Just because dev's draw inspiration from something doesn't mean they base the game off of that something.

Well, after TES3:Morrowind people lost the technology of spears and crossbows and after TES2:Daggerfall, they lost technology of flails.

:lmao: That's so true, they also lost javelins/throwing spears after battlespire, and thrown weapons after morrowind. :down: Come on scholars of Tamriel!! You're falling behind!!

Hmmm.. I rather not have this game turn in to the monstrosity that is Fable.

I haven't read all the posts in this thread, but as I skimmed through them, a lot of you seem to be trying to justify advances in technology on Nirn by comparing it to Earth's history. The truth is the two are so disparate in regards to tech, science and magic that they can't be compared. Often in fantasy, especially fantasy rich in magic or some equivalent of it, it is the growth of magic itself that represents and supplements the civilization's advancement in technology. Magic, in many ways is the science and technology of Nirn. The patterns, the reasons and driving forces that propelled science forward on Earth simply don't apply. Who would think of the need to invent some sort of combustion engine when the ability to teleport magically and instantly from one point to another can be mastered by some and utilized by many others for a fee. Who on Nirn would think to create a handheld, rudimentary rifle capable of inaccurately firing a tiny projectile which would at best only wound and further enrage a charging enemy who would surely make you pay with balls of fire launched from his palm or dazzling streaks of lightning surging and sizzling from his fingertips during that 30 second period it takes you to reload your prized but utterly useless creation.

When looking at science and technology in those terms, there's just no sensible or logical reason that it would ever be able to get a foothold in a place like Nirn. In many cases, the point of technology being developed on Nirn would be to achieve a result that magic can already accomplish with greater efficiency and success, and since the use of magic is already so widespread, so far advanced, and so far beyond the capabilities of where technology's humble and simple roots would even begin to grow, it makes the very possibility of its advancement unlikely, because the seeds(reasons) needed for said tech's inception are made obsolete by the many uses which the branches of magic already supply.

Now with all that said, I'm sure there are still many small gaps that technology and its advancement could fill in regards to the needs of the growing and evolving civilizations of this fantasy world, but more often than not it is the new and creative uses of magic and the mages that wield its power who would be evolving and advancing in a place like Nirn, which, of course, would benefit and make life easier on the many citizens of Tamriel. If only the devs would take that into consideration when developing a new game, and find unique ways to display how magic(the true technology of Nirn) is advancing and helping the civilization on a larger scale -- from mass transit, to communications, to public sanitation, to agriculture, to architecture and engineering, to medicine and warfare -- they could do it with a little creativity, because in all honesty it would be magic that would form the backbone of those many things, whereas on Earth it would be tech.

I am undecided, in all honesty, after having read the thread. There are valid reasons as to why the continent should not have evolved technologically but I just don't buy the theory of it being based upon mytho-poeic structures. Whilst hardly comparable, on earth we have technology and science, mathematics and so on yet we still pray upon death. We still believe on seemingly illogical, tenuous, unpalpable things as Gods, Myths or an old-wife's tale which, by the arguments exposed here, should hardly find a place in our world. I don't think the world should have guns by any means, but perhaps introduce a measure of the progress of Mer and Men.

I hope you all know that Todd has said that, pretty much, Skyrim isn't going to be much in the way of technological advancement.

Even so, tech development is INCREDIBLY slow on Nirn. And please, don't make me try to explain it for the 1000th time. I hate having to repeat myself.

I find it unbelievable that a society would go hundreds or even thousands of years stuck in one technological level. If they don't gain high technology since magic fulfills their needs fine, but I don't think it should be forever primitive when the time scale given is so long. Problems should be solved with magic beyond what our technology level is capable of, showing why they have not needed to develop such science, in my opinion.

Also, I see talk of the Empire having fallen here. The Empire hasn't fallen by Skyrim. It's having a difficult time when the game opens and it still has enough support in Skyrim to trigger a civil war.

At least three games

Funny thing, it does in TES. But it's more of technology staying at a stagnant level than anything. It does advance, but VEEEERY slowly. Plus, Todd has said Skyrim is going to be less technological than Cyrodiil.

There should actual be more technology stuff in Skyrim because of the Dewmer ruins. Not necessarily more technology in society as a whole, but you should see more things with gears and knobs and such in the game. I mean theres going to be fricking robots for crying out loud.

These aren't modern day robots, these are steam-powered and/or magic powered automatons.

Reminds me of two things. The golden army in Hellboy 2 and Lost Oddysey's magic engines, I'm not expecting much advances and hope the people of TES never figure out a better use for metal than stabbing people.

They already know how to chop and smash with metal. They also know how to send small pointy peices of metal on the stick flying through the air.

Steampunk in lore tends to be equal to or even more powerful than modern day technology in everything but looks.

not so much advances to what we have already seen in Cyrodiil, Daggerfall, and Vvardenfell, but, rather, a different "tech tree" (so to speak) for Skyrim.

Quite the contrary.... Most technological advances are made during War... just saying...

Some advances would be nice, but nothing that affects the gameplay

KEEP STEAMPUNK OUT OF IT PLEASE, this is Fantasy, i.e. not real, i.e. we don't need technological advances. Next thing you know people will want guns...

Um.. Dwemer is pretty much "steampunk" so in a way it is already in the TES universe... :dry: Also, I never actually meant just Technological advances but overall advances/changes in other areas as well, I think people are getting a tad confused by the topic title, but if you read the original post, I mention about architectural, economical and also clothing advances/changes. Aka. at one point someone may of discovered a certain material is best to keep warm in some cold areas or this shape of armour is best for battle etc. etc.

'Necessity is the mother of invention'

TES universe has MAGIC. it doesnt make sense for the universe in The Elder Scrolls to advance like our civilization has... besides... i would much rather the technology stay stagnant and fun, than pull a Fable. The dwemer used steam power, but they also dissappeared because they tried to make a giant steam/magic powered god... i just dont want to see airships, and cars, and guns, and things like that. TES is a fantasy universe... so the less real world things i have to relate to the better in my eyes. I'd rather it be less modern. thats what i'm used to with TES, and thats partly why i love these games.

Cant imagine seeing much of that. This ain't civilization.

Besides cars and guns, Airships have already been in TES games, both in Redguard and Morrowind. Also to add to your Fable remark, Fable only failed due to bad gameplay choices(Molyneux!!!!!) not setting in fairness. Also sure the TES Universe has MAGIC but it does also make sense for things to advance like our civilisation sure not as quickly but advance non-the-less and judging by it being 200 years after the events of Oblivion I would expect some-things to have changed in a sense not as much as technology but also architecturally, economically and other things. Like this thread suggests advances/changes in all things not just Technology.

I agree with the reasons behind your stance. And you point out that you just don't want it to happen. Neither do I. But I can't stand seeing these canned arguments against technology. It's not even a TES argument, you see the same argument used over and over again in any fantasy setting. "Magic does it all, technology is not needed, magic replaces technology blah blah blah."

Besides the point that by using this argument, you kind of throw TES into the same big pile with all the other fantasy settings, overlooking the fact that just because it has magic, these settings are very different and can't have the same blanket arguments used without looking into the implications.

Technology already exists in TES. And I don't mean the dwemer. The real question is whether or not beings were created with this knowledge of technology or if they had to be discovered. Metal working, architecture, engineering, art, travel technologies, boats, airships, mining, paper, etc. Were people born knowing how to make paper and bang out a suit of glass armor? Or was it technological advances that made these things possible?

They've said that there will be no hud till you need it. Even still, in the trailer with the archer aiming at the wolf, he didn't have a crosshair. Thus that leads me to beleave there will be no crosshair for staffs as well...leading me to wish that some mage or staff maker out there figured out that if you want to hit anything at long range, aiming down a staff's "barrel" would help accuracy immencly. All I need is one two handed staff that you hold like a gun, only one, and I'll feel like technology advance a good enough amount.

TES may have magic, but that doesn't mean people aren't going to try and get a better handle on magic. Even if we ignore the race that has thought for the longest time that magic is evil...redguard...war brings a need for inventions. Now, if you don't want to train your men on how to use a bow but you want them to use long range weapons, a staff would be a good choice. But those men aren't going to be able to hit anything from atop a wall without waisting shots. So logic would say that they would bring the staff to eye level to help hit their target. So the guy buying the staffs for his men on the wall would see what his men are doing, and request a staff from the staff makers that fits more comfortably with what his men are doing, right?

I mean...it would be cheaper to just train them on how to use a bloody bow, but that's not the point here. Maybe its a castle for a mages guild or something.

The removal of the Dwemer race is the main reason Tamriel doesn't advance in technology very well.