Elder Scrolls Online release date 4-4-14

[pontifex]

Does people actually take him serious?

First he was: ESO SUCKS!

Then he was OMG BEST GAME EVER!

And now he hates it again with vague reasons?

those don't seem like vague reasons.

 

[Tequila]

Good luck guys.

Bermot got the 80k gold and a bunch of purple items. Clemenza was a little late msg'ing, but sent him a few thousand gold's worth of items to sell.

Now going to play some Age of Wonders 3, which should be downloaded from Steam about now...

Sorry to hear you quit. PvP sounds ugly in its current state but I'm sure with enough complaints they will re-balance things. I still fondly remember DAoC pvp when Midgard could chain stun the other realms and became known as Stungard until they introduced immunity timers. They made a lot of improvements in that game to make RvR really enjoyable.

I'm taking my time and just hit 43. I only hope the VR dungeons are as hard as you say when I get there.

 

[asteldian]

I always keep away from PvP for the initial months for two simple reasons:
1) There are always hacks, cheats etc. at the beginning of a game (in reality, throughout a games career, but the beginning is where there seems to be more cheats than normal players)

2) Class balance is always atrocious (again, balance is always an issue and there will never be true equality, the most you can hope for is an effective paper, rock, scissor style of builds)

On the brightside, ESO does not seem to have the bug in PvP where every asshole runs around spamming Jump because it messes up the games hitbox. That is an issue I have seen in a fair few games and everyone fights like Kangeroos bouncing around, very annoying bug I am glad does not appear to be here.

For the first 3 months of an MMO I either don't buy it at all (especially if I am happy in another game) or I buy it and just keep to the basics of enjoying the PvE SLOWLY and investing in crafting, as lower levels and crafting tend to be fairly safe areas where balance issues and flaws at release are not gamebreakingly annoying.

I am liking the sound of VR levels though, maybe I should get there prior to them nerfing the dungeons (which is also a common theme in MMOs - make them too hard initially, then nerf them as the masses get there)

 

[Genx87]

I think the questing part is an issue. But I have felt that way since WOW made questing the central part of MMO's. The thing I liked about early MMO's like Ultima Online or DAOC. They were grind fests. Which were perfect for grouping. It didnt matter where you were on progression. Provided you werent really low level. You would join the group and grind away with friends or others. Now we are all at different stages of questing it makes more sense to play seperately except for group dungeons\quests that cant be donesolo.

 

[ShintaiDK]

You can still group grind in ESO if you prefer that way. Quests are just an alternative.

 

[Rhezuss]

It's the first MMO that I love questing. They seem a bit more involving than just killing X or gathering Y. They are fun and filled with cool dialogues for the most part.

Speaking of dialogues, ALL NPCs have spoken dialogues, it's awesome the amount of work they put to include this feature. It's so much more immersive.

I need my dose!

 

[Clemenza]

I don't understand the dislike for questing. Personally, I hate grinding. I know some people love to endlessly do that but I've not enjoyed it since I quit playing EQ.

The biggest issue I have in PVP right now is the bash mechanic and animation clipping that seems to be all the rage right now. It just makes fights seem so stupid.

 

[HumblePie]

It's the first MMO that I love questing. They seem a bit more involving than just killing X or gathering Y. They are fun and filled with cool dialogues for the most part.

Speaking of dialogues, ALL NPCs have spoken dialogues, it's awesome the amount of work they put to include this feature. It's so much more immersive.

I need my dose!

I love the voice overs. Every MMOPG should have them and I was saying this years ago before any of them did.

ESO though only has like a dozen voice actors though that get re-used a lot. It shows. Some of the voice actors get used for characters that their voice doesn't really fit either. I can ignore it though mostly. Except Briartree. Giant tree with a voice of a prepubecent zit faced male, similar to the character from the simpsons. UGH!!

 

[KMFJD]

I love the voice overs. Every MMOPG should have them and I was saying this years ago before any of them did.

ESO though only has like a dozen voice actors though that get re-used a lot. It shows. Some of the voice actors get used for characters that their voice doesn't really fit either. I can ignore it though mostly. Except Briartree. Giant tree with a voice of a prepubecent zit faced male, similar to the character from the simpsons. UGH!!

IMHO it's a fantastic waste of resources to have all that voice acting that most people will listen to only once

 

[Markbnj]

IMHO it's a fantastic waste of resources to have all that voice acting that most people will listen to only once

Yeah I agree with this. I'd much rather those resources were put into making the world larger, adding underwater exploration and combat, or really anything. Voice acting to me is just candy.

 

[Rhezuss]

Yeah I agree with this. I'd much rather those resources were put into making the world larger, adding underwater exploration and combat, or really anything. Voice acting to me is just candy.

Well it's been a damn long time since we got candies in a MMO might as well enjoy it.

But I agree about underwater exploration, that would have been an awesome addition.

 

[HumblePie]

Yeah I agree with this. I'd much rather those resources were put into making the world larger, adding underwater exploration and combat, or really anything. Voice acting to me is just candy.

Voice acting doesn't take much resources. Really, pull any set of kids off the street to read several scripts a few times to "get them right" at min wage and be done with it. It's not all that hard nor that expensive at all.

Now when they added John Cleese into mix as a voice actor, that drives up the costs to get a recognized voice into the game. I don't think it was needed at all though.

 

[CrowDog]

Voice acting doesn't take much resources. Really, pull any set of kids off the street to read several scripts a few times to "get them right" at min wage and be done with it. It's not all that hard nor that expensive at all.

Now when they added John Cleese into mix as a voice actor, that drives up the costs to get a recognized voice into the game. I don't think it was needed at all though.

Looks like more than just John Cleese.

The Elder Scrolls Online voice cast:

• John Cleese (Monty Python) - Caldwell
• Bill Nighy (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Love Actually) - High King Emeric
• Kate Beckinsale (Aviator, Pearl Harbor) - Queen Ayrenn
• Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) - Abnur Tharn
• Michael Gambon (Harry Potter series) - The Prophet
• Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) - Molag Bal
• Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) - Azura
• Peter Stormare (Fargo) - Jorunn the Skald King
• Jim Ward (WALL-E) - Mannimarco
• Jennifer Hale (Mass Effect) - Lyris Tianborn
• Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show) - Sai Sahan

 

[norseamd]

Looks like more than just John Cleese.

The Elder Scrolls Online voice cast:

• John Cleese (Monty Python) - Caldwell
• Bill Nighy (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, Love Actually) - High King Emeric
• Kate Beckinsale (Aviator, Pearl Harbor) - Queen Ayrenn
• Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) - Abnur Tharn
• Michael Gambon (Harry Potter series) - The Prophet
• Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) - Molag Bal
• Lynda Carter (Wonder Woman) - Azura
• Peter Stormare (Fargo) - Jorunn the Skald King
• Jim Ward (WALL-E) - Mannimarco
• Jennifer Hale (Mass Effect) - Lyris Tianborn
• Kevin Michael Richardson (The Cleveland Show) - Sai Sahan

that is what bethesda and robert altman are most concerned about

the board of directors has a lot of hollywood executives on there

and making sure that his wife gets to do whatever she wants

 

[shortylickens]

Kevin Micheal Richardson has also done voices for just about every Black Isle and Obsidian game ever made.

 

[Xed]

Tim Russ and Crispin Freeman are also pretty recognizable.

 

[Markbnj]

Voice acting doesn't take much resources. Really, pull any set of kids off the street to read several scripts a few times to "get them right" at min wage and be done with it. It's not all that hard nor that expensive at all.

Now when they added John Cleese into mix as a voice actor, that drives up the costs to get a recognized voice into the game. I don't think it was needed at all though.

I really don't think that's true, but I don't have the direct experience to put a relative weight on it. I suspect it is a very expensive process.

 

[Worthington]

Spike from Cowboy Bebop (steven Blum?) is pretty much every 3rd guard.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Spike from Cowboy Bebop (steven Blum?) is pretty much every 3rd guard.

Did he get shot in the knee with an arrow?

 

[Xed]

Spike from Cowboy Bebop (steven Blum?) is pretty much every 3rd guard.

Ranser, you madman. It's time to finish this.

 

[Andrew111]

I see ESO going down the road of SWTOR...and much more quickly. Ton of bugs at launch that put people off (like the constant disconnects me and many others were getting while others could play just fine), spam, bots, teleport hacks, duping....I had no problems when SWTOR launched and ESO falls on its face in comparison. PVP isn't going to keep people engaged (no balance which upsets a lot of PVPers), end game is standard MMO fare...nothing to keep people subscribed longterm.

If SWTOR wasn't under EA I think it could have thrived if they added some fun social elements from the Star Wars universe....like races, Pazaak, etc. When will companies learn they can't just copy other MMOs and expect success....I can't see how ESO can survive without F2P even for a year.

 

[asteldian]

Most MMOers are used to the sloppy beginnings of a game. Only if performance is an issue with most the population will the first 3 months be crippling to a game (hello Vanguard)

End game was SWTORs failure, to be honest all else can be forgiven if you can provide decent end game content. Again, you usually have an absolute max of 3 months to start bringing out end game and it better be damn good if it takes you that long

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I see ESO going down the road of SWTOR...and much more quickly. Ton of bugs at launch that put people off (like the constant disconnects me and many others were getting while others could play just fine), spam, bots, teleport hacks, duping....I had no problems when SWTOR launched and ESO falls on its face in comparison. PVP isn't going to keep people engaged (no balance which upsets a lot of PVPers), end game is standard MMO fare...nothing to keep people subscribed longterm.

If SWTOR wasn't under EA I think it could have thrived if they added some fun social elements from the Star Wars universe....like races, Pazaak, etc. When will companies learn they can't just copy other MMOs and expect success....I can't see how ESO can survive without F2P even for a year.

Honestly, I think ESO's launch was one of the smoothest launches I've seen. The only issues I've had are as follows:

1. Fell through the map once on a quest
2. Encountered 2 or 3 bugged quests
3. The side gate in Camlorn is bugged
4. Hanging at load screen

I don't think any of those are showstoppers. With that being said, however, I think I will probably cancel before my 30 days is up because I just haven't had the time to put into it and I'm not overly motivated to play it. I took a week of vacation last week and am going away this weekend, so I've fallen FAR behind my brothers and friends and it would take a Herculean effort to catch them. They're in the 30s/40s and I am still at level 19. To catch them, I would pretty much have to put in 10-12 hour days on the weekend and play 3+ hours every night and that isn't going to happen (I laugh when people say "I don't play it much, I just play a few hours every night." Playing a few hours every night *IS* playing it a ton).

 

[Triglet]

Inventory management is really breaking my balls - I spend a third of my time juggling bank/mule space just so I can go out and quest again.

WTB crafting material tab a la Guild Wars I.

 

[Genx87]

Finally getting a chance to heal in some instances and think it is a blast. Most fun as a healer since DAOC. I am finding this game to be really fun atm on my Templar.