A new update is set to be released in The Elder Scrolls Online this September 28. One of the new features that's planned to be added is the Rumors system. It offers a fun new way for players to experience Tamriel.
In a post, the development team revealed that when they were working on this new system, they wanted it to give players a new way to explore the world that's beyond the traditional questline pathways. Associate Design Director Jason Barnes explained that for this upcoming feature, they wanted to come up with an old-school questing and narrative scavenger hunt experience. By removing the usual quest UI assistance, he added they hope for players to decipher clues on their own and engage more directly with the world.
While Rumors can continue to deliver the narrative that players already experience in The Elder Scrolls Online, they won't be told what to do or where to go. This means that they have to piece together clues, separate truth from red herrings, and often decide how they want to resolve the Rumor.
No Handholding
Basically with the Rumors system, the handholding that players experience on a traditional quest won't be available. It forces players to rely on their knowledge and wits. However, not all is lost, so to speak. There is a bit of assistance through the new kind of Journal entry. Rumors have their own section within the Quest Journal and there's a new tab where players can cycle back and forth. In addition, each unsolved Rumor comes with a hint to point players toward where they should start investigating.
Investigating a Rumor
When players investigate a Rumor, they'll discover three different types where each one vary not only in difficulty but also complexity. Whispers for example is easy especially if players are paying attention. Meanwhile, Plots should need a bit more logic. Finally, there are the Conspiracies where the players have to really dig in and then figure out how all the clues actually connect.
In addition to getting the bragging rights for solving a mystery, those who can complete Rumors get rewarded with consumables, set items, gold, and even an upgrade item for the Prowler’s Amulet mythic necklace.
The Elder Scrolls Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game that’s set in the expansive world of Tamriel. For the PC, the game is available on Steam.