I grow very tiresome of the same old combat-related quests. I would like TESVI so have a mainquest that is in the flavor of TESII Daggerfall, as in more political and economical based.
Or if TESVI were set in Black Marsh (which I hope it is), they could make some situation where all the Hist trees are dying and the Player's quest is to figure out how to save them. Meh, that's kinda lame.
I want TESVI to be in Black Marsh but I'm not sure what kind of storyline would fit. I know that I don't want another action/adventure oriented game but I'm almost certain that that is what we will get since kids nowadays want the entertainment thrown at them right from the beginning. Kids and most gamers don't want to spend weeks or months reading the in-game books and slowly discovering the main quest.
And why does the storyline have to revolve around something bad happened and it's up to YOU to fix it? Why not have it be something good and depending on how much you help or do will affect its outcome. I can't really think of any good examples right now. But something different sure would be great. I have a feeling that we will just get the same forumla put into TESVI that caters to the broadest demographic of teenyboppers and college students who also play games like Halo and COD and MW and stuff like that.

I too fear that the instant gratification crowd has forever changed (meaning, ruined) Bethesda's approach to story-telling. Not that they've ever been masters of that craft, but without the massive success of Oblivion, I do believe they would've been motivated to go deeper, rather than bigger, when it comes to their Main Quests. They would've improved, or at least had an opportunity to.

Here's what I would be okay with in terms of a Main Quest for any number of possible game settings for TES VI...

Black Marsh: The various tribes aren't getting along very well at the moment (would be nothing knew to the region, I'm sure), and for unknown reasons that may or may not be related, the Hist are behaving strangely (something that is new). There's no civil war about to erupt or anything, but the tension combined with unexpected actions taken by the Hist, and possibly some other tree race we're not aware of, and possibly one of the tribes that seems to be gaining in power with no discernible cause, is making for a situation that could be easily exploited by an outsider looking to stir up trouble, or change the way things work in Black Marsh for many years to come. Basically, I'd like to see the player become a force to be reckoned with if they so choose, rather than be born special. I'd also like to see some facilitation within the overall story for the presence of foreigners in such an inhospitable province, some explanation that isn't as simple as "the Argonians decided to open the place up more because it would be good for trade" or some crap like that. The Hist could potentially help out with that in a number of ways, I'm sure. Any MQ in Black Marsh is going to involve them anyway. The player's character simply being someone who ended up in Black Marsh for whatever reason the player can come up with would be well in line with ES tradition, I suppose, but I think Bethesda can do better than that. Maybe the player was to be punished for committing some crime by being dumped in the middle of a swamp? That would work for me.

Summerset Isle: The hierarchy of the Aldmeri Dominion is prepared to make its biggest move yet against its biggest enemies (I don't know who this would be, but I'm guessing the Imperials to be the best candidate), and the player can either help it succeed (and position themselves to benefit from it greatly), or risk their life to stop the Thalmor from inflicting great harm to a great many people. Or something in between, like position themselves to benefit from efforts against Cyrodiil, but decide to delay the big plan in some manner in order to simultaneously save lives. I don't know, something to that effect. I like the idea of being able to be as involved as possible in the wicked machinations of the Altmers of Summerset Isle. They're so deliciously messed in the head.

Hammerfell: I don't know what to do here, actually. Something involving something left behind by the Dwemer probably.

High Rock: Don't want to go here, but if we do, I'd like an opportunity to get involved in what is sure to be conflict between the Bretons and the Thalmor. Orsinium rests within High Rock, and the Orcs getting involved would be nice too.

Valenwood/Elsweyr: The more I think of these two both being featured in the next game, the more I like the idea. Especially since the former is part of the Aldmeri Dominion, and the latter is unlikely to be happy about that. In RPGs, that can make for some real fun when you're free to visit either territory. Think of the possibilities in quests...

At best, what I really hope for is a story where I don't see future events coming a mile away. I want to be surprised, pleasantly surprised. I want to be challenged, and not just in terms of how many enemies I can take on at once. I don't mind the MQ being big, I just don't want to know how bad things are likely to get until I'm in deep enough that it's at least very difficult for me to turn my back and walk away, not because something will annoy me if I do, but because it just looks like there's too much fun I'd be throwing away. I don't want to know I'm destined for anything monumental right from the start. I just want to be involved in whatever interesting events are about to take place. If I end up saving the world, so be it. If I end up condemning it, then shame on me.

I agree with the Daedric princes showing up instead on summoning dates! Making the Deadric artifacts ten times more powerful to make up for it being near impossible to get the quests.

I'd like to think of a permanent Daedra as a sort of volatile companion, I like your idea that they turn on the player if the don't get enough kills or are summoned for too long.

Bring the attributes back in one form or another and make them coexist with the perks.

Radiant AI like in the Oblivion E3 demo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjbx6-KQoRg

Todd is blushing right now.
Why would you bring back such painful memories, hey?

Truth be told they should have never showed that demo. Ever. It's clearly staged, but at the time I had no reason not to believe and then I was disappointed in Oblivion which was not fair to the game because it did improve the series a lot in this department. Since then Radiant AI is always my most anticipated TES feature, and it's a let down in Skyrim again.

I have a small idea how to make the race choice have more impact. NPCs right now notice your race and might like or dislike you because of it, and you'll hear that while conversing with them.
The change would be very small - just add two or three (or change friendly) NPCs to "like" you more if your their favorite race - it doesn't have to be their own. A great example would be a shopkeeper that would give his favorite customer an extra item (like a potion or a book, doesn't even have to be enchanted ring to make impact), like a caravan khajit would give some sugar salt to player khajit. NPC could require a minimal quest first (even fetching 5 potatoes), but the important part is that the extra give would be something given beside the quest reward. It's like your spouse in Skyrim gives you money, but without such strong connection to that special NPC it would feel like a real affection - it could be even sixual attraction (some imperial high officer preferring redguards or khajit woman) - however such NPC shouldn't be available for marriage (maybe this NPC is too old and wouldn't want to burden the player with grief when he/she dies, or his job doesn't allow him/her to marry, or maybe he/she is already married).
Right now it could be easly done by making a hunter that allows you to buy/take his fur for free - which isn't so immersible, unless instead of selling things he/she could offer giving it away for free as dialogue option.

If they keep marriage in TES 6 then the devs better make it right. No more any race can marry any other. I'm not saying no to interracial marriage but Beth should look at Dragon Age Origins for a goodish example on handling romance. Unique dialogue, unique likes and dislikes for the NPC's unique benefits, etc...

I'd much prefer that they not spend any time fussing over something as useless as marriage in a game anyway. Seriously, what kind of benefit does it really grant to be able to tie the knot with a fictional character that isn't being worked by another human being? I get it when people playing WoW decide to get married in the game, because it's people interacting with each other in such an intimate way, not people getting so emotionally involved with a computer.

I'm all for having a moving experience in a game where one grows quite fond of an NPC, but marriage really doesn't enhance that for me at all. In fact, it takes a little away from it, because now it feels like something I have a responsibility to maintain. You know, like how marriage works in real life? That's not the kind of realism I'm looking for in video games. Especially since my partner will be a damn computer.

In my eyes, Bethesda severely wasted their time with marriage in Skyrim, time that would've been better spent making sure horses won't suddenly start flying around.

Marriage is a highly questionable feature in my book.
You're saving the world. Always on the move, always on the lookout for something dangerous, menacing, promising.

And in between you manage to squeeze in a romantic dinner for two?!
Give me a break.

Beth, go spend time on the climbing feature.

I think marriage is a good thing. She cooks and gives me money and looks after my house.

Exactly, no matter what archetype your character ends up falling under, we ALL play adventurers in these games. We don't become farmers or blacksmiths or nobles who sit around sending people on quests, we ARE the people doing those quests. We plunge into the depths of tombs NPCs say are better left undisturbed. We poke around in Daedric ruins looking for rare loot. We shout fire and ice at bleeping dragons.

Doesn't matter if you use magic or a sword to kill things, if you play ES, wandering around killing things is precisely what you do.

Marriage material? Not unless your wife/husband is right there beside you the whole way, in which case you're likely to say goodbye to them in a grisly fashion at some point.


I'm not so big on this either, it's absence hasn't really bothered me yet. You know what does? Bugs. I know they're inevitable, but [censored] it would I love to see an ES game that doesn't need to be patched the day it launches. Or continue to need patches long after its release.

Why Climbing Is a Necessity.

The way I see it, a quest, any quest, a task, any task should be completable within the frameork of any of the three main archtypes: Warrior, Mage, Rogue.

Thus a lock should be openable via bashing, a spell or, obviously, your lockpicking skill.
Conversely, you can kill all of the guards, cast an invisibility spell upon yourself and walk by them, or you can climb that damn tower and no one will ever know you were there in the first place.

That's why we need climbing.

As for bugs, I myself have not encounterd many, certainly none of the game breaking genre.
But I can sympathyze with you.

I see what you mean. It's greater freedom. I wonder why Bethesda hasn't put much effort into it?


Your horse hasn't taken off into the air yet? Lucky you. Not that mine has, seeings how I don't have Skyrim. But the point remains: A game shouldn't really have those kinds of problems when it launches. If it does, it's not bleeping finished. End of story.

I'm with everyone voting for Valenwood/Elswyer.

Valenwood for the setting: A lush, super-colorful, "Avatar" style alien-y jungle with mile high trees I can (hopefully) climb. Vines to swing from Tarzan style. And giant, walking, tree cities? How could you go wrong?

Elswyer for the culture/characters: While Elswyer (As far as I know) has a more generic landscape. It's what's in the landscape that intruigues me. The huge variety of khajiit bre

Before Skyrim release many threads about mounted combat. After release there are a lot of complaint threads but the mounted combat has been forgotten. Now that people saw that horses still svck, they probably realize mounted combat would have been even more awkward.

Now I refresh this invitation to the people who like mounted combat in TES: would you like it in TES 6? And more important, how should it be implemented so as not to unbalance the gameplay and look good?

Climbing would require changing the world design - as it is now there are exits to dungeon's last chamber that basically are beyond reach without climbing - however allowing player to enter the boss battle at start is like... well I won't use my funny six metaphor since I might be reported cause of it - however some might like it, but most would be displeased. One thing is making the climb an interesting feature that has to be done stealthy - like aforementioned climbing to the high tower and assassinating target without going through all guards, but that works only if this way is as entertaining as battling through those guards - not just hop hop hop and the dead is done.

Yep, definitely want a mounted combat system. I also want spears so it would make more sense, although human heads can be cut with swords as well. I don't know how to make it to be 'balanced', what balance are we talking about? This is no MMO and you can't be 'too powerful' on horse against groups of mobile targets. The mounted combat is basically a way of not being forced to dismount every 20 seconds to fight wolves and petty thieves. I'm not asking for Mount and blade or something, just a way of making riding less tedious.

Some people, man... <.<

Not unless Bethesda is going to do it right. And by "right" I mean including spears in the next game, as Pedro suggested, because even though real-world mounted combat has been done with swords, it makes more sense for the player to resort to a weapon with greater reach while on the back of a horse. Bows are even better, though obviously it takes a great deal of skill to use bows while riding a galloping horse, especially in a video game where you're trying to control that galloping horse at the same time that you're trying to shoot things with arrows. Co-op games have the benefit of dividing the two tasks (controlling the vehicle and the projectile weapon) between a pair of human players, but obviously Bethesda's not going to go that route just to make mounted combat easier to pull off. I wouldn't. I'd be tempted to, but ultimately Elder Scrolls games are supposed to be a solitary experience, and though going co-op wouldn't necessarily destroy the original spirit of the franchise, it would be leading the games down a path it probably shouldn't go.

Some kind of target tracking system might help with using a bow while mounted, so you don't have to aim the bow while you're aiming your horse in a particular direction. Would be difficult to implement that without it unbalancing the game a bit though, and what sense does it make that the player can only do that while riding a horse? Perhaps what would be best is if the horses themselves could be weaponized in some way, to where charging them through a group of enemies at full gallop is pretty devastating on its own, limiting the need for the player to engage those enemies in standard combat.

Sometimes I think the best thing Bethesda could have done for itself long ago was NOT have horses exist in their world at all.

So let Beth change it. I can think of a tre-zillion ways to circumvent the ?exit from dungeon's last chamber? problem you mention. In fact, Skyrim already utilizes one of the simplest: door locked with a bar. Done.


Look, the climbing thing is not a call to reinvent the wheel. It's been done before, Tomb Rider, Assassin's Creed, and many other games.
But it does require Beth to account for it from the ground up.

I may be missing something obvious here - probably - but using your gamepad would allow you to swerve your horse while aiming at the same time.
How to do this with a plain mouse is beyond me though.

WASD + mouse, I guess it should be easy like shooting from a bike in GTA.

I may be picturing it being more difficult than it actually would be. If the movement of the horse is restricted to the left anolog stick, and the aiming of the bow is restricted to the right anolog stick, then it may not be so troublesome a task. Basically, what would normally be the player moving the camera to look around while mounted, would become the player moving the camera around in order to point his bow in that direction. That could work.

I'm sure most ES players who use a mouse and keyboard are proficient enough with them to handle just about anything Bethesda throws at them. I was thinking/speaking more from how it would affect console players.

I'm not counting on Bethesda putting any effort into implementing mounted combat in the next game though, which I'm glad, since they apparently need to get horses right first. Or just go to a province that (I imagine) doesn't have horses, like Black Marsh or Summerset Isle. I would like to see climbing, but won't be heart-broken if that doesn't happen either, mainly because, although it would be cool (especially considering that levitation probably won't return in the next outing), there's other things I'd rather they focus on, like a really good story for the Main Quest.