Oh for sure, the prettyness of Summerset Isle (in stark contrast to its inhabitants;) ) is a huge factor for choosing AD for me as well =P

Rumours has it that I'll be able to see the beautiful 'shrooms of morrowind as levelled content anyhow -- with epic end game lava to boot.

I still want to play 'em all

Crap I meant lots of dead AD. Ugh, I svck at typing.

If your heart is true, you will choose the Aldmeri Dominion.

If you're false, you will choose the Ebonheart pact.

If you're false, you will choose the Daggerfall covenant.

I think that sums it up quite nicely, eh?

It wasn't just summerset, it was the wood elf lands too with that giant tree city. It was epic, and every new corner I turned in the world was like "This is magnificent". Which makes me want to see the other lands too in order to see if they are equally as impressive.

I never played any ES game except like 5 minutes of Morrowind. I got horribly, horribly lost, couldn't figure out where to go or what to do and shut the game down. All I saw was endless, endless fields of black, gray ashy burnt trees and gray hills filled with monsters, or sometimes nothing at all. it was gloomy and confusing...

Personally I love the style of Morrowind. Anyhow if you'd read my previous post you'd see that Valenwood represented, was the actual deciding factor for me. I never got that far in beta, so I'll have to saviour it for release. Glad to hear Valenwood is epic

Unfortunately to me most of the names in this game are jibber jabber. So I have no idea what Valenwood is. If it's the giant tree city, then yes, it is amazing.

I come from WoW where everything is two words crammed together like Red ridge. Stone talon. Thousand Needles. Or warped English words like Desola(te)ce. Things like that. So it's hard for me to remember the more abstract names of stuff in this world because it all sounds like fancy elvish words that aren't real.

Which will probably get better the more familiar I get with the world. The only reason I know Skyrim and Oblivion are because they had two wildly successful pop culture hit games. People seem to forget about Oblivion though, but I remember everyone loving it.

I also get confused about all the alternate names for races like Bosmer, and Altmer and stuff so I just call them High Elves, Dark Elves, Wood Elves etc..

Just to note, regardless of what faction you pick, you will be able to quest in the lands of the other factions when you complete your faction's campaign. The only thing faction really determines is being able to play with friends and PVP.

EDIT - And race selection if you dot get the explorer's pack. This one is actually pretty big, but didn't really consider it as I have the game pre-ordered.

Yup, Valenwood is the lands of the Bosmer AKA the wood elves

http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Map_of_Tamriel

Do you all think there will be any grief for playing a race in the wrong faction. I would like to do this, I am have the pre-order IE. However, I don't want to be an outcast.

Honestly when people wear helmets it's hard to tell what they are. The only reason I could ever tell another cat person from anyone else is because of the tails they have. Everything kinda looks samey, there aren't iconic racial silhouettes.

Define grief. . . . if you are worried about what other says about your character choice. . . . nevermind.

I take it you didn't play Morrowind.

Returning as an outlander to Morrowind sounds appealing to me =P

I dont think so. There may be the occasional lore w'hore who might say something, but think you are fine overall. I plan on doing it.

My primary alliance will be the Pact. I spent about 5 years playing Dark Age of Camelot in the Midgard realm. The norse influenced culture and styles appeal to me more. I will also play at least one alt in the other 2 alliances just to experience the different storylines and content.

You N'wah!

([censored] it, I should roll a dunmer just to say this.)

Any comment on the actual community of these factions is wild speculation at this point, but I personally thought that the questing areas of Daggerfall & Ebonheart were much nicer looking than AD's.

If that is your worry then you are already an outcast. This is a game it is to bad what other people think.

I was almost set on playing DC but after reading up about the Ebonheart Pact I'm starting to change my mind. Especially when hearing this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BHKLVr_Cxw

"And we stand tall
Sons of the snow
We will not fall
Under these blows
For our hearts they are hardy
Our spirits are strong
And our voices are lifted into
This Sovngarde song"

I have admit, I'm partial to Nords

Well AD will have me in it, what more do you want?

I like DC cause we're always outnumbered and the underdogs. =)

... also, Breton women are hot.

... oddly, so are the Orc women. I'm still not sure what to think of that.

you get used to even, though even now im still learning things about the game's world that I've never knew before/can't even believe

Yeah, orc women are hot. Why are the men so ugly, though?

It's funny, because DC was an easy choice for me. I have always played as redguard or breton, and I like orcs the most, of all the "beast-like" races.

Plus the capital city is the bomb.

But best of all, I always go with the underdogs (thankfully they aren't elves!)

actually as a self-confessed 'lore w'hore' I'd say it would make no sense not to see any race in any faction, since races have rarely been divided by race but instead ideals.

don't want to be that guy, but orcs are elves, and breton are half elf. there is literally no getting away from them im afraid