Why all tes games allways start in a dungeon and you are a prisoner?

dorogov.alexeyeb17_ESO

Arena, redguard, daggerfall, morrowind.....chapter Vl....teso also

Raisin

Sometimes it's a boat. Or a cart. Not dungeons, silly.

dorogov.alexeyeb17_ESO

Maybe main tes theme must be replaced to johnny cash song?

Tryxus

You don't start as a prisoner in Daggerfall: you're the survivor of a shipwreck and swam to safety to Privateer's Hold

Unseelie

Same reason all of the best fantasy campaigns start in an Inn

Gythral

Trope...

MerguezMan

You could have made a quick internet search and find the answer by yourself.

Why ?
- because it justifies limiting your movement in tutorial phase
- it gives an explanation to why you are almost naked, without equipment, and have downgraded skills
- it gives you an incent for a fresh start in an unknown place once freed

There is also a lore-friendly explanation hidden there:
https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/

(good luck)

Danikat

What kind of start would you prefer?

DarcyMardin

Tradition.

Ackwalan

It's an easy way to explain why you have nothing and are in a foreign place with no plan and no reason to be there.

Hapexamendios

Because spending your first 10 hours as an apprentice sheep herder is boring.

fastolfv_ESO

maybe cause you play a jerkish char

bmnoble

It gives them a captive audience for the tutorial.

AlienatedGoat

It's just a franchise trope. Sort of like how every Star Wars film begins with a planetary shot from space.

Thevampirenight

Think of it like a concept similar to CHIM even Sothia Sil does explain it
"The Prisoner wields great power, making reality of metaphor. We will need you before the end. (...) Look around you. All of this exists because it must exist. I stand here, in this place, in this moment, not because I wish to, but because I have to. A result of action and consequence. (...) The Prisoner must apprehend two critical insights. First, they must face the reality of their imprisonment. They must see the determinative walls - the chains of causality that bind them to their course. (...) The Prisoner must see the door to their cell. They must gaze through the bars and perceive that which exists beyond causality. Beyond time. Only then can they escape."
So the prisoner basically is similar to that concept. The Prisoner looks past the bars so to speak and instead of oh look I'm trapped here forever. Do to other factors they are able to see past the bars and gain freedom. Not every hero is a prisoner. But only a Hero that has been a Prisoner can shape reality to their will and only they can likely fullfill the prophecies of the Elder Scrolls. Of course there are other forms of prophecy but the Prisoner can be tied to the Elder Scrolls themselves.

What this does is allow the Prisoner to do anything.
Elder Scrolls 3 Morrowind Hero being a prisoner allowed him to defeat and end the threat to the Region.
Elder Scrolls Four Hero Being a prisoner he/she was outside of Jyggalags prediction ability. Being a Prisoner allowed the Hero of Kvatch to do what was impossible for anyone else. Even those that attempted to Mantle Sheogorath in the Past and failed. Like Haskill and Arden-Sul failed because they were not Prisoner Heros.
The Prisoner basically said no I'm Sheogorath and I'm not bound by you oh Great Jyggalag nor am I bound by realities rules and sundered and separated the Two princes and becoming a Daedric prince even though mortals couldn't become Daedric Princes. The Prisoner concept allows bypassing of normal rules of reality and allowed the Hero of Kvatch to become a Daedric Prince without ending up like Haskill and Arden-Sul who the Hero of Kvatch also played the role of in the mantling process. Because the Prisoner had the power to do so. What does the Prisoner excel at? Breaking the Rules that is why they are the Prisoner.

The Prisoner concept allows the possibility of the impossible that is how each of the heros overcame the various threats even allowing the Vestige to defeat Molag Bal in his own realm. Had the Vestige not started out as a Prisoner. They couldn't have defeated Molag Bal. Just that simple In the Elder Scrolls the Prisoner has power. Because the concept of the Arena is basically a Prison and its more of a metaphysical or Mythical thing. Only Prisoners that can see past the bars have true power. Other then those that have achieved CHIM which is a far greater concept that can wipe you from existence if your not careful.

Dark_Lord_Kuro

Because you cant sart much lower than that

RefLiberty

There are lots of approaches, for example Newervinter nights didn't complicate too much, they added character origin that was defined by Location with short story and that was more or less that.

Like:


This was good approach, since you had some history and past life, you are not destined with mandatory amnesia.

But the ESO start does not bother me either, it is fine,.

Only thing that would be good is to have an Option on character creation to select would you like to play from beginning or to start with the latest Chapter

Kiralyn2000

There's always a lighthouse. There's always a man. There's always a city.

(wait, that doesn't sound right...)

FierceSam

Why do you always get air dropped into Fortnite?

Rogue_Ghost

As someone else already asked... what would you prefer?

While I agree that the tropes have been played to death - anything from the amnesiac who can't remember his/her own name, to the prisoner who starts off as a nobody - it's the best way to create a "blank slate" where you are empowered to define your character as you see fit.

I suppose an alternative that may actually be interesting to see more of would be the way Fallout 3 handled the concept - your character is birthed in-game and you begin defining who you are as a child.

There are only so many options available though if you are attempting to provide that blank slate character for people.

max_only

Don’t kink shame the Elder Scrolls.

Sylvermynx

Actually, back when I ran tabletop D&D, the "inn at the crossroads" was pretty normal. But then I would tweak it so that the kids (my daughter and her friends from school) all knew each other somehow - some times it was "we grew up together" and sometimes it was more like "we broke out of the king's dungeons together". Depended on the scenario....

leeux

Search google for a video called "Selectives Lorecast 22: The Prisoner", it specifically talks about that topic... I can't link to youtube atm since I'm at work

SeaGtGruff

Because you've been a bad person and you're about to do even more terrible things.

Kombinator

I personally prefer the Skyrim Unbound, or some M&B modded approach.

You design your early gear, and skills in a menu, then just spawn in to a position. Make your own character story. It helps me with roleplaying whatever character i wish to.

mague

dorogov.alexeyeb17_ESO wrote: »

Arena, redguard, daggerfall, morrowind.....chapter Vl....teso also

Christopher Weaver thought game publishing was like a prison sentence.

Looks like he is quite bright.. like MIT material and now happy as teacher and shareholder.

Curious_Death

Always u can start just like in Fable, bandits attack ur village, they slaughter ur family...

and big fat bandit leader takes ur little sister as private slave blinding her eyes with hot red steel sword..

zaria

Rogue_Ghost wrote: »

As someone else already asked... what would you prefer?

While I agree that the tropes have been played to death - anything from the amnesiac who can't remember his/her own name, to the prisoner who starts off as a nobody - it's the best way to create a "blank slate" where you are empowered to define your character as you see fit.

I suppose an alternative that may actually be interesting to see more of would be the way Fallout 3 handled the concept - your character is birthed in-game and you begin defining who you are as a child.

There are only so many options available though if you are attempting to provide that blank slate character for people.

Your origin is never mentioned in TES games. This let it work for all character from an young Argonian to an old Orc.
Also why voiced actor don't work. An Khajiit sounds different from an Orc, because they are not similar or rather their mouth and tongue is different. You can hear this well in ESO.
However this one is part of an group who want our queen, all bless her to speak proper Khajiit.
Its important as it annoys people who should be annoyed more.

Nemesis7884

TRADITION

it also gives you the opportunity to be a no one that no one cares about you start from all the way down without any backstory except the one you create and than the world and your freedom opens up to you to free yourself of your shackles and go anywhere and become anything

Dojohoda

Because "It was a DARK and STORMY night" was taken.

Plus why not, you start in a sad place and end up a winner!

Loves_guars

Sotha said we were prisoners.