Summary
As more time passes, the expectations surroundingThe Elder Scrolls 6are only growing. While the release will be looking to innovate and go beyond what past franchise games have portrayed, some core elements of older TES releases are worth reintroducing.
In terms of what gamesThe Elder Scrolls 6will take inspiration from, many will point towards its predecessorSkyrim, although the much olderMorrowindhas a lot of unsung mechanics that could be perfect for an updated return. With players being so used to theSkyrimformula and with the RPG genre becoming more traditional in a lot of ways, a lot can be learned fromMorrowind’s combat and sense of exploration forThe Elder Scrolls 6.
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The Elder Scrolls 6 and Morrowind: A Return To Traditional RPG Combat and Exploration
Releasing in 2002,The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowindis looked back on by many fans as an example of traditional RPG gameplay at its best. Inthe diverse province of Morrowind, the game leaves players to their own devices, with things like waypoints and on-screen compasses being completely absent. Just by being given a gentle nudge towards the main questline at the start of the game, it is entirely up to the player to explore and navigate the settlements of the province by using things like roadsigns or gaining directions from NPCs.
This is something thatThe Elder Scrollswould gradually move away from insubsequent releases likeOblivionandSkyrim, with some long-term fans disapproving of the “hand-holding” that leads players exactly where they need to be in newer games. While it would be unrealistic to applyMorrowind’s exploration to the likely huge map ofThe Elder Scrolls 6, the game would benefit from necessitating more direct exploration, or even introducing an optional feature to explore the game through a more classic lens.
Away from exploration,the combat ofMorrowindworks completely differently fromSkyrim, andTES 6would do well to look back at the 2002 release for inspiration.Morrowinduses a probability calculator for every attempt at damage that the player commits, similar to dice rolls in RPG experiences likeDungeons and Dragons. Crucially, this leads into the RPG staple of necessitating the skill of a character as opposed to the skill of a player, forcing fans to put skill points into the correct categories to increase the chance that their damage will successfully hit an enemy, and to what extent.
This is different fromSkyrim’s combat system, which essentially allows any damage attempt to land successfully within an enemy’s hitbox, with skills still serving to increase damage. WhileMorrowind’s probability-based combat has faced some criticism over time, recently released games likeBaldur’s Gate 3have adopted the same system to huge acclaim. Of course, this same system inThe Elder Scrolls 6would be in free-flowing combat as opposed tothe turn-based gameplay ofBaldur’s Gate 3, but it still shows that there is a huge modern demand for classic RPG elements.
Much of the past criticism ofMorrowind’s combat would be remedied by its appearance in a more polished and modern release likeThe Elder Scrolls 6, only increasing the potential benefits of Bethesda using the system in the new release. Of course,the combat ofSkyrimholds its own place in the hearts of fans, but the need for change inTES 6and the current trends of the wider RPG community mean that looking back toMorrowind’s experience will be the more fitting option.
The Elder Scrolls 6is currently in development.
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