TES games have always been the golden standard in western fantasy RPGs.

They've always been the ones to set the bar and win all the GOTYS and for good reason.

So what is it going to take for them to this with an MMO?

A lot. Not what they are going to do though, so this is pure speculation.

The things I would like to see: More sandbox play in a persistent world.

It seems that MMOs have moved away from this kind of immersion and into the idea that everyone must have a crack at every encounter that can spawn at all times. This leads to the kind of thing were you get those lame quests to kills X number of creatures in area and once you go there they are continually spawning - over and over again. So no removing them or stopping them from being there - they aren't going anywhere. That is such an immersion kill.

And because the world has to be ready to receive the next wave of heroes and his invites that means that the character (and hence the player) can't really have any significant impact on the world. So what is there to focus on instead? Usually it is power playing and character development. I get the geeking out factor of that and who doesn't like a good video game fight - but that is what it gets reduced to. Raiding with friends.

This main quest topic then becomes fight, fight, fight. No more TES quests like in the solo games such as solving a murder, resolving a dispute, using a skill like speechcraft to do more than get cheaper gear. No more reason to explore other than finding a new unique critter to give a possible kind drop of new stuff to fight with.

NPCs that matter and have any other kind of life than standing in one spot and either selling something or telling you what to do. Enemy NPCs that can detect you more than 10 feet in front of their eyes.

Real choices and consequences - though not the kind where you have to join a faction based on race.

If it were to be a sandbox world where players build communities, defend them, attack them, basically the players drive the narrative and provide activities for the community.

It would be awesome to have the ability to join a faction or go on your own instead of being shoe-horned into an alliance.

Players could provide community vendors, but their stock could only be replenished by taking a caravan to major town for supplies... at any time during that journey players of an opposing faction or 'rogue' could attack. Enlisting the aid or others for protection or risk it solo.

Crafting would require materials from all level areas so instead of grind quests players could grind materials and sell them as a self made quest. Rare or notorious critters could provide a special ingredient. Perhaps some ingredients can be obtained by performing tasks for NPCs or other players... another way of community quests.

Communities that reach a certain size could make and display statues of significant contributors. Sort of a way to inspire involvement as the world can recognize the effort of those who make the game more entertaining for others. Hopefully that would help players develop and their own lore and create positive memories of their experience.

Trophies of rare beasts, powerful foes, enemy factions can be displayed to show the strength and skill of its inhabitants while also providing a warning to potential invaders.

Community Inns or taverns could be the 'respawn point' for unlucky adventurers. Doing a traditional 'corpse run' to regain xp/loot or spend a period of time drinking ale and lamenting on their losses or reminiscing on triumphs to the same effect.

Players could provide music, dancing, etc. to entertain players and when at an Inn/tavern provide a lengthy morale bonus to travellers who stay a while and partake in the merriment.


Stuff like that where players are rewarded for interacting with the community. I guess that is the innovative thing, making the community mainly responsible for providing activities. Rewarding players for being positive social involvement.

Like the others said, a Sandbox would be much more fitting,

This, so much this.

its a nice idea but it depends on players too much and thus it will be like the real world only fun for the elite few

While I completely agree with your sentiment, sandbox MMOs are a thing of the past. They only ever appealed to a minority of gamers and never could generate the revenue WoW has by streamlining the MMO making it more of a game and less of a simulation. This is an unfortunate truth, but one we must learn to tolerate. While I'm not expecting any in-depth crafting or social tools, ZMO has voiced the importance of a community and social aspects, so perhaps this game will be better than most of the current MMOs coming out in that regard.

This is a great idea, and seems like something relatively easy to incorporate.
NPCs pathing is something I didn't even think about from the single player TES series.

I'm far from the "elite few" in EVE, and I still have tons of fun.

Sandboxes are far from a thing of the past, EVE has been running strong since 2003, and ArcheAge is generating a huge amount of attention in the East. No one MMO will ever dominate the market like WoW did again <--- [K_wM's prediction of the day]

I will give you EVE but is AA a true sandbox? From what I read on the forums there are tons of limitations and their siege system is terrible.

I'm not aware of a well funded sandbox mmo ever having been attempted...

I've played most of my time in EVE pirating poor miners in Astroid belts, so I can't say much about the siege, but I haven't run into very many limitations at all. D:


^ This, I'm not counting EVE since it's a Sci-Fi space sim, the only one I can think of is ArcheAge, and that's still in Closed-Beta in Korea atm.

ArcheAge is going to only be one server? That I could get into!

I have no idea! D: Where did you hear that? That would be awesome! (If it ever comes to the west. T-T )