Elder Scrolls Online
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Minion rounds up Elder Scrolls Online addons
It's Addon Day here at Massively, and as such we have another handy-dandy platform to help you manage your mods. ZAM has started an open beta for Minion, an addon management software designed to work with Elder Scrolls Online. Minion will help you install, manage, and update your addons for next month's ESO. It includes automatic updates and options to support additional future titles (such as World of Warcraft) and it claims to be safe from viruses, malware, and keyloggers. Minion is available for both Windows and OS X systems.
Elder Scrolls monthly content will go beyond 'a new sword or a funny hat'
In a recent interview with Gamespot, Bethesda's VP of PR, Pete Hines, described what the publisher sees as a value proposition for The Elder Scrolls Online's $14.99-a-month sub fee. "We're also very confident in our ability to support [the sub fee] with content. And not content of the magnitude of, it's a new month, here's a new sword or here's a funny hat -- but content that is real and significant and it feels like regular and consistent DLC releases." Hines went on to describe what he sees as the major factor that will separate TESO from the sea of games launching as F2P: "We're not trying to make a game that everybody who plays games will automatically buy. It is a certain kind of game. There [are] no shooter elements. There [are] no aliens. It is a massive 'go where you want, do what you want' game that we think offers the kind of experience that's worthy of a subscription."
Elder Scrolls Online sounds rallying call for final stress test weekend
With launch right around the corner, ZeniMax is pushing hard to get Elder Scrolls Online in top shape for its world debut. This means one last big stress test weekend is on tap for later this week. ZeniMax is sending out a huge wave of invites for the test and reminded players that any previous beta testers are automatically included in the fun. There is no NDA for the weekend, and any participants will be given a monkey vanity pet upon launch. MJ will be streaming ESO from this beta test on Friday at 2:00 p.m. EST, so if you can't get in the game, definitely give her adventures a watch!
Last Week on Massively: SWTOR's take on player housing
This post originally appeared on Massively by Editor-in-Chief Brianna Royce. At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. This week, BioWare performed an abrupt about-face on housing in MMORPGs, revealing during a livestream that Star Wars: The Old Republic will install its own system of player apartments to complement the existing private ship instances. Massively's Larry Everett broke down the video, speculating that housing will be faction-based and will have kiosks for mail, missions, decorating, appearance/outfit design, and HBO Go. Kidding. Read on for a look at the rest of this week's top MMO stories.
The Elder Scrolls Online answers community crafting questions
The Elder Scrolls Online wants crafting to be a major part of your experience in the game. The latest set of answers to community questions makes this very clear, outright stating that the vast majority of crafted gear is meant to be superior to found equipment. Yes, certain items from the world might have unique boosts that you can't craft, but even those items can be upgraded and improved by dedicated crafters. Dedication is a key consideration: Since your pool of skill points is the same for both battle skills and crafting skills, choosing to advance your crafting abilities will potentially mean passing on more combat-oriented techniques. Other topics under discussion are the finding and use of style books as well as how set bonuses and crafted sets are designed in the game. Check out the full list of answers if you can't wait to make your mark in Tamriel by making things.
Perfect Ten: Game franchises that became MMOs
Popular franchises have been known to jump between various entertainment media, from games to television to movies to comic books and even to pogs. We should not gasp in utter amazement that this is also the case with many of our beloved MMOs; we should nod sagely and accept the terrible truth. There are several video game franchises that have culminated in -- or at least have taken a detour through -- the land of MMOs. For gamers who wanted more and especially did not want to see their journey end, an MMO continuation is a welcome answer that's usually hiding its own problems. But nevermind that; let's march down the halls of history and see the yearbook photos of these franchises when they were young!
Exploring weaponcrafting in The Elder Scrolls Online
If you've merely puttered around The Elder Scrolls Online on a beta weekend, you might not have realized the game boasts a robust crafting system to allow players to make their very own pointy sticks and other implements of blood and battle. A post on the official ESO site today shows off some of these crafted items and explains how different racial styles are achieved. Says the post, Smiths in Tamriel add their own personal touches to every weapon, shield, and piece of armor they forge, from choosing a racial style to imparting special bonuses they've learned called traits. Master blacksmiths, clothiers, and woodworkers can take ordinary arms and armor and, with the right materials, transform them into equipment worthy of a true hero. Click to enlarge the picture embedded after the cut to see 27 of the weapons in their full glory.
Leaderboard: Are you concerned about Elder Scrolls Online's PvP focus?
The Elder Scrolls Online is a fascinating MMO for a number of reasons. There's the obvious triple-A budget and mega-popular IP, but apart from that the game appears to feature highly customizable skill-based character progression and curiously, a heavy focus on player-vs.-player combat. We say curiously because prior to ESO, the Elder Scrolls series went to great lengths to immerse players in you're-the-savior-of-the-world storylines, which on some level are incompatible with competitive multiplayer PvP. So, how about it, Leaderboard readers? Are you concerned about ESO's PvP pedigree, or are you OK with the IP branching out in new directions? Vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
Jukebox Heroes: Top 40 MMO themes, #30-21
We're back with our second part of our Top 40 MMO main themes countdown, this time digging into the middle of the pack. To repeat my self-imposed rules for this list: I limited myself to just one theme from a particular title, even if there were multiple themes in a game. Entries had to be a main theme or the closest equivalent of that; they had to be from MMOs, not from MOBAs; and I had to divorce my weighting of the track itself from the popularity of and my experience with that game. So there were no points added or subtracted based on my love of the game; I'm counting down the best music, period. If you missed the first part, check out themes #40-31. Otherwise, hit that continue button and get listening already!
Tamriel Infinium: Outside the box healing and tanking in The Elder Scrolls Online
In last week's Tamriel Infinium, I had my top-tier theorycrafter and friend Calls1gn throw together some off-the-wall DPS builds for The Elder Scrolls Online. But he could theorycraft all day, and it wouldn't mean anything if he couldn't put it into practice. Luckily, ZeniMax opened the doors to the ESO beta again this past weekend. I was totally intrigued by the melee Sorcerer with pets. After playing that type of character at low levels, I have to say that it's an extremely lazy class. Now, I didn't have all the abilities because they required a higher-level character, but even at my low level, I mostly sat back and watched my pets do their thing while I found one mob to beat on. It worked and was more than viable. Of course, building a DPS class is easy, right? What about something that requires a bit more concentration? What about a tank or a healer? Building a DPS character is a bit less difficult than tanks or healers, but that doesn't make them any less difficult to play. Still, your playstyle does change, and your focus changes if you want to tank or heal. I asked Calls1gn to build us a few tank and healer classes, too. I wanted a Dragonknight healer because there are few DK abilities that have anything to do with healing, and I wanted a Sorc tank because -- well, just because. He delivered.
Last Week on Massively: Maintenance mode is better than a sunset
This post originally appeared on Massively by Editor-in-Chief Brianna Royce. At the end of every week, we round up the best and most popular news stories, exclusive features, and insightful columns published on Massively and then present them all in one convenient place. As one of the first three MMORPGs ever, Asheron's Call made its mark in the genre with live events, hybrid character development, and a failed but later resurrected sequel. This week, Turbine comforted veteran players with the news that the venerable old sandbox will retreat to maintenance mode rather than sunset in the wake of the company's recent layoffs. The studio plans to make both classic AC and its sequel, Asheron's Call 2, free-to-play and allow player-run servers by the end of the year. Read on for the rest of this week's top MMO stories.
Video: The Elder Scrolls Online Imperial Edition goodies
Friend of Massively Richie "Bogotter" Procopio has YouTubed up for MMO fans a detailed tour of all of the bells and whistles included in The Elder Scrolls Online's super-special Digital Imperial Edition. His new video walks players through the creation of an Imperial character, the adorableness of the mudcrab minipet, and the extra bonuses Imperials can brag about. Butt sliders are included! Enjoy it after the break.
Tamriel Infinium: Building the best DPS class in The Elder Scrolls Online
Commenters and gamers around the internet have wondered aloud whether it's really true that any class can play any role in the Elder Scrolls Online. Developers have said that with a simple weapon swap, we can instantly change the group dynamic. Being a hard-nosed MMOer, I admit I thought that was a stretch. We've seen the pseudo-roleswaps in Guild Wars 2, but based on the videos that I've seen of both GW2 and ESO, the latter defines the roles even more stringently. If you're a tank in ESO, you will take the brunt of the damage and you will keep aggro off other players. As a healer, you'll find your job will be to keep others' health points from reaching zero. And DPS will be required to drop enemy health points to zero as fast as possible. That's the reality. So is it actually possible for any class to play any role, as the developers claim? I might enjoy talking about builds and what works for different playstyles, but math is far from fun for me. Fortunately, I have friends for whom theorycrafting is their calling. I wrestled down Calls1gn, a top-tier raider formerly of Memories of Xendor. I sat him in front of a skill calculator for ESO and made him create some amazing, yet viable, builds in some obscure classes to prove once and for all whether the class system is as flexible as ZeniMax claims.
Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online class?
Last week we asked you about your preferred Elder Scrolls Online faction. This week, we'll keep our focus on ZeniMax's forthcoming fantasy MMO, but we'll cover the game's classes instead. ZeniMax has shown off ESO's extensive skill-based customization options, of course, but players will need to pick a base class at character creation that will open up three skill lines and allow for building a unique character around a theme. Whether you're partial to Dragon Knights, Templars, Nightblades, or Sorcerers, we want to know, so vote after the cut! Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
The Elder Scrolls Online explores the creation of its music
Music plays a major role in setting the mood of any game. Sure, it might not be what makes or breaks The Elder Scrolls Online, but it would be difficult to get into the feel of epic adventure if the game's soundtrack were played entirely on harmonicas and vuvuzuelas. The latest development blog on the official site explains how the game's music was developed, how it was recorded, and what you can expect from the experience. Brad Derrick and Rik Schaffer handled the composition of the in-game score, experimenting with a variety of different methods for delivering the songs. At one point the game featured a system that changed the soundtrack measure by measure based on context cues, but that proved unworkable in the long run; instead, the music shifts to a variety of pieces depending on gameplay, weather, and the like, with unifying themes in each environment. Click on past the break for a sample of the orchestral recording, as well as one of the bardic songs performed by the singer Malukah.
Elder Scrolls Online inviting 'millions' for stress test while fretting over sub model
This looks to be a big weekend for The Elder Scrolls Online's beta program, as ZeniMax is "inviting millions" for a scale test. ESO invitees will also receive an extra code for a friend and an exclusive monkey vanity pet for launch. The studio noted that the NDA will not be in effect for this weekend's test, meaning that any public discussion, screenshots, or videos are fair game. In a conversation with CVG, Bethesda VP of PR Pete Hines said that there is some anxiety in the company over the subscription model not taking hold for ESO but hopes that players will find the value of the game worth the monthly payment. "We feel like this approach is going to give people who want to play the best value, and reason to look forward to the next new thing that's coming out," Hines explained. "The Elder Scrolls is our crown jewel and it's the series that made everything we do possible, so it's a big triple-A title that demands huge, ongoing triple-A support."
Elder Scrolls Online will give option to bypass starter island
The Elder Scrolls Online's beginning experience will become optional, as ZeniMax is making a significant change to allow players to skip over it entirely. The latest build on the public test server now gives players the option to bypass the starter islands and the connected tutorial. They can do this by talking to an NPC, after which their character will be taken to a central city. The starter zones have been subject of criticism by some press and players for being too slow and plodding. According to the patch notes, players who choose to skip it can go back and experience the starter island at their leisure.
Tamriel Infinium: Roleplaying in spite of The Elder Scrolls Online
From the moment I stepped into my first MMORPG ever, I was interested in playing a character, not just some avatar of myself on the screen. I followed the Ultima universe enough to create a believable character in that world, though I didn't play as long as I would have liked. However, my second MMO, Star Wars Galaxies, made roleplay really easy. With a bushel of emotes, character animations, and activities not directly based on combat, Sony's Star Wars MMO solidified my definition of what it meant to play an MMO. Of course, after that, the new MMOs -- with too few exceptions -- stopped lending themselves to quality roleplay thanks to the World of Warcraft design model. The change in scenery didn't stop roleplayers from forming amazing communities. In spite of mechanical issues and linear questlines, the Lord of the Rings Online roleplay community thrives. Rumor has it that WoW's roleplay community actually does something besides dancing on mailboxes in Goldshire. I don't think I have to tell you how difficult it is to roleplay in Star Wars: The Old Republic, but I do it anyway. My friends and I are considering jumping into The Elder Scrolls Online not just to play the game but to attempt to roleplay in it as well. It makes us wonder whether we'll be encouraged by the game to roleplay the way we like to or will have to roleplay in spite of the game.
The Elder Scroll Online showcases crafting in new blacksmithing video
Fans wanting to get a taste of crafting in The Elder Scrolls Online can watch a new dev play session video that highlights blacksmithing while describing crafting as a whole. In ESO, crafters will control not only the the type of materials an item is made out of and its level but its innate properties and look as well. Regardless of profession, all players can pick up any kind of resource in the world; however, only crafters who spend points in the skill Keen Eye will see the materials highlighted. Additionally, raw materials can be salvaged from loot and other items. Crafting is also tied into exploration in more ways than just gathering. Instead of having to travel to cities in order to create goods, crafters have specific locales throughout the world that allow them to make special set items with bonuses unique to each locale. And in order to put specific traits on an item, a crafter must have already learned said trait by studying (read: destroying) other items with it. Check out all the details in the video below.
Leaderboard: What's your preferred Elder Scrolls Online faction?
ZeniMax partially dropped the NDA for Elder Scrolls Online, and while we can't really talk about stuff past level 15, we can talk about factions. There are three of them: The Ebonheart Pact, the Aldmeri Dominion, and the Daggerfall Covenant. Nords, Dunmer, and Argonian players will belong to Ebonheart. Altmer, Bosmer, and Khajiit fall under the Aldmeri banner, while Bretons, Redguards, and Orcs will be sporting Daggerfall colors. So, how about it, Leaderboard readers? Which Elder Scrolls Online faction will you be playing? Ever wish that you could put to rest a long-standing MMO debate once and for all? Then welcome to the battle royal of Massively's Leaderboard, where two sides enter the pit o' judgment -- and only one leaves. Vote to make your opinion known, and see whether your choice tops the Leaderboard!
