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PS4 playable at Eurogamer Expo 2013
Going to be in London at the end of September? Drop by the Eurogamer Expo and you just might get some hands-on time with the PlayStation 4. What hasn't been confirmed yet? Exactly which titles will be playable at the show. We've got our fingers crossed for The Elder Scrolls Online, ZeniMax's upcoming fantasy MMO. UbiSoft's The Crew and Turbine's Infinite Crisis are also confirmed for the PS4 but not for a demo just yet, according to a new press release. The Expo starts Thursday, September 26th, and runs through Sunday, September 29th. Super passes and weekend tickets are already sold out, but Thursday and Friday tickets are still available on the official event website. [Source: Eurogamer Expo 2013 press release]
Prepare for TESO with The Elder Scrolls Anthology
So, you need a primer for The Elder Scrolls Online and its mountain of lore and wouldn't you know it, Bethesda has just the thing. For the first time ever, the firm says, you can own the entire series in one complete collection for PC. Beginning with Arena and culminating with Skyrim's Dragonborn expansion, you can (re)experience all of Tamriel along with a spiffy retail package and five physical maps for $79.99. The Anthology will be available beginning on September 10th, though Bethesda's website notes that you can pre-order it now. We should also point out that Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim are pretty cheap on Steam these days, while Daggerfall and Arena are free downloads.
Leaderboard: WildStar vs. The Elder Scrolls Online
We haven't had a knock-down drag-out battle royal between two heavyweight MMOs on Leaderboard in quite a while. And hey, there's no time like the present, amirite? Let's say that in one corner we have WildStar, NCsoft's sci-fantasy darling. And let's say that in the other corner we have The Elder Scrolls Online, ZeniMax's attempt to take the mega-popular single-player RPG series online. Which game do you see being more successful? Which game tickles your fancy the most? In short, WildStar or ESO? 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!
TESO Ask Us Anything talks roleplay, add-on support
ZeniMax Online's latest The Elder Scrolls Online dev blog contains a few tiny tidbits for lovers of roleplaying. In the Ask Us Anything post, ZeniMax confirmed that the US and EU will have separate servers (though players can choose where they want to play), animated emotes are already in the game (with custom emotes possible via "/emote"), and that characters will have the option of walking instead of running. More specific to role-play lovers: ZeniMax has no plans to give players a place to write their own backstory, but noted that TESO's add-on system will be flexible enough that the community should be able to come up with something. Players will also have access to privacy settings including an invisible mode that shows them as being offline. Finally, the studio hinted at what types of weather players should expect to see while hanging out in Tamriel: From snowstorms in Skyrim to rain showers over the moors of Glenumbra, you'll experience lots of weather as you explore -- through the day and night -- in ESO."
TESO introduces the scamp
The world of Elder Scrolls is filled with colorful, fantastical creatures, and The Elder Scrolls Online is no exception. In the latest edition of Creating ESO, the team at ZeniMax Online details the mischievous and dangerous scamp, a small Daedra who will be familiar to players of Morrowind and Oblivion. Scamps can cast fire-based spells and have their own special language. And despite their small size, they are menacing foes for Tamriel explorers caught with their defenses down. You can see the scamp in action after the break.
Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online's community focus
When interviewing developers for Massively over the last three years, I've taken many opportunities to chat up multiple community managers. And when I was running my own community, I read article after article about how to gauge the health of a community. Although I don't remember who said it or where I might have read it, I learned that one of the best ways to measure a healthy community is the amount of artwork that players make about your particular theme, or in the case of The Elder Scrolls Online, the game. Of course, all game creators like to see players having fun and being inspired by what they are doing. The Elder Scrolls brings with it an existing community inspired by games like Skyrim and Morrowind. The community has already fallen in love with ESO and has drawn inspiration from everything that ZeniMax has released about the game so far. One of these inspired individuals is Lisa Green, known as Aloucia on TESO-RP.com. She told me a bit about herself and the inspiration behind her painting that was featured in the latest Tamriel Chronicle.
Coming soon to a console near you: MMOs
Remember E3 2013? That huge video games conference thing from earlier in the summer? Weeks have passed since Microsoft and Sony squared off in the Los Angeles convention center (while Nintendo posted up at Best Buy and Ouya sulked in the parking lot), but the news made there continues to reverberate through the games industry. One curious trend seems to have been missed amid the clashing of proverbial titans: There sure are a lot of MMOs and online-focused games due on consoles this generation. And since MMOs are the business of Massively, we thought it might be fun to compile a quick list of all the ones we can find that are either already available on our current consoles or set for launch on the next batch. The list, as it turns out, is pretty extensive.
Tamriel Infinium: Phasing The Elder Scrolls Online
Today, I want to talk about a mechanic introduced most popularly in World of Warcraft's expansion Wrath of the Lich King. Don't look at me like that. I didn't actually play WoW... I just heard about this second hand. I will call this MMO storytelling mechanic "phasing." The Elder Scrolls Online developers call it layering. But whatever you want to call it, we know ESO will employ this mechanic to allow for story progression and player choice within the game. Let's say you and your friend are in the open world (or maybe an instanced dungeon), and he is further along in the quest than you. At the beginning of the quest, the quest giver is alive, and by the end of questline the quest giver is dead. With phasing technology, you and your friend could be standing next to each other in the virtual world. You see him, and he sees you. But he sees a dead quest giver while you see a living one. Your computer is not broken; you are witnessing phasing. So how does this affect storytelling and the overall feel of the game itself?
ZeniMax publishes dungeon-focused Elder Scrolls AMA
Have questions about dungeons in The Elder Scrolls Online? ZeniMax has answers, at least to a few of them. The firm has published a new Ask Us Anything on dungeons that gathers together various community queries in a single post. Hit the links below to learn the answers to things like whether or not ESO dungeons will be linear like most of their single-player Elder Scrolls counterparts and whether players will be able to wander into solo encounters in the multiplayer game. As for this last bit, ZeniMax says that the answer is basically yes, after a fashion. "Certain rare locales will just be for solo players, and some dungeons are meant for groups made only of people you choose to go in with. Most locales, however, will be accessible by everyone." Also of note is the decision to dispense with dungeon lockout timers. "We don't currently have any plans to use lockout timers. You can run through a dungeon as often as you like," the company says.
Tamriel Infinium: Three pieces of 'advice' now that you're in ESO beta
When I started this piece, I wanted a good strong Elder Scrolls oath or expletive to start us out, so of course, I jumped to the Imperial Library to find a good one. By the time I'd finished looking and being distracted by the incredible lore surrounding these phrases, by the dragon's teeth, I had completely forgotten why I'd wanted to look up the oath in the first place because this week's Tamriel Infinium isn't even about oaths. It's about beta testing. Apparently, ZeniMax should not give any more beta invites to people with Twitter accounts because they cannot keep a secret. Many players reveled in the fact that they are better than everyone else because they received a special invite to The Elder Scrolls Online closed beta for this weekend. I figured I'd help those special few out by giving them some "advice" on how to make a good impression on the developers while in closed beta. The first one they have already done: announce to the world at large that they have been invited to secret beta test. To get extra points, include your full name and IP address so that it's easier for the ZeniMax community team to find you and "thank" you personally. I've got three more pieces of advice to give, and I want to know why the rest of you deserve to be in beta. Perhaps, I can use your advice to help me get in. Bogfire! My own tactics aren't working for me yet.
The Elder Scrolls Online sends out more beta invites
Today might just be the day. It might be the day that you wake up, check your email, and discover that -- glory of glories! -- you are now part of The Elder Scrolls Online's beta. The official site is reporting that a wave of invites have gone out to potential testers for the next beta phase. So you know the drill: Check your email, check your spam folder, and sacrifice your favorite action figure on an altar in the hope that it will make a difference. "We're looking forward to the next beta session and can't wait for more of you to see the game," ZeniMax said. The studio assured players that the beta "continues to grow" and that more invites will be forthcoming.
Tamriel Infinium: The Elder Scrolls Online is more than just dungeons and dragons
Although many fans of The Elder Scrolls cheered at the introduction of The Elder Scrolls Online at E3, the divisions within the fanbase since then have morphed into warring creatures like Godzilla vs. Mothra, and this column is Japan. Although all of our buildings are being smashed by the battling brutes, it makes for great entertainment. I'm cheering both sides on. I love a good debate. Despite diligently scanning my spam folder every day this week, I am still without a beta invite. I think ZeniMax is playing hard to get. I promised I won't divulge any secrets; I just wanna make my Khajiit Nightblade. Is it asking too much to get a chance to explore the Tamriel dungeons? Obviously, it is. However, we did get a taste of ESO dungeons in a blog this week. And it looks as if we have an exciting combination of RIFT-style classes and Guild Wars 2 combat to look forward to. Hopefully, it's the best of both without the flaws.
ZeniMax talks Kwama, dungeon roles, and TESO beta invites
ZeniMax updated its Elder Scrolls Online website this week with a trio of articles touching on various aspects of the upcoming fantasy title. First up was a feature that examined player roles and AI behavior in TESO's dungeons. Of particular interest here was the article's contention that players can change between DPS, healer, and tank roles on the fly thanks to the open-ended skill system. Next was a blurb about a new round of beta invites. Yes, they've been sent, so check your email. Finally, we got a closer look at the insectoid Kwama thanks to a dev diary and an associated video, the latter of which you'll find after the break.
Tamriel Infinium: Immersing yourself in The Elder Scrolls Online
Throughout my time as a gamer, I have seen game designers struggle with immersion because not everyone views immersion the same way and every designer wants his game to pull you in. The more you play one designer's game, the more likely you will buy his or her next game. In the case of MMOs, the greater the immersion, the greater chance you will spend more money on subscriptions or in the cash shop. Some gamers find first-person views with in-your-face action immersing; some, like me, find rich lore and a solid storyline immersing. The Elder Scrolls Online faces perhaps the hardest task. Not only does this game strive to immerse the already existing divisions between the RPG crowd, but it also has to contend with the different platforms on which it's releasing. Our commenters on this site are heavily divided on the console-vs.-PC subject. To top it off, some have already been turned off by Bethesda's shying away from calling the game an MMO. Today, I face head-on some of game's immersion pitfalls and tackle the divisive comments from last week's Tamriel Infinium.
Tamriel Infinium: Elder Scrolls Online, the non-MMO MMO
Bethesda revealed an exorbitant amount of information about its MMO The Elder Scrolls Online at E3. With this being the year the game was originally slated to release, I was not surprised. Of course, Massively reporters could not keep their hands off the game. Staffer Jasmine Hruschak and freelancer Andrew Ross both spent some time behind the keyboard stealing cabbages and talking to a dog. I'm not quite sure about the dog thing, but they apparently had fun. In fact, I think Jasmine penned the most revealing quote about the game: "Their dialogues were interesting and well-acted enough to make me curious. This stuck in my mind because it's completely opposite my typical MMO playstyle. I skip cutscenes, I don't read quest text, and I go to new areas as soon as possible." Of course, I'm excited about the release, and despite being an avid MMO fan, I do appreciate the idea that ESO might not be as much of an MMO as we had originally thought. In an interview with Gamereactor, Creative Director Matt Firor stated, "This is more a multiplayer Elder Scrolls game than an MMO." Although this might turn off the standard MMO crowd, I do believe that his curbing our expectations might be a lesson that more MMO developers should learn from.
E3 2013: Stealing cabbages in The Elder Scrolls Online
I eagerly consumed about 45 minutes of The Elder Scrolls Online during E3 this week. I stayed glued to my keyboard and headphones until the expo hall closed and I was told to clear out. Part of this time was spent interviewing the nearest willing Bethesda employee, and every other second was hauling Orc butt around ESO. My character of choice, an Orc Dragonknight, loaded into the game on the other side of a polygon-rich bridge from an equally polygon-rich town. The Bethesda employee standing nearby mentioned I could go into the town for some guided content the team had prepared. I made a sharp right turn into the stream and killed a deer instead.
Tamriel Infinium: Everyone gets an Elder Scrolls game!
The more convention coverage I read and the more conventions I go to, the more I'm concerned by them. The atmosphere is unlike anything I've ever experienced before, and rubbing shoulders with the developers of some of my favorite games has its perks. But you hardly ever get to the meat of what determines a great game. Amidst the hype and free booze, every game looks and tastes great, but even the greatest games are less filling under those circumstances. Even we observers from home receive only a candy-coated glimpse of what a game really offers. The news pouring in from the The Elder Scrolls Online really exemplifies the layers of fluff that the convention atmosphere can place on a game. Two of our reporters spent time talking to the developers of the next venture into the world of Tamriel, and both stepped away with a very positive experience. Admittedly, I feel the excitement, too. I'm twitching with joy. Our freelancer Andrew's note that he "just didn't realize [he] was starting a quest when [he] talked to [quest givers]" piques my interest. Have we finally found a game that feels like a living world? And quotes from the ESO developers like, "You can pick up a sword and shield if you start as a sorcerer class and become a sword and shield user, and that's fine" have me wondering if we haven't stumbled upon the best mix of sandbox and themepark in an MMO. This week and next, I want to delve deeper into the reports from E3. Do we find some concerns that the developers are trying to gloss over, or is ESO everything we ever wanted from an Elder Scrolls game?
E3 2013: Bethesda talks next-gen consoles, endgame, and character skills in The Elder Scrolls Online
E3 is the time and place for game creators to show their work, and Bethesda is no exception. The company offered a quick presentation of The Elder Scrolls Online, which consisted of a short introduction video followed by a brief play session. In the video, Bethesda confirmed what we already knew: that The Elder Scrolls Online will launch on PS4 and Xbox One, along with PC and OS X. The targeted release window is currently spring 2014, a delay from fall 2013 for the PC version. The video also showed off some of the content that wasn't on display for testers, including high-level PvP battles featuring 200 on-screen players, group combat, first-person mode, and familiar locations like Windhelm and Morrowind. Our own Jasmine Hruschak attended the TESO live demo event and managed to snag a Bethesda employee for an impromptu interview. Check out the full text after the break, and don't forget to read Andrew's hands-on as well!
E3 2013: Hands-on with The Elder Scrolls Online
I was kind of new, so I figured I'd practice on some sheep first. A little blood, some meat, some fat. Interesting, but kind of simple. I understood some of the basics on how to move and fight, but I figured I should check out the town. Now, I'm kind of old and ugly, so when the dog came at me, I figured it was attacking me. After a few moments, I realized it was friendly and talked to it. It seemed it wanted me to follow it. This was the start of my first quest in The Elder Scrolls Online. Now, to be clear, I came into my ESO demo at this year's E3 as a skeptic. I played Star Wars: The Old Republic. I figured "MMO with story" meant kill 10 rats; choose 1, 2, or 3; then look for another quest icon. It's not a terrible model, but it's one that left me wondering if there was a better way to do things. Why make it an MMO when you could just do a multiplayer RPG? I'm not sure I know the answer to this yet, but I do feel I'm getting closer.
E3 2013: The Elder Scrolls Online will land on the PS4 and Xbox One
Bethesda has just announced plans to bring The Elder Scrolls Online to the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in spring 2014. Sony confirmed during its conference at E3 tonight that the PS4 will be the first platform (or possibly just the first console -- it's unclear) on which the ESO beta will be available. The game was slated to release on PC this fall, but the press release (and a tweet from Bethesda's Pete Hines) seems to imply that the PC launch window has also been delayed to next spring: "The game will launch on these consoles, in addition to the previously announced PC and Mac versions, in Spring 2014." ZeniMax has also today released a brand-new trailer to coincide with the announcement; we've tucked it behind the break. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in! Additional source: Bethsoft press release.]
