You don't seem to understand that Tamriel doesn't need advanced technology. They have all what they need in form of magic. They don't need hospitals; they have magic. They don't need guns; they have magic. They don't need computers; they have magic.

I invite you to a) Not be so Patronising and b ) Read my previous post. I Counter the "points" you make quite well.

I want the TES universe to just seem more real.. None of it really makes sense and if the conditions were even like the way they were, why would it be the way it is? Overall, just add a little more logic to the series and I will be happy

I've read all your posts and some of your arguments make sense, but the only race in Tamriel that invented more "advanced" forms of technology were the Dwemer. No other race, or single indivindual, tried to do the same after the 2000+ years that went on after they disappeared, which means that they don't need technology.

That's depend on how you define need. Our species spent exactly the same amount of the time in a pre-industrial standstill - yet we eventually progressed enough to encounter the kinds of social problems that demand the technolgocal advancements that continue to this day. It wouldn't develop in the same way, true, but Tamriel should develop technology not only for the sake of logic but also for the series avoiding stagnation. Development in technology would provide Bethesda brand new gameplay mechanics which could serve to enchance the game beyond Skyrim. One-Use Flintlock pistols, incendiaries etc. would be great replacements for the Thu'um.

For very different - in fact, opposite - reasons, I feel the same way as most do, in that moving TES into a near or early industrial age would be a mistake.

Truth be told, I absolutely HATE sword and sorcery games. TES is the lone exception, because the games are simply FASCINATING, and the open world settings are EXTREMELY interesting.

It is the only sword and sorcery game I've ever liked. But the game architecture is actually more important than that. In fact, it's the openness of the world that is the deciding factor. I played Oblivion and wasn't particularly taken with the storyline. But it was just so incredibly FUN to explore the varied landscapes, sites, trails and environments.

There was such a long delay between 4 and 5 that I forgot about the series. The only thing that made me get Skyrim in 2012 was the long distant memory of how neat the open world of Oblivion was. That's what saved me as a customer. The moment I got out of Helgen, I was astounded by the snowy field, the pine trees, and the views of the distant peaks, ridges and ranges, and I knew I'd almost certainly spent my money well.

TES6 has some big shoes to fill.

Vampirism (and lycanthropy) are special since they have Daedric origins. Porphyric Hemophilia/Sanguinar Vampiris (and Sanies Lupinus), however, can be cured by normal Cure Disease spells and potions. It's just that their effects are minor and may go unnoticed, until it progresses and it's too late.

Anyone who learns magic can use it. It's not something anyone can just use whenever, but it's not exactly restricted to a certain class of people either. It has its limits and expenditures, but so does everything.

Filled soul gems are expensive, and for good reason. A powerful enchantment requires a soul gem filled with the soul of a powerful critter, which is risky and risk means money. Plus enchantments can run out. And if we go by Daggerfall lore, should an enchanted item break the soul can escape and be rather pissed off. A windmill breaking down or a projectile backfiring, then, could mean the daedroth (or other malevolent spirit) powering it escapes and starts a rampage.

Is this thread and certain posters here meant to troll us? During all my times in this forum and other TES related forums I've never found a topic or idea more distasteful like this one. I feel emotionally disgusted and worked up, also extremely annoyed and I'm sure I'm not the only people here who feel this way after reading some posts in this thread.

Anyway I'm not going to bother, it's not like any of the ridiculous things certain people suggested here could ever become true. I'll excuse myself and save some head pain.

Yes, but Earth =/= Tamriel. We developed more technologys because we faced more and more problems, but because the inhabitants of Nirn already have a (easy) way to solve most of these problems, they don't need to develop better technologys. It's like somebody would tell you to eat a Sandwich even though you aren't hungry. You can still eat it, but it doesn't make much sense to eat more if you don't need to.

Flintlock pistols and muskets aren't really a match for something as powerful as the Thu'um. It can destroy cities, slow time, etc. It also takes quite a while to reload a musket, which means that an archer would be better of with a bow or crossbow.

I'd prefer they expand on the implicit cyberpunk elements in the lore, like memospores, dreamsleeve transmissions, sixteenth-dimensional math missiles, and the fact Conjuration magic seems a lot like computer networking.

Fair enough - however this point was never really the crux of my Health and Hygiene point.


I would dispute this for two reasons:

1) Tamriel is roughly the size of Africa, according to UESP. For the average joe to learn magic, he would have to journey to the nearest mage's guild, which are only in major cities. Now - if the countries were on the scale presented in games this wouldn't be a problem, but alas they are not, and it would require quite the logistical feat to learn more than a few basic spells. Of course, you could take a carriage, but this is likely to cost a lot more money that the dumbed down 50Gp in Skyrim (barely enough to buy a meal and board at an inn for a night - not economically feasible for a carriage driver). So logically, most people would move to the city, but this creates the problem of overpopulation and stretches the resources of habitable land.

2) Magic is governed by intelligence. To become proficient you not only have to want to, and find the resources to travel to a place to learn, but also have a particularly good set of genes that sets you apart as highly clever.


There's no reason people can't develop a cheaper way to produce soul gems, perhaps with synthetic an harmless souls.

Yes...but not everyone has the Thu'um. In fact, it's basically 4 Greybeards at any time + a Dragonborn every not-so-often. Plus, arrows can be blocked by armour or shields, get hit by a bullet and you're out for the count.

Magic is not an easy out because...well for the reasons I've been arguing in other posts which I can't be bothered to retype.

I'm not sure I follow. You don't want Tamriel to advance because you...don't like its setting and normally avoid it....?

You don't seem to understand that magic in Tamriel is a form of technology. This seems to be a recurring problem with these topics, as people seem to not really understand what technology means. Going by the definition on Wikipedia, "Technology is the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, and methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve a pre-existing solution to a problem, achieve a goal, handle an applied input/output relation or perform a specific function." Everything in the bolded section applies to how magic is implemented in TES.

I don't see health in Tamriel being terribly different than it is here. Restore Health and Cure Disease aren't cure-alls (as evidenced by the sick people in the temples, or the wounded soldiers in the Empire and Stormcloak camps), but they are effective.

For proper and "legal" study, perhaps. But people can be self-taught, or otherwise be taught outside of the sanction of the guild.

Game mechanics. "Intelligence" is such a nebulous term that even in the real world we have debates about what exactly it means (and in general, basically comes down to "thinks like us").

I don't think we can say that without knowing how soul gems are produced. What properties are needed for one to work. Besides, soul gems themselves are fairly cheap... the price largely comes from the soul, since larger souls are more dangerous to acquire, thus have a higher cost in acquiring. There's nothing to suggest "synthetic souls" are possible, let alone would be easy to produce (let alone wouldn't gain interference from the Daedric Princes, as they have a thing for souls).

We're talking about mechanical technology in this thread. Like computers, guns, etc., not about a force which can also be called a technology.

But you are right. Magic can be called a technology, which means that the people of Tamriel already have the technology they need to survive.

All Nords can apparrently learn to use the Thu'um. Several arrows/bolts can also break a shield and armor.

That wasn't what he was saying at all, I think he was saying magic could be a way of facilitating technology much like electricity facilities technology in the real world.

To your second point - all Nords potentially can - only 4 do in practise.

That's because the Greybeards are an isolated group of hermits who, for whatever reason, think that the Thu'um is only there for worshipping Kyne. It's their fault that the Thu'um isn't as widespread anymore as it was in the late merethic and first era.

That's true - it is their fault - but the Thu'um is nonetheless still known only to a minority group so I don't see what you've achieved in pointing this out...

I wanted to point out that the Thu'um is much more powerful than flintlock weapons are and you said that there are only 4 people who can use it, so I answered that it's the fault of those 4 peoples that all Nords can't use it.

I think this discussion doesn't really bring us to anywhere. The next TES game will show us if there are new technologys and until then, we have to wait.

LOL! Sorry, my statement was a bit convoluted.

Let me rephrase:

I don't like sword and sorcery games as a rule. I do like TES games, though. They're well made and interesting. The way they are 'architected' in terms of gameplay makes the sword and sorcery element fun for me. All other developers have failed in that regard (at least with regards to my own very individual personal tastes and preferences.)

So: the way the TES games are architected from a playing point of view make them fun for me to play. But what puts these games on my top tier as the most memorable and joyful gaming experiences I've had is the Open World, and the vastness of it.

Now: an industrial civilization open world RPG could be tons of fun. For instance: the Fallout series.

If TES were to move in that direction, however, it would be a mistake, because FO already exists.

In summary:

TES games are huge open worlds with excellent game mechanics and architecture in a swords and sorcery setting. Moving away from that swords and sorcery setting would be, in my opinion, an error, because the particular way they do it is a way that I personally find very appealing. If they abandon the S&S 'motif', I believe it would be a mistake, because there is already an excellent industrial open world RPG series out there in the form of the Fallout games.

I hope this makes more sense. If it doesn't, it's because I'm just a confused kind of guy

Hmmm...........now that's an intriguing idea. In fact, it sounds like something a Dwemer might do.

Side note: I think Bethesda needs to pay us to post here. We have too many good ideas.

Maybe they're too busy with a pen and paper

IF this happened, and a future more technologically advanced tamriel was portrayed in a game, I'd actually want magic to be erradicated, or forgotten, only existing in primitive fringe societies.

Please continue in the http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1474756-official-tes-vi-location-and-setting-speculation/, we don't want offshoots of topics for the next game randomly cropping up. Thanks.