shmity72
Habitué
- Messages
- 483
Elder Scrolls Online
- Thread starter BelgarathMTH
- Start date
shmity72
Habitué
- Messages
- 483
I was going to let my guild die on the vine as it would have seemed that there was no other recourse.
When new management was transparent and not apologetic and said they had a 30 year plan.
Well that was awesome considering I've invested 20k hours and been a guild master since launch 10 years ago, and been making machinima movies
for 5 years. NOTE: check out fan creations for my latest movie in full swing production with the help of David Stems writing group.
The David Stem script doctor that wrote Shrek 2 etc...
When new management was transparent and not apologetic and said they had a 30 year plan.
Well that was awesome considering I've invested 20k hours and been a guild master since launch 10 years ago, and been making machinima movies
for 5 years. NOTE: check out fan creations for my latest movie in full swing production with the help of David Stems writing group.
The David Stem script doctor that wrote Shrek 2 etc...
- Messages
- 1,835
My last update was barely two weeks ago, yet somehow it feels like I’ve lived an entire ESO lifetime since then.
First, let me say this loud and clear: despite what the online echo chamber insists, Update 49 Dragonknight can be a phenomenal tank. All it takes is a bit of creativity with sets. One of my DKs now runs an Infinite Archive setup that’s absurdly tanky, plus a variant tailored for group dungeons. Thanks to that build, I’ve pushed farther into the Archive than ever before, duoing with @Xzarloxara , naturally. We ended our run deep in Arc 5 only because we ran out of time, not lives. With three lives left and a stack of visions powering us up, we were only getting stronger.
Then I went and made a PvP healer… also a DK, because apparently I’m on a theme. Built entirely around the updated skills, it actually performs really well: solid healing with a side of fiery DoTs that occasionally tip the score in Battlegrounds.
And because I clearly wasn’t busy enough, I finally took on veteran Vateshran Hollows. After more than six hours of pure suffering, I finished what I still consider the hardest solo PvE challenge in the game. The reward? A Perfected Wrath of Elements fire staff. Yes, really.
Naturally, I couldn’t resist turning that staff into a PvP build. Now I’m running a bashing tank (somewhere between an arcanist, a sorcerer, and a warden) with a spicy twist. That elemental tether hits surprisingly hard, especially against squishier players or when fighting around flags in Battlegrounds.
First, let me say this loud and clear: despite what the online echo chamber insists, Update 49 Dragonknight can be a phenomenal tank. All it takes is a bit of creativity with sets. One of my DKs now runs an Infinite Archive setup that’s absurdly tanky, plus a variant tailored for group dungeons. Thanks to that build, I’ve pushed farther into the Archive than ever before, duoing with @Xzarloxara , naturally. We ended our run deep in Arc 5 only because we ran out of time, not lives. With three lives left and a stack of visions powering us up, we were only getting stronger.
Then I went and made a PvP healer… also a DK, because apparently I’m on a theme. Built entirely around the updated skills, it actually performs really well: solid healing with a side of fiery DoTs that occasionally tip the score in Battlegrounds.
And because I clearly wasn’t busy enough, I finally took on veteran Vateshran Hollows. After more than six hours of pure suffering, I finished what I still consider the hardest solo PvE challenge in the game. The reward? A Perfected Wrath of Elements fire staff. Yes, really.
Naturally, I couldn’t resist turning that staff into a PvP build. Now I’m running a bashing tank (somewhere between an arcanist, a sorcerer, and a warden) with a spicy twist. That elemental tether hits surprisingly hard, especially against squishier players or when fighting around flags in Battlegrounds.
- Messages
- 1,835
I’m really happy with the direction ESO is heading towards, it genuinely feels like the game is getting better. One of the coolest upcoming additions is the return of old‑school, Morrowind‑style exploration... In‑game rumours and hints with no quest markers at all. That system is coming this summer, and it sounds like a fantastic throwback to TES roots, no?
frvr.com
As for my own progress since the last update, the devs have completely removed FOMO from daily logins and rewards. They’ve shifted everything into a “battlepass” format that can be played entirely for free unless you want to spend $15 USD on cosmetics. It’s a much healthier system overall, and I'm enjoying it. So far, I've completed all the activities to unlock the "5th" page of the battlepass, and it wasn't difficult. Now I have access to solid amounts of in-game currency and some cosmetics, just for easy day-to-day tasks.
Honestly, I’m really digging the updates they’ve rolled out since the leadership change. ESO feels better and more player‑focused than it did even a year ago, and I’m optimistic about where it’s headed.
Elder Scrolls Online’s new Rumours are designed to mimic the exploration of Morrowind as devs hope classic exploration "will drive people to work together"
Elder Scrolls Online design director Jason Barnes explains the MMO's new Rumours system is designed to be like Morrowind.
frvr.com
As for my own progress since the last update, the devs have completely removed FOMO from daily logins and rewards. They’ve shifted everything into a “battlepass” format that can be played entirely for free unless you want to spend $15 USD on cosmetics. It’s a much healthier system overall, and I'm enjoying it. So far, I've completed all the activities to unlock the "5th" page of the battlepass, and it wasn't difficult. Now I have access to solid amounts of in-game currency and some cosmetics, just for easy day-to-day tasks.
Honestly, I’m really digging the updates they’ve rolled out since the leadership change. ESO feels better and more player‑focused than it did even a year ago, and I’m optimistic about where it’s headed.
- Messages
- 1,835
The past month in ESO has been very busy. Activity has surged across the game, we had an Anniversary event, followed by a Battlegrounds weekend that brought back 4v4v4 matches, and now the Night Market - a high‑difficulty group PvE zone. On top of all that, we’ve got the new Tome Challenges system replacing daily endeavors.
Wherever I go: old zones, new zones, PvP, - there are players everywhere. The world feels alive again.
The Night Market itself is definitely a divisive addition. A lot of players who treat ESO as a mostly solo MMO bounced off it pretty fast. Since I’m used to “balanced” or “solo” PvP builds that aren’t pure DPS, I’ve been doing fine there. It even pushed me to use the Group Finder for the first time and to actually complete a Trial for the first time. The grind is long, though; getting the best rewards means spending a lot of time in that zone. At least the event lasts for weeks, so the pacing isn’t too punishing. Still, it would be great to see some of the bugs and inconsistencies ironed out.
My favorite addition so far is the Shattered Paths Signet, a new Mythic obtained through Antiquities with leads from the Night Market. It gives a huge boost to Damage‑over‑Time effects, and I’ve always wanted to experiment with DoT‑focused builds instead of burst setups. Now I’m back to theorycrafting PvP builds that can make the most of it.
That Battlegrounds 4v4v4 weekend was such a joy. It instantly reminded me why I fell in love with Battlegrounds in the first place. Returning to the old maps felt great, and the three‑team format creates far more dynamic and competitive matches. One of my biggest frustrations with ESO in 2024–2025 was the removal of this format, so getting to enjoy it again was genuinely refreshing.
Wherever I go: old zones, new zones, PvP, - there are players everywhere. The world feels alive again.
The Night Market itself is definitely a divisive addition. A lot of players who treat ESO as a mostly solo MMO bounced off it pretty fast. Since I’m used to “balanced” or “solo” PvP builds that aren’t pure DPS, I’ve been doing fine there. It even pushed me to use the Group Finder for the first time and to actually complete a Trial for the first time. The grind is long, though; getting the best rewards means spending a lot of time in that zone. At least the event lasts for weeks, so the pacing isn’t too punishing. Still, it would be great to see some of the bugs and inconsistencies ironed out.
My favorite addition so far is the Shattered Paths Signet, a new Mythic obtained through Antiquities with leads from the Night Market. It gives a huge boost to Damage‑over‑Time effects, and I’ve always wanted to experiment with DoT‑focused builds instead of burst setups. Now I’m back to theorycrafting PvP builds that can make the most of it.
That Battlegrounds 4v4v4 weekend was such a joy. It instantly reminded me why I fell in love with Battlegrounds in the first place. Returning to the old maps felt great, and the three‑team format creates far more dynamic and competitive matches. One of my biggest frustrations with ESO in 2024–2025 was the removal of this format, so getting to enjoy it again was genuinely refreshing.
Thanks for a good laugh. Hope it goes well for you.
- Messages
- 1,835
Another month has rolled by, and the Night Market has definitely lost its spark for me. Once I hit 10k favor and cleared out all the lock‑gated items, the motivation to keep grinding there almost evaporated. Asking players to repeat that whole cycle if the event returns would be a tall order. It was enjoyable while it was fresh, but the rewards just don’t justify pushing past that 10k mark.
The Shattered Paths Signet is getting criticized online for enabling Crushing Shock gankers in Cyrodiil, yet I’m having a blast using it in my own builds, none of the gank stuff (and also, I personally think that one is not that easy to execute), just creative setups that feel great to play.
Next week’s update brings Class Masteries, and theorycrafting potential changes across my characters is very fun. Making classes distinct enough has been one of my biggest wishes after the subclassing introduction; classes finally feeling authentic again is a huge win.
One build I’m eyeing is a PvE DK setup designed to solo veteran hardmode DLC dungeons, even the most challenging ones. It takes a serious time investment to gather all the required gear, but the concept is exciting. While many players are looking forward to the new Overland difficulty sliders, I’ll skip them as Overland being easy doesn’t bother me. Dungeons, though, are a different beast. Each boss has unique mechanics, and going in solo with almost no margin for error feels like a fresh challenge. Compared to veteran arena no‑death runs, this feels like cranking the difficulty up by a factor of three, or even five.
The Shattered Paths Signet is getting criticized online for enabling Crushing Shock gankers in Cyrodiil, yet I’m having a blast using it in my own builds, none of the gank stuff (and also, I personally think that one is not that easy to execute), just creative setups that feel great to play.
Next week’s update brings Class Masteries, and theorycrafting potential changes across my characters is very fun. Making classes distinct enough has been one of my biggest wishes after the subclassing introduction; classes finally feeling authentic again is a huge win.
One build I’m eyeing is a PvE DK setup designed to solo veteran hardmode DLC dungeons, even the most challenging ones. It takes a serious time investment to gather all the required gear, but the concept is exciting. While many players are looking forward to the new Overland difficulty sliders, I’ll skip them as Overland being easy doesn’t bother me. Dungeons, though, are a different beast. Each boss has unique mechanics, and going in solo with almost no margin for error feels like a fresh challenge. Compared to veteran arena no‑death runs, this feels like cranking the difficulty up by a factor of three, or even five.
- Messages
- 1,835
A sad day for ESO. Half of the team is gone due to XBOX's exec desicion. Lots of long-time members of the team have been laid off. It seems the game's future is uncertain at this point.
kotaku.com
The Elder Scrolls Online Team Seemingly Gutted By Xbox Layoffs
However, its community manager has said those remaining want to 'reaffirm our commitment' to the game
- Messages
- 1,835
In a bittersweet moment, I finally unlocked the 100th Veterancy PVP rank. It's been a long road until this point, but now the feeling is one of accomplishment, relief, and calm joy. Eventually, I've created my most powerful PVP build, and I'm not jesting here. I felt every new build over the last year has been stronger than the previous one. Be it because I improved my own understanding of the game's mechanics, how different skills work, what the patterns for burst damage should be, how to sustain, how to survive, or just because I kept iterating on better item sets to provide stronger overall results, it's a good feeling. To be able to go toe-to-toe with some of the best EU PVP players whose names I've been seeing for years.
It's really too bad about the layoffs. The game has been on a resurgence since the start of the year, and it's painful to realize the progress had to be halted because of the parent company's decision. I immediately noticed how some part of the community left the game when the news broke, and I guess more might follow. I really hope there can be some solution to this problem: XBOX lays off a big part of the team, the community reacts, and players leave, resulting in fewer players playing the game and affecting everything in it, from in-game economy to late-game activities, thus probably causing even more people to leave. I hope it won't lead to the end of this game.
It's really too bad about the layoffs. The game has been on a resurgence since the start of the year, and it's painful to realize the progress had to be halted because of the parent company's decision. I immediately noticed how some part of the community left the game when the news broke, and I guess more might follow. I really hope there can be some solution to this problem: XBOX lays off a big part of the team, the community reacts, and players leave, resulting in fewer players playing the game and affecting everything in it, from in-game economy to late-game activities, thus probably causing even more people to leave. I hope it won't lead to the end of this game.
JustKneller
Habitué
- Messages
- 1,001
If it's any consolation, Fallout 76 can be your canary in the coal mine. That game is much more likely to get shut down if they start culling projects. ESO has had a relatively good reception and is far more profitable, F76 is still fighting multiple incidents that left players with a bad taste in their mouths. It's definitely not making what ESO makes and it's just not a good game in comparison. If it came down to it, I fully expect they would shut down F76 and divert resources into ESO.
- Messages
- 1,835
Yeah, the game didn't go anywhere. It's still there (and I still play it, just a bit less).
Today they launched a new event, High Seas of Tamriel. And I like it a lot! It's much different from anything ESO provides. Of course, I like the naval theme, but it's more than just that. This event is completely single-player, with slow exploration of the underwater world that is full of chill, pleasant surroundings, with any lack of haste and, you know, the usual MMO vibe of getting through content fast. On the opposite, you take your time and (in air bubbles) walk/jump through the area, finding treasures and other surprises (and it's also different from the same ESO formula). Leads to antiquity furniture you find there are now tradeable and sellable, so FOMO is decreased substantially. This event is almost like something designed for another game, by another designer, and the change of pace is welcome (for me personally).
I don't think the majority of the ESO population will like the event because it's very different from their usual ESO experience. But I personally like it!
Also, the update 2 days ago finally brought back the 3-sided battlegrounds, and it's such a joy to play them again. They increased the team sizes (6v6v6 instead of 4v4v4) and combined the queue for the 3-sided BGs and 2-sided 9v9 into one (so it's RNG if you get one or another), and this size increase affects the quality of opposition you get. At least in my experience, these BGs are much harder and thus more fun. I see a lot more really good PvP players there (compared to 4v4), and this is a challenge I enjoy.
There have been other changes in the game, including new content I haven't tried yet, so the game is (still) alive. And judging by the recent tweaks (to class masteries aka class identity etc), the members still left on the team understand what this game needs. Yes, now everything arrives slower, and not all is ideal, but I appreciate their changes.
Today they launched a new event, High Seas of Tamriel. And I like it a lot! It's much different from anything ESO provides. Of course, I like the naval theme, but it's more than just that. This event is completely single-player, with slow exploration of the underwater world that is full of chill, pleasant surroundings, with any lack of haste and, you know, the usual MMO vibe of getting through content fast. On the opposite, you take your time and (in air bubbles) walk/jump through the area, finding treasures and other surprises (and it's also different from the same ESO formula). Leads to antiquity furniture you find there are now tradeable and sellable, so FOMO is decreased substantially. This event is almost like something designed for another game, by another designer, and the change of pace is welcome (for me personally).
I don't think the majority of the ESO population will like the event because it's very different from their usual ESO experience. But I personally like it!
Also, the update 2 days ago finally brought back the 3-sided battlegrounds, and it's such a joy to play them again. They increased the team sizes (6v6v6 instead of 4v4v4) and combined the queue for the 3-sided BGs and 2-sided 9v9 into one (so it's RNG if you get one or another), and this size increase affects the quality of opposition you get. At least in my experience, these BGs are much harder and thus more fun. I see a lot more really good PvP players there (compared to 4v4), and this is a challenge I enjoy.
There have been other changes in the game, including new content I haven't tried yet, so the game is (still) alive. And judging by the recent tweaks (to class masteries aka class identity etc), the members still left on the team understand what this game needs. Yes, now everything arrives slower, and not all is ideal, but I appreciate their changes.