I think I missed the point of Skyrim

[ImProvGamr]

Don't get me wrong; I think that Skyrim is a great game. There's tons to do, lots of places to explore, and slinging around magic is a heck of a lot of fun. The thing is, as I was playing, I would try to go through specific main quests in a consistent run, using it as a way to just open up options and actually complete one of the story lines. After a while though, I realized that, for each of the specific main quests, their wasn't a whole lot of meat to them. They started to go by too quickly and felt slipshod, as if the game was trying to get me through and done with it so that I could go back to random adventuring. There were many quests that start out really interestingly, showing a ton of potential for a long and engrossing questline, but then, all of a sudden, I was at the end, and the game just gave me my reward and told me to go on just as I was getting into it. After a while I just did some random adventuring, but while still fun, I didn't find any cohesiveness to it, and I just got bored and unattached.

Did any one else have this experience? Or am I just missing something?

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

Bethisda's logic-
"Let's make a main quest that pressures the player into doing a world-saving thing, but let's make it so the player can't possible complete this world saving task unless they do what seems to be simple side story lines, though each of these side story lines end up to be equally world threatening, or uber raging for the player."
They wonder why people can't decide which mission to do next.

You get too caught up on other things to be able to go through the main quest smoothly.
When I got to far in a certain storyline, I was outleveled by the monsters and people inside the ruins I had to scower, so I'd have to find another side story to start.

 

[Pimppeter2]

Bethisda's logic-
"Let's make a main quest that pressures the player into doing a world-saving thing, but let's make it so the player can't possible complete this world saving task unless they do what seems to be simple side story lines, though each of these side story lines end up to be equally world threatening, or uber raging for the player."

I don't know what game you've been playing, but you can finish the main quest without playing a single side quest without playing any of the other side quests or even traveling the world at all.

 

[Vault101]

you know what? I think people give them a free pass for certain things that they dont really deserve

Skyrim is as I expected, I cant complain about it but I cant sing its praises eather

 

[Hero in a half shell]

Well I'm currently running through the main storyline and the civil war storyline side by side, and it seems to be going together pretty well. I've just discovered Skyhaven Temple, and re-taken the Pale, but I've done plenty of side-quests as well, and have about 20 half started that I don't want to do or couldn't be bothered.

The biggest issue for me at the moment is that I don't want to play any of the stealthy quests (I'm playing a Nord knight, and am saving them all for my thief character) but I started the Markarth conspiracy quest, and through a series of unfortunate events am now a hunted criminal in the Markarth Hold, and I can't pay off the bounty. So I have to avoid all guards in the entire Markarth Hold. It's not difficult, I got accosted by a guard on my way to Skyhaven, but we were interrupted by a Frost and Blood dragon, and they made short work of him. So that's an interesting quirk that has developed in my runthrough.

 

[Terminate421]

I'd think theres a DLC expansion coming up for all of them.

The Daedric princes practically forget about you other than their items and I just am doing a second character through the College of Winterhold when I realized the Synod guy threatened to be back. Perhaps a DLC that brings them back to go against the college?

 

[dragsaw]

Skyrim is a beard simulator, not a dragonkilling game, not a rpg,not for fun its a Beard simulator

if you Dont jave a beard your doing it wrong

 

[Clive Howlitzer]

I think they should just drop the whole main quest angle. I don't think they need a "save the world" main storyline in these games. Just focus on making the rest of the game awesome and I am content with a massive sandbox world to have fun in.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

It seemed to me like the main quest line in Skyrim was a lot shorter than Oblivion's. Once I really focused on the main quest, Earth vs Alduin, it all just seemed to go by way too quickly. Also, is the Civil War supposed to be part of the main quest because as easy as it is to ignore/ pass over it didn't seem very pressing at all. The thieves guild and Dark Brotherhood quests seemed more urgent than the Civil War to be honest.

 

[Smooth Operator]

There's tons to do, lots of places to explore

And that is the grand prize of TES games, all the rest of it is just content stretched too thin and you barely get a taste of what you're chewing on.
While something like Dragon Age Origins is a much tighter package, you get only few places to stick your nose in but that means they can condense the content into meatier chunks.

Now some people like the open and some like the tight story approach.
When I was playing Baldur's Gate 10+ years ago I was predicting they will be able to do both in the near future... I guess it wasn't that near after all.

 

[MysticToast]

What is it with people trying to find a "point" to everything? It's a game, and a really fun one at that. Just enjoy it.

 

[Zhukov]

Yeah, that was basically my experience with the game too.

Although I didn't find any of the quest lines interesting enough to finish.

 

[Tohuvabohu]

There were many quests that start out really interestingly, showing a ton of potential for a long and engrossing questline, but then, all of a sudden, I was at the end, and the game just gave me my reward and told me to go on just as I was getting into it. After a while I just did some random adventuring, but while still fun, I didn't find any cohesiveness to it, and I just got bored and unattached.

This is more or less how I feel about every Bethesda game, but mostly the Elder Scrolls series in particular.

Sure the province of Skyrim is big and pretty, but I feel like there's no reason for me to be there, and no reason for me to play the game. I've seen it, experienced it, and I'm just not interested in any of it. I've joined just about every faction I could, but could only do about 2 or 3 quests before getting bored with them and putting them off.

The same goes for the main quest line. If I'm not interested in the main quest/overall story, or pretty much anything else going on in Skyrim, then I just don't see the point of playing the game at all. Every now and then I pop it back in to shamble through some quests. But I can't play it for much more than an hour before getting bored again.

It's unusual. I love RPG games but the Elder Scrolls series just never does it for me. There is just no involvement or attachment at all. Ever since I got Skyrim, I went back and played through Deus Ex: HR again, VtM - Bloodlines, and I reinstalled DA:O the other day and have been sinking many hours into it all over again.

At this point, I've basically lost all interest in beating Skyrim and spend my precious leisure time replaying games like these. So you and I are in the same boat. I feel like I'm 'missing' something in Skyrim, but part of me feels as if it won't get any more interesting.

 

[Psycho78]

It's awesome. Do the side quests if you want to. Explore if you want to. Do crafting, enchantment, mine ore, chop wood. All optional.

If you just want to breeze through the main quest that's fine too.

It's better than games that have a big world but you don't visit much of it during the campaign, and there is nothing to do there anyway.

 

[Fappy]

Bethesda went a bit too far in the exploration philosophy this time around imo. I think of the TES games I have played, Morrowind had the best balance of focus/direction/narrative and exploration.

 

[Vern5]

You lost me when you put "The point" and "Skyrim" in the same sentence. There is no direct point to the game, which is not exactly a mark against the game. The only "point" I can imagine from a TES game is to do whatever you please however you please. In that regard, TES is more of a blunt force weapon.

 

[DJjaffacake]

I felt that the Dark Brotherhood questline, and to a lesser extent the Thieves Guild one, were pretty good, but the Companions, College of Winterhold and Civil War ones started well but went downhill very quickly. It felt like they hadn't got them anywhere near finished when it was getting close to the release date, and just threw in a few dungeons and poorly contrived reasons for being there. But it's not like Skyrim was a finished game when it came out anyway.

 

[O maestre]

unless you are new to the elder scrolls series, than i understand how your feel. however if you have previously played TES than you didn't do it for too long this is exactly the same as before.

granted morrowinds main quest and faction system was more engaging, but the basic frame of the games has not changed.

the TES series at its heart is a dungeon crawler D&D style where you are left to fill in the blanks in regards to your character while the game hurls loot and monsters in your face.

some people like it... i am one of those... in fact i believe i am addicted to it.
that does not mean that i do not appreciate a well structured story
and fleshed out characters, but the TES series are not like that
and i wouldn't have them any other way.

now what i would enjoy is a better PC interface. and if you are going for the whole civil war angle, i want to see a full on war.
and if dragons truly are invading, then i want to see devastation.
not just some irate lizard popping up once and while
to remind me that there are things more annoying than bears.

but i digress.... at the end of the day, skyrim is your classic loot & wank adventure game, a la diablo, substance wise. how much you engage yourself in the game is all up to you.

(in regards to the above comparison, i am well aware the TES stories are leaps and bounds compared to diablo, but in my country they say that exaggeration furthers understanding... or was that enmity?)