E3 Preview: The Elder Scrolls Online

[Varil]

I don't like that they race-locked the different factions. I guess it's kind of necessary to keep the Aldmeri Dominion from being flooded by Dark Elves or something, but one of the things I liked in some of the Elder Scrolls games is being the "odd one out". It's one thing for most High Elves to be jerks, it's another for them ALL to be jerks. Same deal the other way, I don't mind knowing that most Bretons are on my side, but how come none of them joined the Aldmeri instead?

It just feels like they're forcing the standard MMO faction gameplay in, and I don't really approve. If the big thing with the Elder Scrolls series is player freedom, wouldn't it be better to let players join whichever faction they like?

They could even make the faction divisions kind of emergent. Give each faction a properly compelling storyline, start the player somewhere neutral with no allegiances(in proper Elder Scrolls fashion), and let the player pick a faction via quests(or work for every faction and play them against one another). If you make it harder for a Nord to join the Aldmeri than for a Khajiit, then you'll probably get more Khajiit than Nords in that faction. Help this along using NPC dialogue...most Nords aren't going to go out of their way to join the Aldmeri if most of the NPCs hate them. Higher prices and rude NPCs would encourage the "correct" racial spread, while still allowing players to do their own thing and join whoever they like as whichever race they prefer.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

Is it strange that I read no mention of the Imperials or High Elves? You would think that they would each be core to their own factions, especially the High Elves for the Aldmeri.

Personally though, from what I've heard, its going to be another clone, or at the very least an attempt to compete against World of Warcraft. Which, really, won't work if they make it play the same, according to earlier news.

Though, I really can't be one to judge. I haven't played an MMO before, and while I have played Oblivion and Skyrim, I would hardly be called all that much of a fan. Yes, I love the games, but I find it hard to really get that deep into the backstory.

However, I will say that I doubt it'll be very successful. Though, you never know.

 

[General Vengeance]

Skyrim = overrated shite!

Expect the MMO, to be hyped up shite.

 

[shintakie10]

Is it strange that I read no mention of the Imperials or High Elves? You would think that they would each be core to their own factions, especially the High Elves for the Aldmeri.

I was thinkin that too actually. I was even more confused because apparently those other three factions are vyin for control of the imperial city, meanin they're all fightin on Imperial lands. I literally know nothin about the lore of Elder Scrolls, but color me confused about that one.

Edit - So that sounds a ton like ToR. Hopefully the instancin is kept to an absolute minimum or they'll run into the same crap that ToR had where the worlds can have a hundred people in it, but still feel completely empty.

 

[Don Savik]

I wish they would stop saying it looks like an Elder Scrolls game. It doesn't. Orcs, Humans, various shades of elves,cat and lizard people (while all part of the Elder Scrolls series) don't make an elder scrolls game. The graphical style they chose is nothing more then the generic fantasy settings seen in countless other fantasy games.From what they've shone there's nothing special that signals Elder Scrolls other then the names of the races and the names of the cities.

Exactly. Elder Scrolls is known for its immersive and open worlds. Yes some complain about the depth, buts its not about the depth. Its about immersing yourself in the world and lore, and you can do anything and go anywhere anytime you want. Making a linear rpg with invincible npcs (no pickpocketing, stealth, sneak attacks, stealing, etc) and probably no speech traits considering the nature of mmos, is the exact opposite of what the series is known for. You can't take away the strengths that the series has and expect the IP to make up for it alone.

Also the graphical style is just wrong. Its too shiny and stylized for Elder Scrolls.

 

[Don Savik]

Skyrim = overrated shite!

Expect the MMO, to be hyped up shite.

Made by 2 different development teams first of all.

Second of all, nobody cares that you have an opinion. What's your point in posting that you hate the game? To make yourself feel better about yourself? I'm really quite curious.

 

[uncanny474]

Personally though, from what I've heard, its going to be another clone, or at the very least an attempt to compete against World of Warcraft.

This, basically. Except from what I've seen and heard, from the "more cartoony" style graphics to the factions to the emphasis on PVP, you can barely call it a clone. I think we're getting into rip-off and lawsuit territory here.

I'll reserve final judgement until the game comes out, but color me cynical. Of course, you could just ALWAYS count me as cynical and save yourself a lot of time.

So, bets on how long it's going to take ESO to tank? I'll give good odds on anything more than a month! 10:1 and up!

 

[Zeren]

Every new piece of information I hear about this game makes me not want to play it all the more. I left WoW for a reason. I don't want more of the same.

 

[Alandoril]

Hmm, large scale PVP. I wonder if this developer will be able to actually allow it without it turning into a ridiculous slideshow like all the others promising such in recent gaming memory...

 

[remmus]

sorry, this is 2012, you don't have a excuse not giving us fps combat in a mmo anymore, what´s the use playing a Elder Scrolls mmo if I can´t do so threw the eyes of my character? Like I done since Oblivion.

 

[9thRequiem]

My reaction is mixed. The stamina meter sounds great - anything that adds some measure of skill to combat is a Good Thing.
But on the other hand, I despise even two faction stuff in MMOs; three is just stupid incarnate. The point of MMOs is to play with other people - why designate a huge chunk of players I can't play nice with just-because?

 

[Li Mu]

E3 Preview: The Elder Scrolls Online

Journey back a few hundred years to the early days of Tamriel.

Read Full Article

Dear Mr. Butts,

Can you stop claiming that Bethesda is developing the game when they clearly are not. Zenimax is the developer for this game.

Are you trying to make the game appear more credible by pretending that Bethesda is making it?


Thank you.

 

[Angry_squirrel]

This actually sounds really good.

I'm cautiously optimistic. I've never played an MMO before, and I plan to start at either this, or Guild Wars 2

 

[remmus]

...class based...

Aaaaaaaaaaand interest dies. Seriously, if even an Elder Scrolls MMO can't be arsed to employ a skill-based system, I weep for the final and unequivocal death of sandbox MMOs.

Same here, kinda sad it´s the 'small time' mmo makers that tries the new stuff and often lack the money to make it work, while the companies swimming in cash make same old same old MMO-s


na me I rather have a proper, Bethesda made Elder Scrolls game with just 2-4 player co-op

 

[ThunderCavalier]

I was kinda skeptical about making a MMO out of the Elder Scrolls, a series that seems rooted in its single-player experience, but after the preview, this does sound like it might stand a chance to, at the very least, not get killed the first six months in.

Still, the MMO market is still dominated by World of Warcraft and, to a lesser extent, The Old Republic. What the Elder Scrolls MMO is good, but not something that WoW or TOR haven't already done, so unless there some other unique feature, I doubt that the Elder Scrolls fanbase that would play a MMO would be enough to support this project.

 

[Ashoten]

Whhhhyyyyyyy Bethesda? Why? Do you want your company to sink like a rock? MMO's cost gobs of money and don't tend to get the subscribers they need. Even TOR is only doing ok and they own on the biggest I.P.'s ever. Hope its a free to play model for your sakes. Micro transactions for soul stones sounds like a pain but at least you would make your monies back.

 

[Farther than stars]

Pssst... silver arrow to the knee.

 

[dragon_tail]

But on the other hand, I despise even two faction stuff in MMOs; three is just stupid incarnate. The point of MMOs is to play with other people - why designate a huge chunk of players I can't play nice with just-because?

This, so much of this. If I want to play with people I know, I will have to be the same faction thereby limiting myself to only 3 playable races. Limiting the player to race-specific factions looks like a really bad idea and not allowing for much diversity and choice, things that TES is known for. When I think of an Elder Scrolls game, I don't think about graphics or the story, I think of an open world with everything to explore and discover, going where and when I want and helping/not helping whomever I want. These limitations combined with the look of the game (based on the few screenshots I have seen) make me pretty uninterested. I never play MMOs but I hoped this one would bring something new to the market. Though we still don't have much info, what we have is not really optimistic in my book.

 

[scw55]

If this was last year or 2 years ago, I'd be excited. It's not, so I am not.
It sounds like it's taking elements from the latest MMOs and not really doing anything new, or much newity.