Hey, it's ESO's turn. Again. Back to the land of dark anchors and skyshards, but this time also with dragons and playable necromancers. So in the middle of the five-year anniversary celebration for the launch of the game, here are a couple of potential destinations on the road ahead.
I could just re-post this last set of suggestions, but a link will suffice. A couple of examples are moot with some changes made since then but still a nice list overall. And the last item on that list is *still* a big thing for me as it can help new players and keep the story clear/consistent. The newish zone guides are a good step to helping overwhelmed new and returning players. A good first step. On to the new(?) stuff...
Fun with UI! This edition concerns the question, "Where should I start my adventures?"
This idea (and most of the others) might be easier to present in a video, but for now I'm stuck with text (the horror! reading! lots of words!). So here are the biggest points:
- Give players a choice about where to start a new character when character creation is done
- Do so with a new UI with a series of rectangular screen-width buttons featuring the name of the first adventure and zone, and appropriate image, and a very brief enticement of a description
As more and more Chapters with their own tutorials come out, even if they get folded into the DLC bundle over time, having a clear set of options for starting areas, beginning with the original, becomes increasingly important. Let new players and existing players decide where they want to start their adventures with a new character.
For example at the top of the list:
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Invasion from Coldharbour
Unexplained disappearances. Strange figures in the wilderness. Fiends from Oblivion attacking travelers on the road. The God of Schemes stirs - will you stand against him? Fight to drive back the darkness and reclaim the stolen souls of Tamriel.
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Click that and go to the standard opening for the base game. Or maybe you click the one underneath it:
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Morrowind
Vvardenfel. Land of Dark Elves. Home to the Ashlanders who revere the goddess Azura and keep the old ways, as well as to the Great Houses who follow the Tribunal. Explore a bizzare landscape of giant mushrooms, volcanic rock, and unique wildlife as you uncover the island's mysteries.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
And now get the opening for the Morrowind chapter instead. Same again with Summerset, Elsweyr, and whichever chapters come after that.
Faction Identity and Pride. No really, April Fool's was last month
ESO's original storylines had the Three Banners War as a major backdrop, and it's always been the basis of the limited open-world PvP in the main Cyrodiil zone as well as the Imperial City zone that was later added. Many players enjoyed rooting and playing for a particular faction at launch, and while that isn't absent now it's not what it used to be or what it could be.
Of course, when you bring up overland PvP in ESO a consistent chorus will say that nothing should be done for it until performance is fixed. It's been five years. Performance varies. Combat changes leading to annoying metas are ceaseless. And besides, more excitement from a larger portion of the playerbase for PvP will incentivize more attention to performance. There's nothing wrong with putting ideas into the PvP devs' heads while also grabbing torches and pitchforks to clamor for better performance.
But the faction identity and pride issue aren't just for PvP. Maybe some people don't care about factions. That's OK. But it's too central the base-game to overlook.
1. Context for the Alliances
As a lesson or a reminder, at one point in the game's development the three Alliances had very distinct ideas about what should be done after the Emperor of Tamriel disappears and is presumed deceased.
The Aldmeri Dominion feel that the non-elves as Emperors idea of the Second Era was a failure. The Altmer, under Queen Ayrenn, helped the Bosmer and the Khajiit to bolster their numbers and make their march to claim the Ruby Throne in the Imperial City feasible. The Dominion believes under Elven rule, specifically High Elven rule, safety and prosperity can return to Tamriel.
"I have no hatred for the races of Man, but they are young. Like all children, they are driven by emotion. They lack the wisdom that comes with age. I would sooner place an Altmer infant on the Ruby Throne than surrender Tamriel to their capricious whims. The Altmer, the Bosmer and the Khajiit share the common traits of intelligence, patience and reason. We do not seek riches or plunder. Domination is not our goal, nor is the acclamation of power for its own sake. Today we make our stand. Today we take back the Ruby Throne, which is ours by ancient right and the blessings of the Divines. Stand with us."
―Ayrenn Arana Aldmeri
The Ebonheart Pact is made of portions of three races usually not on the best of terms with each other who united to defend themselves from the most recent Akaviri invasion. Each of their provinces also happen to see the decline of centralized Imperial rule as a good thing, and aren't in a hurry to see a strong Imperial rule again any time soon. Controlling the Imperial City is key to the end.
"Before Ysgramor led the Nord people south, our ancestors flourished in the frozen continent of Atmora, and to this day our people prefer the bitter climates of northern Tamriel. The Dark Elves abide in Morrowind, a harsh land of ashfall and perpetual earthquakes. The Argonians endure the treacherous and impenetrable depths of Black Marsh. The alliance between our races was born in dark times, when Nord, Dunmer and free Argonians fought as one to repel the invasion of the Akaviri slavemasters. Our greatest strength is the adversity we have overcome. Our resolve is glacial, our might is forged in fire, and our courage, cultivated by the beasts of the jungle. We are Ebonheart. We are as one. And by this, our victory is assured."The Daggerfall Covenant wants to restore the Empire and re-establish stability and safety without seeing the elves back on the Ruby Throne. This second part is a big selling point for both the Redguard and the Orcs. They also don't trust the secessionist tendencies of the Ebonheart Pact.
― Jorunn the Skald-King
"Our supplies dwindle. Our trade routes are shut down. Our people suffer. Why? Because a pretender sits upon the Ruby Throne. Let us take up arms! Let the fields of Cyrodiil run red with the blood of our fallen enemies! But let us spare the lives of a few, so that they may return to their homelands to tell their fellows the fate they met at the hands of the Daggerfall Covenant. One land! One Emperor! Who among you will stand with me?"In addition to giving summaries about the Alliances on the official website (which have been hidden/removed), there were videos like this talking about the unique motivations of each Alliance for taking armies into Cyrodiil to claim the Imperial City:
― High King Emeric
The concept of this video was later partially echoed in a developer post on the official ESO forums:
Alliance War Future – After Imperial City launches, we are looking to add more content into Cyrodiil in some of the emptier locations. We will, of course, continue adding to the Keep system, too. We’re also looking to add more Alliance-specific gear to give more options for individual identity to the Aldmeri, Ebonheart and Daggerfall communities.
This context is no longer provided or promoted on the official ESO website. You have to try searching the forums or third party websites to figure out the most meager basics of any of the Alliances. But they did add Alliance specific gear motifs you can buy for Alliance Points (a currency you earn from doing PvP), so that was nice.
2. Choosing an Alliance
Of course, priorities in game development change. Yet, Cyro(diil) and Imperial City are still all about the Three Banners War, and again, it's a major backdrop for the game's content. Players still have to choose an Alliance each time they make a character, whether it's their first or their fifteenth. And yet, there is nothing in the character creation process nor on the official website to give them any kind of heads up about why they should choose on Alliance over another.
Moreover, because new players since 2016 have been forced to start their characters in the zone of the most recent ESO Chapter, there will be nothing about the Alliances in the initial content as Chapters are Alliance-agnostic except for a minor NPC here or there who makes some oblique reference to them. And when they leave that Chapter zone, they are free to go anywhere. Which is great for that Elder Scrolls exploration feel, but, it can be sooooo confusing. There is nothing to indicate or encourage a player to explore their home Alliance, which could be accomplished with relatively simple solutions like auto-adding a little quest or sending an email to the player when they first leave their initial zone letting them know how/where to do so.
And if there were materials on the official website and some quick summary in the character creation screens, this would help even more.
3. Confirming an Alliance
So, players are left to figure this Alliance stuff out on their own, and many may regret their choice after playing enough of the game to get a feel for each Alliance (or at least the one they chose). or maybe they make friends in another Alliance and wish they could switch on their existing character. NOPE. Not allowed. You didn't know what you were getting into, but your stuck with that decision.
That sucks.
Especially given the changes wrought by the One Tamriel update, it would be very helpful to put NPC Alliance recruiters in the game (the Daggerfall Covenant already has them but they are just for show). At any time, you can go to a recruiter and officially join. If it's a different Alliance than the one you started with, a confirmation text box pops up asking if you are sure about this irreversible decision. Can do the same even if it's the one you initially chose just to be clear. There you go. A one-time chance to switch.
So go one, do the base game in whichever order you like, and *then* be allowed to make your final decision about where your character belongs.
4. Play for your Alliance (PvE)
So yeah you get the Alliance quest storyline, become a champion of your Alliance, then... *crickets*
ESO devs like adding achievements tied to dailies, so why not add these for the Alliances? Like they did with Mages and Fighters Guilds, for example? But you only get to work for the one you've chosen for a character. The quest giver can be an NPC representing the Hidden Armigers for EP, the Ring of Daggers for DC, and the Eyes of the Queen for AD.
Want to spice it up? Add a skill line (same for each Alliance) made up of passives only. Really *fun* quality of life things, like maybe getting to feed your mount twice a day or something.
A good edition to base-game content.
5. Play for your Alliance (PvP)
So this is thing already exists in Cyro and IC, but it's a bit bland. The only difference between the Alliances in Cyro are:
- color of a flag when you capture something or on your siege items
- which side of the map your base is on
- ???
Yeah, so that's basically no actual difference. Here are a few ways to make some basic improvements:
make the siege equipment look different based on the "attitude" of each Alliance and the design aesthetics of its primary member races
give a similar re-skinning to keeps and outposts based on which Alliance is occupying it
add a few one-time unique quests that show the unique flavor/goals/perspective of each Alliance for both Cyro and IC
add a repeatable quest giver as per the bullet above with dialogue that also helps flesh out some distinctions
Another good edition to base-game content.
All of together this gives depth to a player's choice of Alliance and an opportunity for a character and player to invest a bit into another part of the game. Those who don't care don't have to, as per most of the rest of the content of the game.
OK, that's it for this armchair dev session. Have a great day.
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