The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset – Matt Firor Interview, Previews

During this year’s PAX East, Gamereactor got a chance to chat with Matt Firor, the game director on Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls Online. That conversation focused on the upcoming Summerset expansion for the MMORPG and why internally, the developers prefer the term chapter to expansion. Check it out:

Here’s an excerpt from the interview transcript:

Speaking about Summerset, Firor explained why they use the term chapter instead of expansion.

“It’s like Morrowind, we don’t like to use the term expansion, because we’re not level-based like other MMO-type games, so Summerset is just as good for a new player as it is for an experienced one.”

When you’re not creating an expansion aimed at experienced players, how do you make sure that there wants are catered for as well?

“The number one thing that we have to do in chapters like Summerset and Morrowind last year is, we have to tell a great Elder Scrolls story. So all players of the game love that if we do that we’re great. But we have, for the more hardcore group players, we’re adding in a trial in this chapter. Which is 12 players, extremely hardcore content, but really good loot rewards.”

And apart from that, a number of new previews for Summerset are now available online. IGN, for example, thinks that the expansion makes the game feel fresh again:

I didn’t see everything Summerset had to offer during my time on the PTS, but my two favorite moments involved a sea elf (Maormer) focused quest and experiences with the new Abyssal Geysers. The quest had me breaking into the Seak Keep, a large stronghold near the coast under the control of the sea elves. I was accompanied by an Altmer warrior that needed me to help him rescue his beloved, who was of course a sea elf double agent. What unfolded was a classic case of Romeo and Juliet-esque forbidden love, but it underscored what ESO has always done better than any other MMO on the market: weaving smart, interesting, and involved stories into bite-sized chunks. It’s got some of, if not the, very best voice acting in any MMO I’ve ever played and Summerset continues to carry that torch.

USGamer thinks it’s is a step in the right direction:

This is good, because as I said, the play hasn’t changed. You’re playing Summerset to really engage with this new environment and all the quests and characters that come along with it. What I’ve seen so far shows me that Zenimax Online doesn’t need to rely so hard on nostalgia; they can push a Skyrim expansion down the line a bit and spend more time fleshing out the less-explored regions of Tamriel. Elsweyr, the home of the Khajiit, could use some love in a similar manner as the Summerset Isles are here.

As it stands, these early hours show me that the Elder Scrolls Online team finally has a handle on its overall direction and what the team is good at. The game has found its firm footing after years of work. With that understanding and the entirety of Tamriel to play with, the team could do some very interesting things and I hope they keep treading new ground rather than redefining the old.

MMORPG.com is also quite positive about the whole thing:

After playing around with the questing and general things to do, I felt happy with the overall vibe of the new Chapter. My biggest takeaway from the beginning till now is that, if you have enjoyed Elder Scrolls Online already, Summerset will not disappoint you. I feel like, if you are looking for something “brand new” you might be happy with the new skill tree and still be left wanting more. I don’t say that to be a negative Nancy, I’d rather be completely honest with you all. We are getting new content, new skill line and a bunch of new things, but it’s not a whole redesign or anything like that. There isn’t a plethora of new systems.

One of the many things that I did like is the Abyssal Geysers, they function just like the Dark Anchors would, but I feel like “Abyssal Geyser” has a way better name for it. Along with that, I think the enemies/monsters you see in Summerset is a breath of fresh air to me, you will see some familiarity throughout the zone, but I love the atmosphere Zenimax has provided for Summerset. Speaking with people returning to the game with Summerset and veterans, the overall response to Summerset has been positive.

And finally, Dualshockers finds the latest TESO chapter to be both intriguing and relaxing:

Overall, The Elder Scrolls Online continues to be both intriguing and relaxing with the MMORPG’s newest chapter, Summerset. Though I’m very new to the ESO experience, the level agnostic nature of the game allows you to start right from the beginning disregarding the traditional level rules of most MMOs; it’s a subtle feature that doesn’t force you to play through the content you don’t want to play. The main quest may be slow at the start but it quickly picks up steam, which kept me invested with an engaging plot that I wasn’t expecting. The only downside I experienced was the tedium of unlocking the new Psijic Order Skill Line; it isn’t hard by any means — and exploring the beautiful and vibrant land of the High Elves makes that journey seem less strenuous — but leveling that skill tree and garnering all of those abilities will take some time.