You’ve never been much into computer games, but your best friend, kid, or co-worker convinced you to try Elder Scrolls online. Modern video games can be quite confusing for people unfamiliar with how they work, especially MMOs like the Elder Scrolls online. Don’t worry, you can actually pick it up pretty quickly. Here is a short Elder Scrolls online guide to get you started.
Elder Scrolls Online is an MMO, which means something no one can remember, but it basically means a video game that thousands of people can play at the same time. There are three ways to play an MMO.
Solo Play: You play alone and interact with other players only when you want. You get quests from non-player characters (think of them as the supporting cast). Follow the quest instructions to learn about the world, gain experience, and do cool things. You can also just explore the world, learn to do things and other extras.
Group Play: You get together with a group of your friends and go into “instances,” special missions that only you and your friends can participate in, so you don’t run into other players. If you have friends you can play with, group play can be a great way to learn the game with people you trust to help you. Just make sure your friends are laid back gamers. Some serious MMO players can get annoyed with new players making beginner mistakes, and playing them when you’re learning is the exact opposite of fun.
PvP: Player vs. Player pits you against other players. In most MMOs, PvP is pretty much a free-for-all. In ESO, each player is a member of one of three armies fighting for control of Tamriel’s capital, Cyrondil. PvP can be a lot of fun if you want to play with other people, but don’t have any friends to play with. Get comfortable controlling your character solo before trying out PvP.
Each character in ESO has a race (what species they are), a class (which gives you some special abilities), and an alliance (which side of the three-way civil war they’re on). ESO’s character creator will guide you through building your first character. Don’t worry too much about the different abilities you can get with different races and classes right now. Just pick what sounds interesting and run it. Once the game starts, you will have the option to go directly to the main game or start in a beginner area, which will teach you the basics of the game. Take your time exploring the beginners area, and when you finish the quests there, you’ll be able to move on to the main game.