The Elder Scrolls Online

[Sul]

THE RAPE NEVER ENDS

 

[Kem0sabe]

This can only end badly, haven´t people in the industry learnt nothing from TOR? It´s the same shit all over again, but this time with an even smaller fan base.

 

[Shadenuat]

Here goes the last AAA setting with dark humor and unorthodox cosmology. Expanded Universe plague - forward!

 

[DraQ]

Quick, someone photoshop goatse into it!

 

[ohWOW]

Jesus, these are indeed dark times...

 

[TheCatsofSanktPetersburg]

What's this?

 

[Black]

The objective of CTF.

 

[Sul]

What's this?

The inevitable disaster.

 

[Jack]

What's this?

A photoshopped version of Mount Vesuvius in Eruption by William Turner, 1817. The original painting is quite exquisite, if I may say so.

 

[Kahlis]

 

[Sul]

Should have put Lawrance face on it. Todd has little to do with TESO.

 

[Kahlis]

I didn't think he'd be as easily recognizable. I am annoyed at how a few years back Todd was talking about how they had no interest in an MMORPG when Zenimax was clearly arranging this setup with them behind the scenes. There's nothing stopping him from going one step further and saying "you know I was skeptical at first but now I think an MMORPG with 5 expansion packs a year and a cash shop is the best way to convey the true vision of TES."

 

[Sul]

Well, I don't mind a TES MMORPG. Actually the PVP does seem interesting, and I'm tired of all these MMORPGs that feel more like singleplayer games with co-op because they are all about STORY and EMOTIONAL ENGAGEMENT. TESO on the other hand looks more like a traditional MMOs where player interaction and team work were the fun part.
What pisses me off is this Lawrence guy that comes along and rapes all the years of investment that countless fans have put on the lore, all the theories about the culture of different races and earth bones, all of Kirkbride's legacy (which influenced even Skyrim) and everything that made TES an interesting setting. The guy is basically turning all that into a cheap LotR/WoW copy because Zenimax fears that the mythical CoD/WoW audience will feel intimidated by Dark Elves that aren't edgy emo goths, Wood Elves that eat their own or nazi High Elves that kill their own children on the hope of creating a beautiful race.

 

[Kahlis]

And a mere few months after claiming they'd try and accommodate the lore, too. I guess they quickly realized that it was too nuanced for their competitive factional PvP MMORPG template. I always thought TES had one of the most interesting western RPG settings, but I suppose it all has to be toned down so that players can feel each faction is equally morally justified - can't have people missing out on different play experiences or committing to things, after all! Have to make everything obvious and straightorward from the beginning.

Gameplay-wise it strikes me as a Guild Wars knockoff, although that's better than the mindless buffing and hotbar combat of World of Warcraft, I see no redeeming features to it. I feel as though the Zenimax team who allegedly love the series (probably translates to "I played Oblivion" as with the guy who wrote the novel) simply took some key words from the series (EMPEROR, ELDER SCROLLS, MOON SUGAR) and threw them into an MMORPG cookie cutter mould. Bethesda haven't been treating some of their own lore elements that well lately either (elder scrolls as plot devices throughout Skyrim and the DLC), but I agree with you that something about it is particularly infuriating coming from some complete newcomer to the company.

 

[TheCatsofSanktPetersburg]

What's this?

A photoshopped version of Mount Vesuvius in Eruption by William Turner, 1817. The original painting is quite exquisite, if I may say so.

Thanks Jack, you're a bro!

 

[TheCatsofSanktPetersburg]

nazi High Elves that kill their own children on the hope of creating a beautiful race.

You do realize that's propaganda?

 

[Sul]

nazi High Elves that kill their own children on the hope of creating a beautiful race.

You do realize that's propaganda?

Of course it's. The same goes for Bosmers living on trees and Redguard swordmasters being capable of literally splitting the atom with their swords.

 

[TheCatsofSanktPetersburg]

Or the Nibenay being a jungle...

 

[Data4]

Or the Nibenay being a jungle...

...or the game being any good.

 

[Infinitron]

http://www.formspring.me/GZiets/q/423539084519037551

Given the record of recent MMOs like SWTOR, do you think Elder Scrolls Online will succeed? I realize you may have a bias here, but care to tell us why you think TESO will be different from other underwhelming entries to the genre??

I honestly don’t know. When I working on ESO, I considered their advantages to be: 1) 3-faction PvP, which worked very well in Dark Age of Camelot and kept a lot of people playing that game for a long time (and in fact, it’s apparently still running); 2) the popularity of the lore and the world, and the fact that TES fans will get to see parts of that world that have been mentioned a lot but never seen in a game (unless you count Arena); and 3) an emphasis on narrative and storytelling, which has been notably absent in most big MMOs. That last point may be less important than I had hoped, given the fate of SWTOR. But then, SWTOR relied heavily on instances, and I don’t think ESO is going to do that, so their approach to storytelling may be more appealing to the MMO crowd.

Also, it sounds like they’ve de-emphasized classes since I left, which could be interesting. Or it could be a disaster – it all depends upon the implementation. I do think it’s truer to the TES setting, though, which (to me) is a plus.

Bottom line – WoW is showing its age, and they have an opportunity if they built a really strong, addictive, well-balanced game. On the other hand, subscription-based MMOs are a much harder sell now than they were a few years ago so… it'll be an uphill battle to achieve the spectacular success they need. In my opinion - the more they feel like an Elder Scrolls game and utilize the unique elements of that setting, the better off they'll be. I'm encouraged by recent interviews, but we will see...

 

[IDtenT]

Is that confirmation of a subscription model? Oh shit. Lots of losses there and an absolute shit F2P implementation, as it will not be designed for that in mind, a year after.

 

[abija]

Subscription model is mighty fine if you don't plan your budget and game features for 10 mil subscribers like they did with SW:ToR.
Ofc "3) an emphasis on narrative and storytelling, which has been notably absent in most big MMOs" doesn't give much hope...

 

[DraQ]

http://www.formspring.me/GZiets/q/423539084519037551

3) an emphasis on narrative and storytelling, which has been notably absent in most big MMOs

Good, good.

 

[Sul]

http://www.formspring.me/GZiets/q/423539084519037551

3) an emphasis on narrative and storytelling, which has been notably absent in most big MMOs

Yeah, because I totally want to play a half-assed co-op RPG with people that I don't even know.
Where's the MASSIVE from MMORPGs of today?

 

[anus_pounder]

Everything is shit. Shut down all MMOs and go back to making good SP games. The end.