Matt Firor, the head behind the fantasy MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online, has commented on the current state of TESO: The dyeing of armor will soon come to the game, the EU server will be moved to Frankfurt am Main this summer, and the new patch is now open to all on the test server.
Firor announces he will break from some design concepts of TESO. He plans to introduce stronger items that will also be harder to obtain, and to focus heavily on the veteran ranks again.
Firor began his letter to the fans by thanking them for all the praise, but also for the criticism of the game. This shows that The Elder Scrolls Online has built a passionate and vibrant community with many players who care about the game.
Nerfs and Balances: Dragonknight down, Nightblade up
In balancing, the focus is on the Dragonknight. At the moment, he is still too strong, especially regarding his survivability. However, contrary to contrary rumors from the community, they want to exercise moderation and not overdo it. In general, that is the most important thing when balancing.
On the other side of the balance pendulum is the Nightblade, which Firor himself plays primarily. Some players still find it too weak, and they want to improve it.
Another balance issue was the nerf of the “Harsh Strikes” ability of the Templar in the last patch, which was not mentioned in the patch notes. Firor apologized for that, saying it was unintentional.
In the case of “Harsh Strikes”, the cast time was increased so much that some Templars believed they had permanent lag. In reality, it was just a nerf that players could not explain.
The European EU Server and the Campaigns
The European mega server is still located in the USA. A sensitive topic, as gamers suspect this to be the cause of lag. Firor reiterates that they aim to move the server to Europe as soon as possible. However, he does not provide an exact date. “Sometime this summer,” he says.
Another sensitive issue is the PvP campaigns lasting 90 days. After two-thirds of the time have now passed, they are reconsidering the system and want to include fans in the discussions.
Test Server for Everyone and Patch 1.2: Crypt of Hearts and the FOV Slider Coming
After there were complaints from the community about the Kargstein update not being properly tested, Zenimax has already indicated that they will open the test server to everyone.
Firor invites players to test Patch 1.2 on the test servers. They can create a high-level character for this purpose. The preliminary patch notes for 1.2 are also available.
Highlights of the patch are:
- The Crypt of Hearts – a new veteran dungeon for players with veteran rank 12
- The introduction of a field-of-view slider, allowing players to customize their field of view.
- The ability to pick up and take armors and weapons seen in the world; the weapons will have a value of 0 gold, but can be upgraded.
- A revamp of the interior lighting aimed at allowing for even more beautiful graphics effects.
The German patch notes for 1.2 can be found here.
Outlook for 1.3: Dyeable Armor and Improved Phasing
At the end of the letter, Firor allows a glimpse beyond 1.2. With 1.3, sometime in July, players will be able to dye their armor. He also wants to introduce guild emblems and weapon capes. A revamp of the smallest dungeons is also on the agenda.
Phasing issues will also be addressed. This will happen gradually. Currently, some players complain about issues in group play because group members disappear into other phases and become invisible. According to Firor, these players will experience fewer difficulties as the summer progresses.
Long-term improvement of veteran content: Also with stronger items
As a last point, Firor addresses the sensitive topic of veteran ranks. The tedious gameplay after reaching level 50 has been identified by many testers (ourselves included) as a weak point of The Elder Scrolls Online.
There will be a special focus on this in the long term. It must be, as Firor says, just as exciting to level up the veteran ranks as the normal levels. Therefore, they want to give players more points so they can further customize their heroes.
In veteran dungeons, it will also be possible to assume the level of the leader – a concept that is gaining traction in modern MMOs. Additionally, further endgame content is announced. A new trial will soon open in Kargstein.
Moreover, they are breaking away from the previously rather rigid item system and want to introduce items that are harder to obtain but also more powerful.
Mein MMO says: The patch notes suggest that Zenimax is aware of the players’ problems. The changes in the veteran system, in the campaigns, and in phasing sound good.
Interestingly, they are already stepping back from some design concepts. The “stronger” weapons mentioned by Firor are not currently planned within the item system, which has also led to problems. Without better items of the same level, they had to raise the level cap with every content patch to allow players to further enhance their character.
However, it would have been nice to have a more precise date for the EU server… for two months now, they have been telling players that it is the highest priority, is coming soon, and it is really “soon”. A statement that this will happen sometime in the summer sounds rather like a step back to our ears. Because summer is still long.
