Elder Scrolls Online

[Jakology]

Let me just say that I was actually looking forward to this game. I don't know why, because I know that I do not like MMOs. But the beta has flopped so horribly To sum up most reviews: Very boring gameplay leading up to PvP which really, really, really sucks. The only people that will enjoy the PvP are people who enjoy button mashing and hoping for a good outcome. This game was supposed to reinvent MMOs and make them playable for people who aren't really MMO players, but sadly, it has flopped.

I find no satisfaction in slowly breaking down someone's wall and then just running in and button mashing. There is no true strategy in it. When will they realize that the MMO alone is basically just a huge fray of people fighting, which takes no skill whatsoever? They've tried to bring RPG elements into it, but it isn't enough. It doesn't take out the button mashing element of PvP. What they need to do to make PvP playable is to break it up into different modes. I'll let people have their endless and mindless button mashing 100 v 100 mode if they want it that bad. But lets look at other ways they could go about it.

Why couldn't they have brought in some FPS, and TPS elements and added more strategy to the game? I know you will say that its not an MMO then. Well. It can be an MMO. Lets say you walk up to someone's fort. You choose a point of entry. Depending on what point you chose, you get an objective to complete to get to the next part. So its all going on at the same time, but its controlled and strategic. Doesn't that sound like a masterpiece? And of course, you limit the number of people that can be in that certain place. But of course, it depends on the mode you're playing. Basically, you control how much of an MMO you want.

I was just expecting so much out of it since its an Elder Scrolls game. But they've made it just like any other MMO with no special qualities other than the fact that you can explore all of Tamriel, and there is a basic Elder Scrolls story line within each area. So the content is there, its just bland. The quests cannot compare to Skyrim's. They are very boring, rehash redo over and over. Here is how it goes basically: Walk up to random NPC. "Oh no, I lost this thing. If you get it for me, I'll reward you." Go to random location, kill 5 enemies, loot 10 things to find the lost thing. Return and get a stupid reward that you will never use.

The combat is worse than it ever has been, the graphics are an embarrassment, and then of course, you have the 15$ a month fee. So, even if you downgrade and get the basic game on a console when it comes out, You're still paying 60$ for the game, plus that monthly fee, and you're online subscription. There is no way to justify paying all of that for such a horrible flop of a game. I know I'm probably gonna get flamed by MMO fans, but that's okay. I understand you like your genre. And that's fine. Just understand that this is coming from an RPG, and strategy game fan. I was expecting this to bring together all 3 elements of MMO, RPG, and strategy. Making a new innovative game that would change MMOs forever.

It saddens me how pathetic this game really is. They had, 200 million dollars to produce an innovative MMO, and they fell flat. Yes, you can say its still in beta. But, its too late to make drastic changes. I think we're looking at pretty much the finished game. A beta this late is going to have the game experience, with some small bugs and things of that sort. So. I'm very frustrated with Bethesda. They took their amazing, innovative game, and let it become this piece of crap. How do you take 200 million dollars, and crap out a generic and boring MMORPG? I do understand that they aren't the creators here, but they are part of it.

So I guess I'm going back to Skyrim and starting anew. I'll just have to sit back and wait for Elder Scrolls 6. Which realistically speaking, may be out by 2016 at the earliest? Oh well. I should've never had expectations for it. I have no expectations for ANY MMO related game from now on until its a proven innovative game, which I doubt will happen. So. What do you guys think? I just needed to get that rant out. I feel better now. lol

 

[night]

I loved Skyrim but if I pay $60 dollars for a game and something like XBOX Live or PSN why would I want to pay an extra monthly fee for a game? I'd even be hesitant if the game was free and the subscription was $15 a month ($180 per year for one freakin game).

 

[JDM]

I'm not into subscription based games but it seems like there was potential to make this game awesome if they did it right.

 

[Clayton]

I haven't played the beta but I have to say that I'm skeptical. I kinda think Skyrim and Fallout 3 are overrated.

Oblivion was the first game I bought when the 360 came out and I put about 50 hours into it so by the time Skyrim came out, it was just a prettier version of the same thing and I got bored by the second dungeon.

In general, Elder Scrolls has really awkward combat. The key part of MMOs is combat and interactions with other people in combat.

The other problem with games like this is that the vast majority of MMO communities suck. You have your kids, your griefers and your 'fully optimized everything or else' people. In an FPS, the community doesn't really matter. The game mechanics always pull through.

In MMOs, the gameplay is never good enough to keep my interest. The point of MMOs, imo, is that they are supposed to be RPGs and yet they never have a story. Just fetch quests till the end game.

FF14ARR is great for an MMO and will only get better. If I do get back into the genre, thats my game of choice. I'll probably wait till Windows 9 comes out before I make any serious commitment to a new gaming PC, though, so thats on the backburner. My focus now is hoping that Dark Souls 2 doesn't force me to play its crap PVP while I play through what will likely be an amazing game.

 

[R.J. MacReady]

I haven't played the beta but I have to say that I'm skeptical. I kinda think Skyrim and Fallout 3 are overrated.

Oblivion was the first game I bought when the 360 came out and I put about 50 hours into it so by the time Skyrim came out, it was just a prettier version of the same thing and I got bored by the second dungeon.

In general, Elder Scrolls has really awkward combat. The key part of MMOs is combat and interactions with other people in combat.

The other problem with games like this is that the vast majority of MMO communities suck. You have your kids, your griefers and your 'fully optimized everything or else' people. In an FPS, the community doesn't really matter. The game mechanics always pull through.

In MMOs, the gameplay is never good enough to keep my interest. The point of MMOs, imo, is that they are supposed to be RPGs and yet they never have a story. Just fetch quests till the end game.

FF14ARR is great for an MMO and will only get better. If I do get back into the genre, thats my game of choice. I'll probably wait till Windows 9 comes out before I make any serious commitment to a new gaming PC, though, so thats on the backburner. My focus now is hoping that Dark Souls 2 doesn't force me to play its crap PVP while I play through what will likely be an amazing game.

Did you play Skyrim on a PC?

 

[Clayton]

Did you play Skyrim on a PC?

I played it on 360 and I also played a hacked version on friends PC for a few hours

Its pretty but give me an RPG with interesting combat like Dragon's Dogma any day of the week

 

[R.J. MacReady]

I loved Skyrim but if I pay $60 dollars for a game and something like XBOX Live or PSN why would I want to pay an extra monthly fee for a game? I'd even be hesitant if the game was free and the subscription was $15 a month ($180 per year for one freakin game).

To buy a cheap cup of coffee every day would cost you over 350.00 per year.

Even so, it does not sound like your looking for a deep MMO with endless content and that you plan on playing almost every night. For those that are, it is a ridiculous value for the money.

 

[night]

To buy a cheap cup of coffee every day would cost you over 350.00 per year.

Even so, it does not sound like your looking for a deep MMO with endless content and that you plan on playing almost every night. For those that are, it is a ridiculous value for the money.

I like to have a variety of games and I enjoy RPGs. This seemed like something new I would like but I just can't justify the price tag for my usage. I would probably only spend an hour or so 3-4 nights a week.

 

[SEC Official]

To buy a cheap cup of coffee every day would cost you over 350.00 per year.

Even so, it does not sound like your looking for a deep MMO with endless content and that you plan on playing almost every night. For those that are, it is a ridiculous value for the money.

if you look at cost per hour... it is cheaper than your cable bill likely.

I was excited when SWTOR came out.. but had the same let down. After playing with WoW for years... there simply is nothing that will dethrone it until someone really steps out of the box.

 

[Clayton]

if you look at cost per hour... it is cheaper than your cable bill likely.

I was excited when SWTOR came out.. but had the same let down. After playing with WoW for years... there simply is nothing that will dethrone it until someone really steps out of the box.

Thats the key. Nobody cares about fetch quests and gathering items.

End. Game. Content.


and


PVP


The rest just gets in the way. Forget leveling. Just give me a blank slate, a ton of classes and a ton of points. Then focus on gameplay and story of what people normally see as end game content.

 

[SEC Official]

Thats the key. Nobody cares about fetch quests and gathering items.

End. Game. Content.


and


PVP


The rest just gets in the way. Forget leveling. Just give me a blank slate, a ton of classes and a ton of points. Then focus on gameplay and story of what people normally see as end game content.

WoW's new expansion is trying to do that to some extent..... it appears you can buy your way to level 90 (not max level but close enough) and just focus on end game.... and you can buy as many as you want which will be interesting. They even give you one free direct to 90 with the game itself to entice people back.

I am with you though... leveling and quest suck balls. Raid and PvP is where it is at.

 

[Clayton]

WoW's new expansion is trying to do that to some extent..... it appears you can buy your way to level 90 (not max level but close enough) and just focus on end game.... and you can buy as many as you want which will be interesting. They even give you one free direct to 90 with the game itself to entice people back.

I am with you though... leveling and quest suck balls. Raid and PvP is where it is at.

It does seem like WoW is moving that direction. Levels really limit WoW from expanding. The Panda expansion is a good example. They had to create a low level area, a class that levels quickly (Monk) and then create end game content and hope that people are cool with leveling a character in their main world for 50hours or so before they get that character to the new content at later levels.

Just get rid of levels. WoW is about party gameplay at this juncture.

Wow's oversimplification of class systems is literally the exact opposite of what they need to be doing, however.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

If you want a story you're better off just waiting for the next Fallout. Skyrim was overrated, idk about Fallout 3.

 

[JDM]

It does seem like WoW is moving that direction. Levels really limit WoW from expanding. The Panda expansion is a good example. They had to create a low level area, a class that levels quickly (Monk) and then create end game content and hope that people are cool with leveling a character in their main world for 50hours or so before they get that character to the new content at later levels.

Just get rid of levels. WoW is about party gameplay at this juncture.

Wow's oversimplification of class systems is literally the exact opposite of what they need to be doing, however.

Leveling is how they make the game addictive.

 

[Clayton]

Leveling is how they make the game addictive.

It has lost its original purpose. I get the incentives involved but after you've leveled one character in any MMO ever, you've leveled them all. FF14 handled it a little better where you could have one character learn everything but it still led to everyone farming exp in the spots that gave the most exp until they got to the end game content.

Every person I know who pays a monthly fee does so for end game content.

Wows other problem is that Humans > Hordes > Non Human Alliance. Thats relatively minor in the grand scheme of things, though

 

[JDM]

They would lose out significantly in user base by letting you auto level without sharing significantly for the privilege. Whether people admit it or realize it, that's a big part of what sells their games.

 

[SEC Official]

I am done leveling... I will do it once each time, but after that I let someone else do it if I wanted a different class.

If you really think about it... leveling from 70-75 is nothing different than leveling from 85-90. Go kill x number of these things, etc. It is repetitive nonsense after you have done it 100x.

That is somewhere SWTOR did a much better job is leveling really fit an overall plot... but I understand doing cut scenes for everything would be cost prohibitive. But I will admit, leveling my Bounty Hunter for the 1st time when that game came out on the on the planet with the Hutt Cartel was just cool as hell.

 

[Clayton]

They would lose out significantly in user base by letting you auto level without sharing significantly for the privilege. Whether people admit it or realize it, that's a big part of what sells their games.

End game is what makes WoW successful. When I was in FF14, we'd all talk about all of the great things in the game and there would always be people in the guild who would say 'but WoW has the best endgame and more people playing it' and it was the only thing keeping it from dominating, imo. Its all about the end game. People might think leveling matters but the main reason people pay that monthly fee is to do raids and be a part of dungeons with class/job systems. They totally dont care about world pvp or world questing. While there might need to be something to do in the downtime, programming is better spent with everyone at the same level so that the community is larger

 

[JDM]

That's simply not true. The psychology of addiction in video games is that the process of leveling and gaining experience, etc, is crucial to getting people to consistently play. The end game obviously is important, but for the vast majority of users, if they hadn't been sucked in by the ranking process, they would not be there. They have to be invested in their character and starting out ranked simply doesn't do it.

 

[Clayton]

That's simply not true. The psychology of addiction in video games is that the process of leveling and gaining experience, etc, is crucial to getting people to consistently play. The end game obviously is important, but for the vast majority of users, if they hadn't been sucked in by the ranking process, they would not be there. They have to be invested in their character and starting out ranked simply doesn't do it.

People can get sucked in by the end game. There does have to still be leveling but it should be done within the framework of specialization. WoW really only has 3 classes: Tank, DPS and Healer. If you expand upon that then your game will have a chance.

Its much more realistic for a new MMO property to be a better Dungeons and Dragons simulator than a Skyrim adventure simulator. World of Warcraft has had a decade to build a fanbase and experiment through trial and error. You aren't going to make an MMO that is going to do the entirety of what WoW does better than WoW is already doing it. Focus on one area and make it fantastic, make money and then build on that.