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This thread is for everyone to post their impressions after playing ESO; what they liked, anything that might be improved, etc.

These first posts are being transferred from the "What I am Playing" thread; so bear with the first posts please, lol.



My son started in on ESO tonight. So far it is looking Awesome! A bit confusing, because I was having trouble figuring out who was a Player and who was an NPC - well, some were working so I knew they were NPC's; and some were running around madly, so I knew they were Players; but the ones walking or milling around - those I couldn't tell.

And some character came up and attacked my son's pet imp and then attacked my son for no reason - in the middle of a town. Neither my son or I could figure out if it was an NPC or some crazed player. My son finally killed him because the guy wouldn't leave him alone; and there was nothing on his body to indicate if it was Player or NPC! (So still don't know, lol).

Right now he is still just trying to figure out what the/his objectives are.

All the conversations are run in a small box on the left of the screen, and the print on the conversations is so tiny I can't read it - my son can't read it either, it is that small.

But the game itself - the graphics and sheer size of it is AWESOME! The characters are lifesized, the ships really look like ships and not small replicas. It is an amazing game so far!

My son has played online a LOT before, so he will orient himself a lot quicker than I will be able to - but for right now he is playing solo.

I am seriously considering sneaking on while he is at work and starting a character in the Ebonheart just to try it out, .



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You can't get to Cyrodiil till you reach a very high level, it is blocked completely before then. And yes, Cyrodiil is the only Player VS Player (from what I heard it is a massive battleground there, Alliance VS Alliance - which means I'll never want to go there, lol).


Never having played online before - I wanted to go solo. My allies don't fare well in melee with my characters, I hit the wrong people with both weapons and healing magic.

My son said that online game is all about creating a small group of friends who each have a needed skill set to ensure the group survives and prospers. "Tanks" take the damage for the group (Orcs/heavy armor); the healer keeps everyone fighting; etc. As a group you strategically plan the battles and how best to defeat the enemies.

The enemies are leveled to be powerful enough to be a challenge for a group of players; and I don't know if their level drops based on the numbers in the attack. If it does, then playing solo would work very well; but I don't know if it does or not.

My son said that even the best multiplayer game in the world is only half as good if you try to play it solo, for him the group adds tremendously to the experience.

But for me, I want to play it solo till I feel very comfortable with the game - then maybe just one or two close friends, no group of strangers.




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Well, I played the whole first section of - the tutorial dungeon. There were several really tough fights that I have yet to figure out what I did right to win.

The tough enemies dropped excellent loot such as enchanted weapons and armor - I just need to figure out how to equip it now, and find my inventory!

I made the stupid mistake of creating my character with no gear! I was looking at her body in the bikini and forgot to redress her! So I'm doubly relieved that I made it out of Coldharbour alive - and beat Molag Bal's minion in a boss battle to do it!

Unfortunately, I walked into the firepit in Indoril Manor and can't figure out how to jump out; so I exited the game to find out.

My impression of the game so far = it reminds me VERY strongly of the game "Fate" except with tremendous graphics and other people running around.

(I think the game "Fate" is a quasi version of the game "Fable;" but I haven't ever played Fable so don't know for sure if that is accurate). Fate is usually found prepackaged in the games folder of new computers with Windows OS's.


The feel of it is much closer to Morrowind than any other TES game I've played. When you escape the dungeon and reach the town you can go around and talk to NPC's who have a white arrow over their heads - they have quests to give the player.

Oh, and if someone loots before you and an item is empty - wait a few seconds and try again, this place restocks VERY quickly.

If you are going to loot bodies, do it fast because they will disappear quickly as well. This place cleans itself up and resets very fast compared to World of Warcraft!

I accepted two quests, one is part of the main questline for my area (Ebonheart Pact, so whatever town that is - can't think of it right now).

Also, almost every key on your keyboard has a function, so I need to make myself a key to remember them all - but I think "M" is for Map.

If you walk up to another Player and hit "E" (which is the "Activate" key) - it opens up the option to Chat with them, trade with them, join their group, invite them to join your group.

(I found that out by accident while trying to get out of the fire pit).

It was really exciting, and if it turns out to be like Fate - I got so addicted to that game that the company called me on the phone and told me to get off the game because my free trial had ended and they were reluctant to shut me down in the middle of gameplay, lol.

So far all my impressions are good. Everyone I know that plays it has become very addicted to it, and has said it is everything Skyrim should have been - so far I'm really impressed.

The dungeon Coldharbor was huge and amazingly done. I am quite sure I left a bunch of loot behind in it.



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They have a tremendous range of ways to personalize your character: Age, hair style and color, height and weight, all the usual facegen we are used to in TES, face and body painting/tattoos, there are over 20 eye colors and shapes - very nice eyes. Even the neck/leg/arm/and hand sizes can be tweaked. And they have very decent hair that is clean and combed, unlike vanilla Skyrim.


A few things I found clunky:


Keys for certain functions are not where i am used to them being; like activate is E and spacebar is jump. That is exactly opposite of what I am used to.

And I am afraid to rekey the keyboard for this game like I did for other games because so many keys are used for something particular (I for inventory, M for Maps, O opens up your profile page showing your friends, for quick access to message them - etc)

Also messaging/using the chat box - since players can have up to 8 different characters, if you want to message a friend they ask you to name which character of theirs you want to get the message.

Well, the character's name has to be spelled exactly correct, and these are TES Lore names (get my drift? Lol). I was trying to message someone last night with a very long two part name, with my left hand not working and in game - couldn't do it.



OH! Another plus I discovered last night: no need for pose and animation mods, they are built in! Your character can do over 300 animations and poses right from the start just by keying them into the chat box = instant pose or animation!

There are numerous dances, numerous sits, sleeping, eating, drinking, drunk, playing musical instruments with varied songs, digging with a shovel, raking, waving, motioning to come here, etc, etc, etc - hundreds of them! AWESOME !!!!


And they also have all the craftings from Skyrim including smithing/alchemy/enchanting/cooking/etc.




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http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife....Crypt+of+Hearts



http://images.mmorpg.com/images/galleries/...6740408dbc0.jpg


Here is a vid (if you don't mind spoilers)

The player is turning into lightning to fight - not sure which class that is, either Sorcerer or Templar that can do that. They also have a combat add-on causing the hitpoints to float up after each hit (I don't like that, to me it ruins the vid.)

But since this is a group dungeon and this guy goes through it solo - pretty darn awesome!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKoTzy9PqJw


Went back and looked it up, he is a sorcerer like Buffy!


When you see that circle the player lays down in yellow or white = that is a rune. It takes like 2 seconds to arm; but whoever is in that circle when it goes off is hit bad. I've got one from the undaunted that takes a few seconds to arm like that, and have never been able to get the enemy to stay in the trap zone yet. From watching this vid, it looks pretty awesome when it works.

I also saw him use a trap against a few of the enemies - they can't move for a few seconds and are kind of being tortured while he took down some others in the room. You can usually only trap one enemy at a time, and the bigger enemies are immune to traps.

That red circle the enemy spreads - that kills the player in seconds if you can't roll out of it. Those are the enemies you HAVE to fight ranged or die.

The chains that pop up out of the ground with a green circle around them are also the enemy's - that thing at the top of the chain explodes and kills anyone inside that green circle.

I'd sure like to know what kind of staff he was using and what enchantment it had on it! That thing was wicked!







This post has been edited by mALX: Aug 16 2016, 01:26 AM

Very cool! Thanks!

I looked for the Crystal Tower, but so far they haven't done the big island - some say they are going to put it out in a DLC; but it has also been rumored that the next TES game VI is going to be in the Summerset Isles; so it is possible they won't do it so as not to step on Bethesda toes before their big project is launched.

ESO will do Crystal Tower eventually. Their long term goal is to fill in the whole map - lots of people are saying that Vvardenfell is next, maybe as early as next summer. The next ES game is also waaaaaaaaay off so anything's possible.

Hey, is anyone playing the Daggerfall Covenant on the PC/Mac?

Level 13 Redguard Nightblade in Desert Storm fatigues (well, the color scheme I picked for the armor looks like Desert Storm BDUs) still trying to figure out the whole chat/group/dungeon thing and kind of stuck until she reaches Level 15 . . .

WOO HOO! Another one joins us !!!!!!! I have two in Daggerfall, but both are mules (just holding items for the playing character).

WOO HOO, Welcome aboard !!!!!

Thanks, mALX. Do you have to be in the same zone to become friends in the game?

First MMO evah. Totally new to the entire group/multiplayer thing. Would like to check it out at least once before I decide.

First impressions is wow, is Daggerfall busy! It's the first place I've reached where my ancient Mac started lagging. Up until then it is running great.

And that chaotic busy-ness is the biggest detraction for me. It's difficult to keep up with everything. I'm trying to figure out chat so I can filter out the zone chat - it's just too much going on there, and a lot of it is, well, crap.

You can be friends with people regardless of their alliance, but you can't adventure with them unless you're both in the same alliance.

The One Tamriel update is coming soon though, which will allow cross-alliance adventuring.

Well that's good news, because I don't like the idea of asking questions of the zone, given some of the comments I've seen on here. So I'd rather ping friends and ask them, regardless of whether they're in the same zone as me. At this point I don't feel quite ready to adventure in a group dungeon - I can barely manage combat on my own!

In game you can access help from up top of any of the menus (like character, skills, inventory, journal etc) or its default key is F1. The in game help ability is not bad but not terribly in depth. What is nice though is that in a constantly changing world, it is always accurate/up to date.

I hear you about the confusion. ESO is my first online game evah also.

You have to be on the same platform/server as your friends. I'm betting you (like me) are on the PC North America server.

Post your user name and character name here. That way I can try to send you a friend request.

My user name is AcadianPaladin and the active version of Buffy is Buffy the Small.

Thanks, Acadian!

Yes, I'm on the PC/Mac North American server here.

Hauteecole.Rider2016 is my handle, and Julian of Anvil is my Desert Storm character. From behind she looks like she is wearing the desert BDUs worn in the first Desert Storm . . . Figures!

I'll try sending you one, too. We ought to connect somehow . . .

I'm in Daggerfall right now but not finding any crafting squirrels . . .

Time zones don't make a difference except whether the other person may or may not be online at the same time. (example: I play with a girl who lives in Australia; another woman in Oregon; and a guy who lives up by Treydoggie. We have worked it out that the best time for all of us was to begin at what (to me in Eastern Standard Time is just before Midnight). As people get tired or having to go to bed in the US; we are dropping off about the time the girl in Australia is getting off to make her tea.

So it is a workaround for different time zones, but doable.

I'm a bit lost on the zone thing, but group chat when clearing a dungeon with friends you are grouped with:

Type the "Forward Slash;" "G" (for group); (Space) ( / ) - that sets you into the group chat for the group you have joined. Your type will turn orange; and only those in your group will see those posts on the chat box. After your chat box offers the orange color, you no longer put the "Forward Slash" ( / ) in, just bring up the chat box and click in the typing area.

To talk to just one person and no one else see what you are saying, you have to "Whisper" to them. The type turns blue for whispers; and they just go between you and that one person - no one else can see them. There are numerous ways to whisper to someone. If they are in the chatbox talking; just double-clicking on their name (in front of one of their posts) will set you to whispering to them.

To whisper to someone nearby you can mouse over their character or get close to them and press "F" to bring up a wheel of choices in how you want to interact with them. (Whisper; Trade With; Invite to Group; Report Player; etc)

If you want to whisper to a friend on your friends list, just bring up your friends list (I click on "I" for Inventory; then click on the "Friends" Icon at the top of the screen). Right click on the name of the friend you want to whisper to. A drop down list will appear (Send Mail; Send Whisper; Invite to Group; Travel to Player; etc) = just click on the one you want.

To talk to everyone out there in your current Alliance area (like if you are needing help in a dungeon) - Click on "Forward Slash;" type in the word "Say;" (space) then just type what you want to say. ( /say )

If you get stuck wedged between rocks or something, type in /stuck

The game will move your character to the nearest wayshrine and charge you for it. If you haven't got enough money the game will take it from your bank.

If you want to get unstuck for free = find a friend in your Alliance or if you are a member of any guilds - anyone in your Alliance from any of the Guilds you are the member = Right click on the Players name (that is in your Alliance territory at the time); choose "Travel to Player" = the game will move you for free to the nearest wayshrine to them! Then you can just activate the wayshrine and go wherever you want to from there.

Also; you can get your character to play out animations using your chatbox. Type the "Forward Slash" and the command you want your character to do; enter.

/sit
/eat
/sleep
/wave
/drink
/cry

(etc) = there are like 285 emotes your character can do!



** Oh = there is no way to filter out the BS on your chatbox; but what you can do is to find in "Escape;" l "Settings;" "Social;" - somewhere in there is a way to get your chatbox to disappear until you hit some key to toggle it up. I use that; and it stays off till I hit any command key for the display. (in other words; it doesn't show up for walking; horse; etc; but does show up if I hit "I" (for Inventory); or "C" (for Character); etc.






This post has been edited by mALX: Sep 5 2016, 12:57 AM

Very good! I did get your friend request in the game and accepted so it should be easier to talk in game now. Buffy's L22 and deep in Valenwood. She's a no melee Bosmer bow sorceress and doing pretty well.

Same here, I never played one before either - I am loving this game, though; pretty much hooked on the fun of meeting friends in game and playing with them; and this game is awesome enough for solo play to be fun too!

In Daggerfall I've got two Nightblades; one is a male Redguard named Bubba Khan; the other is a female Imperial named Calia of Daggerfall. Both live in the bank and only appear long enough to withdraw/deposit/or research items.

I have characters in all the Alliances that I brought up to level 11-15; then retired them to become mules in the bank. The only two I've continued to play is Misa of Ebonheart (and Calia Lia of the Aldmeri just came out of retirement to play with Buffy!!!)







I can make you armor and weapons at lower levels; just spent skill points to up my knowledge to make Buffy's latest armor (so can now craft up to level 26).

Just tell me what you prefer to use and I'll make it (light; medium; heavy; swords; axes; bows; greatswords; etc).

When it is done I'll send it to you via PM in game or we can meet and "Trade" (Trading is free; mailing takes several posts and costs money per each post).

@mALX: thanks for the tips regarding chat. I wish I had seen this sooner, it took me a while to figure out how to make the emotes work. Then I had to figure out how to go back to regular chat.

I did turn off zone chat, so now things are a lot quieter in the chat box. I'm not yet sure how to make it slide out of the way, so it comes out only when I need it. I noticed sometimes it does not show the text chat, just the icons for mail, friends, and notifications, and that's what I'm working on right now.

@Acadian: I see you in my Contacts now! And tell Buffy the Small I said thanks for the lockpicks! Picking locks, which was always easy in Oblivion and Skyrim, is driving us nuts here in ESO! Slow fingers, slow reflexes! Ugh! I haven't yet to pick an easy lock, so the picks will come in handy for sure.

@all: thanks for the encouragement. Julian is playing as a Nightblade because she is always so cautious and favors to sneak up on things rather than charging through dungeons. One thing that was tough for us to get used to is to KEEP MOVING! We can't stop and watch the scenery - enemies tend to re spawn right behind us and we have to fight them all over again. That is one thing that is tough getting used to. On the other hand, to go along with the reduced range of the bow (yes, Acadian, we noticed that too), the enemies have a greatly reduced detection range. It's quite ridiculous, really.

We have figured out how to fish! Now we need a Fishy Stick recipe to make Fishy Sticks!

@mALX: I just saw your last post - you must have replied while I was composing my response to your earlier post.

I've been playing the game later at night, up until 1 am before I tear myself away. Not good for my sleep (as most days I have to be up by 7 am) and I'm feeling the effects now. OTOH, I am enjoying learning new ways to play, as this game is challenging on so many levels. Not just learning new ways to do the same old, but trying out new strategies as well.

I do find roleplaying more difficult here, but as I'm still feeling my way, I might retire Julian eventually and start again with a more lore-friendly character. I already have a few names picked out that follow the same theme as Julian's - only more Second-Era appropriate.

Right now I'm pretty good - currently I have medium armor in the Level 8-9 range, though my Rawhide Helmet is Level 12 (I'm at 13). I have a sword and axe at Level 14 that I want to use once I level up. The only thing I can think of is a shield, but I currently have a Bastion of the Dragon at level 10, so it's not too bad. Currently Julian is exploring with a two-handed level 9 axe (Lion Guard's Pride), but wants to go back to sword and board.

As I don't know your account name, I'm not sure how to send you a friend request. Send me one when you get a chance and we'll talk about meeting up to trade in Daggerfall!

Hi, hautee! I’m on the PS4 NA server all alone, lol. Glad you’re enjoying the game!

Thank you, Grits!

I'm happy to report that my ESO character has two new friends!

Julian was accosted (in a nice way!) by Bubba, mALX's Redguard mule, in the Daggerfall Bank last night while she was trying to figure out what to deposit and what to withdraw. The storage restrictions are driving us nuts, and we were trying to decide whether or not to purchase more bank space, or a bag upgrade. Thanks to mALX's generosity, not only were we able to resolve that issue, but we also got a full suit of Level 14 enchanted armor that should help Julian work on her other skills.

As a Nightblade, she's been using her Siphoning skills pretty extensively - the drain Health at range is sometimes all she needs to take down enemies. She is not the melee-focused character she was in Oblvion, and her sneak skills are pretty good, too. It helps that the enemies' detect range is so ridiculously short.

Julian got complimented on her Desert Storm Redguard armor - it's just a basic medium Rawhide armor set, unenchanted (as we haven't figured that one out yet), dyed in desert colors (think sand and dirt). From behind, it really does look like the U's worn by the US military in Desert Storm. Anyway, she was still Level 13 when mALX gave her the armor, but shortly after that, she leveled up and was able to try on mALX's gear. It's Breton style, not Redguard, but we don't care. She looks good either way! We did dye it in Desert Storm colors, as Julian and I decided that was definitely her style.

I've got to hurry and head off to work today. But I have a short day, so should be able to post some screenies later tonight!

Great to see more people playing the game - and playing together at that!

Bag and bank space can be a hassle at first, and it's worth getting a few upgrades for it. The only thing you need to store in your bank is crafting items. The way the game gives out loot as quest rewards and random drops) means that you also don't need to carry too much extra gear with you, unless it's something you really want to wear.

Oh how fun to meet Bubba in the bank! It sounds like Julian is off to a great start. The inventory crunch gets better as you earn more gold and can upgrade your bank, pack, and even train your riding skills at any stable once a day for increased pack space if you choose.

Although I´m a single player kind of raven, admittedly it´s kinda cool to imagine playing directly together with people from these boards



But no, won´t happen anytime soon from my end

This post has been edited by mirocu: Sep 6 2016, 12:11 PM