SinceThe Elder Scrolls 6was announced inE3 2018,Bethesdahas featured zero updates about it. This isn’t much of a surprise, asBethesdagame director Todd Howard has long maintained that open-world FPSRedfalland sci-fi action RPGStarfieldwill come out firstbefore development forTES 6begins in earnest.
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WithRedfalljust launching andStarfieldstill in development,TES 6’s team has more than enough time to think about how they can innovate with the new title. Dozens of triple-A titles have come out sinceTES 5: Skyrim’s first release in 2011. Including, or taking inspiration from, novel mechanics in these games can make the wait for the highly-anticipated entry worth it.
10Advanced Companion AI
TEShas a wide variety of followers from various factions, holds, and quests.Skyrimalone hasdozens of companionssuited for different playstyles. In exchange for variety, however, players often have to work around their sometimes janky AI.
Companions inTES 6can take cues on how to programhelpful AI alliesfromPillars of Eternity,God of War, andBioshock Infinite. Atreus and Elizabeth never get in the way of the player, and aid combat and exploration in intuitive ways.PoE’sAI script is intricate, and can be perfectly programmed around player preferences.
9Physics & Mechanics That Work For Combat & Exploration
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomcan’t be ignored as an influence for any future open-world RPG.
ToTK’sawesomephysics engineallowed hundreds of different systems to work together flawlessly in an open world. IfTES 6can even emulate a fraction of that, it can open new doors for exploration and combat, and a new way to play cabbage basketball.
Meanwhile,Horizon Forbidden West’sfree-climbing, mounted combat, gliding, underwater exploration, and Pullcaster not only make exploring fun but makes the world feel fully playable and not just an open display.
8Better Stealth
Stealth inSkyrimis incredibly overpowered; so much so, that mods thatintentionally punish stealth, or make it more challenging, exist. Revamping the beloved, and beloathed, mechanic inTES 6is a must.
Hitman 3,Dishonored, andMetal Gear Solid 5have radically different stealth mechanics, but haveresponsive AI and environment mechanicsworth revisiting.
Hitman 3makes its limited levels feel fresh by creating dozens of ways to sneak around and accomplish missions. Weather, destruction physics, player equipment, and enemy states heighten the tension and action potential inMGS 5. Lastly,Dishonoredprovides players with a mix of tools and powers to vary their approach to stealth, and end things lethally or non-lethally.
7Dynamic Melee
While it would be hilarious, and intriguing, to haveDevil May Cry-style action inTES 6, it’s likelier to findstylish but grounded melee combatin the sequel. To this end, it’s worth revisitingGod of War (2018)andGhost of Tsushimato modernize TES’s melee system.
God of Warhas distinct fighting styles per weapon. Fluidly chaining combos together also feels good, especially when switching weapons and stances on the fly. On the other hand, there’s nothing quite like parrying or dodging a blow inGhost of Tsushimaand following up with a satisfying counter.
6Experimental Magic System
The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowindwon fans over with custom spells, and although bringing this feature back would be great, this andMorrowind’sentire magic system would need retooling for a modern player base.
Divinity: Original Sinhas a boatload of options for combining spells and effects. Mages can teleport unsuspecting enemies on untold hazards; Entangle foes for easier roasting with pyro spells; use Contamination on puddles after casting Rain to poison then set enemies on fire, and so on.
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AddingDragon’s Dogma’smagic system to the mix builds another layer to spellcasting. Fantastic animations aside, there’s a real sense of progression for improving spells, and figuring out the perfect counter to resistances lets players broaden their spells list.
5Environmental Damage
IfSkyrimhad slayable dragons to make the player feel powerful,TES 6can have gameplay-relevant destruction physics to make them feel like their power can literally change the world.
ControlandRainbow Six Siegefeaturegameplay-influenced destruction physicsthat are both functional and heighten the tension of every encounter. IfStarfield’sgame engine can truly enable players toexpand on the worldsthey land on, thenTES 6can have some form of destructible environment that can have gameplay consequences.
4Weapon, Armor, And Accessory Crafting
Skyrimhad alchemy, blacksmithing, and other crafting mechanics available, but games withinteresting and functional craftingshow that players can do more than renaming an enchanted ebony sword.
Monster Hunter Rise’s crafting mechanic is simple, yet made unique by the fact that every beast in the game has a one-of-a-kind armor set or weapon tied to its materials.Prey’s system of using junk to craft game-changing items can turn the averageBethesdaRPG player’s impulse to collect miscellaneous items into a useful trait. Finally,Niohgives players a chance to tweak their gear with parts from almost any item for precise stats, instead of leaving it all to chance.
3Convenient Homesteading & Building
Skyrim’sDLCHearthfirerewards players with their own customizable property, and a home to raise a family in. Admittedly, not a lot of triple-A titles have the family part of this mechanic, butNi no Kuni 2,Fallout 4,Animal Crossing: New Horizonshave the building part down pat.
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The hundreds ofHearthfire-related mods forSkyrimshow there is a market forAnimal Crossing-style building and customization forTES 6. IfTES 6allows players to become jarls or another kind of landowner, the advanced settlement-building mechanics fromNi no Kuni 2andFallout 4will not go amiss.
2Army Command System
Fans have had years to speculateTES 6’s plot. Some fans think it’s possible that in-game lore inSkyrimpoints towards apossible exploration of Akivir, or atrip to Hammerfell.
Another possibility is the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion finally coming to a head. Regardless of how players resolve the civil war inSkyrim, it’s clear the two sides despise each other. If players are given a role in resolving this conflict, it wouldn’t be amiss tolook at strategy gamesfor a fun gameplay twist.
Total War: WARHAMMER 2offers the time-testedTotal Wargameplay with elements of the Sci-Fi fantasy wargame.Age Of Empires 2: Definitive Editionfreshened up the 1999 classic’s core gameplay and AI, which learns from player input on higher difficulty levels.
1Quests That Change The World State
Major quests have marked effects on character dialogue and behavior inSkyrim. Despite these cosmetic changes, nothing of substance truly happens. Assassinating the Emperor adds new street chatter but not much else,defeating Alduinmakes dragon invasions rarer but does not allow burnt villages to rebuild, and so on.
Final Fantasy 15,Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, andRed Dead Redemption 2have pretty drasticchanges to their world statesafter certain points in the plot. The points of no return are definite and have repercussions.
With a new engine,TES 6can make far-reaching changes in the world once certain quests are accomplished. It also creates real consequences for the series’ hallmarked narrative freedom.
The Elder Scrolls 6is currently in development.
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