[Pete Schmitzer]

(Tl;dr version: "Relax, it's early days, and yes, we can be optimistic.")

I love the Elder Scrolls series. Love it. I've spent hours exploring Tamriel, often dutifully documenting my adventures in a scribbled set of notes or on my phone as I played. I've been enthralled by the music, engrossed in the quests, and stunned by the amazing believability of the game world. I also happen to love MMOs: I've sat at the PoP small bank in EverQuest casting SoW for donations, levitated groups between far-flung islands in Vanguard, raided a Nazgul's fortress in LOTRO...

And you know what? When I heard that an Elder Scrolls MMO was being developed, I actually felt excited, and dare I say, optimistic. Here we have a combination between a setting we all love, and the company that has made the games in said setting, in a medium - massively multiplayer - that has become very popular.

But then when I come to this forum and sign up for the first time to happily discuss the new game, I see a barrage of negative threads and posts, with people voicing negative opinions on the graphics, concerns that the world won't be interactive enough, worrying that the MMO will distract Bethesda from its single player series, etc.

I'd just like to say in response, to give it time. I mean, it's only been days since the first official announcement and people are already worried about the gameplay and the effect of the game on company resources? Relax, guys. Give them time to show more of the game and answer fans' concerns. It's also rather early to be commenting on gameplay and such; MMOs are highly complex games to develop and we can expect a lot of changes between now and release.

So that aside, can we have a thread that leans towards optimism? Might be a good counter-balance to all the negativity around here! I mean, I'm not suggesting that this will bring that next big leap in MMO gameplay, or that it will be the UO/EQ/WoW-killer or something, but surely there are others out there who are looking forward to the game?

As for me, I'm looking forward to seeing how Bethesda is going to implement levelling and skills, because if it is anything like the single player games, we may be looking at a somewhat skill-based MMO, which is pretty exciting to me. I'm also hoping that Bethesda's apparently love for freedom of choice translates into a somewhat sandboxy MMO. Thoughts?

(Edit: It's been pointed out to me that the game is apparently being made by Zenimax rather than Bethesda, but my points still stand since, well, one's the parent company of the other.)

[Marion Geneste]

I'm holding out until we see videos, I have a small glimmer of hope , which is likely just wishful thinking.

[Barbequtie]

I'll take one from the Optimistic-Side playbook.

As for me, I'm looking forward to seeing how Bethesda is going to implement levelling and skills, because if it is anything like the single player games, we may be looking at a somewhat skill-based MMO, which is pretty exciting to me. I'm also hoping that Bethesda's apparently love for freedom of choice translates into a somewhat sandboxy MMO. Thoughts?

It's being made my Zenimax...Not Bethesda!...HAH!

[luis ortiz]

I'll take one from the Optimistic-Side playbook.



It's being made my Zenimax...Not Bethesda!...HAH!

Further reason to believe that the single-player elder scrolls games may not be affected. (Like I said, I'm an optimist!)

[Sweet Blighty]

Please read the Leaked GI article first then tell me If you are still optimistic about this game.

And no, i will not post links here due to official beth rules.

[Reanan-Marie Olsen]

I'm holding out until we see videos, I have a small glimmer of hope , which is likely just wishful thinking.

Pretty much this, and if there's a subscription fee I doubt I will be playing it for a longer period of time.
But I'll have to wait and see, it might be good.

[Your Mum]

Further reason to believe that the single-player elder scrolls games may not be affected. (Like I said, I'm an optimist!)

One who loves how Bethesda has shaped and molded the ES world would not be so excited about their beloved IP being used by another developer. So ESO is further disconnected from Bethesda (the parents of Nirn) and this is a good thing? This is cause for optimism that somehow trickles from "won't effect single player TES" downwards towards "EOS will be amazing"?

[Jah Allen]

Please read the Leaked GI article first then tell me If you are still optimistic about this game.

And no, i will not post links here due to official beth rules.

I read it, and I'm more optimistic now. The "staple" MMO features of the game seem to be technical limitations - which I can totally understand - and it looks like the game will bring plenty of new things to the table all the same.

Right now, I'm looking forward to seeing how the soundtrack and voice acting will work out, whether we'll get role-playing features and servers and how the character creation shapes up to be.

[Jarrett Willis]

Please read the Leaked GI article first then tell me If you are still optimistic about this game.

And no, i will not post links here due to official beth rules.

I've read it, and I'm still optimistic.

I like to give things a chance, you see, rather than make a judgement on day 1 (literally in this case.)

[KU Fint]

One who loves how Bethesda has shaped and molded the ES world would not be so excited about their beloved IP being used by another developer. So ESO is further disconnected from Bethesda (the parents of Nirn) and this is a good thing? This is cause for optimism that somehow trickles from "won't effect single player TES" downwards towards "EOS will be amazing"?

I don't have a problem with it because Zenimax owns Bethesda and for all we know they probably pulled some Bethesda devs to work on the MMO. It's not like they got Valve to make the game!

The key phrase, though, is "for all we know". We know next to nothing at this point, really, so I stand by my OP to give the game time and give Zenimax / Bethesda time to answer fans' concerns.

[Honey Suckle]

I am also very excited about ESO. I don't understand all the hate either. 2013 can't come soon enough!

[Pete Schmitzer]

One who loves how Bethesda has shaped and molded the ES world would not be so excited about their beloved IP being used by another developer. So ESO is further disconnected from Bethesda (the parents of Nirn) and this is a good thing? This is cause for optimism that somehow trickles from "won't effect single player TES" downwards towards "EOS will be amazing"?

Yeah, you're right, I think. I personally have not been very excited about the direction TES has gone since... well since Daggerfall. Arena was the best one, imo. I'm glad to see someone I know of and who has made hands down the best MMO in history (Matt Firor and DAOC) at the helm of this new MMO. I'm hoping ZOS will breathe new life into this franchise and move it back into the complex interesting realm it was before Bethesda decided to be a console company.

[Alexandra Ryan]

Please read the Leaked GI article first then tell me If you are still optimistic about this game.

And no, i will not post links here due to official beth rules.

Yeah, I read it, and I'm still very excited. They put in all kinds of things that remind me of DAOC and also many innovations that no other game released has yet.

[Amiee Kent]

Stop calling it hate...dissapointment/nervousness/apprehension are far better representations on how some of us feel.

[jaideep singh]

I, too, am excited. I don't know why everyone is a vocal group of people are hating on the leaked article. Maybe it's also because I like Skyrim and WoW. And I loved DAoC back in the day.

Granted, I'm not sure how well a subscription model of MMO that isn't WoW will work in 2013, so I'm not sure how one would go about monetizing this game. But I'm optimistic.

[Jacob Phillips]

Please read the Leaked GI article first then tell me If you are still optimistic about this game.

And no, i will not post links here due to official beth rules.

Didn't you read the title of Optimists Thread? apparently not...

Anyways I wanted to know what will you guys be i think i am going to be a Warrior class when i first start off (like always) and then a mage. I Can't Wait! to explore all of tamriel!!!

[Vera Maslar]

Sorry, as much as I liked this thread, I'm a Pessimist/Realist at heart. Sorry, but I don't really see how this can work out from what I've seen yet.
But I won't decide for or against before I see some more, a gameplay video or a Beta might make me decide. The artwork did litle to impress me, and how the factions were built up didn't either.
I'll wait and see, but as it is now I'm more against than for.

[mimi_lys]

I, too, am excited. I don't know why everyone it hating on the leaked article. Maybe it's also because I like Skyrim and WoW. And I loved DAoC back in the day.

Granted, I'm not sure how well a subscription model of MMO that isn't WoW will work in 2013, so I'm not sure how one would go about monetizing this game. But I'm optimistic.

Oh, I'd actually prefer if it were subscription-based. I'm one of those that prefer to pay a single (albeit recurring) fee and get to play the same game as everyone else, than to pay microtransactions. Wasn't a fan of LotRO going free to play back in the day, although I must say they handled it quite well.

[Harry Leon]

Single-Player TES games aren't going to be affected in the slightest. Why? A.) Taking place 1000 years before the events of Skyrim. B.) Made by Zenimax Online, not Bethesda. Beth is overseeing it to a degree, but isn't the main dev. If anything fails with it it's gonna be on Zenimax's head because they ignored Bethesda.

[Jennifer Rose]

I, too, am excited. I don't know why everyone is a vocal group of people are hating on the leaked article. Maybe it's also because I like Skyrim and WoW. And I loved DAoC back in the day.

Granted, I'm not sure how well a subscription model of MMO that isn't WoW will work in 2013, so I'm not sure how one would go about monetizing this game. But I'm optimistic.

I'd prefer a Guild Wars payment model myself - a real money shop is alright as long as it's only cosmetic.

Is there any source on TESO's payment model right now?

[Mylizards Dot com]

Oh, I'd actually prefer if it were subscription-based. I'm one of those that prefer to pay a single (albeit recurring) fee and get to play the same game as everyone else, than to pay microtransactions. Wasn't a fan of LotRO going free to play back in the day, although I must say they handled it quite well.

Yeah, me too. I just don't know how many other people like us out there are left. MMOs have been trending free-to-play, although TOR gives me hope.

[WTW]

I think, from my MMO-experience, people are underestimating the influence of the player base. MMOs are everchanging. Once we get to beta-test and the developers listen to our feedback, we can tell them what to do to make TESO a better experience for everyone (aside from the "It's an MMO so I'm going to hate it" crowd). That is usually the most desireable path for the developer as well.

[Heather Dawson]

Is there any source on TESO's payment model right now?

Nah. It's way too early for that, only idle rumors and speculation.

[~Amy~]

Yeah, me too. I just don't know how many other people like us out there are left. MMOs have been trending free-to-play, although TOR gives me hope.

Archeage will be subscription-based too, if I remember correctly.

[latrina]

I see absolutely no reason not to be optimistic. Worst case is that the game is a complete failure. If so then move on. We should all have a very good idea if the game is for us even before we spend one cent. So then we are back to waiting for the next single-player title from Bethesda. This game won't affect that release at all. If the game does hit gold then we roam around in our magical world and the wait for the next Bethesda title won't seem so bad. I just don't see any reason for any anxiety over this and plenty of reasons to be very hopeful.