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Creative staff discuss the story setting of The Elder Scrolls Online
MMOs in an existing franchise always present certain issues: You need enough conceptual space to advance a game's storyline, but you may not want to be locked in to never doing another title in the franchise. So The Elder Scrolls Online has to be set in just the right time period for the game to work. In a recent video interview, creative director Paul Sage and content designer Rich Lambert sat down to talk about the why behind the when. Sage and Lambert explain that the real draw to this particular time period was the fact that there's neither a great deal of recorded in-game history nor a lot of huge events that might affect future titles -- it's a time when almost anything can happen without derailing future events in the universe. The duo also discusses keeping the game aligned with existing lore and ensuring that nothing gets thrown off by mistake. Those looking forward to the game will want to watch the full interview, which goes into more details regarding specifics of lore and setting.
Eliot Lefebvre05.21.2012
The Elder Scrolls Online Ebonheart Pact faction profiled
The flashlight of knowledge has already been directed at two of The Elder Scroll Online's three main political factions, and now the third is getting a little time in the light. We've already told you about the Daggerfall Covenant and the Aldmeri Dominion, and today Game Informer is closing out ouroboros with the third faction, the Ebonheart Pact. The alliance that makes up the Ebonheart Pact was first forged after an Akaviri invasion, when the Nords and Dunmer banded together and then cut the Argonians in on the friendliness in order to find safety in numbers. While the Aldmeri Dominion is bent on conquering and ruling, the Ebonheart Pact is really just an attempt to stay alive in a world of invasions and power struggles. The Dunmer, also called Dark Elves, call the familiar lands of Morrowind home. Skyrim, which a few folks may have heard of thanks to a rather underground game that came out last year, is home to the militant and cold-resistant Nords. The reptilian Argonians, or Saxhleel as they like to call themselves, come from the Black Marsh, also known (by way of total coincidence, I'm sure) as Argonia. They share the area with the Hist, a race of sentient trees, and all matter of poisonous and malicious critters and plants. If you need help keeping all the names straight (the Nords are also referred to as children of the sky, by the way, although apparently that's an informal title), be sure to read the full profile.
Elisabeth 05.18.2012
The Elder Scrolls Online main story will be '100 percent solo'
The main story in The Elder Scrolls Online will be a solitary experience, game director Matt Firor revealed in a video interview with Game Informer."In the Elder Scrolls games you're always the hero, whether you want to be or not," Firor said. "You go out there and you kill the dragons. You kill Mehrunes Dagon in Oblivion. In Morrowind, you're up there fighting the Tribunal - those are huge, global, epic things that you don't want to stand in line to do in an MMO. The last thing you want to do is have the final confrontation with Mehrunes Dagon as he's stomping across the Imperial City, and you see like 15 guys behind you waiting to kill him because they're on the same quest."We have a whole part of the game that is 100 per cent solo, which is the main story, where the world focuses on you. You are the hero, everything you do is solo and the world reacts to you that way," Firor said.Previous details do include PvP matches of up to 200 players, but those are obviously separate from the main quest. The Elder Scrolls Online will be played in a third-person perspective and is attempting to be a "modern" MMO, blending The Elder Scrolls features into this new genre. Not all Elder Scrolls fans are happy with the new title's angle, but Firor said that's just fine."The worst situation for a game community to be in is where no one posts on the boards because they don't care," he said. "If they post on the boards, they care, even if they're not being so polite about it. But that's a fact of life: You're an Internet game, you're on the Internet, you have an Internet community. And the Internet community is always very vocal."So what you do is learn from it. You make sure you do the best job to deliver the best game that you can and they you go from there."
Jessica Conditt05.18.2012
Matt Firor on The Elder Scrolls Online's '100% solo' personal story
Games in the Elder Scrolls series have always been about giving players the opportunity to become the game's hero, and it looks like The Elder Scrolls Online will be no different. The title's game director, Matt Firor, has announced that each character's main storyline in the game will be "100% solo." Firor points back to the previous entries in the series, stating that "in The Elder Scrolls games, you're always the hero... The last thing you want to do is have the final confrontation with Mehrunes Dagon as he's stomping across the Imperial City, and you see like 15 guys behind you waiting to kill him." While it's a good point, we can't help but wonder what kind of an impact this design will have on the social aspect of the MMO, but at this point all we can do is wait and see. Firor's full interview over on Game Informer has plenty of extra information as well, so if you're jonesing for more details, just head on over and check it out for yourself.
Matt Daniel05.18.2012
The Elder Scrolls Online factions profiled
Three alliances control the political scene in The Elder Scrolls Online's Tamriel, and Game Informer is taking a closer look at all of them, starting with the Daggerfall Covenant and the Aldmeri Dominion. The Daggerfell Covenant is made up of the Orcs (also called Orsimer), Bretons, and Redguards -- although the latter two are coming out of something of a love-hate relationship, with a history of as much internal conflict as external. Apparently time does heal all wounds, though, because the three races have worked out a democratic system of mutual love and respect. The Orcs and Bretons call the beautiful land of High Rock home, while the Redguard are based in Hammerfell. The Aldmeri Dominion is a more hostile power composed of the Altmer, the Bosmer, and Khajiit and intent on total domination. Also known as Wood Elves, the Bosmer call Valenwood home (surprise: It's a heavily wooded area) and enjoy tramping through forests, living in harmony with nature, and building cities in migratory trees. The Altmer, or High Elves, can be found in the little-known Summerset Isles. The Khajiit, who missed out on the alternative name lottery, live in Elsweyr, whose climate is ideal for the cultivation of Moon Sugar. Got all that? Study up, there'll be a test. Feel free to read the full profiles, and keep an eye out for Ebonheart Pact information on Friday.
Elisabeth 05.16.2012
The Soapbox: Translating Elder Scrolls Online dev speak
Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column. Language is a pretty fascinating thing, and studying a second one is something I've long intended to do. Aside from entertaining thoughts of learning Korean to play ArcheAge, though (seriously, I looked into it), I haven't gotten around to much beyond college-level Deutsch. But as I watched last week's interview with The Elder Scrolls Online creative director Paul Sage, I realized that I already have some pretty good second-language skills. I'm fluent in both English and MMO dev-speak, so as a public service, I'm going to translate some of what Sage said into the former.
Jef Reahard05.15.2012
Analyst predicts The Elder Scrolls Online will launch with a subscription fee
Are you hoping that The Elder Scrolls Online will be part of the classic subscription model rather than go the free-to-play route? According to analyst Nicholas Lovell, founder of Gamesbrief, the odds are good that you'll get your wish. Lovell notes that since the game began development in 2007, when subscription games were at their apex, Bethesda is likely to launch using the more familiar business model. Whether or not it will remain as a subscription game is another matter. Of course, the price of play is far from the minds of most fans -- the real question is what the game will look like when it's actually playable. Director Matt Firor recently sat down to discuss the game's earliest stages of development, the relationship between ZeniMax Online Studios and Bethesda, and working within the lore of the established IP. It's an interesting look behind the scenes of development, and if you're interested in the game, watching the video is certain to be six minutes well spent.
Eliot Lefebvre05.09.2012
Elder Scrolls creative director: We want to make a good game first
The recently announced Elder Scrolls MMO has a lot to live up to. If the initial fan reaction is any indication, it's not doing as well as you might expect in the court of public opinion. Creative director Paul Sage recently stepped in front of the camera to talk at length about the project, and some of what he has to say probably isn't going to sit well with fans who are concerned that ZeniMax is making a generic themepark MMO out of the much-loved single-player sandbox series. "We have to make our own game," he tells Game Informer. "We want to make a good game first. Not a good MMO, not a good Elder Scrolls game, we want to make a good game first, a great experience for the player."
Jef Reahard05.08.2012
ZeniMax reveals Elder Scrolls Online teaser trailer
ZeniMax has unveiled the first trailer for its newly announced The Elder Scrolls Online MMORPG. There's no gameplay on offer at this early stage, and the clip itself is rather short. It's long on subtle bits of awesomeness, though, including a brief tease of the familiar Elder Scrolls melody and a glimpse of the game's logo (which features a telling three-part design to go along with the game's announced three-faction PvP). At this point, we're still in the dark about almost everything TESO-related. Will it be a sandbox? A themepark? A marriage of the two? How's the crafting, the character customization, and the questing? Your guess is as good as ours, so take a look at the clip after the break and let us know what you think in the comments. [Source: ZeniMax press release]
Jef Reahard05.04.2012
Elder Scrolls Online announcement generates fan backlash
We've yet to see even a hint of gameplay for the newly announced Elder Scrolls Online, but a good portion of the fan reaction to the news has been negative, according to a report at GamesIndustry.biz. The site says that many of the comments on Bethesda's blog were filled with despair at the prospect of an online title gobbling up development resources or otherwise impacting one of gaming's most beloved single-player franchises. A Bethesda moderator even chimed in to calm down the angst-ridden faithful. "The teams working on these games are separate. Todd Howard's team at BGS will keep doing the type of games they like making, and the ZeniMax Online team will focus on MMO games like this newly announced title," the spokesman said. ZeniMax is scheduled to release the game's first trailer at some point this morning.
Jef Reahard05.04.2012
The Elder Scrolls Online being developed by ZeniMax Online
The Elder Scrolls Online was just revealed to be ZeniMax Online's long-rumored MMO. Game Informer's next cover announced the game this morning. The mag says The Elder Scrolls Online will take place across the "entire land of Tamriel," approximately one thousand years before Skyrim's place in time. The story will focus on daedric prince Molag Bal as he attempts to make Tamriel part of "his demonic realm."The game's director is Matt Firor. "It will be extremely rewarding finally to unveil what we have been developing the last several years," he says. "The entire team is committed to creating the best MMO ever made – and one that is worthy of The Elder Scrolls franchise." The game's July cover reveal will detail a variety of the game's possibilities: soloing, public questing, and a unique new take on player-vs-player, in which the three factions battle over sections of land or a desired position of power.More will be revealed tomorrow in a "brief teaser trailer" of the game, GI says. We've got our double-horned helm on while we wait, just in case.Update: Bethesda's PR says the game will launch for both PC and Mac.
Ben Gilbert05.03.2012
Rumor: Prey 2 development suspended since November
Bethesda announced earlier today that Prey 2 would not launch in 2012. Rumors suggest development is troubled, with Human Head Studios having suspended work on the FPS since November 2011.Word comes from a source close to Shacknews, who claims work was intentionally stopped in the hopes of negotiating better contract terms with Bethesda owner Zenimax. Many employees were reportedly laid off as a result, with Human Head aiming to rehire them once the contract was satisfactory. According to the source, the game was in limbo until March, when things finally "soured."Bethesda claimed the delay was "due to the fact that game development has not progressed satisfactorily this past year." Beyond that, the company wouldn't comment on the future or in what shape Prey 2 is in.
David Hinkle04.19.2012
Zenimax files 'FUS RO DAH' trademarks, USPTO cowers behind desk
There's little we like more than some good ol' fashioned wind shouting, Dragonborn-style, and it looks like Bethesda Softworks parent company Zenimax Media agrees with us. The company recently filed a sextet of trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the term "Fus Roh Dah" – a trio of words that originate with Skyrim.In particular, the filings pertain to everything from the typical computer game trademark to a variety of merchandising and "entertainment services." Though it's fun to fantasize about the ridiculous merchandizing possibilities, it's likely that Bethesda's parent company is just locking up said trademarks against potential profiteers. Now, if you'll excuse us, we'll get back to dreaming about "Fus Roh Dah"-themed sporting equipment (covered by filing number 85589296).
Ben Gilbert04.11.2012
Rumor: Elder Scrolls MMO to be announced in May
You know, that pesky Elder Scrolls MMO rumor just won't die. We've been hearing scuttlebutt of a Tamriel-themed massively multiplayer title for years now, and even though Bethesda has debunked such gossip in the past, Tom's Hardware is citing an "industry source" who says the title is a reality. The latest rumbling posits that the game will feature three factions and will take place several hundred years prior to the events of Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim. Also, some sort of official announcement is supposedly scheduled for May. Following that, the source claims, the Elder Scrolls MMO will have a "presence at E3" in June. Bethesda has yet to comment, but we'll bring you the latest info as it happens. [Thanks to Matt for the tip!]
Jef Reahard03.15.2012
Zenimax: Skyrim ships 10 million copies, outsells other PC titles three to one
Zenimax has announced 10 million copies of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim have been shipped out to retailers since launch, which represents $650 million in potential sales so far. Keep in mind that those copies are shipped, not sold. Sales for the RPG are doing well so far, and odds are quite a few more of those shipped copies will find their way into homes and stockings this holiday. Zenimax also reports that Skyrim has outsold all other PC games by a factor of three to one in the month since its debut, and currently holds the title for the fastest-selling game in Steam's history. Star Wars: The Old Republic is set to officially arrive next week, so it's hard to see Skyrim holding up that ratio on PC for much longer. In summary: infinity times ten million equals a hell of a lot of dragons.
Mike Schramm12.15.2011
Prepare to be psychologically overburdened by Skyrim's fully detailed locations map
We forgive you if you're already overwhelmed by Skyrim's ongoing notifications of new discoveries -- there's kind of a lot of stuff to do in Bethesda's latest Elder Scrolls realm. But for the rest of you fearless wanderers, the un-overwhelmable, Gamebanshee.com has put together this highly detailed, totally printable map of Skyrim's many, many locations. And if you should be so inclined to, say, print out a giant version of said map and adorn your wall with it, the cartographers responsible also have you covered (.ZIP link). If it weren't already clear that you've still got plenty left to explore in Skyrim, this map should handily clarify that. Just look at all that tiny writing! Those are all places!
Ben Gilbert11.28.2011
Bethesda's Todd Howard not interested in an Elder Scrolls MMO
Whenever the subject of untapped RPG franchises that could make the jump to MMOs comes up, Bethesda's Elder Scrolls series is almost always mentioned. After all, if Blizzard and BioWare made the jump, why not the folks behind Oblivion? In talking with our sister site Joystiq at PAX, Bethesda's Todd Howard fields the question with blunt honesty. "I like this kind of game better," he said. "You know, it's what most of us are into. I'm not really an MMO guy. I respect them, I look at them, but I don't play them. It feels more real to me when I'm the hero and it's crafted for that. A community aspect to it, I recognize a lot of people would want that in a game like this, but it changes the flavor for me. Of course, one man's feelings toward the genre aren't always enough to stave off corporate demands, but Howard says that isn't the case: "We can just do our thing, and it's kind of grown with each game. So there was no pressure from anybody above me to say 'Hey, you need to change this.'" That doesn't mean Bethesda will forever abstain from MMOs, however. Bethesda's parent company, ZeniMax Media, built an MMO customer support facility in Ireland earlier this year, an indication that online gaming may very well be in the company's future.
Justin Olivetti08.31.2011
Tommy will play an 'integral' role in Prey 2's story
While Prey 2 has players running, sliding and jumping around in the shoes of a new protagonist, one Killian Samuels, it doesn't mean the star of the first game, Tommy, has been taken out back to the space shed and put down, Old Yeller style. Chris Rhinehart from Human Head Studios has told IGN that Tommy will actually play an "integral" role in the story. "He's a character that you encounter many times throughout the game," Rhinehart said. "It's not just a single cameo where he shows up and takes off. He's integral to the story and events on Exodus. One of the big things is, the unique abilities that Tommy has, specifically spirit walk and death walk, are integral to his role and how he actually fits into the story." In the first game, Tommy was visited by the spirit of his grandfather, who taught him abilities which helped to propel the story forward. Could Tommy play a similar role for Killian in the sequel? Let's see if we wait until next year before finding out.
David Hinkle08.10.2011
ZeniMax Online Studios builds new MMO customer support facility
The folks at ZeniMax Online Studios have founded a new support facility in Galway, Ireland with the intent to provide customer service for "players of future massively multiplayer online games." While some of you are probably wondering just who in the heck ZeniMax is, others have no doubt seen the parent company name scrolling by on the startup screens for Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas and The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. ZeniMax Media owns not only ZeniMax Online but also Bethesda Softworks and id Software (the brains behind the Doom franchise). ZeniMax Online is headed by Mythic co-founder Matt Firor, and ex-World of Warcraft dev Rich Barham is serving as the director of customer support. Though the studio has yet to make an official game-related announcement, it's clearly laying the foundation for something big.
Jef Reahard03.16.2011
Prey 2 announced for 2012, in development at Human Head Studios
Back in 2009, Bethesda parent company Zenimax picked up the Prey trademark. Since then, we'd heard nothing -- until just now, of course. A sequel is confirmed to be in the works at Human Head Studios, developers of the first game, and is being built on the id Tech game engine. Prey 2 is slated to launch some time in 2012. The press release (in full after the break) offers few additional details about the game, other than that it's in development for Xbox 360, PS3 and PC; though Bethesda did toss out one small, barely satisfying bone: More details will be in the May issues of OXM and PlayStation: The Official Magazine, in addition to unnamed European publications. With E3 coming up in June, we bet there will be more info there, as well.
David Hinkle03.14.2011