The Elder Scrolls Online » Discussions


Would there be interest in a 'Complete Beginners Guide'

  • Member
    July 21, 2017

    Hey all

    I've been playing a lot of ESO over the last couple of months. Having kinda 'dabbled' for a long time, I resolved to properly get to grips this time around. As a result I've learned a load of stuff about the game that, frankly, I just didn't know previously.

    So my question is this: Would there be any value in me creating an ongoing series called something like 'The Complete Beginners Guide to ESO'? It's focus would be about really getting a handle on the fundamentals of combat, skills, crafting etc. It would about roleplaying, exploring and having fun, rather than grinding through the levels to get to end game.

    I'd see it as maybe being useful for those thinking of giving ESO a spin, with a particular focus on going from Skyrim to ESO

    Would there be interest in this?

  • Member
    July 21, 2017

    This sounds great, IMO!

  • July 21, 2017

    Hmmm Paul's Guide to help moronic Argonians do more than just kill crabs and train them to kill bears istead of jumping in the sea to escape them?

    Sounds like a win to me........

  • Member
    July 24, 2017

    I think that would be good, Paul. When I first played, the guide created by someone here was a big help, as was the ESO hlepdesk. That said, there was so much to take in and many things I should have paid attention to were missed. I didn't start crafting early, I didn't know how guild stores worked, didn't think to spend 250 gold every 20 hours in order to get a faster and stronger mount... And I certainly didn't know how useful ESO Plus was to fight the inventory management nightmare it is without that crafting bag.

    Since then I have wised up in both mechanics and how to enjoy ESO as a single player game complete with RP and meaningful character connection thanks to guys here and friends in private. Yet I still don't know half there is to know, and having that stuff reinforced would be invaluable. So yeah, sounds worthwhile to me.

  • July 24, 2017

    Wait what?

    Crafting? Guild Stores? Faster and stronger mounts? what do you mean ESO plus crafting bag?

    You mean there's more to ESO than just killing crabs and jumping in the sea to scape bears?

  • Member
    July 24, 2017

    Haha, exactly. As recently as the Jester's Fest event I had to ask, "what does that icon mean on my screen?"

    I hadn't touched the game since last summer prior to this event and since then so much had changed, I had forgotten so much. So now with Morrowind out and awesome (the Telvanni questline being one of the best quests in any game ever), the need to know these things and have them shouted out so players can get the best out of their exerience is important.

    ESO caters to so many different interests. I like the setting and RP and solo is my focus, but others enjoy PVP and groups, the concepts there are still unfamiliar to me. I guess my point is that because a player can really find the faction, questline, experience and role that suts them, knowing these basic things really streamlines getting into it and removes the fear and perception that ESO is an MMO and totally unlike Skyrim that it won't be fun.

  • July 24, 2017

    Well, I like archery, hunting and solo werewolfing. (Solo Werewolfing... hunting in werewolf form, what else?) Not been a werewolf yet though. (On my to do list along with... ermm...  Ok, ok I admit it... It IS my to do list). With this in mind I have no idea what I'm doing. I understand the Warden would be a good choice as they have a pet and they are good for solo play. But that is the extent of my knowledge.

     

  • Member
    July 24, 2017

    I don't even know how to become a werewolf! :D But I think you're right on the money with Warden. It is a beautiful class for those who like nature and the connection between the world and character in RP terms, and I am sure that Patriarch would cuff my ear and point out how well it handles on a more mechanical level too :D

    But yeah, the want to ride a wolf mount, have a wolf pet, and turn into a wolf in combat is like an RP dream and a deep immersion that ESO makes happen relatively easily. Then you pick the faction that most synergises with the experience you want or the scenery you want most and it all meshes nicely. Provided that people know how because there are a few more moving parts than Skyrim has.

    Just for giggles, here's my warden trying to cram as many creatures on-screen as he can. He has his bear, his netch, his vvardvark, and his guar :D

  • July 24, 2017

    I'll have to look up the wolf mount and wolf pet. Sounds like a win to me....

    You've got a few animals then Paws.... Looking good.

     

  • Member
    July 24, 2017

    Thanks Sotek :D

    Sotek said:

    Wait what?

    Crafting? Guild Stores? Faster and stronger mounts? what do you mean ESO plus crafting bag?

    You mean there's more to ESO than just killing crabs and jumping in the sea to scape bears?

    Ok, so I wasn't sure if these were questions for me or the community and motivation for Paul, but I'll try. So ESO plus' biggest advantage in my eyes is the Crafting Bag which is like a dump bag that crafting materials like ingredients or ore get dropped into and can be accessed by all characters on your account on that server. Before I had ESO plus i would need to store all that in the bank, which would quickly fill up and require me to buy upgrades to the bank storage and generally micro-manage all my inventory all the time. As ESO plus also gives a boost to bank space, it's like a double win.

    Crafting takes a long time. To learn a trait in order to create an item using that trait costs time. You need to destroy the item to learn it, and then wait for that trait to be learnt in real time (it happens in the background while you play or work). The more traits you learn, the more the waiting time increases before you can learn another. On my Khajiit Dragonknight, I still haven't learned all blacksmithing traits, and even though I can research two at a time, each trait takes ten hours to learn. So like now, I have stopped playing but before I stopped I started the research process. That way when I play again tonight, he would have unlocked two more traits and be ready to learn two more. The earlier you start that process, the more time it saves. If you want to craft, that is.

    The advantage is that I can have him create items for my other characters. Make a decent sword, drop it in a bank, then with another character I can access that weapon from the bank. If t's confined to one character, any others don't need to go through the process of crafting again - in theory.

    Yet crafting can be eliminated altogether as it isn't strictly needed (more insight from experts would help here) but, like, I could ask Patriarch to make me a set and send him something in exchange, or I could visit a guild merchant. These merchants hang out near the main zone's hub like Skywatch in Auridon. Sometimes you might be looking for a motif to let you craft in a certain style. Like, your Nord character can craft in the Nordic style, but you might like the look of the Minotaur style. Searching guild stores and buying motifs there is a good way of saving money. Edana showed me that process as it never occurred to me. I was going to spend Crowns on motifs but saved some real life money from that tip :) Styles are cool, and can help get the look and character connection you want, and can be mixed and matched. The more motifs you know, the more customisation you options you have. And that is ESO's greatest strength, customisation. The ability to dye your outfits the colours you like and make the character unique is why we all like crafting to begin with :D

    As for mounts, yeah there are stables in every main hub that let you train the mount to be faster, stronger (take more hits before you are dismounted), and increase carrying capacity. However, you can only increase one of each by 1% once every twenty hours. It is cheap, only 250 gold, but unless you start early and get in the habit of training each game session, your mount will be slow as crap later in the game.

    So a good habit to get into with ESO is to do a quest or series of quests, then head to town to bank stuff and learn traits, get some mount training. That way when you log back on you are set to go adventuring, then rinse and repeat at the end ready for the next sesh.