Speculations for the future of Elder Scrolls series

Arondil Rethan · Post by **Arondil Rethan** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 1:54 pm

So... Oblivion is out, game stores are running out of OB stocks with a speed of light. Now it's propably time to dig out all Sherlocks and Watsons out there and start to spit out crazy ideas for their future.

As we all know, the money is the one, that keeps the world up and running. The greediness of the mankind is likely to be eternal. They always want more. More money, more fame and so on.

Elder Scrolls, as you know, is not the only game, Beth has been working out (Sherlock I am, yes) and it is likely, that there are Elder Scrolls games along with the others popping out as long as the imagination spits out new, unused ideas to make a game, that scores platinum 5 secs after publishing.

Technology keeps up growing and soon you'll find out, that you see no difference between the landscape on the screen and the other out in the window.

That's why I'm asking, my dear Sherlocks out there: What's coming out next? Do we soon find out, there are ES: 34 for example?

Where would it take place, what is the main idea of the game? What is it's name?

My question is likely to be irrelevant, but let's use OUR imagination and speculate, what's up coming. Because the Elder Scrolls is likely to have HUGE effect to Tamriel Rebuilt as we know.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:11 pm

I think the next one will take place on the summerset isle. Just a gut feeling.

As for the distant future, I dont know. Considering that they take a decade per game, I probably wont live to see ES34.

fanfas · Post by **fanfas** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:16 pm

Ok, Here's my guess, Pete said in an interview (i don't know if some of you read it) on one Xbox site, that they were planning on realease another elder scrolls game for Xbox-360, this was when the interviewer asked him if they were already planning on a future next gen game for "xbox 3". He mentioned that because he said that now bethesda knows how xbox 360 works and when they started Oblivion they didn't tehy were working on theoretical features (this was also the reason he apointed as the reason for lag problems) they said that that they know the real power of 360 the next game will have more graphic features and better optimised.

So it's almost shure that there will be another ES game either an adventure or a normal one, as for its place i have a feeling that they will introduce a new continent Akvir or other, this makes possible new races and a lot more things.

MY FEAR: As we all can see with Oblivion ES are no longer a PC game... i mean, it is but now the primary focus of bethesda is xbox (you can see this on the interface and the lost features, like the possibillity of dragging items form the inventory and others) so my fear is that sooner or later all that maked me love ES will soon disapear...

Remember DEUS-EX and DEUS-EX: Invisible War? the first was amazing, the second sucked big time because it was made for consoles and ported to pc, Oblivion in some ways already feels this way to me, but hell it's still a great game.

Morden · Post by **Morden** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:23 pm

I'm eagerly awaiting Fallout 3 from Bethesda, provided they don't continue to bastardize a franchise that has been sorely mistreated by Interplay ever since its glory days with Black Isle came to an end. Fortunately Interplay no longer exists and the rights belong to Bethesda. Fallout 1 and 2 are top RPG classics on the PC, there's no denying it. I just hope that when the time comes, bethesda isn't working exculsively as a console developer.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 3:34 pm

I hope they do stay true to the tone of the originals. fanbois of the Fallout series are accusing them of wanting to create "morrowind with guns". Since Beth hasnt even started yet, that's ridiculous. But, I hope that bethesda can adjust to the more plot-character driven style that made the originals so much fun.

Morden · Post by **Morden** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 4:39 pm

There was always a lot of freedom in the Fallout series. You could wander just like in Morrowind, and take which ever quests you wanted. Where Fallout surpassed Morrowind was in how you could finish your quest in any way you felt necessary, and depending on how you did it you'd get a different result. You could kill the Master in a head on fight, you could convice him to self-destruct, or you could set off the nuke in the basement of the church. That, and the retro 1950s, post-apocolyptic setting, filled with mature content and tongue-in-cheek humour.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 4:53 pm

Well, it was a lot of freedom. But I think the game had more direction than Morrowind. In Morrowind, the MQ wasnt very involving.

I think Bethesda will be able to capture the humor, and the feel of the art. What I worry about is thier ability to make the charaters as cool as they were.

Sload · Post by **Sload** » Sun Mar 26, 2006 5:50 pm

I think it'll take place in a mer province. Either that or it'll be Argonia. I think it might be, because of the advances in technology for "the next generation," in both Summerset and Valenwood.

knightmare · Post by **knightmare** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 2:17 am

maybe they'll go way back in time to when the Nedes conquered skyrim

Arondil Rethan · Post by **Arondil Rethan** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 1:21 pm

Sload wrote:I think it'll take place in a mer province. Either that or it'll be Argonia. I think it might be, because of the advances in technology for "the next generation," in both Summerset and Valenwood.

Or then they creat whole Tamriel again, yet creating that would possibly be:
a) a project, that lasts for millenium, if they haven't got divisions of staff, like we do

b) a possible death-blow to Tamriel Rebuilt

Then the alternative would be, that it won't take place in Tamriel at all. If I remember correctly, wasn't Battlespire kind of "otherworldly dimension", Daedric Realm actually. Correct me, if I'm wrong. Bethesda indeed has all the cards to create whatever they like (well, so do we, but within reason

), Maybe the game's idea somaday would be preventing or starting the war between Tamriel and the X empire (for Akvir example, thanks Fanfas

).

But Sload's point is good, if they decide to continue on the track, they've been going last years: Each province at time with few decades between the old and new game time. And Knightmare's kind of "flashback" -styled idea is also quite reasonable, but it raises the usual "How the hell does this effects the future?" -questions. Like Tiber Septim's conquering of Tamriel is out of question, as it's the very base of, what Tamriel is today.

fanfas · Post by **fanfas** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 9:26 pm

I still think that they will go for a change in scenery, we have the same races for 4 games already... also the same architecture as been the same for that much time, so what better way of change a bit then go for another continent? I think they will do it in akivir... if not in all of it in some region province or whatever they decided to call it, With that they can introduce new races and new lore... I think that with the empire getting hit this hard at this era, Akivir may plan an invasion, and the player could be sent there to stop it or help making it.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Mon Mar 27, 2006 10:52 pm

I dont think Bethesda will rock the boat- they have a good thing going here. I seriosly doubt they'll put it in mysterious akivir. After Morrowind, they discovered that creativity and originality can be frightening to people of low intelegence- hence oblvion is a lot more "normal". I mean that as no slight to the game. Also, they have kept the place mysterious for this long, I think theyd rather keep everyone wondering.

Also, I think they will continue to work on 1 or 2 provinces at most. When technology increases they will just increase the scale. They learned, I beleive, that bigger isnt always better. When they tried to build the whole world the quality of the small details suffered. Because, unlike TR, Bethesda is working with a limited timeframe and a limited number of people (albeit very talented people).

Battlespire took place in the battlespire. It's a testing ground for imperial mages.

CommonsNat · Post by **CommonsNat** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 2:02 am

While reading through the new PGE, one of the provinces, I think Valenwood, talked about a lot of turmoil and instabillity. Valenwood seems a likely option.

Arondil Rethan · Post by **Arondil Rethan** » Tue Mar 28, 2006 1:17 pm

Yet Black Marsh would be a likely alternative as well. With all the sort of 'mysteriosity' there it would be nice opportunity to set imagination roll at full power. Yet I'm not sure, would it be a good place for something, that puts the future of the world at stake once again... People tries to avoid Black Marsh at all costs, eh?

EdAptra · Post by **EdAptra** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 3:08 pm

i think Arondil Rethan's got the right idea. People just love the sense of marshes and mysterious lands. Black Marsh would certainly seem like a good candidate for a future ES game

Morgoth · Post by **Morgoth** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:24 pm

CommonsNat wrote:While reading through the new PGE, one of the provinces, I think Valenwood, talked about a lot of turmoil and instabillity. Valenwood seems a likely option.

I agree. Also, who could pass up The Hunt? That would be freaky in a game. A whole pack of demented Bosmer coming at you.

The Old Ye Bard · Post by **The Old Ye Bard** » Thu Mar 30, 2006 7:18 pm

Before they release a whole new ES game they will probably make an expansion pack for TES:IV which i think would likely take place in black marsh.

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:20 am

The Old Ye Bard wrote:Before they release a whole new ES game they will probably make an expansion pack for TES:IV which i think would likely take place in black marsh.

As much as I wish they would, I think they wont. I think if they make a province, it will be one that's not to wierd. I'd say Skyrim or Highrock (though there you have an isue: it doesnt share a border). I'd say Orsinium is also a candidate: not to weird, and it's pretty small.

wishmaster · Post by **wishmaster** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 9:25 am

I hope that they could ask us for help, so they could release WHOLE Tamriel ^^

or, they're gonna make two provinces at a time. Maybe two who are in war or some kind of conflict?

I don't think Black Marsh or Elsweyr would be a game for itself. It's too... uninteresting. No humans or "normal" people, and then maybe the gamers would think it's boring.

CleverClothe · Post by **CleverClothe** » Sat Apr 01, 2006 7:34 pm

Yes, better physics are needed!

I opened a display case in the Anvil fighter's guild to look at what was inside. Then I closed the lid and the elven armor fell through the bottom of the display case...

Arondil Rethan · Post by **Arondil Rethan** » Thu May 04, 2006 12:06 pm

Indeed... You can't avoid bugs...

ch85us2001 · Post by **ch85us2001** » Thu May 04, 2006 8:23 pm

I would like to see it take place in the Black Marsh, Elsweyr, and Valenwood. I think it would be a good game.

Also, they should make it HUGE (think Daggerfall size).

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Thu May 04, 2006 11:39 pm

I'd rather they not make it too big if they cant do it justice. (and with the way deadlines and stuff work, I doubt they can). I may be alone, but I'd rather play in a small world with every detail attended to than a huge world that's buggy and homogenous.

Gez · Post by **Gez** » Fri May 05, 2006 11:35 am

The next game in the series will be only for XBox.

You'll no longer be able to explore the wilderness, as there will be only cities and dungeons. Instead, they'll add a new mini-game where you see you character move on the map. You won't have an inventory anymore, at least you won't be able to manage it, except for a choice of one melee weapon, one ranged weapon, and one suit of armor (shield included). Finally, the skill system will be overhauled so that there will be only three skills : Fighting Skill, Thieving Skill, and Magic Skill. All alteration and illusion spells will be removed, as they were unabalancing. The spellmaker and itemmaker will disappear also (after all, you'd have to go to the Arcane University who won't be included). Spells are chosen automatically for you when you push the "magic" key, depending on context.

But it'll be a real RPG because now we'll sometime see the NPC sneeze and their napkins will be completely physiqued. Yes.

Arondil Rethan · Post by **Arondil Rethan** » Thu May 11, 2006 5:50 am

If this is true, then I stand up and once again (maybe 573rd time) scream: BETHESDA! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!

Vholdrian · Post by **Vholdrian** » Sat May 13, 2006 12:49 pm

Arondil Rethan wrote:If this is true, then I stand up and once again (maybe 573rd time) scream: BETHESDA! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!

And i'll join you. After that I run into the local xbox shop and smash them all. THen I get arrested, i'll be sentenced for life so I can play all Elder Scrolls Arcade Games on my Xbox 7780 VR in prison.

Sigh.

PaulShin · Post by **PaulShin** » Sat May 13, 2006 1:56 pm

That's possible unfortunately. But let's hope it won't happen.

Anyways, what I'd love to see is Black Marsh. Being an Argonian I'd love to see my home

Additionally Black Marsh is really, weird and mysterious place (even NPCs notice that

)
And I got that thought that maybe they will do a new Redguard-style game. Maybe they will reanimate Eye of Argonia. A hack 'n slash in Black Marsh, Summerset and Morrowind? Wouldn't be that hard to make, this kind of game wouldn't require making the whole provinces. And it might be quite fun game..

Arondil Rethan · Post by **Arondil Rethan** » Sat May 13, 2006 3:59 pm

All these in one game? Sheesh... You just wait that game for some time...

Besides, when Redguard is not counted, Elder Scrolls has sticked in the open RPG. Why would they change it now?

Macar · Post by **Macar** » Sat May 13, 2006 8:50 pm

Actualy, I'd say a hacknslash isnt too unlikely. After all, with an imporved combat system and a new console audience, wouldnt you say the time is rip for something a little more straight forward?

Lutemoth · Post by **Lutemoth** » Sat May 13, 2006 10:52 pm

Instead of contributing to this thread, I point out the suffice words of Tsu and Chan:
[img]http://img447.imageshack.us/img447/3006/nextgendepth8vz.jpg[/img]