» Thu Mar 21, 2013 10:26 am Forgive me if there are any plot holes.
I have this idea for The Elder Scrolls VI, inspired by imagining what a trailer would be like for a second Great War. Let's talk about that first. Assuming that the Imperial side in Skyrim was the rightly chosen path for its lore, Ulfric Stormcloak is defeated, therefore Tullius still lives. Playing through the game, the player starts to recognize Tullius as a person, and that he isn't much for the White-Gold Concordat himself. In fact, he likes to worship Talos just as much as Ulfric would. He learned some things from the civil war - and he foreshadows to the Dragonborn that another war with the Thalmor is expected to rise very soon.
So I imagined a trailer of Tullius 15-30 years in the future (elderly) and retiring back to Cyrodiil. He lives along the outskirts of Imperial City (which would probably have a village all around it by now), and farmland along the roads is a good sight for the natural living man. He'd have a young granddaughter too. This must be paradise you'd think, until boom -- Thalmor airships start cruising in to the area. What's going on? It's another Thalmor invasion.
This is where the Elder Scrolls VI comes in, and yes, it takes place only 15-30 years after Skyrim. The Dragonborn may still be alive and well, probably drinking mead in the halls of Whiterun. But the Dragonborn would have little to do with the story, and he would only be referenced here and there. The game revolves around letting the player play through the Second Great War, from its very beginning.
So the title says Hammerfell. That's only because I started the story in Hammerfell, and the lore of the fourth era suggested so. As I developed this idea it kind of transitioned into all of Tamriel, because what's about to be explained will start a huge war intriguing the player (possibly) as massively as what you see in The Elder Scrolls Online. The game would be very centered around Hammerfell (so far), but other places have much significance. Here is the beginning of Hammerfell's story:
You aren't a prisoner at the start of this game. You are either a mercenary or a knight working for a king. Skyrim allowed the player to become a Legate in the Imperial army. This game is going to up its stakes by allowing the player to become even higher than the Dragonborn did. Although, knowing that The Elder Scrolls is supposed to allow the player to rise up to sovereignty by themselves, a normal man/mercenary would be more fitting, and transitions into immediately experiencing political missions.
According to the wiki, Hammerfell is expected to be largely prosperous for being its own nation and stopping the civil war. By 4E 216/231, this would have taken effect. This is majorly because they can freely worship Talos. The purpose of Talos worship (I think) is to hope that other heroes like Tiber Septim will rise to fame just as he did to keep Tamriel a prosperous land. The people of Hammerfell take this option of worship positively, and over the years it turns into people worshiping Talos is like praying to your late grandfather when problems arise, that you may be guided through what lies ahead. Talos worship is great for warriors too.
Neighbouring kings in High Rock are inspired by this, and wish to do the same. But the White-Gold Concordat forbids Talos worship. They talk the High King into getting involved, who does, and then he starts to conspire with rulers from Hammerfell about trying to make High Rock an individual nation. High Rock would never have been thought to become separated from the Empire, but in these times it seems best to do so, anyway. This is when the game begins.
A wood elf spy from the Thalmor finds out (no one knows) what is going on. So at the beginning, you (the player) do some things for the king of Hammerfell, you are introduced to a few characters, and you set off with the king and a few others to conspire with the Emporer in Imperial CIty to discuss what or how they could come to an agreement of High Rock's independence. The High King of Skyrim (the speculated DLC will determine who this is) will join the conspiracy, in hopes that they like the idea as well - although, hopes of independence is only questioned from this conspiracy.
So you fast travel to the outskirts of Imperial City on a carriage, riding into the city. The mission brings the player to the Emporer, and you begin the conspiracy discussion. Whatever role the character has, be it serviceman, guard, mercenary or whoknowswhat (haven't developed this) you will only witness the conspiracy. Somewhere in the meeting (the beginning or maybe the end), the Emporer warns everyone that the Thalmor know that High Rock and Hammerfell are up to something.
The Empire can't possibly lose another province. If High Rock becomes independent along with Hammerfell, then Skyrim and Elsweyr would try to do so as well, likely with a rebellion. An Empire with only 4 provinces is equivalent to the fall of the Empire. Not to mention, Morrowind still has problems of their own that require assistance from the Empire. They might caught up in the events, should a war break out (neglecting services to Morrowind).
So the Emporer could refuse to let High Rock become independent and continue the White-Gold Concordat (allowing for peace), or the Thalmor will force him to keep them in the Empire.
To add realism (alternate version), Thalmor agents may already be there when you arrive to the meeting. The proposal of High Rock becoming independent was already compromised, so the meeting has little purpose but to confirm and talk politics. But that doesn't stop the Emporer from secretly holding another meeting. Circumstances have changed for this one; the kings must come to an agreement if they should follow through with the idea. This is pressurized, and discussions about High Rock and Skyrim lead into yes, the Emporer will slowly stop services for High Rock. The Thalmor in High Rock may have to be dealt with accordingly, but secretly. The Thalmor would surely fight back, so everyone must be prepared for war. This is a noble decision by the Emporer. He shall go down in history as the Emporer who stood up against the White-Gold Concordat.
So shortly after, an unexpected event happens. The Thalmor militarily arrive at Imperial City. A war is about to begin, but this was the expected part of it. What was unexpected was that the Thalmor had built flying airships! A whole bunch of them too! This put them at an advantage, considering they owned the sky. I guess the Thalmor still found out what was going on (those spies can go to Oblivion).
I got creative and thought of this Thalmor person who's been studying Dwemer technology, and have been developing blueprints of his own that use mechanics used by the dwarves. In a secret facility, these airships were being built. Apparently, the White-Gold Concordat allowed for the Thalmor to build these airships while there was still peace. They were preparing for a second invasion the whole time.
The Empire is threatened to not let this happen. If they do, they will fall. The Emporer must now decide the fate of the Empire.
... And so the Second Great War begins.
So the player would be returning to Hammerfell, when suddenly a messenger arrives saying that he was urgently sent to bring news of the Thalmor's quick reaction to the meeting. They found out, and they have airships. They would likely invade Hammerfell, and very soon at that. This is going to be the first serious mission for the player, being that the Thalmor are on their way and you and the king and others rush to a city/town and immediately prepare for war. You are going to fight the Thalmor.
They are invading Hammerfell because they know that you will aid the Empire in the war. This is their chance to strike you off-guard. They arrive very soon in the distance. You play through the mission. And then the game starts for real.
This is the part where I started to wonder if the game should have only Hammerfell or not. High Rock will definitely take part, and so would Skyrim. Does anyone know about the fanmade expansion "Moonpath to Elsweyr"? This details rebellions in Elsweyr, and they will likely take place in The Second Great War. Who knows what's going on in Black Marsh, and Cyrodill is a huge battlefield again. Morrowind would be based on decision, seeing that they may actually be neutral, or develop their own side (a third faction).
The game is now going into the path of what makes The Elder Scrolls what it always aimed for: a decision mayhem of heroic epicness! In Skyrim you have the power to make Skyrim independent and take down Tullius with Ulfric Stormcloak. In this game you have three major paths. A) Let the Thalmor become the rulers of Tamriel,
Make each province independent nations (essentially discontinuing the Empire), or C) Become the next Tiber Septim (if you know what I mean). This is what will make this game so great._________________________________________________________
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Now it's time to get technical.
A single layer blu-ray disc can hold up to 25GB of data. Skyrim after expansions takes up to 6GB of data. If Bethesda were to make a lot more NPCs and houses for say, Whiterun (especially more farmland and houses and trade), as well as improve AI (take inspiration from the mods out there), LOTS of armours and clothes (and I mean LOTS), and new gameplay features, all that would add be up to approximately 8GB. If The Elder Scrolls VI used Skyrim graphics, then that equals 8GB for Skyrim, and that much data for each of its land area.
Skyrim: 8 GB
Morrowind: 15 GB
Black Marsh: 8 GB
Elsweyr: 6 GB
Valenwood: 7 GB
Summerset Isles: 8 GB
High Rock: 7 GB
Hammerfell: 12 GB
Cyrodill: 20 GB
Tamriel: 92 GB
92 GB would require a quad-layer blu-ray disc. Those things are expensive! However there is a solution, and that is to make a disc for each province. That makes 9 games per Elder Scrolls VI full game. Wow! That's $18 per game just for the packaging!
The Elder Scrolls VI: Hammerfell
The Elder Scrolls VI: Cyrodill
The Elder Scrolls VI: High Rock
The Elder Scrolls VI: Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls VI: Elsweyr
The Elder Scrolls VI: Morrowind
The Elder Scrolls VI: Valenwood
The Elder Scrolls VI: Summerset Isles
The Elder Scrolls VI: Black Marsh
Each game has a different beginning, and when you start you will be available for certain factions. For example, if you begin the game in Elsweyr you would start with the rebellion faction within Elsweyr and you can't join the Thalmor or what faction the Hammerfell hero is part of. If you start the game in Cyrodill and you join the Mages Guild in Imperial City, you can't become the Arch Mage of the College of Winterhold. Although, I believe the lore would allow the player of any game to join the companions, the fighter's guild, the mage's guild, etc. It is just the limitations of each they give you. But with each game start you must join what that game offers, and the quests that require that faction along with it.
When you cross borders you would be required to switch discs. Your character and quest data would be universally saved throughout every disc, but the land and NPCs would not. All equipment would be universal, as well.
Bethesda could sell each game separately. Hammerfell would most likely be sold first, for the sake of the story. Players could buy each if they want to play that one.
Hammerfell would have Imperial City and a few parts of Hammerfell coded in, based on its story.
Each main faction from each game would have their quests go along with the quests of the other factions. For example, if the player played through Hammerfell, the quests would go along with the main storyline of Morrowind's. But a Hammerfell player would still be allowed to do the other quests. The quests that involve the Morrowind would not be playable, however.
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So I got carried away with the technical parts. It's at least an ambitious way to make the ultimate Elder Scrolls game! Unfortunately though, the xbox 360 won't be compatible because of the disc sizes. But as well as the graphic style is the same and coded similar to Skyrim, the production would be easier with the reference. It is a very ambitious thing to do though!
Btw, just some gameplay ideas, but how's about driving an airship with catapults on board? Big mounts be big mounts, you know. Character customization with more features and hairs would be good, too.
Maybe if you play the Skyrim game you could be the Dragonborn? :3
Speaking of dragons, it would be 15-30 years after Skyrim. That's 15-30 years of dragon slaying. I would expect the remaining dragons to be more friendly, so some friendly dragons would be plausible for The Elder Scrolls VI, but definitely not all. Maybe one or two dragons for Hammerfell and High Rock?
Debate and comment please!
