Zenimax Should Learn A Lesson From The Novel Publishing Industry

umcorian

In a book, you can have a great plot, brilliant conflict, marvelous innovations and - to a reader who follows through to the end - a magnificent ending.

Despite all that, very few people are going to read to the end if the first few pages completely suck. Heck, an editor or agent probably won't even read further than that and throw the manuscript in the trash. 

I'm afraid this is going to happen to TESO. 

You saw this with reviewers. You saw this with a large group of open beta weekend testers. Based on the first starting zone and Stros M'Kai, I was ready to write this game off as a failed WoW clone that couldn't even make the first 5 levels interesting. Asking someone to play for a few hours before the game is anything but a boring, linear errand-grind is just asking for trouble.

If what I've heard of the amazing post level 10 content is half as good as people are saying, Zenimax probably needs to to go back and rethink the way they've done the first starting zones. The only thing I haven't heard terrible things about was the Dominion's starting zone - maybe they need to find out what they did right there and spread the love. All I know is, if I didn't do additional research, and just judged the game based on a night of playing during open beta weekend, I would be telling everyone I know who's into MMOs to give this game a pass.

Iselin

"The first 10 levels suck!" seems to be the last refuge for the prophets of doom.

 

It's a PR blip that is already mostly forgotten after the 2nd round of "looks." 

 

Even if it wasn't grossly exaggerated, what people will hear is what the whole game feels like once it releases an many are playing it. At best, those first levels will be a footnote along the lines of "And, oh yeah...the first few levels are slow, but it's more than worth it to keep going."

HighMarshal

I actually liked most of the newbie zones. I liked Stros M'Kai and the Orcs of Beatnik!

Grunim

Originally posted by HighMarshal
I actually liked most of the newbie zones. I liked Stros M'Kai and the Orcs of Beatnik!

 

Orcs of Beatnik!    Every time I saw Betnikh I always said Beatnik instead

I enjoyed exploring those newbie zones and going treasure hunting.

Karteli

Dont't forget, this game opens up to endgame via PVP, just like GW2.  Fun shit eh?  I fondly remember ... no wait .. I thought GW2 PVP was a zerg and a waste of time.

 

OP:  There are some good reviewers out there .. just have to find them .... when you read an awesome review, try remembering the name.  There's 1k+ reviews but only a few honest ones.

 

 

Unknown

Actually a lot of books with crappy beginnings get published.   I have read over 700 books so I consider myself to have some knowledge on the matter.

Gestankfaust

You really should learn a lesson....but here we just have a great game to play

Drakynn

Originally posted by Iselin

"The first 10 levels suck!" seems to be the last refuge for the prophets of doom.

 

It's a PR blip that is already mostly forgotten after the 2nd round of "looks." 

 

Even if it wasn't grossly exaggerated, what people will hear is what the whole game feels like once it releases an many are playing it. At best, those first levels will be a footnote along the lines of "And, oh yeah...the first few levels are slow, but it's more than worth it to keep going."

Nope.As a big time fan of ESO you may want to make it seem that that's the only complaint people have and thus trivialize any negative opinion of the game but it's not true.

I personally only found the whole cold harbor introduction boring and laborious and they should just let you skip it like other games have done but that's just a minor complaint as it doesn't take long to power through it.

Other problems are :t

Lackluster combat and combat animations and lack of weight in combat(bar blocking and countering) feel(like TSW),

Invisible walls when exploring in places and actual walls that you ridiculously can't jump over no matter how low.

The whole explorer pack debacle and to other the Imperial edition stuff.None of that has changed.

Not truly being an open world.

Concerns about melee in RvR which (to be honest could be just a low level problem or people needing to adjust).

The lack of any kind of faction identity or pride especially with the explorer pack compounding the fact everyone can wear anyone else's style of armor with crafting.

That's all I can think of right now.

Personally only the explorer pack BS is a deal breaker for me otherwise I think the game is good enough to give a chance and will be at least worth the box price for a month.But I can't ethically support a company without the stones to stand behind their faction race lock mechanic.I do expect to be in a very small percentage to take this stand though but it goes against what I believe personally even for just a game.

 

Gestankfaust

Originally posted by Drakynn

Originally posted by Iselin

"The first 10 levels suck!" seems to be the last refuge for the prophets of doom.

 

It's a PR blip that is already mostly forgotten after the 2nd round of "looks." 

 

Even if it wasn't grossly exaggerated, what people will hear is what the whole game feels like once it releases an many are playing it. At best, those first levels will be a footnote along the lines of "And, oh yeah...the first few levels are slow, but it's more than worth it to keep going."

Nope.As a big time fan of ESO you may want to make it seem that that's the only complaint people have and thus trivialize any negative opinion of the game but it's not true.

I personally only found the whole cold harbor introduction boring and laborious and they should just let you skip it like other games have done but that's just a minor complaint as it doesn't take long to power through it.

Other problems are :t

Lackluster combat and combat animations and lack of weight in combat(bar blocking and countering) feel(like TSW),

Invisible walls when exploring in places and actual walls that you ridiculously can't jump over no matter how low.

The whole explorer pack debacle and to other the Imperial edition stuff.None of that has changed.

Not truly being an open world.

Concerns about melee in RvR which (to be honest could be just a low level problem or people needing to adjust).

The lack of any kind of faction identity or pride especially with the explorer pack compounding the fact everyone can wear anyone else's style of armor with crafting.

That's all I can think of right now.

Personally only the explorer pack BS is a deal breaker for me otherwise I think the game is good enough to give a chance and will be at least worth the box price for a month.But I can't ethically support a company without the stones to stand behind their faction race lock mechanic.I do expect to be in a very small percentage to take this stand though but it goes against what I believe personally even for just a game.

 

You played a game that I did...but not ESO. Most everything you posted is below half right

Drakynn

Originally posted by Gestankfaust

Originally posted by Drakynn

Originally posted by Iselin

"The first 10 levels suck!" seems to be the last refuge for the prophets of doom.

 

It's a PR blip that is already mostly forgotten after the 2nd round of "looks." 

 

Even if it wasn't grossly exaggerated, what people will hear is what the whole game feels like once it releases an many are playing it. At best, those first levels will be a footnote along the lines of "And, oh yeah...the first few levels are slow, but it's more than worth it to keep going."

Nope.As a big time fan of ESO you may want to make it seem that that's the only complaint people have and thus trivialize any negative opinion of the game but it's not true.

I personally only found the whole cold harbor introduction boring and laborious and they should just let you skip it like other games have done but that's just a minor complaint as it doesn't take long to power through it.

Other problems are :t

Lackluster combat and combat animations and lack of weight in combat(bar blocking and countering) feel(like TSW),

Invisible walls when exploring in places and actual walls that you ridiculously can't jump over no matter how low.

The whole explorer pack debacle and to other the Imperial edition stuff.None of that has changed.

Not truly being an open world.

Concerns about melee in RvR which (to be honest could be just a low level problem or people needing to adjust).

The lack of any kind of faction identity or pride especially with the explorer pack compounding the fact everyone can wear anyone else's style of armor with crafting.

That's all I can think of right now.

Personally only the explorer pack BS is a deal breaker for me otherwise I think the game is good enough to give a chance and will be at least worth the box price for a month.But I can't ethically support a company without the stones to stand behind their faction race lock mechanic.I do expect to be in a very small percentage to take this stand though but it goes against what I believe personally even for just a game.

 

You played a game that I did...but not ESO. Most everything you posted is below half right

Would you care to explain where I am wrong?

I played a DK to level 16 so I certainly did play ESO and found all those things to be true for me.some I don't care about really and some I do.I also found a lot to like during those levels but those were not pertinent to my response.