Even the developers are more focused on the extra stuff then the main quest...that's why they said it would be about 30hours of main quest and over 100 hours of side stuff. I enjoy both as you can't have a game without a main quest, that's like a action movie without a plot

Couldn't be a TES game because it's calle The Elder Scrolls becasue the Elder Scrolls foretell the future of the game, thus the MQ.

However, it could be a game based in TES world. Yay for nitpicking!

Wow, I've never thought about this. I definitley wouldn't mind a future ES game without a story.

If they didn't have a main story to focus on, they could add, like, EVERY feature we've ever wanted, and could focus on developing much more sidequests, and make them very interesting (I'm sure side quests in Skyrim are already very interesting).

So, yes, I'd be interested in an ES game with no story.

I would love a plotless Elder Scrolls. I really enjoy the no pressure-do as you will-be what you want to be feel of Mount & Blade, which I think has sold pretty well despite having no plot. What I would do however is create a few epic questlines that would require hours of ivolvment and would have significant impact on the game. They would be like a main quest but they wouldn't be open to every player, possibly mutually exclusive.

Think back to when the Elder Scrolls would ask you multiple choice questions to determine your class. Imagine if when you went into a new town, any new town not a specific one, and the game looked at your stats and determined that you were eligible for an epic quest. Suddenly you hear "Stop where you are!" and you see guards chasing someone headed in your direction. You could stop the suspect and help the guards, you could stop the guards to let him escape or you could stay out of it. Either action begins the quest, inaction let's you go about your merry way.

If you are referring to my comment, I said main quests don't have to hurt roleplaying, which only implies that the main quest CAN hurt roleplaying, which it can do since it is the only part of the game where you don't get to choose who you are (ie. you are dovahkin, nevarine, etc whether you like it or not.) If you don't mind the part of your personality it defines, the main quest is just another quest.

And even if I were to suggest that main quests are there for non-rpg players, how is that absurd at all? Take out the main quest and this game is almost entirely inaccessible for players from other genres...

Funny thing is the only other unique aspect of the main quest I can think of is that it is what you are told to do in game as an extension of the tutorial. Change the way the main quest starts by not telling the player to do it and magically there is no main quest anymore, just another quest line that's longer than the others...

I couldn't disagree with you more than I do...

There should never be a quest that ends the game in a TES game, I absolutely hated it in Fo3 and still hate it in FoNV. The main quest in such a huge open world should be an introduction to the player, introducing it to the things the game has to offer outside it and let the player make their own path in the game world when they feel like they are ready for it. MQ should be a quest line that is easy to follow and easy to leave and come back to when ever you want. It should not end the game, when you complete the MQ the game should START, of course the players could leave the MQ whenever they want and start the actual adventure whenever they want too. But please, no Fo3, FoNV type ending. Oblivions ending was much better, but the MQ wasn't something you could just ignore-all the oblivion gates popping up..

I'm gonna say no.

It needs a mainquest to set the atmosphere and setting right, and that's what, in my opinion, seperates BGS's games from other games. The setting and atmosphere is superb each time. A mainquest is needed to set that right.

Also, a mainquest is needed to give the game a meaning. Without that, there would be no greater meaning to be in the world you're in (I don't call just roaming around exploring a greater meaning).

A great example is Morrowind. What would that game be without its mainquest? Not much, I'd say. In Morrowind the mainquest was what basically made the game for me. To me it gave everything a meaning, and it set the atmosphere and the setting for the game to a superb level.

I have a feeling they're going to do a MMO for TES one day.

I would prefer a hidden main quest. A main quest which is only about a set purpose and not some linear path. Something that evolves and even ends without the player... and player's actions further define the results just like a simulation.

Why wouldn't you want one? You'd have no purpose.

My purpose is to explore the world i find myself in. I have yet to finish the main quest in ANY Bethesda open world game.

1000+ hrs in Morrowind, 1500+ hrs in Oblivion, and 800+ hrs in FO3.

I have no illusions that my play style is popular among the majority of people playing these games. I don't need a main quest but the game does if the series is to remain successful. Just allow me to avoid it(I'm looking at you FO3), which was easy enough in OB contrary to what some might say, all you have to do is walk away from the Hero of Kvatch quest and the main quest will remain stalled at that point and no OB gates will appear anywhere in Cyrodiil, nor will the main quest progress no matter where you go and what you do(save closing the gate in Kvatch). FO3 on the other hand will automatically progress the main quest if you explore certain areas or interact with certain characters. Don't do that again Beth, I'm begging you.

On environment: Don't you think that could be a byproduct of the effort put into designing quests and story? When a quest line is disproportionately larger it requires more design effort, more places, more people, more events and more story and thus builds more environment, regardless of whether that is a 'main' quest or just some huge quest.

On purpose: Do you think it is possible to discover a meaning for the game? A variable meaning? Or does it absolutely have to be defined for you? As an example, imagine if at the start of the game you are just running from the guards and you escape into a city with your initial objective being to create a new identity so when the guards find you you can give them a story, like a fake ID sorta thing. You talk to people, join a guild or start some quest that fits the identity you want to have and it just so happens that the quest is made so well that you care about the guild and it essentially becomes your personal main quest.

What, becoming head of the Mages Guild or becoming a vampire or any of the myriad other things you could set yourself as a goal isn't a purpose?

"Reading the latest Elder Scroll, it says a random citizen will live out their entire life as a simple farmer in an unremarkable corner of Tamriel, with their solitude undisturbed by any world-shattering events, and that this calm will in itself be a phenomenal, world-shaking event as such stability has never been seen before." :meh:

I wouldn't mind a TES without a mainquest. But there'd maybe have to be some longer sidequest stories instead.



You know that you don't have to help any of them to finish the mainquest in NV?

Those were the days not only would i have no problem with the MQ gone, but i would actually prefer it, give me a living breathing world with thousands of small quests, radiant AI, interesting lore written in many collectable books around the world and i'd be super happy.

The main quest is what shapes the world. Without a main quest you have nothing. While the idea of just being in a place is appealing, the reason the Elder Scrolls games are so immersive is because there is a central conflict that brings the world alive.

I've thought about this myself. I think that such a game could be very fun.

i actually think this would be a really good idea, it would be interesting for the game to slowly changeas you act in the world, were previously pointless actions and small side quests actually make a difference.

This just makes me realise how different people's reasons for playing the same game can be, i understand how important a scripted story is to some people, thats why i would never call for it to be removed, but i can't deny i'd rather have it gone if someone asks me as they have done in this thread, as for having nothing without a main story, lol, if anything it's the scripted story that is the the last remaining barrier to a truly free world to explore and be free in.

ES is true sandbox, i can't think of another fantasy game like it, and it isn't the scripted story that makes it special, as technology progresses stories may well write themselves one day, within the actual game, some sort of super powered radiant AI that can give a different experience each time, now that would be something.

no thank you, i like playing fallout and TES but that should stay in the world of fallout.

as for the OP yeah i think it could work as long as it had a lot of side quest, side stories, quest lines, and a great crafting system

edit:


......yeah i know bethesda is fighting over the rights to make a fallout MMO, but i get that same feeling

They could, but my question is why would they, you would cut your own throat, for the money you would loose from the casual gamer and the hard rpgr, that likes a good story line quest as a gameplay marker

As was said earlier: A main quest that isn't announced as one would certainly be interesting, if you start it in the right way with a suitable quest that leads you forwards into you epic adventure!

A world the size of Daggerfalls, and having a detailed interesting world are two conflicting ideas. There needs to be a balance and I think they are sticking with their current one.

I think the main quest isn't mentioned much or looked forward to because frankley, it's just not that interesting We have to kill Dragons and do a bunch of other crap so we'll be strong enough to fight the even bigger Dragon who wants to Eat The World?!

that and there's just too much other game to explore. I'ld be more excited for the story if half of it wasn't ruined via previews and it was well written.