The Elder Scrolls Online Ask Us Anything #13-14

There are two new "Ask Us Anything" community Q&As for The Elder Scrolls Online available, one hosted on the official website and focused on gathering and exploration, the other hosted on Tamriel Foundry in anticipation of E3, without a particular subject as its focus.

A snip from the first:
Could you shed some light on the crafting and collecting systems for ESO? Will you need to go to a trainer to pick up new schematics/crafting plans? By Conrad Furey

Much like in previous Elder Scrolls games, there are no recipes or schematics you must collect or learn from trainers in ESO; there are multiple ways to create every craftable item in the game. Discovering the optimal mix of ingredients and additives to make that perfect item is all part of the challenge of being a crafter.

Are you going to stay with the old system of making your own gear or only allow one crafting skill so everyone becomes an expert in 1 or 2 fields eg. tailor/sword smith/weapon smith/alchemist/rune crafting ect. By Marc Neveling

You can master up to two crafting fields. Our intention is for the specialists to trade with one another (I make you a sword, and you make me a breastplate). That makes for a healthy economy, and gives every crafter the opportunity to find their specialized niche within the market.

And from the second:
I was wondering about the way the perk points/talent trees will work. Will it be similar to Skyrim in that every level we get one point to spend on one skill, or will there be multiple trees that each get a point to spend; i.e. will combat skills have their own tree, and crafting have its own? So we can develop our combat skills and crafting skills at the same time while leveling up. By Chris

Currently, we have split advancement systems for crafting and adventuring adventuring being the all-encompassing term for everything that isn't specifically crafting. Crafting progression works by gaining inspiration while crafting; you advance as you complete various accomplishments. The skill points you get for adventuring come from three different sources: leveling, major quest accomplishments, and sky shards. You can spend a skill point any time you get one.

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I wanted to know: how far will you guys be going with the story decisions aspect of the game, in the sense that only a small number of games allow players to make major decisions in the game that may change the progression, but even so there are not any repercussions by making a decision. Will the team focus on the engagement of the story or only the lore? By Darwick A.

There are lots of different choices in the game, but since you're asking about story choices: yes, they will have varying degrees of impact. The impact could be as small as the way your character answers someone, having little impact other than letting you choose your style of answer. Other choices may only impact that particular NPC maybe you see them pursuing a suggested career choice you made later. Sometimes, your choices will impact those closest to you or have much larger impact. Your story choices will definitely impact the outcome of what you see and play.