The Elder Scrolls 6is still a long distance away before it releases, and its developers are clearly aiming for a massive open world and plenty of adventure that should rivalSkyrimin every way possible. However, there is still plenty to draw fromSkyrim’sfundamentals, and in reflecting on Skyrim’s faction system, there is plenty of inspiration for whichElder Scrolls 6can utilize similar formulas and take them to a much deeper level.
Though it is likelyElder Scrolls 6will have longtime fan-favorite staples among factions comprising the Thieves Guild, Fighters Guild, Mages Guild and the Dark Brotherhood,Elder Scrolls 6should provide players with plenty of unique factions that are unique to its time period and place. Skyrim, similarly, had many of its own quest-trees at players' disposal, from the Bards College in Solitude, and the fight-oriented faction of the Companions, with their own world-views and ideological political and cultural paradigms within.
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Direction of Factions
Obvious ways in which more depth can be developed is through giving players more influence over the direction of factions, as well as interacting with other factions in various ways to very much change the scope of the landscape.Skyrimdid this at times, such as allowingSkyrimplayers to side with the Stormcloaks or the Imperials, which would also dictate which landmarks were occupied by foot soldiers at times.
Elder Scrolls 6can utilize these dynamics in much more depth, potentially establishing more nuanced choices within factions, such as internal rivalries or sub-factions that can take root and change the trajectory of the faction moving forward in the timeline, as well as how they interact with the larger political landscape.
More Faction Dynamics and Development
One habit that many games, includingSkyrim, are susceptible to is making all the factions present already at the start of the game, and already drawn into the fabric of the landscape. It would be a unique development forElder Scrolls 6to tackle this formula and have factions begin to take fruition later on in the game, forming through grassroots movements as newly established movements reacting to issues transpiring upon the political landscape. This would also make the landscapes seem more lively through its use ofElder Scrollsfactions.
For example, based on relationships of convenience between other factions, a rival faction could birth itself based on the collective interests of those that oppose the new agendas or political dynamics that come into play. The slow culmination of theBoston Tea Party’s formation and rebellion inAssassins Creed 3is a great example of this, despite it being the main story questline.
Dragon Age: Inquisitionalso included the ability to influence the political landscapeof the world map on a more grand scale, through its system of dispatching agents on missions on a map system, which often times fortified or severed alliances and gained more power for the Inquisition in different ways. Though it was a very basic system that did not really change the end-game,Elder Scrollshas always been a series that is more concerned with ongoing progress. In other words, it is a game best experienced by not finishing it completely, or too quickly.
Fans are still plunking hundreds of hours intoSkyrima decade after its release, and developers ofElder Scrolls 6have stated they wantgamers to playElder Scrolls 6for over a decade as well. Therefore, the way in which factions influence the landscape should scratch an itch that demonstrates a lot of dynamic ways of influencing the game-world.
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Sub-Factions and More Influence Within
Given thatElder Scrolls 6is rumored to be immense in size, possibly containing more than one region, there could even be different versions of certain guilds, such asElder Scrolls’Dark Brotherhood, with their own sub-cultures and unique agendas, some of which may even display internal rivalries.
Also,Skyrimdid a good job in giving players a sense of climbing the ranks within a guild or faction, and often times taking over the leadership by the end of a faction’s sub-campaign. Though it would sometimes span out further, too often the factions became short on unique content once this stage of the faction storyline is reached.Elder Scrolls 6could drastically improve upon this formula by adding a longer continuation of the factions' sub-campaign after finishing the initial lineage ofSkyrimqueststhat allow the player to reach a top-tier spot within a faction. In other words, more end-story faction content would go far, especially in leading a faction onward into the political landscape or possibly trying to expand it, depending what type of faction it is
One way in whichElder Scrolls 6could add lots more replay value and incentive to create multiple characters is through the establishment of deeper and multi-faceted party relations between factions, depending how the player steers the direction factions embark upon. In other words, depending how political lines are drawn, it should not be easy for a player to join all factions in the game or even the overwhelming majority at once, given expected conflict of interests. InSkyrim, there are a few exceptions where players can only join one or the other faction, but it is only on occasion. Also, the limited choices are pre-determined and are usually as simple as choosing one faction over the other.
However, for the most part, players can join the vast majority of factions inSkyrimwith ease and go through their sub-campaigns one at a time without any issues.
Elder Scrolls 6should clearly be immensein its narratives told through the navigation of its faction system, as well as the immensity of its largely polarized landscapes. The faction dynamics should allow for deeply influential changes along the way, including its overall course, rather than a pre-determined trajectory that sticks relatively close to its tracks regardless of a few major internal decisions within the faction.
