ESO and also TES4 has been pretty bad at making Nibenese and Colovia visually and culturally distinct. Linchal is in Colovia and should probably be Colovian, although Anvil is a rather unique case in Colovia and is more Nibenese in look, but is supposed to be a bit of its own thing.

Leyawiin is indeed Nibenese, despite it being given a generic and one could even say spartan(as in lack of comfort or luxury) medieval fantasy look. Which is weird. All base game Cyrodiil cities also uses the same "Colovian" style, even Bravil which we can see at the border uses the Colovian style. Exception being Bruma which uses nord.


Cyrodiil and imperials are a big mistreated mess.

jaekobcaed wrote: »

NotaDaedraWorshipper wrote: »

ESO and also TES4 has been pretty bad at making Nibenese and Colovia visually and culturally distinct. Linchal is in Colovia and should probably be Colovian, although Anvil is a rather unique case in Colovia and is more Nibenese in look, but is supposed to be a bit of its own thing.

Leyawiin is indeed Nibenese, despite it being given a generic and one could even say spartan(as in lack of comfort or luxury) medieval fantasy look. Which is weird. All base game Cyrodiil cities also uses the same "Colovian" style, even Bravil which we can see at the border uses the Colovian style. Exception being Bruma which uses nord.


Cyrodiil and imperials are a big mistreated mess.

But I don't think Nibenese and Colovian aesthetics should be significantly different, at least not in Oblivion. By the events Oblivion, Cyrod culture has been united for so long that it wouldn't make sense for the aesthetics to be so distinct.

Now, in terms of ESO, I do think they should have made the distinction a lot sharper, since Cyrodiil had (comparatively speaking) been only recently united. However, I know they were aiming to create nostalgia for Oblivion players through ESO appearances of Cyrodiil but as someone who considers Oblivion to be the best TES game, I'm biased and don't mind it being so similar.

They should beause they are. The split between Nibenese and Colovians happened quite a long time ago and has shaped the two parts of Cyrodiil because of the time that has passed. The lore talks about their difference, the characters talk about the difference etc. They are one people, but there is difference between the two. Despite its faults TES4 did at least give the cities their own touches, making them a bit different from eachother and not all looking completely the same. Like Bravil is a lot more wooden, Chedinhall is supposed to have some mild dunmer inspiration, same as Bruma got some nord.

You also just don't go about and change architecture and structural designs on buildings all willy nilly.

I like TES4 a lot, but it did a massive disservice to Cyrodiil and Imperial lore and appearances, just because LOTR and stuff were popular at the time. So much fun and interesting lore turned much blander.
ESO barely did an attempt to fix any of it, like the whole mess that is the Niben River. Tamriel's largest and most traversed river. In TES4 it was barely a brook, and ESO it's a small river with unpassable bridges. Even added a book that contradicts lore and the game itself.