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New faction short story: The Untamed Valley
I have a soft spot for the Tillers. I think they're one of my favorite factions from Pandaria. It wasn't just the fact that I got my own farm, it was the fact that each character involved in the Tillers' quests was so fleshed out, so well written, and so engaging that you really couldn't help but be enchanted by Halfhill and the surrounding farms. Of all the pandaren we've met in Mists, I think I'm going to miss the gang in Halfhill the most. That said, the absolute last person I ever expected to show up in a short story surrounding the Tillers was Vindicator Maraad. Yet there he is, accompanied by Sentinel Commander Lyalia, another Alliance face we haven't seen for quite some time. The thought of a towering blue-skinned alien from another world interacting with the jovial and decidedly down-to-earth farmers of Halfhill seems like a really strange idea for a story. And yet in Blizzard's latest short story offering, The Untamed Valley, it works. It really, really works, in the most unexpected way.
Six things you will and will not find in The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls series launched in 1994 with Arena. The game was sold on floppy disks, for goodness' sake. It's been around for a long time. With that extended life comes convoluted and complicated lore. Even after I'd heard the time period for The Elder Scrolls Online, I had to research to find out whether certain pieces of lore would actually appear in the game. Of course, I'm not going to be able to tell you everything in this one article, but before ESO launches, I can hit some of the highlights.
The Elder Scrolls Online announces PvP campaign names
If you're hoping to get organized for mass PvP in The Elder Scrolls Online, then there's good news for you today, as ZeniMax has just announced the names of the PvP campaigns that will be available across the game's megaservers. You can choose your home campaign at level 10, and each one will track progress separately and be available on both US and EU megaservers. The campaign names will be familiar to Elder Scrolls vets: Bloodthorn, Scourge, Chrysamere, Auriel's Bow, Wabbajack, Volendrung, Skull Crusher, Dawnbreaker, Goldbrand, Hopesfire ZeniMax also reminded players that they can use the beta client for the final game rather than reinstall. You can begin patching in prep for early access as of today.
The Daily Grind: Does your guild have a unique angle?
I've been seeking out Elder Scrolls Online roleplaying guilds over the past couple of days and while there are thousands to choose from, most trod the exceedingly familiar path of the mercenary company and/or the lovable band of roguesbrigandsthievespiratessmugglerssoldiers. I'm not saying it's easy to come up with something different, mind you, since most modern MMORPGs skimp on non-combat gameplay. But still. I've seen a tiny handful of trading guilds and even an entertainment troupe or two, so I know it's possible. What about your guild, Massively readers? Assuming it's a roleplay group or something other than a loose collection of meatspace pals, does it have a unique angle? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Paul Sage on Elder Scrolls' endgame
"When your character in Elder Scrolls Online reaches level 50," ZeniMax says, "the journey isn't over." This is good news for those of you concerned about Elder Scrolls' endgame, and creative director Paul Sage has authored a lengthy blog post that spells out the current post-50 options. Said options include solo or duo PvP, small group PvP, large group PvP, solo or duo PvE, four-person group PvE, and 12-person group PvE. Sage also talks up ESO's first adventure zone, an area called Craglorn that is built for a four-person group despite being the size of a standard PvE zone. Read all about it via the links below.
The Daily Grind: Is Elder Scrolls Online in a good shape to launch?
Right now is the calm before the Elder Scrolls Online storm, the holding of one's breath before it can be released next week. I won't be playing it but I'm happy for those of you who will, since a major new MMO release is always a cause for celebration and energizes the larger community. However, I have one question today that I'd like to put out to those of you who were in the beta test, either extensively or during one of the weekends: Is ESO in a good shape to launch? Did it get adequate testing? Are the bugs fixed or is it an insect-lover's paradise in there? Is it being pushed out the door firmly but prematurely due to a fixed date or is it sailing gracefully on its own steam with no major reservations? Do you take the devs' words that launch will be a polished, lag-free experience? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
I'm so bored with the Horde
This isn't a rant about how the Horde is bad, or how you should feel bad for playing them, or anything. If you like playing Horde, I'm not arguing that you're wrong to do so. I know that's a subjective thing, and some folks just plain like specific Horde races better. This is more about how, after Mists of Pandaria, I'm completely exhausted as a player with Horde stories and the Horde/Alliance conflict. I'm not inherently opposed to Horde/Alliance conflict. In fact, I think it made Mists of Pandaria a very strong expansion, with a strong and interesting story. I especially liked patch 5.1, and played both the Horde and Alliance storylines. And frankly, that was the last time any of my Horde characters got any serious play. Since 5.1 I've felt myself shifting away from the Horde. Part of that was going back to raiding on my draenei warrior, of course. But a bigger part of it was simple ennui, and a general culture shift in the Horde that left me feeling totally unable to connect to it. When I rolled my first Horde characters (an orc shaman and tauren warrior back in vanilla days) there was a real, concrete tone shift when I played them vs, when I played my Alliance characters. A sense of desperate odds, of outcasts banding together to stand against a hostile world, facing off against a monolithic power. That's gone. It's probably gone forever. Even after the events of Mists of Pandaria, it's impossible to view the faction that banded together from the events of Warcraft III as the same entity anymore - over the course of two expansions, the Horde went from underdogs to aggressors. And while I've heard many players say things like "the orcs are not the whole Horde" to attempt to distance ourselves, fact is, my tauren did the quests in Twilight Highlands. My blood elf led the charge onto Pandaria's shores, and he stole the Divine Bell so that Garrosh could make use of it. Up until patch 5.3, if you played Horde, there was no real way to not aid Garrosh's cause - you were complicit in everything that helped make the Warchief's plan work. The orcs may not be the whole Horde, but what excuse does that give your pandaren or forsaken, when they're the ones who delivered the keys to the kingdom into Garrosh's hands?
The Elder Scrolls Online answers your launch questions in advance
Are you ready for the launch of The Elder Scrolls Online? The earliest access starts in just five days. But if you've got the five-day headstart, when can you actually log in? When can you first enter the game on launch day? The answer, as outlined in the new launch FAQ on the site, is 7:00 a.m. EDT on March 30th for 5-day early access, 7:00 a.m. EDT on April 1st for 3-day early access, and 7:00 p.m. EDT on April 4th for the full launch. There's more useful information in the launch FAQ, as well. Beta participants will not need to re-download the client, and the full retail patch can be downloaded as early as March 27th. You will be able to upgrade to the game's Imperial Edition following the launch, but the Explorer's Pack requires a pre-order. For any other questions you might have, take a gander at the full FAQ to make sure you're ready to go when the servers open up.
Elder Scrolls Online recaps pre-launch AMA
The Elder Scrolls Online team has posted a summary of its recent AMA with the most germane questions and answers fans have prior to the game's launch. Among the topics discussed was the choice of going to the starter islands, promised support for roleplayers, and the implementation of tabards and insignias for guild representation. PvPers will be relieved to know that ZeniMax is adding population bonuses for underpopulated alliances and hopes that the two underperforming teams will ally against the leader. The team also addressed several progress-blocking bugs from the recent beta test: "We did find three underlying issues that affected a large number of quests that are exposed when many people are in the same area. We have fixed all three of those underlying issues."
Elder Scrolls early access starts this Sunday at the crack of dawn
If you're looking to log into The Elder Scrolls Online's early access period as soon as humanly possibly, prepare to get up at the crack of dawn this Sunday. A Reddit user has posted ZeniMax's schedule for the five-day jump (beginning at 7:00 a.m. EDT on Sunday, March 30th), the three-day head start (7:00 a.m. EDT on Tuesday, April 1st), and the wide release (7:00 p.m. EDT on Thursday, April 3rd). Note that these dates and times are for PC players. ESO's console versions will launch in June.
New Elder Scrolls Online API changes affect UI mods; devs post an AMA
Modding and The Elder Scrolls series have long been a match made in gamer heaven, but ZeniMax's latest API changes to The Elder Scrolls Online has the fantasy MMO's modding community up in arms. In a nutshell, the new version of the API removes the ability to track what others are doing to your avatar. You'll still see various effects, but you'll no longer see which spell was cast. The impetus behind the changes seems to be to level the playing field between those using the standard UI and those using add-ons like Foundry Tactical Combat. [Thanks Andre!] [Update: Tipster Vinicius let us know that the ESO team has also posted a fresh Ask Me Anything on Reddit. The devs discuss beta wipes, load capacity, bug fixes, and more.]
Leaderboard: ArcheAge vs. ESO vs. WildStar... Fight!
Now that Trion has confirmed a 2014 launch date for ArcheAge, my excitement level for this year's crop of triple-A MMORPGs is on the rise. I've been warming to The Elder Scrolls Online in recent weeks, and hell, I may even play WildStar. All three of these games are timesinks, though, so I'm glad that they're not releasing one on top of the other. What about you, Massively readers? Are you excited for all three of 2014's triple-A launches? Which one will you play the most? 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!
Elder Scrolls Online's crafting is as easy or complex as you want it to be
Elder Scrolls Online's crafting was designed for all types of players in mind, ZeniMax posted in an article today. In the piece, the studio gave an overview of the system along with several helpful tips for newbie crafters. "We want you to be able to get something out of crafting even if you aren't making it your character's focus," the studio said. "And, conversely, if you want to invest a lot of time and effort, we want the rewards to be worthwhile." ZeniMax designed Provisioning for casual crafters, Enchanting and Alchemy for mid-core crafters, and Smithing for hardcore crafters. Players can choose as few or many of these to pursue as they wish, but the studio said that there will still be "interesting choices" while players are picking traits and doing the actual crafting. There are several more tips and facts in this article, including the confirmation of "secret crafting stations" hidden in the game that can bestow powerful bonuses.
Tamriel Infinium: Five essential Elder Scrolls Online addons
The Elder Scrolls series is known for its mods and addons, and Elder Scrolls Online is no exception. Although we will likely not see the appearance modifications found in Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim, we will see UI addons that help with grouping, dungeon crawling, and even roleplaying. In fact, modding is so essential to the Elder Scrolls franchise that Curse announced it was opening its own site featuring Elder Scrolls Online addons, and ZAM launched its ESO addons website a few weeks ago. I've been keeping an eye on these addons as they begin to take off. As you would expect, initially the pickings were slim. However, over the last few weeks with the beta weekends, the ongoing beta, and the NDA drop, we have seen these addons grow exponentially to the point that I think some of these modifications are required to properly enjoy the game. Today, I will list some of the addons that I think are necessary before you even start playing the Elder Scrolls Online. Although modders Wykkyd and WarLegend lead the pack, there are plenty of lesser-known mods you might want to look at. Here are my top five mods for the Elder Scrolls Online.
The Daily Grind: Do you put any stock in pre-release dev quotes?
This past week saw a couple of interesting developer quotes surface regarding ArcheAge and The Elder Scrolls Online. I don't know about you guys, but I filed them away for future reference, both because I'm cynical and because the topics covered are high on my personal pucker factor list. First up was ESO's Matt Firor, who stated that his game will deliver a "polished, lag-free launch experience." Then it was Trion's Evan Berman, who said that ArcheAge's "earned and crafted items are objectively superior" to what will be on offer in the title's western cash shop. I'd like to believe both of those quotes, naturally, but I didn't start playing MMOs yesterday. What about you, Massively readers? Do you put any stock in pre-release developer promises? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Elder Scrolls Online promises 'polished, lag-free launch experience'
ZeniMax Lead Developer Matt Firor rallied the legions of Elder Scrolls Online fans today with a lengthy post about what the studio's done and what it's planning to do to ensure a successful launch of the game. Firor said that beta feedback and testing has been invaluable, prompting the team to streamline the starting experience and make combat "more substantial." He was also impressed by what he saw during testing: "Some of the things we've discovered with your help excite and inspire us -- like seeing that 98% of characters created have a unique appearance, or seeing the first emperor crowned in our epic PvP system -- while other findings challenge us to make the game better." To ready the game for launch, there will be one final stress test this weekend. ZeniMax has prepared megaservers for both North America and Europe, and the studio assured players that playing cross-region will not result in any drop of latency. The team also has a number of overflow servers on the ready to deal with the initial crush. Finally, Firor said that we'll soon hear more about the first post-launch update that will add the Craglorn zone for endgame players. "We will make sure that no matter where you live, every player in North America, Europe, Oceania, and many places beyond will have a polished, lag-free launch experience," Firor promised.
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!
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.
