Poll: Skyrim; Side Quests or Main Storyline?

[SextusMaximus]

[HEADING=3]Skyrim; Side Quests or Main Storyline?[/HEADING]

When I picked up Oblivion about three years ago, I quickly realised that the main storyline of the game absolutely sucked. It was a bit of fun, sure - but I went to doing the - much more fun - faction quests (my favourite being the Dark Brotherhood, a faction that's been confirmed in Skyrim). As it happens, the side quests are so fun I never actually got round to finishing the story of Oblivion and instead had a much better time killing people in legal battles in the Arena, killing people for a cult in the Brotherhood, stealing from people (and usually killing them) in the Thieves Guild and killing people (with magic) in the Mage's guiled.

My question is, in Skyrim will you go straight to the main quest and complete that before doing any of the side quests? Are you going to ignore the main quest altogether and just do the side quests - or are you going try a mix of both at the same time?

 

[Ragsnstitches]

I'll wing it when I get it. Start the main quest, join a guild for some cash and listen to the plights of the people.

 

[DustyDrB]

Oblivion's main storyline sucked for me for two reasons: Poor level design and poor writing. For the main story, you have to go to "dungeons" and Oblivion gates way too much. The level design for both of those area types is just not varied enough (I think they had just one guy designing those kinds of areas. I'll look up a link...). This shouldn't be a problem, as Bethesda has more people designing those areas now.

As for the writing, I'm less confident in this. They still had pretty bad writing in Fallout 3. They could totally prove me wrong and blow me away with a great story. But I'm not expecting it. The question of preference over main story or side quests really depends on those two parts.

I will only do side quests that make sense for my character (who will be a Redguard. I'm going to go for a survivalist Hunter-type character with him). So I won't do any Mage's Guild quest line. And I won't do the Dark Brotherhood, as this character wouldn't take pleasure in killing others. The stuff I don't do I'll be able to get to with a different character.

 

[Frozen Donkey Wheel2]

Side quests, most likely. I'll also try to do stuff outside of quests that I personally find cool, like steal a guard's uniform from every town, or become a magic, hobo-targeting serial killer.

I did both of those in Oblivion, I didn't just think of them now.

 

[SextusMaximus]

*SNIP*

Completely agree about the writing, I think BioWare set a great example when it comes to RPG writing, but then again - it's much easier to write a JRPG than a WRPG.

Side quests, most likely. I'll also try to do stuff outside of quests that I personally find cool, like steal a guard's uniform from every town, or become a magic, hobo-targeting serial killer.

I did both of those in Oblivion, I didn't just think of them now.

I love doing random stuff like that as well, my favourite thing is getting into prison for tiny offences and then murdering all the guards and prisoners there and getting out again.

I might do something similar in a videogame?

 

[Argtee]

I never like just doing the main quest or just doing side quests. I always do a mix of both.

Also: Yeah, I didn't like Oblivion's main quest either.
I didn't hate it, but I thought that it could have been a lot better.

Looking forward to Skyrim!

 

[Ruwrak]

I get thrown in. I strap my (probably) rusty dagger and (probably) worn leather shield and wander off in a random direction.

Maybe kill some rats.

 

[Moonlight Butterfly]

Do ALL the things!

Seriously no one is ever going to see me again -.-

And yeah the main quest in Oblivion is pretty suckworthy tbh. I have never actually completed it. Also I absolutely despise oblivion gates..ugh.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

Go wandering, do some Side Quests, then some story (Probably just enough to get those Dragons to start flying around), then more Side Quests, even more wandering, any Side Quests I find while wandering...

Honestly, I might not actually get around to finishing the Main Storyline until a Month or so later.
It won't be that out of dislike, I tend to see things like this through once I feel somewhat invested in it, but more out of sheer procrastination and my love of wandering around aimlessly in giant open world games.

Probably mostly the procrastination though, as I still haven't bothered finishing Oblivion's Main Storyline yet, although I have seen the whole thing since I helped someone else do it.

So yeah... Wandering, Side Quests, and a little Main Storyline will be how I play it for quite a while.

 

[Kizi]

Of course I'll play the main quest but I think that, like in Oblivion, the sidequests will dominate.

 

[Instant K4rma]

It'll probably be several months before I beat Skyrim, and I'll be playing it a lot. I'm going off and exploring right off the bat. That's my favorite part of Bethesda games: going off and exploring. Finding small villages of interesting people, running across a cave full of well-dressed necromancers...

The list goes on. From what I've heard about Skyrim (150+ handcrafted dungeons, some being up to 2 hours long, 100+ points of interest), I'll have my work cut out for me.

11/11/11 can't come soon enough.

[sub] I liked Oblivion's storyline... Guess I'm a sucker for Sean Bean.[/sub]

 

[kouriichi]

Neither. First thing i'll do is find the darkest hole to stick my d*ck in, loot it like a gang of pirates in a lawless town, pawn it all off for an item or two i dont need, and then rinse/repeat till there isnt a drop of gold in a barrel this side of Tamriel.

I might join a guild or something along the way, so i have full access to the building their located in. ((Makes it easier to l00t))

TES games have never been about the story or quests from me. More about exploring, l00ting and plundering every inch of land that isnt under the watchful eyes of Chicken snitches. ((cookie for the reference))

I guess i have kleptomania, and games like Fallout and The Elder Scrolls help satiate my lust to take everything that isnt riveted to the floor.

 

[Wolfhowl the shadow lurker]

i will do what i did with Oblivion fuck around until i get the hang of it then choose

 

[Agow95]

Side quests, and I insist I kill one dragon before doing any main missions.

 

[JesterRaiin]

My question is, in Skyrim will you go straight to the main quest and complete that before doing any of the side quests? Are you going to ignore the main quest altogether and just do the side quests - or are you going try a mix of both at the same time?

There will be real main quest in Skyrim ??? Holy cow...

 

[Redryhno]

It'll probably be several months before I beat Skyrim, and I'll be playing it a lot. I'm going off and exploring right off the bat. That's my favorite part of Bethesda games: going off and exploring. Finding small villages of interesting people, running across a cave full of well-dressed necromancers...

The list goes on. From what I've heard about Skyrim (150+ handcrafted dungeons, some being up to 2 hours long, 100+ points of interest), I'll have my work cut out for me.

11/11/11 can't come soon enough.

[sub] I liked Oblivion's storyline... Guess I'm a sucker for Sean Bean.[/sub]

How dare you not even mention Patrick Stewart! Oh well, he only had five minutes screentime.

Side quests, and I insist I kill one dragon before doing any main missions.

I hope the dragon fights are varied enough myself, and that I don't have to find the hidden pass in the unclimbable mountains to get to a piece of metal for the main quest.

 

[ultrachicken]

Main story until you kill your first dragon, so that I'll get a free dragon shout to start the Dark Brotherhood with.

 

[judgementbringer]

I'm going to do side quests and put off the main quest as much as humanly possible. In Oblivion I was level 17 before I even did the first story mission. The only reason I bothered with the story at all is because I wanted to start going through Oblivion gates.