 |
| The world at your fingertips. Or perhaps- Let your fingers do the walking.... lol. |
I've spent a little over a week playing The Elder Scrolls Online since launch. I'm still learning things along the way but this week I have a much better grasp of how they game works. I'm really having a blast! The game has a nice feel to it, I don't feel it as much of a grind it has been more like an adventure, an enjoyable journey. I'm only sitting at level 14, Raptr says I am in the top 20% of players, hitting Hardcore rank yesterday. I've only played about 34 hours. Some of that may of been my son an hour or two here and there. He made a character but hasn't progressed much with it. But I think that is a fair gauge to get a nice feel for the leveling aspect. So far I love it.
The game is just gorgeous! I end up taking way too many screenshots. Another thing is how I don't see many people that look alike really, which is something new. Lots of different faces, skin colors and sizes. I find it all pretty interesting. The game has more of an adventuring feeling to it. Quests are not merely kill this collect that, you feel drawn in. My brother read a lore book and told me he actually wanted to read more when it ended. The only real drawback i can complain about would be the masses of people while you are just trying to explore a tomb, poke in a few containers, glance over at a bookcase perhaps, while they run ahead blasting everything to bits before you get there. I'm sure it will calm down in due time. I had initially thought this game would be different, not so massively in design, but it is nice to see people around.
I'm more of a classic caster, wearing mostly cloth, using pets and casting from range. It all sounds very boring when I read about other sorcerers wearing full plate and tanking or slicing things with a 2h weapon. Or a life tapping rogue who can AoE and heal. But the thing is that it is what I went in wanting, I find it fun, it clicks and that is all that matters. I use a restoration staff for the moment but I will be swapping that up quite a lot when I hit my next level. I am thinking a bow or perhaps a damage staff. Something ranged, I love being ranged. My next class will be more melee but that won't be for a long time. The thing about this game is you can do SO much with any class. It takes some thought, some thinking ahead and some imagination. You're not locked into just a class.
What else to comment on? Neat stuff, fluff. Costumes, which can be collected from quests, you can use them after the quest is finished (like some servants clothing). I like that. There are also costumes from quests as rewards (there is a costume slot), my friend linked me one he got at 25, I am so looking forward to getting more! Gideon Emery- He's apparently voicing the NPC you go to for the Fighter's guild on the Ebonheart side. That was cool to see when I made my dark elf alt (who is still sitting at 3). What else? I love going into houses and poking around in crates and bags. That just adds a neat bit of exploring, lock picking chests too! The music is fantastic, the voice acting is pleasant and not so forced feeling as some games. Map travel is great when you really need it, or run to a shrine and save yourself a few gold to travel.
My brother, Heri, started this week. He's really enjoying the game, which I am happy to see. He was really big into the older ESO games, he knows a lot of the lore and sees the ties into this one from the others. He's really pumped about it. He loves the freedom of the classes and armor/weapon combos. I think he's having trouble picking, like a kid in the candy store. I sometimes wonder if I should have picked this or that... Int he end if I kept wondering I'd never get anything done trying everything out, heh.
I will be subbing again next month, I don't see myself unsubbing anytime soon to be honest. I really love this game. I can't get enough of it. While I want to play more than I do, I'm not rushing things. I am taking it slow, picking the flowers, rummaging through old chests, questing, meeting new characters and just having a heck of a time!
More thoughts as I continue to level. Being 14, I am sure most of you have far more experience on the game than I do, but for those of you who haven't tried it, some impressions as I continue on my journey. In closing, the scenery isn't much the same but it is beautiful and with so many places to explore it often makes me think of Vanguard Saga of Heroes. I miss that game so much sometimes, in my heart it is already gone. Anyhow, screenshot time!
 |
| Questing on a lovely sunny day. |
 |
| My dark elf alt. Not a fan of snowy starting areas >.< |
 |
| A pretty vista. |
 |
| Ruins. |
 |
| Giddy up! |
 |
| The swamp. |
 |
| Exploring and questing. |
 |
| Heri and I. |
 |
| Chasing fireflies (well that's what I call them) for a screenshot, lol. |
 |
| Creepy farm. |
 |
| Lovely beach. |
 |
| This outfit is actually a costume, which looks neat for riding. |
 |
| One of those 'events' I never seem to stumble on them at the right time or get anything good :( |
 |
| Ahhh.... you turned me into a Man! Weird quest, thought I was going to transform into an undead or maybe a werewolf... no just trans-gender, lol. |
I'm glad you said it too! I commented on a post of J3w3l's that the TESO screenshots remind me of Vanguard and yours above make the similarities even more obvious. It's odd that I never noticed this pre-release, not in the official PR material or in any of the many blogs I read about it. Most of the videos I watched were of the AvA fights so I don't think I would have noticed it there, but I saw plenty of screenshots and the resemblance never struck me the way it has since launch.
ReplyDeleteTESO is an interesting case. I was actively put off by the Elder Scrolls connection, having played the franchise briefly in the past and not enjoyed it at all. I particularly dislike the style of combat they use, so that plus the game requiring a sub meant I never considered playing it - I didn't even want to try it for free in beta.
Everything I read about the gameplay sounds right up my street, though, and those Vanguard visuals are doing a powerful job of making me wonder if I should give it a look after all. I always planned to take a look if it went F2P but I might revise that to "if it goes on sale".
It was one of my first impressions, while looking at some of the building structure. It doesn't have the same feel really, but it has a similar look that can make me think of Vanguard at moments. Vanguard had a lot of huge wide open areas, while this does have a lot of open areas they don't feel so massive, structures don't either, so far at least.
ReplyDeleteI wasn't too interested while it was in beta, mainly I think combat kind of worried me some. But I did read a lot of good things I liked, so far it really has been a great game. I am going at a slow pace but the game starts to really pick up around level 10. It requires you to think a bit of choices, which is fun. What I like is more of a unique feel to what I am playing, also how the characters look is nice too!
All in all I really recommend it, as long as the combat doesn't get in the way, it may not appeal to everyone. My brother picked up a new mouse because he just seems to do better with that than keybinding, so might be some help to those who really don't dig the mechanics entirely.
And yeah, it is gorgeous and runs on our clunky old machines pretty decently! I've not had to really tweak anything out, which was a huge surprise.