Editorial The Metaphysics of Morrowind

[Jason]

Tags: Bethesda Softworks; Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

<p>If you ever fapped vigorously to the <a href="http://www.imperial-library.info/content/morrowind-thirty-six-lessons-vivec" target="_blank">36 Lessons of Vivec</a>, you might be pleased to read <a href="http://fallingawkwardly.wordpress.com/2010/11/23/the-metaphysics-of-morrowind-part-4/" target="_blank"><strong>The Metaphysics of Morrowind</strong></a> over at Falling Awkwardly. From the <a href="http://fallingawkwardly.wordpress.com/2010/10/25/the-metaphysics-of-morrowind-part-3/" target="_blank">3rd article</a> out of 4:</p>
<blockquote>Vivec recognises that the player is more then just their ingame character, that their deaths do not matter, they have the power to override it. This is also true of Vivec; he is a god. Both the player and Vivec merely possess avatars ingame, and CHIM means that we are invited to see Vivec as existing beyond the pixels of the game, just as the player does. Vivec is, therefore, in the perfect position to teach the player how to become a ruling king &ndash; how to &ldquo;conquer&rdquo; the game. To be a &ldquo;ruling king of the world&rdquo; is to be a successful player, to be a self-aware agent, to possess a form of CHIM. We can see from the failed Incarnates that not all players know how to &ldquo;beat&rdquo; the game. Via the 36 Lessons, Vivec claims to be teaching the player how to avoid this fate. What, then, does he suggest? And should we believe him?</blockquote>
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<p>Spotted at: <a href="http://www.critical-distance.com/">Critical Distance</a></p>

 

[Callaxes]

I forgot how awesome the narrative can be in these books.

http://www.imperial-library.info/conten ... se-tamriel

My name is Jubal-lun-Sul, of House Sul, whose name is known and heard throughout the Scathing Bay and the Nine times Nine Thrones. Our lord is High Alma Jaroon, of House Jaroon, whose city is the First City of the New North, where all who Went Under from Landfall settled and made peace with the Worm, when we were not Eighty and One separate peoples but One, carrying the tibrols on our back together and cutting tunnels by the light and heat that all mer wore, with equal dust in every mouth. My family’s name comes from the first child born in the Velothiid, Haeko-dol-Sul, and, like him, we are salt merchants. Our crest is the tusk of the bat-tiger. Our bloodline is registered by C0DA.

 

[Orgasm]

Jesus, this is worse than furry larping. Fucking disgusting.

 

[deuxhero]

Yes we know. Morrowind's background was really really awesome and Oblivion failed to expand on it.

 

[Deleted Member 10432]

The title for this thread does not begin Groundwork for. I am disappoint.

 

[DraQ]

Jesus, this is worse than furry larping. Fucking disgusting.

*stuffs Orgasm's mouth with his milk-finger to keep him from babbling this thread into retardo*

 

[Ruprekt]

Our codex nietzschelarpers and schopenlarpers should love this stuff.

 

[.Sigurd]

Then came the war with the northern men, where Vivec did guide the Hortator into swift and tricky union with the Dwemer. The greatest demon chieftains of the frigid west were those listed below, five in unholy number.

HOAGA, the Mouth of Mud, who appeared as a great bearded king, had the powers of Marshalling and breathing the earth. On the battlefields, this demon would often be seen on the sidelines, eating the soil voraciously. When his men fell, Hoaga would fill their bodies back with it, whereupon they would rise again and fight, albeit slower. He had a Secret Name, Fenja, and destroyed seventeen Chimeri villages and two Dwemeri strongholds before being turned away.

CHEMUA, the Running Hunger, who appeared as a mounted soldier with full helm, had the powers of Heart Roaring and of sky sickening. He ate the Chimeri hero, Dres Khizumet-e, sending the spirit back to the Hortator as an assassin. Sometimes called First Blighter, Chemua could give clouds stomach aches and turn the rain of Veloth into bile. He destroyed six Chimeri villages before he was slain by Vivec and the Hortator.

BHAG, the Two-Tongued, who appeared as a great bearded king, had the powers of Surety and Form Change. His raiders were small in number, but ran amok in the west hinterlands, killing many Velothi trappers and scouts. He fell in a great debate with Vivec, for the warrior-poet alone could understand the northern man's two-layered speech, though ALMSIVI had to remain invisible during the argument.

BARFOK, Maid of Planes, who appeared as a winged human with lick-encrusted spear, had the powers of Event Denouement. Battles fought against her would always end in victory for Barfok, because she could shape outcomes by singing. Four Chimeri villages and two more Dwemeri strongholds were destroyed by her decision enforcement. Vivec had to stuff her mouth with his milk finger to keep her from singing Veloth into ruin.

YSMIR, the Dragon of the North, who always appears as a great bearded king, had powers innumerable and echoing. He was grim and dark and the most silent of the invading chieftains, though when he spoke villages were uplifted and thrown into the sea. The Hortator fought him unarmed, grabbing the Dragon's roars by hand until Ysmir's power throat bled. These roars were given to Vivec to bind into an ebony listening frame, which the warrior-poet placed on Ysmir's face and ears to drive him mad and drive him away.

'The coming forth and the driving away brings all things around. What I shall say next is unpleasant to record: HERMA-MORA-ALTADOON! AE ALTADOON!'

The ending of the words is ALMSIVI.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

should we believe him?

Vivec

 

[laclongquan]

I forgot how awesome the narrative can be in these books.

http://www.imperial-library.info/conten ... se-tamriel

My name is Jubal-lun-Sul, of House Sul, whose name is known and heard throughout the Scathing Bay and the Nine times Nine Thrones. Our lord is High Alma Jaroon, of House Jaroon, whose city is the First City of the New North, where all who Went Under from Landfall settled and made peace with the Worm, when we were not Eighty and One separate peoples but One, carrying the tibrols on our back together and cutting tunnels by the light and heat that all mer wore, with equal dust in every mouth. My family’s name comes from the first child born in the Velothiid, Haeko-dol-Sul, and, like him, we are salt merchants. Our crest is the tusk of the bat-tiger. Our bloodline is registered by C0DA.

Now that's a quote that say it all about Morrowind level of writing: pompous, long-winded, empty of content, candicate for skipping button if there's such a button existed.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

I want to stuff maiden's in the mouth with my milk finger.

 

[CraigCWB]

Now that's a quote that say it all about Morrowind level of writing: pompous, long-winded, empty of content, candicate for skipping button if there's such a button existed.

I think all that crap was located in the 5,763 "clutter" books in the game, which means you didn't even have to read it at all. Which I think is the option most people took as soon as they realized all that back-story was completely irrelevant because it had no in-game purpose.

Bethesda was a real innovator, there. They figured out how to shovel massive quantities of "lore" onto the player in the most boring possible way long before MMO developers started experimenting with it. That was my biggets beef with Morrowind. It played like an MMO, only without the (real) people.

 

[Ruprekt]

I can only think of two MMOs that had in game books: EQ2 and Asheron's Call.

And in both I thought they were well enough written to add something to the game. I guess it's a matter of taste?

 

[CraigCWB]

I can only think of two MMOs that had in game books: EQ2 and Asheron's Call.

And in both I thought they were well enough written to add something to the game. I guess it's a matter of taste?

Well, they don't always use "books". Warhammer Online just had hotspots you clicked on with your mouse, and got got a notification that an entry had been made in your codex, right? Which was actually a pretty cool way of doing it as the codex entries were pretty extensive and well indexed.

Then there's the way original Everquest did it. The lore was there, but you really had to dig for it.

 

[Clockwork Knight]

Which I think is the option most people took as soon as they realized all that back-story was completely irrelevant because it had no in-game purpose.

It provides entertainment, which I suppose is what you're playing the game for

 

[laclongquan]

WEll Bethesda is a big believer in building gigantic gameworlds. They can do it well, too.

What damns them in our eyes is populating those worlds with good/interesting characters, or an interesting story. Their efforts in these matter simply fell flat.

 

[Data4]

WoW has in-game books, too. Not enough of them, though, and I don't think any new books have been added since vanilla.

 

[Angthoron]

WoW has in-game books, too. Not enough of them, though, and I don't think any new books have been added since vanilla.

Ah yes, the classics like http://www.wowhead.com/search?q=a+steamy+romance :D


Divinity 2 has a whole pile of books with lore as well. Some are pretty short but others actually have a bit of substance.

 

[hal900x]

Warhammer Online just had hotspots you clicked on with your mouse, and got got a notification that an entry had been made in your codex, right?

Nah, those Codex entries come from many sources, but not "hotspots" as you suggest. Mini-quests, "secret" npc's, discovering hidden areas and so forth. Do NOT ask me how I know this. I will deny it.

 

[Data4]

WoW has in-game books, too. Not enough of them, though, and I don't think any new books have been added since vanilla.

Ah yes, the classics like http://www.wowhead.com/search?q=a+steamy+romance :D

I like the Exotic Cookbook, myself :D http://www.wowhead.com/item=5428

But yeah, there were readable lore books laying around, usually in inns.

 

[Phelot]

I really liked Morrowind's lore. A great example of an attempt at a unique culture that is still familiar.

 

[DraQ]

Which I think is the option most people took as soon as they realized all that back-story was completely irrelevant because it had no in-game purpose.

It provides entertainment, which is more than can be said of you.

Inclined.

Divinity 2 has a whole pile of books with lore as well. Some are pretty short but others actually have a bit of substance.

Except books in Div2 don't really try to portray an interesting and cohesive gameworld. Some are fun, some are amusing, but if they were to be judged on the basis of their worldbuilding merits, they wouldn't even qualify for "E for the effort".

 

[CrimHead]

Vivec is a tranny

 

[CraigCWB]

Warhammer Online just had hotspots you clicked on with your mouse, and got got a notification that an entry had been made in your codex, right?

Nah, those Codex entries come from many sources, but not "hotspots" as you suggest. Mini-quests, "secret" npc's, discovering hidden areas and so forth. Do NOT ask me how I know this. I will deny it.

Many sources. Including hotspots. There are at least a dozen "click on something and get codex entry" just in the tutorial area.

 

[CraigCWB]

WEll Bethesda is a big believer in building gigantic gameworlds. They can do it well, too.

What damns them in our eyes is populating those worlds with good/interesting characters, or an interesting story. Their efforts in these matter simply fell flat.

I'm totally on-board with that. Going all the way back to Arena, the sheer amount of gameplay they provided and the amount of non-repeating stuff you could do was staggering. Unfortunately, that's about all they had going for them.