[Alex [AK]]

There is NO OFFICIAL information about a new TES game release.

This thread is for member speculation of when and if TES V will be released. This is where you post any new information about when it might be released, tidbits from interviews which mention it and such.

It is also where you post your theories of when you think it might come out based on guesses, number crunching, rumors or such.

This is about speculating on the next TES game and when -- or if -- it is going to be released. It is not a place for discussion of what is going to be in it, what type of graphics there will be, or any other subject of that type; they belong in the http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1090035-tes-v-ideas-and-suggestions-164/. If those kind of posts get raised they will be deleted and the poster warned for going off topic.


Please note that this thread is not a personal chat box and that one liners and posts of little substance will be considered as spam and thus the poster will be subject to warnings and suspensions.

No scans of copy righted material are allowed in this thread. All other forum rules apply. You agreed to them, so please read them.

More recent interviews of note:
April 27th, 2009: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/974/974529p1.html
June 25th, 2009: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=24211 (particularly this quoted part)August 14th, 2009: http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/08/14/quakecon-2009-todd-howard-keynote-highlights/
August 17th, 2009: Pete clarify many things of what happen in QuakeCon in this blog: http://bethblog.com/index.php/2009/08/17/clarifying-about-next-elder-scrolls-game-mmo-etc/
January 6th, 2010: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kotaku/2010/01/06/chatting-with-fallout-and-oblivions-todd-howard, at the 9:30-10:30 mark Todd Howard said: "[...] we spend a lot of time adding to the engine, [...] and we've sort of been doing that with the big new game [we've been] making since we finished Fallout 3. You know we finished Fallout 3 over a year ago so that whole time has been spent re-doing a large part of our basic technology[...]".
May 4th 2010: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/04/interview-bethesdas-pete-hines/ about future games.

PLEASE NOTE: AS PER MODERATOR REQUESTS IN THE PREVIOUS THREAD, PLEASE CONFINE THIS DISCUSSION TO SPECULATION TO BETHESDA GAME STUDIOS / TES:V. DISCUSSION OF ZENIMAX ONLINE STUDIOS PROJECTS OR AN ES MMO SHOULD GO IN THE http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1085332-official-tes-multiplayer-thread/


http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1090945-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-number-29/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1090049-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-number-28/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1089368-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-number-27/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1087949-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-number-26/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1085708-official-tes-v-speculation-thread-number-25/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1084630-official-tes-v-speculation-thread/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1083843-official-tesv-topic-yes-no-maybe/
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1082727-official-when-and-if-we-will-get-tes-v/

[Horse gal smithe]

Does the trademark specifically have to apply to games? Can it apply to say clothes, or a book or something along those lines? I'm not to hot on legal jargon

[sarah simon-rogaume]

There are, from what I remember from earlier posts, different 'Skyrim' trademarks for different purposes. These trademarks will expire on different dates. The one relating to the use of Skyrim for merchandise, game manuals and the like is the first to expire iirc.
But, to answer your question: yes, there is a Skyrim trademark that's specific for usage in games (not online).

(someone please correct me if this is wrong)

[Sunnii Bebiieh]

Does the trademark specifically have to apply to games? Can it apply to say clothes, or a book or something along those lines? I'm not to hot on legal jargon

Well, as far as I can see, they have multiple trademarks listed for Skyrim:

77051779 IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: Clothing, namely shirts, t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters, jackets; headgear, namely, headwear.

77044247 IC 016. US 002 005 022 023 029 037 038 050. G & S: Computer and video game user instruction manuals; magazines, books, and pamphlets concerning video games; computer and video game strategy guides

77017500 IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer game programs; downloadable computer game programs offered via handheld computers, wireless telephones and mobile and wireless devices

I would think that all three need different proof of use in commerce, so in case of the "Clothing" trademark they would have to show a T-shirt or something, but once again I'm not to familiar with the trademark-process, so please correct me if I'm wrong.

[Isabell Hoffmann]

Im little confused. Pete Hines in Jostiq's interview said that we shouldn't expect any big announcement on E3. Okay. But what I've read, He also said that QuakeCon is more appropriate for possible announcements. Why QuakeCon? New TES on RAGE engine or what?

[Jessica Raven]

Im little confused. Pete Hines in Jostiq's interview said that we shouldn't expect any big announcement on E3. Okay. But what I've read, He also said that QuakeCon is more appropriate for possible announcements. Why QuakeCon? New TES on RAGE engine or what?

There isn't necessarily a technological (or whatnot) connection between what Bethesda's doing development-wise and what Id's doing. But, seeing how both companies are now owned by the same parent company, having an established 'in-house' event could offer possibilities for attracting press and fanbase attention. Or so the logic goes, at least.

[hannah sillery]

Quick Question: Would the console and mod-ability still be present if TES V is on a new engine? Or is that dependent on Gamebryo?

[Laura Shipley]

Quick Question: Would the console and mod-ability still be present if TES V is on a new engine? Or is that dependent on Gamebryo?

Quick Answer: the mod-ability of a game mainly depends on whether or not the developer wants (or is allowed ) to release its tools or not. The way the modding is done depends on the engine and its tools. So different engine, different tools.

[Vickey Martinez]

Quick Answer: the mod-ability of a game mainly depends on whether or not the developer wants (or is allowed ) to release its tools or not. The way the modding is done depends on the engine and its tools. So different engine, different tools.

Thanks

I hope that they can implement a console similar to TES IV

[Francesca]

Well, the best I can figure based on all the info from the past thread, we have a few possibilities.

Number one: Through clever wordplay, there is no "announcement" at E3, but they already announce it beforehand and show it off there, tying in with pete's comment that they do have big things to show, just not announcing. Not particularly likely, but not impossible.

Number two: E3 goes by and they only show publishing stuff, so things like... well, not-TES stuff, so nothing important. A typical GI announcement between E3 and the deadline with stuff shown off at QuakeCon. Seems to be the most likely.

Number Three: The trademark was a huge waste of time and money, it is left to die and we hear nothing for a year or more. Second least likely.

Number Four: The trademark was a deliberate mislead, and we have been duped. TESV is in Summerset. Least likely.

[Johanna Van Drunick]

Bethesda created TES from nothing. Many people played the series and liked it. There are still a lot of fans and mods around. Then they bought some other game from some other company (don't get me wrong they did a good job too) and started working on it. It's 2010 and there isn't anything from Bethesda.

I think Fallout is the favorites from now on.

Farewell, The Elder Scrolls. It was fun playing with you.
Farewell, Bethesda. My former-favorite game developer

[naana]

Bethesda created TES from nothing. Many people played the series and liked it. There are still a lot of fans and mods around. Then they bought some other game from some other company (don't get me wrong they did a good job too) and started working on it. It's 2010 and there isn't anything from Bethesda.

I think Fallout is the favorites from now on.

Farewell, The Elder Scrolls. It was fun playing with you.
Farewell, Bethesda. My former-favorite game developer

Yes that must be it. Despite the fact that they've said that they're going to make another one, and despite the fact that they've only made one Fallout game so far, they MUST have abandoned the extremely profitable series that has proven time and again to make them money, in favor of another profitable series. After all, developers can't possibly know how to multitask. Yes, that makes perfect sense.

[Alisha Clarke]

Yes that must be it. Despite the fact that they've said that they're going to make another one, and despite the fact that they've only made one Fallout game so far, they MUST have abandoned the extremely profitable series that has proven time and again to make them money, in favor of another profitable series. After all, developers can't possibly know how to multitask. Yes, that makes perfect sense.

People are impatient that's all. We're not even sure that possible announcement on Quakecon will be concerned with TES game. Maybe Bethesda is doing something else, create new universum? We're not sure.

[Elina]

People are impatient that's all. We're not even sure that possible announcement on Quakecon will be concerned with TES game. Maybe Bethesda is doing something else, create new universum? We're not sure.

How long have you been following the thread? Just curious, have you followed any of the trademark talk, at all.
To put it simply there are two main trademarks in Beth's current disposal, the first is Fallout, the second is Skyrim. Now if we remember that Fallout: New Vegas is being made we will realize that it probably isn't Fallout, and if we remember that Skyrim is a province in the ES world, then we can be pretty sure Skyrim is something TES related. They can't be making something new because they don't have the legal trademark for it.

Hope that cleared any confusion you may have had.

[ruCkii]

Well, the best I can figure based on all the info from the past thread, we have a few possibilities.

Number one: Through clever wordplay, there is no "announcement" at E3, but they already announce it beforehand and show it off there, tying in with pete's comment that they do have big things to show, just not announcing. Not particularly likely, but not impossible.

Number two: E3 goes by and they only show publishing stuff, so things like... well, not-TES stuff, so nothing important. A typical GI announcement between E3 and the deadline with stuff shown off at QuakeCon. Seems to be the most likely.

Number Three: The trademark was a huge waste of time and money, it is left to die and we hear nothing for a year or more. Second least likely.

Number Four: The trademark was a deliberate mislead, and we have been duped. TESV is in Summerset. Least likely.

There is a fifth even more unlikely option. Next to the three Skyrim trademarks listed to Zenimax, there is a fourth one:

IC 038. US 100 101 104. G & S: Providing a high speed access to area networks and a global computer information network; Providing telecommunications connections to a global computer network; Telecommunications services, namely, personal communication services; Wireless broadband communication services; Wireless electronic transmission of voice signals, data, facsimiles, images and informations. FIRST USE: 20060324. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20060324

This trademark has been listed to the Skyrim Corporation in Florida.
Theoretically Zenimax could have filed their trademark just to prevent the Skyrim Corporation from using the name of one of Tamriel's provinces any more than they already do, but as I said, this is highly unlikely and I think we would have seen another TES related name pop up in Zenimax's trademark list by now.

Edit: found one more relatively new trademark listed to Zenimax:
Deathmark
77820738 IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles; downloadable computer game software offered via the internet and wireless devices
Standard Characters Claimed.

It has been filed on September 4th, 2009 and has been given a Notice of Allowance on April 27th 2010.
We still need to keep in mind that the name "Oblivion" wasn't referring to any of the provinces either...

Having said all this I suddenly realise that if Deathmark is a new TES game, we will still have to wait a long time for it.
For the first time I hope I'm wrong...

[Rodney C]

Yes that must be it. Despite the fact that they've said that they're going to make another one, and despite the fact that they've only made one Fallout game so far, they MUST have abandoned the extremely profitable series that has proven time and again to make them money, in favor of another profitable series. After all, developers can't possibly know how to multitask. Yes, that makes perfect sense.

I agree that another Elder Scrolls game will come to us. However, Bethesda needs to multitask more efficiently. They need a larger development team, because waiting 4+ years for just an announcement when less than four years was previously enough for the whole game to be released is ridiculous.

[Alexx Peace]

Quick Question: Would the console and mod-ability still be present if TES V is on a new engine? Or is that dependent on Gamebryo?

It depends on the engine. There's a big reason that fans might not want it to run on IdTech 5, and that's because their "megatexture" stuff requires a huge amount of storage to actually edit. The "unlimited resolution" blah blah blah texture stuff is compressed to fit onto 2! discs just for RAGE (and it's already been confirmed as 3 for Doom 4), but with everything uncompressed it takes up hundreds of gigs. There are ways around this, that would introduce new problems.

Long story short IdTech5 is not nearly as culpable to editing as their current set up is. Further an interview from last year: (can someone find it please? PlanetElderscrolls) , when they said they were upgrading their technology, seems to indicate that they'll be sticking with some version of "Gamebryo" as their base rendering engine. Though since for both Fallout 3 and Oblivion they added their own rendering stuff on top of that we won't really know what the game will look like. Hopefully a few of the Id guys came over and gave them pointers on how to do this [censored] right.

[Emma louise Wendelk]

did anyone ever post what the information was that was cut from oblivion a few threads back in the OXM magazine? if not do yall still want it i got it? and is it ok to post it?

[joseluis perez]

did anyone ever post what the information was that was cut from oblivion a few threads back in the OXM magazine? if not do yall still want it i got it? and is it ok to post it?

No, nobody has yet. I was going to but I haven't gotten a chance to go to the store yet. So if you could post it that would be great. It's allowed as long as you summarize it. You can't post a scan of the magazine and you can't type it word for word, so try to tell us everything important in there without saying it word for word. Thanks man!

[Marine x]

ok thanks. Well they cover two things that where cut from oblivon. the first would be that the chapels where suposed to play a much bigger plot element in the main quest. they don't mention specifics for this one. The second one was a sword you could obtain named "excaliper" by takeing a certain amount of calipers to a smith. It was removed because too close to excalibur. I was actually expecting more of the article but thats it even though we know there was lots more cut from the game.

[Felix Walde]

ok thanks. Well they cover two things that where cut from oblivon. the first would be that the chapels where suposed to play a much bigger plot element in the main quest. they don't mention specifics for this one. The second one was a sword you could obtain named "excaliper" by takeing a certain amount of calipers to a smith. It was removed because too close to excalibur. I was actually expecting more of the article but thats it even though we know there was lots more cut from the game.

Seriously, that's it? Wow, what a let down. Thanks anyway though. As for Excaliper, I find it hard to believe it was actually made before they removed it because they should have know how close it was to Excalibur the second they came up with the name.

[Susan]

Seriously, that's it? Wow, what a let down. Thanks anyway though. As for Excaliper, I find it hard to believe it was actually made before they removed it because they should have know how close it was to Excalibur the second they came up with the name.

Bethesda was going to have politics be a part of the main quest, but they cut that out and the only part of that that made it into Oblivion was the count of Kvatch being dead. I really wish they would have put those political quests in.

[Stay-C]

yea it was a huge let down for me too. oh and also might be worth noteing they had the reason for why the content was removed was the game had enought to do as it was. And i think it was implyed that it was talking about all the chapels includieng the priorys you find in the wilderness

@antibody the article kinda implied that the excaliper idea was droped soon afther it was conceived

[Felix Walde]

Heh, I already knew about both of those....

That really is a let down.

[Clea Jamerson]

There is a fifth even more unlikely option. Next to the three Skyrim trademarks listed to Zenimax, there is a fourth one:

IC 038. US 100 101 104. G & S: Providing a high speed access to area networks and a global computer information network; Providing telecommunications connections to a global computer network; Telecommunications services, namely, personal communication services; Wireless broadband communication services; Wireless electronic transmission of voice signals, data, facsimiles, images and informations. FIRST USE: 20060324. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20060324

This trademark has been listed to the Skyrim Corporation in Florida.
Theoretically Zenimax could have filed their trademark just to prevent the Skyrim Corporation from using the name of one of Tamriel's provinces any more than they already do, but as I said, this is highly unlikely and I think we would have seen another TES related name pop up in Zenimax's trademark list by now.

Edit: found one more relatively new trademark listed to Zenimax:
Deathmark
77820738 IC 009. US 021 023 026 036 038. G & S: Computer game software for use with computers and video game consoles; downloadable computer game software offered via the internet and wireless devices
Standard Characters Claimed.

It has been filed on September 4th, 2009 and has been given a Notice of Allowance on April 27th 2010.
We still need to keep in mind that the name "Oblivion" wasn't referring to any of the provinces either...

Having said all this I suddenly realise that if Deathmark is a new TES game, we will still have to wait a long time for it.
For the first time I hope I'm wrong...

Well even if it is the next Elder Scrolls, it really isn't that far off if it follows the Oblivion timeline (18 months from application to release) that put is at March 2011...

TESIV: Oblivion
5/1/2002 - Actual development begins on TESIV: Oblivion
10/6/2004 – Oblivion Trademark Application Date
10/24/2004 TESIV: Oblivion In Development announcement
5/18/2005 E3 2005, trailer with game play footage (Microsoft)
3/20/2006 TESIV: Oblivion Release Date

So not too many worries