3343

Kevin, that’s a perfect write up of how things seem to be. If I could go back in time I wouldn’t have purchased GW2 and ESO for the reasons you mention. If you’re only looking to kill some time they aren’t horrible ways to do it, but aren’t really rewarding experiences either. Maybe I’ll stumble into the unmarked places some of the people mention above and it will be a nice surprise. I’ll putz around with this for a while or play a bit when I want something simple.

Every combat I’ve had has been exceedingly easy, except for one where I got careless and waded into a group and got surrounded.

3344

So, I got my first character to level 50 in this, on the PS4.

its such a great game, and has such great exploration and its soooo pretty. When the sun is coming up behind the mountains, or over the sea, or the Lighthouse illuminates the coast at midnight, I take screenshots like crazy. REALLY enjoying this, and its a perfect match for a console.

Does anyone understand enlightenment at level 50? I must admit - I can’t wrap my head around it. At first I thought it was just rested XP, but it really isn’t. And it resets every day? What does that mean?

3345

Enlightenment basics:

  • It is rested exp, but it applies only to Champion Point gain. It does not apply to veteran ranks, or anything else
  • Every 24 hours, you get enough Enlightenment to speed progress of exactly one Champion Point. It speeds that progress by a factor of four
  • CP’s normally take 400k experience gained to earn one point. If your daily dose of ‘E’ is up, they take 100k
  • All forms of experience are equal. Enlightenment doesn’t care if you’re questing, grinding or doing PvP
  • E expires eventually. If you don’t use it, you lose it. However, you can ‘store’ up to 12 days/ points of E
  • You can see how much E you have, and your CP rank, by opening the UI (inventory, char sheet - anything) and mousehovering over the bar in the upper left

The system basically ensures that even casual players can gain champion points at a rate of one per day. You can get more than that, but the first point per day needs 100k experience gain, while all others are then 400k, until your E refreshes.

3346

For anyone curious, my wife got up to level 20 last night. She’s enjoying this immensely. The only thing that isn’t grabbing her yet is the crafting system.

3347

I’m only at lvl 13, though I’ve spent a lot of time just exploring.

As for crafting, I’ve figured out how to make weapons (bows) that are better than the drops. I haven’t quite figured out the researching part, yet. I researched one thing but nothing is selectable when I make a new bow. And I thought I figured out enchanting but I can’t enchant my bow with the weapon glyph I made. Not sure why. (maybe it’s the wrong level?)

3348

Crafting is pretty important, as you can make best-in-slot gear for most specs. You research new traits (e.g., sharpened, precise) for each specific weapon by consuming a weapon of that type with that trait. You can then make them if you have the right trait stone. Those stones are relatively common.

Here’s a guide:

http://elderscrollsonline.wiki.fextralife.com/Crafting

3349

I’ve only play a few hours of this and I was pleasantly surprised to get a genuine Elder Scrolls Game vibe. But it’s still weird to see 9 PCs standing around an NPC or a door to a new area or whatever. Part of me wished more games used the first Guild Wars idea of instancing the world and bring you back together in hub towns or cities.

3350

I kind of liked that GW thing but I always felt it was a bit too much like a single player game out in the instanced world. Ideally what I’d like to see (at least with the mediaeval fantasy type of MMO) is group hubs + instanced world, but with just a few random players in the instanced world. IOW, you might chance to meet up with them, or you might not. I think this would encourage teaming up, it would be more like a real adventure with a “hail fellow, well met” sort of vibe.

IOW, when you have too many people out in the world, they just become a vaguely-alive-feeling backdrop and it has that slightly silly, overcrowded MMO vibe. But if you only had maybe 3 random people in the instanced world, and they might meet up, or they might not, it would be much more real-seeming when you did meet up, and you might be more inclined to talk to them and team up.

3351

Creative Director Paul Sage has left ZeniMax Online. He is going to go to Gearbox.

3352

Research opens up the ability to slot a trait (such as “precise” or “impenetrable”) when you create items. In order to add a trait to a weapon or armor piece, you not only need to have finished researching it, but also have the corresponding gem. Just like you need Starmetal, Bone, etc. to make different racial styles, you need citrine, ruby, etc. to make different traits on items. One thing I can’t stress enough is ALWAYS BE RESEARCHING. Each trait you research for each item type doubles the length of time needed for the next trait. So you start out at 6 hours to research the first trait, then 12 hours for the second, 24 for the third, 2 days for the fourth, and so on. By the last couple of traits your research slot will be filled for weeks, which is why you can spend a skill point to open up an additional research slot later on. Never log out without all your research slots working for you if possible.

Great advice. I’d add only one thing. The best craftable gear at each level can be made at specific locations you have to discover in game. Scattered throughout each province are two or three locations (they start out unmarked, you have to explore to find them) where you will find a set of crafting stations in caves, tombs, towers, abandoned buildings, etc… When you use these stations, you’ll get the option to create weapons and armor belonging to a custom set. The more items from the set that you craft and equip, the bigger the bonuses can be. The best part is that these pieces are improvable and can have traits just like normal weapons and armor, so you can have a special armor set that you improve with tempers, slot a trait into with a gem, and apply an enchantment to, in addition to it’s set bonuses.

3353

Interesting, wonder what he’ll be working on there?

3354

Supposedly, they’ve been hiring people for Borderlands 3. It’s not confirmed what Paul Sage will work on, but that would make sense.

3355

The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel Unlimited is currently on sale for 75% off ($14.99) at GreenManGaming. That’s the lowest I’ve seen it. It’s also another $3 off if you use the 20%-off voucher# ITADEA-LGMGSA-LESVVC at checkout.

It’s Christmas in July. Now that I’ve picked up copies for both my wife and I, I’ll probably start asking all sorts of newbie questions here in the near future.

3356

It’s a great game, with a gorgeous world and plenty of exploration and things to discover. Enjoy! :-)

3357

Thanks for posting this. that is a cannot pass deal there.

3358

I just bought it. I couldn’t resist it at that price.

3359

Same, bought 2 copies.

3360

Sold out. Booo!

3361

Been drinking virtual healing potions for 30 years and ESO is the first game I had to watch a video to figure out how to drink them. Great job, Zenimax!

Otherwise, having a blast. Subbed for 3 months.

3362

I’ve picked this up on PS4, since there’s no subscription fee, which is nice.
It’s a fairly generic feeling MMO, although I do like the role that stealth and thievery plays in the game… I like that you can basically steal everything and rob everyone. It doesn’t quite capture the feeling of elder scrolls compared to the single player games, but it’s still cool. And it’s a no-sub game, while not feeling like a F2P title, so that’s pretty awesome.

One thing that is kind of funny is seeing folks constantly creeping around in a store, robbing the poor owner blind, always.