Good article by Matt Firor about Orsinium over at MMORPG.COM

Iselin · November 2016

5 Lessons Learned from Creating Orsinium

http://www.mmorpg.com/elder-scrolls-online/developer-journals/5-lessons-learned-from-creating-the-orsinium-dlc-game-pack-1000011317

Alucardo · November 2016

I wish they'd release more DLCs like Orsinium, not the garbage with "filler" quests like DBH and Thieves Guild. Orsinium was actually a pleasure to play through.
But yeah, definitely agreed with his points in that article.

jedtb16_ESO · November 2016

interesting article, thanks for linking it.

bellanca6561n · November 2016

It's the best they've done and out-shines all the other zones in the game.

However, it's been a year and we don't have another expansion of that magnitude, alas, nor has one been even announced

Iselin · November 2016

bellanca6561n wrote: »

It's the best they've done and out-shines all the other zones in the game.

However, it's been a year and we don't have another expansion of that magnitude, alas, nor has one been even announced

Well there's that housing thing...

But yeah, Orsinium is by far the best zone added after the game launched (I'm still looking at you Craglorn)

Sinolai · November 2016

Alucardo wrote: »

I wish they'd release more DLCs like Orsinium, not the garbage with "filler" quests like DBH and Thieves Guild. Orsinium was actually a pleasure to play through.
But yeah, definitely agreed with his points in that article.

Thieves guild story quest was well written and interesting but the dailies got boring after a week or two.
DB wasn't that interesting IMO, but I loved the other non-repeatable quests in the area (Especially the sweet-roll killer!)

Alucardo · November 2016

Sinolai wrote: »

Alucardo wrote: »

I wish they'd release more DLCs like Orsinium, not the garbage with "filler" quests like DBH and Thieves Guild. Orsinium was actually a pleasure to play through.
But yeah, definitely agreed with his points in that article.

Thieves guild story quest was well written and interesting but the dailies got boring after a week or two.
DB wasn't that interesting IMO, but I loved the other non-repeatable quests in the area (Especially the sweet-roll killer!)

Yeah, like the quests in between were pretty cool, but there weren't many of them, and you had to perform those filler quests to level your skill line before getting the next main quest. It was just a ploy to make the DLC seem bigger than it actually was. I really didn't like that about it.
Orsinium was just great from start to finish. Even the side quests, like collecting for the museum was pretty interesting.

MissBizz · November 2016

Orcs are not awesome.

Orsinium is absolutely the best they have done though. Hope we get another big dlc I can love just as much!

Preyfar · November 2016

Alucardo wrote: »

I wish they'd release more DLCs like Orsinium, not the garbage with "filler" quests like DBH and Thieves Guild. Orsinium was actually a pleasure to play through.

DB and TG were somewhat disappointing. Great stories, but a bit light on content and they relied too much on repeatable quests without really adding anything to the game. They needed far, far more meat. That said, I did enjoy them, but nowhere near on the level of Wrothgar (which was superb).

Publius_Scipio · November 2016

Vvardenfell must deliver!

Iselin · November 2016

MissBizz wrote: »

Orcs are not awesome.

Come over here and say that to my face

GaldorP · November 2016

Wrothgar is a fantastic zone. The only one where I completed all quests on all of my 8 character and wasn't bored even when I did them for the 8th time. I love just travelling through the zone, hunting for materials and treasure chests, killing a monster here and there when I need to. The landscape looks simply amazing and feels so alive (thanks to the stories and the interesting fauna among other things). World boss quests brought random players together to work on a common goal in an overworld zone which is something I missed in ESO, before (and which is a very different experience from doing an instanced group dungeon with a fixed maxed group size). I'd love to see another DLC like Orsinium.

KerinKor · November 2016

Of course, some of us detest level scaling, which seriously affected Oblivion and Skyrim until the modders removed it, since it makes leveling characters largely pointless .. if all content is playable at level 1 what's the point getting to level 50+?

For some of us it's the JOURNEY of leveling a character that's the point of an RPG, not the ARRIVAL at the phat-lewt-or-GTFO 'end game'.

Alucardo · November 2016

MissBizz wrote: »

Orcs are not awesome.

Orsinium is absolutely the best they have done though. Hope we get another big dlc I can love just as much!

Ohhhh you're about to get some hate from the Orc lovers out there (but I agree with you, just don't tell them I said that).

Imperial City was my favourite, but Orsinium a very close second. While the story line was shorter in IC, the small price tag balances that out, so it was fine.
But I really enjoyed questing in the different districts. Not only did you have to worry about the daedra moving around the city in ruins, but you had to be careful of enemy players, too. It added an extra level of danger that I really enjoyed. DLC PVE is too easy, and I never feel like I'm in any trouble, so it gets boring.
Sometimes when you're running through the IC quests you'll find an enemy player that is trying to complete them too and they won't attack you. The first time I was doing it I ran into an AD guy (I'm DC). We ended up killing a few EP gankers together while completing the quest then went our separate ways once it was done. You don't get them kind of dynamics in PVE zones. You don't have to make decisions like that, and have the option to group up with enemies to complete your goal.
I'm rambling now, but yeah, IC was awesome. Also Drake of Blades. Mmmm.

Nestor · November 2016

Vvardenfell is something I am looking forward to. I know it has not been announced, but it is the only zone they have been talking about

vamp_emily · November 2016

Orcs are awesome. Hurricane Emily is a Stam Sorc Orc that is going to destroy VMA one day

It is kind of sad that I've played this game for almost 2 years now, and have not yet finished a zone. I quit questing around level 42 on my first character.

I'm always impressed, when I come out of PvP, and go into places like Orsinium. Maybe one day I will start questing again.

Iselin · November 2016

KerinKor wrote: »

Of course, some of us detest level scaling, which seriously affected Oblivion and Skyrim until the modders removed it, since it makes leveling characters largely pointless .. if all content is playable at level 1 what's the point getting to level 50+?

For some of us it's the JOURNEY of leveling a character that's the point of an RPG, not the ARRIVAL at the phat-lewt-or-GTFO 'end game'.

Funny thing though... with all of the skill lines to train and skills to unlock and morph, gaining levels in ESO has always been very much a secondary thing for me. Hell they could remove levels altogether and start us all earning CPs from level 1 and I would still feel like I'm developing my character constantly.

I know it's unconventional and it would feel weird in WOW, but it works for me in ESO just fine.

Preyfar · November 2016

vamp_emily wrote: »

Orcs are awesome. Hurricane Emily is a Stam Sorc Orc that is going to destroy VMA one day

It is kind of sad that I've played this game for almost 2 years now, and have not yet finished a zone. I quit questing around level 42 on my first character.

I'm always impressed, when I come out of PvP, and go into places like Orsinium. Maybe one day I will start questing again.

You totally need a character named "Once Upon an Emily".

But, Orsinium is

ThePaleItalian · November 2016

MissBizz wrote: »

Orcs are not awesome.

Orsinium is absolutely the best they have done though. Hope we get another big dlc I can love just as much!

As an Orc I resemble that comment.... But you know you love the overbite!!!!

nimander99 · November 2016

5 Lessons We Really Learned Making the Orsinium DLC Game:

Lessons 1-5: Dang that was hard! Lets make smaller DLC's with more repeatable quests. *Everyone nods heads*

Elsonso · November 2016

Publius_Scipio wrote: »

Vvardenfell must deliver!

Yes.

I do take exception with "Level-Scaling Really Works Well in PvE". Level scaling was necessary for Orsinium due to the hole they dug for themselves with B2P and the self-imposed requirement that players be able to use what they purchased in the store immediately. He conveniently forgot to mention that little nugget in the rush to draw the line to One Tamriel, but that was a big thing when they first talked about Orsinium.

"Level-Scaling Really Works Well in PvE" when properly implemented into a game designed for it. Still waiting for that last part. What they have right now is a start.

JD2013 · November 2016

Orsinium was a wonderful piece of content. The area is stunning, and the stories brilliantly written.

Can we have vvardenfell now please, ZOS? Or some sort of continuation on Varen's warning at the end of Orsinium? Clockwork City maybe?

Wycks · November 2016

Orsinium looks good from the outside or from a scenic point of view but it not a very practical city to move around in. They need to hire a city planner or at the least study the popularity of cities in other MMO's, many cities that look beautiful are completely abandoned, while other hubs that are very popular (for good reason) have zero look and feel, like rawl'kha.

It's not rocket science.

Publius_Scipio · November 2016

Nestor wrote: »

Vvardenfell is something I am looking forward to. I know it has not been announced, but it is the only zone they have been talking about

Where and when did ZOS openly acknowledge Vvardenfell?

SHADOW2KK · November 2016

Said this before, but I will say it again , give me Vvardenfell !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All fans of Morrowind can agree with me here aye?

JD2013 · November 2016

SHADOW2KK wrote: »

Said this before, but I will say it again , give me Vvardenfell !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All fans of Morrowind can agree with me here aye?

AYE!

dodgehopper_ESO · November 2016

Alucardo wrote: »

I wish they'd release more DLCs like Orsinium, not the garbage with "filler" quests like DBH and Thieves Guild. Orsinium was actually a pleasure to play through.
But yeah, definitely agreed with his points in that article.

I think DB and TG could have been better had they given us the alternatives they originally pitched, or at least a choice not to be a scumbag.

bob.ellisonb16_ESO wrote: »

Orsinium looks good from the outside or from a scenic point of view but it not a very practical city to move around in. They need to hire a city planner or at the least study the popularity of cities in other MMO's, many cities that look beautiful are completely abandoned, while other hubs that are very popular (for good reason) have zero look and feel, like rawl'kha.

It's not rocket science.

Orcs designed it... 'nuff said.

dodgehopper_ESO · November 2016

Iselin wrote: »

KerinKor wrote: »

Of course, some of us detest level scaling, which seriously affected Oblivion and Skyrim until the modders removed it, since it makes leveling characters largely pointless .. if all content is playable at level 1 what's the point getting to level 50+?

For some of us it's the JOURNEY of leveling a character that's the point of an RPG, not the ARRIVAL at the phat-lewt-or-GTFO 'end game'.

Funny thing though... with all of the skill lines to train and skills to unlock and morph, gaining levels in ESO has always been very much a secondary thing for me. Hell they could remove levels altogether and start us all earning CPs from level 1 and I would still feel like I'm developing my character constantly.

I know it's unconventional and it would feel weird in WOW, but it works for me in ESO just fine.

I haven't actually leveled a skill in a very long time. Each release I max a new skill line. I was really looking forward to spellcrafting for this reason (and perhaps some kind of martial technique learning).

Iselin · November 2016

Publius_Scipio wrote: »

Nestor wrote: »

Vvardenfell is something I am looking forward to. I know it has not been announced, but it is the only zone they have been talking about

Where and when did ZOS openly acknowledge Vvardenfell?

There has been no official acknowledgement yet but a lot of references to it were data mined back in May:

http://tamrielfoundry.com/2016/05/datamining-vvardenfell/

Alucardo · November 2016

JD2013 wrote: »

SHADOW2KK wrote: »

Said this before, but I will say it again , give me Vvardenfell !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All fans of Morrowind can agree with me here aye?

AYE!

DOUBLE AYE

Iselin · November 2016

dodgehopper_ESO wrote: »

Iselin wrote: »

KerinKor wrote: »

Of course, some of us detest level scaling, which seriously affected Oblivion and Skyrim until the modders removed it, since it makes leveling characters largely pointless .. if all content is playable at level 1 what's the point getting to level 50+?

For some of us it's the JOURNEY of leveling a character that's the point of an RPG, not the ARRIVAL at the phat-lewt-or-GTFO 'end game'.

Funny thing though... with all of the skill lines to train and skills to unlock and morph, gaining levels in ESO has always been very much a secondary thing for me. Hell they could remove levels altogether and start us all earning CPs from level 1 and I would still feel like I'm developing my character constantly.

I know it's unconventional and it would feel weird in WOW, but it works for me in ESO just fine.

I haven't actually leveled a skill in a very long time. Each release I max a new skill line. I was really looking forward to spellcrafting for this reason (and perhaps some kind of martial technique learning).

Yeah Spellcrafting is the one missing thing that I would love to see in the game. I don't know if Nick leaving has thrown a wrench into that or not but it was his presentation back at Quakecon 2014.

... and I level new skills all the time in my throwaway Blackwater alts. It's why I can say with confidence that despite level scaling the feeling of character progression is still very real.