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Elder Scrolls Online - All News
Sunday - March 16, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - News Roundup
ZeniMaxOnline has three new updates on the website for Elder Scrolls Online. The first update shares infomation on a new Limited Edition Hero's Guide.
Anyone who has played an Elder Scrolls game is familiar with the multitude of lore books on diverse topics found in the world. You might be a player who loves collecting and reading these books in-game to discover more about Tamriel. If you are, you won't want to pass up these real-life lore books full of new fiction and art, the Hero's Guides!
These three lovingly-crafted books are straight from the Second Era, full of knowledge and tales any scholar would treasure that can't be found anywhere else. They come packed in a beautiful clamshell box perfect for display along with a miniature lithograph in a numbered portfolio.
The second update is about the next Tamriel Chronicle.
A new week means a new look at what you've been creating! In addition to some awesome new art, fiction, and other ESO-inspired creative endeavors, we've rounded up some great articles, podcasts, and discussions from our fansites. Enjoy the art, discover new voices in the community, and get involved in the discussions yourself.
And for last we get the next Ask Us Anything were the topic is about crafting.
In ESO, you'll have the opportunity to spend as much time creating useful items as you like. Become a provisioner, alchemist, enchanter, or smith—or all four! With so much crafting to do (there are three types of smiths), we knew you'd have plenty of questions for us, so we've collected some of them to answer right here. Read on to find out more details about ESO's in-depth crafting system.
Saturday - March 15, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - The Road Ahead
Matt Firor has a new post on the Bethesda Blog about the road ahead for Elder Scrolls Online. He talks about the new weekend beta, game bugs, and new game content.
In just a few short weeks, we'll be launching The Elder Scrolls Online for PC and Mac. While it's been quite a journey to get to this point, ESO's launch on April 4 is really just the beginning. I want to take a moment to let everyone know what we've been doing since my last update and talk about what we're planning in preparation for launch and beyond.
Wednesday - March 12, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - More Beta Invites
ZeniMax Online announced on the games website they released another batch of beta invitations for Elder Scrolls Online.
Join us in our final scale test event this weekend—more invites are on their way!
We're sending out invites for our final ESO scale test. We need your help to push our systems, so check your email and join us. If you've been invited to previous beta events, you'll be able to participate this weekend, too. This may be your last chance to help us test!
For this beta, there's no need to follow a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA). We invite you to post your screenshots, videos, and impressions, and to livestream your adventures for everyone to see. Be sure to use the #esobeta tag to share your favorite moments with the world.
Participants this weekend will also unlock an exclusive monkey vanity pet for PC/Mac that will be available at launch.
Monday - March 10, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Beta Impression @ Leviathyn
Leviathyn has posted a new beta impression for Elder Scrolls Online. They even included a new video to watch if you have the time to spare.
While the tutorial was an annoying reminder of gameplay mechanics we've been revisiting for well over a decade and the forced extended tutorial in the form of a segregated island further delays the jump into the proper game, I actually came away from my weekend in Tamriel quite impressed. The more action-oriented combat was fun and fluid – reminding me more of Kingdoms of Amalur than World of Warcraft, and the world building of even just the initial zones was varied and interesting.
Make no mistake though, this is not multiplayer Skyrim. The Elder Scrolls Online is very much a MMORPG in all the traditional ways, and the evolution from "you're the hero, the entire world reacts to you" in a solo experience to "you're the hero, the entire world reacts to you….but also there's hundreds of others doing the exact same thing" is incredibly awkward. It's a problem for most MMORPGs but as the main Elder Scrolls series is particularly known of its wonderful freedom and Choose Your Own Adventure playstyle it makes it all the more painfully obvious here.
It's a bit like that South Park episode where Cartman is given a theme park all to himself – he can ride and do whatever he wants all the time, but adding more people suddenly takes everything away as he's forced to wait in lines and put up with everyone's crap. That's a pessimistic look at what MMORPGs can offer, and I hope that TESO's public quests and PVP can help sustain the social interaction, or at least create one. I never once had to so much as talk to another real player during my play time, and often felt like these other people were simply in the way of my exciting return to Tamriel.
A $60 box plus monthly subscription fee is a very hard sell these days, and many of the last struggling modern wave of MMORPGs that have tried have quickly had to abandon the model for a more sustaining free-to-play model with microtransactions. It'll be interesting to see if The Elder Scrolls license is enough to convince gamers to pony up the cash, but I fear most folks will simply see a derivative, albeit high quality and well-made MMORPG and wait for the next true Elder Scrolls title.
Friday - March 07, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Beta Streams & Equipment
ZeniMaxOnline has two updates on the website for Elder Scrolls Online. The first update shares links for anyone willing to watch more beta gameplay footage.
Now that the NDA is lifted, we're encouraging everyone to stream and share their adventures in the ESO beta. That means there will be a flood of new impressions and media all over the web during our test this weekend. If you want to see the game from someone else's perspective and join in the fun chatting and enjoying the entertainment, we recommend you check out these streamers and videocasters.
The second update talks about weapons, and shields crafted in the game.
Smiths in Tamriel add their own personal touches to every weapon, shield, and piece of armor they forge, from choosing a racial style to imparting special bonuses they've learned called traits. Master blacksmiths, clothiers, and woodworkers can take ordinary arms and armor and, with the right materials, transform them into equipment worthy of a true hero. In this image, you can see a small sample of the kinds of weapons and armor you'll be able to craft in ESO if you choose to pursue the fine art of smithing. Represented here are items crafted in each of the nine racial styles, but these are just a few of the items you can create—there are already fifteen different styles for crafters to learn!
Thursday - March 06, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ RPG Slayer
RPG Slayer has posted a new article for Elder Scrolls Online, and calls the game a Bethesda fan's greatest fear. It's not as bad as it sounds so read on.
I've been a fan of the Elder Scrolls franchise since way, way back. I'm talking Morrowind here, with its chunky, square characters, its rigid, stiff voice acting and its curiously loveable charm. And Oblivion – don't get me started on Oblivion – that game took countless hours of my life, completing every guild, every mission, I even quested to find every location – I easily spent a year's worth of gaming in Cyrodil. Not that I would have spent it anywhere else, I mean, what else would I do, socialise?
As of Skyrim, my loyalty to the Elder Scrolls only grows stronger, and I trust Bethesda to keep strong their brilliance in their range of RPG gaming. But, as of 2014 my fidelity to the franchise is wavering, as I remain uncertain and wary of the upcoming hit, The Elder Scrolls Online.
Sunday - March 02, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - New Gameplay Footage
ESOHut released a new video for Elder Scrolls Online which they claim is some new
ESOHut has been given the privilege of exploring the world of Elder Scrolls Online Imperial Edition. This footage is of game play as an Imperial and as a Breton, exploring a mix of areas and Cyrodiil the PVP area.
Thursday - February 27, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - News Roundup
ZeniMaxOnline has three new updates on the website for Elder Scrolls Online. The first update has news of more Beta invites being sent out.
Today, we're sending out more beta invites for an ESO scale test. If you receive an invite, there will be an extra beta code included that you can give to a friend to join you in Tamriel!
For this beta, you are no longer required to follow a Nondisclosure Agreement (NDA). We invite you to post your best screenshots, videos, and impressions this weekend, and livestream your adventures for everyone to see. Be sure to use #esobeta to share your favorite moments with the world! Participants this weekend will also unlock an exclusive monkey vanity pet for PC/Mac that you can have at launch.
The second update is a roundup of all the Hand-On Beta PvP Impressions.
More hands-on impressions are headed your way! Two weeks ago, you saw tons of new articles, videos, and screenshots from the early PvE experience in ESO's beta, and last week, press and fansites took a closer look at PvP. Check out the links we've gathered here to find out about battling other players and sieging keeps in Cyrodiil, and enjoy some more new videos and screens.
And finally the third update takes a look at how the games music was created.
When we first started thinking about the soundtrack for The Elder Scrolls Online, there were a number of goals we knew we wanted to achieve. The first and most obvious: it had to be true to the spirit and style of previous Elder Scrolls games. We want you to feel musically right at home in ESO, so you'll hear familiar themes alongside entirely new ones—an extension of the series' musical landscape. We hope that as you play and listen, you'll feel the same sense of intimacy and emotional connection to the world that you've felt before in Elder Scrolls games.
Thursday - February 20, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Blacksmithing In Tamriel
Zenimax Online has posted a video of how blacksmithing works in Elder Scrolls Online.
Crafting in The Elder Scrolls Online enhances your adventures. We follow the journey of a blacksmith, from exploring and gathering materials to creating a special piece of armor. Blacksmithing is just one of the many crafting skills available in ESO.
Wednesday - February 19, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Analog Addiction
Analog Addiction has a new article for Elder Scrolls Online about how we all should give the game a chance. I agree with them as I see way to many negative previews.
One quote, as over-used as it has become pretty much sums up how I see The Elder Scrolls Online, "Rome wasn't built in a day". If there is one thing that really grinds my gears after playing through the closed beta for The Elder Scrolls Online, are people saying it is a "sub-par Skyrim".
It is that kind of tunnel vision thinking which can really affect how well a game is received. The only thing ZeniMax have done to get a negative response is their persistence with pushing for a subscription based model. Other than that, they have done nothing wrong to get silly comparisons.
Sure, it has the title 'Elder Scrolls', but it is a completely different experience than what most gamers associate the title with. It has its own style and that is because of two things: it is an MMORPG and it is being developed by a different developer. Having an MMORPG of Skyrim would never work, if anything it might work as a multiplayer game but not more than that.
Monday - February 17, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Tutorial & Beta Gameplay
Noobfeed has two new videos from the Elder Scrolls Online Beta.
Ok, we'll break this down into two categories. First up, we'll dive into the dark tutorial, set in the underworld of Tamriel. Here, players get rushed through a mostly linear plane of semi-existence, to learn the ropes, take on their first quests and get cracking in the first dungeon. It won't nearly get the variety of the main experience, but it's a start. Watch the tutorial gameplay.
The Grand Adventure
Once completed, the real journey will begin through fragments of the universe. These are further divided into select regions, where many people are awaiting tasks, tons of items can be looted and turned into other useful things. From wolves to giant scarabs, there are fierce monsters to fight, traps to overcome and choices to be made. Sit back and enjoy some Beta gameplay.
Sunday - February 16, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview Roundup
I managed to roundup a few more previews based on the beta of Elder Scrolls Online.
What I've played indicates that The Elder Scrolls Online is a competent MMO in all the usual ways, taking few risks with design and instead just offering a few twists on the standard MMO template. But I've seen no indications that it's a particularly good MMO, nor is it – lore aside – particularly Elder Scrolls-y. I'm bored with it already, and that's not a good sign.
The Elder Scrolls Online is homage, not a proper entry in the franchise. It is not another world in which we can live another life. It is another MMO. Set your expectations accordingly.
Many of my complaints regarding The Elder Scrolls Online's PvE questing stand firm here, and I still feel that the visuals leave much to be desired, the wonky animation, clumsy UI decisions and odd quirks would have felt 'quaint' in a boxed Bethesda release. But here; in a game that must be bought for a fee then subscribed to per month, you, the paying customer deserve a better class of MMO.
I see a lot of changes taking place in Cyrodiil in the coming months as Zenimax tries to adjust the system to be easier and more attractive. For now though, even though I'll have a mount for all my characters I'll be staying clear of Cyrodiil. It doesn't live up to any expectations I had and all the concerns I had about it before I ever even looked at it came true. But I know my view won't be one agreed on By everyone.
I can say that if you are an RPG fan and you are looking for a new MMO you need to give it a chance. I read a lot of first impressions lately and I came to the conclusion that all the "bad" opinions came from the people that expected a Co-op Skyrim. This game wasn't created to be a multiplayer version of a single player RPG, it was created to be an MMO.
Friday - February 14, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Gamasutra
Gamasutra is hosting a blog article about Elder Scrolls Online, and F2P tutorials.
The Elder Scrolls Online assumes we are in a previous age
Bethesda have form for making dull, worthy intros. I often give talks based on the Design Rules for F2P Games. Rule 11 is "Kill the tutorial." My primary example that gets it wrong is Fallout 3 (yes, I know it's not a F2P game). I borrowed the game from a friend to see if I would enjoy it. I spent the first 45 minutes cursing the game for taking me through a dull, worthy backstory that showed me little about what I was going to get from the game, except that the designers were happy to play fast and loose with my time without showing me what the heart of the game was going to be like. That goes down as one of the least enjoyable First Time User Experiences I have had.
The criticisms of TESO suggest that its initial experience is not trying to show you why this game is worth sticking with: it assumes that you are going to stick with it. It doesn't try to earn your love and respect. It assumes it. In the era of Free-To-Play, with boundless choice and designers setting out to demonstrate to their players why their game is awesome in the first few minutes, this approach is going to be very challenging for Zenimax.
Thursday - February 13, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview Roundup
If your curious about the beta of Elder Scrolls Online I have three new previews that give thier opinion. Thank you Thrasher for sending in one of the links.
Overall, The Elder Scrolls Online has had a solid first showing. Fans of the franchise looking to play in Tamriel with friends should definitely keep their eyes peeled for this game. If it stays the course, it will deliver excellent narrative, compelling voice work, and a beautiful, intriguing world to explore. Hard-line fans of the single-player games may not be happy with all of the changes, but it's ultimately poised to deliver what fans have been asking for – an Elder Scrolls experience with an online framework.
Instead of the huge rolling landscapes, random dungeons, and incidental details, there is a definite theme park built somewhere within the provinces of Tamriel. Where Oblivion gave you access to all areas of Cyrodil, ESO instead dolls out in meagre portions. Maps are chunks of the game world rather than the actual entirety. And while it would be too much of an ask for the new studio to completely recreate, and in some cases just create, all of the provinces in the Elder Scrolls lore, it only feels like a vague disappointment to be given a blinkered version of the world.
I'm not going to pretend that the above doesn't look like a kicking. But I want to reiterate that in delivering a bland, ordinary MMO, Bethesda appear to be succeeding. It's pretty, detailed, packed with wildlife you can senselessly murder. But the issue is, we've got an awful lot of bland, ordinary MMOs, and we don't have a nice shiny new The Elder Scrolls RPG.
Try as I might, I can't help but see this as all the worst bits of TES games – the dreadful dialogue, the crummy acting, the god-awful inventories (WHY! Why would they deliberately bring that aspect of TES into the MMO world, so you've got endless vertical scrolling lists of items, rather than a nice, useful tiled window?), put into an old-fashioned MMO space.
Monday - February 10, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Forbes
Forbes has another article about the monthly subscription for Elder Scrolls Online.
Bethesda/Zenimax would be smart to at least try and adapt to the times. Yes, they should focus on fixing fan complaints with the game itself, and that should be priority one, but they also need to realize they're going to have to get players playing in the first place, and the costs they have in place are just too prohibitive right now. Yes, there will be a select contingent of players who will buy and subscribe to the game no matter what, but at this rate, I think that's going to be a much smaller enclave than they'd like.
I do believe at this rate, The Elder Scrolls Online is destined to have an incredibly rough launch, and they'll be quickly forced into the sorts of changes I'm suggesting here, rather than having the chance to make those decisions willingly. I do not want TESO to fail, but I think it's been a hard road from concept to execution to marketing to pricing, and all those elements are conspiring to throw up enormous barriers to success for the game
Sunday - February 09, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Gameplay Videos
Therer has benn a flood of Elder Scrolls Online news in the last few days. Included in the pile is a few new gameplay videos I thought might interest a few of you.
The first video is from PC Gamers's Evan Lahti and Cory Banks.
The Elder Scrolls Online is a gorgeous game, so much so that we had to see how it looks on the Large Pixel Collider. We cranked every setting to maximum, but it was no match for the world's most dangerous gaming rig. Here are the results, along with gameplay impressions from Editor-in-chief Evan Lahti and Managing Editor Cory Banks.
The second video is from IncGamers with Tim McDonald.
In this video, our intrepid adventurer Tim McDonald is halfway through a spooky quest. Someone has inherited a demon-filled ruin containing a ghostly presence that won't let him get any closer. By the time the video starts we've already discovered that the ghost is seeking revenge against the family because of past slights, and we've been sent off to find a way to banish it, which takes us to the Mage's Guild.
Saturday - February 08, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - The Making of Molag Bal
ZeniMax Online has a post with details on The Making of Molag Bal.
Find out how we captured the horrific visage of a Daedric Prince for our in-game statue and Imperial Edition collectible.
If you've spent much time in Tamriel, you've certainly seen the statue or shrine of a Daedric Prince or two. Their presence and influence on the world is undeniable; they often seek mortal champions and cultists to further their interests, whatever they may be. In The Elder Scrolls Online, the Daedric Prince Molag Bal poses a major threat, scheming to merge Tamriel with his Oblivion realm, Coldharbour. Considering how prominent he is in the game, we wanted to make sure his statue was sufficiently impressive, especially because we wanted to include a physical version in our Imperial Edition!
Sunday - February 02, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Ask Us Anything
Zenimax Online has a new Ask Us Anything on the Elder Scrolls Online webpage.
Do people who order the Imperial Edition gain a big gameplay advantage over those who don't? – Sven Denteu
No. With the Imperial Edition you get the opportunity to play as a rogue Imperial who has broken from their Daedra worshipping ways, and you get a unique racial skill line of equal gameplay impact to other races' unique racial skill lines. As an Imperial you also get a mount and the automatic ability to craft items into the Imperial style. All non-Imperial races can also learn this ability after locating the corresponding racial motif. Imperials do not begin the game in a unique starting location or via a separate quest, but they can start in any alliance as befits their status as un-aligned outcasts of their own Province. Being an Imperial includes a racial skill line that offers unique gameplay opportunities, but there is not an overall gameplay advantage. It is an opportunity to set yourself visually apart in the lands of Tamriel.
Gameplay benefits within this edition have been designed to avoid bestowing unfair advantages over players who do not purchase this special edition. This is cool content designed for some of our biggest fans who wish to have something different from other collector's editions in the market. The only other alternative would have been to offer a collector's edition that offers no in-game items whatsoever. That simply didn't seem fair to fans who are excited about the game and want some special digital items
Saturday - February 01, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Unboxing Imperial Edition
ZeniMax Online unboxes the the Imperial Edition of Elder Scrolls Online.
Lead Loremaster Lawrence Schick unpacks the Imperial Edition and describes its contents in detail. No Elder Scrolls fan should pass up the chance to get their hands on the full-color Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel, the 12" Molag Bal Statue, and all the other great collectibles. Watch the video and get a closer look at this ultimate edition of ESO.
Friday - January 31, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Arrival Cinematic Trailer
ZeniMax Online released a new cinematic trailer for Elder Scrolls Online.
Coinciding with our announcement of The Elder Scrolls Online Imperial Edition, watch our newest cinematic trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online.
Wednesday - January 29, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Imperial Edition Announced
Bethesda sent out a new press release about the Imperial Edition of Elder Scrolls Online, and their new online store. Here are the details.
Pre-Order and Pre-Purchase Bonuses Are Detailed for Latest Game in Award-Winning Franchise
January 29, 2014 (London, UK) – Bethesda Softworks®, a ZeniMax® Media company, today announced that it will release The Elder Scrolls Online Imperial Edition - a premium collector's edition for the highly-anticipated The Elder Scrolls Online. The Elder Scrolls Online Imperial Edition will be made available in digital and limited physical formats. Both standard and collector's editions are now available for pre-order through participating retailers and pre-purchase from the newly launched online store (store.elderscrollsonline.com).
In addition to the highly-anticipated game, The Elder Scrolls Online Physical Imperial Edition includes:
- Molag Bal Statue. A 30.5 cm statue featuring Molag Bal, Daedric Prince of domination and enslavement.
- The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel. A 224-page illustrated guide annotated by the Imperial scholar, Flaccus Terentius.
- Physical Map of Tamriel. A 53.3 cm x 66 cm printed map detailing Alliance-controlled zones and the ultimate conquest: Cyrodiil.
- Steelbook™ Packaging. A limited edition steel case decorated in the color of the Imperials.Exclusive Collection of Digital Content.
- Play as an Imperial: Become an Imperial and play in any Alliance. Gain unique bonuses, crafting styles, gear, and more.
- White Imperial Horse: Summon this Imperial mount and journey through Tamriel with speed.
- Mudcrab Vanity Pet: Explore Tamriel with a mudcrab pet
- Rings of Mara: Complete the Ritual of Mara with a friend and receive an experience bonus when you play together.
The Physical Imperial Edition is extremely limited in quantity and available for pre-order through participating retailers for $99.99/€99.99/£89.99/AU$139.95.
The Elder Scrolls Online Digital Imperial Edition includes the base game and all digital content outlined for the Physical Imperial Edition above and retails for $79.99/€79.99/£69.99/AU$119.95.
All those who pre-order or pre-purchase either the Imperial Edition or the Standard Edition in physical or digital formats will also receive The Explorer's Pack bonus at launch, which includes: Scuttler vanity pet, four bonus treasure maps, and the ability to play as any of the nine races in any Alliance.
Early Access bonuses will also be offered to those pre-ordering or pre-purchasing a PC/Mac version. A five (5) day early access bonus will be offered to those who pre-purchase the Digital Imperial Edition or the Digital Standard Edition through The Elder Scrolls Online Store. Additional early access programs are also available through participating retailers.
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ ESOHUT
ESO HUT has another article this week for The Elder Scrolls Online. The topic of course is about the games subscription plan.
Probably one of the most talked about subjects regarding the Elder Scrolls Online on the web right now is all about the paid subscription method which Bethesda has decided to implement for this creation. Obviously, us fans want to play the game for as little as possible, we all have other bills to pay or other stuff we could do with the money instead, but then again you can't really say that $15 per month is a lot to loose each month when you realize that you can be playing the newest and biggest MMORPG game to date for as many hours per day as you can cram in around your current lifestyle.
Tuesday - January 28, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - O&A @ Tamriel Foundry
The Tamriel Foundry has a new O&A with Paul Sage.
Monday - January 27, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - PvP Guide @ ESO Hut
ESO Hut is back with another article this time with a guide to PvP in Elder Scrolls Online.
With the launch of ESO only months away, I want to look into the make or break part of an MMORPG – PvP. All of the top MMO's out there have special events, battlegrounds or instances for where players can get together and fight against those from the opposing faction. When you reach maximum level on your character, your going to be mainly doing 2 things… PvE (dungeons, instances etc) or PvP (Player vs Player). So if a gaming company wants to keep a good chunk of their subscribers, then this part of the game has to be absolutely spectacular and repeatable without getting boring.
Although, it's probably not as big as it used to be, PvP still is big business and very popular among online gamers, I have to admit though, in any MMO that I've played in, I always try to keep away from others until I'm at a respectable level – otherwise it's just not worth wasting my time getting killed over.
Take WoW (World of Warcraft) for example, there was a time when every Joe and his uncle was talking about who they fought and beat the previous night, everywhere you looked there was a tournament of some sort going on and with this there were viral videos of players filming themselves in the midst of epic battles on onslaught. You would get the feeling WoW was pushing PvP on everyone and it was a big deal. Nowadays it's still there in the background and people accept it as being a regular part of the game rather than something that is special and needs promotion.
Sunday - January 26, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Activities for Adventurers
ESO Hut has posted a list of activities for adventurers for Elder Scrolls Online.
I'm sure that all enthusiastic adventurers just can't wait to get into the new virtual world in the Elder Scrolls Online.But once we step inside the boots of our characters, what is there for us to actually do?
We've compiled a list of the main events which we can all look forward to doing, or maybe even deciding what to do first!
Friday - January 24, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Voices of Tamriel & ESRB
ZeniMax Online has a new video about the voice cast for Elder Scrolls Online.
Get all the details on the star-studded voice cast -- and the characters they play -- in our latest video for The Elder Scrolls Online.
A renowned group of actors will be lending their voices to The Elder Scrolls Online. John Cleese, Michael Gambon, Kate Beckinsale, Malcolm McDowell, Lynda Carter, Bill Nighy, and Alfred Molina -- and many more -- take on the roles of just some of the interesting characters you'll meet while exploring Tamriel.
The next article of interest is from Forbes about the M-rating from the ESRB.
Bethesda's first MMO is hitting consoles soon, but maybe only for older gamers. The ESRB has given it a "Mature" rating. It's unclear what, exactly, precipitated the rating, but given some of the darker elements and frequent beheadings of a game like Skyrim, one can sort of guess. Bethesda's Pete Hines said that this wasn't the rating the team was hoping for, but they're planning on staying the course.
"The ESRB advised us that it has give The Elder Scrolls Online a Mature rating," the company said in a tweet. "While we may disagree with the ESRB's determination, we do not plan to challenge the rating, and we are unwilling to change the game's content to achieve a different rating. The game was have created is the one we want our fans to be able to play."
Thursday - January 23, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Group Content Video
ZeniMax Online has a new video showing off group content for Elder Scrolls Online.
The Elder Scrolls Online offers players the opportunity to explore Tamriel together for the first time. In this video, our developers take on some of the challenges designed for groups of allies in the game
Wednesday - January 22, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ IM PLAYIN
IM PLAYIN is the next site to wonder if Elder Scrolls Online will live up to it's hype.
If you've been following the Elder Scrolls series for as long as I have, or longer depending on when you started playing it, then you'll probably be feeling the same mix of emotions as I am over the upcoming Elder Scrolls Online. That cocktail of excitement and anxiety, you know the one. It has all of the makings of a fantastic game, the Elder Scrolls universe, MMORPG, amazing storytelling and fun side quests – perhaps the sort of game that could even challenge World of Warcraft? The closed beta has been up for on the PC for the past few days and, after reading a good few opinions about ESO, it sounds as though they have a lot of work to do if they're going to be challenging WoW for the supreme title of 'most awesome MMORPG'.
Tuesday - January 21, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Gameranx
Gameranx has a new article for Elder Scrolls Online that list four things they think fans don't want to see in the game.
ESO fans are obsessed with dragons. They don't want dragons in the game, and they have two very good reasons for saying so – one, the setting of the game doesn't have a lot of room for dragons in its lore. Two, and more practical, is they don't' want the game to be bogged down by dragon quests.
Cash Shop/Monetization Concerns
ESO fans are worried about how it will be monetized. The game is retailing at full price, but they know that these are in the works. And so, many fans want to do away with there being a cash shop altogether. Some have related concerns, such as the use of microtransactions, or time limited market items. I'm sure the last time an in-game economy ruined a beloved franchise is still fresh in people's minds.
Game Mechanics
There aren't any particular predominant complaints on this end, but there are a few things players do not want around. For example, they do not want leveling to be expedited. They also do not want the crafting system to be too easy / simple. Other niggles that would ruin the game for players would be having seasonal quests, allowing free alliance hopping, quests with 10 things to find or 10 things to kill, add-on damage meters, and so forth. Essentially , the impression I get is they want fighting to be straightforward, but sophisticated, to strike the happy balance that will keep them engaged and coming back
Ridiculous Things
Finally, and I personally think this may be somewhat hypocritical of them to say so, but ESO fans want ridiculous things, that would make the game look funny or unbelievable, such as dragon mounts, pets, dailies, flying mounts, etc. Like I said, I don't think this is worth complaining about. While it would be great to retain a particular atmosphere on a game, that line of thinking makes more sense on a single player adventure than the unpredictable MMO playspace.
Monday - January 20, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Camelot Post
Camelot Post posted a new article talking about the Beta of Elder Scrolls Online, and how far some people are going to get an invite. I will summarize the article below.
Would you pay a few hundred bucks to gain access to your favorite MMO before launch? What are you willing to do to gain access to The Elder Scrolls Online beta?
Read more at http://camelotpost.com/2014/01/18/get-elder-scrolls-online-beta/#itezXWLeZqUXwkiL.99
Read more at http://camelotpost.com/2014/01/18/get-elder-scrolls-online-beta/#itezXWLeZqUXwkiL.99
Sunday - January 19, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Impression @ GamerTechTV
GamerTechTV has a new article with some beta impressions for Elder Scrolls Online.
Im really shocked how much of a miss-fire ESO is, its almost like none of the game designers have ever played a massively multi player game before, Im not saying they should copy WoW, but what made WoW successful was that it took what worked from other MMOs at the time and refined them, taking the best from other games, and mixing them into their own lore, then added that Blizzard polish.
ESO seems to have taken the worst from Skyrim (the combat) and somehow made it even worse, if someone ever asked you what was the best part of Skyrim you would not say the combat, its the immersive living breathing world, which is lost in ESO.
ESO is plain boring to play, painfully immediately boring, with no feeling that there are other players there working together to achieve quests or goals, if I wanted to solo play I would play Skyrim, not ESO, and I would absolutely not pay a monthly fee in its current state.
Saturday - January 18, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Limited-Edition Lithographs
If your interested in lithographs for games then Bethesda has some avaiable for The Elder Scrolls Online. Here are the details from a new post on the games webpage.
The Bethesda Merchandise Store is getting ready to put three brand-new ESO lithographs up for sale. Pick your favorite alliance leader—Jorunn the Skald-King, Queen Ayrenn, or High King Emeric—or get all three at a discounted price. Don't wait too long to order; these lithographs will only be available in very limited quantities. You can start purchasing them this Friday, January 17th.
Friday - January 17, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Prima Games
If your interested in learning more about the PvP part of The Elder Scrolls Online Prima Games has a new article for you to read.
It seems that with almost any newly released MMORPG, there has to be a player vs. player element for the game to survive. The only games in recent memory that have downplayed the PvP element are Final Fantasy XI and Final Fantasy XIV. Both games have PvP, but the main draw is the PvE content. When The Elder Scrolls: Online ships later this year, PvP will not only be available, it will be a big part of the game. Because of this, the developers are putting a lot of time into the PvP elements to make sure they're not only balanced, but fun.
The PvP area in ESO is called Cyrodiil, and will feature three alliances battling it out. The large number of players is complimented by a large area to battle within. Cyrodiil takes approximately 30 minutes to traverse from one side to the other. With such a large area, it should make for some elaborate strategies.
In addition, the system is balanced by featuring a comeback mechanic of sorts. The alliance in the lead earns fewer Alliance Points, while the two trailing alliances earn bonuses. How this balances out once the game is out of beta will be interesting. There needs to be a reason to continue playing if one alliance has a significant lead, but at the same time you don't want to make it too easy for the trailing alliances to make a comeback.
Thursday - January 16, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Pixelgate
Pixelgate is the next site to compare Elder Scrolls Online with another MMO. They wonder if the game will follow the same way as The Old Republic.
Given the alleged development costs of Elder Scrolls Online, a fate similar to The Old Republic would be disastrous. The one major advantage Elder Scrolls Online has is the fact it will be the first major MMO to hit consoles. Sure, the likes of DC Universe made their way to consoles as well, but that is not on the same scale as Elder Scrolls, as the lack of marketing for DC Universe on consoles reflected. Perhaps the key to potential success for Elder Scrolls would be its console market rather than the PC. Nevertheless, there's a huge risk being taken with Elder Scrolls Online in the same way Old Republic was a huge risk.
Wednesday - January 15, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ GamesPresso
GamesPresso has a new article that ponders is The Elder Scrolls Online a WoW killer?
The most recent stage in the beta testing of The Elder Scrolls Online (TESO) has now finished, and has left players with a sense of what is to come closer to the release date in April, but what does the latest title in the Elder Scrolls franchise have to offer in comparison to other MMORPG's(Massively multiplayer online roleplaying game) this year? In this article, we will take a look at what the competition from Blizzard's popular MMO will be producing for players this year.
Tuesday - January 14, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Feature List @ Prima Games
Prima Games has a list with the 10 most exciting features of The Elder Scrolls Online.
We've got a few months to go before Bethesda releases The Elder Scrolls Online for PC and next-gen consoles. That said, the information we've seen on this latest chapter from the series has certainly gotten us excited. There's a lot of territory to cover here, especially when you team up with allies online for an epic-scale battle.
Here are ten features we're enthusiastic about with the upcoming release.
A Massive World
The Elder Scrolls Online will be one of the biggest games in the series to date. Almost all of Tamriel will be open to exploration, with new areas opening up as you level up your character. Cyrodill will be yours to explore once you reach level 10, and you'll also be able to traverse the Black Marsh and Elsweyr to some effect. You'll have plenty to do here, putting your monthly subscription to good use. It just depends how much you want to explore.
Read the link for the other nine features.
Monday - January 13, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Beta Update
ZeniMax Online has a new post about the recent Beta test of Elder Scrolls Online .
We're getting closer to 4.4.14, when The Elder Scrolls Online officially launches for PC and Mac, and we're working hard to ensure that the first steps of your adventure in Tamriel are as smooth as possible. This weekend's test is a key part of those preparations—we've invited a massive number of players worldwide to this session to help us get ready and test all of our systems at high volume.
If you were invited, you'll be actively helping us make launch better with your participation. We need you to get in there, be persistent even when you encounter issues, and push all of our systems hard. We'll be doing a number of our own tests during the session, like bringing the server down and back up, to gauge how our systems respond to these situations. With your help, we can uncover problems and solve them before launch.
If you didn't get invited to this test, don't worry! We have more sessions planned, so make sure you've signed up for your chance to test.
Saturday - January 11, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Forbes
The same writer of article that called Elder Scrolls Online a potential disaster of 2014 is back with a new article. This time he answers criticism of his article.
When the new year started, I wrote an article detailing why it seemed like The Elder Scrolls Online was shaping up to be a potential disaster for ZeniMax and Bethesda with a bloated budget, average gameplay and a seemingly outdated subscription model.
The piece unleashed a flood of gamers who either agreed or disagreed with the premise. Some wrote entire response pieces to the article, and one in particular recently caught my eye. It's on MMORPG.com, and published by an unnamed developer, formerly of CCP and now working on their own subscription based MMO.
Friday - January 10, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - New Beta Invites
Zenimax Online announces that a new wave of Beta invites have been sent out.
We're greeting the new year with a round of beta invites. Check your registered email address to find out if you received one, and don't forget to look in your spam folder just in case. Remember, if you use Gmail, our invites will be automatically filtered to the "promotions" tab.
The beta is getting bigger as launch approaches, and we can't wait to see everyone's feedback. If you don't receive your invite today, don't worry—you'll have more chances to explore Tamriel before launch. When we send out invites, we post here and on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, so follow us on your favorite site to make sure you don't miss an announcement.
Wednesday - January 08, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Forbes
Forbes has another article in their predicting the biggest video game disasters Of 2014 series. This time they take a look at The Elder Scrolls Online.
MMOs as a genre may not be dead yet, but the monthly subscription model certainly is for new entries, and Bethesday/ZeniMax were foolish not to have the foresight to realize this. While it's entirely possible TESO is released and it blows everyone's expectations away, that's seeming increasingly unlikely as players have already spent a lot of time with the game and many are coming away less than impressed. It was a strange decision to jump genres from a famed single player series to an MMO, and even stranger to expect fans to pay $15 a month for the privilege.
Whether the budget is $200M or not, I can't say. If it isn't, the game seems like a relatively risky idea at its core nonetheless. If it is, the game seems like a truly insane endeavor that could easily turn into the biggest bomb of the year.
We'll find out in April, I suppose. I've reached out to ZeniMax to see if they have any comment before then.
ZeniMax even sent them a response.
Update: ZeniMax responded and pointed me toward this satirical explanation from game director Matt Firor about the $200M budget.
Officially, ZeniMax told me to "keep looking in the upcoming days for an official statement about that, if it will ever come out." Between these two items, I suspect my leg may be being pulled a bit, but good on them for having a sense of humor.
As for the subscription fee, I was sent to this actual interview with Matt Firor:
"And it's important to state that our decision to go with subscriptions is not a referendum on online game revenue models. F2P, B2P, etc. are valid, proven business models – but subscription is the one that fits ESO the best, given our commitment to freedom of gameplay, quality and long-term content delivery. Plus, players will appreciate not having to worry about being "monetized" in the middle of playing the game, which is definitely a problem that is cropping up more and more in online gaming these days. The fact that the word "monetized" exists points to the heart of the issue for us: We don't want the player to worry about which parts of the game to pay for – with our system, they get it all."
Tuesday - January 07, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview @ OXM
OXM has posted a small part of their interview with Game Director Paul Sage. The topic is about how to become Emperor.
Speaking to OXM in a new interview, parts of which you'll find in our current issue, Elder Scrolls Online game director Paul Sage discussed how players will become Emperor. Long story short, you'll need to head to Cyrodiil, the game's PvP environment, and pick lots of fights.
Killing other players, healing allies and taking control of a keep grants you Alliance Points as well as experience and loot. Conquering keeps also expands your territory and unlocks alliance-wide bonuses - the more keeps you control, the better the bonuses will be. When the Alliance with the most points takes charge of all the keeps around the Imperial City, the Alliance member with the most points is crowned Emperor, unlocking a further set of bonuses for his or her peers.
"Players who become Emperor will get a full skill line that they keep throughout the rest of their lives in The Elder Scrolls Online," Sage observed. "It won't be easy to become Emperor, but we think people will be glad they worked for it." Lose the title of Emperor, and your hard-rocking Imperial skillz won't be quite as effective, but you'll still be a force on the battlefield.
Alas, there doesn't appear to be a way to become Emperor without engaging in Player vs Player, so if you're hoping to climb the ranks by making scientific discoveries (read: finding cool swords in dungeons) or by impersonating Patrick Stewart, the political life may not be for you.
Thursday - January 02, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Development Cost?
iGame Responsibly writes that The Elder Scrolls Online Development cost is insane. According to the site the MMO cost Bethesda more than $200 million.
Now I must warn you the following story hasn't been proven true so it is still a rumor at this piont. I wouldn't be surprised though as one other MMO almost cost that much.
We know that The Elder Scrolls Online is one hell of an undertaking for Bethesda. ZeniMax Online Studios have been working on the title for quite some time, and apparently the development cost is in the multiple hundred million dollar neighborhood. Reports from a reliable industry source cite a $200M price tag for development thus far.
Many have questioned the monthly subscription model that The Elder Scrolls Online will employ, but when you consider that enormous development budget, things become a bit more clear. Hopefully the studio has planned ahead with tons of end game content to keep players coming back for years to come, or The Elder Scrolls Online may be headed for disaster.
Wednesday - January 01, 2014
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview @ OXM
OXM interviews Lead Gameplay Designer Nick Konkle to talk about Elder Scrolls Online.
On the choice of a subscription model
What's cool about having a subscription model for us, is that firstly we don't have any gates on the content - Elder Scrolls is very much a game about going wherever you want to, and if you're randomly running into artificial [obstacles] where you have to pay, it just doesn't feel right. The other thing is to do with maintaining a team, that can offer super service and put out content at a very high clip. If you want to do that, you really need to plan for it in advance and also maintain a really large team of people.
And I think when we say content, we mean substantial, meaningful content. There are lots of different ways to support a game that you can look at. When we say content, we mean meaningful stuff, like new areas of the world, new factions, bigger meatier stuff. Not a couple of new weapons, or some new outfits, though we can do that too! We can do all of that stuff plus a lot more, stuff that's more Elder Scrollsy, and not trivial.
We could do it daily if we just wanted to throw a dagger out the door, we could just say "here's today's update", but that's not what Elder Scrolls is about. It's more meaningful stuff that adds to your experience.
What to expect from Elder Scrolls Online expansions
We're doing the kinds of things that with other games you'd associate with DLC - for us it would be, if you're subscribing to the game you'll get it [as part of the package]. Here's another high-end zone, here's another guild, adding significant story elements as well as new weapon types.
We recently planned out one of the first ten updates we're going to be doing, and honestly these are subject to change as the game comes out and evolves, but each of them is kind of a story package, like the key thing we're adding is this, and here's all the stuff that we're going to do to support that. Like, we're adding a Thieves' Guild but we're also adding a justice system, or whatever, you know, that sort of thing.
I would think of it as hours of gameplay. When we think about our additional content, we think about, how many hours of gameplay is it going to add to the experience?
How frequent will DLC be?
We don't have any official plans but the plan is fast. In order to do that we basically, you need to have multiple things queued up and ready to go even as the game is coming out, which is why we're starting now. We've moved some of the teams off of that and onto the next thing to ensure we're hitting it at a very regular clip.
But in a general sense I think monthly is a pretty good goal. It might be four weeks, it might be five weeks, it might be six, but in a perfect world, monthly - every four weeks you're getting a new significant bit of content. Not just for the first month or first two months; we want just non-stop, all the time, new stuff to go and play and do.
Sunday - December 29, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Feature List @ MMO Games
MMO Games has a new article that lists all the features in The Elder Scrolls Online.
Zenimax has in place one of the most heavily policed Non-Disclosure Agreements that this reporter has ever seen.
According to their NDA, if you are lucky enough to get a key for the Beta, you may not disclose anything relating to "software, software code, designs, graphics, rules, playing strategies, artwork, visual depictions, plot, theme, settings, characters, characterizations, skills, emails, screenshots, marketing emails, marketing and promotional plans, current, future or proposed products or services of ZeniMax, written or printed documents, announcements or pre-releases, product samples, artwork, graphics, promotional and/or marketing items), the Beta Trial forums and other private ZeniMax forums, business and/or trade secrets, testing protocols, processes, and standards relating to the Game and/or associated products or services of ZeniMax."
Beta testers have been warned that even mentioning they are IN the beta may lead to litigation of some kind. So be careful who you talk to….they have lawyer spies everywhere! (Or so I have heard) As it stands at the minute, there are a few things that I can confirm.
Friday - December 27, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Ask Us Anything: Cyrodiil
ZeniMax Online answers questions about the PVP side of The Elder Scrolls Online.
We tackle your questions about PvP in ESO. Learn more about the Alliance War and what awaits you in Cyrodiil.
Over the last few weeks, we've been talking more about Cyrodiil and PvP in The Elder Scrolls Online. As usual, we're on the lookout for your questions, and received a big amount from our German fan site ESO-Schatzsucher and the French site JeuxOnline. Read on to find out more about what you can expect when you step onto the battlefield.
Wednesday - December 25, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Camelot Post
The Camelot Post has a new article listing the top five features of Elder Scrolls Online.
I began my journey with Camelot Post as a big Elder Scrolls Online skeptic but the regular release of information has totally changed my opinion. As I grow more excited for the April 4th release of The Elder Scrolls Online I decided to highlight some of the features I feel will appeal most to the MMO players of today and get you excited about The Elder Scrolls Online..
Sunday - December 22, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Cyrodiil�s Keeps
ZeniMax Online has a new post for The Elder Scrolls Online about the keeps of Cyrodiil.
Three alliances clash in Cyrodiil. Fierce battles erupt around fortified keeps throughout the region as the Ebonheart Pact, Daggerfall Covenant, and Aldmeri Dominion struggle to conquer and control more territory. These keeps are critical to each side's war efforts, and when you venture into Cyrodiil, chances are you'll find yourself embroiled in the efforts to assault or defend them. In this Creating ESO, we're taking a closer look at these fortifications.
We couldn't jump right into building out keeps and creating art straight away. Though we had plans for how we wanted them to function, we needed to ensure we could meet the technical requirements for those ideas. Our designers worked with engineers to build a framework that could support the design goals—features like destructible keep walls, siege weapons, and large numbers of player characters on-screen had to be considered from both a technology and design standpoint.
Friday - December 20, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Dev Q&A @ ElitistJerks
The ElitistJerks forum hosted a new Q&A session with the Lead PvP Designer for The Elder Scrolls Online. Topics include PvP, Map Size, Factions, and Guilds.
Cyrodiil Geography
Cyrodiil in our timeline will look very familiar to Oblivion, however much more spread out. To the question of Jungles in Cyrodiil and the question of Tiber Septim changing the climate, we have a book in the game for you to find for more details about that hiding in Cyrodiil itself ;)
PvP Campaigns
During Beta we have been using a 48 hour Campaign ruleset but standard Campaigns will last 3 months. We have the ability to make scoring changes and duration changes depending on player needs and we'll analyze how scoring goes to determine if we need alternate rulesets with different duration, scoring, but also if we need to add player level restricted Campaigns or not. There really is a great deal of flexibility with the Campaign system, and we will be paying close attention to what players ask for to determine which Campaign rules we add.
Guild Ownership
Guilds can claim 1 keep, farm, lumbermill, or mine at a time (only 1...not 1 of each). Claiming is simply done by talking with the Quartermaster at those locations
Framerate and Accessible Areas
Framerate is always a top concern and we are always (that includes as I write this) optimizing the game not only on your local installation but also on the servers you connect to. Besides that, there are many graphical options which can be adjusted to help get faster graphical performance.
Wednesday - December 18, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Camelot Post
Camelot Post takes a look at the emperor concept for The Elder Scrolls Online, and calls it wasted potential. So do you agree?
The Elder Scrolls Online Emperor – Wasted Potential
Very few MMO games today release a feature that only 1-2% of the player base can experience. Even the very toughest end-game challenges are enjoyed by thousands and thousands of players. Of course it's still early days and there could well be more to The Elder Scrolls Online Emperor mechanics but with the currently released information, it seems like they've wasted a lot of potential to really tackle the political aspect of the MMO world.
Tuesday - December 17, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Fit for the Emperor
ZeniMax Online has a new post on the games web page with information about the suit of armor that you can only wear if you become emperor.
Discover one of the rewards only the most powerful in Tamriel can claim--the emperor's armor!
The one who sits on the Ruby Throne cuts an imposing figure, driving enemies to flee in fear and inspiring allies to even greater deeds of conquest. When the emperor strides onto the battlefield, everyone takes notice--and few foes will survive to warn their allies. Below, you'll see concept art for armor that only the emperor can wear, intricately worked from the strongest materials and valuable beyond measure.
Wednesday - December 11, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Release Date Announced
Zenimax Online has a new post on The Elder Scrolls Online webpage announcing the game will release on the PC 4/4/2014, and on consoles June 2014. They even included a new video about how war works.
Greetings everyone. As we are approaching the end of 2013 and heading into our launch year, I thought I'd take a moment to thank you, our community, for your continued support. I'd also like to give you an update on the game's development and our launch plans for 2014.
First, thanks to everyone involved in the ESO community: those we met at trade shows, those of you on social media, and those that have had a chance to play the game and provided invaluable feedback through beta testing. I personally am humbled by the intense feelings of excitement expressed to us by the community at large. At shows like PAX East, PAX Prime, Gamescom, Eurogamer Expo, Paris Games Week, etc. – we always had three to four hour lines to play ESO. We know those wait times weren't easy, and the great patience and enthusiastic reception you showed was remarkable. Everyone here at ZeniMax Online appreciates each and every one of you and your fantastic support of the game.
Game development is coming along very well. We completed major systems development, and are focusing on making this the Elder Scrolls game you expect: polishing the hundreds and hundreds of hours of content, making combat even more fun and responsive, fixing quest issues, and much, much more. In fact, we plan on spending the next few months before launch reacting to the latest feedback from internal and external testers and gameplay data we have collected.
As some of you know, we've been in beta testing for about a year now, leading up to our most recent test in late November where we had over 300,000 people in the game over a 48 hour period. We've had approximately 4 million people sign up for beta and that number continues to grow. We hope that just about every one of you who have signed up for beta will get an invitation to play sometime between now and the weeks before launch. These tests are very important, not only for gameplay feedback, but also to test our infrastructure. Beta tests can sometimes be a little rough when we are testing some systems for the first time with large numbers of players. So thank you to all who have participated for your understanding and support. It is very much appreciated.
Worldwide demand for The Elder Scrolls Online is extraordinarily high. This means we need to do a staggered rollout of the different versions of the game to spread out the initial service load and ensure an enjoyable, smooth gameplay experience. It is not only a game we are launching – it is a large online service as well, and our number one priority is to ensure a trouble-free, stable rollout for everyone.
We long ago promised that as soon as a version of the game is ready, we will launch it. So we're happy to announce that the game will launch worldwide for PC and Mac players on Friday, April 4, 2014, while PlayStation 4 and Xbox One fans will see the game arriving on consoles in June 2014.
Again, thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm over the past year. We are very proud of this game and excited to share it with you. We can't wait to see you in the game in 2014! —Matt
Thursday - December 05, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News Roundup
It's been a busy week for The Elder Scrolls Online, and I managed to round up a few articles for everyone today. To begin the news-bit I have a new video from Zenimax Online.
We explore the systems you'll use to build exactly the character you want to play as you explore Tamriel in The Elder Scrolls Online
Next ZenimaxOnline has posted a new Creating ESO article about skills.
Is your character a Sorcerer in the Mages Guild who wades into the melee wearing heavy armor and tossing fireballs? A Dragonknight who has mastered the bow and keeps allies alive from range with a restoration staff? A master provisioner? No matter what you have envisioned for your character, you'll use skill lines to define many of his or her capabilities.
If you saw our recent video about character progression, you have an idea about how skill lines work, but we'd like to take you a little deeper and explore how we designed this system, the choices we had to make, and what factors we've considered throughout development.
And for last Gamereactor has a new interview.
You have stated before that you are targeting both the fans of the series, as well as the fans of the MMO genre. Has it been difficult finding a way to meet the expectations of both audiences?
I think we have such high demands for ourselves as a development team, and we represent both those audiences internally, so there was a series of steps we took to, to say: "What are the things we as developers want to do, to make a great Elder Scrolls RPG, and what are the expectations that will be common amongst the MMO crowd?"
So we had this big exercise, where we wrote down what we wanted from the game as MMO players, and what we wanted as Elder Scrolls players, and it was amazing where those things synced up. That's where we started to lay the base of the game down. So I don't know if it's been difficult, as much as it has been an interesting exercise in trying to find the "good game", and from there, making the baselines meet.
Have you been forced to make any concessions, in order to make certain mechanics fit within the gameplay?
There are definitely things that won't work in a multiplayer setting, as they will in a singleplayer setting. For instance, you can't just kill every NPC in the world, because then there'd be no NPCs for anybody to meet, so I don't think it's necessarily concessions, so much as it's one of those things that is different from a normal Elder Scrolls singleplayer experience to the MMO.
We also have to be a lot more strict with the game's economy, as in how we introduce items into the world, how we introduce gold, and those types of things. Also, realtime physics are much harder to model, when you have litterally thousands of players online at one time. Those are the kind of things you have to take into account, when building any kind of massively multiplayer game like this.
Saturday - November 30, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ PC Gamer
PC Gamer posted a new preview of The Elder Scrolls Online that gives us a tour of massively multiplayer world of Tamriel.
In the previous games, it was always my first few steps into those richly-detailed worlds that stuck with me. Whether I was setting out into the marshes around Seyda Neen or exploring pastoral woodland on the outskirts of the Imperial City, so much of the wonder of a new RPG is owed to the way those initial experiences suggest innumerable new experiences just out of sight. As I left Khenarthi's Roost for the mainland, that feeling returned. I found myself looking forward to continuing my life as a wood elf archer in a strange land, just as I had in Morrowind a decade ago.
"The way we've built our content, it's meant to be completely nonlinear," Paul Sage tells me. "I can go over to this point of interest and say, 'That place looks cool. What's happening over there?' Then I can get introduced to the story, if it's a quest area, or maybe it's something else. The entire idea is that you can ignore us entirely, and go off on your own, and do whatever you want."
Right now, what I want to do is to play more TESO. I want to push beyond the next grove of trees, walk around the next bend in the road, and see what awaits on the other side. For all of its rough edges, The Elder Scrolls Online feels full of promise in a way that no other MMO has since my first experiences with the genre over ten years ago. That sense of discovery is a powerful thing.
Friday - November 29, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - More Heavy Armor Styles
ZeniMax Online has a new post for The Elder Scrolls Online showing off more heavy armor sets. Head over to the games webpage if your interested.
Finding a shiny new piece of armor that offers more protection or a magical benefit is something every adventurer looks forward to. In ESO, not only will you find stronger and better armors as you explore, but you'll find them in different racial styles, as well. Crafters can learn to create weapons and armor in the various racial styles, so you'll be able to create or find a set of your favorite kind. Check out this new art, where we show off the Orcish, Khajiit, and Argonian heavy armors.
Sunday - November 24, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ Hardcore Gamer
Hardcore Gamer has a new article for The Elder Scrolls Online asking if the game can capture the essence of the series.
The very idea of this being a game and game world that has to be balanced for thousands of players at a time means the traditional style of exploration we're used to in Elder Scrolls games simply won't be possible. Setting aside the idea of faction locking specific areas, there is also the issue of level zoning. In typical Elder Scrolls games there is level scaling to allow you go anywhere at any time and not be totally rocked by the enemies. I am not a huge fan of level scaling in RPGs, but at least in the case of open world games it allows you to explore without the fear of stumbling into an area where you aren't supposed to be. MMO areas are typically zoned for specific level ranges, meaning you won't be able to explore without the risk of going somewhere you aren't equipped to deal with yet. It's possible the developers have some solution for this issue, but I have no idea how they would do it.
Those are some concerns about The Elder Scrolls Online coming from a huge fan of the series. I think the bit about not being the center of the story could actually be a good thing if it's done well, but my concerns about exploration are another matter. When it comes right down to it, an Elder Scrolls game without that sense of wonder and discovery is simply not an Elder Scrolls game in my mind. So much of my enjoyment of the series is tied into the freedom to explore and experience the content in whatever order I want, and I just don't see how The Elder Scrolls Online can capture that same Elder Scrolls magic. It's entirely possible the developers have found some way to make an MMO with that sense of exploration and discovery the series is known for, but I'll believe it when I see it.
Friday - November 22, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Interactive Map of Tamriel
ZeniMax Online has posted a new interactive map of Tamriel. They promise to add more content in the following weeks so remember to check the map for updates.
Tamriel is a diverse landscape where you'll find everything from scorching deserts to woodlands, plains, and treacherous swamps, all inhabited by cultures just as disparate as the terrain. If you want to learn more about the setting of ESO and get some new glimpses into the various regions you'll traverse in-game, we think you'll love our new site feature, the interactive map of Tamriel.
You can view the map right now to see new screenshots and concept art and to read journals, excerpts from books, conversations overheard at taverns, and more from the world of ESO. We'll be expanding the map in the future, so keep checking back for more. Don't forget to tell us which ones are your favorites on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter; we can't wait to see what you think.
Friday - November 01, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - The Werewolf
Zenimax Online has a post on the games website giving us a look at the Werewolf this time as part of it's Creating ESO articles.
Feared throughout Tamriel, werewolves surrender to their primal nature, roaming the wilds in pursuit of prey. Confrontations with these lycanthropes are dangerous; they can spread the disease Sanies Lupinus, which turns the infected into one of the bloodthirsty pack if left untreated. Werewolves are strongly associated with the Daedric Prince Hircine. It is said that he lays claim to their souls, eternally leading them on wild courses through the Hunting Grounds, his Oblivion realm.
You'll encounter werewolves in your adventures through ESO, and you might even find yourself afflicted with their transformational disease. Don't worry—we won't give away any of the surprises we have in store for you here, but we do want to give you a peek at the creation of the player version of the werewolf and a few tidbits about what you'll see in-game. The werewolf is still under development, so we're excited to share this first look with you.
Saturday - October 26, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ StrategyInformer
Strategy Informer posted a new preview of The Elder Scrolls Online based on the beta version of the MMO.
Right now it's fun, it feels like Elder Scrolls, and I know there's going to be loads to explore and an Empire to actually properly conquer. However in terms of graphics the game does not look next-gen so far (despite some nice screenshots) and Blackrock was a little sparse when it came to things to do. Those things could probably be written off though as it was only the starting area and I'm sure Zenimax Online will tighten the game up before release, then we'll see if this is the Elder Scrolls game to rule them all. And yes, I know that's a different fantasy franchise.
Friday - October 18, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Character Creation Video
Zenimax Online has posted a new video for Elder Scrolls Online showing off the character creation system.
Creating your character is an important part of The Elder Scrolls Online, and we want to provide you with the tools you need to create the hero you want to play.
Thursday - October 17, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview @ ShoddyCast
ShoddyCast interviews the Lead Gameplay Designer for Elder Scrolls Online in this new fifty minute video.
The ShoddyCast was lucky enough to sit down with the Lead Gameplay Designer for Elder Scrolls Online, Zenimax Online Studios' very own Nick Konkle. He was kind enough to elaborate on several topics, including: the Justice System, AvA, the Guild Store and Bounty System. There's plenty of new information for those following ESO so don't miss a minute of it!
Wednesday - October 09, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ Gamerzines
Gamerzines is the next site to post a hands-on preview of Elder Scrolls Online.
Overall, our time with TESO was enjoyable and proved to us once and for all that ZeniMax can combine the hallmarks of the titular series with common MMO staples successfully. Our time on Bleakrock was hand-holdy, but that's to be expected from a tutorial zone.
Unfortunately we didn't get to sample TESO's ambitious PvP component, which features hundreds of players fighting to retain possession of individual regions, castles and towns in the name of their clan in a persistent realm, but no doubt that's being held back for future reveals. Wrap up your time with Skyrim boys and girls, soon they'll be a new Elder Scrolls in town!
Tuesday - October 08, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ Gamerspective
Gamerspective has a new preview of Elder Scrolls Online from Eurogamer Expo 2013.
I've only recently gotten into the MMORPG craze with a little game known as Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. Up until this point Massive Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games weren't something I was particularly interested in. A Realm Reborn changed that, however I think if A Realm Reborn didn't bring me into the world of MMORPGs then Elder Scrolls online would have.
Like most other games I got to play at this years Eurogamer Expo, I was treated to roughly 10 minutes of game time. Within those ten minutes I was given the choice to create my own character.
A total of 9 characters will be available when Elder Scrolls is released at the beginning of next year however, you are only given a choice of 3 depending on which faction you would like to be a part of. We were part of the Dragonfall Covenant faction therefore the three choices for races we had were Bretons, Orcs and Redguards. The other two factions included are Ebonheart Pact Faction with Nord, Argonaian and Dunmer and the Aldmeri Dominion Faction with the Altmer, Bosmer and Khajiit.
Overall character creation in ESO was pretty basic, to be frank it was very similar to Skyrim infact, almost exactly the same, it means those familiar with the other games in the franchise will have no problems adjusting to life in an MMO.
Monday - October 07, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview @ The Geek Link
The Geek Link has a new interview with Zenimax Online Studios about The Elder Scrolls Online.
TGL: What influenced you to release the Elder Scrolls Online on PC and consoles?
BW: Just the fact that we want everybody out there to experience the Elder Scrolls Online, not just one portion of the community. Because people have been playing Elder Scrolls games for a long time on consoles too, and we didn't want to deny them the opportunity to play online with their buddies. Because consoles are sort of where you first see it. You log-in and you are playing Skyrim and you see your buddy log-in, and you are like "I can't play with them". We want to make sure that you can in Elder Scrolls Online.
TGL: With that said, will players be able to play cross-platform?
BW: It is not going to be cross-platform. PC and Mac will be able to play together, Xbox will play together, and PlayStation will play together, but it isn't going to cross over.
TGL: How do you think veteran fans of the series will feel about being in an MMO?
BW: I think they are going to be happy about it. It is the same world they have grown to love in Skyrim, in Morrowind, in Oblivion, all the way back to Arena and Daggerfall. It's the same lore, the same world they have grown up in. [These are] places they will be familiar with, like Windhelm, Riften, Cheydinhal, and Chorrol. These are all towns that people have been in and seen, and they will be able to see it again, this time with their friends.
TGL: Why did you choose to do an MMO that predates Skyrim?
BW: When you look at the time line of everything, it fits perfectly. The timeline is in a state of civil war. If you look at this timeline, it says there is no emperor. Cyrodiil is in a civil war. All three sides are trying to fight each other. That's the big call out of what the timeline says, because if it's PvP or the concept of the three sides trying to claim an emperor, it fits great in terms of the story line, across all of Elder Scrolls lore.
Wednesday - October 02, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Creating the Clannfear
ZeniMax Online has posted another video for their next Creating ESO article showcasing the Clannfear. Watch the video then click the link to see how it was created.
The clannfear is back, joining the increasingly lethal ranks of creatures you'll face in combat as you adventure across Tamriel.
Monday - September 30, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview & Maps
MMO-Play has posted a short preview of The Elder Scrolls Online.
The Elder Scrolls team have done a great job of giving the fans what they want, but with a solid professional boundary. It would have been easy to simply make a "Multi-player Skyrim" but the team have adjusted the combat and created an interaction foundation that makes the multi-player fair and less overbearing to play. It just feels great to run around Tamriel with others running alongside you, interacting with you, and battling people off in the distance.
Also I recommend taking a look at Gameranx who takes a look at the user interface, and the games maps.
Check out these albums of Elder Scrolls Online images, including a preview of the entire user interface, screenshots of Cyrodiil, maps for the Daggerfall, Aldmeri Dominion, and Ebonheart territories. There's more than enough visual spoilers here to ruin any sense of discovery here, but if you're looking around to decide if you want to play, check this out! Elder Scrolls Online is an impressively large world
Sunday - September 29, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ Camelot Post
Camelot Post has a new preview for The Elder Scrolls Online about player housing.
Although we've known for some time that The Elder Scrolls Online player housing will not feature at launch, it hasn't stopped some of us discussing the importance of this iconic feature from throughout The Elder Scrolls franchise.
It's clear from the currently announced features that Bethesda and Zenimax Online are aiming mainly towards the multiplayer experience, which is to be expected of an MMO game. Afterall, the entire foundations of the MMO game have been constructed based on the experience of multiple players.
Sadly however, the core appealing aspects of The Elder Scrolls Online player housing system is quite the opposite, being mainly a feature to compliment the experience of the solo player. Although many MMO games of today implement group, guild and alliance housing, the most popular player housing systems offer extensive variety and customization for the single player. Some of my most memorable experiences in The Elder Scrolls franchise have involved stamping my own mark of history on the world of Tamriel. The freedom of choice, the depth of customization and the touch of personality are all elements that make the housing in Elder Scrolls one of its most defining features.
Thursday - September 26, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News Roundup #8
ZeniMax Online has a few updates for us today for The Elder Scrolls Online. So lets get started.
The first update deals with another Ask us Anything this time focusing on the games Lore.
Today's group of questions, all chosen from your submissions, focuses primarily on lore. Many of you care deeply about The Elder Scrolls setting, and you always have lots of great questions for us about what you'll get to see in ESO. .
Next they have posted Issue #26 of The Tamriel Chronicle.
We have a new collection of links to inspiring ESO fan creations, including art, podcasts, fiction, and more for you in today's issue.
And for last MMO-Play has a new article about the games lore to go along with the above Ask us Anything.
The questions poured in thick and fast, and here are some of the things that the community managed to draw out of its lore-makers:
1. The Lainlyn family will make an appearance, as will Tava's Blessing; a precursor to the city of Lainlyn.
2. The mythic Harpies will feature in some adventures.
3. Orsinium is still divided and in disrepair, with the Orcs of Wrothgar in the North, and what remains of Kurog's kingdom in the south.
4. Reachmen will feature in the game, but will be unplayable, due to them being an anti-social archetype. They are the forerunners to the Forsworn.
5. Adamantine Tower will feature, but no news on whether it's explorable other than "time will tell"…sounds like a possible future update in the making?
6. The Orcs of Wrothgar are once again attempting to build themselves a recognizable kingdom
7. The process of electing a Mane will be revealed, and will in-fact be a "key event" in the game, meaning you may have some influence in the decision yourself.
Wednesday - September 25, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview @ EuroGamer
EuroGamer interviews Maria Aliprando from Bethesda to talk about The Elder Scrolls Online.
Maria Aliprando from Bethesda talks The Elder Scrolls online in this exclusive interview which covers the addition of first person view, how much gameplay you'll get from the game and how to become an Emperor!
Monday - September 23, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview & Interview
Unigamesity has a new preview about the games crafting system.
Overall, the Elder Scrolls Online seems like a very promising title, nevertheless I don't think that the crafting system will be revolutionary at all. In the worst case it will be a copy of Skyrim's crafting system, however if it's decently done it may distinct itself through the experimentation feature, which revealed great potential towards the creation of a somewhat original system. A more confident opinion would require further details about the matter and as they don't exist yet, only predictions can be made.
VideoGamer interviews the Lead Gameplay Designer Nick Konkle.
VG: It's arguably a difficult time to be getting into the Fantasy MMO market. What do you think makes The Elder Scrolls Online different? What makes you think there's room for it?
NK: Well I think there's a large number of reasons. I think it all starts with the first one, which is it's The Elder Scrolls and you can play it with your friends. So many people have been asking for that - it's a common anecdote. I've played the game, I'm telling my friend about it, I really wish we could just be in the same place and this is the realisation of that game. It really provides that opportunity. Things that are the hallmarks of The Elder Scrolls series are available, like exploration, walking around and finding things that are interesting - not ping pong quests or anything like that. Immersive UI and the kind of action combat, the sorts of things that you expect from an Elder Scrolls game, but now with friends.
VG: So would you say your main audience is going to be The Elder Scrolls fans or people that already play MMORPGs?
NK: We absolutely want both. All the way along the development process we've been very aware of the fact that there are these two groups. And of course there are also people that play both, but there are a set of people that have only played single-player Elder Scrolls games and this might be their first MMO experience.
Wednesday - September 18, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Heavy Armor Styles
ZeniMax Online has a new post talking about The Elder Scrolls Online heavy armor styles.
We present three new armor concepts for Redguard, Wood Elven, and Dark Elven heavy armor.
Heavy armor offers adventurers excellent protection in battle, allowing them to deflect deadly blows and act as bulwarks for more lightly-clad allies. Every race has its own approach to creating these impressive armors, and each has its own style. In this image, we reveal three concepts for heavy armor in The Elder Scrolls Online. Which is your favorite?
Tuesday - September 17, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Editorial @ MMO-Play
MMO-Play is the next site to write an article asking,"Can Elder Scrolls Online Succeed as a Subscription MMO?"
The eager anticipation that was building for Elder Scrolls Online has recently taken a hit. At gamescom, Zenimax Online and Bethesda announced that the upcoming mmorpg would be charging a fifteen dollar a month subscription fee for its players. This announcement took many players by surprise as the trend in online games has been increasingly free-to-play with many subscription-based games ditching the subscription fee and going the f2p route. It appears that Bethesda has decided to buck that trend, which beggars the question - can Elder Scrolls Online succeed as a subscription mmo?
The answer to such a question is nebulous. The announcement that Elder Scrolls Online was going to be a subscription mmo has caused an ongoing battle of words amongst gamers. On one side are those who have become comfortable with the f2p model, and on the other side, you have gamers who only play subscription-based games and view f2p games as money pits or pay-to-win. As for Elder Scrolls Online, it is possible for it to succeed with a subscription model, but the odds are stacked against it.
Saturday - September 14, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Is The Game Set Up to Fail?
Press2Reset has a new editorial asking the question is The Elder Scrolls Online set up to fail when it's released.
If history is any sort of indication, this is how things will play out for The Elder Scrolls Online: The game's open beta will be promising and it will have a large number of participants. When it launches it will sell a lot of copies, experience the normal issues such as overloaded servers, bugs, and glitches. However, after the free 30-day trial is over there will be a huge drop off of players rather than a gradual decline that will continue. Within four-to-six months ZeniMax will be forced to adapt a F2P model because the numbers are so low that they aren't making a profit or that the profit margin is negligible.
Until MMOs can evolve, and the genre gets a shake-up, the subscription model is not a viable solution anymore. Developers need to stop looking at their games as a 100-meter race. It is a marathon. If you discourage players right out of the gate then you are setting yourself up for failure.
And ZeniMax Online is setting up The Elder Scrolls Online to fail. If the company wants its game to be successful, then they need to drop the subscription and go entirely F2P. It will help them attract large numbers of players and help them retain a significant number of them rather than watch as their player-base dwindle exponentially over a short period of time.
Friday - September 13, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News Roundup #7
ZeniMax Online has a few updates for The Elder Scrolls Online. First they announce the game will be playable at the Eurogamer Expo.
The Elder Scrolls Online is on the road once again. This time, we're headed for Eurogamer Expo, the UK's largest gaming show. We'll have gaming stations at our booth (open to everyone age 12 and up), so stop by, say hello, and play ESO! If you're going to stop by, let us know on Twitter—we'd love to hear from you.
The Expo runs from September 26th until the 29th. We'll be sharing some of the fun on Facebook and Twitter, so make sure to follow us to get in on the excitement if you can't attend the show.
Next they have another Ask us Anything.
Want more answers to your questions about The Elder Scrolls Online? Look no further!
In today's Ask Us Anything, we've got another collection of answers to your questions on several ESO topics, including quite a few focusing on Cyrodiil and PvP. Give them a read—we think you'll enjoy the information and clarifications.
And for last they posted issue #24 of The Tamriel Chronicle.
It's always a pleasure for us to see all the incredible ESO-inspired creative works that fans like you are making, and we have some fantastic links to share this week. Check out the great art and fiction and get caught up on the latest fansite discussions with today's collection of links.
Wednesday - September 11, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Previews
Here are two more previews for The Elder Scrolls Online I managed to roundup today.
There is going to be plenty to do in the this busily populated title with gamer's who can't wait to have a chance to get into this game. The game is still a little ways off, and plenty of people are waiting patiently for a beta invite and for a chance to get a bit of a hands-on preview with the game instead of just watching videos.
Even with all these great features though, making a great MMO title is a difficult nut to crack and there will be no shortages of critical eyes looking at this title under a microscope. As long as the Elder Scrolls online can stay true to the series that plenty of gamers have grown to love than we should get a great MMO experience, and finally one that we can also share with our friends, instead of just trading stories.
Based on my time with the game I think Elder Scrolls fans are going to relish the opportunity to explore Skyrim and other familiar locales with their friends, and the game's intriguing and unique quests are going to provide hours of entertainment whether playing alone or teamed up with buddies.
Saturday - September 07, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Pax Prime News Roundup
ZeniMax Online has a roundup of previews, podcast, and videos from Pax Prime. I'm thankful for it saves me time so I don't have to post them all. Enjoy everyone.
Couldn't make it out to PAX Prime this year? Read on for our recap of all the ESO news and fun.
With Gamescom only just behind us, we hit the road for Seattle and PAX Prime this past weekend. At the show, thousands of fans got to play The Elder Scrolls Online for the first time. It's been humbling to see your support, and we enjoyed meeting all of you and sharing a bite to eat at the ESO Food Truck. If you couldn't join us, check out these links to some great photos and hands-on previews straight from the show.
Thursday - September 05, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Emote Creation Contest
ZeniMax Online is hosting a new emote creation contest. All you have to do is create and send in your video to win a few prizes.
Think you can come up with a great emote for ESO? Submit your video idea to us for a chance to win some excellent prizes.
If you've played MMO games before, chances are you've done a /dance or two. For those not in the know, emotes are a line of text describing an action your character takes or short animations you can order your character to perform by entering a text command. Emotes, like /laugh, /wave, and more add tons of flavor to your in-game interactions. The Elder Scrolls Online already has a long list of emotes, but we want to give you the chance to get your very own emote into the game!
If you have an idea for an awesome emote, we want to see it. To participate, you'll need to create a video that shows you explaining and performing your emote animation. Submissions must be under 60 seconds in length and need to be uploaded to YouTube for us to view. Once you create your video and upload it, send a link to email@example.com with "Emote Creation Contest" in the subject line to enter.
Tuesday - September 03, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Pax Prime Previews
Here are two more previews for The Elder Scrolls Online from Pax Prime.
Co-op Elder Scrolls has been something of a rallying cry for fans of the series for a while now, even if the games have all been carefully crafted, immersive single-player experiences. The idea of exploring a world as richly detailed as Skyrim, but with friends, is incredibly appealing – and for the first ten minutes, that's what The Elder Scrolls Online was starting to feel like. As I ran around the starting area looking at all the mugs and candles and scraps of paper on tables in first-person, I started to get the Elder Scroll bug. I had to see everything.
It's been a long time since I've seen been excited for an MMO, but The Elder Scrolls Online definitely has a lot of positives going for it right now. My hands-on playthrough lasted for about one hour which is not nearly enough time to fully take-in an MMO, especially one as massive as TESO, but it has given me renewed faith in the MMORPG genre. The Elder Scrolls Online is due out on PC, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4, although the build I played was on PC.
Monday - September 02, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ OXM
OXM spent two hours playing The Elder Scrolls Online, and wrote an article giving us their impression.
It's impossible to tell whether The Elder Scrolls Online will tickle the Skyrim itch. We've only played two hours - no time at all for a genre that'll chew years out of your life, if you let it. Fans of Morrowind, Oblivion and Skyrim, should be prepared for a very different experience. But then again, MMOs are only ever as fun as the community that populates them - and judging from the community-made videos in response to Oblivion and Skyrim, The Elder Scrolls Online should get some of the most interesting, inventive, quirky and hilarious players around. For that reason alone, this is going to be a hell of a ride.
Sunday - September 01, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview @ AusGamers
AusGamers interviewed The Elder Scrolls Online Game Director Matt Firor in a new video. If you prefer a text version they have provided one also here.
AusGamers: Gamers, welcome back to AusGamers. You are here once again with Stephen Farrelly, out at Gamescom in Germany. I've got Matt Freeor... Firor… it sounds like a name that should be in Skyrim really. So we're talking about The Elder Scrolls Online, and you guys are ramping it up a little bit; you've got the public beta out there now... well, some public are playing the beta.
I played the game pre-E3 for quite a while, and I played it again this morning, and holy shit, you guys have jumped in leaps and bounds since then. So can we just talk about, I guess early on, the iteration that you guys are doing on a weekly basis. Where are you at with that?
Matt Firor: Yeah, with games of this type, you get a base laid down, and then it's easier to make changes after that, and that's the phase we're in now, where we have the combat system, we have the art style, we have the animations. So now, it's "get feedback". We have thousands of people in beta right now, and of course we take the game to shows like we are here. We get feedback from them, we make changes, and so things just get better very quickly from this point on.
Saturday - August 31, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview @ VG 24/7
VG 24/7 has a new interview with Zenimax Online Studios General Manger Matt Firor. The focus of the interview is to discuss if the game is just Skyrim with co-op.
There seems to be a bubbling concern that The Elder Scrolls Online knifes its parent series in the back and abandons the key elements that made it such a runaway success. I've seen a wide range of complaints from gamers so far that cover everything from 'the palette is too bright' to 'I just want Skyrim with co-op'.
It'll never please everyone, but after spending an hour with the MMO at gamescom last week I came away feeling that The Elder Scrolls Online is a true extension of Skyrim's template, and in turn it feels more like a core entry to the series with embedded multiplayer, rather than a complete rework from the ground up.
So if you feared that this game might have become World of Warcraft in Nord's clothing then worry not, it's very much an Elder Scrolls experience and a vast one at that. My concern then, is that the game isn't different enough to warrant the recently-confirmed monthly subscription fee, but that's for the paying individual to decide. I'll return to that issue later on in this piece.
Regardless, this is a big undertaking for both all concerned, as Zenimax Online Studios general manager Matt Firor explained, "Zenimax Media hired me to start Zenimax Online, make the studio, work with Bethesda Game Studios and it was all centred around the idea of making an Elder Scrolls MMO
Friday - August 30, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Video Interview @ PlayStationAccess
PlayStationAccess has another video interview about The Elder Scrolls Online this time with Developer Maria Aliprando.
Rob speaks to developer Maria Aliprando about all things Elder Scrolls Online: the dungeons, the quests, PvP and Tamriel at large.
Thursday - August 29, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Video Interview @ DualShockers
DualShockers has a new video interview with The Elder Scrolls Online Lead PVP Designer Brian Wheeler.
The Elder Scrolls Online Lead PVP Designer Brian Wheeler shares more details about the factional warfare of the title and outlines similarities and difference with Dark Age of Camelot during our interview filmed at Gamescom 2013.
Wednesday - August 28, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News Roundup #6
ZeniMax Online has a few updates for The Elder Scrolls Online. First they announce you will be able to play the game at PAX Prime.
We're looking forward to PAX this weekend, and we hope to see you there. ESO will be playable at booth #2014 in the exhibit hall, where you'll also be able to purchase shirts, lithographs, and more ESO goodies.
Exploring all the exciting PAX exhibits and activities is hungry work, so our ESO food truck will be bringing you free food at 802 Pine Street from 11:30AM until 3:00PM on Saturday (August 31st). Don't miss out on your free Pressed Eidarmelt, ESO swag, and a chance to meet up with other fans.
Next they have a new Ask Us Anything with a variety of questions this time.
Where's my beta key? – The Internet
I was going to deliver it to you in person, but I ran out of magicka! My mount went lame! I didn't have enough gold for the Wayshrine. My robes didn't come back from the alchemist's! An old friend stopped by from Akavir. Someone stole my horse! There was an earthquake! A terrible flood! Fleshflies! IT WASN'T MY FAULT, I SWEAR TO THE DIVINES!
Excuses aside, we've sent out tens of thousands of beta keys already. Keep in mind, though, that three million fans have signed up so far. The beta is growing fast, and we're going to keep sending invites, so don't lose hope! Any time we send new invites, you'll see a post here and on social media.
And they released The Tamriel Chronicle, Issue #21.
The Elder Scrolls Online fans like you are creating tons of great content, from art to music and podcasts. Take a look!
To end the newsbit DualShockers has a new video interview.
Tuesday - August 27, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ Polygon
Polygon has a new preview about The Elder Scrolls Online's first-person mode.
The recently added, fully supported first-person perspective in The Elder Scrolls Online still needs a bit of work.
The good news is that the developers know that and continue to put time into tweaking the way the game behaves in that perspective.
What started as a simple zoomed in perspective was given the addition of character hands and equipment recently. But still missing are some of the warning signs a gamer playing in third-person perspective might receive in combat.
When fighting in third-person perspective, players can react to ranged attacks. When a bow-wielding enemy, for instance, is firing at a player, the area of effect is marked either with a red cone in the air or a red circle on the ground. Players can use this warning sign to dodge around attacks.
Monday - August 26, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ Leviathyn
Leviathyn has a new preview for The Elder Scrolls Online. Like the rest of previews this week they ask if the subscription is a good idea.
At Gamescom 2013, the creative director of the upcoming MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online, Matt Firor, made an announcement regarding the payment model of the game. It is to have a set monthly fee of $15/£9. Almost immediately gamers took to internet to voice their dissatisfaction with the announcement. They were angry that they are going to have to pay over and over to play. But is a monthly subscription really as bad as people are making out?
Now, it's absolutely no secret that the pay to play MMO model has not done well for a while now. A prime example of this notion is Star Wars: The Old Republic from Bioware. At launch, the game had 1.7 million subscribers. Not a bad number by anyone's standards. Then, around three months later, it dipped to 1.3 million. Then, by the time July had rolled around only a couple of months later, it had lost around another 300,000 subscribers. Not so good.
I also have some screenshots thanks to zahratustra. So give them a look also.
Sunday - August 25, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Three Million Beta Sign-ups
PCGamesN has a short but interesting piece of information for The Elder Scrolls Online. The game has three million people wanting to play the beta.
Matt Firor hit us with the numbers today at Gamescom. "We've had well over 3 million beta sign-ups, which we haven't announced before." said Firor. "You don't want to let too many people in early, because the game is, frankly, not too good in early beta and you don't want to expose many people to that, but we're well into the tens of thousands."
Saturday - August 24, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News Roundup #5
The folllowing articles for The Elder Scrolls Online all deal with the announcement that the game will require a subscription, and have microtransactions.
The Elder Scrolls Online director Matt Firor has explained to Eurogamer why Zenimax Online Studios has decided to charge a monthly subscription for the massively multiplayer online role-playing game at a time when most observers consider the business model outdated.
Zenimax raised eyebrows this week when it announced that it will charge £8.99 / $14.99 a month to play TESO when it launches in the spring of 2014 - that's across PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
Earlier this morning, Paul Tassi reported that upcoming MMO The Elder Scrolls Online will use a subscription-fee model, charging users monthly for access to the game.
Paul quotes ZeniMax's Matt Firor, who told Gamestar that "players will appreciate not having to worry about being "monetized" in the middle of playing the game, which is definitely a problem that is cropping up more and more in online gaming these days."
Like Paul, I agree that the constant monetization is annoying. Also, like Paul, I think that this doesn't change some hard facts about the MMO market Elder Scrolls Online is facing. Gone are the days of just a handful of high quality pay-to-play MMOs and a rabble of low-quality free-to-play titles.
The problem is others have tried to climb that Mt. Olympus only to get smacked back down to Earth. The list of MMOs that have gone free-to-play stretches on into the void: Everquest, Everquest II, Lord of the Rings Online, DC Universe Online, Rift, Champions Online, Star Trek Online, The Secret World, Star Wars: The Old Republic, and Tera. I've played and enjoyed most of them, I admit. The problem is when it came time for me to start paying monthly, it never happened.
During the launch of most of these titles, I was subscribed to World of Warcraft, so that's part of the problem. I was once a raider, but those days are long gone. I don't play WoW everyday or even every week, but it's comfort food: I like it there when I need it. When I run my monthly budget - games journalists don't make a ton! - certain fixed monthly charges are just always there: Phone bill, Netflix, Spotify, and World of Warcraft. I've subbed to Rift, Champions Online, The Secret World, and Star Wars: The Old Republic for a month or two, but nothing has particularly captured my complete attention and their $15 charge wasn't completely off my radar like WoW's is.
And finally Bluesnews has a post with information, and links that the game will also have microtransactions.
Thursday - August 22, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Will Require A Subscription
GameStar has a new interview with Matt Firor. The interesting part is were he answers the game will require a subscription.
GameStar: A few days ago we had a poll on our website, asking our readers what upcoming MMO they crave the most. The vast majority (over 54 percent) voted for The Elder Scrolls Online. We bet that people are also eager to learn what payment model they can expect. Now would be a perfect time to disclose the details.
Matt Firor : We're thrilled that gamers are looking forward to diving into The Elder Scrolls Online and we've been working hard to deliver the game that fans want - one that's worthy of the Elder Scrolls name. Choosing the right business model is part of that. We are going with the subscription model for ESO.
We're building a game with the freedom to play - alone or with your friends - as much as you want. A game with meaningful and consistent content - one packed with hundreds of hours of gameplay that can be experienced right away and one that will be supported with premium customer support. Charging a flat monthly (or subscription) fee means that we will offer players the game we set out to make, and the one that fans want to play. Going with any other model meant that we would have to make sacrifices and changes we weren't willing to make.
The Elder Scrolls Online offers unlimited play for the first 30 days with the purchase of the game. The choice is yours to play as much as you want; hundreds of hours of content, PvP, etc - is all there for you to experience with the base purchase of the game. If you want to continue playing for hundreds of hours more after that first month you'll pay a flat fee for continued, unlimited access to the game.
We'll talk about further discounts, etc. later, but for now, we are very happy to finally announce our model. It's very simple - you pay once per month after the first 30 days and the entire game is available to you.
Wow, that's a brave step. Why do you stick to the traditional model? Aren't you afraid that a subscription model won't be able to compete with free-to-play games, especially considering what happened to Star Wars: The Old Republic?
The Elder Scrolls games are all about allowing the player to go where they want, be who they want, and do what they want. We feel that putting pay gates between the player and content at any point in game ruins that feeling of freedom, and just having one small monthly fee for 100% access to the game fits the IP and the game much better than a system where you have to pay for features and access as you play. The Elder Scrolls Online was designed and developed to be a premium experience: hundreds of hours of gameplay, tons of depth and features, professional customer support - and a commitment to have ongoing content at regular intervals after launch. This type of experience is best paired with a one-time fee per month, as opposed to many smaller payments that would probably add up to more than $14.99/month any way.
And it's important to state that our decision to go with subscriptions is not a referendum on online game revenue models. F2P, B2P, etc. are valid, proven business models - but subscription is the one that fits ESO the best, given our commitment to freedom of gameplay, quality and long-term content delivery. Plus, players will appreciate not having to worry about being "monetized" in the middle of playing the game, which is definitely a problem that is cropping up more and more in online gaming these days. The fact that the word "monetized" exists points to the heart of the issue for us: We don't want the player to worry about which parts of the game to pay for - with our system, they get it all.
Tuesday - August 20, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - The Flame Atronach
ZeniMax Online introduces the Flame Atronach with some new images, and video on the games website.
The flame atronach is a powerful Daedra that's deadly even after you've defeated it. Find out more about how we created the flame atronach in our latest Creating ESO.
Saturday - August 17, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News Round-Up #4
MMORPG has a new editorial that focuses entirely on the racial and guild skills of the game.
Each class also has three distinct skill lines, and these tend to be more robust than the race specific skills. The Templar Nick Konkle was playing had Aedric Spear, Dawn's Wrath, and Restoring Light. I assume that each of these refers to the different roles the class can tackle, with Restoring Light sounding distinctly "healy". Paul and Nick also showed how each skill can be leveled up through use and "morphed" down one path or another to change how that skill works. Way back when, Paul talked to us during a press event and said that down the road, if you want to go back and level up a skill down another morph path, you can do that as well. You can only have one version of the skill active at any time, but they won't limit your choice and progress just because you might hit the level cap before exploring your character's full potential.
Next Camelot Post has a new article about the pros and cons of voiced MMOs that includes The Elder Scrolls Online.
Zenimax Online confirmed the use of full voice support for its NPC's in Elder Scrolls Online earlier this year, but is that always a good thing? Blaine Smith of Camelot Post takes an in-depth look at the pros and cons of voiced characters in MMO gaming.
Moving on ZeniMax Online gives us more details on the Fungal Grotto.
Our team battled their way through the Fungal Grotto dungeon during the live gameplay stream at QuakeCon, and now its verdant tunnels can decorate your desktop. Please enjoy our new wallpaper, featuring concept art from the dungeon.
If you didn't catch the gameplay stream, you can watch our team take on the grotto in the full replay. Enjoy!
And for last ZeniMax Online has the next developer question of the week
Thursday - August 15, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News RoundUp #3
It's time for another news roundup for The Elder Scrolls Online.
Up first The Elder Scrolls Online will be at Gamescom 2013.
The Elder Scrolls Online will be playable on the show floor this year, so read on to get all the details and plan your visit to our booth.
From August 22nd through August 25th, more than 300,000 gaming enthusiasts will travel to Cologne, Germany for Gamescom, and we wouldn't miss it for the world! We're bringing dozens of gaming stations to our booth at the show this year, which will be open to all players ages 12 and up.
Can't make it out to Gamescom this year? We'll be sharing the fun on Facebook and Twitter with photos and more from the show floor, and you can expect to see some new interviews and articles from the press. We'll post a recap on our site after the event, so stay tuned even if you can't stop by.
Next another wave of beta invites has been sent out.
We're sending more invites to The Elder Scrolls Online beta.
We're sending yet another wave of new invitations to the ESO beta today, hot off the heels of our most recent round last Friday. Check your email to see if you've been invited, and don't forget to look in your spam folder just in case.
For those of you using Gmail, don't forget that our beta invitations show up in your "Promotions" tab by default. We'd hate for you to miss yours!
If you didn't get an invitation today, don't worry—the beta is still growing. We'll let you know whenever we send new invitations, so come back soon or follow us on your favorite social media site for updates. Thank you for your enthusiasm!
And finally Issue #20 of The Tamriel Chronicle has been released.
Twenty issues in, and The Elder Scrolls Online fan creations just keep coming. Every week, we love digging in to discover new fan creations, from imaginative fiction to the latest fansite articles. Come along as we take a look at this week's newest links.
Wednesday - August 14, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Ask Us Anything: QuakeCon Live Gameplay
ZeniMax Online has a new Ask Us Anything topic about the live gameplay from QuakeCon.
Will there be an option to turn off the glow around enemies?
Yes, you will be able to turn it off. I will say that the glow is much more apparent when you're watching than it is when you're playing. It's very effective at helping with target selection, and you may find it useful in some situations, but it's up to you whether to enable it.
You said that my armor will degrade when I die. Can I repair it, or do I have to pay an NPC?
We have repair kits for repairs in the field, and you can visit an NPC to have all of your gear repaired.
I noticed the compass in the stream. Does it replace the mini-map or is it another option? If it does replace it, will it show more than points of interest, like guild and group members or enemies?
The compass will replace the mini-map. Actually, this is a good example of how we use information from our beta tests. When we had a mini-map, we noticed many testers felt like they should just follow quest markers, and they were less inclined to explore. This ran counter to our intent of being a game that emphasizes exploration. When we introduced the compass, players became much more likely to explore and less likely to just "follow the quests."
As for putting group members on the compass, we're trying to avoid having too much clutter on the compass. We do have in-world indicators for group members, though, which are proving to be very effective.
Tuesday - August 13, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ Shack News
Shack News has a short preview among the many already avaiable for The Elder Scrolls Online.
The primary goal right now for The Elder Scrolls Online ready for release early in 2014. But MMOs live and die by their post-launch support, a fact that developer Zenimax Online is certainly aware of. Creative director Paul Sage discussed their plans with Shacknews.
"We watch everybody in the market, but I'm a big proponent personally of making sure we keep a high frequency of content releases," Sage said. "A big part of our plans is the future of the game. We always want to make sure there is something new right around the corner. Our plan is to have new content coming out on a really frequent basis. We want to make sure that people are really into the game and get to experience a lot of new things. We will have a lot of content at release, but I know that players are amazing in their ability to chew through content quickly, so we want to make sure there is a constant stream of goodies coming to them."
Sage said his experience as a developer on Ultima Online reinforced this theory. "The more frequently you update, the more the players like it. Players are more engaged. I think it is an issue of trust in a lot of ways. They know there is going to be a lot of new content coming in."
Sunday - August 11, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - New Beta Invites
ZeniMax Online announces that they are sending out a new wave of Beta invites for The Elder Scrolls Online.
Check your email! We're sending more invites to The Elder Scrolls Online beta.
We're sending another wave of invitations to the ESO beta. Check your email to see if you've been invited, and don't forget to look in your spam folder just in case.
If you registered with a Gmail address, you may have been switched over to their new tabbed inbox view. If you have, you'll see tabs for "Primary," "Social," and "Promotions" at the top of your inbox. Our beta invitations will be sorted to the "Promotions" tab by default, so make sure to look there.
We're still ramping up our beta test, so don't worry if you didn't receive an invitation yet. We'll let you know whenever we send new invitations, so come back soon or follow us on your favorite social media site for updates. Thank you for your enthusiasm!
Friday - August 09, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - QuakeCon Coverage Roundup
ZeniMax Online has a roundup of all the coverage from QuakeCon2013.
Catch up on The Elder Scrolls Online coverage from QuakeCon. Don't miss the replay of our first live gameplay stream!
We had a great time meeting everyone who came out to QuakeCon last week and presenting our very first gameplay stream on Twitch. If you missed the stream or any of the interviews and articles from the show, don't worry—we've got a collection of the latest to share with you. Please enjoy the coverage, and don't miss the uncut replay of the gameplay stream, which includes a dungeon run!
Wednesday - August 07, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News Round-Up #2
CVG has a new preview of The Elder Scrolls Online talking about when worlds collide.
If Far Cry 3 was Skyrim with guns, then The Elder Scrolls Online is Skyrim with people.
See, as in Skyrim, you can break into houses and loot unconventionally stashed cheeses from bedside tables, browse lashings of Tamriel lore inked on withered pages, hunt prancing deer with bow and arrow, level-up to a chorus of ancient drum beats, and kill conversations with a curt 'goodbye'.
But how does a game so inherently singleplayer accommodate the crowd?
"Your perception is what drives reality," says Paul Sage, creative director on The Elder Scrolls Online. "When you talk to NPCs, your friend may talk to the same NPC and get a completely different response. We have internal layering, allowing players to see completely different worlds around them. In creating a world for one player and for thousands of players, what you've really got to do is get into those personal interactions.
"But, obviously we can't let players kill every important NPC in a town because if we did that then you wouldn't be able to find the NPC yourself."
GamerChatter is the next site to post another preview from Quakecon 2013.
I could go on an on about what I experienced, but I will save you the read. Just know that ESO is definitely on my radar, and for any MMO fan it should be on yours. Bethesda is definitely pushing the bar when it comes to open world gaming(although that is not a shock considering the masterpieces they have made with the Elder Scrolls franchise).
Once I finished my play through I was asked what I thought. I only asked him where I can go to donate a blood sample, and provide references to get into the beta. He laughed, and said that they are adding people daily.
And finally PRWeb has news about the five classes you can play as.
Dragon Knight: DKs will be very diverse characters, they have the ability to either be the tank, or deal melee damage, or do ranged damage. Fiery Reach is an ability used by the Dragon Knight Class that pulls enemies towards them and stuns them, dealing damage as well.
Nightblade: The Nightblade Class is very reliant on Stealth as well as Magic to take down foes, essentially a rogue with some magic up it's sleeve. Nightblades use their magic to weaken enemies and then go in for some up close and personal finishers.
Sorcerer: You can expect to see Sorcerer's sporting a different attire than the usual robe and staff, with the ability for all classes to wear any armor, the options for classes which are typically limited to "cloth" armor will really open up.
Templar: A damaging healer defines the Templar, similar to "paladin" classes in other MMORPGs, the Templar is about to deal strong weapon damage while keeping their allies alive with an arsenal of restoration spells. The Templar Class is definitely another diverse class in the world of ESO.
Warden: The Warden Class is going to be a more direct healing class, as opposed to the Templar who is naturally a bit more diverse. Don't underestimate the Warden's ability to deal some damage as well though, I can see this being an extremely popular class in PvP.
Tuesday - August 06, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News Round-Up
First we have a preview from Polygon about the game becoming a lot more like a Skyrim MMO.
Elder Scrolls Online's creators at Zenimax Online Studios have taken feedback elicited by the game's early showings to heart; a fact evinced by the MMORPG's current, broad similarities with Bethesda's successful offline RPG Skyrim.
Next Game Dynamo announces there will be a mac version also.
Bethesda just confirmed it: The Elder Scrolls Online will be coming to Mac.
"We're currently developing #ESO for PC(Windows OS), Mac, PS4, and Xbox One," reads a tweet on the Elder Scrolls Online Twitter feed.
Next The Koalition has another RPG Podcast this time asking,"Will The Elder Scrolls Online Stand Out From Other MMO's?".
This week we put the spotlight on The Elder Scrolls online as host David Jagneaux managed to get some hands-on time with it at Quakecon last Friday. We touched on everything that has us eager to play the game, while also having a full blown discussion on how Bethesda and ZeniMax can make The Elder Scrolls online stand out from other games in the now crowded MMO market.
And to end the newsbit ZeniMax Online has posted Issue #18 of the The Tamriel Chronicle.
We've read your suggestions and scoured the web to bring you the latest ESO fan creations. Please enjoy the podcasts, articles, and excellent creative works—maybe you'll be inspired to create your own.
Saturday - August 03, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - QuakeCon 2013 Gameplay Video
IGN has posted a 20 minute gameplay demo of The Elder Scrolls Online presented at QuakeCon 2013.
Wednesday - July 31, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Ask Us Anything about Roleplaying
ZeniMax Online has their next installment of Ask Us Anything. The topic this time is about Roleplaying.
How interactive is the world? Can players toggle a 'walk' function instead of running everywhere? Will we be able to interact with objects like chairs, ladders, etc? Will you be able to enter houses, or, for example, an inn? How about setting up a romantic camp fire at night? Will we be able to build our resting places, for example by placing a blanket?
Walking is already available (along with a whole slew of emotes, which we mentioned above). You can enter lots of the buildings you'll come across, but there are a few you can't. There are tons of shops, inns, and temples you can enter, and even many residences. Right now, we don't have any special camps you can set up, but there are tons of beautiful (and, yes, even romantic) vistas all across Tamriel that you can visit.
Regarding armour/clothing customization: What's there to set players apart from one another?
You can definitely expect to have options that will set you apart and allow you to customize your character's appearance. We can't go into great detail right now, but you won't be disappointed (or end up looking like everyone else!).
What will the weather be like in ESO? Will it always be the same or will it change? Will we see a day/night cycle?
From snowstorms in Skyrim to rain showers over the moors of Glenumbra, you'll experience lots of weather as you explore—through the day and night—in ESO.
Monday - July 29, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - The Scamp
Sorry for the lack of news as I was busy during the weekend. Now on to the first post were ZeniMax Online shows up how they created the scamp.
Discover more about the creatures of The Elder Scrolls Online in this look at the small but malevolent scamp.
The creatures that inhabit Tamriel come in all shapes and sizes, from massive beasts like the wamasu to small—but still potentially deadly—enemies like the scamp. In this article, we're going to take a closer look at the mischievous little Daedra and how it weaseled its way into ESO.
Fans of Morrowind and Oblivion will definitely recognize this Daedra. Scamps are small, and they aren't particularly intelligent, but they're agile combatants who delight in cruelty just as much as any of the larger Daedra. They're often summoned to perform simple tasks, and make good (if sometimes unruly) messengers and servants.
Thursday - July 25, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Tribunal Temple And Tamriel Chronicle
The ofiicial Elder Scrolls Online wenbpage has a few updates. First we have a post showing you the Tribunal Temple.
Pilgrims travel from all corners of Morrowind to offer their prayers and worship to the Tribunal, the living gods of the Dunmer people. Though their customs may seem strange to outlanders, the Dark Elves bring potent magic and zealous, battle-hardened troops to the Ebonheart Pact. Please enjoy this new wallpaper featuring the graceful spires of the Tribunal Temple in Mournhold.
Next they released the next issue of the The Tamriel Chronicle. It's full of various infomation you might fing interesting.
We're back with a fresh collection of links to all kinds of ESO fan creations. We hope you'll enjoy them as much as we did! As always, we're looking for links to add to upcoming issues, so if you have a favorite ESO fansite or ESO-inspired creation, make sure to share it with us at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Source: Bethesda Softworks
Monday - July 22, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - News Roundup
I have mangaed to round up a few more newbits for The Elder Scrolls Online. One of them might even interest you more than the other. So lets get started.
Up first PCGMedia has a new beta gameplay video that will more than likely be taking down.
Youtube user 'Scotty Mcbotley' has uploaded a gameplay video of The Elder Scrolls Online. We're not sure Bethesda will be too happy about it, as this breaks their non-disclosure agreement.
The gameplay briefly shows the character creation process, then showcases 'Bleakrock Village'. This village looks like it's one of the starter places, and is very reminiscient of the Skyrim art direction. Graphically, the game is looking great for an MMORPG, with fantastic scenery and moody lighting.
Just to be safe here are a few mirrors also.
Next we have the developer question of the week.
This week, Figure Art Intern Joe Lopatta presents our new question to you. Give the video a watch for the full question, and make sure to share your answer with us at firstname.lastname@example.com. We're looking forward to your response. Don't forget to come back next week for another new question.
Source: N4G
Sunday - July 21, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Choose Your Hero
OXM has anew article for the Elder Scrolls Online showing us all the playable races you can choose to play.
The nine playable races of The Elder Scrolls Online are split into three warring factions - the Daggerfall Covenant, the Aldmeri Dominion and the Ebonheart Pact. Each individual race possesses its own innate skills and abilities, and it's important to choose the right one for your preferred style of play.
Here's a bit of backstory on each of TESO's playable races, and recommendations as to which of the four character classes they'd be best suited to (if you've played prior Elder Scrolls games, of course, you should have a fair sense of things already).
Source: N4G
Saturday - July 20, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - New Footage Video @ VG247
VG247 posted a new video claiming to be new footage for The Elder Scrolls Online. If your interested they also have some details on the console version also.
Here's the latest info on The Elder Scrolls Online - coming to PC, Mac and next-gen consoles. We've also included some cinematic gameplay. Looking sweet!
Source: N4G
Friday - July 19, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Live Q&A Review
MMORPG.com hosted a live Q&A Event with Paul Sage the Elder Scrolls Online's Creative Director. Thanks to a site called elder scrolls online guide they compiled a review of all the questions answered in the Q&A.
Q: ESO appears to have "traditional MMO" leveling so how will exploration work out? In Skyrim I can pretty much wander everywhere and find relevant "content" to do. In ESO are we limited to level-bracketed zones where once we out-level an area it becomes irrelevant in terms of both exploration (and/or "immersion") and character advancement? Also in PvE can we freely help other players cooperatively or if they had already tagged a mob will they take an XP penalty because someone else helped them?
A: Yep. There are levels. I've worked on an MMO where there weren't levels and that certainly has merits. However, leveling also has merits in being able to really feel progression, in more stumble-upon stranger encounters, and lots more that it would take almost all night to cover. I think what we've created gives you a lot of freedom to explore because these aren't small areas. That said, once you reach the end of your alliance and go into another alliance… you're top level. (or should be) Go nuts!
Q: Can you tell us an example of a feedback received during beta-testing? What people liked and what is their standing to the game?
A: Beta feedback is amazing so far in both ways. The testers have done a very good job of being constructive if they wish something were different. This is huge for us. However, and this will sound self-congratulating, so I apologize, but our feedback through forums and surveys has been very positive and very encouraging.
Q: I was looking up the combat system (looking for how Stamina will effect that etc.) and I saw something about a "soft lock", could you clarify just what that means?
A: Heh. I'll try. The most important thing to remember about our combat is you must be facing your target to hit it. Your reticle must almost be on your target… there is some forgiveness. However, we did notice situations where you want to stay on a target and it goes behind another valid target. So we implemented a feature where you could essentially say, there are roughly two things I am aiming at, but I mean to hit *that one*.
Source: MMORPG.com
Thursday - July 18, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Ask Us Anything About Dungeons
ZenimaxOnline has a new ask us anything article focusing on dungeons. Some might find the answers interesting.
Are there dungeons in ESO with multiple entrances and exits which allow you to enter the same dungeon in different ways? In the previous games, the dungeons were fairly linear and it was difficult to get lost. – By Ivan Colnat
ESO dungeons do offer some branching paths, and they often have convenient exits at the end of the dungeon. Philosophically though, we want the challenge from dungeons to focus on the combat encounters rather than from trying to navigate through them.
In the previous Elder Scrolls games, we always had the ability to wander into a cave, old fort, or sunken boat to explore, plunder, and pillage. With ESO being an MMO, will we still have the ability to do this in a solo-encounter type situation where we don't run into any other players, or will we be seeing other players and having to wait for enemies/loot to spawn, or will these all only be group encounters? – by Brett S.
The Elder Scrolls Online is set up to be a fluid experience. As you wander the landscape you'll encounter caves, forts, tombs, dungeons, and etc. Certain rare locales will just be for solo players, and some dungeons are meant for groups made only of people you choose to go in with. Most locales, however, will be accessible by everyone. Some might be too dangerous for you because of your current level, but you can always come back when you are more powerful if you want to complete them solo. We recommend grabbing a friend or grouping up with a stranger if it seems too tough, though, because that's all part of the fun.
I am new to MMOs and am a little nervous about this aspect of the game. However, I am loyal to The Elder Scrolls, and I still hope to be able to play ESO! My question for the dungeons: must I be part of a party to play in each dungeon? Will party dungeons be well-marked for someone like me? – by Fajar
We'll let you know if a dungeon needs more than just you to complete it through iconography in the world. Dungeons that require a group have a unique icon. While we want dungeons to make you a bit nervous, they are supposed to be fun affairs. If you've never gone through a dungeon with friends, it is definitely one of those things you don't want to miss.
Wednesday - July 17, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Live Forum Q&A
MMOPRPG is hosting a live forum Q&A with Creative Director Paul Sage. Remember the time, and date for I'm sure it will vary depending on where you live.
Join us today at 7PM ET in our Elder Scrolls Online subforum for a live Q&A with The Elder Scrolls Online creative director Paul Sage.
If you've got questions for Paul on The Elder Scrolls Online this is an event you won't want to miss!
Please keep in mind that tomorrow's Q&A is NOT a discussion thread. Simply submit your questions in the thread (or follow-up questions to any of Paul's answers) and allow him a chance to answer.
Wednesday - July 10, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview @ CGMagazine
CGMagazine interviews Creative Director Paul Sage with a few questions about the development of The Elder Scrolls Online.
Comics & Gaming Magazine: How did the idea to do an Elder Scrolls MMO come about, and why now?
Paul Sage: Ever since the release of Morrowind, people have been comparing the Elder Scrolls games to MMOs, largely because of their shared breadth and depth. Likewise, people want to play in the Elder Scrolls universe with their friends. The marriage of the two seems like a natural fit. As for why now? This is when it all came together. Honestly, the timing of the release isn't as important as the quality of the game we release.
CGM: Each of the past Elder Scrolls games has had a progressively bigger audience, is The Elder Scrolls Online being made to capture the players of the core series or those that are more inclined to play an MMO?
PS: We've found there is a large crossover in the two audiences, and they aren't that separate. Lots of Elder Scrolls players are also MMO players, and vice-versa. That said, we feel what makes Elder Scrolls games special combined with great social systems from MMOs is what will make us stand out.
CGM: What are some of the most important things that needed to be done in order to have this feel like a unique experience and to give it the Elder Scrolls feel in such a different type of game.
PS: Importance of The World View – this is a fancy way of saying our interface is reduced in favor of showing things in the world. Looking into the world and seeing what is happening there is more important than watching your interface. We concentrate on the audio-visual portion of the game more than text and numbers.
Active Combat. We've concentrated a lot on making sure the combat system is active and engaging. You need to react to what enemies are doing in the world, and it needs to be something that challenges you.
And a highly interactive world. A hallmark of the Elder Scrolls series is world interactivity. Picking up things scattered throughout the world, having NPCs speak to you, traps, lockpicking, and lots of other things. These are important for the feel of the world and making sure it comes to life.
Also, choice for the player. Having a very robust progression system, the ability to equip any weapon type or armor type, and making choices in quests and how you do quests really gives the player the ability to stand out in the crowd. Their experience is going to be very unique. A unique experience within the same environment can help spark good conversation with friends.
There are many other things such as our Alliance War, the way our dungeons work, our social systems, etc. that will also make the game unique. But the core building blocks of the game start with these four things.
Sunday - July 07, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - New Monsters and First-Person Camera
A short new development video for The Elder Scrolls Online teases us with yet another glimpse at how combat looks from a first-person perspective, and also introduces the Kwama.
The insectoid kwama are burrowing creatures that appear in ESO in three varieties: the scrib, the worker, and the warrior
Sunday - June 23, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview Roundup #4
Round four of previews for The Elder Scrolls Online.
With recent high-profile MMORPG releases like BioWare's Star Wars: The Old Republic and Funcom's The Secret World not proving as popular expected, it's understandable that Matt would want to distance his game from a genre which for all intents and purposes is stagnating. However further questioning suggested that it isn't the genre Firore has a problem with, it's the MMO label itself.
"[The term] MMO is getting kind of tired because it's 'Massively Multiplayer Online', but you know World of Tanks is massively multiplayer online but it is not what you would think of, like Everquest. It's just an unwieldy term now and it means so many things and it means different things to different people."
A developer arguing about which genre their game belongs may seem needlessly fussy, but it speaks volumes about ZeniMax Online's and Bethesda's intentions to position The Elders Scrolls Online as more than just a multiplayer offshoot in the legendary single-player RPG series. They want this release to be as relevant and popular as Skyrim, and they're ensuring that by adopting a familiar dialogue system, long and inventive faction questlines, and combat which boasts all of the Elder Scrolls tropes.
The recent announcement that The Elder Scrolls Online is coming to Xbox One and PlayStation 4 also adds more credence to the opinion that ZeniMax are aiming their game at more than just traditional MMORPG players, and they're making sure they have the gameplay to back up their 'all things to all people' rhetoric.
The combat feels a little rough and old fashioned, but not at all out of place in the universe. There's quick and hard attacks, as well as blocking, which will allow some effective Elder Scrolls-style combos. If you time it right and get a good block, you'll stun your target, giving you time to launch a 'hard' attack. Pow!
Don't write this one off as just another MMORPG. Give Elder Scrolls Online the benefit of the doubt, especially if you're a fan of the franchise. ESO, putting the RPG back into MMORPG.
One thing I noticed poking around the menus was a menu that said "Mods". Opening it up didn't show any mods installed, but there were buttons that seem to let you enable or disable mods for specific characters. Hopefully this means ESO will have mod support as robust as the single-player franchise. Fingers crossed - I think that kind of functionality would increase the game's popularity with fans sevenfold.
Back to the quest at hand. Speaking to the townsfolk, I uncovered a plot to assassinate the King and hopefully foiled it. Along the way, I picked up a sidequest to help a farmer get his pig back, and I was pretty sure this was a typical MMO garbage task. I found the pig by a large unnatural root, and after consulting the local Mage's Guild about it, I realized it was actually connected to the assassination plot. It was cool that even the seemingly meaningless sidequests informed the major push of the story being told.
Throughout the whole quest line, I might have fought only a handful of enemies. I'm impressed the Elder Scrolls team was able to show off a quest series that proved storytelling in MMOs doesn't have to revolve around killing X amount of dudes.
Friday - June 21, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - 11 Things You Need to Know
OXM posted a new editorial for The Elder Scrolls Online explaining things that we need to know about the game.
The game has more in common with a traditional RPG than an MMO
So said creative director Paul Sage whilst chatting with Gamespot at E3. He remarked that the game is designed more for RPG fans who want to experience the Elder Scrolls universe together than for hardcore MMO players.
You can wander around, explore and interact with things much as you did in Skyrim, and the game features a minimal HUD rather than reams of the busy-looking cooldown bars and tooltips typical of an MMO title. For the most part, rather than trying to cram the Elder Scrolls universe into an MMO format, developers Zenimax Online Studios has stuck with the winning Skyrim gameplay formula and adapted it up to suit multiple players adventuring together.
Therefore, there won't be raids. Or Auction Houses. Or end-game gear
According to an article on Just Push Start, The Elder Scrolls Online won't offer massive raid scenarios. There won't be gigantic bosses that require dozens of players to fell, but there will be instances that allow up to four players to explore together. Public dungeons will allow more than four players, of course, but they'll just be regular dungeons - so you may have to share the space with players outside your party. Which, as anyone with MMO experience will tell you, is a pain when there are large queues waiting to have their turn with enemy respawns.
The same JPS article also claims there won't be end-game gear grinding, so when you reach level 50, the best gear is obtained only through top-tier crafting. This doesn't sound very promising for end-game content, but developers insist that TESO will "most certainly" receive some expansions. A final blow for MMO-ers: there will be no Auction Houses. Players can trade with one another, but you'll have to find someone to trade with via the game's chat box rather than bartering in public.
Thursday - June 20, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview Roundup #3
It's time for a new batch of previews for The Elder Scrolls Online.
While the preview demo was showcased on PCs, I was assured that the console version of The Elder Scrolls Online would feature no changes except to the control scheme, which is a testament to the power of the next generation of consoles. Setting up my player offered a ton of different options to choose from such as nine different races that include all of the Elder Scrolls classics. From there, I was shown how to select and set up the large variety of skills exclusive to that race and chosen class. Note that the final version may include more races or classes. This comment was overheard, not told directly to me so I have no additional details on that.
The amount of customization for your character goes as deep as anything that you will find in Skyrim, and I was told by a Bethesda rep that what I was seeing for this preview was not the full scope of options that would be available in the final build. Once our characters were built out, Dan and I partied up immediately and easily to take on Tamriel multiplayer.
The mechanics of the game are fairly similar to most other MMORPGs. You find people in distress, take on their quest, complete them, earn experience points, and level up. It seems that ESO is taking this tried and true route to their game, and it doesn't markedly differ.
With the exception of the camera views you can select - it was confirmed for me that first person mode would be available and gamers would be able to select it if they wished. This more tightly ties together the ESO experience, along with the classic Elder Scrolls style of combat that singleplayers have enjoyed so far.
The game behaved similar to Skyrim when interacting with the mouse and keyboard as opposed to something one would experience in World of WarCraft or The Old Republic. While there are abilities that are unlocked through the course of play, combat is not the mundane slamming of number keys to get through battle. Fortunately, it's much more RPG than MMO in this regard as players will have to aim, move and click at the right times to have success during combat. Holding the mouse button down longer will increase melee attacks but will also be much slower to execute. More powerful abilities are loaded into the number keys so there is the element of using special powers traditional to MMOs, but at the same time, don't give the boring, grinding feeling normally associated to killing mobs.
My personal expectations for The Elder Scrolls Online change with every announcement and gameplay reveal but very few stories have had the negative impact I felt after that comment. I'm tired of the typical approach to MMORPG games. I'm tired of having to endure weeks of quest grind to reach the only aspect of the game that's enjoyable and I'm tired of developers claiming innovation when all they truly offer is the same ingredients in a new recipe.
I have no doubt that The Elder Scrolls Online will be a solid MMORPG experience. However, I have serious concerns that it will fail to feel like an Elder Scrolls game. An Elder Scrolls game has never really featured any multiplayer aspects but I would be ecstatic to get a co-op or multiplayer Skyrim. However, Bethesda are constantly pushing the PvP and RvR at the fan base, two features that have never been in place in previous titles.
Will they sacrifice too much of the wonders that make the franchise great? Will The Elder Scrolls Online have enough of the franchise charm to appeal to those used to such a solo experience? Only time will tell for sure but after reading the opinions of those from E3, my hope is dwindling.
Saturday - June 15, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Peview Roundup #2
It's time for more previes for The Elder Scrolls Online., but first Machinima has a video interview with ZeniMax Online's Paul Sage.
APL steps into the MMO world with the upcoming Elder Scrolls Online during the Machinima E3 live stream.
It was, more or less, exactly the same as my typical Elder Scrolls solo experience. Character creation was pretty familiar, if simpler, but the typical races were represented. I went around doing a bunch of quests that didn't have much to do with one another, and I wandered around looking at stuff while random assassins tried to murder me. I talked to some people, and my dialogue options were usually pretty meaningless. It's all what I would have expected from any other internally developed Bethesda RPG.
One might read what I just wrote and interpret that as me asserting that TESO is some sort of grand evolution of the MMO, but that is not at all what I am trying to say. Rather, what playing TESO made me realize is that all those other Elder Scrolls titles were actually MMO-style games that you had to play alone. That's not an insult, because those games have avoided some of the key annoyances about MMOs, but I'll get to that in a minute.
To be fair, TESO is not exactly identical to Skyrim. There is an action bar, for one, though there is no cursor as mouse look is locked on. Yeah, you'll hit the left mouse button a lot to attack, but then you'll throw some abilities, which you buy with skill points that you gain from leveling up, in from time to time with the 1-5 keys. And, like, uh, I'm sure there were other things that were different. No, this feels like Elder Scrolls.
As soon as I strode into the town of Daggerfall, a dog bounded up to me. I entered a dialogue with the puppy - like you do - and I was led to the body of a young Breton. His supposed killer attacked me immediately, and I got my first taste at combat. The right and left mouse buttons feel a bit odd to constantly press when fighting, at least for me, but I soon figured out a nifty combo of trapping the Bloodthorn Assassin in his place and peppering him with lighting and basic staff attacks.
It turns out the dead guy left a shopping list, and I had to go around to the shopkeepers in town to see what I could find out. Talking to the shopkeepers not only introduced more of the excellent voice-acting for every NPC - on par or better than Skyrim I'd say - but it also let me loot all of the barrels and crates in the market. I was disappointed the guards didn't attack me, my loot OCD will get the better of me in this game, but I gathered a bunch of raw materials like grain and fruit.
Hey, that's a cookfire. What happens if I ... Yep, hello crafting system. From what I had in my inventory, I brewed an ale and a wine - potions which would restore my health or mana over a brief time. You can also "deconstruct" anything you craft to get some raw resources back and possibly discover new recipes, but I didn't learn anything new when I deconstructed my beer. Pity.
For Skyrim fans, marriage systems are no big news. For newer fans of Zenimax's Elder Scrolls Online, this may come as a pleasant surprise. In an interview with Gamespot, Paul Sage, Creative Director of ESO, explained what these marriages actually are, and also detailed several other features of this upcoming game.
Player Marriages
A player can marry another player in a simple ceremony, but it's really a marriage of convenience. The benefit here lies in the bonus experience points you'll get travelling and adventuring together with your character's spouse.
Just like in Skyrim, players will have to pay up to get hitched, and both parties will wear rings signifying their new bond. And if you happen to play with more than one person, you can marry another too. Polygamy knows no bounds in Tamriel.
Guild Benefits
An even cooler feature is the guild integration. You can find your guild from Day 1 of gameplay. The moment you sign in, your guild will be listed and you can jump right into familiar territory.
As a guild, you'll get some perks that lone wolves won't.
- Claim Keeps: guilds get to claim a keep or tower and this steps in as the "player housing" system in Elder Scrolls games. Close enough.
- Guild Leader Options: guild leaders can set permissions within the guild to allow guild members access to certain features, or to keep them out.
- Guild Bank: guild members have their own shared inventory to store loot in, accessible by every member accepted into its fold.
- Guild XP: get bonus experience points when you travel and adventure with your guild.
And finally DevilsMMO has news the the game is being delayed.
If you were excited for all the next-gen console news to come out of E3, there's one small rain cloud attached to the whole thing. The Elder Scrolls Online for PC, originally due in Summer 2013, has been delayed to Spring 2014, to coincide with the release of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of the game. No news as to whether this is an actual delay, a delay due to the developers needing to make changes based on the console version or if Bethesda are showing shades of Rayman Legends and delaying a finished game just because, but delayed it is.
Thursday - June 13, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview Roundup
Here are a few more previews for The Elder Scrolls Online.
GameInformer - "Exploring Daggerfall"
During my hour of playtime, I make my way through a number of small sidequests, as well as an extensive mission chain that sees my character thwarting an assassination attempt on the local king. Questing feels more directed and story-driven than many MMOs, and less focused on "kill this many foes" or "collect this many objects." Even so, in the balance between traditional MMOs and the familiar Elder Scrolls games, the game undeniably feels closer to an MMO than its single-player RPG forebears.
FleshEatingZipper - "5 Reasons Why 'The Elder Scrolls Online' Isn't The 'Skyrim' You're Searching For"
This morning I got my hands on Bethesda's new epic new MMO, The Elder Scrolls Online. It was a brief session, only about half an hour, but it was enough to get a good first impression of what the new online team's been putting together for so many years. If you're looking for a traditional Elder Scrolls game though, you're going to be plenty surprised.
Polygon - "Separate Servers for PC and Console Players"
Sage, who works as creative director on the studio's MMO offering, stated that despite recently announcing the title would hit both next-gen platforms as well as Windows PC and Mac, the game will feature three separate server environments to ensure fairness in PvP across all systems as those on PC and Mac will use a mouse and keyboard while console users will have only a controller.
Tuesday - June 11, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Available on Next-Gen Consoles
Bethesda sent out a press release on The Elder Scrolls Online being available not only on Pc and Mac, but also on Xbox One and PS4.
Latest Game in Award-Winning Franchise Arriving on
PlayStation®4, Xbox One, PC, and Mac in Spring 2014
June 10, 2013 (Rockville, MD) - Bethesda Softworks® today announced that The Elder Scrolls® Online is in development for both the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system and Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft. The game will launch on these consoles, in addition to the previously announced PC and Mac versions, in Spring 2014. The Elder Scrolls Online is the latest chapter of the award-winning franchise - and will bring the legendary experience online for the first time. Players can choose their own style of play as they embark upon an epic adventure across all of Tamriel, playing alone on a heroic quest as in previous Elder Scrolls games, exploring the huge, rich world with a few select friends, or playing with hundreds of others in massive PvP battles to save the Empire.
"We are thrilled to bring this game to consoles, in addition to the PC and Mac," said Matt Firor, game director of The Elder Scrolls Online. "It's something our fans have been requesting since we first announced the title, and something our team is excited to offer. Everyone will be able to play The Elder Scrolls Online the way they want to play."
After having experienced extended hands-on gameplay and testing the game's innovations, quests, and unique features, The Elder Scrolls Online was described by MMORPG.com as "a perfect sauce of awesome." The game has emerged as one of the industry's most anticipated titles - and praised by such diverse press outlets as IGN, GameSpot, Game Informer, MMORPG.com and TenTonHammer.com. Millions of Elder Scrolls fans have already signed up for the beta on PC and Mac to gain early access to the game, and console fans can now sign up to be eligible for the console beta test which will begin later this year. For more information or to sign up for beta on your preferred platform, visit www.elderscrollsonline.com.
The Elder Scrolls Online will be the first Elder Scrolls title to be played online after nearly 20 years of offering these best-selling, award-winning fantasy role-playing games for single player only. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim® is the most recent chapter of the Elder Scrolls story. Skyrim, developed by Bethesda Game Studios, was released in November 2011 and enjoyed worldwide critical and commercial success. As the follow-up to the 2002 Role-Playing Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind®, and the 2006 Game of the Year, The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion®, Skyrim earned hundreds of 'Game of the Year' awards and has sold over 20 million copies.
The Elder Scrolls Online is being developed for the PlayStation4 system, Xbox One, PC, and Mac by ZeniMax Online Studios. The studio is headed by industry veteran Matt Firor who has more than 20 years of online game development experience. Working with Matt is a team of highly regarded developers who have created some of the best known online games ever released.
The Elder Scrolls Online has not yet been rated by the ESRB.
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview with Matt Firor
Gamerhub.tv has a short interview with Matt Firor about The Elder Scrolls Online.
Producer Matt Firor discusses the open beta and what's new in Elder Scrolls Online in this exclusive interview.
Wednesday - June 05, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview and New Gameplay Video
Connected Digital World has a new video interview for The Elder Scrolls Online.
Later this year, Bethesda Softworks and Zenimax Online will be releasing The Elder Scrolls Online. I recently got to play some of the beta and be part of a group interview (apologies for the camera position and audio but it was a very small room with 6 people from different countries asking questions). There is also some brand new gameplay footage in the video, including never before seen first person views! Enjoy.
Monday - June 03, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Bringing the Scrolls to MMO
GameTrailers has a new video interview for The Elder Scrolls Online with Creative Director Paul Sage.
Elder Scrolls goes MMO and we've got the details on gameplay and environments in this E3 Countdown Interview with Creative Director Paul Sage!
Thursday - May 30, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Play Session @ RPS
Rock Paper Shotgun had a hands-on session with The Elder Scrolls Online and provide us with the results of the session.
That sense of exploration is something Zenimax want to emphasise. The likely reason being that they know Elder Scrolls fanatics to be curious trailblazers at heart. There certainly is a lot of landmass to cover – comprising the land from all the previous games combined, plus more – but it's how this landmass is to be populated that will determine how successfully sated the hungers of these trailblazers will be (or how satisfied the explorer 'subgroup' of the MMO community will be, for that matter). It's been a common criticism of the single player Elder Scrolls games that – although the worlds are huge, the geography stunning, and the architecture fantastic – there is a serious lack of character among the majority of the quest-giving caste and other NPCs. Obviously, this being Elder Scrolls *Online*, it can rely on the human element to pick up the slack, but that doesn't make the first staid fetch-quest we encountered during our playthrough any more enjoyable, even if it was dressed up in a murder mystery plot and one of the characters was a dog.
Elder Scrolls Online - Interview @ Venturebeat
Venturebeat has a inteview with Elder Scrolls Online's Game Director on lore, combat, giant demon anchors, and dragons,
GamesBeat: What's the vital element you had to get in to really make it an Elder Scrolls game?
Firor: For every Elder Scrolls fan, there's a different answer to that, which is great. The guys who have been around since the beginning will tell you it's the lore. There are no specific quest vectors. If something looks cool, you don't have to find an NPC to tell you to go explore it, like in other MMOs. You just go and explore and get credit for it. That's what people have come to expect from Elder Scrolls.
GamesBeat: What's going to get someone to walk away from, say, World of Warcraft and come over to Elder Scrolls?
Firor: Elder Scrolls is an IP that brings a lot of other things with it. You can tell that it's not using a conventional MMO combat system in any way. It's very much an Elder Scrolls combat system. This is very much an online-RPG.
GamesBeat: Was that the goal? To take the Elder Scrolls experience we know and put it online?
Firor: It was really to come up with an online role-playing game that uses the best features of MMOs. What MMOs do well, they do really well. Things like social systems or player trading, all of that is awesome. It also comes with a lot of baggage. We wanted to make sure that we got the right elements from both genres — single-player RPGs and MMOs – and bring them together.
GamesBeat: When did you know you were getting that right?
Firor: We built our own engine — any game developers reading this will immediately start laughing, because it's painful to play on an engine in an early state of development. It doesn't have any of the cool shaders or effects. You have to put yourself past all that and get to the gameplay. But yeah, there was a version probably about a year and a half ago where I could say, "Okay, I see it. I see the world. There's weather. There are cool effects and cool animations." That's when it really started rolling.
Wednesday - May 29, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ GameInformer
GameInformer has a breif hands-on preview for The Elder Scrolls Online.
As you can tell by my impressions here, Elder Scrolls Online's storytelling has left an impact on me. I was more impressed with the tale told in this brief quest chain than I ever was in my hundreds of hours exploring World of Warcraft's barebones stories. Star Wars: The Old Republic's waning community proves that players need more that good storylines to keep them engaged with an MMO, but I'm hopeful for Elder Scrolls Online. I walked away from my hands-on time eager to jump back in hunt down more fascinating stories when the game hits PC and Mac later this year.
Monday - May 27, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Preview @ PCGAMER
PCGAMER has a two page preview of the beta for The Elder Scrolls Online.
Those who feared that The Elder Scrolls Online would amount to another cash-in MMO with a big name behind it have it wrong, but the counter-position – the promise of a casualty-free marriage of emergent RPG and online game – doesn't quite hit the mark either.
From my first moment in game it is clear that TESO is the product of a measured and ongoing negotiation between opposing forces: the traditional MMO and the singleplayer game, ambition and technology, the demands of the community and the views of its designers. Its successes and failures alike are produced by that process.
"We're not trying to top Skyrim," game director Matt Firor says. "If you want to play Skyrim go play Skyrim! We're doing something a little bit different. It should feel comfortable to people who play Elder Scrolls games, but it's its own game in its own right."
Saturday - May 25, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - On Cyrodiil and World PvP
MMORPG.com has wrote a short article discussing some of the design choices for The Elder Scrolls Online. The article also covers the upsides and downsides of the game's PvP combat.
On one hand, I'm very excited about the prospect of key members of the Dark Age of Camelot team designing Elder Scrolls Online Cyrodiil "Alliance vs. Alliance" warfare. On the other, I'm a little confused as to why the team has made an active decision to keep PVP out of the rest of the world, and more than that... opposing factions won't even be able to see each other when they're in each other's PVE content areas (see the ZAM interview linked at the bottom of this article, from Matt Firor himself). So in this week's column, I'm going to briefly touch on the good and bad parts of this decision, and what it could mean for the elder game of an online Tamriel.
As I said above, I'm pretty excited that a lot of the folks who once worked on Dark Age of Camelot's RvR are heading up the team working on Elder Scrolls Online AvA. Brian Wheeler was one of the ingredients that made the magic happen in DAOC. He was also part of the WAR team, but we can't put that game's failings on one man's shoulders, so we'll just sidestep it and chalk it up as a learning process. At least we know ESO will have three factions as opposed to the inherently broken two.
Friday - May 24, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Reveals New Wamasu Enemy
ZeniMax Online is continuing its promotional campaign for The Elder Scrolls Online by revealing a new enemy called the wamasu.
The wamasu prowls the swamps of Black Marsh in The Elder Scrolls Online. Read our Creating ESO article to find out more about this dangerous enemy
Friday - May 17, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Gathering and Exploration
A new Elder Scrolls Online video has been released featuring creative director Paul Sage describing how players will find useful. The Elder Scrolls Online is expected to launch this year and will be playable at Gamescom in August.
Creative Director Paul Sage describes what you'll find as you explore every corner of Tamriel. For more information about The Elder Scrolls Online, visit our website: http://elderscrollsonline.com
Friday - May 10, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - We�re not making Skyrim 2
Edge has an interview with Elder Scrolls Online's game director Matt Firor.
The last few years haven't been kind to traditional MMOGs. What, in your mind, is the key to bucking that trend?
The biggest single thing you can do to ensure your MMOG is successful is take your time and do it right. You only have one chance to launch, [so] you've got to make sure that you have a full range of features for a full range of people. I like to think of it more as we're making a world that we want people to live in. Yes, there's a game there, but there's a lot of games in the game. We want to make sure there's just a ton of stuff for you to do.
There will be players whose first Elder Scrolls game was Skyrim and whose expectations have been set by that game. How do you communicate the ways in which you're different?
Well, we exist in the same universe. We're making an Elder Scrolls game, but we're not making Skyrim 2. So I think the Skyrim guys had that same problem when they went from Oblivion to Skyrim: "Your last thing was Oblivion, how could you possibly top that?" We're not trying to 'top' Skyrim. [It's] a fantastic game – if you wanted to play Skyrim, go play Skyrim, right?
What is your relationship with the Elder Scrolls community? Could it be improved?
I think that the reaction that we had when we announced the game was more about having heard game developers say things about games for a long time and then [not seeing] what they were talking about. A lot of the mixed reaction that we got was [aimed] in that direction. It wasn't necessarily about Elder Scrolls. There was some of that, but mostly it was, 'Yeah, yeah, we've heard of [action-based] combat systems, we've heard that. We get into the game and it's the same old thing.' We want people to get in and play. We're not going to sit them down and give them a presentation, they're just going to sit down and play it.
Was the decision to add a firstperson mode based on public demand?
Yes and no. We always knew it was something players were going to want. We couldn't actually do it – and we're still in the process of doing it – because when you have other players seeing your character from a different distance from where you're seeing it, a lot of systems have to be designed. We needed to make sure we had the thirdperson working first, not just because it was your camera, but because it's how everyone else sees you in the world. But we've known for a long time that we were going to do it.
Saturday - May 04, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Coldharbour and Molag Bal
ZeniMax Online and publisher Bethesda released a new trailer for The Elder Scrolls Online. The trailer takes players to the plane of Coldharbour to catch a glimpse of the twisted mind of Molag Bal.
Molag Bal, the God of Schemes, threatens all of Tamriel in The Elder Scrolls Online. Watch this new video to visit his Oblivion plane of Coldharbour and learn more about his plans.
We're taking you straight to Molag Bal's realm in this new video. Watch it to get a glimpse of Coldharbour and some of its inhabitants and to learn more about this malevolent Daedric Prince's plans for Tamriel—and your soul.
For more information and to learn about answer submission options, please visit elderscrollsonline.com!
Friday - May 03, 2013
Elderscrolls Online - Playable at Gamescom 2013
Bethesda has confirmed that it's going to bring The Elder Scrolls Online to Gamescom 2013 this August. Their allowing attendants to try out the online game, and see how the new title behaves.
We're excited to announce our presence at Gamescom this year. Get your hands on The Elder Scrolls Online at our first European convention.
We're bringing ESO to Cologne this year for our very first European convention. Gamescom is the largest gaming convention in Europe, and thousands of you will have the opportunity to play The Elder Scrolls Online at our booth. We can't wait to meet you!
This year, Gamescom will be held from August 22nd through August 25th in Cologne, Germany. To learn more about the convention and to purchase admission tickets, check out the official Gamescom website.
More details about this and other conventions we'll be attending this year are coming soon, so check back with us!
Thursday - May 02, 2013
Elderscrolls Online - Preview @ Edge-Online
Edge-Online has a short preview of Elderscrolls Online.
Zenimax bills The Elder Scrolls Online as a seamless merger of a sandbox singleplayer RPG and the best aspects of an MMOG. The game's detractors have written it off as World Of Warcraft with a Tamrielic paint job. As you'd expect, the reality is more complicated than either take.
Structurally, The Elder Scrolls Online is an MMOG. Content is divvied up along well-understood lines: a main storyline for solo players, group content, dungeons, crafting, and large-scale player vs player combat. Despite top-level conservatism, however, a knife has been taken to the genre – not simply to better fit the Elder Scrolls mould, but to rethink long-standing orthodoxies
MMOGs are necessarily the product of compromise between the needs of the individual and the needs of the many. In making a multiplayer Elder Scrolls game, Zenimax Online has chosen to compromise on dynamic town life, crime and physics, among other features. If that's the sum of what the series means to you, then this is not the game you're looking for. If you are willing to focus on other aspects of the Elder Scrolls formula, however – combat, questing and crafting in particular – then this is an MMOG with real promise, one that not only inherits mechanics from its source material, but also seeks to improve upon them.
Tuesday - April 16, 2013
Elder Scrolls Online - Trailer Shows Ogrim
PCGamesN brings news that ZenimaxOnlineStudios has revealed a new trailer for its MMO. The Ogrim monsters were first seen back in Morrowind.
The Ogrim's rotund, scaly form and jolly, physics-enabled gut may look like the unique result of Zenimax Online's sanded-down-and-stylised take on the Elder Scrolls monster manual, but there's actually a good chance you've met him before.
Monday - April 15, 2013
Elderscrolls Online - Footage Leaked
A video has turned up online showing almost 20 minutes of The Elder Scrolls Online, presumably captured from a recent beta event. It demonstrates the character creator, dialogue, and the player dashing about a sandy environment, fighting wolves and doing emotes.
Zenimax has shut down multiple YouTube mirrors and will no doubt continue to do so, so check out this alternate embed quickly before it also vanishes. Also before anyone says we dont cover MMO's this one is an exception.
Information about
Elder Scrolls OnlineDeveloper: ZeniMax Online Studios
SP/MP: Single + MP
Setting: Fantasy
Genre: MMORPG
Combat: Real-time
Play-time: Unlimited
Voice-acting: Full
Regions & platforms
· Homepage
· Platform: PC
· Expected at 2014-03-31
· Publisher: Zenimax Media
· Platform: PC
· To be announced
· Publisher: ZeniMax Online Studios