Hot Topic #2: The cliché multiplayer Elder Scrolls topic

[Dark0ne]

Hot Topic #2: The cliché multiplayer Elder Scrolls topic

 

The first hot topic sparked an interesting conversation with over 125 comments so far. Hopefully this one will be just as hotely debated. If you have something to say then make it seen with other members of TESSource.

 

Hot Topic #2 focuses on the age old Elder Scrolls community topic loathed by community veterans:

 

In a make believe world where Bethesda have just announced they're in the design stage of an Elder Scrolls multiplayer game (for the PC) what would you expect Bethesda to produce? What would you like to see from a true multiplayer capable Elder Scrolls game?

 

Would you expect a co-operative (PvE) or competetive (PvP) Morrowind/Oblivion game with limited numbers of players or would you hope for a huge MMOFPRPG? Maybe even a switch to the conventional MMORPG format that currently dominate the MMO market?

 

Feel free to debate whether or not you think Bethesda could pull off a multiplayer Elder Scrolls game or whether it would suit the series.

[Eiries]

First comment? Go me!

 

I suspect that if Bethesda ever did create a multiplayer Elder Scrolls game, it would most likely be an MMORPG. Actually, I was thinking that before I even finished reading the hot topic. I think that making a co-op or competitive game would be fun, but if thay stick to the usual Elder Scrolls flavor of creating a massive freeform world, then it would probably be silly to have it function as a two player game.

 

Also, the concept of a big co-op game brings images of certain games like Gauntlet to mind. But a series like that runs off of a wildly different camera in a wildly different setting. I can only see an Elder Scrolls game in fullscreen. Thus, if an Elder Scrolls game was ever multiplayer, I'd imagine it would be an MMO.

 

Which might be kinda fun. :)

 

Honestly though, I really wouldn't want to see the Elder Scrolls series going online as an MMO. I like my mods too much, and there'd be some series stuff going on if we had an MMORPG with killer mods active. Then I don't think it would be too fun anymore; running into a bored player with a modded uber sword of doom. But I believe that a big part of what made Morrowind and Oblivion great was the Contruction Set and the ability to mod it. As everyone here already knows, the games have endless replay value thanks to mods. As long as great mods continue to be released, the game never gets old.

 

Anyway, so my final words are that if Bethesda ever created a multiplayer Elder Scrolls game, it would probably be an MMORPG. But I'd rather see them stick to the one-player goodness they're known for.

[JamesTruant]

If they do, id hope they produced something that had a great single player, and when you were finished you could bring your character, or say a new one into the online fray. Or just start the single player again.

The world of multiplayer would have multiplayer only quests, but nothing pivotal.

Id also like to see a player run economy online, as the emphasis at the moment is too much on "BEAT IT INTO DUST" instead of being able to make a decent amount of cash selling wares.

Maybe even certain events to shape the multiplayer world, the argonians and khajiits entering a war together would make for an interesting online experience.

Ill edit more if I come up with anything.

[go_kazakhstan]

No, purely for the reason that when I ngo into the Imperial City, I don't want to hear OMFG SF U N00B!!!!!!

[Povuholo]

I'd expect a PvP online game. There would be PvP and PvE servers.

 

There probably wouldn't be any A.I. for citizens. Quests would be simple kill/fetch quests (Which should sound familiar) and won't make a difference in the game world.

 

I think it could be a success. That doesn't mean I will like it, just that there would be many people who will like it, especially after having played Oblivion.

 

Still, I don't think it suits the series. I'd rather see Bethesda work on TES V(I).

[BRONSONDT]

Most likely a conventional MMORPG because it's a massive moneyspinner. Of course, if they had any integrity, dignity, or desire to innovate they'd try something non-dirty that retained the Oblivion-style interaction, gameplay and story without monthly fees and such, but that'd never happen in a millionbillionsquillion years.

 

Tell you what'd work though: an ES version of Huxley.

[hoboville]

To be honest, an MMO would have to compete in a large, large market. This would be a mistake, especially with World of Warcraft being so dominant. Likewise, an MMO would void any possibility of custom player made content that has become a staple of both Oblivion and Morrowind. Additionally, the fun "exploits" and general silly ways of being able to level would not be very enjoyable in an MMO, or would be tuned in such a way that leveling would be difficult. Being able to master all skills would be impossible, and the game would *have* to "broken down" (I mean that in both senses of the phrase) to the typical class-based system.

 

The heroic effect of Elder Scrolls (i.e. I'm Nerevar returned, foo! the savior of Cyrodill stands before you, bubba!) would be lost if a player were just another "face in the crowd".

 

There are alternative frameworks for multiplayer gaming that ought to be considered!

 

Diablo II maintained a "realm" based psuedo-MMO where your character was only allowed to play the base content (hosted by The Company), but was mostly hack-free. There was an Open multiplayer where players could do whatever they wanted, and there was single player where you could do as you wished.

 

Neverwinter Nights and Dungeon Seige allowed for Multiplayer with the addition of custom content and game hosting provided by The Company, but with players in charge (I like this model the best). The players may have even hosted the games themselves, but I'm not sure.

 

I would think that leaving the mutiplayer in the hands of the players, but with anti-hack / cheat controls (Neverwinter had an "allow only legitimate characters" function). There might be some problems with players' custom items not transfering to other servers, especially where textures and models are concerned. This might lead to the "Garry's Mod" effect where many different servers use many different mods which the players have access to, in addition to the base content. Likewise, players would need certain mods to join some games...a potential headache...

 

Most importantly though, the Elder Scrolls game is about the Hero , and his journey from mere prisoner to Lord and Champion, it also focuses on letting the player do what he wants. Invariably, any MMO would destroy this idea and lead to a linear game.

[SlappyMeats]

The only way I think multiplayer could work with TES while still maintaining the series' spirit would be to make it co-op style. An MMORPG would demolish that integrity, as hoboville mentioned. If you keep the numbers down to a few players embarking on some grand quest over dedicated servers, then there could be more of a sense of team-based play in which the group follows that same "dirtball-to-superman" progression. Whether or not this is possible/feasible is certainly questionable, but it would most likely be the most rewarding option to play.

 

Another option would be to actually populate the world with very few NPCs, and use players as all the different groups found in the game. Meaning that when a player registers for the TES:MMORPG, they can be given a choice of being a "good guy" (city guard, Imperial legion, general hero-type adventurer), a "bad guy" (bandit, marauder, necromancer, etc.), a "neutral guy" (peasant, farmer, merchant, noble, etc.), or an "other guy" (Great House Retainer, ghost, Morag Tong, etc.). Maybe the player starts off at a kind of citizenship station after coming off of a boat, kinda like in Morrowind (except not coming out of jail, since that'd be just too coincidental that EVERYBODY was for some reason imprisoned), from whence they then progress through their chosen option. The option would have to be vague enough to allow for open choices later on in the game, but each path could offer specific choices, such as a bandit or marauder being able to join certain factions that a peasant can not.

 

The nature of quests in an MMORPG style would have to be completely changed, however, since everybody who joins can't really save the world from the same thing, now can they? "Main" quests would have to be held in the form of server events, where there could be some sort of call to action, and players of certain paths who respond or show up can then go on the quest and earn a reward chosen by the admin. Other quests, like guild or merchant quests could be done by anybody, since they'd be your typical fetch/kill quests, most likely.

 

As far as modding goes, however, there'd be a great deal of difficulty. Since the modding community is mostly what keeps the game afloat long after a player has beaten it, they would be remiss to do away with it for the sake of online play, regardless of how long multiplayer can hold players' interest. In order to not require players to run a "clean" vanilla version in order to play online, servers would have to actually host mods for the players to use. How the hosted mods would be chosen is a whole mess in and of itself, but chances are, it'd be the most popular mods, like Ren's Beauty Pack, FranOOOM, or Dark UI. The player would have course have to download the mods upon joining a server.

 

Personally, I'd really like to see a multiplayer oblivion, and I think the second option would satisfy both PvP and PvE options, while still opening it up for MMO. Honestly though, if trying to work all of this stuff out for multiplayer results in a single player game that is watered-down or poorly implemented, save it. Bethesda's never been down with multiplayer for TES anyway, and would probably lose their minds trying to piece together a MMO Elder Scrolls.

[Sypron]

Just looking at whats written above, online games don't often have modding compatibility, and when they do its like "The OOO Server".

[FoxhoundCommander]

I would say in my opinion Multiplayer would be to complicated for Oblivion.

 

However i do have an idea for how i would see multiplayer introduced into it.

 

We can fight in the arena right? What if they released an expansion where there was another arena where you could fight other players in game modes:

1 Vs 1 (Duel)

2 Vs 2(Team Duel)

Player(s) Vs Creatures

Free for all: up to 4 people at one time using each of the 4 entrances.

and so on, you get the point....

you could have a section outside the arena it's self where players could talk, trade etc. and challenge each other to duels.

 

Possiblility of betting: could win anything up to 20,000 Gold if your team wins etc.

 

I think it would be cool. your playing, finish a quest etc and think.. "hmm i'm stronger now maybe i'll head to the PVP arena and try my luck.

 

It's a small portion for MP but i think something along those lines would suit a game like oblivion well. And lets you actually duel your buddy etc.