NO! that would ruin the feel so much, I already don't like the direction Fable is headed, please don't do it to TES.

Hardly. There was plenty of tech advancement and re-inventions in the world (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_historic_inventions#2nd_millennium?). Europe was kind of "hurrr durrr" for a long time, but everyone else was making flamethrowers, pistons, hand grenades, chain drives, central heating, toothbrushes, magnetic compasses, and buttons.

Invention is driven by necessity, optimization, and creativity. Like many RPG settings, Nirn seems to lack a coherent story for its civilizations' practical side - i.e. inventions and technology. Human history is full of inventions - and probably many of them weren't even recorded or "took off" to fame and widespread use when they were first developed (especially thousands of years ago).

Technolgy =/= guns, cell phones, and radio.

My suspicion's been confirmed: Fallout is just TES with higher tech.

Genetic augmentation with magic is something the Altmer have been advancing in for eons. Dracochrysalis owes its advent to that.

It's magi-tech, and Science Fantasy has typical fantasy by the balls.

I don't think the tech has to be at odds with the magic either

Fantasy =/= cave men.

STEAMPUNK, people.

I'd like to see a more creative twist in technology so I voted yes.

Maybe, and maybe not. What happens if Game Informer comes out and makes it obvious that Skyrim is "Oblivion II, more eye candy and same lack of substance?" It could be any group whose face wears the "worth taking pictures of" expression, and we won't know who that is until it happens. :shrug:

I voted NO. No guns or cannons, would make Battlemages obsolete.
But not everyone uses magic, so some simple tech would be ok. Windmills and water wheels to grind grain would not be out of place.
Many of the Inns and travens in Oblivion had a still in the basemant to brew beer and ale. Don't forget the wine press in Skingrad. And ships with sails.
Some simple tech is ok.

No, it's a fantasy game not a sci-fi game. Besides, Beth said Skyrim is set right after Oblivion. If they all of a sudden had this huge tech leap forward it would be stupid.

Quoted for best explanation of NO!

Thanks for the replies and discussion.

For those who may have missed it. The tecnology of TES does NOT have to follow our own real life technology. The developers could think up things that are unique to TES and fit in with the lore however they wish. It doesn't have to turn into the things that we know of after our own middle ages era. You could have flying dwemer ships, New types of magic that is intertwined with technology (rather then makign them enemies, they could make them work together), among many many other things they could coem up with.

Having the world change doesn't mean you have to "lose" TES spirit. However staying in the same thing over and over gets stale. Middle ages is a cliche thing for the fantasy genre, its' the most used in that setting and it's rare to get things that feel unique. IN Morrowind for instance, the world felt unique/different then your typical "fantasy" romp, however in Oblivion it went more for your traditional middle ages style fantasy setting/technology.

I mean we have all type sof unique characters/creatures, magika, things ithat only exist in the TES universe, so why not take it a step further and come up with new things that take the setting forward while also making it more unique to the world?

Stop thinking of technology in the world only following our own, it does not have to be that way.



I'm not sure where you are getting your history from, but the middle ages saw a LOT of change over 600 years. Things from sewers, to armour advancements (full plate) all the way to the way of the gun overcoming armour among many many other things within the world.




The Japanese swords were comparable for what they were by many other regions in the west as well. A sword is useful for what it's made to fight against. Fighting against someone in a suit of plate armour? I'd much rather have an Estoc sword then a japanese sword which wouldn't have been nearly as useful against the armour.

As far as modern technology, most sword developing techniques were lost because swords themselves became obsolete. A lot of the techniques used to make them and the entire process were lost simply because people didn't have a real need for swords aside from collecting them or such. There are people today that still try to research and find out exactly how certain type sof swords were forged and developed, it's just something lost in time.

NO! Don't make it like Fable!!!!

Can some of you just not wrap your head around the fact that technology advancement in TES does NOT have to be like our world or any other game (IE fable?).

It dosn't have to be guns, no cars, no planes, none of that. It can be technology that is all it's own in the TES lore.



As far as "no because ther'es magic." Well, not everyone in TES uses magic, there's plenty of people that don't, so advancing technology makes sense. On top of that as an excuse, why even have horses? Why use swords/bows? Everyone could just use telekinetic powers and sit at their home all day while doing everything with their mind.....

no, i like TES the way it is, i already own enough games that have technology in them, i like TES because its one of the only games in the medieval fantasy genre that i really really enjoy playing.

Well, i'm comfortable with the evolution of the series, as long as the changes (in technology) will not be too far fetched from lore.

The worst that could happen, is stasis: A uninspired und boring gameworld.
Every chance is Okay, when this change will enrich the gameworld in some unique und fitting way.

I wouldn't mind some newer technology in the game. I could see some things which can fit.

Tech wise I don't think I would like TES to pass early renaissance, with primitive cannons and arquebus. Cannons could have just been designed as amplifiers for destruction spells so in an invasion instead of little hand fireballs you would see cannonball sized ones exploding on impact over about 10ft.

Arquebus, like many early guns were extremly inaffective and didn't have much firepower. So over long distance they wouldn't prove as effective as a bow or crossbow. Used right they could be justified as being in game without ruining it

References to indoor plumbing?


huh ....huh?

Hell to the no.

There's a reason we've advanced so far. We didn't have magic. Nirn does.

Most cultures (not all, we don't speak in absolutes here) who achieved their highest goals began to slow down in innovation, simply because they began to reap the benefits of such rewards. It is only in times of struggle or extreme economic prosperity that you really see a lot of innovation. Cultures from Egypt, to Rome, to Persia all suffered from such problems where they became fat, happy, and innovation wound down, because they were comfortable. This allowed more "barbaric" nations such as the Ku[censored]es, Goths, and Greeks respectively to overthrow them. These periods of revolution were quickly followed by new innovation (though not always in the right direction). -After- the fall of Rome, the feudal system was created to tame a wild, disorganized Europe. -After- the fall of the Vikings in England (Harald Hardrada), a monarchy was established by William the Conqueror (granted, he fought Saxons too). -After- (and somewhat during) the Great Depression, American innovation sky-rocketed.

In terms of The Elder Scrolls, Tamriel has not reached a technological peak, but rather a Magical peak. With access to magic, an organized and supreme institution like the Mage's Guild, and access to god-like, element-bending power, the people of Tamriel have yet to experience a need to advance. The Empire is supreme and the Mages Guild leads to most lackluster 'innovation' in the magical arts. With access to magic, builders and new inventions are barely needed. However, the Empire's Dynasty has ended, and is in a state of turmoil with the Rise of Titus Mede. This coming of dragons only adds to such problem. What I would enjoy seeing is technological evolution during, the game, your character perhaps contributing to the baby steps of new advancements; necessary in a world without organized structure and besieged by dragons. You, as the Hero, would have access to these proto-types (whatever they may be- No, not guns), contribute to their development, and in the "epilogue" it might explain the result.

Do you have a magic spell for moving poo on a regular basis into a sewer system?

Hence indoor plumbing for everyone.

Surprises nobody has mentioned the fact that the Daedra are way more advanced than men or mer. Siege engines anyone? It's a giant mechanical beast of a thing that rips walls down. How out of place would it really be for someone in Cyrodiil/Skyrim to say "hey, we should build those too". There's one conveniently wrecked outside of Bruma even. Reverse engineering it wouldn't be difficult.

Indoor plumbing? As in running water with hot/cold sinks etc? No, that might be taking things a bit far. Non-flush toilets wouldn't be out of the question though, otherwise how does one explain the need for a large sewer system below the IC?

Maybe people are just happy with the setting as it is?

I see what you're getting at, but I'm with the "Hell no" crowd myself.

I've seen one- count'em, one game that mixed technological advancement and magic/fantasy in a way that I liked: Arcanum.

Every other game I've encountered that mixed the two was "meh" at best, and didn't feel like it was trying to develop the world in a believable and interesting way but rather trying to shoehorn in some feature that didn't really fit to begin with. Trying to find an excuse to have [guns/airships/cars/trains/insert techno-gizmo] in an otherwise straight-up fantasy setting. :shrug:

Your both completely missing my point which is that modern technology has failed to best the 600 yr old method of forging a japanese katana aka samurai sword. It's a fact, look it up.

There point in turn was that modern technology is not intended to best the 600 yr old method of forging a japanese katana aka samurai sword.

We have guns now.