The war for the throne of Tamriel will begin later this year when video gamers choose between one of three warring fractions and step into the fantasy realm of The Elder Scrolls Online.
In a recent interview with the Examiner's Gareth Von Kallenbach, ZeniMax Online Studio's creative director Paul Sage discussed player types, abilities and customizations.
Sage explains that players can really become an expert at anything in the game because the choice is theirs.
"Players will have access to many different skills and abilities," Sage told the Examiner. "What they choose to become an expert in is really up to them. Players can choose to become experts in certain weapons such as two-handed weapons, they can become experts in the art of healing, or they might choose to concentrate more on things, which enhance their skill in armor."
Sage continued, "As they gain new abilities or skills, players will add abilities to their shortcut bar. How they fill this bar, really defines how they want to play right now, or their role."
The creative director says that the longer a gamer plays The Elder Scrolls Online, the broader the scope for the user created character.
"Some players might choose to fill their bar with healing abilities, and they might choose to equip a healing staff, Sage said. "So the role they have chosen is one of healing and support. However, that same player might, on a different day, choose to go for more defensive abilities. The longer you play The Elder Scrolls Online, the broader in scope what your character can do becomes."
Later in the interview, Sage explained how player customization would be handled from the very beginning of the game.
"Players will have a ton of ways to customize their character, some of which I touched on in the question regarding player types," Sage told the Examiner. "From the very beginning players will choose which alliance they wish to become a part of, which race they are, what they look like, and what skills they wish to start with. As players gain experience in the game, they will choose to add to their health, magicka or stamina, and they will choose which abilities they acquire."
He further explained, "Then there are the other ways they will customize their character: which armor, which weapons and which clothing they will wear. They'll also make choices in quests and other important situations that will further differentiate their experience from that of other players."
You check on the full interview here on the Examiner. Read more about how ESO's combat system is a work in progress here and about how the game is different than other MMOs here. Check out the new CGI trailer below and tell us what you think about the new game in the comment section.
