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.

Thanks for posting:

He said, "We do not want players writing scripts that play their character for them, and that was the direction ESO UI modding was headed."

In other words, no bots (aka gold farmers) I know, they still be there, it must be a real human, not a mindless code to farm nodes or kill monsters for gold.

Also, I am happy the direction that they are going with their UI.

Great post & information!

Thank you.

Great read and fully support!

^ That

Good read, roll on Sunday.

May we request a link for the OP's post? Thanks

I think Paul could do better than this to be honest. Especially considering they said in the beginning that they fully support addons because of the limited UI they're providing out of the box. It's the entire reason they added addon support. There were quite a few people that worked for a long time making addons for the community. That counts for nothing now? But what do I know, I'm just a gamer.

At the same time you can't expect a developer to just flat out allow the complete negation of a part of the game they deem part of its identity (minimalist UI) and give clear advantages to those that negate that part of the game. People really need to use common sense. It's almost like complaining that they removed an exploit from the game.

Posted by Faulgor in another thread

http://de.reddit.com/r/elderscrollsonline/comments/21cgkf/zos_paulsage_followup_recent_changes_to_api/

They are supporting addons, but they also have to keep them fair and in line with their goals. Addons markers just have to figure out how to do what they want to do, but also not opening ESO up with cheats -- like the bot / gold farmer example.

But there are a few things I think could still be beneficial. /macro assist, /macro target, /macro follow, /macro face. Those types of things. No real big change, just helpful. I don't car about all the visual stuff.

Both good points. I hear you.

If you read it, its a little bit more than that....its to keep the game fair & not deviating from the elements (that they spent a long time designing) already in the game.

Although, in saying that, he acknowledges there may be room for improvement on those elements in game.

Macros are more destructive to gameplay then simple UI adjustments. Its a very slippery slope when macros are introduced into an environment ment for the "Player" to react, not the computer.

As a fun stance tho... Who else tied "/Openfire" to their range attack on WoW? Yes my dwarf Warrior was really annoying.

Fantastic post by Paul. ZOS is sticking to their design philosophy and I commend them for it. Automated scripts were inevitable given the wide-open nature of the API, so they pulled it. It was a bold move that helps the game immensely.

Bold text:
No one does that in combat in other games with a mouse anyway but whatever.

The auto macro pretext is pretty ridiculous, it's not going to stop bots, they'll juste use 3rd party programs or gaming keyboard to make up for that.

Worse part of all this is that before the api was changed, people weren't complaining about buffs/debuffs, they were complaining about dps meters, which are still in.

I'm happy to launch with this setup. Where the church will end up eventually remains to be seen. Can't wait Sunday!

That change was due to the design philosophy of the game and how they want information displayed.

all of these debates are completely meaningless regarding PvP add ons because everyone seems to be forgetting the number one thing: everyone can download every ad on it is up to you whether you want to do so or not but it is not an advantage because you are capable of downloading the same add ons as everyone else is. it is not anyones fault that you choose to not participate, but you are completely capable of doing so therefore it is not an advantage because you are choosing to handicap yourself

He said that the api was wide open to see just how far add-ons could go. they used you all to show exactly what they don't want. haha

Last page in the MMO forums sub forum for TESO no idea where the OP got it sorry

I don't want to hear people complain at all when Adventure Zones and Trials come out and you have this same UI functionality.

Because when it's said and done, this will effect the end-game content as well as PVP, but people asked for this.

I do not want to be forced to use certain addons! TES Idea: "Play the way that one wants to play" Being forced to used addon, is not following the TES Idea.

What many people do not understand is that they had even said the API was wide open but would not remain so. Anyone thinking they was going to be able to write and use any add-on was being stupid. Nor do we know what some other add-ons players may have written but not shown publicly.