Elder Scrolls Online - any good?

[bsalis]

So I checked up on this and it's out now! Well, on the platform that matters. Has anyone been playing it? Is it any good?

Most of all I want to know what the PvE is like, and what it is like going solo in the early stages.

Also, what the latency is like... I live on the wrong side of the Pacific . So Ping reports would be nice.

[vetrox]

I was really looking forward to it but I have long grown out of MMO's

There are things I like and also dislike but the thing that sets this apart from other MMO's is the leveling system which is really nice. For example I played one of the mage classes but you can still wear heavy armour and any weapon if you want without penalties. You can only have 5 spells in your quickbar at any one time. This may seem restrictive but this is how you level up your skills. YOu dont have to use the skills that are in the quickbar but as long as they are there, you will gain skill xp whenever you gain regular xp. Also at every 5th level you get to "morph" a skill. IE This healing spell can now either heal more or also replenish magika

This works for the crafting system too. You can craft everything if you want (this will take skillpoints away from other skills at endgame though) However the crafting system itself is quite basic and theres no auction house system (unless you join a guild, then you get a sort of guild auction house)

I dont know if theres a mod for it or not but the inventory system is really clunky. ITs like skyrims inventory system in that everything is in a list rather than icons.

Its got an interesting system that rewards you for actually exploring (you find some loot and lorebooks)

The rate of experience gain is aakin to the original world of warcraft. You gotta work for your levels!

I personally dont like the combat system. I prefer the oldschool "click on target" and it autoattacks and you use skills as and when but this is just personal preference

I dont know how on the ball you are with elder scrolls lore but this game takes place in the second era when molag baal is being a nuisance. All the quest dialogue is voice acted which would be a nice touch if the quests didnt suffer from that MMO syndrome of "pick up all the quests, do them all by following the markers on the map, then handing them in" So you dont really pay any attention to the quest dialogue (as in any other mmo i ever played)

The problem I find is, for me, its just another mmo. You run around and get experience and maybe craft some stuff...but thats essentially the gameplay it just doesnt feel like an immersive elder scrolls game.

I'm sure its actually really good but like I said, MMO's just dont cut it for me any more. HOWEVER! I have only just reached level 10 and unlocked pvp so that may redeem it (i'm quite competetive so I want to investigate the pvp system more)

Edited April 16, 2014 by vetrox

[Aghanim]

The thing is, although I haven't played ESO, I actually prefer multiplayer Skyrim more

[mellojoe]

I played the Beta some. I really liked it. It really felt exactly like you would expect an Elder Scrolls game to feel like. I put probably 400 hours into Skyrim, and I don't know how many into Oblivion and Morrowind. ESO looked like the perfect game for me. And it really felt great, as a Beta.

I did not buy it, though. A $15-a-month MMO is just so hard for me to justify. I don't mind spending $60 on a game, but asking $60 PLUS $150 for the rest of the year is just a tough pill to swallow. I understand (rationally) that the cost is to offset servers and whatnot, but it just becomes a huge barrier to entry. Especially considering I can get 75% of the experience from playing existing games (such as Skyrim). I would love to love this game, but I just can't justify it at this time.

[bsalis]

I was really looking forward to it but I have long grown out of MMO's

Yeah somewhat the same here. Also, not sure what could be worse, that I don't like it or I really do like it!

Interesting that you say the leveling system is really good. Considering that the system in Oblivion and Skyrim are garbage. Though Skyrim was improved a lot... Oblivion was so bad (IMO) that I installed a mod.

A $15-a-month MMO is just so hard for me to justify.

For me it's the $120AUD up front. You can always cancel a subscription if you don't like it. I didn't play BETA so dunno if i will like it.

[vetrox]

Interesting that you say the leveling system is really good. Considering that the system in Oblivion and Skyrim are garbage. Though Skyrim was improved a lot... Oblivion was so bad (IMO) that I installed a mod.

See, i was a big fan of the old skool leveling systems (in morrowind there were alot more things to level) but skyrims is really good too. I also miss the way you advance in guilds in morrowind. If you wanted to get big in the mages guild...u had to be a ****ing pimp ass mage.

[pslytely psycho]

$59 up front and $15 per month.

I have a friend who was a Beta tester. His opinion is that it is very good. He wants me to join in, but, I just don't see me playing enough to be worthwhile. It's the same problem I had with Warbirds. I loved the game. But I just didn't play it enough to warrant the ongoing expense. And with Warbirds, the only cost is the monthly. So I am decidedly on the fence here........I wanna, but.......