I realize no one here prob cares about starter islands...

adam_nox

But ebonhart pact's tutorial/starter areas are a friggin mess storywise.  There's no consistency to the story at all.  I've been told by 3 different people 3 different stories of how I was found and saved.  I started on an island that was clearly not the original starting island, then moved to the one that must have been at some point, now on a third island that I'm pretty sure is just a bridge back to the first one to complete quests.  Or at least I hope I can still complete them.

 

How does this even happen?  I notice no one complaining about the 'real' game areas, so maybe I'm wrong, but I would have thought this would be the most solid part of the game having had the most thorough feedback and testing.

 

I also notice that where they had the placeholder dialogue for the prophet it's now a completely different voice actor.  Did the other one die? lol what is going on over there.

Arndush

Originally posted by adam_nox

But ebonhart pact's tutorial/starter areas are a friggin mess storywise.  There's no consistency to the story at all.  I've been told by 3 different people 3 different stories of how I was found and saved.  I started on an island that was clearly not the original starting island, then moved to the one that must have been at some point, now on a third island that I'm pretty sure is just a bridge back to the first one to complete quests.  Or at least I hope I can still complete them.

 

How does this even happen?  I notice no one complaining about the 'real' game areas, so maybe I'm wrong, but I would have thought this would be the most solid part of the game having had the most thorough feedback and testing.

 

I also notice that where they had the placeholder dialogue for the prophet it's now a completely different voice actor.  Did the other one die? lol what is going on over there.

• Bleakrock Isle was the original starting area. But, people whined and cried that it was too much on rails. So, Zenimax listened to the feed back and changed it so you start in Davon's Watch but can go back to Bleakrock to do the quests, get the Skyshards, etc.
• Originally you would have started in Bleakrock, Moved to Bal Foyen and then on to Stonefells where the City of Davon's Watch is. Now you Start in Davon's Watch, have the option to go back to Bleakrock and then move on to Bal Foyen.
• When the change was made, I assumed you would still go to the starting area after Coldharbor and then have the option to skip to the mainland, but they went with this instead. I don't know why.
• The voice of the Prophet has not changed. The voice actor is Michael Gambon (aka Professor Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movies)

Hope this clears up the confusion.

Tamanous

AD with their one island works much better but I wondered around to coast picking chests and doing quests I came by an ended up doing the final portion of the story on the north side prior to much of the back story. I found it funny when doing other quests clearly building up the story after.

 

I blame myself though for not wanting to grind quests in order. I prefer the way things are now but tweaks to put a player on the main story arc better could certainly help.

Ikeda

I enjoyed them in this order:

AD, EP, DC

But yea, the last minute knee jerk of pulled the starting islands kinda left me feeling me.  Especially since in the EP storyline you're applauded (running up the lane) like 2-3 times (for relatively silly savings).  I didn't feel nearly as powerful finishing that as I did when I finished the AD storyline.

hardy83

• The voice of the Prophet has not changed. The voice actor is Michael Gambon (aka Professor Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movies)

Actually, Ebonheart faction here, the prophet NPCs voice did change. It only happened once and I forget when, not far into the story, but the voice definitely changed mid conversation.

It was really weird. lol

drumchannell

I'm starting to realize that there isn't consistency to any of the story in this game.

superconducting

I think the story is fine after the changes. They handled it well. A ship found you washed ashore on an island and transported you to mainland. Sounds fine to me. And you're right, enough with the starter island fixation please.

Distopia

It really makes no sense why they did it. First they were getting torn apart in early press hands-on previews, during the tutorial areas.

"ah!! it's a tes game on rails" they cried. So rather than just deal with that they made a mess of the tutorial instead. Now they have to deal with that.

The funny part is many current editorials like the recent gameinformer are going back on their original words after seeing the rest of the world. So it would have been a non issue in the grand scheme of things. What's worse a linear tutorial or looking like amateurs put your game together?

It's not like gaming journalists are to be taken that serious; most of them are sensationalists who just go for headlines. They constantly contradict themselves as well.

@ the guy saying none of the story is cohesive, that might be because the main arch is spread throughout your leveling experience. The rest of what you see are zone related quests/events. They're not really meant to be consumed as a whole.

adam_nox

Originally posted by superconducting

I think the story is fine after the changes. They handled it well. A ship found you washed ashore on an island and transported you to mainland. Sounds fine to me. And you're right, enough with the starter island fixation please.

 

Uh If you paid attention you'd find at least 3 separate accounts of where and how you were found, and who found/saved you.  That's not impression or opinion, it's just fact.

 

To the poster above, it still feels on rails to me.  I don't care if a starter area is a bit guided, but at level 8 with as many hours in as I am, it's starting to get a bit irritating.

DAS1337

Originally posted by Arndush

Originally posted by adam_nox

But ebonhart pact's tutorial/starter areas are a friggin mess storywise.  There's no consistency to the story at all.  I've been told by 3 different people 3 different stories of how I was found and saved.  I started on an island that was clearly not the original starting island, then moved to the one that must have been at some point, now on a third island that I'm pretty sure is just a bridge back to the first one to complete quests.  Or at least I hope I can still complete them.

 

How does this even happen?  I notice no one complaining about the 'real' game areas, so maybe I'm wrong, but I would have thought this would be the most solid part of the game having had the most thorough feedback and testing.

 

I also notice that where they had the placeholder dialogue for the prophet it's now a completely different voice actor.  Did the other one die? lol what is going on over there.

• Bleakrock Isle was the original starting area. But, people whined and cried that it was too much on rails. So, Zenimax listened to the feed back and changed it so you start in Davon's Watch but can go back to Bleakrock to do the quests, get the Skyshards, etc.
• Originally you would have started in Bleakrock, Moved to Bal Foyen and then on to Stonefells where the City of Davon's Watch is. Now you Start in Davon's Watch, have the option to go back to Bleakrock and then move on to Bal Foyen.
• When the change was made, I assumed you would still go to the starting area after Coldharbor and then have the option to skip to the mainland, but they went with this instead. I don't know why.
• The voice of the Prophet has not changed. The voice actor is Michael Gambon (aka Professor Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movies)

Hope this clears up the confusion.

I also don't know why they made the choices that they made.  It's weird in DC as well.  To be saved, then moved all the way to mainland Glenumbra by your saviors, not waking up the entire way there, as well as the transport to the cozy little room that you start in... Then you have the option to go see the people who saved you, who by the way, left you there and sailed back to the starting island, that now need your help.  I mean, who doesn't LOL at this story?

 

You should have started on Stros M'kai, with the option to skip it and be sent directly to mainland.  I don't think anyone that cares about story has any idea as to why they did it ass backwards.  I don't even know if they can explain it.

DAS1337

Originally posted by superconducting

I think the story is fine after the changes. They handled it well. A ship found you washed ashore on an island and transported you to mainland. Sounds fine to me. And you're right, enough with the starter island fixation please.

Really?  Your saviors that needed your help, skipped the closest island, then the next island, taking you all the way to mainland, then leaving you there makes sense to you?  If they needed your help, why wouldn't they stop at the first island and get your ass to wake up?

 

Seriously, think about it for a moment.

rvhausen

I liked the original / beta starter islands.  In fact, I think I like them more than the mainland, as far as atmosphere is concerned.  And the OP is right - the story line is messed up now.

Knotwood

I suggest not even playing Ebonhart pact,  I don't know how many times I have to tell people.   Aldmeri Dominion and Daggerfall Covenant are 80% better graphic looking and and storyline.   I'm sorry you started there.  Its not to late to switch.

 

I told zenimax during beta to give ebonhart pact areas a make over for starter areas, and make them more detailed and beautiful like the other two areas, but they did not listen......

 

Most skyrim fans will be starting in Ebonheart Pact, so this might hurt ESO in the long run if they do not make it look more pretty and give it some attention.

Arndush

Originally posted by hardy83

• The voice of the Prophet has not changed. The voice actor is Michael Gambon (aka Professor Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movies)

Actually, Ebonheart faction here, the prophet NPCs voice did change. It only happened once and I forget when, not far into the story, but the voice definitely changed mid conversation.

It was really weird. lol

Yeah, I just ran into it last night. It happens once right after you leave Coldharbor and land in the house in Davon's Watch. I guess the reason for it is they had to change that first conversation with the prophet and they couldn't get Michael Gambon to come back in to rerecord the material before launch.

Originally posted by Knotwood

I suggest not even playing Ebonhart pact,  I don't know how many times I have to tell people.   Aldmeri Dominion and Daggerfall Covenant are 80% better graphic looking and and storyline.   I'm sorry you started there.  Its not to late to switch.

 

I told zenimax during beta to give ebonhart pact areas a make over for starter areas, and make them more detailed and beautiful like the other two areas, but they did not listen......

 

Most skyrim fans will be starting in Ebonheart Pact, so this might hurt ESO in the long run if they do not make it look more pretty and give it some attention.

You're certainly welcome to your opinions but I like the look of the Ebonheart areas. I'm glad they didn't take your advice. I couldn't stand the look of the Daggerfall areas in beta.