Is the war going to end?

kinguardian · October 2022

I don't really know if I can put my question correctly into words. Hopefully someone gets it and is able to answer it

Now they have the peace talks on the high isle with hopes to resolve the war. Are things going to change? and what would that look like?

Can they make the game that you start a new character in the story like it is now and when you finnished the 3 alliances and high isle that the world is changed?
Is that possible in an MMO?
It would be great though to then have to visit all the country's again and do new quests worldwide? Maybe they can even introduce a new class that a lot of people want so badly.

So my technology savy friends would it work?

Dr_Con · October 2022

This would require what is known as a revamp, which is an immense amount of resources for a creative decision. I do not think that the storyboarding has been compelling enough to necessitate this- it's been my criticism in a few posts that it's been pretty dry lately, though the writing itself has been great. I wouldn't expect them to redo the quests and hire new voice actors just to end the war. Also, if they decided to use different time periods in the game, requiring character advancement to progress to a certain zone, it would break the One Tamriel philosophy and account/character achievements.

For the game, it's better and more convenient if the war keeps going. Look at the wars throughout human history, some have lasted hundreds of years and claimed millions of lives. In cyrodiil, right now, you have a bunch of practically immortal people fighting eachother for control of an area that surrounds a city where immortal "evil" creatures are nonstop spawning from to take control of the world, and for magical paper that makes you blind if you look at it... You also have agitators who act independently of their rulers who attack the other side for revenge, profit, love, mind control, or any other million reasons that this game has written into it. Not to mention you have the god of madness casually standing in the warzone giving out weapons randomly.

Put reasonable, unflawed people in a room and you won't have war. The game has tried to make each leader look reasonable, it's only due to circumstance and plot that the war hasn't ended. They need to release DLCs/chapters where they affirm the choice to go to war and stay in war, not due to petty disagreements but due to compelling reasons.

I've seen topics like this come up frequently and I don't think the playerbase is asking for the war to end, I think we are reacting to the direction the storyboard is taking us and want a logical conclusion. to zos- make it logical to stay in war and you and your playerbase won't be expecting an end to the war.

escalate the tension, don't deflate it or come up with excuses. this is within your power (and Todd's, I suppose).

NeuroticPixels · October 2022

I don’t think the war ends until Talos comes into the picture. Something like that. A couple hundred years after when ESO takes place.

Might be someone other than Talos? I can’t keep all these names straight.

YstradClud · October 2022

Only have to look at how the recent writing in mmorpgs like World of Warcraft which was built off the Orcs vs Humans battle have done a U-turn to realize that it won't be too long before Zenimax follow the same course. The generation of Orc 'me smash' types have moved on (or become a silent minority at least) and mmorpgs attract a different demographic now. The popularity of the mmorpgs like Final Fantasy is a typical example of that.

Freelancer_ESO · October 2022

From a technology aspect, they could.

You can see the tech to do it already in Bleakrock Isle.

The issue you ram into is if the content you are developing will appeal to your audience.

SWTOR for example, was based on the conflict between two factions.

The developers decided to change that and moved in a new direction.

It went over rather poorly and SWTOR rushed that story to it's conclusion and went sort of back to it's two sided conflict but, the game lost enough players it's bordering on maintenance mode.

I think you'd need to have a long discussion about why it didn't work for SWTOR before you'd try taking the same approach.

I'd argue ESO is treading the same path SWTOR took with it's story where most of the post launch content is worse than the launch content outside of visual improvements which makes it harder to justify changing the stock areas especially when the content is pretty clearly on a budget.

TLDR: You could do it but, you'd need to be very careful about it.

Bouldercleave · October 2022

[quote="chessalavakia_ESO;c-7734726"

TLDR: You could do it but, you'd need to be very careful about it.[/quote]

And we ALL know how careful they are with storyline breaking around here.... /s

Which is why I can meet all the companions and do their prequel quests BEFORE I actually meet them and save them on the main questlines.

One Tamriel and the prequel quests threw out the story cohesion long ago. They proved that they can and will do whatever they want with the story.

My belief is that they can end the war and never look back. They just don't care about cohesion.

bmnoble · October 2022

If they ever do end the war as part of the story I imagine the results will only apply to new zones created from that point onwards, I really doubt they are going to go back and change existing zones.

Even if the three banners war ends we would likely end up with some new conflict to replace it, can't go save the world, if its no longer in danger after all.

Even if the war does end from a narrative standpoint it won't change anything in Cyrodiil, PVP will continue as normal.

BenTSG · October 2022

Hah, I was considering making a thread myself about what people would suspect happening

I myself hope the talks go through and the war ends. Maybe then we can get a Cyro chapter and a new PvP, finally clear up the IC and kick Bal out.

Though the way I see it happening is the final quests to this year's story is probably going to be about killing the lord, and I suspect we won't get a clear awnser of the talks until perhaps next year, maybe longer. Even if they do end it, I feel the AvA will remain as a legacy mode. No longer cannon, but given how big it is would remain. Assuming they fix all it's problems.

But a revamp of some things would be nice. I've little hope, but nice all the same. I mean, while maybe not 'revamps' we did have updated like One Tamriel and the initial change from Vet to CP, so something could be in the cards.

Darkstorne · October 2022

bmnoble wrote: »

If they ever do end the war as part of the story I imagine the results will only apply to new zones created from that point onwards, I really doubt they are going to go back and change existing zones.

Even if the three banners war ends we would likely end up with some new conflict to replace it, can't go save the world, if its no longer in danger after all.

Even if the war does end from a narrative standpoint it won't change anything in Cyrodiil, PVP will continue as normal.

This.

They can absolutely end the war in a future Chapter, but it won't change how Cyrodiil works, nor how any of the base game zones work, nor how previous Chapters like Elsweyr or High Isle reference the war.

ESO already lets you play through a series of events in any order you choose. You can play through all the expansions with Sai, Lyris, Tharn etc, defeat Mehrunes Dagon, and then go back in time to play through the base game Molag Bal story. It makes no sense and constantly contradicts itself, but you can do it. A Chapter focusing on the war ending would operate the same way.

I wouldn't be surprised if that's being saved for the final Chapter though, and also ties up loose threads with Meridia. Just so that ESO tells a fairly complete story.

Cazador · October 2022

I could see it as a possibility. From a story perspective the war could end but you could keep pvp as is by having the warlord npcs in charge of each army go rogue and keep fighting anyway.

Jaraal · October 2022

Bouldercleave wrote: »

chessalavakia_ESO wrote: »

TLDR: You could do it but, you'd need to be very careful about it.

And we ALL know how careful they are with storyline breaking around here.... /s

Which is why I can meet all the companions and do their prequel quests BEFORE I actually meet them and save them on the main questlines.

One Tamriel and the prequel quests threw out the story cohesion long ago. They proved that they can and will do whatever they want with the story.

My belief is that they can end the war and never look back. They just don't care about cohesion.

Yes, the removal of Bosmer stealth and Argonian poison immunity while not changing the game dialogue to reflect it, bringing back sacrificed heroes to sell new chapters without explaining how they magically reappeared or how we could finish the main quest without actually using a life, using ancient Yokudan banners as Legion Zero banners and then selling them to us as "alliance banners," introducing dragons into a timeline where they weren't supposed to be.... nothing lore related is sacred and should be expected to be changed at any time.

However, ending the war but allowing it to continue in Cyrodiil would be abnormally lore breaking. Not to mention the hundreds of references to it throughout the game that would undoubtedly not be rewritten. Could you imagine the three banners war ending and peace coming to Tamriel, and then running the main quest and explaining away Stirk?

I don't see the war ending.

Kingsindarkness · October 2022

Probably considering you have this huge swath of area that mostly just sits there because it was saved for the failed overland PVP game...I mean just think of the PVE content they could place there with very little effort...hell they could put 25-30% more content in without having to do that much.

Jaraal · October 2022

Kingsindarkness wrote: »

Probably considering you have this huge swath of area that mostly just sits there because it was saved for the failed overland PVP game...I mean just think of the PVE content they could place there with very little effort...hell they could put 25-30% more content in without having to do that much.

Well I've been failing there every day, and enjoying myself. And I can already imagine the complaints by PvEers about having to ride 20 minutes at top speed from one end of the zone to the other.

ChunkyCat · October 2022

never

Sarannah · October 2022

Would be cool if the war ended, and Cyrodiil(and the Imperial City) became a PvE zone in which we have to rebuild everything. As if it were a new DLC zone. ZOS could move PvP to another new map, maybe somewhat smaller.

LanteanPegasus · October 2022

Ah, that would be so, so wonderful!
My exiled Imperial, after already having helped bringing about the peace talks (and wandering all Tamriel, saving almost any other land, people, and region), could finally put a stop to all that chaos and destruction, and rebuild his homeland. Establishing an Emperor worth of the title, like Varen was.
And as a player I finally could get back Cyrodiil, filled with adventures, quests and actual locations, like in the glorious days of ES:Oblivion.

That would be a dream come true, and I so much want to hope. But I can't imagine that ZOS would spend all the time and money they would need to disentangle the Banners War storyline from all the older zones and the main quest. :-(

For PvP they could make a new zone, maybe in some Daedric realm, or somewhere else on the world (preferable far, far away from all potential PvE zones.) Would probably be a breath of fresh air for all those who have sieged and defended the same castles for years now. But again, I don't think ZOS will consider it worth the investment.

Athyrium93 · October 2022

Isn't there speculation that ZOS is working on a new MMO? Maybe they are working on an ESO 2, a completely new game set a few hundred years after current ESO, which would mean that they might be gearing up for a "final chapter" in a couple years where the war is ended and they are just starting to build up to it story wise?

Vevvev · October 2022

There's a very high chance of no, but as have others said it can be a yes.

Technically overland Cyrodiil and the Imperial City are backwards in time as completing the White Gold Tower dungeon removes the Dark Anchor from the Imperial City.

Call_of_Red_Mountain · October 2022

I hope. Same Cyrodiil map for years. Time for changes.

BenTSG · October 2022

Athyrium93 wrote: »

Isn't there speculation that ZOS is working on a new MMO? Maybe they are working on an ESO 2, a completely new game set a few hundred years after current ESO, which would mean that they might be gearing up for a "final chapter" in a couple years where the war is ended and they are just starting to build up to it story wise?

This is the first I've ever heard of this before. Where's this come from? Genuine question, you have me curious now!

Jaraal · October 2022

BenTSG wrote: »

Athyrium93 wrote: »

Isn't there speculation that ZOS is working on a new MMO? Maybe they are working on an ESO 2, a completely new game set a few hundred years after current ESO, which would mean that they might be gearing up for a "final chapter" in a couple years where the war is ended and they are just starting to build up to it story wise?

This is the first I've ever heard of this before. Where's this come from? Genuine question, you have me curious now!

They are working on a new AAA title, but nothing to indicate that it's an MMO or even Elder Scrolls related:

https://www.zenimaxonline.com/games

I_killed_Vivec · October 2022

I imagine that for a lot of people who didn't do Cadwells as it was before 1T, the war is irrelevant. Particularly if they started the game in one of the DLC zones.

It might creep into the main quest a little bit, but it's not the focus. Foiling Ole Moley's plot is all that really counts, regardless of allegiance.

I indulge in a little PvP from time to time, but otherwise the "war" is an irrelevance to me. And I imagine a lot of other people feel the same.

The endeavours today included killing a dragon... I didn't see anyone there worried about the factions their fellow dragon slayers might belong to.

zaria · October 2022

Jaraal wrote: »

Bouldercleave wrote: »

chessalavakia_ESO wrote: »

TLDR: You could do it but, you'd need to be very careful about it.

And we ALL know how careful they are with storyline breaking around here.... /s

Which is why I can meet all the companions and do their prequel quests BEFORE I actually meet them and save them on the main questlines.

One Tamriel and the prequel quests threw out the story cohesion long ago. They proved that they can and will do whatever they want with the story.

My belief is that they can end the war and never look back. They just don't care about cohesion.

Yes, the removal of Bosmer stealth and Argonian poison immunity while not changing the game dialogue to reflect it, bringing back sacrificed heroes to sell new chapters without explaining how they magically reappeared or how we could finish the main quest without actually using a life, using ancient Yokudan banners as Legion Zero banners and then selling them to us as "alliance banners," introducing dragons into a timeline where they weren't supposed to be.... nothing lore related is sacred and should be expected to be changed at any time.

However, ending the war but allowing it to continue in Cyrodiil would be abnormally lore breaking. Not to mention the hundreds of references to it throughout the game that would undoubtedly not be rewritten. Could you imagine the three banners war ending and peace coming to Tamriel, and then running the main quest and explaining away Stirk?

I don't see the war ending.

And the racial changes made no sense at all, why was Argonian poison immunity an problem?
If an balance issue just nerf it slightly.
As for stealth I guess they wanted it to be an more unique buff but lots of races share the same buffs.

But ending the war in Cyrodil would make no sense, its not much else to do there. I have done all the quest there I found.
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Cyrodiil#Quests
Daily quests outnumber the Wilderness quests (not story quest), has the achievement for quests in Cyrodil.
Now the dailies has decent rewards because they are in an PvP zone.
And it also make no sense having involving story quests in an PvP zone anyway.

Necrelios · October 2022

War? War never changes.

Now if you want my philosophical take on that, I'd say it's because people never change.... History is so quickly forgotten, and so even if the war were to end? Just a temporary cease fire by my reckoning.

Malthorne · October 2022

Athyrium93 wrote: »

Isn't there speculation that ZOS is working on a new MMO? Maybe they are working on an ESO 2, a completely new game set a few hundred years after current ESO, which would mean that they might be gearing up for a "final chapter" in a couple years where the war is ended and they are just starting to build up to it story wise?

Space themed mmo.

NeuroticPixels · October 2022

Malthorne wrote: »

Athyrium93 wrote: »

Isn't there speculation that ZOS is working on a new MMO? Maybe they are working on an ESO 2, a completely new game set a few hundred years after current ESO, which would mean that they might be gearing up for a "final chapter" in a couple years where the war is ended and they are just starting to build up to it story wise?

Space themed mmo.

LOL. Starfield Online.

James-Wayne · October 2022

Abnar Tharn wanted to end the war back in Elsweyr, look what that got him!

If they wanted to end the alliance war they could just replace it for a daedric war that is waged in an oblivion plane, you still choose your side etc but it ultimately frees up Cyrodiil to revamp the entire zone. Anchors and IC could remain unless they wanted to revamp that as well... maybe some dragon time god rips a copy of cyrodiil and IC to a daedric world and replaces it for a developed one...

Lots of things they could do

Hapexamendios · October 2022

No, it won't end until the game ends most likely.

Amottica · October 2022

There are certain quest areas that change after the quests in that area have been completed. When grouped those who have completed the quest see a different world than those who have not. However, you cannot see each other. You can only see those in your group that are in the same state as you when in those areas.

So yes. It’s possible to do this with the entire base game but it’s highly unlikely. It would require an lot of work and likely require more resources that is practical.

Since time in the base game zones does not change the war will go on forever.

McMasterx · October 2022

NeuroticPixels wrote: »

I don’t think the war ends until Talos comes into the picture. Something like that. A couple hundred years after when ESO takes place.

Might be someone other than Talos? I can’t keep all these names straight.

At some point between Tiber Septim's birth and ESO, the current Aldmeri Dominion falls apart, and a new one is reforged. As Lore-wise, the one we have is the 1st, and Tiber's is the 2nd. So something drastic and dramatic definitely happens in the years following ESO's eventual conclusion.