The Elder Scrolls Online

[Elader Arkon]

It's Official.

Not entirely sure how I feel about an Elder Scrolls MMO. It might be the first MMO where I would play an RPPVP server, because I play TES for the deeply immersive experience and it is often rather difficult to get that same kind of thing in an MMO (EVE being the unique one I have found where player antics only add rather than detract from my immersion in the game world).

 

[SKLURB]

I am so so so sooooooooo going to be there. DAoC had some of the most epic RvR/PvP in any MMO....3 faction is the way to do it! i cannot wait for this game!!!

 

[Odale]

I am so so so sooooooooo going to be there. DAoC had some of the most epic RvR/PvP in any MMO....3 faction is the way to do it! i cannot wait for this game!!!

^ This, mostly.

I'm not allowing myself to get overjoyed about an MMO before it releases anymore because an MMO is unlike other type of game - they (for the most part) charge you monthly fees to play. So if you get all hyped up about it and buy it and it turns out to be garbage, you just spent $60 for only one months play for a buggy game.

Daoc had the best PVP of any mmo, ever - no questions asked. This could likely duplicate the experience of Daoc because it has 3 factions. However, I'm not going to say "I need this game right now!" like I did with SW:TOR... a game that has more bugs and flaws in it than any game I've ever played - and its BIOWARE... one of the biggest names in the gaming industry.

It's all about how the company behind the game treats the game after its released.

Edit - this did make me very happy:

"It will be extremely rewarding finally to unveil what we have been developing the last several years," said game director and MMO veteran Matt Firor, whose previous work includes Mythic's well-received Dark Age of Camelot. "The entire team is committed to creating the best MMO ever made – and one that is worthy of The Elder Scrolls franchise."

Anyone who worked to develop DAoC is a winner in my book.

 

[Bowser]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ex_TsGuK1eo&feature=plcp

 

[Tek7]

When I first started playing Skyrim, I thought to myself, "I'm surprised they didn't make an MMO instead." I understand why they didn't, of course, but I'm not at all surprised they decided to make a TES MMO after playing Skyrim, either.

 

[SKLURB]

ESO Developer interview w/ Game Informer
http://www.gameinformer.com/b/featu...-an-interview-with-the-creative-director.aspx

 

[SKLURB]

>>>LINK<<< to Game Informer magazine scans of their exclusive 19-page Elderscrolls Online Preview:

‘Elder Scrolls Online’ details: combat, PvP, story and more
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Anna Roberts
by Anna Roberts
@

Posted on 6:12 am,
May 4, 2012

Yesterday’s announcement of The Elder Scrolls Online by Zenimax Online gave the gaming community more questions than answers, but some leaked magazine scans provide some of the answers Elder Scrolls fans had been looking for.

Game Informer’s exclusive cover story appears to have been leaked online in its 19-page entirety. The article’s focus is on the difficulties of marrying MMO gameplay with the concepts and ideas that have made the Elder Scrolls series so successful.

From the information provided in the scans, The Elder Scrolls Online appears to be a hotkey-based MMO with classes and levels. The world will cover all the provinces of Tamriel, but some regions will be inaccessible and reserved for expansion content.

Story

The game takes place a thousand years before the events of Skyrim, where a great war between three factions drives the weakened Imperials to turn to necromancy in order to hold their ground. The Altmer necromancer in question, Mannimarco, is actually working with Molag Bal, Daedric prince of domination, who seeks to gain control of the mortal world. Players’ characters have already had their souls stolen by Molag Bal, providing a lore explanation for the countless resurrections that are part of most MMOs combat systems.

The three factions are as follows:

The Ebonheart Pact forged an alliance between the Nords, Dunmer, and Argonians. These races control the north and east areas of Tamriel.
The Aldmeri Dominion: Altmer, Bosmer and Khajiit who control the south and southwest.
The Daggerfall Covenant is made up of Bretons, Redguards and Orcs in the northwest of the continent.

Gameplay

Questing in TES:O follows a “hubless” system. Quests will be found all over the world and players will not have to return to towns to receive their rewards. As well as the standard instanced dungeons, Zenimax Online hope to encourage organic grouping through public dungeons, which are situated in the regular game world.

Each faction has unique levelling content, and Zenimax Online estimate that it will take players 120 hours to reach the level cap.

Vampires and werewolves will feature in the game, but players will not be able to join their ranks. Mounts will be present, but only where they fit the lore. Players can fast travel between discovered ‘wayshrines’, which also act as resurrection points. There will be no player housing.

Combat

The combat system revolves around stamina, a resource which plays consume when blocking, sprinting, interrupting or breaking stuns. A skillful player will judge when to block, and thus consume stamina, and when not to. Burning through stamina quickly will leave characters more vulnerable as combat progresses.

The grip of the MMO ‘holy trinity’ (tank, healer, DPS) will be reduced in TES:O because players will not be able to manipulate the aggro system. Zenimax Online state in the leaked article that five skilled players of any class should be able to clear most content.

The first two slots on the hotbar will be determined by weapon – a light and a heavy attack. In the next few spaces, players can slot class-specific abilities. A final slot is for an ‘ultimate’ skill, which can only be used when the player has generated enough “finesse.”

Finesse accumulates through skilful play - interrupting and blocking powerful abilities or comboing with other players, for example.

Player-versus-player

The open world, endgame PvP in TES:O will take place in Cyrodil. The three factions will fight to take control of the Imperial City, and the player that contributes the most to their side’s victory will be crowned emperor.

The landscape of Cyrodil province is mapped from Oblivion‘s topography, but is reduced in size. Battles will be as large as 100 vs 100 players and siege weapons can be used to destroy enemy fortresses.

Overall, it appears that Zenimax Online are making a traditional MMO with several tweaks, such as the addition of stamina. Are you pleased with the path they’ve gone down? Is there anything you’re disappointed with? Make sure to check out the full scans before they get taken down.

 

[Kendrik]

Well, my interest is piqued.

 

[tagtarsis]

Is it just me or is this a GW2 clone?

Most of the things they are touting are the very things GW2 is claiming to bring to the table. Not that its a big deal, I just realized it sounds like the GW2 pitch with the Elder Scrolls lore.

Im with Tek on this when Belemeys told me this was coming I asked WHY?

SWTOR proved to me that its hard to take a great single player game and make it a good MMO. The idea of morrowind is best in the single player game, this will be interesting to see how this works out.

Im not a downer on it but I dont really see how this will work. In fact with the history of bugs at launch in all 3 titles it will be interesting to see if they can get it right in an MMO.

 

[RiverTigress]

In fact with the history of bugs at launch in all 3 titles it will be interesting to see if they can get it right in an MMO.

Five!! The Elder Scrolls series has five titles, and that's if you're not counting TES Adventures: Redguard and maybe one other odd one I can't remember the name of offhand that was based in the same world but with different gameplay.

Sorry, I just felt helplessly compelled to say that after having been with the series from the very beginning (points at avatar which comes from game #2). Your point about bugginess still stands though, other than that I can't speak for Skyrim since I haven't gotten that one yet.

 

[Kendrik]

Five!! The Elder Scrolls series has five titles, and that's if you're not counting TES Adventures: Redguard and maybe one other odd one I can't remember the name of offhand that was based in the same world but with different gameplay.

Sorry, I just felt helplessly compelled to say that after having been with the series from the very beginning (points at avatar which comes from game #2). Your point about bugginess still stands though, other than that I can't speak for Skyrim since I haven't gotten that one yet.

Beat me to it. hahaha

 

[Tek7]

Im with Tek on this when Belemeys told me this was coming I asked WHY?

Actually, I meant to say that I wasn't surprised at all when ESO was announced, having playing Skyrim for ~2 hours (and looking forward to playing the game for many hours more after I build a new desktop gaming rig with great anticipation). Skyrim, for me, had the feel of a "single-player MMO," if that makes any sense.

 

[SKLURB]

Is it just me or is this a GW2 clone?

Most of the things they are touting are the very things GW2 is claiming to bring to the table. Not that its a big deal, I just realized it sounds like the GW2 pitch with the Elder Scrolls lore.

Im with Tek on this when Belemeys told me this was coming I asked WHY?

SWTOR proved to me that its hard to take a great single player game and make it a good MMO. The idea of morrowind is best in the single player game, this will be interesting to see how this works out.

Im not a downer on it but I dont really see how this will work. In fact with the history of bugs at launch in all 3 titles it will be interesting to see if they can get it right in an MMO.

Mythic created the best 3 faction Realm vs Realm EVAR.
The fact that former Mythic and Origin Systems developers are on board is the biggest selling feature for me as I enjoyed DAoC and Ultima Online immensely. Much of my current issue with MMO's today (for me personally) is that I am constantly looking for a game to fill the epic gameplay void that their respective games left behind. This could be it!
Mythic + Origin + Elderscrolls + RvR = something to keep two eyes on, IMO.

 

[Odale]

Mythic created the best 3 faction Realm vs Realm EVAR.
The fact that former Mythic and Origin Systems developers are on board is the biggest selling feature for me as I enjoyed DAoC and Ultima Online immensely. Much of my current issue with MMO's today (for me personally) is that I am constantly looking for a game to fill the epic gameplay void that their respective games left behind. This could be it!
Mythic + Origin + Elderscrolls + RvR = something to keep two eyes on, IMO.

^ This.

 

[Tek7]

Mythic created the best 3 faction Realm vs Realm EVAR.

The man speaks truth.

DAoC RvR made WoW PvP look like flag football.

 

[Kesstryl]

I have played TES games since Arena, and I am looking forward to this. I'm also kinda burnt out on the traditional MMO model, hope they make it different enough and TES enough to make it worthwhile. I am wincing at the lack of player housing though.