Elder Scrolls: Online

[Vintage Paw]

It loaded fine for me when I wasn't already in a group or trying to load directly into Cyrodiil from the character screen.

There's a problem at the moment with the game crashing when people are added to a large group, and it happened over and over as we were forming our group. Of course, that means that you are stuck in Cyrodiil, and have to load directly into it, which can be very difficult if it's busy in your campaign. Asking to be kicked from the group helped, but it was still a pain.

 

[Vintage Paw]

In other news, I'm going to start up a little guild, just for friends to help keep in touch without having to type /tell and the name all the time. I was going to call it Urban Alliance, just cuz Anyway, it's nothing more than to make it easier to say hi, ask for help, maybe offload gear on each other, swap for deconstruction, chat, organise to have a roam in Cyrodiil to find skyshards etc... No obligations, just a central contact point really. If it does get above 10 then all the better for the guild bank.

I have a small (very small) handful of friends from flickr who are also playing, and I'll invite them too. I'll invite you both (and if there's anyone else here who's playing who hasn't piped up yet, let me know) and it's entirely up to you if you accept or not. It doesn't matter if you're not on the EU server much (Epona) - it's just a place to say hi as and when you are, or whatever.

 

[Epona]

Yeah I've been a bit lax on the EU server the last couple of days. My crafter on the NA server needed to do some catchup to be able to supply my PvP character adequately and got stuck on the Rites of the Queen quest (not because of a bug, but because I find that boss fight horrendously difficult for some reason) so I've been roaming around trying to find good places to grind xp without doing the faction quests out of order iyswim.

I will definitely be on the EU server a bit more once I've managed to get over that hump.

 

[Vintage Paw]

I'm hideously over levelled, without trying. Idk, I just explore a bit, kill everything in my path, explore a bit more, do the odd quest... I'm lvl 12 with my AD character and have lvl 7 quests still to do. I can't explain it. Nothing drops loot anymore

 

[Epona]

I'm hideously over levelled, without trying. Idk, I just explore a bit, kill everything in my path, explore a bit more, do the odd quest... I'm lvl 12 with my AD character and have lvl 7 quests still to do. I can't explain it. Nothing drops loot anymore

I have a sneaking suspicion that it is due to the AD being massively popular on the NA server, if something spawns it lasts about a microsecond before being obliterated. I was in Del's Claim in the early hours of this morning and even at that time there was a massive amount of people camping the boss. I was there for about half an hour til I managed to hit him to get xp/loot and clear the dungeon! I can wander for miles without seeing anything much to kill, hence me looking for somewhere to camp (probably along with everyone else in the zone)

 

[Vintage Paw]

Have either of you played since patching today (on the EU server)?

I haven't patched yet. I'm watching reddit and the official forums. It's not a pretty sight.

It's asking for you to verify your account with an authorisation code it will email you. But the email doesn't arrive. For ages. Then it does. But it's expired. So it locks you out of your account.

Or, for some lucky people, they manage to get in. But if you zone anywhere that requires a loading screen you get disconnected with 'an unknown error'. Also, friends lists are empty, guild lists are empty, mail is all deleted, and people are losing all their bank slots they've upgraded.

I'll wait for the dust to settle and play something else tonight. Shame, I've not had a chance to play at all really today.

 

[Epona]

Yes I have, and it's fine. It was a bit of a balls-up at Zenimax's end, but not quite apocalyptic. They did the server maintenance, brought the server back online, but it seems as though they forgot to put up the patch so no-one could patch or log in
Unfortunately every time they patch we seem to have to get a new authentication code - cue however many people trying to log in at the exact same time, and mail being delayed. It took me about 30 minutes waiting for my code e-mail, but it was still valid by the time I got it, I just had to be patient. If people are retrying every 10 minutes when they haven't had the previous code, then when they get the first e-mail through the code is invalid because they were already sent a new one. It's constantly trying to log in without waiting for the email to come through that locks the account. I just waited for the inital one and was able to use that without issue once it eventually came through.

Tbh it's a stupid way of doing things if everyone has to wait for an e-mail to get back into the game after a patch because they are going to take a while to come through to people, I hope they look into it because it has caused no end of problems.

 

[Vintage Paw]

I don't think it was as simple as people not waiting and getting impatient. Seems plenty were just waiting for their email, and when it finally came it wouldn't work. Some got lucky, lots didn't.

They need to sort out when they do maintenance. It stands to reason that if you do it during peak hours and bring the server back online while it's still peak hours, everyone is going to rush in at the same time. Far better to do it when it's quiet, so people start coming back in in dribs and drabs rather than all at once. I hope they sort that out once the server is moved over here.

And then of course the 'unknown error' that was stopping people from being able to zone anywhere, and the missing bank slots (always accompanied with a second (or third) email welcoming them to the game and giving them their bonus items again).

Anyway, after 11-ish I opened the launcher. I figured it'd be quieter then. It patched, and I pressed play. I saw my version number hadn't updated again (it didn't after the last patch either), so I exited and repaired. It still didn't update the version number, so I wonder if it's not meant to? We're supposed to be on client version 1.0.2 but mine is still 1.0.0.9something. idk.

Anyway, I was able to log in just fine. It didn't ask me for authentication either, so no email worries at all. And no errors when zoning. But it's quiet as hell there, so it's to be expected.

I just think they're having massive problems with high populations. There's got to be something wrong that kicks it all off, but it's not a big problem until there are a lot of people all at once doing something, maybe.

Apart from the bank bug. That's their servers identifying the account as being new and logging in for the first time... hence sending the welcome email and resetting the bank. Seems some can still access the bank with other characters, just not the one they were on at the time.

Really fucking weird.

 

[Epona]

They do need to get these issues sorted out. Yesterday before the maintenance I was having trouble logging in so absolutely it is being problematic for a variety of different reasons.

I just did Toothmaul Gully, I know from the journal clues that there is supposed to be a skyshard in there, but I couldn't bloody find it. There were times when I could hear it mind you, I think I'm going to have to look up where it is and go back for it, sometimes they don't always glow for me and those goblins & durzogs were respawning in groups all around me, it got a bit hectic to say the least

Edit: The EU server is down again whilst they try to fix login issues.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

WoW's regular maintenance window was something like 5am-11am on a Wednesday morning, so they didn't piss off too many people wanting to play at that time.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

My launcher just downloaded a really small patch, then I was able to login without any additional authentication - version number is still 1.0.0.9. I guess they've rolled the patch back until they can fix it.

 

[Epona]

Someone from the guild I am in came and helped me with Norion - I had gained a couple of levels since I last tried him, and with 2 of us we dispatched him before he had a chance to raise his summons (which was always the point where it went horribly wrong for me before).
I don't know what it is that I find so difficult about that particular fight, it's like it is in my gaming blind spot or something.

 

[Vintage Paw]

I must have been overlevelled for that quest. I'd heard from beta that it was a spike in difficulty, but I found it quite easy. What was it, a level 7/8 quest? I must have done it at around 9 or 10 I think.

Buddy - that thing with the version number, I don't think they actually update it to what they say the version they're patching to is. My version number hasn't changed over at least the past two patches. I have no idea what it's meant to be, whether the 1.0.0.9something is correct, or whether it's just not updating the numbers, or what. I guess if the game works it doesn't much matter though.

 

[Epona]

Vintage Paw - I think the most likely explanation is that I am just shit at games

 

[Buddy Bradley]

My launcher just downloaded a really small patch, then I was able to login without any additional authentication - version number is still 1.0.0.9. I guess they've rolled the patch back until they can fix it.

But now when I login, I get the prompt about unauthorized access and enter a code. Which hasn't been sent.

Edit: Arrived within 10 minutes, so

 

[Epona]

Well today so far I have given Gutstripper a good smacking for the times he took me out in beta (he's really easy now!), and I managed to summon up enough German to tell someone (in German) that my German was not very good and we still had a chat and made friends. (((EU Server))).

 

[Vintage Paw]

Yeah, Gutstripper has been made too easy now I think. He was a good early challenge to make sure you were blocking and dodging and thinking about things. Oh well, I'm sure there are others

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Tried to play a little tonight in my hotel room on a not-that-old MacBook Pro, but it's basically unplayable - even on Medium-to-Low settings it's so laggy that you can't see what you're about to run into.

 

[Epona]

At the moment I am spending a good deal of time doing 'The Inventory Tango' - I believe it bears some relation to The Fishstick, but is far more complex and must have come from a mind more touched and sadistic than the Mad God himself.

 

[poului]

My current internet connection's a bit unpredictable and can drop every so often. Would this make the game unplayable?

 

[poului]

My current internet connection's a bit unpredictable and can drop every so often. Would this make the game unplayable?

Just read the official website. Answer is yes.

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Got home a bit fucked off with the game after it being unplayable on my not-yet-2-year-old laptop, and not missing playing all week much. Then did a couple of hours investigating unmapped areas, discovered two special crafting areas, and remembered that when it's good, it's awesome.

 

[Epona]

My current internet connection's a bit unpredictable and can drop every so often. Would this make the game unplayable?

How often do you lose connection? If it's every 10 minutes for a couple of seconds then that is going to be annoying to the point of any online/mp game being unplayable - if like mine it's once every few days then it will occasionally interrupt a quest so that when you log back in you might (sometimes, not always) have to restart that particular segment of the quest, and of course it is annoying if it drops when you are grouped or in PvP, but it's not unplayable by any means.

Depends on how frequently it is interrupted.

 

[Bernie Gunther]

So what's the score with taking territory? I've read some stuff that implies that if you're a crafter wanting to sell stuff and don't want to be hawking it in local chat, you need to be in a strong guild that can take a keep in Cyrodiil so that you can set up a guild market?

Is keep ownership relatively stable, e.g. like Eve outposts that typically stay owned by the same crew for months or years, or is it more like GW2 keeps, changing hands 2-4 times a day?

 

[Vintage Paw]

It depends on your campaign, Bernie. Keeps nearest your faction's gates will be the ones most likely to stay stable, but if you happen to have a run of bad luck with some really coordinated attacks from a rival faction's guilds you can lose the lot in an evening. The way it works is that when you capture a resource/keep someone from your guild has to be the first to get to the quartermaster (I think it's the quartermaster) and claim that resource/keep for your guild. It can be hit or miss whether you get it or not though - since you're in the midst of a really fucking chaotic battle while you're trying to cap the resource/keep, and then it's a rush to see who can get to them first. Nothing is guaranteed, and it's a system that rewards very tight organisation.

There are, however, dedicated crafting and trading guilds. You can join 5 guilds in total, so joining a couple of those would give you access to their guild store via the guild menu. You won't be selling to the general public in this way, but you'll be selling to people who are members of that guild. It doesn't even have to be a specific crafting or trading guild - if you make a name for yourself as a good and reliable crafter who can craft all levels of X type of gear, then you can quite happily sell to your normal guild mates if you're in a decent sized players guild.

There are also a few trading websites that have been set up. I don't know how successful they are right now, but check out the subreddit /r/elderscrollsonline and in the sidebar there are links to a couple of them.

It is an awkward system, and I believe they do want to expand on it as time goes on, but as it stands right now you do either have to try to sell in /zone or join a guild and deal with the various methods there. There aren't enough people in the veteran ranks yet to know what the economy and crafting will be like once a large bulk of people have gone through the first third of levelling, so it remains to be seen how the trading and crafting community evolves.

I thought it would be a massive detriment because I've generally relied on easy access to an AH in other games, but I haven't found it a problem at all. Crafting is accessible to everyone, although it requires skill points in it to carry on crafting level appropriate stuff past level 14. But then, I'm only crafting for myself right now. Once I get to higher levels I'll look at what I can do for my guild, but atm I'm still learning the game and want to focus on my own experience in that regard.

 

[Vintage Paw]

Well, Reddithium have changed their home campaign to Dawnbreaker, because it really was no fun not owning a single, solitary keep since launch. We had a mini pvp event in there tonight and it was much more fun. I'm level 14 now and I can pull my weight a bit more. It's amazing how just a couple of levels can alter how powerful and competent you feel to such a degree. I was able to chase down and kill people in their 30s earlier, on my own. And I took on VR players with someone else and we walked away from it with another kill under our belt. I still died twice (avoid the oil, seriously, avoid the oil), and I was only in there for an hour or so, but it feels really good. Hopefully now we have more of a presence I'll be able to venture in there and do some of the PvE quests, and I really want to get a group together to go exploring dungeons and hunting skyshards.

I ran through Toothmaul Gully earlier. I only found one of the champions despite doubling back on myself endless times. I'm overlevelled for it, and I was able to take the champ myself, and mobs of 4 or 5 didn't bother me (it's something like level 9 I think, although public group dungeons are harder than usual). I far prefer Crow's Wood in EP - it seems easier to navigate, tbh. I haven't tried the DC first tier public dungeon yet.

I've got a set of the Night's Silence special gear on, which gives 40% health regen when hidden. It's quite nice. I'm still maybe about 1/2 way through Auridon, and I'm looking forward - with some trepidation - to getting a group together to do Banished Cells soon too. It's for level 12 but I'd rather be overlevelled and get gear I can't use and less XP than run my first ever private dungeon and wipe at every possible opportunity.

I've no idea when they're moving the EU server to Europe, but I'm hopeful it'll sort out the random lag I get. I don't lag all the time, and when I do it's never really disastrous, but it's annoying when it does happen.

Oh, and I crashed in Cyrodiil earlier. Everyone just stood still, while I could still move around (player movement is handled client side, so you can move while nothing else happens through interaction with the server), and eventually the crash report window came up. No idea why it happened. I wasn't getting lag, I turn down shadows and water reflections and draw distance while in there to avoid bad fps, but perhaps it was just being fussy.

 

[Vintage Paw]

Here's my plucky, scrappy, punky little bosmer with her nice new gear:

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Well that jack certainly looks like it provides maximum protection of important areas...

 

[Buddy Bradley]

Here's me at the moment, with a couple of hand-crafted enchanted daggers:

 

[Epona]

Sports bra of Night's Silence

I might joke but I love how all the styles look different, once you have learned a few motifs you can get a wide variety of appearance in your gear. I am particularly liking the Bosmer heavy armour cuirass at the moment

Edit: Ok I'm going to take some screenshots of my characters!