Forums » Elder Scrolls
I'll start this again...
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I want to know what everyone thinks about technological advances in the Elder Scrolls.
Personally I like the idea of a world this rich and in-depth to actually grow like a real world. I still can't believe the absolute hate of gunpowder or some fantasy equivalent. I understand "Magic is better" but not everyone is a mage. Spend years training a handful to be effective in magic. Spend 1 week training a hundred to be effective with a rifle. I see both sides but it honestly seems one side is open to change and the other is hardcore close minded and resistant to change.
What do you think?
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I don't think it is that magic is better, simply that magic negates the need for many technological advances. There's not much reason for somebody to combine things to try to make an explosive compound, not knowing if it will work or not, when he can simply learn to cast a Fireball spell. It is simpler to do something already known, even if it takes effort, than to try to create something unknown.
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I understand but we only see this world through the eyes of a capable whatever-you-wanna-do hero. The invention doesn't need to be on purpose. Many great inventions started as an accident. In all of the alchemists in the history of the elder scrolls not one has found some volatile compund capable of combustion? A fireball spell and a explosive charge aren't comparable. Who says magic and science can't exist simultaneously? One man may be skilled in magic but compared to how many can simply learn to light a fuse and run away makes magic a bit more of an art instead of a way of life.
From a militaristic stand point the legion doesn't even seem to use magic yet they have survived this long. Now these non magic users have a use for non magic devices such as cannons and muskets. They may not be as useful as a well trained archer or an adept mage but simpletons can point and shoot. Your opinion makes perfect sense for a certain amount of time but eventually things should move forward. -
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying they will never happen, simply that this would explain the stagnation. If most of the scholars are mages, they have little reason to dabble in some of those fields. And the Legion does use magic (remember the Torturer from Helgen), it's just no common among your run of the mill soldier, just as magic is not common for most regular people.
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Military technological innovation occurs during prolonged wars or long periods of strategic stalemate. There was no impetus for innovation during the centuries of the Empire's complete control of Tamriel.
Also, in our world gunpowder was invented centuries before cannons which came long before guns which again came a long time before armies began using rifles in large numbers. Considering the best smiths in Tamriel can't even figure out how the Dwemer made their metal, firearm barrels are probably beyond them. And if and when firearms are invented, it will take a couple centuries for them to become a dominant weapon... if they ever do.
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Play Fallout, Red Dead Redemption, or just about ANY other game. I'm sick of the creep of gun technology into games. Games should provide deep and diverse experiences, not just 31 flavors of guns. People are only sick of guns because games are over-saturated with them. It's completley reasonable to want less guns because all the big titles have guns, with a lot fewer RPGs and other fantasy or medieval games coming out. Even Assassin's Creed has guns now!
Saying TES needs guns is equivalent to saying more people in America need to celebrate Christmas; just be happy with 90% of games having guns and 80% of people celebrating Christmas.
Dwemer technology is mysterious and arcane for a reason. Also, it's not like anyone can just stroll into a dwemer ruins like the player can. As we've seen everyone requires a huge team of bodyguards and most get murdered by steam amunculi, falmer, and a wide array of beasties.
tl;dr: Elder Scrolls needs guns like it needs multiplayer; not at all.
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