Skyrim: Why is anyone remotely surprised?

[lordmardok]

That is until the first wave of patches comes around the a few mods pop up to fix the usually GLARING deficiencies. So to those of you who have complaints about Skyrim. Suck it up, that's what happens when you lack any form of pattern recognition.

I have nearly 30 hours played and have zero complaints.

Only encountered 1 glitch.

The combat is improved from Oblivion, the UI works okay and the scenery looks decent.

The only people i'm seeing complaints from are those that hated Oblivion but went out and bought Skyrim anyway .... or stupid people as we like to call them.

Which is totally fine. I honestly enjoyed Oblivion a great deal when it first came out too, I have no issue with the game itself, just the people who complain about things they really should've seen coming. Although I will point out that enough people have leveled complaints against the mechanics of the game that just because you only encountered one glitch doesn't mean that's the rule.

 

[Hazzaslagga]

1.It has been improved far beyond what oblivion offered, also they showed an half hour demo of game play.

2.Haven't experienced problems with guards or particularly bad ai(only had a handful as in 3-5 instances of that over 12 or so hours). Also animation and movement is also much better than oblivion, the people complaining saying that the animations are similar to oblivion are wrong.

3.All of my oblivion mods were just to add content rather than fix bugs. The only one that changed the game play slightly was deadly reflex. Skyrim doesn't need mods to fix it(bar the slightly clunky menu system), they will just add to the game.

 

[Timmehexas]

20 hours in having loads of fun, started two characters so far and many more to come. Maybe people just over-hyped themselves because this is exactly what I expected and I'm enjoyed myself immensely

 

[SnakeoilSage]

None of the issues you mention are deal-breakers for me, and I find the combat system a bit more fun. The blows feel like they have more impact, and the inclusion of kill-animations is rewarding to me - they're not so often as to be boring.

 

[Altorin]

Skyrim has much funner combat because sometimes it just ends. You're fighting, and your character just goes "FUCK YOU IN THE NECK" and kills your enemy. The worst part of oblivion combat was that it dragged so badly.

They removed ALL of the system gaming that was in Oblivion. Alchemy was broken in Oblivion - you could just basically get unlimited money with very little effort if you just made restore stamina potions. Alchemy wasn't interesting. It seems to be now. There's less completely useless clutter - I stumbled upon a pickaxe in my travels, and was like "lol, useless Pickaxe" then immediately found iron Ore. Not so much.

It's going to be very difficult to just game the system in Skyrim, and that's refreshing. I only wish the racial bonuses etc. were more clear, even if it was only in the manual, and I wish that the 360 version could use lowdefinition fonts - really, why can we not have "legible text on older tvs" be an option in video games? Why is text in video games either Oblivion or Skyrim? why can't we choose? It also seems to think my TV is a little wider then it should be, so some of the text in the top right of the screen, like "saving" etc is cut off. Why? Do I NEED to spend 300-400 dollars on a new tv just to play it properly? oh well, it's a complaint that's largely my fault, but there's nothing wrong with customization.

the magic effects seem really interesting, and it's neat to see spell effects like Clairvoyance - things that other games would just make part of the UI, Skyrim lampshades it by making it an actual spell. I like that. As I play the game I hope to see more.

I like how it's largely impossible to begin the game in a Losing state, and that you don't have to game your skills just to have a character that can stand up to the harder challenges in the game (or have that Draggy long winded combat). No major/minor skills was a very nice change. Gutting the attributes makes it seem a little less RPGish perhaps, but it's MUCH more intuitive, and I can certainly appreciate that. Stamina is actually something I care about now, which is something that even as a melee character in Oblivion just wasn't the case.

The lack of character options in terms of appearance, and the generally... dirty.. look of the games textures are a little disheartening - on the 360 at least I won't be able to make my green haired Bosmer sniper, or have my ghostly white breton shield mage. On that note, not having the ability to name your class is a little sad as well - it was part of Oblivion that I kind of liked.

I also don't really care for the tutorial dungeon in Skyrim, and the fact that you're pigeonholed from the beginning to work with the person who just moments ago was perfectly fine executing you is bothersome, and then the fact that there's no way to save after having done it giving you a chance to remake your character, which is a staple of these games that's missing - you get one point just before the encounter to do it, but that's it.

So far, I'm really enjoying it. Being able to wield a sword in one hand and a fireball in the other is very very nice, although I haven't found any particularly good use for dual wielding - you can only attack with one weapon, so having 2 seems to be superfluous. Maybe I'm missing something I'll learn later.

 

[Blaster395]

Considering I managed to kill 18 hours with it in just two days and only have it crash once, this is the most stable game to of been released in a long time.
Having lots of fun with it too.

 

[TheMagicLemur]

Bethesda went to great lengths to stress how much they had changed or improved or whatever from Oblivion, so I don't think it's unfair of us to have expected a bit more change. It's still a very good game (it's far better than Oblivion, at least), but I myself can't help feel a degree of bait-n-switch from what was specifically promised as an improvement or fix from Oblivion and what was actually delivered.

 

[DrunkPickle]

Am I the only one who doesn't care about bugs? Sure, it's nicer to play a game without glitches, but I'm not going to *****/wine or restrain myself from buying a game just because the reviews/people say it's laggy. Call me inexperienced, but I have never encountered a game with errors bad enough to ruin the pleasure of playing; well, except, of course, Risen - and that was made by a team of, what? like 5 guys?

 

[snagli]

Sure issues are issues, and some are wobbly and make you feel a tad angry. However, stalk a man into his house, steal all of his possesions, slit his throat, reanimate his corpse, and make him fight his wife, and all is forgiven in my book. And that's what Skyrim allows me to do, so I'm happy.

 

[l3o2828]

I'm not surprised all threads in the Escapist are about skyrim in some manner, even the one about the girl giving birth at ten.
It's annoying, yes.

 

[Your Fearless Captain]

Here's what I read, "Grah! I hate TES series and that includes Skyrim! You are all a bunch of sheep! Look at me everybody!"

 

[A Free Man]

Amazing... So your saying that multiple games from THE SAME series, have similar fundamental gameplay? Someone please alert the media, who would have thought of such a genius insight.

OT: As far as I'm concerned there were only a few things I had problems with in Morrowind and Oblivion and Skyrim has solved the majority of them. The combat is definately improved with better archery, awesome spells and duel wielding, magic is completely different, with most spells and enchantments being different or having new elements, perks, levelling, and menus are all different and at least in my opinion are better. As for this 'hive-mind' thing people are complaining about... What kind of an imperial guard do you want? One where if you break the law only the single person that saw you break it will ever try to arrest you... Obviously if you break the law in a town the guards are going to tell each other. I don't even understand what you are complaining about.

although I haven't found any particularly good use for dual wielding - you can only attack with one weapon, so having 2 seems to be superfluous. Maybe I'm missing something I'll learn later.

Some nice points, both positive and negative. Just to reply to this, I actually am playing a mage so this is mainly mage specific, but when you upgrade your perk tree enough as a mage you can duel wield the same spell and combine it to form a larger more powerful spell. Also you can wield flames in one hand and healing in another so you can simultaneously attack and heal yourself.

 

[Braedan]

So far, I'm really enjoying it. Being able to wield a sword in one hand and a fireball in the other is very very nice, although I haven't found any particularly good use for dual wielding - you can only attack with one weapon, so having 2 seems to be superfluous. Maybe I'm missing something I'll learn later.

A couple perks into one handed there is one where when duel wielding you attack 20% faster. I imagine Bethesda wanted it to be along the lines of "learn how one sword works before you start wailing away with two".

As for this 'hive-mind' thing people are complaining about... What kind of an imperial guard do you want? One where if you break the law only the single person that saw you break it will ever try to arrest you... Obviously if you break the law in a town the guards are going to tell each other. I don't even understand what you are complaining about.

Well Oblivion had legitimate problems. Stealing from someone and having 5 guards magically teleport though the door when they were spread out all over town.
People on one side of the kingdom knowing that you stole a spoon from a city on the other side of the kingdom.

It's all fixed now though so there's no issue.

 

[Levethian]

bad controls, dodgy interface, samey combat systems to III and IV. The weird thing is, the people complaining are acting like it's some kind of surprise.

I'm actually surprised how much it's improved, considering it's the same core gfx engine...

Nope completely new engine, wish people would stop this crap

I thought it was 'completely overhauled', based on Gamebryo. Debatable whether the Creation Engine, based/built on another engine, is a 'completely new' engine.

Explains why a few load Skyrim up and assume it's Oblivion 2.

Thoroughly enjoying the game so far. Stable, too.

 

[shasjas]

i was pretty damn hyped about it. and i love it. and im on PS3 not PC.
no other game does quite what bethesda games do.

sure, oblivion, which i played on PC, was really just a base for mods, but skyrim is much better. it willi be improved by mods, not made by them, and IMO its a fantastic game without them anyway.

not saying its flawless, but its probably my favourite game so far in life.
of course that may all change as i play it more...

 

[Technical_view]

I logged in with facebook even though I've never been on this forum before just to address some points because they annoy the bejesus out of me.

I also don't really care for the tutorial dungeon in Skyrim, and the fact that you're pigeonholed from the beginning to work with the person who just moments ago was perfectly fine executing you is bothersome, and then the fact that there's no way to save after having done it giving you a chance to remake your character, which is a staple of these games that's missing - you get one point just before the encounter to do it, but that's it.

So far, I'm really enjoying it. Being able to wield a sword in one hand and a fireball in the other is very very nice, although I haven't found any particularly good use for dual wielding - you can only attack with one weapon, so having 2 seems to be superfluous. Maybe I'm missing something I'll learn later.

Okay first of all the guy you join on the imperial side *DIDN'T* want to execute you. Anyone with half a wit could see he was extremely hesitant, but he was outranked by the captain who was insistent on you being executed.

Okay but if you know that point, you can save there now and no problems? Going straight into character creation isn't a seamless introduction, it's why they don't do it. This is a matter of personal choice.

You can attack with two weapons, attacking with both the left and right hand at the same time results in a dual weapon attack. At least with daggers, I haven't tried the other weapons. However I've seen killing blow screens use both weapons with swords on my buddies PS3 so I assume it's possible on all one handed weapons.

Things I'd like to add:

While the world is mighty beautiful, it's mostly dead. And Bethesda have spread out the quests all over the place. I've already spend a good deal of time just sprinting through the countryside. I'm not begging for constant Cliffracer attacks (IIRC) like in Morrowind or an animal per square meter density of 1, like in Gothic 3's dreaded (and quite similar) Nordmar region, but a little more than nothing would be nice.
And though I appreciate a large world, some form of instant travel would be nice. Not the carriages in front of the lager towns. Something like a teleport stone, so that when I leave a dungeon, I'm right back home and don't have to travel that empty world again.

Also, I do find it a bit on the easy side. Save for a single "one hit and you're toast"-boss (the skinner), I've had no problems whatsoever. I mean, I do avoid the giants.

And it's a bit unbalanced. I've chosen a Wood Elf, expecting to be a thief, but with no-one but some select few fences (that I've not yet located) buying stolen goods, what's the point. Besides, I have too much coin anyways. Sneaking seems then a complete waste of XP, don't know when I've last seen an enemy who was alone and waiting for a backstab. Lockpicking works fine for me even though I've not invested anyting into this tree. Once again, an RPG that treats the Thief like an afterthought.

Lastly, I have to say I hate limited inventories. If it's in games like Deus Ex, it might lend some strategic element to it (or so they say). But with the inventory in Skyrim being large enough for you to carry around your essentials, all the limitation does is add a WHOLE F*CKING LOT of micro-management. Towards the end of every dungeon crawl, even with a companion loaded up, I find myself doing the ol' "coin per pound" calculating in my head to see what crap I should drop and leave.

Sure the population is a little small, but put this into context. This is roughly based around the era in which constant war, sickness, and monsters are attacking. Also you're in the most northern part of the continent -- do you expect the population of people to be high? As for wild life, if you don't trod the main trail you'll come across plenty of wolf packs, trolls, mammoths etc. On the actual main trail I've come across at least one fight between each city I run to and from.

THERE IS INSTANT TRAVEL. CLICK A CITY ON YOUR MAP. Sheesh you would think people would attempt intuitive ways before assumption.

There's a difficulty setting.

As for thief, you can steal things for yourself to actually use, not just to sell. I agree lockpicking is rather easy though. Sneaking is not useless however I must add. If you invest in it heavily it's very easy to sneak up on people.

So don't pick up every F*cking thing? If you buy a house you have a storage. I have a tank in full heavy set with a shield and he walks around at ~100/300. That's plenty of extra space for anything I want to pick up. Why are you picking up junk anyways? If you're selling the stuff you pickup at each town and you don't pick up everything you see then you should have plenty of inventory space. Also limited inventory space *keeps* people from picking up everything they see. That's the exact point. Otherwise you'd pick up everything, sell it all and the game would turn into how much junk can I get and re-sell so I can buy the next armor tier?