In an interview on the sidelines of E3, the head behind the development of the fantasy MMO The Elder Scrolls Online, Matt Firor, talked about the stress after the launch, the adjustment of the PvP campaigns, and how the players continue to surprise him.
In a conversation with the English site mmorpg.com, a visibly relaxed Matt Firor discussed how The Elder Scrolls Online has been developing.
Seven weeks after the launch, the operation is now running smoothly. The game is developing well. And, Firor says with a smile: “We are all getting sleep again.” At the moment, the team is focused on balancing the game and, of course, new content. A small fix is due every week and a larger patch every 4-6 weeks.
Players surprise designers: Instead of 4-player groups, hordes of players in Kargstein
While the first content patch with Kargstein introduced a new zone, the second update will feature a veteran dungeon, the Crypt of Hearts, as well as some changes. Most further updates will follow this pattern: new content, new systems in the game, and some improvements. In the veteran dungeons, the story from the normal versions of the instances will be retold.
How the players reacted to Kargstein was a surprise for Firor. While they designed the zone, they had 4-player groups in mind, who would venture into the Trials and gradually conquer the zone. In reality, however, groups of 20 players rushed through the zone at launch, steamrolling everything. This was unexpected, but: “That’s great. As long as the players are having fun and are rewarded, that’s fine,” said Firor.
PvP campaigns change in summer – Firor himself a fan of the 90-day campaign
When asked about the change of the PvP campaigns, Firor indicates that he is a fan of the long campaigns lasting 90 days. This aligns with his personal playstyle. “The same people are always there, and you defend your fortress. When a campaign lasts only two days, it’s all more about bonuses.” However, Firor understands that many players are also hoping for shorter campaigns.
With the announced changes to the campaign, this time they already went to the forum during the planning phase to go through some ideas with the players. The feedback from the players has been overwhelmingly positive, with the adjustment of the campaigns planned for summer.
