Theory on what the Imperial City will be like when released.

Lysistrata · April 2014

I was pretty disappointed and incredulous that the Imperial Isle is currently completely inaccessible, but at the same time, I'm sure that once it is released, it'll add to PvP what it's currently missing.

Currently, being Emperor just means controlling a few keeps in Cyrodiil, with the actual cities in Cyrodiil completely independent from you. My theory is that once an alliance controls the prerequisite keeps, they will be given the opportunity to take the city and defeat Empress Clivia (surely she would appear when the Imperial City is released - it's unusual for a character who's mentioned as often as she is not to make an appearance). Afterwards, it will serve as a sort of second camp for the alliance - with shops, perhaps a wayshrine, and with quests etc. that only the dominant alliance could access. Maybe it could also open the way for the leading alliance to seize control of the actual cities, too - it's struck me as odd that the four accessible cities in Cyrodiil continue to be independent city states even when all the surrounding keeps belong to an alliance, and the alliance may even have guards patrolling directly outside the city gates. Surely it wouldn't hurt to make alliance-affiliated city guards that aren't hostile to players from other alliances?

It would all make being Emperor/Empress or a member of the leading alliance even more desirable.

cymatt · April 2014

Maybe like DAoC in the good old times.
The alliance that control the keeps has opertunity to play a special dungeon in the city.

Lysistrata · April 2014

Yes - maybe afterwards the White-Gold Tower could be accessed only by the Emperor, and have some special features - like an Imperial Battlemage who sells rare items, or sells items cheap to you?

nicholaspingasb16_ESO · April 2014

The Arena:
The imperial arena could be used for PvE battles and PvP duels between players in the alliance that currently holds the city.

People could spectate PvP duels in real-time, and the emperor would have a special seat reserved for him/her only.

Spectators could bet on the outcome of PvP duels.

The emperor could create a daily PvE challenge for players (for example, one day you could have a group of 4 players fighting 10 crocodiles, while during the next day, you might have 1 guy fight 3 storm atronachs)

There would also be an arena quest line, similar to the one in oblivion. On top of that, there is a skill line specific to arena combat.

Special Dungeons
Some kind of large dungeon with loot exclusive to it. The dungeon would only be accessible by the alliance that has control of the city. It would be daedra-themed, and maybe it would have something to do with the massive dark anchor over the White-Gold Tower.

Shops
Many shops in the imperial city would have goods and services available to the alliance holding the city. These shops would have unique items and
crafting materials up for sale that could not be procured in other cities.

White-Gold Tower
The tower would be fully accessible, with all rooms being available to players of the alliance holding the city (except for the emperors quarters, which would be exclusively available to the Emperor and his battlemage)

The emperor could appoint an Imperial Battlemage from a selection of the top 10 sorcerers in that campaign.

Guild Halls
The top-ranked guild at the time of the city's capture would get a guild hall that is customize-able by the guild leader and any officers he gives permission to. It would be in a district of the guild leader's choosing.

Ship Battles

During a siege, lake rumare and the connecting rivers could be used for naval battles. Ships would be made very far upriver, and then sailed down into lake rumare where they can attack the walls of the imperial city. However, other ships can attack and destroy them. This would make lake rumare a useful part of the landscape rather than just a barrier.

Lysistrata · April 2014

Wow, I never considered half of that. I certainly hope Zenimax does when the time comes to include the Imperial city.

Of course, including Clivia as a boss in the initial taking of the city is practically a must. She seems like an important character, and I'm eager to see what she's capable of.

Darka · April 2014

It is blank canvas to play with and pvpers dreams will go wild, I just hope that when it is opened up people wont be let down because they spent all the time imagining things that should be there, rather then accepting things that are there in the end

Great ideas though so far

Kewljag_66_ESO · April 2014

Word is the Imperial City will basically be like Darkness Falls from Darkage of Camelot. An area and or dungeon that one alliance as control of.

Qujz · April 2014

Maybe the Imperials will see the faction with the most points as a threat and invade there keeps or send reinforcements the sides that has the least players.

Zintair · April 2014

My guild was able to get into the Imperial City during BETA. Let's just say there is a Dark Anchor/Dolmen in there and some entrances for dungeons.

If I had to place money after what I saw (I was not actually there) on the video it will be the next Darkness Falls.

aeroch · April 2014

My guild was able to get into the Imperial City during BETA. All of the mobs spam shield bash and bolt escape and one-shot pre-V1 players

Raice · April 2014

Frankly, I think it will be a PvP-free zone.

For the most part, Oblivion gives a great break-down of how the Imperial City is actually broken up. You have trade quarters, mage's quarter, residential, etc. All of this stuff will probably be a PvP-free zone where anyone and everyone will be able to travel around in. They'll probably write it in the lore somehow where all 3 factions agree to have a cease fire within the city walls for the sake of not damaging the most important real estate in the whole game. It never mattered who held the seat of power throughout time... it was all more or less universally understood that the IC held certain historical value that should not be destroyed. If anything, the Mage's guild simply would have never allowed it.

I say it will be a PvP-Free zone, because when you really get down to it, the Imperial City is THE most identifying thing about the entire game. It is TESO's Coruscant, if you will. Everyone will want to be able to enjoy that area of the game, and not everyone wants to PvP. It's just that simple.

I'm sure there will be PvP aspects about it in some manner or another. I'm just saying that for the purposes of actually running around and exploring the city itself and conducting business, you shouldn't have to worry about some other player knifing you in the back.

nicholaspingasb16_ESO · April 2014

Raice wrote: »

Frankly, I think it will be a PvP-free zone.

For the most part, Oblivion gives a great break-down of how the Imperial City is actually broken up. You have trade quarters, mage's quarter, residential, etc. All of this stuff will probably be a PvP-free zone where anyone and everyone will be able to travel around in. They'll probably write it in the lore somehow where all 3 factions agree to have a cease fire within the city walls for the sake of not damaging the most important real estate in the whole game. It never mattered who held the seat of power throughout time... it was all more or less universally understood that the IC held certain historical value that should not be destroyed. If anything, the Mage's guild simply would have never allowed it.

I say it will be a PvP-Free zone, because when you really get down to it, the Imperial City is THE most identifying thing about the entire game. It is TESO's Coruscant, if you will. Everyone will want to be able to enjoy that area of the game, and not everyone wants to PvP. It's just that simple.

I'm sure there will be PvP aspects about it in some manner or another. I'm just saying that for the purposes of actually running around and exploring the city itself and conducting business, you shouldn't have to worry about some other player knifing you in the back.

They have already confirmed that it will be siege-able and that a single alliance will capture it.

Adalich · April 2014

Amongst other things, hopefully it will have a notice board where the emperor or his appointed officials can set daily quests which make sense.

instead of go scout the farm 3 keeps behind enemy lines which we have never taken and never will take, here's 300ap.

It will say,

we need this info to plan a raid/ we want this keep taken. As emperor/ appointed official/guild leader we are offering 200ap/2000ap/10000ap to the player/group/guild who does this first. With the points coming from the alliance total rather than extra points.

Quests which bind a faction together at a strategic level.