The MMORPG Elder Scrolls Online is receiving a graphical upgrade that will enhance multiple zones at once, and there is a plan from the developers behind it.
What kind of graphical upgrade is this? Almost ten years have passed since the release of Elder Scrolls Online, and now the developers are giving the MMORPG a graphical update. With the upcoming Update 45, the starting areas Bleakrock Isle, Bal Foyen, Stros M’kai, Betnikh, and Khenarthi’s Roost will be beautified.
Similar to the MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic, the entire game world will not change. The developers are replacing textures, skins, and in-game objects with newer ones, bringing the oldest game areas up to the level of the newer zones.
The world builder Greg Barley explains what changes players can expect: “[…] Things like ground and water textures, grasses and flowers, lighting, and some small props have been replaced. […] Certain places have updated structures, such as the docks or shipwrecks on Khenarthi’s Roost.” Behind these changes is a plan from the developers, and more will follow.
Here you can see the changes
Focus on new players
What plan do the developers have? By allowing the five old starting areas to shine in a new light, new players are expected to receive a better impression of the game. The starting zones no longer met the ESO standard. Since they are the first point of contact for new players, an upgrade was particularly important.
The responsible art manager Morgan Godat comments: “Since these zones are smaller, we were able to bundle the changes and release them together to ensure that all new players have a first experience in an open zone that resembles the visual quality of our newly released zones, regardless of their choice at character creation.”
The zones that were created over 10 years ago before the MMORPG’s release have aged, and the developers are now using their years of experience with the game world to beautify them. However, this is not the only change in the game for new players.
Here are the highlights of the last update:
What else is changing? Update 45 also further targets the experience of new players. For fresh adventurers, obtaining the first mount is an important experience in Elder Scrolls Online. However, as a new player sitting on a horse for the first time, progress was initially only slow. Some players even felt that they could sprint faster than their horse could gallop.
However, the developers want to change this feeling by increasing the base speed. This way, players will ride faster through the world of Tamriel from the start. The top speed has only been slightly increased, so experienced players will hardly benefit from the change.
Update 45 for Elder Scrolls Online starts on March 10 for PC and Mac and on March 26 for Xbox and PlayStation. In addition to the mentioned changes, players can also expect an improved UI and better hints on the important Mundus stones in the game. For more information, you can check out our guide: ESO: What are Mundus stones and where can you find them?
