Saturday 30 March 1998.
It's been a week since The Elder Scrolls IV: Morrowind hit the market, and it's safe to say it completely shook the gaming world. When players first picked it up, many assumed it would be another solid entry in the Elder Scrolls series, which up to now had included The Elder Scrolls: Arena, Arena II, and The Elder Scrolls III: Daggerfall. All of them were developed by ZAGE, and fans were expecting more of the same—deep RPG elements, expansive worlds, and immersive lore.
What they got instead was something beyond expectations. The graphics were jaw-droppingly impressive, with a level of detail and vibrancy that made the game world feel alive and massive. It wasn't just big—it was dynamic, with a living ecosystem that begged to be explored. Everything players loved about previous Elder Scrolls titles was still there, but now it was enhanced in every possible way. The game featured a robust skill-based and magic-based progression system, joinable factions with branching paths, Daedra quests that added layers of dark mystery, and countless other improvements that elevated the experience. .
One of the major improvements in Morrowind is the addition of an entirely new armor classification and weapon type system, which adds far more depth to character customization and gear progression. The game now features armor sets that are categorized based on the materials they are forged from—such as Steel, Chitin, Bonemold, Glass, Ebony, and the legendary Daedric materials. Each type has its own unique appearance, weight class, and defensive properties, making equipment choices far more meaningful depending on your build or playstyle. From the intimidating glow of Daedric armor to the sleek and minimalist design of Chitin, the visual variety is simply stunning.
This new system isn't limited to just armor—weapon designs now follow similar material-based classifications. Players can now craft or loot weapons made of the same ingot-based materials, allowing for cohesive gear sets that not only look great but perform exceptionally well in combat. On top of this, Morrowind introduces a brand-new enhancement system that takes gear to the next level. This mechanic allows players to imbue their weapons and armor with magical effects, stat boosts, and special abilities. These enhancements aren't just cosmetic—they can drastically alter the outcome of battles, giving players a deeper sense of strategy and reward.
Whether you're enchanting a sword to drain health with every hit or boosting your armor to resist fire and shock, the game now lets players personalize their gear to an incredible degree. This level of detail and customization makes the world feel more alive and reactive to player choices, and it's a big reason why so many fans are calling Morrowind the most immersive Elder Scrolls experience yet.
There are many enhancement options in this game, and they significantly expand the way players approach both combat and customization. Enhancements are now divided into multiple types: some are triggered when striking an enemy, others are activated manually when used, and there are also constant effect enchantments that remain active as long as the equipment is worn. This level of variety makes the gameplay more strategic and flexible, allowing players to fine-tune their builds according to their preferred playstyle.
The satisfaction of fully enhancing your gear—whether it's a blade that ignites foes on impact or armor that constantly regenerates magicka—adds an exciting layer of progression that feels both rewarding and immersive.
In addition to these improvements, the alchemy system has also undergone a major overhaul. Players can now eat raw ingredients to discover their effects, which adds a new layer of discovery and experimentation to the process. Over time, players can identify each ingredient's properties and begin crafting increasingly complex potions tailored to their needs. This change makes alchemy feel more intuitive and hands-on, as you learn through trial, error, and exploration.
All of these elements come together to create a game that feels incredibly alive and personal. The enhancement and alchemy systems are no longer just side mechanics—they are core components of what makes Morrowind such a rich and rewarding experience.
The skill tree system in Morrowind has seen a massive overhaul and expansion. Not only has it become deeper and more intricate, but it also introduces a level of player customization that was previously unseen in the Elder Scrolls series. Zaboru, drawing from his knowledge of Skyrim from his previous life, began implementing a skill tree structure inspired by Skyrim's streamlined yet diverse layout. The result is a balanced and intuitive system with three major archetypes: Warrior, Mage, and Thief. Each archetype contains its own dedicated set of skills, allowing for distinct playstyles that feel both rewarding and natural.
The Warrior path includes One-Handed Weapons, Two-Handed Weapons, Archery, Block, Heavy Armor, and Blacksmithing. These skills focus on physical strength, durability, and weapon mastery, giving players the tools to dominate in close combat. The Mage path features Destruction, Alteration, Restoration, Conjuration, Illusion, and Enchanting, providing a wide range of magical abilities from direct damage and healing to summoning allies and manipulating the battlefield. Meanwhile, the Thief path emphasizes stealth and agility, with skills like Sneak, Pickpocket, Lockpicking, Speech, Alchemy, and Light Armor—ideal for players who prefer a more tactical, clever approach to challenges.
But Zaboru didn't stop at simply recreating the original Skyrim tree. He expanded it further by integrating ideas from the modding community in his previous life. He added new skills, refined progression trees, and introduced perks that allow for even more nuanced builds. For example, Archery can now specialize into quick-fire styles or precision sniping, and Alchemy includes branches that enhance poisons or buff potions. These kinds of layered improvements mean that players can truly shape their characters in unique ways. Whether someone wants to be a battle-mage, a stealthy illusionist, or a brute-force berserker, the system supports it—and encourages creativity in character development.
As a result, Morrowind now offers an extraordinary variety of viable builds, encouraging players to experiment and replay the game with completely different strategies. This evolving skill tree system has quickly become one of the most praised elements of the game, reinforcing ZAGE's reputation for delivering deeply customizable and player-driven RPG experiences.
The gameplay of combat in ZAGE's Morrowind is now a refined fusion of mechanics inspired by both the original Morrowind and Skyrim from Zaboru's previous life, creating a system that feels both familiar and fresh. Spellcasting still retains its classic Morrowind identity, where spells can fail to cast depending on several conditions—such as character fatigue, armor type, and your current magical proficiency. Wearing heavy armor, for instance, reduces the chance of successful spellcasting unless the player has acquired specific perks or passive skills to negate this drawback. This makes build planning and progression much more thoughtful.
From Skyrim, Zaboru borrowed the dual-casting system, allowing spells to be cast with either one hand or both. Casting with one hand allows for flexibility and the use of another item or spell, while casting with both hands increases the power, success rate, and area of effect of the spell. However, it also consumes magicka and stamina faster, creating a risk-reward tradeoff that feels incredibly satisfying during intense battles.
But perhaps one of the most beloved additions is the return of custom spell creation—just like in the original Morrowind. If players have sufficient magical skill and knowledge, they can now create entirely new spells from scratch. They can combine various effects, choose the element type, determine magnitude and duration, and even name their creations. The system gives players an unparalleled level of freedom to tailor their spellbook to their exact liking. You could, for example, create a lightning spell that paralyzes enemies and sets them ablaze—or a healing spell that restores health and cures poison at the same time.
This feature alone has sparked a massive wave of creativity within the community, as players eagerly share their custom spell builds and combinations. From practical utility spells to outlandishly overpowered creations, the flexibility in magic design has become one of the game's standout elements. It's not just fun—it's a true expression of the player's identity within the game world, and players absolutely love it.
Next up are the mods—and in this game, modding is not just supported, it's encouraged in the most chaotic and delightful way possible. ZAGE made sure to build Morrowind with an incredibly mod-friendly foundation, and even released official modding tools on the ZAGE forums, where there's now a dedicated modding section full of wild, imaginative, and downright absurd content.
What really caught everyone's attention, though, was that ZAGE themselves posted several goofy and unexpected mods, setting the tone for the community. One such example is the infamous "Doom Guy Morrowind" mod, which lets players take on the role of Doom Guy, complete with his signature armor and brutal energy. Another is the hilariously out-of-place "Motorcycle Morrowind," which adds actual motorcycles to the fantasy world. Seeing a Dark Elf riding through Vivec City on a motorcycle is as ridiculous as it sounds—and that's the point.
Zaboru wanted to show the community that mods didn't always need to be about balance, realism, or lore-friendliness. They could be absurd, playful, and completely nonsensical, and that was perfectly fine. In fact, it added charm and vibrancy to the game. The message was clear: mods are not just for fixing things or making the game prettier—they're for having fun.
And the community responded immediately. Within just a few days of release, someone created a mod that lets players play as Zaboru himself. It was as surreal as it was funny. The character model bore a striking resemblance to Zaboru with 2000 CGI and even had custom voice lines. Whenever you cast a spell, your character shouts "You are VERY cool!"—Zaboru's personal catchphrase. It was so over-the-top and unexpected that Zaboru couldn't help but laugh out loud when he saw it. He loved it so much, he gave the mod an official upvote, which absolutely thrilled the forum community.
Players flooded the thread with screenshots, stories, and jokes. One person said they beat an entire playthrough using only the "Zaboru spellcaster" mod, while another added a new line of dialogue that made the Zaboru character insult Daedra in increasingly bizarre ways. The spirit of creativity, chaos, and fun was alive and thriving, and it all started with Zaboru giving permission to be silly.
The modding scene for Morrowind is now exploding, and it's not just about serious content or technical upgrades—it's about building a shared culture where fun, humor, and freedom come first.
One of the most memorable threads on the ZAGE forums was titled, "Damn man! I can't stop playing Morrowind Help!"—and it quickly turned into a viral post. Dozens of players jumped in with equally chaotic and hilarious replies. Comments like "Same, me too," "Why would you stop!?", and the iconic "I'm ARCHMAGE of Daedra! And I'm ready for destruction! Behold my spell—ZABORU FART!" flooded the thread. It was wild, ridiculous, and the kind of community-driven humor that made the forums feel alive.
Zaboru, always paying attention to his players, saw the thread and read through it with genuine amusement. He wasn't bothered in the slightest by players poking fun at him—in fact, he welcomed it. Rather than staying silent, he chimed in with his own playful response: "My fart is stronger than your spell." with his official account That one comment sent the entire community into a frenzy. It was quickly screenshotted, turned into memes, modded into the game as spell text in Zaboru mod, and repeated endlessly across the forums.
The Players are always aware that Zaboru doesn't act like the usual CEO and Rich Guy, he is just gamer like them. He wasn't some distant figure overseeing everything from a pedestal; he was a part of the community, laughing with them, getting roasted, and throwing jokes right back. He embraced the madness and chaos with the same spirit that had made Morrowind so magical in the first place.
Players started describing Zaboru as the ideal version of themselves: "He's just like me—but more handsome, richer, smarter… yeah, life's unfair," one top comment said, perfectly summing up the mood. But rather than feel jealous, the community loved him even more for it.
And so Morrowind is an insanely huge success and it elevates how Single player RPG games should be made.
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To be continue