# Elder Scrolls Online Beta



## TheHandOfStone (Jan 23, 2013)

Sign-ups for the beta were just opened yesterday. They're only taking a limited number of people (obviously...), but you can try your chances here.

Is anyone else gonna try and get in? They gauged my chances as "above average," but with tens of thousands of applicants that's still not good.


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## MrMcSick (Jan 23, 2013)

Singed up!


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## Aevolve (Jan 24, 2013)

Signed up. Really hope they pick me.


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## Scar Symmetry (Jan 24, 2013)

This game is gonna blow my mind.


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## vampiregenocide (Jan 24, 2013)

I'm gonna try get into the beta, as I'm not wasting my time and money on an MMO unless I know it's good. Barely played Guild Wars 2 since that came out.


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## tacotiklah (Jan 24, 2013)

Meh. I signed up and have an "average" chance. Ah well, the worst they can do is tell me "no", right?


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## Hemi-Powered Drone (Jan 24, 2013)

It said I had Excellent chances, I hope the fact that I'm working as a software tester right now will give me an edge.


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## pink freud (Jan 24, 2013)

Be interesting to see if they can put out an Elder Scrolls game that will still be liked WITHOUT modding.


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## Hemi-Powered Drone (Jan 24, 2013)

It's not so much that people don't like the games without modding, it's that people exhaust the games potential without modding quickly.


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## pink freud (Jan 24, 2013)

dragonblade629 said:


> It's not so much that people don't like the games without modding, it's that people exhaust the games potential without modding quickly.



For some things, other things not so much. Take the menus in Skyrim. For your personal inventory it isn't so bad, but heaven forbid you don't meticulously segregate chests-per-type-of-item without installing some sort of "Sort-my-shit" mod.

I have this fear that they will pull a SWTOR and forget that MMOs need some things that single player games don't.

The game economy will be another issue. Bethesda has had three very different economies in the last three ES games. Morrowind was messed up because you would get item drops that would have 100,000+ gold value and the max gold inventory of a vendor would be 5,000. Oblivion was more balanced, and Skyrim actually requires a fair amount of grinding/collecting EVERYTHING to become "rich." They haven't quite figured out what they want their 100% controlled economy to be like, I'm not so sure they can handle an MMO economy.

I'll still try it, of course.


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## Sicarius (Jan 24, 2013)

I've beta'd a lot of MMO games, and played a fair share that I didn't.

I've got an "excellent" chance of getting in, as well.

It was my old WoW Guild that put me over.


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## JPhoenix19 (Jan 24, 2013)

I signed up when it opened up. When I first heard about it I was skeptical, but seeing some of the footage has me excited.

Mage all the way!


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## SpaceDock (Jan 24, 2013)

I signed up, I have been playing elder scrolls for a long time. Hopefully I get picked!


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## MassNecrophagia (Jan 24, 2013)

I've been rock hard for two days now. Damn beta sign-up


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## ittoa666 (Jan 24, 2013)

Time to upgrade my pc.


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## troyguitar (Jan 25, 2013)

Went to sign up but I apparently have to do it from my actual gaming computer and not my laptop as you have to paste in your dxdiag info... They should put that at the top so people don't waste time filling out the rest of it


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## Fat-Elf (Jan 25, 2013)

My friend forced me to sign up. My chances are "above average" but I wouldn't still count on it. Well, I did get into the beta test of CS:GO but that was a bit different.


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## axxessdenied (Jan 27, 2013)

*yawn* I wonder what they're going to simplify this time around....


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## AxeHappy (Jan 27, 2013)

It's an MMORPG. 

Everything. They're going to simplify everything. Including the graphics, which is about the only thing they've had going for them for a while now...


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## MassNecrophagia (Jan 28, 2013)

AxeHappy said:


> It's an MMORPG.
> 
> Everything. They're going to simplify everything. Including the graphics, which is about the only thing they've had going for them for a while now...


 As long as there's a metric fuck-tonne of interesting lore, I don't expect to be dissapointed.


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## JPhoenix19 (Jan 28, 2013)

MassNecrophagia said:


> As long as there's a metric fuck-tonne of interesting lore, I don't expect to be dissapointed.





I wonder if spell making and enchanting will be implemented in ESO. I doubt they will (at least to the level they were in Morrowind or Oblivion), but it's nice to dream.


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## AxeHappy (Jan 28, 2013)

Just based off the, "alliances," or whatever the fuck they're calling them, this will be a continuity breaking, established lore shattering abomination for people whom played Arena when it was first released.


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## Volteau (Jan 28, 2013)

Got an "excellent" chance as well. Beta tested like 20 games in my life, and probably played like 5 of 'em, so god bless betas. We should start an SSO guild and make everyone a bard.



AxeHappy said:


> Just based off the, "alliances," or whatever the fuck they're calling them, this will be a continuity breaking, established lore shattering abomination for people whom played Arena when it was first released.



This has me worried as well. I hope they don't mess up the lores too much, as they have done with the gameplay already.


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## pink freud (Jan 28, 2013)

JPhoenix19 said:


> I wonder if spell making and enchanting will be implemented in ESO. I doubt they will (at least to the level they were in Morrowind or Oblivion), but it's nice to dream.



I'm just making a wild guess but:

"Spell Making" (if included) will be augmenting standard abilities, ala Mass Effect skill sets, or will simply be the mechanic in which mage characters learn new abilities.

Enchanting seems like it will be a very easy template for the standard rune system. Now whether it will be a crafting-trade or part of everybody's kit is a major design choice.

I'm most curious about the thief skill sets. Stealth? Lockpicking? Pickpocketing? How would they make these work in an MMO? Stealth has some easy alternatives (lolinvisible) but the other two are complete unknowns. Can I pickpocket other players? If I max lockpicking can I go places others can't, or open chests randomly placed around?


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## MassNecrophagia (Jan 28, 2013)

The "factions" are forced, but necessary. Not so much for lore, but for gameplay. 
Lore has proven, in many franchises, to not be written in stone.



pink freud said:


> I'm just making a wild guess but:
> 
> "Spell Making" (if included) will be augmenting standard abilities, ala Mass Effect skill sets, or will simply be the mechanic in which mage characters learn new abilities.
> 
> ...


 
Pickpocketing is already a definite no. lockpicking may be involved in chests, or their equivalent, but I haven't seen or heard anything.


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## TheDepthsWillRise (Jan 29, 2013)

Oh crap. It's available for OSX too. I think my band may be looking for another guitarist soon.


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## texshred777 (Jan 29, 2013)

Meh.

edit:nevermind..I'll stick to meh.

But hey I'm glad you fellows are excited for it.


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## baptizedinblood (Jan 29, 2013)

pink freud said:


> The game economy will be another issue. Bethesda has had three very different economies in the last three ES games. Morrowind was messed up because you would get item drops that would have 100,000+ gold value and the max gold inventory of a vendor would be 5,000. Oblivion was more balanced, and Skyrim actually requires a fair amount of grinding/collecting EVERYTHING to become "rich." They haven't quite figured out what they want their 100% controlled economy to be like, I'm not so sure they can handle an MMO economy.



You're right about Morrowind and Oblivion, but I really don't think Skyrim took much grinding to get rich.

Don't you find it kind of fucked up that you can find a supposed 'Legendary Artifact' and a vendor will only offer you 1000 gold for it in Skyrim? And I can easily become rich in Skyrim within 1 hour of playing the game. It's called Blacksmithing/Enchanting/Alchemy. 

What made items 'Legendary' in Morrowind was the fact that vendors CAN'T afford your super rare loot...plus they were so powerful and hard to obtain that you'd be a fool to sell them. They were 'priceless.' Players can't realistically expect to get full sale value for something so incredibly powerful and rare. It kills the 'awe' factor of what an artifact is by making artifacts vendor trash. 

*Morrowind*: Hard to obtain artifacts, unlimited 'worth' in the sense that vendoring them is stupid and you really shouldn't be vendoring them because they are artifacts. If your first goal after acquiring an artifact is to vendor it...well you've missed the point of an RPG. 

*Oblivion *: Level scaling. 'nuff said. Finding glass and daedric gear on bandits was stupid as hell. Despite the atrocity that level scaling was, gold was probably the most balanced out of the 3 games until you got past level 40. 'Rarity' was something that did not exist in Oblivion. No extreme loopholes or oddly priced artifacts. 

*Skyrim*: Steel dagger that's been sharpened to deal 5000000+ dmg is worth...well, every vendor in the game's gold x100. artifacts vendor for like what, 1000 gold? I vendored like 90% of the artifacts I found in that game on my first playthrough. In Morrowind I hung the artifacts up like trophies because they were fucking impossible to get. 


If you don't see what I mean, refer to 26:53 in this video. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JweTAhyR4o0

That video explains pretty much every gripe I have with Bethesda and how the series has evolved. Don't get me wrong, I love the entire TES series, it's just...shit is getting dumber each game. If you've got 30 minutes to listen to this, just play the video in the background and listen to the guy. He's nailed it. 

Anyways, back to the topic...

Now, let's just hope that they don't completely fuck up their MMO. If it's anything like Vanilla WoW and caters to a hardcore playerbase, count me in. If Jimmy 'plays-two-hours-a-week' can keep up with me sinking 20 hours a week, well, I'm gonna have to pass on this one. I played WoW from Vanilla Beta and watched the game just go downhill after WoTLK. I love the hell out of MMOs, the competitiveness is what keeps me hooked. Knowing that I can one shot a player because I spent weeks assembling raid groups and grinding out factions is what makes an MMORPG a truly fantastic thing. A 'level' playing field just turns the game into a MOBA disguised as an MMORPG.

Edit: I know they are doing level scaling for those massive PvP battles so everyone is on the same level, but I'll put $$ down betting that the scaled players won't get equal gear to someone who has high-tier endgame gear.


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## MassNecrophagia (Jan 29, 2013)

baptizedinblood said:


> You're right about Morrowind and Oblivion, but I really don't think Skyrim took much grinding to get rich.
> 
> Don't you find it kind of fucked up that you can find a supposed 'Legendary Artifact' and a vendor will only offer you 1000 gold for it in Skyrim? *And I can easily become rich in Skyrim within 1 hour of playing the game. It's called Blacksmithing/Enchanting/Alchemy. *
> 
> ...


 The problem here is that you've exaggerated quite a bit. Using a fully patched version of the game, it's going to be a long time before you max out those three. While I agree with you about the "legendary items" value, it would be an easy-out to getting gold, since 90% of such artifacts are weak compared to what you can create.
Also, sharpening a dagger to ~50k damage is going to eat up a_ lot _of time, in-game, to achieve. Arguably, the way you go about praising Morrowind contradicts with your complaints about Skyrim. Adventuring and exploring for artifacts is completely counter-productive to the methods you've listed above. 
This, again, is with a fully patched version of the game. And I kept most of the "cool" artifacts and displayed them in my home (when I could afford a better house than breezehome). 
While I agree that this is going to be very closely scrutinized, I believe it to be because fans of the TES series are holding it to a higher standard than other MMOs. I, too, played Vanilla WoW up until just before Cataclysm, when it started becoming a completely different game.

Also, Bethesda is only publishing ESO, Zenimax is the developer. So there's a chance that many things will change drasticly.


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## baptizedinblood (Jan 31, 2013)

MassNecrophagia said:


> The problem here is that you've exaggerated quite a bit. Using a fully patched version of the game, it's going to be a long time before you max out those three. While I agree with you about the "legendary items" value, it would be an easy-out to getting gold, since *90% of such artifacts are weak compared to what you can create.*
> Also, sharpening *a dagger to ~50k damage is going to eat up a lot of time, in-game, to achieve*. Arguably, the way you go about praising Morrowind contradicts with your complaints about Skyrim. Adventuring and exploring for artifacts is completely counter-productive to the methods you've listed above.
> This, again, is with a fully patched version of the game. And I kept most of the "cool" artifacts and displayed them in my home (when I could afford a better house than breezehome).
> While I agree that this is going to be very closely scrutinized, I believe it to be because fans of the TES series are holding it to a higher standard than other MMOs. I, too, played Vanilla WoW up until just before Cataclysm, when it started becoming a completely different game.
> ...



1. Agreed, the fact that I can craft something stronger than an artifact is a bit disappointing. Artifacts being an 'easy-out' to acquire gold..well, you have a valid point, but you must also realize it's also just a single-player game. There is no global economy to worry about. If you want to sell your 100k gold artifact to a vendor (in Morrowind) to get a quick 10k gold, then by all means go for it. It's the fact that you _can't_ do that anymore; it really ruins the sentimental value of an artifact. I will always think twice before vendoring an artifact in Morrowind unless I really am desperate for quick gold. Skyrim, on the other hand... most artifacts get vendored ASAP without second thought because they suck and take up inventory space. What's sad is that a couple dungeon clears will net you more gold than selling an artifact in Skyrim as well 

2. The dagger damage was a bit exaggerated  but you can crank the damage up pretty damn high, very easily (and early in the game too if you choose to do so). I'm also not trying to argue what method is 'most effective' to play the game; it's a single player fantasy RPG, not an MMO. If you want to set out looking for artifacts, go for it. If your goal is to be rich, then do it. There is no such thing as being counter-productive in a TES game because you play how _you_ want to play.

3. I haven't touched Skyrim since Dawnguard came out, so my mistake as I may be less informed than someone who has recently played. The Smithing/Enchanting/Alch loop may have been patched/tweaked, but the point remains: If you know what materials to get and where to get them, you can make a shitload of gold within your first few hours of playing without any exploits.


In regards to the MMO; I feel the same. It's going to be held to a standard by fans, and be either criticized or praised the moment beta invites start going out. I'm just hoping it follows in the vein of Vanilla WoW; more time invested = more rewards, with no 'limits' or caps on how much you can accomplish in a week . If I want to sink 40 hours in 3 days acquiring X items and loot, running Y Dungeon 50 times, then so be it. Having a game say "that's enough, you can't do anymore because you'll pass everyone up" is absolutely horrendous. #1 reason why I quit WoW.


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## pink freud (Jan 31, 2013)

I'd like to point out that one could ALWAYS get 110% the worth of any item in Morrowind. It just required a lot of trading over a long period of game-days with that imp in the inn. You had to trade 1 expensive item for a lot of items under 5000 gold, and then sell the items back.


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## BrainArt (Feb 2, 2013)

I have an above average chance of getting in to the closed beta, here's hoping!


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## Choop (Feb 2, 2013)

If anybody can make a new MMO that feels like a huge, fresh experience, it's Bethesda. Here's to hoping I get in!


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## axxessdenied (Feb 2, 2013)

Choop said:


> If anybody can make a new MMO that feels like a huge, fresh experience, it's Bethesda. Here's to hoping I get in!



When was the last time they made a game that felt "fresh" ?


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## Choop (Feb 2, 2013)

axxessdenied said:


> When was the last time they made a game that felt "fresh" ?



I just feel like their experience with other games could transfer well into an MMO is all. An MMO that plays much like an Elder Scrolls game could be really awesome, and their games have this huge expansive feel as it is already.


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## axxessdenied (Feb 2, 2013)

Bethesda hasn't really done anything too exciting or revolutionary so I'm not really going to hold my breath. Plus, they have a hard time releasing a single player game that is stable. If they don't have a really solid launch, and a great end-game to keep players going. I don't think it is going to be as lucrative as bethesda hopes. They should stick to raping people with dlc prices 

You guys should try Chivalry: Medieval Warfare. The combat is pretty reminiscent of what you experience in Skyrim. It's one of the funnest multiplayer games I have played recently!


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## Choop (Feb 2, 2013)

axxessdenied said:


> Bethesda hasn't really done anything too exciting or revolutionary so I'm not really going to hold my breath. Plus, they have a hard time releasing a single player game that is stable. If they don't have a really solid launch, and a great end-game to keep players going. I don't think it is going to be as lucrative as bethesda hopes. They should stick to raping people with dlc prices
> 
> You guys should try Chivalry: Medieval Warfare. The combat is pretty reminiscent of what you experience in Skyrim. It's one of the funnest multiplayer games I have played recently!



It's not that it'd be revolutionary in general, but it could be great in an MMO format. I hear you though on the stability problems they always seem to have, and endgame is super important for anybody who cares at all about PVE. 

Eh the combat in Chivalry is kind of like Pirates, Vikings, and Knights also..not sure you could really compare it to an MMO anyway.


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## axxessdenied (Feb 2, 2013)

I never compared Chiv to an MMO.


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## MassNecrophagia (Feb 4, 2013)

axxessdenied said:


> Bethesda hasn't really done anything too exciting or revolutionary so I'm not really going to hold my breath. Plus, they have a hard time releasing a single player game that is stable. If they don't have a really solid launch, and a great end-game to keep players going. I don't think it is going to be as lucrative as bethesda hopes. They should stick to raping people with dlc prices
> 
> You guys should try Chivalry: Medieval Warfare. The combat is pretty reminiscent of what you experience in Skyrim. It's one of the funnest multiplayer games I have played recently!


 
It's a good thing _Zenimax_ is developing it, then. 

People keep comparing ESO to Skyrim, almost as though it's going to be some sort of Skyrim with an MMO mod and a different timeline. It's going to be a vastly different experience, with a lot of new people working on it. I don't recall any Fallout games being unstable at release, and didn't really have many problems with Skyrim, either.


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## axxessdenied (Feb 4, 2013)

MassNecrophagia said:


> It's a good thing _Zenimax_ is developing it, then.
> 
> People keep comparing ESO to Skyrim, almost as though it's going to be some sort of Skyrim with an MMO mod and a different timeline. It's going to be a vastly different experience, with a lot of new people working on it. I don't recall any Fallout games being unstable at release, and didn't really have many problems with Skyrim, either.



Good to know. Bethesda makes great engines. I really loved Fallout New Vegas compared to Fallout 3.

This could actually have some potential now 

Fallout 3 used the oblivion engine. Did you try playing unpatched oblivion?  I couldnt even get out of the starting area on the xbox 360 because the floors were missing!


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## Choop (Feb 4, 2013)

axxessdenied said:


> Good to know. Bethesda makes great engines. I really loved Fallout New Vegas compared to Fallout 3.
> 
> This could actually have some potential now
> 
> Fallout 3 used the oblivion engine. Did you try playing unpatched oblivion?  I couldnt even get out of the starting area on the xbox 360 because the floors were missing!



Seriously. I had Fallout 3 on the PC, and it was so unstable that it crashed on a regular basis to the point where I didn't even really want to play it. If it weren't for an unofficial patch, I never would have finished that game. Bethesda didn't even give it enough support to release a good official one that would fix the problems that many people were having with it. -.-


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## AxeHappy (Feb 4, 2013)

Choop said:


> Seriously. I had Fallout 3 on the PC, and it was so unstable that it crashed on a regular basis to the point where I didn't even really want to play it. If it weren't for an unofficial patch, I never would have finished that game. Bethesda didn't even give it enough support to release a good official one that would fix the problems that many people were having with it. -.-



Feel free to replace, "...Fallout 3..." with any other game that Bethesda has ever released. Ever.


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## Choop (Feb 4, 2013)

Yeah really. They provide awesome content but the support/stability is usually lacking super hard, sadly. I think Skyrim wasn't too bad on release, much better than previouse games although I did get crashes sometimes and there were definitely bugs throughout.


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## axxessdenied (Feb 4, 2013)

Yeah, it's seems like Bethesda is counting on the modding community to fix their mistakes for them  And, it works!


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## Aevolve (Feb 4, 2013)

Choop said:


> Seriously. I had Fallout 3 on the PC, and it was so unstable that it crashed on a regular basis to the point where I didn't even really want to play it. If it weren't for an unofficial patch, I never would have finished that game. Bethesda didn't even give it enough support to release a good official one that would fix the problems that many people were having with it. -.-



Were you running Windows 7?


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## Orsinium (Feb 4, 2013)

My problem is the games have become progressively simpler through every game, the actual content of the game has gotten smaller while the level design and land mass has gotten bigger. Morrowind with Skyrim graphics and combat would be ideal.


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## MassNecrophagia (Feb 4, 2013)

Orsinium said:


> My problem is the games have become progressively simpler through every game, the actual content of the game has gotten smaller while the level design and land mass has gotten bigger. Morrowind with Skyrim graphics and combat would be ideal.


 It may be somewhere between the two, in terms of graphics. 

Like I said originally, my main concern is the depth and quality of the lore.


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## TheHandOfStone (Mar 1, 2013)

Questions about the Beta answered here!


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## Compton (Mar 2, 2013)

One of my buddies just got a job to work on this project, can't wait for beta


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## BrainArt (Mar 2, 2013)

So, I'm going to start this discussion now.

Which faction do you guys think you're going to choose? I'm going Ebonheart Pact, because Nords are my favorite race in the series.


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## MassNecrophagia (Mar 3, 2013)

BrainArt said:


> So, I'm going to start this discussion now.
> 
> Which faction do you guys think you're going to choose? I'm going Ebonheart Pact, because Nords are my favorite race in the series.


There are a half dozen of us, locally who are going ebonheart pact


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## axxessdenied (Mar 3, 2013)

I'll prolly be rolling Argornian so I'll be Ebonheart Pact


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## Fat-Elf (Mar 3, 2013)

Ebonheart for me too. I just can't choose the race. Nord is best by appearance and good at fighting, but I love sneaking and archery so Dark Elf and Argornian are good for those.


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## BrainArt (Mar 4, 2013)

Do I smell an SS.Org ESO Ebonheart Pact meetup? 

We should start a guild between those of us in the EP when ESO drops.


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## axxessdenied (Mar 4, 2013)

SSO GUILD!


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## jbard (Mar 5, 2013)

I'm pretty sure the servers are going to be 90% Ebonheart. As for the lore concerns I was reading earlier in the thread, there is no lore for this time frame. Only bits and pieces that the devs said they will be building on for the lore in ESO.


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## BrainArt (Mar 21, 2013)

There's going to be true TES first-person at launch. Which has me excited, I hate combat in third-person, it feels clunky to me and trying to shoot a target from afar with a bow is difficult as hell.


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## icos211 (Mar 25, 2013)

Well crap, I won't be a special little flower when I choose Ebonheart as well. It would suck if it really was a 90% Ebonheart game. I've played a Nord in every TES since Daggerfell, so I kind of have to be Ebonheart...

In any case, I'm signed up. Given an "above average" rating, which basically means I filled out the "why should we pick you" section. Hopefully having a mac will put me in the needed testers category. And hopefully the game, advertised as being for mac, will actually work on a mac! Unlike so many other unsubstantiated claims of the same thing...


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## Choop (Mar 25, 2013)

I was either wanting to go Khajiit or Wood Elf, so Aldmeri Dominion it is for me!  Not that I hate the other alliances, I just hope the balance isn't dramatically one-sided.


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## BrainArt (Mar 25, 2013)

icos211 said:


> Well crap, I won't be a special little flower when I choose Ebonheart as well. It would suck if it really was a 90% Ebonheart game. I've played a Nord in every TES since Daggerfell, so I kind of have to be Ebonheart...
> 
> In any case, I'm signed up. Given an "above average" rating, which basically means I filled out the "why should we pick you" section. Hopefully having a mac will put me in the needed testers category. And hopefully the game, advertised as being for mac, will actually work on a mac! Unlike so many other unsubstantiated claims of the same thing...




Here are a couple videos from the press event that give a little more information on the game:

Video #1:



Video #2:


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## OhMyGoliath (Mar 28, 2013)

Signed up!
Above average chance.


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## Fat-Elf (Mar 28, 2013)

I have heard rumours that it will have a monthly-subscription like World of Warcraft. I really hope it will not even if it would mean a better game.


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## BrainArt (Mar 28, 2013)

I haven't heard anything about how they plan on formatting pay. I hope it's not a subscription. I'll still play it and pay the subscription, but I would prefer it to be pay once for the base game then a smaller fee for expansions when they come out.


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## pink freud (Mar 28, 2013)

I'm on the fence in regards to sub vs micro.

Rift is sub, and it's (or was, as I haven't played in forever) a great MMO.
SWTOR was sub, now micro, and in both states it kinda sucked.
GW2 is (sorta) F2P and it was interesting until you reach the utter lack of end-game.
PS2 is fun enough at base entry, but if you want goodies you need to grind your ass off or be prepared to deal with a LOT of micro, as it is all character based.

Long story short, if they make the game good enough it's worth 15 a month from me (and since I always buy a year it usually ends up 10 or under per month). That's like two coffees.


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## TheHandOfStone (Mar 29, 2013)

I'd prefer a sub model over a micro one any day, honestly. I'd rather pay for _opportunities_ than actual goods - it makes me feel like I actually accomplished something.


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## Orsinium (Apr 18, 2013)

I was wondering if anyone got into this beta I heard the private went live but I was not contacted


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## TheHandOfStone (Apr 18, 2013)

From what I understand, the Beta isn't an ongoing thing so much as a series of events. They contact people based on their (stated) qualifications matching what they're looking to test. Not everyone will be involved continuously - they're trying to get a wide range of feedback and perspectives. So really, you could get a notification at any time in the future.


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## TheHandOfStone (Nov 19, 2013)

I got in!



> Your BETA SESSION Starts FRIDAY AT 6:00PM EST
> From Friday, November 22nd at 6:00pm EST
> Until Sunday, November 24th at 11:59pm EST



Unfortunately, this is a very busy time in my life - I am in the process of finalizing my grad school applications, on top of part-time work and auditing a class.

Nonetheless, I should be able to play for an hour or two. I wish I could tell you guys stuff, but it seems as if I can't. So apply for the beta now!


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## CrushingAnvil (Nov 19, 2013)

Where can you even see what your chances are?


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## TheHandOfStone (Nov 20, 2013)

You can't. 

I literally just got this email out of the blue after applying months ago, and forgetting about it entirely.


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## Compton (Nov 21, 2013)

I got into beta this weekend too, I won't be able to play much saturday though. TBH, even though i've spent over 500 hours on skyrim, nothing i've seen from beta from TESO looks that intriguing D: but i'll post some info after i get into the game and see how it goes.


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## BrainArt (Nov 21, 2013)

I also got into the beta for this weekend, as did my brother-in-law.


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## ferret (Nov 21, 2013)

In for this weekend.


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## Tommy (Nov 22, 2013)

I got in this weekend! 

It kinda sucks that I use a Mac, so I sent them off an email so that they will deactivate my account right now and give me a new beta code whenever they do the Mac beta... I was so excited too.


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## Sofos (Nov 22, 2013)

I got in too. Pretty sure it's a stress test for the servers.


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## Sofos (Nov 22, 2013)

Compton said:


> I got into beta this weekend too, I won't be able to play much saturday though. TBH, even though i've spent over 500 hours on skyrim, nothing i've seen from beta from TESO looks that intriguing D: but i'll post some info after i get into the game and see how it goes.



You can't. It's against the Terms of Service. You agreed not to disclose any information.


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## pink freud (Nov 22, 2013)

SoldiersOfFilth said:


> You can't. It's against the Terms of Service. You agreed not to disclose any information.



He can't give any game details, but he can give us his impressions. Was the combat responsive? Is the game intuitive? Did he get sucked in, or did he find himself wanting to be doing something else?


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## MrMcSick (Nov 23, 2013)

Played alittle tonight. I've played multiple times on oblivion and skyrim finishing everything possible. This just doesn't do it for me. Its cool but not the same. I know its not supposed to be though. I'm lost, have no clue whats going on, lots of bugs keep making me restart or get kicked off. The voices are laughable, they sound like the Microsoft voice generator thingy. Hope they fix that for release. You never know whats going on due to all the people on the screen, you can easily find points of interest though from all the people standing around being engaged in dialog or reading ect. idk, I'll check it out some more but I'm just not digging it.


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## TheHandOfStone (Nov 24, 2013)

I didn't get to play the beta.


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## xvultures (Nov 26, 2013)

Everytime I try to get on the only server I see is "Live" and it's locked. Did I miss out?


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## Choop (Nov 26, 2013)

xvultures said:


> Everytime I try to get on the only server I see is "Live" and it's locked. Did I miss out?



Yeah, pretty sure this last session was only for the weekend.


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## BrainArt (Nov 26, 2013)

Yeah, it was from this past Friday to this past Sunday.


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## WaffleTheEpic (Dec 5, 2013)

I got access.  Here's my impressions.

Combat was smooth but hitboxes can be wonky. Both first person and third person combat is very responsive, but I did find myself getting hit by melee attacks when I should have been out of their range, same with landing my own melee attacks on enemies that supposedly dodged.
Lots and lots of glitches as of the beta. Quests bugging, items disappearing.
I also had a weird bug or something that made all enemy character models invisible, except for their health bars. I was swinging at health bars for a good three hours before it occurred to me to restart the game. The next day I had no problems.
Quests and such are extremely well written. Substantially less of the "go here, kill x of y" quests and more quests that you'd suspect of an Elder Scrolls game. Lots and lots of lore and canon TES line quests too.
They retained a good portion of the good mechanics from Skyrim as well. Leveling up is very streamlined, but some people might say it's too simplified.

Still lots for them to do before they can call it a finished product, but in it's current state I'd give it a 6/10. In it's current state it'd be an amazing F2P but not grabbing or polished enough to warrant $70 plus $15 monthly.


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## MrMcSick (Dec 5, 2013)

I had that out of range and dodging effect too but figured it was just how the combat was going to be, I used a bow and you didn't need to have that good of aim as it would hit them if you were in the ballpark area. Guess they made the fighting very simplified.


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## WaffleTheEpic (Dec 5, 2013)

MrMcSick said:


> I had that out of range and dodging effect too but figured it was just how the combat was going to be, I used a bow and you didn't need to have that good of aim as it would hit them if you were in the ballpark area. Guess they made the fighting very simplified.



I noticed that too. Not to mention the bow was terribly underpowered.


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## works0fheart (Dec 23, 2013)

I got to play a bit of it but didn't make it very far. As much as I love TES I can't bring myself to pay 15 a month for a game... I've played WoW on and off for a bit and paying to play in that is just too much. I also play Guild Wars 2 though and it's great fun but they really need to fix the issues with frame rate.

But yeah, back to ESO, it was pretty good, but it didn't leave a lasting enough impression with me to make me want to throw my money at it month to month.


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## Compton (Dec 23, 2013)

The beta was a lot of fun to be honest and the game looks beautiful. It's better than Skyrim which in my book is a lot better than most games out now. The fighting is pretty lackluster, I chose to do 2 handed sword with stealthy build.

I'll buy it probably on the principle that I love Elder Scrolls and for fun, but I can't imagine it being a huge success to be honest. It will appeal to Elder Scrolls fans who want to play Elder Scrolls with their friends which is what the game is going for, but it won't be a revolutionary mmo that changes the scene in a major way most likely. I have high hopes and am optimistic and hope that they do succeed. Skyrim and the other games are huge staples in my favorite games list.

That all said, it was buggy as hell which is to be expected, but the starting quests were also the most terrible starting quests i've ever experienced, and I mean it was terrible. No imagination, it was running through a starting zone hallway 5 times and than going through a portal, I hope it was a temporary starter quest or something.


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## SpaceDock (Dec 23, 2013)

I think they should have just done ES6. I am not a big fan of online only games.


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## Shawn (Dec 23, 2013)

Such a huge Elder Scrolls fan....played many, many hours of Oblivion and Skyrim (both on PS3)....beat them both and became a serious hoarder.  I made it to level 31 on Oblivion with over 500,000 gold and live in Chorroll also the Castle in the Shivering Isles. Made it to level 52 on Skyrim and live in Whiterun....with Lydia. It's hard for me to pick which one is better...I really like Cyrodiil. 

I haven't played this yet but certaintly would love to...


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## ferret (Dec 25, 2013)

I think Skyrim is a better game overall, but I have to say I prefer Cyrodiil for my scenery. I get a bit tired of the arctic/barren look in MOST of Skyrim. Prefer the more limited forest areas, personally.


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## Compton (Jan 8, 2014)

Got another Beta invite today, starts on Friday. Anyone else?


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## SpaceDock (Jan 8, 2014)

^ Woot! Me too, can't wait. Clearing the calendar for the weekend.

This time I'm going to make sure I patch before it's time to play, it took hours last time. 

I really enjoyed the last play, it is obviously still in Beta phase and has some wholes, but that is the point of these tests.


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## Compton (Jan 8, 2014)

I'm worried that the combat isn't going to get hashed out. In Skyrim, the combat is pretty legit, like you swing and miss sometimes, or if you don't aim an arrow right, it doesn't hit. 

Right now, you can just ....ing go willy nilly with your sword or arrows or fireballz or whatever and it's impossible to miss. 

That kind of stuff is cool for games where you just hit abilities and stand on top of some one ( ala most mmo's ) but with a combat system designed to be interesting based off of how interactive it is, it feels rather fake. I wanna feel like if i have to swing my axe that if i do it in a certain way that it will be more likely to crit or something if i position it right.


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## TheHandOfStone (Jan 8, 2014)

I got a 2nd invite...I'll actually get to give it a go this time.


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## caskettheclown (Jan 8, 2014)

signed up for it, hoping I get an invite but I won't be upset if I don't. I love the elder scrolls games but never played as much as most people have. So I feel I can play it without instinctively comparing it to the other titles better than a lot of people can.


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## Compton (Jan 8, 2014)

Why would you not want to compare it to the other titles? The idea of the Elder Scrolls Online is to be THE next Elder Scrolls game but allowing people to finally play Elder Scrolls with their friends.

The gameplay, lore, and reputation of the previous game is how they are even to the point of releasing an mmo. I get what you're saying though! I'm just saying, I expect a lot out of a game that set high standards.


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## Muzakman (Jan 8, 2014)

I got my key a couple of days ago.. not sure I can access the game just yet.. tomorrow I think


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## Fat-Elf (Feb 28, 2014)

I got into the beta. Just downloading the client.







Edit: Yay, 30 gigs of downloading with 1,13mbps. I'm lucky if I even manage to finish the download before the beta ends.


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## TheHandOfStone (Feb 28, 2014)

This time around you can invite friends!


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## Svava (Mar 2, 2014)

Has anyone got in and has a spare beta key?

I would LHUUUUUUVVVVV to play this >< and I did not get an invite sadfayce


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## Vanzeplica (Mar 15, 2014)

I've been playing it for a few months and haven't been very impressed.

Feels like a mod for wow to be honest, pretty generic.


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## eddygdk (Mar 20, 2014)

I'm not really into MMOs but my friends and i got beta keys and we had a lot of fun. yes it was super buggy but very manageable.


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## Metal_Webb (Mar 31, 2014)

Got early access and bought the Imperial edition, why? It's a Bethesda game, they put out good games right? Play it for an hour and all I have is a bad taste in my mouth.
The game looks hideous, the artstyle is so bland. The second quest I was on failed to have stuff load so I couldn't even do it. Really not happy atm


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## shaynedepugh (Mar 31, 2014)

I personally love it. Really stoked on this game.


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## DMONSTER (Mar 31, 2014)

I as well think they did a great job. A few moments I forgot I was even playing an mmo. Feels like an Elder Scrolls game.


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## Xaios (Mar 31, 2014)

I'm curious about this. I've played a few MMOs in my time, going back to 2001. However, I keep coming back to World of Warcraft. Every "innovative" game just hasn't held up like WoW has, such as Aion, SWTOR, even Guild Wars 2. So I am a bit skeptical of this game as well, in spite of its pedigree.

What the world needs is a good sandbox MMO.


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## SpaceDock (Mar 31, 2014)

I've been playing it for months in the beta, it gets better every couple weeks as they fix the bugs and up the content. I will be buying it.

It is a great game, definitely better than WoW or GW2, imo. I do not think it is as polished as Skyrim was at launch, but I think they believe they can get away with that since it is fully online and patchable. 

There were some huge problems last weekend when I was on beta, quest issues, sound problems, AI bugs. I think it will just take time.


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## Xaios (Mar 31, 2014)

SpaceDock said:


> It is a great game, definitely better than WoW or GW2, imo. I do not think it is as polished as Skyrim was at launch, but I think they believe they can get away with that since it is fully online and patchable.





SpaceDock said:


> I do not think it is as polished as Skyrim was at launch, but I think they believe they can get away with that since it is fully online and patchable.





SpaceDock said:


> I do not think it is as polished as Skyrim was at launch



So we can still expect backwards dragons, flying horses and giants that should be scouted by major league baseball teams?


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## AxeHappy (Apr 1, 2014)

I was getting ready to do exactly that.

Bethesda can't polish a game 5 years after it's been released, let alone at launch.


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## Xaios (Apr 1, 2014)

AxeHappy said:


> I was getting ready to do exactly that.
> 
> Bethesda can't polish a game 5 years after it's been released, let alone at launch.



Indeed. In their defense though, Bethesda bugs are a totally different phenomenon than regular bugs. Regular bugs crash your game or make it so that you can't progress. Bethesda bugs are more hilarious than anything else.


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## SpaceDock (Apr 1, 2014)

Xaios said:


> So we can still expect backwards dragons, flying horses and giants that should be scouted by major league baseball teams?



I was walking through walls and unable to equip certain weapon types (long swords) and encountered a few unfinishable quest bugs two weeks ago. they weren't very entertaining.


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## Choop (Apr 1, 2014)

Kinda bummed about the state of this game so far. It had a lot of potential, but doesn't seem to have changed much (if at all) from the beta I played months ago. TBH, I would've been far more excited for an online multiplayer addition to Skyrim or something more akin to that.


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## AxeHappy (Apr 4, 2014)

Xaios said:


> Indeed. In their defense though, Bethesda bugs are a totally different phenomenon than regular bugs. Regular bugs crash your game or make it so that you can't progress. Bethesda bugs are more hilarious than anything else.




Beth games do have glitches like these more than any other "top" teir company. 

But they also have plenty of game breaking or CTD bugs as well.


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## Xaios (Apr 4, 2014)

I watched a friend play for a few minutes last night. It looked... fine, I guess. Nothing really blew me away.


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## Don Vito (Apr 4, 2014)

Oh, the subscription will probably drive me away. I don't put enough time into games for that


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## pink freud (Apr 4, 2014)

AxeHappy said:


> Beth games do have glitches like these more than any other "top" teir company.
> 
> But they also have plenty of game breaking or CTD bugs as well.



I'd say Obsidian competes for that spot as well.


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## SpaceDock (Apr 4, 2014)

I am really on the fence about buying this today.... so much yard work to do since it's spring, but so many quests to complete....damn you home ownership


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## AxeHappy (Apr 4, 2014)

pink freud said:


> I'd say Obsidian competes for that spot as well.



I would agree with the caveat that Obsidian catches tons of flak for it instead of getting a free pass. And they also tend to have less. And release patches that fix them. Or try to at least. Heh.


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## SpaceDock (Apr 9, 2014)

I've been playing since the weekend, it is much better than in beta. I think they had a lower grade texture pack or something, idk, the graphics are way better. Still a ton of weird bugs and some lag here and there.

This game really ups the questing and almost entirely drops looting, very different play style.


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## asher (Apr 9, 2014)

Metal_Webb said:


> The game looks hideous, the artstyle is so bland.



But this has always been the case with these games...


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