The Elder Scrolls Online Previews and Interview

We have rounded up a couple of previews and a new interview for ZeniMax Online’s attempt to bring Tamriel in the MMO space, The Elder Scrolls Online, ready for you to read.

Destructoid calls it “more MMO than Elder Scrolls”:

In fairness, the studio has attempted to flavor the combat with real-time blocking in order to create something that feels less static than the average contender, but nevertheless I feel like I could have been watching any random game while seeing this thing in action. The demonstration’s promise of loot, end-game raids, and high-level dungeons sounded less like the promise of exciting features and more like the rundown of a factory-standard checklist.

Even the artistic style has taken a creative hit in a rush to capitalize on the increasingly dry well that is the MMO market. While you might be taken in by the fancy artwork accompanying promotional materials, the in-game visuals are less than dazzling. Character models have slightly exaggerated animations and facial features, putting them more in line with Blizzard’s artistic sensibilities than Bethesda’s. Unless a very unique, Bethesda-created monster was on-screen, it was impossible to tell this game was part of the Elder Scrolls series. Environments are recognizable only when they’re incredibly specific, such as Ayleid or Dwemer ruins, otherwise the action could be taking place anywhere.

Massively also has a short piece:

Many fans of the Elder Scrolls series are up-in-arms over TESO’s lack of resemblance to earlier entries, but Firor assures us that the studio is doing its best to implement features that will help the game retain its Elder Scrolls flavor. For instance, the game will feature the time-honored resources of health, magicka, and stamina, and as in other Elder Scrolls titles, players will be able to sneak, block, sprint, and so forth regardless of character class. In addition, despite the studio’s choice to use often-derided action-bar-centric combat, ZeniMax is still attempting to give combat a more visceral “action-RPG” feel to keep it more in-line with the general type of frantic combat players have come to expect from the series.

The title will also focus on freedom and flexibility. Firor says that the studio’s aim is to make certain that no player is ever excluded from content, be it PvP or dungeons, based on her character class. To this end, many classes will be able to fill multiple roles to ensure that a given group will be able to succeed regardless of its class composition. Players are further encouraged to work together by the game’s public dungeons and its philosophy of rewarding players for helping others on the fly.

Finally, Gamasutra talked with creative director Paul Sage:

“One of the things we’re trying to do [with our MMORPG] is get that feeling of active and reactive combat. So my take is that you have to feel like, ‘This is really kind of like The Elder Scrolls’ [single player RPG] combat. It’s really active. I’m actually surprised, and it’s fun to play with other people.’

“I do think [combat] has stagnated from game-to-game, somewhat, but that’s why it’s a challenge to us. The gauntlet’s been thrown down. Can we make it fun? Can we make it compelling?”

Sage said Zenimax Online “absolutely” seeks feedback from developers at Bethesda. “We do talk back and forth. We send things to them and say, ‘Hey, what do you think about this?’ And they’re really good at responding and saying, ‘We like this, but maybe if you tweak it this way…’ Bethesda has been absolutely fantastic about having us work with their IP.”