Though the problem then becomes how you're being separated from other players. Why would a game whose core component is in being massively multiplayer, make the main story work by being as non-multiplayer as possible? This extends to many side quests, too, with dungeons being instanced and areas being phased, which all work to separate you from other players.

... I think I can get behind that. I don't like being told that "only I can do this special thing" when I know that "xXUberBalKillerXx" right next to me has done or will do it too. But if the game could play on the idea that all the players are actually fractured representations of the one character that's said to have done these things, that could be interesting.

However, I have a feeling the game's just going to present this "You alone are the chosen one" angle at face value. The whole fractured aspect meta-explanation can be interesting, but if that's not the feeling I get while playing, it matters little since I'll just be constantly reminded "that's not really what they were going for" when I play. ZOS's writers haven't really shown that they can play around with typical ideas in sometimes interesting ways like BGS's writers can. Their promo material doesn't really shine them in the best light, and it doesn't seem as though they're even trying to show where they're coming from and what they're capable of, which makes it seem like they're either not that good or don't care.

Ultimately the final judgement will come from playing the game, and it's not even finished yet, but the aroma it's giving off while being cooked doesn't leave that great of a taste in my mouth.

I can't speak for the sequel, but Guild Wars was definitely one of the games where the "you're special, but so is everyone else" thing stood out real bad. Lord of the Rings Online did the multiplayer storyline best out of the things I've played, but it also didn't rely on any world-saving plots.

...wouldn't scheming be under Boethiah's sphere though?

All of Guild Wars 1 was instanced, giving you an entire copy of the world to yourself, with the exception of towns, and it worked out well.

and phasing doesn't require that you be separated from other people, depending on how they do it, certain areas can be phased for each player, like a statue of you appears as you for you, and as someone else for someone else, and as nothing for another person, because that person hasn't done the quest yet, and all three of them can be in the same game world instance at the same time.

Letters on the anchor:

NIRN OBEYS

COLDHARBOUR

I'm honestly feeling much better now. Thank you.
Otherwise it all is just so disconcerting. Especially coupled with “We have a system where NPCs react to you based on choices you’ve made in the world, and deeds that you have done, like hailing you as a savior of a town that you’ve protected from an undead uprising, for example. Other players won’t see the NPCs reacting to you this way, and will see the correct NPC reactions for their choices” // from the grittymedievalfarmer source: http://www.penny-arcade.com/report/article/elder-scrolls-onlines-game-director-explains-how-youll-be-a-standout-badass // - I was, like, now that's major Sheo possession. And your interpretation makes this totally acceptable!

Yes, there will be some client-side visual touches like that. It can only go so far, though, if you're to have any kind of notable effect on the world. Like if there's a town under attack from a bunch of werewolves, you beat them all and save the town, causing NPCs to appear. Other people who haven't done that quest (or chose not to save the town) can't be in the same phase as you, otherwise you'll just see them attacking invisible monsters while NPCs mill about, and they'll see you walking around and talking to invisible people while werewolves roam about.

The one time I think an Elder Scrolls game will not make you the epic hero and it totally fails to deliver in an epic way. I am so [censored] tired of this trope. I really am. I really wish they had just made it that Molag Bal had stolen the souls of countless mortals to fuel the anchors causing the planemeld, and everyone has to work together to bring him down or some such thing.

As MK said, 'on the field of I have seen this all before.'

The funny part is that I knew about the soul thing but I guess I just kind of ignored the instancing portion. Really starting to hit home how much I think ESO should have been a sandbox and not a themepark with restricting RvRvR concepts funneling the experience into the designers direction.

Gahhh, don't mind me, just irritated. The chosen one is the most tired trope in existence and I wish like 90% of writers would stop using it.

Agreed 110%. Just to add to your point, my biggest gripe is the negative effects on a lot of role-playing potential. I don't get the constant fascination with the player being a chosen demi-god. I'd rather earn it then live up to it.

Yeah, well, that's how I'd like my single player games to be, too. But evidently there's a demographic that wants to be Badass-Hero-God-Master-of-All, and this mainquest is their way to target that TES demographic. Sadly I'm not part of it, but as I already had to svck it up in Oblivion and Skyrim, I guess I'll survive. I'll just do the mainquest with one character anyway and ignore it with my alts.

How are you in any way more "the chosen one" in Oblivion and Skyrim than Morrowind? The hero is always "the chosen one".. that's the point of the Elder Scrolls, no? The person fulfills the prophecy and is destined to.. maybe fulfill it. I get that Morrowind is a little more vague about what you really are, but does it really matter in the end?

of all of this, this is something to take away that I actually like. The Planemeld is doing interesting things with the ideas of mythic realignment.

I figured Oblivion was the least "player-choosen-one-demi-god". He wasn't a mythical being or a reincarnation. He was some prisoner destined to help the last Septim.

Morrowind had you as the reincarnation of a badass Chimer-hero.

Eh...more like Morrowind had you step into a mold as opposed to being the mold. There is a subtle but big difference between the two.

The game clearly gives you the choice of how you want to play it out. The player character can definitely be the actual reincarnation of Nerevar.

Shezzarine.

In terms of story, you are not. I'd have to say Oblivion had the least chosen-one-ish hero among the three. But Oblivion and Skyrim appealed more to the Demigod-Master-of-All crowd because you could join every faction and in Skyrim, mastering all skills became even easier. At least that's what I was thinking about in respect to the discussed demographic, but I can see how that was confusing when we were talking about the story. Sorry!

Ahem.

Really? How do you figure?

Fine the mold stepped into you. Whatever... Explain all the failed incarnates. Imo, you just happen to be the first person who can fit the mold that existed or that the mold can fit itself to. That isn't the same as mantling in either way I described it. Stepping into a mold is not the same as walking like them until they walk like you. The incarnation was waiting to happen. You were just the agent that could initiate it. But of course tha tis just how I view it.

Now back to my Napoleon paper...

The way I see it, the Nerevarine wasn't just a person who became the Nerevarine. Even before they started to fulfil the signs, Dagoth Ur repeatedly visited them in their dreams, and he seems to have viewed the person as Nerevar from the start. And Azura had spoken to them before that.

To each their own. I just hate the idea of being the reincarnation of someone else. It is just one variation of the chosen one trope. However didn't Dagoth Ur send dreams to everyone that he could? They also might have recognized that you had the possibility of fulfilling the prophecy and thus try to influence you. Even Uriel VII must have sensed something to that effect because he sent you there. But I hold to the idea that anyone could have fulfilled the prophecy if they had simply been skilled enough. My Dunmer Nerevarine wasn't born outside of Morrowind after all.

Doesn't Dagoth Ur greet you as Nerevar?

Not sure about the god of schemes thing maybe its the age rating *shurg* but coldharbour looks dam fine.

People are overthinking the 'everyone is the chosen one' thing. Because they arn't. Your character is, and anyone fighting alongside you is just a player controlled companion no more important than Lydia as for as the story is concerned. Thats how all these games handwave it, and i'm fine with that.

What annoyed me is the seeming PG-ifying potentially one of the most horrific Daedric Princes and his realm. But then I realised he was still named by his true name elsewhere, the chaingangs (oddly all bald men), saw the rocks like grasping claws coming out of the ground, and so forth. All we need now are some of the mobs to have 'grasping' abilities that look suggestive but actually only stun you for a time, and we are there. I'm a little dispointed that the enemies are all slight variations and/or palette swaps, such as yet another Prince with Dremora servants. but I suppose they make good wardens, as they did in Paradise.

What stills concerns me is that you just know the final 'raid' of the game will be fighting the Daedric Prince himself, on his own turf, without effectively becoming a Daedric Prince yourself. This 'Souless One' is potentially going to become the first main character to physically beat down a Daedric Prince, albiet with help from other players.

What i'm INTERESTED in if how the ability to become a vampire will factor into the story. My first character will be one for sure (and my new legacy character that can survive all the way through to Skyrim). The entire main storyline of the game, pre-expansions, is about regaining your soul from Molag... and by becoming a vampire you pretty much give it or at least promise it freely. I'm hoping thats delved into, even if its only in passing.

Those did not look ANYTHING like a Dremora. They clearly match the description of a humanoid Molag Bal. A representation of him as the Dremora are a representation of Dagon's typical aesthetics.

I suggest you look at them again and then compare them to the Dremora from Morrowind - Skyrim.