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ZOS_PaulSage FOLLOW-UP: RECENT CHANGES TO API
Jyiiga
Member UncommonPosts: 1,187
FOLLOW-UP: RECENT CHANGES TO API ZOS_PaulSage mod 3:01PM edited 3:01PM in Psijic Developer Discussion
As many of you know, there has been a lot of discussion over recent changes to the API. As you are probably aware, we recently publicly clarified our overall UI modding strategy, and our reasons for making changes to the API. To reiterate, our goal was: to keep the playing field level for our competitive environments.
The initial release of our API was intentionally wide open in order to test the boundaries of what could be done - which is exactly what happened. We saw things which necessitated that we change the API. When we made the changes to restrict our API, our goal was to make sure you couldn't see more information about your enemies than we intended. But we also found that certain events could be used to allow add-ons and macro programs, used in conjunction, to do many things which otherwise should require player skill. For example, it was trivial to create an add-on "listen" for a debuff, and be able to remove this debuff automatically - or to create an add-on that allowed group members' adds-ons to report their status through chat allowing party members with the same add-on to automatically cast heals.
In order to keep the playing field as level as we could for competitive PvE and competitive PvP at ship, we removed the ability of the API to access this functionality. We left as much of the API open as we felt we could. If later we feel changes or additional functionality is a good thing without damaging the overall game, some features may be re-enabled. We do not want players writing scripts that play their character for them, and that was the direction ESO UI modding was headed.
Our changes to the API were exclusively about keeping the playing field as level as we could in a competitive environment, not about keeping the game immersive or trying to make sure people could not see numbers. However, it is certainly true we don’t natively add icons to show buffs and display timers. You might ask why?
First, we feel a clean and unobtrusive UI is a key part of The Elder Scrolls Online. We have worked to keep many things off the screen that were not absolutely necessary. As an example, we have broken down buffs and debuffs into a few key effects. If you puncture armor, you can see that overlayed on the health bar of your opponent as a “cracked” graphic. If you or your opponent is powered up, you will see a bright aura around the health bar. If you are suffering from a DOT, you will see arrows representing a decrease overlayed on your health bar. Further, we have animation, sounds, and particle effects in world to give you further clues as to what is happening. We believe these actually represent your state and that of your opponents much more clearly than icons. But why not have icons?
To put it simply, icons are for another game with different controls and a different purpose. The controls of our game naturally tie mouse movement and looking around the world together in a mechanism reminiscent of previous Elder Scrolls games. We don’t have a free mouse where you can get information about what the icons represent by hovering over them in the heat of battle. Also, showing timers through icons isn’t what we wanted. Part of the skill in ESO is situational awareness and seeing when events are happening in the world and in some cases on the UI. Another reason we don’t show buff/debuff icons is that icons appearing and disappearing on the screen looked bad, especially considering ESO has shorter duration debuffs and buffs that would be constantly appearing and disappearing.
Finally, our UI and game isn’t built just for experts, min-maxers, and number crunchers. Our UI is built to have broad appeal while still providing necessary information to be successful. Could more be done to improve the information? I think so. But every improvement has to be weighed carefully against other upcoming features, improvements, or new content added to the game. We are constantly working to improve ESO – which will continue as long as people are playing the game – and we will continue to iterate on the UI and information presented to you.
Lately we’ve been quieter on the boards and in public as we head towards launch – but know that we are always listening and reading. We very much appreciate constructive feedback. We are looking very forward to seeing you in Tamriel on Sunday.
Comments
I personally am glad of not having to get a 3rd party UI. Hate those things, always have to wait to get the new updated version to match the updated game version.
I also like the idea of not having hundreds of stupid icons popping up all the time. About time we get a "clean" UI game to focus on. Will be interesting to see how it plays out. As far as "hearing" noises related, well that is a stretch.
/Approve
This is about immersing yourself into the fantasy world, not number crunching and statistics.
On having the API as open to addons as it was until recently: "Still. No."
I disagree, if number crunching is your thing this game provides a ton of it. I am all about statistics and love to know what something is worth. This game just gives people like me more to do making people like me even more valuable to a raiding guild.
Life IS Feudal
Lol so he basically said "we were messing with you we never intended to actually allow all that, we just wanted to fuck with the mod developers a bit make them do a lot of work we knew won`t be in at launch, ha ha we totally fooled you"
In other words they were afraid so they removed most of it.
The fact that you can`t see your own buffs if they are shorter than 30s shows how stupid they can be... i mean not being able to see YOUR OWN BUFFS that you can on YOURSELF... now you must count in your head or with a stop watch to see when it is over, truly immersive and worthy of an ESO game.
They need to remove a few more things that way streamers won`t always say "oh i thought they already fixed this bug" all the time because they won`t see any buffs/debuffs or damage numbers so no way to notice the many bugs still in the game.
Great job ESO Team, keep at it, the fact that many mods were now changed to make fun of Paul Sage is clearly a sign that the modding community that supported all the previous Elder Scrolls games thinks you are doing a fine job.
I have nothing against getting statistics and info from other players. That's actually more in line with role-playing the fantasy world, since it's not a computer automatically calculating this stuff up for you. What I dislike is having all these numbers automatically crunched for you and displayed on the screen. Not only does it give you an unfair advantage over those who choose not to install these things, but it breaks immersion in a big way with all this crap on your screen. It's almost like an arms race, in a way. If your enemy has nukes, you darn well better get nukes of your own or you will lose. That's why I believe it's the right decision to block these things in the first place.
k
From that point of view I understand and agree for the most part. Part of my personal profession is about numbers so its hard to not want to do it in something I enjoy. What I hate is when a company is protecting it self from those like me when they are trying to hide imbalances like one class being very powerful compared to the others, to me that is just lazyness and cheapens the gaming experience.
So all there decisions should be run through the modding community? They are making the game specifically for them? They have to balance things for everyone, not just one segment of gamers.
Oh is that why they're doing it? Gotta love the leaps we make around here..
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson
To the Zenimax devs:
/salute
You have my full support and and longterm sub with this vision you're following !
They need to use their brain, but not allowing you to see your own buffs is... i`ll let you pick the word. Especially since this game is based on a lot of skills providing small duration buffs, not being able to see them at all is annoying.
I agree that they should not allow addons to play for you in any way but again... not being able to see your OWN buffs is a bad call.
The only ones you can see are the long duration ones so you can easily spot a vampire based on his buff but God forbid you can figure out how long your own buff lasts.
What i described above is simply put inconsistency showing that they either don`t know how to play their own game or too tired to think it through. Either way, its bad for their future players.
He's not first to say that. Conspiracy by evil doer devs is very popular in fan forums. Istari said essentially the same thing in a sarcastic comment he made in the "they nerfed templars" thread at the TF.
But back to the OP... excellent post by Sage.
“Microtransactions? In a single player role-playing game? Are you nuts?”
― CD PROJEKT RED
If number crunching is your thing it's BACK TO WOW FOR YOU.
But seriously, why did they kill EmoteToy? That didn't give anyone special advantages, was just a bit of RP fun.
So glad he posted this now people can either DEAL WITH IT or QUIT........
How about it was actually a beta as people have said and they actually wanted to test stuff.
"this" is why a good many people should never, ever be let into an actual beta. They don't understand it, they think it's always free play time and learn the game for launch time. I wonder what type of tears would have happened in some of the earlier betas for single player games where there were massive changes because things didn't work.
And "yes" some betas are like that but it was very clear from the start that this was "an actual beta".
In all honesty I think companies should just have stress tests and stop having these beta sessions, they seem more of a p.r. hassle than they are worth.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
True, not sure who Istari is though, never visited TF.
For every minute you are angry , you lose 60 seconds of happiness."-Emerson