ZoS just trying to recapture the Elder Scrolls feeling (Is it too late)?

Brenics

The thing everyone has to accept is ZoS screwed up big time when they released the game. Bots were destroying the game right from start because a regular player just couldn't craft from all the bots running around and getting it first. It was sort of funny watching your node disappear when no one seemed to be around. Doing dungeons and not being able to really run the dungeon because the bots were there killing everything in their path. Sort of bummed you out when you get credit for the dungeon yet you killed nothing to where it should have given you credit. NPC not allowing for quests to be completed because NPC wasn't around. Once i had to wait for almost 2 hours for the GM to finally find out how to get NPC back to where he was suppose to be. Heck they fixed that problem I think like two months later if memory serves me well.

It doesn't take a genius to understand why so many were leaving the game and thought they were ripped off from a bug infested game. Personally I think they were planning on going B2P right from start but knew they had a lot to fix for the console release. So they needed to try and hold on to as many of us they could just to help support them so they could fix it for the console. It all came down to money which you won't hear an argument about that from me. No money no game and I wanted the game so I and many more of us supported them. Were we crushed when they announced B2P after standing up for them for almost a year. You bet and that is where a lot of us jumped off the band wagon. We or at least myself didn't hate them for it but expected a better I'm Sorry from them than just a costume and a pet along with 3200 crowns.

Last problem that has been around for a while is the lag a lot are running into. I won't say it was bad for me but I did go through a few lag spikes. People would say it was the addons, but funny part is we could get it to do it even with addons disabled. So even though an addon can cause problems a lot of the lag was and is not caused from addons.

They to me made the perfect RP game big problem there is they put it on a megaserver. I have to really ROFL on this one I mean have they every played on a RP server and see how a lot of people treat them? Smart idea would of been to create a server just for RP'ers. The game screams RP yet most can't do that with this megaserver.

The big thing for ZoS is getting these players back from the start. Personally I hope they do, but right now a lot of the old complaints are coming in strong on the forums and if the console release doesn't get a perfect release the game could very well be dead. Just how I have seen it from the first day of release to even before in beta.

reeereee

A lot will depend on how console release goes, I really don't have any kind of feel for the console market though.

rodingo

The bugs and bots never really bothered me with the game.  It's the fact that when I was out killing mobs that some random schmuck was always trying desperately to get a hit on what I was killing or to beat me to some crafting node, or even hover over me while I was trying pick lock open a chest.  The reasons why they do that is irrelevant becuase I can think of at least a dozen or so, but that alone took away any immersion that I felt in the Elder Scrolls games that I played.  The addition of half of the justice system helps bring the game more in line with the name of its title and maybe after the console launch they will add the other half.  I guess we will see if we have to pay for that as DLC or whatever.

Burntvet

You never have a second chance to make a first impression.

I would not expect much of a return from PC players that have tried and given up on the game.

Console players, for most of them, the release will be their first impression.

(And I could probably say that console players might be a little less particular than many/most PC players about a lot of stuff, since console games/MMOs tend to be watered down versions of stuff to begin with. "Snobbish" maybe, but still probably true.)

NomadMorlock

Originally posted by Burntvet

You never have a second chance to make a first impression.

I would not expect much of a return from PC players that have tried and given up on the game.

Console players, for most of them, the release will be their first impression.

(And I could probably say that console players might be a little less particular than many/most PC players about a lot of stuff, since console games/MMOs tend to be watered down versions of stuff to begin with. "Snobbish" maybe, but still probably true.)

I can tell you first hand that your expectations are wrong if the server population is any indication. Huge, huge influx of returning players. Seems as crowded as launch week. 

bcbully

The title doesn't fit the content of the post. 

 

The whole thing is kinda a head scratcher. One year later talking about bots that were eradicated 1 month into the game. 

 

Eeh I was losing stars so I replied...

DelCabon

Originally posted by Brenics

Were we crushed when they announced B2P after standing up for them for almost a year. You bet and that is where a lot of us jumped off the band wagon. We or at least myself didn't hate them for it but expected a better I'm Sorry from them than just a costume and a pet along with 3200 crowns.

Last problem that has been around for a while is the lag a lot are running into. I won't say it was bad for me but I did go through a few lag spikes. People would say it was the addons, but funny part is we could get it to do it even with addons disabled. So even though an addon can cause problems a lot of the lag was and is not caused from addons.

They to me made the perfect RP game big problem there is they put it on a megaserver. I have to really ROFL on this one I mean have they every played on a RP server and see how a lot of people treat them? Smart idea would of been to create a server just for RP'ers. The game screams RP yet most can't do that with this megaserver.

The big thing for ZoS is getting these players back from the start. Personally I hope they do, but right now a lot of the old complaints are coming in strong on the forums and if the console release doesn't get a perfect release the game could very well be dead. Just how I have seen it from the first day of release to even before in beta.

I understand you have an opinion which is subjective. I may not agree but I can't help but wonder how you came to these conclusions.

For one how were you "crushed" when the game effectively became free for you? You own the game, you got 3200 crowns and you can cancel your sub. I still sub because its my go-to game at the moment but the benefits are marginal at best. With the advent of 1.6 and the numerous improvements, the population has noticeably increased. If not for the console release I have to believe that ZOS would have kept the sub intact. Of course that is my subjective opinion and I don't have any inside information, but so it goes.

I understand the RP issue with the phasing problems but having a megaserver is also potentially beneficial especially for holding public events or recruiting a wider audience.

In terms of attracting both new and "old" customers, its pretty clear the ESO continues to do both. All of my guilds have seen an uptick in returning players and an influx of new ones. If you play at peak times the wait times for taking out a Dolmen, dungeon or named boss is less than a few minutes wait to find a group or partner. 

I get that ESO is not for everyone and there is a vocal minority who feel compelled towards negativity at every possible turn, but there is every indication that ESO is on solid ground. Even if the console release has its issues, Zenimax now has a track record of responding proactively and making every effort to please its wider audience even if a few people like yourself feel somehow left out.

 

Brenics

Originally posted by DelCabon

Originally posted by Brenics

Were we crushed when they announced B2P after standing up for them for almost a year. You bet and that is where a lot of us jumped off the band wagon. We or at least myself didn't hate them for it but expected a better I'm Sorry from them than just a costume and a pet along with 3200 crowns.

Last problem that has been around for a while is the lag a lot are running into. I won't say it was bad for me but I did go through a few lag spikes. People would say it was the addons, but funny part is we could get it to do it even with addons disabled. So even though an addon can cause problems a lot of the lag was and is not caused from addons.

They to me made the perfect RP game big problem there is they put it on a megaserver. I have to really ROFL on this one I mean have they every played on a RP server and see how a lot of people treat them? Smart idea would of been to create a server just for RP'ers. The game screams RP yet most can't do that with this megaserver.

The big thing for ZoS is getting these players back from the start. Personally I hope they do, but right now a lot of the old complaints are coming in strong on the forums and if the console release doesn't get a perfect release the game could very well be dead. Just how I have seen it from the first day of release to even before in beta.

I understand you have an opinion which is subjective. I may not agree but I can't help but wonder how you came to these conclusions.

For one how were you "crushed" when the game effectively became free for you? You own the game, you got 3200 crowns and you can cancel your sub. I still sub because its my go-to game at the moment but the benefits are marginal at best. With the advent of 1.6 and the numerous improvements, the population has noticeably increased. If not for the console release I have to believe that ZOS would have kept the sub intact. Of course that is my subjective opinion and I don't have any inside information, but so it goes.

I understand the RP issue with the phasing problems but having a megaserver is also potentially beneficial especially for holding public events or recruiting a wider audience.

In terms of attracting both new and "old" customers, its pretty clear the ESO continues to do both. All of my guilds have seen an uptick in returning players and an influx of new ones. If you play at peak times the wait times for taking out a Dolmen, dungeon or named boss is less than a few minutes wait to find a group or partner. 

I get that ESO is not for everyone and there is a vocal minority who feel compelled towards negativity at every possible turn, but there is every indication that ESO is on solid ground. Even if the console release has its issues, Zenimax now has a track record of responding proactively and making every effort to please its wider audience even if a few people like yourself feel somehow left out.

 

The returning players are mostly the one's screaming for F2P when the game first hit. This will last for awhile then they will slowly leave the game with not supporting them with any cash. You do know the most important part of this B2P thing is getting people to buy items or sub. Sad that is not what will happen. Right now a lot are complaining about the same old issues (other than bots) they did before they left the first time. A new issue we see is that RP'ers can't play their way because of these people not allowing them to play their way. So if they don't fix it RP'ers will leave in the long run and these would be paying customers.

The game went B2P with no sub isn't want it is about, it is about the lies they told us to get to this point. We fell for the lie and supported them then find out it was all over lies and yes it was said they would rather close then go F2P (don't ask to see it it was said in beta and that is wiped clean.) Of course they went B2P and we supported that lie with money and if you think 3200 crowns and costumes and a mount makes up for it you are wrong.

Say what you want about increase in population but it is only a phase because the sub is gone. Game is far from being on solid ground and if the console release fails this game will be gone in a year. The way ZoS let a lot of bugs go for almost a year just to work on the console and new system already shows how they treat the loyal one's.

Does it surprise me they cater more to the loud idiots? Not at all it seems that is really their target audience because the rest they just take for granted and most of us hate being treated like that.

I hope they survive but right now it isn't looking good! Oh it isn't negativity when only the truth is stated.

grimal

Originally posted by bcbully

The title doesn't fit the content of the post. 

 

The whole thing is kinda a head scratcher. One year later talking about bots that were eradicated 1 month into the game. 

 

Eeh I was losing stars so I replied...

Agree.  Bots were gone so long ago that it makes you wonder if the OP is living in a time capsule.

gervaise1

Originally posted by Brenics

 

The returning players are mostly the one's screaming for F2P when the game first hit. <snip> You do know the most important part of this B2P thing is getting people to buy items or sub.

You have absolutely no basis for your first comment and to correct your second the vast majority of b2p games have neither cash shop nor subscription; many - but by no means all - have follow on releases and or additional content. Strictly speaking Zenimax have adopted a hybrid model. 

gervaise1

Originally posted by Burntvet

You never have a second chance to make a first impression.

I would not expect much of a return from PC players that have tried and given up on the game.

Console players, for most of them, the release will be their first impression.

(And I could probably say that console players might be a little less particular than many/most PC players about a lot of stuff, since console games/MMOs tend to be watered down versions of stuff to begin with. "Snobbish" maybe, but still probably true.)

I agree with your main comment: to many launches have demonstrated that you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. A "re-launch" can give you a "bump" - you can see this on Steam say - but the bumps don't approach the initial opportunity / peak. And so Zenimax will be hoping that for console players this is indeed the first impression. Any PC players who give the game a second look as a result of (let's say) positive console vibe will be a bonus. 

(Your comment about console players I don't accept - if anything I would say they are potentially more demanding because they expect things to work; period.) 

Burntvet

Originally posted by gervaise1

Originally posted by Burntvet

You never have a second chance to make a first impression.

I would not expect much of a return from PC players that have tried and given up on the game.

Console players, for most of them, the release will be their first impression.

(And I could probably say that console players might be a little less particular than many/most PC players about a lot of stuff, since console games/MMOs tend to be watered down versions of stuff to begin with. "Snobbish" maybe, but still probably true.)

I agree with your main comment: to many launches have demonstrated that you don't get a second chance to make a first impression. A "re-launch" can give you a "bump" - you can see this on Steam say - but the bumps don't approach the initial opportunity / peak. And so Zenimax will be hoping that for console players this is indeed the first impression. Any PC players who give the game a second look as a result of (let's say) positive console vibe will be a bonus. 

(Your comment about console players I don't accept - if anything I would say they are potentially more demanding because they expect things to work; period.) 

Not so much the bugs, as the linear game play, lack of choice, and shallow "MMO" elements.

Those things are largely expected on console.

rounner

I disagree with just about everything you said. That includes the things you stated as facts and any kind of relation between your post title and the content. That's my first white knight for years, way to  go me.

d_20

The main problem for me is lag spikes, especially in Cyro or when it results in my death fighting a mob. This is a lingering problem that should not be occurring so long after launch. It is also an intermittent problem. I'm not sure why. Just when I forget about it and think everything is alright, then it happens, especially after a patch.

 

Other than that, I think the game is doing pretty good now that my expectations are in check. It's an mmorpg set in the Elder Scrolls universe. I like the art style. The PVP is fun when there are no lags or disconnects. I like the justice system and look forward to being able to kill thieves.

 

I remain subbed, but I'm not sure how long I will continue. I want to spend my crowns, but there is nothing to buy as I don't give a rat's a$$ about cosmetic items. I want xp pots and additional content to spend it on.

 

I'm satisfied with ESO more than any other MMORPG on the market. I like the combat and I am in a great guild that seems to be growing. We have full raid parties during our pvp nights. I would like to see my faction do better (AD on NA Thornblade), but the population seems better now and Cyro is more fun than before b2p.

 

Console launch and the period of 3 months after it will tell us a lot about the future of ESO, so we will have to wait and see.

Bladestrom

Same here, my only issue is performance in cyro and poor use of my CPU cores.

mbrodie

I'm gonna go out on a limb because i know myself and a few of my friends that at least came back.. did so because the game went B2P and 3 months into launch when my initial 3 month subscription expired, i didnt feel the game warranted a subscription and wasnt going to pay to play the game... i enjoyed the game, i wanted to keep playing, but i had very little reason to keep logging in each day etc... since it has gone B2P i log in a lot, multiple times a day when i get a chance, leveling up a new alt, doing things on my main etc... i'm having a blast.

 

Also i was one of those people who at launch said free to play in a year, not because the game was bad, which at launch it was pretty terrible... i leveled a nightblade to 42, but one of his harborage quests bugged out and i couldnt progress it, essentially locking me from progressing past level 47 or something and it literally took zenimax 3 weeks to force abandon the quest as it was a story mode quest and could not be abandoned by me.. by the time they did fix him, i had a Sorc to VR2 so it was like yeah thats awesome. But still i played on. but back to my point you could tell from the start subscription was for PC only to keep fueling the beast while they beta tested the game and fixed all the bugs for console launch... i dont know why anyone had other ideas in their head, it was obvious as hell.

 

Still, good game, having fun... lag is an issue, probably wont get fixed unless they change datacenters so *shrugs*

Suvako

Ehhh sure launch was rough, but for a game that so many say is dead and buried, it sure is full of players these days.  I think they've done one hell of a job righting the ship, and I'm sure the success is going to fuel more positive changes after console release.

rodingo

Originally posted by cura

Originally posted by NomadMorlock

Originally posted by Burntvet

You never have a second chance to make a first impression.

I would not expect much of a return from PC players that have tried and given up on the game.

Console players, for most of them, the release will be their first impression.

(And I could probably say that console players might be a little less particular than many/most PC players about a lot of stuff, since console games/MMOs tend to be watered down versions of stuff to begin with. "Snobbish" maybe, but still probably true.)

I can tell you first hand that your expectations are wrong if the server population is any indication. Huge, huge influx of returning players. Seems as crowded as launch week. 

Its one server so what do you expect?

Yeh, since it's a single megaserver and no matter if ESO has millions of players or only a couple of thousand, it's going to look crowded.  That's how the illusion the megaserver provides is designed and is no way an indicator of the game's population.

Nyghthowler

Originally posted by rodingo

Originally posted by cura

Originally posted by NomadMorlock

Originally posted by Burntvet

You never have a second chance to make a first impression.

I would not expect much of a return from PC players that have tried and given up on the game.

Console players, for most of them, the release will be their first impression.

(And I could probably say that console players might be a little less particular than many/most PC players about a lot of stuff, since console games/MMOs tend to be watered down versions of stuff to begin with. "Snobbish" maybe, but still probably true.)

I can tell you first hand that your expectations are wrong if the server population is any indication. Huge, huge influx of returning players. Seems as crowded as launch week. 

Its one server so what do you expect?

Yeh, since it's a single megaserver and no matter if ESO has millions of players or only a couple of thousand, it's going to look crowded.  That's how the illusion the megaserver provides is designed and is no way an indicator of the game's population.

Big F'ing woop. As long as there are people to play the game with, what's the problem? It's when mega servers are deserted that you need to start worrying.

In all the MMO's I've played people whine and cry when their server population gets too low, but dread a merger because it might be their server merged into another instead of vice versa. The mega server eliminates this particular problem.

 

Sulaa

TESO is an MMO with Elder Scroll "skin". 

 

Not possible to "recapture" Elder Scrolls feeling, by some changes.  I don't think that with current technology and conceptual inability to solve "massively online world"  problems it's possible to even create MMORPG with feeling from single player Elder Scroll.

 

That does not mean that TESO is a bad game or have to be bad game.   It's just that trying to recapture single player TES is wrong route IMHO.

Pratt2112

Originally posted by Burntvet

You never have a second chance to make a first impression.

You absolutely can. Most simply fail to do so, if they try at all.

SE already has with FFXIV.

From what I'm seeing in-game (not on forums), it looks like Zenimax is working toward doing so as well. I'm enjoying ESO more than I have any other MMORPG I've played, since FFXI in its heyday.

I would not expect much of a return from PC players that have tried and given up on the game.

You'd be surprised. There's quite a lot of new players running around, to the extent that there's actually competition for resources/chests. Every delve/dungeon I've been in has had several others running around at any given time, with more coming in as I've been running out.

There's been plenty of activity. A lot of it. A lot of people in chat, asking questions, making statements, commenting on how much improvement they're seeing since they came back, etc.

As a general rule of thumb, if you want to see how poorly a bunch of disgruntled, jaded and cynical people would like you to believe the game is doing (in order to turn you away from it), hang out in message forums. If you want to know how a game actually is ... log in and see for yourself.

(And I could probably say that console players might be a little less particular than many/most PC players about a lot of stuff, since console games/MMOs tend to be watered down versions of stuff to begin with. "Snobbish" maybe, but still probably true.)

Can't say in other cases, but in terms of a modern MMORPG, I would hardly call ESO "watered down".  There's quite a bit going on, and quite a lot to do in-game. Another reason it's better to get in game and experience it for yourself, is that people on forums tend to focus almost entirely on "combat" and "end-game".  You'll hardly, if ever, hear about anything else the game offers - a passing metion, at most.

I wouldn't call FFXIV:ARR "watered down for consoles", either. That game has quite a lot of variety, too.

 

 

Tutu2

Originally posted by Sulaa

TESO is an MMO with Elder Scroll "skin". 

 

Not possible to "recapture" Elder Scrolls feeling, by some changes.  I don't think that with current technology and conceptual inability to solve "massively online world"  problems it's possible to even create MMORPG with feeling from single player Elder Scroll.

 

That does not mean that TESO is a bad game or have to be bad game.   It's just that trying to recapture single player TES is wrong route IMHO.

Mostly agree. I'm at level 30 at the moment. I enjoy it for what it is: an MMORPG with a narrative focus and a pretty authentic Elder Scrolls skin. Plenty of attention has been given to the lore too. It's got its flaws, like how some of the phasing is handled, but its honestly much better then many people make it out to be. If you like story and Elder Scrolls, you'll be mostly happy. Nobody's got anything to lose now besides some disk space. Just play it people.