Stop making a New Tutorial for Every Chapter

Iccotak · July 2019

@starkerealm

No. The Wailing Prison was revised at least three times before Morrowind. The version we experience today was the version that was created sometime around One Tamriel (I think.) Hell, there were implementations of it that replaced some of Michael Gambon's dialog with another voice actor. It was really jarring.

Yes it had a revision about three times and they botched it. twas not fun. It had a final revision for Morrowind so then players had a way to access the main story - at that point players had to do wailing prison.
For player choice; Wailing Prison used to have an actual armory for players to try and experiment with different weapons rather than just being stuck with a great sword. First thing they got rid of in the revisions.
It's a shame that they kind of butchered and cut down the introduction to the Main story of the Base Game.
However any issues with combat mechanics in the old tutorial could be fixed and refined. In fact players were free to roam and fight as many enemies they wanted in wailing prison. I was never confused about combat mechanics when I escaped.

You always had to do The Wailing Prison to start the main quest. That you want the ability to skip it, only underlines that it wasn't that great to begin with.

No you did not have to do Wailing Prison when it was the tutorial - if you skipped it then you were dropped on starter island with the main quest already begun. I mention 'Skip' because players should be free to skip a tutorial they have already played.

So... you're saying you didn't write this:
Iccotak wrote: »
Rather than a pop-up I though more of a tutorial that makes the player open the menu and obviously point things out to them.
Like
-"Press X button to open collections" and it won't disappear until you do that
-Golden Lettering "HERE Are the Chapters"
-Highlight the Activate button, etc. Use colors like Red and Green to draw their Eye

Just like a tutorial makes sure players use the controls.

Then who did?

That's not forcing a player into content they don't have access to - it's just pointing out where they can find add-on content. Specifically letting them know where they can find the chapter They bought.

One Tamriel is great - it's great that we have all the freedom we have now. The only problems that I have brought up is that ZOS could fix the lack of direction for new players and make the story timeline less convoluted. Especially now that Chapters and DLCs are going to be interconnected in year long stories.

starkerealm · July 2019

Iccotak wrote: »

@starkerealm

No. The Wailing Prison was revised at least three times before Morrowind. The version we experience today was the version that was created sometime around One Tamriel (I think.) Hell, there were implementations of it that replaced some of Michael Gambon's dialog with another voice actor. It was really jarring.

Yes it had a revision about three times and they botched it. twas not fun. It had a final revision for Morrowind so then players had a way to access the main story - at that point players had to do wailing prison.
It's a shame that they kind of butchered and cut down the introduction to the Main story of the Base Game.
However any issues with combat mechanics in the old tutorial could be fixed and refined

You always had to do The Wailing Prison to start the main quest. That you want the ability to skip it, only underlines that it wasn't that great to begin with.

No you did not have to do Wailing Prison when it was the tutorial - if you skipped it then you were dropped on starter island with the main quest already begun. I mention 'Skip' because players should be free to skip a tutorial they have already played.

So, your argument is that The Wailing Prison is so integral to conveying the story of Elder Scrolls Online that it should be skippable...

What?

Iccotak wrote: »

So... you're saying you didn't write this:
Iccotak wrote: »
Rather than a pop-up I though more of a tutorial that makes the player open the menu and obviously point things out to them.
Like
-"Press X button to open collections" and it won't disappear until you do that
-Golden Lettering "HERE Are the Chapters"
-Highlight the Activate button, etc. Use colors like Red and Green to draw their Eye

Just like a tutorial makes sure players use the controls.

Then who did?

That's not forcing a player into content they don't have access to - it's just pointing out where they can find add-on content. Specifically letting them know where they can find the chapter They bought.

It is if it bugs out even slightly. Which, I don't know if you've been paying attention, but that isn't outside the range of possibility. All it takes is a mouse over event to be accidentally flagged as a use event, and because it's a full UI interrupt, the player is hosed. Best of all, because this is an intentional interrupt, you can't even /reloadui out of it. So, that's "fun."

I'm not going to tell you the UI couldn't use improvements. It could. Like I said, there's certainly room to have improved communication on which quest arcs bridge across zones, if a quest is part of a zone storyline, or part of a guild before you pick it up, and help players filter out content they're not interested at the moment.

However, an obnoxious "tutorial" that grabs you by the head and shoves your face in a menu is a terrible, and vindictive, way to achieve that goal. From what I know of advertisement retention rates, I'm willing to bet that interface would actually have a lower pickup rate than the current system has.

Iccotak wrote: »

One Tamriel is great - it's great that we have all the freedom we have now. The only problems that I have brought up is that ZOS could fix the lack of direction for new players and make the story timeline less convoluted. Especially now that Chapters and DLCs are going to be interconnected in year long stories.

So, two goals: Sort the timeline continuity out and give the players more freedom. These two goals are entirely incompatible. One enforces a strict progression path through the game, and the other, well, doesn't. This isn't even a, " there must be some kind of compromise," situation, because locking a player to a specific quest path will work against their autonomy, while ensuring their freedom means you have to trust them to work things out.

Now, like I said, the signposting on quests could be better, maybe with distinct icons to tell you what quest you're about to accept. But, clludging the player to go to another zone only transplants those problems, it doesn't fix them.

barney2525 · July 2019

Deep_01 wrote: »

Do coldharbour tutorial. Float through the rift from Oblivion to Mundus. You were fished of the coast or Bleakrock or Khenarthi's Roost or Stros m'kai or Seeyda Neen or Shimmirene or Rimmen?

I didn't like being forced into the Wailing Prison from the get go. The Wailing Prison is the one area that a character can hang out and try to get the Daedric Dewclaw trophy. I don't want an inventory of 60 in the wailing prison if I'm gonna plan on killing a couple hundred critters.

And since, the way things have been changed as new tutorials came along, you can do a different tutorial and still do the Wailing Prison, there is No Need to Force people in from the get go. Let them do it when they have prepared themselves and are ready to start the mainline quest when the Player wants to.

IMHO

deleted008293 · July 2019

Wish there were a tutorial for the DLC dungeons too. (

Marcus684 · July 2019

Reading all the way through these posts made me roll my eyes so much I now have a migraine. So many opinions based on how people think the way the game SHOULD be played, entirely from long-time players. Eat a snickers and go outside, ffs.

Iccotak · July 2019

So, your argument is that The Wailing Prison is so integral to conveying the story of Elder Scrolls Online that it should be skippable...

What?

If you've played it then you already know what happens and therefore you should have the option to skip it.
If you haven't played it and are getting into the base game for the first time, after starting in an Expansion, the then you aren't going to have much of an inkling as to what is going on or what you should do. The original cutscene + tutorial explained those things very well.

Players have the main quest and a clear path that they can choose to take but are Free to go where they want and do what they want. That is how ESO One Tamriel worked.
The issue is that the current chapter set up leaves players a little directionless and confused because they are dropped into a fraction of the game as opposed to the rest of the game.

Then Vet players and Google point new players to go to the base game for things like the guild skill lines (undaunted, mages, fighters) World skill lines (Werewolf, Vampirism) and PvP which have storylines that revolve around the base game - this begs the question why didn't they just start in the base game?

But, kludging the player to go to another zone only transplants those problems, it doesn't fix them.

No proposal here has said force the player to go to another zone. or to Grab Their Head.
Remember during the tutorials when instructions would appear on the screen about pressing buttons?
Like "hold left/right click to attack or block"
Doesn't lock the player but the message on screen doesn't go away unless you successfully do that task.
That's the extent that I am talking here.
If DLCs and Chapters are going to become an integral part of the Year Long Experience, and to the players understanding of the story, then ZOS is going to have to take the time to make sure that the Player understands how those things work.

Pointing to where add-on content is so players know it is an option that they can choose.
This isn't about telling players how they should play - This is about providing clear Directions so that players know their Choices. Something that ZOS is not doing a great job of right now.

Note: That was something I really like about the base game - it paces you through the main story and at the same time encourages you to go do your own thing; Explore, Dungeon crawl, Quest, Guilds, and PvP.

Iccotak · July 2019

My post was shared on Reddit if you guys want to check it
https://www.reddit.com/r/elderscrollsonline/comments/cjaag6/i_concur_eso_stop_making_a_new_tutorial_for_every/

Here are some quotes from the thread

No one is saying 'don't let new players play the new content first'. What they are saying is new players have no reason to be aware that the new content is 10 stories down the chain, and if they want to experience the story from front to back start at X.

To add my 2 cents, one of the worst things about starting was I didn't know what I was doing or where I was. I had to go far out of my way to start "properly", which involved lots of in-game confusion and out-of-game research. It kinda sucked.

The worst was Morrowind and Summerset.
Summerset was the conclusion to the MW > CWC > SS story arc, yet ZOS was starting new players in Summerset.

Imagine playing CWC or MW after SS. The entire point of those games was to solve the mystery of who the Daedric Triad are. It's not much of a mystery if you've already revealed their identities and defeated them in SS.

starkerealm · July 2019

Iccotak wrote: »

So, your argument is that The Wailing Prison is so integral to conveying the story of Elder Scrolls Online that it should be skippable...

What?

If you've played it then you already know what happens and therefore you should have the option to skip it.

So, it's so critical from a story perspective it's worth putting players in a vastly inferior tutorial, but at the same time you think it should be skippable... right.

Iccotak wrote: »

But, kludging the player to go to another zone only transplants those problems, it doesn't fix them.

No proposal here has said force the player to go to another zone. or to Grab Their Head.
Remember during the tutorials when instructions would appear on the screen about pressing buttons?
Like "hold left/right click to attack or block"
Doesn't lock the player but the message on screen doesn't go away unless you successfully do that task.

Actually, in point of fact, it does. I don't know if you've ever tested boundaries in the tutorials, but there are a lot of things that are disabled until the appropriate tutorial pops up.

In this specific case, it would lock up their movement, because you'd be putting them in a UI that automatically disables on movement.

Naftal · July 2019

starkerealm wrote: »

Iccotak wrote: »

So, your argument is that The Wailing Prison is so integral to conveying the story of Elder Scrolls Online that it should be skippable...

What?

If you've played it then you already know what happens and therefore you should have the option to skip it.

So, it's so critical from a story perspective it's worth putting players in a vastly inferior tutorial, but at the same time you think it should be skippable... right.

Both times you quoted him he said that it should be skippable to people who have played it, not to new players who don't know the story. It's critical to the story, but obviously it's not critical to players who know it already.

MasterSpatula · July 2019

Agreed 1,000%

Iccotak · July 2019

starkerealm wrote: »

Actually, in point of fact, it does. I don't know if you've ever tested boundaries in the tutorials, but there are a lot of things that are disabled until the appropriate tutorial pops up.

In this specific case, it would lock up their movement, because you'd be putting them in a UI that automatically disables on movement.

imagine a grey prompt on the screen as the player is moving around that says "Press X button to open Collections"
and it doesn't go away no matter what you do until you do that specific action.

You press "X" opening Collections - and it directs you to the tab that shows where the DLCs and Chapters are kept.
You have an explanation that the content is available to you at any time if you own it. Simple.
Making sure players understand the add-on content format going forward as well as their options.

The Zone Guide, much like the build advisor, shows a path that the players can take if they Choose but they are free to do what they want.

That is a possible avenue that ZOS could take as opposed to dropping them blind in the latest content

Naftal wrote: »

starkerealm wrote: »

Iccotak wrote: »

So, your argument is that The Wailing Prison is so integral to conveying the story of Elder Scrolls Online that it should be skippable...

What?

If you've played it then you already know what happens and therefore you should have the option to skip it.

So, it's so critical from a story perspective it's worth putting players in a vastly inferior tutorial, but at the same time you think it should be skippable... right.

Both times you quoted him he said that it should be skippable to people who have played it, not to new players who don't know the story. It's critical to the story, but obviously it's not critical to players who know it already.

Yeah I don't get why this is so hard to understand

starkerealm · July 2019

Naftal wrote: »

Both times you quoted him he said that it should be skippable to people who have played it, not to new players who don't know the story. It's critical to the story, but obviously it's not critical to players who know it already.

What he's said, repeatedly, is that he doesn't want to do The Wailing Prison again, which I could respect, but he's couching it in a, "think of the children," cry that new players should experience this as their introduction to the game.

fioskal · July 2019

I'm not a fan of the new tutorials either and I find myself having to explain the 'quest order' more often than I'd like to new players. I love being able to go where I want when I want - but the story should be structured in a way that makes sense and in a way that builds on prior content (such as reoccurring characters in later content). Players aren't getting forced into it of course (if you want to do Elsweyr first, by all means go for it), but I honestly feel like you miss so much of the story of the game if you go directly into the current chapter's story and not only that, but it's just confusing to players.

MaxJrFTW · July 2019

New chapters bring new players.
New players learn from tutorials.
Hotel? Trivago.

sunbro38 · July 2019

MaxJrFTW wrote: »

New chapters bring new players.
New players learn from tutorials.
Hotel? Trivago.

tutorials dont teach you resource management or rotation.

Runefang · July 2019

Yes! I cannot stand the whinging about a missing skill point every time a new tutorial comes around.

starkerealm · July 2019

fioskal wrote: »

I'm not a fan of the new tutorials either and I find myself having to explain the 'quest order' more often than I'd like to new players. I love being able to go where I want when I want - but the story should be structured in a way that makes sense and in a way that builds on prior content (such as reoccurring characters in later content). Players aren't getting forced into it of course (if you want to do Elsweyr first, by all means go for it), but I honestly feel like you miss so much of the story of the game if you go directly into the current chapter's story and not only that, but it's just confusing to players.

Yeah, the one thing that really, probably, should change, is linking the alliance main quests together on the zone finder, across multiple zones. So, for example, the Dominion main quest will point you back to Khenarthi's Roost, if you're trying to start the main quest in Malabal Tor or Reaper's March.

That said, as experienced players, we do put way too much emphasis on hitting quests in the right order. While zones like Greenshade don't make much sense out of order, that's the exception rather than the rule, and even Malabal Tor or Reaper's March will make sense on their own. You won't have all the background, and the pacing may seem a bit odd, but the stories are still coherent, even if you haven't been following them up to that point.

MasterSpatula · July 2019

starkerealm wrote: »

That said, as experienced players, we do put way too much emphasis on hitting quests in the right order. While zones like Greenshade don't make much sense out of order, that's the exception rather than the rule, and even Malabal Tor or Reaper's March will make sense on their own. You won't have all the background, and the pacing may seem a bit odd, but the stories are still coherent, even if you haven't been following them up to that point.

If you do Greenshade after Malabal Tor, you're going to encounter some wonky storytelling. God help you if you do Kenarthi's Roost after either of those.

starkerealm · July 2019

MasterSpatula wrote: »

starkerealm wrote: »

That said, as experienced players, we do put way too much emphasis on hitting quests in the right order. While zones like Greenshade don't make much sense out of order, that's the exception rather than the rule, and even Malabal Tor or Reaper's March will make sense on their own. You won't have all the background, and the pacing may seem a bit odd, but the stories are still coherent, even if you haven't been following them up to that point.

If you do Greenshade after Malabal Tor, you're going to encounter some wonky storytelling. God help you if you do Kenarthi's Roost after either of those.

Yeah, and like I said, linking the alliance storylines into a single (multi-zone) thread in the zone finder system should smooth that out, with minimal intrusion.

JumpmanLane · July 2019

Iccotak wrote: »

I keep running into players both in the game and in the forums who ask what the best order to do the story in or have No direction and No idea where to go and what to do.
Let's face it; if you don't play the Story in release order then it doesn't make sense.
Elsweyr especially doesn't work if you haven't played the base game first, since you reunite with important characters from the base game's story.

I think it's its bad game design and bad storytelling that new players trying to figure out the real Main Quest have to "Google it", or even, "ask more experienced players in zone chat." It works but its band aid solutions. New Players should have a clear guide, or Rail, of a story to follow with the option to do what they want. That is how ESO One Tamriel worked before Chapters were released.

The issue is that the current chapter set up leaves players a little directionless and confused because they are dropped into a fraction of the game as opposed to the rest of the game.
Important things like;
-Guild skill lines (Undaunted, Mages, Fighters)
-World skill lines (Werewolf, Vampirism)
-PvP
All of these things which have storylines that revolve around the base game - this begs the question why didn't they just start in the base game?

This isn't about telling players how they should play - This is about providing clear Directions so that players know their Choices.

SOLUTIONS

1. ZOS should refine the Zone Guide. Specifically, the Main Quest metric. It should indicate the sequence of the quests, Chronologically. From the Base Game to the DLCs.
This is especially needed now that Dungeon DLCs & Prologue Quests are added to the 'Year Long Storytelling Format'
The Prologue Quests shouldn't be in the Crown store. sorry - not sorry
Players should have a clear guide for Storyline
It should tell you the story order of AD:
Khanarthi's Roost > Auridon > Grahtwood > Greenshade > Malabal Tor > Reapers March > Coldharbour

2. Fix the Original Tutorial, make it proper and Not Rushed. Here's how it should go.
1. Opening Cutscene
2. Create the character
3. A vision of the Prophet talks to you in your cell
4. Lyris breaks you out of your cell and you tell her about the prophet
5. You team up to break him out
6. Lyris hands you a weapon to use for now
7. You fight some enemies, get a basic idea of controls
8. Fight mini-boss
9. Head to armory and find some gear, a couple pieces of armor, and varying choices of weapons to try out
10. Sneak and Take out the Eyes
12. Meet Cadwell
13. Lockpick tutorial
14. break into Prophet's cell and get him out
15. Fight Boss
16. Take Skyshard & Esape Coldharbor
17. Start in the Starter island of your faction

Players who have already completed the tutorial have the option to skip it so then they can get right to doing whatever they want and going wherever they want. However, the Tutorial should always be the Coldharbour Wailing Prison.
It was the most EPIC introduction to the game (imo) and it also does a FAR better job of giving the players direction, which is important for new players that want to get into the game and not be overwhelmed.
Also the major Guild Storylines & Skill lines revolve around the base game.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fle96EAHlDg&t=1s

3. In the Collections menu - give players the option to activate DLCs and Chapters if they want to start one
This way when a new player is starting they are not bombarded by DLC and Chapter characters clamoring for their attention - like Abnur Tharn talking about Dragons when the player is in the middle of the Plane Meld storyline - or "Do You Know How Long I've Been Looking For You?"
Otherwise DLC storylines will activate in order of release upon completion.
Here's an idea of what happens when a player activates add-on content
The prologue quests and "tutorials" that ZOS made for the chapters will instead be "expansion intros".
-The first time your character goes to Vvardenfell, they take the boat that shipwrecks on firemoth isle
-The first time your character follows queen Ayrenns invitation to summerset, they get intercepted by sea-sload magic and end up in the mind trap
-The first time your character goes to Elsweyr, they get caught in a dragon attack and end up rescued by some friendly Khajiit

Here is a post for anyone curious how to play the story in the best order:
https://forums.elderscrollsonline.com/en/discussion/413807/what-order-should-i-do-esos-story-arcs-a-guide/p1

Here's what I do:
Coldharbor/Tamriel -> Orsinium -> Morrowind -> Clockwork City -> Summerset -> Murkmire -> Wrathstone Prologue -> Elsweyr

If I am doing a sneaking character then I do Thieves Guild + Dark Brotherhood in between Orsinium and Morrowind

As @VaranisArano , the OP in that post put it;
Its entirely possible to have a great and fulfilling questing experience running around doing everything in whatever order you want. It's an Elder Scrolls game in that regard. If, on the other hand, you want to experience the coherent, cohesive, immersive storyline of the Elder Scrolls Online that spans the entire continent for the first time since TES: Arena, following the chronology of the original pre-One Tamriel ESO through the threat of the Planemeld, into the rising threat of the Daedric Wars, and now facing the rage of dragons is one of the best ways to do so.

The story doesn’t make sense anyways because you HAVE to skip the dialogue. You’d go crazy if you didn’t lol.

ZeroXFF · July 2019

Runefang wrote: »

Yes! I cannot stand the whinging about a missing skill point every time a new tutorial comes around.

People asking for a bug to be fixed is "whinging". Ok.

Hashtag_ · July 2019

You only had to do wailing prison on your initial start. After that you could skip that and you’d be dumped into the starter islands.

Nyladreas · July 2019

KEEP THIS SHIZ ON TOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Iccotak · July 2019

starkerealm wrote: »

Naftal wrote: »

Both times you quoted him he said that it should be skippable to people who have played it, not to new players who don't know the story. It's critical to the story, but obviously it's not critical to players who know it already.

What he's said, repeatedly, is that he doesn't want to do The Wailing Prison again, which I could respect, but he's couching it in a, "think of the children," cry that new players should experience this as their introduction to the game.

I never said that I don't want to do Wailing Prison again.
No Where in this do I complain about having to do Wailing Prison

This is a band aid solution at best. I have seen more people complain about it than like it. I don't speak for everyone else but I HATE IT.
NOW Players HAVE to do go do Wailing prison to start the main quest and, as consequence, the Devs tried to shorten it down as much as possible so then players can just get it over with. AND we lose that great story cutscene introduction to what is the Main Story of the game

The complaint here isn't about having to do Wailing Prison, it's that it was a good intro and now it sucks because it has been cut down so then Alt characters starting the main quest can just rush through it

What I have said;
1. I said that New Players should start with Old Cutscene + Wailing Prison tutorial because it's an Epic introduction to the game that explains the Main story, which most of the game revolves around. and leaves the player with clear Direction & Choice

2. I said that the Wailing Prison introduction story has been cut down because ZOS just wanted to let players rush through it as it was no longer a tutorial. However, it functions best as an introduction to the game as a whole.

3. I said that the Wailing Prison tutorial could be easily fixed & refined as opposed to making a new tutorial with every chapter

4. I said that Vet players should be free to skip a tutorial & introduction that they've already played and understand

5. I said that ZOS should refine the zone guide so then New players have clear Direction and Choices, rather than being dropped blind in the latest content.

This was a New Player's experience because they were dropped in the latest content and ZOS didn't given any clear guidance or directions

I started playing this year, I now have 18 characters, all the Chapters, DLC's and Upgrades.

I have completed the Main Quest Story on my level 50/CP 160+ main character who started in Summerset Isle.

The whole thing is messy and quite a shame considering all the effort that went into crafting the Zone Stories and Story Arc.

1.) My Breton Sorc got plopped down in Summerset after the Mind Trap beginning, I quested to around level 12, I thought it strange that there wasn't a BANK in the first city...

2.) Around level 12, after reading some things, I decided to go to my Home Faction, the Daggerfall Covenant. Unfortunately, I thought that was Wayrest and started questing from there.

3.) I was approached by the Hooded Figure, but ignored it for a few levels because I was working a quest chain. I got killed a lot, poor gear, no CP and still getting used to things. Eventually I traveled to the location the Hood Figure pointed to and picked up the Main Quest.

This was my new player experience, I'll never get it back, it was a jumbled mess and totally unnecessary/ could easily be avoided by implementing some game design tweaks..

I've run into other players who had thought that Morrowind was the start of the base game and had no idea about Coldharbour.
like I said in the OP - I keep running into players both in the game and in the forums who have No direction & No idea where to go and what to do.

Marginis · July 2019

On one hand, I get it. I also really appreciate the original tutorial.

On the other hand, I like the new quests (particularly with Morrowind, where there were multiple angles to play the same quest with old versus new characters), and they are much more efficient and better at explaining the game, I think.

Maybe give players the choice of which tutorial to use?

rfennell_ESO · July 2019

Iccotak wrote: »

I keep running into players both in the game and in the forums who ask what the best order to do the story in or have No direction and No idea where to go and what to do.
Let's face it; if you don't play the Story in release order then it doesn't make sense.
Elsweyr especially doesn't work if you haven't played the base game first, since you reunite with important characters from the base game's story.

They could mostly solve the issue by making an addendum to quest listings for the main story. Make it a reward system and linear story wise so people can experience it properly (and have some incentive to do so).

As for the making a new tutorial for every "chapter"... well, being it's mostly reused assets and a decent introduction to that expansion... I get why they are doing it. I would make them more of an introduction to the new land and the introduction of the main quest lines and storyline than what they do though.

It's true the main story doesn't mesh with the rest of the story though.

danno8 · July 2019

You should be able to start wherever you want, but have the option of watching a recap video to fill you in on all the previous content that may be pertinent to the new content. With a big *spoiler alert* at the beginning.

All they would have to do is add a bit more to the recap video upon each new DLC/chapter/expansion.

Heck, even after taking a break for a while I would love to have a recap video to refresh my memory before starting a new area!

Iccotak · November 2019

Posted in my discussion as well

I think I have a compromise

Create one tutorial that is unrelated to any of the stories. It shows the player the controls, gives basic lore for things like the War & Skyshards, and gives player freedom when it is over.
Perhaps you start out as a prisoner in a bandit keep and you are rescued by the Allaince you chose - this gives an Alliance specific storyline.

When the player enters the Coldharbour story (by meeting the stranger) they get the original introduction, with the original cutscene because it was boss.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fle96EAHlDg

The tutorials for previous expansions are reworked into introductory quests for the Expansion zones & story. Each one with their corresponding cutscenes.
-Taking a ship to Morrowind lands the player in the slave trade area.
-Talk to adventurers about a treasure hunt in Summerset - this lands you captured by the Sea Sload.
-Entering Elsweyr lands the player into the introduction quest that has the player take down a dragon with the horn

When clicking on the fast travel to a chapter zone for the first time with a new character a Vet is given the option to skip the introduction quest of that chapter and get straight to the Zone

How does that all sound?

worrallj · November 2019

I agree. I get you can deliberately just ignore everything where you start and go find the hooded figure, but why should the default be that you do things out of order?

Also the flow between expansions is just not really there. To play the game in chronological order and get the story, you actually have to look up the order things were released in. One expansion should finish off with a quest that points you to the next one.

OolongSnakeTea · November 2019

I just wish you could pick the starting zone if you wanted to at all w hen you made a new character on an established account.

Say I wanted to do the morrowind one, or the summerset one- but my account has the elsweyr upgrade to it??