Questions for ESO

danwest58

What is the crafting like in ESO?  Is the stuff a person crafts in ESO sell a lot in the game?

What is End Game like on the PVE side?

Leiloni

The crafting in ESO is awesome and way too complicated for a simple forum post so for more details I'll suggest you Google it a bit for more info on the extensive system. But to answer your question, yes it sells well, both final gear as well as the components. Gear for both leveling as well as endgame is primarily earned via crafting. You can of course earn gear via instanced PvE content and PvP as well, but many players use at least some or all crafted pieces (the only stuff you can't craft is oddly, jewelry). 

Endgame PvE I haven't done much of since I just got there, but they have hardmode dungeons including rewarding dailies for this that gets people to actually participate, trials which are 12 man raids (but mostly just the boss fight, not WoW style) and these have leaderboards as well for some PVE competition. There's also a solo PvE arena (I think this also has a leaderboard?), world bosses, public dungeons, etc.

Kajidourden

Everything Leiloni said is correct. 
For crafting: I will add that there is a "research" system where you learn traits for the items you craft in order to further customize them as well as a "motif" system where you can choose from a ton of different styles or looks (you collect motifs as you play, from looting chests, drawers, etc or by buying them from other players).  So you don't just craft a "leather armor", you craft a leather armor with the training trait (which increases kill XP) or the "reinforced" trait which increases the base defense of the armor.  You also do it in a "style", and each race has it's own style which are the basic motifs.  From there you unlock things like akaviri, ancient elf, etc.

Endgame PvE has similar functions to a lot of other MMOs as mentioned, but because of the champion point system and the fact that you're not locked into any role and that there are an incredible amount of skill points available you never REALLY stop growing.  And hell even if you do, by that time you will want to start an alt lol.  Every class can fill all three roles depending on your build, and you can equip any weapon/armor type.

The combat is also very good.  It keeps you actively engaged without becoming a two-button masher.

danwest58

Now is there an optional subscription to ESO like SWTOR has?  If so how does it work?  

Leiloni

danwest58 said:

Now is there an optional subscription to ESO like SWTOR has?  If so how does it work?  

Well the game is B2P so you get the base game (minus the DLC's) for the box price, no gimmicks or limits or anything. The optional sub gives you a few benefits like extra xp and gold gained, a crafting bag which saves you a ton of inventory and bank space on crafting supplies, 1500 Crowns (the cash shop currency), and access to all DLC content while you have a subscription active. Worth noting that it's only $15 and 1500 Crowns purchased on the website directly is also $15, so the sub is an amazing deal.

You can also purchase the DLC's separately if you want access to that content forever, if you let the sub run out. And there's also a cash shop with stuff like cosmetics, xp boost, etc.

SaunZ

ESO crafting is awesome!  I usually don't like crafting because the gear is not relevant until the end when you have leveled crafting up very high.  However, in ESO the crafted items are better than the pve and pvp items while you are leveling.  It is nice to always update your gear with the mats you find and make new gear with the mats, unlike all those games where you just craft and destroy and can't sell or wear.  ESO crafting is a blast, relevant and the crafting dailies are actually fun!

ESO is B2P with a sub option.  I like the sub option because you get a few nice perks.  The crafting bag is awesome!  It holds ALL of your crafting mats across all professions and account toons!!  It has got to be the best crafting bag in the universe!!

Have fun!

Sz  

LIOKI

Is it just me or is finding the materials to craft items difficult? I think I'm doing it wrong! For instance I want to craft some heavy armor and need iron ore, I go out in the world and look for ore to mine, about an hour or so later I finally have enough to make one item. What am I missing here? Or is this how it is?

rodingo

danwest58 said:

Is the stuff a person crafts in ESO sell a lot in the game?

Just know that there isn't a global auction house.  Some like that idea, some do not.  I'm sure there will be others here to discuss the merits of having a trading guild versus an AH.  I'm neither for or against their set up but I thought you should know.

Hellidol

I asked this question a few days ago, got NO kind of an answer. I have no idea wtf you even do in this game, level and make generic stuff?

Kajidourden

@Lioki ;There is a skill in each crafting line called "Keen eye" that will make the nodes glow from a distance dependent upon how many skill points you dump into it.  Nodes are usually pretty cleverly placed amongst the grass/trees and it can be especially difficult if you don't know what something looks like. Ore and Wood nodes are less difficult to spot but still tucked away %50 of the time.
All that said I didn't get keen eye until maybe level 30 and just dealt with it lol.  The other thing you can do is take your drops and deconstruct them.  This will not only give you resources but also levels your craft! 

LIOKI

rodingo said:

danwest58 said:

Is the stuff a person crafts in ESO sell a lot in the game?

Just know that there isn't a global auction house.  Some like that idea, some do not.  I'm sure there will be others here to discuss the merits of having a trading guild versus an AH.  I'm neither for or against their set up but I thought you should know.

I find this odd and limiting.

Belonging to multiple guilds at the same time is weird too. Not game breaking, but it disconnects me from any of the guilds I am in. Personal issue though as others have no problem with this type of setup at all.

 I played at launch until level 35 and quit due to things IRL, but I logged back in recently and got a few friends logging back in now so I am also curious about crafting and if it's worthwhile to invest the time into.

Octagon7711

Crafting in ESO is great except when it comes to inventory.  The game encourages exploration and collecting yet gives you very little space for storage.  Storage space is expensive and as you make more money you will be able to afford it but only little in the early stages of the game.  Most serious crafters were forced to create lots of mules just for the purpose of having a larger inventory.  Now if you sub you get dedicated inventory space for crafting, something that most games don't do, but it is what it is.  

Crafting is worth it as you can make your own gear sets then complain about content being to easy.  I refused to play the inventory management mini game and was able to play without crafting using gear I picked up from quests and drops and did just fine.  In fact I found it more of a challenge that way added to the enjoyment of the game for me.

Having no central auction house and just using guilds for trading is a different animal.

Kajidourden

I have heard that people who are serious crafters have an issue with storage/bag space....let me just offer up this:  I am maxed out on all crafts (except enchanting working on that one) and leveled all my crafts AS I leveled my character.  I did not at any point need to spend crowns on any kind of expansion. 
Granted, I spent all of my gold on bag expansions, but honestly what else are you going to spend that money on as a noob?  If you're crafting you can make your own gear.
The way you do this is you only keep your current level of materials around.  When you surpass a tier, sell off the mats.  This will not only free space but make you money for your bag expansions.  It's especially good when you can sell raw unprocessed mats, as the capped players with lots of gold will buy that for a nice price in order to level their crafting.
Does this require inventory management?  Of course, but it's not like you will be doing this every 5 minutes ala Diablo AND this is assuming you're a crazy person like me and leveling ALL crafts at the same time as you level up.

gervaise1

danwest58 said:

Now is there an optional subscription to ESO like SWTOR has?  If so how does it work?  

ESO is not e.g. SWTOR with lots of blocks or e.g. LotR with lots of grind allowing you to earn in-game currency. As far as xp gain etc. goes the game plays - for all intents and purposes - as it did when it had a sub.   

As far as cost goes: the game - less the DLCs - is not a lot currently (varies by country and platform).  

Downstream - if you decide to buy the DLCs you will need to buy the store "crowns". Cheaper to buy in bulk etc. and there have been sales. Not a decision you need to make on day 1 though.

And if - having tried it - you decide the bonuses that a sub offers are attractive to you you can sub; stop and still play; sub again; stop and still play etc.

Fundamentally you can play the game and leave the decision on whether a sub is worth it for you until after you know whether you like the game or not.

I don't deem it necessary but you can try/play the game without a sub in the knowledge that you "get it all" (except the recent DLC) and in doing so understand what a sub offers you. 

gervaise1

LIOKI said:

rodingo said:

danwest58 said:

Is the stuff a person crafts in ESO sell a lot in the game?

Just know that there isn't a global auction house.  Some like that idea, some do not.  I'm sure there will be others here to discuss the merits of having a trading guild versus an AH.  I'm neither for or against their set up but I thought you should know.

I find this odd and limiting.

Belonging to multiple guilds at the same time is weird too. Not game breaking, but it disconnects me from any of the guilds I am in. Personal issue though as others have no problem with this type of setup at all.

 I played at launch until level 35 and quit due to things IRL, but I logged back in recently and got a few friends logging back in now so I am also curious about crafting and if it's worthwhile to invest the time into.

ESO use "a megaserver" - actually one per platform for EU, ditto US.

The upside of this is that you will pretty much see someone everywhere all of the time. (Middle of the night will be quiet of course.)

This forces design decisions however. As it stands people can join up to 5 trading "groups" of max 500 people. When they have vacancies some advertise 30M+ trades a week (EU PC). So a global AH would have to handle tens of millions of trades a day. Would a global AH work or would you get comments like "Stupid Zenimax can't design an AH that works, it is just so slow searching for anything and when I click to buy an item I often get a message that the item was sold. Wtf it was there when I clicked on it".

Is the solution "perfect" maybe not but the benefit is that it works.

THBronx

I like the craft system in ESO because you need to dedicate time and put some effort on it. And I always like the idea of being able of making my own stuff and help people. For the end-game a lot of people combines crafted set + dropped set.

And as a crafter you can also look for work and craft things for people, everyday I find players in zone chat looking for crafters. Of course that the gold you are going to make isn't that much, but it will help (the thing is that making gold in ESO isn't that hard).

About no Auction House but Guild Traders, in the beginning I was something like "err I don't know...it's too complicated"...but I realized that I was just so comfortable with the style that other MMOs offered me that I was against at least trying what ESO had to offer. And right now I  like it! And I like it because it's different, it was something new for me and now I totally comfortable with it. And being able to have 5 Guilds for your char it's amazing, you can always find people to play with it, to go pvp and sell stuff and make money.

I pre-ordered ESO, stopped for a few months and now I'm back playing again, max crafter too.

Give it a shot, man!