Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

[Davros sock drawer]

I seem to be actually role playing slightly in this. You know, actually getting into "being" my character, as opposed to just playing through a video game. I saw some giants at a camp for the first time, and actually felt a bit intimidated. So instead of steaming in, I just crept quietly round their camp, out of respect.

Then I ended up creeping down, down, through a forest, with the mist rolling in. At the bottom, a lake, and a waterfall with a cave nearby called Darkshade. Seemed like a handy place to stop.

And it would have been. If not for the TROLL LIVING INSIDE IT!

[zy]

Why not? You made a ridiculous statement without providing any justification, surely you didn't expect that to go down well?

Yeah, very funny. No justification? Any player who gets through the first section will find an NPC screaming the same instruction to find a weapon and armour in a chest, over and over, until they obey. Without intelligence. Other games have figured out cleverer ways to handle this kind of tutorial. But not Skyrim.

I think it's fair to say that the AI hasn't improved a great deal,

Then why are you making such a major deal of me voicing precisely the same point?

but it's certainly been tidied up and things like the daily routines seem far more convincing then they ever did in Oblivion. Gone are the days when pretty much everybody in a town wandered around aimlessly, replaced instead by people seeming to have places to go and things to do (for the most part).

No, they actually did precisely that kind of daily scripting in Oblivion too.

Actually, scrap all that -- I just realised what I'm doing, and I shouldn't be blaming you or Dood for my disappointment. And I apologise to you both for that. After all the hundreds of hours on previous titles, I actually think this might be a Bethesda game too far for me. I'd love to be enjoying it with some suspension of disbelief but last night's session suggests that's not going to happen right now.

[Mallet]

Do people use followers much at all? They seem to be almost as much trouble as they are worth so far and their path finding is really bad.

[NecroMorrius]

I currently have 48 active quests (including sidequests) and a 51 hour savegame. I've only seen a couple of the major cities and there are vast swathes of the map I haven't visited yet.

Do people use followers much at all? They seem to be almost as much trouble as they are worth so far and their path finding is really bad.

I've used one the entire time, no problems yet except they can't keep up when I'm on horseback!

[El Spatula]

S'alright like.

(its fucking awesomer than owt I've played in ages)

[Sabreman]

I keep setting Lydia on fire with my indiscriminate Flames casting, but she has saved my neck a few times.

[SqueakyG]

For all its awesomeness, the game does commit one great sin of first-person games...

It's one of those games where the panic of combat makes me involuntarily press down on the left thumbstick, which puts me in sneak/crawling mode, which basically means I'm crawling around slowly rather than being fully mobile.

Also, let's see if this comment picks up a few negs: I really don't like the extreme weather effects when you go too high or too north. What's the point of great graphics if you're in a grey blizzard most of the time? It's really depressing unpleasant weather and I don't look forward to being caught in it for big chunks of the game.

[routeburn]

Also, let's see if this comment picks up a few negs: I really don't like the extreme weather effects when you go too high or too north. What's the point of great graphics if you're in a grey blizzard most of the time? It's really depressing unpleasant weather and I don't look forward to being caught in it for big chunks of the game.

Ya Southern lager-drinking Pansy.

[MrCarrot]

Holy shit fuck! Has anyone else been to the Eldergleam Sanctuary yet? It's the most beautiful thing!

[Thread Astaire]

For all its awesomeness, the game does commit one great sin of first-person games...

It's one of those games where the panic of combat makes me involuntarily press down on the left thumbstick, which puts me in sneak/crawling mode, which basically means I'm crawling around slowly rather than being fully mobile.

Also, let's see if this comment picks up a few negs: I really don't like the extreme weather effects when you go too high or too north. What's the point of great graphics if you're in a grey blizzard most of the time? It's really depressing unpleasant weather and I don't look forward to being caught in it for big chunks of the game.

Can't you swop the control? Know its not ideal.

[El Spatula]

Yep Eldergleam was fucking stunning!*

*til trees fucked me up yo!

[NecroMorrius]

Complaints about specific elements - (AI for example) aren't inaccurate, but reek of a lack of imagination and a suspension of disbelief on the part of the player. As Edge said,

There's long existed a covenant between Bethesda and those who play its games, handed down from one hardware generation to the next. The developer fashions worlds of unrivalled scope, rich in lore and history, filled with stories to unravel and secrets to find. Then, it offers players the freedom to explore these worlds at their own pace – dawdling for hours in a particularly lush patch of forest in order to hunt game, or rushing to defeat the dark forces threatening the land. In return, our side of the bargain is simple – we do all we can to ignore the rough edges that come, apparently, as the cost of such ambition. (...) It's a world that's entirely engaging one moment and an utter farce the next. But it's a world that, providing you offer up your suspension of disbelief, delivers more than most games even attempt. (...) The illusion frequently falters – and sometimes completely breaks – but when it does you'll want to conspire with the game to pretend you didn't see. You play on, for the moments of clever design, fortunate coincidence or downright inspiration that turn you from suspending disbelief into utterly convinced.

I get that chunks of the game are laughably shallow, rudimentary and poorly implemented. It's worth noting the flaws to yourself and others rather than pretending they don't exist, but why get hung up on it? It's like complaining Uncharted 3 isn't 300 hours long, you can't have it all. Not this console generation, not in a single jump from one iteration to the next, and not without compromising elsewhere. You can only dedicate so many resources to each area during development, and I'd rather not see the scope of their games reduced. Same with Assassin's Creed, GTA and so on. Dimwit automatons derping around aimlessly, talking shite? If that's what it takes to make such a large game world, for now, so be it.

(It also helps that about 95% of the bugs in Bethesda games are hilarious )

[daveodeth]

Just joined the thieves guild, it's god damn amazing.

[NecroMorrius]

The mage guild quest line is really great too. Several brilliant dungeons, a compelling story and a wide variety of quests. I was really, really impressed by it.

[Paulando]

Just finished my first proper dungeon; absolutely captivating stuff. I felt equally full of adventure and dread, and it all looked so beautiful and organic. Love it.

[Yewone]

The mage guild quest line is really great too. Several brilliant dungeons, a compelling story and a wide variety of quests. I was really, really impressed by it.

Good to hear.. Just started the quest line tonight. After countless distractions the past 3 nights, I ended up just catching the stagecoach express direct from Whiterun (no way would I have made it there on foot)

[redbloodcell]

Took a stroll up the mountain earlier to meet the Greybeards after getting horribly owned on the way up by a Frost Troll last time, about 10 levels previous.

Took him down in 3 arrers this time

[daveodeth]

The mage guild quest line is really great too. Several brilliant dungeons, a compelling story and a wide variety of quests. I was really, really impressed by it.

I've got a good 10 hours under my belt and I'm only just looking around Riften, every little nook is rewarding. I walk into a farm and some chap there has a tale to tell, it really does make Oblivion look pants compared to the other games in the series. 1 and a half cities explored so far, bring on the rest.

[Magoo]

Hit my first big bug, something won't trigger on the second to last Companion quest. So it appears I can't complete that plotline and presumably also means I'll be stuck

as a werewolf

[Broker]

I've got a game breaking bug in the graphics where the textures are flashing on and off really fast. It's all flourescent green underneath so it looks like acid rave Skyrim, but I can't see what the fuck is going on and when I reloaded an earlier save it's started happening on that one too, even though it wasn't when I made the save

I've just managed to increase my smithing to 100 and make myself some armour, was ready to set out on a quest and it's fucked. I don't know if I can face starting over a third time, I think this might have to be the end of my adventures for now

[Curtis]

I need to stop reading this thread at 1am, cause i'm tempted to boot up the 360 right now and continue my adventures.

[womblingfree]

After putting the game up from Adept to Master (and promptly putting it back a notch to Expert), I think I've found my sweet spot. Run of the mill bandits still shouldn't cause much bother but you have to be far more tactical with groups and keep your wits about you even with a single assailant in case they get a lucky strike in.

Faced an ice-troll and he killed me dead about half a dozen times forcing me to change tactics and judge my distance when using a scroll against him in order to power it up.

Latest, I just got my first dragon attack all alone, and the thing is making mincemeat out of me.

This is how it should be!

[CactuarBill]

Hit my first big bug, something won't trigger on the second to last Companion quest. So it appears I can't complete that plotline and presumably also means I'll be stuck

as a werewolf

Yep, same thing happened to me. It seems it has happened to a lot of people. Hopefully they'll fix it, because I was really enjoying the missions.

[Darragh]

Was just having a wee wander west of Whiterun, and came across a farmer with a cow in tow. "What are you up to?", asked I, and the farmer responded that he was off to offer the cow as a sacrifice to the giants; a tradition that he believes keeps the mammoth-protecting bastards from killing his livestock. I offered him my help, but he declined, citing the suspicion that the giants may believe me to be a part of the sacrifice also. It's the incidental details and events like this that make this game truly wonderful.

EDIT: Minutes later, a fucking HEADLESS HORSEMAN ghost tore down the road past me in the other direction!

[deerokus]

Perhaps the biggest advancement in this over Oblivion (and pretty much any similar game I've played) can be seen in the caves and dungeons. There's one on the road to Riften from Whiterun which I was sent to for a misc. quest (I think it might have been one of the randomly generated quests?) - it's really stunning. Following a fast-flowing stream from the entrance, sniping dudes with my orcish bow, suddenly the cave opens into a massive underwater lake cavern with several waterfalls flowing into it and bandit lookouts high above who are exceptionally satisfying to stealth-kill from afar with the bow, sending them plummeting into the water. Gorgeous, atmospheric, immersive, cool.

Have I mentioned that I love one-hit stealth killing people with my bow? It sends them flying! In that cave I did that to everyone until I ran into a badass orc who kept killing me with two swings. He got his eventually when I went all tactical with my defensive magic.

The water looks really good if you turn on all the reflections and do the water-rendering .ini tweaks mentioned in the PC gamer article. For the most part it didn't seem to affect performance on my system either - though the only real framerate drops I've had have been on that Whiterun-Riften road in the heavily-forested area along the riverside. It's probably the combination of trees, fauna and water.

[kiroquai]

Well, I made some pretty serious headway tonight. I have spoilered the below - it's nothing to do with the story or main quest (not touched) - just a few details on armour I made. If you fancy finding out about the progression yourself then don't click!

So, yeah, I had the fortune/misfortune to be attacked by a metric fuckton of dragons tonight. Think it was seven in total; meant not only did I get a load of dragon souls to use when I learn more words, but also I had a healthy stockpile of dragon bones and scales. Ran around making loads of cash and then smithed my way up to level 100 and created myself a lovely set of Dragon Plate armour. Had it on the workbench and upgraded it all to Legendary level, so the body shell bit now gives me 92 protection. Handy.

Meanwhile, I found a wicked Elf bow in a crypt, so I went mining/shopping/smelting for refined moon rock, which I have used to level that up to Legendary and 55 damage too, which is pretty good for a bow.

I can pretty much rinse dragons, giants, mammoths and trolls now - main difficulty is the dungeons that have auto-levelled upward. Still, I am very handy indeed with my mixture of 68 sneak and 72 archery, and I am having great fun running around feeling like a complete badass. I know some might think 'what's the point', but that's the way I enjoy playing these; spend all my time getting way ahead of the curve and then act like a ninja. Oh, and a big +1 to the above comment about one-hit stealth kills with the bow. That's the main asset I have built my character around .

Now that's done I am going to run around hunting more Word Walls and also do loads of sidequests. Got all the guilds to start - not even done those yet!

[Monkeyboy]

30 hours on the clock. Done a bit of the main quest. Done a couple of quests for the Companions, but I've not even touched upon Thieves Guild, Dark Brotherhood or Mages Guild yet. Mostly been side questing.

Anyway, here's a picture of my dual wielding Thief in his exceptionally light Elven armour. His name is Logen Ninefingers.

[Darragh]

Should dragons always attack whenever you see them? I heard the tell-tale roar of one earlier near Whiterun, and it just circled overhead for a while before taking off in the direction of Whiterun and disappearing. Am I going to return to a pile of dead bodies near my new home?

[Monkeyboy]

That's happened twice for me with a dragon. Once in some trees (I assume there were too many for it to land properly), and the second time was Whiterun, same as yours. It kind of disappeared over the wall.

[deerokus]

Should dragons always attack whenever you see them? I heard the tell-tale roar of one earlier near Whiterun, and it just circled overhead for a while before taking off in the direction of Whiterun and disappearing. Am I going to return to a pile of dead bodies near my new home?

Every random one I've seen has attacked animals and people around the area. They seem to love Bandit camps. I've hardly scratched one myself, they always seem to lose all their health to massed ranks of NPCs just as I show up.