[PC/360/Ps3] The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Impressions, tweaks and more!

[CeeKay]

can you imagine the outcry if they don't continue letting people mod it?  it'd probably be worse than them removing the ability to save anywhere.

[Blackhawk]

The Elder Scrolls series is known for games built around the modding community.  Morrowind, Oblivion, even Fallout 3 and NV thrived on it.  Is it possible they'll abandon that?  Sure, anything's possible, but it would kill the thing that makes their games so unique, the thing that makes them stand out from all the others out there.  It could happen, and if it does I'll shed a tear, pour out a Cyrodilic brandy on the curb, and move on to something else.

[TiLT]

The Elder Scrolls series is known for games built around the modding community.  Morrowind, Oblivion, even Fallout 3 and NV thrived on it.  Is it possible they'll abandon that?  Sure, anything's possible, but it would kill the thing that makes their games so unique, the thing that makes them stand out from all the others out there.  It could happen, and if it does I'll shed a tear, pour out a Cyrodilic brandy on the curb, and move on to something else.

AFAIK, Daggerfall and Area weren't all that modable. Morrowind and Oblivion (and the two Fallout-games) shared the same engine which had good mod support already from Morrowind's release. Since Skyrim is using a brand new engine, there's no guarantee that it will be easy to mod.

However, I would be very surprised if Bethesda doesn't release powerful mod tools. Modding wasn't the Elder Scrolls-series original strength, but it has become so over time and is the main reason why people still buy and play Morrowind and Oblivion.

[CeeKay]

Behind the scenes at Bethesda:

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2011/01/10/video-behind-the-scenes-of-skyrim.aspx

[CeeKay]

another take on the GI article.  Anyone get their issue yet?

[CeeKay]

Check out the wall shown in the video:

http://www.gameinformer.com/p/skyrim_wall.aspx

[CeeKay]

got my Gameinformer yesterday.  the shots look very impressive, and one thing they mention may have been mentioned before:  this is technically a whole new chapter in the Elder Scrolls universe, the Septims are dead and it's a new age in Tamriel as the Empire adjusts.

[Greg Wak]

Okay I just have to ask as I have been wondering about this since Morrowwind. In all the games they keep citing "Elder Scrolls" lore. Where does this lore come from? Were there books about The Elder Scrolls worlds before Bethesda started making games? Or is all the lore from Bethesda?

[Wargus]

got my Gameinformer yesterday.  the shots look very impressive, and one thing they mention may have been mentioned before:  this is technically a whole new chapter in the Elder Scrolls universe, the Septims are dead and it's a new age in Tamriel as the Empire adjusts.

I'm wondering if they finally hired somebody who knows how code a realistic looking person with realistic movement, or if we'll have to rely on mods again.  Its like they are deliberately sloppy so they don't have to fund the cost to create good looking models. A game of this quality shouldn't have characters and NPCs that look and move like mannequins.

[TiLT]

Okay I just have to ask as I have been wondering about this since Morrowwind. In all the games they keep citing "Elder Scrolls" lore. Where does this lore come from? Were there books about The Elder Scrolls worlds before Bethesda started making games? Or is all the lore from Bethesda?

Wikipedia is your friend!

[CeeKay]

[Greg Wak]

God Dammit Ceekay don't show me pictures like that. I want to avoid Bethesda's lammo auto leveling crap and pictures like that are going to make it hard to do that.

[Razgon]

heh - I hate autolevelling /scaling stuff, and the dumbing down it seems the game have gotten, but...rest assured, I'll have this game day one :-)

[CeeKay]

God Dammit Ceekay don't show me pictures like that. I want to avoid Bethesda's lammo auto leveling crap and pictures like that are going to make it hard to do that.

that's just one of what was in GameInformers issue.  besides,



she wants you to play.

[Greg Wak]

I'm offically old and must be broken. The idea of exploring those old crumbly ruins makes me want to play more than that female character. Still, the scaling sucked so much fun out of the game for me that unless I hear things are somehow different after the release of the game I won't be buying it.

[Rowdy]

+1

In theory, I should love Oblivion.  It's exactly the kind of game I get sucked into.  I put a hundred hours into Fallout 3, and another hundred into Red Dead Redemption.  But I hate, HATE the auto leveling enemies.  (not to mention the combat sucks in Oblivion).  I've tried three times to get into that game, and I can't put more than a handful of hours in before I'm bored and hating the systems.

[kathode]

+1

In theory, I should love Oblivion.  It's exactly the kind of game I get sucked into.  I put a hundred hours into Fallout 3, and another hundred into Red Dead Redemption.  But I hate, HATE the auto leveling enemies.  (not to mention the combat sucks in Oblivion).  I've tried three times to get into that game, and I can't put more than a handful of hours in before I'm bored and hating the systems.

Did you hate the levelling in Fallout 3?  Because that's what they'll use as a base for the Skyrim system.

FYI, Pete Hines of Bethesda posted on his Twitter that they'll definitely be putting out the mod tools like before.

[TiLT]

FYI, Pete Hines of Bethesda posted on his Twitter that they'll definitely be putting out the mod tools like before.

That's great news, though I'm not surprised.

[CeeKay]

now only if they'll confirm save anywhere 

[Greg Wak]

[/quote]

Did you hate the levelling in Fallout 3?  Because that's what they'll use as a base for the Skyrim system
[/quote]

The auto leveling in F3 was not that noticable so this would be a nice step up. But Oblivion was a lot different so I will believe it when I see it.

[CeeKay]

Dragon shouts.

[Greg Wak]

Dragon shouts sound very nice but are you going to be able to take down a Dragon at level one?

[CeeKay]

Dragon shouts sound very nice but are you going to be able to take down a Dragon at level one?

maybe.

but only after he's eaten you.

Spoiler for Hiden:

there's a chance he might choke on your rusty sword.

[EddieA]

Here's some new info from a Dutch magazine. 

"There is no level cap. You will nevertheless not be able to choose all perks with one character."

"All weapons have different properties, which you can take advantage of by choosing the right perks. Maces ignore a percentage of armor, and axes have bleed damage over time."

"Every item has a 3D-preview in the Flash based inventory, which you can twist, turn, rotate, etc. Sometimes you will solve puzzles by analyzing these 3D-previews. Not only armor and weapons can be explored in great detail, also small rings and herbs can be investigated from all possible angles. Every single item in the game can be previewed in the inventory screen."

"More traps and puzzles."

"Every dragon you kill will make you stronger. A piece of his soul will be transferred to yours."

[CeeKay]

funny little animated short about the Skyrim teaser. (NSFW language)

[CeeKay]

no dynamic difficulty according to Todd Howard.

While the game will evaluate your hero and assign an appropriate difficulty as you enter individual dungeons, you won't find the entire world levelling up in step with your hero.

[TiLT]

Don't misread that statement. It's not telling us anything we don't already know. There's plenty of dynamic scaling of dungeons, but it never happens after you've visited them.

[Greg Wak]

I think it's telling me lots of things. Sounds like no bandits in glass armor in this one. Sounds like no winning the Arena challenge at level one. I still will wait a couple of weeks after it's out to try and discern how it's all shaking out but I'm encouraged now. If it worked out the same as Oblivion I could not have played it.

[CeeKay]

I just put some screenshot in the gallery.  some of them are old, while a few I don't remember seeing.

[CeeKay]

I just put up some 'new' concept art.   I remember seeing it elsewhere, so I think this is just them 'officially' releasing it to the masses.

[CeeKay]

make a Skyrim baby to earn a special reward.

[CeeKay]

make a Skyrim baby to earn a special reward.

they've updated this:

If anyone is seriously considering this, we’ve got a few ideas in mind for a collection of quest rewards. How’s this for a shower gift: a Steam key that will grant you, and presumably Dovahkiin him/herself, every ZeniMax/Bethesda game — past, present and future — for life. Once your child eventually achieves cognition — and grows old enough to play intense video games — we think it will agree that this key blows away a pink pleated onesie. As for the rest of the loot, we’ll leave it as a surprise

[CeeKay]

new video.  it's in-game footage.

[Grimwar]

That video is my first real taste of the new theme music.  It is quite possibly the best I have heard for any game, ever. 

[Booner]

It looks like they may have some half decent animations this go 'round!

[Arkon]

Max Von Sydow did an awesome job narrating that trailer.  Skyrim may just make me upgrade my PC/Build a new PC so I can see it in all it's splendor.

[Soulchilde]

Don't think I can afford the system to run the game to make it look like the trailer

[metallicorphan]

Don't think I can afford the system to run the game to make it look like the trailer

i reckon you can

its all 360 footage apparently(if the name hasn't been faked in anyway on the neogaf forums,if that's possible)
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/290735/news/elder-scrolls-v-gameplay-trailer-created-on-xbox-360/

A poster naming themselves as Bethesda Softworks community boss Nick Breckon saw a comment on NeoGAF ("Would be phenomenal if the gameplay trailer is predominately console footage.") and replied:

"Just to clarify, all of this trailer was captured on Xbox 360. Also, the draw distance is not faked in any way."

[Caine]

That video is my first real taste of the new theme music.  It is quite possibly the best I have heard for any game, ever. 

i love how they revisited the morrowind theme.

[Caine]

Don't think I can afford the system to run the game to make it look like the trailer

i reckon you can

its all 360 footage apparently(if the name hasn't been faked in anyway on the neogaf forums,if that's possible)
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/290735/news/elder-scrolls-v-gameplay-trailer-created-on-xbox-360/

A poster naming themselves as Bethesda Softworks community boss Nick Breckon saw a comment on NeoGAF ("Would be phenomenal if the gameplay trailer is predominately console footage.") and replied:

"Just to clarify, all of this trailer was captured on Xbox 360. Also, the draw distance is not faked in any way."

that would be impressive if it all turns out to be as playable on the 360 at that level of detail.  it would also save me the impending hassle of upgrading my pc.  it is time though.  the current one was built for oblivion and hasn't been upgraded since.