Elder Scrolls: Online

[Epona]

I haven't got very far into a new game yet - I'm with my level 8 Dunmer trying to beat up some level 10 Nords in Ebonheart. Whilst I'm drunk. It is not going according to plan. (Unless I pretend that the plan is to end with me face down on the ground, resurrecting at a wayshrine, and going to get all my gear repaired - yes that absolutely WAS my intention!)

I have a character (Imperial) who is just out of coldharbour in Daggerfall.
I'm not sure they've done 'skip the start' right tbh - it's not done for the benefit of those of us who want to wander round picking plants and come back to the quest later. I worry it's more for the 'ugh, why do I have to read dialogue, why is there a story, what are quests, I just want to kill stuff - only just started but why aren't I max level yet and where is the endgame' type player.

Not that I have got that far with my new character yet, I will come back and give a proper answer once I've actually got that far.

 

[Epona]

Is there really any reason to strongly encourage players to go back and do them? If they don't do anything to specifically introduce particular aspects of gameplay, or fill in necessary parts of the main quest, then skipping it won't really matter, will it?

Skyshards. The fact that you level quicker by questing and exploration than killing mobs - I would imagine that is enough to keep some people doing the start islands. But possibly for a lot of people only if they are directed there and told -> Levelling is to be had in this direction.

You know what, without a huge surge of people going through there in the first day or so, it's going to be an absolute dream collecting low level crafting materials in those zones.

 

[Radar]

Radar has now had his tea, so I can go back to gaming without a cat in horrid bitey mode attached to me. My other cats aren't like this, he's just a little sod. Love him dearly mind you, but he's not the easiest pet bless him!

Meow

 

[Vintage Paw]

There are still a fair few people on Stros M'kai, most on white horses so they're bound to know

So, can anyone confirm with a new character... I don't have the 'World' skill tab anymore. So I can't slot the soul gem filling power thing. This is... odd.

 

[Radar]

Oh FFS.. Now the launcher has gone spastic and is insisting on downloading Gigs and Gigs of data. I'm currently at the parents place in paddyland with a bit of wet bailing twine for my broadband connection

 

[Vintage Paw]

Okay, it's saying it's a mage's guild skill. But... but... the World skill line - with all the soul skills - was always there from the start, wasn't it? The mages guild line is separate.

Oh FFS.. Now the launcher has gone spastic and is insisting on downloading Gigs and Gigs of data. I'm currently at the parents place in paddyland with a bit of wet bailing twine for my broadband connection

Aw crap, sorry It's really just not working well for people. You should make sure you give them feedback on this.

 

[Vintage Paw]

And yeah, I have the bug where I can't use esc

Edit: If your esc key breaks, type /logout and you'll be taken back to character select. That will fix it. For now.

 

[Epona]

Meow

Right, since you currently seem to be understanding writing, we have to have a word about your utterly obnoxious behaviour.... hmm - somehow I do not think you are small, fluffy, white with black spots, and filled to the brim with bitey teeth and grabby claws. It's that Radar I want to be having words with!

 

[Epona]

Okay, it's saying it's a mage's guild skill. But... but... the World skill line - with all the soul skills - was always there from the start, wasn't it? The mages guild line is separate.

Oh I hadn't checked that. Soul trap is kind of important, even if you never use any other skill in that tree. But yeah it used to be a World Skill that levelled up according to your progression along the main quest.

I hadn't even looked to see where it is now!

 

[Vintage Paw]

Is yours there, Epona?

I asked in zone and they said they had theirs. I've asked on reddit, and one person so far has replied, and said that they thought it was a requirement to finish the tutorial in coldharbour... well i did... but I did make this character last beta and she's been sat in her cell until today, when i obviously took her through.

But it's just missing! This is... awful!

 

[Epona]

I was in the middle of a quest with my Dunmer and it seems to have gone. Guess that it has been changed in some way and I have to restart it somehow.

 

[Vintage Paw]

Well I just started a brand new character and it's not there. I wonder if it's tied to the Mage's Guild now or something. But it was always useful because it had a point in it from the beginning.

This is very odd.

 

[Epona]

Is yours there, Epona?

I asked in zone and they said they had theirs. I've asked on reddit, and one person so far has replied, and said that they thought it was a requirement to finish the tutorial in coldharbour... well i did... but I did make this character last beta and she's been sat in her cell until today, when i obviously took her through.

But it's just missing! This is... awful!

Sorry, I was away from the computer for a bit. I checked the character I started today, and one I started last session, and they both have soul trap under World Magic in their skills.

If you don't have it, I can only think that you must have been subject to an odd glitch due to your character still being in prison last beta - they probably changed the point in the quest at which you gain that line of magic and you missed out by being somewhere between the old point and the new one It used to come up as you entered Tamriel - "You are now a conjurer in Soul Magic" came up on screen as you first loaded into the real world, and that is when that skill line became available.

Edit: but if you just started a new character and that one doesn't have it either - how far have you got with that character? It always used to be gained as you entered Tamriel for the first time, either just before or just after after speaking to The Prophet (or his projection) and he tells you to look for the Harbourage.

If your character is 'out in the world' and doesn't have that skill line at all, definitely report it using /bug

 

[Vintage Paw]

That'll be why. I never saw the prophet. He never turned up in Daggerfall. I just assumed he didn't now.

I've just completed Coldharbour with my new new character, and he was there.

Well that sucks.

 

[Epona]

I gave feedback about the new start. Vintage Paw - although I was sort of in favour (for IMO the right reasons, if only it had been done the way I think it should), now I have tried it I think it's not so good and you were right. My feedback was along the lines that although I am in favour of free exploration, they shouldn't ever, ever, apologise for having a story.

 

[Vintage Paw]

I completely agree, Epona.

So, I started yet another character, DC again. I skipped the tutorial so I could see what happens with the prophet. He wasn't there again. I wonder, might I ask a huge favour - would you start a quick throwaway character, skip straight to Daggerfall, and tell me if the prophet is there for you? I'm remaking her... again... and not skipping the tutorial this time. (I'm getting sick of it now though!)... so let's see if third time is the charm.

 

[Vintage Paw]

Okay, don't worry. I started her again... went through the tutorial... again... and the prophet turned up this time.

So that's a bug.

I'll send a report.

 

[Epona]

Cool - I will try it myself later, just putting food in the husband and cats.

I was just part of a large group and it was absolutely fucking mental. We grouped up, I died, we got back together, closed a dark anchor (I got loads of goodies off the boss), then someone shared a quest with me, then I fell off a cliff into a river of lava and died. Almost comical Not quite a great big glowing arrow and dunce cap, but near enough. Great fun though

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Main computer download is at a whopping 10% after being left on overnight.

Then I remembered that I'd actually downloaded most of the update on my laptop currently patching that (about 1.5 hours I reckon), then hopefully I can play while the PC finishes downloading.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Managed to play for a bit, but it's being a bit laggy for me at the moment, plus my laptop is barely coping on Medium graphics, so I'm just going to wait for this download to finish.

Duh, why didn't I think of this earlier? I can just copy the game files over from my laptop to the desktop - that should work, and then I can play on a 27" screen instead of a 13" one.

 

[Vintage Paw]

HUGE thread on reddit where almost everyone agrees that they should have done the starter island skip the other way around (just like we said!!) - so you go to the starter island but get the option to skip.

HUGE.

But there are also a lot of people complaining that the weapon racks were taken out of Coldharbour, despite the fact that you ending up with some crappy sword is the TES way

In my multiple *sobs* runs of Coldharbour yesterday I ended up with loads of different weapons, and always had the one I wanted by the undercroft.

 

[Epona]

Weird - not sure if this is part of the same problem you were having VP, but my new DC character does not have "The Harbourage" quest :/

 

[Vintage Paw]

Did you meet the prophet when you landed in Daggerfall? I don't have it either. Doesn't he come to you later and say he's found somewhere you can meet, and then the harbourage quest comes up?

Gawd, I can't remember what order things are meant to happen in.

 

[Epona]

Ah yes possible we get that later. My brain is not in the best state today, based on me being in a bit of a state last night (as much lack of sleep as beer, but not a good combination)!

 

[Vintage Paw]

I admit I wasn't having that great a time myself yesterday. A combination of the awkward issues I was having with the prophet, the change to the way the starter islands work, and trying to get to grips with my new mouse (it's one of those fancy ones with a ton of side buttons - it's going to take a lot of getting used to - I'll play a lot of GW2 after this beta has finished so I can get better before launch) - but I'm having more fun today. I'm still on Stros M'kai I'll probably be there forever. I have a horse, but I never use it.

I've also put a point into keen eye for alchemy. I don't really like the quickslot set up, so I haven't used potions too much, but I thought I'd give it a go since it's really the only one I haven't focused on too much. And man, that keen eye really, really helps. It's probably the only one I'll put it into, to be honest, because they are so difficult to spot (for me, anyway!).

 

[Buddy Bradley]

I had the same Prophet-less DC start as you describe, Vintage Paw - I even wandered over to the Harborage on my own but it wouldn't let me enter. I seem to remember that you get the actual quest later on, though - the initial 'landing' interaction with him is just to finish off the Coldharbour storyline.

Is it just me or does the game seem a LOT more buggy and crashy than any of the previous beta weekends? I've had multiple crashes and had to report a ton of bugs in just a few hours of playing.

 

[Epona]

I'm now having problems remembering which slots my abilities are in - just randomly hitting buttons and hoping something happens (besides me dying that is!)

 

[Vintage Paw]

Oh dear, it seems that a bunch of quests that were previously bugged are still bugged.

I've found my first. Tormented Souls on Betnihk (or whatever it's called). Drusilla doesn't spawn. Forums suggest it's happening for everyone and it is an old problem.

Man. This sucks.

 

[Epona]

I can't believe how unbelievably bad I am at this game
The worst thing is I don't seem to be getting any better at it, still dying regularly. I really think just having gaps between the betas I sort of de-level between them in terms of my own skills. Mind you games that are too easy can be boring (although sometimes I'll be in the mood for something nice and unchallenging, you know how it is).
I am currently doing a bit of grinding to get to the next level and practice a bit at my combat reactions on stuff I know I can kill OK. You don't get a lot of XP doing it, but I think the practice itself is going to help me sharpen up a bit regardless. Finally decided to bite the bullet and get used to 3rd person, it's not as though I don't play other 3rd person games after all! I've also put my Dunmer Nightblade in heavy armour for a bit more survivability, it doesn't seem to make a vast difference in terms of stealth, and wearing a piece of medium armour too so that skill is leveling as well, make it easier to switch back at a later point. And I've asked my parents for a new keyboard for my birthday, it really doesn't help that this one has suffered a few spillages and some of the keys stick a bit

I've hit a few bugs, again with stuff not spawning. Really hope they get it fixed!

I can't express how much I love the game though, just wandering round and looking at the scenery and finding new places is great fun (love the Argonian village outside of Ebonheart, you were right to tell me to go and have a look Vintage Paw. Roll on early access...

 

[Vintage Paw]

I got a bit grumpy with the broken quests on Betnikh, so I ditched my templar for now (also wasn't feeling that great about the choice of class and weapon... I went templar with 2h... idk, I didn't know what to do with armour... I'll have to give that whole thing more thought).

I've started a kitty nightblade. She's dual wielding for now. Well, forever because she'll never get to 15 this weekend now. However, she's levelling up astonishingly well. Probably got something to do with the fact that AD has the emperor right now and I have all sorts of bonuses! Plus I found a bunch of recipes and a racial motif all in one room - whereas with my templar I didn't find any motifs and only one recipe. I was getting better with alchemy though.