The chance of losing stones is what makes Imperial City unique and fun. It is the only zone where a death has an actual consequence. I think the popularity of Imperial City began dropping when flags were added. Flags created a mechanic where one faction would have advantage over the other factions. That almost completely put a stop to large sustained battles that could last a couple of hours.

ShadowPaladin wrote: »

kargen27 wrote: »

The chance of losing stones is what makes Imperial City disliked and no fun. It is the only zone where a death has an actual consequence. I think the popularity of Imperial City began dropping when flags were added Telvars and their loss were introduced and lags during large scale fights became ridiculous. Flags created a mechanic where one faction would have advantage over the other factions. That almost completely put a stop to large sustained battles that could last a couple of hours.

I corrected it for you .

This question is incredibly inept considering I've played eso since the beta, but was IC not always like that - I mean, wasn't tel var always lost upon death?

You used to be able to port out any time you wanted by queueing for Cyrodiil but that's getting "fixed" in U49. Losing TV is fine and outside of the event you can farm the sewers around your base for hours and be unbothered.

kargen27 wrote: »

I think the popularity of Imperial City began dropping when flags were added.

I think the popularity of Imperial City dropped when it no longer had a monopoly on max-level gear. Remember the days when the only way to get VR15/16 gear was the IC DLC? Remember the days the way to get Ancestor Silk was to buy it using Tel-Var, and that crafting a white item was multiple times more expensive than upgrading it to gold?

The only time IC was popular was back in the day when people were effectively forced into IC.

Agreed. Losing half the Tel Var to some unemployed gankers in Invisibility hiding outside near home Base is just BS... Granted I'm impressed by the dedication, still...

It's funny to me because both sides are right imo. I almost never partake in IC unless it's to get a mythic lead, and I play very cautiously and am so protective of whatever smattering of Tel Var I can get. Since losing rewards makes a lot of the effort there feel wasted, I don't play there as much as I would Cyrodiil.

And yet being so on edge in IC makes it very fun. Nowhere else in the game am I checking over my shoulder and hiding in corners and using reveal spells on chests and corridors to watch out for ambushes.

Through its punitiveness, it makes it the most lively and focused gameplay for me. And yet, I make a mad dash back to base rather than engage in the combat due to not wanting to lose my tel var.

PhxOldGamer68 wrote: »

If you don’t lose Alliance Points in Cyrodiil, then you shouldn’t lose Tel Var stones in IC. This is the worst idea in the history of the game. IC is such a cool place to roam, quest and PVP. But losing stones is the main reason why the population is never a lot.

AP to me is like another way of handing out 'participation points', it's a way of rewarding those who accomplish goals. The goal conditions were met; the reward gets doled out. Telvars are similar but those are more for personal goals, although a Team could certainly win them as well. You fight in battles you can win personally, and you are rewarded.

You know, I think the real issue here is prevention. I don't visit IC like every day but can get in and at a bare minimum make 10k in Telvars, without getting caught and leave. It can be done. If you have like military training or a killer instinct or really good situational awareness, hunting skills, stuff like that then you'll do just fine.

TheMajority wrote: »

Vulkunne wrote: »

You know, I think the real issue here is prevention. I don't visit IC like every day but can get in and at a bare minimum make 10k in Telvars, without getting caught and leave. It can be done. If you have like military training or a killer instinct or really good situational awareness, hunting skills, stuff like that then you'll do just fine.

lol you don't need any of that, u just need to memorize counter attacks and know how to block. situational awareness sure but military training? that's taking it far for a game lol. my mom is 50 and she do great in IC. she just memorized what to do and likes it. otherwise she spend her time making baby blankets for her grandkids lol IC aint that complex

Ok well here's the thing. There's no shame in what I said.

Regardless of whatever others think of me or what I have said two things are going to happen here:

1) People are not going to change.
2) I will continue to increase.

That's it. Feel free to say what ya like. But know... these two things are for certain, regardless of what any living person thinks. Sufficed to say, there are not many people 'around' me. But the crowds of those who won't change seem to also increase, minus the personal growth.

OP: tel var loss is the thing that makes the zone fun and exciting. It's a different gameplay mode.

I can never get a lot of tel var because I head back to bank it when I hit about 5000, I start feeling nervous at that point.

In Cyrodiil you can slot revealing flare and use it at doors when repairing or when you see an enemy not respawn and stay where he is, hoping for one of his invisible buddies to revive him. The rest of the time you are pretty safe. IC, however, is riddled with invisible guys waiting just about anywhere, you can’t drop flares everywhere there could be someone hiding. You can also get steamrolled by a Zerg out of nowhere.

It’s just a frustrating experience for even this veteran PvPer. Only the best of the best players enjoy it.