What Defines Elder Scrolls?

[Anantram]

How much do you think Bethesda can change the series before it stops being Elder Scrolls? What defines the series for you? The developers can make a new game that everyone loves, but that doesn't really make it a part of the series. Do you think the changes being made in Skyrim will make the series feel like something other than Elder Scrolls? Regardless of how you feel about these changes, and whether or not you like some of the suggestions being made for the game, its obvious that Skyrim is going to be noticeably different from the previous games.

[Isabella]

So there has been obviously a lot of different reactions to the way Bethesda is changing the attributes and class systems. There are also people complaining about Bethesda's choice to continue with their opening prison scene tradition, and there are a minority of ridiculous people who are asking to put firearms into Elder Scrolls. Go anywhere Do anything. Not Go everywhere Do everything in one fuzzing play through.

[Anthony12]

It’s already changing significantly by trying to -encompass a wider audience- or make it, easily accessible. I'd of been more impressed if they adopted the easy to learn hard to master approach, but that doesn’t exist currently and they are inching more and more towards ever wonder what happened to the feeling that you didn't know you could do something until you stumbled upon it? or actively looked for it? no work is left to the player everything is laid out without reservation, and at the same time all the work is dependent on the player, now focusing on "player skill" and direct input, last I checked my character was living the World of TES, not me.

[Bricklayer]

Redguard makes this a tricky question. If I had to say what I'd accept as a TES game IN GENERAL, as in, even if they wanted to do another spinoff-type game in the style of Redguard or something completely new, then I'd say the only thing that defines a TES game is the lore and the universe. If it takes place in Mundus and the pre-existing lore is relevant, then it's a TES game. But as far as what defines the main TES series, which I believe is what you're really wanting to know...for me, it's roleplaying in a fantasy world with mostly pre-specified lore, being able to be whoever and whatever I want to be, and being open-ended with the ability to ignore the main quest or to continue playing after the main quest. In a word, it's about freedom.

[Defender14]

It has culture, history, the mundane and the adventurous. You could be a street level thief or Arch Mage of the Arcane University. If Bethesda made a game that took place in modern times where you create a character and are set out into the world to do whatever you want i'd play the hell out of it. Chances are you could do whatever you wanted to and go anywhere. Even if you started out in a boring suburb you might end up a soldier in a war or a bank robber or something. They're good at that kind of stuff.

[Gajendra1]

The Elder Scrolls has nothing to do with the mechanics that lie behind the surface. It's the feel of the world, that gives you total freedom. See, Skyrims system just sounds so much more intuitive: you get better at what you do. Isn't that how real life also works? I don't have a bar in real life that shows my willpower, intelligence and so on. I love how the Dev team reinvents the series for every game. Because that's the only way to keep the series relevant.