Character Creation and Customization Options

Character creation and customizationFor a large number of players getting the perfect character looks is really important. While it doesn’t have any significant gameplay impact we all want our characters to be as detailed as possible, not just through equipment but also from the moment we launch the game. Character creation is today’s MMORPGs is often quite detailed and comprehensive, and fortunately Elder Scrolls Online developers know it.

In a new official video ESO’s art director Jared Carr walks us through the various face and body customizations available in the game. You can define your body type and physique, skin color, facial and body tattoos, hair styles, and it’s all detailed and diverse.

Hot kitty

That’s one hot kitty, right?

The video demonstrating the full power of the character customization is just below!

I’m certainly not disappointed by the choices available and the amount of work the developers put into character customization will probably not disappoint you either.

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First 20 Minutes of Elder Scrolls Online Gameplay Leaked

Elder Scrolls Online Character CreationA leaked video of Elder Scrolls Online’s gameplay has been going around the past day or so. It was originally posted on Youtube but got taken down since due to a copyright claim by Bethesda, and nearly every other source has suffered the same fate. I did however managed to find it still online on RiotPixels. They also offer a .torrent version of the video so chances are if you’re interested you’ll be able to watch it.

Many things about the game are hush-hush at this point and all beta participants are required to adhere to the non-disclosure agreement so getting any kind of unofficial leaked gameplay videos such as this one is a real gem. The video contains 20 minutes of in-game recorded footage, starting from character creation which showcases us character customization options and class, faction and race selections.

The author chose a Sorcerer for this video, and there’s a few minutes of unedited gameplay included right from the start. He finds himself on a ship and quickly does what gamers in every MMORPG do: kill rats. The footage also shows basic NPC conversations, taking quests, interface options and customizations and various other settings, and of course combat (and as you’ll notice, dying).

Everything (well, some things at least) we so far heard and saw on trade shows and in interviews about ESO can now finally be viewed first hand, so be sure to watch the video on this link (no embed code provided, so you’ll have to visit the site).

In case the video gets taken down and if you can find an alternate source you’re welcome to post it in the comments below.

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Massively Previews Elder Scrolls Endgame, PvP and Crafting

The Elder Scrolls Online endgame, PvP and craftingRichie Procopio from Massively recently had a hands-on play session and an interview with ZeniMax creative director Paul Sage that I found particularly revealing. It talks mostly about PvP combat, endgame and crafting. I advise you to read the entire article, but I’ve summarized some major points from it below if you don’t feel like it.

The three alliances all have different starting zones and quests. Once you hit the level cap (set to level 50) you can travel to another faction’s zone and “experience a more difficult and rewarding version of those areas”. Basically you can complete the story in another faction’s zone, and considering each faction has 120-150 hours of content you definitely have a lot of work ahead of you.

In each of the 16 zones in the game you can join an instance/dungeon, designed for 4-man groups. Most of these dungeons also have a level 50 version which has a different storyline, along with being obviously more difficult and rewarding.

As for raiding The Elder Scrolls Online’s adventure zones are designed for larger groups of players where you’re supposed to accomplish certain goals, although the entirety of endgame raiding is unclear at this point. I just hope ZeniMax doesn’t neglect meaningful end-game PvE as it’s always the bread and butter of MMORPGs.

SpiderAnother endgame feature of ESO is the Alliance War, in which players of all three factions meet in a huge zone Cyrodiil and battle over keeps and resources. It’s designed to support up to 200 players, but smaller skirmishes with a few dozen players can have an impact as well as can solo play as well, either by securing map objectives such as farms and mines or killing off stray opponents.

Also mentioned is the fact that all players are on a single server Cyrodiil is split into multiple instances (called campaigns) to make player numbers more manageable, particularly if a single faction seems to be dominating the system is designed to assign additional players of other factions to join and catch up. Status of the Alliance War will persist for anywhere between three to six months on a particular campaign to make the battles more meaningful, although Sage didn’t reveal exactly what the benefits will be.

Participation in Alliance War in Cyrodiil can begin as soon as level 10, and you can even level up with PvP exclusively all the way to the cap. By engaging in Alliance War combat you’ll gain Alliance Points, which can be spent on “different things”, such as equipment.

One thing the remains a questionable call on ZeniMax’s part is the fact that you can’t communicate or play with players of other factions besides your own. So if your friends decide to join the Aldmeri Dominion and your preference is the Daggerfall Covenant, you will not be able to group up, do dungeons or chat with them until endgame. Apparently you’ll may have to complete the storyline for other factions in order to be able to play and chat with players of that faction, although the entire thing isn’t clear at this point.

Spider Daedra

The interview also touched on the topic of loot, whereas it’s mentioned there will be five different item quality levels, with legendary being the best. Of course there will be gear progression in endgame, with more difficult content providing better and better equipment.

Crafting is also playing a significant part of the game, even in endgame, as it is used to further improve your equipment. Players will have a limited number of points to spend for crafting professions (which include provisioner/cooking, weaponsmithing, armorsmithing, alchemy and enchanting), and those points can be spent at will in one or all professions, so you can basically choose to master one tradeskill or on the other hand become a limited jack of all trades.

That essentially includes all the important information from the interview, and if you want to read it in its entirety be sure to head on over to Massively.

What are your thoughts on all of this? Does the focus on PvP combat please you or would you rather have more end-game raiding; and do you feel segregating players into three factions and disabling interaction before endgame is a good decision? Let us know in the comments below.

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Elder Scrolls Online Leveling Guide by Killerguides

Nord WallpaperEven though The Elder Scrolls Online doesn’t even have a release date for now, that doesn’t prevent gamers from getting ready to guide us through the game once it’s out. Those who were lucky enough to enter the recently opened beta have already started to write down their experiences, tips and tricks in order to make the best leveling guide available, and it’s called Killerguide.

Killerguides leveling guide for Elder Scrolls Online is shaping up to be a really good resource on everything about this exciting game, and despite its name the included quick leveling guide for all factions and races is only a small part of what it has to offer:

Rewarding Quests

This chapter includes information on the most rewarding quests currently in the game which will help you make the most out of your time in Tamriel. This is basically a list of quests along with their walkthroughs which will tell you which quests you definitely must do in TESO in order to get the best rewards.

Quest Walkthroughs

Includes starting locations and maps for every faction and points you in the direction of quest givers and objectives. Saves valuable time by making sure you never run in circles and that your questing and leveling paths are as efficient as possible.

Character Builds

Even though these builds are bound to get changed before the game is released there are already quite a few that simply put work better than others. If you want to maximize your character’s damage output one of the main ways to do it is having a proper, optimized build. This chapter will save you significant time by providing developed and proven skill builds made by top players who have nothing better to do with their time than min-max every detail. Includes both PvE and PvE builds for every class.

Skill Rotations

Efficient ability casting maximizes your DPS output in The Elder Scrolls, and you wouldn’t believe how many players do it wrong. This chapter in Killerguides Elder Scrolls Online Leveling Guide is all about making sure you maximize your potential damage output by casting spells which scale best with your equipment and skill build.

Alliance Points

Alliance points are gained by participating in Player versus Player combat. Even if you aren’t interested in PvP you definitely don’t want to skip this guide as spending Alliance Points unlocks additional abilities for your character and further expanding your skill tree. There are easy to understand diagrams included which will help you plan out your builds and show you must-have abilities if you intend to do any PvP battles.

Crafting

Like in every MMORPG crafting makes a huge part of The Elder Scrolls Online experience. This manual includes the best and cost-efficient crafting information, and tells you how you can easily not only maximize professions in the shortest time possible and without unnecessary grinding, but it will also show you how to craft excellent gear for your character to make everything else in the game go smoother.

Gold Making

Just like crafting, gold making is a significant part of any online game, TESO definitely not excluded. This guide includes the best money-making methods and tips which can’t be found on the forums. Most players who know them are keeping them for themselves for now to make sure the grinding and farming spots don’t get nerfed, so if you want to take advantage of it in time there’s only one way. This guide promises to triple your gold income at least!


Reading about this strategy guide makes me even more excited about the release of Elder Scrolls Online, because we all know this is going to be a heck of a game and having a quality guide written by expert players to help us all get started is a huge upside. Killerguide isn’t officially released yet, but considering the game is still in early beta stages it’s no real surprise.

Not many people have access to play it yet, and most of the current information about ESO is subject to change, but I’m sure once the release date gets closer Killerguide will open the doors to their guide to everyone. It’s why Killerguide decided to keep their guide accessible for a few people only so far and offer exclusive pre-orders on it for those who are interested in learning top secrets about it. You really shouldn’t miss this early exclusive opportunity so head on over to the official Killerguide website where you can be one of the first few people to preorder the guide.

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Factions And Races In The Elder Scrolls Online

The Elder Scrolls Online has three different factions players can join, the Aldmeri Dominion, Daggerfall Covenant and Ebonheart Pact. Each faction is comprised of three different races, with which old Elder Scrolls fans are surely familiar with. Below is a basic summary of all three factions in TESO, including races, their goals and leaders.

Related: Comparison of racial passive bonuses.

Aldmeri Dominion

Aldmeri Dominion

Aldmeri Dominion is led by Queen Ayrenn, a decisive and honorable High Elf who took the throne after the death of her father. Once High Elves found out the Imperial City was taken by human supporters of Molag Bal, they reached out to Khajiit and Wood Elves in order to form an alliance to retake the Ruby Throne.

Aldmeri Dominion consists of three races: High Elves (the original settlers of Tamriel who are proficient with magic), Wood Elves who inhabit forests of Valenwood and are supreme hunters, guides, and masters of sneaking and thievery. The third race are Khajiit, a feline race skilled with bladed weapons and elee combat.

High ElfHigh Elves

The High Elves, or Altmer, arrived in Tamriel thousands of years ago from Old Aldmeris. They see themselves, perhaps justifiably, as the ruling race of Tamriel. They are a highly cultured people, known for their breathtaking architecture and massive libraries of histories and creative works. They tend to be isolationists, largely remaining on Summerset Isle, and only emerge when they perceive a great threat to their homeland. They are powerful mages and warriors, and the de facto leaders of the Aldmeri Dominion.

Wood ElfWood Elves

The Wood Elves, or Bosmer, are mischievous, curious and nimble. Because their homeland of Valenwood is often attacked by the Colovian Imperials, Wood Elves are experts at the art of defense. They are also gifted archers, perhaps the best in all of Tamriel. The capital of the Aldmeri Dominion, Elden Root, lies in the heart of their homeland. It has evolved into a center of political and cultural importance and is of vital strategic importance in the battle to control Tamriel.

KhajiitKhajiit

The population of the proud feline Khajiit has dwindled in recent years following a devastating outbreak of Knahaten Flu. They owe a great debt to Ayrenn, Queen of the High Elves, for her help in restoring order from the chaos that followed the plague. They have a wry wit and a hedonistic outlook, but they are fearsome on the field of battle. They are the strong arm of the Aldmeri Dominion. 

Daggerfall Covenant

Daggerfall Covenant

The Daggerfall Covenant faction is led by High King Emeric, a Breton merchant who rules from Wayrest in High Rock. King Emeric united three fearsome races to retake the Ruby Throne.

They include the Bretons who are gifted in magic and diplomacy, the Orcs who are talented armorers and soldiers and Redguards, outstanding warriors with a proficiency for athletics.

BretonBretons

The men and women of High Rock were once ruled by High Elf overlords. Some Elven blood still runs in their veins, giving Bretons an innate grasp of magic that distinguishes them from the other human races. Passionate and flamboyant, intelligent and resourceful, the Bretons are renowned and talented craftsmen, shrewd merchants, gallant cavaliers, and inventive wizards. They can also be proud and quarrelsome. Tales of warfare between the kingdoms of High Rock account for much of their history, but most revere the Eight Divines and value prosperity over glory.

RedguardRedguards

The Redguards of Hammerfell are talented and athletic warriors, born to battle. A desert people, their ancestors migrated to Tamriel from the lost continent of Yokuda. Their culture is based on preserving ancient traditions and defying their harsh environment. They prize honor and dignity above all else, combining a deep reverence for the divine with a suspicion of all things magical. Their capital is the merchant port of Sentinel, but their roots are deep in the sands of the Alik’r Desert. In their youth, Redguards endure a rite of passage in the desolate wastes of Alik’r as a test of endurance and discipline. Only the strongest survive.

OrcOrcs

Though other races often regard the Orcs as barbarians and even beasts, these noble warriors have an ancient culture forged from endless warfare in their harsh mountain homelands. Orcs live under a simple code of honor by which the strong survive and the strongest rule. As the greatest smiths in Tamriel, their weapons and armor are prized by warriors everywhere. During the reign of the Second Empire, when their kingdom of Orsinium was finally granted provincial status, its restoration helped solidify their devotion to the new Daggerfall Covenant.

Ebonheart Pact

Ebonheart Pact

Ebonheart Pact is led by Jorunn The Skald-King, but he does not rule absolutely as his decisions need to be ratified by all three races in forming the alliance. An unlikely alliance between the races happened after the Akaviri invasion in order to preserve their independent homelands.

Races in Ebonheart Pact include Nords, fierce warriors and expert weapon masters, the Dark Elves who are proficient at magic, and Argonians, the best guerilla warriors in all of Tamriel.

NordsNords

The Nords once conquered most of Tamriel, and as a result, feel a certain entitlement to rule. They broke the power of the Ayleids, nearly drove the High Elves out of High Rock, and conquered much of Resdayn, the precursor to Morrowind. The Nords are excellent with arms. They are quick to anger, boisterous, and strong. They are natural-born warriors who fight with an ecstatic ferocity that terrifies their enemies

Dark ElvesDark Elves

The Dark Elf homeland of Morrowind has been invaded many times by the Akaviri and the Nords. This history of conflict has transformed the Dunmer into hardened warriors. They also have a natural affinity for magic and great intellect, making them skillful sorcerers.

Thousands of years ago Dark Elves enslaved Argonians making their alliance an unlikely one.

ArgoniansArgonians

The Argonians are possessed of a cool intellect, and are well-versed in the magical arts, stealth, and the use of blades. They are also guerilla warfare experts, long accustomed to defending their borders from invaders. They often serve as the scouts and skirmishers for the forces of the Pact.


Racial Passive Skills

Now that you know the background story of each race, you should compare their racial bonuses. Not every race is best suited for a particular play style, so if you’re in a dilemma our guide should help you pick the right one.

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