Elder Scrolls Online - Ask Us Anything

Couchpotato · February 2, 2014

Zenimax Online has a new Ask Us Anything on the Elder Scrolls Online webpage.

Do people who order the Imperial Edition gain a big gameplay advantage over those who don’t? – Sven Denteu

No. With the Imperial Edition you get the opportunity to play as a rogue Imperial who has broken from their Daedra worshipping ways, and you get a unique racial skill line of equal gameplay impact to other races’ unique racial skill lines. As an Imperial you also get a mount and the automatic ability to craft items into the Imperial style. All non-Imperial races can also learn this ability after locating the corresponding racial motif. Imperials do not begin the game in a unique starting location or via a separate quest, but they can start in any alliance as befits their status as un-aligned outcasts of their own Province. Being an Imperial includes a racial skill line that offers unique gameplay opportunities, but there is not an overall gameplay advantage. It is an opportunity to set yourself visually apart in the lands of Tamriel.

Gameplay benefits within this edition have been designed to avoid bestowing unfair advantages over players who do not purchase this special edition. This is cool content designed for some of our biggest fans who wish to have something different from other collector’s editions in the market. The only other alternative would have been to offer a collector’s edition that offers no in-game items whatsoever. That simply didn’t seem fair to fans who are excited about the game and want some special digital items

More information.

zz · February 2, 2014

Just by the most basic edition. It doesn't make any difference in any MMO, other than wasting money.

joxer · February 2, 2014

This is cool content designed for some of our biggest fans who wish to have something different from other collector’s editions in the market. The only other alternative would have been to offer a collector’s edition that offers no in-game items whatsoever. That simply didn’t seem fair to fans who are excited about the game and want some special digital items

Yea yea, whatever.

Biggest fans won't be able to sleep if they don't get pay2win content as noone buys special editions anymore for good old books, cloth/rags maps, posters and figurines. Besides, why would classic goodies be included in beth's special editions? Anyone can buy those "collectibles" in Bethesda store, made in China for $1, sold worldwide for $63452368453875432.

Do I have to add that I'm utterly disgusted with vault-tec apparel line? Hell I've never made a t-shirt myself, but I could have designed/sawn a better one and stick some beth(C) pic on it than those expensive crap ones in beth store. Some are not bad though (BoS hood), those I've bought, but are still overexpensive.

Biggest fans want pay2win stuff in games. I'm the one who doesn't want such stuff so no matter how many things I buy in beth store, I just can't be a biggest fan.

Nyx · February 2, 2014

I'm still of firm belief that it'll be available for everyone even after pre orders, maybe not immediately. But their reasoning are total bullshit…they are mistyping fans, more like wallets.

DArtagnan · February 2, 2014

Not a balance issue, but an integrity issue for sure. The thing that really worries me is that this is before the game has even launched.

If it had been part of some desperate F2P move, that'd be one thing - but starting out by offering pay gated content, directly counter to what the developers have been preaching is a very, very…. not good thing.

Their PR is bullshit and there's no way they can get around this being a shitty move.

Still going to play the game, though.

Oh, and yeah - you can upgrade at any time in the store - and the Explorer's Pack will also be available after launch.

zahratustra · February 2, 2014

DArtagnan said:
The thing that really worries me is that this is before the game has even launched.

If it had been part of some desperate F2P move, that'd be one thing - but starting out by offering pay gated content, directly counter to what the developers have been preaching is a very, very…. not good thing

Curious indeed… If they do this sort of shit now what will happen when the game will be released? Will they charge you a subscription and than add pay to win on the top of it? Hubris or boldly going where no man has gone before? Time will tell...

DArtagnan · February 2, 2014

zahratustra said:
Curious indeed… If they do this sort of shit now what will happen when the game will be released? Will they charge you a subscription and than add pay to win on the top of it? Hubris or boldly going where no man has gone before? Time will tell…

The fan outcry seems rather significant at the moment, but since they've already sold so many copies - there's no way they'll change anything.

One can hope they'll notice the negativity, but I doubt it'll mean much.

Still, the game is done now - and I expect to enjoy myself until content exhaustion - and the time where I believed there could be a single MMO that would keep me happy in that space for years is gone.

But if this game is monetized into muddy water like they seem to have no problem doing already, it'll be a sad descent for something that could have evolved positively for years.

zahratustra · February 2, 2014

DArtagnan said:
The fan outcry seems rather significant at the moment, but since they've already sold so many copies - there's no way they'll change anything.

As with every MMO, getting players is one thing but keeping them is quite another.

Hastar · February 2, 2014

Hey DArtagnan I have a question for you. What edition are you getting and are you going to play the 5 day head start? I am still trying to decide what edition I am getting and if I want to get it at Best Buy or not. Would rather get a digital download but I have like $100 in gift cards my damn parents gave me.

Also, I have read the download is like 30 gigs and that will take a long ass time

I am no fan of Best Buy but maybe I will get the special edition there with the statue so I can download it off disk.

DArtagnan · February 2, 2014

Hastar said:
Hey DArtagnan I have a question for you. What edition are you getting and are you going to play the 5 day head start? I am still trying to decide what edition I am getting and if I want to get it at Best Buy or not. Would rather get a digital download but I have like $100 in gift cards my damn parents gave me.

I just got the Digital Imperial Edition from greenmangaming.com.

This code:

E0VXS0-T1IEIV-CZHSPO

Gets you 25% off - but I believe it's only for a very limited time.

I'll be playing the 5 day head start for sure, but I won't have proper time until I take a couple of weeks off sometime in April

Also, I have read the download is like 30 gigs and that will take a long ass time I am no fan of Best Buy but maybe I will get the special edition there with the statue so I can download it off disk.

The beta client is 30 gigs - and it took 60 gigs of space to download and install it

I have zero interest in the statue and most physical stuff, but I would have liked the map. But I'm not going to pay that much for it.

lostforever · February 2, 2014

DArtagnan said:
Not a balance issue, but an integrity issue for sure. The thing that really worries me is that this is before the game has even launched.

If it had been part of some desperate F2P move, that'd be one thing - but starting out by offering pay gated content, directly counter to what the developers have been preaching is a very, very…. not good thing.

Their PR is bullshit and there's no way they can get around this being a shitty move.

Still going to play the game, though.

Oh, and yeah - you can upgrade at any time in the store - and the Explorer's Pack will also be available after launch.

Where did you see that pls? Explorer pack is the bit which allow you to play any faction but I wasn't aware that you can buy it after release on its own.

I know you can buy imperial upgrade later on but I didn't read anything about Explorer upgrade after release.

DArtagnan · February 2, 2014

lostforever said:
Where did you see that pls? Explorer pack is the bit which allow you to play any faction but I wasn't aware that you can buy it after release on its own.

Hmm, either the Bethsoft forums or mmorpg.com - I don't remember. But I've seen it mentioned several times, so it's pretty certain. People have been asking ZOS support for details, and they've made it clear that these things will be available later on.

Not a surprise, as that's the standard these days - which makes sense. Make people believe it's exclusive with pre-order, and then charge for it later on - as it's basically free money.

lostforever · February 2, 2014

DArtagnan said:
Hmm, either the Bethsoft forums or mmorpg.com - I don't remember. But I've seen it mentioned several times, so it's pretty certain. People have been asking ZOS support for details, and they've made it clear that these things will be available later on.

Not a surprise, as that's the standard these days - which makes sense. Make people believe it's exclusive with pre-order, and then charge for it later on - as it's basically free money.

Its good to know and thank you. Few people I know was wondering about this.

Elder Scrolls Online - Ask Us Anything

Couchpotato

Part-Time News-bot

zz

Watchdog

joxer

The Smoker

Nyx

Goddess of the Night

DArtagnan

Guest

zahratustra

SasqWatch

DArtagnan

Guest

zahratustra

SasqWatch

Hastar

Unspeakable

DArtagnan

Guest

lostforever

SasqWatch

DArtagnan

Guest

lostforever

SasqWatch