Ooo does being the GM’s digital wife come with any special privileges within the guild?

Congratulations! That looks very sweet and romantic!

He said HIS privileges would be that now I would have to work like a slave for the guild for absolutely no compensation now, so ...

It really was romantic! He kind of stunned me with the wedding dress in a "Gift" from the Crown Store; and when I opened it and was totally surprised by WHAT the gift was = I looked up from the Crown Gift page and there he was on his knees proposing!

The ceremony itself is very cool; and afterward you get the gorgeous gold wedding rings (which unfortunately break a set if you actually wear them; which is really too bad). We only wore them for the "Reception and Honeymoon" at the Golden Gryphen after the ceremony; then had to take them off to run Pledges later to restore our armor sets.
(we are keeping them in our inventories of those characters).

So it was really very romantic; so kudos to Zenimax (and Mordred Sereph) for that one. We have been playing together for five years now.

D'aww, how romantic! I figured you had been playing a long time with Sereph, but I thought he was already married to someone else! Goes to prove the old axiom "Never assume, because it makes an ass out of you and me" . . .

Congratulations! Here's to many more years of adventuring together!

Thank you so much! Yeah; we have played together almost since I started playing ESO. Dark (Sereph1) is going to be coming to my town this weekend to meet me in person for the first time. No big plans for a "date" or anything; we are just going to play it by ear.

Addendum: We did meet; and after him spending two days in TN he brought me up to Iowa for two weeks to meet his family. (met his Mom and Daughter; and I got to phone chat with one of his sisters). They were awesome; but I wasn't enamored with Iowa at all. I am home now, but he is sending me round trip tickets to visit up there in Iowa again sometime soon. (hopefully before winter up there, urgh)

That sounds really cool mALX! So will there be a real wedding in the near future?

No way, if I marry I will lose my widow's benefits. He is wanting to craft matching rings for us; and we talked about just saying vows to each other; but other than that = no.

Well still that’s very nice mALX! Congrats!

And now for game stuff:

Is anyone here excited about the new character pathing tool for player homes? It sounds kinda neat!

Thanks! And yeah, I can't wait to see my horses milling around in the stables!

I tried it out on the PTS and found that it worked much better than I expected. The UI for setting them up isn't as clunky as the other housing ones, and they didn't make any of the mistakes I was expecting. The anomalies, like allowing paths through walls, actually make sense when you want to let characters go through closed doors, but haven't added the interactions to open them etc.

I doubt that I'll make much use of it until they add idles at the path nodes. A character can't get up from one chair, walk to another, and sit down again, for example. A goat can't browse the flowers when it stops. Skyrim's furniture system is what I hope they'll model, where if you send a character to a chair, they sit in it, and if you send them to fence, they'll lean on it, because there's a furniture item there with an associated idle. They must be using something similar for NPC's in the open world already, so it's probably just a question of adding the markers and a way to place them.

The paths and their timing are also apparently independent, so you can't make wandering characters pause when they meet, or animals chase each other. That would require some sync mechanism that doesn't yet exist. So much potential, though, and the start looks right to get there.

I really appreciate you posting this; I was really wondering how well they did on that pathing! I agree; really can't wait to have some idles for them too!

New event coming Sep 23 - Oct 5. Antiquities is the theme so requires Greymoor. Community wide and if the community collectively digs up enough antiquities we all get a new free house - sort of like the free palace in Arteum they gave out some time ago. Event tix also from doing Skyrim dailies.

More details: https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/58773

PTS notes for update 28 are just in. New crafted sets are:

Red Eagle’s Fury, Aetherial Ascension, and Legacy of Karth

I assume those names will cause maximum re-arrangement of tables when they get to the live server.

Thanks, ghastley. Looks like target date to go live is Nov 2.

I'm sure by now you all know that Microsoft bought out Zenimax and Bethesda studios.

* ... mALX shivers as if someone walked over her grave ... *

My head is spinning over the PTS patch notes. This one is a doozy!

Why do I feel this is not a good thing?

I’m taking a “wait and see” stance about Microsoft buying Zenimax. My initial thought is that it could *potentially* be a good thing. Bethesda, in my opinion, seems to have been spinning their wheels a bit the past several years, so maybe this is exactly what needed to happen to get things moving again.

I don't like the seeming trend of fewer and fewer corporations controlling all or almost all of the gaming market (we'll see what the future holds), but I think it could potentially lead to something really cool. Maybe that sweet, sweet Microsoft cash could be infused into BGS to be able to expand and speed up development of Starfield and TES6. Speeding up development isn't necessarily a good thing, but maybe in this case it would be if it happens given the long timetable for BGS making games. Of course, a corporation like MS is doing it for money and not for love of the games, but sometimes the goals of the company and of consumers align.

I'm really itching to see something, anything from BGS' next two games.

I’m especially curious to see what this Starfield is going to be like. I was thinking before all of this buyout stuff that Starfield would be a make or break game for BGS as a studio, but I guess that won’t be the case now.

Bethesda has been in Microsoft's pocket ever since they recoded everything for the XBox the first time. That was a very lucrative deal for Bethesda; and ensured the success of Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim because of Microsoft's financial backing. It is how they were able to expand into international markets; especially Zenimax into Japan a couple years after ESO came out.

I do agree with Khajiit; both companies were stagnating; and they def needed something to charge them up. Microsoft's money will do that; but with them switching who holds the actual power roles = really think there might end up being more of a shakeup. (AKA the Dell takeover of Alienware computers).

The biggest fear I have about it = Microsoft has been just as bad as Bethesda and Zenimax for stagnating and producing crap and shoving it down our throats (= Windows 10).

So I am with Khajiit on sitting back and waiting to see what happens in the next two years to our beloved game studios.

Next event is the witchiefest - Oct 22 - Nov 3. Plunder skulls fulla loot from bosses. First boss drop each day contains 3 event tix. More details here - https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/58951

Yay!!

From the patch notes:

"Character Pathing “Align to Terrain” Option

You can now choose whether a character should Align to Terrain while pathing in your home. This setting is enabled by default and is the behavior you are already familiar with; it does its best to keep pathing characters touching the floor (or whatever may happen to be beneath them.) If you choose to disable this setting, the character will move smoothly from node to node, ignoring obstacles completely. This is intended primarily for flying pets but can be used in other creative ways!"


Yay! My bat will be so happy.

One set of stations sent. mALX was off attuning when I logged out.

Laurie has visited each of the sites, so she can guide if needed.

Thank you so much for those tables! I did attune them; just waiting at the next location for more tables. Acadian said we had all three sets? Thank you all so much for your help!!!

Just sent a set of 4 as well.

Everyone check your Mundus Stone on all your characters = last patch deleted some of them off some of our characters. Grrrr. (not all characters were effected; not sure what the criteria is on that).

I don't think it was just the patch. I've had it happen before. There was a time when it didn't show, didn't have any effect, but attempting to re-acquire it got a "duplicate" error, (but fixed it). I suspect they were trying to cure that situation.

But whatever the case, the reminder is welcome! I'll be reviewing mine.

Thanks for the reminder, mALX. 3 of 9 are fine but have yet to check the others.

Upcoming Undaunted Event Dec 2 3 -15. More details here: https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/59207

Edit: Starting date was changed to Dec 3.

So looks like The Lord of Destruction is up to his old tricks again. *Sigh*

https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/59311

Another world ending crisis, urgh. But this one def looks more interesting (to me) then last years.

Thanks, Khajiit!

I wonder if the young elf having that nightmare is Eveli Sharp-Arrow?

Several of these live Twitch things ago I started a Twitch account and linked it to ESO (easy to do) and have been watching their live stuff like this because they like to give Buffy free loot. No problems and the live casts are generally interesting. I've watched two of them before and think we got a purple torchbug pet and two crates.

It sure looks like it is supposed to be Eveli. If it is, I will happily buy this DLC. I haven't even started playing Markarth yet; does anyone have any comments/opinions on Markarth?

I wanted to hook my accounts all up too; but every time I try, Steam tries to re-download ESO; which I already downloaded via Bethesda. I really don't want Steam involved in my game at all; and they don't even have any of my save files! When I look at Steam's version of my game it is showing me with under an hour of gameplay; and isn't even showing all the DLCs I've bought!

My big fear is that if I let them download the game I will lose 5 years worth of building up my game/characters/money spent on DLC; etc. So I can't link my accounts up to get all that great loot; but I still do watch the live feeds.

mALX, sorry you're having troubles linking to Twitch.

Buffy's about halfway through The Reach and, so far, likes it pretty well. The Reachfolk are Bretons of course, but they are uniquely portrayed as more 'rough and outdoorsy' than non-Reach Bretons. They also speak with a lovely Scottish brogue and generally eshew learning to read and write. The result is a unique culture that is pretty well done. The background music for the zone seems heavily influenced (to me) by the music used in Murkmire, and I rather like that. The zone features Lyris Titanborne and Verandis Ravenwatch and Gwendis but the quests give you plenty of time away from them. Like Western Skyrim, there are Blackreach areas beneath The Reach. There are Harrowstorms that are as annoying as the ones in W. Skyrim. Two delves and no public dungeons. The Dwarven city of Markarth invokes thoughts of the same city in TES V. There are four 'Clan Camps' in The Reach that act much like the Giant Camps in W. Skyrim. To turn these camps white on your map, you need to interact with the camp's central altar - and the residents are hostile.

The Reach area was the one I was most interested in seeing and I still haven’t gotten the chapter yet.

Careful there. Bretons and Reachmen alike wouldn't be keen on you calling them both part of the same race. (But seriously, they wouldn't. They hate each other just like Nords and Reachmen hate each other. They diverged enough culturally that they consider themselves separate races, even though really Reachmen are of Breton ancestry.)


---------------------------------------------


Anyways, ZOS just gave a teaser for their 2021 expansion. And guess what it is called? Gates of Oblivion. Looks like we're going to see our old pal Mehrunes Dagon once again. He should be in the lead now for most legitimate appearances in the series at that point (along with Oblivion, he is the main antagonist of the spin-off game An Elder Scrolls Legends: Battlespire, not to be confused with the Legends card game).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKgm-CBFvuo

I suspect this means we'll be seeing some more of Cyrodiil, perhaps? I've been wanting to see more of Cyrodiil in ESO. It's only a small teaser, but I'm thinking there will be quite a few references to TESIV: Oblivion.

Current Undaunted event ends Dec 15.

Next event is the New Life Festival Dec 17 - Jan 5. No details beside dates yet.

Update: Official announcement is out: https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/59329

Looks like next event is Midyear Mayhem (Cyrodiil/Imperial City) and that it will start Jan 28. No official announcement yet.

Buffy looks forward to Midyear Mayhem because the AP boost makes repairing walls/doors cost effective as a slow but safe/reliable way of building up Alliance rank. She's a Corporal of Wall Repair, hoping to make Sergeant someday. Lol.

It is likely that 2 event tix per day can be earned by doing Cyodiil dailies and a 3rd tix by doing and IC quest.

A pre-MYM reminder that you can do quests ahead of time and turn them in over the course of the event for fairly mayhem-free tickets.

Thanks, Grits! A helpful and timely reminder!

Ooh, I didn't know we could do that! Thanks, Grits!!!

I forgot that they were releasing the cinematic trailer for the Gates of Oblivion expansion. As it turns out, we are going to Blackwood, which is not what I expected. I thought it was likely we'd be going to the Colovian Estates. In case anyone needs a refresher, the Colovian Estates are in western Cyrodiil, right around where the Gold Coast zone is. ZOS has had those gates going out from the Gold Coast for so long (one of them even has a grayed out option for "open" on the east side), I thought we might finally be going there.

So we'll be back to seeing the slums of Leyawiin again. I hope that somehow we can purchase this chapter with crowns (not likely). I really don't want to give ZOS more of my money and renege on my threat to stop paying for the game. If worst comes to worst, maybe I'll just do one month, explore all the new zone has to offer, and then stop paying until the 2nd zone comes out. The lore and writing is still great, but the bugs, lack of transparency, and disregard for Cyrodiil issues, etc. cannot and will not be ignored.

EDIT: Here is the trailer. It has certainly peaked my interest, in any case: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG0jMoF3CvI

Yes, I watched the live stream on Twitch regarding the 2021 year long adventure. The landmass will go from Leyawiin east to Shadowfen. The Deadlands will play a role as well. Some other tidbits I learned:

Companions! You'll be able to travel with one. The first two can be earned from questing in the new chapter. You'll be able to choose their skills, give them gear, summon/unsummon them - very much looking forward to that!

The CP system will be overhauled. The details were too complex for me to take in but, overall, it didn't seem a bad thing.

The ability to heal allies (not just groupies) in Cyrodiil will be reinstated. The performance gains were small and the complaints many. That is good news indeed.

No more Indriks. For 2021 it will be a morpholith pet (that looks like a floating sigil stone). Over the four quarters, you'll be able to morph your pet into a skin, a mount, a house(!). The mechanics will work similarly to indriks but use fragments instead of feathers.

Midyear Mayhem starts Jan 28. A Tribunal event (new) will go in Feb. Jester Fest in Mar.

PTS goes live tomorrow. I don't do PTS but others may be interested.

Wow, thank you both for the news!!! I am def looking forward to this next Chapter!

If there is other particularly interesting stuff to learn about the chapter or other changes in the stream, then I will try to watch a recording of it. I did hear more from other people about what other updates are coming too.

RE: Companions: Kind of cool, but I don't think there is a good-enough reason that ZOS should spend their time working this in. I didn't even know this was a consideration or something people wanted. Although my knowledge of coding is next to non-existent, I have a feeling this would just be more of a strain on the server (not to mention that it's more time that could be spent fixing actual issues). And it sounds like they can fight with you, but in all the places you can use them, the PvE is so easy that there isn't really a point. Depending on how you can customize them or what dialogue they have, however, it might be kind of cool.

RE: CP system: Those I was talking to about the changes weren't entirely sure, but there might be a downsizing of the number of trees and/or a higher CP cap--but neither of these are a good idea, IMO. The grind will just get much more obnoxious and increase the gap between the haves and the haves-not too much. But again, not entirely sure about what the CP changes are, so I guess we'll have to see. Or I'll have to research it.

RE: Healing Cyro non-group allies: Well, what do you know? I guess ZOS DOES listen from time to time. Hopefully, they will also change the max group size in Cyro back to 24. That and, you know, actually do something about the people running cheat engines, exploits, and otherwise bogging down the servers deliberately.

RE: Morpholith pet: Meh. A pet that looks like a floating sigil stone? That doesn't sound appealing to me. But these other things you can morph the pet into...it doesn't really make sense to me. I guess I'd have to see the details or the pet in action to understand.

RE: Events: Yep, I looked up Midyear Mayhem a few days ago to see if they were going to do it at the beginning of the year again, and it turns out they will. Maybe we'll actually get some competent players--and ones who WANT to actually play instead of just inundate zone chat and take up space in Cyro that other players could have)--for the Pact. The performance by the alliance, regardless of any BS on the sides of AD and DC, leaves a lot to be desired.

As for the Tribunal event...ew. I've already made my feelings on the Tribunal known, even if Sotha Sil does have some redeeming qualities and is a really interesting character. I wonder what will be in store for that event, but I hope I get opportunities to desecrate Tribunal shrines and blaspheme the names of Vivec and Almalexia.


EDIT: I also read and/or heard that we'd actually get to choose which tutorial we want to do in a near-future update. I actually quite like that. It's annoying that you can't just choose which one you want to do, so I never saw what the Elsweyr, Summerset, or Vvardenfell tutorials were like.

We already have quests where you get a "companion", such as Lyris, Sai or Abnur Tharn. I'd expect them to be just about as ineffective. It's also likely to further consolidate the solo DPS model, as your companion can supply the support.

On the other hand, it could mean that players don't slot self-heals and shields so much. Who knows?

---

Having done the Elsweyr tutorial a couple of times, I prefer it to the original, as it teaches you more of the game mechanics. The issue is really one of where you emerge after doing the tutorial, and I don't think the DLC zones are right for new players. I suggested during Summerset beta that they provide starter zone functionality near the tutorial exit, (more resource nodes, for example) but I don't think anything happened.

My preference would be that when the game sees a new account, it gives you the latest tutorial (assuming they're getting better), and then takes you to Coldharbour and the MQ. If it's your second or later character, tutorial is optional, or selectable, and you come out near a wayshrine, with your alliance first zone enabled.