The Elder Scrolls V:Skyrim

[TiLT]

GameInformer

Xbox 360 owners should probably hold off on installing Skyrim, at least until Bethesda issues a fix for the textures not always loading properly.

Since launching yesterday, numerous Skyrim owners have noticed textures not fully loading and appearing blurry in the game. Bethesda issued a statement on the matter in its official forums saying the problem is due to players installing the game and plans to offer a fix in the next update.

Skyrim uses a lot of dynamic streaming systems, including textures. We’ve seen a few reports of certain textures temporarily scaling down on the Xbox 360, and not scaling back up. We have verified that this issue does not occur when playing off the disk and when the game is fully cached (not installed).

Skyrim makes heavy use of the Xbox 360 caching system, and caches over the normal course of play while in menus or interiors. This cache can be wiped when other games are played or when the user manually removes it. We’re working on a solution in the next title update for those who have installed the game.

I was very surprised when i saw that Skyrim only took up 3.8gig,whereas Oblivion on the 360 takes up 5.9gig

Is Skyrim a shorter game than Oblivion?

I wouldn't expect it to be. Don't make the mistake of assuming that install size is in any way related to the actual length of a game. Those two things almost never have anything to do with each other. This isn't a movie.

[metallicorphan]

GameInformer

Xbox 360 owners should probably hold off on installing Skyrim, at least until Bethesda issues a fix for the textures not always loading properly.

Since launching yesterday, numerous Skyrim owners have noticed textures not fully loading and appearing blurry in the game. Bethesda issued a statement on the matter in its official forums saying the problem is due to players installing the game and plans to offer a fix in the next update.

Skyrim uses a lot of dynamic streaming systems, including textures. We’ve seen a few reports of certain textures temporarily scaling down on the Xbox 360, and not scaling back up. We have verified that this issue does not occur when playing off the disk and when the game is fully cached (not installed).

Skyrim makes heavy use of the Xbox 360 caching system, and caches over the normal course of play while in menus or interiors. This cache can be wiped when other games are played or when the user manually removes it. We’re working on a solution in the next title update for those who have installed the game.

I was very surprised when i saw that Skyrim only took up 3.8gig,whereas Oblivion on the 360 takes up 5.9gig

Is Skyrim a shorter game than Oblivion?

from the guide i would say not a chance,that sucker thinks its a guide to an MMO ...so,so many quests that aren't associated with the main quest..i have just taken a quest to find a guys sword and went on my way,i was surprised to see that this was one of the lesser 'fetch' quests..so not a fully fledged sidequest,LOL

everytime i played Oblivion i would spend some 100-120hrs on it...although that may add the time i spent with the addons as well,Shivering isles took 10-15hrs

I think maybe Ron could answer that question better as he had finished the game for his review

[Caine]

I would hazard a guess and say the caching system is why the install takes less space. They probably only load textures any ways.

[CeeKay]

I would hazard a guess and say the caching system is why the install takes less space. They probably only load textures any ways.

PC install is less than 6 gigs; I hear they got better at streamlining stuff.

[Destructor]

I would hazard a guess and say the caching system is why the install takes less space. They probably only load textures any ways.

PC install is less than 6 gigs; I hear they got better at streamlining stuff.

Yeah, I think so. On the same exact rig (short of installing Oblivion to a SSD drive, short of a more 'standard' HD for Skyrim), Skyrim loads in MUCH faster than Oblivion ever did (despite being on a slower HD, mind you), and looks a heck of a lot better too.

Skyrim appears to be just as big as Oblivion was, if not bigger. The question is how far off the beaten path you go. I'm looking for as long as, if not longer, of a playthrough time like I did with Oblivion (which was just over 100 hours, without mods).

[leo8877]

So is this like Fallout 3, but with swords?

[Doopri]

leo wins the thread

[leo8877]

All joking aside, do you need to know anything about this world of Elder Scrolls, or can you just pick up this game and not be lost about what's going on?

[Clanwolfer]

All joking aside, do you need to know anything about this world of Elder Scrolls, or can you just pick up this game and not be lost about what's going on?

If it's anything like the last few games, your character starts out pretty much lost about what's going on, giving you plenty of chances to catch up. There are running themes throughout the series, but every game basically starts you over as an unknown, low-level character who's not up on the geography or the current events. Morrowind had you being exiled and dumped on a new continent, if I recall right, and Oblivion has you being sprung from a prison - so you get plenty of chances to find out what's going on without assumption of prior knowledge.

[Sarkus]

Not to mention that this one takes place 200 years after the last (the previous games were all within the lifetime of a particular NPC IIRC), so there is no realy carryover assumed.  Totally different situation even for longtime fans, different game mechanics in many ways as well. 

[KC]

Anyone play this game in 3rd person view instead of 1st person view?  I get motion sickness playing first person games, but have played some of the recent thrid person RPGs without a problem.  How does it play in 3rd person?

[metallicorphan]

it plays a lot better in 3rd Person than past games,i have tried it for awhile and its pretty solid,but i still prefer 1st person


I am really liking the game,admittedly i wasn't that turned on in the first hour but the game has really changed for the better since then

I am getting my ass kicked alot though and an early quest i had to turn back eventually

Spoiler for Hiden:

7000 steps,jesus i got Ice Wolves,Trolls and Dragons on my way up there,so turned back and will try again when i have levelled up some more...i was level 8

i think i am glad to see that Armour and Weapons don't degrade,as far as i can see anyway..and i have just bought my own house took awhile selling stuff(shopkeepers seem to regenerate their money every 48hrs),now i can dump everything i get in there,and not mess about having to sort out your inventory to under 300lbs and dropping stuff i never wanted to lose

[TiLT]

I am getting my ass kicked alot though and an early quest i had to turn back eventually

Spoiler for Hiden:

7000 steps,jesus i got Ice Wolves,Trolls and Dragons on my way up there,so turned back and will try again when i have levelled up some more...i was level 8

I did that at level 7... on Expert. 

[MonkeyFinger]

So is this like Fallout 3, but with swords?

Actually, there's some truth to that. Lots of little mechanics in the game remind me of Fallout, like the way locations are "discovered", the map where places show up when you hear about them and then become "real" places you can fast travel to after you've discovered them, the way the save system works, auto-saving when you wait, rest or travel, etc etc.

Now I just need a Skyboy 3000 mod so I can go into SATS mode and target individual body parts. 

[MonkeyFinger]

Saw this posted over at Blues News and it cracked me up: How to steal in Skyrim. Stealth not required. 

[Bullwinkle]

Anyone play this game in 3rd person view instead of 1st person view?  I get motion sickness playing first person games, but have played some of the recent thrid person RPGs without a problem.  How does it play in 3rd person?

I've actually started playing in 3rd as my default.  I switch to first if I'm trying to see something up close (like coins on a table).

That stealing video was very funny.

[PeteRock]

So is this like Fallout 3, but with swords?

Actually, there's some truth to that. Lots of little mechanics in the game remind me of Fallout, like the way locations are "discovered", the map where places show up when you hear about them and then become "real" places you can fast travel to after you've discovered them, the way the save system works, auto-saving when you wait, rest or travel, etc etc.

Now I just need a Skyboy 3000 mod so I can go into SATS mode and target individual body parts. 

I really don't want Fallout 3 with swords, instead hoping for something more true to Oblivion.  I loved Oblivion, despite running into a few too many trolls once I leveled up perhaps a bit too much, but I tried playing and replaying Fallout 3 a number of times and couldn't find anything compelling enough to keep me playing beyond a few hours.  There were just too many elements I disliked, such as the map system, travel, etc. 

While people joked before its release that Fallout 3 would be like Oblivion with guns, I'd rather not have Skyrim be Fallout 3 with swords.  I'm hoping for something that feels more reminiscent of Oblivion than Fallout 3, otherwise I might not be as interested in Skyrim as I thought.   

[MonkeyFinger]

While people joked before its release that Fallout 3 would be like Oblivion with guns, I'd rather not have Skyrim be Fallout 3 with swords.

From Fallout 3 to Skyrim we’ve rewritten the majority of the engine

It's not Fallout 3 with swords. I just find some of the mechanics remind me of Fallout, not the game itself. Their "all new" Creation Engine that powers Skyrim is a heavily rewritten version of the Gamebryo engine that powered Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas. Just saying that that heritage shows. And not in any bad way.

[PeteRock]

While people joked before its release that Fallout 3 would be like Oblivion with guns, I'd rather not have Skyrim be Fallout 3 with swords.

From Fallout 3 to Skyrim we’ve rewritten the majority of the engine

It's not Fallout 3 with swords. I just find some of the mechanics remind me of Fallout, not the game itself. Their "all new" Creation Engine that powers Skyrim is a heavily rewritten version of the Gamebryo engine that powered Oblivion, Fallout 3, and Fallout: New Vegas. Just saying that that heritage shows. And not in any bad way.

I do appreciate the clarification.  From what I've read, this is a game I just cannot miss.  Being a big dragon enthusiast also makes it paramount that I experience the dragon storylines in the game.  I want to play it, and it'll certainly be on my Christmas list.  I just for some reason could not at all get into Fallout 3, despite trying numerous times.  I can't even put my finger on any one specific aspect of it, just that it failed to grab me.  I'm looking forward to getting back to the Elder Scrolls series and can't wait to see what they've done to go from Oblivion to Skyrim.  Well, I guess I can wait, at least until Christmas.

[denoginizer]

  I just for some reason could not at all get into Fallout 3, despite trying numerous times.  I can't even put my finger on any one specific aspect of it, just that it failed to grab me.  I'm looking forward to getting back to the Elder Scrolls series and can't wait to see what they've done to go from Oblivion to Skyrim.  Well, I guess I can wait, at least until Christmas.

I couldn't get into Fallout 3 either despite many attempts.  But so far I am loving Skyrim. (about 5 hours in)

The world feels massive.  Yet the attention to detail even on minor quests and locations is pretty amazing.  The only complaint I have so far is some of the dialogue.  It breaks the immersion when I hear a Nord barbarian warrior say "they're good people," for example.

[CeeKay]

[I loved Oblivion, despite running into a few too many trolls once I leveled up perhaps a bit too much

on the plus sdie you won't have to level up to run into trolls in Skyrim.

[metallicorphan]

just found a bug that it seems a lot of other people are having


it concerns the Daedric Quest Waking Nightmare

make sure you save your game at a decent point before entering the Fort

the following is spoiled,but to be honest it isn't really that spoiled

Spoiler for Hiden:

So in the town of Windhelm i entered the Inn and there were a group arguing,they have all been having nightmares that are apparently real,there was a guy called Erandur who is trying to calm them down,in the end basically it comes to this i am to accompany Erandur to a fort up the hill just above Windhelm,its only about a 5 minute walk
<I had saved it here thankfully>
When we get to the entrance there are a few spiders that we kill,and then he warns me about what we are about to face and he enters the Fort,and my marker is on the door saying to follow him,so i go through...and he's gone

He is supposed to be on the other side of the door and then opening a seal for me,but he was gone

after messing about in and out of the door and even reloading i decided to google it,and sure enough a lot of other people are having the same problem


then i read that people who were having the same problem,gave Erandur some 10 seconds before following him into the fort,after trying that it worked

so make sure you save it at a decent place incase it screws up for you as well,the autosave may work on an earlier autosave but not the one you make when you use that fort's door

[siege]

I couldn't get into Fallout 3 or Oblivion. I've put over 20 hours into Skyrim thus far and ready to declare GOTY. Just an amazing game through and through. It's definitely not as polished as Id like but hopefully a few patches will resolve some of my issues.

[jztemple2]

I couldn't get into Fallout 3 or Oblivion. I've put over 20 hours into Skyrim thus far and ready to declare GOTY. Just an amazing game through and through. It's definitely not as polished as Id like but hopefully a few patches will resolve some of my issues.

I played both games but didn't finish them. I think I just kind of burned out. But so far from what I'm hearing about Skyrim it sounds like something I might be playing for a long time. I just hope they have a fix for the 360 problem out before next Friday, because that's the soonest I would be getting it.

[metallicorphan]

Ha,i was walking along near some Mammoths when all of a sudden one of the Mammoths shot up into the air and then came back down with a thump,dead...i needed a Mammoth Tusk for a fetch quest,so i took it from that,the other Mammoth and the Giant didn't seem to mind(as in i took it and then legged it off for a few seconds when realising i wasn't being chased)


I found out last night that for pretty much most of the game people have been saying that i look tired for a reason,apparently i have had Rockjoint which takes 25% away from melee weapons...no idea how i caught that

oh yeah,i have had some Assassins try to kill me,they didn't succeed but when i looked at the note that was on them i had been ordered to be killed by someone called Karita..nothing having a clue who she was i looked her up,and she was ..

Spoiler for Hiden:

the fighter who was meditating at one of the shrines on the 7000 steps,we both fought the Dragon together...i say both,i hid behind a tree to regen everytime my health went low,and she bought it....so 2 questions,why is she pissed off at me and second,how did she order some assassins to come after me when she is dead?

however,funnily enough i went to Dawnstar and into the Windpeak Inn and the Bard/Innkeepers daughter is called Karita as well(which doesn't happen often in video games),but i hadn't met her by the time i got assassins,so i am thinking its still the first one i met


EDIT:here is a tip for updating your map

There will be a time when you are talking to the Jarl in Whiterun and in the back room of his..i dunno 'palace'?,there is a map with lots of red and blue flags on it,if you select each of these flags(there are quite a few),then the place shows up on your map,you still have to walk there to 'discover' it so you can then fast travel,but it gives you an idea of the way to go when you want to discover things

[Caine]

or you know, you could just look at the paper map they put in the box 


played a ton of this so far, level 12 nord 2H/heavy armor/Archer with no use of magic except for the starter heal spell to cut down on potion use.  just slayed the second dragon and have three shouts (2 unlocked).  I made my way up into the throat of the world during a nighttime snowstorm which was quite a difficult trip.  luckily I had a follower and a pet.  as I made my way back down the other side of the mountain, the snow stopped and and the clouds cleared, letting me see the northern lights.  damn, wish I could have take a screenshot of it. 

I caught vampirism, but decided to reload as I have another path in mind and didn't want to bother trying to find a cure for that one.  I've already talked with two daedric princes and have one of their blessings.  not sure if that did anything but I got an achievement for it.  it was a pretty cool little sequence and was started well off the beaten path that anyone would expect to find such a quest.  I bought a house in the first big city you come to on the main quest and I really wish they gave you a little more for your money.  only one chest so everything I didn't need right away is just shoveled away in there with no sense of order to it.  kind of annoying that the inventory categorization doesn't extend to the chest but once I get the extra furnishings it will help.  I never put much time into the house in oblivion as none of the cities seemed like home. 

really love the little details they put into the game, like the wind that whips over the edges of the cliffs, the way the water streams down the hills while the fish try to jump the rapids.  so far, the dungeons feel a lot more organic and not like a random generated hodgepodge of different parts stiched together with the same bandits in every cave.  I love that the giants will kick your ass if you bug them but are perfectly happy if you leave them alone.  I liked seeing the bandit archers stop their attack on me to focus our attention on the roaming dragon who flew over. 

I can't wait to go back.

[metallicorphan]

or you know, you could just look at the paper map they put in the box  

not sure how detailed your map is,but the one that came with my game shows pretty much fuck all ..and looking at that map,wont make those places appear on your ingame map

[Caine]

or you know, you could just look at the paper map they put in the box  

not sure how detailed your map is,but the one that came with my game shows pretty much fuck all ..and looking at that map,wont make those places appear on your ingame map

true, but that's what exploration is for

it is a good tip though.  i was afraid that I'd pick them up or something. 

[Dreamshadow]

Spoiler for Hiden:

So I'm going up the 7k steps, and there is a troll I just can't kill as a warrior at level 8.  Any suggestions or do I just need to level up a little more.
 He just swats me twice or three times and I'm dead.  My housecarl and I just can't do enough damage.

[Sarkus]

Spoiler for Hiden:

So I'm going up the 7k steps, and there is a troll I just can't kill as a warrior at level 8.  Any suggestions or do I just need to level up a little more.
 He just swats me twice or three times and I'm dead.  My housecarl and I just can't do enough damage.

You need to be a higher level to beat that mob, but the good news is that you don't have to.  Just run/sprint past and he won't follow that far.  It's very easy if you have a horse.  Then you fast travel on the way back.

[metallicorphan]

Spoiler for Hiden:

So I'm going up the 7k steps, and there is a troll I just can't kill as a warrior at level 8.  Any suggestions or do I just need to level up a little more.
 He just swats me twice or three times and I'm dead.  My housecarl and I just can't do enough damage.

yeah that was what stopped me getting up there(although i was on my own),do yourself a favour first and make sure you have not got Rockjoint that stops 25% of your melee weapons as i had that and didn't realise,i came back at level 11 to do it,but not sure if i could of done it sooner had i got rid of the disease sooner

to check your status  Magic>>>Active Effects>>>>anything listed in red is usually a disease

FWIW,even though you are only half way up the mountain,the troll is the last obstacle,and if you read all 10 shines you get 24hrs of Wild Animals not attacking you

.<><><><>

has anybody had a drinking competition with Sam in Whiterun inn?,pretty damn hilarious


Finally made it to Rift last night and picked up my find 100 locations achievement,its like a drug when you see that shaded in location on your compass,you just have to go look at it and fill in the symbol

Dragons are quite easy to kill now,i still have problems with Trolls though

I am guessing it was a dark troll i saw running through the forests near Rift?,as at first i thought it was Bigfoot

22hrs in/level 17

[Bullwinkle]

I ran into my first really bad texture glitch.

I was up river from the first town, near a hunter on the riverbank, and there's a square of river that doesn't have a water effect.  Basically, there are some salmon swimming around in air.  Just shoddy.

I haven't reloaded or gone back to see if it was a fluke, but it really pulled me out of my immersion.

[Morgul]

Just wanted to say this game is great, GOTY for me.

Level 10 straight up mage, lightning bolts and cloth armor.   I find the game amazing.

[CeeKay]

I ran into my first really bad texture glitch.

I was up river from the first town, near a hunter on the riverbank, and there's a square of river that doesn't have a water effect.  Basically, there are some salmon swimming around in air.  Just shoddy.

I haven't reloaded or gone back to see if it was a fluke, but it really pulled me out of my immersion.

those were the rare flying salmon, they create an air bubble around them so they don't get wet and fly through the air.

[Clanwolfer]

I need to find those flying salmon.

I always run into trouble with these bigger games that I just lose steam on the main quest, then the sidequests - I like the exploring but I need just a little more motivation.

So I'm playing through as a foodie - an expert alchemist (well, someday to be expert, but putting all the perks there) who wants to make all the food possible, and eat it in amazing places. Sometimes you have to attend to exhausting minor details of life, like slaying dragons and such, but that really just moves you around to where the good food is.

[Zinfan]

Loving the game!  I have a level 12 Redguard who likes sunrises, long walks in the snow and sneaking up on bandits to put an arrow in their head.  I really can't get away from a light armor, bow and one hand wielding thief like archetype.  I always promise myself that I'll make a clumsy two hand fighter or a mage but nope here I go again with my standard sneak and peak build and I'm loving it.

Not too far in the main story yet but I've seen so many cool random encounters that I'm not even part of.  I'm also prone to the "hey what is over that hill?" syndrome and I've gotten stuck in the world 3-4 times where my character cannot get out of a tight spot between rocks.

Loving the console version of the game but since the wife wants to use the TV for other tasks I may spring for the PC version as well and try to be a fighter with a big hammer and heavy armor and perhaps the ability to smith.

[Roguetad]

So I'm playing through as a foodie - an expert alchemist (well, someday to be expert, but putting all the perks there) who wants to make all the food possible, and eat it in amazing places. Sometimes you have to attend to exhausting minor details of life, like slaying dragons and such, but that really just moves you around to where the good food is.

Awesome

[Isgrimnur]

I've gotten stuck in the world 3-4 times where my character cannot get out of a tight spot between rocks.

Someone needs to make an Aron Ralston / 127 Hours mod.

[EngineNo9]

has anybody had a drinking competition with Sam in Whiterun inn?,pretty damn hilarious

Yes, I did and

Spoiler for Hiden:

waking up in another town

really sidetracked me for quite a while.

[MonkeyFinger]

I know this has already been mentioned (somewhere) in this or the other thread, but my copy of the Collector's Edition stategy guide showed up from Amazon today and holy moley... there's a whole lota stuffs in there!