Elder Scrolls Online

[kronovan]

Matt Frior has confirmed that TESO won't be using the HeroEngine in this Game Informer article. According to him the HeroEngine was only purchased by Zenamax Online in 2007 to use as a prototyping tool, and they have since written their own egine. Apparently the impression that it was using the HeroEngine has caused some controvery on the Interwebs, as fans have interpreted that to mean TESO will end up being just another MMO. OK then...well 3rd party engine or their own, I actually think the game sounds like its shaping up to be just a modern rendition of DAoC anyways.

[Destructor]

That's good, as the HeroEngine (used by TOR) was a piece of crap not designed for a MMO.

[kronovan]

I only ever watched my son play ToR in the beta, so enlighten me - how is the HeroEngine a PoC? ToR is one the highest ranked MMORPG's in the past 5 years, so to be honest I'm a bit surprised that its' underlying engine would be so poor.

[CeeKay]

That's good, as the HeroEngine (used by TOR) was a piece of crap not designed for a MMO.

I'm confused- they say HeroEngine was designed specifically for MMO's.  are you sure you're thinking of the right engine?

[cheeba]

In TOR anyways, they promised fighting with "hundreds" of people. Truth is, the engine can't handle more than 24 vs. 24 and even then it bogs down.

[metallicorphan]

14 new screenshots

here are a few

[Roguetad]

This is such a risky business venture for them.  I'm not sure why they're doing it given the current receptivity for mmos.  Unless they start with a FTP model in mind, they may end up losing big, regardless of how good the game is.

[EngineNo9]

This is such a risky business venture for them.  I'm not sure why they're doing it given the current receptivity for mmos.  Unless they start with a FTP model in mind, they may end up losing big, regardless of how good the game is.

Because the decision wasn't made in the current market.  This game has been under development for close to 5 years and the market was very different at that time. 

This is one of the major hurdles of any MMO development, reacting to a market that is a constant moving target over a very long development period.

[Destructor]

From the previews though, there's a few things going for it:

1) There's a huge established set of games set in this world beforehand. It gets people interested in the MMO before it comes out.

2) The devs have come out and said that it'll be soloable up to level cap.

3) On top of that, you can do things like pick whatever weapons you want to use, and there's nothing stopping you from using say, heavy armor while playing a wizard. A lot of the series' stapes are there for you to mess around with.

I'm starting to turn positive towards this. I hope I'm right in the end.

[TiLT]

From the previews though, there's a few things going for it:

1) There's a huge established set of games set in this world beforehand. It gets people interested in the MMO before it comes out.

It gets people talking about the game. It doesn't necessarily make them interested. I've rarely seen a game announcement spark as much negativity among fans and journalists as this game did.

3) On top of that, you can do things like pick whatever weapons you want to use, and there's nothing stopping you from using say, heavy armor while playing a wizard. A lot of the series' stapes are there for you to mess around with.

I've read through the features they've announced earlier, and my impression was that there were in fact very few of the series' staples left in the online game. It feels like a generic MMORPG with an Elder Scrolls facelift, and it's got very little personality or individuality left.

I'm starting to turn positive towards this. I hope I'm right in the end.

I was cautiously optimistic when this was at the rumor stage. Once they announced it and started telling us how it was going to be, I realized right away that this was going to turn into a disaster. I actually wouldn't be surprised to see this game canceled or dramatically redesigned before it gets launched. That tends to happen with games that get a huge, negative backlash in the press after an announcement (see the shooter "reimagining" of XCOM that it now looks like they've more or less given up on).

[CeeKay]

9 minute video with some gameplay.

[Arclight]

9 minute video with some gameplay.

No doubt about it, its a gorgeous looking game. But that's a given with an Elder Scrolls game. Although the video was fun to watch I was waiting to see something new and
innovative. But the same-old-same-old still prevails.
It seems to me this game will be like a drop you get within a game..Not an upgrade just the same stats with a bit of a different look. For me there is nothing here so far that has me excited about its release. I know there are many months till its release, I just don't see anything amazing here at all.

The genre is saturated with mediocre, playable MMO's. But a great MMO, seems to be a thing of the past.

[Roguetad]

Maybe the innovation will be that the game doesn't follow the 2-3 hotbar click fest of most mmorpgs, and instead uses a much more streamlined UI?  It sounds like you can choose weapon and armor preferences that are not tied to any class archtype model, which is different from most mmorpgs.  The mega server sounds like a good idea in theory.  

I'm not sure the market will support another subscription fantasy mmorpg though.  Their pricing model could make or break it.  

[Razgon]

The..eh..Loremaster of Tamriel talks about the various factions.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/01/21/meet-loremaster-lawrence-the-elder-scrolls-online/#more-139050

[Razgon]

You can signup for the beta right now here: http://signup.elderscrollsonline.com/

There's also a really cool trailer about the game out now but its mono so far, which is why I won't link to it yet. The faces are awesome, though!

edit: here is a working version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jNT5cMwxw0

[kronovan]

The..eh..Loremaster of Tamriel talks about the various factions.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/01/21/meet-loremaster-lawrence-the-elder-scrolls-online/#more-139050

The warring alliances is about the stupidest thing I've heard so far for this MMO. Yeah I get it, ex DAoC team members wanting to remake the RvR realms with Cyrodil as the center piece prize now - <sigh>. My problems with this is that IMO it doesn't fit well with the ES canon. As well, the grouping they've made for the factions, if using racial types from the video games, wouldn't work very well - particularly the Aldmeri Dominion. That says to me that the dev team is likely nerfiing some races to create balance - wimpier Redguards and Nords for now Uber High Elves who suddenly excel at some forms of combat. Nerfed races was one of the biggest problems with DAoC and it looks like they're set to repeat.

Aside my other gripes with this like class based/restricted characters and the alliance concept, the premise and story elements I've seen so far just seem ill conceived - I swear the simple campaign my son's thrown together for the Elder Scrolls Pen'n'Paper he GM's is better than this stuff! I wish I could be more excited and positive about this, but it just keeps looking more and more to me to be some fantasy-based  MMORPG with a ES skin thrown over it. Wow, what a disappointment that Bethesda would let such an imagination-challenged team take the reigns for this.

[metallicorphan]

Trailer was cool,i wish this(and other MMOs)would come to Consoles

[Soulchilde]

Beta Sign Up  surprised not to see this posted here.    I haven't signed up as I think I am done with paid subscription based MMO, but I know other here are interested

See Razgon post

[Razgon]

Beta Sign Up  surprised not to see this posted here.    I haven't signed up as I think I am done with paid subscription based MMO, but I know other here are interested

Are you serious?

You can signup for the beta right now here: http://signup.elderscrollsonline.com/

There's also a really cool trailer about the game out now but its mono so far, which is why I won't link to it yet. The faces are awesome, though!

edit: here is a working version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jNT5cMwxw0

[Soulchilde]

Beta Sign Up  surprised not to see this posted here.    I haven't signed up as I think I am done with paid subscription based MMO, but I know other here are interested

Are you serious?

You can signup for the beta right now here: http://signup.elderscrollsonline.com/

There's also a really cool trailer about the game out now but its mono so far, which is why I won't link to it yet. The faces are awesome, though!

edit: here is a working version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jNT5cMwxw0

An my skimming skills suck 

[skystride]

The more awesome the CGI trailer, the more likely it is to fail.

e.g.
Warhammer Online - pretty good trailer
Star Wars: The Old Republic - incredible trailer(s)
DC Universe Online - everyone was raving about the CGI trailer

GW2 - in-engine trailer, game is not a flop

ESO trailer is pretty darn good CGI, it is doomed!

[Roguetad]

It's hard to imagine warring factions based along neat racial lines in the Elder Scrolls universe.  I think if I approach the concept as daoc 2 with an elder scrolls paint job, it works better.  The 3 faction system worked really well in daoc, it just doesn't really match up with the Elder Scrolls world that I've played in since Morrowind.  I hope they let common sense prevail and price this thing right.  Buy the box, play for free.  In app purchases like GW2.     

[CeeKay]

Beta Sign Up  surprised not to see this posted here.    I haven't signed up as I think I am done with paid subscription based MMO, but I know other here are interested

signed up, said my chances were 'excellent' 

[Rumpy]

Sure, because you're a bot and you'd play better than everyone else, right? right?

I've signed up, but I'm not holding out much hope for the game.

I wonder how the status changes, as I've filled in nearly everything, leaving the guild fields empty and I got Above Average. Pretty smooth system though. It's one of the better ones I've seen.

[CeeKay]

I wonder how the status changes, as I've filled in nearly everything, leaving the guild fields empty and I got Above Average. Pretty smooth system though. It's one of the better ones I've seen.

I put in The Wanderers since if I do join a guild in a MMO it's them; I think mentioning them bumped me up to excellent right away 

[Roguetad]

I wonder how the status changes, as I've filled in nearly everything, leaving the guild fields empty and I got Above Average. Pretty smooth system though. It's one of the better ones I've seen.

I put in The Wanderers since if I do join a guild in a MMO it's them; I think mentioning them bumped me up to excellent right away 

I was Above Average for most of the form until I wrote a haiku in the "Tell us why we should pick you" field.  I'm now Excellent.

[Rumpy]

Hah, that's awesome. Care to share it with us?

[CeeKay]

Q&A about the Daggerfall Covenant.

Will there be books in game, and if so, will the number of books be comparable to the number in past games? – By Emmy Mariner

There will be more books in ESO than in previous Elder Scrolls titles, including some that you’ve seen before – if their inclusion is appropriate to the Second Era.

I guess fans of reading every book you can find in the games will love that one.

[CeeKay]

beta invites are due out at the end of March.

[CeeKay]

new hands on.

[Arclight]

Could it be? Am I foolish to think such a thing? No, it just can't be!
Argh, I can't fight it any longer. This could be the one MMORPG that binds us altogether once again.

I will hope against all hope, that this one, will gather our interests for more than a month or two.

[Roguetad]

Could it be? Am I foolish to think such a thing? No, it just can't be!
Argh, I can't fight it any longer. This could be the one MMORPG that binds us altogether once again.

I will hope against all hope, that this one, will gather our interests for more than a month or two.

I recommend not hoping, and going into this with the lowest expecations you can.  I've seen you go into a couple of mmos with hope, and it didn't end well.  Aim your sights low brother, and go from there, like the rest of us.

[Arclight]

Could it be? Am I foolish to think such a thing? No, it just can't be!
Argh, I can't fight it any longer. This could be the one MMORPG that binds us altogether once again.

I will hope against all hope, that this one, will gather our interests for more than a month or two.

I recommend not hoping, and going into this with the lowest expecations you can.  I've seen you go into a couple of mmos with hope, and it didn't end well.  Aim your sights low brother, and go from there, like the rest of us.

More than just a couple bro. 
I know what the odds are that this will be a grand slam hit,  Zero to slim.

But if it could just raise the bar a few notches above what we've been getting over the last few years, I would be extremely happy with that.

[CeeKay]

go cliff racer, go cliff racer, go cliff racer gooooooo!

[Roguetad]

go cliff racer, go cliff racer, go cliff racer gooooooo!

Oh hell no.  There are no cliff racers left.  I killed them all in Morrowind. 

[soulbringer]

beta invites are due out at the end of March.

Its the End of March, wheres my damn invite.  


Edit: Well damn it never said anything about March 2013. 

[Knightshade Dragon]

I'll make a phone call tomorrow - perhaps I can get us a chance at some invites.   I too hope for a world where we can all play together once again. 

[Harkonis]

yay!

[metallicorphan]

GameInformer had a story that 20 minute video leaked onto Youtube...it of course got pulled

However,someone else put it onto another site,so you can see the video here(you should perhaps hurry incase they find this one as well)

http://www.noshitshurlock.com/new-the-elder-scrolls-online-gameplay-footage/


Looks er....so-so I guess,nothing special....yet

[metallicorphan]

seems it's been taken down,here is a new link that for now still has the video

http://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Elder-Scrolls-Online-Gets-Leaked-Gameplay-Video-Screenshots-345253.shtml