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Holy moly I hate Grahtwood soooo much (rant)
This is the most annoying to traverse zone I think I have ever played in any video game ever. The only thing that comes close was the Nazjatar zone in the BFA expansion of wow. It just feels like everything is designed intentionally to slow you down and to make you take as long as possible to get between destinations. There is no room between anything. It is all just crammed right next to eachother.
And you say "that's the vibe they wanted, it's a suffocating jungle!" Okay but... This doesn't feel like a jungle, like how in 4x games or tabletops it takes your units 2 turns to move 1 tile due to it being heavily forested it is etc. That I understand. And yes if you went to the Amazon in real life it would take you longer to walk through it than it would if you were in a grassland. They didn't do that here. This isn't a dense forest. They made up for a design limitation - the inability to actually create a dense rainforest - by instead making the terrain itself untraversable. There's cliffs EVERYWHERE here.
It's similar to how videogame worlds that are small hide the scale of the play environment with smoke. Boot up Oblivion Remastered, climb up a hill, and you can see the entire "bowl" of Cyrodiil - or you would be able to, but they put in a bunch of smoke. Lots of games do that if you just pay attention to it. There aren't thousands of factories or millions of cars to cause a smog problem in the province, the only reason it's there is to hide how tiny the world is.
And I'm maining a Wood Elf. Right now anyway, he's cool. But this zone isn't cool.
I've spoken about this before but even the big trees here are disappointing and not what is/was spoken about in lore about this place. There's really only one big tree- Elden Root obviously, and it's shamefully tiny. And where are the walking tree cities? Of course, another game design limitation, written around with lore.
Rajhin stole Falinesti (jazz hands).
I hate zones like this because they remind me the most that I'm playing a videogame, instead of adventuring in a world. Zones like this are the clearest example of minimum viable product. They could've actually designed this zone right but they didn't, they just chose the lazy way. I far prefer zones like Summerset where at least there the illusion is somewhat believable.
Thanks for reading my 2 septims.
And you say "that's the vibe they wanted, it's a suffocating jungle!" Okay but... This doesn't feel like a jungle, like how in 4x games or tabletops it takes your units 2 turns to move 1 tile due to it being heavily forested it is etc. That I understand. And yes if you went to the Amazon in real life it would take you longer to walk through it than it would if you were in a grassland. They didn't do that here. This isn't a dense forest. They made up for a design limitation - the inability to actually create a dense rainforest - by instead making the terrain itself untraversable. There's cliffs EVERYWHERE here.
It's similar to how videogame worlds that are small hide the scale of the play environment with smoke. Boot up Oblivion Remastered, climb up a hill, and you can see the entire "bowl" of Cyrodiil - or you would be able to, but they put in a bunch of smoke. Lots of games do that if you just pay attention to it. There aren't thousands of factories or millions of cars to cause a smog problem in the province, the only reason it's there is to hide how tiny the world is.
And I'm maining a Wood Elf. Right now anyway, he's cool. But this zone isn't cool.
I've spoken about this before but even the big trees here are disappointing and not what is/was spoken about in lore about this place. There's really only one big tree- Elden Root obviously, and it's shamefully tiny. And where are the walking tree cities? Of course, another game design limitation, written around with lore.
Rajhin stole Falinesti (jazz hands).
I hate zones like this because they remind me the most that I'm playing a videogame, instead of adventuring in a world. Zones like this are the clearest example of minimum viable product. They could've actually designed this zone right but they didn't, they just chose the lazy way. I far prefer zones like Summerset where at least there the illusion is somewhat believable.
Thanks for reading my 2 septims.
5
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Hyperbole here but like
This is what keeps me up at night- Grahtwood not being GRAHT enough for me lol 0 -
Urzigurumash✭✭✭✭✭
✭Disgusting take. You should race changeXbox NA AD / Day 1 ScrubDK / Wood Orc Cuisine Enthusiast3 -
Gabriel_H✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭Glorious_Platypus wrote: »Hyperbole here but like This is what keeps me up at night- Grahtwood not being GRAHT enough for me lol
Not for nothing, but it's Grat (same sound as cat) rather then Great.1 -
Gagoimaliu✭✭✭I don't think it's even technologically possible to have a moving city in a game, the closest you have is Dalaran in Warcraft but that's still just moving the city to a different zone, which leaves you having like three versions of Dalaran in the world. Just like having giant trees everywhere, you have to remember, Grahtwood was made 10+ years ago, that's at least 3 console generations from us, making games for consoles is a lot more limiting than just for PCs.
MY BIGGEST COMPLAINT about Valenwood is not having any Imga anywhere, even though they're mentioned in game, I can comprehend not having Falinesti or giant trees or whatever, but where are my Apefolk?0 -
Urzigurumash wrote: »Disgusting take. You should race change
You misunderstood my point then, or didnt read it. Spelling it out for you- I like Bosmer. A lot. Mostly because I like "forest elves" in fantasy, and the trees they live in. The reason I dislike Grahtwood is because it does not live up to what it should be. It's not a good enough home for these people.
Regardless, your reply was caustic and troll-ish, so I don't expect an honest reply.
@Thormar , @Luneca - Nope I have not been to that zone yet.0 -
Gabriel_H✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭Gagoimaliu wrote: »I don't think it's even technologically possible to have a moving city in a game
As the player, even when "standing still" would already be moving, they would have to keep a stationery animation. When the player then input movement the game would then show the movement animation, and adjust against the new city co-ordinates.
It's doable, but it is a lot of extra positioning calculations, and the movement are likely to be jerky especially on sudden direction changes.
The limitation in ESO would be moving between zones, as the instance model wouldn't allow that.0 -
Urzigurumash✭✭✭✭✭
✭Glorious_Platypus wrote: »Urzigurumash wrote: »Disgusting take. You should race change
You misunderstood my point then, or didnt read it. Spelling it out for you- I like Bosmer. A lot. Mostly because I like "forest elves" in fantasy, and the trees they live in. The reason I dislike Grahtwood is because it does not live up to what it should be. It's not a good enough home for these people.
Regardless, your reply was caustic and troll-ish, so I don't expect an honest reply.
@Thormar , @Luneca - Nope I have not been to that zone yet.
I'm not a troll, I'm a orc. A wood orcXbox NA AD / Day 1 ScrubDK / Wood Orc Cuisine Enthusiast9 -
ice34697✭✭✭@Glorious_Platypus try Shadowfen or Murkmire next. You'll be begging to return to Grahtwood2 -
Cin_Vhetin✭✭✭The chars I have don't do the dailies there because the multilayered Elden Root tree is cool in concept, it is a pita in rl. Malabal Tor is misery to play as some have mentioned already. It's a groan every time there is some requirement to go to either one.
That being said, they are beautiful to look at, and amazing for those who don't mind and want to take their time. I once followed the npc tour group around just to see what they did/said.
Better a warrior in the garden than a gardener at war. - Japanese proverb
You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing things with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass. - Warren Buffet0 -
@Glorious_Platypus try Shadowfen or Murkmire next. You'll be begging to return to Grahtwood
I liked Shadowfen when I played through it on my Argonian (only char i've played it on so far)0 -
ToddIngram✭✭✭✭✭The absolute worst is the main town in Hews bane. Oh man is that frustrating to navigate.
But as far as zones go, Malbal Tor and Northern Elswere are the worst by far IMO.3 -
SilverIce58✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭@Glorious_Platypus try Shadowfen or Murkmire next. You'll be begging to return to Grahtwood
Shadowfen has been made a lot easier with mount swimming. That being said; Murkmire has never been on the same level as Shadowfen for traversal, as Shadowfen has always been worse with all the varying puddles and deep water drops, and that its a main [Alliance] story zone to progress through and not side content like Murkmire.PC - NACP 1125
Veric Blackwood - Breton Magsorc DC
Xhiak-Qua'cthurus - Argonian Frost Warden EP
Kujata-qa - Khajiit Magplar AD
Suunleth-dar - Khajiit Stamblade AD
Teldryn Antharys - Dunmer Flame DK EP
Strikes-With-Venom - Argonian Poison DK EP
Rur'san-ra - Khajiit WW Stamsorc AD
Ilianos Solinar - Altmer Stamplar AD
Iscah Silver-Heart - Reachman Magden DC1 -
metheglyn✭✭✭✭✭
✭Cin_Vhetin wrote: »That being said, they are beautiful to look at, and amazing for those who don't mind and want to take their time. I once followed the npc tour group around just to see what they did/said.
I've done that before, too. It's pretty fun, and quite immersive. There are a couple different tour groups, as well.0 -
smallhammer wrote: »Where are all the gardens in Summerset then?
I've complained about that too. And where are the iridescent towers made of crystal and bug wings lol0 -
0
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ESO_player123✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭And you've seen nothing until you successfully reached the skyshard in Traitor's Vault without using a guide.3 -
wolfie1.0.✭✭✭✭✭
✭✭✭✭Glorious_Platypus wrote: »This is the most annoying to traverse zone I think I have ever played in any video game ever. The only thing that comes close was the Nazjatar zone in the BFA expansion of wow. It just feels like everything is designed intentionally to slow you down and to make you take as long as possible to get between destinations. There is no room between anything. It is all just crammed right next to eachother.
And you say "that's the vibe they wanted, it's a suffocating jungle!" Okay but... This doesn't feel like a jungle, like how in 4x games or tabletops it takes your units 2 turns to move 1 tile due to it being heavily forested it is etc. That I understand. And yes if you went to the Amazon in real life it would take you longer to walk through it than it would if you were in a grassland. They didn't do that here. This isn't a dense forest. They made up for a design limitation - the inability to actually create a dense rainforest - by instead making the terrain itself untraversable. There's cliffs EVERYWHERE here.
It's similar to how videogame worlds that are small hide the scale of the play environment with smoke. Boot up Oblivion Remastered, climb up a hill, and you can see the entire "bowl" of Cyrodiil - or you would be able to, but they put in a bunch of smoke. Lots of games do that if you just pay attention to it. There aren't thousands of factories or millions of cars to cause a smog problem in the province, the only reason it's there is to hide how tiny the world is.
And I'm maining a Wood Elf. Right now anyway, he's cool. But this zone isn't cool.
I've spoken about this before but even the big trees here are disappointing and not what is/was spoken about in lore about this place. There's really only one big tree- Elden Root obviously, and it's shamefully tiny. And where are the walking tree cities? Of course, another game design limitation, written around with lore.
Rajhin stole Falinesti (jazz hands).
I hate zones like this because they remind me the most that I'm playing a videogame, instead of adventuring in a world. Zones like this are the clearest example of minimum viable product. They could've actually designed this zone right but they didn't, they just chose the lazy way. I far prefer zones like Summerset where at least there the illusion is somewhat believable.
Thanks for reading my 2 septims.
Question... have you been to Malbor Tor yet? Its so annoying to navigate. Hews Bane is almost as bad.
As for Boring... well maybe its because I grew up in a desert, but Alikr Is sooo boring..Edited by wolfie1.0. on July 27, 2026 1:56AM0
