I was all about ready to fork over the cash for the Imperial Edition, heck, I even recently spent a ton upgrading my PC with a new MOBO, CPU, and GPU, JUST for Elder Scrolls Online, but from what I'm hearing from people who've played the Beta, that it's a PVP fest. I absolutely detest PVP, not because of PVP itself, but because of the type of people that it brings out with their constant bugging you with "Hey 1 on 1?" "why not? you chicken?" "Insert curse word relating to a British term for a cigarette, here." resulting in me really considering learning how to find IPs to track said person down and show them real life PVP.

Maybe not detest, but I just don't like it being a massively major part of any games I play, the least chance I have of going to jail for beating up a kid that harassed me in a game, the better.

BUT before I go completely listen to the others, how is the PVP? how exactly is it incorporated into the game?

(DON'T misunderstand, MMOs are meant to be played with others, I know that) I'd also like to have the option of solo some parts. I played FFXI, for four years, before they made it to where you can solo a bit, and waiting hours and hours for a group simply because you aren't playing the all out best dps class is something I'd rather not go through again. Being forced to group is a mistake a lot of MMOs are fixing. Don't get me wrong, I believe grouping should be a major part like for raids and other things, but I just don't want to be stuck looking for a group for hours for a story mission that NEEDS to be done, now auto-grouping would probably sway me on this part, as it wouldn't really be an issue then, I'd just have to deal with pick up group trolls, a Chinese gold seller that doesn't speak English, or a toddler that somehow got a hold of his Dad's PC and started running his character into a wall (all have happened.)

Thanks for any info given.

you will not be bothered with people trying to dual you. all pvp is handled in cyrodiil which acts as an open world pvp zone. if you enter cyrodiil you will be open for attack however you do not have to enter cyrodiil at all if you dont want to. from what i have seen the pve part of the game has received a lot of attention. they have not talked too much about the adventure zone end game content but thats probably due to it being fairly new. if people remember they thought they would not get raids in at launch but people spoke up and now we will have them

i cant answer if it will be for you but i can say that its not a pvp only game

PvP is a completely separate part of the world and you don't have to go there unless you want to. There is no PvP in the other parts of the world at all, not even duels (thank god).

You can't stumble into the PvP areas by accident either, you have to actively set your home PvP campaign and then travel to it.

There are lots of dungeons and instances both inside and outside the PvP zones and plenty to do following the quest lines in the normal zones. Fear not my friend, random PvP can't happen to you.

As others have already said, completely separate.

That said, there could conceivably be eg. crafting materials which can only or are more easily obtained in there. But crafting materials are tradeable. So wouldn't be a big deal.

The only tangible thing I can see that you'd definitely miss out on would be the war skill lines. Some of those abilities look worth getting even for use in PvE. I'm assuming you have to PvP to earn those. But I'm sure it wouldn't take too long to get them. So you could PvP until you do and never worry about it again. Or maybe there's some other way to get them. I don't know and probably those who do couldn't say.

I would have to question whether those "people who've played the Beta" really have done so. The game is not a PVP fest, as others have said PVP is confined to one zone.

I don't PVP at all and if it was a "PVP fest", when I played in two Beta weekends, I would never have pre-ordered. I also read, some months ago, that ESO was PVP oriented, which did concern me but, fortunately, it is not.

That is most interesting point from your mail to me. It is not about the game, but people you listen.

It is becuase currently in Beta (and probably during launch) there is no 1 vs 1 - so people who tell you that are just misleading you. Or you just confabulated it here?

I guess that 1vs1 might never be or it will be introduced on arenas (same as in Oblivion if you played).

From what we've seen TESO is very solo friendly. Probably a little too much so for some tastes. PvP is totally avoidable but it might be what the end-game is all about. We don't know yet.

But what I can say in general terms from the beta is that if you like how GW2, Rift and to some extent Neverwinter play then you'll probably enjoy TESO. There are plenty of good video guides out now.

As an old ES fan and 'veteran' of 2 beta stress tests I had no hesitation in buying the Imperial box.

I did not experience PvP as I'm not much of a PvP'er, I'm 99% PvE and I'm keeping my pre0order and heavily looking forward to launch.

Think DAoC without dueling.

IMHO that was the best PvP ever created.

could not agree more. i have high hopes that this game might have better pvp than that one. we will see

Recomend that you try out PvP, I have never liked PvP before, but the large battles in ESO was fun.

It does look like fun and with a PvE mix with PvP I'm sure I'll be allured in and enjoy it. I'd just like to hope that its competitive PvP without affecting how PvE plays out.

PvP fest? Those people have some serious judgement issues. Those "people" are not just mistaken, they are laughably and tragically so far from the truth on this that I would doubt their competency to form any accurate assessment of the game. By any chance were those people "reviewers"?

If like TES type games, one does not have to do PVP at all -- there is plenty of PVE content to be had. PVP is in it's optional zone. I do not like PVP either, but I loving doing PVE content. I am plan doing about 80% PVE, and 20% PVP content by going to the PVP zone. There is no open world kills either in any PVE zone besides the PVP one. The PVP zone also has PVE content as as well.

lol that's funny. No - you should like it just fine

Basically everyone seems to have different things they are looking for in a game. For me, I too really don't like PvP.

I completely ignore that side of it, and focus on the non-pvp content. There's no reason you can't do the same. Pick up group instances, solo content etc.

I certainly (from my play style) wouldn't classify the game as a pvp-fest.

That said, IF PVP IS YOUR BAG BABY... then yes it may well be a pvp fest, as you're likely to spend most of your time in contested areas bashing skulls in.

If you're familiar with past games like WoW, you could so solo content, group content, go to battlegrounds etc. ESO is no exception, so it's entirely down to you how you prefer to spend your time.

There's always haters and there's always fans

I don't think I can either make or break your decision with my opinion but hell, here it goes;

I loved Skyrim and by that it means I'm new to the whole elderscrolls world. I was stunned by the graphics and the open-world feeling Skyrim gave me.
When I signed up for the beta and got the invite I was really happy to try things out, report some bugs and ultimately make the game flawless with all the other testers.
But it's always a personal gain as well, I always play beta's with an open-mind, I'm a programmer myself so it's normal to see flaws / bugs etc.

Now the biggest nay-s(L)ayers just came back from a STRESS-test beta event and they started a few flames here and there. I'm afraid those flames caught up with you and now you're here doubting your own personal opinion.

Aside from all that, I pre-ordered after the stress-test. I'm simply amazed by the game and I can't wait till the next beta event to dish out the last bugs and go live.

Good luck with your decision.

People who don't like pvp, like me, I detested it.

BUT on eso it's not about who does the most healing or who kills the most or who is the best 1v1, its not about that at all.

It's really realistic, you, as a single guy, don't matter, simple as that, you are a soldier in AN ARMY, and once that army gets leadership and organaztion all that matters is how you capture objectives and hold on to them, which I really enjoyed, god I wish I could expand and put it specifically, but NDA........

You will not be bored with this pvp neither annoyed, as long as you understand that you are a soldier and not a god.

I think there will be loads of content to do without doing pvp. I'm not a great fan of pvp either, though it seems somewhat interesting in ESO and I might pvp a bit more than I'm used to in other games.

From the press releases I have seen I can tell you that PvP will be optional , but large scale battles sound like fun. a couple of hundred people on the field will certainly make for a proper war feeling rather than it being a glorified team deathmatch.

as a 99% PVE'er I have to say I really enjoyed PVP in Aion (I know it's old). Am a casual player, so not real good in PVP. Also like to explore and do things my pace. However, I will definitely try PVP in TESO

I would call myself 98% PvE ... from time to time, I like to dabble in PvP (I took part in some keepfights in DAoC or Warhammer Online). From what I saw in TESO, if you don't want to PvP, just stay clear of Cyrodiil. I also think that this PvP is not meant to be 1 on 1.