I married somebody but Don't want to be married to them anymore. I wanna marry somebody else. But I wanna stay friends with my current marriage. If I destroy the ring, will it notify them?
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If I destroy a ring of mara, will the other person know.
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PS4 CRASH AFTER CRASH AFTER CRASH...
The screen freezes and the sound loops like a madman, old school style.
Anyone else?
If so, why???
Is it my game or the server??
Anyone else?
If so, why???
Is it my game or the server??
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Cosmetic Appearance
Hello,
Is there some sort of outfit system in ESO? Like am I able to equip items as an "outfit" as purely cosmetic but still have my main armor and weapons equipped?
Thanks
Is there some sort of outfit system in ESO? Like am I able to equip items as an "outfit" as purely cosmetic but still have my main armor and weapons equipped?
Thanks
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Highest Heist rewards
I've done all perfect heists under time since the patch;
I've finished perfect heists in one minute 30 seconds, but mostly with 2-3 minutes to spare (5 minute runs).
All the rewards are god damned rubbish.
all white "stolen" objects that you can't sell to the vendor.
AT LEAST FOR PERFECT HEISTS GIVE *** PURPLE / EPIC AND STOLEN LOOT;
And that Bahara set is bs; why the f would I want that? 100 destroyed / deconned items later ...
-
Ideal changes:
Purple heist loot bags contain PURPLE stolen items (a RNG chance of gold items)
Not the same [snip] bahrahrharhahra set every heist.
Moderator edit - post edited for language
I've finished perfect heists in one minute 30 seconds, but mostly with 2-3 minutes to spare (5 minute runs).
All the rewards are god damned rubbish.
all white "stolen" objects that you can't sell to the vendor.
AT LEAST FOR PERFECT HEISTS GIVE *** PURPLE / EPIC AND STOLEN LOOT;
And that Bahara set is bs; why the f would I want that? 100 destroyed / deconned items later ...
-
Ideal changes:
Purple heist loot bags contain PURPLE stolen items (a RNG chance of gold items)
Not the same [snip] bahrahrharhahra set every heist.
Moderator edit - post edited for language
↧
5000 Crowns for the upcoming assistants. Worth it ? ^^
http://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/2016/03/28/meet-your-new-assistants
I thought it would be around 2.5k. And I was thinking about it. Now I'm not. 35€ for an NPC.... it's "a bit" too much.
EDIT :
You can participate in the poll in this thread :
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/256386/at-5000-crowns-each-will-you-buy-the-new-assistants
I thought it would be around 2.5k. And I was thinking about it. Now I'm not. 35€ for an NPC.... it's "a bit" too much.
EDIT :
You can participate in the poll in this thread :
http://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/256386/at-5000-crowns-each-will-you-buy-the-new-assistants
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Leveling Enchanting Tips?
So leveling my enchanting to 50 is a serious grind. I am currently level 38 in enchanting and it has taken the better part of 3 months to get there by leveling casually (but leveling blacksmithing, clothing, and woodworking to 50 took almost no time at all). I did some good ole Google research and have found that deconstructing glyphs that others have made will level enchanting quickly, but the issue is that none of the guys I play with level enchanting so their glyphs would be very low level and not really yield much aspiration.
Are there any good ways to level enchanting solo apart from mass producing my own glyphs and breaking them down?
Are there any good ways to level enchanting solo apart from mass producing my own glyphs and breaking them down?
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IT'S NOT SOBER TO DEFEND THE STUDIO ANYMORE
[snip] The current performance of ESO is more horrendous than horrendous! Tons of bugs are still out there, severe lag is getting worse in Cyrodiil and is spreading to PVE, notably Maelstorm Arena, and there are random server crashes. However, ,money was spent on a lot of advertisements including a video ad which is, well to say the least, not very impressive. We were promised tons of "improvements" before the TD, and I know a lot of players bought their promises and spent a lot more money at the TD launch. You have to take a few shots to really say things are still acceptable in this game. My girlfriend watched me playing this game the day after the TD launch, and she said "WOW, after 2 years this game still feels like BETA"......
Moderator edit - post edited to remove political references
Moderator edit - post edited to remove political references
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Cyrodil is NOT impossible and is FUN
So yeah, I am definitely responding to the thread posted recently that attests that Cyrodil is hard to get around in from a PvE perspective.
1) Cyrodil is non-linear. A lot of PvErs seem to complain that they can't get their quest objectives done cause they are getting killed by the other faction a lot, well that's okay, get your friends, makes friends, ask your faction for help, or move on to another quest and come back to that one later on. Cyrodil was meant to be PvP centric and having the PvE quests and objectives is a nice bonus and gives the place character. Some pure PvPers want all those PvE things taken out and PvEers want the PvP taken out of Cyrodil and this absolutely makes no sense, either move would take away a dimension of the game and make it bland indeed.
2) There is a PvP learning curve for those who come over from a mainly PvE perspective, but if you take the time explore the options and skills and builds open to your character you will gain a deeper understanding of the game and it will actually make you a better PvEr in the long run.
3) Cyrodil was designed so you can't just blow through the PvE content, mostly because of the fact that other players inhabit the zone and come into conflict with each other. Sit back, relax, enjoy the environment, join a group and get to know the lay of the land. Your faction will have information about which zones are good to visit and which ones you should stay away during certain times, and you will have to team up with players to raid elder scrolls in order to collect all the skyshards in the zone and to get some of the achievements. Completionists should view this as a challenge and not take an ignorant stance like "Well, since I can't get my personal PvE achievements done then PvP should be eliminated from Cyrodil.
4) Faction rivalries are real! That's what makes Cyrodil awesome . . . if you see some people from an opposite faction in a delve near your territory then you want to represent and kill them. This gives factions a sense of pride and territorial ambition in the game. Battle leveling has made it so that a group of lower levels can take out a VR16 no problem. I would not grief about a VR 16 killing you because, hey they put in the time and effort to become powerful and do well in the PvP setting and asking them to become less powerful invalidates the time they have invested in becoming good at PvP. It would be the same as saying oh hey, I don't like how powerful the lvl 45 mobs are in a zone because you went there are level 30.
Anyway, this is my view, Cyrodil is a fun place if you get to know your fellow players in it.
1) Cyrodil is non-linear. A lot of PvErs seem to complain that they can't get their quest objectives done cause they are getting killed by the other faction a lot, well that's okay, get your friends, makes friends, ask your faction for help, or move on to another quest and come back to that one later on. Cyrodil was meant to be PvP centric and having the PvE quests and objectives is a nice bonus and gives the place character. Some pure PvPers want all those PvE things taken out and PvEers want the PvP taken out of Cyrodil and this absolutely makes no sense, either move would take away a dimension of the game and make it bland indeed.
2) There is a PvP learning curve for those who come over from a mainly PvE perspective, but if you take the time explore the options and skills and builds open to your character you will gain a deeper understanding of the game and it will actually make you a better PvEr in the long run.
3) Cyrodil was designed so you can't just blow through the PvE content, mostly because of the fact that other players inhabit the zone and come into conflict with each other. Sit back, relax, enjoy the environment, join a group and get to know the lay of the land. Your faction will have information about which zones are good to visit and which ones you should stay away during certain times, and you will have to team up with players to raid elder scrolls in order to collect all the skyshards in the zone and to get some of the achievements. Completionists should view this as a challenge and not take an ignorant stance like "Well, since I can't get my personal PvE achievements done then PvP should be eliminated from Cyrodil.
4) Faction rivalries are real! That's what makes Cyrodil awesome . . . if you see some people from an opposite faction in a delve near your territory then you want to represent and kill them. This gives factions a sense of pride and territorial ambition in the game. Battle leveling has made it so that a group of lower levels can take out a VR16 no problem. I would not grief about a VR 16 killing you because, hey they put in the time and effort to become powerful and do well in the PvP setting and asking them to become less powerful invalidates the time they have invested in becoming good at PvP. It would be the same as saying oh hey, I don't like how powerful the lvl 45 mobs are in a zone because you went there are level 30.
Anyway, this is my view, Cyrodil is a fun place if you get to know your fellow players in it.
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Purge - ESO Edition!
I have a great idea everyone!!
Once a year, ZoS should put ESO in Purge mode. PvP is enabled in all zones throughout Tamriel for 24 hours. You won't lose any gold or gear, but you can be killed anytime in any zone. If you don't want to participate, don't log on![:)]( ":)")
LET THE PURGE COMMENCE!
VD Proxy Det nb in rawlkha pls
Once a year, ZoS should put ESO in Purge mode. PvP is enabled in all zones throughout Tamriel for 24 hours. You won't lose any gold or gear, but you can be killed anytime in any zone. If you don't want to participate, don't log on
LET THE PURGE COMMENCE!
VD Proxy Det nb in rawlkha pls
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So they announce PVP arenas and battlegrounds are coming and noone talks about it?
Isnt this what people have been waiting for? I dont see a single thread about the announcement. Arenas and battlegrounds are being worked on and are coming. Discuss.
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I didnt think the "Green Alliance" existed until last night
I was running in Chillrend when we encounter 2 blues and a few yellows working together to defend a keep and rss. I always just though GA was just a term to use when they pushed you at same time. Now I know its very real. Happened a few days ago in IC aswell. ![:confused:]( ":confused:")
PS. I KNOW the way I died was hilarious
http://xboxclips.com/Burning+Talons/e1f548e5-1588-44e8-80fe-e32c9e19f5ea
http://xboxclips.com/Burning+Talons/03d56d8f-b3b4-4fc4-ba88-f6fb6f43819b
PS. I KNOW the way I died was hilarious
http://xboxclips.com/Burning+Talons/e1f548e5-1588-44e8-80fe-e32c9e19f5ea
http://xboxclips.com/Burning+Talons/03d56d8f-b3b4-4fc4-ba88-f6fb6f43819b
↧
What Zone would you like to see next open up?
↧
Worth playing?
heyah ESO pvpers,
So I recently re-installed the game. I have a v1 NB, but since stam sorc has always been my favorite class to watch and play, I started releveling one. I don't care that its not fotm, its most fun for me.
Here's the thing though. When I play a mmo I always focus on pvp. Pve bores me quickly. I like the combat in eso and have been excited to level up and finally start pvping, but I've been going back to the streamers I used to watch when I played before, and it seems like all the pvp streamers are leaving the game and are even outspokenly upset with game balance, lag and options.
So, I guess I'm now reconsidering whether I should pour time into this game or not. As a mainly pvp focused player, I'm looking for your opinions. Are there still people here who love the pvp and think its amazing and worth investing time in? Or should I scratch my pvp itch elsewhere?
Also, I'm not looking for posts that bash eso or the devs or anything like that. Looking for unsalty honest opinions. And if it matters, I play EP on NA PC.
peace,
Dubz
So I recently re-installed the game. I have a v1 NB, but since stam sorc has always been my favorite class to watch and play, I started releveling one. I don't care that its not fotm, its most fun for me.
Here's the thing though. When I play a mmo I always focus on pvp. Pve bores me quickly. I like the combat in eso and have been excited to level up and finally start pvping, but I've been going back to the streamers I used to watch when I played before, and it seems like all the pvp streamers are leaving the game and are even outspokenly upset with game balance, lag and options.
So, I guess I'm now reconsidering whether I should pour time into this game or not. As a mainly pvp focused player, I'm looking for your opinions. Are there still people here who love the pvp and think its amazing and worth investing time in? Or should I scratch my pvp itch elsewhere?
Also, I'm not looking for posts that bash eso or the devs or anything like that. Looking for unsalty honest opinions. And if it matters, I play EP on NA PC.
peace,
Dubz
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Finally finished the Trinimac Motif!
It is, of course, extraordinarily beautiful. I applaud the intricate stitchwork, the bold shoulder design, the curved tails on the pants, and the cuffs. There are absolutely never enough shirts with sleeves, and hardly enough gloves to go with the few that exist, so this is a great addition. The only thing I'm sad about is how they dye! I can't get a proper dark color on them at all. Certainly nothing as dark as the concept art.
A lot of motifs have similar unfortunate properties. Please tell me, is there any hope in the future of giving players more control in the dye system? I'd love to be able to brighten up certain areas of Xyvkin cloth, for instance (or make two-toned dyes work on it, period). Similarly, I'd love to removed the washed-out look on my Imperial Medium shoulders. It gets incredibly hard to take full advantage of the dye system and the multitude of motifs when mixing and matching produces so many off-target results.
Anyone else having similar issues?
A lot of motifs have similar unfortunate properties. Please tell me, is there any hope in the future of giving players more control in the dye system? I'd love to be able to brighten up certain areas of Xyvkin cloth, for instance (or make two-toned dyes work on it, period). Similarly, I'd love to removed the washed-out look on my Imperial Medium shoulders. It gets incredibly hard to take full advantage of the dye system and the multitude of motifs when mixing and matching produces so many off-target results.
Anyone else having similar issues?
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Dear ZOS. A Dragon Knight Wonders Why.... PS4 EU (Former Scourge and Azura Star No CP Odd glitches)
Dear Zos. I am a dragonknight. Not in real life I must add. I mean it will be neat and all. But my toon is. Everytime on rare occasions when my toon try's to fly. Using taken flight. My game glitches. Into a most dangerous. But magical world. It happened 3 times. Today was the 3rd time.
But it is funny though and strange. My taken flight seems to be doing strange stuff while only when I attack after I dismount from my mount and use taken flight. Then after that I wait in loading screens. Then come back after my body was still there during loading screens and I died.
First two video parts happened in former Scourge. Scourge that I wish never got deleted. No lag at all. Very fond and happy moments. Been there eversince game came out on PS4. Everyone was staring to come. But it is your choice. Not mine. Even if I don't agree with you Zos. No offense. I am still a big fan. I must accept.
However the 3rd part of this video happened today. On PS4 EU Azura Star no cp campaign. Samething. I get off mount. Use taken flight on the reds. Then I get loading screen. But instead my toon body being dead. Something evenmore stranged happened. Zos I would like you to see my Dragonknight testimony. I am very confused. But stunned. I am not aware if you all know if this happens. Also I took out the loading screens in videos.
But it is true. 1.Dragon Knight spots Enemies rushing towards her. 2. Dragon Knight unmounts mount. 3. Dragon Knight uses taken flight. 4. Dragon Knight flies and goes to loading screen. 5.Dragon Knight goes sight seeing. 6.Dragon Knight shows all strange but very dangerous worlds. 7. Dragon Knight keeps shutting game off and on. Not work to fix glitches. 8. Dragon Knight hopes ZOS loves the video and understands the funny situation and is really pleased.
![image]()
But it is funny though and strange. My taken flight seems to be doing strange stuff while only when I attack after I dismount from my mount and use taken flight. Then after that I wait in loading screens. Then come back after my body was still there during loading screens and I died.
First two video parts happened in former Scourge. Scourge that I wish never got deleted. No lag at all. Very fond and happy moments. Been there eversince game came out on PS4. Everyone was staring to come. But it is your choice. Not mine. Even if I don't agree with you Zos. No offense. I am still a big fan. I must accept.
However the 3rd part of this video happened today. On PS4 EU Azura Star no cp campaign. Samething. I get off mount. Use taken flight on the reds. Then I get loading screen. But instead my toon body being dead. Something evenmore stranged happened. Zos I would like you to see my Dragonknight testimony. I am very confused. But stunned. I am not aware if you all know if this happens. Also I took out the loading screens in videos.
But it is true. 1.Dragon Knight spots Enemies rushing towards her. 2. Dragon Knight unmounts mount. 3. Dragon Knight uses taken flight. 4. Dragon Knight flies and goes to loading screen. 5.Dragon Knight goes sight seeing. 6.Dragon Knight shows all strange but very dangerous worlds. 7. Dragon Knight keeps shutting game off and on. Not work to fix glitches. 8. Dragon Knight hopes ZOS loves the video and understands the funny situation and is really pleased.
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Lightning Staff Buffs or Bugs?
I usually read the patch notes pretty thoroughly and I didn't see any mention of the Tri-focus passive for lightning staff changing from 7%/15% to 70%/110% Aoe damage for lightning staff attacks. Also, every tick spreads the AOE. IDK if it was like that before because I'm on xbox and just got damage numbers.
I'm really digging the changes but it would be nice to know that they were intended and will stay before I make my undaunted infiltrator set gold. Oh yeah, that set also buffs every tick.
Here's a short video showing the AOE damage in pvp before I get stomped on.![image]()
I'm really digging the changes but it would be nice to know that they were intended and will stay before I make my undaunted infiltrator set gold. Oh yeah, that set also buffs every tick.
Here's a short video showing the AOE damage in pvp before I get stomped on.
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Templar Healer - Build Question
Hey folks!
I am currently leveling a templar healer and it's V12. The build i am aiming for is this one: Click Here
I currently run 5 piece magnus and 3 piece seducer (5 Light, 2 Heavy) and get around 1700 regen when scaled to V16 and nearly 1300 Spell dmg. Due to the low spell dmg i am using Entropy instead of Mystic orb.
Someone told me i should use Kagrenac's Hope for healing and i wonder which sets should i use? (For all armor, weapons, and jewelry)
What should be my target spell dmg, regen, and max magicka for V16 vet content like vWGT and new trial.
Also, should i go all light armor to help with resources if i have low spell dmg (to be able to spam heals more?)
Thanks for helping a noob ^^
I am currently leveling a templar healer and it's V12. The build i am aiming for is this one: Click Here
I currently run 5 piece magnus and 3 piece seducer (5 Light, 2 Heavy) and get around 1700 regen when scaled to V16 and nearly 1300 Spell dmg. Due to the low spell dmg i am using Entropy instead of Mystic orb.
Someone told me i should use Kagrenac's Hope for healing and i wonder which sets should i use? (For all armor, weapons, and jewelry)
What should be my target spell dmg, regen, and max magicka for V16 vet content like vWGT and new trial.
Also, should i go all light armor to help with resources if i have low spell dmg (to be able to spam heals more?)
Thanks for helping a noob ^^
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Lying Tanks
Yesterday I ran a Random Dungeon as a DPS. The "tank" was shockingly bad. They never pulled the boss. They often (mostly) used a bow. And they died easily.
I ran this dungeon with a friend. They agreed with me about the "tank". After much thought, we believe this was a DPS, who claimed to be a tank to get into a Random Dungeon quickly.
Thoughts? Anything we can do to prevent this in the future?
I ran this dungeon with a friend. They agreed with me about the "tank". After much thought, we believe this was a DPS, who claimed to be a tank to get into a Random Dungeon quickly.
Thoughts? Anything we can do to prevent this in the future?
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ESO Performance and Lag - Technical Discussion
Introduction
After many months of research, my own internal testing, and understanding of protocols such as TCP/IP, this article im about to write and the links included will give a very deep analysis into "why ESO lags and what must be done to fix it." In my day job im a Network administrator with over 10 years of experience in Cisco, Linux, Windows, and BSD based administration.
Some of my past articles on this site include:
PSA-Please Don't Use Port Forwarding for ESO
This post will be very technical in nature and i HIGHLY recommend reading every article i link before posting comments as it will be required to understand the very deep network inner workings especially on the TCP side of things. This post will primarily deal with the PC version of ESO
The console versions of the game are very different as Xbox Live and PSN have different requirements for how network connections and protocols work and I don't own either of those consoles to see if they work and use the same protocols the PC version does.
What im typing is "trying" to break this down into simple terms someone without a degree or longtime background into networking and protocols can understand. As the entire intent of this post is educational
that being said, lets get started
What Protocol does ESO use on PC
ESO mostly uses the TCP Protocol on PC. As can be seen in the ESO Ports knowledge base article ESO uses the following ports on PC:
ESO don't appear to use UDP from what I can see on PC, but relies solely on TCP for its connections. The Consoles may be different as Xbox Live and PSN are more closed environments then PC and may have different network requirements.
Why is the use of TCP important?
the TCP Protocol has built-in network congestion algorithms built in to it. It was designed this way to prevent a network from just falling over under normal working conditions. Why is this important?
Its important because of Packet Loss
What is Packet Loss
Packet Loss is when a packet sent from your network to a remote network does not reach its destination for a large number of reasons. Packet Loss can be caused by a variety of factors from an overloaded router, a bad network cable or NIC, or even the server your sending packets too is overlaoded and simply can't service anymore requests(receive any more packets) so the packets are simply dropped.
Why is Packet Loss important to TCP
By default TCP assumes that packet loss is caused by "Congestion". This means if your client doesn't receive a response in X amount of time, TCP considers the packet as lost, and will then cut throughput and figure out which packet must be resent, all the while reducing throughput until it catches up. This means you can have spikes of 1000+ latency that last much longer then they would if another protocol, such as a custom UDP implementation with latency mitigation algoriths were used. This is why engines, such as Unreal Engine 3 do so well in the online gaming world.
A single packet loss is enough to first cause a 1000+ms delay, then increase the consequent roundtrips, which only slowly return to normal as TCP ramps up the allowed throughput.
What does ESO ping Indicator actually show when its red?
The in-game ping indicator is a showing of response time. when the Indicator turns red, you don't have a 999+ ping, what you have is Packet Loss. This means the server simply can't handle anymore requests being sent to it and what else can it do but just drop the packet. Imagine overloading a Cisco router to 100% CPU utilization by flooding it with packets and then trying to reach its admin interface over a network...good luck...it simply can't handle anymore and packets are just dropped as there are no resources left to issue a response of any kind.
This is what happens in ESO and PVP when lag gets really bad...as more and more players are pushing buttons for skills(sending requests to the server) the server simply can't handle anymore. Since your skills won't fire until it gets a response from the server, when things are really laggy, you simply cna't get anything to work...the 999+ red ping indicator is telling you about massive packet loss.
No amount of "LOS checks" and "changing ability animations" are going to Fix this issue.
What will Fix ESO lag issues for good?
Removing the dependence on TCP and writing the game network code in a RUDP(Reliable UDP) protocol and layering in latency mitigation algorithms.
Example:
As you can see, one packet loss or dropped packet just snowballs with TCP leading to those 999+ lag you see in PVP and some PVE instances due to the lack of algorithms(outside of standard TCP congestion controls) to address packet loss.
TCP is a Layer 4 on the OSI Model. Its designed to handle latency issues as common network related issues(meaning congestion controls) not for the issues associated with games.
The 1st step to fixing the lag issues with ESO is to re-write the netcode using RUDP(Reliable UDP). This will then allow ZOS to write their own latency control issues into the custom protocol that would kinda make it a mix between Layer 4(UDP) with custom code built on top of it to handle these issues(Layer 7) functionality.
By doing this, the best example would be say you have one packet dropped, instead of having to resend 2 packets, the server would send you back one that contains all the data you need which by itself would reduce stress on their systems by 50% theoretically.
Conclusion
I think the 1st step towards fixing ESO lag issues lies in the netcode and its reliance on TCP. I think a custom RUDP(Reliable UDP protocol) implementation would go a long way in reducing server overhead and making the game lag significantly less in high stress situations. TCP simply isn't the best choice for a game the scale of ESO and this becomes woefully apparent on the PVP side of the game. FPS issues and such on the client side can be addressed later down the pipe, and may not even need addressed at all if the underlying network code is moved to a RUDP implementation to allow it to scale significantly higher then what can be achieved with TCP. Such a move would also give ZOS far more granual error and packet loss control options allowing them to truly write a robust netcode that handle a large player base of scale.
Good luck, and thank you for your time.
Useful References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_network_protocols_(OSI_model)#Layer_7_.28Application_Layer.29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model#Layer_4:_Transport_Layer
http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=polling
https://1024monkeys.wordpress.com/
https://1024monkeys.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/udp-vs-tcp-a-follow-up/
After many months of research, my own internal testing, and understanding of protocols such as TCP/IP, this article im about to write and the links included will give a very deep analysis into "why ESO lags and what must be done to fix it." In my day job im a Network administrator with over 10 years of experience in Cisco, Linux, Windows, and BSD based administration.
Some of my past articles on this site include:
PSA-Please Don't Use Port Forwarding for ESO
This post will be very technical in nature and i HIGHLY recommend reading every article i link before posting comments as it will be required to understand the very deep network inner workings especially on the TCP side of things. This post will primarily deal with the PC version of ESO
The console versions of the game are very different as Xbox Live and PSN have different requirements for how network connections and protocols work and I don't own either of those consoles to see if they work and use the same protocols the PC version does.
What im typing is "trying" to break this down into simple terms someone without a degree or longtime background into networking and protocols can understand. As the entire intent of this post is educational
that being said, lets get started
What Protocol does ESO use on PC
ESO mostly uses the TCP Protocol on PC. As can be seen in the ESO Ports knowledge base article ESO uses the following ports on PC:
- TCP / UDP Ports 24100 through 24131
- TCP / UDP Ports 24500 through 24507
- TCP / UDP Ports 24300 through 24331
- TCP Port 80
- TCP Port 433
ESO don't appear to use UDP from what I can see on PC, but relies solely on TCP for its connections. The Consoles may be different as Xbox Live and PSN are more closed environments then PC and may have different network requirements.
Why is the use of TCP important?
the TCP Protocol has built-in network congestion algorithms built in to it. It was designed this way to prevent a network from just falling over under normal working conditions. Why is this important?
Its important because of Packet Loss
What is Packet Loss
Packet Loss is when a packet sent from your network to a remote network does not reach its destination for a large number of reasons. Packet Loss can be caused by a variety of factors from an overloaded router, a bad network cable or NIC, or even the server your sending packets too is overlaoded and simply can't service anymore requests(receive any more packets) so the packets are simply dropped.
Why is Packet Loss important to TCP
By default TCP assumes that packet loss is caused by "Congestion". This means if your client doesn't receive a response in X amount of time, TCP considers the packet as lost, and will then cut throughput and figure out which packet must be resent, all the while reducing throughput until it catches up. This means you can have spikes of 1000+ latency that last much longer then they would if another protocol, such as a custom UDP implementation with latency mitigation algoriths were used. This is why engines, such as Unreal Engine 3 do so well in the online gaming world.
A single packet loss is enough to first cause a 1000+ms delay, then increase the consequent roundtrips, which only slowly return to normal as TCP ramps up the allowed throughput.
What does ESO ping Indicator actually show when its red?
The in-game ping indicator is a showing of response time. when the Indicator turns red, you don't have a 999+ ping, what you have is Packet Loss. This means the server simply can't handle anymore requests being sent to it and what else can it do but just drop the packet. Imagine overloading a Cisco router to 100% CPU utilization by flooding it with packets and then trying to reach its admin interface over a network...good luck...it simply can't handle anymore and packets are just dropped as there are no resources left to issue a response of any kind.
This is what happens in ESO and PVP when lag gets really bad...as more and more players are pushing buttons for skills(sending requests to the server) the server simply can't handle anymore. Since your skills won't fire until it gets a response from the server, when things are really laggy, you simply cna't get anything to work...the 999+ red ping indicator is telling you about massive packet loss.
No amount of "LOS checks" and "changing ability animations" are going to Fix this issue.
What will Fix ESO lag issues for good?
Removing the dependence on TCP and writing the game network code in a RUDP(Reliable UDP) protocol and layering in latency mitigation algorithms.
Example:
With tcp the lag after its starts may never dissipate as it actually requires more bandwidth to catch up. Which is why restarting a connection corrects the issue.
An perfect example of this is when tcp gets a backlog stuck in its buffer. If the packet contains the information of every other player location on the map. Then when being over bandwidth it is really a massive advantage of loosing the packet. with tcp you will still need to read and process out of data information when suffering from packet loss. With udp the last packet your receive always contains the most up to date implementation.
The 2nd part of this simple example is how do you catch up again. The reason your probably suffering from packet loss is drops due to queues overflowing on a router because the link is overloaded. In order to resend the data you now need to send the original data and the new data to catch up. so you are at a serious disadvantage.
As you can see, one packet loss or dropped packet just snowballs with TCP leading to those 999+ lag you see in PVP and some PVE instances due to the lack of algorithms(outside of standard TCP congestion controls) to address packet loss.
TCP is a Layer 4 on the OSI Model. Its designed to handle latency issues as common network related issues(meaning congestion controls) not for the issues associated with games.
The 1st step to fixing the lag issues with ESO is to re-write the netcode using RUDP(Reliable UDP). This will then allow ZOS to write their own latency control issues into the custom protocol that would kinda make it a mix between Layer 4(UDP) with custom code built on top of it to handle these issues(Layer 7) functionality.
By doing this, the best example would be say you have one packet dropped, instead of having to resend 2 packets, the server would send you back one that contains all the data you need which by itself would reduce stress on their systems by 50% theoretically.
Conclusion
I think the 1st step towards fixing ESO lag issues lies in the netcode and its reliance on TCP. I think a custom RUDP(Reliable UDP protocol) implementation would go a long way in reducing server overhead and making the game lag significantly less in high stress situations. TCP simply isn't the best choice for a game the scale of ESO and this becomes woefully apparent on the PVP side of the game. FPS issues and such on the client side can be addressed later down the pipe, and may not even need addressed at all if the underlying network code is moved to a RUDP implementation to allow it to scale significantly higher then what can be achieved with TCP. Such a move would also give ZOS far more granual error and packet loss control options allowing them to truly write a robust netcode that handle a large player base of scale.
Good luck, and thank you for your time.
Useful References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_network_protocols_(OSI_model)#Layer_7_.28Application_Layer.29
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSI_model#Layer_4:_Transport_Layer
http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=polling
https://1024monkeys.wordpress.com/
https://1024monkeys.wordpress.com/2014/04/08/udp-vs-tcp-a-follow-up/
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Enter Cyrodiil as a Neutral Character
I think this might be a practical fix to the problem everyone has when trying to get the PvE content in Cyrodiil done. But already I can also see this could be abused, so I'll do my best to address that too.
I recognize that Cyrodiil is the big large, "Don't Go Here If You Don't Want To Die" zone that is mainly for the Alliance War PvP aspect of the game. Players go there to play against other players. Yes that's all well and good. But Zenimax had the idea to also include PvE content within Cyrodiil. Now unless you're one of those god-like Vet16 players who can handle unwelcome interruptions during a Delve, Quest, or Dolmen, the majority of us left don't care to be ganked while in the middle of a boss fight. And then are forced to travel all the way back to start over again, that is, if we're not ganked on the way.
One possible way is to add another feature to the Campaign menu. To enter one as a Neutral Character.
In this instance, your character is now untouchable by enemy faction PvPlayers and they themselves are untouchable by you. You are now free to roam about the cabin and do your questing.
However, being invincible can be abused in a PvP area. An idea I just thought of was to act as a spy for your guild/faction. Perhaps you enter your guild's campaign as a Neutral player and then go off to an enemy Keep to get a read on their defenses and movements. Suddenly your guild knows exactly where and what the enemy players are at and are doing. To fix this, Keeps can have a no-go zone applied to a certain radius around them. If a Neutral player decided to get a bit too close, then you'll end up just like if you decided to wade into Slaughter fish infested waters. A very, very hard hitting arrow to the knee.
This way PvP players can't be taken advantage of, and players who just want to get the Cyrodiil PvE content done won't be harassed.
I recognize that Cyrodiil is the big large, "Don't Go Here If You Don't Want To Die" zone that is mainly for the Alliance War PvP aspect of the game. Players go there to play against other players. Yes that's all well and good. But Zenimax had the idea to also include PvE content within Cyrodiil. Now unless you're one of those god-like Vet16 players who can handle unwelcome interruptions during a Delve, Quest, or Dolmen, the majority of us left don't care to be ganked while in the middle of a boss fight. And then are forced to travel all the way back to start over again, that is, if we're not ganked on the way.
One possible way is to add another feature to the Campaign menu. To enter one as a Neutral Character.
In this instance, your character is now untouchable by enemy faction PvPlayers and they themselves are untouchable by you. You are now free to roam about the cabin and do your questing.
However, being invincible can be abused in a PvP area. An idea I just thought of was to act as a spy for your guild/faction. Perhaps you enter your guild's campaign as a Neutral player and then go off to an enemy Keep to get a read on their defenses and movements. Suddenly your guild knows exactly where and what the enemy players are at and are doing. To fix this, Keeps can have a no-go zone applied to a certain radius around them. If a Neutral player decided to get a bit too close, then you'll end up just like if you decided to wade into Slaughter fish infested waters. A very, very hard hitting arrow to the knee.
This way PvP players can't be taken advantage of, and players who just want to get the Cyrodiil PvE content done won't be harassed.
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