The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Catch-All

The screenshots look nice, but I'm not sure that's saying a lot as it's easy to make a nice screenshot.

My will to resist is weakening... I had no idea i was such a graphics whore....

DAMNIT!!!

I'm really surprised at how much I'm looking forward to this game. If they add a vats system I'll become an irrational fanboy for the rest of the year!

Kommissar wrote:

I'll become an irrational fanboy for the rest of the year!

A shame their game isn't out this year.

Scratched wrote:
Kommissar wrote:

I'll become an irrational fanboy for the rest of the year!

A shame their game isn't out this year.

I saw that comming the moment I clicked post comment.

Kommissar wrote:
Scratched wrote:
Kommissar wrote:

I'll become an irrational fanboy for the rest of the year!

A shame their game isn't out this year.

I saw that comming the moment I clicked post comment.

I think it'd be super weird for them to have the manual in that state of completion if the game was more than a year from release. There's a good chance they make their date.

Kommissar wrote:

I'm really surprised at how much I'm looking forward to this game. If they add a vats system I'll become an irrational fanboy for the rest of the year!

That'd be Bethesda, not Irrational.

Lobo wrote:
Kommissar wrote:

I'm really surprised at how much I'm looking forward to this game. If they add a vats system I'll become an irrational fanboy for the rest of the year!

That'd be Bethesda, not Irrational.

;-)

Zing. Glad you're back, Lobo.

I'll add another vote against the loss of classes. As was said, they felt a bit like a template or - dare I say - a Jungian archetype, that helped to shape the internal story that I tend to apply to most RPG characters.

Also, pretty pictures.

Excited about the game, dumbfounded by plot details and main character gimmickery : /

Todd Howard wrote:

We got rid of mysticism. The magical school of mysticism. Isn't that redundant?

If all magic is inherently mysterious, i.e. you don't know how it works, just that it does, then maybe. But mysticism isn't synonymous with mysterious. Mysticism involves union with the divine, or at least tapping into an ineffable source for your powers. But it's still appropriate that they got rid of it, since there isn't anything particularly mystical about turning invisible or levitating objects. At least, not any more mystical than summoning fire in your hand and throwing it at a wolf.

Radiant Story sounds incredibly ambitious. Even if a fraction makes it into Skyrim, that will still be pretty neat (in 110 hours of Oblivion, I saw one NPC try to steal something), but if it all makes it...?

Haakon7 wrote:

I'll add another vote against the loss of classes. As was said, they felt a bit like a template or - dare I say - a Jungian archetype, that helped to shape the internal story that I tend to apply to most RPG characters.

I much prefer games that let you build and shape your character over time, like 2e/3e Shadowrun or The Riddle of Steel. TES's class system was already pretty flexible, and I think relying on skills alone will allow you to progress much more organically. Obviously, if you specialize—play to a class or template—you'll progress faster. Todd Howard says: "We want to support archetypes. There are the combat guys, the magic guys, the stealth guys. But most people play some mix of that. And we just want to make that organic."

More highlights:

Down to 18 skills (wail, gnash?).

Five cities, more variation in dungeons.

No zoom-in conversations: characters may continue to move around, do tasks, occasionally looking at you.

An option for removing the HUD entirely.

Menus: Howard asks, "What if Apple made a fantasy game?" You can read about the menus here, but I'll hold off thoughts until I've actually seen it. It's gotta be better than Oblivion's though.

Ugh, don't talk to me about The Riddle of Steel.. had a horrible P&P experience with that. Not so much due to the system, though.

Can't say I used one of the prefab classes after Arena, but I've never really devoted *too* much time to any of the TES games, other than Daggerfall.

Gravey wrote:

Radiant Story sounds incredibly ambitious. Even if a fraction makes it into Skyrim, that will still be pretty neat (in 110 hours of Oblivion, I saw one NPC try to steal something), but if it all makes it...?

Sounds like what Molyneux was hyping in Fable 1, not so much story as events in the world. It could be cool to have a world with needs and pressures (kobolds are migrating and attacking the farm because they're hungry), and quests happening to meet those needs (solve the kobold problem), rather than just having a random NPC needing an arbitrary number of kobolds killed just because they exist.

For a game like TES, I don't think many developers would give up writing the story, and the progression through that story. It would be interesting to see what something like an AI director could make of a campaign, given enough tools under the AI control to give the player a good time, would you be able to tell the difference.

Montalban wrote:
Todd Howard wrote:

We got rid of mysticism. The magical school of mysticism. Isn't that redundant?

If all magic is inherently mysterious, i.e. you don't know how it works, just that it does, then maybe. But mysticism isn't synonymous with mysterious. Mysticism involves union with the divine, or at least tapping into an ineffable source for your powers. But it's still appropriate that they got rid of it, since there isn't anything particularly mystical about turning invisible or levitating objects. At least, not any more mystical than summoning fire in your hand and throwing it at a wolf.

I think it probably had more to do with it's redundancy- all of mysticism's spells could easily and logically be categorized among the other schools.

Feeank wrote:

Excited about the game, dumbfounded by plot details and main character gimmickery : /

The main character in Morrowind was the reincarnation of an ancient general spoken of in prophecy.

Martin was the long lost heir to the throne, who returned to the Empire in it's time of greatest need.

Lets just say that gimmicks have always been a part of Elder Scrolls.

Redwing wrote:
Feeank wrote:

Excited about the game, dumbfounded by plot details and main character gimmickery : /

The main character in Morrowind was the reincarnation of an ancient general spoken of in prophecy.

Martin was the long lost heir to the throne, who returned to the Empire in it's time of greatest need.

Lets just say that gimmicks have always been a part of Elder Scrolls. :P

How are those even gimmicks? I just see them as character traits. Are you supposed to be a nobody? Does anyone want to be? Not I.

Duoae wrote:

I mean... TWO spells?

Didn't Oblivion only have 1 spell button? So this is actually more complex

If this game, being set in Skyrim, is an expanded and graphically updated Solstheim I'll be more than happy. My favorite moment from any game was building Raven Rock from the ground up. I really hope they have stuff like that again, where you change the physical landscape.

Blind_Evil wrote:
Redwing wrote:
Feeank wrote:

Excited about the game, dumbfounded by plot details and main character gimmickery : /

The main character in Morrowind was the reincarnation of an ancient general spoken of in prophecy.

Martin was the long lost heir to the throne, who returned to the Empire in it's time of greatest need.

Lets just say that gimmicks have always been a part of Elder Scrolls. :P

How are those even gimmicks? I just see them as character traits. Are you supposed to be a nobody? Does anyone want to be? Not I.

Exactly, I'd have it no other way, but the character in Skyrim being a Dragonborn with powers based on the Draconic language is hardly any different that the various character traits in the previous games. That's what I'm assuming Feeank was talking about, if not then apologies!

Lobo wrote:
Kommissar wrote:

I'm really surprised at how much I'm looking forward to this game. If they add a vats system I'll become an irrational fanboy for the rest of the year!

That'd be Bethesda, not Irrational.

;-)

Don't worry though, there are plenty of reasons to be an Irrational fanboy.

Blind_Evil wrote:
Redwing wrote:
Feeank wrote:

Excited about the game, dumbfounded by plot details and main character gimmickery : /

The main character in Morrowind was the reincarnation of an ancient general spoken of in prophecy.

Martin was the long lost heir to the throne, who returned to the Empire in it's time of greatest need.

Lets just say that gimmicks have always been a part of Elder Scrolls. :P

How are those even gimmicks? I just see them as character traits. Are you supposed to be a nobody? Does anyone want to be? Not I.

Well, in Oblivion you basically were a nobody, or at least started out as one- the Emperor recognized you from a prophetic dream of his own death and tasked you with getting the long lost heir Martin on his heroic path. Your character was just some schmuck in the right place at the right time.

There's a difference in what your character was able to do in Morrowind and Oblivion and what the article hints at. TES3's hero had no powers starting out other than the usual starsign perks. TES4's hero the same. TES5's hero would be different, if right out of the bat you're already being told "yeah, so you're the ubermensch and your farts are lightning bolts that kill dragons". Not that I would have a problem with that, but since it doesn't say wether you get this powers starting level 1 or not, I think there's no point in worrying much about it. In short, seems awesome, but I worry needlessly for main character being less about what you made of it rather than what they force you to be. I would prefer those awesome powers described being done by spells, but oh well, I ain't Mr. Howard.

Feeank wrote:

TES5's hero would be different, if right out of the bat you're already being told "yeah, so you're the ubermensch and your farts are lightning bolts that kill dragons". Not that I would have a problem with that, but since it doesn't say wether you get this powers starting level 1 or not, I think there's no point in worrying much about it. In short, seems awesome, but I worry needlessly for main character being less about what you made of it rather than what they force you to be. I would prefer those awesome powers described being done by spells, but oh well, I ain't Mr. Howard.

Supernatural shouting by Nords is already established in the lore, so I'd be surprised if there isn't more of it by others when you're deep in Skyrim. Dragon-shouting sounds like it's just a spin on that and, obviously, available to any race. I have no reason to doubt they won't be balanced against the character's other abilities. You'll discover them over time, and they'll only become more powerful as you find new words.

Speaking of shouting, or talking anyway, another highlight I forgot to mention: more voice actors. You might not get quality, but at least you'll get quantity.

Gravey wrote:

Speaking of shouting, or talking anyway, another highlight I forgot to mention: more voice actors. You might not get quality, but at least you'll get quantity.

And really I think, so long as they're not completely horrible voice actors, quantity rather than quality is what an Elder Scrolls game needs, lack of voice variety was one of my bigger issues with Oblivion. Or at least ditch Lynda Carter, she might've been the best Wonder Woman in the world for all I know, but geez she's a horrible Nord/Orc...

From the Nords wikientry:

Wind is fundamental to Skyrim and the Nords; those that live in the far wastes always carry a wind with them.

Sinkwater wrote:
Duoae wrote:

I mean... TWO spells?

Didn't Oblivion only have 1 spell button? So this is actually more complex

You had physical attack, block and spell, right? Three actions as opposed to two. And how will the quick-swapping of abilities work? In Oblivion you'd hit a button but now, how will you select which ability you wish to replace with the quick button one?

I await these details because they can make or break a system.

Feeank wrote:

From the Nords wikientry:

Wind is fundamental to Skyrim and the Nords; those that live in the far wastes always carry a wind with them.

:D

You drink as much ale as a Nord, you'll always have a pretty powerful wind with you too.

Gravey wrote:

Radiant Story sounds incredibly ambitious. Even if a fraction makes it into Skyrim, that will still be pretty neat (in 110 hours of Oblivion, I saw one NPC try to steal something), but if it all makes it...?

That's one part of the article where I felt the author was flying by the seat of his pants. The part about the sister offering her brother's quest just didn't make much sense.

Gravey wrote:
Feeank wrote:

From the Nords wikientry:

Wind is fundamental to Skyrim and the Nords; those that live in the far wastes always carry a wind with them.

:D

You drink as much ale as a Nord, you'll always have a pretty powerful wind with you too. :)

All that wheat gets you windy like a Nord.

django wrote:
Gravey wrote:

Radiant Story sounds incredibly ambitious. Even if a fraction makes it into Skyrim, that will still be pretty neat (in 110 hours of Oblivion, I saw one NPC try to steal something), but if it all makes it...?

That's one part of the article where I felt the author was flying by the seat of his pants. The part about the sister offering her brother's quest just didn't make much sense.

yep, I remember prior to Oblivion's launch we were being told Radiant would do much more than it ended up doing. I was happy with the NPC's greeting each other all the time and breaking up in conversation so I didn't mind much when the hype didn't deliver to the fullest.

This game will not be too broken; it will be awesome.

/optimism.

edited for reality.