I believe i speak for millions when i say that "the elder scrolls" needs a survival mode, similar to that of "fallout:new vegas". This game franchise has been my all time favorite since "the elder scrolls 3" so much so that I've actually studied its lore, and wrote a not so short book titled "the greatest game never made". I would do anything for Bethesda to be able to see its pages and see what kind of masterpiece they can build from it. I've dreamed of becoming a part of there team, so if anyone sees this comment, and is affiliated with Bethesda, and is in any way interested by what you see here, please... My personal email is "nik.brady889@gmail.com". Blessed day to you

To me, The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim is the best game ever created. I hope to see much of the same in the next Elder Scrolls game.

The only two major differences I would like to see in the next game are

1. An explorable area that is 1.5 times the size of Skyrim or greater (the bigger the better)

2. An option to side with the Aldmeri Dominion

Going to be brief for a moment here, but quite frankly I'm fine with materials and styles as they are right now. I think Skyrim did a pretty good job as far as design goes in representing each culture (so long as it was relevent) such as ebony in Skyrim have a Dunmeri bent to it and so on and so forth. All I'd say is add a couple of different iron or steel sets depending on the location and leave it at that. ESO was a bit to broad in scope I feel, and the armor design suffered for it.

All I really want to do is run around shirtless and still have some pants on. Thats my only prerequisite for right now, beyond the whole right arm being the only armored one and all that.

With regard to clothes again, I imagine progression in tiers to be something like this: http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/281/0/5/concept4_by_kiraradesign-d6ppeuc.jpg

I think that aesthetic value should be a factor in clothing. Mages, for instance, get progressively ornate and extravagant robes to reflect the progression from the young, practical apprentice (who needs to keep warm, run away from wolves, etc) to the powerful archmage (who can afford to walk around in heavy robes because they can pretty much fry anything stupid enough to challenge them).

And people should be wearing gear that reflects who they are. The Captain of the Guard isn't going to wear the bog-standard guard's cuirass, for instance, and the royal wizard isn't going be decked in bog-standard regeneration gear.

The thread title asks what some might deem a provocative question.

However, whatever shortcomings the game had (and it definetily had them), it was nevertheless a stunningly epic experience.

You have to admit as well that much of the game was BEAUTIFULLY crafted and highly immersive.

I offer as evidence the following - the original skyrim trailer, the dragonborn trailer and the full skyrim soundtrack (which is really quite beautiful.)

You can find them on the following youtube links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQeIYVM3YBM&list=FL4aqf10eu6moOADmwNI1fXQ&index=4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjqsYzBrP-M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRmdXDH9b1s

My question to all of you - and it's a tough one:

Even if ES6 is tons of fun, is it realistic to expect that the game will be able to match SKyrim in epic power, let alone top it?

Think carefully about it. Skyrim is a "HAAAAAAIL OOOOOODDDIIIIINNN!!!!" experience. The magnitude of things like "FuuUUSS - ROHDAH!!!!"

Oh my goodness! How do you top something like THAT???

I think it can't top Skyrim not because Skyrim is untoppable, but because they will try to top Skyrim. The predictible effort to top Skyrim in "epicness" will push the gimmicky features over the top - which will prevent the game from topping the top.

I usually ask that question to me.
Of course it is possible. These kind of questions always appear after a game that creates a new era in videogames world,is released. Skyrim will and will always be a classic that started a new era and ended another one. Just like Morrowind was.
What I think is difficult is to top that amazing trailer. I think,I do think Beth can,but they will have to be really good at it. As for the OST,no problem,because Soule is just astonishing and he will craft another magnificient soundtrack. Skyrim had a combination of factors that made the game to be really awesome.

But hey,the same happened with Morrowind or Oblivion and here we are now...if they just add a hardcoe mode with realistic needs,diseases,fatigue,hypothermia,etc,etc just like the mods add but a lot better...I mean,if they just add things that are making Skyrim last that long and if they dont choose a beast province like Elsweyr or Black marsh the success is guaranteed. Skyrim vanilla had thigs that could be better and you can see it with mods. So if they are tons of things and make the world even more realistic...you have it. And of course,they are gonna do it.

Here's a question that I'm not sure I know my own opinion on yet...

Should TES VI include dragons? Not necessarily as a central part of the plot, just generally.

No. Dragons + vikings + dragonborn hero = overkill. They did this game guns blazing and it would be realistic to not try to 'top' its epicness. They should focus this time on deeper rpg mechanics, meaningful npc interactions, more RP options in dialogue and quest approaches... less epic paint, more layers of gameplay meat.

TES VI should definitely have dragons! It would be a huge downgrade without them

I agree with you completely in what the next game should focus on. My biggest complaint in Skyrim was the lack of interesting NPC interactions and dialogue options. It made many of the villages and even much of the cities feel a bit hollow to me. Skyrim certainly showed that they can utilize their skills to make the game look very fantastic and magical compared to previous iterations, so I don't think we have much to worry about in that department.

Other than that, as far as actiony things go, my main request is more spell variation. I think it would be cool especially if the game were in Hammerfell to see earth magic be implemented. Would also be amazing to see the variation in spell types emphasized by having each type specialize in some effect. Perhaps like:

-Fire magic does heavy damage and its lingering effect also deals heavy damage.

-Lightning/storm (perhaps implementing water spells or wind spells) focuses on swift damage, piercing, mobility.

-Ice magic focuses on long-duration lingering frost effects which can add up, cripple limbs, while also damaging stamina and slowing the enemy. Perhaps eventually they could be frozen in place if it adds up enough.

-Earth magic is cheaper in magicka due to it being more "natural" but is slower, perhaps with a larger effect area or it could specialize in knocking enemies around while changing the environment. Perhaps armor could be more effective against it since it's a more "physical" type.

Would also like to see more "magical" effects. Perhaps some meteor fall/very tiny grade volcano spell for fire. Would be nice to, when utilizing illusion spells, you literally feel like you're altering the minds of the people you're casting them on. It would also be interesting if, after using an illusion spell on someone too many times, you cause them to have a psychotic break and they just start mumbling things/go into a catatonic state.

Of course, I didn't exactly touch on additional RPG mechanics I'd like added, which I will do so in a future post.

Virtual Reality is coming to the computer games THIS YEAR and should be available for purchase by consumers before Christmas.

"HTC has just announced the Vive, a virtual reality headset developed in collaboration with Valve. It will be available to consumers later this year". "The device uses a gyrosensor, accelerometer, and laser position sensor to track your head's movements as precisely as one-tenth of a degree."

There will also be a VR base station, which will let you walk around the virtual space instead of using a controller. A pair of the base stations will be able to track our physical location in spaces up to 5m x 5m.

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/1/8127445/htc-vive-valve-vr-headset

Check out this youtube clip about the technology (http://youtu.be/eTITJSSRUso). How cool would it be to be able to walk around and see Skyrim quality graphics in a complete 360o world?!

Developer headsets become available in Spring (I assume they mean in the USA's spring) this year. I'm hoping that BGS pick one up and start working on integrating this tech into the next Elder Scrolls game.

[SWOON]
Virtual Reality is coming to the computer games THIS YEAR and should be available for purchase by consumers before Christmas.

"HTC has just announced the Vive, a virtual reality headset developed in collaboration with Valve. It will be available to consumers later this year".

"The device uses a gyrosensor, accelerometer, and laser position sensor to track your head's movements as precisely as one-tenth of a degree."

There's one thing that can top Skyrim's "epicness": Wild Hunt. If done right, it would be no less epic than FuuUUSS - ROHDAH!. The potential for some epic unusual powers is pretty big, since very little is known about it.

Sure they can. They can improve on Skyrim's weak points:

- Limited Dialog

- Character customization

- World interaction

- Story/Lore

- Meaningful choice and consequences.

- More factions, with decently long and paced quest lines.

- Perhaps stay away from the special snowflake/chosen one system found in every aspect of the game.

- Return to Morrowind level story and world building.

- Place the next game in Black Marsh

Just my 2 Drakes...

I agree. They can't top that from a mainstream/marketing point of view.

Too bad The Witcher got the name on the box first, I like the sound of TES X: Wild Hunt

I reckon a Black Marsh game could bring some [censored] up [censored] on our screens if they go for the shock-horror-survival factor as the main selling point:

- natural hazards - medicine as a player skill and part of the main story to find various cures for diseases

- shockingly brutal lifestyle in the various Argonian tribes

- deadly vegetation and underwater predators - a way to lower the pace of exploration and make the map feel huge

- becoming one with the Hist hivemind, learn to connect to their dreams, ect...

- very dark (but magically dark, not humaney medievally low fantasy dark) atmosphere, an endless sense of danger and ancient cultures and savage tribes that want to eat you.

Now to top Skyrim's epic scale and display how about adding DINOSAURS to all this? Like there wasn't enough weird things going for Black marsh, you have to keep your eyes peeled for a thing bigger than the trees that can swallow you, your horse and the rest of the village in one bite. Dinosaurs would be rare but very powerful enemies and you would need to learn their habits first before you even attempt a fight, every dinosaur would be like a boss with unique behaviour (some submersible, some aerial like cliff racers on steroids, etc...) and unique combat tactics. In the process of learning a dinosaur's anatomy and behaviour you would have to join and gain trust and reputation (exchange knowledge) with various Argonian tribes...

Yes, a game like this is not Skyrimmy-heroic-epic fantasy, it's more like what-mushrooms-did-you-eat-oh-[censored]-psychedellicy-fantasy, and dinosaurs are not getting enough spotlight in games and Hollywood as they deserve so I think it's a good niche.

I would agree that the best way to top the "epicness" of Skyrim is to do something totally different, and NOT try to compete head-to-head against it. Focus on a more subtle, but even more insidious and deadly threat, with more focus on the province's culture and politics, rather than "Ooooh, BIGGER Dragons!". Also, don't repeat the "special snowflake" thing, make the player EARN whatever power and prestige the character commands in the later stages of the game. If they can add (optional) hardcoe requirements, reduce the handholding (make the option of turning it off VIABLE), and allow for more varied responses and dialog (instead of the NPCs repeating the exact same line every time you get within earshot), then they've got a timeless "masterpiece" on their hands.

By going further down the "more epic" road at the expense of depth, we end up with "Well, that was an exciting 30 hours, but now what?"

Dragons are [censored] everywhere. They're the cliffracers of Skyrim, and not even particularly interesting or tough.

The next installment should step away from Skyrim's cheesy power-trip epic.

Hard to say but we can assume the graphics will be even better, more realistic, more interactive. That helps a first person game a lot.

You would think, that if Bethesda REALLY wanted to one-up Skyrim, all they would have to do is look at the most popular mods (non-advlt) for Skyrim and learn from them. Granted the MQ needs to be epic, but at the same time something you can completely ignore if you want. What that will be will of course be made to fit the land the game plays in.

Course going from OB to Skyrim Bethesda really went out and did it's own thing, most of which I didn't like, but the immersive game world won me over.

I thought the dragons were one of the most interesting aspects of the game. If they're not "tough" enough for you then turn up the difficulty setting, or work your way up to encountering legendary dragons

In my opinion, if they made exploration actually rewarding and more exciting, and developed the world much more deeply, then sure, the next game would beat Skyrim. They need to look back at Morrowind, learn from the complexity of that world, as well as bring back Morrowind's example of rewarding exploration. By exploring random caves or even npcs' houses, you can find lots of unique items with unique properties, as well as some little stories, surrounding certain locations.

A reputation/disposition system should also make a comeback, so npcs react to your deeds accordingly. In Morrowind, if you join the fighters guild, at first you're just a small fish and everyone there treats you like a newbie, but as you rise through ranks, your comrades start to respect you as well, and become your loyal friends. Disposition also should wary between different factions. Like the fighters guild doesn't get along with thieves guild and so on (just to create some life-like tensions).

Oblivion and Skyrim didn't beat Morrowind. Sure, Skyrim is the best selling game, but it's not the best game.

More than epicness I want real RPG, that's actually challenging, not only in combat. I want a classic RPG with immersive world and complex gameplay mechanics.

And Morrowind didn't beat Daggerfall.

True, Bethesda needs to look at Daggerfall, as much as or more than Morrowind, and try to do RIGHT what Daggerfall could only attempt, given the technical limitations of the time. Morrowind was about as much as Bethesda could effectively bite off and chew at that point, and did some things better and some worse than DF. I like what DF tried to do, but prefer what MW was able to deliver over DF's more primitive approach. The design tradeoffs between DF and MW were taken a step further in OB, and the previous RPG leaning shifted even further to the Action/Adventure side.

And Daggerfall didn't beat Are... oh wait ...