If you have not heard any rumors about it already, Bethesda has supposedly been working on The Elder Scrolls Online. It was announced today that it will be the cover of the June issue of Gameinformer. I don't know what you all think, but I'm stoked!

Please post any comments or thoughts about what you want to see in the game or what you are expecting.


I just hope they stay true to the Elder Scrolls games. Keep it first person! I want the controls to be the same as Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim... None of the bullsh*t controls they use on games like World of Warcraft.

I want first person to be viable in this. I also want to be able to make the crazy builds I've come to expect from TES, and still have it be a viable option.

I don't feel like being kicked from a party for being a Argonian that hasn't maxed out a certain skill or some [censored].

There are a few things I hope it would and wouldn't be:

1. You buy game and play it. No monthly payment.
2. Similar battle and control system than were in Skyrim or Oblivion.
3. No walking through other characters.
4. Possibility to drop things where you want just like in main TES games.
5. Equipped items have both stats and look - no separated look and stats like in many other MMORPGs.
6. You can hit whoever you want including other players.
7. If player owns property everyone has their own houses - not just using the same door for different interriors.
8. No fast respawning on enemies. I want to be able to clear a dungeon and walk away before enemies starts to occupy it again. (A few hours would be good for respawning.)
9. No player respawning on the same server.

If most of these are true in The Elder Scrolls Online then it's worth to try.

I think i can agree with that

Want to see:

-Freeroaming, no instances, no "paths", no confined spaces except for the edge of the worldmap.
-No classes. Or at least custom classes. Skill based with a free choice of skills to improve.
-Skills unrelated to combat. Sure I love Combat, I love pvp, I love PVE.... Just .. I don't want to do just that all the time. Put a interesting craft system and other useful non combat related skills
-Enchanting. I want to make my own magic equipment the way I want it
-Thieves. Pretty Please... I was a Thief in ultima online and since then o other game offered the chance to be a thief. Thieves are cool...
-Guilds. The old guilds, not just quest lines. I want the old guilds with ranks with different privilages based on the rank you reached. And it would be cool if we have to contend that Spot on the black hand with other players... there could be only 5 guys .. and being one of those means besting the other poretenders....
-The old custom magic system would be great ... not easy to balance I know... but ... If you make it right that would be awesome
-Free PVP, PKs, etc..
-Criminal System from Skyrim, divided by region.


Do NOT want to see

-Istances (I should play in a persistent world with everyone.. not in a bottled replica)
-Grinding, Farming, monster drops etc.. (If I Want a weapon I mine metal and craft and then enchant it, don't make me kill thousands of mobs collecting common rare ultra rare stuff... keep it simple and logic... harvest specific ingredients for alchemy from specific monsters, Harvest big souls from big mobs, don't make randomply spawn a sword from a giant spider)
-Compulsory Factions (I want to play my character with my motivations and My goals. I don't care for a war I didn't started myself, and if I care for it I will join in on my terms at the time I believe is Right ... and certainly I will make a race that I like, I don't want to be linked to a faction because of my race.
-Repetable quests (You asked me to recover a dwemer plate from a dwemer ruin . that's cool. You ask me again 50000 times, that's dumb)
-Repetable boss Fights (Don't make me kill mannimarco... unless youi mean that if I kill mannimarco then mannimarco is dead, dead for the whole world and FOREVER. If I can kill mannimarco a hundred times and everybody has killed him thousands of times it has no meaning)

Want to see (or hear, more accurately): Jeremy Soule doing the soundtrack.

A big ass map to travel with each province having its unique architecture and lore like in LOTRO.

Vivec.

Maybe I'm just a little too nostalgic. Just a bit.

I would love to be able to explore every inch of the released world. What worries me however is that not only will some parts be saved for expanions, but that each of the 3 factions will have their own levelling content.
I hope that 'content' means faction-based towns/npc's and not areas you just cant get to, i.e. in SWTOR where you hardly see the other faction and flat-out can't go to certain planets.
Really should be just that you can go over there but you need to give a wide birth to any towns/settlements of the opposite factions.

Alright, the basics questions to start off:

- Crafting?
- Is the fighting going to be different?
- Are there going to be classes/presets like in Oblivion?
- What is the graphic style going to be?
- Is it going to be open-world as it has been in Elder Scrolls for a while now, or is it going to be just multiple instances started from a central quest hub/city?
- Is there going to be Horse Armor?
- Where is it taking place?
- What platforms?
- PvP Arena/battlegrounds?

After writing this there's a lot more than I thought I would post, so if you wish just skip it all or just comment what you think might happen in this new MMO! Cheers

Alright, there's a few questions just to start off, now here's for my personal hopes/speculation on what might be in it.

- As for the Open World/ Instanced World:

I hope it's like this, we have our own personal open worlds with the depth and expanse as Skyrim. (Or possibly all the provinces?) Everyone plays on the same map and can see the same thing for a map layout. But- we're not all in the same world at once. We have our versions of the map with our own personal events, story, and fights taking place. When we come into view of a town/city players can start to fade in and out, basically like a channel in any other MMO, and we can interact with each other, challenge each other to fights, trading, commerce, the normal MMO deal. But when we're in this space we can also look around for other players to include into a party and travel with, much to be expected from an MMO. We settle on a state of a plan and set out, all now instanced into the same world at all times.

- Combat: (These are rough ideas mind you, and what I'm hoping for.)

I want and hope that it's going to be much the same as Skyrim's was. That combat was fluid and well done, it was a great visceral experience that you could almost feel in your hands when you landed blows or cast magic at a foe. I really don't think changing it in any way would make it better, save for one formula; the way Tera Online has done it. You still have your sword and shield, but you have to direct it like in Skyrim, and your attacks are centered in the the area you're looking. If it's a stabbing attack it has to be right down the middle on the target, or with magic or an arrow you need to predict where it will land. Much the same as previous Elder Scrolls games, but with the Tera element you'll be unleashing different kinds of attacks with different effects etc as they come out. You might have a kind of whirl-wind attack where you spin and unleash damage in every direction, or you might have an attack that is structured to hit from a certain direction, such as a downward-right strike that, if a bandit is holding a weapon in a parry, or a shield in a certain position, you can try to by-pass it and land more damage than if it was just blocked. Which leads to this; Depending on where your attacks land on the enemy, on an armored or un-armored segment, that changes the amount of damage.

- Diseases: (Lycan and Vampire Speculation.)

There's two main diseases in the Elder Scrolls Universe that we either completely love, or completely hate. Vampirism and Lycanthropy. Each one is very distinguished to a certain play-style, at least as of Skyrim. Vampirism catered more to the Arcane users whilst the Lycans were very hard hitters, and this is easy to understand, yet, how will these two play out in this MMO setting? What are going to be the strengths and weaknesses, how are they going to act differently than previous renditions? Well, here's what I hope for. Vampirism-infected players can have the ability to turn players that they go up against, as the same with Lycanthropic players as well. Each has a small chance, through combat, to infect other non-diseased players who, much the same as ES lore before must rid themselves of it after combat. Through prayer, potion, or otherwise. Onto the basis of combat for these two though, for the depth of these kind of characters has the potential to be greater than most.

Vampire: They have specific blood attacks that are able to ensnare, infect, curse (DOT, damage over time), and control other beings/players. They have a secondary bar that must be monitored to be able to execute these attacks: Blood. (I know, not predictable at all, right?) To fill this bar they must either siphon life from their victims, attack them in melee, or some other kind of specific event or contact must be made.

Lycans: I'm presuming the lycans to much as they usually have been, up-close, strong, tearing, destructive, vicious bastards. Their strength and agility are their main points, being able to move about, hit hard and get out of the way if needs be. They might possibly be able to pick up surrounding items and utilize them as weapons against their foes? Bashing the against the ground. Their stat bar that they would have to watch most is a fury bar, much like a warrior in WoW or any fighter in general, it builds up as they attack with normal attacks and when they are hit. From this bar and from that energy they are able to use these abilities to pick up things, etc. and to also jump into the air, dodge, roll, or stop incoming attacks, possibly disarm their opponents, as well as tossing their opponents aside or, like in Skyrim, utilizing special roars to create fear, or lower attack damage from enemies, things of that nature.

- Next we have PvP that comes to mind:

Battlegrounds/Battles:

Alright, my mainstay in any MMO, besides story, has always been good PvP and this game has the potential to have some of the best yet. With what Elder Scrolls is known for it could turn out to be some of the most in-depth battles of any MMO to date. First though, I want to talk about how PvP would actually be implemented. The usual formula with games like Warcraft, Aion, Rift, and other more recent games is Battlegrounds. Two teams combat for control of flags, of capture points, the usual. This is very possible in the Elder Scrolls MMO as well, there could be certain resources that a certain mercenary group is looking to claim and the other team, another merc group, or possibly guards depending on the situation, is called in to defend it. That's just one idea, there's multiple others running through my head, possible Siege events, etc. The list goes on.

Duels: Dueling is another idea that's been implemented in many games before, and again, it has great potential in this game. Perhaps you're representing your guild in the area and a rival guild comes up to you or starts causing trouble, ideally you'd want to settle it in a suit of armor and a call to honor. So why not? Challenge other players to duels, for money, for reputation, or just for kicks.

The Arena!: Yes, that grand arena we all know and love, we want it and we want it bad. Take a team of three or so and enter against other players or different scenarios. You could face captured beasts and monsters, packs of wolves, or just death-match gameplay. All the while in the stands other players are placing bets on the winner and watching you rank up through the arena. There could be an Arena Grand-Champion, much like Oblivion, challenge him to battle, take off his head, usurp his seat and watch the change in power. The only rule of the arena is that there are no rules, once your foe is dead take from them what you will and move on.


World PvP: You are out on a quest and another adventurer fades into your sight, you see him from a distance with an arrow drawn in your direction and are unsure whether he is aiming for you or just at something you cannot see. You draw closer and he looses his arrow straight at you, right at your knee. You deflect it with your shield and charge him head on, cutting him down for trying to make you a guard of Whiterun. At the same time you two could have worked together but he chose to shoot first and die first rather than approach the situation with diplomacy.

- Guilds/Politics:

Guilds have been an integral part of the Elder Scrolls for years, many have rose and fell with the tides of time and it is you who now begins a charter. What will your guild achieve? Will you be mercenaries out to take any job they can? Will you be scholars and arcanists, looking for the true seat of power? Will you be working behind the lines to usurp the power of the other guilds? You may control the markets of trade, but a very cunning thief has snuck into your warehouse which was unguarded for a moment's notice and all that you had worked for is now gone, your guild is bankrupt and you have nothing left.

There is a great possibility that different guilds could face off in the fields, one has influence in on city while another has influence in another city, all you feel fit to do is fight. A Guild Battle is declared and players from both can now see each other in the world and it is now up to your footmen and spellcasters to settle the dispute. First of each guild to reach 0 reinforcements or attain more kills is the winner. You can gain more reinforcements through special quests and dailies, or through recruiting more members under your banner.

Control: In various regions there are mines, shipping routes, outposts; all of them are vital to your power. The more of them you control, the more of them that you upgrade and pay towards, the more you can make out of them and the more your influence grows as a guild. Power is fickle at best and there will always be constant battle for them.

- Crafting!:

Swords and boards, iron and steel, maybe even some skooma too? Yep it would be nice to craft them all and get them all onto the market. But for that to be done you need to collect or control the materials for it. To do so you might sign out a contract from a big-name guild to gather resources from their mine, or just find it out in the world for yourself. Reap what others sow, or sow it for yourself and protect your crops from harm or theft. There's much that can be done when you imbue steel with magic, but is that really your strong-point? Contract out that task to other players who can do it for you.

- Perks!: Are they coming back?

So, if perks are coming back, as I hope they will, I take it that we're going to need to be specializing again into certain areas. Blacksmiths will be blacksmiths, enchanters are enchanters, locksmiths, armorers, weapon-smiths, it all depends on what you choose to do. Can you change your perks later on to fit into another roll or are you stuck with what you have and must choose carefully. There's a lot of possibilities with this as well.

But not just crafting perks, what about the battle perks? Are you an ice-mage, fire-mage, arcane? Are you a berserking warrior, a stout defender or just a mercenary? Are you a thief or an archer. Or... Are you a combination of these things? It's the fundamental question of Elder Scrolls. What are you?

The same goes with the aforementioned Diseased. Are the Lycans going to have special perks that they can spec into? Are the Vampires?

- Closure -

Yeah, I thank you for taking your time to read all that if you have, quite a lot to write but I just have so many ideas right now. Comment what you think, keep in mind all that was speculation, and add on whatever you wish. I'm eager to see what other's have to say.

I want 1st person as the primary view (even though 3rd person is arguably better for PvP) and graphics comparable tp Skyrim. MMOs traditionally have lousy graphics when compared to the same-generation single player games like The Elder Scrolls.

I want the world map to be much larger than your average MMORPG, especially the towns and cities. Remember Daggerfall's towns and cities? Remember the city of Daggerfall itself? It's massive compared to the "cities" of modern RPGs. That's what Elder Scrolls Online needs - that sense of massive realism that's sorely lacking right now in every other RPG and MMORPG.

I don't expect combat to be anywhere near the same as what we're used to. That won't work in a MMORPG with lag and packet loss unless everything is instanced, and nobody wants that much instancing.

Beyond all of that, I think emulating Everquest's amazing faction system would be good. Being welcome in certain towns or certain areas of towns and KOS in others was great. It really gave a sense of belonging to certain areas of the world, and even fostered a sense of community between the various zones - Qeynos was a whole different world than Freeport.

(since Matt Firor is in charge of the studio it's much more likely we will get a "faction" system like Dark Age Of Camelot's, which is also good but not as dynamic as Everquest's, and which might falsely shrink the world since each faction in DAOC could never explore the other two realms)

I'm just hoping they don't make every player a l33t Her0. That they stay true to the lore. Voice acting prease, and luscious sixy landscapes. Oh yeah, some intense quest lines, and please some actual enticing dialogue for quests, we don't need anymore Skyrim like quests.

I just read the game will be using "phasing" which is even worse than instancing in my opinion. WoW used phasing in WOTLK and it was a weird experience.

MMORPGs cannot be dynamic, and phasing rather than adding a dynamic element to the game separates the community and makes the world seem strange (when people disappear in front of you because their phase is different than yours). I don't like it.

This would be amazing. Seconded.