Verdict - First Impressions

Xilc

Greetings, readers. My (code) name is Verdict, and today I'm bringing you my take on the launch of Elder scrolls online.

A little about me first though. I run a website with my friend that covers new and emerging technology, with our mission being to provide people with technological insight, and to show everyone the world of tomorrow. I enjoy writing reviews, both for technology and for games, so this isn't by far my first rodeo in playing an MMO.
techslatest.com/ Note: This is NOT an advertisement, don't go to the website if you don't want, I'm simply citing my credentials.

Character creation

First things first, I should clarify that I have read other reviews and have been through other sources of reviews for the Elder scrolls online, but my experience was quite unique to say the least.
When creating my first character, I was easily impressed with the options given to me. There were plenty of customization options, and each of the races were sufficiently described. There were so many customization options, and the triangle to customize your body size and weight was pretty nifty to play around with as well.
What I didn't like was the lack of description for any of the three factions whatsoever. To a new player, picking anyone of the three factions indiscriminately leaves you blind at the start of the game. It doesn't matter which one of them you click on in character creation, because there's no description of the factions for any of them, which I greatly disliked. In fact, it didn't even delve into which races were part of it which faction. Starting out, I didn't know anything about the faction that I initially chose (Daggerfall covenant).
I also didn't like how imperial was unavailable unless you bought the Imperial addition. I know I know, it's the "Imperial addition." Kind of self-explanatory, is it not? But seriously, they created a game where you have to pay a subscription already, but more than that, all of the races aren't even available to you at the very start. You literally have to pay real world monetary just to play Imperial, possibly one of the most desired races to ever play in the Elder scrolls. I was thoroughly disappointed with that point itself.

Another thing I didn't really like, but knew I had to come to terms with anyway was that each of the classes was thoroughly insinuated to go together with a specific race. For example, if you wanted to be a dragonknight, it would not be beneficial to you in any way to be an Altmer. Of course, other online games (with the exception of Star Wars) pair certain attributes to certain races starting out in the game, but I figured that Elder scrolls online we do something differently. I felt it very cliché of them to include this heavy insinuation of what race you should pick based on what class you would like to be. Why do I dislike this? Because it restricts your freedom of choice. It's a clear opportunity cost to you to pick a race that you like if its stats are not beneficial to you. Basically, if you pick a high elf as a warrior, you're giving up the racial bonuses of ignored or work who have warrior skills, while the Altmer has no warrior skills whatsoever.

All in all though, the character creation was wonderful and didn't leave too much out of the picture. In comparison to other MMO's that give you 5 hairstyles and 4 different custom body types, you can customize everything!


Starting out

Starting out, I was impressed with the beginning of the game. The cinema they show you isn't dry and boring like other online games that I've played. It's interesting and fun to watch, and is also relevant to where your character starts out. Coldharbor is a really cool place to start out, and it throws you right into the action. Plus, I play on ultra (it really is worth it), so I've noticed the graphics are very, very good! It doesn't look like a dull flat grey world with their graphics, which I greatly enjoy. The camera angle in 3rd person takes some getting used to, but adds a very cinematic and user friendly angle once you get accustomed to it. I enjoy how it's a change from other MMO's, so I don't feel like it's like "Okay, new game, all mechanics and settings are the same, GO!" It's refreshing to see new stuff in the game.

The tutorial and the help tips are SOLID. SOLIDDDD. When I say solid, I mean Solid Snake Solid (he's solid, trust me bro). Other games don't even have help tips, they lead you to their website with some obtrusive pop up that annoys you every time you do it (just like accidentally pressing the windows key). This game has a built-in help center with a search bar. In addition to all of this, they even have help tips on EVERY screen. Character, guild, group, you name it, they teach you how to use it. I hate feeling like I have to get out the 400 page phone book style user manual just to learn how the basics go.

The storyline is clear-cut, and avoid confusion by immediately starting you out on the main quest. It doesn't even take too long either, so that is a plus too. I always did hate lengthy starter campaign that you have to repeat over and over again (Star Wars, dear Lord). As an added plus, they took the extra step to allow you to skip Coldharbor if you've already completed it once on one character. If only they had this in Skyrim, life would be complete...

However, they also took it one step backwards by dumping you into the starter area with only a 1h sword and a 2h sword. I don't know why it is always a one and two-handed sword, but this really annoys me . If you roll a class that does not use swords at all, such as sorcerer, or you are a dragonknight, you’re put on the main island without your shield. Again, I don't know what would draw them to think that this is a good idea, but it's the farthest thing from a good idea possible . Of course you can just skip Coldharbor and go straight to the main island, but you give up the chance to get a destruction or restoration staff if your class needs one or a shield if you use one. Why wouldn't they make it so that they give you whatever is it appropriate for your class? If you're a dragonknight, why don't they give you a sword and shield? If you're a sorcerer, why don't they give you the basic destruction staff that he would have gotten if you had done Coldharbor anyway? Other than that, I see the ability to skip Coldharbor on a new character is an interesting take on developing the online game. No other online game has done this so far, so it is an innovation to say in the least.

Economy

Well, I've covered some of the good and the bad, but now we get to the ugly . The economy in the Elder scrolls online rears its ugly face at you almost immediately when you start out after Coldharbor. I have to touch on bots unfortunately in this section. The bottling problem completely ruins the game in the early stages. Bots use speed hacks, and also walk right through the ground, making it impossible to compete against them in most cases. There are practically no resource nodes in the entire game to even harvest due to the massive bot problem. Resources are scarce as if they don't even exist. I harvested for two hours and only got 40 jute, 30 iron, and a handful of maple shavings (about 20 or so, which can make 2 batches of sanded maple). All of that work only equated into making my woodworking level 2, my clothing level 2, and I didn't really have enough iron to make much of anything useful.

However, the game is built up so heavily on crafting that it's almost ridiculous for the developers to think that we can play the game normally. Vendor crafted armor is literally 700 gold each, but you don't even get 130 gold per quest until about level eight. This left me and a lot of my guild members partially clothed and with terrible gear because we couldn't craft much of anything. While it is all great and well that botters have plenty of resources to use on their own accounts, none is leftover for anyone else in the economy that plays legitimately. Following through with supply and demand, people sell the basic resources for crafting at ridiculous prices, typically thousands for a stack of basic resources. How this equates is that the basic resources cannot be afforded at all unless you somehow mystically get rich, were you level up to a much higher level where the basic resources are no longer even useful to you, because the gear they craft will not be on par with your level.

Perhaps it would alleviate the situation even slightly if there were some form of a market, but there is none at all in this online game . The economy is basically nonexistent, forcing you to join five "trade" guilds in order to trade with others in by resources and materials. In many of the guild banks, they had stacks of Materials in the hundreds, but none of them were able to be withdrawn, or even sold. Many of the guilds I looked into wouldn't so much as take them out of the bank and sell them to me, let alone move them anywhere at all. Thus, wealth is far from evenly distributed in this game, mostly due to the botting problem, and due to guild farmers farming all of the materials and holding it hostage in the banks they own (much like the economy of diamonds in the world, they harvest them and hold them so that the price of resources actually for sale is ridiculous). In my economics textbook in college, I learned that a command economy is when the government owns most resources. In this case, the guilds are the government, and they own all of the resources that we need to level up and craft our items, yet they will not give it up. As such, there is no market in the Elder scrolls online, and it completely crippled and decimated the idea of an economy even existing. The Elder scrolls online does not have an economy, and that makes the game that much harder to play. Other reviews I've read online had indicated that despite being online, you're essentially playing alone, as you have to gather your own resources yourself, which can be quite impossible with the bot problem. Seeing that there is no market at all in the game, I would have to agree with these other reviewers that you are essentially playing by yourself, which is very unfortunate for an MMO title. An absence of a market, whether virtually an online, or in the real world, leads to economic disparity.

Guilds
The main reason people ever make guilds in the Elder scrolls online is for trade (with very few exceptions), which is ironic because the guild masters usually have ulterior motives in mind that discourage trade. The most common reason for creating a guild I have found is that the guild master wants everyone to deposit goods into the guild bank and pretend like they're going to share them with everyone, but then lock the guild bank so no withdraws or deposits can be made, and use all of the resources in the bank for his own devices. This is very common and very possible. A couple of my guilds that I have left had hundreds upon hundreds of stacks of materials in them, locked to every one of the members I donated to the guild bank, except the only officer in the guild who was the guild master. I see other types of guilds though too, so I will not discredit every guild in the Elder scrolls online, but most of them or made out of pure greed. After remember, capitalist Adam Smith, author of the wealth of Nations even said himself, it is not out of benevolence that the Baker makes his bread, but out of his own self-interest to sell the bread and make money for himself. The same is true in the Elder scrolls online. All of the players were pitted against extreme economic odds, being forced to do greedy and terrible things such as starting guild and play nice so everyone else will donate, then lock the entire guild bank up so no one else can take anything else but the guild master.

The other factors about guilds.

I've seen very few role-playing guilds, which is pretty cool because I've always loved role-playing myself. It's a fun way to pass the time, and it makes playing the game a lot more fun. However, guilds are extremely limited with the three faction system that is set up. I understand that the player base in the holder scrolls online is massive, but divided among three factions, it seems tiny when he comes to guilds. If you're in a guild with others that are any different faction, you cannot PVP with them (for obvious reasons) which I've heard from many players is extremely unfortunate, and serves as a wall for doing things with a guild that is based in another faction. Many guilds are based on a sole faction (Aldmeri trading, Daggerfall raiding, etc) which I see as a pitfall to the game. It makes it very confusing that you can play with people in other factions some time, and the other times you cannot, as the faction system is really explained at any point of the game at all.

Closing points

In general, the game is extremely fun to play and very addicting, and I enjoyed it very much, as do many other players . However, with any game, there is a lot to work on, but I think that the developers need to know and remember that the users of the game are the ones playing it. The developers should know and listen to the users in order to know what they should change to make the game better and more enjoyable. The faction system wasn't explained anywhere within my experience of the game, which makes it very confusing. But most of all, it makes it impossible to choose between any of the three factions without knowing at the very beginning of the game what any of the three mean. Some may say that the factions are explained throughout quests, and I get that, I really do, but what if you want to change your faction? What if you suddenly realize that you're the only Imperial among a bunch of high elves, wood elves and khajiit?By the time you learn what your faction is even about through all of the quests, it is way too far in to change anything at all. You can't simply go and delete your character that you played for 18 hours because you finally realize what it's about.

An interesting idea I had is that perhaps they could have made it just like Oblivion (it allowed you to make any changes to race, appearance, gender, class, skills, etc at the end of the beginning tunnel) and allow you to change anything you didn't like at level 10. It would even let you refund ALL of your skyshard and skill points back to you incase you didn't like anything in particular. This would make the game much more user friendly than the unforgiving system it has now.

Thanks for reading, everyone . Feel free to comment as you feel necessary!

P.S.: I have fixed most grammatical errors, my apology for posting before I had a chance to fix them.

Xilc

I forgot to add that although I think the bots are a problem, I am not bashing the devs for the problem (because its essentially not their fault, if someone throws a rock through a store window, you can't blame the store for being so messy when you walk in). My stance on it is that they need time to sort it out, and until that happens, we just need a little patience and a whole lot of Skyrim

Evergnar

Great read. I like how you focused on specific things you experienced starting the game. Things that stood out to you.

Your observation on the lack on details for factions was really interesting as I've never really thought about it since I've been following this game for quite some time. Makes a lot sense though for someone just coming into the game and they should definitely add more info in character creation.

I'll leave the bots & the economy topics out as it is already a hot topic and plenty of threads on that already. Interesting to hear your point of view though (from someone starting out).

*On a side note it looks like spell check inserted a number of wrong words and if you're running a site you might want to have someone proof it. Not trying to be a pick, just thought you should know.

vyndral13preub18_ESO

Didn't read the whole review because I'm lazy. But i did skim it and it seems well done. Putting forth what you like and don't like with put really trying to hype it up one way or the other. Here is what i thought, and here is why i thought it.

Xilc

Evergnar wrote: »

Great read. I like how you focused on specific things you experienced starting the game. Things that stood out to you.

Your observation on the lack on details for factions was really interesting as I've never really thought about it since I've been following this game for quite some time. Makes a lot sense though for someone just coming into the game and they should definitely add more info in character creation.

I'll leave the bots & the economy topics out as it is already a hot topic and plenty of threads on that already. Interesting to hear your point of view though (from someone starting out).

*On a side note it looks like spell check inserted a number of wrong words and if you're running a site you might want to have someone proof it. Not trying to be a pick, just thought you should know.

Thank you, I appreciate your kind words!
In response to the lack of details for factions, my friend I introduced to the game has never played Oblivion, and very little of Skyrim. I myself have played Oblivion and Skyrim, but never Morrowind. Was I supposed to sniff out of thin air that the Aldmeri Dominion consisted of Altmer, Wood Elf, and Khajiit? They never explain it until you're out of coldharbor and 5 hours into the game (that's about where you get the info), so it's just ironic. At least in WoW they explained Horde or Alliance when you clicked on them.

*On a side note it looks like spell check inserted a number of wrong words and if you're running a site you might want to have someone proof it. Not trying to be a pick, just thought you should know.

You are right, autocorrect makes it very difficult to find and replace all of the errors in large blocks of text (I have to use a voice typer due to certain constraints on time, where voice typing is much faster and more efficient).

Pairaka

Regarding your comment about starting out with a limited number of weapons, if you redo the tutorial and then pay attention to the table where you collect those weapons, you'll find that you can grab up a two handed sword, a one handed sword, a shield and a staff (resto, I believe). So you're not nearly as empty-handed as you suggest. You can also loot a whole bunch of stuff (before the tunnels where all the crates and urns are) and can show up in Tamriel with a bag full of provisioning mats, lockpicks and sometimes a proper piece of armor or a weapon. The last area before you gather the Skyshard and take the portal to the real world is littered with crates, trunks and urns. Some of this stuff can be vendored to give you a bit of gold to start off, too.

Edit:

Evergnar wrote: »

*On a side note it looks like spell check inserted a number of wrong words and if you're running a site you might want to have someone proof it. Not trying to be a pick, just thought you should know.

Indeed. The section on Economy is particularly bad and needs/should have been proofread before posting.

Xilc

[/quote]
Indeed. The section on Economy is particularly bad and needs/should have been proofread before posting. [/quote]
My apologies for the lack of proofreading, I admittedly did speed through it. I fixed most of the errors (hopefully all of them ) so thank you for that.

Xilc

Pairaka wrote: »

Regarding your comment about starting out with a limited number of weapons, if you redo the tutorial and then pay attention to the table where you collect those weapons, you'll find that you can grab up a two handed sword, a one handed sword, a shield and a staff (resto, I believe). So you're not nearly as empty-handed as you suggest.

I said if you SKIP the tutorial area... If you don't skip it you can get every weapon, yeah, but if you skip tutorial/beginning area, you can't get any...

Nate

I don't care enough to actually read all of that, but I care just enough to want a TL;DR version.

Doomraven

Good review, I liked it and it had a lot of great points, good job! I do however disagree with a few things. I like the concept of guild stores, and I don't think certain races are "forced" to be certain classes. In your example you use Altmer as a Dragon Knight. Altmer make fine DKs, especially if you build him with destro staff/Ardent Flame skill line. The beauty of this game is that you can make any class a "caster" if you do it correctly.

Daethz

Good game, combat too buggy and unreliable for a multiplayer game, endofstory.

Xilc

Xilc wrote: »

Pairaka wrote: »

Regarding your comment about starting out with a limited number of weapons, if you redo the tutorial and then pay attention to the table where you collect those weapons, you'll find that you can grab up a two handed sword, a one handed sword, a shield and a staff (resto, I believe). So you're not nearly as empty-handed as you suggest.

I said if you SKIP the tutorial area... If you don't skip it you can get every weapon, yeah, but if you skip tutorial/beginning area, you can't get any...

Dats what im sayinnnn! What game dumps you out into the world without any weapon? I don't need a sword as a sorceror or a healer...

Xilc

Doomraven wrote: »

Good review, I liked it and it had a lot of great points, good job! I do however disagree with a few things. I like the concept of guild stores, and I don't think certain races are "forced" to be certain classes. In your example you use Altmer as a Dragon Knight. Altmer make fine DKs, especially if you build him with destro staff/Ardent Flame skill line. The beauty of this game is that you can make any class a "caster" if you do it correctly.

See, I didn't know that at all because of my inexperience (fine, call me a newb ) But the game never teaches you any of this. In other games, it's usually... Hinted at that you can be this, this, or this.

In the char. creation screen it shows DK with a sword and shield, like my mind thinks simply sometimes.. I thought that's all that it could do!

how do I DK Destrostaff?

Gedalya

You make a number of fallacious statements; for example, that there are few resource nodes due to botting. I've seen resource bugs; but it has never been a problem for me (not anymore than meeting another player who got to a node first). You clearly have an interest in blogging; if not writing in general however I question how much ESO you have already played. I blog too: tamriel.org; welcome to the club.

pborerb16_ESO

Very interesting thoughts, thanks for this. Some things I see differently:

Xilc wrote: »

For example, if you wanted to be a dragonknight, it would not be beneficial to you in any way to be an Altmer.

Well, but at least you can be an Altmer dragonknight. You then have to live with the disadvantages, but the game doesn't tell you "you're race X, you can't be class Y". And it might be seen as an interesting challenge to play a less-than-optimum class/race combination.

Xilc wrote: »

If you roll a class that does not use swords at all, such as sorcerer, or you are a dragonknight, you’re put on the main island without your shield.

A sorcerer may very well use a sword And wear heavy armor. Or what you want...

Salsadoom

Suggestion, before reviewing something, try not to read other reviews.

The lack of weapon choices is actually quite refreshing, more inline with the story. And really, it doesn't matter what you use in the prison.

jkbennettb14a_ESO

Gedalya wrote: »

You make a number of fallacious statements; for example, that there are few resource nodes due to botting. I've seen resource bugs; but it has never been a problem for me (not anymore than meeting another player who got to a node first). You clearly have an interest in blogging; if not writing in general however I question how much ESO you have already played. I blog too: tamriel.org; welcome to the club.

Curious, when was the last time was you made an alt?

I ran a new alt through Bleakrock over the weekend and my experience was exactly what the OP described. Good thing for me I have a stash of mats in my bank or I would have had no armor other than what was found based on the amount of mats I was able to obtain.

edit: spelling

Xilc

jkbennettb14a_ESO wrote: »

Gedalya wrote: »

You make a number of fallacious statements; for example, that there are few resource nodes due to botting. I've seen resource bugs; but it has never been a problem for me (not anymore than meeting another player who got to a node first). You clearly have an interest in blogging; if not writing in general however I question how much ESO you have already played. I blog too: tamriel.org; welcome to the club.

Curious, when was the last time was you made an alt?

I ran a new alt through Bleakrock over the weekend and my experience was exactly what the OP described. Good thing for me I have a stash of mats in my bank or I would have had no armor other than what was found based on the amount of mats I was able to obtain.

edit: spelling

Yeah, I got to about level 8 on my sorcerer before being completely wrecked for having all white gear. I saved ALL of my money, and at most I had 900 or so, couldn't afford the green armor on the market for 650+ each.

Dekkameron

Forgive me, i cannot on comment on everything you have written, but one thing does stand out to me.

Xilc wrote: »

For example, if you wanted to be a dragonknight, it would not be beneficial to you in any way to be an Altmer.

Altmer is one of the better races at Dragonknight due to it's elemental damage and magika racials (Dunmer are really the best class at DK)

I personally mostly create characters based on an RP idea in my head more than min-maxing.

Nooblet

I personally never had an issue with gear. And i never crafted or purchased anything until I was V1.

michaelpatrickjonesnub18_ESO

Helpful feedback from writing school:

Delete unnecessary words.

You have a lot of them. Strung together, forming great sentences.

Tavore1138

One of the more intelligent & considered reviews.

I think you missed out in Coldharbour - there were staffs and shields to be had on the 'pick your weapon' tables.

Personally I was working thru levels b4 the bots - my wife and I are grabbing raw mats between questing and in some time plan to start a guild that provides basic mats to low level players for free... on a 'pass it forward' basis... helping people get past the bot levels is in the interest of every player who plans on sticking around.

Dekkameron

SuraklinPrime wrote: »

my wife and I are grabbing raw mats between questing and in some time plan to start a guild that provides basic mats to low level players for free... on a 'pass it forward' basis... helping people get past the bot levels is in the interest of every player who plans on sticking around.

If you play EU i would like to get involved on that, i have hordes of resources i can move for such purposes that are merely filling up my bank/bank alt.

Such is the problem when you have max characters

Doomraven

Xilc wrote: »

Doomraven wrote: »

Good review, I liked it and it had a lot of great points, good job! I do however disagree with a few things. I like the concept of guild stores, and I don't think certain races are "forced" to be certain classes. In your example you use Altmer as a Dragon Knight. Altmer make fine DKs, especially if you build him with destro staff/Ardent Flame skill line. The beauty of this game is that you can make any class a "caster" if you do it correctly.

See, I didn't know that at all because of my inexperience (fine, call me a newb ) But the game never teaches you any of this. In other games, it's usually... Hinted at that you can be this, this, or this.

In the char. creation screen it shows DK with a sword and shield, like my mind thinks simply sometimes.. I thought that's all that it could do!

how do I DK Destrostaff?

I understand, and I agree that they could have done better with giving information. There are quite a few places to get this information though if you spend some time looking. If you are interested in rolling a Destro (Fire) staff DK then here is a build.

http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/dragonknight-destruction-staff-survivable-dps-build/

Xilc

Doomraven wrote: »

Xilc wrote: »

Doomraven wrote: »

Good review, I liked it and it had a lot of great points, good job! I do however disagree with a few things. I like the concept of guild stores, and I don't think certain races are "forced" to be certain classes. In your example you use Altmer as a Dragon Knight. Altmer make fine DKs, especially if you build him with destro staff/Ardent Flame skill line. The beauty of this game is that you can make any class a "caster" if you do it correctly.

See, I didn't know that at all because of my inexperience (fine, call me a newb ) But the game never teaches you any of this. In other games, it's usually... Hinted at that you can be this, this, or this.

In the char. creation screen it shows DK with a sword and shield, like my mind thinks simply sometimes.. I thought that's all that it could do!

how do I DK Destrostaff?

I understand, and I agree that they could have done better with giving information. There are quite a few places to get this information though if you spend some time looking. If you are interested in rolling a Destro (Fire) staff DK then here is a build.

http://tamrielfoundry.com/topic/dragonknight-destruction-staff-survivable-dps-build/

Thanks for the link, I appreciate it! I was looking for something along those lines. I didn't know they had an ESOhead, they have a /head for everything now

Xilc

Looking back at this now, I can see that my assumptions were right about there not being any economy whatsoever with the faulty guild UI.... -_-