[General Article] Elder Scrolls Online: Review in Progress #2

SBFord

Welcome back to week two of our Elder Scrolls Online Review in Progress. I’m writing this one a bit earlier than I normally would, because many of us at the site are headed off to PAX East on Thursday.  For the first week’s article, head here.  I’ve locked in around 30 hours so far, I’m sitting at level 17, and just finally completed the first main zone of the Ebonheart Pact.  By completed, I mean I’ve finished the quests achievement, unlocked all the POIs on the map, and collected every skyshard available.  And yet, I’ve not completed the Fungal Grotto (the first group dungeon for the Pact) and I’ve not even set foot in Cyrodiil.  I could gloat about how my Guild’s campaign (Hopesfire) is dominated by the Ebonheart, but as Mike B pointed out to me earlier: that’s like saying we’re winning the war even though we’re the only side that’s showing up.

Read more of Bill Murphy's Elder Scrolls Online Review In Progress #2.

The interior designers on ESO deserve a raise. Even this cave looks good.

papagelos

I enjoed the game, Untill I reached level 10 and unlocked the "end game" of ESO - PVP. Cyrodiil, specifically.

It was the most boring experience I've encountered in an MMO this far. I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

Arriving there, I was greeted by a hail of arrows and died in a few seconds.

I had to spend another 5 minutes to run back, and was zerged down by 15 enemies in seconds.

Spend 5 minutes running back again.

I might have been going wrong at it, but compared to the PvP Im used to (Wow BG's for instance), this is way too little fighting and waaaay too much running for me.

If PvP is endgame, and this is PvP, I'd rather play something else.

Tehhi

I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

 

1. Buy a hourse.

2. Find some group.

3. Try again.

DEAD.line

Originally posted by papagelos

I enjoed the game, Untill I reached level 10 and unlocked the "end game" of ESO - PVP. Cyrodiil, specifically.

It was the most boring experience I've encountered in an MMO this far. I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

Arriving there, I was greeted by a hail of arrows and died in a few seconds.

I had to spend another 5 minutes to run back, and was zerged down by 15 enemies in seconds.

Spend 5 minutes running back again.

I might have been going wrong at it, but compared to the PvP Im used to (Wow BG's for instance), this is way too little fighting and waaaay too much running for me.

If PvP is endgame, and this is PvP, I'd rather play something else.

That's both the games and your fault.

 

It's the games fault for not giving small objectives so that players don't have to just rush to keeps, die and have to run back.

 

It's your fault for not getting a good group of players or guild, coordinate and prepare for the assualt. In larger scale pvp, coming up against a larger force and getting ganked is part of the game. But like i said, there's nothing for the "small guy".

 

CrazKanuk

Originally posted by DEAD.line

Originally posted by papagelos

I enjoed the game, Untill I reached level 10 and unlocked the "end game" of ESO - PVP. Cyrodiil, specifically.

It was the most boring experience I've encountered in an MMO this far. I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

Arriving there, I was greeted by a hail of arrows and died in a few seconds.

I had to spend another 5 minutes to run back, and was zerged down by 15 enemies in seconds.

Spend 5 minutes running back again.

I might have been going wrong at it, but compared to the PvP Im used to (Wow BG's for instance), this is way too little fighting and waaaay too much running for me.

If PvP is endgame, and this is PvP, I'd rather play something else.

That's both the games and your fault.

 

It's the games fault for not giving small objectives so that players don't have to just rush to keeps, die and have to run back.

 

It's your fault for not getting a good group of players or guild, coordinate and prepare for the assualt. In larger scale pvp, coming up against a larger force and getting ganked is part of the game. But like i said, there's nothing for the "small guy".

 

+1

 

The scale compared to something like WoW is immense! That said, even a good, coordinated group in WoW will rule on just about any day of the week. So, yes, you're doing it wrong, but you're doing it wrong in WoW too. A plan is a terrible things to waste. 

gelraen

Originally posted by papagelos

I enjoed the game, Untill I reached level 10 and unlocked the "end game" of ESO - PVP. Cyrodiil, specifically.

It was the most boring experience I've encountered in an MMO this far. I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

Arriving there, I was greeted by a hail of arrows and died in a few seconds.

I had to spend another 5 minutes to run back, and was zerged down by 15 enemies in seconds.

Spend 5 minutes running back again.

I might have been going wrong at it, but compared to the PvP Im used to (Wow BG's for instance), this is way too little fighting and waaaay too much running for me.

If PvP is endgame, and this is PvP, I'd rather play something else.

What gives you the impression that PvP is endgame?  If anything, ESO has a pretty broad mix of endgame progression. It has a pretty hardcore character progression where you level up through veteran levels after hitting level cap of 50.  It has (or will have in the coming patch) adventure zones - large endgame zones with difficult PvE content aimed at small groups.  It has dungeons, and what are basically raids coming in.  So I really don't understand what you're complaining about... if you don't imagine yourself doing the PvP zone (and from the sounds of it you hardly gave it a chance, and at a time when hardly anyone has leveled up to fill that massive zone), why not all of the other choices?

falc0n

You would rhink someone who rusbes to endgame at level 10 would at least be decent at it. I love to pvp but I feel no rush to get to cyrodiil.

Talrune

And again not everyone does pvp for end game perhaps try the pve content to me pvp is boring and just annoying never do it ...pve I enjoy but that is me.

Saqcat

The part where you don't have room in your inventory to level all crafting professions is false. You can put the mats in the bank and craft them from there.

Gravarg

I have a crafting character.  I generally have 30-40 slots open after I've ran back and did all my crafting.  It will fill up in about an hours time of questing or doing a dungeon.  Unless I'm camping a boss for a item set, then it fills up pretty quickly.

 

 

Right now he has 90 slots, and my bank has 90 slots.  My bank is full, but I have the 3 pets (i keep the monkey on my main), and like 20 CE treasure maps in there.  And my bear trap and some other trophies.  So it's really like a 40 slot bank hehe.  I'm thinking of making a bank alt just to hold all the maps and misc that I want to keep.

GeezerGamer

Originally posted by DEAD.line

Originally posted by papagelos

I enjoed the game, Untill I reached level 10 and unlocked the "end game" of ESO - PVP. Cyrodiil, specifically.

It was the most boring experience I've encountered in an MMO this far. I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

Arriving there, I was greeted by a hail of arrows and died in a few seconds.

I had to spend another 5 minutes to run back, and was zerged down by 15 enemies in seconds.

Spend 5 minutes running back again.

I might have been going wrong at it, but compared to the PvP Im used to (Wow BG's for instance), this is way too little fighting and waaaay too much running for me.

If PvP is endgame, and this is PvP, I'd rather play something else.

That's both the games and your fault.

 

It's the games fault for not giving small objectives so that players don't have to just rush to keeps, die and have to run back.

 

It's your fault for not getting a good group of players or guild, coordinate and prepare for the assualt. In larger scale pvp, coming up against a larger force and getting ganked is part of the game. But like i said, there's nothing for the "small guy".

 

If this is true, then the casual player is going to experience a higher level of frustration over time.

Arndush

"so I can’t just sit there and pretend like it’s OK to shove three hundred pounds of apples down Beatrix’ gullet to get her to run faster." Line made me laugh out loud at the office. Thanks for that Bill.

 

Also, we just ran Matron's Clutch last night. Worked for us. The key is you need 7 or 8 people. You have to kill all of the dreugh there before 1 respawns to get the boss to spawn. Get two groups who need to do it, pull everything to the middle and AOE the bah-jesus out of them.

 

What is broken and the only thing I have yet to complete in Stonefells is the Divine Favor Quest. You can't (or couldn't as of last night, this morning's patch may have fixed it) scatter the ashes in to the blue fire. The orange one works fine, but you can't click on the blue one to summon and fight the second spirit.

 

blazzen67

"Untill I reached level 10 and unlocked the "end game" of ESO - PVP. "...huh?? who in the world told you PVP at level 10 was end game? or that PVP was the end game of this game in the first place??  you do your alliance to level 50, then you do a 2nd alliance and then after that the 3rd. then you have adventure zones when you reach level VR-10, you are missing out on a lot this game has to offer if you are thinking reaching level 10 and going to cyrodill is "end game" in this game. smdfh

Marcelino

Originally posted by Tehhi

I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

 

1. Buy a hourse.

2. Find some group.

3. Try again.

Haha owned Except the spelling mistake :P

Samhael

Originally posted by Saqcat
The part where you don't have room in your inventory to level all crafting professions is false. You can put the mats in the bank and craft them from there.

How big is your bank? I've expanded mine twice and have 3 alts standing next to the banker to handle the overflow. I'm constantly running around town and having to swap to different characters to add/remove from the bank. But inventory management wasn't even one of the top ten reasons I canceled. The game just lacks a "zing" or whatever to make me want to log in.

Bookah

Originally posted by papagelos

I enjoed the game, Untill I reached level 10 and unlocked the "end game" of ESO - PVP. Cyrodiil, specifically.

It was the most boring experience I've encountered in an MMO this far. I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

Arriving there, I was greeted by a hail of arrows and died in a few seconds.

I had to spend another 5 minutes to run back, and was zerged down by 15 enemies in seconds.

Spend 5 minutes running back again.

I might have been going wrong at it, but compared to the PvP Im used to (Wow BG's for instance), this is way too little fighting and waaaay too much running for me.

If PvP is endgame, and this is PvP, I'd rather play something else.

Yeah while I enjoy the rest of the game I also find Cyrodiil painfully err painful.

Shoko_Lied

Originally posted by papagelos

I enjoed the game, Untill I reached level 10 and unlocked the "end game" of ESO - PVP. Cyrodiil, specifically.

It was the most boring experience I've encountered in an MMO this far. I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

Arriving there, I was greeted by a hail of arrows and died in a few seconds.

I had to spend another 5 minutes to run back, and was zerged down by 15 enemies in seconds.

Spend 5 minutes running back again.

I might have been going wrong at it, but compared to the PvP Im used to (Wow BG's for instance), this is way too little fighting and waaaay too much running for me.

If PvP is endgame, and this is PvP, I'd rather play something else.

Sounds like you got killed by enemies.

Also sorta sounds like you can't afford a horse.

ojustaboo

Originally posted by Saqcat
The part where you don't have room in your inventory to level all crafting professions is false. You can put the mats in the bank and craft them from there.

I take it provisioning isn't one of your crafts

Entinerint

Originally posted by DEAD.line

Originally posted by papagelos

I enjoed the game, Untill I reached level 10 and unlocked the "end game" of ESO - PVP. Cyrodiil, specifically.

It was the most boring experience I've encountered in an MMO this far. I had to run from my keep to the enemy keep, on foot, for about 5 minutes.

Arriving there, I was greeted by a hail of arrows and died in a few seconds.

I had to spend another 5 minutes to run back, and was zerged down by 15 enemies in seconds.

Spend 5 minutes running back again.

I might have been going wrong at it, but compared to the PvP Im used to (Wow BG's for instance), this is way too little fighting and waaaay too much running for me.

If PvP is endgame, and this is PvP, I'd rather play something else.

That's both the games and your fault.

 

It's the games fault for not giving small objectives so that players don't have to just rush to keeps, die and have to run back.

 

It's your fault for not getting a good group of players or guild, coordinate and prepare for the assualt. In larger scale pvp, coming up against a larger force and getting ganked is part of the game. But like i said, there's nothing for the "small guy".

 

Except the game does EXACTLY that.  It gives solo, small group, medium group and large group missions in Cyrodiil.  If you skip the Cyrodiil training you'll likely not know they're there so pro-tip if you're an RvR noob, DON'T SKIP TRAINING.

goemoe

Good article, good game and still getting better while you play it. It is not similar to game XY, so you have to adapt some. But this is good. Its fresh and original, not another clone of something.

If only the bank space would be (much) larger...

Necropsie

Cyrodill pvp is a nightmare if you don't have a big and "not-noob" group. There. I said it. Was it that hard?

OP is right. If you do enter Cyrodiil at level 10, it is boring and meaningless. You cant afford a horse till you are level 30 or something. Everybody playing the game right now knows this.

When you acquire a horse, it is a little bit less boring and meaningless. Nothing else.

Advice to new players: if you are thinking about pvp, do not spend points for skills useful for 1v1 pvp. Also, skip the interrupt/cc skills. All you need is aoe and nothing else.

Don't believe me?  Try pvp and see for yourself. 

And let me say i love the pve part of the game. I seriously love it. But i will probably not touch pvp ever again.

 

Belgaraath

I have never died so much as I have in this game both solo and in groups. I love it LOL. It's really teaching me to be a better player, be more careful about managing my skills, and equipping the right skills and weapons for the circumstance at hand. Some of the encounters I've had with folks, especially in the public dungeons, has been some of the most satisfying Ive had in any game, where two of us are fighting waves and a boss and using skill to win, very rewarding feeling. Just left one and the guy I randomly met said at the end "That was epic". I said "we were awesome" :-).

 

yaminsux

Originally posted by Samhael

Originally posted by Saqcat
The part where you don't have room in your inventory to level all crafting professions is false. You can put the mats in the bank and craft them from there.

How big is your bank? I've expanded mine twice and have 3 alts standing next to the banker to handle the overflow. I'm constantly running around town and having to swap to different characters to add/remove from the bank. But inventory management wasn't even one of the top ten reasons I canceled. The game just lacks a "zing" or whatever to make me want to log in.

Can I have your stuff?

Yoda_Clone

The last patch not only killed FPS for many players, it also causes a lot of us to continually crash.

This tells me that they not only didn't test the game robustly before launch, they aren't testing it robustly now before patching.

With respect to the smartass telling the other poster to get a horse (or hourse, if you prefer), seems to me I can sprint almost as fast as a horse can run.  At least that has been my experience so far.  Having a horse means I only waste four minutes and thirty seconds running back to battle instead of five.  Whether or not you have a horse, you still die within seconds (literally within seconds), almost always from an enemy you never see.

It's not a good PvP experience.  You should never die within seconds; you should never die without even being able to tell who and what is killing you.

For those of you who are killing your opponents that same way and gloating over how "uber" you are, think about it.  Is it really "skill" that lets you one-shot someone from so far away that all he can see is a different colored shield over your hear (and everyone else's head in the zerg you're with).

Call it PvP if you wish, if that appeals to you.  I call it a bad joke on everyone.

DAoC it is not... It's not even AV in WoW.

p4ttythep3rf3ct

Not to be mean, but it sounds like you are doing it wrong.

 

EDIT:  Bah, this was in response to the second comment about PvP being boring and dude keeps dying.  Oh well,  MMORPG.com comments...I'm doing it  wrong

Zbones

Did this kid just say he hit End-Game at level 10?

Oh yes, that sounds like a wonderful way to base an opinion on a huge game. At level 10, you should have no Horse, no gear, and low-leveled skills. You go into Open World PVP against veteran-leveled players in Epic and Legendary Gear, using max level skills and enchantments.

Thats like running into a warzone naked, painted red, and screaming. So do us all a favor, Play the damn game before you start condemning anything.