Bethesda to announce Elder Scrolls MMO Options

[clung3]

Linkage.

To quote:

While details are still few and far between, Tom’s has learned that ZeniMax Online Studios and Bethesda will officially announce Elder Scrolls Online in May 2012.

An industry source that wishes to remain anonymous revealed the name of the new MMO to us, and confirmed that the game would take place a full millennium before The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Using the Elder Scrolls Wiki timeline as a guide, Elder Scrolls Online will likely take place during the “Second Era,” or several hundred years before any of the other Elder Scrolls games. This information was corroborated by two additional sources before publication.

Elder Scrolls Online will have three playable factions, according to the tipster. Not much is known about the factions, except each is represented by one of three animals: A lion, a dragon, and a bird of prey (either a phoenix or an eagle, we aren’t sure).

A May 2012 announcement would likely be followed by some sort of presence at E3, the annual Los Angeles video game convention. The game would also be shown at Quakecon 2012 in August, along with id Software’s Doom 4 and several other titles.

The fact that ZeniMax and Bethesda are working on an MMO is hardly a secret, as related job postings have been on ZeniMax’s website for quite some time now. What remained unknown until now was the universe in which this MMO would take place. While some were certainly hoping for a Fallout MMO of some sort - a game that ZeniMax and Bethesda control the publishing rights for – that is not to be the case.

When Tom’s reached out for confirmation, the response from ZeniMax and Bethesda was a “no comment.” We will update this article as more information comes in.

Interested to see how this announcement goes down, I really hope the combat style doesn't change too much from the current TES games. I can't really see a WoW-style combat system working with a TES game but then again who knows this early on.

Definitely looking forward to hearing more about it!

Thoughts? Good/bad move by Bethesda? As we found out with Bioware and SWTOR, big does not necessarily mean successful in the world of MMOs.

[NukeJockey]

I don't think it will work. I just can't see how they can make it into an MMO.

Now, if they were to make the 3 landmasses from the last 3 games, and make it a guildwars style mmo (ie. city hubs where you see everyone and can form a party, but then alone from there on out) it could potentially be awesome. But there is just no way I can see them taking the current style of TES and turning it into an MMO.

[clung3]

I don't think it will work. I just can't see how they can make it into an MMO.

Now, if they were to make the 3 landmasses from the last 3 games, and make it a guildwars style mmo (ie. city hubs where you see everyone and can form a party, but then alone from there on out) it could potentially be awesome. But there is just no way I can see them taking the current style of TES and turning it into an MMO.

I think you're on the right track there. I think that combining the worlds from the last three games would be a huge selling point for them alone. It would be incredibly large. And they could also add to that if they chose. I just don't think they should use a traditional MMO combat/targeting system. Keep the combat more like an FPS (actually having to aim) and I would be sold! Though the only issue there is you would run into problems with target for things like crowd control or healing, if they chose to introduce those elements...

Hmmm.

[NukeJockey]

I don't think it will work. I just can't see how they can make it into an MMO.

Now, if they were to make the 3 landmasses from the last 3 games, and make it a guildwars style mmo (ie. city hubs where you see everyone and can form a party, but then alone from there on out) it could potentially be awesome. But there is just no way I can see them taking the current style of TES and turning it into an MMO.

I think you're on the right track there. I think that combining the worlds from the last three games would be a huge selling point for them alone. It would be incredibly large. And they could also add to that if they chose. I just don't think they should use a traditional MMO combat/targeting system. Keep the combat more like an FPS (actually having to aim) and I would be sold! Though the only issue there is you would run into problems with target for things like crowd control or healing, if they chose to introduce those elements...

Hmmm.

Do you remember what the initial multiplayer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R was going to be like? Perhaps they could do an MMO similar to that, STALKER I think was originally going to be 16 or 32p in the zone, fully opened up, collecting things, making money, fighting clan wars etc.

If Bethesda could do something similar with a TES MMO, ie. having servers with a max player count (Similar to APB I guess) then they could also keep the style of the game the same as always and just allow 100-200 people to run around the land mass doing quests together or fighting wars etc.

[Morgoth]

I'm really keen to see what they come up with, this would be amazing if they did it right

[martyr]

There's certainly enough lore and backstory to create a decent enough setting for an MMO, but its honestly a game type that I don't have the time for - as much as SWTOR tempts me.

[NukeJockey]

I still think it would essentially need to have most of the singleplayer elements of a TES game to actually be any good and remain faithful to the franchise.

I hope they don't try to make another WOW killer or something.

This post has been edited by NukeJockey: Mar 20 2012, 09:43 AM

[clung3]

I don't think it will work. I just can't see how they can make it into an MMO.

Now, if they were to make the 3 landmasses from the last 3 games, and make it a guildwars style mmo (ie. city hubs where you see everyone and can form a party, but then alone from there on out) it could potentially be awesome. But there is just no way I can see them taking the current style of TES and turning it into an MMO.

I think you're on the right track there. I think that combining the worlds from the last three games would be a huge selling point for them alone. It would be incredibly large. And they could also add to that if they chose. I just don't think they should use a traditional MMO combat/targeting system. Keep the combat more like an FPS (actually having to aim) and I would be sold! Though the only issue there is you would run into problems with target for things like crowd control or healing, if they chose to introduce those elements...

Hmmm.

Do you remember what the initial multiplayer for S.T.A.L.K.E.R was going to be like? Perhaps they could do an MMO similar to that, STALKER I think was originally going to be 16 or 32p in the zone, fully opened up, collecting things, making money, fighting clan wars etc.

If Bethesda could do something similar with a TES MMO, ie. having servers with a max player count (Similar to APB I guess) then they could also keep the style of the game the same as always and just allow 100-200 people to run around the land mass doing quests together or fighting wars etc.

I'm not sure that you'd get the people sticking around for long in an MMO that played like that though - you're essentially stripping out most of the strong RPG elements the series is known for. MMO players also need a reason to keep on playing and usually it is one of three things - an engaging levelling and questing system that keeps players interested, a solid raiding system where loot is rewarded and the feeling of 'progression' is also rewarded (think back to vanilla WoW, or even EQ), and lastly, PVP that feels satisfying to play. Ganking someone needs to have meaning, the faction vs faction vs faction has to have meaning... Etc.

The more I think about it, the more I kind of want this to actually happen. An open-world (Guild Wars 2-style, maybe) setting, in all three landscapes from the last three games, with authentic TES class and combat system... I want to fight a big ass dragon and do more than just tab targeting and spamming 1 2 and 3!

[NukeJockey]

You probably won't find TES faithfuls hanging around in an MMO like wow either.

It should be known by now that you cannot kill WoW, the MMO style needs to change, APB and Guildwars are/were quite popular and they are as far from a traditional MMO as you can get.

You could still have all the PVP and endgame stuff, but if the world was literally crawling with thousands of dudes at a time, I can't imagine I would enjoy it all that much.

Go play some of the good NWN servers, you don't need thousands of people playing to have a meaningful online RPG.

[martyr]

Ha ha, the WOW killers just end up looking like they are immitating WOW. To drag people away from it is going to take something really special and different imo. I think that alot of people have invested so much time into WOW now it is going to be very hard to attract and hold them to a new MMO. It will take some sort of innovation that hasn't been done yet that grabs and holds players.

Bethesda need to set themselves apart and handle the whole experience differently, they need to find a way to make meaningful and rewarding quests, not just fetch/grind time filling quests which is extremely difficult with a subscription based MMO given the work load it would take to continually deliver meaningful tasks in order to hold consumer base.

Although they have obviously dealt with alot of these questions if they're already going ahead with it.

[NukeJockey]

Although they have obviously dealt with alot of these questions if they're already going ahead with it.

Which means someone had the right answers for the board of directors, but it doesn't mean they've come to any real solutions.

[tunksy]

the combat system will have to be radically different to how TES games work currently, im just having a hard time getting my head around it.

at least youd be playing with real people instead of dull NPC's voiced by the same guys and gals.

I agree with what others have said in that they will need something truly innovative to get alot of interest in this you cant just clone well and put a TES title on it and expect it to sell half as well, yet alone keep players comming back for years...

im keen to see how the manage this its a huge under taking.

[alexdtree]

Im really excited about the concept of this. Bethesda is a great company that know how to make amazing world and landmasses, they also (in my opinion) work hard to bring something to the table that players want and appreciate.
Im not gonna speculate on this game and till its properly announced and bethesda provides details but im excited!

[NukeJockey]

the combat system will have to be radically different to how TES games work currently, im just having a hard time getting my head around it.

at least youd be playing with real people instead of dull NPC's voiced by the same guys and gals.

I agree with what others have said in that they will need something truly innovative to get alot of interest in this you cant just clone well and put a TES title on it and expect it to sell half as well, yet alone keep players comming back for years...

im keen to see how the manage this its a huge under taking.

Morrowind's combat style would work, as it was essentially % based hits anyway, so that would translate perfectly to an MMO where latency would cause massive issues for real time combat.

[xfu]

Is it technical reasons behind the general consensus here that current TES style (Skyrim say) combat couldn't work in an MMO?

I'd certainly like some one to try. It's not inconceivable to me that some clever engineers would find ways to keep an action-heavy and freeform combat system while supporting a large scale of connected players. Perhaps a central server maintaining overall cohesion but a parallel network of on-the-fly peer to peer miniservers behinds the scenes (you could be the host and not know) maintaining a low (ish) ping synchronicity during frantic action. They might need to add small measures of assist for combat aiming - but something like the Demon's Souls target lock could be nice there.

Honestly, I hope it's not WoW-like combat, and I'm not too convinced on the Guild Wars hub style either. I would find that fairly immersion-breaking, and it would not feel at all like TES. Which isn't to say that a game that doesn't feel like TES would be bad even, but then, don't call it TES.

Also, if they want my money, they had better be planning to includable mountable Silt Striders.

[NukeJockey]

Is it technical reasons behind the general consensus here that current TES style (Skyrim say) combat couldn't work in an MMO?

I'd certainly like some one to try. It's not inconceivable to me that some clever engineers would find ways to keep an action-heavy and freeform combat system while supporting a large scale of connected players. Perhaps a central server maintaining overall cohesion but a parallel network of on-the-fly peer to peer miniservers behinds the scenes (you could be the host and not know) maintaining a low (ish) ping synchronicity during frantic action. They might need to add small measures of assist for combat aiming - but something like the Demon's Souls target lock could be nice there.

Honestly, I hope it's not WoW-like combat, and I'm not too convinced on the Guild Wars hub style either. I would find that fairly immersion-breaking, and it would not feel at all like TES. Which isn't to say that a game that doesn't feel like TES would be bad even, but then, don't call it TES.

Also, if they want my money, they had better be planning to includable mountable Silt Striders.

More immersion breaking than seeing dozens of adventurers everywhere you go?

[martyr]

Yeah, to have dozens of other random players around you when out exploring would be a fundamental shift from what has made The Elder Scrolls series so successful. Its that feeling of "your on your own" when you head out to brave the wilderness. Hub style play would be very fitting in this sense because it would be a small group of you and your party out in the wilds, braving the elements and dangers beyond those hub city walls.

Edit: for clarity...

This post has been edited by martyr: Mar 20 2012, 11:29 AM

[xfu]

You do see people all over Skyrim already, only they're NPCs. I don't think that would be immersion-breaking at all. With the sheer scale of the lands (especially if they included more landmass than Skyrim) you would be extremely unlikely to see anywhere near a dozen people in the middle of nowhere, unless something really special is happening there.

Towns and Cities are where you'd likely see large groups of people, and that's exactly what you'd want there.

There are definitely challenges they need to solve though - such as a dungeon not being frequently/always cleared, just because it happens to be a good place to go, etc. Also how death and respawning would work I have no idea.

[tunksy]

the combat system will have to be radically different to how TES games work currently, im just having a hard time getting my head around it.

at least youd be playing with real people instead of dull NPC's voiced by the same guys and gals.

I agree with what others have said in that they will need something truly innovative to get alot of interest in this you cant just clone well and put a TES title on it and expect it to sell half as well, yet alone keep players comming back for years...

im keen to see how the manage this its a huge under taking.

Morrowind's combat style would work, as it was essentially % based hits anyway, so that would translate perfectly to an MMO where latency would cause massive issues for real time combat.

you know I think you might have just hit the nail on the head there, a few tweaks and that'd be a pretty decent sytem to move forward with. it'd still be better than WOW's combat system too...

in regards to imersion breaking...

yea having online players scrambling around you (bunny hopping) would kill it. big time.

I dont think TES needs or would work with a horde/alliance sort of split. perhaps just a party of say 5 players (so you get your friends to sign up and play) and you do your questing with that mob.


then incorporate the various guilds. which could give you bonus such as weapons, armour and abilities (a hot box for your abilites would work well)

Im thininking you'd need a huge world perhaps combining all previous TES maps, oblivon morrowind and skyrim while adding fresh new quests and various story arcs and some sort of PvP mode (the arena)

Now that Ive thought about all that, bethseda do have alot to work with. There are quite a few ways to make this a unique MMO experience that can potentially rival WOW.
It just needs to be implemented right....

This post has been edited by tunksy: Mar 20 2012, 01:36 PM

[clung3]

I don't think it would make a difference to the immersion. You have to expect it's obviously going to be different from the typical TES game - they're single player ffs. :P

As has been said already anyway, the world would be so huge, it really wouldn't be too much different to any other open world MMORPG out there. Initially there would be floods of people in every zone/area questing, give it a few weeks and it'll die down to normal levels, leaving crowds of people in towns/major cities.

One thing I hope they don't do is quick travel. I would really love to see some world PVP go on. Having to ride horseback between zones would be a MASSIVE selling point for me.