So, okay, we already know that the devs are (at least for now) intending to allow UI mods with full script-interaction via LUA.

That's a powerful thing.

A rather stable factor of ESO is that while there are many skill trees, there's only a very limited set of active quickslots for skills (what was it, 5 skills and one ultimate? or something like that). That's all fine and dandy...

But what about UI mods that add more skillbars, allowing PC players to basically hotkey every single skill they have? That would be a *massive* advantage in both PvP and PvE over regular players - not just "see what you can do in a better way", but a full-on "do more stuff". Afaik making such a mod would not be difficult at all, and unless there is some hard limiter for skill-number per fight on the server, then I don't see how this could be prevented, tbh, as long as UI mods are allowed.

Or does Zenimax consider it fair, when unmodded players have (e.g.) a total of 8 active skills to choose from, and modded players have (e.g.) 36+ in the same battle?

The Dev can simply not allow such mods to function. Just because they open up the UI to Lua modding doesn't mean they can't control what can be done. The single action bar is an intrinsic part of the UI and combat system so anything that like this that goes against their game design will simply not be allowed.

Unlikely for such an advantage to happen. They would not overlook such a massive difference in power. In saying that... perhaps you can't switch out weapons during combat ( aside from what i have seen, 2 weapon sets predetermined akin to Guild war's 2 ) from your inventory. Perhaps when you leave town only 5+1 abilities are usable.

However they do it... you won't have a mod for all abilities to be usable. It''d just be such a rookie mistake for an experienced company.

"not allowed" Easy to say, less easy to do. UI mods with LUA access can *easily* add more hotbars & quickslots. Unless there literally is a "skills used per battle" counter that syncs with server, there's no other prevention.

Edit: As for wepon switching - it will be allowed, definitely, in dungeons etc (ref. the AUA article about healers/dps and mention of switching to a healing build if the original healer is bad at it). And out of combat, we do know that you can rearrange the skills/abilities too, so it definitely isn't "5+1 only out of town"... 5+1 per battle, yes, but how to actually force that to happen...

Its their game, they have full control over whats able to be modded. Nothing easy or hard about it. There will be things we are allowed to mod with the UI and things we won't be able to mod.

I see what you're getting at. You're assuming during combat the 6 skills you are allowed to use can be switched with an inactive one? or more precisely, it's sitting somewhere on screen to click ( and assuming you can only have a certain amount of active spells it will replace the spell you click with one not on CD? )

So... Zenimax isn't making a UI that can be customized within limit's... it will be limitless and is capable of breaking any mechanics they make?

I'm fairly certain they already have something figured out... cause someone fighting with an open spell book, waiting to switch something out seem's ridiculous.

Bah, look what you people have done. Asking for stupid things like Kustom UI's... inadvertently creating ridiculous scenario's.

The active hotkeys are hard coded to be used with the weapon you are wearing.

Even if you have a mod that shows you more hotbars, you simply cannot use them because the active hotbar is hardcoded and linked to your weapon.

What you can do with that however is a mod that shows you the secondary hotbar for your alternative weapon.

So you'll see the other weapons abilities all the time but they will be grey'd out until you switch to your alternative weapon.

This is a core gamplay mechanic. Not a UI feature.

You will not be able to add quick slots. Maybe you can make them bigger/smaller different colors though.

Nordjitsu... a treasure trove of information and success.

The urge for coffee subsided... TY.

What about abilities on other trees? (class trees, mage/fighters guild trees, pvp trees) They aren't weapon-locked.

Great, so we'll see lots of RP mods and content enriching mods and nothing that will give players an unfair edge in PvP . . . I hope.

Nothing is more annoying than people using macros to do unrealistic combinations against people it PvP. Macros will prob be more of a problem on the PC, while on console you are limited to how fast your digits are in emplying controller combinations.

I would love to see gamepad support for the PC. It would be interesting to guage who had the advantage in a gamepad vs. keyboard and mouse matchup.

What does everyone else think . . . is it more of test of skill when everybody is on the same playing field? Or, is it fair for the person who puts in the time to make a killer macro to rule the day?

Games can be far more enjoyable when everyone adheres to a set of rules, but then there are those who say if you are at a disadvantage change the rules so that you have the advantage. I for one am more in favor of having fair rules, but using ingenious combinations within the game framework to gain an advantage.

That's..not what he means. At all.

Each weapon slot has its own set of hotkeys. The slots themselves is what he means.

Unfortunately he's wrong. WoW's action bar addons added more bars, with atleast one of them allowing you to create as many as you want (Button Forge I think its called?).

This is something I hadn't thought of, and I sure hope that the developers have, because its gonna svck bad.

While I don't think they can lock how many bars are available, I'm pretty sure they can lock how many skills are allowed to be slotted. Lets hope so, anyway.

As said already, the devs can control what they allow to be modified by LUA modding. If they don't want people to have extra hotkeys, they simply don't allow that function to be edited. It's not some huge issue to stop.

You're probably right, my knowledge of LUA modding is nill outside of actually using the addons.

But the important questions have not been asked!

Can i have sparkly unicorns at the corner of my screen?

Why are you awake Spatula GO TO BED. There's no skill slots on a unicorn.

I'm not sure how it goes but this is the impression what I have of the hotbar system:

You put any skills to your hotbar. That hotbar works with the weapon you are wearing at the moment.

When you change your weapon, you will have a different hotbar. To that hotbar you can put any skills and abilites again.

But every time you change a weapon (type?) your hotbar changes to another one.

So with this thinking in mind I said that the different hotbars will be locked from use until you change your weapon.

But yeah, if anyone knows better how the hotbars work please tell me. This is just the impression I've had of the system.

Why, can you see them there now? Lol

You're right with that. But unless they lock it, you might potentially be able to add new bars to each weapon slot. Suddenly you go from having 1 bar per weapon, to like 6 or 10 or something. Maybe. Doubtfully. Possibly?

The 5 slot bar is a core concept in their game. I am 99.999999% sure they won't allow you to add additional slots.

Like I said to the other guy, probably right. My only input is that LUA modding has a history of adding in additional action bars.