The Endings of TESGames

[Dane]

We changed the topic a bit this was the original question: "can an open world game end (as in, no more playing)?"

What did you like about the endings? and what is it you didn't like?

This may be used for future mods.

My Idea about a better OB ending: In spoiler tags because it contains a lot of spoilers

My version (first):

It could be made that you CAN (IE martin Dies) fail the quests it would make a really nice questline, like you need to lead a small pocket of resistance fighters against the army of Mehrunes that needs the help from the other gods to defeat him,

My version (second):

If you succeed but with heavy losses and the gates of Oblivion are still open and you need to close them all after which the Imperial Palace is destroyed in a last effort to take the realms but because of some sort of Divine Intervention (like that if you "Kill" JyGaladyGaga he shows up to battle Mehrunes or that Hermeaus Mora shows up after completing her quest or Azura because she's one of the Aedra or one of the 9 divines).

Edited October 7, 2010 by Dane

[Lady_Nerevar]

Just a little background: my original shouty question (which prompted this thread) was "can an open world game end (as in, no more playing)?" I then went on to say that its really hard to do a main quest ending that you can keep playing after, because the nature of the main quest will mean huge change that is not reflected when the quest is finished. For instance,

In Oblivion, the only real result is the destruction of the Temple. The fall of the Septim Empire, take over by the Elder Council, and destruction wrought by the gates is not reflected. Life goes on a normal.

In Morrowind, the only real result is the lack of ash storms. The fall of Dagoth Ur does not really matter, and neither does the return of Nerevar reborn. Its life as usual.

I don't know if its physically possible to make them better without making a whole new game after the end of the game. For instance, after Oblivion,

you'd have to show the political unrest and how it impacts the Cyrodiilic society.

Theres just too many factors to really end the game well. Unless the clean up after the Big Event is part of the main quest, it will seem unfinished to me.

In other words, I almost feel that for a really dramatic quest to make sense the game has to end after.

[Dane]

it's possible to make a nice questline after the MQ but you need to really finish it and not half like the original OB did

and you need to make multiple quest lines, but I know, "Money, Time, Resources"

[Lady_Nerevar]

How, though? Your endings still leave us with the problem of having a static world post-end. You'd need to implement a whole new series of quests about cleaning up the world and dealing with the changes due to the Big Event to really have it make sense. At that point, you're just building a whole new game after the end of your original game, which doesn't make much sense in terms of time and money management.

[Dane]

well.. actually that's what I was saying but you can't make a good comfortable ending without ending the game (I think) It's not like reallife stuff won't *just* happen..

[Rowan]

My version (first):

It could be made that you CAN (IE martin Dies) fail the quests it would make a really nice questline, like you need to lead a small pocket of resistance fighters against the army of Mehrunes that needs the help from the other gods to defeat him,

I really like this idea. Stories need a moment where the proponent loses hope and retreats, but then rises up stronger than ever to defeat his enemies and win the day.

[Dane]

I really like this idea. Stories need a moment where the proponent loses hope and retreats, but then rises up stronger than ever to defeat his enemies and win the day.

that's something all stories need they need a moment all hope is lost but then something happens that is just amazing and changes the chances

and actually I'm currently developping the story for a mod that fills in the blanks of the players past (or atleast partially, it's more of a nice quest mod but the story focuses on the grey areas in the players past) and it's a lot of work trying to make it as player friendly possible and I think it's near impossible to make a nice PostMQ story

Edited October 7, 2010 by Dane

[Ysne58]

I think the reason both Morrowind and Oblivion are still going strong, is because so much user made content has been and continues to be added. Both games are very playable after the ending of the main quest because there are so many options.

[Rowan]

In my opinion, Morrowind had a better and more interesting overall story.

[Dane]

In my opinion, Morrowind had a better and more interesting overall story.

it had a more interesting story and IMHO a lot longer but OBs story is just generic it isn;t special at all

[vometia]

I think the reason both Morrowind and Oblivion are still going strong, is because so much user made content has been and continues to be added. Both games are very playable after the ending of the main quest because there are so many options.

In a way I play those games in spite of the main quest rather than because of it! Although I kind of enjoyed the MQ of both, they felt a bit... I dunno, I suppose MQs always feel a bit too "driven" and urgent for my liking, if that makes any sense. I prefer adventuring and finding out what there is to explore and random things I can do instead of all the "do this, and immediately if not sooner!" you seem to find with main quests.

[Rowan]

I'm all about the stories. It's what allows me to enter the game I guess you could say.

[InsanitySorrow]

For me as long as the game has a strong story, I could care less if it ended, even if it's an open world. Fallout 3 is a good example (Before DLC), good story and side quests but ended when the MQ did.

[vometia]

For me as long as the game has a strong story, I could care less if it ended, even if it's an open world. Fallout 3 is a good example (Before DLC), good story and side quests but ended when the MQ did.

I resented it ending, and refused to play until the Broken Steel add-on came along and un-ended it again. For me it just wasn't worth all the Enclave Aggro Boys popping up all over the landscape like fungus only to find myself running into a wall at the end of the game. I know it completed the story and all, but I prefer wandering about causing trouble and running away from things. The idea of being a posthumous hero rather bummed me out.

[Dane]

I resented it ending, and refused to play until the Broken Steel add-on came along and un-ended it again. For me it just wasn't worth all the Enclave Aggro Boys popping up all over the landscape like fungus only to find myself running into a wall at the end of the game. I know it completed the story and all, but I prefer wandering about causing trouble and running away from things. The idea of being a posthumous hero rather bummed me out.

Same here I downloaded the BrokenSteel addon just because of the continued gameplay