instance and who was involved in moving the Infernium to the gate-- What did you do to move the Infernium? I realize that a lit of instances seem to be bugged at this stage and the Infernium will not budge, but how are we supposed to move it if the instance is working correctly? What are the actions we are supposed to take to move it?

I think it just moves on its own once you've removed the obstacles in front of it. That's what seemed to happen in the instance I was in, anyway, I didn't see anyone actually doing anything to get it to move.

SeaGtGruff · November 15

Meridiano wrote: »

On PC EU, in the west part of the Fortress, our group was able to push until the "West: Lead Infernium to Gate" task. We put down some minor "soul walls", we freed the Infernium, and it went forward. Now we have the Infernium in ~100 feet from the closed gates (I suppose it should melt them?) and the "West: Lead Infernium to Gate" task.

And... nothing happens. We need big daedric cookies to lure our big daedric boy? Or it's afraid of sharp and cold metal gates?

I do hope this event is really one-of-a-kind, I don't want another of this quality, ever.

"We put down some minor 'soul walls'"

What does this mean? I've never been in sn instance where I've seen anyone move the Infernium-- either it was already moved and had opened the gate while I wasn't there, or it was stuck and could not be moved. What are "minor 'soul walls'" and what are we supposed to do to "put down" (which I assume means "place") these "minor 'soul walls'"?

KiltMaster · November 15

Also for the record I abandoned all solstice quests I had, logged out, and still can't see skordo where he's meant to be so :thumbs up:

SeaGtGruff · November 15

Apparently I was extremely lucky on PCNA the other night, getting into an unbugged instance of the Writhing Wall on my first attempt, helping clear the various stages-- although most of them were cleared by other players while I wasn't present and I had no idea what was being done to clear some of them-- entering the Monolith Room and completing the quest, and turning the completed quest in to Skordo for my achievement, title, and collectible.

But I cannot find a working instance on PCEU, and after two days of trying and failing, I've given up on trying anymore, as it is taking too long and I cannot do anything else in the game (ToT daily, crafting writs, endeavors) if I'm spending hour after hour looking for a working instance without any success.

The only good thing that's come out of all my attempts to find a working instance on PCEU is that I've at least managed to get some idea of what we're supposed to be doing during some of the stages, so if the bugged instances ever get shut down and replaced with working instances I think I'll be better able to help make progress through the stages if or when I try again.

ZOS_JessicaFolsom · November 15

Ezhh wrote: »

Can we please get a confirmation the event will be extended? This would go a long way to helping right now.

We are discussing some options, and we'll have an update early next week. We need to dig into what is possible with how the event is set up, so it's not something I could personally answer today.

As a general note to everyone, we do see your posts here and acknowledge the ongoing issues you are reporting and the frustration they are causing. While we do have folks continuing to look into these issue over the weekend, it's unlikely we will have any fixes until Monday at the earliest.

Munkfist · November 15

Typically, I encourage these kinds of events and also encourage others to engage in them and be patient. This one has broken me, one disappointment after another.

Gave up trying to do the Fortress today, as the Infernium just bugged out and blocked progress, *again*.

I truly hope this is a one time event.

Athra_Sohlstavir · November 15

Wow. I have never experienced something as much of a mess as the Writhing Fortress is.

First off, even before getting in there I saw Prince Azah by the Meridian Lens talking about what a great victory it was - so that's weird right off the bat.

Then getting in there with everyone else in the middle of battle, I had no idea what really was happening. I heard Raz talking about levers and others talking about stones, but I didn't even see what those were. So I feel like I was missing most of the story going on around me.

I apparently got the title of Wall Breaker, but I have zero idea what I actually did to achieve that.

mouton · November 15

After 8 or 9 attempts to find a non-buggy instance, I still couldn't complete the quest or find Skordo (twice). I can't say I didn't try.
The idea was very cool on paper, but completely mis-executed.

I'm done with this half-finished event and this half-translated update.

Ravensilver · November 15

So... either the instance is completely empty of anything except other players, or we're stuck at the final boss and nothing is happening. >.>

ZomZom · November 15

Does not sound like an all-hands-on-deck situation, which it should be.

kind_hero · November 15

ZOS_JessicaFolsom wrote: »

Ezhh wrote: »

Can we please get a confirmation the event will be extended? This would go a long way to helping right now.

We are discussing some options, and we'll have an update early next week. We need to dig into what is possible with how the event is set up, so it's not something I could personally answer today.

As a general note to everyone, we do see your posts here and acknowledge the ongoing issues you are reporting and the frustration they are causing. While we do have folks continuing to look into these issue over the weekend, it's unlikely we will have any fixes until Monday at the earliest.

I wouldn't mind the extra time... actually take all the time you really need to fix this and the other bugs related to quests or encounters in Solstice. However, it is the advertised unique and short window of this event that frustrates people. I would suggest making this interesting dungeon a permanent thing like the portals in Blackwood, having similar portals pop up in Coldharbor (since I understand this place is actually in Coldharbor somewhere).

Until then... is there a chance we can get into an instance that doesn't bug? Or we should stop trying until a hotfix is patched?
My char is stuck at the infernium phase like many other people.