I've noticed people complain that a big difference between ESO and previous Elder Scrolls games is the inability to go where you want, when you want. Sure, there are different ways to level your character, but the usual questing method has you stuck in a linear route through the zones of your alliance. You can explore to some extent, but just nothing like the way you could wander off to entirely different cities and places in the single-player games. I played WoW for a long while, and at least you had options for which zones you could visit on your path to level cap. Admittedly, WoW has had much longer to develop content, but I wonder...
Would it be possible to implement a Skyrim-like content scaling system? I propose one possibility: that quests, public dungeons and entire zones could be scaled to level brackets, players divided into the server shards/channels/phases specific to those brackets. You could then theoretically do quests, dungeons, bosses, dolmens at any level and receive level-appropriate rewards and experience.
When joining another player from a different bracket, the system could raise or lower your stats to match the leader's brackets, similar to how Cyrodiil equalizes stats. Rewards would be individualized to the player. Perhaps in low-population zones, you could have the option to automatically scale to a more populated bracket?
I think this could open up even more possibilities for quests that go across zones, to far-off cities, or back to areas you skipped. I have some ideas about how materials would work, but that's a somewhat separate matter. Mats could simply be based on the bracket, encouraging you to stick to your own bracket.
Thoughts? I know this kind of messes with the usual MMO thing...
Edited by MopeyHat on August 19, 2014 1:54AM