I tried it out in the beta, but just didn't grab my attention enough, now with the B2P conversion I am thinking about going back. Any current players out there think it worth looking into. I was never a big RPG person and would love to get into the mass scale PvP but I've heard that zone is pretty dead most of the time.
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OS Neutral Anyone Playing Elder Scrolls Online
- Thread starter ian-frs
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I bought it for ~$15 or so around christmas, shortly before the B2P conversion, and played for a month. I will start playing again now that I don't have to sub.
I've played other MMOs before, in particular WOW and GW2.
I like that in TESO they kept a lot of the Skyrim spirit - not so fancy UI, things are less shiny and more "medieval". Also melee fights are more interactive, you can block or dodge, and interrupt special attacks.
But it also has a lot of the usual MMO elements: The quest lines are not as interesting - you see a bit where they tried to avoid the "bring me 10 wolf furs and 5 hydra heads" type of quests, but in the end they are still there.
Overall I like the atmosphere. I didn't get very far yet, so now that I can play for free I will probably go through the quest line and level up one character at least.
I've played other MMOs before, in particular WOW and GW2.
I like that in TESO they kept a lot of the Skyrim spirit - not so fancy UI, things are less shiny and more "medieval". Also melee fights are more interactive, you can block or dodge, and interrupt special attacks.
But it also has a lot of the usual MMO elements: The quest lines are not as interesting - you see a bit where they tried to avoid the "bring me 10 wolf furs and 5 hydra heads" type of quests, but in the end they are still there.
Overall I like the atmosphere. I didn't get very far yet, so now that I can play for free I will probably go through the quest line and level up one character at least.
No sub fee already went away the other day, now you'll just have to wait for the console release, I went ahead and took the plunge yesterday, now I just have to finish the 30+ gig download. Probably won't get a chance to play till this weekend.
After my current subscription to WoW ends, I may give this a try. It looks nice.
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2015/03/18/the-elder-scrolls-online-no-subscription-fees/
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As always when I hear free to play my first question is what does it really cost to have a decent experience leveling to cap in this game? How restricted is the free option? Is storage a problem for example? Limits on gear and/or spells? Something must be limited to entice people to pay for it which might be fine if it is worthwhile.
I will say that the pay as you go option they implemented with LoTRO was well done in my opinion. I started with some benefit having already been a subscriber with purchased content. So I didn't need to spend much additional for a good experience and beyond that I could just buy content in level ranges as desired which would then be available to all my characters. I had plenty of storage and character slots and it didn't cost me a lot for that.
I will say that the pay as you go option they implemented with LoTRO was well done in my opinion. I started with some benefit having already been a subscriber with purchased content. So I didn't need to spend much additional for a good experience and beyond that I could just buy content in level ranges as desired which would then be available to all my characters. I had plenty of storage and character slots and it didn't cost me a lot for that.
ESO Went BUY to play not FREE to play.
Like GW2, buy the box once and play as much as you want.
Theres a store for extra clothing etc all optional.
Like GW2, buy the box once and play as much as you want.
Theres a store for extra clothing etc all optional.
It doesn't appear so from checking the site just now. However:
60 bucks to purchase the game
They sell an ESO Plus membership (whatever that is)
And you can buy "crowns" (whatever those are)
Oh, by the way the minimum disk space requirement is 80 gigs (not a typo!)
So not exactly typical free to play but doesn't seem like GW2 either.
They should do a better job of laying out all the options and their costs right up front so lazy people like me don't wonder about them and decide to close the page because we are not willing to work for the information.
----------
What does ESO Plus membership offer and cost?
What are crowns and why would somebody want to buy them?
Feel free to blow those questions off if they are not easy to answer simply. After all, I was too lazy myself to search the site for the info although I did go there and do some poking around for system requirements, etc.
This is always my concern with sub games going free. From the press announcements it sounded very much like a subpar experience without paying something as they really hammered all the ways in which you could spend additional money. Bethesda has really betrayed its fan base from the beginning with eso a game no one really wanted but is more cash grabby than something like a co-op skyrim. BL2 has the right business model in this regard, something Bethesda would do well to adopt.
>Oh, by the way the minimum disk space requirement is 80 gigs (not a
>So not exactly typical free to play but doesn't seem like GW2 either.
Hmm what?
Sounds exactly like GW2.
Buy the box, play as much as you like, Optional cash shop for items.
Game needs arounds 47GB of HD....
But large patches including the huge one from the 1.6 update
Needs about x2 the HD space to apply.
Theres currently 25GB + content patches.
>What does ESO Plus membership offer and cost?
>What are crowns and why would somebody want to buy them?
Honestly Im to lazy to look.
Some players really like to play dress up in MMOs so theres a large demand for clothing.
---- Ok I looked
From web site...
--------------------------
What are the benefits of ESO Plus membership?
ESO Plus offers members exclusive in-game bonuses, a reoccurring allotment of crowns and access to all downloadable content (DLC) game packs for the duration of membership:
30-day Membership:
1500 crowns at the start of each 30-day membership period
Access to all downloadable content for the duration of membership
Exclusive character progression bonuses for the duration of membership
10% bonus to experience point gain
10% bonus to crafting research
10% bonus to crafting inspiration gain
10% bonus to gold acquisition
90-day Membership:
4500 crowns at the start of each 90-day membership period
Access to all downloadable content for the duration of membership
Exclusive character progression bonuses for the duration of membership
10% bonus to experience point gain
10% bonus to crafting research
10% bonus to crafting inspiration gain
10% bonus to gold acquisition
180-day Membership:
9000 crowns at the start of each 180-day membership period
Access to all downloadable content for the duration of membership
Exclusive character progression bonuses for the duration of membership
10% bonus to experience point gain
10% bonus to crafting research
10% bonus to crafting inspiration gain
10% bonus to gold acquisition
----------
What was that? Pay for DLC?
ESO is doing that now.
Buy full game, buy clothing if you like or buy new DLC as it comes out
all optional.
>So not exactly typical free to play but doesn't seem like GW2 either.
Hmm what?
Sounds exactly like GW2.
Buy the box, play as much as you like, Optional cash shop for items.
Game needs arounds 47GB of HD....
But large patches including the huge one from the 1.6 update
Needs about x2 the HD space to apply.
Theres currently 25GB + content patches.
>What does ESO Plus membership offer and cost?
>What are crowns and why would somebody want to buy them?
Honestly Im to lazy to look.
Some players really like to play dress up in MMOs so theres a large demand for clothing.
---- Ok I looked
From web site...
--------------------------
What are the benefits of ESO Plus membership?
ESO Plus offers members exclusive in-game bonuses, a reoccurring allotment of crowns and access to all downloadable content (DLC) game packs for the duration of membership:
30-day Membership:
1500 crowns at the start of each 30-day membership period
Access to all downloadable content for the duration of membership
Exclusive character progression bonuses for the duration of membership
10% bonus to experience point gain
10% bonus to crafting research
10% bonus to crafting inspiration gain
10% bonus to gold acquisition
90-day Membership:
4500 crowns at the start of each 90-day membership period
Access to all downloadable content for the duration of membership
Exclusive character progression bonuses for the duration of membership
10% bonus to experience point gain
10% bonus to crafting research
10% bonus to crafting inspiration gain
10% bonus to gold acquisition
180-day Membership:
9000 crowns at the start of each 180-day membership period
Access to all downloadable content for the duration of membership
Exclusive character progression bonuses for the duration of membership
10% bonus to experience point gain
10% bonus to crafting research
10% bonus to crafting inspiration gain
10% bonus to gold acquisition
----------
What was that? Pay for DLC?
ESO is doing that now.
Buy full game, buy clothing if you like or buy new DLC as it comes out
all optional.
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No.
BL2's business model was to give people more of what they liked about BL1 and less of what they didn't, while keeping it within the same price point as the first.
ES fans weren't looking for a 15/mo sub to play ES with their friends (as this new free option demonstrates) nor were they complaining that the ES series was not grindy enough.
So yeah, Bethesda could use a few BL people on their staff to train them on the do's and don'ts of brand management.
Is it coming as news to you that people are not happy with ESO?
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Oh that is not a business model then.
What you want is a different product and that is ok.
Not all products are made for everyone.
ESO was not made by Bethesda.
It was an MMO for the traditional MMO market.
Bethesda is still making games for you just like before.
Nothing has changed.
Again - no.
Offering a good or service at a particular price with particular options in a particular way is exactly the definition of a business model.
Bethesda's new model with ESO isn't working - that's why they're abandoning it.
As does most of the fan base for ES (and I wouldn't consider myself a fan of ES so much as Skyrim).
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/the-elder-scrolls-online
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim
http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/the-elder-scrolls-iv-oblivion
But it is not simply that they want a different product but also there is an explicit rejection of the economics i.e. business model that came with this product.
Again - thus the change.
No one is arguing otherwise.
This is rhetorical slight of hand. It was made by Zenimax studios (part of Zenimax media) which was set up explicitly for the massive undertaking of the game, Bethesda is also part of Zenimax media so it's not as if the game was farmed out to a 3rd party like Obsidian with FO:NV, nor is it as if the game was brought to fruition without Bethesda's input, guidance, or ok.
Which again not many cared about and certainly the ES audience wasn't asking for.
Skyrim 3.7mil. copies sold (pc)
http://www.vgchartz.com/game/49111/the-elder-scrolls-v-skyrim/
ESO .63mil. sold (pc)
http://www.vgchartz.com/game/70799/the-elder-scrolls-online/
Do you know of a release I'm unaware of? So far ESO is the next ES game from Bethesda's own account. Please share whatever magic dragon you're riding with the rest of us.
Of course something has - namely - the reputation of Bethesda and The Elder Scrolls series.
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Actually, it doesn't sound just like GW2 when you need to buy a membership to access DLC content and that content is stated to be available while the membership is active.
As for disk space, I was simply quoting their stated requirements. If they say you need 80 gigs free I take it you must need 80 gigs free at least to install and that is a rather large amount of space.
The points above about The Elder Scrolls franchise being taken into the MMO space are well taken. I was not happy to see this happen myself as I then wondered does this spell the end of the excellent single player games? I hope not. Since the MMO has not likely met revenue projections maybe they will go back to where the real money is with a follow up to Skyrim. Of course, for all we know such a game is already in development.
For now I am spending some time with the original Guild Wars which runs beautifully with Wineskin. I want to play through more of that while the servers are still up for it.
As for disk space, I was simply quoting their stated requirements. If they say you need 80 gigs free I take it you must need 80 gigs free at least to install and that is a rather large amount of space.
The points above about The Elder Scrolls franchise being taken into the MMO space are well taken. I was not happy to see this happen myself as I then wondered does this spell the end of the excellent single player games? I hope not. Since the MMO has not likely met revenue projections maybe they will go back to where the real money is with a follow up to Skyrim. Of course, for all we know such a game is already in development.
For now I am spending some time with the original Guild Wars which runs beautifully with Wineskin. I want to play through more of that while the servers are still up for it.
Concerning the sizes:
The launcher is around ~170 mb in size. You need to download this first.
After installing it, it will allow you to download and install the game through it (it's pretty much like the Blizzard launcher) that weighs around 38gb.
The launcher is around ~170 mb in size. You need to download this first.
After installing it, it will allow you to download and install the game through it (it's pretty much like the Blizzard launcher) that weighs around 38gb.
Ah good catch I have not actually looked at GW2 since launch or followed how the expansions have been sold.
I was still thinking more GW1 where each expansion ( DLC ) was basically sold in a separate box.
Thanks for the info. Not too bad I guess considering Max Payne 3 weighs in at 30 gigs. lol
I wonder why they specify a minimum requirement of 80 gigs which might put some people off if they do not actually need or use it.
Because the game is currently 47 GB.
and the 1.6 patch that just came out was around 27GB.
So a user needed 47 + 27 + maybe 10% scratch space to apply the patch with.
Normally patches are smaller of course.
But theres the possibility that a patch could use more then double the space.
It may be possible to install the game with less space until some huge patch comes out.
I'll post the final size after the game is installed. Hopefully, it should be done when I return today from work
Thanks for this info, too.
Your right, I could not see anything either just wondered incase somebody knew otherwise, thanks.
27 gigs is one heck of a patch! lol
Anyway, be that as it may if I wanted to play a particular MMO badly enough I'd fear no patch I guess. I know it never would have stopped me from playing EverQuest or WoW in years gone by. That said, I can still see that putting some people off from giving the game a chance.
It gets worse... there was 46 Pages of feature / change notes with that patch. Anyhow it should slow down to sane sized patched after this.
This was the huge content, art, sound, feature patch making the game ready for the console launch in june. Lots of assets where upgraded.
After the 1.6 update the game is 45GB.
The game probably needs more free space during the installation process. It has to be able to store temporary files while unpacking zipped data for example. Also you want some headroom. If you fully fill up RAM and storage space on a machine you are in for a really bad surprise.
The game probably needs more free space during the installation process. It has to be able to store temporary files while unpacking zipped data for example. Also you want some headroom. If you fully fill up RAM and storage space on a machine you are in for a really bad surprise.