Main Story Is Bad?

tplink3r1

Smepic wrote: »

tplink3r1 wrote: »

Please, stop comparing ESO with a game that isn't even a RPG.

Please tell me this is a joke.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witcher_3:_Wild_Hunt

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Polish: Wiedźmin 3: Dziki Gon) is an action role-playing video game set in an open world environment, developed by Polish video game developer CD Projekt RED.

Also, I am not comparing the games as a whole - which you would know if you read the post thoroughly.

In the witcher your character already has a backstory, its full of cutscenes and 0 RP freedom inside the game.
its NOT an RPG, its an action/fantasy game. Just because it is a fantasy game doesn't mean its an RPG(an RPG where you can't even create your own character? LOL).

UTG_Zilla

tplink3r1 wrote: »

Smepic wrote: »

tplink3r1 wrote: »

Please, stop comparing ESO with a game that isn't even a RPG.

Please tell me this is a joke.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witcher_3:_Wild_Hunt

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (Polish: Wiedźmin 3: Dziki Gon) is an action role-playing video game set in an open world environment, developed by Polish video game developer CD Projekt RED.

Also, I am not comparing the games as a whole - which you would know if you read the post thoroughly.

In the witcher your character already has a backstory, its full of cutscenes and 0 RP freedom inside the game.
its NOT an RPG, its an action/fantasy game. Just because it is a fantasy game doesn't mean its an RPG(an RPG where you can't even create your own character? LOL).

What this person said.

In eso you're the Undaunted, a nameless person who builds their fame from the bottom from a poor no name adventurer to a hero of the pact. In the Witcher, you're a known hero with a settled backstory.

Also, yea...my post about comparing apples:oranges was applying to the quests as well. In eso the main quests are every 5 levels for a reason. If it wasn't then people will just rush the story missions and then you end up with level 30s in Caldwell Silver. Like how there are level 30s who have fighters guild victor/master wizard.

This is an MMORPG. Some People will try to rush the game to be in end content as fast as they can (I saw a console thread in first month of release and title was more or less 'vr14 on consoles, nothing to do til December?'). So they made the main story quests every 5 levels just to even it out.

And hey, no one said you have to do them as soon as they're unlocked. I did the majority main story quests at vr1 and finished like 6-7 quests within an hour if not within 40mins and all the reward gear will be vr1.

WhiteCoatSyndrome

My biggest problem with the main quest is that the 'twist' is both obvious and pointless.

OLIVI3R wrote: »

ZOS please reconsider! I cannot use dragon shouts in Skyrim online!!!

Actually you CAN. Play a Dragonknight.

UTG_Zilla

WhiteCoatSyndrome wrote: »

My biggest problem with the main quest is that the 'twist' is both obvious and pointless.

OLIVI3R wrote: »

ZOS please reconsider! I cannot use dragon shouts in Skyrim online!!!

Actually you CAN. Play a Dragonknight.

Sorry but this isn't The 6th Sense or Signs, "twists" aren't important at all and often predictable.

CapnPhoton

This is the first MMO I have played that actually has a progressive main story line. For me, EQ2 was the only other one that came close. It was only 3 quests, and an occasional 'do something for the queen' later in other zones. Other than that it is all a bunch of mini side progressions that are specific to the zone.

I enjoy the zone progressions and side quests as well, and honestly the main quest is just more content. I treat it similarly to when I played Skyrim. The rest of the game is as good if not better than the dragon quest.

NDwarf

edit- long story short, I agree with OP

The main story was forgettable. I can't think of anything about the main that stands out and I'll remember for years to come. The final battle with Malog Bal was anti-climatice, to say the least. Starts off as a huge mountain size Deadric Prince and I'm thinking "this is going to be fun." Then *poof* he's bite size and drops in a few hits because Meridia.

I do have a ton of screenshots on my Ps4 of landscapes and little odd discoveries found while adventuring. I think I have more screenshots of ESO than any other game. They did a fantastic job with the environment (at least in quest zones Cyrodiil is a little lacking).

Wish there wasn't a "main story line." Just a massive, Elder Scrolls setting where we are nobodies setting off for adventure, treasure, and glory by our own deeds. I really, really hate being the "chosen one" in an mmo surrounded by "chosen ones but not really, just pretend you are the only chosen one." It works in a single player game but in an mmo...bleh.

SanderBuraas

NDwarf wrote: »

edit- long story short, I agree with OP

The main story was forgettable. I can't think of anything about the main that stands out and I'll remember for years to come. The final battle with Malog Bal was anti-climatice, to say the least. Starts off as a huge mountain size Deadric Prince and I'm thinking "this is going to be fun." Then *poof* he's bite size and drops in a few hits because Meridia.

I do have a ton of screenshots on my Ps4 of landscapes and little odd discoveries found while adventuring. I think I have more screenshots of ESO than any other game. They did a fantastic job with the environment (at least in quest zones Cyrodiil is a little lacking).

Wish there wasn't a "main story line." Just a massive, Elder Scrolls setting where we are nobodies setting off for adventure, treasure, and glory by our own deeds. I really, really hate being the "chosen one" in an mmo surrounded by "chosen ones but not really, just pretend you are the only chosen one." It works in a single player game but in an mmo...bleh.

Very anti-climactic and an easy fight, yes.

Elsonso

NDwarf wrote: »

I really, really hate being the "chosen one" in an mmo surrounded by "chosen ones but not really, just pretend you are the only chosen one." It works in a single player game but in an mmo...bleh.

Uh huh. There can be a main story, but story designers should not make solo stories in an MMO. There should be no places where you get that odd sense that you are the first person in Place A or are the only one doing something, unless you actually are the first or only person doing something.

Psychobunni

I too wish people would stop comparing ESO with solo games. Compare it to EQ, WoW, LOTRO....but not solo games Bethesda made or not.

That said as far as the OP...I like the main story. I don't agree that it needs to take us out in our "faction" more because the main story is bigger than/beyond little faction squabbles. Tbh, I wish we didn't even pick a faction until we have completed all 3 and it was tied in better than "oh, go experience this crap" .....I want to say @GreySix had a better idea for that.

Anyway, different strokes for different folks and all that. You hate it, I like it lol. Could it be more in depth? Sure, and will likely one day......get there.

Violynne

I can't even remember most of the MQ. Once I cleared AD, closed the Planemeld, and sent Molag Bal packing, it's been a distant memory, now working on Caldwell's Gold.

What's really disappointing is that we need a group of people to take out a dolem, but the final battle was solo. That struck me as odd. I had figured this would be a massive battle between all factions and its players.

But nope, that's for tearing down walls in Cyrodiil.

Korah_Eaglecry

JD2013 wrote: »

Smepic wrote: »

JD2013 wrote: »

I actually quite like the story.

The main story has never been the selling point of most ES games ever.

The main story of the previous Elder Scrolls games were not as bad as the one of Elder Scrolls Online. Even if they were terrible, that is no reason to not improve the one of Elder Scrolls Online.

Well I much prefer the story of ESO over Skyrim anyday.

Different strokes for different folks

ESOs main story is terrible. Me and my friends have a running joke about the Prophet and constantly contacting you to come visit him. Everyone I know goes out of their way to avoid the Main Story and put it off til they cant put it off any longer.

The Main Story would of been much better if it was more tied to what was going on in the world as you were exploring rather then being recalled back to the first large zone every 5 levels. Forced to go on a rather bland quest that felt disconnected to the rest of the story you were experiencing. The final quest for the Main Story has you LEAVE Coldharbour post invasion, post defeat of Molag Bal with the help of Meridia, just to send you back to Coldharbour and fight Molag Bal as a demi-god.

JD2013

Korah_Eaglecry wrote: »

JD2013 wrote: »

Smepic wrote: »

JD2013 wrote: »

I actually quite like the story.

The main story has never been the selling point of most ES games ever.

The main story of the previous Elder Scrolls games were not as bad as the one of Elder Scrolls Online. Even if they were terrible, that is no reason to not improve the one of Elder Scrolls Online.

Well I much prefer the story of ESO over Skyrim anyday.

Different strokes for different folks

ESOs main story is terrible. Me and my friends have a running joke about the Prophet and constantly contacting you to come visit him. Everyone I know goes out of their way to avoid the Main Story and put it off til they cant put it off any longer.

The Main Story would of been much better if it was more tied to what was going on in the world as you were exploring rather then being recalled back to the first large zone every 5 levels. Forced to go on a rather bland quest that felt disconnected to the rest of the story you were experiencing. The final quest for the Main Story has you LEAVE Coldharbour post invasion, post defeat of Molag Bal with the help of Meridia, just to send you back to Coldharbour and fight Molag Bal as a demi-god.

And in Skyrim, you're an OP demi-god killing dragons and able to kill everything in sight. And, as it turns out, merely a plaything for Hermaeus Mora.

Your point ... ?

newtinmpls

UTG_Zilla wrote: »

Another thing, the arch Mage is sending people. The prophet is just sending 1 person.

So it's totally feasible that if the arch Mage was sending one person then all his power could be focused on a specific location. Rather than trying to get as many people as he can to coldharbour quickly.

Plus the prophet has read the elder scrolls to the point of physical blindness. That would mean that his other ways of perceiving are superhuman.

Bookwyrm

Violynne wrote: »

What's really disappointing is that we need a group of people to take out a dolem, but the final battle was solo. That struck me as odd. I had figured this would be a massive battle between all factions and its players.

I agree with this, although nowadays you really don't even need a group of people to take out a dolmen unless you're several levels under the enemies that spawn there, and unless you're in VR shouldn't even have issues soloing the bosses (may have trouble with one or two, but generally they aren't that bad). The hardest part of soloing a dolmen, imo, is the initial wave of cultists standing around bringing in the anchor. Since the other enemies tend to spawn in threes (and usually it's staggered so you may not even be fighting them all at once) and closing an anchor pinion refills your health/mana/stamina...it's ridiculous how easy it can be to solo.

I've found group bosses to be harder to solo than dolmens, and to me, that's disappointing. Anchors should be difficult, and SHOULD require a group, unless you're seriously over-leveled.

I should also note that this is from a person with very, very few champion points, so that's not what's making it easy. Definitely under 100. Probably under 70, I don't remember. Right now my focus is leveling alts to VR so that I can earn points on all of them depending on who I want to play at the time.

Cookiethief

Anything to do with questing in this game is awful, I've only liked 2/10 quest I've done in this game, still then. I don't want to do it again

Faulgor

Couldn't disagree more. Best main story since Morrowind.

Malthorne

lordrichter wrote: »

Smepic wrote: »

The quests should challenge us. They should also take us to all the areas of our alliance, where we for example could have adventures with the characters. We should have to explore. No instant teleportation, rather we have to figure out a way to head there on our own - or with assistance. The quests should build on character relationships

(SPOILERS)

Well, I can tell you for starters that my impression is that if they did not have instant travel portals, a chunk of the players would never get past the first quest. The bar of having to locate the Harborage in the first place is almost insurmountable for these people. (Yes, I have seen people in Zone chat...)

But, in all fairness, most of what happens in the main quest does not happen on the same plane, and some of the things that happen occur in an enemy Alliance. Portals are necessary.

A lot of people think that the point of the main quest is to beat Molag Bal and stop the Anchors, yet this never actually happens. In fact, the purpose of the main quest appears to be to defeat Mannimarco. Molag Bal is the ultimate enemy in the game, and that extends well past the main quest.

One thing that is really strange, though, is that for some reason the Prophet can portal us into Coldharbour with pin point precision. Meanwhile, the Mage's Guild Arch Mage scatters people all across Coldharbour because of the security established by Molag Bal and the sheer difficulty in getting past it.

This. And...

It's about the prophet redeeming himself in the eyes of Akatosh through the acts of the Vestige.

Forestd16b14_ESO

Well it is like every other TES story. Bad guy wants Nirn, Good guy stops them with OP magical item we only hear once and never speak of it again even as easter eggs in other TES games, head to the banner mare in Whiterun and drink 3 kegs of mead and pass out with 2 wenches in arms.

Kendaric

Faulgor wrote: »

Couldn't disagree more. Best main story since Morrowind.

Seriously? I´d rate it on par with TES I: Arena and that story wasn´t really good either.

I think the main story suffers from the following problems:

> It can´t avoided. I can see the need for completing it once, but why do I have to do it for every alt? Perhaps a solution might be to have only Molag Bal fight as mandatory.

> You´re the chosen one. While this works for singleplayer games, it feels awkward in a multiplayer setting.

> Largely disjointed/disconnected from events in the world.

> No real impact on anything, your actions are ultimately meaningless. This could have been avoided by changing the veteran areas to be post Planemeld/Molag Bal rather than just a scaled up copy.

lagrue

I'd say it was mediocre.

I started mashing through text halfway through - then again, that happens with every single Elder Scrolls game. It's not that the story was bad - it's just that I don't care.

BUT - Elder Scrolls has never really been about story - and I think most core fans of the series feel the same. Elder Scrolls is about exploration and immersing yourself in the world how YOU want to. In fact having a story almost goes against what ES is actually about for most people.

I'd also say the story is just a pure waste of time to listen to, if I had sat and listened to all the dialogue I wouldn't be VR5 right now, in fact I probably wouldn't even be at Coldharbour yet. I probably had more fun mashing through the text than I would had I listened.

Epona222

I thought the MQ was actually better than the MQs in either of Skyrim or Oblivion. I actually really really disliked the Oblivion MQ, and the only bit of the Skyrim MQ I liked was the end. Fortunately you didn't have to do them every playthrough, which is I think the difference - here you HAVE to do them to progress any character onto new faction territory, which makes it feel a chore.

Even Morrowind MQ (and I love Morrowind) amounted to "find out some information and then go do quests for the houses and ashlanders to unite them", which is hardly groundbreaking - it was only IMO more enjoyable because being set in Vvardenfell felt totally alien and didn't really rely too heavily on fantasy clichés - but that was due to the setting, not the plot or the quest writing.

SanderBuraas

Kendaric wrote: »

Faulgor wrote: »

Couldn't disagree more. Best main story since Morrowind.

Seriously? I´d rate it on par with TES I: Arena and that story wasn´t really good either.

I think the main story suffers from the following problems:

> It can´t avoided. I can see the need for completing it once, but why do I have to do it for every alt? Perhaps a solution might be to have only Molag Bal fight as mandatory.

> You´re the chosen one. While this works for singleplayer games, it feels awkward in a multiplayer setting.

> Largely disjointed/disconnected from events in the world.

> No real impact on anything, your actions are ultimately meaningless. This could have been avoided by changing the veteran areas to be post Planemeld/Molag Bal rather than just a scaled up copy.

I agree. Now, I don't find defeating Molag Bal to be that bad of a main story idea, but if it actually seemed like it was challenging and many people were required to be able to take him down - not to mention the fight itself - it would be way better.

My biggest issue with the story line is that it feels rushed. It feels like something that was done last minute, which it should not as it lays ground for the game.

Sausage

In my opinion it wasnt that bad. Its just why to invest tons of money on Story when most people skip them all the time. Ive watched some PS4 streamers and they all just skip everything. Thats the thing what Ive said years, MMORPGs are quantity not quality. Witcher 3 was 1 week game, ESO is 10+ year game, so you might get the idea. Quality content is expensive to make and especially when game is already damn expensive like ESO.

MornaBaine

NDwarf wrote: »

edit- long story short, I agree with OP

The main story was forgettable. I can't think of anything about the main that stands out and I'll remember for years to come. The final battle with Malog Bal was anti-climatice, to say the least. Starts off as a huge mountain size Deadric Prince and I'm thinking "this is going to be fun." Then *poof* he's bite size and drops in a few hits because Meridia.

I do have a ton of screenshots on my Ps4 of landscapes and little odd discoveries found while adventuring. I think I have more screenshots of ESO than any other game. They did a fantastic job with the environment (at least in quest zones Cyrodiil is a little lacking).

Wish there wasn't a "main story line." Just a massive, Elder Scrolls setting where we are nobodies setting off for adventure, treasure, and glory by our own deeds. I really, really hate being the "chosen one" in an mmo surrounded by "chosen ones but not really, just pretend you are the only chosen one." It works in a single player game but in an mmo...bleh.

I couldn't agree more. I will never understand this choice for an MMO design. It is utterly illogical. You can't ALL be "The One!" And for a game that is so socially progressive it designed a fantasy world where same sex relationships never became a taboo and are completely accepted the main story itself is incredibly sexist. ONE female character? AND she's a blonde with an enormous chest and is clearly NOT "the sharpest pencil in the box" as Abnur Tharn makes clear repeatedly? And every single one of the Five Companions is a stale fantasy trope we've all seen countless times. I loathe having to do the Main Story quests on my alts almost as much as I loathe doing Cadwell's Silver!

SanderBuraas

MornaBaine wrote: »

NDwarf wrote: »

edit- long story short, I agree with OP

The main story was forgettable. I can't think of anything about the main that stands out and I'll remember for years to come. The final battle with Malog Bal was anti-climatice, to say the least. Starts off as a huge mountain size Deadric Prince and I'm thinking "this is going to be fun." Then *poof* he's bite size and drops in a few hits because Meridia.

I do have a ton of screenshots on my Ps4 of landscapes and little odd discoveries found while adventuring. I think I have more screenshots of ESO than any other game. They did a fantastic job with the environment (at least in quest zones Cyrodiil is a little lacking).

Wish there wasn't a "main story line." Just a massive, Elder Scrolls setting where we are nobodies setting off for adventure, treasure, and glory by our own deeds. I really, really hate being the "chosen one" in an mmo surrounded by "chosen ones but not really, just pretend you are the only chosen one." It works in a single player game but in an mmo...bleh.

I couldn't agree more. I will never understand this choice for an MMO design. It is utterly illogical. You can't ALL be "The One!" And for a game that is so socially progressive it designed a fantasy world where same sex relationships never became a taboo and are completely accepted the main story itself is incredibly sexist. ONE female character? AND she's a blonde with an enormous chest and is clearly NOT "the sharpest pencil in the box" as Abnur Tharn makes clear repeatedly? And every single one of the Five Companions is a stale fantasy trope we've all seen countless times. I loathe having to do the Main Story quests on my alts almost as much as I loathe doing Cadwell's Silver!

Agreed. Honestly didn't like a single of the Five Companions. Very bland design.

Sykis

I didn't mind the main story line to much. I enjoyed the idea of being the hero behind the scenes. I would agree though that in the end it felt anti climatic. I think stopping Mannamarco was the most enjoyable portion for me rather then the way we fought Molag Bal. while the premis of becoming a Demi God was ok and the end state was to get your soul back, the end was just lack luster at best. While I believe the end state mission of your character was met, it seemed that being a soul shriven in the rest of the game was important to getting through some of the obstacle as it was pointed out several times in your adventures, not having a soul gave you advantages that ones with a soul could not complete because they had a soul. But all an all it was an interesting story saving each of them. I can understand that the excitement of the next chapter would be useless once you've done it once because all the surprises, are now known, it would be even less climatic. I feel when they made the choice to go with Cadwells that they should have added a few more quests to the companions based on what choice you made at the end. Instead the 5 just faded into memory before Cadwells silver and gold.

Kendaric

MornaBaine wrote: »

ONE female character? AND she's a blonde with an enormous chest and is clearly NOT "the sharpest pencil in the box" as Abnur Tharn makes clear repeatedly?

That doesn´t apply to only Lyris.... almost every Nord in the game is portrayed as rather dimwitted or outright dumb. It feels like they out of their way to portray Nords as cliched barbarians, i.e. constantly drunk, always looking for a brawl & generally dimwitted.

Sandmanninja

Dude - ESO is a role playing MMO. If you don't like the main story, then go kill 10,000 pigs in the forest.

Tolmos

Compared to single player games, the story lacks a little. I'd rate it 5/10. But compared to most MMOs? The story is fantastic. 9/10 easily.

Kendaric

Sandmanninja wrote: »

Dude - ESO is a role playing MMO. If you don't like the main story, then go kill 10,000 pigs in the forest.

Which isn´t possible as the main story is mandatory.
Even in SWTOR you can completely ignore the story and that is a MMORPG that has actually good story. So why can´t ZOS just make the mainquest avoidable after completing it once?