The Elder Scrolls Online has generated a metric ton of conversation here and around the web. One of the questions that comes up frequently is "What does ESO have to do to make it more Elder Scrolls-ish?" In today's column, we examine the factors that we think must be included. See if you agree!

With Zenimax Online neck deep in development of Elder Scrolls Online, all has been quiet on the Eastern front of video games. With a large presence at E3 and now moving quietly into July the game looms like a shadow of the MMO space for 2013. We are very excited to see what the team has in store for the next year as announcements start to come out. However, there is one thing very important to remember, the MMO needs to be sure some major Elder Scrolls elements are worked into the game. Let’s look at a few things that are necessary to making Elder Scrolls great.

Read more of Garrett Fuller's The Elder Scrolls Online: Giving It that Elder Scrolls Feel.

Loving the look of this game, i like the idea of being able to actually explore all of the Elder score areas not just the ne you are playing in that game. I do not like the idea of race-locked factions, though i can deal with that, as long as they keep the feel and combat very much like the elder scroll series, with maybe more types of attacking with different weapons.

I'm a massive, massive fan of TES and played them all since morrowind, in fact I'd go as far as to say it's my favourite game series of all time without question.

I hope they don't mess this up as I'm looking to this game as being my main MMO for years to come when it launches.

I love every concept of this game besides factions. ESO doesn't really need factions. All it needed was freedom of choice - like remaining neutral.

I remember the First Elder Scroll game Arena, it was groundbreaking and set a new standard for pc games... now we will have an Elder Scroll MMO game that do the same for MMO's. I can't wait to see how simply awesome it will be. I would however love to know what they think the Sys Req will be. Hopefully they won't make them so high that they alienate most of the pc gamers out there... 

-Tab targeting
-Instancing
-Zones
-Completely soloable main story
-No housing because "it's too hard to implement"
-Forced classes (& levels)
-A magical radar pointing out points of interests (how is that exploring?)
-Fast travel
-No first person view
-Max 100 vs 100

Sounds like we have a real gem here.

I hope their servers catch some virus that wipes this POS from wasting perfectly good 0's and 1's.

Originally posted by busdriver

-Tab targeting
-Instancing
-Zones
-Completely soloable main story
-No housing because "it's too hard to implement"
-Forced classes (& levels)
-A magical radar pointing out points of interests (how is that exploring?)
-Fast travel
-No first person view
-Max 100 vs 100

 

Sounds like we have a real gem here.

 

I hope their servers catch some virus that wipes this POS from wasting perfectly good 0's and 1's.

relax LOL, its really not that serious

have not been following this all that closely as i wasn't holding out a lot of hope for it

but - no housing - that's just nuts

on IGNORE

Everything I enjoy about Tamriel will be ruined by the guy(s) bunny hopping next to the mailboxes.

Originally posted by Coolit

I'm a massive, massive fan of TES and played them all since morrowind, in fact I'd go as far as to say it's my favourite game series of all time without question.

I hope they don't mess this up as I'm looking to this game as being my main MMO for years to come when it launches.

I'm in the same boat as you and am a massive TES fan and slightly nervous about what ZeniMax will do with this game, I have everything crossed that it will turn out a pure awesome MMO but history has told me that what I usually want in an MMO and what I usually get, are two very different things indeed :(

I will continue to hold onto my hopes for this one, I really hope it delivers :)

What's "Marlyand"?

Originally posted by busdriver

-Tab targeting
-Instancing
-Zones
-Completely soloable main story
-No housing because "it's too hard to implement"
-Forced classes (& levels)
-A magical radar pointing out points of interests (how is that exploring?)
-Fast travel
-No first person view
-Max 100 vs 100

 

Sounds like we have a real gem here.

 

I hope their servers catch some virus that wipes this POS from wasting perfectly good 0's and 1's.

This pretty much sums up my feelings exactly. Im not going to let Marketing and PR dictate my gaming choices ever again.

You forgot one essential element of just about every other ES game:  Player housing.  Many MMOs have it, and there is no reason this one can't, either.  EQ2-style would be best.

I have no hope that this game will be an Elder Scrolls game of note.

I really hope Zeni pulls it for something more interesting. I'd rather see a 4 player addon to Skyrim be TES' approach to multiplayer before this crap.

It'll have WoW combat, and like their Game Informer article said, their excuse will be that everyone else is doing it. 

Sad day for RPGs.

Elements that make ESO easier to develop are also elements that are not traditional to the Elder Scrolls.   The race locking and the no-player-housing are already examples of this. The Procrustean Bed of their development efforts will eventually cut off so much of what is traditional to the Elder Scrolls universe that it can't help but draw a lot of negative reactions.  

I wouldn't want to be on the team trying to produce this.

Originally posted by ZigZags

Originally posted by busdriver

-Tab targeting
-Instancing
-Zones
-Completely soloable main story
-No housing because "it's too hard to implement"
-Forced classes (& levels)
-A magical radar pointing out points of interests (how is that exploring?)
-Fast travel
-No first person view
-Max 100 vs 100

 

Sounds like we have a real gem here.

 

I hope their servers catch some virus that wipes this POS from wasting perfectly good 0's and 1's.

This pretty much sums up my feelings exactly. Im not going to let Marketing and PR dictate my gaming choices ever again.

 

haha indeed.

This game is doomed.

One of own favourite features of the TES series has always been the ability to customize the appearance of my character in great detail. Is it too much to hope that ESO will have more than the usual Mr Potato-Head style customization options that recent 'AAA' releases have offered? I don't want my Khajiit to look like 8 out of 10 of all the other cats, if you know what I mean. 

Originally posted by Darrgen

Originally posted by 3-4thElf

I have no hope that this game will be an Elder Scrolls game of note.

I really hope Zeni pulls it for something more interesting. I'd rather see a 4 player addon to Skyrim be TES' approach to multiplayer before this crap.

It'll have WoW combat, and like their Game Informer article said, their excuse will be that everyone else is doing it. 

Sad day for RPGs.

[mod edit]

The only haters are the ones who don't give a fuck about developers killing an awesome IP like TES, and whover accept that the standard of today MMO should be applied to the TES IP just because everyone do the same.

Whether TESO combat will be like WoW or similar to WoW, doesn't make a lot of difference.

TESO should have TES combat, which is its distinctive trait together with exploration.

If Zenimax wants to make a cool generic MMO I have nothing against it, I might even buy it, just don't call it TES though.

But if they make another generic MMO with the TES badge I won't buy it.

Unlike what Matt Firor thinks people actually wants Skyrim Online, not WoW with the TES badge............