Any Race Any Alliance should become part of the base game.

jle30303

And yes, I mean that. PART OF THE BASE GAME. Not even a "free" purchase. Certainly not a "crown" purchase.

We should not have to pay money - or even be forced to make a "free purchase of optional content" - for the "privilege" [snip]

[Edited for Baiting]

OBJnoob

Oh jeez. Let's not bring racism into it man it's just a video game. If you play some World War 2 game (made in America,) then you're probably gonna kill a lot of Germans. It isn't because we are racist against Germans-- it's because it was what it was.

Well. There's a war in this game too.

Necrotech_Master

yeah that option has absolutely nothing to do with racism

the alliances since the launch of the game have always been race restricted, at least faction doesnt matter for pve anymore

Lady_Galadhiel

If you ask me the option shouldn't even exist.
There should be no change alliance tokens nor any race any alliance thing.
For PVE the alliances do not matter and for PVP, well it is mostly the classes which matter, which are OP in the moment.

VaranisArano

Yes. But then ZOS couldn't sell it.

It fit in the beginning of the game where we were railroaded through our faction zones and couldn't group with players of other alliances. It doesn't fit with the current "play everywhere with anyone in any order you like" vibe that ESO is going for.

Danikat

I always thought it should have been a base game feature. Not even a feature, if they'd just let everyone choose race and alliance separately since the start no one would think anything of it.

But I think ZOS expected alliances to be a lot more meaningful for players and PvP to be more popular so most people wouldn't want to mix and match races with alliances or mix with 'enemy' players. Originally Cyrodiil was the main/only end-game. Going through your alliances maps got you to level 50 then you did Coldharbour to finish the story and the only things left after that were repeating Dungeons and Cyrodiil. I think a lot of people at ZOS had previously worked on some very PvP focused MMOs (Dark Age of Camelot was one of them) and expected this game to be similar.

Cadwell's Silver and Gold and vet levels were added either just before or just after the game launched (I can't remember exactly) but that was in response to player feedback during the betas. Even then they kept players from different alliances seperate. I suspect if they'd had time to build new PvE end game zones quickly enough they'd have done that instead. They also made alliance restrictions irrelevant for early adopters by making Any Race, Any Alliance a pre-order bonus. (I got it with a copy I bought a year later, but I'm not sure how long they kept offering it.)

It was years later (in the One Tamriel update) that they finally removed (almost) all the restrictions on alliances mixing and by then they'd been selling Any Race, Any Alliance for years and had no incentive to make it free if players were willing to pay for it.

TheImperfect

It's very expensive and I made a mistake when starting playing ESO. I didn't expect to want to do any PVP, it was never my thing, so made characters of each race in their default alliances.
After playing a while, decided I quite like the PVP after trying it.
Recently got Any race, Any alliance, which was expensive itself and alliance changed a character. To alliance change all of them would be a lot of money.
Luckily could make the 2 new characters (making 20 total) I recently got in the correct alliance.

Zodiarkslayer

Agree with OP. Alliance support should be freely choosable. Anyplace, Anytime, Anyhow.

I mean it makes sense. Right?
I am from Eastern Germany and by ZOS' logic I would have to support rightwing nationalists, unless I pay to be supporting someone else...

But I do NOT! Because free will, everyone!

GooGa592

Any race any faction should have been implemented with One Tamriel release.

BlueRaven

Just to clear up some game history.

“Any race, any alliance” was originally a perk awarded to people who bought the CE version (or “Imperial Version” as it unlocked the imperial race) of the base game. [Edit:Turns out this was a preorder bonus not something that came with the CE addition only.] So it’s been in the game since release.
Again this was a perk people paid extra for to unlock waaaaay back.

As someone who has had it since inception, I kind of wish it was not in the game. I look at these chapters that come out and I am slightly bothered by the amount of “other” race npcs that are present in each zone. It feels a bit odd, especially coming from Skyrim where there was a big anti-Dunmer and kahjiit story background present with the Nords. And eso takes place well before Skyrim. (Did all of the races mostly get up and go back to their home provinces sometime between the two games?)

Anyway, I like the faction identity in cyrodiil, guards and resource npcs are of the appropriate race for the faction. But the people fighting are just all over the place. It’s just odd.

Personally, even with it unlocked, the vast (non imperial) character races I created are faction appropriate. The only one that I purposely choice different was my orc who refused to join the Bretons or Nords in the war.
But that is my own personal backstory I chose, like I do for all of my characters, but I am not in a RP guild or anything.

Danikat

BlueRaven wrote: »

Just to clear up some game history.

“Any race, any alliance” was originally a perk awarded to people who bought the CE version (or “Imperial Version” as it unlocked the imperial race) of the base game. So it’s been in the game since release.
Again this was a perk people paid extra for to unlock waaaaay back.

It was a pre-order bonus, included with all versions of the game, not just the Imperial Edition, so no one needed to pay extra for it.

"From the start of Early Access, players who pre-ordered or pre-purchased any edition of The Elder Scrolls Online will be able to take advantage of the ability to play as any race in any alliance."
https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/813

The Imperial Edition had the same bonuses as the Imperial Upgrade currently in the crown store - it let you make Imperial characters (who could be in any alliance), and gave you the white horse, mud crab pet and Rings of Mara. Originally it also let you change almost any item into the Imperial style for free at any point, but when outfit stations were added that option was removed and replaced with not having to pay to use the Imperial style in outfits.

BlueRaven

Danikat wrote: »

BlueRaven wrote: »

Just to clear up some game history.

“Any race, any alliance” was originally a perk awarded to people who bought the CE version (or “Imperial Version” as it unlocked the imperial race) of the base game. So it’s been in the game since release.
Again this was a perk people paid extra for to unlock waaaaay back.

It was a pre-order bonus, included with all versions of the game, not just the Imperial Edition, so no one needed to pay extra for it.

"From the start of Early Access, players who pre-ordered or pre-purchased any edition of The Elder Scrolls Online will be able to take advantage of the ability to play as any race in any alliance."
https://www.elderscrollsonline.com/en-us/news/post/813

The Imperial Edition had the same bonuses as the Imperial Upgrade currently in the crown store - it let you make Imperial characters (who could be in any alliance), and gave you the white horse, mud crab pet and Rings of Mara. Originally it also let you change almost any item into the Imperial style for free at any point, but when outfit stations were added that option was removed and replaced with not having to pay to use the Imperial style in outfits.

Ah! And here I thought it was something that came in that big box sitting on my shelf with the statue. Your right!

Danikat

If you pre-ordered the Imperial Edition you will have gotten everything all in one box. But there was also the option to pre-order just the base game, and that still came with a code for Any Race, Any Alliance, some treasure maps and a pet.

That's the version I got, which is how I know. I didn't actually pre-order it so it was a nice surprise when I was sent a pre-order box and the code still worked.

Mascen

BlueRaven wrote: »

Just to clear up some game history.

“Any race, any alliance” was originally a perk awarded to people who bought the CE version (or “Imperial Version” as it unlocked the imperial race) of the base game. [Edit:Turns out this was a preorder bonus not something that came with the CE addition only.] So it’s been in the game since release.
Again this was a perk people paid extra for to unlock waaaaay back.

As someone who has had it since inception, I kind of wish it was not in the game. I look at these chapters that come out and I am slightly bothered by the amount of “other” race npcs that are present in each zone. It feels a bit odd, especially coming from Skyrim where there was a big anti-Dunmer and kahjiit story background present with the Nords. And eso takes place well before Skyrim. (Did all of the races mostly get up and go back to their home provinces sometime between the two games?)

Anyway, I like the faction identity in cyrodiil, guards and resource npcs are of the appropriate race for the faction. But the people fighting are just all over the place. It’s just odd.

Personally, even with it unlocked, the vast (non imperial) character races I created are faction appropriate. The only one that I purposely choice different was my orc who refused to join the Bretons or Nords in the war.
But that is my own personal backstory I chose, like I do for all of my characters, but I am not in a RP guild or anything.

I get where you're coming from but lorewise it does make sense that every alliance would have its own share of mercenaries, turncoats and oddballs. For example in Auridon theres an AD quest that involves protecting a turncoat Orcish Chief and his wife who fled the DC. Meanwhile I could honestly see Imperials going to either DC or EP depending on circumstances or even Argonian mercenaries fighting against the pact since much like the nords their peoples are not monolithic blocks.

Holycannoli

No, what should be part of the base game is Appearance Change. You know, like every other game out there.

Danikat

Holycannoli wrote: »

No, what should be part of the base game is Appearance Change. You know, like every other game out there.

I'm certainly not against the idea, but I can't remember playing many games where it was part of the base game.

The other MMOs I've played have it as a paid option like ESO does (in some ways ESO is better, for example once you unlock a hair style you can switch between it and other styles whenever you want, in other games you have to pay for each change). Some single-player games offer it but I've played more which don't have it at all and if you want to change how your character looks you have to start over completely.

Kendaric

Danikat wrote: »

Holycannoli wrote: »

No, what should be part of the base game is Appearance Change. You know, like every other game out there.

I'm certainly not against the idea, but I can't remember playing many games where it was part of the base game.

The other MMOs I've played have it as a paid option like ESO does (in some ways ESO is better, for example once you unlock a hair style you can switch between it and other styles whenever you want, in other games you have to pay for each change). Some single-player games offer it but I've played more which don't have it at all and if you want to change how your character looks you have to start over completely.

EverQuest 2 has an appearance change built in (it costs gold to use), LotRO has an appearance change as well for gold.
WoW has that feature as well.
SWTOR has an appearance change for cartel coins (their crown equivalent), with a 50% discount if you're subbed.

I'm pretty sure most MMORPGs have a free appearance change option actually.

Back on topic:

I'm a bit torn about that actually... admittedly I have it since launch and use it quite frequently. But most characters should stick to their race's own faction to be honest.
And it only matters for PvP anyway...

TaSheen

RIFT had a barbershop for in game currency (whatever it was - don't remember now).

Danikat

If it was up to me the entire start of the game would be difference and you'd choose a character to join in the game.

Everyone would go through the Coldharbour tutorial, which spits them out onto a shared starter island where the main quests introduce you to the 3 Alliances. Doing all those quests would get you to about level 10 (enough to go to Cyrodiil) and at the end of the quest chain you choose an alliance to join, which determines where you're sent next.

The quests could be written to strongly imply that you should join your race's alliance (it is possible to change dialogue based on your race) but the player would be free to choose.

There would also be an option to by-pass it and go to other parts of the world of course, in which case you'd have to choose when entering Cyrodiil and all the alliance zones would assume you're part of that alliance, like they do now.

Maybe there would also be an option to go straight to an expansion zone, but personally I don't think it would be a bad thing to delay that until they get to a major city.

SandandStars

VaranisArano wrote: »

Yes. But then ZOS couldn't sell it.

^^ Salient point.

Amottica

Holycannoli wrote: »

No, what should be part of the base game is Appearance Change. You know, like every other game out there.

Not every game has an appearance change as part of the base game.

Vhozek

What do you think this is, a TES game?

Vhozek

At this point we should probably bring ESO issues over to Microsoft instead.

Mesite

Alliances aren't important to me but if it's free then okay.

When I go to Cyrodiil it's usually all one colour.

If it isn't the colour I need I choose a different character or different map.

Maybe I need to look at it in more detail.

Mesite

If they are planning to make something free I'd rather have Orsinium.

Amottica

Vhozek wrote: »

At this point we should probably bring ESO issues over to Microsoft instead.

Microsoft is not interested in micromanaging ESO. Not only have they actually stated as much buy wise management does not micromanage.

Amottica

Mesite wrote: »

If they are planning to make something free I'd rather have Orsinium.

Providing older DLCs for free is more likely as they lose value over time. However, the Any Race, Any Alliance continues to hold its value, which is apparent with creating a thread like this.

jle30303

Mesite wrote: »

If they are planning to make something free I'd rather have Orsinium.

And the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood. After all, (a) they're older than Morrowind which just went free, and (b) there's even a base-game CP star that relies on having the Blade of Woe which is only from DB content...

Deter1UK

Amottica wrote: »

Mesite wrote: »

If they are planning to make something free I'd rather have Orsinium.

Providing older DLCs for free is more likely as they lose value over time. However, the Any Race, Any Alliance continues to hold its value, which is apparent with creating a thread like this.

I'd argure that Orsinium holds it's value as it's still (in my opinion) one of the best DLCs.

It may be that story-driven links inform these decisions as well of course, look at Necrom and the Companion-plot-links to Morrowind. At some point writers need the freedom to say 'ok, we really want players to visit (DLC) as part of important story in Expansion X'. (DLC) needs to become base game then.

Soraka

I pre-ordered way back when so I always forget this isn't base game. I agree at this point it should be, and for-gold appearance changes should be a thing, too.

Zodiarkslayer

Amottica wrote: »

Microsoft is not interested in micromanaging ESO. Not only have they actually stated as much buy wise management does not micromanage.

So you are saying that MICROsoft should not MICROmanage? 😂