The Elder Scrolls series has always been about immersion, free world exploration with set rules. So far, it has yet to explore the intro as a conveyor of the environment and its story.
Let's see how Morrowind and Oblivion handled this.

Morrowind: It has quite the neutral start, full of mystery. For unknown reason we are released into this unknown land, with the hint of some prophecy.
What it accomplishes: Without much intro it manages to set just the right atmosphere. Though many can be confused and disoriented by the vague outlining of the story.

Oblivion: We're instantly thrown into the story, meeting the emperor and all. Obviously an attempt to make the story more clear, but as a prisoner it's not appropriate
in my opinion to meet the most powerful man in the land right away. It takes away the feeling of how small you are versus the world, how much you have to prove.

As explained, we've had one intro with little story, and one with too much of it. Given, when those games were shipped the technology didn't give much room for good intros
due to poor animation and rather bad face models. But now I believe they have just the right tech to pull something off.
I'll try to describe one intro which could immerse one into the elder scroll skyrim, without spoiling too much.

Scene 1
You are woken by another prisoner. "Hey, you've been out for quite a while since the guards knocked you out. You shouldn't resist the inevitable. We're on a transport
heading south." Mind starting to clear, you realize indeed you are moving. Barely having regained consiousness, something enters your frame of mind.
Swamping the sounds of the moving wagon, something massive approaches, moving the in the direction of the wagon, soon to cross path. Metal clashing against metal, booming voices,
men chanting the words of war. Then, emerging into your field of view this eloquent formation of the royal guard. Their presence vibrate through your body.
Representing valor, authority, strength and power, everything you aren't. Slowly pacing onwards like one single unit towards some distant location, for a purpose unknown to you.
Humbled, you realize how meaningless your are at this point. The scene fades.

Scene 2
Approaching a middle sized yet impressive city. The city castle towering over you, displaying the power of authority. The city gates, struggling against mother nature, opens slowly.
Suddenly, tomatoes come flying, kids laughing as they throw at the wagon. Nobles murmuring disgruntled as they watch the lowly scum of society enter their beloved city.
As the wagon gets further in, the buzz of voices heightens. Despite the deafening sound of a large crowd, one voice carries through the wind with undeterred force.
"The king has succumbed, the empire falters. We must take a stand to bring order out of chaos. Now is the time of swift action." The orator skillfully paint with his words.
The wagon stops, you get to view this ongoing event. Appearently, the transport stopped for supplies and rest over the night. The prison guard gives you some food. Scene fades.

Scene 3
Once again you approach a settlement, this time around though, it seems abandoned in comparison. You must literally be on the edge of nowhere. The village is one of the
empires designated prison camps. The citizens are simple men, farmers, smiths, traders or prison workers. Once inside the village, you watch the decadence.
Dirty streets, poor people, silence. You are place inside your cell. Two weeks passes. An old man gets placed in the neighbouring cell. He looks wise and experienced.

In my opinion, some kind of intro like this would immerse the player straight into the world and its story, without spoiling too much.
It would work on both die hard Rpgers and console kiddies. I think that the potential for intros are limitless, and would give the game a boost to another level.
On second thought, Morrowind and Oblivion might have been hard to work with considering their plots, but I think Skyrim would be perfect for something like this.

Yay, or nay? Should Bethesda focus somewhat on a better intro to get players immersed right of the bat, and make them want to explore the world?

I don't necessarily want to talk with any king during the intro, but I want to be thrown into the story in some way that establishes the scope and the importance of the PC's role in the world.

I agree, the intro must accomplish atleast these basic things.

1. Immerse you into the world, make you want to explore it. But not spoil too much of it.

2. Make the player fathom what role he has. (This doesn't necessarily have to be done during a movie-like intro of the world)

3. Leave possibilities (Give the player ability to be whatever race he wants, whatever role he wants (thief, scoundrel, warrior, wizard, noble) and still fit in.

I just hope Bethesda gonna pull off something marvelous this time. Make Elder Scrolls stand out amongst the rest.

The point of an introduction in an open world freeform RPG like TES is to give you a basic idea of your surroundings, an idea of your important quest, and the freedom to completely ignore that quest.

They should make some kind of video intro like in Oblivion where the camera flew around IC and after you get control over your character it should be more like morrowind, where you have no clue why you are where you are.

I hate BootySweats spoiler! -.-

I'd prefer one like MW's. Although I feel like we've too much info already to have this make sense. We're in prison (yeah yeah or held in another way), we're getting out, we're going to a wall first or to a Blades' hide-out which location is already known if I recall correctly, then the other one, we realize we have special abilities when dragons show up and we kill them off and then we make a series of preparations to kill off Alduin (I won't be surprised if the wall itself actually spawns Alduin) und taadaa, we've saved the world. I guess that's about enough of a story to write a lore article on UESP or TIL about it. I guess we know less about the world itself and the guilds than about the story and central game mechanis itself. I think we'll be thrown right in through the intro and it won't be subtle about it. What it should be in my opinion is an experience similar to going through "The Hobbit" first and then only slowly the LOTR's story unravels. If this isn't quite a precedent: first some administrational forms about your release and a package with a letter (at this point you know nothing about your importance in the world, you could as well be on a fishing trip to Morrowind) for some other bloke who could've been as exciting and important as a scribe or civil servant for that matter, followed by the Amulet of Kings given to you by the king himself who you've seen being assassinated by Mythic Dawn members and you should go to see a grandmaster of the Blades. I guess Skyrim will be equally or even less subtle about it.
If we know more or something's changed, it's because I haven't been keeping up with all the news, sorry.

Love your intros, though here's my similiar submission:

Note - character creation and choosing your race takes place before this.

Scene 4

You're in a dark and cramped prison carriage, with two other prisoners, a Dunmer refugee and a pro-imperial Nord POW. The only source of illumination are the two small and barred windows on the sides of the carriage. The Dunmer is completely silent and seems sad and resigned to his fate, but the Nord still thinks his comrades will ambush the caravan and save him; he's cheery and talkative. He initiates a conversation with you, asking your name. *Create your name.* He asks you:

• if you're involved with the civil war and if so on what side (if you're a Nord)
  
• if you would like to see the empire and the rule of your people return (if you're an Imperial)
  
• if you too are a refugee (if you're a Dunmer)
  
• if you miss the warm lands and seas of Hammerfell (if you're a Redguard)
  
• if the Wrothgarians are anything at all like the mountains of Skyrim (if you're an Orc)
  
• if you have a grudge against Nords for their history of invading your lands (if you're a Breton)
  
• if the locals often dislike you or mock you, maybe derogatively call you Falmer (if you're an Altmer)
  
• if Skyrim seems barren and hostile after coming from Valenwood's lush jungles (if you're a Bosmer)
  
• if you escaped the political turmoil of Elsewyr (if you're a Khajiit)
  
• if you're freezing your tail off (if you're an Argonian)

Note - all these would have 3-5 possible replies.

The Nord goes on to explain that he and the dunmer have been held as prisoners together for quite some time, and that the Dunmer was an out-of-work thief who was stealing provisions to feed his family whereas he himself was an assassin sent to kill the local hold's leader, but had been caught trying to enter the target's castle. He asks you what you are. *Choose your class.* He makes a remark on that.

The caravan enters a large town. The local population line the streets to jeer at the prisoners; some even throw rotten fruits and vegetables at the unfortunate wagon. Slowly the caravan comes to a halt. The Nord is puzzled; he says that the prison we're being transported to is in another city, and that we shouldn't be stopping. Looking out the small windows, the two of you spot a gallows; he suddenly becomes tense and anxious. The door of your wagon is roughly jerked open by the Nord driver and his two guards. "Guess what imperial bootlicker" he shouts, referring to the Nord prisoner, "those who betray their people are executed immediately here in *insert city/hold*. Now's your moment dog." They drag the struggling wretch out the wagon and up the gallows, and promptly execute him via noose. Luckily, it takes place just out of sight of the windows, but the man's screaming and choking haunt you. As the drivers return to the wagon, they shout back to you and the Dunmer "We'll get to you two yet" and resume the journey. As the caravan passes along the gallows, you can see the Nord's corpse still hanging by the gallows. You never even knew his name...

Sorry for the long read, but I had a moment of inspiration :laugh: The only thing I couldn't fit in there were the constellations :ermm:

A video already confirmed that you start as a prisoner, and in light of the recent news it's time to edit my idea!

I would prefer to not know the monumental importance of the player character at the beginning / intro. It's more fun to find this out bit by bit. I liked how in Morrowind, you started out feeling like just another prisoner (pardoned for some reason, but not necessarily anybody special) and you gradually learned your character's role in the world.

It also made more sense if you wanted to go off and do something different for a while. Oblivion had the oppurtunity to do so, which is a hallmark of the ES games, but it didn't make a lot of sense to do so what with the amulet of power and all that.

I would love an explanatory video intro before character creation (not explicitly involving your character) about the situation in Skyrim and what's been going on the past 200 years, though. Just as long as it did not give too much info on what was about to happen - I enjoyed starting the Morrowind main quest with no idea where it was headed.

Epic!
What about a simple "Under what stars were you born?" lol

That I didn't think of this. It would indeed make more sense with the info we already have now to just make an explicative intro that shows scenes where you have no part in. Excellent!

I don't need an intro, but maybe something like the one in Morrowind (the dream in the beginning) would be nice.

I don't need an intro, but maybe something like the one in Morrowind (the dream in the beginning) would be nice.

I like for my character tho make something of him/her self in the world before engaging in any epic stories - being the chosen one, just because we happen to be lucky is something I don't care much for - I want to feel like my char worked for a position and a honor to be a prominent figure in history, like he or she deserves it. So I would prefer a minimal start, that does not make me feel like I should do something epic right away - on oblivion the story line dragged you along - I mean a dying man, en emperor asks you to do something for the good of the whole empire, ignoring that feels selfish and irresponsible. I rather prefer Morrowind style approach - CC actually send you away to go explore, make a "cover story" for your self and so on, so you had time to grow.