So what is your favorite setting of the TES games and why?
The intention of this poll is to not consider gameplay at all, but look more at the lands, geography and their culture as if they are real.
For example; one may think Skyrim is the best game of the series gameplay-wise, but may like Hammerfell more as setting, because of the landscape and culture, despite Daggerfall being around 15 years old.
I also did not include the setting of Arena, since that includes all of Tamriel, making the vote very easy.

I think I will choose Cyrodiil. Because of its central location, its geography and climate was really diverse. This also affected its culture, since many races made their home there. Another thing I liked about Cyrodiil, despite the many races, was that it felt as one united province in which all races were welcome. An Orc and Dark Elf had as much chance to become rich as an Imperial or High Elf. It was also an advanced culture with a working infrastructure, Empire sponsored guilds and even a newspaper.

Cyrodiil? CYRODIIL!?!?!

*sigh*

For me it's a toss up between Daggerfall and Morrowind. Daggerfall has a dark gritty, more advlt atmosphere and I love that. They have churches, knighthoods, political drama, and even festivities. That setting was brilliant and developed and I loved it.

Morrowind was crazy, screw Shivering Isles 'it's mental lol' crazy as well. This had hermaphrodite god-usurpers, deadric ruins (my god were they cool), the best architecture yet (giant crab city and mushroom wizards), and a genuinely interesting culture.

I've given Morrowind my vote, because Daggerfall was split into two and I honestly can't give the vote to just one half of it.

Skyrim (Skyrim). The topography is way better than in the previous games and sometimes it really feels like hiking and exploring. Too bad the cold is not playing a role gameplay wise, it could have been a nice hardcoe mode feature.

Vvardenfell felt like a unique strange world, loaded with the je ne sais quois that makes me want to read, learn and explore. The geography, the architecture, the sense of culture, religion and politics made it my favourite setting so far by a large shot. The fauna was alien and awesome as well. Skyrim has better vistas hands down, but I'm not very into the Nords culture, I find them boring and unfortunately the water development is poor, I imagined the Nords much more tied to the water/sailing/fishing than they appear in this game.

Morrowind for the unexpected alien and hostile world as well as the depth of the lore.

Skyrim and especially Cyrodiil feel very generic in comparison.


Now, this doesn't mean I actually like Vivardenfell like OP can like Cyrodiil. The land is hostile and the locals are not very friendly ... But as a game setting, it was fantastic.

+1 :thumbsup:

Cyrodiil and Skyrim just feel like vanilla fantasy worlds (excluding Shivering Isles). My pick is Vvardenfell.

The section of Ald'ruhn that was built into the buried shell of a giant crab. The Telvanni towers, built in giant mushrooms. (one of which you could build and live in) The cantons of Vivec City, complete with a living god. And the Daedric ruins, with wicked spiked architecture and crazy names like Addaddshashanammu and Ashurnibibi.

Skyrim has the clear advantage of nearly a decade of technological advancement, but it just doesn't feel like it came from the same minds that gave us Vvardenfell.

Morrowind.
Original, atmospheric and interesting.
If I'd started playing TES games with Arena, DF or Oblivion I doubt I'd have continued.