Should ZOS and ESO dabble in Mature Content?

bellanca6561n · March 2015

Mataata wrote: »

It's just dumb to have gore for the sake of gore. It's gross and honestly makes things much less enjoyable for me. Yes, you're bleeding and disfigured. No need to shove it in my face.

As far as mature themes go, I prefer more dark overtones. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is a great example of how something can be very mature and not covered in useless gore or sex. There's a lot of real-world problems like people dying, depression, rage, and fear- things that simply can't be totally fixed by a hero in shining armor. For the most part, ESO already has a good amount of this.

I wouldn't mind it so much if they delved more into drugs and prostitution. There's a TON of it in the lore and it's always played quite a bit in undertones, but it's not really something you actually see. There's three daedra that practically specialize in it (Sanguine, Molag Bal, Mephala) and even Dibella for goodness sake, not to mention all of the salacious books! And despite that you really don't see any brothels or prostitutes or drug dealers.

There's the Ebony Flask, of course, in Ebonheart. And you have the drug dealer in Sentinel that you either help or put away.

But every online game - including ones where you wouldn't expect it - that ever existed has had brothels. They were not a game feature. People just....create them.

stewart.leslie76b16_ESO · March 2015

bellanca6561n wrote: »

Mataata wrote: »

It's just dumb to have gore for the sake of gore. It's gross and honestly makes things much less enjoyable for me. Yes, you're bleeding and disfigured. No need to shove it in my face.

As far as mature themes go, I prefer more dark overtones. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is a great example of how something can be very mature and not covered in useless gore or sex. There's a lot of real-world problems like people dying, depression, rage, and fear- things that simply can't be totally fixed by a hero in shining armor. For the most part, ESO already has a good amount of this.

I wouldn't mind it so much if they delved more into drugs and prostitution. There's a TON of it in the lore and it's always played quite a bit in undertones, but it's not really something you actually see. There's three daedra that practically specialize in it (Sanguine, Molag Bal, Mephala) and even Dibella for goodness sake, not to mention all of the salacious books! And despite that you really don't see any brothels or prostitutes or drug dealers.

There's the Ebony Flask, of course, in Ebonheart. And you have the drug dealer in Sentinel that you either help or put away.

But every online game - including ones where you wouldn't expect it - that ever existed has had brothels. They were not a game feature. People just....create them.

It's spooky you should say that... Apparently, ESO is sponsoring this seasons Game of Thrones. So me and a guildie was wondering will the devs put a Game of Thrones type theme in the game. We'll log in one morning and find a brothel in every town and Queen Ayrenn walking through the streets naked (is that a spoiler for Game of Thrones this season :P)

Naor_Sarethi · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

They can't even realize the ES lore properly without resorting to way too much "personal touch" and taking liberties everywhere.
It's the 2nd era for Vivec's sakes.
Judging from the 3rd era i thought we were going downright primal with this one but apparently not.
Apart from that, something like the House of Earthly delights in Morrowind would be perfect.
Some shady Khajiit Skooma traders included.
I mean how do you excuse men running wild in wedding dresses?
Has to be the sugar.

Panda244 · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

stewart.leslie76b16_ESO wrote: »

bellanca6561n wrote: »

Mataata wrote: »

It's just dumb to have gore for the sake of gore. It's gross and honestly makes things much less enjoyable for me. Yes, you're bleeding and disfigured. No need to shove it in my face.

As far as mature themes go, I prefer more dark overtones. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is a great example of how something can be very mature and not covered in useless gore or sex. There's a lot of real-world problems like people dying, depression, rage, and fear- things that simply can't be totally fixed by a hero in shining armor. For the most part, ESO already has a good amount of this.

I wouldn't mind it so much if they delved more into drugs and prostitution. There's a TON of it in the lore and it's always played quite a bit in undertones, but it's not really something you actually see. There's three daedra that practically specialize in it (Sanguine, Molag Bal, Mephala) and even Dibella for goodness sake, not to mention all of the salacious books! And despite that you really don't see any brothels or prostitutes or drug dealers.

There's the Ebony Flask, of course, in Ebonheart. And you have the drug dealer in Sentinel that you either help or put away.

But every online game - including ones where you wouldn't expect it - that ever existed has had brothels. They were not a game feature. People just....create them.

It's spooky you should say that... Apparently, ESO is sponsoring this seasons Game of Thrones. So me and a guildie was wondering will the devs put a Game of Thrones type theme in the game. We'll log in one morning and find a brothel in every town and Queen Ayrenn walking through the streets naked (is that a spoiler for Game of Thrones this season :P)

That's not a spoiler for people who've read the books, and Ayrenn isn't being accused of adultery.

Mataata · March 2015

Gidorick wrote: »

But surely @Mataata even though you DON'T want gore you can appreciate the benefits of adding gore to the game. What if the amount of gore DIRECTLY correlated with % damage dealt. One hit kill? Bloodbath! Long time to kill? Little spurts. And just as many other features, gore should be toggleable.

Yuck.

stewart.leslie76b16_ESO · March 2015

Panda244 wrote: »

stewart.leslie76b16_ESO wrote: »

bellanca6561n wrote: »

Mataata wrote: »

It's just dumb to have gore for the sake of gore. It's gross and honestly makes things much less enjoyable for me. Yes, you're bleeding and disfigured. No need to shove it in my face.

As far as mature themes go, I prefer more dark overtones. The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask is a great example of how something can be very mature and not covered in useless gore or sex. There's a lot of real-world problems like people dying, depression, rage, and fear- things that simply can't be totally fixed by a hero in shining armor. For the most part, ESO already has a good amount of this.

I wouldn't mind it so much if they delved more into drugs and prostitution. There's a TON of it in the lore and it's always played quite a bit in undertones, but it's not really something you actually see. There's three daedra that practically specialize in it (Sanguine, Molag Bal, Mephala) and even Dibella for goodness sake, not to mention all of the salacious books! And despite that you really don't see any brothels or prostitutes or drug dealers.

There's the Ebony Flask, of course, in Ebonheart. And you have the drug dealer in Sentinel that you either help or put away.

But every online game - including ones where you wouldn't expect it - that ever existed has had brothels. They were not a game feature. People just....create them.

It's spooky you should say that... Apparently, ESO is sponsoring this seasons Game of Thrones. So me and a guildie was wondering will the devs put a Game of Thrones type theme in the game. We'll log in one morning and find a brothel in every town and Queen Ayrenn walking through the streets naked (is that a spoiler for Game of Thrones this season :P)

That's not a spoiler for people who've read the books, and Ayrenn isn't being accused of adultery.

Old army saying "Don't ask, don't tell..." Although she did let slip something about a purple velvet dress

farrier_ESO · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

Kaynlor wrote: »

It is fine as is. I don't need nips and tips showing, and while "darkness" and "blood and gore" are fine, too much is still too much. Subtlety is nice. Innuendo is cool.

Exactly this. The naughtier Legerdemain lore items fulfil this requirement just about note-perfectly, far as I'm concerned. The "Riding Crop Heirloom" is the first example I found, completely innuendo and nothing stated outright, and it made me start collecting these:

"Amorous Giantess" Royal Ensemble: "Set of bedroom stilts and large furry mittens for enacting the erotic charade "The King and the Amorous Giantess.""
"Lusty Argonian Maid" Art Folio: "A well-worn book of stimulating images illustrating the popular tale of "The Lusty Argonian Maid.""
Aleeto's Invigorating Tincture: "A popular salutary said to treat numerous romantic ailments, sold exclusively at the Uncanny Alembic in Fort Amol."
Amorous Incense of Mara: "An expensive and illegal fragrance used to enhance romantic activity in the bedchambers of wealthy Bretons."
Bedside Fertility Censer: "Silver bowl decorated with symbols of Mother Mara, for burning incense said to encourage conception."
Book of Erotic Stories: "A collection of erotic fiction, featuring pairings of prominent Aldmeri Dominion figures, including Queen Ayrenn and Urcelmo."
Breton Love Charm: "A charm believed to improve the love life, especially popular among Breton nobles and merchant lords."
Cathay-raht Bedroom Accoutrements: "Brightly painted Khajiiti paraphernalia for playing "Hircine's Tiger Hunt," a popular bedroom game."
Ceramic Dibella Figurine: "Fingerprints cover this well-worn but masterfully crafted statue."
Dibella Napkin Holders: "Each of these fashionable napkin holders was molded into a voluptuous depiction of the goddess of beauty."
Dibella's Bosom Night Favor: "A bust of the god of beauty and erotic instruction, kept in Nord bedchambers to make nightly activities more ... invigorating."
Erotic Argonian Etchings: "A set of limited-edition etchings of Argonian erotica. It is impossible to discern the gender of the participants."
Erotic Green Pact Drawings: "A collection of plant life drawings that are strangely suggestive."
First Edition Fjokki: "A rare copy of the first edition of "The Art of Love and Swordplay" by Fjokki the Bard."
Gem-Studded Copper "Bedroom Yam": "A strangely-elongated copper ash yam, studded with peridot "eyes," discreetly engraved "Avani's Forge, Ebonheart.""
Green Lady Fertility Fetish: "An exaggerated jade statuette from the Green Lady Shrine in Deepwoods."
Illicit Letters from Daggerfall: "Steamy correspondences from a Darien Gautier of Camlorn. The frequent references to bread-eating must be some form of code."
Illicit Letters from Northpoint: "Romantic correspondence between a foreign dignitary and a wealthy jarl in the Rift. Blackmailers would pay dearly for this."
Illicit Letters from Windhelm: "Romantic correspondence from an anonymous author, directed to one Darien Gautier. There is frequent reference to swordplay."
Illustrated "Vade Mecum of Love" Brochure: ""The Vade Mecum of Love," a wordless brochure on gilt-edged vellum illustrated with inspiring and instructive engravings."
Impassioned Messages from Auridon: "Romantic letters exchanged between star-crossed paramours in opposing alliances. Either that, or coded messages from spies."
Intense Incense of Mara: "A more powerful and extremely prohibited version of the common calm-inducing scent that permeates most Nord bedchambers."
Lady A's Amorous Articles: "Romantic pamphlets secreted away for a noble's lonely nights, written by the anonymous Lady "A.""
Llirala's Amorous Articles: "Romantic pamphlets secreted away for a Dark Elf noble's lonely nights."
Lovelorn Comforter: "A comforter quilted by the We Who Pine for Darien Gautier Quilting Circle. A number of chapters exist throughout Rivenspire."
Lovelorn Quilt: "A quilt by the We Who Have Loved and Lost Darien Gautier Sewing Circle. A number of chapters exist throughout Glenumbra."
Lusty Argonian Keepsake Pillow: "The bawdy Lusty Argonian traveling tents of Bal Foyen gift these plush pillows to guests to remember each visit."
Mara Fertility Fetish: "Flower-spouting fertility statuette, usually found on shrines dedicated to Mara throughout the Skyrim territory."
Mara's Bosom Aromatic Oil: "A sweet-smelling oil, burned at night to make a Breton's bedchamber soothing and fragrant."
Mother Morrowind Fertility Fetish: "Iridescent green-gold glassite statuette of a beatific Almalexia, arms crossed over her pregnant belly."
Nam-Li's Immodest Fables: "Amusing (and often bawdy) anecdotes and tall tales detailing an Argonian's adventures in Morrowind."
Pamphlet of Erotic Engravings: "Khajiiti pamphlet showing various forms of erotic dalliance, illustrated by stylized drawings of astoundingly lithe cat-people."
Perfumed Letter: "This heavily perfumed scroll contains a very suggestive missive from one noble to another. It is signed with a kiss."
Prurient Kerchief: "A kerchief with a red-stained beeswax kiss pressed into it. A blackmailer might find this useful."
Sailor's "Dancing Maiden" Statuette: "Jadeite statuette of a lissome dancer that gyrates when spun like a top, inscribed "Fuller's Break Ale" around the base."
Riding Crop Heirloom: "An elaborate riding crop, at least a century old. The suggestive patterning implies it never saw the inside of a stable."
Satakalaam Love Pouch: "Satakalaam nobles anonymously place scintillating notes in each others' love pouches as part of a bizarre adult game."
Tarren Tolk's Tall Tales: "Amusing and often bawdy anecdotes and fables detailing a Breton's adventures in Alik'r."
Wayrest Love Letter: "An intimate letter revealing details of an illicit affair involving members of the Virane and Branck families in Wayrest."
Yorran's Yarns of Cyrodiil, Illustrated Edition: "Amusing and often bawdy anecdotes detailing a Nord's adventures in the Imperial City, complete with explicit illustrations."

Seen all together like this it seems like there are a lot: if this was all you had seen of Legerdemain lore items, you might be inclined to think it was all debauchery

But these items aren't that common, only about 2% of the item list, and probably rather less than that in terms of drops since they are typically the rarer greens, blues, etc).

I'm willing to bet not a single word of that list will be censored in the forums, either.

[Edit: I was right!]

TripleBullet187 · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

I'm not interested in nudity. I think that is pointless really. Although I would enjoy some more darker quest lines. Maybe a little gore here and there. Something that makes you want to cringe a little or something along those lines.

Arato · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

Are people really worried that having Skyrim levels of gore and maturity will result in less players?

Skyrim has sold 20 million copies... It's a perfect success story in the world of video games

and one of the very first things you see in the game is a bloody decapitation as someone is straight up executed in the town square. Not just "oh we're going to execute these prisoners" in talk that would warrant a T rating.. they straight up show a guy's head being chopped off by an axe and it rolling into a basket. That's an M/Pegi 18 rating.

TALKING about violence or gore is T rating, that's what ZoS was hoping for, a T rating. To deserve that M rating, it's about show, not tell.

Naor_Sarethi · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

More show and more tell.
The language and everything about the game is so damn clean.
Overpolished, prudish etc.... why even aim for a T rating?
What is the point besides $$$
And Skyrim didn't get a T rating and still sold 20 million copies.
How many copies has ESO sold?
I don't think it is anywhere near that mark.

Zenitharmax should perhaps talk about *these* issues as well.
The fact that some core elements of the game are flawed, doesn't mean the artistic side, aka the side you see and hear the most unless you PvP 1-v14, can be neglected.

Anilahation · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

need more skooma

newtinmpls · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

Naor_Sarethi wrote: »

Would be nice to get response from the ZOS devs on this one.

I've had a Bosmer woman swear terrible vengeance in blood and flesh on a guy who murdered her lifemate, and when it came to it i expected her to carve the bugger up with her dagger, which was all the dialogue lead up to. What happened? She tortures him with some magic blue beam, no blood, nothing.

There is more to this, but enough to make me worry for any pets this person has in real life.

That's not mature, that's unstable.

newtinmpls · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

Necrelios wrote: »

As a giant floating eyeball with twelve freakishly long, very strong, soft and limber tentacles, I approve of more mature content in ESO.

Hmmm... cheesy tentacle hentai or potential cross-species tender romance? I could go either way (this is what fanfic is for).

SG_Celerrimus · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

newtinmpls wrote: »

Necrelios wrote: »

As a giant floating eyeball with twelve freakishly long, very strong, soft and limber tentacles, I approve of more mature content in ESO.

Hmmm... cheesy tentacle hentai or potential cross-species tender romance? I could go either way (this is what fanfic is for).

Right..... so anyway, Gore and more in depth content seems to be on the plus, but nudity seems to be on the meh.

Arato · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

I don't think anyone is arguing for graphic nudity or sex. Just more visceral combat and some more gritty quest content and language.

Naor_Sarethi · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

newtinmpls wrote: »

Naor_Sarethi wrote: »

Would be nice to get response from the ZOS devs on this one.

I've had a Bosmer woman swear terrible vengeance in blood and flesh on a guy who murdered her lifemate, and when it came to it i expected her to carve the bugger up with her dagger, which was all the dialogue lead up to. What happened? She tortures him with some magic blue beam, no blood, nothing.

There is more to this, but enough to make me worry for any pets this person has in real life.

That's not mature, that's unstable.

@newtinmpls If you have nothing to contribute, don't bother.

And to get back on topic.
As mentioned above, there is a lot of implication, such as the Woodelf king jesting about the people sizing you up for dinner, but that is all there is to the cannibalistic references.
Not really knowing much about Bosmer lore i didn't really notice it at first, but reading up on it, it's the same situation as with the Dunmer and slavery.
Both are pretty defining for the races but neither is shown to any extent beyond 1 quest in the entire game.

SG_Celerrimus · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

Naor_Sarethi wrote: »

newtinmpls wrote: »

Naor_Sarethi wrote: »

Would be nice to get response from the ZOS devs on this one.

I've had a Bosmer woman swear terrible vengeance in blood and flesh on a guy who murdered her lifemate, and when it came to it i expected her to carve the bugger up with her dagger, which was all the dialogue lead up to. What happened? She tortures him with some magic blue beam, no blood, nothing.

There is more to this, but enough to make me worry for any pets this person has in real life.

That's not mature, that's unstable.

@newtinmpls If you have nothing to contribute, don't bother.

And to get back on topic.
As mentioned above, there is a lot of implication, such as the Woodelf king jesting about the people sizing you up for dinner, but that is all there is to the cannibalistic references.
Not really knowing much about Bosmer lore i didn't really notice it at first, but reading up on it, it's the same situation as with the Dunmer and slavery.
Both are pretty defining for the races but neither is shown to any extent beyond 1 quest in the entire game.

This got me thinking, wouldn't it be cool to have a quest where we have to go get something, or do something, inside of like an old prison/slavery camp thing?

I mean, as you said, slavery is in ES lore, so they obviously should have some remnants of that laying around somewhere in the world? Maybe, just maybe, this prison camp place could be filled with skeletons rigged up to blood stained torture devices, half decayed corpses, and ghosts who were killed as slaves who never gave up the past, and are constantly reliving the torment they were forced to endure, and ZOS could really play upon the idea that these slaves were forced into a brutal life of servitude, and as a result even in the after life they are under constant torment.

And I am not talking like throw it in with a good bit of sugar and sweetening on top, I am talking really have players who pay attention dive deep into the mental effects of slavery, and go deep on the horrors that are usually associated with the subject in some cases.

Naor_Sarethi · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

It's not really a remnant, a few years after the time period the game takes place in, both beastraces will be enslaved again.
That is what makes things pretty frustrating.
It's not a thing of the past, the only thing that changed is that Argonians are no longer slaves. Khajiits, Bretons and Redguards are still referred to as slave material in many dialogues.
As such they should, within the territory of Morrowind, also be shown as such.
And it's not really just about tormenting them but simply using them as a manual labour force.
Sure it's not a pleasant life, but that is the reality of the thing.
I'm all for showing the full reality of the subject from all sides.
Both sadistic slave owners as well as very tolerant and even friendly ones.
In Morrowind the beastraces have a very servile attitude, since they are... beastraces and thus easier to train than say, the human slaves to the Ayleids, who in turn led a full rebellion against their former masters.
Argonians in turn were freed not through war but because they were needed.
I'd say as arrowfodder, but the designers decided to portray them as equals (another thing that doesn't really seem to make sense).
It would make more sense to have Argonian bands of skirmishers in the Pact army, than having them as officers side by side with Dunmer and Nord allies.
Nor do i think the Nords would be incredibly happy to have a milk drinking Dunmer tell them what to do lol.

It's all a question of sticking to the true nature of the world that is Tamriel.
If they throw a lot of this content overboard or sugarcoat it for convenience sakes and ratings, then it will have only a short term effect, and not necessarily a positive one.

It would be far more productive to keep the game *special*, especially if that means not succumbing to watering it down to a level that is "acceptable", or easy going as most are used to.
I can find x hundred games that follow the same approach, which kind of works, but this universe is large and the charm lies in the opposites and the diversity of things.

newtinmpls · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

I agree that in Morrowind, the "beast" races are portrayed as superficially servile, however that attitude is not something internal or intrinsic to race or individual, but artificially enforced by slave bracers.

I also agree that it would be heartbreaking to see ghosts who endlessly repeated their slave-hood, as well as ones that could finally be freed from that endless cycle.

I like the mature content that is present in the game - what I do not like is the idea of wallowing in "extra gore" (i.e. the requests for extra gore in the visuals). I"m a believer that with proper storytelling, what is inside the "reader's" head will be much more disturbing than any external imagery.

Naor_Sarethi · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

I for one had a mod back in Morrowind allowing you to have a plantation on an island where you could hire free folk or slaves with some economic additions like buying and selling the produce.
Personally i found it to be very immersive and loved it.
Seemed fitting after being Grandmaster of House Hlaalu to own property and slaves to do business.
I know why some people would like to set all the slaves free, while others might want to have their chars own a few virtual slaves.
After all it's just a game and good fun imo.
The Dev's should try and be more neutral in their approach, letting the player decide what morality applies to him.
Taking sides and making choices for the player makes it feel unreal if you have another RP background than they imagined.

As to why they are so servile, well the slave bracers drained 5 magicka if i remember correctly, so it didn't seem to influence their personality, but rather restrained them from using simple magick to free themselves perhaps (the beastraces seem to have a natural connection to primitive nature magic, which might seem suspicious/dangerous to their masters).
Also being physically close to beasts, their mindset is sometimes very beastlike, so to me it felt obvious that they are easier to be enslaved than say a mer would be.

But as i said. Two sides of the coin as always.
Some have a heart for them, and some see it differently and have no issues owning them.

The gore would make it feel more real though.
Putting yourself into the position of someone seeking terrible vengeance and being equipped with blades and medium armor, you'd imagine they would flay their victim alive.
That magicka beam scene was just too pretty to convey the emotion attributed to the character.
At least they could have made it a dark purple shadow form that rips his soul from his body in agony or something like that.

However it's true what you say about what's inside your head and what's depicted.
Morrowind was by all standards hardly at a point where they could visually go into a lot of details in terms of gore, torment or anything else, so the massive amounts of texts the game had certainly painted a far stronger mental picture than the actual visible parts of the game did.

skarvika · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

I'd like to see some Skyrim-style decapitations!

Donum-Dei · March 2015

No, the game's content theme is fine the way it is.

skarvika wrote: »

I'd like to see some Skyrim-style decapitations!

Whoa...

... now you talking a different IP for this game, a whole new animations sets for battle animations.

skarvika · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

DanniBoi wrote: »

skarvika wrote: »

I'd like to see some Skyrim-style decapitations!

Whoa...

... now you talking a different IP for this game, a whole new animations sets for battle animations.

Hey that's what updates are for right?

Donum-Dei · March 2015

No, the game's content theme is fine the way it is.

skarvika wrote: »

DanniBoi wrote: »

skarvika wrote: »

I'd like to see some Skyrim-style decapitations!

Whoa...

... now you talking a different IP for this game, a whole new animations sets for battle animations.

Hey that's what updates are for right?

True true

Naor_Sarethi · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

Would be nice if the last player doing dmg to a boss would get an epic finishing move.
Maybe not a slowmo thing like Skyrim had but just a bit more splatter and limbs tossing about when youre going melee.
I mean as a caster you have people turning to ash, going up in flames and freezing solid, so the same should apply to melee weapons.
Just the odd head falling off with a little bit of blood spurting out or an arm falling off.... if you've played chivalry you know what i mean

Age of Conan had hacked off limbs and female nudity and also got an M rating, and i can't say it had any impact on my playing whatsoever.
Certainly wasn't the reason why i quit the game but a main reason why i actually bothered to buy it.

TheShadowScout · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

I liked the Age of Conan fatalities. The first time my character got decapitated by some picts I couldn't believe my eyes, and it made the whole game a lot more immersive for me when death wasn't so game-ish "clean". Theirs or mine.
For ESO, we do have special animations when one lands a nice deathblow with a spell effect - fire & lightning burns the target to ash, ice freezes solid&shatters, poison/disease have the "acid dissolcement" treatment... it shouldn't be too hard to add the same for physical weapon types I would think? Something per weapon type... Axes & swords get decapitation, daggers & arrows a vital lung/heart hit with blood spitting, maces a skull crushing... something along those lines, maybe?

The idea of giving the final blow to take down some dungeon endbosses some visual candy is also neat IMO! That one could even be done in a small sequence involving the character who does get in that final strike...

And while we're mentioning AoC... I liked the occasional boobs there, though they sometimes overdid that a little - nudity is good when its used where it fits the story, not so good when they squeeze it into scenes just to have nudity. (I have to admit though, AoCs "bikini bottom shadow" on their succubi or other underdressed models werre a bit of a immersion breaker)

Of course, in that regard I really dislike ESOs undergarments... the "modern looking" slip/bra makes me wince in any quest there are underdressed people, be it drunkards who lost their clothes in last nights stupor or bath-fanatics getting (possibly too) relaxed... wish they had gone for loincloth/fundoshi style instead (possibly uncovered boobs too - it IS historically accurate throughout most of ancient/medieval history. Though some linen bindings would have served as well for the pre-mature rating I suppose)

Another things when it comes to states of dress in ESO I noticed... all too often rescued people are dressed perfectly fine. Might be a good idea to add some "torn/burnt/damaged clothes" visuals for several quests where you barely save some civilian to add more immersion. (would also make good costumes for roeplay support... just saying... )

As for maturity in general, it has been mentioned before that ESO touches upon the themes all right, but keeps from showing anything due to its old rating. Thus any corpses in the game are either intact "oh, looks almost if they were only sleeping" bodies, or clean and tidy skeletons. Undead are just pale shamblers like a zombie movie without special effects & makeup budget. Almost everyone you have to rescue is mostly unharmed, a unseen "flesh wound" at most.. (but points for the one quest where there is some loss of eyes, that one was just the right balance of "dark". And made me go out of my way to kill every hagraven I can ever since)
Things would be a good deal more immersive if there were bandages, bloodstained clothing, the occasional severed limb... it isn't all pretty when people fight waving swords around, at least not for normal people (vestiges who somehow restore their bodies even after falling into lava and such have a distinct advantage in such times... anytimes, really...

)
I just wish that they would show a bit more of the things they touch upon, to make it feel more "real" (okay, to give me more immersion). And dare a bit more options for our characters to get into if we choose. Especially now with the justice system in game... why are there no justice-relevant quest choices yet?
Something like the old Fallout and Fallout2, maybe... I really loved how they had mature themes in these games, without overdoing it. And the occasional toilets in the landscape... reminding the player that living people do go there, even when it only happened off-screen, was a welcome part of my immersion in those games.

Stuff like that is something I am often missing in ESO. And wish they would "refit" into the game, now that its officially "mature / 18+" rated.

Wolfshead · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

Arundo wrote: »

More mature content please, thats what I liked about Age of Conan the blood and gore (yes boobies too) made it more immersive for me.

Yeah reminder that and it was fun to listen to all NPC and the prostitution make the game feel more like hard world people can say what want about Age of Conan but one thing Funcom did well was make city feel alive with all those prostitution and people talk about thing going on in city and the begs i reminder some day i just rid around in citys listen to NPC.

MornaBaine · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

redeye_38rwb17_ESO wrote: »

I think walking on slightly darker path (content wise) would be great imho. As others mentioned, this was one of the major draw cards for me with Age of Conan and they did a brilliant job with it. I also feel it added more imersion for me as well.

I have always loved ESO's darker side for many years as well (since Daggerfall). Imho there are just way to many games out there right now that just turn me away with there care bear stance on mature gaming content. To many companies want to make a game where one of the primary objectives is killing players/creatures BUT are unwilling to add blood, darker themes etc because imho they are trying to cater to as large an audiance as possible to further line there pockets (ya it's biz thats what they do i know) and thus end up creating another bland carbon copy of so many others before them.

Nothing more satisfying than decapitating another player with a deathblow! RAAWW

Yes, some will say "erma gerd gratuitous violence nooo!" but hey the game is M rated. I'm an adult and prefer to have a choice as to wether or not i want to be in care bear land. That is why i always come back to ESO/Teso games, because they are not afraid to walk on the dark side a little and i don't feel like i'm playing a childrens game.

Sry for wall of txt, but a great topic/thread that i really hope the dev's takke seriously. Massive kudo's to the OP

As someone who played a Necromancer who belonged to a cult of Stygian Set worshiping zealots in Age Of Conan and a Sith in SWTOR I can't tell you how much I miss the ability to play the bad guys here in ESO! I'm a woman and heck I even miss the bare boobs in AoC in all their ridiculous bouncy glory. A judicious helping of sex and death in an M rated game is a GOOD thing. Instead, ZOS decided to make the smexy Redguard light robes we all know and love into nuns' habits.

This does not bode well for those of us who were under the impression we were actually buying an M rated game.

aisriyth_ESO · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

I want blood just not over the top.

farrier_ESO · March 2015

Yes, ESO should include more 'Mature' content and make full use of its current ratings.

Remember that probably a very large part of the bland unsexiness is because of the current backlash against sexism in videogames.

It's kinda tragic that the US games press is incapable of differentiating "sexy" from "sexist", but that's the world we live in.

When I first started playing, I have to say, I felt ESO was a breath of fresh air, in that all genders and sexualities were treated *completely* equally - and this was before all that gamergate nonsense, too. I really loved this. No, I still do love this aspect of the game, and it is one aspect of the game that I tend to talk (or brag!) about to my friends.

But as time has worn on, I've realized that "equal" should not mean "bland". If you make an omelet and a meringue with equal care and respect, you would not expect both to have the same "generic egg product" flavor.

By treating gays and straights, men and women as the same "generic person product", the game becomes blander.

But... perhaps this is necessary. Perhaps this is something we'll have to deal with in gaming until society matures. Perhaps only once we are mature enough to handle sexy without degenerating, as players, into sexism, can they risk making the two flavors taste different.