Significant changes are coming to The Elder Scrolls Online. In a letter from development head Matt Firor, he discusses the relocation of the European mega-server, major changes to the veteran system, and the next update.
Matt Firor reaches out to fans once a month to give players a preview of upcoming changes. It has been known for some time that significant changes were planned for the veteran system. However, the extent of these changes is becoming clear only now. One could speak of a rebirth of the game, referring to The Elder Scrolls Online Reborn. The MMO is undergoing a transformation.
Veteran Points Will Soon Be Abolished
According to Firor, the plan is to comprehensively change the player experience after reaching level 50 in three phases.
- Currently, we are in Phase 1. The difficulty of the zones will be reduced to allow players to progress even solo.
- In Phase 2 , veteran points will be abolished and replaced with regular experience points to continue progressing. Additionally, the experience gain through PvP will be significantly increased.
- In Phase 3 , a completely new system will be introduced that gives players opportunities to develop and customize their heroes. More details will be announced at Quakecon.
Mega Server Relocation at the End of July/Beginning of August
For European players, Firor has finally provided a more precise date for the relocation of the European mega-server to a data center in Frankfurt. The move is scheduled for the last week of July or the first week of August.
The Third Update Will Be a Guild Update
The next content update for The Elder Scrolls Online, following Kargstein and the Heart of Crypta patch, will focus on guilds. It should appear on the test server soon. On one hand, it will simplify the work of a guild leader and make it easier to create a clear structure within the guild with ranks and permissions. On the other hand, a new type of trading system will arrive in The Elder Scrolls Online with the Guild Casino.
Here, guilds can offer their goods to non-guild members as well. Apparently, there will be multiple NPCs that can be hired by different guilds. The auction of auctioneers, determining which guild will buy a merchant, will occur via blind bids .
With the third update, heraldry known from numerous other MMOs will also be introduced in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Item System Will Be Revamped
In the long term, Zenimax also plans to address the item system, which some players consider too boring. Players should find better items more frequently than what they are currently wearing. Additionally, armor visuals are set to become more distinct from one another. Armor colors will also arrive in Tamriel with the third update.
For the future, a system is announced that should make it easier for players to obtain set items more quickly. Quest rewards are also intended to be more logical and tailored to the hero’s class and skills.
Changes to Combat and Balance
Surprisingly, as it had never been properly mentioned before, Firor states that they also want to work on the combat system of The Elder Scrolls Online. Apparently, some animations and processes have come under the developers’ scrutiny. They aim to provide players with a smoother and more enjoyable experience. In battles, reacting to opponent actions will become more important.
In terms of balance changes, it is suggested that the werewolf, templar, and nightblade are to be further strengthened. For the dragonknight, they want to ensure post-nerfs that he remains fun and competitive.
Firor suggests in his letter to fans multiple times that major announcements will be made at Quakecon in Dallas.
Mein MMO says: This is quite a surprise that catches us a bit off guard, and we have been following the game for some time now. The details about the third update were clear. It was also known that they wanted to improve the items and endgame, the veteran system. However, how extensive this would be was not known. Here, Zenimax questions almost everything that was started three months after release. With changes to the combat system, they open another major construction site.
Implementing such significant changes in an MMO already in operation and after such a short period is relatively rare for AAA titles. Usually, such upheavals occur only with expansions, one or two years after release. The fact that they are already being discussed and are pending shows, on one hand, that Zenimax is listening to the players, and on the other hand, that many concepts did not function as intended.
Zenimax seems to have the unwavering goal of getting The Elder Scrolls Online in top shape for its release on Xbox One and PlayStation 4. PC players can only benefit from this. All changes appear, as far as we can tell, to make sense and have merit.
However, it would be desirable for the next changes to occur without larger bugs or lags plaguing the game for weeks. The last two changes to The Elder Scrolls Online sadly brought both technical difficulties for players.
You can read Matt Firor’s complete letter on the official site for TESO: elderscrollsonline.com
