I'm sure a lot of us - particularly those of us more in the TES fandom than the MMO fandom - expected ESO to be a bad game. After all, MMO's are usually... well, let's just say they tend to be too similar to WoW and that's a very bad thing.

However, I'm pleased to see the developers were smart enough to not make the mistakes I was worried about. Instead of making another generic MMO, they are actually trying to make an MMO similar to a TES game. These following are the fears I had regarding the game that thankfully were proven to be wrong:

• Doors you can't enter
• Generic MMO combat
• Items you can't pick up
• Character Classes - they technically exist, but they merely determine base stats
• No 1st person view
• Being forced to grind before you can explore
• Being restricted access to provinces not affiliated with your faction
• No crime system
• No stealth

Was there anything in particular you were worried about? And is there anything you're still worried about?

When I first heard about the game I thought Bethesda was making it. When I heard ZOS was and some of the devs were from Mythic and made DAoC I was SOOOOOO relieved.

This thread can't really sufficiently be answered by most people right now.

How so?

Unless you have played beta you really don't know how the game is going to turn out.

With that said I stand by my statement.

Off topic. I think there is something dead outside my office door. If [censored] smells so bad.

I was afraid that they'd botch up server population with bad realm-creation choices, and mega-server fixed that for me.

Pretty sure that was my first fear busted.

I don't know, they could still do 180s and ruin everything in a year's time. I can't answer until I play

That's true. I really hope they don't, but it wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

I am so glad they are doing the first person view now, that was almost a deal breaker for me, I don't think I would of played the game without it. Second was the faction restriction which they also lifted, we can now quest everywhere after 50 which is awesome, I would of thought what was the point of having all of tamriel if you couldn't explore it.

I am generally happy with the game now, I got nothing to complain about, and I can't wait for it to come out now.

My biggest fear was that they would listen too much to an outspoken minority on the forums crying out for certain changes without thinking for the consequences it could bring.

That is still my biggest fear, actually.

As WoW was mentioned in the OP I will use that as an example. WoW was a quite good and challenging (ie more so than today) MMO at launch in 2004. However, as they listened to that outspoken part of the fan base who cried out for change after change the game was changed into something far from what was originally intended with the game. The game became the themepark ride that we know today, where you can rush to max level in a week easily, even as a newbie to the game, with no challenge whatsoever. Endgame is Raid or die, sure there is PVP, but WoW's PVP is rather lacking compared to other PVP MMO's out there IMO.

I want to see ESO as a complete MMO, where you can do exactly what you want, and will not be forced into certain aspects of the game in order to get the best gear etc. That would be the only way to keep ESO in the spirit of The Elder Scrolls in my opinion.

The classes do more than just define base stats OP. There are 3 skill trees per class and they are unique to the class. These skill trees contain skill that will be more beneficial to a particular playing style. For example, the nightblade skilltree has abilities that will enhance stealth and also offer an ability that makes you restealth. And the templar has the potential to be the best pure healer of all classes. Same for dragonknight being the best pure tank. Hybrids are perfectly possible though and if we believe zos they are viable as well.

As for my fears. I am a TES fan and an MMO fan so I'm kinda in between. I didn't have that many fears in a way where I would be able to settle with alot of stuff that would enrage others. I did have some minor gripes but I forgot about them.

Then the console announcement came and I had 2 big fears. Crossplatforming and game being designed for the simplicity of the console. Both have now been rested, since each platform will now have its own megaserver and the game was first and foremost developed for PC. Consoles came in later.

I still have one huge fear, which sadly is confirmed. It is the fact that there is no unit Colission Detection. It frakking svcks and then hearing a dev say you cannot have it in a (pvp) MMO makes me very sad. What about Warhammer, Conan, etc... There are ways to prevent and go around the griefing.

Im actually pleasently surprised, because I expected WoW 2.0. But gotta say this is ALOT more original and modern than I thought. Sure this is quite standard MMORPG but still. Im basically ready to rock a year here at least. Only thing I hope they had something new and shiny for endgame, Ive suggested that prosperity (massive gold sink) would be fun to become filthy rich in MMORPG, not that stupid gear-mill again, well theres Cyrodil but more.

By prosperity I mean, social status (guild?) wealth (better looking armors, mounts, weapons, houses? ) health, (more health?) fortune (maybe new factor called luck, affects on everything?) happiness etc.

I hope they have a VAST, open array of spells and skills for combat. Instead of the typical Paladin using stomp and heal, I want that paladin to surprise attack me with a paralysis Spell I didn't even know he could cast. Just something to keep you on your toes in combat instead of WoWs predictably dull combat of reusing same class restricted skills and spells.

I WAS indeed happy to see that they keep it somewhat diverse in a sense where I can be a a rouge assassin who wields a larger than life battleaxe, just hope they do better on armor looks than they did in Skyrim. Bethesda often falls short in the way armors look. Dragon Bone heavy armor in Skyrim was a let down. When your community bests you at making your own game better, it does make you wonder...

While I find your opinion to be utter ridiculousness, it is indeed a good thing that Bethesda is not making this game.

I never had a fear that ESO would be a bad game my fear is that it will boring after a couple months. Especially, if it releases after Archeage which has housing, farming, pet raising, ship and vehicle building, create and play your own music, underwater swimming and exploring with fish and coral, minigames and 100s of little things like sitting in chairs, sitting on a stump or log, relaxing on the beach.

the exact opposite here I first thought the game was going to be amazing and now believe its going to be a horrible MMO. Pretty sure the game will go the way of SWTOR. Fun to level up but I doubt its longevity.

Recent leaks have proven the exploration isn't nothing like Skyrim and that is a horrible decision.

Agree. That is my biggest fear right now. I would like to see it in PvP, but even more want some impact and reaction on the mob.
What I have seen so far is great, but without the feeling of reaction on my enemies (PvP, PvE) it takes away a lot for me.
I really hope they will change that. Many testers complained about it and hopefully will keep doing so.

Besides that I would like to see physical interaction with the world (remember my thread about it). Not necessarely cheesewheel-chaos,
I would be happy if gras would move aside or hitting a bush would create movement. Not much risk there, but a lot of immersion.

Read this post seriouly then cracked at "cheese wheel chaos" but I totally agree 100%

Nah.

Have not played th game so I dunno, pure speculation on anything at this point, but every mmo I have played at some point the company makes a strange choice that baffles the player base, I am sure ESO will be no different at some point, but it is most of the time just a bump in the road../shrug