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Advice on elder scrolls
TheGoblinKing
Member UncommonPosts: 208
I am looking for an MMO that is really good for exploration. Almost in the same sense as Guild wars 2, but may be a bit better with some end game. I wasthinking of getting into Elder scrolls but was wondering what your guys opinion of the game is if it is worth buying into? I only have a few problems with the game that I have seen so far.
1.The animations. It seems to me when I watch the videos that the characters in the videos seem to walk like they have a stick up their butt or something.
2. The graphics in general, are they good in game? They don't seem to be very great in video even on high resolution so I'm trying to get a sense of the game. other than that I really enjoy subscription MMOs and I'm like I mentioned earlier looking for something that has that exploration feel. Would you guys suggest Elder scrolls is worth the box price and sub for this? Thanks in advance :-)
Comments
What else are you looking for in a MMO?
For exploration is better than GW2 in my Op. End game at the moment sucks, but thats gonna change when the phase 1 of the champion system hits in late january. Also the justice system will partially be added in late january too. (Just the pve portion of the justice system.)
Yeah, i think you should give it a go. The game is cheap now days. Even if you dont like it you wont be wasting much money.
well I don't mind themepark i actually enjoy them. I'm looking for s game that has that open world pick a direction and explore type feeling to it you know? kind of like the feeling i had when i first tried guild wars 2.
Well yeah...then you should be good.
There is no good open world themepark on the market right now. However this is one of the most rewarding MMOs in comparison to others when it comes to exploring....even if the exploring within the large zones still has a sort of progression from one side of the zone to the other. However if you don't explore, you miss out on a ton of content. However if you were looking for a modern day Vanguard with a seamless open world this ain't it. Regardless I think this game is a better than the technical mess that was Vanguard.
As far as graphics, I personally think for an MMO they are great. I never had a problem with the animations, they improved the weight of them since launch and you can expect to see even more improvements with update 6 early next year.
There Is Always Hope!
I can agree with the replies here. Exploration is great and the world is awesome. Endgame for me is VR1 or 50....depending when you finish the main story or the territory your alliance you belong to. Which is sad...but that's mostly cause I don't want to do the other areas with my main toon. I'll do that with an alt.
But yeah...the rest hasn't grabbed me
"This may hurt a little, but it's something you'll get used to. Relax....."
Graphics arnt everything in a game. but this game has some great looking areas and dungeons. you will never get cinema level graphics and animations in a game, but compared to some of the games i've played over the last few years these are not bad.
with update 6 the animations for combat should improve as well, even though they are better than the cartoonish animations that you will find in wildstar and World of Wankers.
the devs are not just leaving the game to stagnate either, they seem to be patching and updating the game on a reasonably regular basis. it's not up to asheron's call standard where you get new updates every month with new quests and dungeons but it's still got plenty to do.
i'd probably be a few lvls higher than i am atm if i'd stopped just running around hunting locked chests and to see what's over the next hill or where that river goes to. you can find yourself spending a fair bit of time exploring if you like doing that. never know what you'll find. quests are spread out all over the place and can be a good bonus to exploring. i've yet to have to get a quest to kill 100 rats though.
if you do try the game, dont just make a clone of the so called "Best build", find out what works for your style of play. why be the same as every other templer, sorc, etc? who knows your axe wielding sorc might be a great character:)
the only real way to know if you'll like it is to try it. you can get the basic game cheap enough these days. and it's best to make up your own mind on something that will keep you tied to your pc for hours rather than listen to others who either like or dislike the game just because they tried it for an hour on release or beta
gh
i look this wrecked because i've got GIST.
Whats your excuse?
http://deadmanrambling.com/
Its got a different feel to GW2, but you can do a lot of exploration, find little public dungeons and quests hidden around the place, find special treasure chests, maps to hidden treasure etc. I subbed for three months and I think it was awesome, very nice graphics, a kind of dark mature feel to the world, good combat for an mmo- but not as polished combat wise as GW2 (but its just very different so its hard to compare directly).
I think you can "wreck" ESO if you just try to rush to level cap. Its really a game that wants to be played and explored - the journey is the game not the destination, which is probably counter to how many people approach mmos. Its not as interactive as skyrim, in that you can't kind of accidently change the story/world (or how the world reacts to your toon) in meaningful ways. It seems to want to tell you its story, and if you let the story unfold while taking the time to explore and get immersed in its lore and world it is a brilliant gaming experience.
If your are looking for open world this one isnt for you. In Eso its closed landareas with loading screens to enter. When I played those loading screens where boring slow and buggy.
If you have tried an Elder scrolls game you will find the world in Eso very small and narrow, every area is surrounded with hills, small mountains or sea water. You cant climb those hills/mountains.
In respective area you have to choose to go left, right or straight forward, you will probably have a question mark to guide you. Be sure to finish ALL quests before you go ( loading screen) to the next area, or else you will be in too low level to survive.
Its a game with not so much your own will, you are fulfilling some destiny its "go there", "follow that road". And its a lonely walk, not so much to do besides questing, grouping is difficult, phasing makes it impossible to help your friends.
Your reward in the end when you ding lvl 50, is... gratz, you have to do this 2 more times.
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ESO is really nothing like Bigboo describes. I know I may sound like a fanboi, but I'm not even subbed to the game at the moment. However, I did play it for several months and I have also played GW2 for a long time.
The zones are very large, I think just as large as the GW2 zones? I didn't really think about it like that at the time I was playing I just remember it was enjoyable wandering around and exploring what is a really beautiful but somewhat dark world, with an amazing looking character.
And my recollection is that there was quite a lot to do. The crafting system was both accessible and deep. The stuff I made was actually useful and looked amazing, although as you level up you really have to specialize in one or two fields. The stories were amazing - the best I have seen in any mmo. I could spend hours just testing out my combat skills on mobs (because fighting is actually fun), building up crafting skills and materials, hunting for hidden treasure, exploring the world for secret delves (small public dungeons), or doing the usual quests. You can even switch off the markers on maps showing quest hubs etc if you want. Then there is the guild quests, searching for lore books which levels up certain skills, dungeons, searching for skyshards which give you extra skill points, trying to become a vampire or werewolf, a huge and amazing pvp zone (kind of like WvWvW). Oh yeah, and there are nice little touches like npcs will change what they say to you depending on how you respond in various quests.
It seems to me that there is a huge focus on immersion in ESO, even the UI is minimalist with no minimap like in most mmos. I don't think its perfect and it lacks some of the features I love about GW2, it is also quite slow to level. But whether on your own or with some friends it can be a lot of fun to explore the world in ESO imo.
@YashaX
I will not argue with you, we have different experiences.
But the world in ESO is not opened or free. The design they choosed is what it is, zones with loading screens.
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Its not a matter of argument- the OP said he is looking for a world that you can go and explore, similarly to GW2's world - which also has zones with loading screens. In that case ESO is indeed very close to what he is looking for. You don't have to move in linear fashion from quest hub to quest hub- it doesn't work like that. I just wandered around and did quests/explored/got into adventures along the way, much like in GW2.
He also asks about graphics and animations. That is somewhat more subjective, but I thought the art was beautiful, and the animations varied depending on what race you played. I thought the way high elves moved seemed weird, but had no issue watching my bosmer.
However, if he had asked "I am looking for a game with the same exploration and openness as skyrim", I would largely agree with what you said.
I remember my first character in skyrim was a Khajiit that liked to use the bow and illusion magic. He was extremely good hearted and wanted to help people. However, due to a string of accidents, he ended up killing nearly everyone in Riverwood, being bounty hunted, escaping to another province, where again he tried to help someone only to be dragged into serving a dark god that made him kill more people.....
ESO won't give you anything like that unfortunately. But exploration on par with GW2? Yep, I think ESO can probably meet that bar.
I don't think either GW2 or ESO are great "exploration games".
Or maybe it's the way I explore.
In GW2 I would quickly come to the boundaries of my appropriate level range and come into contact with much higher level mobs. This would make it hard to do anything in those areas.
In EWO, It "seems" like an open world but the rocky areas are very good at channeling you along certain areas. It's like you pick a direction and go, and then come to rocks and you can't get over them so you try to go around which then channels you to another area.
It definitely has quests to find in your exploration (one of the reasons when I cringe hear people complain there aren't enough quests. They really aren't playing the game correctly. There are more than enough quests) but the caves/dungeons aren't (currently) all that interesting.
I recommend the game and the graphics are fine but it's an "ok" exploration game.
Additionally they are redoing the combat animations. No eta on when that will be done as far as I know.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
In ESO you will find things and places for years to come.
Put an ESO video next to any other mmorpg, side by side, then compare graphics. Then tell us what you think.
Exploration in a game can be fun but is not usually done in groups. Have you tried Skyrim? Big world especially with the Legendary edition which has the xpacs?
If you really want an mmo though - I would look at "older" ones which have matured / been expanded.
if by "End Game" you are only talking about Raids, then play WoW. All other newer mmorpgs have done a poor job at them. Exploration in ESO is fun until you find yourself going back a familiar road and notice the same treasure chest respawned at the same place or a few meters away.
ESO can still improve world exploration but its fun the first time you go through a new map.
Umm nope not really. Stop exaggerating.
I could never get into the mindset of people who consider loading screens between zones game-killers.
I just dont pay heed to them at all, especially if the zones are huge and they are logical and well done.
ESO is probably the most exploration friendly MMO on the market today- with tons of little nooks and crannies to find and great reasons to actually go off the beaten path and explore (from hidden questlines, skyshards,delves, treasure chests and gathering to POIs- most are scattered across the wilds)
As an ex Vanguard player (amongst practically everything else) i would opt for ESOs enclosed regions over vanguards super buggy and glitchy open world every time.
OP, it sounds like you might enjoy your time in ESO. As others have said the exploration is somewhat comparable to the GW2 style of pick a direction and go. I played ESO right after launch and ended up leaving the game because of the glitches, bots and bugs that plagued it. However, a few weeks ago I decided to see how things have improved and so far I've been pleasantly surprised.
The real winning aspect of ESO is the world. Tamriel as a whole is full of lore and exotic locations. ESO does a great job of telling stories through random scenes and scenery. Just as a quick example, I once found a journal on the ground next to a dead body that had been crushed by a falling wall. Upon reading the journal I discovered why the man was there and what he was looking for. While none of this was important to the overall story of the game, it helped add a layer of immersion that is hard to come by in games these days.
I'd say give a shot and see for yourself. You may like it, or it may not be what you're looking for. Either way, at least then you'll know.
Vanguard had lots of problems but exploration wasn't one of it. Since you call vanguards open world super buggy i doubt if you even played the game.
Errr... really? The not loading shards that would instead of actually appearing be just huge empty squares on the horizon (or closer if you lucked out)?
Now if they werent perfect squares one could fool himself into thinking it was some cloacking magic at work- but as it stood... blah...
THAT was immersion breaking
And that makes one of the biggest world we got in MMOS to explore super buggy? yeah keep exaggerating. I can probably make a huge list of bugs that riddled ESO at release 'falling through the world' being the most prominent one.
I think its ironic that you would call VG open world super buggy and forget to mention all the bugs ESO had at release.
Out of all the MMORPG's that I have played, ESO is certainly the best when it comes to exploration. I do believe, however, that some tweaking via addons is needed in order to maximize this aspect of the game. I, for instance, use an addon that hides the compass, an addon that creates a fog of war effect on the map, and an addon that removes all pins and indicators related to questing from the game. This makes it so that I actually have to explore, talk to many random NPC's, and look for things myself because the game UI does not help me in any way. Not only does this make for a far more immersive experience, it greatly increases the time I spend gaming since I am no longer on auto-pilot going from one quest marker to the next and am instead adventuring throughout Tamriel. Another crucial aspect of this game that allows me to explore is the fact that there are no centralized quest hubs, but instead a series of locations, each with their own set of unique quests or challenges, like elite monsters or delves (many of which do not even require quests, but instead offer other rewards if I happen to clear them).
As for your questions:
1. Animations are constantly being improved, and while I am not fond of the game's third person animations, it doesn't bother me too much since I play in first person mode exclusively.
2. The graphics are gorgeous. ESO is probably one the prettiest MMORPG's you can play today.
Nice addons you are using...mmakes it a different game for sure...
1... Annimations indeed have and will keep improving, update 6 has some great improved combat annimations, but since i allways play 3rd person with camera just behind the shoulder, i just cant get used to the behind the shoulder view...on top of that, it makes real time aiming much harder, not a fan of it at all, they really should add a choice so i can play with camera behind the head
2... Graphics and scenery do rival GW2, still favor GW2s art style a little tough, but eso looks awesome too..
personally i am doubting if i should return to game next week or early next year
i recently played WoD to 90 and a character in Rift is almost 65..
so my options are, play another character in SWTOR to max, or start a new toon in ESO and start preparing and leveling it for the new patch 1.6 somewhere at the end of Januar..
Best MMO experiences : EQ(PvE), DAoC(PvP), WoW(total package) LOTRO (worldfeel) GW2 (Artstyle and animations and worlddesign) SWTOR (Story immersion) TSW (story) ESO (character advancement)
Wow thanks for all the feedback! I'd adress everyone personally but i'd end up spamming the thread lol.
The loading screens, dont seem to bother me, and maybe the graphics will look better in game
I have a quad core intel 7 3.2ghz with a nvidia GEFORCE 580/28gig of ram and I can run Wildstar on max settings and get 60fps so I think I'll do ok with ESO i'm hoping!
I'm just really looking for something different ya know? I love Wildstar but its very frantic/twich based and as much as I like that I need an alternative to fill my slow time/exploration needs and ESO certainly looks to be the best choice for that!
I also find that the different structure such as no AH and crafting might actually be useful for once in an MMO? Every one I play sadly any crafting skill becomes pretty much useless because games always throw gear at you by the handful so whatever I can craft is sub par anyway :
The ONLY thing i'm a bit worried about is all the videos i see on ESO have that crosshair stuck in the middle of the screen. Is there a way to disable that or at least get something that doesn't look so bad in the middle of the screen all the time?
I dont suppose they have camera lock in game so you can look up/down with just moving your mouse?
Other then that I think i've set my sites on getting the Imperial Edition for Christmas break here and jumping in
Any server recommondations for a new NA player?
The camera is locked in the game by default so you aren't holding right click to look around, similarly to Tera you have to push a key to be able to 'use' your mouse on UI elements.
There are only two servers, NA and EU, I recommend NA if you are from NA cause...it makes sense. =P
As far as the cross-hair goes I think you can disable it in-game, or it may have been one of the immersion mods I used to disable it or make it 'context' sensitive so it would only appear when I highlighted over interactable objects.